Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.0, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Annie Fox's Blog Thoughts about teens, tweens, parenting and this adventure of living on Earth in the 21st century. ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://blog.anniefox.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [For Parents: Sometimes we hum because there are no words](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/04/06/for-parents-sometimes-we-hum-because-there-are-no-words/) - Lying in the driveway, not far from the paper, a hummingbird rested, flapped, then rested again. I'd seen this before. A bird mistakes a window reflection of the Great Beyond for the real thing and breaks his neck. But this one didn't seem fatally injured. Maybe he was just seeing stars and would soon zip - [Going from getting to giving](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/07/09/going-from-getting-to-giving/) - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 I've been tapped as the Bing Summer of Doing expert for the week. Part of the gig involves writing a blog using the word of the day. Interesting challenge! I'll be posting today, then again on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Hope to see you often. - [Self-respect: The anti-bullying drug](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/07/14/self-respect-the-anti-bullying-drug/) - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 Here's the final installment of this 'expert's' 4-part Bing Summer of Doing series. (Bing's got lots of cool stuff happening through Sunday, but since the word of the week is Giving, tomorrow David and I are doing the AIDS WALK SF, so no blog from - [Unplugging](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/07/11/unplugging/) - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 This is Part 2 of my 4-part Bing Summer of Doing blog series. If you just got here and missed Part 1, let me explain. I'm the Bing Summer of Doing 'expert' of the week. Part of this awesome responsibility involves blogging about the word - [Something Green](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/07/13/something-green/) - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 OK, we've gotten to Part 3 of my 4-part Bing Summer of Doing blog series. As you've probably heard, I'm this week's Bing Summer of Doing expert which means I blogged Monday about Giving and Wednesday about Unplugging. Today's word is urban gardening. I'm going - [We're all working moms and some of us get paid](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/06/09/were-all-working-moms-and-some-of-us-get-paid/) - Today we're talking about working moms, which, of course, includes all moms whether we're on a payroll or not. Wiping snotty noses is work. So is helping with homework, especially if it's hard. Each day we show up and put our hearts into everything we do for our families. Yay, us! Now can we please have Mother's Day at least - [I want a boyfriend but I'm not good at flirting!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2019/03/24/i-want-a-boyfriend-but-im-not-good-at-flirting/) - I just got an email from a girl who's never had a boyfriend and she really wants one. We've all been there, right? Everyone deserves to be loved. Being loved by someone you love is an amazing feeling that nurtures your spirit and opens your heart and mind to the beauty of life. If you - [What should I do about my clingy friend?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2018/07/27/what-should-i-do-about-my-clingy-friend/) - It's been a while since I updated my blog. Just to let you know, I have not been slacking. Most of my work is done at schools, so summer is typically a time for other projects. I'm working on a YA novel. It's going slowly, thank you, and I appreciate having this time to make - ["I'm so uptight! How do I let loose?"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2018/06/06/im-so-uptight-how-do-i-let-loose/) - One of the most challenging parts of being a teen is how judgmental people at school and online can be. The other difficult piece is how hard you can be on yourself. :( Maybe you've gotten into the habit of trashing your own looks – complexion, height, hair, weight, body. Or maybe you are like - [How come all my crushes like my friends better than me?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2018/04/30/how-come-all-my-crushes-like-my-friends-better-than-me/) - No matter how self-confident you are self-esteem can take a hit when other people consistently get all the attention. This is especially hard when you've got a serious crush on someone who's into your friend. If this happens a lot you might start to wonder, "What's wrong with me?" Been there? You're not alone. Read - [Should I continue to fight for this girl?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2018/02/26/should-i-continue-to-fight-for-this-girl/) - Most of my teen email questions come from girls, but that doesn't mean I don't give advice to boys. I do. In fact, I welcome questions from guys. I also invite guys to read the questions girls send in. Likewise, girls should read the questions guys send me. In this way we can learn about each other and about how - [I value this friendship more than she does](https://blog.anniefox.com/2018/04/09/i-value-this-friendship-more-than-she-does/) - A minor disagreement with a best friend can be worked out with a simple, honest conversation. But a major disagreement, for example, one of you wants more time/closeness than the other, is tougher to resolve. You still need to talk about it. Sitting on feelings (like resentment and jealousy) only intensifies them. Intense feelings may lead - [NRA, come get me!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/12/15/nra-come-get-me/) - There's nothing more "right" than a child's right to go to school in the morning and learn to read so she can open wide the windows in her mind and dream about the world and her place in it. All children have the right to be loved and encouraged by their parents and teachers. All - ["I try to tell my best friend I don't want her help, but she gets mad."](https://blog.anniefox.com/2018/01/05/i-try-to-tell-my-best-friend-i-dont-want-her-help-but-she-gets-mad/) - Twenty years ago I set up shop as Hey Terra at TheInSite.org to help teens manage their emotions responsibly so they can develop self-respect and maintain healthier relationships. 50K teen emails later, the most common question I get is still about the challenges of dealing with feelings and speaking up for oneself in a friendship. Our kids don't know - [When kids get the "Gimmes" give them a chance to give](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/11/11/when-kids-get-the-gimmes-give-them-a-chance-to-give/) - Teaching kids to be good people includes encouraging them to "Share" and "Think of others." All good, but it's tough to compete with billions of ad dollars bombarding our children with other encouraging words, like: "Get Mom/Dad to buy you this stuff!" It's a hard row. So whenever I discover a project that can nudge a - [My parents always tell me how a girl should act!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/12/05/my-parents-always-tell-me-how-a-girl-should-act/) - Parents of very cooperative teens may hear how "lucky" they are. This usually comes from parents of teens who are... well, acting like teens. In the same way that most infants spit up until they get the hang of feeding, most teens push back against their parents until they get the hang of managing their own lives - [You need help, Mom?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/11/24/you-need-help-mom/) - Just read a cautionary tale in today's Dear Abby. The letter was from a martyr... I mean a mother describing how her two adult daughters arrive for Thanksgiving each year expecting the guest-treatment. For some mysterious reason, these "girls" never offer to help their mother with the annual banquet she produces for 20+ people. That - ["Sometimes I get really angry!"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/11/13/sometimes-i-get-really-angry/) - Our kids live in a faster, noisier, more stressed out world than the one we grew up in. That contributes to more people "losing it" more often. Not surprising kids may wonder if they'll grow up behaving as poorly as some of the adults they observe at home, at school, on TV. That was on the mind of this teen - ["I'm a good kid, so why do my parents suddenly not trust me?"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/10/10/im-a-good-kid-so-why-do-my-parents-suddenly-not-trust-me/) - The most effective tool in a parent's arsenal just may be a clear memory of what it was like to be a kid. This is especially true if yours are 11-17. Most of what frustrates and infuriates our tweens and teens is probably the same stuff that drove us nuts when our parents did it. Like invading our privacy, for example. A kid's need - ["I miss him, but..."](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/09/25/i-miss-him-but/) - Joni Mitchell wrote: "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone?" In other words (not as concise and rhythmic as a Joni lyric): "Damn! If I'd only nurtured and appreciated my honey pie before I blew the whole thing to hell!" Lost love is often lovelier in hindsight than it - ["I'm never going to win!"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/08/03/im-never-going-to-win/) - We all want our opinions and feelings respected, especially by the people we care about most. A guiding rule for a healthy relationship (the only kind worth having) is: "I will respectfully try to understand where you're coming from and you will do the same for me." Doesn't always work that way. Sometimes we're too upset to - [Teen questions her "path" in life](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/07/17/teen-questions-her-path-in-life/) - When you were seventeen did you have a clue about what you wanted to do with your life? I only knew that I wanted to go to Cornell University and to have a boyfriend. (I might be messing with the order of my past priorities.) Did I know what I wanted to study in college or what - [Mom concerned by "touching" between 7 yr olds](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/06/09/mom-concerned-by-touching-between-7-yr-olds/) - This mom of a second grader is understandably unnerved by her seven-year-old son's account of being "inappropriate touched" by one of his friends. She's especially concerned about the possibility that the friend's actions might have long-term negative affects on her son. Dear Annie, My 7-year-old son recently told me that he has been touched inappropriately at school by - [No confidence and no boyfriend. Is there a connection?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/05/25/no-confidence-and-no-boyfriend-is-there-a-connection/) - Must be spring because my teen email is all about crushes. Most from middle schoolers. I won't bore you my history, but... occasionally I dream about my 7th grade crush. So believe me, I get romantic insanity. Either you're out-of-mind euphoric or in a hopeless funk. Sometimes feeling both within five minutes. This 7th grader is crushing hard. - [Parenting worry: Am I playing favorites?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/05/03/parenting-worry-am-i-playing-favorites/) - Conventional parenting wisdom dictates: Parents should (must) love their children equally. "Equal" implies "exactly the same." Not buying that in theory or in practice. We all savor different qualities in the people we love. We cherish the time we spend together for very different reasons. Why compare? It's pointless. I have a daughter and a son. I would drop everything in a hot minute - ["My friend's mom bullies her!"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/04/19/my-friends-mom-bullies-her/) - Bullying prevention begins at home. A child's propensity for being aggressive and/or putting up with aggressive behavior from others may begin at home as well. As this email suggests, however, rushing to judgment about what's going on in someone else's family, isn't helpful. Teen: My best friend's mom is always in a bad mood. She's so rude and - [A question of broken trust](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/03/28/a-question-of-broken-trust/) - At 36% approval rating, Trump is at a historic low for a POTUS in office less than 100 days. People don't trust the guy, for lots of good reasons. Consequently, I've been focused for months on what's going on in our government. Blogging about anything but politics feels less important than being part of the resistance. Of course, I'm - [A day for yourself, Mom.](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/03/01/a-day-for-yourself-mom/) - Our kids don't live with us any more. Here's how that happened: We fed and watered them regularly and eventually they bypassed childhood, graduated from here and there, and outgrew their need for under-the-same-roof parents. It happens. It's a good thing for them and for us. If you've taught your children well, believe me when I say that - [How to talk to kids about political protests](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/02/07/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-political-protests/) - If you've watched anti-Trump protests in the news or seen people marching in the streets in your own community, your kids have probably taken notice. Maybe they've already asked you, "What are those people doing?" No matter who you voted for, the first thing everyone who respects our Constitution ought to tell kids is that protestors have the right - [Raising Human Beings](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/01/28/raising-human-beings/) - I loved Dr. Ross Greene's book, Raising Human Beings, which focuses on parents and kids solving problems collaboratively. I didn't love our podcast interview. Unfortunately, a poor connection between California and Maine mangled the audio so badly I couldn't post it. Audio or no, you've got to hear what Dr. Greene has to say. Here's an excerpt of our - [When girls see women marching](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/01/23/when-girls-see-women-marching/) - When girls see women marching together, proud and peaceful, focused and determined, politically motivated and ready for action, those girls might realize something they had not known—something about women and something about themselves as girls. When girls see women marching in solidarity for women's rights and human rights, a seed is planted. One that will help girls recognize: - [We, the people, are marching](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/01/22/we-the-people-are-marching/) - Saturday, January 21, 2017– Millions of women and men on all seven continents (including Antarctica) marched in solidarity for women's rights and the rights of all people to live in peace, to determine their own destiny, and to be treated with fairness, dignity and respect by their neighbors and their government. It was also Trump's first full day on - [I stand with Meryl](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/01/09/i-stand-with-meryl/) - At Sunday night's Golden Globes, actress Meryl Streep was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. Her acceptance speech honored and encouraged all of us who try to be mindful of the dignity and respect we owe our fellow humans. If you haven't yet watched that speech, it's only about 6 minutes. Well worth your time. - [What parents should stop doing in 2017 (if we want more peace at home)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2017/01/01/what-parents-should-stop-doing-in-2017-if-we-want-more-peace-at-home/) - This is an updated version of a 2014 blog. The tips still work. Maybe now more than ever. Well-meaning New Year’s resolutions typically peter out by January 15th. If we've been zigging, it's hard to start zagging and keep at it. Which is why self-improvement is so hard to do. I’m thinking it just might be easier to stop doing something - [Before the truth gets drowned out and dies](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/12/19/before-the-truth-gets-drowned-out-and-dies/) - I often ask parents, "What kind of people do you want your kids to grow up to be?" "Honest" is always in the top five. We don't want our kids peddling lies and deception (not in relation to us or their teachers or their friends). Being honest is a good thing. Yeah. Glad we all agree. - [What kind of person?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/12/12/what-kind-of-person/) - What kind of person attacks two moms pushing their infants in strollers, punching the women, trying to rip off their headscarves, attempting to knock over the strollers, and screaming at them, "get the f*ck out of America b*tches, you don't belong here."? Emirjeta Xhelili is that person's name. What kind of person shoves a sixteen-year old boy and - [Welcome to the Resistance](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/12/05/welcome-to-the-resistance/) - I have felt like hiding under the covers and tuning out of politics for the next four years. Exactly what Trump and his gang of hate mongers would love to see from Progressives. It's not gonna happen. For those of us still reeling with dismay and disillusionment in the after-math of the election. For those of us who cringe - [$#!T happened. Don't be discouraged.](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/11/09/t-happened/) - $#!t happened here yesterday. It happens around the world every day so it shouldn't be a shock. But it is. We can be thoughtless and disrespectful. Cruel and violent. We can be so easily conned. We often are. We can build walls. We often do. We can also be generous and inclusive, caring and helpful. We can tear down - [What a long strange trip it's been. Time for a breathing break...](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/10/22/what-a-long-strange-trip-its-been-time-for-a-breathing-break/) - I've done a crazy amount of breathing since Trump won the GOP nomination. Had to. I mean really, the way this guy talks reflects so much scary stuff it would challenge the Dalai Lama's equilibrium. (OK, maybe not the Dalai Lama, but my sanity for sure.) So I breathe. Doesn't always help. At best it provides only a few - [How not to apologize](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/10/08/how-not-to-apologize/) - Teen: You wanted to talk to me, Mom? Mom: Sit down. Teen: Did I do something wrong? Mom (holding up evidence): You tell me. Teen: Oh. That. Mom: Yes, that. I am absolutely mortified by what you did. Teen: I was just joking. Mom: Why am I not laughing? Teen: OK. Not funny. I get it. - [How to have The Talk (about Trump) with your kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/09/16/how-to-have-the-talk-about-trump-to-your-kids/) - Sweetie, I want to talk to you about the election. Please don't roll your eyes. I know your dad and I watch a lot of political news coverage. The first Presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is on September 26th and we'll be glued to the TV for that, too. (And to the other two - [Whose dream is it anyway?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/06/09/whose-dream-is-it-any-way/) - We like to tell our kids to dream big, yet when they do we often poop all over it. Think about it. When a kid older than ten shares an outside-the-box dream, how many parents around the world have said things like: "What a crazy idea!" "How will you earn a living?!" And/or some variation of: "Over my dead body!" Maybe - [What racism teaches](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/02/29/what-racism-teaches/) - When I watched a 52 second video of a couple of 5-year-old girls beating up a three-year-old my heart ached. Then my head exploded. The assault is a hate crime. Yeah, kindergartners are plenty old enough to hate. (I'd share the link, but the video has been taken off FB. I have mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, it's - [Back-to-School Clothing Wars: "My 12yr old looks and dresses like she's 18!"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/08/26/back-to-school-clothing-wars-my-12yr-old-looks-and-dresses-like-shes-18/) - Back-to-school means new clothes. We've had previous conversations here and here about how the clothing and toy industries sexualize kids. It's hard for parents to push back against billion dollar corporations who couldn't care less about your standards for appropriate attire for your children. But you have to shop, so you head to the store armed with your standards, but you can't find - [Is she even my friend any more?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/08/06/is-she-even-my-friend-any-more/) - In 1964 Bob Dylan wrote his classic I Shall Be Free No. 10. A line from that song has stuck with me: Now I gotta friend who spends his life Stabbing my picture with a bowie-knife Dreams of strangling me with a scarf When my name comes up he pretends to barf I've got a million friends! A million - [How come I don't have a boyfriend yet?!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/07/10/how-come-i-dont-have-a-boyfriend-yet/) - If you really want a bf/gf, but don't have one, and everyone else does, it can bring you down. You may wonder, "What's wrong with me?" I totally remember feeling this way in high school. It sucked. Once you buy a ticket to ride that depressing train of thought, you'll assume you don't have enough of whatever you - [Is my 12-year-old daughter old enough to have a boyfriend?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/06/23/is-my-12-year-old-daughter-old-enough-to-have-a-boyfriend/) - Sometimes our kids say they're ready for the next step toward independence and we totally agree. We celebrate the milestone, brief them on the house rules, making double sure we're all on the same page, then we let them go and hold our breath. When they stumble, we listen with compassion and as much patience as we can - [I'm worried my mom will be disappointed I had sex with my boyfriend](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/05/28/im-worried-my-mom-will-be-disappointed-i-had-sex-with-my-boyfriend/) - Happy Saturday. Today we're talking about teens and sex. Hey Terra, I'm worried about telling my mom about have sex with my boyfriend. I think she'll be fine with it but I don't want her to be disappointed because I'm young, what shall I do? Freaking Out Dear Freaking Out, You're not alone here. For - [Bad friend vs. No friend](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/05/14/bad-friend-vs-no-friend/) - When I hear from smart, capable girls who continue to hang out with people who treat them badly, my brain itches. Why would a person with so much going for her put up with rudeness, contempt, and overall disrespect... from anyone? Especially from a so-called friend?! What's up with that? To all you parents and teachers who've wondered the same thing, - [Mom, can you just be quiet and listen?!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/05/03/mom-can-you-just-be-quiet-and-listen/) - Somehow my mom and I just didn't get along when I was in high school. (Hey, it happens.) I was an overweight, overachiever who believed nothing I did was good enough. It didn't help that my dad, aka my #1 fan, died suddenly when I was fifteen. I was my mom's youngest child, only daughter. After she lost my dad - ["I'm jealous over my boyfriend's ex!"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/03/31/im-jealous-over-my-boyfriends-ex/) - Hey Terra, I'm with this guy for like 6 months, he's my first boyfriend and my big love ( even if he's not my first I fell in love with)... I have a real problem, I'm jealous of his past. He lived so much with his ex and I want this relation to work out - ["My mom is neglecting her role as a parent!"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/04/06/my-mom-is-neglecting-her-role-as-a-parent/) - From today's IN BOX, a letter from a teen who blames her mom for her falling grades and friendship issues. Fair or unfair? Read on... Hey Annie, My mom is incredibly busy at work and she just remarried. I'm 17 years old, but I still need her support and attention. If I try to ask her to - [Despite what you're seeing, Americans are not filled with hate](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/03/11/americans-are-not-filled-with-hate/) - Open letter to all people of good will living outside the United States: If you have been shocked and dismayed by what's happening at Donald Trump campaign rallies, so have millions of Americans. Mr. Trump's racist, anti-Muslim, sexist, anti-immigrant rhetoric and the violence he insights has appalled us. We are deeply troubled by and frightened at the possibility of a - [You've got to be taught to hate](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/03/03/youve-got-to-be-taught-to-hate/) - The list of Racist Things that Have Happened at Trump Rallies grows like weeds in manure. With fear and loathing I watch what Trump encourages his followers to do. As a Jew, I wonder when these bullies will put on their brown shirts. I wonder what it will take to wake-up the media and the community of the open-minded. - ["How can I get my kids to turn off the TV, phone, etc.??"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/02/24/how-can-i-get-my-kids-to-turn-off-the-tv-phone-etc/) - Coincidence that I got this email and tonight I'm speaking at Pleasanton Library about Connecting for Family Time in the Digital Age? Maybe not so much. Parents feel frustrated by the amount of time their kids spend on their devices. The more kids connect to their friends on one device or another, the less they connect with their school work and - [Love Power on Valentine's Day and 24/7](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/02/12/love-power-on-valentines-day-and-247/) - David and I have been married since 1974. Yeah. Looooong time. Lots of opportunities to learn about the power of love to support, encourage, and embolden. Any time you acknowledge how much you value the partnership you are in is time well spent. Sunday might a good time. Or not. But don't take it for granted because, - ["My parents are racist!"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/02/07/my-parents-are-racist/) - Hey Terra! I've been experiencing some moral differences with my parents. I've always idolized my them, but recently, I've realized I simply can't agree with some of their ideas. On a recent trip we took public transportation and most of the people riding with us were African Americans. My mom kept whispering derogatory racist remarks to me - ["My daughter is so dramatic. Is this normal?!"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/01/25/my-daughter-is-so-dramatic-is-this-normal/) - If you've got a tween at home you've probably dealt with an emotional outburst once or twice. Depending on frequency and duration, you may have wondered, "This can't be normal!" Read on... Dear Annie, My 11 year old daughter is VERY dramatic. Every situation seems like "the end of the world." She yells, cries, and - [Teen novel update](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/01/17/teen-novel-update/) - My daughter and son (both writers) strongly encouraged me to write a teen novel as part of NaNoWriMo. That can happen when you spend years telling your kids, "You can do it, sweetie!" Never heard of National Novel Writing Month? It's an official kick-in-the-pants to start that book you always said you wanted to write. The challenge: - [Ten Tips for Improving Parent-Teen Relationships](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/01/08/ten-tips-for-improving-parent-teen-relationships/) - Parents of teens have one of the roughest jobs. The dynamic between you and your son/daughter is changing so quickly it can be challenging to stay focused on your job description. It was easier when the kids were younger and you could pick them up, if you needed to, and get them out of harm's way. - [More gun control laws or mental health resources?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2016/01/06/more-gun-control-laws-or-mental-health-resources/) - Some people say, "No more gun laws! We can solve the problem of gun violence in America by helping folks with mental illness." Effective gun laws or effective help for people with "issues?" False choice. Don't take the bait. It's not an either/or thing. Reducing violence is a worthy goal. We all agree. So how do we make progress - [The Cure for the Holiday "gimmes"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/12/16/the-cure-for-the-holiday-gimmes/) - A new baby is a gift. As parents, we're so over-the-moon in love with our little bundle, all we want is to make him or her happy. So, from the very start, parents pepper kids with questions that begin with: “Do you want _______?” Little ones can't talk yet, so we fill in the blank: Do you want more? - [Holiday steps and missteps](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/12/08/holiday-steps-and-missteps/) - I'm head-down focused on my teen novel. Come first of the year, El Niño or no, it's going to my editor. Who cares if I'm sitting on a coach adrift in dog hair? Or wearing the same socks five days running? It's Food Truck Tuesday and I'm in the zone. And like yesterday's Chinese leftovers, I'm serving up reheated - [Thanksgiving as an intentional act of world peace](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/11/17/thanksgiving-as-an-intentional-act-of-world-peace/) - Terrorism. Roast turkey with stuffing. Refugees. Sweet potatoes with marshmallows. Fear. Trust. Violence. Kindness. We need Thanksgiving more than ever. But who gets the invite and who doesn't? A few years back, my dear friend Bettina was having health issues and emailed: “I know this is incredibly presumptuous and Miss Manners would be scandalized, but I’m wrangling - [Moms helping daughters with friendship issues](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/11/07/moms-helping-daughters-with-friendship-issues/) - Last month I began partnering with the Girl Scouts of Northern California by presenting my Girls Friendship without the Drama Workshops. In the first hour I teach girls to navigate all kinds of sticky peer conflicts while the moms (and the few cool dads who've shown up) sit back, listen and observe. During the second hour the girls skedaddle into - [Dealing with feelings so no one (else) gets hurt](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/11/12/dealing-with-feelings-so-no-one-else-gets-hurt/) - From the moment we learn a baby is coming we begin a life-long journey to understand this new person. At first it's a clear-cut mission. I am key to my child's survival. I must understand what the child needs and provide it. Sure there may have been lovers who proclaimed, "You are my life." "I'd be lost without." - [A Tale of Two Jars](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/09/16/a-tale-of-two-jars/) - Imagine two empty glass jars. One labeled Helpful. One labeled Not Helpful. Imagine each time you say something to someone (online or off) you must put a marble in one jar or the other. By the end of the day which jar has more marbles? Getting along with each other has always been a major - [From today's IN BOX: Getting dumped by a BFF hurts so bad!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/10/28/from-todays-in-box-getting-dumped-by-a-bff-hurts-so-bad/) - The emails from girls who have been "dumped" by a BFF and "replaced" by their ex-BFF's new BFF continue to pile up. I get several every day. And while it's normal to feel upset when the person you've been closest to no longer gives a fig for your friendship and it's helpful to reach out to someone you can - [What are Halloween's teachable lessons for kids?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/10/22/what-are-halloweens-teachable-lessons-for-kids/) - Around here we're experiencing a black and orange explosion. Each year the Halloween house make-overs get more impressive. We've still got nine days to go, so I thought I'd get ahead of the curve and write about Halloween's teachable moments for kids. Non-spoiler alert: This is not a parent tip sheet on how to put reasonable - [How do I keep my kids from fighting with each other?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/10/05/how-do-i-keep-my-kids-from-fighting-with-each-other/) - My two older brothers constantly picked fights with each other. I'm talking about shouting, punching, wrestling and chair throwing. While I wasn't engaged in any of the physical stuff, one of my brothers took special delight in teasing me to the point of tears. My mom did a lot of totally ineffective yelling. Thankfully, the three of - [How do we teach kids to play nice on social media?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/09/02/how-do-we-teach-kids-to-play-nice-on-social-media/) - Your kids might not have gotten a summer break from social media, but even if they did, they're probably back on it now... in force. With all the time spent interacting with people they know and people they don't, how do we teach them to play nice? I use the word "play" because social media is the - [Podcast: So Sexy So Soon](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/01/17/podcast-so-sexy-so-soon/) - Little girls have dreamed of being princesses as long as there have been fairy tales. Thanks to Hans Christian Anderson, I myself had a slightly off-kilter fantasy of growing up to be a mermaid. But if I wanted to dress up as a mermaid for Halloween or to paddle around in my friend's plastic pool - [Parenting Question: Why Are Girls' Friendships So Dramatic?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/06/25/parenting-question-why-are-girls-friendships-so-dramatic/) - We're up to Part 4 of this (mostly) parenting Q&A series. I'll occasionally throw in a teen question because, hey, it's always enlightening to hear kids talk about what we do that drives them nuts. Today's question concerns the confusion of a parent whose daughter is having an emotionally difficult time (again) with a best friend. - [Parenting Question: How can I help my child deal with rejection?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/08/21/parenting-question-how-can-i-help-my-child-deal-with-rejection/) - Today's question comes from the mom of a 12-year-old who is feeling her daughter's pain at being rejected by a long-time bff. How can I help my daughter deal with rejection? Her friend of six years has a new best friend. My daughter is hurt and desperately trying to win her friend back. What can I do to help - [Parenting Question: How do you get kids to make their own school lunch?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/08/04/parenting-question-how-do-you-get-kids-to-make-their-own-school-lunch/) - I watch a lot of competitive cooking shows (Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay, Next Food Network Star. And Top Chef (Which has been where?! Can anyone please tell me?) In between slicing, dicing and schvitzing, contestants often give loving shout-outs to Mom or Grandma for turning them on to cooking. Kids need to learn to feed themselves, so we've gotta - [Parenting Question: How do I teach my tween to set boundaries?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/07/30/parenting-question-how-do-i-teach-my-tween-to-set-boundaries/) - For better or for worse, our tweens and teens spend immeasurably more time with their friends than we did at their age. UOK wid dat? If we allow it, digital access enables them to connect every waking hour. These interactions strengthen interpersonal skills as often as they undermine them. Our kids must learn to set boundaries with other kids so they'll develop confidence - [Parenting Question: Why is it good for kids to make mistakes?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/07/20/parenting-question-why-is-it-good-for-kids-to-make-mistakes/) - Part 6 of my Parenting Q&A series brings a question about kids and mistakes. While it's natural for parents to be on the look-out for our children's missteps, how we respond can have a huge impact on a child's developing autonomy and her view of a problem vs. a challenge. When my daughter tries something and things don't turn - [Tween asks, "Who was that guy my mom was with??"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/06/10/tween-asks-who-was-that-guy-my-mom-was-with/) - As part of my ongoing series of Q&A from my email, today I'm bringing you a question from a 7th grader. Even if the situation he's in is not something your child is dealing with, it's helpful to be reminded how sensitive kids are. They notice everything and when they're too scared to let us in - [Parenting Question: What's the most important thing I should teach my child?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/07/13/parenting-question-whats-the-most-important-thing-i-should-teach-my-child/) - Here's Part 5 of my parenting Q&A series. Today's question may be one of the most fundamental I've received in my 18 years at this online parent education gig. Here goes... What is the most important thing I should teach my child? Obviously an essential part of every parent's job is teaching your children to survive, - [Parenting Question: What do I do when my kid is in a bad mood?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/06/17/parenting-question-what-do-i-do-when-my-kid-is-in-a-bad-mood/) - This is Part 3 of my Q&A blog series in which I alternately answer parenting questions and teen questions. If you're just joining us, you can check out Part 1 "How do I keep my child away from a bad friend?" and Part 2 "Who was that guy my mom was with?" Today's Question: I get that nobody - [It's Not Easy Being Teen](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/03/30/its-not-easy-being-teen/) - I answer lots of email from tweens and teens. From time to time I share letters here to gently remind parents, teachers, coaches, and counselors what it's like to be a teenager. With that in mind, you'll be better at helping the kids in your life. Of course, there isn't one "right" way to ease a - [Parenting Question: How do I keep my child away from a bad friend?