Has your teenager ever cheated on a test or copied someone else's homework? Chances are much higher than you might think, according to a new documentary, "Race to Nowhere," which explores the academic pressures today's high-schoolers face. more

As I watch my three boys (ages 9, 5, and 1.5) in their daily routines, I observe natural behavior that is foreign to me, and it seems primal and crass. Fart jokes and nose-picking aside, I am witnessing a deeper construct that is taking hold in their development and I’m concerned. more

I sat down the other night with my two older boys, Jonah (16) and Aaron (14) to watch "Race to Nowhere," a new documentary by Vicki Abeles about today's teenagers and the intense pressure to succeed (particularly in high school), and how it is counterproductive and damaging in countless ways. more

There’s nothing like “Poker Face” to get your kids in the rally mode for school. I got a phone call recently during one of our on-the-way-to-school jam sessions. I turned the radio down and listened. A friend’s friend lost her baby at 15 weeks and is devastated, and my girlfriend wondered if her friend could call me. more

Is anyone else in the pop culture world disgusted at the ridiculous self-absorption by Heidi Montag especially when juxtaposed against the images of the orphans in Haiti? more

“Mom…I’m ok but I was just in a car accident.” Words to stop any parent’s heart. Mine froze as my daughter burst into panicked tears. She choked out that she was driving and someone in the middle turn lane decided to pull out into traffic to try and make the light and plowed into the side of her car…and then took off. more

Last week, I had a wake-up call, a bucket of cold water in my face courtesy of AT&T: I found out that my middle son, age 14, had racked up 847 text messages in less than two weeks of cell phone usage. more

I love this time of year. It is especially joyful for those of us with blended families because there is an extra element of joy in arranging the logistics of who goes where when and for how long. But this year with a teenager who wants to call her own shots, I’m finding myself stuck between a menorah and a tree. more

I have to confess: I was a witness to my teenage son's first kiss, and it was bizarre, to say the very least. There he was, pulling the girl close to him with one hand, tenderly caressing her jawline with the other... and then, the kiss. more

I’ve never given much thought to the sport of skateboarding. In fact, I don’t really think I’ve ever considered skateboarding to be a sport. But my whole perception about skateboarding recently changed when I watched Tony Hawk and his buddies take to the half-pipe. more