Have a water fight, take a road trip, or just talk. There are so many daughter & mother activities mothers that’ll strengthen the bond
Between school, work, and keeping the family afloat, sometimes it’s tough for mother-daughter activities to come front and center. To help you keep that bond strong, we found 33 of the very best ideas. Whether your daughter is 5 or 15, keep reading to discover mother-daughter activities you’ve got to try at least once.
1. Play a game of basketball. Even if you aren’t the next Steph Curry—you can still shoot hoops with your daughter. Plus, it’s a great workout!
2. Have a spa day. Every mom and daughter deserves the royal treatment at least once. A soothing mask, manicure, pedicure, and refreshing cucumber water will make for a memorable day.
3. Write in a journal together. Sometimes talking about our feelings is tough. But using a mother-daughter journal to share our dreams and disappointments can be a great bonding experience (and a wonderful keepsake for the future).
4.Have a movie marathon. Pick a series of movies (Star Wars, Harry Potter, Disney), pop popcorn, and make a day of movies in your family room.
5. Go on a road trip. Nothing says togetherness like riding in a car for a long time. Create a playlist of music you both want, pick a destination, and start driving.
6. Set up and finish a jigsaw puzzle. A puzzle guarantees hours of quality time with your daughter.
7.Run a race. Whether it’s a 5k or a 1-mile fun run, train with your daughter and show her that girls can do anything!
9. Have regular mommy-daughter dates. Whether it’s a lunch date, a walk to the park, or visiting a local museum, you don’t have to wait for a special occasion to spend time with your daughter.
10. Pick a Pinterest project to tackle. You know all those crafts and projects you have pinned? Find a perfect one for a mother-daughter team and make an afternoon of it.
13. Go to high tea. Find a fancy hat and get your pinkies up. High tea is a luxurious activity every mom and daughter should do at least once.
14. Volunteer or do a community service project. There are a lot of community activities for families. Pick an activity that will help mom and daughter give back to others while spending time together.
15. Schedule a professional photoshoot. Most moms have hundreds of photos of their daughters, and we all love a good selfie. But having a photographer other than yourself capture lasting memories is a gift you'll enjoy well into the future. We love Shoott, the company that connects local photographers with people who want their pictures taken.
16. Go to a fancy dinner. Make a reservation for a restaurant you've always wanted to try and have a date night with your daughter.
17. Have a water fight. Invest in some balloons and water guns and spend the day getting wet.
18. Learn to build something. Put your girl power into action, and perfect your building skills at a class through Home Depot or another hands-on workshop. There's no reason the hammer and drills should be left to fathers and sons.
20. Have a picnic.Pack a picnic lunch (or buy a delicious sandwich at a local shop) and find a pretty outdoor spot. Spend some time eating, chatting, reading, or playing together.
21. Bake a cake or cook a full dinner. You've probably enlisted your daughter's help baking cookies or peeling veggies. Take your culinary skills up a notch and attempt to create an entire cake or a four-course meal.
22. Travel to a new city. You can take a plane ride to another state or drive to the next town. Explore a new city with your daughter, and see what interests both of you.
33. Have a good cry together. Showing your daughter that it's okay to express her feelings is important. And, it's important to show her that you're human, too.
24. Take a hike.Find a trail to explore. Wander through your local park. Stroll the beach, head up a mountain, or discover the desert. Enjoying nature together may open your eyes to many new things along the path.
25. Go on a shopping spree. While it's probably worth saving up some money for this indulgence, an afternoon shopping spree is something every mother and daughter should do together.
26. See a play or musical. Dress up, have lunch, and experience a play or musical at a local theater.
27. Take a painting class together. Get artsy and do a painting or crafting class together. You'll love seeing your unique perspectives come to life on the canvas.
28. Go to an amusement park. Some moms like theme parks as much (or more than) as the kids. Spend a day at the Happiest Place on Earth, or explore the features at Universal Studios.
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29. Have a dance party. Blast your favorite playlist and dance, dance, dance.
30. Look through old photos and scrapbooks. Before the days of Facebook, we kept our memories printed in albums. Share your old photo albums and scrapbooks with your daughter, and tell her stories about those special times.
31. Go thrift shopping or antique hunting. It's fun to hunt through thrift shops and see what treasures you can find.
32. Go fishing. Who says fishing is just for the guys? Find a local fishing hole and spend an afternoon casting a line.
33. Play a board game. There are plenty of games that are perfect for a mother-daughter afternoon. You can even take the game to a local coffee shop or park to make the time more special.
Every school year, parents reach out to their children’s teachers to inquire about any number of things. Sometimes it’s over a concern over their child’s academic performance or a conflict between students. Other times, these questions for teachers can be a bit more invasive, like when a school parent demands to know why certain things are being taught, like in the recent instance of a small faction of parents getting upset over Michaelangelo’s statue of David being shown in the classroom. But for every one of these situations, there are a slew of other questions that teachers would love to hear from the parents of their students. We asked several current and former teachers what questions they would love to hear from parents, and here’s what they said.
“What are my students’ strengths in your classroom?”
Jessica Matoian, an 8th-grade social science teacher at Sequoia Middle School in the Fresno Unified School District, says she would love to hear this question from parents, along with questions about how they can help develop those strengths outside of the classroom. “I believe in a growth mindset in my classroom. If I can work with parents and guardians on developing their students’ strengths, instead of highlighting their weaknesses, I find students are willing to take ownership of their strengths and build on them on their own,” says Matoian.
“Is my child happy? What lights them up?”
Brooklyn-based Christina Soriano, who taught elementary school art, social and emotional wellness, and Kindergarten summer school from 2006 through 2022, says she never heard any parent ask this, but wishes she had. “These questions are important because they are child-centered and strengths-based. It’s sometimes second nature, or sometimes cultural, that we go straight to how to make a child ‘better’ in a subject. Of course, that is a main point of schooling and learning, but it’s equally important to know what makes a child excited and joyful during the school day,” she says.
“How can I help my child succeed in your classroom?”
Victoria Taylor, a teacher with 20 years of experience and founder of BestCaseParenting, says she appreciates when parents take an interest in their children’s work. “Simply asking about ongoing projects and assignments can be extremely helpful to students and teachers alike. I understand it’s a lot for busy parents to stay on top of everything, but small gestures such as sending in student supplies or helping their child stay organized can make a huge difference,” says Taylor.
The same goes for Christina Collura, a full-time kindergarten teacher, autism advocate, and mother of two. “I am a firm believer every child has strengths (and weaknesses), and building and teaching children based on those strengths are vital to forming and building on a successful learning path,” says Collura.
“What supplies or materials do you need restocked/refilled for the classroom?