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/06/06/parenting-question-how-do-i-keep-my-child-away-from-a-bad-friend/) - For the next few months my blog will focus on answering your parenting questions about raising tweens and teens as well as letting you in on some of the letters I get from tweens and teens. So if you've got something on your mind that you could use help with, send it to AskAnnie. (Of course - [Guest blogger: Keeping Kids Safer from Cyberbullying](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/05/13/guest-blogger-keeping-kids-safer-from-cyberbullying/) - by Amy Williams Amy Williams is a journalist based in Southern California. Mom of two, she uses her parenting experience to help other parents raise their children to be the best that they can be. You can follow Amy on Twitter and Facebook. According to Chinese tradition 2015 is the year of the Sheep. I hope it's better - [Defense Against the Dark Side: Where's Harry Potter When We Need Him?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/04/23/defense-against-the-dark-side/) - In our 40 years together, David and I have read many books. Add another hundred or so books on tape we've consumed on road trips. Yep, we're addicted to good stories. So it wasn't too weird when, after a business trip to Florida and a side trip to Universal's Wizarding World, we decided to re-read all the Harry - [Guest blogger: It's Probably Not Hormones](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/04/16/guest-blogger-its-probably-not-hormones/) - by Jeannie Burlowski Jeannie Burlowski is a full time author, consultant, and conference speaker. Learn more about her services at JeannieBurlowski.com. 15-year-old Luke had been in a dark, angry mood, starting from the moment his mother wished him a cheerful "Good morning!" and set hot scrambled eggs in front of him. Luke ate in broody - [The Thinking Person's Guide to Autism](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/04/10/the-thinking-persons-guide-to-autism/) - It's Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month. Excellent, because we all need more awareness and education in this area. I know I sure do. That's why, a few weeks ago, I interviewed Shannon Des Roches Rosa, self-described "Potty-mouthed Mom" behind the blog, Squidalicious: Parenting, Autism, iPads and Geekery. Shannon's been writing about her autistic son, Leo, and her parenting - [Girls' Friendship Issues Haven't Changed](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/03/17/girls-friendship-issues-havent-changed/) - Morning walks with The Pupster reveal more and more free stuff in the neighborhood. Curbside boxes filled with coffee mugs ("Kalua!"), anemic Christmas cacti, Danielle Steele novels, rusty tools. (Be still, my heart!) Horray for spring cleaning. I should race down to my own garage and thin out the flotsam and junksam, but I'd rather be - [Why do I have to be just like you?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/03/06/why-do-i-have-to-be-just-like-you/) - When girls email me about the mean things their so-called friends say and do, it's often about rocking the boat. You know, Friend A is expressing her individuality and Friend B is, well, uncomfortable. After a bit she can't stand it and jumps all over Friend A to CUT IT OUT! Here's an excerpt from The - [Little kids, 'bad' words, and mindful parenting](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/02/18/little-kids-bad-words-and-mindful-parenting/) - If we're doing our job as parents of young children, we ought to be talking to them a lot. We should be singing to them. Teaching them nursery rhymes. Reading to them. Asking them questions. Showing interest in what they have to say. We play an essential role in helping our kids develop language. With language comes a - [My Dad Always Gave Me a Valentine](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/02/12/my-dad-always-gave-me-a-valentine/) - On Valentine’s Day, my father always remembered my mom with something special. He always gave me a gift, too. None of my friends' dads did that. During middle school, I suffered from acute “Everyone’s Got a Boyfriend But Me” syndrome. I seriously doubted anyone would ever love me. I doubted I was lovable. Funny how those two are connected. Valentine's Day was - [Go on! Love yourself. There's so much that's 'right' with you.](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/02/08/go-on-love-yourself-theres-so-much-thats-right-with-you/) - We are so loving this current downpour in parched Marin. Feel like sending the rain gods a Valentine. The big count down to V-Day has begun. Most of us have been brought up on the notion that Valentine's Day is for lovers. And, yeah, it is. But here's the thing, if you don't love yourself, - [Teens, Money, and Who Pays for What](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/01/26/teens-money-and-who-pays-for-what/) - Most parents want their kids to understand how to manage money, but they don't often provide their kids with an education in "money smarts. " Most teens don't really get it because whenever they need cash, their parents hand it over. But what happens when a teen gets a part-time job? I recently heard from a 16 - [Complaining vs Making it Better in 2015](https://blog.anniefox.com/2015/01/07/complaining-vs-making-it-better-in-2015/) - When children reach a certain age, they will, if we've encouraged them to do so, voice their opinions. That's very healthy and should be encouraged. But sometimes this opinion-sharing turns into a constant barrage of complaints. That can pollute family life. So tell the truth, do your kids complain a lot? Some folks look at protestors as - [My Mother Died on Christmas Eve](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/12/24/my-mother-died-on-christmas-eve/) - My mother, Martha Scolnick Larris, died on Christmas Eve. Tonight I'll light the yahrzeit lamp to mark the anniversary of her passing. The same lamp she used to honor her parents' memory. I guess some day my children will light it for me. Lovely Jewish tradition. 1994. It's been twenty years. My relationship with my mother was often contentious and - [Blogging for Huffington Post](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/12/22/blogging-for-huffington-post/) - Just started blogging for Huffington Post. Long time goal on my bucket list... check! I haven't been at it for long, so you haven't missed much. If you'd like to catch up, here's where you can subscribe to my RSS feed and/or read the three articles I've posted so far. Since I'm starting this gig - [Holiday parties! What's the price of Popularity?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/12/20/holiday-parties-birthday-parties-no-one-gets-invited-everywhere/) - T'is the season for parties. When it's a family affair, all the kids are included. But as you get older, you may want to organize your own get-togethers, and that means only "special friends" get invited. If you've been left off a party invitation list you might have felt left-out. But what if you were invited to a - [Girls’ Q&A Book on Friendship Blog Tour Continues...](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/11/05/girls-qa-book-on-friendship-blog-tour-continues/) - UPDATE: (Dec. 10th) Just hit the last stop on The Girls' Q&A Book on Friendship Book blog tour. Since October, I've stopped at 21 blogs and answered more than 90 friendship-related questions. As usual, every time I answer a question, I learn something valuable. Thank you to all of my blog tour hosts. You are - [Girls' Q&A Book on Friendship Blog Tour](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/10/13/girls-qa-book-on-friendship-blog-tour/) - Last week I hit the virtual road answering real friendship questions and letting girls and parents and teachers know that when it comes to curtailing the spread of Mean Girl Disease, we can do better. - [Get the behavior you want without being the parent you hate](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/12/10/get-the-behavior-you-want-without-being-the-parent-you-hate/) - I read lots of parenting books, but only recommend the top notch. That means they deliver pragmatic advice in small, well-organized, chunks of digestible wisdom. No big chunks, please. Who's got the time? It helps a lot if the book's tone is so engaging I can imagine the author talking to me over a cup of coffee. Also, it's a good - [Should I just send the nude pictures and make him happy?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/12/08/should-i-just-send-the-nude-pictures-and-make-him-happy/) - Smart girls and guys often make stupid choices. Smarter teens recognize when something feels off. They're the ones who stop beforehand to get a second opinion. Here's a recent email I received from a smarter girl: Hey Terra, My boyfriend and I have a long distance relationship and he really wants nude pictures of me. He doesn't pressure - [No, Mom! You'll make things worse!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/12/06/no-mom-youll-make-things-worse/) - Still chugging along on The Girls' Q&A Book on Friendship blog tour. Since early November I've stopped at 20 blogs, logged thousands of virtual miles, and answered over 100 friendship-related questions. This question comes from educational psychologist Amy Fortney Parks, founder of TheWiseFamily.com. It's an important one because when it comes to conflicts between our kids and - [There's always nap time (you hope)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/12/01/theres-always-nap-time/) - I'm here at my son and daughter-in-law's place caring for my grand baby. Yes, I am Granny Annie on Tuesdays and every other Monday. Shhhhh. The boy just went down for a nap. I'm typing super fast since I may only have 10 minutes here at the keyboard. Or 2 hours. You never know with little - ["I'm too scared to talk to my BFF!"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/11/24/im-too-scared-to-talk-to-my-bff/) - Conventional Wisdom: Girls are more talkative than boys, especially when it comes to expressing their feelings. Annie: That depends on the risk the girl believes she's taking by being honest. This question comes from Tweenhood.ca, a thoughtful, complete resource for parents of tweens. Co-fouder Wendy Morrelli, was kind enough to host a stop on my Girls' Q&A Book on Friendship blog tour - [GirlWorld: Twisted values, twisted friendships](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/03/25/girlworld-twisted-values-twisted-friendships/) - “Do unto others” makes no sense to middle schoolers. (Ideally it should, but that's not how TweenWorld currently operates.) To help our kids navigate the turbulent and toxic waters of peer relationships, we’ve got to wake up and smell the reality stinking up their world (online and off). Of course both girls and boys have middle - [The girls in my class can't stand each other!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/11/09/the-girls-in-my-class-cant-stand-each-other/) - The Girls' Q&A Book on Friendship blog tour is in Australia. Specifically at KeystoneCreations and the Sing to Learn blog of educator Nuala O'Hanlon. Because of the girl-friendship dynamics she sees at school everyday, Nuala has some pointed, in-the-trenches questions for me. Like this one... Nuala: As a teacher, I see how mean and hurtful girls can be to - [She promised she wouldn't tell my crush, but she told him anyway!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/11/06/she-promised-she-wouldnt-tell-my-crush-but-she-told-him-anyway/) - When my tripped-out Girls' Q&A Book on Friendship blog tour bus pulled up at UnhookedMedia.com, Megan Hunter (@UnhookedBooks) served up some of the most drama-inducing girl friendship questions ever. Like this one... Question: After telling a girl that I liked a boy in my class, she promised not to tell anyone and then... she told him! Now - [My parents won't let me get a phone!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/11/03/my-parents-wont-let-me-get-a-phone/) - To tell the truth, I don't remember how I met Vicky Thornton and Jen Rehberger. We probably connected on Twitter, as so many do. But I totally remember each of my visits to their podcast What Really Matters? where we always get real about 21st century parenting challenges, swap personal parenting stories, and laugh... a lot. I'm - [What part of friendship gives girls the most problems?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/10/25/what-part-of-friendship-gives-girls-the-most-problems/) - This question was asked of me on my current Girls' Q&A Book blog tour, by Deborah McNelis, educator and founder of Brain InSights. Deborah: Is there an aspect of friendships that you find to be most common from girls? Annie: Yes! A common thread weaves its way through most girl friendship conflicts and makes girls feel trapped in uncomfortable - [Fifth grader wants to know: How do I get my BFF back?!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/10/29/fifth-grader-wants-to-know-how-do-i-get-my-bff-back/) - I met Beth Engleman (@Momonastring) back in 2002 when we worked together on a project at LeapFrog. Smart woman. Quick to smile. Liked her immediately. Twelve years later she's rocking it out at MommyOnAShoeString.com. Last Friday Beth kindly hosted a stop on The Girls' Q&A Book on Friendship blog tour and challenged me with sticky questions from 4th-7th graders. - [How do I change my "mean girl" reputation?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/10/27/how-do-i-change-my-mean-girl-reputation/) - The Girls' Q&A Book on Friendship blog tour bus pulled up in front of EncouragePlay.com. On the front porch, beside a carved-too-early Jack-o-lantern, former school counselor, Janine Halloran and I enjoyed fresh pumpkin muffins and apple cider. Then she threw me this tricky question from a former student: "I have a bad reputation in school for being mean - [Are girls worse than boys when it comes to bullying?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/10/22/are-girls-worse-than-boys-when-it-comes-to-bullying/) - As some of you know, I'm currently on a blog tour to spread the word about The Girls' Q&A Book on Friendship: 50 Ways to Fix a Friendship without the DRAMA. If you are female (any age), and/or if you are raising a daughter, teaching or coaching girls or you've got a sister, a niece, etc., - [Giving Attitude vs an Attitude of Giving](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/12/09/giving-attitude-vs-an-attitude-of-giving/) - The following article is excerpted from my book: Teaching Kids to Be Good People For the first few years of life kids aren’t always capable of telling us exactly what they want. Which is why helpful, loving parents and grandparents pepper the little ones with questions that often begin with: “Do you want _______?” Since - [Eye and mind-opening event at the Microsoft Store](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/10/06/eye-and-mind-opening-event-at-the-microsoft-store/) - Last Thursday’s Talk n Tech event at the MicrosoftStore in The Village (Corte Madera, CA) was a real eye-opener for me. And judging by the expressions and comments of the parents who came by to meet me and see what’s going, the same was true for them. I love technology. Especially for the ease with which it - [Cure discovered for 'mean girl' disease!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/08/19/the-girls-friendship-qa-book-cures-mean-girl-behavior/) - After more than a year's collaboration, our work on The Girls Q&A Book on Friendship is wrapping up. Illustrated by the ridiculously talented Erica DeChavez, my book for 8-12 year old girls, is coming next month from Electric Eggplant. I'm super excited when I think about all the girls this book is going to help. Let's face it, a new school - [Declaring independence isn't so easy for girls ](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/06/28/declaring-independence-isnt-so-easy-for-girls/) - As I wrote in April, I'm currently working on The Girls Q&A Book on Friendship with the amazing illustrator, Erica De Chavez. We've been having a blast on this collaboration and that's always a good sign about the finished product! Easing into the looong Fourth of July weekend (Why not start celebrating now?) I thought I'd - ["My daughter has trouble keeping friends!"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/09/26/my-daughter-has-trouble-keeping-friends/) - Got an email from Concerned Mom whose smart, funny daughter has no trouble making friends, but lots of trouble keeping them. The pattern is this: Daughter gets close to other girls and feels accepted by them. Then, within weeks new found friends exclude and then ignore the girl. Naturally, she feels upset and alone, which, - [Day 7 Kindness and Respect Challenge (We're here to help)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/07/day-7-kindness-and-respect-challenge-were-here-to-help/) - On Saturday (Day 5 of the Challenge) I drove to Stanford to a Challenge Success student event. My job was to lead two round table discussions. The topic: "Too Stressed to Think?" in which I would help tweens and teens understand the link between being in so-called emergency mode and doing stuff we later regret. I've - [Day 9 Kindness and Respect Challenge (R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/09/day-9-kindness-and-respect-challenge-r-e-s-p-e-c-t-find-out-what-it-means-to-me/) - I just came off a radio interview on the topic of teen dating violence. (Excellent timing for my Kindness and Respect Challenge. )One of the other guest experts, Associate Professor Emily Rothman of Boston University School of Public Health, said that 10% of teens report having experienced physical violence in a dating relationship. (Hitting, slapping, kicking, - [Friendship issues from the 4th grade](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/03/27/friendship-issues-from-the-4th-grade/) - This is Part 3 of a 5-part series based on anonymous, hand-written questions students gave me while I visited their school in St. Louis. If you're new to this series and you live and/or work with 2nd-6th graders, (or you're just interested in Social Intelligence and/or bullying, please check out Part 1 (Friendship issues from the - [What if you're the New Kid at school?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/08/14/what-if-youre-the-new-kid-at-school/) - For many girls and guys the start of this school year means starting over in a new community. That may include leaving behind good friends and a town you loved. Even if you didn't love everything about your old school, you may not have wanted to move. In the middle of dealing with those emotions, - [Girls' friendship issues are... HUGE](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/04/27/girls-friendship-issues-are-huge/) - UPDATE (See end of blog for exciting news about my new book.) Last month I started working on a new girls' friendship book with awesome illustrator Erica De Chavez. If you have a daughter, you don't need me to tell you that girl friendships can be super complicated and fraught with challenges for girls and their moms! When - [New school year, new school... new friends (please!!)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/08/29/new-school-year-new-school-new-friends-please/) - When you're all cozy in a friendship you can totally relax. Even going to school is more fun because your friend is there. But when you move to a school where you know no one, and your bff friend from your old school stops acting like a friend, then nothing feels right. I recently got this - [Talk n Tech at The Microsoft Store](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/09/29/talk-n-tech-at-the-microsoft-store/) - I've got something really special going on this week. Something I've never done before, but I know it'll be cool and you can be part of it. (Yes, I received compensation from Microsoft related to this post, but that doesn't make it any less cool!) On Thursday (October 2nd) at 11 AM I'm joining forces - [Emma and the dinosaurs](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/09/23/emma-and-the-dinosaurs/) - UPDATE: September 24, 2014 - Thankfully, the website that viciously threatened Emma Watson turned out to be a hoax. Read more here. But the sexist attitudes behind this "joke" are very real. In the tar pits, the dinosaurs thrash about wildly. You can always count on their deafening howls and teeth-gnashing when people dare to stand up - [They stole your bra?!!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/09/09/they-stole-your-bra/) - This recent email has me vibrating with rage. I know. I know. I'm supposed to manage my destructive emotions. Take re-centering breaths and all that. But as a woman, a mom, and an educator, this one has me ready to strangle someone. Just read it and tell me what you think: Hey Terra, I just - [10 Tips for after school fun](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/09/08/10-tips-for-after-school-fun/) - It's Monday... again, back on the hamster wheel. Wasn't it just Friday afternoon? What happened to those weekend plans to relax? Maybe go for a family bike ride? Or out for some food and a movie? And then, on late Sunday afternoon, you planned to tune into Spa Radio and fall asleep on the couch. But someone took your - [How to be happy for 40 years](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/08/25/40-ways-to-be-happy-for-40-years/) - August 25, 1974 – David and I got married on Long Island, under a tree. We wrote our own vows, put real flowers on top of the cake, and instructed the official to lose the "obey" and just go with "honor." Sounds like a hippie wedding, but it was real. At least, I think so. Being - [What's Up With My Family?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/08/14/whats-up-with-my-family/) - Your Mom sees one dirty spoon on the sink counter and starts yelling. You politely ask Dad for movie money and he walks past you muttering something about "...growing on trees." You excitedly tell your daughter, "Keep Saturday open, sweetie, we're going..." but before you finish, she bursts into tears. Your son is nothing but rude - [10 common BS excuses from kids and what's behind them](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/05/27/10-common-bs-excuses-from-kids-and-whats-behind-them/) - Empathy training begins at home. So does compassion training, truth-telling, good listening skills, and bullying prevention. And you thought helping with 7th grade math was going to be the hard part! We want our kids to learn to be good people and most of us know that doesn't happen solely by osmosis. So we teach them and we do - [Letter to my mom, 1993](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/08/04/letter-to-my-mom-from-1993/) - In the back of an old notebook I use to study Spanish, I discovered the draft of a letter dated August 31, 1993. During that summer my mom had fallen several times. My letter followed a very bad fall at a community pool. All of this was baffling because my mom had always been in good physical shape. She had - [We need uncomfortable schools](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/07/28/we-need-uncomfortable-schools/) - As we approach the beginning of the new school year, my heart goes out to the kids who are dreading it. They are usually the ones who had to wade through more than their share of social garbage last term. Hopefully they got a needed reprieve during the summer. But they've got to go back and most - [We've all got special needs](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/07/21/weve-all-get-special-needs/) - The implication, when we speak of kids or adults with special needs, is that "they" are unlike "us." But isn't it true that we've all got special needs? Maybe the only difference is that some needs are more obvious than others. And some, obviously, require more day-to-day support. Other than that... everyone deserves to be noticed, respected, listened - [Cure for obessive teen love?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/07/16/cure-for-obessive-teen-love/) - Breaking up is hard to do. And painful. Hopefully, though, there were good times before the relationship tanked, so at least you've got some happy memories. On the other hand, if you're obsessed with someone who was never nice to you, well, that's just pain on pain. No one needs that. Recently got an email from a girl in that - [Divorce heartbreak for tweens and teens](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/07/14/divorce-heartbreak-for-tweens-and-teens/) - What can I say about parents divorcing that you don't already know from personal experience or what you've observed? Probably nothing. For the couple involved, divorce is one of life's major upheavals (second only to Death of a Spouse). The whole family feels the impact of divorce and its aftershocks, but adults and kids process it differently. Young children are very - [Why didn't someone tell me parenting is so....](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/07/07/why-didnt-someone-tell-me-parenting-is-so/) - My son and daughter-in-law just had their first child. Nestled within the magic New Baby bubble they gaze, blissful, at this perfect little person who has pretty much taken over their lives and their sleep cycles. But who cares? This is awesome! Parents are meant to fall in love with their babies. It's the highest form of - [Alone again... naturally](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/07/03/alone-again-naturally/) - Took a hike with The Pupster Tuesday, late afternoon. Went again this morning, first thing. I spend too many hours on social media so I try to get unplugged, alone time every day. Lucky for me, there are lots of nearby places to wander into and lose your mind. Also lucky I appreciate these hills. Speaking of which, green's a - [An appointment with the Teen Doc](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/06/23/an-appointment-with-the-teen-doc/) - I've always been drawn to people who help people... especially if those they help are kids. Dr. O (aka @TheTeenDoc) is the medical doctor at the head of Teen Clinic in South San Francisco. For that alone she has my deep admiration and respect. In addition to prescribing treatment for the body she also administers to the heart - [Making peace this summer with your teens](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/06/30/making-peace-this-summer-with-your-teens/) - In addition to raising young adults who chew with mouth closed, pick up after themselves, and return library books on time, the gold ring of this parenting gig (after the "under the same roof" phase ends) is a healthy relationship with your adult kids. I've been a mom for 34 years and believe me, that's what you're after. - [Apps schmapps! Where's the educational value?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/06/18/apps-schmapps-wheres-the-educational-value/) - I was an app developer before there were apps. Back in the dumb-phone age I designed and scripted CD ROM games for kids. I'm also a teacher. So I want activities to have some... you know, redeeming value. Otherwise, why waste a child's time? They've got so many connections to make between themselves and people and the - [From Harold and the Purple Crayon to Caine's Arcade](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/06/13/from-harold-and-the-purple-crayon-to-caines-arcade/) - In 1955, when Harold and the Purple Crayon was first published, lots of kids (including me and my brothers) sat too long on their fannies in front of the television set. Maybe author Crockett Johnson had some TV addicted kids of his own. So he wrote a story about a little boy who creates a big adventure using only an - [What kind of grandma will I be?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/03/03/what-kind-of-grandma-will-i-be/) - Word has it in early June I'll be joining the ranks of grandmothers around the world. Lots of people have been congratulating me. While I appreciate the thoughtfulness of the well-wishers, whenever I hear the words I can't help thinking: "Congratulations for what?" All I did was give birth to my wonderful son and help - [Don't fill your emptier nest with tears](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/06/11/dont-fill-your-emptier-nest-with-tears/) - I originally wrote this article for my pre-blog parenting newsletter. I could lie and say I'm reposting it by popular demand but the truth is: I wanted a graduation themed post and this one, 6 years later, is still spot on. Ask Gayle. “I’ve been hugging her a lot,” my friend Gayle said when I asked how - [How do you turn a whiny kid into a problem solver?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/06/03/how-do-you-turn-a-whiny-kid-into-a-problem-solver/) - Kids only learn to whine when frustrated if whining gets them what they want. They do it because it works. It doesn't even have to work all the time. It just has to work once in a while for them to try it all the time. When their whining consistently does not work (because we have taught them it doesn't) - [My interview with Glennon Melton the truth-teller](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/05/30/my-interview-with-glennon-melton-the-truth-teller/) - I first heard about Glennon Melton (@Momastery) on Twitter. One link led to another, as so many do, and I found myself watching, no devouring her very funny, poignant, smart TedX talk. I immediately reached out for a review copy of her book Carry On, Warrior: The power of embracing your messy, beautiful life because I love - [Friendship issues from the 8th grade Part 1](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/05/19/friendship-issues-from-the-8th-grade/) - Since September I’ve been doing Skype in the Classroom sessions about Real Friends vs the Other Kind with 3rd-10th graders. (Even did one in Croatia!) Today I beamed into an 8th grade class in Philadelphia. Here are some of those students' questions along with my answers. I'm sharing them to let you know that you are not alone - [Friendship issues from the 8th grade Part 2](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/05/21/friendship-issues-from-the-8th-grade-part-2/) - This is part 2 of the very cool Skype in the Classroom session I had Monday with a class of Philadelphia 8th graders. (Here's Part 1) I'm all about giving students ongoing, safe places to get real about the challenges of friendships. It's important to their personal well-being and to a positive school climate. Student: Annie, - [A compassionate nudge](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/05/14/a-compassionate-nudge/) - Unless this is your first visit here, you know I'm all about teaching kids to be good people. What form of "goodness" am I after? Who cares? Good is good. Let's not quibble. If I had to choose one flavor of goodness over another, however, I'd say I'm partial to the kind that connects us to the - [What makes a good mom?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/05/08/what-makes-a-good-mom/) - I don't usually define something by what it is not, but in this seasonally inspired inquiry: "What makes a good mom?" I feel compelled. A good mom is not a saint. While most saints were unswerving in their devotion, from what I know about saintly things (very little), not one of them was canonized specifically because of her selfless devotion to her - ["My friend's not acting like a friend!"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/05/05/my-friends-not-acting-like-a-friend/) - Since 1997 a big chunk of my email questions have been variations of... What do I do if my friend is nice to me sometimes and sometimes mean to me? What do I do if my friend is talking behind my back but then when I confront her about it she says she doesn't know what - [Be a great dad even if you didn't have one](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/05/02/be-a-great-dad-even-if-you-didnt-have-one/) - I had a great dad. Unfortunately, he died of a massive heart attack when I was 15. After that, and for a very long time, I had a massive case of "dad hunger." So there's no surprise I was immediately drawn to Keith Zafren's book How to Be a Great Dad - No Matter What Kind - [Every person who bugs you is not a "bully"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/04/29/every-person-who-bugs-you-is-not-a-bully/) - There have always been kids who seem to get pleasure and a power-high from bugging other kids. Maybe there always will be. Thankfully, adults are getting wise to the fact that "Kids will be kids" is no excuse for peer-harassment. Over the past decade, we have learned some heart-breaking lessons about the tragic consequences of unstopped harassment. Our - [Home is where the pancakes are](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/04/25/home-is-where-the-pancakes-are/) - Remember what Dorothy said? "There's no place like home!" Man, am I feeling it today. It's been a loooong 10 days since my last blog. In that time I: made a killer Passover seder for 13 most loved friends and family hosted a baby shower (the grandboy is due in 6 weeks!) created three new - [Where do the children play?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/04/15/where-do-the-children-play/) - In my senior year in college I took a course called "Observation of Young Children." For several hours a week I sat in a narrow, darkened room, behind a one-way mirror, looking into a pre-school classroom in action. Over the course of the semester I was assigned several 2-4 year olds to "observe" and to - [Day 16: Kindness and Respect Challenge (You've got to be taught)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/16/day-16-kindness-and-respect-challenge-youve-got-to-be-taught/) - (See UPDATES below) Last month I wrote about Rebecca Sedwick, a 12 year old Florida girl who jumped to her death from the tower of an abandoned cement factory. Rebecca apparently couldn't imagine another way to end the online harassment she'd suffered for months. I desperately want to believe that adults who knew Rebecca would - [I have to be perfect in everything!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/04/08/i-have-to-be-perfect-in-everything/) - All parents want their kids to succeed in school. But what does the word "success" mean to you, as a student? Do you know? Is it all about getting a 4.0 GPA? Being accepted into a top-tier college? Getting a high-paying job so you can buy great clothes, an awesome car and (some day ) - [Every voice deserves to be heard](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/04/07/every-voice-deserves-to-be-heard/) - It's Autism Awareness Month and organizations like Autism Speaks do a tremendous job in the areas of education, research funding, and providing resources for families. A couple of years ago, at this time of year, I was on a quest to learn more when I heard about Carly's Voice : Breaking Through Autism by - [Tween girl: I don't wanna wear a bra! Or a shirt!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/04/02/tween-girl-i-dont-wanna-wear-a-bra-or-a-shirt/) - Ours is a boob-fixated culture. With so much sexualization of girls in the media you'd assume they're all dying for their first bra and thong. At least once a week I get email from girls complaining about their "too small" breasts. They want to know if having sex will make them "rounder" or if some cream - [Kids from hard places need soft places to reside](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/03/31/kids-from-hard-places-need-soft-places-to-reside/) - When kids "act out" you'd better believe strong emotions are the drivers. Parents and teachers usually pay attention to the behavior without taking time and patience to dig deeper and discover the trigger that unleashed the storm. What's causing such distress in this child that s/he is acting this way? Discovering the answer is key - [Helping teens debunk the myth of 'Normal'](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/03/24/helping-teens-debunk-the-myth-of-normal/) - I was in high school when I read David and Lisa, by Theodore Rubin. (The book and the ground-breaking film on which it's based, are both profound and well worth checking out.) David and Lisa are a couple of teens with "issues" who meet and fall in love in a residential treatment center. When the kids from - [Clearing the clutter to get to the Bigger Picture](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/03/19/clearing-the-clutter-so-you-see-the-bigger-picture/) - Longer days bring more light to illuminate the doggie nose prints on my living room windows and all the crap I've been dumping in my garage and my office for the past year. So I'm into Spring Cleaning. Not just for the sake of clearing clutter and layers of dirt but attempting to gain a - [Teens, Dating and Autism](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/03/17/teens-dating-and-autism/) - It's been nearly seventeen years since I launched my first teen website (TheInSite). And what I know from the non-stop flow of email questions is that dating is hard for all teens. For teens on the spectrum, who have challenges reading social cues as well as a lower need for attachment and emotional connection than neuro-typical - [Believing Lies: A cautionary tale in 8 emails](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/03/05/believing-lies-a-cautionary-tale-in-8-emails/) - It ain't easy being teen when the social stuff takes up so much time and emotional and mental real estate. A teen's ability to resolve conflicts in multi-tiered relationships doesn’t match the challenges. We are communicating with more people than ever, but all our texting, chatting and tweeting only increases the chances of miscommunication. Another problem, - [National Unplug Day - Time to pull it](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/03/07/national-unplug-day-time-to-pull-it/) - It's official. We're now all so connection addicted we need a National Unplug Day (March 7-8) to remind us that life is not virtual. I'm thrilled because I know the difference a (national) day makes. What paltry lives we'd live were it not for: National Beer Can Appreciation Day (Jan 24) National Lost Sock Memorial Day (May - [To the parents of a rapist](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/03/11/to-the-parents-of-a-rapist/) - I've been following the story out of Dartmouth about a female student who was raped shortly after her name appeared in a "Rape Guide" posted on an anonymous Dartmouth student blog. There is so much that's vile about the particulars of this case and the overall campus (and national) culture that permits and promotes these - [Sweetie, it's time for The Talk](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/02/28/sweetie-its-time-for-the-talk/) - Friday is Family Confidential day. Before you race over and check out my latest podcast (Having "The Talk" with Tweens with Marlene Mahurin, co-founder of the online parent-tween sex education course, Time for the Talk) let me tell you why I wanted to interview a sex educator. I've been answering teen email questions for almost 17 years. A - [Family Confidential is back on the air](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/02/15/family-confidential-is-back-on-the-air/) - I love listening to great podcasts and I love producing them. That's why I felt sad (and a tad guilty) when "other stuff" forced David and me to go on hiatus in 2011 from my Family Confidential podcast. The break allowed us to develop several award-winning books and apps, but it was always my intention to - [Even at the Olympics what goes up must come down](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/02/13/what-goes-up-must-come-down/) - Love may be cruel, but gravity is heartless. Unlike Cupid, the big G isn't out to make a fool of you, but it will get you no matter how long you've practiced, what you've sacrificed, how many prizes you've racked up, how much you want this one, or who is watching. It just doesn't care. - [It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood... or is it?