Parents Weekend Prep Guide: Everything You Need to Know to Prepare for a Parents Weekend Visit

You might be a seasoned college parent like we are or maybe you're brand new to this phase of parenting, regardless, attending your child's college Parents Weekend is a bit of a milestone event. It's a chance for you to get to step into your student's world, get a peek at their day-to-day life, and reassure both of you that everyone is adjusting. It's also a great time to remind your boys to wash their sheets and towels more often and for the girls to beg for some shopping time...you know, for bonding and stuff! You'll be reminded of how expensive kids are and while you'll roll your eyes at the total as you stock them up on supplies, you'll be grateful for that little squeeze and quiet thank you.
But keeping it totally real, sometimes planning a visit to your child's college campus isn't always simple. Especially if you are like us, and are visiting from out of state. You'll need to navigate hotel bookings and campus schedules and try to manage emotions {yours and theirs}, and there's a lot to think about and keep in mind. After going through this many many times and talking with other parents in the same boat, I've gathered my best tips to help you prepare for a smooth and memorable Parent's Weekend experience.

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An Aviation Journey: From High School to Commercial Pilot

"So what was your path to aviation?" I've embarrassingly {just ask my son!} asked to many a pilot while waiting for flights. If you are wearing a uniform in an airport, I have probably approached you. Mostly because, like all things in parenting, just when you think you have it all figured out, one of your kids throws you a curve ball! Our youngest son Owen has always loved airplanes and aviation. I think his love for flying escalated when his Boy Scout troop had a free discovery flight through the Young Eagles program with an eager pilot when he was nine. The pilot flew over our house and let Owen take the controls. If there's one thing I've learned about flying and aviation, it's that pilots LOVE to talk about airplanes! So asking that question, I often know I'll be able to engage in a pretty interesting conversation! Now as a mom of a pilot, I typically have several conversations weekly {no joke!} about the path to take to aviation and how as a parent you can support your child. This is mostly a way for me to write everything down in one place as we get further removed from the process in an attempt to share our experience. It won't all apply to you or your situation, but it's a good jumping off point. If there's one thing I've learned in the world aviation it's that every path is different! This has been ours...so far!

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What It's Really Like After the Kids Leave Home: Reflections of an Empty Nester

Transitioning to an empty nest is a huge milestone in a parent's life. It kind of feels like this goal you've been working towards from the minute you started the clock on parenting. As young parents who didn't have a lot of time to experience adulthood without kids, it was something we were very much looking forward to as the next milestone in our own relationship. One of the biggest questions we get from those people who aren't far behind us, or who may be really far behind us and in the trenches of parenthood is, "what is your life like now, or how has your life changed since you became empty nesters?" Here are a few of the things I've noticed from personal experience in the past few years.

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10 of the Hardest Things About Becoming an Empty Nester

When you have a house full of young kids constantly vying for your attention, it feels like you'll never have a moment to yourself ever again. You are never alone in your own home. You're always keeping track of multiple schedules and don't get me started on the never-ending grocery runs and last-minute errands you are making because someone just has to have something {poster board at 10 pm anyone?}. But then it all sneaks up on you. The house is empty. The kids are gone, and you are sitting in that empty nest you never thought would clear out. We had kids young, so many of our peers still have kids at home and look at our empty nest with longing. I'm not sure I could tell you how many times I've been asked what it's like or how we are doing as empty nesters. I often can't put it into words if I'm honest. Usually, I just say it's quiet. Sometimes I say that the house stays clean a lot longer. But really, if I had a captive audience that really wanted to know, these are the 10 hardest things I've found about becoming an empty nester.

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How to Teach Budgeting to Teens in the Age of Consumerism

Admittedly, this is the most boring title for a post ever, but after raising three kids through junior high and high school, I'm telling you, this is something that will come up in parenting and it's best to have a plan. We are constantly bombarded with messages everyday tempting us to buy things we don't need. But we are adults. Teens are walking the halls of school or hanging out at sports events or scrolling social media and they are REALLY getting bombarded. They get messages that they can only be cool if they have this new pair of shoes {that cost $125}, or to look their best, they need the super special lip balm that costs $25 {and they will promptly lose it in under a week}. They see viral and trending videos with quick and easy ways to purchase BUT only for a limited time or it will run out and you will suddenly be the uncoolest uncool person in your whole school. 
As parents, how do we raise budget-minded kids in a world full of consumerism? I'm going to lay out a few practical tips that we did while we were raising our kids and hopefully, you'll get an idea or two so that you can help created budget-minded teens in a world full of consumerism.