Amanda Dexter, who has been teaching middle and high school for eight years in Missouri’s St. Joseph School District says she would like parents to inquire about supplies long after the school year has begun. “At the beginning of the year, classroom supplies are usually fully stocked, but come a few months later and we’ve run out of glue sticks, construction paper, whiteboard markers, Kleenex, disinfecting wipes, pencils, etc. You’d be amazed at how quickly a class can burn through what seems like ample supplies in the beginning,” says Dexter. “Usually it is up to the teacher to restock supplies out of their own pockets.”
“Are there any educational activities or resources you recommend?”
“Parents who ask this question are actively seeking ways to enrich their child’s learning experiences. As a teacher, I can suggest educational apps, websites, books, or hands-on activities that align with the curriculum and support their child’s interests and learning style,” says Donna Paul, a Montessori teacher turned blogger at That’s So Montessori.
“How can I help my child develop independence and life skills?”
This might not be a typical question asked by parents, but Paul, who has over 10 years of in-class Montessori elementary teaching experience, says those who do inquire about this recognize the importance of preparing their children for future success. “I can provide suggestions on age-appropriate tasks, organization strategies, and opportunities for problem-solving that empower children to become self-reliant and confident individuals,” she says.
While supporting a child’s education in the classroom is essential, Paul feels that parents should also look into how they can extend this into their homes. “By asking this question, parents show their commitment to their child’s education and seek guidance on how to extend learning beyond the classroom. As a teacher, I can provide valuable insights, resources, and strategies for creating a supportive learning environment at home,” she adds.
“What can I do to support my child’s social and emotional well-being?”
Nowadays, more parents and teachers are learning about the importance of social-emotional learning on top of academics. “Parents who ask this question demonstrate their understanding of the vital role social and emotional development plays in a child’s overall success. By seeking advice, parents can gain insights into how to foster healthy relationships, resilience, and emotional intelligence in their child’s everyday life,” says Paul.
“Does my child behave at school (and) are they respectful?”
Julie Navitka, a former middle school teacher (from 2008 through 2022) at Robert Andrews School in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, suggests parents ask this question to gain better insight into their child’s behavior. Why? While teachers will generally inform parents when their students are crossing the line with their behavior, it’s a good idea to check in with teachers to see if there are inklings of problematic behavior that can be addressed early on.
“Does my child get their work finished (and on time?)”
Navitka, who briefly taught high school and has since started blogging at Successfully Sustainable, also recommended this question. Questions for teachers like this can not only help prevent any academic slides but also potentially detect a larger issue if the student is having a lot of difficulty staying focused and completing tasks, such as a learning disability or a cognitive disorder like ADHD.
“Does my child distract others from their learning?”
While parents should always ask questions related to helping their own students, it doesn’t hurt to inquire about how they are ensuring the success of the entire classroom. “Teaching can be extremely stressful, and even though it’s not the only (or biggest) factor, dealing with unsupportive parents plays a role in this stress,” says Navitka. Being proactive in addressing issues like these can make difficult conversations about behavior issues smoother.
“How can I help contribute to the classroom?”
While donating supplies is always helpful, Birney Elementary School teacher Robert Garcia wishes parents would ask how they can help contribute to the classroom in other ways. “It could be volunteering, donating special incentives, or just making a guest appearance,” says the 6th-grade teacher who has taught in Fresno Unified School District for 29 years.
“What skills is my child struggling with that may not be covered in class?”
Eddie Maza, an 11th and 12th-grade English teacher at The Idea School, a private school in New Jersey, says it can often be difficult for teachers to address individual students’ needs at the beginning of the school year. “As a high school English teacher, I encountered students who required assistance with fundamental grammar issues. While I would have liked to provide them with additional support, the nature of teaching a large class made it challenging to offer supplementary content. By asking the teacher about specific areas that need improvement and how to develop those skills, you can create a plan to help your child catch up with the class,” says Maza.
“How can I support my child’s work without completing it for them?
According to Maza, “Parents naturally want to assist their children with school work, but it’s important to ensure that working through challenging assignments, collaborating with peers, and communicating with teachers remains part of the learning experience. Involvement from parents is valuable, but asking this question helps ensure that your efforts to support your child’s education do not deprive them of the essential learning experience.” Alternatively, he says parents can ask, “What are the objectives of this assignment?”
Please don’t judge me if you happen to see my kids eating packaged Ritz crackers for school lunch. Don’t judge me if they’re on the sidelines at PE because they forgot their uniform. Don’t judge me if they didn’t turn in their homework because it’s still sitting home on their desk.
What some may view as a lack of parenting is what I deem “parenting on purpose” as we work to build necessary life skills in our kids. I stopped making daily breakfasts and packing school lunches long ago. I don’t feel obligated to deliver forgotten items left behind at home. And school projects and homework are not any part of my existence.
After all, how do we raise competent adults if we’re always doing everything for our kids? I suggest walking away from doing these 8 things for your teen this school year:
1. Waking them up in the morning
If you are still waking up little Johnny in the a.m., it’s time to let an alarm clock do its job. My four kids have been expected to get themselves up since they started middle school. There are days one will come racing out with only a few minutes to spare before they have to be out the door. The snooze button no longer feels luxurious when it’s caused you to miss breakfast.
I heard a Mom voice out loud that her teen sons were just still so cute that she loved going in and waking them up every morning. Please stop. I find my sons just as adorable as you do, but our goal is to raise well-functioning adults here.
2. Making their breakfast and packing their lunch
My morning alarm is the sound of the kids clanging cereal bowls. My job is to make sure there is food in the house so that they can eat breakfast and pack a lunch.
One friend asked, “Yeah but how do you know what they’re bringing for school lunch?” I don’t. I know what food I have in my pantry, and it’s on them to pack up what they feel is a good lunch. It will only be a few short years, and I will have no idea what they are eating for any of their meals away at college. Free yourself from the PB and J station now.
3. Filling out their paperwork
I have a lot of kids, which equates to a lot of beginning-of-the-school-year paperwork. I used to dread this stack until the kids were old enough to fill all of it out themselves. Our teens are expected to fill out all of their paperwork to the best of their ability. They put the papers to be signed on a clipboard and leave them for me on the kitchen island. I sign them and put them back on their desks.
Hold your teens accountable. They will need to fill out job and college applications soon, and they need to know how to do that without your intervention.
4. Delivering their forgotten items
One Monday morning, we had pulled out of our driveway and just turned the corner when my daughter realized she had forgotten her phone. “We have to go back, Mom!” Another kid exclaimed that he had forgotten his freshly washed and folded PE uniform in the laundry room. I braked in hesitation as I contemplated turning around. Nope. Off we go, as the vision surfaced of both of them playing around on their phones before it was time to leave.
Parents don’t miss opportunities to provide natural consequences for their teens. Forget something? Feel the pain of that. Kids also get to see that you can make it through the day without a mistake consuming you.
