I have always thought that teen trends reflect their desire to look older and to try activities that may be more appropriate for a more mature individual. I guess I am wrong.

I recently overheard a mother proudly declare: "I live for my daughter." Too bad for that little girl. And too bad for the mom.

There are many families who just want to be together without the pressure of worrying, "Is this enough?" Holidays of all sorts come with huge expectations and, too often, anxiety and disappointments.

My dearest chickadees, I want you to know that although we may have lost the two most important men in my life, you are the two most important boys in my life. And you are beyond blessed with an amazing mother, a woman I am honored to share my life with.

I used to be just like you. I used to look at the women with screaming, misbehaved babies and think, why can't this woman control her kid?

My daughter announced, "I was planning on getting a job, but then I saw how low they pay." Which is to say, parents now pay more for babysitters than Dominoes pays its employees to deliver our pizzas, or half the places on earth pay workers to sew our clothes.

This summer, encourage your daughters to wear bathing suits that they feel good in, to have fun at the beach and to focus on making friends and conversation, not losing weight.

Though he is almost 17 years old and nearly six feet tall, I see that he is still vulnerable, still lighthearted, still interested in what his mom thinks of his life.

Last week, David Karp, the founder of Tumblr, sold his company to Yahoo. As much as I was in awe of this 26-year-old man's accomplishment, I could not help but wonder about his mother. Who was the woman that raised her son and encouraged him to drop out of high school and enter the workforce?