I’ve never been more equipped to write this email than I am today–and we’ve had this topic on the books for weeks.

Last week, my son started Kindergarten–new school, new faces, very new challenges.

We knew the first day would be tough–but it actually turned out to be so much harder than we even expected. He was VERY upset, feeling deeply, and my husband and I used ALL our tools to make him feel safe and to arm him with what he needed–but in the end, we were a puddle of tears, too.

I like to reflect on these moments once the rollercoaster of emotion has come to a halt, because there’s always something to learn. I sat back and wondered if I had done or said the right things. Did I keep my cool? Was there something I could have done differently? Did I set him up for success?

I had spent the morning on a text chain with all of the grandparents, giving updates, accepting their pep talks and moral support, and I realized…the questions I’m asking myself now, never end.

Our parents, while WE were at school dropoff and anxiously awaiting updates on the text thread, were hopeful they had instilled the skills in us to handle these moments, too. It’s a cycle–a long one. Building confidence in our children and teaching them the life skills they need to thrive, is at the center of what it is to be a parent–whether your child is 5 or 45.

This week on Bound + Determined, I chat with Ana Homayoun, founder of Silicon Valley-based Green Ivy Educational Consulting, a consulting firm that helps students, parents and educators with executive functioning skills, including organization, time-management, and overall wellness.

She is the author of three acclaimed books, and her fourth, Erasing the Finish Line: The New Blueprint for Student Success Beyond Grades and College Admission has just released with Hachette.

In this conversation we chat:

• What it means to be a savvy consumer of education
• Why students need a reframe on their path through school
• What parents can do to support kids so they thrive
• What the college admission process and the book process have in common
• How our communities can support a new vision for education and mentorship
• Where authors can be advocating for themselves in the publishing process

Whether you have children, young or grown, or are in a position to support children within the community–I highly recommend this episode. It’s a powerful look at what we can really do to support young minds everywhere.

Plus, you’ll gain the wisdom of a 4-time author–a truly invaluable conversation.

Xx

Richelle

P.S. The Aspiring Authors Assembly is TOMORROW! Don’t forget to sign up–it’s free! We’re chatting all about what gets agents and publishers fired up! The good and the bad! Grab your seat here!