We also have a rule that Mom and Dad are not to get pleading texts from school asking for forgotten items. It still happens, but we have the right to just shoot back, “That’s a bummer.”
5.Making their failure to plan your emergency
School projects do not get assigned the night before they are due. Therefore, I do not run out and pick up materials at the last minute to get a project finished. I do always keep poster boards and general materials on hand for the procrastinating child. But they may have to wait for other needed items. Do not race to Michael’s for your kid who hasn’t taken the time to plan.
This is a good topic to talk about in weekly family meetings. Does anyone have projects coming up that they’re going to need supplies for so that I can pick them up at my convenience this week?
6. Doing all of their laundry
“What? YOU didn’t get my shorts washed?” This response always backfires on the kid who may lose their mind thinking that I’m the only one who can do laundry around here. Every once in a while a child needs a healthy reminder that I do not work for them. The minute they assume this is my main role in life is the minute that I gladly hand over the laundry task to them.
Most days I do the washing and the kids fold and put away their clothes, but they are capable of tackling the entire process when need be.
7. Emailing and calling their teachers and coaches
If our child has a problem with a teacher or coach, he is going to have to take it to the one in charge. There is no way that we, as parents, are going to question a coach or email a teacher about something that should be between the authority figure and our child.
Don’t be that over-involved parent. Teach your child that if something is important enough to them, then they need to learn how to handle the issue themselves or at least ask you to help them. Obviously, there are certain cases that do require intervention, but not when it comes to the day-to-day stuff.
8. Meddling in their academics
Put down the pencil, parents. Most of the time, I honestly couldn’t tell you what my kids are doing for school work. We talk about projects and papers over dinner, but we’ve always expected our kids to own their work and earn their grades. At times, they’ve earned Principals Lists, Honor Rolls, and National Junior Honor Society honors of their own accord. At other times, they’ve missed the mark.
Apps and websites where parents can go in and see every detail of their children’s homework and progress are not helping our over-parenting epidemic.
Once in a blue moon, I will ask the kids to pull up their student accounts and show me their grades because I want them to know I do care. I did notice our daughter slacking off at the end of last year, and my acknowledgment helped her catch up, but I’m not taking it on as one of my regular responsibilities—and you shouldn’t either.
What is your parenting goal? Is it to raise competent adults?
If so, then let’s work on backing off in areas where our teens can stand on their own two feet. I know they’re our babies, and it feels good to hover over them once in a while, but in all seriousness, it’s up to us to raise them to be capable people.
I want to feel confident when I launch my kids into the real world and know they are going to be just fine because I stepped back to let them navigate failure and real-life stuff on their own.
So please don’t judge me if my kids scramble around, shoving pre-packaged items into that brown paper lunch bag before racing to catch the bus. It’s all on purpose, my friends.
Amy is the author of the book Parent on Purpose: A Courageous Approach to Raising Children in a Complicated World. Her work can be found at www.amycarney.com. She and her retired NHL playing husband, Keith, are raising 18-year-old triplet sons, a 16-year-old daughter, and a recently adopted 13-year-old son.
Is it possible to love and hate something at exactly the same time? This is where I am with my body. Perhaps you are also in this place of polarizing emotions. Being a woman seems to go hand-in-hand with body-image struggles. Our bodies are supposed to protect us, yet they are the source of so much pain—physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional. We have to live with it and in it, an inescapable truth.
My first physical battle happened while in my early 20s in graduate school. My husband and I were visiting family over a holiday break when I came down with a strange stomach virus. I lost weight—and then kept losing it. I was 5’8 and had plummeted from size 4/6 to double 0. I was exhausted, frail, and constantly hungry and thirsty.
Though I’d always struggled with anxiety, I was depressed for the first time in my life. I tried to press on between doctor’s appointments and school work, but strangers constantly reminded me of my demise. A guy at the gym walked by and snarled, “Eat a hamburger.” Fellow students and professors gave me worried looks, some of them loudly whispering about me.
I was misdiagnosed as a hypochondriac and anorexic. I was on antibiotic after antibiotic to combat chronic sinus infections. My weight had dropped to just 97 pounds.
On a Friday, the one day I had off, I took a nap. My husband tried calling my phone, but I didn’t pick up. He rushed home, threw me in our car, and took me to the emergency room. After an hour of tests, a doctor told me that I was in diabetic ketoacidosis, was gravely ill, and needed to be in the ICU immediately. I had been an undiagnosed Type 1 diabetic for over a year. I was lucky to be alive, as my body was shutting down from a lack of insulin.
I slowly began to heal and accept my new identity. Type 1 diabetes is a 24/7/365 disease with no cure. However, with good blood sugar control, I was told I could lead a long and healthy life. I embraced the injections, the blood tests, and the scars. After all, I was alive. I rapidly put on 40 (greatly needed) pounds. It was shocking, but welcome.
Eleven years later, my husband and I were parenting four children by adoption. Life was beautiful and busy. When I found a lump in my breast during a self-exam, I promptly saw my doctor, who ordered a mammogram and ultrasound. The results were good. I was told we’d “watch and wait,” but I felt a growing sense of urgency. I sought a second opinion to soothe my anxiety. The biopsy results showed the mass wasn’t “nothing.” It was breast cancer.
I chose to have a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction with breast implants. I made the decision quickly and without much research. My goal was to be done with cancer as soon as possible. I assumed I would have implants until I was older, like grandmotherly, and then have them removed. It didn’t make sense to be 35 and breast-less.
I joked with my friends that I would be the “hot” one. No matter how much my body succumbed to aging, my breasts would be a perfect 10. Plus, though I had danced with cancer, at least my chest would still look somewhat normal.
My implants did look perfect. So perfect, in fact, that I consented to have them on my plastic surgeon’s website. My before-and-after photos looked like a breast cancer fairytale. On the outside, I was the ideal patient. But inside I was a mess. I developed 29 symptoms of breast implant illness. I was bedridden on some days, my body so inflamed and achy that I could hardly move.
It was an easy decision to have them taken out, having gone from generally healthy, active mom to zombie. I had also requested that my plastic surgeon remove my nipples since I didn’t want them resting against a flat chest. I knew being unshapely and nipple-less would take some getting used to.
As I waited for my surgery date, I found another lump. Cancer, again. This time, I had 33 rounds of radiation, 12 rounds of chemo, and a year of immunotherapy.
With my stretch marks and scars, thicker thighs, a flat chest, and now-just-returned hair, there are days I don’t recognize myself. Am I strong or broken? Am I safe or defeated? Am I inspiring or pathetic? I am all of these things.
Now that I’m a year past chemo, I look like a typical 40-year-old mom. I drive a minivan, sip iced coffee, and wear cheap sunglasses. On the inside, I’m often a raging storm. Is the cancer back? Why can’t my clothes fit better? Who am I now? I have faced crisis after crisis, each of which has challenged me to my core.
