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Join me for a conversation with Dr Fae Frederick, about mental health and our FS kids.  We talk about tips for families, for every day and also for times of transition, roles and responsibilities for parents, preventative care and getting the support you and your family need, especially while overseas.  As always, a great resource, Dr Fae has great supplemental links to share.

Resources mentioned:

Where to find Dr Fae: www.drfae.com

Information about the groups Dr Fae mentioned: www.drfae.com/groups

Resource guide for FS folks and families: https://online-therapy.net/blog-home/mh-guide

PCS and Transitions: https://online-therapy.net/blog-home/goodbyeseason

Some great books to explore about development and communication:

Body-Brain Parenting: https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Body-Parenting-Managing-Behavior-Resilient/dp/0063061317

How to talk so kids will listen: https://www.amazon.com/How-Talk-Kids-Will-Listen/dp/1451663889

How to talk so little kids will listen: https://www.amazon.com/dp/150113163X

Ages and stages: https://www.amazon.com/Ages-Stages-Parents-Childhood-Development/dp/0471370878

Life Cycle Completed: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Cycle-Completed-Extended-Version/dp/0393317722 Erik Erickson and all his wisdom

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Excited to chat today with Dr Kristen Cook, a pediatrician, talking about kids, adjustment and transitions, and how to parent the child you have.  We move a lot in this lifestyle, and it can start to wear on your kiddos.  Let's support their well being with some key suggestions.

Dr Kristen shared with us some great resources for mental health support:

https://www.therapistaid.com/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb

To learn more about Dr Kristen:

https://www.kristencookmd.com/

And listen to her podcast:

https://www.kristencookmd.com/podcast

Kristen's book:

https://www.amazon.com/Parenting-Redefined-Understanding-Nurturing-Behavior

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It's been a while, but we finally have another 4 Women Talking conversation.  We start off talking about clothing and expectations for women, talk about beauty ideals and unrealistic viewpoints and land on supporting other women and embracing positive conversations, especially with our kiddos to help them embrace realistic and positive self- and world-views.  

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Let's explore more for FS kids and college: this time we are exploring international options.  Is your student a good fit to flourish in university overseas?  Hannah and I discuss options in Canada, UK, and Netherlands, and include considerations for parents and students for exploring these options.

To reach Hannah:

[email protected]

 www.peakcollegeconsulting.com

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Here we are with episode 3 from our series talking about Foreign Service kids and College.  This time, Hannah and I talk about money.  How to figure costs, what is need, what is merit and other kinds of aid, and how can we make going to university a bit more accessibly, financially-speaking.  It's a very different ballgame than when we parents went to university!  Grab your notebook and get ready to take a deep dive into finances for university.  

Links and resources:

• Net Price Calculators (https://collegecost.ed.gov/net-price)
• Federal Student Aid Estimator (https://studentaid.gov/aid-estimator)
• Loan Simulator (https://studentaid.gov/loan-simulator)
• Big J Education Consultant Resources (https://www.bigjeducationalconsulting.com/resources)
• Dr. Lauren MacKnoon Steed Dual Enrollment from Abroad List
• How to Qualify for In-State College Tuition (https://afsa.org/how-qualify-state-college-tuition)
• Estrela Consulting’s 
• Ultimate List of Hidden College Scholarships (https://blog.estrelaconsulting.com/the-ultimate-list-of-hidden-college-scholarships)
• Big Future Scholarship Search (https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search)
• CSS Profile Participating Schools (https://profile.collegeboard.org/PPI/participatingInstitutions.aspx)

For more information on Dual Enrollment programs, please see the attached pdf at  https://www.healthyexpatparent.com/post/fs-kids-and-college-3-let-s-talk-money 

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Recording #2 - FS kids and University

A chat with Hannah Engel-Rebitzer, an independent Educational Consultant with Peak College Consulting, about what it is students should be looking for in university, and how parents can support this piece of the process.  We talk about location, academics, social scene, as well as a little about finances.  We talk about creating a balanced list and what that looks like.  

