by Shannon Popkin | Jun 20, 2012 | Teens
There’s this store in the mall that I’ve been known to grumble about. It’s dark in there, the music is blaring, and the smell trails behind me when I leave. Plus, it’s selling more than just clothes. When you shop there, you’re bombarded with the not-so-subtle message...
by Shannon Popkin | May 23, 2012 | Kids' Perspective, Serving, Teens
Lindsay told me that the saddest ending to a school year for her was first grade. Not because she was sad to leave that particular classroom. She was sad that there was no graduation! She had loved her kindergarten graduation so much, and was so disappointed to learn...
by Shannon Popkin | May 7, 2012 | Goals, Kids' Perspective, Mistakes, Parenting, Teens
After you read this, go tell your child to do something that sounds absolutely ridiculous. Like, “Put a pair of socks on your ears.” Or, “Sing ‘Happy Birthday’ into the mailbox.” Or, “Go turn all of the door knobs in the...
by Shannon Popkin | Apr 3, 2012 | Faith, Fear, Holidays, Media, Teens, Wisdom
Last time, I talked about what I liked–and there’s a lot to like in the Hunger Games. But this time, I’d like to tell you what I found disturbing. I suppose it’s obvious: Rollicking festivities that include the crowd collectively leaning in to...
by Shannon Popkin | Apr 1, 2012 | Media, Teens
When considering movies, we teach our kids to ask: Does this movie celebrate God’s good intention for his creation? Or does it celebrate the Fall?Hunger Games is tricky. It portrays a void of God’s good intentions–a world where merrymaking crowds are...
by Shannon Popkin | Mar 13, 2012 | Beauty, Fear, Goals, Teens
Last night, at a coffee shop, five moms and their middle school daughters discussed the crazy lengths girls go to for beauty. It’s ludicrous, when you consider how few of us ever achieve (and much less maintain) today’s stick figure standards. (We’re...