Being a woman—with our illnesses, our mom bods, our traumas—is a constant battle. We can do all the right things, yet our body image and health issues often remain. Each of us is on a journey that reveals how incredibly strong and vulnerable we are. And none of us emerges unscathed. But this is what I do know: What we do next with what we have is up to us.
You’ve planned your budget for the year and clipped your coupons, and now you’re wondering—what’s next when it comes to saving a buck? We know life can get expensive, so we found 20 ways to put cash back into your wallet. From ditching the plastic water bottle to packing your own snacks, here’s how to save up to $5 a day, starting now.
1. Cancel subscriptions you don't use. You can use a service like Trim to automatically detect subscription charges and easily save up to $5 per day by canceling music, audiobook and tv streaming services, beauty boxes, magazine or newspaper subscriptions, water delivery services, etc.
2. Get a reusable water bottle. On average, a bottle of water costs around $1.50 (or more if you don't buy in bulk!). If you drink three or four a day, that's over $5 a day. Get an insulated water bottle, and start filling up on your own. Not only will you see immediate savings, but you'll help prevent plastic bottles from filling landfills and polluting oceans.
3. Look for free or cheap entertainment. There are plenty of ways to save while out and about with the kids. Take advantage of your zoo or museum membership, go to a park, hit up the library, look for free festivals and more.
4. Don't make expensive meals. Do your kids love seafood or filet mignon? Yeah, save those recipes for special occasions. Instead, use ingredients that'll give you more bang for your buck. For example, these dinner ideas each cost $15 or less. For a family of four or more, that's $5 back in the bank every time you cook.
5. Eliminate one convenient thing from your routine. We know you'd rather send your clothes the dry cleaner than handwash them, and of course, a salon pedicure is always a treat, but eliminating these small items and doing the tasks at home, even once in a while, is guaranteed to save you money.
6. Pack your snacks. Whether you're at the park or the office, bring snacks from home with you, so you don't have to dole out dollars for overpriced packaged items (especially when you're at theme parks or other places that charge a small fortune for food).
8. Stay out of Target/Walmart/Costco. It's a given that the more often you wander the aisles of your favorite bulk store, the more often you'll end up with stuff you don't need. Try going once every other week. We guarantee your wallet will see the difference.
9. Go to your own bank's ATM. If you hit up a cash machine that isn't your bank, you'll get hit with a fee (sometimes it's almost $4!), plus, your bank charges you too. If you need cash, plan and stop by your bank.
10. Let those items sit in your shopping cart for one more day. We've all been guilty of loading up our online shopping carts with more than we need. If you hang tight for a day or two, it's a good chance you might decide against a few items.
11. Look for free workouts or work out at home. Sign up for the newsletters and subscribe to the Facebook pages of your favorite studios. They often offer promotions for new clients and discounts for bringing a friend. Or, check out some of our favorite (and free) 15-minute workouts for busy parents.
12. Bike/walk/take the bus to school/work. You'll save big on gas if you can bike to school (or work). If you don't live close enough to bike in, carpool with neighbors (or put your kids on the bus) and co-workers so you don't have to fuel up your car as often—and you'll also get to use the carpool lane––it's a win-win.
13. Make stuff in bulk.Make-ahead meals are as popular as ever, for both the time it saves on a busy weeknight and the budget-friendly portions you'll have in the freezer.
14. Shop without the kids. If you can, it's better to shop sans kids, who tend to toss unwanted items into the cart and make us all veer off course to spend money on things we don't want (or need) to buy.
15. Join your local Buy Nothing Facebook Group. Most neighborhoods now have a dedicated "Buy Nothing" group on Facebook. It's free and easy to join, and you can score serious deals by scrolling through the posts highlighting what other members are giving away. If there's no Buy Nothing group in your area, arrange a clothing swap with your friends.
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16. Only shop for one week's worth of food at a time. Finance guru Tony Steuer suggests to "make a weekly menu and purchase only food you need. The average American household throws away over $2,000 of food each year, which besides being wasteful, is a lot of money. This works out to just over $6 a day."
17. Stash your cash. Whenever you pay in cash and get a $5 bill as change, stash it in a safe place. Cash tends to just disappear from our wallets, so you won't miss this money by putting it aside... and it will add up quickly!
18. Only eat out on discount nights. Lots of restaurants offer Kids Eat Free with an adult entree or a Taco Tuesday special.
19. Adjust your tax withholdings. If you claim more on your W-4, you'll get more back in your paycheck. From there, divert the savings into a high-yield savings account.
Whether you are limiting trips to the grocery store, trying to turn over a new (salad) leaf for your family in 2022 or are just pressed for time, you’re not alone. Planning, cooking and even buying healthy meals is time consuming, especially when unexpected curveballs get thrown at you (school closures much?). Fortunately, Seattle is chock full of meal delivery services, preparing fresh and healthy kid-friendly dinners and delivering them straight to your home. Read on to make feeing your fam simple.
This weekly meal delivery service will help your family eat healthy with their Wellness or Plant-Based Menu. They locally source, prepare and deliver your fully-cooked meals. All you have to do is heat them up, set the table (you've got two minutes) then enjoy them with the kids. Choose to have three, four or five meals for the week. The menu rotates weekly, and you'll find lots of creative choices with each new listing.
Adding chef-created, semi-prepared meals to your dinner rotation is easy with The Speedy Dish. Chef Michaela Skloven, a Ballard mom and Queen Anne mom, Erin, understand the ups and downs parents are facing right now. If you live in Queen Anne, Ballard or Magnolia, you can take advantage of this easy to prep meal kit that gets delivered straight to your home. Each Speedy Meal Kit serves two so you can easily build your family's meal plan, and takes about 20 minutes to get it on the table. The Speedy Dish also delivers ready-to-enjoy meals (think tamales and pot hand pies) alongside prepared proteins, sides, wraps and salads.
Joy Rubey, mom and founder, started ACME Farms + Kitchen in 2011 with a simple mission–to make access to local food easier. As a busy working mom of toddlers, she found herself searching for a simple way to get clean, local food at home, without having to haul little ones around.
Signing up for an ACME box is as easy as clicking a button and choosing a curated box that's right for your family. It's hard to go wrong with the Family Classics Box or Kid's Box, that'll get your hungry crew through breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are also options for those who are gluten- and dairy-free, vegan or veg. Each box is fully customizable and you can set delivery to meet your needs: once only, weekly, monthly and more. Inside each box you'll find everything you need to make your meals, including pre-made sauces and portioned seasonings, as well as pantry items like chicken broth and coconut milk. Orders are submitted by Wednesday at midnight and delivered the next Wednesday or Thursday, depending on where you live. Each meal serves 4-6.
