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Gossip Girls – What to Do When the Bully Is a She

By: Vicki Bohling

The need to belong in adolescence is powerful. We know from studies of gender development that girls, especially, have a fierce desire to be connected, included and liked. Belonging to groups can be a very positive thing, but when girls feel insecure about their social status, the quest for belonging can lead to some very ugly behavior. In this blog –part two of a two-part series– we examine why and how girls might bully other girls, and present some action steps for adults to take against bullying behavior, in both boys and girls. Read more >

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Other Blog Posts

Brutal Boys: Why (and How) Do Boys Bully, and What Can Parents Do about It?

By: Steve Palmer

Most people assume that boys are more likely to be involved in bullying behavior – as both perpetrators and victims – than girls. There is some truth to this idea, but it may have more to do with what we consider "bullying" than with a statistical truth. Boys are, in fact, more likely to be involved in bullying behavior that plays out physically, while girls are more likely to engage in bullying behavior known as “relational bullying”. In this blog –part one of a two-part series– we examine why and how boys might bully other boys, and present some action steps for adults to take against bullying behavior, in both boys and girls. Stay tuned to the ParentFurther Blog for part two in this series, which will focus on girls and bullying behavior. Read more >

The Wave: An Adoptee's View on Loss and Motherhood

By: Guest Blogger, Amanda Okamoto

The "Price" of Motherhood
Mother's Day is almost here, and as much as we appreciate Moms everywhere, nothing drives home the importance of this holiday like cold, hard numbers.
Break Out of Breakfast in Bed! Fresh Traditions for Mother’s Day

By: Tricia Cornell

Can I share a secret? Don’t tell my kids. On my list of places I like to eat breakfast, “my bed” ranks near the bottom of the list, right above “underwater.” Who wants to eat surrounded by pillows and blankets, with your legs straight in front of you, a tray barely balanced on your lap? Who wants to clean up the inevitable crumbs and spills? More importantly, who decided that this should be the iconic way to show Mom you love her? Read more >

A Not-so-Traditional Family Tradition

By: Mary Margaret Reagan-Montiel

My first job at age 10 was picking rocks at a strawberry patch in northern Minnesota. If you’re not familiar with rock picking it’s HARD. Basically, you pick up rocks and move them from the strawberry patch to an isolated corner of the field so that when it’s time to harvest the ripe strawberries, the rocks don’t get in the way. Read more >

Family Traditions: A Few Worth Keeping (and a Few that Aren't)
By: Vicki Bohling

Family traditions are important. They connect family members to each other and one generation to the next, like a strong but invisible glue. They give kids of a sense of belonging as they experience the “we” and “us” of being on the family team. In the midst of hectic schedules, traditions provide comfort that comes from predictable patterns and routines. But not all traditions are worth keeping! Just because your mom always made you drink warm ginger ale when you had a stomachache, does not mean you have to do the same thing with your kids. My kids enjoy many of the traditional recipes I grew up with as a child, but I am saying right here, right now – the consumption of organ meat is dying with me. My kids don’t even know what a chicken gizzard is. Read more >>

Beach Sundays: Scenes from a Happy Childhood

By: Marie Williams

Positive family traditions are different than mere good memories; they speak of caring enough to take time away from the business of daily life, acting in common purpose, and honoring our shared roots. In our rapid-paced modern world, taking time away is more difficult than ever, so building those traditions may be more important than they have ever been. Click on the read more link to read about one of our blogger, Marie Williams' favorite family traditions. Read more >

Why Every Family Should Have Traditions (and Ideas for Starting Them!)

By: Susan Ragsdale

Traditions are the “glue” of family togetherness and the fodder for creating fond memories and family identity. They can be big things or little things, done within any family year to year (or shared from generation to generation). They can take a week or 5 minutes. Traditions are a valuable ally in creating a sense of family closeness Read more >
How Am I Going to Pay for College?

By: Vicki Bohling

It’s graduation season, and for many parents, this time of year is a clear and present reminder of a milestone that can be the cause of much financial stress—paying for college. Whether you are starting early or late in the college savings game, there are a number of things you can to do to prepare: Learn more >

7 Tips for Keeping Tabs on Your Teen

By: Jennifer Griffin-Wiesner

We know from research on Developmental Assets that young people benefit from adults in their lives—parents and otherwise—who know where they are, where their going, when they’ll be back, and who they are with. They also do better when their peers and the adults around them are positive influences. Here are 7 tips for keeping tabs on your teen. Read more >>