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/02/25/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood-or-is-it/) - Marin County, where this story takes place, has the lowest violent crime rate of all nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. It also ranks 4th lowest in violent crime amongst all 58 California counties. You'll need this for context. When folks in Marin have an issue with someone, we hash it out over organic Genmaicha - [Integrity is worth more than Olympic gold](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/02/20/integrity-is-worth-more-than-olympic-gold/) - Terrible violence is happening in Kiev as the Ukrainian government (closely aligned with Moscow) comes down hard on protestors who want closer ties to Europe. According to CNN (reporting information from "the protesters' medical service") the current death toll may be as high as 100 civilians with another 500 wounded. Today, two members of the - [When you go for Gold there's no quitting allowed, but for the rest of us...](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/02/18/when-you-go-for-gold-theres-no-quitting-allowed-but-for-the-rest-of-us/) - I don't know a thing about the parents of Olympic Gold Medalists Meryl Davis and Charlie White, except of course, that they've gotta be crazy proud of their kids. It's also safe to assume, because the two began skating together as young children, that they had tons of parental support. Did either their moms - [Presidents' Day Acts of Kindness Challenge](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/02/16/presidents-day-acts-of-kindness-challenge/) - UPDATE: When it comes to kids learning kindness, we're not looking for perfection, only progress. We'd love to hear about your kids' progress. Tweet, FB, Instagram or Pinterest, posts, photos or videos related to kindness, it could be a great story, a photo of your kindness chain, a video of someone in your family being kind - [Olympic Love](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/02/14/olympic-love/) - Jeremy Abbott came down so hard on his right hip he just lay there, his music weaving on without him. But the crowd of Russians who adore skaters and know a thing or two about overcoming adversity would not abandon him. They clapped in unison. They cheered encouragement. They sent a tidal wave of compassion - [Failed Olympic ski run attempt or a "total failure?"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/02/10/a-failed-ski-run-attempt-or-a-total-failure/) - Bode Miller was the hands down fav to win the downhill ski race at the Winter Games. He finished 8th, a slippery .52 seconds behind Matthias Mayer's gold medal time of 2:06:23. Clear as ice crystals, Bode failed. But does that make him a failure? Nah! The guy has racked up five Olympic medals in - [Olympic figure skaters got no trust issues](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/02/12/figure-skaters-got-no-trust-issues/) - Confession time. My name is Annie and I'm a figure skating illiterate. No matter how many Winter Games I devour, I'll never get the difference between a triple toe loop, sow cow, lutz or twizzle. Who cares? I'm hooked on all of the single skating events. Short. Long. Free. But when it comes to pairs... - [Olympic dreaming, family-style](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/02/11/olympic-dreaming-family-style/) - Canadian freestyle moguls skier Alex Bilodeau placed 11th in the 2006 Turino Games. His brother Frederic roared encouragement from the finish line. When the race was over and the results were in Frederic hugged Alex and said, "I love you and I'm proud of you." In the 2010 Vancouver Games Alex won gold and Frederic - [Ice skating lessons of redemption and grace ](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/02/09/ice-skating-lessons-of-redemption-and-grace/) - Last night's team figure skating short program was packed with teachable moments. Not all were visible on the ice. I'll start with the music Ashley Wagner chose. Even if you never heard of Pink Floyd, that song, Shine On You Crazy Diamond, had to have made an impression for what it wasn't: classical or Broadway. - [Olympics opening ceremony's teachable moments](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/02/08/olympics-opening-ceremonys-teachable-moments/) - I'm delighted to be blogging daily with the awesome #OlympicMoms team (through February 24th). Also kinda proud I managed to stay awake for my first assignment and watch every minute of last night's opening ceremonies. I loved the magic of it! Unlike some of my colleagues who'll be encouraging parents to prepare healthier foods, play with - [You were "bored?!" Geez...](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/08/21/you-were-bored-geez/) - Updated February 6, 2014 One of the three Oklahoma teens charged in the murder of Christopher Lane said "We were were bored. So we decided to kill someone." There's so much that's crazy scary about that statement, I don't know where to start. I'll start here: I know nothing about those bored kids, but they're - [Talking about talking trash](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/01/30/you-cant-beat-free/) - It seems like we're always swimming in social garbage – everything from the "just kidding" remarks from so-called friends to the snarky comments from people who hate you (online and off). When it comes to social garbage all of us have had it dumped on us. And all of us have dumped it on others. Weird thing, - [I miss my mom](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/02/03/i-miss-my-mom/) - I could see her crying at her keyboard as she tried to shut out the laughter of Dad and Stepmom outside her closed bedroom door. She hates them for being happy. She hates herself for hating them. She's so angry and resentful. So frustrated and confused. But mostly she's a sad little girl missing her - [Kid Power: How much is too much?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/01/26/kid-power-how-much-is-too-much/) - The prologue of the January 17th episode of This American Life (Stuck in the Middle) grabbed me in such profound ways that I haven't stopped thinking about Elias, the 7 year old's whose love for animals and compassion for their suffering led him to the logical conclusion that eating meat is wrong. His parents, who reportedly - [Why school friendships teach kids so much (for better or worse)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/01/24/connecting-the-dots-from-friend-to-bfgf/) - Most kids fall into friendships like they fall in love. Most adults do too. Your son and his best buddy met and bonded at age seven when they played on the same soccer team. Your daughter met her bff when her fifth grade teacher paired them up for a science project. When temperament and the - [I have a dream that every school...](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/01/20/i-have-a-dream-that-every-school/) - I have a dream that every school is a safe and nurturing place for all children. A place where kids want to be because every adult who works there respects students and shows it. I have a dream that every teacher loves teaching and comes to school every morning with affection, compassion and understanding for - [Suck it up, son. Real men don't cry.](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/01/13/suck-it-up-son-real-men-dont-cry/) - I try not to saddle up with the Bad Parent police, but this time I couldn't resist though I knew I'd be walking a fine line. It started with an email from a teen whose mom had just passed away. His dad told him real men don't cry. And that his mom would be ashamed - [Three things t(w)eens should stop doing in 2014](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/01/09/three-things-teens-should-stop-doing-in-2014/) - Earlier this week I gave parents three tips for making home a more peaceful place in the new year. Since kids are part of the equation, it's only fair that you guys also get some pointers so you can do your part to make your family a happier one. Here goes: In 2014 you should: - [Who are my real parents?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/12/31/who-are-my-real-parents/) - Last day of the year and I’m settling in with a bowl of raisin oatmeal and a mug of vanilla black tea (Thank you, Trader Joe’s, and could you please carry this stuff year round?) I’m ready to write a pithy blog about looking back at lessons learned in the old year and setting goals - [Three things parents should stop doing in 2014](https://blog.anniefox.com/2014/01/05/three-things-parents-should-do-less-of-in-2014/) - Self-improvment New Year's resolutions usually fade after Week 2 because they require us to do things we're not used to. Most people aren't wired that way. So I'm thinking it might be easier to stop doing something unhealthy rather than to start a whole new regime. So here's my list of three common things parents - [Compassionate parents raise good-hearted kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/12/13/compassionate-parents-raise-good-hearted-kids/) - Man, it's been beyond chilly in California. (Mid-westerners, no snide chuckles, please. I don't care what your definition of winter is, 23 degrees is cold.) But still, I'm into this. I love watching the dogs romping in the 5 pm sunset over at the park. I love making soup and lighting candles in my living - [What do children need?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/12/20/what-do-children-need/) - I'm mentoring a teen who suddenly had to step up and take care of a young sibling after their parents' death. It's gotten me thinking about what every child needs and deserves in order to grow into a healthy young adult. Here's what I know: Children need to feel safe, physically and emotionally. Children need - [Holiday Focus on Family](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/12/17/holiday-focus-on-family/) - Excerpted from my book, Teaching Kids to Be Good People. While we’re all moving in ten directions at once, online and off, the notion of evenings and weekends where parents and kids spend unplugged time together is laughably retro. But life is neither virtual nor infinite. We’ve got to create an antidote to 21st century craziness - ["Don't Buy Me Any Stuff" Gift Guide](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/12/11/dont-buy-me-any-stuff-gift-guide/) - I originally wrote a version of this essay back in '05 BT (before Twitter). People have requested a reprint. Here you go. Enjoy... in joy. The year our daughter Fayette turned 15 she said she didn’t want us to buy her “stuff” for Hanukkah. Huh? What was going on? Didn't she still love us? Wasn’t - [Mom, why are you being such a B#$@%?!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/12/04/mom-why-are-you-being-such-a-b/) - Lots going on this time of year. (Props for taking time to read a blog.) We feel pressure to make the holidays "perfect." Pressure to spend. Pressure to save. Pressure to get the kids to behave. We all have moments when we trade "nice" for B#$@%. We're human and we get stressed. But when we - [What is a gift?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/12/02/what-is-a-gift/) - Most of us don't remember what our nearest and dearest gave us last year for a holiday gift. (Unless it was nada when we expected mucho. In that case we've still got those hurt feelings to cherish always.) We probably can't remember what we gave them either! We're wired to remember how we feel. What was - [How NOT to welcome kids home for the holidays](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/11/25/how-not-to-welcome-kids-home-for-the-holidays/) - A post bearing a strong resemblance to this one was first posted here in January 2009. Play your cards right and your empty nest isn’t empty 100% of the time. Since we officially became empty nesters in May 2007, our nest has expanded from accommodating just me, David and our dog, to periods where 5 - [I want what she's got!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/11/21/i-want-what-shes-got/) - The following post is an excerpt from my latest parenting book, Teaching Kids to Be Good People. You can read all of Chapter 1 right here. Ever been up close and personal with a lemon tree and noticed how cool they are? I never had until I moved to California. Now I’ve got my own - [Give them the whole damn cookie...](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/11/18/give-them-the-whole-damn-cookie/) - UPDATE: Day 18 National Novel Writing Month. I'm 28,217 words into my YA novel. Can't wait to find out what happens next in the story. Sure, I'm making it up, but if I already know everything my characters will say and do, plus every plot twist, there'd be zero fun in writing, thus I would not - [Holiday stress is coming to town](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/11/14/holiday-stress-is-coming-to-town/) - It's Day 14 of National Novel Writing Month. For those of you outside of my family who are interested, as of this morning I hit 24,684 words toward my goal of 50K by Nov. 30th. (SFX of CHEERS) For all you fictionists... fictionaries? BS artists? Write on, comrades! To free myself from blogging this month, - [How many friends can you fit around one table?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/11/07/how-many-friends-can-you-fit-at-one-table/) - Like I said on Monday, I'm keeping my writer's brain fixed on the goal of completing a 50,000 word novel by midnight November 30th. In case you want proof that I'm actually working on that novel and not simply eating mint chip ice cream and reading the message boards for The Voice message, you can take - [Help your kids get from school stress to calm and confident](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/09/10/help-your-kids-get-from-school-stress-to-calm-and-confident/) - Last month I had a great opportunity to chat and practice visualization with parenting coach Heather Chauvin. She shared a bit of what she knows about school stress so parents can help their kids (and themselves) manage anxiety at the start of the school year and all throughout. Watch this 18 minute video then use - [Asking for love in the right places](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/11/20/asking-for-love-in-the-right-places/) - The following is an excerpt from my new parenting book, Teaching Kids to Be Good People. It's from the chapter on Emotional Intelligence. Right before Thanksgiving a few years back, my dear friend Bettina, who was having some health issues, emailed me: “I know this is incredibly presumptuous and Miss Manners would be scandalized, but - [Why I'm not blogging this month](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/11/03/why-im-not-blogging-this-month/) - November is National Novel Writing Month: Write a 50,000 word novel by midnight the 30th. It's not a contest, just an awesome opportunity to do more than talk about that book you want to write. Inspired and egged on by my daughter and son (both professional writers) I began the challenge last Friday. Now all I have to - [Day 30: Kindness and Respect Challenge (What did we learn?)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/30/day-30-kindness-and-respect-challenge-what-did-we-learn/) - I know it's not the official last day of this month-long Kindness and Respect Challenge. (We all remember Thirty days hath September…) But tomorrow's Halloween. (Yay, Kit-Kat bars!) So this is my wrap-up post. When I take on a challenge my goal is to learn and to teach. Like my previous Annoyance Challenge. Did I really want - [Day 29: Kindness and Respect Challenge (Why do they have to be so mean?)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/29/day-29-kindness-and-respect-challenge-why-do-they-have-to-be-so-mean/) - Just got this email from a teen who's feeling really humiliated because of a mean trick played by her so-called friend partnering with another girl. I'll let her describe it herself: Hey Terra, During math today I got up to throw something in the trash and my BFF (Friend A) whispered to me, "Are you - [Day 28: Kindness and Respect Challenge (Compassion begins at home)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/28/day-28-kindness-and-respect-challenge-compassion-begins-at-home/) - Depending on your relationships with kin folk, the upcoming holidays may bring on joyful anticipation or a queasy gut. If you're planning on attending a family get-together be on your best behavior. Why? Because nothing kills the holiday spirit faster than letting the button pushers win. You know who I'm talking about: Your aunt who - [Day 25: Kindness and Respect Challenge (Show me some love)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/25/day-25-kindness-and-respect-challenge-show-me-some-love/) - Yesterday's email from One.org described how much good the gift of a goat can provide an African family in extreme poverty. Great idea. Been gifting goats through OxfamAmerica.org for years. Glad to see more goats doing their part to help people. So I started thinking about goats I've known... and remembered this blog from 5 - [Day 24: Kindness and Respect Challenge (Dealing with broken glass)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/24/day-24-kindness-and-respect-challenge-dealing-with-broken-glass/) - I know a school where broken glass is a serious problem. Kids there freely toss it in classrooms and hallways, in the lunchroom and on the playground. Where do they get it? It's everywhere for the taking and every day there's more. The students at this school keep their pockets full so whenever they feel - [Day 23: Kindness and Respect Challenge (Standing up for the underdog)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/23/day-23-kindness-and-respect-challenge-standing-up-for-the-under-dog/) - Kids and teens can view of themselves as powerless in a world where adults call all the shots. But that's not the whole story. Kids have power. And every day, your children and mine get opportunities to use that power to do good or to do harm. Sometimes, turning a blind eye and choosing to - [Day 22: Kindness and Respect Challenge (Knowing what's needed)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/22/day-22-kindness-and-respect-challenge-knowing-whats-needed/) - This Real World Parenting Assignment is excerpted from my book, Teaching Kids to Be Good People. You can read another excerpt from it right here. Knowing What's Needed (so you can be as helpful as possible) Parenting and teaching are both highly nuanced arts. Being a good person also requires nuance, which is usually learned - [Halloween and the art of faking it](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/10/23/halloween-and-the-art-of-faking-it/) - UPDATE (October 2013): This essay is included in my book, Teaching Kids to Be Good People. (Electric Eggplant, 2012) I love Halloween. Always have. Even though our kids don’t live here any more, David and I still trawl the neighborhood, checking out trick-or-treaters and home makeovers. David usually wears his multimedia producer costume— understated, but - [Day 18: Kindness and Respect Challenge (Where's my social courage?)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/18/day-18-kindness-and-respect-challenge-social-courage/) - If doing the right thing were easy it would be called A Day at the Beach. Instead it's call social courage and it's often missing in action when we need it. Why is that? Because we're as wired for peer approval as we are for empathy. If your gut says you ought to stand up - [Day 21: Kindness and Respect Challenge (The Apple, through my eyes)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/21/day-21-kindness-and-respect-challenge-the-apple-through-my-eyes/) - My friend, filmmaker Tiffany Shlain, has created another cultural fog-buster in Technology Sabbath. In six minutes she sounds an alarm and gently nudges us to unplug and create time for the people we love and the non-tech activities that make us whole. Inspired, I stayed offline from Friday evening til Sunday morning. No email, Twitter, FB. No - [Day 17: Kindness and Respect Challenge (Beyond Shut Up and Listen to Me)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/17/day-17-kindness-and-respect-challenge-beyond-shut-up-and-listen-to-me/) - So the US government shut-down is over and the default crisis has been diverted with seconds to spare. Cool cool cool. This isn't a political post so no worries. Today, I'm neutral. Really. I don't care which side of the river you pitch your tent. I only care about teaching kids to be good people, and that includes - [Day 15: Kindness and Respect Challenge (Taking the other guy's point of view)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/15/day-15-kindness-and-respect-challenge-taking-the-other-guys-point-of-view/) - Many of the messes we make could be avoided if we first hit PAUSE and thought about things from the other guy's point of view. Same goes for the messes other people create that we get slimed by. But taking the time to stop a think rarely happens in social interactions. Instead we (re)act thoughtlessly - [Day 14: Kindness and Respect Challenge (Keep your head)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/14/day-14-kindness-and-respect-challenge-keep-your-head/) - At the start of middle school my best friend ditched me for a popular new girl. Confusion turned to shock, hurt and then anxiety when Popular Girl got my ex-BFF (and pretty much the rest of the class) to turn against me. They teased me, started rumors, blamed me for stuff. I was drowning in - [Day 11: Kindness and Respect Challenge (T'is always the 'season' for spreading good will)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/11/day-11-kindness-and-respect-challenge-tis-always-the-season-for-spreading-good-will/) - Sure been chilly in the mornings and evenings. My neighbor's dahlias scream for their close-up. Local trees outdo each other in their annual "Look at me!" competition. And yesterday I went sweater shopping. So, yeah. No doubt about it, t'is the season to show a little good will toward our fellow humans. Makes me wonder - [Day 10: Kindness and Respect Challenge (R-E-S-P-E-C-T) Part 2](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/10/day-10-kindness-and-respect-challenge-r-e-s-p-e-c-t-part-2/) - In case you missed yesterday's episode, you might want to take a minute to read the email from the teen whose friendship with her bff made her feel like a prisoner "in jail." She wanted out, but didn't know how to find the exit. I advised her to talk to her friend and take a - [Teaching Kids to Be Good People Blog Tour](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/02/28/teaching-kids-to-be-good-people-blog-tour/) - As a published author, of course I know about book tours. Not that I've ever actually been on one, but I've attended other authors' events at Book Passage. So, yeah. I understand the concept. What I didn't get, until recently, is "What's a blog tour?" Turns out it's pretty much the same thing as a book tour - [A Parent's Pledge to Raise a Responsible Digital Citizen](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/11/12/a-parents-pledge-to-raise-a-responsible-digital-citizen/) - The following parent's "pledge" was originally written for and posted on SafetyWeb.com. SafetyWeb is a thoughtfully designed tool that provides parents with a means and a context for ongoing family conversations about safety, friendship and how the choices we make, online and off, have consequences. 3 out of 4 t(w)eens regularly use social media. (UPDATE - [Day 4: Kindness and Respect Challenge (Why do I have to say 'thank you'?)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/04/day-4-kindness-and-respect-challenge/) - My childhood friend and I loved word play (no surprise that we're both professional writers). One game we made up and really enjoyed involved gifts and thank-you notes. Here's how it went: Lovely gift was given and gratefully received. Lovely thank-you note written... promptly (Thanks for the training, Mom!) and gratefully received. But that wasn't - [Day 3: Kindness and Respect Challenge (It's hard to be kind when you're stressed)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/03/day-3-kindness-and-respect-challenge/) - At the top of the trail a deer blocked our path and I freaked, albeit it quietly. In case you're reading this from the snake and piranha invested Amazon and are thinking, "A deer?! Gimme a break!" we're not talking Bambi here, we're talking something along the lines of this (minus the frigid air, which - [Day 2: Kindness and Respect Challenge (Add to the good karma chain)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/02/day-2-kindness-and-respect-challenge/) - Yesterday was a good day. I was reminded how this kindness and respect thing can have ripple effects. When we're on the receiving end of an act of kindness it touches and transforms us, if only for a short while. And during that window of transformation we're more caring, more open, and yes, more vulnerable - [Day 8 Kindness and Respect Challenge (Plea to the Goddess of Patience)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/08/day-8-kindness-and-respect-challenge-plea-to-the-goddess-of-patience/) - Sorry, Mom. You still love me, right? The Pupster was crazed this morning. Pulling on the bedspread. Chewing on my sock. Biting my yoga mat. Jumping on the table. Barking at squirrels. Barking at trucks. Barking at me! And through it all, I breathe and tried to re-center while I answered email, prepped for my 10 o'clock - [Day 1: Kindness and Respect Challenge, The Bullying Cure?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/10/01/kindness-and-respect-challenge-the-anti-bullying-cure/) - October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Not sure what we're expected to work on for the rest of the year, but I'm up for treating people better, at least through Halloween. Unlike highly successful education campaigns of the past: Don't Be a Litter Bug and Buckle Up for Safety because Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires, - ["Hello. This is Emma's teacher... "](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/09/27/hello-this-is-emmas-teacher/) - I originally wrote a version of this article for TakePart.com When it comes to teaching kids to be good people, we parents repeat ourselves... a lot. That's OK, because young skulls are thick and young minds are often distracted. We continue harping on the rules because we want our kids to act responsibly, even when - [If it works in preschool...](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/09/23/if-it-works-in-preschool/) - A friend just informed me that her 14-year-old granddaughter, Samantha, was approached by a few classmates on the first day of school and told, "Everyone hates you, Samantha. You know that, don't you?" Apparently Sami was clueless, so the news understandably did her in for the rest of the day. She wasn't too keen on - [Anne Frank's fiction writing](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/09/16/anne-franks-fiction-writing/) - Growing up as a Jewish girl, of course I knew about Anne Frank's diary. I read it for the first time when I was in the 4th grade. When my parents gave me a diary for Chanukkah that year, it made sense that I should call my diary Kit (a thinly veiled homage to Anne's - [Still waiting for bullying to end by itself?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/09/15/still-waiting-for-bullying-to-end-by-itself/) - Another kid pushed to the edge by bullies. Another disheartened sheriff addresses a news conference. "(She) was absolutely terrorized on social media." Another disbelieving mom tries making sense of life without her little girl. "I never, ever thought it would happen to me or my daughter.” This tragedy happened in Florida, though it could have been any - [Friday the 13th - Luck off!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/09/13/friday-the-13th-luck-off/) - Friday the 13th. An unlucky day? I'm not so sure. You know the story of the Chinese peasant farmer whose only son was thrown by a wild horse and badly injured? Downright unlucky, wouldn't you say? The farmer's wife thought so. She was beside herself lamenting the family's misfortune. Neighbors gathered to commiserated, "How unfortunate!" - [Urgent message to tweens and teens: Do something to stop the hate](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/09/05/urgent-message-to-tweens-and-teens-do-something-to-stop-the-hate/) - Let me tell you something, kids. It's easier to think about bullying as something "out there" that someone else is doing. It's easier to think of yourself as a nice girl or a good guy. That kind of thinking may be easy, comforting even, but it's wrong. The urge to shut someone up or down, to - [For Parents: You Have To Be Taught](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/08/29/you-have-to-be-taught/) - Last night 10 neighbors came over to watch Obama’s acceptance speech with me and David. It was easily 95 outside and we don’t have A/C, but no one in our packed TV room noticed because we were witnessing something so very cool. Even cooler was the fact that yesterday was the 45th anniversary of Martin - [Mom, Daughter and the Art of Button-pushing](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/08/26/mom-daughter-and-the-art-of-button-pushing/) - Unless you've got like 40 years experience in meditation, you're going to get your buttons pushed. When we lose it, it's usually because other people can be so annoying. If everyone else just got it together and met our personal standards of perfection, we'd be happy. C'mon universe, is that too much to ask? Guess - [Urgent anti-bully message to educators: Do more to stop it](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/08/19/urgent-anti-bully-message-to-educators-do-more-to-stop-it/) - They say schools are no longer in the business of teaching good citizenship, character, ethics or whatever you want to call it because educators are too busy "teaching to the test." There's no test for character that can be graded to give districts bragging rights for getting their scores up, so why teach this stuff? - [Back-to-School worries: What if?!!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/08/09/back-to-school-worries-what-if/) - This week's email delivered a truckload of back-to-school worries from teens who are shot through with stress hormones and exclamation points. Like this one, from "Anxious!" Hey Terra, So I'm starting a new year of school going to 8th grade! Last year I met my bff when she moved here from another state. We instantly connected - [New school year, new friends ](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/08/01/new-school-year-new-friends/) - With all the Back to School sales, where do you get new friends? I recently got this email from a teen who’s dealing with family stuff and major friendship challenges. Hey Terra, My grandpa died recently. I loved him so much. Now I feel like I have no one to turn to because my friends - [Tips for common back to school challenges](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/08/05/6985/) - If your kids are moping because summer's over, have a heart. If last school year had more downs than ups, drop the cheerleader act ("I guarantee this year will be so much better.") Instead, get real and be on their side. Every school year brings challenges. Many of them start before Day One. The most - [Back to School: Shifting gears without too much grinding ](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/07/29/back-to-school-shifting-gears-without-too-much-grinding/) - During the school year The Routine keeps the family on a short leash, jolting us into each day: "Get up or you'll be late! Quit hogging the bathroom! Quit texting and finish your breakfast! Where's your homework? Don't forget your cleats! Get going!!" Then summer comes. We exhale. We're off leash. The voice inside our head - [My dinner with Ezra](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/07/24/my-dinner-with-ezra/) - The ultimate prize of parenting is a healthy relationship with your adult children. If your kids still live with you it's probably weird imaging they'll ever not need you to sort their underwear or sign permission slips. But hopefully that day will come. And when it does, how will you know you've hit the jackpot? - [I want to have fun, but my parents won't let me!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/07/17/i-want-to-have-fun-but-my-parents-wont-let-me/) - I have a new puppy and a new appreciation for the importance of unstructured play. And of summer. Kids need a summer escape from homework, tests, and The Schedule. They need fun with friends and time spreading their wings. They need time to practice good judgement. And we need time learning to relax and let - [Mom, I'm bored!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/07/12/mom-im-bored/) - It's July. Likely the summer doldrums have already moved in. Maybe you've already been accosted by your kids' complaining, "Mom, I'm bored!" in that grating tone they use to let you know you're failing as a parent. I didn't hear "I'm bored" very often from either of my kids. They're adults now, both professional writers - [Summer is fun and learning can be too](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/07/09/summer-is-fun-and-learning-can-be-too/) - Right before the light turned green I glanced out my window and saw a four-year-old swinging in front of her house. Lucky girl with parents cool enough to tie that swing on the tree. Smiling, I remembered the endless freedom of summer days with no particular place to go. Then the light turned and off - [Celebrating all forms of freedom and independence](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/07/04/celebrating-all-forms-of-freedom-and-independence/) - Happy 237th Birthday, America. ( You don't look a day over 200.) From the beginning we've been an experiment in democracy. But before we got our license to own and operate our own place, we teenage colonies had to break away from the mother country. (We'll always love you, England. Sorry, we haven't called in - [Sometimes less independence is a good thing](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/07/01/sometimes-less-independence-is-a-good-thing/) - Last June our sweet Josie dog died at age three. Ate something on a hike in the woods. Gone 30 minutes later. A part of me broke that day. Stayed badly broken for six months. Then the healing began and the yearning... for a dog. But we held off because being dog-less has its perks. - [Guest blogger: My daughter is becoming a woman](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/06/27/guest-blogger-my-daughter-is-becoming-a-woman/) - by Megan Sullivan Continuing July's Independence theme, I'm pleased to post this guest blog by Megan Sullivan. Megan is a free-lance writer. She lives in Southern California with her husband and their two daughters. My daughter is already fifteen, stands two inches taller than me and has a driver’s permit, so you would think that I - [Independence Day reminder to parents: Kids just wanna be free](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/06/24/independence-day-reminder-to-parents-kids-just-wanna-be-free/) - It's a bit early for 4th of July, but never too early to talk about independence, especially if you've got tweens or teens. In my parenting workshops I often ask moms and dads: “What did you want more of from your parents?” Answers vary, but “independence” always tops the list along with “understanding” and “patience.” - [Mom doesn't like the 'new direction' her daughter is taking](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/06/21/graduation2/) - Last time we were talking about kids' transitions and graduating toward independence, something we parents should celebrate. But here's a mom who wishes her daughter weren't quite so independent. Can you relate? Dear Annie, Most parents don’t want their kids going along with the crowd, but I wish my daughter would! She dresses like a boy, - [Graduation: They’re moving toward independence… and so are we!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/06/17/graduation1/) - I’m wired to cry. So naturally I sobbed hysterically after dropping my 18-month-old daughter at preschool. (Hey, I got better by the second week!) And I bawled as I dropped her off at college. And when her little brother left for college six years later, the waterworks gushed again. Kids beginning a new chapter in - [Dad, let the boy explore in his own time](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/06/05/fathers-day2/) - Not to get all Zen, but the future takes care of itself. Tomorrow will dawn without our help. Of course, sometimes we benefit from planning before we get there. Then it's smart to prep. Stupid not to. But it's also possible to jump the gun and set ourselves up for unnecessary worry because there is - [It takes a real man to be a dad](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/05/28/it-takes-a-real-man-to-be-a-dad/) - Any dude can father a child but it takes a real man to be a dad. Dads are all in, heart and mind, for the long haul, encouraging their kids to become self-reliant young adults. Dads also teach by example that everyone (including children) deserves respect. When we see people treated unfairly it’s not enough - [What to do if your kid is being harassed by a peer](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/05/18/what-do-to-if-your-kid-is-being-harassed-by-a-peer/) - I originally wrote a version of this article for TakePart.com where I've contributed education posts. Check out the rest of my articles there. My email from teens lessens on weekends. This may seem counter-intuitive since kids have more time to connect with friends. But school is where most of the social garbage gets dumped and spread around. - [Guest blogger: When Kids Outgrow Visitation Schedules](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/05/13/guest-blogger-when-kids-outgrow-visitation-schedules/) - by Scott Morgan Scott Morgan is a board certified Texas family law attorney who regularly blogs on the subject of divorce and family law. Check out his blog on the Morgan Law Firm website. Parents want to see their children grow to become independent, freethinking individuals with the social skills needed to foster relationships independent - [Oh, these fuel-ish thoughts!