Rediscovering joy along Route 66 on National Iced Tea Day

Rediscovering joy along Route 66 on National Iced Tea Day
Hi, friends! Have you missed me? I’ve been writing primarily at BetweenUsParents.com this year but I wanted to pop in here to encourage you to follow over there and most importantly, wish you all a very happy summer. School has been out here for a few weeks and I know a lot of people around the... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
June 9, 2018 at 9:16 pm • 

The social media post by my teen daughter that surprised me, in the best of ways

The social media post by my teen daughter that surprised me, in the best of ways
I follow my teen daughter’s social media accounts and I often surprised by the insights into her world that I gain from some of her posts. I know there’s much I don’t see when driving her to dance or over the dinner table, and that she, like all teens, has a vast inner life that she... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
January 17, 2018 at 12:26 am • 

Printable Christmas scavenger hunt clues for gift-finding fun, 2017 edition

Printable Christmas scavenger hunt clues for gift-finding fun, 2017 edition
Update: Find a complete list of 46 clues and printable versions here. Drumroll, please! I am proud to present the fifth annual Between Us Parents Christmas Scavenger Hunt! I’m happy to share this family tradition that I’ve enjoyed since I was a little kid and my dad wrote fantastic rhymes that kept us busy on Christmas... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
December 16, 2017 at 9:37 pm • 
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Top Between Us Parents blog posts of 2017

Top Between Us Parents blog posts of 2017
As the year draws to a close, I took at look at which of the Between Us Parents posts have been the most popular in 2017. Here are the top 10 hits of the year (well, actually, top 11), and I was tickled to see that they span a wide variety of areas, just like... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
December 14, 2017 at 7:13 am • 

Ways social media is like fire, both good and bad, and how that metaphor helps us navigate the digital world

Ways social media is like fire, both good and bad, and how that metaphor helps us navigate the digital world
In Brene Brown’s latest book, Braving the Wilderness, she discusses social media and I keep coming back to her description of it and the metaphor she uses, which is a great one for framing conversations with our kids. “I’ve come to the conclusion that the way we engage with social media is like fire—you can use... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
December 11, 2017 at 10:59 am • 

5 great pieces about teens worth reading this week

5 great pieces about teens worth reading this week
Parenting teens is a bit easier with solid info and a dose of perspective Here are a few favorite pieces about teens worth reading this week that provide both. I really enjoyed them and/or found them helpful, and I think you may, too. Before you try to bribe your kid to do something, read this:... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
December 6, 2017 at 8:50 pm • 
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What parents need to know this Computer Science Education Week: A Q&A with Mark Engelberg

What parents need to know this Computer Science Education Week: A Q&A with Mark Engelberg
Happy Computer Science Education Week! It is typically held in early December to correlate with the birthday of computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper on December 9th and features the very popular Hour of Code. As a parent, I know that computer science is important now, and it will be even more so in the future. As... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
December 4, 2017 at 3:41 pm • 

The new St. Nicholas Day tradition of giving that I'm starting with my teen

The new St. Nicholas Day tradition of giving that I'm starting with my teen
December 6 is St. Nicholas Day. (On the Julian calendar, it is December 19th.) The Dutch tradition of filling children’s shoes with treats that they discover in the morning of St. Nicholas Day is observed by families around the world. St. Nicholas was a Christian bishop who cared and provided for the poor and sick in... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
December 3, 2017 at 8:29 pm • 

5 things parents can do to promote their teens' mental well-being

5 things parents can do to promote their teens' mental well-being
This morning, I entered a sunny room jam packed with parents, educators, and community members. They all looked rather serious, which was unsurprising, given that the topic was a community conversation about suicide. We were all there because we worry about the increasing rates of suicide among adolescents. The school district brought in Dr. Jonathan... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
December 1, 2017 at 3:23 pm • 
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How parenting feels like one long goodbye

How parenting feels like one long goodbye
I am terrible at goodbyes. If parting is such sweet sorrow, I’m usually more overwhelmed by the sorrowful part than the sweet part. This can make life hard. Just ask my husband, who had to deal with a lot of teary farewells during our long-distance courtship. And it’s especially challenging when it comes to parenting.... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
November 29, 2017 at 10:11 pm •