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Gifts Teens and Young Adults Really Want!

As the holiday season starts to quickly approach, maybe you are starting to break out in a cold sweat because you aren't quite sure what to get the teens and young adults in your life. They are notoriously hard to shop for with their ever-evolving tastes and preferences. Trends change at a lightning-face pace and something on their wish list last year that was a hot item you couldn't get your hands on, has likely fallen out of fashion! I know I've been shopping with my teens before and something I thought they'd like they turn their nose up at. I honestly feel so out of touch. Teens are humbling like that. But fear not, I'm going to dive into some fantastic gift ideas to help ensure that you choose presents that will bring joy and delight this holiday season. I've got you covered with a wide range of gifts that will help you be a hero with those teens and young adults in your life!

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15 Ways to Spend Quality Time with Your Young Adult Children During the Holidays

My three kids are spread out all over, but I can almost always count on the holiday season being a time when we can all be together, if only just for a day or two. It's important to make the most of the time we do have with our young adult children. It's important to remember that we worked hard as parents to launch our kids and it's important to remember that they are busy creating lives and traditions of their own, but it's still important to make the most of the time we have together. Here are 15 creative and meaningful ways parents can spend quality time with their young adult children during the holidays.

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Advent Calendar Gift Ideas for Teens and Young Adults

As the holiday seasons starts to draw near, you can get a real sense of anticipation filling the air. For many, this is a time that is synonymous with cherished traditions, gathering with loved ones, and a time for togetherness. As our children grow into teenagers and young adults, these traditions might start looking different. The toys they once wanted are replaced by different desires, and the cozy family moments can be elusive when they're away at college or starting their own family traditions. In the midst of these traditions, one tradition that can bridge that gap and continue to foster the holiday spirit is the advent calendar. 
An Advent calendar is more than a simple countdown to Christmas; it's a ritual that helps to pull the magic of the holiday season together. I've noticed a real takeover of the Advent calendar tradition with teens and young adults in the past few years, and this post is going to explore a fun new spin on the holiday tradition of counting down the days. Even if your teens or young adults aren't home with you, they can still be a part of the holiday tradition. You're sure to find something for everyone in this list!

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Sending Your Child Out of State to College: A Comprehensive Guide from a Mom Who's Done it 3 Times!

Sending your child off to college is a huge milestone in not only the parents life but in their life as well. That toddler who wouldn't let go of you leg and screamed bloody murder when you left them with a sitter, now wants to go to college in a whole different state. It's a lot! As a mom of three, each of my kids chose a school out of state for various reasons. I've learned a few things through the years and have a few tips to offer parents who find themselves trying to help their students navigate their next decisions. With careful planning and consideration, this transition can be a good and rewarding experience for both you and your child. In this blog post, I'll discuss important factors to consider before your child chooses a college out of state and offer practical tips on packing and preparing for their departure and how to stay connected with your kids, even when they are hundreds or thousands of miles away.

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Dorm Essentials Hand-Picked by College Students

As a parent, seeing your kids go off to college is an emotional milestone. It honestly doesn't feel like it was that long ago that I was the one full of excitement and nerves headed off to live in the dorms with a roommate I'd never met before! As a parent you're probably filled with a little nostalgia and a lot of worry! You want to make sure they have everything they need to thrive before starting this next chapter of their lives. I sat down with my daughter who is headed into her senior year of college, and made a list for her brother who is heading off to live in the freshman dorms. This is the comprehensive list of TRUE dorm essentials that you've been looking for!

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My Teenager Wants to Be a Pilot: Now What?

My youngest son Owen has always been into airplanes. He started drawing and designing them in his school journal when he was in elementary school. While my oldest son was looking at fast cars on the highway, Owen was looking up in the sky identifying aircraft. As parents, we look for ways to support our kids in their passions, and Owen's passion for airplanes just kept growing. He really pushed us to let him apply to an aviation high school out of district and then continued to explore extra curricular programs that would allow him to start flight training about the same time he was learning to drive a car. He narrowed his focus, and he's pursuing a career in commercial aviation. After the pandemic, the flight industry had a little shake up, and we've all heard about the pilot shortages. It's a great time to head into the industry, but where do you even start? Here is what we've learned as parents so far.

