“If everything around you seems dark, look again. YOU may be the light.” – Rumi

In this bitterly cold winter, the light we find – if we look for it – resides in ourselves, in our children, and in our family members and friends. Being together, sharing in our lives, focusing on our children’s passions, learning, hopes and dreams — these can bring us into a life-giving space. But bearing the dark, cold winter requires courage.

I am hard at work on book number two with a little help from my friends – the Confident Parents’ team and more – maybe you? I am deeply grateful to Health Communications Inc., a Division of Simon and Schuster, and specially, Darcie Abbene, Editor, and Tina Wainscott, Literary Agent for making this book possible. To be released in October of 2026, this book is about courage in parenting teens. When my son was a young child and I was a new, inexperienced Mom, I did everything I could to find, discover, and learn how to be confident. Confidence was my central focus to be the Mom he deserved. Now, in this midway passage between childhood and adulthood – adolescence – while I find myself in my own midlife passage, I require courage. Courage to show up with all of my deepest values worn on the outside of me through my everyday words and actions, present to the life I’ve chosen.

For the coming year, I’ll be busy collecting stories of courage that I’ll be eager to share with you when the time comes. And some of our Confident Parents’ team will be conducting their very own courage experiments in their family life. There’s much we can learn from each other as we attempt to raise teens who know who they are, have agency and a sense of purpose, respect the dignity of others, and are prepared to responsibly and wholeheartedly contribute to making our world better than they’ve found it.

Do you know any parents (of ages 10-20 year olds) who you consider demonstrate courage? Do you know any teenagers who demonstrate courage? I would love to hear their story. Please fill out the form below. All entries will be considered for the upcoming book on courage. I continue to be so grateful for our caring learning village! I hope you’ll consider sharing your story with us!