As summer fades and the back-to-school season approaches, both parents and kids often face a mix of excitement and anxiety. The start of a new school year brings the promise of fresh beginnings, but it can also present challenges that can feel overwhelming for both children and their families. From adjusting to new routines to managing social dynamics and academic pressures, the transition back to school is a significant period that requires careful navigation.

Here’s how you can help your child overcome these hurdles and ensure a successful start to the school year.

1. Establish a Routine Early

One of the biggest challenges kids face when returning to school is adjusting to a new schedule. Over the summer, bedtimes often get later, and mornings become more relaxed. However, as the school year begins, it’s important to reestablish a routine.

Tips:

• Start early: Begin transitioning your child back to a school schedule a couple of weeks before school starts. Gradually move bedtime ...

According to the official International Women’s Day website, March 8 is “a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality.”

Let’s talk about what that looks like—not just on social media or in speeches—but in everyday choices, especially at home.

🎯 Real Ways to Support Women and Advance Equality

Equality doesn’t just come from new laws—it comes from changing the stories we live and pass down.

Here’s how you can take action today (and every day):

✅ Vote against laws that hold women back
✅ Mentor girls and women in your community
✅ Support victims of abuse—believe them and uplift them
✅ Stop victim shaming in any form
✅ Shop with and donate to women-owned businesses
✅ Contribute to a young woman’s education or tuition fund
✅ Learn about women’s history—not just in March, but year-round
✅ Pay women fair, competitive wages for their work

But there’s one more powerful thi...

I’m sure that you’ve heard the phrase 'snitches get stitches.' I want you to really think about what that means.

You see, I think that people don’t understand what snitching really is when someone is seeking safety.

Bystander intervention has been found to be less common than expected. Many students witness bullying incidents but do not report them or intervene. Schools and organizations are working to educate students about the importance of standing up against bullying.

Unfortunately, I believe that bystanders choose not to act because the 'snitches get stitches' culture is so prevalent, and whether you know it or not, you and I have at one point or another supported that belief.

You see, there is great fear in REPORTING something out of concern that you will be seen as 'the snitch.'

I can think of several movies where a tragedy has happened, and the members of the community are still apprehensive or completely against reporting the perpetrator. The apprehension comes from fear ...

How are you doing with the school season starting up again? 

You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about kids’ behaviors because they’re definitely different than when you and I were growing up. I mean…they don’t do much outside!

That’s so weird to me. I actually kicked my two teens out of the house for an hour hoping they would take a walk or come up with some type of activity to spend the hour. 

Do you know what they did? 

THEY SAT AT THE FRONT DOOR. THE. ENTIRE. HOUR!

Can you believe that?!

And, YES! I took their devices. 

You see, studies show that being outside for at least 15 minutes around nature helps increase high energy and reduces depression, anxiety, and many other negative mental health effects.

Kids are spending too much time indoors, particularly in their bedrooms. Without having exposure to natural vitamin D (sunlight) and mixing that with always being in front of a screen, kids are more prone to developing social anxiety, depression, and other negative mental he...

Kids are more in tune with world affairs than you might realize. As a matter of fact, there has been a rise in minors using Twitter to keep up with the news.  

While it’s great that they’re interested in staying up to date, kids can get more and more anxious and fearful. 

So, although they might seem ok or unphased about what’s going on, start asking questions. The first thing you want to know is how much they know.

Before you start this conversation with them, consider a game plan. You might be surprised about what they could tell you. 

✅  First of all, ask open-ended questions. Example: What have your friends been sharing about the conflict in Ukraine? How do you and your friends feel about the school shootings in the U.S.? 

✅  Validate their feelings. Kids have a right to feel what they feel because their emotions are real to them.  

✅  Answer their questions with the truth. When you do this, adjust your language to their age appropriateness. Sometimes when we give too much i...

There are so many controversies about kids and social media.

This is what people have said. 

👉🏽👉🏽  Parents can get sued by social media platforms if their kids are caught on a platform they're not old enough to be on.

👉🏽👉🏽  Social media platforms are nothing but trouble for kids. 

👉🏽👉🏽  Kids shouldn't be on social media. 

👉🏽👉🏽  I don’t need to monitor my child’s devices. They’re responsible and know what to not do.

👉🏽👉🏽  As long as my child’s account is private, they’ll be ok. 

But the thing is, most parents don't know enough about the dangers and safety measures they should implement to keep their kids safe online.

That’s why before you give your child a device that allows them to get on social media, YOU MUST educate yourself first. 

To give you an idea about why you should seek out education about social media dangers, here are some stats. 

According to the Pew Research Center studies, the main method that parents monitor their children’s use of the web is by limiting the ...

Being a good digital citizen means that an online user has the knowledge and skills necessary to use digital tech for communication, participation in society, and the creation and consumption of digital content.

Before we allow children to use the internet, it is our responsibility to educate them to be savvy online users so that they don’t become part of the problem. We see a lot of cyberbullying, invasion of privacy, and a lot of oversharing of private information online that puts children and others in danger.

Here is a list of examples highlighting the traits and behaviors of a good digital citizen:

1. Respecting Others: Treat others online with kindness, empathy, and respect, just as you would in face-to-face interactions.
2. Practicing Responsible Posting: Be mindful of the content you share online, considering the potential impact on others and the reputation of yourself and others involved.
3. Protecting Privacy: Respecting the privacy of others by not sharing personal informatio...