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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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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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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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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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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Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Teens and College Kids

Stuffing the stockings can sometimes be the last thing you decide to shop for. It's often the one thing I'm scrambling to finish shopping for each year, not because it's not fun, but because I always think I'll just pick up a thing or two later, and then later is always basically the last minute! When the kids were little it was easy to fill up the sock with some favorite candy and small toys, but as your kids enter into the teen and college years, you may be coming up short on what to stuff. I've got a complete list of ideas with links when possible so you can easily shop.

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10 Mom-Approved Tips for Wisdom Teeth Removal

Getting wisdom teeth removed seems to be a rite of passage for teenagers. Most have already had extensive dental work and orthodontics, and keeping that straight smile and maintaining good oral health by removing those pesky wisdom teeth is usually the next step. Here are some tips for those supporting their teens or young adult children as they undergo this very common oral surgery.

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5 Design Tips for the Perfect Teen Bedroom

If you are new here, let me share a little background on this DIY teen boys room remodel. When we moved into our current home in 2010, there was one kid's room that was MUCH larger than the rest. With a three-year age gap between each of our kids, we made the decision that each of them could have a turn to have the "big room" starting with the oldest. Each of the kids has made the room their own in various ways, and often, they plan for months as they anticipate their older sibling moving out. This year was interesting as our daughter wavered between going away to school {all her classes at her out of state university were online} and staying home to stay safe. 
Our youngest had been planning for no less than six months {with scaled drawings I might add!} to take over the room and his plans were put on hold. With our daughter out of the house for several months, we decided it was time for the youngest to make the transition to the "big room".  So what started as a rock 'n roll den with our oldest, transitioned to a gray glam girls room and has now moved to a modern teen boys room with a geometric feature wall. In case you missed the first step, you can check out the DIY geometric feature wall in this post. 

All that said, I am kind of an expert when it comes to walking alongside as teens design their perfect bedroom. So I'm sharing design tips for your teen today. I'm also sharing the secret I learned for getting your teen to make their bed daily! You aren't going to want to miss it!

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DIY Geometric Feature Wall on Textured Walls

When we moved into our current home ten years ago, there was one kid's room that was quite a bit bigger than the rest. Since our kids are far enough apart in grade and age that they just kind of trickle out, we decided to let each kid have a turn in that room, starting with the oldest. It's seen a little bit of rock n' roll for our musical oldest and then transitioned to a grey and glam bedroom for our daughter and for the past year, our youngest son has anticipated his sister moving out and has been formulating a plan for the day the room would be his! I mentioned one day that I think it would be cool to put in a geometric feature wall and he agreed! So I'm sharing how we changed a very girly glam room into a masculine teen boy room with some boards on the wall!

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Teaching Teens the Value of Money

At some point, it became taboo for people to talk about their finances, even with their own children. This has resulted in teens and young adults who don’t know the value of money and really have no idea how to manage their finances. But, there are a few things you can do to help them understand the value of money. Read on to find out more!

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How to Make Family Travel Fun for Teens

Traveling with a teenager can feel like nothing but earbuds and eye rolls. Your child’s teenage years can be some of the most difficult, and it can be even more difficult if they want to do anything besides spend time as a family. But I think that if you can get your teens away from some of those things that distract them {friends, phones, and social media}, then you can set yourself up for some really great family memories through shared experiences. If you are looking for ways to make family travel more fun for teenagers, here are some of my best tips.

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Top Vacation Spots with Teens

If you are looking for a great vacation to take as a family, choosing the destination can sometimes be the hardest part. If you are traveling with a teen, and you want to ensure that they also have a good time, then you may want to consider some of these vacation spots! Here are the top vacation spots to go with teens.

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5 Tips for Navigating the Holidays with your Tween or Teen

Parents are acutely aware of how time passes during the holidays; hormonal, moody teens being themselves while parents are intensely aware that the kids are growing older and will eventually leave the nest, maybe only to visit on the holidays. Knowing that our kids are gaining their independence can make it difficult to fully enjoy and navigate the holidays with tweens and teens. So how can we really appreciate the time we have left with our kids at home? How can we create a space that's special for the holidays? I've got 5 tips for navigating the holidays with your tween or teen.

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