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/03/22/oh-these-fuelish-thoughts/) - I sat and waited for my friend to meet me for lunch at a local place. I was trying not to do anything else. I was not succeeding. When you're waiting for someone to meet you, or call, or return a text, it's easy to think fuel-ish thoughts (the kind that adds to anxiety): Where - [Teen girl: I wanna have sex to be over and done with it!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/04/15/teen-girl-i-wanna-have-sex-to-be-over-and-done-with-it/) - This morning's email brought some of the usual questions from TeenWorld: How do I stop being shy so I can make more friends? Should I tell me bff that I kissed her bf? My friend can be kinda mean, but my life wouldn't be the same with out her. What should I do? My parents - [Helicopter parents, for the sake of your kids, your license is revoked](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/04/09/helicopter-parents-for-the-sake-of-your-kids-your-license-is-revoked/) - I originally wrote a version of this article for TakePart.com where I contributed a weekly education post from Sept. 2012-Feb. 2013. Check out the rest of my articles there. The late (truly) great Shel Silverstein made a truly brilliant point in his poem, Helping. Some kind of help is the kind of help that helping’s all about And - [Guest blogger: Why Kids Listen to their Parents or Don’t](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/04/01/guest-blogger-why-kids-listen-to-their-parents-or-don’t/) - by Rick Ackerly, M. Ed. Rick Ackerly is a nationally recognized educator and speaker with 45 years experience. He's served as head of four independent schools, speaks to parent and school groups across the country and at education conferences. Rick is the author of The Genius in Every Child. Visit his blog to learn more about his - [Friendship issues from the 3rd grade](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/03/19/friendship-issues-from-the-3rd-grade/) - This is Part 2 of a 5-part series based on students' questions I received while visiting a school in St. Louis in early March. Missed the 1st part (Friendship issues from the 2nd grade)? Here it is. And please check back next week for Questions from the 4th grade. What should I do if someone - [Friendship issues from the 5th grade](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/05/08/friendship-issues-from-the-5th-grade/) - After a brief hiatus (due to an Autism Awareness Month blog and a review of the new documentary Bully), here is Part 4 of a 5-part series on elementary school friendship issues. If you're new to this series and you want to help the kids in your life deal with peer conflicts and bullying, please check out the - ["How was school, sweetie?" "Fine." End of conversation!?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/02/21/how-was-school-sweetie-fine-end-of-conversation/) - I originally wrote a version of this article for TakePart.com where I contribute a weekly education post. Check out the rest of my articles there. When kids start school a piece of us leaves with them every morning. When they return, we’re eager to hear about their day so we can reconnect emotionally and gauge - [50 Lessons of Love for Valentine's Day and Beyond](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/02/14/50-lessons-of-love-for-valentines-day-and-beyond/) - David and I have celebrated a lot of Valentine’s Days together... so much chocolate! I appreciate how our partnership contributes to my health and well being. It makes so much of what I do possible. I also especially appreciate how our relationship continues to get better. How can that be? We work at it. A - [You know better than that! Or do you?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/02/06/you-know-better-than-that-or-do-you/) - When a very young child intentionally hurts another, how do we respond? With outrage and anger? Threats and intimidation? None of the above. Young children are ignorant, as in, they don't know any better. Instead of shouting, a caring adult needs to step in and say to the child, "When you do that, you hurt others. - [When a BFF leaves you behind](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/01/26/when-a-bff-leaves-you-behind/) - I've been getting an awful lot of email lately from teens who feel abandoned by their bff. Usually the situation involves a "new girl" coming into the picture who is "stealing" a friend. If this has happened to you (or someone you know) maybe this teen's email and my answer to it will be helpful. - [Two sides of the story](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/12/29/two-sides-of-the-story/) - Before I watched the sunset it was a normal Wednesday. David and I ate oatmeal and read the paper. I went on poop patrol in the yard. Drove to Spanish class. Filled up the car. And answered this email from a desperate teen: Hey Terra, I can't take it much longer. I like this boy - [Every school needs an OASIS](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/09/15/every-school-needs-an-oasis/) - When adults feel uncomfortable with what's going on around us, we can often just up and leave. But if you're a tween or teen, from 8:20-2:55, Monday through Friday, you're "doing school." You're in lock-down. If your peers make you feel uncomfortable or unsafe or worried or fearful, you've just got to suck it up. - [What other people think](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/04/05/what-other-people-think/) - Tweens and teens are famously self-conscious around their peers. The risk of falling short of what's "cool" can be so intimidating it's a wonder they crawl out of the sack and get themselves to school. Each day 160,000 American kids don't bother. They can't deal with the judgement, put-downs and out-and-out cruelty from other students - ["Quit kvetching!" Tips for getting teens to stop complaining](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/01/23/quit-kvetching-tips-for-getting-teens-to-stop-complaining/) - I originally wrote a version of this article for TakePart.com where I contribute a weekly education post. Check out the rest of my articles there. Do you know the Yiddish verb, to kvetch? On the surface it simply means: to complain. As in, "Just get your homework done and stop kvetching already." But actually, kvetching goes beyond complaining - [National Day of Service is a day ON, not a day OFF](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/01/15/national-day-of-service-is-a-day-on-not-a-day-off/) - We all say we want to live in a community where people care about their neighbors – not only when we're in desperate need, but every day. Because the every day stuff is what makes up your life and mine, and that couple across the street. (What's their name?) There are countless ways to show - [A new book begins](https://blog.anniefox.com/2013/01/06/a-new-book-begins/) - I'm beginning my work on a new book (not sure yet if it will be adult fiction or non-fiction). The theme: an exploration of how some people manage to respond to debilitating loss in exemplary ways. Because, throughout life, we are subject to many losses, how can we use the experience in a positive way? - [Calling a truce in the Homework Wars](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/12/31/calling-a-truce-in-the-homework-wars/) - I originally wrote this article for TakePart.com where I write a weekly education post. Check out the rest of my articles there. The long holiday break is almost over. I hope you and your kids made the most of the delights of the season. And that includes time to relax together as a family, kids and parents, - [Free Kindle Download of "Teaching Kids to Be Good People"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/12/28/free-kindle-download-of-“teaching-kids-to-be-good-people”/) - Today (12/28) through Sunday (12/30), we’re giving away the Kindle version of my new parenting book Teaching Kids to Be Good People: Progressive Parenting for the 21st Century. On December 28–30, 2012 only, you can get your own FREE Kindle version of my book right here. No Kindle? No problem. Download the ebook anyway because - [Writers Helping Writers](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/12/26/writers-helping-writers/) - My friend and digital kids' author, Karen Robertson, whose work includes the Treasure Kai series plus the Author's Guide to Book Apps, contacted me about "The Next Big Thing." Essentially it's a "blog chain" for writers to help fellow writers get some buzz about their latest books and/or upcoming projects. Anything that helps me promote - [Teaching Kids to Be Good People](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/01/17/i-can-forgive-him-or-can-i/) - (See UPDATES BELOW) I'm writing my first book for adults since Armchair BASIC. It's called: Teaching Kids to Be Good People. It will be available as an eBook in September. Since one person's "good" might be another person's "Are you kidding me?!" I knew I needed to be precise from the onset. So I asked - [Guest blogger: Keeping Kids Healthy - Type 2 Diabetes Prevention](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/12/10/guest-blogger-keeping-kids-healthy-type-2-diabetes-prevention/) - by Carolyn Fallon Carolyn is a 20-something year old with a passion for life, fitness and overall well-being. She is an avid cycler, golfer and has known to bust some serious moves on the dance floor. To learn more about Carolyn, please check out her blog. I never paid attention to the topic of Type 2 Diabetes. All - [Guest blogger: New Country, New Life](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/12/10/guest-blogger-new-country-new-life/) - by Jessica Oh, 16 year old high school student. This personal essay, by Jessica Oh, was submitted to my teen website TheInSite.org. If you've got some expressive writing you'd like to share, fiction, or non-fiction, poetry or whatever, please send it in, I'd love to read it! And maybe your words will get featured on my - [Sometimes you've just gotta get out](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/12/01/sometimes-youve-just-gotta-get-out/) - David and I work at home. We're in the house a lot. In our offices. In our minds. Ensnared deep within the inter webs. That's why I sometime feel an intense need to break out of IN for some quality time OUT... way out. Today the need was great. It's been raining... a lot. But - [The cure for "mean kid" behavior ](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/11/27/the-cure-for-mean-kid-behavior/) - I originally wrote this article for TakePart.com where I write a weekly education post. Check out the rest of my articles there. Whenever I communicate from a school stage or from my computer, I tell students that our choices should reflect the kind of people we really are. Most of us are good people who care about - [You can't un-do the rumor, but you're not powerless](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/11/24/you-cant-un-do-the-rumor-but-youre-not-powerless/) - I just got an(other) email from a teen being tormented by rumors. This stuff makes me angry and frustrated and sad. I have a pretty clear sense of how it makes the kids who've been targeted feel.... in a word, powerless! And while it's true no one has the power to un-do a rumor that's - [Kids with special needs need pushy parents](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/11/17/kids-with-special-needs-need-pushy-parents/) - I originally wrote this article for TakePart.com where I write a weekly education post. Check out the rest of my articles there. All living things, with the exception of clones and genetically modified food, are unique. Of course, that includes children. Every kid has a collection of traits, quirks, interests, annoying habits, talents, and abilities that - [Guest blogger: When teachers are heroes and when they're not](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/11/13/guest-blogger-when-teachers-are-heroes-and-when-theyre-not/) - by Mackenzie Gavel Mackenzie Gavel is an aspiring journalist and a senior at NYU, with a double major in Journalism and Psychology. Founder of Belittle the Bullies, Mackenzie is also a blogger for CITYist, the online component of City Magazine. Teachers are supposed to be more than educators. They are supposed to be mentors. Unfortunately, - [Helping Kids Deal w/Social Garbage, Online & Off](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/11/08/helping-kids-deal-with-social-garbage-online-and-off/) - I originally wrote a version of this article for TakePart.com, an interactive publisher and the digital arm of Participant Media. Check out my weekly Education posts there. I’ve been answering teen email since 1997. The ongoing Q&A has made me an expert on the social garbage many 11-17 year olds slog through every day. Typical teen questions include: What do - [Stress Dismissed: Why Family Meetings Actually Work](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/10/26/stress-dismissed-why-family-meetings-work/) - I originally wrote a version of this article for TakePart.com, an interactive publisher and the digital arm of Participant Media, the company responsible for award-winning films such as An Inconvenient Truth, Food Inc., Waiting for Superman, Charlie Wilson’s War, Contagion and The Help. Back in early June, sweet summer beckoned with infinite possibilities. Hopefully some of the good ones became realities for you - [Prime Parenting Objective: Teaching Kids to Be Good People](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/10/04/prime-parenting-objective-teaching-kids-to-be-good-people/) - The gestation, labor, and heavy pushing are over! On October 3rd at 4:12 PM Teaching Kids to Be Good People was born, you can get your own Kindle version of my book right here. No Kindle? No problem! You can read the book just fine on your Mac, PC, iPod Touch, iPad, iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and Windows - [Free Kindle Download of Teaching Kids to Be Good People](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/10/18/free-kindle-download-of-teaching-kids-to-be-good-people/) - My new parenting book Teaching Kids to Be Good People: Progressive Parenting for the 21st Century is receiving enthusiastic reviews. (Always so gratifying after all that work!) To celebrate the book’s launch, and to thank you for your support and ongoing interest in my work... On October 18 & 19, 2012 only, you can get your own - [Teaching Kids to Be Good People, because we need more of them!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/09/19/teaching-kids-to-be-good-people-because-we-need-more-of-them/) - Aside from giving birth to my own children, nothing provides me with more delight and a creative high than producing a new book. To find out why I decided, after 25 years of writing exclusively for kids, to write a book for adults, and why every parent and educator at least ought to explore Teaching - [There's more to being a good student than getting good grades](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/10/07/theres-more-to-being-a-good-student-than-getting-good-grades/) - We educators often talk about our standards for what it means to be a "good" student. Parents too, want their kids to be "good." I'm fascinated by the gap between being "good" and having the social courage to do good, especially when doing the right thing puts one at risk for peer disapproval. Educators and - [Back to school, back to social garbage!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/08/23/back-to-school-back-to-school-social-garbage/) - So, summer's winding down. I broke my arm, but at least I was enjoying a bike ride when it happened. Hopefully you didn't have that kind of break. Instead, I hope you and your kids shared some quality, unplugged time and reconnected, as a family. If school hasn't already resumed in your community, it will soon. On - [Guest blogger: Hiking with Daryl](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/08/14/guest-blogger-hiking-with-daryl/) - by Susan Garrett Susan Garrett is a Hospice volunteer and a singer with the Threshold Choir I hiked up from my house to the open space high above Red Hill, switchbacking my way through Sorich Park to Tamalpais Cemetery. I was looking for something and I expected I would find it. As I walked, the - [Enjoying a family vacation with teens (yes, you can!)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/07/30/enjoying-a-family-vacation-with-teens-yes-you-can/) - We started taking long road trips with our kids when they were still in car seats. As a family, international travel began when our daughter was 10 and our son was 5. As a 7th grader we noticed our daughter’s tolerance for being away from her friends was noticeably lower. Keeping her (and the rest - [The Summer Olympics - A family learning experience](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/07/27/the-summer-olympics-a-family-learning-experience/) - Eight years ago (how's that possible?!) I was hired to create lesson plans for a middle school advisory program. For those unfamiliar with "advisory," typically it's a weekly class in which small groups of 6th-8th graders come together with a teacher for conversations about social-emotional challenges. Topics might include: body image, peer pressure, conflict resolution, - [AIDS WALK San Francisco 2012](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/07/22/aids-walk-san-francisco-2012/) - Last Sunday David and I joined the 26th Annual AIDS WALK San Francisco. We wanted to show support for the ongoing efforts of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, a powerhouse organization that has, for the past 30 years, been working to "end the HIV epidemic in the city where it began– and eventually everywhere." The 10K walk - [Broken kids are breaking all of us](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/10/02/broken-kids-are-breaking-all-of-us/) - Yesterday my friend Rachel wrote to find out if I'd blogged yet about the cyberbullying incident that ended in a Rutgers University freshman killing himself. I told her the news had really depressed me but that I didn't have any insights that couldn't be found elsewhere. I mean what do you say when (yet another) - [School Climate: Changing the forecast by raising EQ (Emotional Intelligence)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/06/27/school-climate-changing-the-forecast/) - The following is an excerpt from the keynote speech I delivered yesterday at the 18th Annual Character Education Conference in St. Louis. We are human and by definition that means we are vulnerable. Unlike any other creatures, we are aware of our own mortality and so we experience worry and grief. We also know the - [The facts - and the rest of the story](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/06/10/the-facts-and-the-rest-of-the-story/) - Sad news. Our sweet Josie dog died yesterday. She was just 3. We still can't really believe it, but they say facts never lie. In this case, I wish they would. Josie was fine yesterday morning. After breakfast we went on a hike and as was her custom, she went off for a bit on - [How much of a sheeple are you?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/02/19/how-much-of-a-sheeple-are-you/) - Everyone wants to be liked. Which makes caring what other people think totally normal. It's also normal at times to choose to go along with the group just to keep the peace or avoid confrontations. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, it makes sense to be agreeable especially if we're talking about some little thing - [The Teen Relationship Bill of Rights](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/03/06/parents-a-relationship-bill-of-rights/) - As the parent of a young teen you may believe that your son or daughter is years away from a "relationship." You might also believe that acai juice has the power to reverse global warming and fix the economy. Face it, most middle schoolers are totally focused on the Boyfriend/Girlfriend Zone. What do you think - ["I can't help it if I've got an attitude!"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/02/18/i-cant-help-it-if-ive-got-an-attitude/) - For those who've ever been told you've got a problem with your attitude, read this email I got today. It might help you. BROKEN HEARTED GIRL: Hey Terra, my bf used to constantly warn me that if I didn't change my attitude he would break up with me. Being the type of person I am, I - [Bully - How about a 3rd act with some solutions?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/04/21/bully-how-about-a-3rd-act-with-some-solutions/) - In one of the opening school scenes of the new documentary Bully, a kid with a shaken expression and an ice pack on his head is approached by his school principal who asks, "Oh, what happened to you?" To which the kid replies, "Johnny shoved my head against a nail." I realize school principals see and hear a - [Bullying - Talk is cheap](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/04/27/bullying-talk-is-cheap/) - As an educator who's been receiving student email from around the world for the past 15 years, I can tell you that kids are desperately seeking adult leadership to deal with school bullying. (See my review of the movie BULLY) The way 6th-8th graders describe it, in often heart-breaking terms, is that there is "no - [I tweet therefore I am](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/09/23/i-twink-therefore-i-am/) - It took me a while to get Twitter. I thought, what's the point of sending out 140 character blasts? I'm walking down 124th Street eating the most awesome peach raspberry gelato ever. Looks like my dog needs to poop. Damn didn't bring a bag! Does the world need this info? Even if said world does, - [From the "Say it isn't so" files](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/01/08/from-the-say-it-isnt-so-files/) - Forgive me if I'm not my usual perky self. It hasn't been a great news day for those of us hopeful about the inherent goodness of humankind. Let me explain. This morning I read about the arrest of six kids in Carson City, Nevada. What had these 12 and 13 year olds girls done? Apparently one - [Guest blogger: "I'm 11 and my parents know I'm on Facebook"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/08/31/guest-blogger-im-11-and-my-parents-know-im-on-facebook/) - by Rosemina Nazarali KiwiCommons.com Kiwi Commons is a late-breaking news, guides and information weblog dedicated to providing readers with the most relevant and up-to-date resources available on youth Internet safety. Kiwi provides readers with a broad range of thoughts and opinions from various experts, including their own Kiwi Expert Panel, to real life stories of the - [Guest Blogger: Beyond Facebook & Xbox Summer fun list for T(w)eens](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/07/01/guest-blogger-beyond-facebook-x-box-summer-fun-list-for-tweens/) - by Lisa Gundlach Lisa Gundlach is a parent of two teens, a blogger, and the community manager for SchoolFamily.com. as well as for PTOToday.com blog. SchoolFamily.com provides expert insight, information and resources to help parents set their school-age children up for year-round school success. Yippee. School's out. I have always been one of those mothers - [Guest blogger: Social media saves students](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/06/09/guest-blogger-social-media-saves-students/) - by Miranda Paul Miranda Paul teaches both English and Spanish in Green Bay, Wisconsin. She holds a BA in English and Education from St. Mary’s College of Maryland where she helped launch a student-teacher exchange program in Gambia, West Africa. In her spare time, Miranda is a freelance writer for the University of Southern California’s - [Podcast: Queen Bees Go Hi-Tech](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/12/07/podcast-queen-bees-go-hi-tech/) - Along with the many changes teens experience on the road to adulthood, shifting friendships are some of the most dramatic and painful. It's especially true for girls. While our daughters muddle through the social muck of middle and high school trying to figure out who's a friend worth keeping and who is so not, they - [My 12 year old downloaded porn?!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/04/19/my-12-year-old-has-downloaded-porn/) - If you give a kid a computer, at some time or another, he'll probably Google "Sex" or "Porn" or god knows what else. If you find out what he's been looking at what do you do? What prepares a parent for this one? How do you discuss this with your child... or with another adult - [Stepping back may be hard, but it's what your kid needs](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/10/30/stepping-back-may-be-hard-but-its-what-your-kid-needs/) - This article was originally written for and posted on SafetyWeb.com. SafetyWeb is a thoughtfully designed tool that provides parents with a means and a context for ongoing family conversations about safety, friendship and how the choices we make, online and off, have consequences. If your kids are 11-17, congrats! You've made it to the Major - [Don't I have the right to know everything my kid is doing?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/02/05/dont-i-have-the-right-to-know-everything-my-kid-is-doing/) - I often hear from teens bitterly complaining about parents who snoop through their email, playlists and text message exchanges with friends. In case you just thought: "Aren't I paying for this technology? Don't I have the right to know everything my kid's doing with it." Yes you are. And no you don't. If you feel - [What do you mean I can't connect w/my kid 24/7?!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/11/22/what-do-you-mean-i-cant-connect-wmy-kid-247/) - In a rare but not unprecedented move, we sent our intrepid Time Traveler back to the late 1980s to report on the historic role of parents in their children's education. What she uncovered may be hard for us 21st Century parents to believe, but we've verified her account by cross-referencing it with archival documents as - [It was all about defying gravity](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/04/10/its-all-about-defying-gravity/) - April 1st was a pretty exciting day around here. Our first kids' story app for iPad went live in the iTune App Store. Note: If my parents were alive they'd have no idea what that last sentence meant but they'd be enormously proud anyway which is what we all need from Mom and Dad, right? - [Be Confident iPad app give away](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/04/12/be-confident-ipad-app-give-away/) - UPDATE: 4/13 Thank you to all who entered the Be Confident app Give-Away! Congratulations to our 2 winners: Himabindu Tummuru and Jeanne Demers! ____ For today only, in honor of my birthday and my 10,000th tweet I'm giving away 2 FREE copies of our new iPad app for 4th-8th graders: Be Confident in Who You Are: A - [App Friday: Be Confident sale - $.99 May 6th only](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/05/06/app-friday-be-confident-sale-99-today-only/) - Fridays are inherently cool. App Fridays are especially welcome because that's when Moms With Apps* features their weekly link exchange of family-friendly apps. And guess who's featured today? That would be me and David (aka Electric Eggplant). Which is why, for today, Friday, May 6th 2011, our Middle School Confidential app (aka Be Confident) is on sale - [Guest blogger: Let's do a school visit via Skype!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/02/20/guest-blogger-lets-do-a-school-visit-via-skype/) - By Jayne Clare Jayne Clare, Special Education teacher, and Anne Rachel, artist and Early Childhood educator, co-founded Teachers With Apps. These two lifelong educators are committed to “... helping parents, grandparents, teachers, administrators and anyone else, wade through the vast number of educational apps being introduced on a daily basis. Remember, not all educational apps are - [Friendship issues from the 2nd grade](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/03/12/friendship-issues-from-the-2nd-grade/) - A few weeks ago, I visited a school in St. Louis where the word "respect" is much more than a poster on the wall. (I love it when that's the case!) Walking through the front door I sensed that social and emotional learning at this school was the real deal. Throughout the day, I presented - [Guest blogger: Tips for Co-Parenting After Divorce](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/03/05/guest-blogger-tips-for-co-parenting-after-divorce/) - by Scott Morgan Scott Morgan is a board certified Austin divorce attorney who regularly blogs on the subject of divorce and family law. Check out his blog. Everyone's heard horror stories of divorced parents using their children to get back at their ex. Loving parents take pains to avoid this kind of behavior, even if - [Guest blogger: Having "The Talk" with your kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/02/02/guest-blogger-having-the-talk-with-your-kids/) - by Dr. Elizabeth Miller, MD, PhD February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month and we're pleased to support the outstanding efforts of Project Youth Safety. According to PYS's website, Teen dating violence is defined as a pattern of physically, sexually, verbally, or emotionally abusive actions committed by a partner to establish control over the other. - [Bullying and our competitive edge](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/10/14/bullying-and-our-competitive-edge/) - Great gobs of vitural ink have been sloshed around describing America's "decline." In a recent Newsweek story about the 100 best countries we didn't even make the top 10. We're Number 11. But, it's not like Newsweek dropped a bombshell. We've all noticed the slippage for a while. From family problems to school problems to - [Single mom + Son + Conversation about Girls=Awkward](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/01/27/single-mom-son-conversation-about-girlsawkward/) - Got this email today from a single mom who just discovered her teen son has been pressuring girls to "put out." She felt unsure how to talk to him about it. Obviously she's not the only single mom out there who can't rely on a positive male role model to set a boy straight on - [Guest Blogger: Rites of Passage - Becoming An Adult ](https://blog.anniefox.com/2012/01/25/guest-blogger-rites-of-passage-becoming-an-adult/) - By DeAnna L'am DeAnna L’am, (B.A.) speaker, coach, and trainer, is author of Becoming Peers – Mentoring Girls Into Womanhood and A Diva's Guide to Getting Your Period. She is founder of Red Moon School of Empowerment for Women & Girls™. Her pioneering work has been transforming women’s & girls' lives around the world for - [For Teens: What do you do when you're stressed and don't know what to do?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/04/01/for-teens-what-do-you-do-when-youre-stressed-and-dont-know-what-to-do/) - The sun's back after dumping about 4 inches of rain on us yesterday. OK, maybe it was only one inch, but still, it was seriously stormy. So in the spirit of the new month and a new season I did some digital spring cleaning and stumbled across this old email from a stressed out 7th - [#13: We're here to help](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/19/13-were-here-to-help/) - To honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy, today is a National Day of Service. President-elect Obama visited wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center before stopping at Sasha Bruce House (a shelter for homeless teens) where he rolled up his sleeves and helped paint the walls. In the spirit of service, David and - [Damn right I've been wronged!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/01/16/damn-right-ive-been-wronged/) - Several years ago I collaborated on a project from hell. (NOTE: I'm not disclosing which project, how long ago, or with whom because my collaborator may still be a bit tectchy on the subject. On the remote chance this blog finds its way to said collaborator they needn't worry about reading further because this isn't - [Happy New Year and mind the gap](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/12/31/happy-new-year-and-mind-the-gap/) - The boy and his father stood in the middle of our quiet street. “What are you doing?” I asked. “Throwing buckeyes!” the kid beamed as he and Dad playfully launched two more down the hill. I watched them in the Saturday sun and fell into a gap. The world is full of gaps. Opportunity gaps. - [Podcast For Parents: Who's leading this family?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/04/27/for-parents-whos-leading-this-family/) - For a family to run smoothly, it has to be a team. Otherwise we become a PSA for Chaos Theory. To establish and support common goals and to achieve them, every team needs a clear leader. Does your family have one? Is the person calling the shots one parent, both parents, or one of the - ["If you don't come down by the count of 5, you will be pepper sprayed."](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/12/08/if-you-dont-come-down-you-will-be-pepper-sprayed/) - Just read a headline in my morning San Francisco Chronicle. "$55,000 for pepper spraying of child." Sounds a tad extreme. What could possibly cause a cop to use a toxic weapon on a kid?! Well, apparently, back in June 2010, a 7-year-old special education student from San Mateo (who, according to the story, has "learning - [My (very bad) bad](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/03/20/my-very-bad-bad/) - My batting average for giving helpful advice is above .500. Like anything else, if you keep practicing you get better and I've been at my Hey Terra! online teen advisor gig for 14 years now, so I know I'm improving. But I don't always hit it out of the park. I really messed up the other - [Guest blogger: 10 ways parents can promote a healthy self](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/11/27/guest-blogger-10-ways-parents-can-promote-a-healthy-self/) - By Dr. Lyndsay Elliott Dr. Elliott is a clinical psychologist and an eating disorder specialist in southern California. Learn more about her work here. A healthy body image means accepting and appreciating your body and feeling satisfied with your appearance. It also means being grateful for your body's qualities and capabilities. Learning to love and respect - [Not under my roof: A conversation w/author Amy Schalet](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/11/16/not-under-my-roof-a-conversation-wauthor-amy-schalet/) - For the past 14 years I've received email from t(w)eens around the world. 80% of them fictitiously sign their letters "Confused." They're confused about a whole lot of stuff, especially sex. It's cool that they use their confusion as a motivator to ask questions of an adult (by most measures, that would be me). Otherwise, - [415.ASK.AFOX](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/11/12/415-ask-afox/) - You know how sometimes a conversation can be life-changing? We had one of those yesterday. Even before we finished talking, we knew we were on to something. It was raining. Good day to be inside. Me and David and two neighbors around our dining table. And yes, there were muffins involved. Let me just say - [The “Please Don’t Buy Me Any Stuff” Gift Guide](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/12/04/the-“please-don’t-buy-me-any-stuff”-gift-guide/) - The year our daughter turned 15 she announced that she didn’t want us to buy her any “stuff” for Hanukkah. Huh? Did I hear that right? No stuff? What’s going on? Did she still love us? Wasn’t she grateful for the many very carefully selected gifts she’d received since… birth? Was she planning on - [Holiday? It's about Time](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/11/22/holiday-time-out-for-family/) - My Christmas cactus recently woke up from its summer stupor, which can only mean the holidays are coming up the front steps. If the last half of that sentence triggered a stress response, I apologize and I feel your heart palpitations. Holiday stress is very real especially if you’re anything like me when I’m - [Hang in there](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/07/02/hang-in-there/) - We all have good days, bad days and truly awful days. Sometimes the people we think we're super close to turn against us and we're left wondering who our real friends are. Sometimes much more serious stuff happens... like when parents split up, or a family member is injured, diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, or - [For Parents: Goodbye, Vermont](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/10/06/goodbye-vermont/) - Just a couple of weeks ago, my dog, Vermont, (AKA You Da Dawg) died at age 16. He was a class act all the way and I'll miss him... forever. I know, I know, everyone loves their dog. Dogs are awesome and we love them, in part, because they are so loving and forgiving and - [We kids need to know about friendship…](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/10/19/we-kids-need-to-know-about-friendship…/) - Last week I had the honor of speaking to several groups of very articulate 4th-8th graders. The topic was one of my favorites: Real Friends vs. The Other Kind. The students submitted questions but because I didn’t have a chance to answer them all during our time together, I promised to post them in a - [We kids need to know about friendship... Part 2](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/10/31/we-kids-need-to-know-about-friendship-part-2/) - This is part two of my series on Friendship Q & A with kids. Today I'll focus on specific friendship problems caused by ineffective communication (which includes no communication at all!) Part 1 of the series, which started last week, deals with general questions about friendship. All of the questions in this series came to - ["I get really jealous!"