My heart is racing, and my head is spinning. I feel as though I can hear my heart pounding. I have a ringing in my ears, and my breathing feels like I just ran a marathon, but I haven’t moved a muscle. Then the bell rings, and I just stand there by my locker— and now I am late for class. When I get home, all I can say as she looks at me with worried eyes is, “Sorry, Mom, I don’t kn
As a kid, I always dreamed of becoming a superhero; little did I know that I would find an abundance of superpowers as an adult everywhere in elementary school classrooms while teaching substance abuse prevention. When I first started teaching I believed I had it all figured out. I thought I would teach a lesson, followed by questions, and then I would answer questions, and that w
Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Scientists have discovered a way to help parents of teens develop confidence, improve their physical, mental, and emotional health and have fun all at once. It's called sports. Results may include alertness, reduced stress, a powerful boost in their self-esteem, improved teamwork skills, better sleep, and a reduced risk of substance abuse. While be
What would you do if your teenager could not go 5 minutes without jumping up and down? Imagine what that would look like. You sit down for dinner and start to have a conversation…interruption… JUMP. You get in the car, leave the neighborhood, and have to pull over…interruption…JUMP. You go to a play and try to have a nice time…interruption.. JUMP. Chances are, it wouldn't take long
I remember my mom and grandmother constantly saying it. Now, as a mom of two, I can't help but laugh every time I hear myself blurting out: "Time goes by so fast!" I swear I hear both of them chanting, "I told you so!" It seems like yesterday I was teaching my children the ABCs and 123's, and today, I am being encouraged to talk to them about alcohol and drugs. Whoa! How do I even
Instead of heading home at the end of the work and school day, parents, families, and community leaders took time out for a great cause. They filled the cafeteria of Dr. Bethune Mary McLeod Elementary school to participate in an unforgettable Living Skills in the Schools (LSIS) event that ended in lots of smiles, singing, and hands-on prevention strategies. For LSIS, thinking "outs
Did you know that medicines are the leading cause of child poisoning? While most parents might understand the dangers that can occur if our children ingest the wrong medicine, safety precautions often take a backseat when implementing them in our homes. The risks of medicine getting into the hands of our children pose a threat to their safety when they are young, but it can also le
Imagine you've just gotten out of your meeting at work. You're hungry, tired, and suddenly you get a call from your child's school telling you they have been expelled and to please come to pick them up immediately. Chances are, as you get into your car and head to pick them up, all sorts of thoughts start swarming around in your head. "What did my child do?" "Are they hurt?" "Did th
Getting caught in the middle of anything can often feel paralyzing; it's no surprise that the middle school years can evoke the same sensation. I once read a quote by George P. Shultz that said, "He who walks in the middle of the road gets hit from both sides." When it comes to the pre-teen to early teen years, the transition from childhood to adulthood can feel as if both sides of
Chances are, if you are the parent of a middle schooler, you have heard one of these three sentences come out of their mouths as they look at their schedule and see the words Physical Education: (1) Woot! Let’s go I love PE!; (2) Oh no, will I have to change in front of everyone?; (3) Please, please, please, can you sign a letter excusing me from PE? Just as some of us are more sel