Let's have some fun.

I came across a post on Instagram recently that really got me thinking (see the pic below). Jesse Itzler is the husband of Sarah Blakely, self-made billionaire who founded Spanx. He has what he calls a “BIG ASS CALENDAR” he uses to plan his life adventure (his words, I’ve seen it and it is literally giant…like wall-sized).

Now, I’ve been using my own regular-sized calendar to manage my life for years, including fun stuff.

It’s one of the reasons I focus so much on helping teens understand that core skills like time management - usually talked about in the context of school - are the key to designing a life they LOVE.

To unapologetically protecting their free time. To prioritizing what they want to do while getting done the stuff they have to do.

We know that your kid creating and managing their own calendar is non-negotiable for learning and life success. But what they probably don’t know is that this doesn’t have to suck.

Skill-building doesn’t have to be boring. Yes, building time management and executive functioning skills will get them better grades, but they will benefit from SO MUCH MORE. They’ll learn that they can create the experiences they want to have, in school and beyond. They’ll see how taking ownership and initiative leads to joy and happiness and feeling good about themselves.

Building their core skills adds more fun and free time to their life. Who doesn’t want that!?

So, that said, I’m inviting you to do two things:

1. Ask your kid what they want to experience in the next 2-3 months. One fun thing, big or small. A trip, a concert, anything. Then figure out together the steps for making it happen. Plug them into a calendar. Feel the excitement of stating what you want and explicitly planning to bring it into reality.

2. Decide on something YOU want to experience in the next 2-3 months. What is something you want for you? Treating yourself to a spa day? Weekend away with your girlfriends? Family vacation? Then - you guessed it - plan it out in your calendar. Not only do you deserve to have your own adventures, it’s great modeling for your kid.

Some fun things in my world that are only happening because I’m “aggressive and intentional” with my planning (stealing Jesse’s words!) -

🐰 taking Sonny to a farm on Saturday with an Easter egg hunt and petting zoo and face painting 🤩 

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 a trip to Scotland next week to visit friends (the budgeting, the logistics, alllll worth it because I get a whole week exploring Glasgow and lochs and whiskey distilleries!)

🪴having a standing scary movie night with a neighbour/new friend since no one else we know loves horror films as much as we do 🎥 

Opportunities

• Internship at the Office of Digital Transformation with the UNEP. For students in their final year of university or grad school. Based in Nairobi 🤩 Check it out here.

• Brain and Motion Education is hosting incredible camps all over the USA this summer for kids ages 6 - 14. I’m a big fan of innovative educational experiences described as “whimsical” ✨ 

• If you have a high school graduate interested in tech, entrepreneurship, venture capital, GenShe has a cool program.

Resources

• Bates College Centre for Purposeful Work. This is what college and deciding on a career should be, but generally isn’t. If you read my last newsletter, you know I have deep conviction in the power of structured, deliberate, and iterative introspection as the key to finding the right fit academic and career path. This is a great example of what that can look like in higher ed.

• Rulebreaker newsletter. Jess Weisz is a working Mom who GETS IT. I attended an event she held for International Women’s Day, and can confirm that the community she’s creating is special. She know what it’s like to be a high-achiever, to set (possibly insane) high standards for yourself in work and as a parent…and the costs of doing so. Her next event is in April, it’s free, and will involve candid conversations and thought-provoking insights on what it means to define success on your terms. It’s a caring and compassion space, authentic and inspiring, no nonsense or fluff. I highly encourage you to check it out 💛 

• “Everyone talks about love languages, but do you know your stress language?” —> this is a great post for bettering our understanding of ourselves and loved ones. Most of my students are A, B or C 😟 

Offers

• The next cohort for the Student Success Accelerator 2.0 kicks off April 15th! The gist: give me your child for 8 weeks, and I will give you back a more confident, happy teen getting the grades they want and feeling empowered to succeed at whatever they put their mind to. Book a call here to see if it’s a fit for your teen.

Free Workshop: How To Transform Your Teen Into A Thriving “A” Student

If you’ve been with me a while, there’s a chance you’ve seen this workshop. It’s still around because it’s that good. I go into detail about the five shifts that help struggling students learn how to get good grades in ALL subjects, consistently.

Click the button below to watch (skip to 8”50 to dive into shift #1):

DIY Learn How To Learn

Our revamped curriculum has bite-sized trainings and templates that show your teen exactly how to do and feel their best in school.

They can work through it on their own, or you can do it with them.

“But Mom, I already have so much on my plate, I can’t take on more.”

—> Good news! This isn’t more on your plate; it’s giving you a new plate that makes everything in your life more manageable. It’s a small investment of time and energy for massive, sustainable long-term gains including higher grades and more free time.

—> Even better news? The skills they learn here translate to college + scholarship applications, prepping for job interviews, and virtually every challenge they’ll have to navigate as school gets harder and their first ‘real’ job gets nearer.

DFY Program

This is where I personally work with your child for 8 weeks to set them up with the skills and systems for learning and life success.

Your teen will get higher grades and develop excellent time management and executive functioning skills.

They’ll feel confident in their abilities to achieve whatever it is they want for themselves. Check out what other parents and students have to say about it here.

The next cohort starts April 15th.

Book a 1:1 call here to see if it’s a fit.

1  Do It Yourself

2  Done For You