It doesn’t get much easier to eat healthy than this. Breakfast, lunch, dinner meals and even in-between-meal snacks are catered to match your diet plan whether you are looking for nutrient dense meals, gluten-free meals, keto, Paleo or vegan. Non-GMO meals are never frozen. Meals arrive at your home fresh and in an insulated box. Just unpack them and place them in the fridge. They heat up in the microwave in just three minutes. Their meals are open to all ages and many families enjoy their plans. When ordering, please be cautious about any allergies your child may have.
A car crash in 2011 started the odyssey that brought Dean and Tamara Hobson from losing everything back to solvency and health. What started as a local food delivery service for about 30 neighborhood families has grown into a citywide meal delivery and catering business focused on nourishing people. Weekly breakfast, lunch and dinner options rotate and deliveries are made twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. Be sure to order by 3 p.m. on Thursday for Monday delivery, and by the same time on Tuesday for a Friday delivery. Food is delivered fully cooked, and ready to eat once you reheat it, and it gets dropped in the personal cooler you set out on your front porch (don’t forget the ice packs!). You won’t find a lot of carbs or grains in these meals, just a whole lot of meats and veggies, calibrated for optimal nutrition. Specialized meal programs are also available if you’re looking for help with Keto, Whole 30, cleanses and more.
If there’s one thing busy parents understand, it’s other busy parents who are trying to balance kids, school, work and childcare. When Seattle parents, Rachael and Phil encountered this eternal problem, they came up with a solution. They took Phil’s skills as a chef and Rachael’s as an organizer to create Pick Me Up, the chef-prepared meal service that lets Seattle and Eastside parents get dinner delivered to their homes or to a daycare partner. The system is streamlined through an app. All you have to do is set up an account, select your meals and portion size, heat and enjoy. Meals rotate weekly and each day has a couple of options to choose from; we love the kids meal variations offered for each too. From there, families can either choose to pick their meal up at a participating daycare or have it delivered to their doorstep, packed and chilled between noon and 5 p.m. the next day (order cut off is 10 p.m. the day before). While the kiddos set the table, you heat up the meal. Voila, dinner is served!
Good to know: When you set up the app, use the code 1111 for home delivery.
What started as a meal delivery service catering to people with specific fitness goals in 2016 has transformed into a healthy meal service delivering to nearly 80 different zip codes around Seattle. FreshMeal dinners are created for anyone who wants to get on a healthier diet and start eating fresh, never frozen meals. The meals are cooked by professional chefs out of their local commercial kitchen in the International District using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. To get started simply order your meals anytime before Thursday at 10 p.m. Then the FreshMeal team gets to work sourcing ingredients and cooking your meal just before delivering it on Sundays. It’s ready to be placed in your fridge to keep you fed for the week.
It was a bout of chicken pox a long time ago that led Maven Meals owner, Heidi Finley, to find her passion—food. Ever since she’s been studying nutrition, sustainable business and restaurant management to create flavorful, healthy meals for people who are too busy to cook them themselves. There’s no need to subscribe or meet a minimum order requirement here. With Maven Meals you simply place your food order Sunday by midnight, and Maven Meals delivers it on ice in an insulated cooler sometime between Monday and Wednesday of that week (delivery day depends on your zip code). They deliver as far north as Edmonds and as far south as Lakewood, as well as to the Eastside. A new menu is posted every Monday and it always comes with suggested pairings for entrees, and the ability to filter for food specificity (think: vegan, gluten-free, egg-free, etc.) so you know exactly what’s available to you. The best part? Everything is ready to eat with a quick reheat or as-is, with the exception of some fish dishes that take a minimal amount of cooking.
Chef Virginia Blashill runs a "virtual restaurant," delivering restaurant-quality meals to busy families, without the hassle of a brick and mortar building. It's a great option for those of us who crave home-cooked meals, but lack the time to make them. Head to the website to choose meals from the menu that rotates weekly. Orders are placed by Sunday for delivery Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on your delivery zone. Meals are delivered fresh not frozen, so this is a great heat-and-eat option, no cooking on your part. Each is made from scratch in small batches, using local suppliers whenever possible. You can choose from entrees, soups, salads and desserts that are customizable to your crew. Choose regular portion sizes for hungry adults (they're quite generous) and smaller ones for kids. Keep in mind each entrée typically comes with two sides so you can customize meals in this way too. There are also low-carb, gluten- and dairy-free options available, but all foods are prepared in the same kitchen.
Freshly is a weekly subscription service delivering fresh (not frozen), chef-cooked meals that can be heated and served in three minutes. Unlike meal kits, all you need is a microwave, fork and plate (optional!) to get a satisfying lunch or dinner on the table. Think “nutritionist meets personal chef” vs. TV dinner when it comes to quality and flavor. With a food philosophy centered on less sugar, less processed and more nutrients, the menu features better-for-you versions of comfort foods with smart ingredient swaps. For example, Chicken Parm is coated in almond flour vs. bread crumbs and topped with marinara sauce sweetened with honey instead of refined sugars; Mac and Cheese is made with brown rice pasta and cheesy sauce blended with a purée of cauliflower and butternut squash; and Turkey Meatballs are packed with mushrooms and served over zoodles for a lower-carb alternative to pasta.
If dinner for your crew in two minutes or less sounds like a plan, check out Yumble's nutritious, ready-to-eat meals just for kids. They keep picky eaters in mind when they plan their menu, and meals come shipped in sustainably packaged boxes where you'll also find cute kid perks like stickers and activity sheets we know your kids will love. Yumble's lunches, dinners and snacks balance nutrition with flavor, so you can count on lots of fresh veggies and fruits in every meal. Simply choose your meal plan (four, six, eight or 12 per week), then wait for dinner to arrive at your door.
This cook-at-home food delivery service partnered with Martha Stewart to help harried families discover their inner Martha. The menu features 22 choices every week and the website tags meals as family-friendly, under-30 minutes, gluten-free and other categories. Favorites include: chicken fajita bowl, bacon-wrapped skillet meatloaf and lemon-brown butter salmon. The website provides big, colorful step-by-step photos for careless cooks and kids who want to help.
Cost: Starting at $7/portion + $9 shipping Online: marleyspoon.com
Gobble
Say goodbye to grocery shopping, meal planning and prep, and all that cleanup! Gobble shops, chops and delivers gourmet three-step recipes for one-pan cooking with zero prep required. How about picky eaters? Try Pan-Seared Sirloin Steak with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes & Béarnaise Sauce or Crispy Chicken Sandwich & Napa Cabbage Slaw with Caraway Vinaigrette. What have you got to lose when it's just a one-pan cleanup?