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Thoughtful Graduation Gifts to Give Any Graduate

Are you a sentimental person? Are you looking for the perfect gift for all those special people? Oh good! Me too! If you know or have a grad preparing for graduation this year, it might be time to start thinking about a killer gift idea for them to kick off graduation with!  Graduation is one of the happiest moments in your kid’s life. So why not find the perfect gift to remember this moment forever? Here are some thoughtful graduation gifts to give to any graduate.

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Stop Asking High School Grads This Question

College has always been a priority for our kids. It's been on their radar from a very young age and all three of them have had career aspirations that are met with a college degree. One thing I noticed a few years ago when we were starting to go to more and more graduation parties is that the assumption that a new high school grad is going on to college. It can be one of the hardest questions for a kid to answer if their path looks a little different. College has gotten hard to afford and there are many different paths a teen can take as they enter into adulthood. Here are some things I learned the hard way {from awkward conversations where I assumed!}, and some questions you can ask instead.

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Setting Boundaries for College Students Home on a Visit

Parents know the crash and bangs at all hours of the early morning, making you wonder if you’re being robbed or if that’s your college student getting in from a night out with friends. When your baby comes back home as a new young adult, it can be challenging to have that first initial visit when they come home. And I've found, every break when they boomerang back changes a bit, so these are always ongoing conversations. While things can take a while to adjust fully, here are a few tips for setting boundaries for college students when they come home to visit.

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Stocking Stuffers for Older Teens and Young Adults

The first thing that gets opened up on Christmas morning at our house is stockings. All winter long, as soon as the decorations get put up, the stocking are hung on the mantle. On Christmas morning, the stockings, bursting with a combination of wrapped and unwrapped items are on the floor in front of the roaring fireplace. As the kids get older, the task of stuffing stockings can feel like a daunting task. When they were little it was easy to put candy and small toys inside, but as they've gotten bigger, it can seem more challenging. I've put together a list of 100+ items! This list isn't exhaustive but should get you thinking out of the box a bit.  I've linked our favorites when I could, so make sure you check the underlined items and add those to your cart for easy shopping!

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Benefits of One-on-One Travel With Kids

As a travel enthusiast, I have ventured all around the globe, including family vacations and solo travel. Traveling has made me realize how much I value experiences and how much more I treasure them when I share them with others. I just got back from a trip to France with my daughter, and the year before that, I took my son to Alaska on a cruise. While these may be a bit more lavish than your budget, traveling 1-on-1 with your kids can have many benefits!

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Cheap Date Ideas for Couples Who Don't Need a Babysitter Anymore!

The moment you’ve been long waiting for as parents have finally arrived. Your kids are old enough that they don’t need a sitter! But after ten or so years of having to work around a babysitter, you might be a little short on ideas for what you should do with your newly found freedom as parents. If you are looking for some fabulous budget-friendly date ideas that you can do when you don’t have to worry about a sitter, here are some of my favorite ideas.

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5 Ways to Connect with Your High School Graduate Before They Leave the Nest

Can you believe that your little baby is about to graduate from high school? It might feel like just yesterday you were changing their diapers for the first time, but they’re about to become a full-fledged adult. Before they start college or leave the nest for the first time, you still have a summer to make memories before they go. Here are some great ways to connect with your high school graduate before leaving the nest.

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Holiday Gift Guide for Teens and Young Adults

Shopping for teens and young adults can leave you staring blank-faced at a computer screen as you try to decide what to click on. I know I've seen a few trends that leave me wondering, but with "kids" in my life ranging from 16-23, I have a little bit of experience knowing what teens and young adults are really hoping to find in their stockings or under the tree. Here are some of the best gifts you could get for the teens or young adults in your life.

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Taking a Cruise or Going to an All-Inclusive Resort: Which is Better for a Family with Teens?

Regardless of how you choose to vacation as a family, I'll always be the person on the sidelines cheering you on to take that trip. Family vacations are so important in building long-lasting shared experiences with memories that will last a lifetime. Traveling as a family is so important in building those healthy family bonds and while traveling with teens brings its own set of hurdles to overcome {sports and school schedules are complicated!}, it's worth it to push through to plan that trip and take that time for your family. That said since time is limited, I know you want to make the best choice for travel for your family, which is why I'm taking a look at a cruise or all-inclusive vacation for your family. Which is better? I'll lay out some pros and cons and will let you decide!

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