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/10/18/i-get-really-jealous/) - Got an email the other day from a girl burning with jealousy because she and her friend like the same guy. Well, actually her friend used to like him, but now she's not actually sure if she still does because it seems the guy said... But the two of them still... And this makes the - [Someone is always not happy](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/09/25/someone-is-always-not-happy/) - This is a partial repost of a parenting article I wrote in 2007. It’s not like we didn’t already have a fenced-in yard. We did. And our land continued beyond the fence. Like the rest of our neighbors here in the flats, we believed the high ridge above us was designated open space, meaning that everyone can - [Message to my 15-year-old self](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/09/06/message-to-my-15-year-old-self/) - Last week was our anniversary and I searched for our wedding album. Didn't find it, but I unearthed a small binder I used in high school and college for my music and writing. Exiting my closet I entered my childhood bedroom! My 15-year-old self sat on the floor strumming her guitar, engrossed in writing Variation - [Come down from that tree, it's back-to-school again...](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/08/05/come-down-from-that-tree-its-back-to-school-again/) - Recently a media outlet in Dubai asked me to weigh in on back-to-school issues. Just goes to show that a) when you're on a deadline, even Annie Fox is an "expert" and b) like kids everywhere, young 'uns in the world's second largest oil economy have "issues" when it's time to crack the books again. - [Podcast: ADD/ADHD-Paying Attention to Attention Disorders](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/11/09/podcast-add-paying-attention-to-attention-disorders/) - Today’s guest is Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Katherine Ellison. A veteran foreign correspondent and writing consultant, Katherine is also the mother of two sons and the author of four books including The Mommy Brain: How Motherhood Makes Us Smarter and her new memoir Buzz: A Year of Paying Attention. Katherine Ellison gives all she's got to every - [Teen sex under my roof?! No/Yes/Maybe](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/07/22/teen-sex-under-my-roof-noyesmaybe/) - Tuesday morning was not typical. Before 8 o'clock I had my professional act in gear (make-up, hair, couture... such as it is) and took my show on the road. Twenty miles south, David and I pulled up to FoxNews.com’s San Francisco studio and into a parking spot six steps from the front door. I'd been - [Teen's not a girly girl. What will it take for Mom to accept it?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/07/17/if-the-teens-a-lesbian-what-will-it-take-for-mom-to-accept-it/) - Just got an unusual email from a woman who thinks her daughter has a problem. Have a read and see what you think... Dear Annie, My daughter and I are not seeing eye to eye. I want to help her with but she will not listen to me. You always hear of parents not wanting - [Guest blogger: I hate homework](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/07/12/guest-blogger-i-hate-homework/) - by Roberto Lebrón Summer may seem like an odd time to discuss homework, but I can't think of a better opportunity to appreciate the absence of it. Isn't that part of the reason families cherish July and August? Because without homework we all have more time to hang out and be a family. Today's guest - [Podcast for Parents and Teens: My life sucks because I'm too fat!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/07/13/podcast-for-parents-and-teens-my-life-sucks-because-im-too-fat/) - Several times a week I receive an email from a desperate 12-16 year old girl who’s having issues about her weight. No, let me rephrase that. Her issue isn’t with the number on the bathroom scale. The issue is how she feels about herself. Typically the girl who writes to me hates her body and - [Podcast For Parents: Is my kid the problem or is it me?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/05/10/for-parents-is-my-kid-the-problem-or-is-it-me/) - About five years ago my son and I were restocking the woodpile under our front deck when someone else's son wiped out on his skateboard in front of the house. We didn't see the kid go down, but we heard his concerned friend yelling, "You OK, Ryan?" (No response.) "Ryan?!" I ran out to the - [Podcast For Parents: When parents need parenting](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/06/14/for-parents-when-parents-need-parenting/) - The parent-child relationship is, by definition, totally lopsided, with parents doing most of the giving (and forgiving) and kids doing most of the getting (and forgetting). Which is exactly how it’s supposed to be. We are wired to give to our children our all. And our kids are wired to take whatever they need. But - [Podcast: Am I really a bad mother or is the bar unrealistically high?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/10/05/podcast-am-i-really-a-bad-mother-or-is-the-bar-unrealistically-high/) - You're among friends, so you might as well admit it. When the headlines, cable TV and the blogosphere scream about a bad mother, famous or not, we can't get enough. And who's most intent on sucking the marrow out of these kinds of stories? Mothers, of course! We just can’t resist women like Andrea Yates who - [A little breakfast, a big lesson in Emotional Intelligence](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/10/14/a-little-breakfast-a-big-lesson-in-emotional-intelligence/) - Today I interviewed Rachel Simmons for my podcast series: Family Confidential: Secrets of Successful Parenting. (No, it's not posted yet. Gimme a week or two, ok?) We talked about her must-read new book The Curse of the Good Girl: Raising Authentic Girls with Courage and Confidence and about emotional intelligence. For me, EI (aka EQ) - [Podcast: I don't wanna go to school!!!!!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/10/26/podcast-i-dont-wanna-go-to-school/) - Ask any 6th-12th grader “What stresses you out?" and unless it’s the 4th of July the kid is likely to say without hesitation, school. Maybe it’s the social pressure pitting outsiders against insiders. Or the brain-numbing schedule flipping from The Treaty of Versailles to mitochondria to the Quadratic equation at 50 minute intervals. Perhaps it's - [Podcast: Good Girl vs. Real Girl](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/11/09/podcast-good-girl-vs-real-girl/) - If you live or work with teen girls you don't need me to tell you they can be way out there with their emotions. And you already know that girl friendships can be fraught with drama, misunderstandings, betrayals and recriminations. Which proves that being emotional doesn't automatically translate into high Emotional Intelligence. (EQ, AKA getting real - [Podcast: Autism, acceptance and the path toward independence](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/02/24/podcast-autism-amalia-starr/) - As an optimist I believe, no matter what, spring will come and seeds will grow. So a couple of weeks ago during a winter storm I popped a dozen organic beans into biodegradable pots. Every other day I watered them. I took them out whenever the sun showed its face and I dutifully retrieved them - [Podcast: An End to School Bullying](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/08/16/podcast-an-end-to-bullying/) - My guest today on Family Confidential is Dr. Elizabeth J. Meyer, author of Gender, Bullying, and Harassment: Strategies to End Sexism and Homophobia in Schools. Dr. Meyer, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at Concordia University in Montreal. A former high school teacher and coach, Dr. Meyer knows first hand what it's like - [Podcast: Fitting In vs. Being Yourself, Can we have it both ways?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/10/17/podcast-fitting-in-vs-being-yourself-can-we-have-it-both-ways/) - According to humanistic psychology founder Abraham Maslow we're all driven by needs. In Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, the most basic ones are our physiological needs (air, food, water, sleep, sex, etc.). No surprises there. If you're consistently not getting what you need in this category, nothing else matters. After our survival needs are taken care of, - [Podcast: Single Mom Seeking Advice and a (Love) Life!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/08/27/podcastsingle-mom-seeking/) - Today, on this special two-part edition of Family Confidential, my guests are Dr. Leah Klungness and Rachel Sarah co-founders of the popular website SingleMommyhood.com. Dr. Leah Klungness, aka “the Sanity Fairy”, is a psychologist and recognized authority on single parenting and relationship issues. She is the coauthor of the award winning book The Complete Single Mother: Reassuring Answers - [Podcast for Parents: Advocating for your special needs child](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/08/16/podcast-for-parents-advocating-for-your-special-needs-child/) - All living things, with the exception of clones and genetically engineered corn and soybeans, are unique. Of course that includes children. Every kid has a collection of traits, quirks, interests, annoying habits, talents and abilities that makes him or her truly special. That’s why education should be “special” for every child. Unfortunately it’s not. Far - [Podcast for Parents: What's up with stepmothers?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/09/07/podcast-for-parents-whats-up-with-stepmothers/) - When you think about stepmothers, what comes to mind? For me it’s that heartless woman whose idea of a family outing was to take Hansel and Gretel into the woods and abandon them…twice. Then there’s the callous, opportunistic bitch who fleeced Cinderella’s dad for all he was worth then treated her stepdaughter like a slave - [Podcast: Tell me a story!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/12/06/podcast-tell-me-a-story/) - Today's guest is K. Sean Buvala, professional storyteller. This guy's good. How good? Well, in 2007 he won the annual Oracle Award by the National Storytelling Network for his work in the promotion of storytelling, including the development of storyteller.net, an online goldmine of resources for storytellers of all stripes and their audiences. So yeah, - [Podcast: Talking with your kids so they’ll listen and open up](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/09/19/podcast-talking-with-your-kids-so-they’ll-listen-and-open-up/) - You don’t need me to tell you the road gets plenty rough during the teen years, for them and for us. 21st century parents frequently miss opportunities to take the lead and maintain meaningful connections with their tweens and teens. Of course, it’s not all our fault. Teens don’t encourage dialogue, at least not with - [Podcast: Did I bite off more than I can chew?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/11/23/podcast-did-i-bite-off-more-than-i-can-chew/) - Most of us appreciate having chunks of our day-to-day existence running on auto-pilot. It’s a good thing not to have to think about which aisle in your supermarket has the oatmeal or which branch of your county library has the best collection of books on CD. You don’t have to think about this stuff. You - [The Influence of Teachers](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/06/28/the-influence-of-teachers/) - Because I write for kids about social and emotional learning I spend a fair amount of time in schools presenting to students, teachers and parents. My perception of any school is only a snapshot, but it's often revealing and well... educational. Over the years I've had the privilege of meeting and observing many many wonderful - [The case of the malfunctioning bikini](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/06/22/the-case-of-the-malfunctioning-bikini/) - Summer is the time for letting loose. But when things get too loose, well... you might find yourself in an embarrassing situation. Like the girl who wrote to me the other day: Hey Terra, Me and my friends were at the pool and I was taking off the shorts I was wearing over my bikini. - [Frontline: Sibling Wars "I don't want a new baby"](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/06/17/frontline-sibling-wars-i-dont-want-a-new-baby/) - Got email from a young dad who recently had a second baby. He and his wife were surprised at their 5 year old daughter's reaction. "Emma clearly doesn't like receiving less attention and has shown a change in behavior since the baby arrived. Thankfully she hasn't taken it out on him, just directed it towards us." - [Guest blogger: TSS 101-Know before you flow](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/06/15/guest-blogger-tss-101-know-before-you-flow/) - by Lisa Elifritz One year ago this week, Lisa Elifritz lost her daughter, Amy Rae Elifritz, to Toxic Shock Syndrome. a rare but serious bacterial infection. In Amy’s memory, Lisa founded You ARE Loved, a non-profit organization committed to raising awareness about TSS. According to Larissa Hirsch, MD, TSS is a "very rare illness. Although - [What my children taught me](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/05/26/what-my-children-taught-me/) - Every year on my birthday my daughter and son each write me a thoughtfully worded letter expressing how they feel having me as their mother. Touched I read their acknowledgement of what I've taught them and how I've shaped them. Of course I blubber through it all. They think I cry because their words are so - [Guest blogger: Bullying and Siblings](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/05/16/guest-blogger-bullying-and-siblings/) - by Suzanna Narducci Suzanna Narducci is an avid tweeter, blogger and co-founder of TweenParent.com. She's always been fascinated by the evolution of an idea into a successful business. After an interesting but intense run in the fashion business, Suzanna decided to switch gears and become a mother. As Suzanna's children grew, she realized that a reliable - [Teens: I've got a bf but he doesn't act like one!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/05/12/teens-ive-got-a-bf-but-he-doesnt-act-like-one/) - It's spring. Nature's juices are flowing all around us... and inside us too. If you're single and wish you weren't and all that flowing juice isn't enough to remind you how much you want a bf/gf, let's add Prom to the mix! If your top priority is getting a bf/gf , it may seem like - [For this and more, thank you, Mom](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/05/07/for-this-and-more-thank-you-mom/) - My mom, Martha Scolnick Larris, has been gone for 17 years. I'd be lying if I said we had an easy relationship. It was often contentious and frustrating and hurtful. (As much for her, I'm sure, as it was for me.) But there was also a lot of good stuff. Memories of Martha pop in - [Guest blogger: Swiss army knife - Child's play ](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/05/04/guest-blogger-swiss-army-knife-childs-play/) - by Keith Rispin Keith "Parenting Old School" Rispin is a parent of 12+ years and a 17 year teaching veteran who specializes in working with at risk youth. It is from this unique perspective along with his own no nonsense upbringing that Keith writes. He believes parenting's become far too permissive and tries to to shed light on - [Guest blogger: Mom's "nest" - Discussing menstruation with kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/04/27/guest-blogger-moms-nest-discussing-menstruation-with-kids/) - by DeAnna L'am I just connected with DeAnna L’am on twitter and I'm delighted to share this inspired speaker, coach, and trainer with all who parent, teach and mentor t(w)eens. DeAnna is the author of Becoming Peers – Mentoring Girls Into Womanhood, and her pioneering work has been transforming the lives of women and girls - [For Parents: Meet them where they sit](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/03/26/for-parents-meet-them-where-they-sit/) - I like a nice bowl of oatmeal along with my morning paper. I also like good news whenever possible. Mostly I just get the oatmeal with a sliced banana on top. Sometimes there are strawberries. I know that smile-inducing stuff still happens in the world, but why is it all relegated to the comics page? - [Guest Blogger: Quirky kids - When to worry](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/03/12/guest-blogger-quirky-kids-when-to-worry/) - by Susan N. Schriber Orloff, OTR/L Susan Schriber Orloff is CEO and executive director of Children’s Special Services, LLC, an Atlanta-based occupational therapy service for children with developmental and learning delays. Her book, Learning Re-enabled, is a practical guide for parents, teachers and therapists. Five-year old Johnny's a mess. His teachers float between anger and frustration - [Butt in, lady. You too, mister.](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/03/06/butt-in-lady-you-too-mister/) - I don't know how to mind my own business. It's not like I snoop or gossip (much), but when someone needs help I usually offer. When kids are involved, no hesitation. It's occupational conditioning. Every day t(w)eens invite me into their business through emails like: My best gal friend just broke up with her boyfriend - [Mom, I don't wanna talk about it!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/01/30/mom-i-dont-wanna-talk-about-it/) - Clinical research shows the hairs on the heads of parents of teens get noticeably grayer on Friday and Saturday nights. (Assuming previous teen shenanigans haven't already caused you to pull out all of yours.) I probably should have written this blog on Thursday so you'd have it in advance of the weekend. But no worries. - [What do moms & daughters want from each other anyway?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/02/17/what-do-moms-daughters-want-from-each-other-anyway/) - I recently led a very special Mom/Daughter workshop. Sixty moms showed up each with a middle or high school daughter in tow. My goal for our 90 minutes together was two-fold: 1) Offer pragmatic calming down strategies which I knew would come in handy next time Mom & Daughter find themselves in one of those "I can't - [What do you tell your kids about rape?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/02/15/what-do-you-tell-your-kids-about-rape/) - Last Friday, Lara Logan was doing her job as a journalist covering the Egyptian revolution. The 60 Minutes correspondent and her crew were in the midst of unprecedented joy overflowing in Tahrir Square as hundreds of thousands of anti-Mubarak protestors celebrated a new reality. We are free! WE ARE FREE! Every TV journalist reporting from - [Where's love and when will it get here already!?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/02/07/wheres-love-and-when-will-it-get-here-already/) - One week 'til Valentine's Day. Non-stop teen emails scream for my attention and romantic advice. Not sure how I became such an expert. I mean, honestly, if some fortune teller sidled up to me in 7th grade and whispered "Some day, Annie, you will be a relationship guru sought after by thousands for your expansive knowledge - [How do I get him back?!!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/01/27/how-do-i-get-him-back/) - Love can make you crazy and blind. It can (temporarily) mess with your IQ and confuse you into thinking that something destined to make things worse is going to help a romance. When it comes to Bf/Gf situations, I define "worse" as: more stressful, more hurtful, more confusing, more frustrating, and in all ways less - [New year. Go for it!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2011/01/01/new-year-go-for-it/) - It doesn't matter how old we are, there are and will continue to be times we hold ourselves back from what we really want to do if only... I'm not talking about resisting the impulse to tell somebody off or to wolf down an entire pizza. I'm talking about putting the brakes on choices we'd actually - [You and your Happiness Quotient (HapQ)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/12/10/you-and-your-happiness-quotient-hapq/) - We don’t really expect our kids to be happy all the time, but we still want them to be. It's what I want for myself too! That's why, after decades of rigorous research I'm ready to reveal my heretofore closely guarded Secret of Happiness. Yes, folks, I've developed a four-prong approach guaranteed to increase your - [Just a minute, sweetie](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/12/02/just-a-minute-sweetie/) - I'm not an idiot. I know it’s not always possible to drop what you’re doing to listen to your kids. But let’s be honest: not many of us do open-heart surgery or negotiate international crises at home. So when our kids need to talk, we could take a break and focus on them if we - [Podcast For Parents: Family Confidential Podcast](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/04/19/for-parents-family-confidential-podcast/) - I'm very excited to announce the launch of Family Confidential: Secrets of Successful Parenting, my new regular podcast series. Hosted by me and produced by Electric Eggplant, Family Confidential brings you practical parenting advice through recorded in-depth conversations with authors, educators and therapists. If you're a parent of a tween or teen, this series is for - [Podcast For Parents: Want to be yourself? Go for it!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/05/25/for-parents-want-to-be-yourself-go-for-it/) - When my son was in grade school he never wore bright colors but he liked all kinds of t-shirts. When he started 6th grade the only tees he'd ever wear were blank white ones (the kind Haines sells in packages of three). When I asked him about it he launched into a detailed description of - [Podcast: The Gift of Confidence](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/03/08/podcast-the-gift-of-confidence/) - In honor of the upcoming 1st anniversary of the launch of our podcast series Family Confidential we remastered the first two podcasts to improve the sound quality. We've learned a lot in the past year about how to produce great podcasts. We must be doing something right because we've had close to 18,000 downloads of - [Podcast: Sweetheart, eat your peas!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/04/26/podcast-sweetheart-eat-your-peas/) - My mom did just fine in the kitchen. Though she had a limited repertoire and the only spices she owned were salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and cinnamon, what she cooked, she cooked very well. So it wasn’t her fault I was a picky eater. How picky? So picky that I only grew to be - [Podcast: The Immortality of Influence—Helping kids reach their full potential](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/08/08/podcast-the-immortality-of-influence/) - With the new school year just weeks away, I wanted to interview a superstar educator. Someone who could inspire every adult who lives or works with kids. And we all need inspiration and motivation from time to time, right? Because kids, especially tweens and teens, aren't always easy to hang in there with. To find - [Friendship's a two-way street](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/09/16/friendships-a-two-way-street/) - Most parents feel proud to see their kid being a good friend. But kids aren't born knowing about respect, cooperation and empathy. They learn from us. And we teach our kids a whole lot about friendship by the way we help them and let them help us. Because of a parent's consistent love and support - [Guest blogger: Taming teen stress](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/08/15/guest-blogger-taming-teen-stress/) - By Lori Lite Lori Lite is the founder of Stress Free Kids. Her books, CDs and curriculums help children, teens, and adults manage anxiety, stress, and anger while promoting self-esteem and peaceful sleep. A 2009 contestant on ABC's Shark Tank, Lori successfully negotiated a deal which enabled her to quickly expand her brand. Now Lori's - [Guest blogger: Skanktastic New Fall Looks for Tweens](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/08/09/guest-blogger-skantastic-new-fall-looks-for-tweens/) - By stark. raving. mad. mommy. stark. raving. mad. mommy. is a stay-at-home mom to four children ages four to nine. In her own words “…we're dealing with allergies, asthma, anxiety, and that particular brand of Lego obsession known as autism. Eventually, we found that procreating and sustaining life while mainlining coffee was just not enough - [Loyalty Oath](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/07/14/loyalty-oath/) - When I ask t(w)eens what makes a real friend vs. the Other Kind, the word "loyal" usually tops the list, along with respectful, trustworthy and fun to be with. When I ask how a friend shows loyalty I usually hear stuff like: "They are there for you even if other people ditch you." "They'd never - [My child? A bully?!! Part 1](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/07/02/my-child-a-bully/) - This won't be an easy read. But if the title pulled you in, you may already have some suspicions (or hard evidence) that your kid engages in mean-spirited behavior that hurts others. No parent wants to admit their kid is a bully, but according to a recent U.S. Department of Justice study, 77% of students - [My child? A bully?!! Part 2](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/07/12/my-child-a-bully-part-2/) - Last week I stuck it to parents who, wittingly or un, permit bullying at home. If I weren't such an uncompromising child advocate this might be where I apologize for offending. Sorry. No regrets about what I wrote. It was the truth. It was helpful. And it's totally necessary for us to understand that love - [Guest Blogger: Little Girls/Big Drama](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/06/28/guest-blogger-little-girlsbig-drama/) - By Dalia My guest blogger today is the founder of GenerationX Mom Blog where she's created a forum for Gen X moms to freely opine about "...school issues, social issues, preschoolers, tweens, teens, the issues that affect our lives, and just about everything in between." Recently while chaperoning my 5th grade daughter’s school dance I - [Thanks, Dad.](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/06/07/thanks-dad/) - My dad, Herman “Hy” Larris, died of a sudden heart attack when he was 50 and I was 15. I only had a child’s perspective of him. I knew him as Daddy, a man who loved his wife and three kids and worked hard to provide for us. He had a large extended family (more - [Does she bite?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/06/01/does-she-bite/) - The developmentally disabled adults sat in front of the church waiting for their bus. "Would you like to say hello to my dog?" I asked the young woman who cautiously eyed my puppy. She recoiled and shook her head. But this pooch takes her job on the Welcoming Committee very seriously so she just kicked - [For Teens: What can I do about these rumors?!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/12/07/for-teens-what-can-i-do-about-these-rumors/) - You don't need me to tell you that kids can be really nasty to each other. I could give you some theories about why some tweens and teens seem to get twisted pleasure out of seeing other kids suffer, but you don't care about theories. I'm guessing you'd much rather have me tell you what - [Maybe we're teaching something else](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/05/19/maybe-were-teaching-something-else/) - A master teacher once pointed out to a group of student teachers: "If you're not modeling what you teach or what you say you want kids to learn, then you sure as hell are teaching something else!" Bullying is a systemic problem. Put downs, gossip, snarkiness are all pretty much the air we breathe. Yet - [Doing the right thing is its own reward, right?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/05/12/doing-the-right-thing-is-its-own-reward-right/) - Last month at a DC bookstore I saw Jonah Lehrer's bestseller How We Decide and instantly decided to buy it. Now that's effective marketing! I'm an anti-bullying passionista currently up to my medulla oblongata in our new Cruel's Not Cool! campaign. Which is why it's no surprise that everything I hear lately passes through the - [Where'd that spider come from?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/05/04/whered-that-spider-come-from/) - I'm a nice person. Honest. But I easily slip into snark-mode without thinking about it. Like when I'm watching a TV interview with an actor whose been out of the spotlight for a while and instantly I think (and say) "Geez, (s)he looks OLD!" Totally unnecessary and unkind and yet, by no conscious effort, out - [Guest Blogger: Top 3 mistakes parents make with tweens ](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/05/03/guest-blogger-top-3-mistakes-parents-make-with-tweens/) - By Amy McCready Parenting expert Amy McCready is the Founder of Positive Parenting Solutions. which offers free training resources. She created the celebrated Positive Parenting Solutions Online parenting course that empowers parents of toddlers to teens with the skills to correct misbehaviors permanently without nagging, reminding or yelling. Amy is a Positive Discipline Parent Educator and most importantly - [Guest Teen Blogger: National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/04/29/guest-teen-blogger-national-day-to-prevent-teen-pregnancy/) - By Gema Mora Gema is a 19 year old college freshman. An intern for both RadicalParenting.com and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, Gema is studying to be a genetic engineer. She also hopes to have a writing career. The National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is an annual battle for a war - [Those aren't just mistakes... They're evidence of intelligent life](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/04/04/those-arent-just-mistakes-theyre-evidence-of-intelligent-life/) - In August my son Ezra and his lovely Sarah are marrying in a garden surrounded by vineyards. Their idyllic spot is about an hour north of our home. Which means when it comes to the wedding we're off the housecleaning hook. Yeah, right. Four generations of our family will be traipsing in and out of - [How to break a kid's 'annoying' habit without breaking her spirit](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/03/27/how-to-break-a-kids-annoying-habit-without-breaking-her-spirit/) - The people we love most are better than the rest of humanity at annoying the crap out of us. Especially our kids. Double the annoyance factor if the child in question is your only child. In case you're wondering why their thumb sucking, fidgeting or hair twirling drives you to distraction, here's my theory: Shaping - [Desperately Seeking a (new) Boyfriend](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/03/10/desperately-seeking-a-new-boyfriend/) - I got this email the other day. The girl who wrote it feels hurt and rejected because her boyfriend just dumped her. She's flipping out a little so her idea of what's going to solve her problem makes about as much sense as... well, why not just read it for yourself? Hey Terra, My boyfriend - [Got a Strategic Parenting Plan? Get one!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/03/03/got-a-strategic-parenting-plan-get-one/) - I do a fair amount of parent education seminars. If you've ever caught my act you know my presentation style is very casual. But while it may look like all I’m doing is leading discussions based on teen email from the likes of “Invisible Loser” and “Stuck and Lonely” plus sharing war stories about discovering - [Guest blogger: 2 Young 2 Be a Mom](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/03/01/guest-blogger-2-young-2-be-a-mom/) - By Carmen Alisa Sweeney-Rios Carmen Alisa Sweeney-Rios became a single mom at 16. After a second teen pregnancy and a battle with depression for most of her teen and adult life, she dug deep to find answers. Now recovered from depression, married and the mom of six sons, Carmen shares her journey along with the - [We're so proud of you... now](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/02/20/were-so-proud-of-you-now/) - Crazy-fearless young snow boarders defy gravity in the half-pipe. Who knows how the hell they do it, but man, it look like a total blast. Parents in the crowd, happily freezin' for a reason, beam up unconditional love and support to their McTwisting young 'uns. The commentator crows "Are those proud parents or what?" Well, - [Guest Blogger: Don't Give In! Stick With Your Rules](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/02/16/guest-blogger-dont-give-in-stick-with-your-rules/) - By Bruce Sallan Bruce Sallan gave up his showbiz career a decade ago to become a full-time dad to his two boys, now 13 and 16. Bruce’s internationally syndicated column, A Dad’s Point-of-View, is his take on the challenges of parenthood, both as a single dad and now, newly remarried, in a blended family. Please - [Let The Games begin](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/02/11/let-the-games-begin/) - I’ve never been much of sports fan. Except back when the 49ers were a team for which I proudly screamed my head off. That aside, I’ve always loved the Olympics. Ordinarily watching TV doesn’t make my list of Family Bonding Activities, but the Olympics, AKA The Games, are a totally worthwhile exception. First off, they’re educational. - [We kids would like to know...](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/02/07/we-kids-would-like-to-know/) - For almost 13 years tweens and teens have been asking me questions. Usually they're having problems with friends, former friends, mean kids... You get the picture. Their sadness and confusion gets to me. Sometimes I tear up at the keyboard. Sometimes I yell in frustration. They don't understand why a friend would treat them this - [Guest Blogger: Fathers shape daughters](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/02/10/guest-blogger-fathers-shape-daughters/) - By Richard "RJ" Jaramillo RJ Jaramillo is Founder and President of SingleDad.com He is also a single father of three children. With over nine years of experience helping other Single Parents with advice, support, and resources, RJ is excited to share his company and personal mission on teaching others how to “Make Life Happen…Again!” I - [Times are a changin' so hang on and enjoy the ride](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/01/07/times-are-a-changin-so-hang-on-and-enjoy-the-ride/) - No way is it 2010 already! Didn't we just do the Y2K thing? Is it just me or does 24 hours just not last as long as it used to? And what about our kids? They’re growing up at warp speed. Probably a blessing we’re all too busy to notice them morphing into young adults - [The game is Teen Love, but what are the rules?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/02/01/the-game-is-teen-love-but-what-are-the-rules/) - One Saturday afternoon before I headed out to meet my boyfriend at the high school tennis courts, my mom said, “Let him win.” Even though it was before Billie Jean King served Bobby Riggs a massive slice of humble pie, I was stunned. Let him win?! Excuse me?! I might have only been 16, but I knew there - [Raising kids who are at home with themselves](https://blog.anniefox.com/2010/01/15/raising-kids-who-are-at-home-with-themselves/) - When I was 15 my father died suddenly. Though I continued living at the same address until I left for college, it never again felt like home. That's probably when I began looking for something that couldn't be lost or taken away - a feeling of home inside myself. When you meet someone who is - [Giving to Get vs. Giving to Give](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/12/29/giving-to-get-vs-giving-to-give/) - I’m a gardener and by definition that makes me an optimist. Even my farming fizzles don’t deter me from continuing to bury peach pits or old potatoes. Those of you who’ve outgrown playing in the dirt may laugh, but every so often my efforts pay off big time. Like a couple of summers ago when - [For Teens: What do you do after someone has lost trust in you?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/12/28/for-teens-what-do-you-do-after-someone-has-lost-his-trust-in-you/) - When someone like a bf/gf or a bff trusts you enough to tell you personal, private information it probably makes you feel pretty special. And it should! Because this person means a lot to you and you want those feelings of trust to continue growing, you promise not to tell a soul. And you totally - [Love is all we need, so why not ask for it?