Blue Apron has been part of the meal delivery game for a long time and their expertise shows. Choose among two-serving, four-serving, wellness and vegetarian menus to pick the options that are right for you. We love that the meals typically take 40 minutes or less and include kid-friendly ingredients like baked chicken and pasta while exposing kids to different flavors like curry and chile-lime. With super easy-to-follow recipes, you can definitely get the kids involved in the cooking process.
Home Chef meal kits offer fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes delivered weekly. With a variety 19 different recipes that rotate on a weekly basis, most recipes include a "Customize It" option to accommodate any dietary needs or preferences. Skip a week any time you'd like, the meals are convenient and kid-friendly. The 15-minute meal kits include options like Honey Garlic Chicken with Broccoli and Carrots. Or, opt for more sophisticated meals from the culinary collection like Steak and Garlic Thyme Butter with balsamic Brussels Sprouts and Parmesan Twists.
The goal of HelloFresh is to bring the fun of cooking back into people’s lives by doing all the planning, portioning and shopping for in-season, sustainably-sourced, healthy and flavorful ingredients. HelloFresh prides itself on its delicious recipes with quick cook times; all your chopping, zesting and sautéeing will take less than 30 minutes. Family-friendly meals include Tomato Tortellini Bake, Ginger Plum Chicken and Pork Chops with Apple Rosemary Pan Sauce.
If your goal is to get a wholesome, easy meal on the table for your family, then Dinnerly is the meal delivery option for you. Each week Dinnerly customers choose from over a dozen options which change each week. The choices are totally kid-friendly with options like sweet and sour Swedish meatballs, turkey burgers and enchiladas. Each meal has only five prep steps and takes less than 30 minutes to get on the table, perfect for rushed weeknight dinners. Not interested in getting your box this week? No problem! You can skip any time.
Healthy eating at home is the name of the game with Green Chef. Choose from three plans: Keto + Paleo, Balanced Living and Plant-Powered. Set up your deliveries to come weekly or less frequently if you prefer. Menus change every week and you'll enjoy options like Steak & Cheddar Melts, Salmon with Creamy Chimichurri, and Creamy Baked Penne Pasta.
How about 100% plant-based, organic, non-GMO, chef-prepared entrees, soups, and juices that just show up at your front door whenever you want them to? Then look no further than this healthy bunch (bonus: they deliver nationally, too). There are no, zero, zilch animal products of any kind, here, ever! Chick'n Nuggets with chipotle dipping sauce complete with veganaise will do the trick every time for your kiddos and no one will miss the meat. Veestro food is available a la carte, in full-on Meal Packs, and they also carry a surprisingly delicious weight loss menu plan. As with most vegetarian cuisine: most meals have nuts in them so be careful with a nut allergy, but all meals are completely dairy-free and don't contain other allergens.
Cost: Starting at $10-12/serving, free shipping on auto-delivery options Online: veestro.com
courtesy Splendid Spoon
Splendid Spoon
Bowls, soups and smoothies. Oh my! Splendid Spoon grew out of mom-preneur and French Culinary Institute-trained chef, Nicole Centeno’s desire to find quick and nutritious meals and snacks when she was pregnant with her first son. The service now delivers over 50 different meal options including soups (both hearty and light), smoothies, grain bowls, noddles and shots to busy families everywhere. Splendid Spoon's plant-based foods are totally fresh, gluten-free and were developed hand-in-hand by registered dieticians and chefs, so you know they taste great. To get in on the action, you need to hit the website, choose a plan and then customize it. Lunch is at the heart of each, and it builds from there. Add in breakfast five times a week at the second tier and a reset (think light soups for dinner) when you choose the full monty. You can skip delivery whenever you need to, and food is delivered straight to your door via FedEx, chilled, using dry ice. Bowls and soups keep for a week in the fridge or freeze them for up to a month.
Whether you're looking to eat more greens, add color to your plate or just plain love veggies, Purple Carrot is for you. Families can have dinner delivered two ways with Purple Carrot. If you go with the meal kit, you'll get a box delivered to your doorstep, filled with fresh ingredients and everything you need to make an amazing meal, from the good stuff to the recipe. If cooking isn't high on your list, try Purple Carrot's prepared meals. Like the meal kits, they come straight to your door. But unlike the meal kits, these are heat and serve, ready to eat in just five minutes. From there it's as simple as choosing your serving size (two or four) and how many meals you want each week (two or three). Then you sit back, relax and wait for your meals to deliver, freshly prepared, boxed and on ice, ready for you to enjoy.
Cost: Meal kits start at $10/serving; prepared meals start at $13/serving Online:purplecarrot.com
courtesy of Yumi
Yumi
Developed by two moms on a mission to create optimally-balanced baby food blends, Yumi's meals are all about babies. Yumi’s baby blends come in over 60 flavors, and span baby's major food-related milestones. Expert Chefs use seasonal ingredients to whip up your baby’s food using diverse flavors and nutrient-dense ingredients like chia seeds, spirulina and flax, so your baby is exposed to a variety of flavors and textures. Then the blends are shipped to your doorstep in fully-recyclable packaging, using ice packs to keep it fresh. It’s easy to make substitutions or cancel an order any time, and you’ll receive text messages letting you know where your food is from the moment it ships out to the moment it delivers.
1. Once you find your favorite service, make sure you note your preferences, dislikes and allergies. Many services can accommodate these if they know ahead of time.
2. If you don’t have a cooler, buy one! The last thing you want is your delicious delivery spoiling in the sun.
3. Think about having your meals delivered to your workplace. This can give you instant lunch options, or can keep you from stressing out about your delivery waiting for you on your doorstep.
5. Did a friend just have a baby or is a parent recovering from surgery? Meal delivery is an awesome gift for anyone who might have more important things on their plate, or just as a time saver for a busy loved one.
Children have a language all their own, which doesn’t always include the words to express if there is a more significant medical issue at play. When it comes to vision, your child might not realize that they aren’t “seeing well.” In children, it is much more common for vision problems to manifest in small ways. If you’re wondering if your child is experiencing vision issues, check out these six common signs.
Research shows that insufficient time spent outdoors and prolonged time spent reading, playing or working with digital devices and poor lighting may influence the development of myopia.1-3
Myopia, if you didn’t know, is when you experience blurry distance vision largely because the eye is longer than it should be. Plus, genetics and environmental factors influence myopia’s progression.4 Myopia requires ongoing monitoring because myopia can get worse as a child grows. In addition to updating their eye prescription, it can lead to long-term eye health impacts such as retinal detachment, maculopathy or glaucoma.5,6
Good news for parents: MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses are designed for myopia control and are FDA approved* to slow the progression of myopia in children, aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment.†7
1. They Avoid Reading
Your little bookworm isn’t as interested in reading, and it’s not just the summer slide. If you have a child who normally can’t get enough of their favorite books and now appears disinterested, it could be because reading is uncomfortable due to eye focusing or eye teaming challenges.
