Today is my BIRTHDAY!! New chapter. New perspective. Still me.

As another birthday arrives, I'm realizing something I wish I'd understood years ago: celebrating yourself isn't selfish—it might actually be one of the healthiest things you can do.

This isn't an episode about cake or getting older.

It's about choosing yourself on purpose. About remembering who you were before life asked you to become everything for everyone else. And about making one quiet promise to yourself that changes everything.

If you've ever felt guilty for wanting more joy, more peace, or simply more of yourself back…

Pull up a chair.

Let's talk about it.

As parents, one of the hardest parts of preparing our children for middle school isn't buying the school supplies—it's learning when to hold on and when to let go.

In this episode, we explore one simple but powerful truth: independence isn't something children suddenly have on the first day of middle school. It's something they practice, one small wobble at a time.

Using the image of a child learning to ride a bicycle, we'll talk about why mistakes aren't signs of failure—they're part of the learning process. We'll also take an honest (and hopefully grace-filled) look at ourselves by exploring the parenting instincts that often show up under pressure. Are you more likely to hover, clear the path, defend, investigate, or coach? None of these instincts make you a "good" or "bad" parent. They simply reveal how love sometimes responds to fear.

This episode also introduces a philosophy that will become a cornerstone of the Two Cent Charlie community: The Campfire Parent™—the kind of parent who creates emotional safety, keeps conversations warm, and raises children who know they can always come home, even as they learn to stand on their own.

If you've ever wondered…

• Am I helping my child become independent—or accidentally doing too much for them?

• How do I let my child struggle without feeling like I'm failing them?

• How do I prepare them for middle school without protecting them from every challenge?

…then pull up a chair. There's a seat for you around the campfire.

Because confidence isn't built by avoiding problems.

It's built by learning you can solve them.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why independence is practiced—not granted

• The five parenting instincts that often emerge under stress

• How small, everyday experiences build lasting confidence

• Why "wobbling" is an essential part of growing up

• The heart behind The Campfire Parent™ and how it can strengthen your relationship with your child before, during, and long after middle school

So grab your coffee, settle in, and let's keep preparing the adults who will walk beside children through one of life's biggest transitions.

Helping kids by helping the adults help kids…one conversation at a time.

Topics:

• Doing too much for kids.

• Missing opportunities to build independence.

• Organization.

• Self-advocacy.

• Problem-solving.

Practical challenge: Have your child:

• email a teacher

• order food

• make a phone call

• keep track of a calendar

before school starts.

Episode 2: It's Not Personal. It's Puberty.

One day they're asking for one more bedtime story. The next, they're rolling their eyes because you reminded them to brush their teeth. What happened?

In this episode, we unpack what's really going on during adolescence—from changing brains and shifting friendships to big emotions and growing independence. Understanding the developmental stage your child is entering won't eliminate the challenges, but it can completely change how you respond to them.

Join me for a coffee chat about why middle school isn't creating a different child—it's introducing you to a child who's in the process of becoming. We'll talk about how curiosity can replace conflict, why behavior is often communication, and how your calm can become your child's borrowed calm.

If you've ever wondered, "Is this normal?" or "How do I help without losing myself or our connection to each other?"—this conversation is for you.

My Two Cents: It's not personal. It's puberty. And understanding the difference may be one of the greatest gifts you can give your child.

Episode 1: Welcome to the Middle

Middle school has a reputation.

Parents brace for attitude, awkwardness, and endless eye rolls. Kids wonder if they'll fit in. Teachers prepare for a fresh group of students trying to figure out who they are.

But what if middle school isn't something to fear?

In the first episode of So Your Baby Is Going to Middle School, Assistant Principal and mom Charlia invites you to pull up a chair for a conversation over coffee. She shares what she's learned from standing at the intersection of students, parents, and teachers—and why she believes the adults' preparation matters just as much as the child's.

This isn't a checklist of school supplies or survival tips. It's the beginning of a different kind of journey—one focused on connection, curiosity, and helping your child navigate middle school without losing yourselves or each other.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why middle school isn't changing your child—it's revealing who they're becoming.

• The unique perspective of someone who supports kids, parents, and teachers every day.

• How preparing yourself can make all the difference for your child.

• One simple conversation to start before the first day of school.

So grab your coffee, take a deep breath, and let's get ready for a brand-new school year—together.

Summer Challenge: Set aside 15 uninterrupted minutes with your child this week and simply listen.

Take what you need. Leave what you don't. Share your two cents with someone who could use a little encouragement.

For years, I poured into everyone else.

My family. My students. My career. My responsibilities.

And somewhere along the way, I quietly placed pieces of myself on a shelf.

Dreams. Passions. Joy. Purpose. Even my own voice.

As I stand on the edge of forty-five, I'm realizing that this season isn't about reinventing myself.

It's about reclaiming myself.

In this opening manifesto, I reflect on identity, becoming, middle seasons, and the courage to stop postponing the life you've been called to live.

If you've ever looked around and wondered what happened to the version of you that used to dream, this conversation is for you.

Because unfinished does not mean broken.

And becoming is not something reserved for the young.

Take what you need. Leave what you've learned.

Someone else may need it too.

Who is Two Cent Charlie?

In this foundational episode, Charlia shares the story behind the name, the mission, and the philosophy that connects everything she creates—from schools and leadership to parenting, relationships, and life itself.

What started as an educator's perspective has grown into something much bigger: a belief that hard moments don't have to cost us our relationships.

This episode explores collective wisdom, human connection, and why supporting the people supporting kids may be one of the most important investments we can make.