"My 15-year old son just told me that he tried marijuana a few weeks ago with his buddies. I don't know if I should punish him or if doing so will only make him become dishonest. He said he didn't like it, but I'm not sure I believe him."

My daughter's squeaky voice broke through the boys' rants and stated "Yeah, well I can jump REAL high AND fart!" The boys were stunned into impressed silence at my little girl's feat. I appreciated that she still thought farting on demand was the way to impress a boy. I'll take it as long as I can.

Sometimes, a movie is just a movie, but what happens when a movie becomes a movement? Bully touched me in a profound way, not only because it made me reflect on my own life, but also on the life of my daughter.

I told my daughter that 15-year-olds, like 63-year-olds, come in lots of different shapes and sizes. We all get to the same place, even if we arrive at different times.

if you have a cool friend and that cool friend brings some weird food to lunch and likes it, you'll probably want to try it.

What keeps me awake at night these days isn't that these two boys will turn out to be "bad kids" but rather that they'll be just like me -- young and unbearably foolish -- but not nearly as lucky; that the laws of probability will make them answer for their missteps in a way I never had to.

When we pressure children to achieve, we cut them off from their sources of inspiration, their passions and their natural curiosity.

"We knew who beat him up. We knew who locked him in a cupboard. We knew who had held his head under water in a sink. So why hadn't we told anyone?"

October is also now recognized as National Bullying Prevention Month. On the one hand, I'm thrilled that we are giving this critical issue such focused attention. But on the other hand, I am deeply saddened that bullying in our nation has reached such epidemic proportions.

Leadership begins with the parent. By setting an example, parents establish a guideline for their children that will last a lifetime.

I just didn't realize that even 4-year-olds want to be just like everyone else.