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/12/21/love-is-all-we-need-so-why-not-ask-for-it/) - Right before Thanksgiving a few years back, a dear friend emailed me: "I know this is incredibly presumptuous, and Miss Manners would be scandalized, but I'm wrangling for an invitation." I was blown away. Not by her directness (God no!) but by the fact that she felt she had no right to say, "I need - [Good dog and the meta-message](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/11/29/good-dog-and-the-meta-message/) - A couple of weeks ago I interviewed Rachel Simmons The Wise for my podcast series Family Confidential. We talked about her new book: The Curse of The Good Girl: Raising Authentic Girls With Courage and Confidence. We also discussed how often moms engage in meta-conversations with their daughters (i.e., Mom says one thing and a fingertip below - [#ParentForum Twitter Chat #2](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/11/03/parentforum-twitter-chat-2/) - I joined a bunch of my Twitter buddies online last Thursday night for #ParentForum 2. Simple concept: At a predetermined hour a panel of parenting experts fields questions from a "live" audience. Our topic for the evening: Raising Healthy Teens. On the panel were: Wendy Young — child and family therapist and founder of Kidlutions™ Marjie - [For Parents: After the candy's been eaten](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/02/15/after-the-candys-been-eaten/) - February 15th... the morning after the day every single single in this much married land is plagued with the thought "No date! I'm such a loser!" Of course from my perspective as an online advisor, the urge to merge is pretty much a year-round thing. So is the general cluelessness regarding what healthy relationships are all - [The whole is greater...](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/10/30/the-whole-thing/) - Just pulled a batch of pumpkin muffins out of the oven. Don't know who put them in there but I'm grateful as all get out! Watching those beauties cooling on the rack, I'm struck by the utter perfection of a muffin. Aromatic. Golden. Round. There's a cosmic wholeness to each one those puppies. When Fayette - [Peer Approval Addiction support group meets here](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/10/19/peer-approval-addiction-support-group-meets-here/) - I jumped right in. If I couldn't immediately let these 7th grade girls know a) I get middle school friendship issues, b) they could trust me to listen with compassion and respect, and c) this was a safe place to talk about stuff that really mattered, it was going to be a long and pointless - [Stuff you don't need to worry about](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/09/28/stuff-you-dont-need-to-worry-about/) - Thankfully, our kids survived their teen years. So did David and I, though I know I aged more than he did. But I can still do a headstand, so there. Nail me for sexism, but I'm convinced we moms feel our kids' challenges more than dads. Everything from circumcision, to vaccinations, to teething, to leaving - [This book is free so take it](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/10/01/this-book-is-free-so-take-it/) - We launched TheInSite in June 1997. From Day One Hey Terra received relationship questions from tweens and teens around the world. Twelve years later the email keeps coming. Pretty amazing this Internets! After a couple of years of responding to this stuff every day, I decided to write a relationship book for teens. Can You Relate? was published in - [#16: Inauguration Day Part 3 – 1.8 million new best friends](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/23/16-inauguration-day-part-3-18-million-new-best-friends/) - Of course we came for the main event: To witness the Swearing In Ceremony of Barack Obama and to hear his Inaugural Address (part 1 and part 2). But if that was all, we could have stayed home, had a much better view, and a great bathroom right down the hall. But we were after - [Guest Blogger: Teen Pregnancy from the Eyes of a Sister](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/09/26/guest-blogger-teen-pregnancy-from-the-eyes-of-a-sister/) - By Islande Islande is a 16 year old writer at RadicalParenting.com, a parenting blog written from the kid's perspective with 80 teen interns. Born in Haiti and currently in Jacksonville, Florida, Islande, wants to be a psychologist so that she can help others with their problems and issues and just be an ear to their venting. - [First she said she would but now she won't...](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/09/16/first-she-said-she-would-but-now-she-wont/) - Got email from a teen confused about Mom's reaction to the fact that the girl and her boyfriend were having sex. The confusion came from what probably seemed like a bipolar set of responses from Mom regarding the Sex Talk. Here... you read it: Hey Terra, Me and my bf have been together for over - [No constitutional right to be a jerk.](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/09/10/no-constitutional-right-to-be-a-jerk/) - In last night's speech before a joint session of Congress the President was clear about his goals for health care reform. He also delivered a clear message to Americans about the most effective way to deal with rude and disrespectful people. When the President stated the fact that the health care reform bill does not - [Of course I'm listening! What did you say?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/09/01/of-course-im-listening-what-did-you-say/) - Good ol' Mr. Rogers knew what he was singing about when he was putting on his sneakers: "I mean I might just make mistakes if I should have to hurry up and so I like to take my time." When he was home, I'm sure his kids got at least the same level of attention as - [For Parents: Sweetie, what's wrong?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/07/25/sweetie-whats-wrong/) - In the dream I was in a crowd. Despite the noise, I clearly heard a baby crying somewhere. No one else seemed to notice. The sound cut through me. People were packed together and making progress in any direction was a challenge. But I had to find that baby. Making my way down a hallway, - [On becoming a more tolerant, patient human being (Damn it!)](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/08/18/on-becoming-a-more-tolerant-patient-human-being-damn-it/) - Face it, the people we live with (and love and cherish more than life itself) can push our buttons like nobody's business. (That expression never made much sense to me but I've always liked the sound of it.) This button-pushing fest can be especially competitive between parents and teens. They give us “that” look,“that” attitude, etc. - [Pass the sugar and some parental support](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/08/14/pass-the-sugar-and-some-parental-support/) - This morning my brilliant friend Jane had me over for breakfast. No, that's not what makes her brilliant. Nor was it the impressive spread of eggs, fresh fruit and truly outrageous croissants. What makes Jane brilliant is that she knew the other invited parents needed community support. Why? Because each one had just dropped off - [Days 12-16: Now I get it](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/06/24/days-12-16-now-i-get-it/) - OK, folks, I'm officially ending the Annoyance Challenge. Tell you the truth there were aspects of this assignment that really bugged me. I know, I brought it on myself. But still, it's a pain to have to blog every day, not that I did it every single day, as evidenced in the title of today's - ["Middle School Confidential" - Book 1 is Here](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/08/01/book-1-is-here/) - Writing books is a quasi-surreal endeavor to begin with. Writing a five-book series is more than strange. Middle School Confidential started with an inspiration, followed by some concepts, chased by a bunch of ideas. Then I spent several intense months figuring out how to get what's going on in my mind to connect with the - [For Parents: Why Let The Facts Get in The Way?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/09/19/why-let-the-facts-get-in-the-way/) - We seem to be living in a time when only fools admire honesty and only naives are outraged when leaders cheat their way to the top and continue lying and cheating to maintain their power. I ought to know because I’m outraged all the time by what I read in the news. And the fact - [For Parents: Fear of Embarrassment](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/02/04/the-fear-of-embarrassment/) - "What do you mean you're not going to wear that shirt any more? You picked it out! In the store you said it was cool." We don't get it. And they know we don't get it. But they get it... 180 days a year. That's why they're hyper-aware of the fragile pecking order in school. They - [Day 4: Why am I doing this now?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/06/11/day-4-why-am-i-doing-this-now/) - It's Thursday and I am officially annoyed with myself for blogging instead of working on Book 4 of Middle School Confidential. True, the first draft isn't due until late fall, but I had this plan of finishing it in June so I'd have July and August off and then in September I'd revisit the draft - [Life lessons from the berry patch](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/07/20/life-lessons-from-the-berry-patch/) - "What am I doing here?" I wondered, venturing deeper into the blackberry thicket. "This isn't what I planned for today." I'd planned to finish the first draft of the chapter I'm writing for a future installment of Middle School Confidential. Actually, that was my plan for last Friday. Didn't happen. Can't even remember exactly why. Maybe - [Help! I'm drowning in zucchini ](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/07/27/drowning-in-zucchini/) - Fruits and veggies rock. Especially this time of year. Even if peppers, tomatoes, blackberries, corn and the other delights of summer didn't taste so incredible, they'd earn top grades for being outright gorgeous. That's why not only do I eagerly eat my 5+ servings a day, I also photograph and draw produce, just for the - [But "I still love him..." Puh-leeze!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/07/15/but-i-still-love-him-puh-leeze/) - I know what love is. And I know what it sure as hell isn't. No one's born knowing. In my case, I only got it after many tedious attempts at misplaced affection. (Thankfully, my suffering yielded a few not too shabby souvenir poems and songs, so there's that.) Understanding this stuff is essential. I mean, - [It's not my problem](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/07/12/its-not-my-problem/) - When we say "That's not my problem" what we usually mean is some variation of: a) "Tough luck, buddy." b) "Couldn't care less." c) "Better you than me!" d) "Karma's a bitch, ain't it?" Pretty heartless stuff. And because callousness isn't part of the standard definition of "good parent" many of us believe that when it - [Happy Dad's Day](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/06/21/happy-dads-day/) - Any fool with sperm can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a dad. Yesterday in Golden Gate Park, the place was swarming with them. From an outsider's perspective the park dads were just hanging out with their daughters and sons. Nothing special. But what do outsiders know? Bupkis. Except for - [Day 11: Those annoying people at school](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/06/19/day-12-those-annoying-people-at-school/) - The responses to my teen annoyance survey keep coming in, but I've got enough now to see a trend. Apparently, school is the most annoying place in the world. Why? Because so many of the other students are sooooo annoying. Here are a few of the choicest descriptions I received in answer to the first - [Day 10: I don't want to be here](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/06/18/days-10-i-dont-want-to-be-here/) - My Annoyance Challenge continues. (Huff, puff, grrrrrrr, $#@%! ) David's getting with the program too. The other day while we were driving, I was grumbling about something. What was it? Hmmm. Ah yes! Well, now that I actually remember, it's too embarrassing to mention.... too petty and infantile. You say you want to hear it anyway? - [Day 9: Asking teens to weigh in ](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/06/16/day-9-asking-teens-to-weigh-in/) - Yesterday I expanded my Annoyance Challenge exploration by emailing a survey to one hundred tweens and teens. The topic: annoying behavior at school. Here are the six straight-forward questions. At school what things annoy you? (Lots of details please but no names!) When someone’s behavior annoys you, what do you usually do about it? At - [Day 8: Art = Annoyance Relief](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/06/15/day-8-art-annoyance-relief/) - Yesterday, the end of the first week of The Annoyance Challenge, was annoyance-free. Seriously. David and I made our annual pilgrimage to the Italian Street Painting Festival in the neighboring town of San Rafael and everything about it was cool. The weather. The crowds. The music. And, of course, thanks to the artists who sat - [Day 5: Send in the clouds](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/06/12/day-5-send-in-the-clouds/) - If you've got a good reason to be annoyed, but honestly you're not, does it still count? That's what I asked myself this afternoon as I sat on the low wall looking out into the school parking lot knowing I might have an hour to kill before David returned to pick me up. Normally at this time I'd be mentoring an 8th grader, but today, she stood me up after calling on Wednesday to let me know that she wasn't going to make it to our weekly Thursday meeting and then agreeing to reschedule for today. And yet... after David dropped me off to do a Trader Joe's run (we were out of chocolate) it became clear that my mentee had gone straight home without telling me or the afterschool program director. In her defense, tonight is the 8th grade graduation dance and I'm pretty sure our meeting wasn't on her mind as she rushed home to get ready. - [Days 6 & 7: I'm not annoyed, dammit! I'm frustrated!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/06/14/days-6-7-im-not-annoyed-dammit-im-frustrated/) - They were so cute when I brought them home. And so cooperative when I tucked them in. First lining their beds with just the right amount of $14-a-box-organic-plant-food. They never struggled or popped up making demands. They just smiled up at me as if to say, "It's so reassuring to be in the hands of - [Thank you, Susan Boyle](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/04/15/thank-you-susan-boyle/) - It happened Saturday night. Though I didn’t get wind of it until today when Eileen’s email pointed me to YouTube. Usually she sends videos of grateful whales being cut loose from fishing nets. Last month it was a hugging wall. Eileen’s got a big heart so she’s into that stuff. She also knows I’m a sucker. Invite me into the We Are All One Zone and I’m so there, heart crowding my tonsils, eyes brimming over, smiling like a fool at the screen. - [Day 2: We're all in the blender ](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/06/09/were-all-in-the-blender-day-2/) - My sister-in-law Randee sent me an email pointing out the fact that yesterday's announcement of the Annoyance Challenge needed some editing. From her perspective I was creating a Meet-up for Grouches Anonymous. (Paraphrasing alert!) And that would leave out the 90% of us who are generally happy and don't jump on the impulse to - [Day 3: Since it's you, I don't mind ](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/06/10/day-3-since-its-you-i-dont-mind/) - My "gift" from the Universe hasn't arrived yet. I'm imagining Ms. U in line at the post office. She's waiting, doing some re-centering breathing, and feeling herself age as she watches the wall clock creep forward faster than the queue. When she finally gets to the counter, she discovers she hasn't got the correct postage and - [Day 1: That's sooooo annoying ](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/06/08/thats-sooooo-annoying-day-1/) - Sure it's Monday, but I had a good weekend and plenty of sleep. The shower was hot. My hair isn't any more sticky-uppy than usual. And after 30 minutes of yoga, and a couple of buttermilk pancakes I'm feeling pretty mellow. But since this is Day 1 of my Annoyance Challenge I'm going to have - [For Teens: Why did I get her for a sister?!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/04/19/for-teens-why-did-i-get-her-for-a-sister/) - I've grew up with two older brothers. I've still got 'em (which is a good thing) though obviously we don't live together any more. And while the three of us are good friends now, I'd be totally lying if I said that when we were kids we always treated each other with kindness and respect. - [For Teens: Love may be blind but it shouldn't make you stupid](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/04/14/for-teens-love-may-be-blind-but-it-shouldnt-make-you-stupid/) - One of my exes was Grade C boyfriend material, and for about two years I never noticed. Well, OK, yeah, I did. But I hung in there, manufacturing excuses for his hurtful and unacceptable behavior. Why'd I put up with all that deception and self-deception? I thought I loved him. And I'd heard that nobody's - [For Parents: This is only a test](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/03/31/for-parents-this-is-only-a-test/) - If it were for real you'd probably have gotten instructions. You might have even had a chance to study. Sorry. Quiz time. What would you do if you discovered that your child was a drug addict? a) Never stop trying to fix the problem b) Blame yourself for causing it c) Grab the bait of - [For Parents: You Can't Unknow What You Know](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/08/11/you-cant-unknow-what-you-know/) - I was really looking forward to tuning in to see if Michael Phelps would win his second Gold Medal of the 2008 Olympics as part of the 4x100 freestyle relay. I knew the race was today, but I'm working on a deadline and so we've got our TV recording it. (I shouldn't even be blogging right - [For Parents: A Note to My Future Self](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/08/20/a-note-to-my-future-self/) - It was the end of yoga class and we had just finished svasana, my all-time favorite pose! For those who don't speak Sanskrit, the translation is roughly: "stretched out on a folded blanket preferably with cushions under your head, knees and feet, chillin' after spending the previous 90 minutes twisting, stretching and standing on your - [For Parents: Hitting Dad?!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/07/22/hitting-dad/) - I was in the mall yesterday doing research on the way teen girls interact with their friends when shopping on their own. During a lunch break, I noticed a dad with his 5 year old son at the counter of an eatery. While Dad attempted to order lunch, the little boy repeatedly punched and slapped - [For Parents: Clean Sweep](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/10/18/clean-sweep/) - I wasn't home much this past week due to a cross- country trip, plus several speaking gigs at local schools. And the two weeks before that? Hmmm... let me think. Why does it seem like such a blur? Oh, yeah! It's because between us, David and I have been crunching on three major deadlines and - [For Parents: Is the bad guy winning?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/11/03/is-the-bad-guy-winning/) - Yesterday as I dozed on a flight from Denver, a child's voice infiltrated my dreams. I woke up and looked around, but saw nothing except the backs of seats and the backs of heads. Never dependent on facts to draw conclusions, my imagination provided a picture of a young family. The parents, staunch McCain supporters, - [For Parents: Everyone's a winner](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/11/18/everyones-a-winner/) - Before I became a parent I studied to become a teacher and I became one. Back then (we're talking about the 70's), education was strongly influenced by humanistic psychology. The result? A generation of teachers inspired by the ideals of Summerhill to create student-centered learning communities where nurturing self-esteem trumped reading, spelling, and multiplication. This - [For Parents: It's beginning to feel...](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/12/02/its-beginning-to-feel/) - The Sunday after Thanksgiving isn’t supposed to look like … April. Not even in the San Francisco Bay Area. Most likely it’s global weirding. And while there’s absolutely nothing in that inconvenient truth to lift my spirits, it’s hard to get too worked up when it’s 60 and sunny and I’m sipping Earl Grey and watching - [For Parents: When life gives you lemons](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/12/15/when-life-gives-you-lemons/) - Last spring I extolled the virtues of my lemon tree... particularly its knack for living out all the chapters of its life simultaneously. Can you imagine having to deal with the mishigas of your own childhood, adolescence, sexual prime, pregnancy, middle age, decline and death all at once?! And yet, when it's April in Lemon Land, - [For Parents: A tale of two kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/12/08/a-tale-of-two-kids/) - Saturday I strolled alone through a golden vineyard. Let me tell you, if you've got a nice sunny day going for you this time of year, get out in it! I mean really out in it. The more natural the environment the better. Drag your family along too. In the short term, the quietude will re-center you. In - [For Parents: One foot in front of the other](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/12/23/one-foot-in-front-of-the-other/) - I don't believe in Santa, but I do think it's worthwhile to perform good deeds whenever you can... especially this time of year. And just in case someone is watching to see if I've been bad or good, I try, at the very least, to avoid missteps. Some missteps can be corrected before it's too - [For Parents: How not to welcome them home](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/02/how-not-to-welcome-them-home/) - Play your cards right and your empty nest isn’t empty 100% of the time. Since we officially became empty nesters in May 2007, ours has shifted from accommodating just me, David and Vermont, to periods where 5 people lived here, then 4, then 2, then 3, then 5 and now a new configuration of 3. - [For Parents: They're growing up! So where's your smile?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/03/14/parents-theyre-growing-up-so-wheres-your-smile/) - Remember your “job description” posted at the bottom of your child’s birth certificate? No? Understandable. At the time they handed over the document you were still drunk on the radiant beauty of your newborn – experiencing something cosmic and way beyond the reach of words. If you had any cogent thoughts during those first few - [For Teens: Why would a so-called friend do that?](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/03/16/teens-why-would-a-so-called-friend-do-that/) - Here's a recent email I got from a teen. Thought I'd share it since jealousy between friends comes up a lot. Hey Terra, My friend makes me really jealous. She has lots of friends who all adore her, a happy family and brains. Even though I am more successful than her at schoolwork I am not - [#18: Mount Vernon - Welcome home, President Washington](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/02/01/18-mount-vernon-welcome-home-president-washington/) - My fascination with old houses probably began one day when I was 9 and wandered through a wooded area at the end of my street. The trail led into a clearing where I discovered the remains of an abandoned old mansion. Pretty cool find! Ever since, I've been hooked on the challenge of what could - [#17: Inauguration Day Part 4 – (Warm) Air and space](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/27/17-inauguration-day-part-4-–-warm-air-and-space/) - A memory is a mental video clip that changes with time. And while you might recall a physical detail of an event, such as: "I remember my stomach hurt during that party," those are just words. Fortunately you won't be able to re-experience the belly ache in the same way that you can bring to - [#14: Inauguration Day Part 1 – WE are here](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/20/14-inauguration-day-part-1/) - We left our hotel this frigid morning by the light of the crescent moon. 22 degrees at 5:02. Finally the Big Day had arrived and we were jazzed. When we returned 14 hours later, the temperature had only warmed up to 25. (Just kidding, it actually peaked at 30 out there on the National Mall). - [#15: Inauguration Day Part 2 – Freezin' for a reason](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/21/15-inauguration-part-2/) - The sun shines across my laptop as I type, though this Californian isn't so easily fooled. I've discovered that the January sun in DC doesn't mean t-shirt weather. (Who knew?) At this moment... 9:59 AM, January 21, 2009, it's 21 degrees in Fairfax, VA but due to the wind chill factor it "feels like" 10! - [#12: Rock on!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/19/12-rock-on/) - You know how when you're hearing really great music performed live and you just feel like dancing? And if you're with a few friends and they're into the music, well, you can really get into it. Well imagine 500,000 really happy people listening to some of the world's best pop musicians... and you start to - [#11: To be a part of history](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/19/11-to-be-a-part-of-history/) - Part of the fun of being here is talking with people who have traveled from all over the country to be a part of this moment in history. Often, when "history" happens, we don't know it because it slips by disguised as an ordinary moment. You don't find out until afterwards that something important actually - [#10: We Are One](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/18/we-are-one/) - The We Are One inaugural celebration kicks off today at 2:30 PM ET in front of the Lincoln Memorial (site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s, "I Have a Dream" speech). (I definitely see a theme shaping up here.) It's free and open to the public (thermal underwear not included) and this concert's got an unbelievable line-up of all-star... stars! - [#8: Obama mania](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/17/8-obama-mania/) - Washington DC's Union Station is the main terminal for Amtrak trains and the Metro. Busy place any time of year. But just days before the Inauguration, it's swarming with tourists. They're obviously here to be part of this moment in history and I'm guessing that they want to take a piece of it home with them - [#3: About to board the plane](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/15/3-about-to-board-the-plane/) - It's right before noon: David and I are doing our last minute computer stuff here at the gate at Oakland Airport before boarding. We're wearing our Obama pins. I figured they'd be good conversation starters with other travelers on their way to the Inauguration. Check back with you later! - [#4: Excitement in the air](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/15/4-excitement-in-the-air/) - We had a great flight, even though they gave us no real food in 6 hours. What is with that? Good thing we brought some bagels, tangerines and dark chocolate from home. The head flight attendant's name was Barak. (I kid you not! Thought he pointed out that his name doesn't have a 'c' in - [#6: A visit to the Supreme Court](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/17/6-a-visit-to-the-supreme-court/) - I don't mean to be harsh, but the young woman who gave us a lecture on the history of the Supreme Court was not yet ready for prime time. We wondered if she'd had any public speaking experience at all. Sure, she knew her facts about how many cert petitions the court receives each year (about 10,000) - [#9: In Virginia](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/17/9-in-virginia/) - We're staying in Fairfax, Virginia now. Last night on our ride into the state we passed a freeway exit for a place called Manassas. By coincidence, or maybe not, I had just been reading about Manassas in the Civil War chapter of The Complete Idiot's Guide to American History by Alan Axelrod "...When it began, the battle - [#7: A visit to the Library of Congress](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/17/7-visit-to-the-library-of-congress/) - The tour guide at LOC said that after the library was completed in 1897, they had $6 million left over. Instead of returning the money to Congress, they decided to bring in a team of artistic masters to brighten the place up. And wow, they totally got their money's worth! In addition to being the world's - [#5: A visit to the Capitol](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/17/5-a-visit-to-the-capitol/) - The U.S. Capitol is one of the world's most recognizable buildings. (That's Capitol with an "o" not to be confused with "What's the capital of ______?") But what does it look like inside? Most people haven't had a peek. Today we did. Our tour guide Paul knows every cornice, balustrade, and column of the place. And even though - [#2: Last minute packing](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/14/last-minute-packing/) - If this is the first installment of the Inauguration blog that you've read, you might want to back up and start on the January 6th post. Just so you know what it's all about. Well, tomorrow David and I leave for Washington DC and the real adventure begins! I haven't packed yet (my least favorite - [#1: Inauguration Blog for Teens - DC bound](https://blog.anniefox.com/2009/01/06/inauguration-blog-for-teens-dc-bound/) - For the rest of January, I'll be writing a special Inauguration blog for middle and high school students. This is the first entry. On Thursday January 15th I’m heading to Washington, D.C. for the Inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America. I know DC is way chillier than - [We so needed that!](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/11/11/we-so-needed-that/) - It's been nearly a week since the world changed and I'm still enjoying the afterglow of the new reality. In case you missed it, a whole new ball game officially started here in America on November 4th at 11 pm EST when 55% of California voters said, "Yes we can!" and gave the sweetest of - [Help For Parents of Tweens and Teens](https://blog.anniefox.com/2008/07/18/hello-world/) - Two days ago I got an email asking me "Are you a blogger?" I said, "No." But that was so Wednesday. Today is Friday and yes... I AM A BLOGGER! I've decided to expand Parent Forum with its Q&A, Parenting Tips and Recommended Reads to include regular blog postings about all things relating to the social/emotional devlopment of ## Pages - [About Annie](https://blog.anniefox.com/about/) - I'm an author, educator and online advisor for tweens, teens, and parents. Since 1997 I've been on the receiving end of email from kids and adults from around the world. My life work is helping teens become more self-aware, self-confident and better able to make choices that reflect who they really are. I picked that ## Categories - [Tips](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/parenting/tips/) - [Parenting](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/parenting/) - [Bookshelf](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/bookshelf/) - [Parenting Books](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/bookshelf/parenting_books/) - [Teen Books](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/bookshelf/teen_books/) - [Annie's Books](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/my_books/) - [Events](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/events/) - [Teens](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/teens/) - [Tweens](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/tweens/) - [Announcements](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/announcements/) - [Yoga](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/yoga/) - [Meditation](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/meditation/) - [Politics](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/politics/) - [Holidays](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/holidays/) - [Inauguration](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/politics/inauguration-politics/) - [Quizzes](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/quizzes/) - 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[Raising Girls in the Age of Trump](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/raising-girls-in-the-age-of-trump/) - [bullying](https://blog.anniefox.com/category/bullying/) ## Tags - [Parenting Advice](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parenting-advice/) - [Add new tag](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/add-new-tag/) - [Middle School Resources](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/middle-school-resources/) - [Parenting Advice for Teens](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parenting-advice-for-teens/) - [Prejudice](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/prejudice/) - [Parenting Books](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parenting-books/) - [Love](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/love/) - [death](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/death/) - [Citizenship lessons](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/citizenship-lessons/) - [Summerhill](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/summerhill/) - [Sarah Palin](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sarah-palin/) - [American Dream](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/american-dream/) - [Barack Obama](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/barack-obama/) - 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[Embarrassment](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/embarrassment/) - [Relationships](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/relationships/) - [Relationship Smarts](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/relationship-smarts/) - [sheeple](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sheeple/) - [growing up](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/growing-up/) - [letting go](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/letting-go/) - [Spider-Man](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/spider-man/) - [Somchai Yoosabai](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/somchai-yoosabai/) - [firefighter](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/firefighter/) - [Beautiful Boy](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/beautiful-boy/) - [David Sheff](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/david-sheff/) - [Nic Sheff](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/nic-sheff/) - [addiction](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/addiction/) - [meth](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/meth/) - [methamphetamine](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/methamphetamine/) - [Teen Relationships](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-relationships/) - [EQ Skill-building](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/eq-skill-building/) - [Hummingbird](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/hummingbird/) - [wildlife rescue](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/wildlife-rescue/) - [sugar water](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sugar-water/) - [Love is Blind](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/love-is-blind/) - [Susan Boyle](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/susan-boyle/) - [Simon Cowell](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/simon-cowell/) - [Youtube](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/youtube/) - [Britain's Got Talent](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/britains-got-talent/) - [I've Dreamed a Dream](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/ive-dreamed-a-dream/) - [Les Miserables](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/les-miserables/) - [siblings](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/siblings/) - [sibling rivalry](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sibling-rivalry/) - [family fights](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-fights/) - [Joe Bruzzese](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/joe-bruzzese/) - [leadership](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/leadership/) - [working moms](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/working-moms/) - [Jamie Woolf](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/jamie-woolf/) - [Mom-in-Chief](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mom-in-chief/) - [family leadership](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-leadership/) - [free book](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/free-book/) - [learning differences](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/learning-differences/) - [learning disabilities](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/learning-disabilities/) - [brain injury](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/brain-injury/) - [skateboard accidents](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/skateboard-accidents/) - [brain trauma](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/brain-trauma/) - [Joan Ryan](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/joan-ryan/) - [The Water Giver](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-water-giver/) - [Mike Robbins](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mike-robbins/) - [Be Yourself](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/be-yourself/) - [Everyone Else is Already Taken](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/everyone-else-is-already-taken/) - [authenticity](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/authenticity/) - [parent](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parent/) - [advice](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/advice/) - [Annoyance](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/annoyance/) - [Annoying](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/annoying/) - [Obama](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/obama/) - [Cairo](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/cairo/) - [World peace](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/world-peace/) - [Schuyler's Monster](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/schuylers-monster/) - [Robert Rummel-Hudson](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/robert-rummel-hudson/) - [can o worms](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/can-o-worms/) - [john irving](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/john-irving/) - [The World According to Garp](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-world-according-to-garp/) - [red tea](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/red-tea/) - [worms](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/worms/) - [worm castings](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/worm-castings/) - [cabinet