There’s part of you that doesn’t want summer to end – because you know full well the mundane lunch making will soon be upon you. And (!) there’s a part of you that could really do with a little (maybe a lot of) structure. You have also noticed some days you feel a little guilty or maybe disengaged. You’re not feeling as present as you’d like.

Maintaining consistent and healthy communication between the adults of the family can be difficult with constantly changing internal and external factors. Read on to know about strengthening your familial ties by communicating better.

When you think about your parent-self, being curious about your child’s attachment style can be really helpful. Understanding your child’s attachment style can provide some insight – a bit of a window – into how you connect, why you might feel closer to one child than the other(s), or why clashes seem to come out of nowhere.

Summertime represents all things bright and warm, allowing us unique opportunities to spend time with family in meaningful ways. Here are a few tips that can aid you in navigating summer breaks with ease as a mom, while ensuring you stay stress-free and have some fun too.

Many people, teens in particular, can feel less connected to their friends and community over the summer. Due to differing vacation schedules, not seeing friends at school and less extracurricular activities. Managing a lack of connection over the summer can be challenging, but there are several strategies you can try to make the most of your time and stay connected.

You can probably imagine that since my grandfather’s passing, Father’s Day hasn’t really felt the same for me. Even though I have found ways to honour him including taking a nature walk and lighting my grief candle, this day can feel more difficult than others without him. However, in this post, I wanted to extend a massive thank you to my Dad.

Your child is no longer a child. Your child is a full-grown human. They have a long way to go in the world of development and growth. But you are now the parent to a graduate. An adult. Today you are more of a consultant. Your child will come to you for insight, wisdom, a shoulder to cry on and sometimes even because you are a safe place to blow up in – they know you can hold space for them in this. Wow. What a privilege.

The struggle and numbness that can come with the new quiet in your home and having more time on your hands than you know what to do with can sometimes be overwhelming. Especially if it was unexpected.

You are back to that alarm-setting, lunch-packing, routine-following moment. You have anticipated this for a little while now, and you are ready for some structure in your days. Here are some practical tips to make the shift back to routine easier on you and your child.

There are many reasons why parents find balancing out the summer schedule and responsibilities stressful, such as finances, not having “fun” options in the community or not being able to afford to travel because of the increase in gas prices. Perhaps you are a single parent and have other problems to face. These are all valid challenges and you may also have your own personal battles such as managing anxiety or depression, a recent break up/separation, and just not having the motivation to occupy your children for the entire summer.

The teen years can be such a challenging stage in your child’s (and your) life! Body changes, friend choices, academics, athletics, social media and technology stress, mental health…the list could go on forever! Teens are at such a formative age. Their brains have years to go until they’re fully ready for adulthood. Yet, they are trying to figure out their identity NOW!

How do you connect with our teen when they are navigating all of this?