2. They Move Closer to Things to See Well
If a child is experiencing myopia—whose primary symptom is blurry distance vision—this could manifest as moving closer to the TV or not being able to recognize faces or see signs from afar.
3. They Seem to Understand the School Concepts but Still Struggle to Keep Up, Especially with in-School Work or Projects
If your child’s teacher lets you know they are not keeping up in class, it might not be because they don’t understand the concepts. It can simply be that they cannot see the work or the teacher’s written explanation clearly. For some children, textbooks, worksheets and computer screens can look blurry, making it difficult to read. This can be because of their prescription or struggling to change focus.
4. They Seem Extra or Easily Frustrated
Any and all of the above can lead to feelings of frustration and low self-esteem in children, which can manifest in ways that aren’t necessarily related to school. If your otherwise pleasant child is now a nightmare at dinner time or flies off the handle at the slightest critique, it may be a sign that a bigger issue is at play. (It may also be a sign you have tweenager!)
5. They Squint!
While making a squishy little face can be cute, if your child is doing this frequently, especially if you’re holding something up for them to see, this is a sign that they are having trouble seeing objects at a distance.
6. Poor Hand-Eye Coordination
If there’s a marked decline in your child’s hand-eye coordination, especially noticeable in sports, playing musical instruments or other hands-on activities, it could mean they are experiencing vision problems.
If your child is struggling with a number of these common signs, it might be time to schedule a comprehensive eye exam with an eye care professional near you. During the appointment you can discuss if MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses are right for them. They’re designed for myopia control and are FDA approved* to slow the progression of myopia in children, aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment.†7
RX Only
Results May Vary.
ATTENTION: Reference the Patient Information Booklet for a complete listing of Indications and Important Safety Information. *Indications: MiSight® 1 day (omafilcon A) soft (hydrophilic) contact lenses for daily wear are indicated for the correction of myopic ametropia and for slowing the progression of myopia in children with non-diseased eyes, who at the initiation of treatment are 8-12 years of age and have a refraction of -0.75 to -4.00 diopters(spherical equivalent) with ≤ 0.75 diopters of astigmatism. The lens is to be discarded after each removal. Warnings: Problems with contact lenses could result in serious injury to the eye. Do not expose contact lenses to water while wearing them. Under certain circumstances MiSight® lenses optical design can cause reduced image contrast/ghosting/halo/glare in some patients that may cause difficulties with certain visually-demanding tasks. Precautions: Daily wear single use only. Patient should always dispose when lenses are removed. No overnight wear. Patients should exercise extra care if performing potentially hazardous activities. Adverse events: Including but not limited to infection/inflammation/ulceration/abrasion of the cornea, other parts of the eye or eyelids. Some of these adverse reactions can cause permanent or temporary loss of vision. If you notice any of the stated in your child, immediately have your child remove the lenses and contact your eye care professional.
† Compared to a single vision 1 day lens over a 3 year period.
References:
Gifford P, Gifford, K L. The Future of Myopia Control Contact Lenses. Opt Vis Sci. 2016;93(4):336-43
Rose KA, Morgan IG, Ip J, et al. Outdoor Activity Reduces the Prevalence of Myopia in Children. Ophthalmology 2008;115(8):1279-85.
Wolffsohn JS, Calossi A, Cho P, et al. Global Trends in Myopia Management Attitudes and Strategies in ClinicalPractice. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2016;39(2):106-16.
Morgan P. Is Myopia Control the Next Contact Lens Revolution? OPTICIAN 2016
Xu L, Wang Y, Wang S, Wang Y Jonas JB. ‘High Myopia and Glaucoma Susceptibility: The Beijing Eye Study. Ophthalmology, 2007;114(2):216-20.
Flitcroft DI. The complex interactions of retinal, optical, and environmental factors in myopia aetiology Prog Retin Eye Res. 2012;31(6):622-660.
Chamberlain P et al A 3-year Randomized Clinical Trial of MiSight Lenses for Myopia Control. Optom Vis Sci 2019;96:556-567
I don’t know about you, but, since the start of COVID-19, my family has been in this strange twilight zone between all the rest we ever wanted and not enough rest at all. How is this limbo possible? It is true that the frenetic pace of our life has slowed substantially, but our new life patterns have allowed for later bedtimes, less specific downtime, “I’m bored” time, and a level of emotional fatigue that none of us has ever experienced.
Enter Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith and her amazing TED ideas post about the seven different kinds of rest you need. As I read through her post, not only did it immediately resonate with my own lived experience, I also started thinking about our kids and what rest means for them. So, here are my thoughts on how creativity and art can bring more rest to your family.
1. Physical Rest
The first kind of rest that Dr. Dalton-Smith talks about in her article. This is that typical, lying in bed for 8-10 hours per night type of rest. For kids, right now, the level of anxiety that is just in the air all around us can make sleep harder than normal. An arts strategy that can help bring a restful night of sleep is relaxation. In my house, after we read books, we do a 2-3 minute relaxation that starts with taking three deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. Then I tell a calming story about being in a beautiful place in nature, and we just visualize and imagine using all of our senses. If we are in a meadow, we might hear the birds chirping, smell the flowers around us and feel the sensation of the grass on the back of our legs. For more information on how to do relaxation, check out this blog.
2. Mental Rest
For adults, Dr. Dalton-Smith recommends scheduling a break in your workday every two hours or keeping a notepad nearby at bedtime to write down anything that is spinning in your mind. For kids, we can use mini art engagements throughout the day, to shift their minds from their school work to a relaxed mental state. Try keeping modeling clay near their work station if they are homeschooling. They can create an entire zoo of 2-inch animals over the course of a month!
3. Sensory Rest
This is all about a break from the onslaught of electronic inputs that have invaded our lives. For kids, getting them outside and away from screens is a critical step to finding sensory rest. Games are a big part of play and creativity, so try a backyard or neighborhood scavenger hunt where you assign six things they need to find in under 10 minutes—a rock that is a weird shape, a tree that is taller than a swing set, a leaf that is not green, etc.
4. Creative Rest
This is about allowing our brains to be inspired by beauty and art that already exists in the world instead of being in create mode. For our kids who are innovating and making all day and all night (even if it is on Minecraft) the opportunity to be inspired by beauty is important right now, even if it’s not in person. Maybe try a virtual museum tour? Or watch some breathtaking dance?
5. Emotional Rest
Challenge yourself and your kids to express your emotions instead of hiding behind the mask of “I’m fine.” For kids, using the arts is a perfect way for them to express their emotional reality. Dancing their anger, painting their frustration, writing their sadness are all creative strategies for bringing their experience to light in a safe and honest way.