making](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/cabinet-making/) - [procrastination](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/procrastination/) - [coupons](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/coupons/) - [expired coupons](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/expired-coupons/) - [seattle's best coffee](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/seattles-best-coffee/) - [red tea latte](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/red-tea-latte/) - [clouds](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/clouds/) - [caregivers](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/caregivers/) - [caregiving](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/caregiving/) - [journaling](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/journaling/) - [Lynn Goodwin](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/lynn-goodwin/) - [B. Lynn Goodwin](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/b-lynn-goodwin/) - [You want me to do what?](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/you-want-me-to-do-what/) - [eldercare](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/eldercare/) - [tomatoes](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/tomatoes/) - [staking tomato plants](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/staking-tomato-plants/) - [Renaissance](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/renaissance/) - [art](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/art/) - [San Rafael](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/san-rafael/) - [Leonardo](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/leonardo/) - [Impressionists](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/impressionists/) - [Italian Street Painting](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/italian-street-painting/) - [festival](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/festival/) - [Italian Street painting festival](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/italian-street-painting-festival/) - [teen survey](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-survey/) - [school](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/school/) - [annoying people](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/annoying-people/) - [Father's Day](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/fathers-day/) - [Dads Day](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/dads-day/) - [Golden Gate Park](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/golden-gate-park/) - [Comoros](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/comoros/) - [survivor](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/survivor/) - [plane crash](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/plane-crash/) - [hang in there](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/hang-in-there/) - [Family confidential](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-confidential/) - [body image](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/body-image/) - [media](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/media/) - [Carol Normandi](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/carol-normandi/) - [laurelee Roark](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/laurelee-roark/) - [Over It: a teen's guide to getting beyond obsessions with food and weight](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/over-it-a-teens-guide-to-getting-beyond-obsessions-with-food-and-weight/) - [food obsessions](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/food-obsessions/) - [weight obsessions](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/weight-obsessions/) - [eating disorders](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/eating-disorders/) - [eating disorder treatment](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/eating-disorder-treatment/) - [anorexia](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/anorexia/) - [bulimia](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bulimia/) - [betrayal](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/betrayal/) - [self-esteem](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/self-esteem/) - [counseling](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/counseling/) - [Blackberries](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/blackberries/) - [Harry Potter](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/harry-potter/) - [life lessons](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/life-lessons/) - [Mondays](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mondays/) - [Marin Open Garden Exchange](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/marin-open-garden-exchange/) - [gardeners](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/gardeners/) - [Sustainable San Anselmo](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sustainable-san-anselmo/) - [back to school](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/back-to-school/) - [making new friends](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/making-new-friends/) - [school anxiety](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/school-anxiety/) - [school stress](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/school-stress/) - [parental advice](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parental-advice/) - [parental support](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parental-support/) - [freshman orientation](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/freshman-orientation/) - [community support](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/community-support/) - [Secrets of Successful Parenting](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/secrets-of-successful-parenting/) - [special needs children](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/special-needs-children/) - [communication](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/communication/) - [mindfulness](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mindfulness/) - [consciousness](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/consciousness/) - [bad parent police](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bad-parent-police/) - [family](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family/) - [active listening](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/active-listening/) - [Mr. Rogers](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mr-rogers/) - [Multi-tasking](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/multi-tasking/) - [stepmothers](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stepmothers/) - [stepmonster](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stepmonster/) - [Wednesday Martin](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/wednesday-martin/) - [step parenting](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/step-parenting/) - [stepfamilies](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stepfamilies/) - [marriage](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/marriage/) - [remarriage](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/remarriage/) - [Rep. Joe Wilson](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/rep-joe-wilson/) - [rudeness](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/rudeness/) - [Joint Session of Congress](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/joint-session-of-congress/) - [Health Care Reform](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/health-care-reform/) - [Sexual activity](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sexual-activity/) - [birth control](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/birth-control/) - [sex](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sex/) - [Twitter](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/twitter/) - [Twitter chat](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/twitter-chat/) - [Jamie Lynn Spears](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/jamie-lynn-spears/) - [teen pregnancy](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-pregnancy/) - [teen parenthood](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-parenthood/) - [children having children](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/children-having-children/) - [Maury Show](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/maury-show/) - [Juno](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/juno/) - [worrying](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/worrying/) - [The Teen Survival Guide to Dating and Relating](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-teen-survival-guide-to-dating-and-relating/) - [free download](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/free-download/) - [Ayelet Waldman](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/ayelet-waldman/) - [Bad Mother](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bad-mother/) - [Lou gehrig's Disease](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/lou-gehrigs-disease/) - [Emotional Intelligence](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/emotional-intelligence/) - [EI](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/ei/) - [EQ](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/eq/) - [Scrabble](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/scrabble/) - [Rachel Simmons](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/rachel-simmons/) - [The Curse of the Good Girl](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-curse-of-the-good-girl/) - [keynote addresses](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/keynote-addresses/) - [Grief](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/grief/) - [death of a parent](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/death-of-a-parent/) - [peer approval addiction](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/peer-approval-addiction/) - [middle school friendship issues](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/middle-school-friendship-issues/) - [Halloween](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/halloween/) - [Peer Approval](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/peer-approval/) - [tween](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/tween/) - [trick-or-treat](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/trick-or-treat/) - [Diane Peteres Mayer](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/diane-peteres-mayer/) - [Overcoming School Anxiety](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/overcoming-school-anxiety/) - [School Refusal Behavior](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/school-refusal-behavior/) - [Pumpkin Muffins](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/pumpkin-muffins/) - [Girls' Leadership Institute](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/girls-leadership-institute/) - [daughters](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/daughters/) - [Family Meeting](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-meeting/) - [Holiday](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/holiday/) - [Christmas cactus](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/christmas-cactus/) - [stepmother](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stepmother/) - [step mom](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/step-mom/) - [Izzy Rose](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/izzy-rose/) - [dogs](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/dogs/) - [dog training](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/dog-training/) - [Moms](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/moms/) - [Christmas](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/christmas/) - [gifts](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/gifts/) - [hanukkah](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/hanukkah/) - [gift guide](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/gift-guide/) - [family values](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-values/) - [commericialism](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/commericialism/) - [holiday season](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/holiday-season/) - [Rosalind Wiseman](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/rosalind-wiseman/) - [Queen Bees and wannabes](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/queen-bees-and-wannabes/) - [Queen Bee Moms & Kingpin dads](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/queen-bee-moms-kingpin-dads/) - [Social aggression](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/social-aggression/) - [teen girl friendships](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-girl-friendships/) - [cyberbullying](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/cyberbullying/) - [rumors](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/rumors/) - [suicidal thoughts](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/suicidal-thoughts/) - [middle school social issues](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/middle-school-social-issues/) - [mean girls](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mean-girls/) - [help](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/help/) - [community spirit](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/community-spirit/) - [gossip](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/gossip/) - [trust](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/trust/) - [bf/gf zone](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bfgf-zone/) - [communication problems](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/communication-problems/) - [child-rearing](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/child-rearing/) - [optimism](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/optimism/) - [gap year](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/gap-year/) - [home and family](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/home-and-family/) - [New Year](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/new-year/) - [change](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/change/) - [fatherhood](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/fatherhood/) - [marketing to kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/marketing-to-kids/) - [so sexy so soon](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/so-sexy-so-soon/) - [Diane E. Levin](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/diane-e-levin/) - [Bratz](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bratz/) - [Transformers](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/transformers/) - [The new sexualized childhood](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-new-sexualized-childhood/) - [The War Play Dilemma](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-war-play-dilemma/) - [Teaching Young Children in Violent Times](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teaching-young-children-in-violent-times/) - [Remote Control Childhood](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/remote-control-childhood/) - [media marketing](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/media-marketing/) - [commercialism](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/commercialism/) - [travel](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/travel/) - [raising self-confident kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/raising-self-confident-kids/) - [life's transitions](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/lifes-transitions/) - [picky eaters](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/picky-eaters/) - [college bound](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/college-bound/) - [teen sexuality](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-sexuality/) - [abstinence only sex education](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/abstinence-only-sex-education/) - [friendship issues](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/friendship-issues/) - [tween friendship](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/tween-friendship/) - [bullying](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bullying/) - [father-daughter relationships](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/father-daughter-relationships/) - [single parenting](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/single-parenting/) - [shared custody](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/shared-custody/) - [single dads](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/single-dads/) - [single parents](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/single-parents/) - [Olympics](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/olympics/) - [Vancouver](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/vancouver/) - [2012 Olympic Games](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/2012-olympic-games/) - [focus](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/focus/) - [learner's permits](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/learners-permits/) - [teen driving](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-driving/) - [parental consistency](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parental-consistency/) - [Discipline](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/discipline/) - [Shaun White](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/shaun-white/) - [Louie vito](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/louie-vito/) - [Snowboarding](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/snowboarding/) - [McTwist](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mctwist/) - [Vancouver Olympics 2010](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/vancouver-olympics-2010/) - [Flying Tomato](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/flying-tomato/) - [Amalia Starr](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/amalia-starr/) - [Raising Brandon](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/raising-brandon/) - [parenting support](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parenting-support/) - [foster kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/foster-kids/) - [teen pregnancy prevention](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-pregnancy-prevention/) - [mentoring](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mentoring/) - [the art of parenting](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-art-of-parenting/) - [parent education](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parent-education/) - [parenting objectives](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parenting-objectives/) - [parenting tips](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parenting-tips/) - [Jose Bruzzese](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/jose-bruzzese/) - [A Parent's Guide to the Middle School Years](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/a-parents-guide-to-the-middle-school-years/) - [middle school homework help](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/middle-school-homework-help/) - [getting over a broken heart](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/getting-over-a-broken-heart/) - [rejection](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/rejection/) - [Nail biting](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/nail-biting/) - [breaking bad habits](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/breaking-bad-habits/) - [positive reinforcement](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/positive-reinforcement/) - [reward and incentive behavior modification](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/reward-and-incentive-behavior-modification/) - [re-centering breath](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/re-centering-breath/) - [stress management](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stress-management/) - [stress reduction technique](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stress-reduction-technique/) - [middle school stress](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/middle-school-stress/) - [housecleaning tips](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/housecleaning-tips/) - [family life](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-life/) - [weddings](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/weddings/) - [living with children](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/living-with-children/) - [KIds and internet use](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/kids-and-internet-use/) - [safeguarding kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/safeguarding-kids/) - [monitoring internet use](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/monitoring-internet-use/) - [parenting Q&A](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parenting-qa/) - [food issues](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/food-issues/) - [Hungry Monkey](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/hungry-monkey/) - [Matthew Amster-Burton](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/matthew-amster-burton/) - [national Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/national-day-to-prevent-teen-pregnancy/) - [Stayteen.org.](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stayteen-org/) - [National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/national-campaign-to-prevent-teen-and-unplanned-pregnancy/) - [Gemma Mora](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/gemma-mora/) - [Radicalparenting.com](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/radicalparenting-com/) - [amy McCready](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/amy-mccready/) - [Positive Parenting Solutions](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/positive-parenting-solutions/) - [online parenting courses](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/online-parenting-courses/) - [How We Decide](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/how-we-decide/) - [Jonah Lehrer](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/jonah-lehrer/) - [teachers](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teachers/) - [teaching](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teaching/) - [character education](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/character-education/) - [Dads](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/dads/) - [fathers](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/fathers/) - [the role of fathers](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-role-of-fathers/) - [legacy](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/legacy/) - [school dance](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/school-dance/) - [chaperone](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/chaperone/) - [girls](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/girls/) - [drama](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/drama/) - [summer](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/summer/) - [schoolfamily.com](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/schoolfamily-com/) - [school bullying](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/school-bullying/) - [peer abuse](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/peer-abuse/) - [parental influence](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parental-influence/) - [what if your child is a bully](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/what-if-your-child-is-a-bully/) - [My child? A bully?](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/my-child-a-bully/) - [family conflict](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-conflict/) - [aggressive teens](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/aggressive-teens/) - [loyalty oath](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/loyalty-oath/) - [enemies list](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/enemies-list/) - [Principal El](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/principal-el/) - [Salome Thomas-El](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/salome-thomas-el/) - [The Immortality of Influence](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-immortality-of-influence/) - [education](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/education/) - [teen fashion](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-fashion/) - [tween fashion](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/tween-fashion/) - [britney spears](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/britney-spears/) - [Miley Cyrus](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/miley-cyrus/) - [Circus Fantasy](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/circus-fantasy/) - [stark. raving. mad. mommy.](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stark-raving-mad-mommy/) - [starkravingmadmommy.com](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/starkravingmadmommy-com/) - [Lori Lite](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/lori-lite/) - [Stress Free Kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stress-free-kids/) - [stressfreekids.com](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stressfreekids-com/) - [Shark Tank](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/shark-tank/) - [stress reduction tips](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stress-reduction-tips/) - [bulllying](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bulllying/) - [homophobia](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/homophobia/) - [gender issues](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/gender-issues/) - [Dr. Elizabeth J. Meyer](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/dr-elizabeth-j-meyer/) - [Gender](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/gender/) - [and Harassment: Strategies to End Sexism and Homophobia in Schools](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/and-harassment-strategies-to-end-sexism-and-homophobia-in-schools/) - [singlemommyhood.com](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/singlemommyhood-com/) - [single mom](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/single-mom/) - [single motherhood](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/single-motherhood/) - [Dr. Leah](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/dr-leah/) - [Ask Dr. Leah](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/ask-dr-leah/) - [Leah Klungness](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/leah-klungness/) - [The Complete Single Mother](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-complete-single-mother/) - [Rachel Sarah](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/rachel-sarah/) - [Single Mom Seeking](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/single-mom-seeking/) - [Teaching friendship skills](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teaching-friendship-skills/) - [David McQueen](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/david-mcqueen/) - [TheDaveMackProject.com](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/thedavemackproject-com/) - [The Dave Mack Project](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-dave-mack-project/) - [parents](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parents/) - [Annie Fox](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/annie-fox/) - [parenting skills](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parenting-skills/) - [successful parenting](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/successful-parenting/) - [parenting help](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parenting-help/) - [harassment](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/harassment/) - [FaceBook](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/facebook/) - [Tyler Clementi](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/tyler-clementi/) - [Rutgers](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/rutgers/) - [freshman](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/freshman/) - [hazing](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/hazing/) - ["competitive edge" "America's lost it's competitive edge." Newsweek](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/competitive-edge-americas-lost-its-competitive-edge-newsweek/) - [Top 100 countries](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/top-100-countries/) - [America's Decline](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/americas-decline/) - [Ronit Baras](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/ronit-baras/) - [Be Happy Be Yourself](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/be-happy-be-yourself/) - [Abraham Maslow](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/abraham-maslow/) - [Be Happy in LIFE](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/be-happy-in-life/) - [In the Outback with jasmine Banks](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/in-the-outback-with-jasmine-banks/) - [Australian of the Year](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/australian-of-the-year/) - [Hierarchy of Needs](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/hierarchy-of-needs/) - [cyber safety](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/cyber-safety/) - [cyber bullying](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/cyber-bullying/) - [social media](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/social-media/) - [healthy boundaries](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/healthy-boundaries/) - [teens internet](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teens-internet/) - [cell phones](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/cell-phones/) - [texting](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/texting/) - [digital citizens](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/digital-citizens/) - [safetyweb](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/safetyweb/) - [ADD](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/add/) - [ADHD](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/adhd/) - [Attention Deficit Disorder](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/attention-deficit-disorder/) - [Katherine Ellison](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/katherine-ellison/) - [Buzz A Year of Paying Attention](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/buzz-a-year-of-paying-attention/) - [The Mommy Brain](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-mommy-brain/) - [Buzz](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/buzz/) - [Pulitzer Prize](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/pulitzer-prize/) - [cybersafety. cell phones](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/cybersafety-cell-phones/) - [sexting](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sexting/) - [safetyweb.com](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/safetyweb-com/) - [netizensy](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/netizensy/) - [limiting cellphone use in school](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/limiting-cellphone-use-in-school/) - [velcro parents](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/velcro-parents/) - [21st Century parenting](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/21st-century-parenting/) - [parent-teen communication](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parent-teen-communication/) - [effective parenting](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/effective-parenting/) - [automatic listening](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/automatic-listening/) - [Sean Buvala](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sean-buvala/) - [DaddyTeller](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/daddyteller/) - [DaddyTeller.net](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/daddyteller-net/) - [Oracle Award](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/oracle-award/) - [National Storytelling Network](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/national-storytelling-network/) - [storytelling](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/storytelling/) - [shyness](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/shyness/) - [Hey Terra](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/hey-terra/) - [teen crush](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-crush/) - [new years resolution](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/new-years-resolution/) - [fear of rejection](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/fear-of-rejection/) - [Gabrielle Giffords](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/gabrielle-giffords/) - [Attack a teacher day](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/attack-a-teacher-day/) - [Tucson](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/tucson/) - [Nevada middle school](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/nevada-middle-school/) - [threats](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/threats/) - [JUdge John Roll](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/judge-john-roll/) - [teen romance](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-romance/) - [break-ups](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/break-ups/) - [broken heart](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/broken-heart/) - [teen sex](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-sex/) - [drunk driving](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/drunk-driving/) - [gray hair](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/gray-hair/) - [anger management](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/anger-management/) - [Valentine's Day](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/valentines-day/) - [relationship guru](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/relationship-guru/) - [Lara Logan](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/lara-logan/) - [rape](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/rape/) - [CBS news](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/cbs-news/) - [60 MInutes](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/60-minutes/) - [Tahrir Square](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/tahrir-square/) - [Eqypt](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/eqypt/) - [Mom-daughter relationships](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mom-daughter-relationships/) - [raising daughters](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/raising-daughters/) - [communication workshops](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/communication-workshops/) - [It takes a village](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/it-takes-a-village/) - [raising healthy kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/raising-healthy-kids/) - [community involvement](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/community-involvement/) - [Karma](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/karma/) - [good karma](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/good-karma/) - [SPD](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/spd/) - [CHildren's Special Services](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/childrens-special-services/) - [Sensory Processing Disorder](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sensory-processing-disorder/) - [Learning re-Enabled](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/learning-re-enabled/) - [children with special needs](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/children-with-special-needs/) - [developmental pediatrician](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/developmental-pediatrician/) - [quirky kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/quirky-kids/) - [developmental red flags](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/developmental-red-flags/) - [Susan Schriber Orloff](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/susan-schriber-orloff/) - [online advise for teens](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/online-advise-for-teens/) - [Middle School Confidential](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/middle-school-confidential/) - [Graphic Novel app](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/graphic-novel-app/) - [apps](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/apps/) - [iPad](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/ipad/) - [Be Confident In Who You Are](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/be-confident-in-who-you-are/) - [iTunes](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/itunes/) - [contest](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/contest/) - [App](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/app/) - [menstruation](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/menstruation/) - [periods](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/periods/) - [moon cycle](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/moon-cycle/) - [puberty](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/puberty/) - [Keith Rispin](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/keith-rispin/) - [parenting old school](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parenting-old-school/) - [swiss army knife](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/swiss-army-knife/) - [Moms with apps](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/moms-with-apps/) - [momswithapps](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/momswithapps/) - [electric eggplant](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/electric-eggplant/) - [Be Confident](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/be-confident/) - [Graphic novel](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/graphic-novel/) - [App Friday](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/app-friday/) - [social and emotional learning](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/social-and-emotional-learning/) - [SEL](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sel/) - [Mother's Day](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mothers-day/) - [bf](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bf/) - [gf](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/gf/) - [high school