To reach Hannah:

[email protected]

 www.peakcollegeconsulting.com

Resources mentioned:

Tools for creating a College list and researching

• College Navigator
• College Data
• Big Future 
• Atriculation agreements exist in all states. https://www.ecs.org/50-state-comparison-transfer-and-articulation/
• College Scorecard
• CampusReel
• Naviance and other college search tools https://www.lumiere-education.com/post/10-college-counseling-software-you-should-know-about

Finances

• Net Price Calculator 
• SAI Estimate
• Federal Student Aid estimator
• Big J Education Consultant

Another conversation on Kids in university: Ask LIsa Podcast https://youtu.be/dEh8JRM2ltk?si=yBhOgbrstfhOR-Sm

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First in a series of podcasts about Foreign Service Kids and Applying to College.  We'll talk about what colleges are looking for, what kids should be looking for, finances, different types of schools, and more.  

We welcome comments and questions!  

#1 - What are colleges looking for in applications, and how parents can support their FS kids through the process?

A chat with Hannah Engel-Rebitzer, an independent Educational Consultant with Peak College Consulting, about the 6 main things that schools are looking for and how triumph with each one.

To reach Hannah:

[email protected]

 www.peakcollegeconsulting.com

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Join Susie Brown and Sex Education Expert Scotney Young talk sex ed: global sex education standard disparities, age appropriate sex/gender education, helping parents with difficult (and awkward!) discussions with their tweens/teens, empowering teens for gender equality, & what you can do to support child safety.

Scotney Young: https://www.instagram.com/rootsandboundaries?igsh=b2VveThpankyZDgz 

Scotney's website: https://www.rootsandboundaries.com/  

Resources for parents:

• The Sex Education Answer Book: By the Age Responses to Tough Questions Kids Ask Parents About Sex: A definitive guidebook for parents for questions about sex & demystifying sex for parent & child. 
• Kids Ask Script-building resource for parents/adults for conversations with kiddos around self-esteem, healthy relationships and making informed decisions.
• https://amaze.org/parents/- resources for parents & youth(8-14) about sexuality, bodies, and relationships
• Porn: fact or fiction - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdB2rmGqqNU&ab_channel=AMAZEOrg
• Guide to talking about porn: https://amaze.org/parents/guides/porn/
• https://parents.culturereframed.org/course/parents-of-tweens/  - Free self-guided programs on build kids' resilience & resistance to hypersexualized culture and impacts of pornography 
• Sex ed for Christian parents - https://www.sexedreclaimed.com/ 
• Sex ed for Muslim parents - https://resources.muslimkids.tv/sex-education/ 
• Sex ed for Jewish parents -  https://mizrachi.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/HaMizrachi_Yom-Ha_Atzmaut_Israel_2021_58.pdf 
• Great Podcasts: This is so Awkward puberty podcast (and great newsletter)
  • Birds and bees and kids with Amy Lang
• Sex Positive Families: Massive database of sex-positive books and resources for every age. 
• From Susie: https://www.youtube.com/@asklisapodcast all topics tween & teen related, including sex, drugs, hormones and study habits

Resources for educators:

• Rights, Respect, Responsibility: K-12 Sexuality Education Curriculum by Advocates for Youth based on US National Sex Education Standards https://3rs.org/download-3rs/ 
• Amaze: Age-appropriate videos providing medically accurate sex education for adolescents as determined by parents, educators and medical professionals. (annual free “Sex Ed Con” webinar for educators; all the past webinars are linked)
• https://www.joinonelove.org/our-education/  - intimate partner violence prevention organization - free healthy friendships and relationships for all ages lesson plans & training

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Finding professional fulfillment overseas can be challenging, but not impossible.  What can you do to make this lifestyle work for you, professionally?  Join Susie Csorsz Brown and Scotney Young as they talk about different ways to find professional fulfillment, keeping sane, and what does networking do for you.  

We talk about challenges and benefits of EFM employment, successful career transitions, portable career networking and more.  Listen here!

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There comes a point where our foreign service journey ends, and we find ourselves leaving this space, this label, this persona for ... who knows what to expect?  Finding yourself facing this as your next move?  Listen to Sharoya share her wisdom, and Lisa shares some of her concerns and solutions.  Join us for the chat.