6. Social Rest
This is permission to differentiate between the relationships that are giving you energy and those that are draining it. For kids, right now, this can be very challenging, because they have very few options (if any) for finding other kids to hang out with. For kids, I think social rest might look like taking a moment to engage in imaginative play as if we were their friends on the playground. Ask, “If we were with your friends right now, what would you be doing?” And then make that happen! Yup, you might have to pretend to be a five-year-old…I promise it will be worth it!
7. Spiritual Rest
The last type of rest that Dr. Dalton-Smith describes, is connecting to something greater than yourself. For some adults, that might look like prayer, meditation, or volunteering in the broader community. For kids, the art connection to Spiritual Rest could be creating posters to put up in the window with pictures that might brighten the day of anyone walking by. Or you could put on music and prompt your child to visualize an impressive place in nature that they have been (the beach, a forest, the Grand Canyon) and let the music and the image inspire them to paint a picture that represents the beauty of the world around us.
I hope these seven elements of rest are as helpful to you as they have been to me. I think we could all use some inner peace right now.
Nina Meehan is CEO and Founder Bay Area Children's Theatre and the host of the Creative Parenting Podcast. An internationally recognized expert in youth development through the arts, Nina nurtures innovation by fostering creative thinking. She is mom to Toby (13), Robby (10) and Meadow (5).
This year’s back-to-school season is once again shaping up to be another uniquely-COVID experience for teens and parents. With schools finally moving back to in-person after over a year of remote school, online extracurriculars, hybrid partial-return-to-school models, and constant uncertainty, we don’t have to tell you that this transition might be tough.
In-person learning has so many social and academic advantages…but it also includes all of the social anxiety of peer interactions, the combined demands of balancing school work with extracurricular activities, and for many a dramatic increase in overall time spent in activities. With the current rise in COVID cases, your child might also be stressed about their health or the uncertainty of what yet another atypical fall may look like. This year’s back-to-school season is likely to bring a great deal of uncertainty, stress, and anxiety to students and families.
Anxiety has been one of the most common health impacts related to COVID for teens, with 19-36% of teens showing new or worsening anxiety during the pandemic. Unfortunately, anxiety tends to intensify in periods of stress and in uncertain or unfamiliar situations. This year’s back-to-school anxiety may look different for everyone. It could be stress about meeting new people and making new friends for a student’s first time on campus despite having “attended” the school virtually last year. It could be rising juniors’ or seniors’ fears that online learning did not adequately prepare them for the rigors of these important years.
Back-to-school stress is typical. However, it is important to recognize it and address it. Look for ways back-to-school stress could be presenting itself in your child. Some ways stress tends to manifest itself includes:
Physical symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches, and difficulty sleeping.
Negative thoughts such as “I’m not going to make any friends”, “I’ll never get into college/get a good job if I don’t do well”, and “My parents will be disappointed in me.”
Anxious or depressed mood including agitation, difficulty focusing, and low motivation.
Unhealthy coping behaviors such as oversleeping, over or under-eating, substance use, or self-injury.
If your teen is experiencing anxiety about the transition back to school, encourage them to talk about it with you, or with a trusted support such as their school counselor or therapist. When these worries come up at home, our natural parenting instinct is usually to try to reduce our child’s distress, often by trying to convince our teens not to worry. For example, we might say things like ‘If you work hard in all your classes you will be fine’ or ‘Everybody is feeling nervous about going back!’ While this is fine for occasional worries, if you find yourself reassuring your teen about similar topics multiple times per day, it might be time to switch tactics. Instead of reassuring, validate their emotions such as ‘You sound pretty worried about not getting to be with your friend group at lunch’ and then ask your teen to come up with a possible solution, or to use therapy skills for coping with their anxiety (like ‘riding the wave’ of anxiety, using coping skills, or practicing an exposure).
As you start to shift back to typical routines, also make sure that you schedule in extra downtime for your teen. Uncertainty is exhausting, and there is a lot of it right now. Let your teen know that you understand they are probably feeling overwhelmed or tired and that you want to give them space for self-care.
Your student might not be experiencing any of the symptoms above; however, they could still be feeling worried and anxious about going back to school. Try starting a conversation with them. Ask, “How are you feeling about going back to in-person school? What are you excited about? What are you least looking forward to?” Or, “You’ve already been through so much change this year, how can I make the transition back to in-person learning easier for you?”
For most students, their schedule is about to be the busiest it has been in over a year. Recognize that and work with them to help address their fears and chart a schedule so they can be successful and manage the stress that comes with returning to school.
Amy Mezulis, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, mother of two teens, and Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer at Joon Care, a teletherapy practice for teens and young adults. Dr. Mezulis specializes in youth mental health and her research has been funded by the NIMH and the APA.
Somehow, we’re coming to the end of summer already, and we’ll be back to school before we know it. While the new school year is still going to look a bit different than before, back-to-school supplies are still a must. The coolest supplies always help to get kids ready to leave the summer daze behind, so we’ve searched for some of the best school supplies that you can snag on Amazon right now. Keep reading to see them all.
Pastel Tie-Dye The Happy Planner 12-Month Student Planner
Perfect for middle and high schoolers, The Happy Planner's classic options leave plenty of room for navigating homework, while leaving tons of room for creativity. We love the plethora of cover options and tons of sticker books to make planning fun.
This school year will feel different for many reasons. The Mood Tracker Planner gives kids the space to plan their days and process their feelings in a safe space.
These poppers are all the rage and your little one will love having one on their backpack to fiddle with while they wait for you to pick them up from school.
Remember growing up with scratch and sniff stickers? Then you'll appreciate these sweet-smelling pencils. The scents, which include Bubble Gum, Blue Slushie, Pineapple Swirl and Jelly Donut are guaranteed to last two years. These #2 pencils pull double duty. They smell great and they're great for the environment because they're made from 100% recycled newspapers.
This smart notebook is just that. It only has 32 pages, but that's all you'll need. Kids can draw and write over and over again on the reusable pages that come in plain, lined and dotted. With the Rocketbook app, your kids' artwork can automatically be saved to the cloud, so you can save some trees and room on your fridge.
Everything is better in color! Including these gel ink pens. Kids can let their artistic flair flow with no stress. Even if they happen to color outside the lines, no worries, these pens are totally erasable!
These awesome erasers will cleanly take away your mistakes. They even go a step further with a roller to clean up your eraser rollings so your masterpiece stays that way.
A great way to stand out in sea of backpacks? Charms for your backpack are the perfect way to accessorize for school. This adorable Pusheenicorn will make a dose of magic to the school year.
These pencil cases are the cutest monsters you want to carry with you. They can stash up to 30 pencils and keep them zipped up till you need them. It's a practical case with a unique one zipper design with five colors to choose from.
When the busy school schedule kicks in, things can get a little stressful. These rubbery pencil toppers will help ease some of that stress. They help with nail and pencil biting by offering something safe to chew. The toppers are made with 100% safe silicon and are washable. One less thing to stress over already.