relationships](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/high-school-relationships/) - [anniefox.com](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/anniefox-com/) - [advice for teens](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/advice-for-teens/) - [family conflicts](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-conflicts/) - [tweenparenting.com](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/tweenparenting-com/) - [Suzanna Narducci](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/suzanna-narducci/) - [Judy King-Murray](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/judy-king-murray/) - [wedding](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/wedding/) - [what children teach us](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/what-children-teach-us/) - [The Bigger Picture](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-bigger-picture/) - [educational technology](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/educational-technology/) - [middle school education](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/middle-school-education/) - [high school education](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/high-school-education/) - [Miranda Paul](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/miranda-paul/) - [Teen Health](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-health/) - [TSS](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/tss/) - [Toxic Shock Syndrome](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/toxic-shock-syndrome/) - [tampons](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/tampons/) - [You-are-loved.org](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/you-are-loved-org/) - [Lisa Elifritz](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/lisa-elifritz/) - [Amy Rae Elifritz](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/amy-rae-elifritz/) - [Sibling Wars](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sibling-wars/) - [bringing home a new baby](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bringing-home-a-new-baby/) - [parenthood](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parenthood/) - [bikini](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bikini/) - [Learning Mattters TV](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/learning-mattters-tv/) - [PBS](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/pbs/) - [John Merrow](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/john-merrow/) - [The Influence of Teachers](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-influence-of-teachers/) - [NPR](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/npr/) - [Homework](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/homework/) - [Roberto Lebron](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/roberto-lebron/) - [Raising Children on Planet Earth](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/raising-children-on-planet-earth/) - [parent-teen conflicts](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parent-teen-conflicts/) - [#nonconformity](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/nonconformity/) - [FoxNews](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/foxnews/) - [Fox News](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/fox-news/) - [The Talk](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-talk/) - [Jonathan Hunt](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/jonathan-hunt/) - [kids online](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/kids-online/) - [social networking websites](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/social-networking-websites/) - [Yahoo Games](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/yahoo-games/) - [Kiwi Commons](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/kiwi-commons/) - [kiwicommons.com](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/kiwicommons-com/) - [time travel](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/time-travel/) - [humor](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/humor/) - [fantasy](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/fantasy/) - [OASIS](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/oasis/) - [culture of cruelty](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/culture-of-cruelty/) - [high school](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/high-school/) - [wellness](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/wellness/) - [fences](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/fences/) - [conflict resolution](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/conflict-resolution/) - [jealousy](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/jealousy/) - [re-centering breathing](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/re-centering-breathing/) - [real friends vs. the other kind](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/real-friends-vs-the-other-kind/) - [friendship challenges](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/friendship-challenges/) - [communication skills](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/communication-skills/) - [radio shows](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/radio-shows/) - [415AskAFox](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/415askafox/) - [Blue Egg Media](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/blue-egg-media/) - [Robin Gianattassio-Malle](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/robin-gianattassio-malle/) - [Rose Malle-Gianattassio](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/rose-malle-gianattassio/) - [ask annie fox](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/ask-annie-fox/) - [Note Under My Roof](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/note-under-my-roof/) - [Amy Schalet](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/amy-schalet/) - [Glee](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/glee/) - [body image issues](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/body-image-issues/) - [Dr. Lyndsay Elliott](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/dr-lyndsay-elliott/) - [pepper spraying children](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/pepper-spraying-children/) - [special education](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/special-education/) - [excessive use of force](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/excessive-use-of-force/) - [sunsets](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sunsets/) - [hiking](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/hiking/) - [photography](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/photography/) - [Marin County](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/marin-county/) - [forgiveness](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/forgiveness/) - [Pity Party](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/pity-party/) - [Deanna L'am](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/deanna-lam/) - [Becoming Peers](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/becoming-peers/) - [Mentoring Girls](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mentoring-girls/) - [A Diva's Guide to Getting Your Period](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/a-divas-guide-to-getting-your-period/) - [Red Moon School of Empowerment for Women & Girls](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/red-moon-school-of-empowerment-for-women-girls/) - [Single Moms](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/single-moms/) - [teenage sons](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teenage-sons/) - [relationship bill of RIghts](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/relationship-bill-of-rights/) - [w](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/w/) - [Wicked](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/wicked/) - [Defying Gravity](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/defying-gravity/) - [Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-dating-violence-awareness-month/) - [Project Youth Safety](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/project-youth-safety/) - [Dr. Elizabeth Miller](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/dr-elizabeth-miller/) - [parenting teens](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parenting-teens/) - [Digital World](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/digital-world/) - [cybersafety](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/cybersafety/) - [PMS](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/pms/) - [bad attitude](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bad-attitude/) - [getting dumped](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/getting-dumped/) - [let's just be friends](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/lets-just-be-friends/) - [Teachers With Apps](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teachers-with-apps/) - [Jayne Clare](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/jayne-clare/) - [Anne Rachel](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/anne-rachel/) - [Skype Classroom visits](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/skype-classroom-visits/) - [visiting authors](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/visiting-authors/) - [educational apps](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/educational-apps/) - [Scott Morgan](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/scott-morgan/) - [Divorce](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/divorce/) - [Co-parenting](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/co-parenting/) - [joint custody](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/joint-custody/) - [family law](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-law/) - [St. Louis](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/st-louis/) - [elementary school friendship issues](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/elementary-school-friendship-issues/) - [3rd grade](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/3rd-grade/) - [peer conflicts](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/peer-conflicts/) - [Character Education Partnership](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/character-education-partnership/) - [CEP](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/cep/) - [National Forum on Character Education](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/national-forum-on-character-education/) - [4th graders](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/4th-graders/) - [Social Intelligence](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/social-intelligence/) - [girl friendships](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/girl-friendships/) - [The Thinking Person's Guide to Autism](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-thinking-persons-guide-to-autism/) - [Shannon Des Roches Rosa](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/shannon-des-roches-rosa/) - [Squidalicious](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/squidalicious/) - [chelation](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/chelation/) - [Bully](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bully/) - [school culture](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/school-culture/) - [5th grade](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/5th-grade/) - [death of a pet](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/death-of-a-pet/) - [Josie](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/josie/) - [keynote speech](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/keynote-speech/) - [School Climate](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/school-climate/) - [giving](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/giving/) - [charity](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/charity/) - [donating](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/donating/) - [philanthropy](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/philanthropy/) - [urban gardener](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/urban-gardener/) - [garden](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/garden/) - [friends](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/friends/) - [respect](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/respect/) - [self-respect](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/self-respect/) - [bullies](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bullies/) - [Stress reduction](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stress-reduction/) - [relaxation](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/relaxation/) - [breathing Challenge](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/breathing-challenge/) - [Winnie the Pooh](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/winnie-the-pooh/) - [unplugging](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/unplugging/) - [Urban Gardening](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/urban-gardening/) - [AIDS](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/aids/) - [AIDS WALK SF](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/aids-walk-sf/) - [San Francisco](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/san-francisco/) - [San Francisco AIDS Foundation](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/san-francisco-aids-foundation/) - [Team BeTheChange](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/team-bethechange/) - [2012 Summer Olympic Games](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/2012-summer-olympic-games/) - [London Games](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/london-games/) - [Olympics Lesson Plans](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/olympics-lesson-plans/) - [family travel](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-travel/) - [vacation plans](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/vacation-plans/) - [traveling with kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/traveling-with-kids/) - [grieving](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/grieving/) - [Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/do-not-stand-at-my-grave-and-weep/) - [Mary Elisabeth Frye](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mary-elisabeth-frye/) - [Mount Tamalpais](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mount-tamalpais/) - [Susan Garrett](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/susan-garrett/) - [Hospice](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/hospice/) - [Threshold Choir](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/threshold-choir/) - [Stop the hate](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stop-the-hate/) - [Free Kindle Books](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/free-kindle-books/) - [Kindle Reader app](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/kindle-reader-app/) - [social garbage](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/social-garbage/) - [high school rumors](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/high-school-rumors/) - [special needs education](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/special-needs-education/) - [high school social life](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/high-school-social-life/) - [self-confidence](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/self-confidence/) - [Character Education Lesson Plans](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/character-education-lesson-plans/) - [social courage](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/social-courage/) - [peer pressure](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/peer-pressure/) - [Carson Falls](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/carson-falls/) - [Fairfax](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/fairfax/) - [Type 2 Diabetes](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/type-2-diabetes/) - [Family health](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-health/) - [obesity](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/obesity/) - [exercise](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/exercise/) - [Moving to a new country](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/moving-to-a-new-country/) - [fitting in](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/fitting-in/) - [kindness](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/kindness/) - [Sandy Hook](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sandy-hook/) - [gun violence](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/gun-violence/) - [School gun violence](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/school-gun-violence/) - [2nd Amendment](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/2nd-amendment/) - [The Next Big Thing](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-next-big-thing/) - [The Homework Myth](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-homework-myth/) - [Alfie Kohn](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/alfie-kohn/) - [Loss](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/loss/) - [Inspiration](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/inspiration/) - [Gabby Gifford](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/gabby-gifford/) - [Tammuy Duckworth](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/tammuy-duckworth/) - [MLK](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mlk/) - [Service Learning](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/service-learning/) - [Human RIghts Commission](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/human-rights-commission/) - [In the Neighborhood](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/in-the-neighborhood/) - [Peter Lovenheim](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/peter-lovenheim/) - [family dynamics](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-dynamics/) - [kvetching](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/kvetching/) - [teen friendships](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-friendships/) - [teen advice](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-advice/) - [friend-building skills](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/friend-building-skills/) - [Relationship Advice](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/relationship-advice/) - [empathy](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/empathy/) - [blog tour](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/blog-tour/) - [Heather Chauvin](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/heather-chauvin/) - [Kelly Hirt](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/kelly-hirt/) - [My Twice Baked Potato](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/my-twice-baked-potato/) - [Jeanne Demers](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/jeanne-demers/) - [The Ruby Books](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-ruby-books/) - [Sue McNamara](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sue-mcnamara/) - [6 seconds](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/6-seconds/) - [Sharon Silver. Proactive Parenting](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sharon-silver-proactive-parenting/) - [Bruce Sallan](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bruce-sallan/) - [#DadChat](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/dadchat/) - [Rick Ackerly](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/rick-ackerly/) - [Genius in Children](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/genius-in-children/) - [Melissa Wardy](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/melissa-wardy/) - [Pigtal Pals](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/pigtal-pals/) - [Carrie Goldman Segal](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/carrie-goldman-segal/) - [Sarah Newton](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sarah-newton/) - [Dr. Laura Markham](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/dr-laura-markham/) - [aha parenting](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/aha-parenting/) - [Monkey Mind](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/monkey-mind/) - [The Genius in Every Child](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-genius-in-every-child/) - [Teenagers](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teenagers/) - [over-reaching parents](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/over-reaching-parents/) - [over-functioning parents](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/over-functioning-parents/) - [self-confident kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/self-confident-kids/) - [self-reliance](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/self-reliance/) - [girls' friendship](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/girls-friendship/) - [girls' friendship book](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/girls-friendship-book/) - [Morgan Law Firm](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/morgan-law-firm/) - [Dad](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/dad/) - [role model](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/role-model/) - [Graduation](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/graduation/) - [transitions](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/transitions/) - [questioning teens](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/questioning-teens/) - [LGBT](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/lgbt/) - [gender identity](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/gender-identity/) - [July 4th](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/july-4th/) - [4th of July](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/4th-of-july/) - [Independence Day](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/independence-day/) - [independence](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/independence/) - [The Girls' Friendship Q&A Book](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-girls-friendship-qa-book/) - [Fourth of July](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/fourth-of-july/) - [dog adoption](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/dog-adoption/) - [rescue dogs](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/rescue-dogs/) - [Coppers Dream](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/coppers-dream/) - [Loss of a pet](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/loss-of-a-pet/) - [Declaration of Independence](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/declaration-of-independence/) - [DOMA](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/doma/) - [Summer family fun](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/summer-family-fun/) - [Vacation learning](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/vacation-learning/) - [summer boredom](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/summer-boredom/) - [bored kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bored-kids/) - [summer doldrums](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/summer-doldrums/) - [creativity for kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/creativity-for-kids/) - [imagination boosters](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/imagination-boosters/) - [Arrested Development](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/arrested-development/) - [The Crash Reel](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-crash-reel/) - [Ruby Sparks](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/ruby-sparks/) - [adult children](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/adult-children/) - [family crisis](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-crisis/) - [support](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/support/) - [new school year](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/new-school-year/) - [stress reduction techniques](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stress-reduction-techniques/) - [Bullying prevention](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bullying-prevention/) - [empathy deficit](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/empathy-deficit/) - [teen crime](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-crime/) - [Oklahoma](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/oklahoma/) - [Christopher Lane](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/christopher-lane/) - [The Breathing Challenge](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-breathing-challenge/) - [anxiety](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/anxiety/) - [parent coaching](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parent-coaching/) - [Friday the 13th](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/friday-the-13th/) - [luck](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/luck/) - [Ask.fm](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/ask-fm/) - [Anne Frank](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/anne-frank/) - [The Diary of Anne Frank](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-diary-of-anne-frank/) - [Anne Frank's Tales from the Secret Annex](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/anne-franks-tales-from-the-secret-annex/) - [Holocaust memoir](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/holocaust-memoir/) - [Amsterdam](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/amsterdam/) - [Anne Frank House](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/anne-frank-house/) - [middle school life](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/middle-school-life/) - [high school life](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/high-school-life/) - [Teen friendship](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-friendship/) - [School Behavior](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/school-behavior/) - [National Bullying Prevention Month](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/national-bullying-prevention-month/) - [hikiing](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/hikiing/) - [deer](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/deer/) - [appreciation](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/appreciation/) - [thank-you notes](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/thank-you-notes/) - [Stanford](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stanford/) - [Challenge Success](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/challenge-success/) - [Too Stressed to Think?](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/too-stressed-to-think/) - [puppies](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/puppies/) - [Relaxation Response](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/relaxation-response/) - [abusive relationships](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/abusive-relationships/) - [Good Neighbors](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/good-neighbors/) - [Middle school friendships](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/middle-school-friendships/) - [The King and I](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-king-and-i/) - [girls friendships](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/girls-friendships/) - [Teaching Respect](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teaching-respect/) - [MIddle school friendship](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/middle-school-friendship/) - [Rebeca Sedwick](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/rebeca-sedwick/) - [BullyingPolice.org](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bullyingpolice-org/) - [peer mediation](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/peer-mediation/) - [government shut-down](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/government-shut-down/) - [apples](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/apples/) - [Tiffany Shlain](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/tiffany-shlain/) - [Technology Sabbath](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/technology-sabbath/) - [By-standers](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/by-standers/) - [Upstanders](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/upstanders/) - [Bullying Prevention Month](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bullying-prevention-month/) - [Goats](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/goats/) - [One.org](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/one-org/) - [OxfamAmerica.org](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/oxfamamerica-org/) - [National Novel Writing Month](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/national-novel-writing-month/) - [nanowrimo.org](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/nanowrimo-org/) - [Houses for Change](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/houses-for-change/) - [Family Promise](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-promise/) - [Season of Giving](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/season-of-giving/) - [family time](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-time/) - [cooking with kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/cooking-with-kids/) - [Raising teens](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/raising-teens/) - [Turkey](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/turkey/) - [Holiday gift-giving](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/holiday-gift-giving/) - [family stress](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-stress/) - [meta messages](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/meta-messages/) - [Winter in California](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/winter-in-california/) - [adoption](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/adoption/) - [family mealtime](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-mealtime/) - [story time](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/story-time/) - [birth families](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/birth-families/) - [Adoptive parents](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/adoptive-parents/) - [teen mood swings](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-mood-swings/) - [macho men](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/macho-men/) - [I have a dream](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/i-have-a-dream/) - [This American Life](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/this-american-life/) - [vegetarianism](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/vegetarianism/) - [vegetarians](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/vegetarians/) - [empowering kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/empowering-kids/) - [death of a spouse](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/death-of-a-spouse/) - [step parents](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/step-parents/) - [2014 Olympics](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/2014-olympics/) - [Sochi](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sochi/) - [Ashley Wagner](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/ashley-wagner/) - [Mirai Nagasu](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mirai-nagasu/) - [US figure skating](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/us-figure-skating/) - [Olympic Games](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/olympic-games/) - [Pink Floyd](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/pink-floyd/) - [Syd Barrett](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/syd-barrett/) - [Shine On You Crazy Diamond](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/shine-on-you-crazy-diamond/) - [Bode Miller](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bode-miller/) - [Hannah Kearney](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/hannah-kearney/) - [moguls](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/moguls/) - [Slopestyle](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/slopestyle/) - [skiing](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/skiing/) - [Ty Walker](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/ty-walker/) - [#OlympicDads](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/olympicdads/) - [#OM](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/om/) - [#FamilyFun](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/familyfun/) - [Alex Bilodeau](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/alex-bilodeau/) - [Frederic Bilodeau](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/frederic-bilodeau/) - [Olympic Games 2014](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/olympic-games-2014/) - [pair figure skating](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/pair-figure-skating/) - [2014 Olympic Games](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/2014-olympic-games/) - [trust issues](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/trust-issues/) - [Yuki Tsubato](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/yuki-tsubato/) - [Mario Guarise](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mario-guarise/) - [Arianna Fontana](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/arianna-fontana/) - [Elise Christie](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/elise-christie/) - [gravity](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/gravity/) - [Olympics2014](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/olympics2014/) - [Winter Games](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/winter-games/) - [Jeremy Abbott](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/jeremy-abbott/) - [Men's Figure Skating](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/mens-figure-skating/) - [Lynne Kenney](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/lynne-kenney/) - [Carrie Goldman](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/carrie-goldman/) - [Random Acts of Kindness](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/random-acts-of-kindness/) - [RAK](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/rak/) - [Random Acts of Kindness Week](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/random-acts-of-kindness-week/) - [Abraham Lincoln](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/abraham-lincoln/) - [Presidents' Day](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/presidents-day/) - [Meryl Davis](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/meryl-davis/) - [Charlie White](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/charlie-white/) - [Winter Games 2014](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/winter-games-2014/) - [Ice Dancing](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/ice-dancing/) - [Ukrainian protests](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/ukrainian-protests/) - [Bogdana Matsotska](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/bogdana-matsotska/) - [Oleg Matsotskyy](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/oleg-matsotskyy/) - [Stranger Danger](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/stranger-danger/) - [sex education](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/sex-education/) - [Family Confidential podcast](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/family-confidential-podcast/) - [Marlene Mahurin](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/marlene-mahurin/) - [Time for The Talk](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/time-for-the-talk/) - [Timeforthetalk.com](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/timeforthetalk-com/) - [Grandparents](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/grandparents/) - [Grandmothers](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/grandmothers/) - [grandchildren](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/grandchildren/) - [teens and social media](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teens-and-social-media/) - [teen peer conflicts](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/teen-peer-conflicts/) - [National Unplugging Day](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/national-unplugging-day/) - [connection addiction](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/connection-addiction/) - [Dartmouth](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/dartmouth/) - [student rape](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/student-rape/) - ["Rape Guide"](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/rape-guide/) - [Dr. Andrew Schlegelmilch](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/dr-andrew-schlegelmilch/) - [Orion Academy](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/orion-academy/) - [Parenting ASD Teens](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parenting-asd-teens/) - [The InSite](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-insite/) - [Spring Cleaning](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/spring-cleaning/) - [Resilient Kids](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/resilient-kids/) - [Clutter](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/clutter/) - [Jennifer Wider](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/jennifer-wider/) - [Got Teens?](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/got-teens/) - [David and Lisa](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/david-and-lisa/) - [Theodore Rubin](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/theodore-rubin/) - [The myth of normal](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-myth-of-normal/) - [parenting tweens](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/parenting-tweens/) - [girls friendship issues](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/girls-friendship-issues/) - [Dr. Karyn Purvis](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/dr-karyn-purvis/) - [The Institute of Child Development](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-institute-of-child-development/) - [The Connected Child](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/the-connected-child/) - [At-risk-children](https://blog.anniefox.com/tag/at-risk-children/) - 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