The first time you pack a home to start a new one, you realize you’re not just moving furniture, you’re moving a culture. I found that out the year my husband and I wrapped and packed our new dishes next to his large trunk of travel souvenirs and my grandmother’s floral music box. On paper,…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/pexels-caleboquendo-3038369-scaled.jpg12972048Lauren Hallhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2025-11-16 11:00:002025-11-13 14:57:25Honoring Where You’re From While Building What Comes Next
Here’s the truth about “adulting” in 2025: it’s a moving target. As a 35-year-old CEO of a family nonprofit—and a mom to a fearless two-year-old and a six-year-old who just discovered the magic of school lunch pizza—I think a lot about what our kids are growing up into. The U.S. Census Bureau’s latest look at…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-helenalopes-708440-scaled.jpg14442048Lauren Hallhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2025-08-24 11:00:002025-08-20 16:46:59Key Adult Milestones Are Not Being Reached: What That Means for Everyone
My brother and I had a lengthy conversation this week about mental health. We both work in what I’ll call “high-impact” jobs, though they seem worlds apart. Some days, coping and processing the stress can feel like mental gymnastics, flipping and stretching the capacities of our mental health. According to a 2016 meta-analysis on mental…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-kamaji-ogino-5094662-scaled.jpg12772048Lauren Hallhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2025-08-17 11:00:002025-08-11 14:19:04The Low Down on Mental Health, Stress and Family Genetics
If you listen closely, you can already hear it—the zip of fresh backpacks, the crinkle of notebook wrappers, and the collective gasp of parents realizing the days of “popsicles for lunch” are numbered. Whether your child is brand‑new to kindergarten or a seasoned locker‑door slammer, a little prep now will save everyone tears. Here are…
As a mom of two—I get it. Screens are everywhere. They’re helpful, entertaining, and sometimes, let’s be honest, the only reason we get to finish our coffee while it’s still warm. But as both a parent and the CEO of a nonprofit that helps strengthen families, I can’t stop talking about the effects screens have…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pexels-karolina-grabowska-4959741-scaled.jpg13652048Lauren Hallhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2025-07-27 11:00:002025-07-21 12:00:34How Screen Use Can Shape Children’s Brains (and What to Watch For)
The other night, my 6-year-old son looked up from his peanut butter sandwich and asked, “Mom, what’s going on in that place called Gaza? Everybody is talking about it.” I paused, mid-bite, suddenly aware that his little ears had caught news from the TV at his grandparents’ house. It’s a question many of us face:…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4473774-scaled.jpg13652048Lauren Hallhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2025-07-20 11:00:002025-07-11 15:26:08When and How to Discuss Tragedies With Your Children
My almost two-year-old daughter insists on putting her shoes on “by MY-self.” It takes five full minutes, a mild meltdown, and one backward sandal, but she makes it happen. Meanwhile, her six-year-old brother loves to “make his own breakfast”—which, in his world, means putting jelly on bread and pouring his own oatmilk. Was it messy?…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pexels-cottonbro-6651157-scaled.jpg13652048Lauren Hallhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2025-07-13 11:00:002025-07-22 12:44:25How to Help Young Kids Grow More Independent
The other night, my six-year-old son asked, “Can something be true for one person but not for another?” And just like that, between spaghetti and bedtime, we stumbled into philosophy. I know—it sounds like something best left to college kids with thick glasses and lots of coffee. But recent research says otherwise. In fact, teaching…
Something interesting is happening around kitchen tables these days. Families are talking more openly about things that used to stay quietly tucked away—anxiety, boundaries, burnout, childhood wounds. Mental health culture has brought these topics out of the shadows and into everyday conversation. That’s a good thing—mostly. But it’s also created a growing tension between generations.…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/pexels-rdne-6148866-scaled-e1750262537733.jpg11572048Lauren Hallhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2025-06-22 11:00:062025-06-18 12:41:57Bridging the Gap: When Mental Health Culture Meets Family History
It’s no secret Dads play a special role in the lives of their children. Whether they’re fully present, somewhat present or not present at all, the impact fathers and even father figures have on children’s lives is profound. Yet a report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notes, “Too many fathers become…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/pexels-josh-willink-11499-1157395-scaled.jpg13652048Lauren Hallhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2025-06-15 10:00:002025-06-09 12:46:52The Unsung Superpower of Fathers: What Dads Really Bring to the Table
I’ve worked in the non-profit space long enough to know poverty wears more faces than just financial strain. And while my current reality is keeping my toddler from climbing everything in sight and trying to stop my six-year-old from sneakily waking up in the middle of the night to play legos for hours, I can’t…
There’s an old saying: “You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family.” It’s a phrase often used when we’re caught between the emotional turmoil of familial obligation and the complex realities of our relationships. But does this mean we’re required to care for family members who’ve shown little to no care for…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pexels-rdne-6149192-scaled.jpg13652048Lauren Hallhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2025-06-01 11:00:002025-05-29 13:01:57Should You Care for Family Members Who Never Cared for You?
If your household is anything like mine, summertime can feel like you’ve traded one color-coded calendar (school) for another (everything else). The good news? With a pinch of planning and a dash of research-backed creativity, families can turn the season into a relationship-building sandbox—no matter how full the calendar looks. Here’s the game plan. 1.…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pexels-biova-nakou-465336-1471843-scaled-e1747325765732.jpg11332048Lauren Hallhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2025-05-25 10:00:002025-06-09 11:38:22From School Bells to Summer Breezes: 9 Ways to Make the Most of Summer
My (almost) two-year-old daughter loves to listen to Elmo songs. Thanks to AI, she can say “Hey Google, play Elmo” in any room in the house and her favorite jams will fill the speakers, so long as Google can “speak toddler” that day. While this is cute and convenient for her, it’s also created a…
As a 34-year-old mom of two (a Lego-obsessed 6-year-old and a toddler who thinks sleep is optional), wife of 12 years, and CEO of a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening families, I often find myself juggling more than just the usual daily tasks. It’s the mental load—the invisible, relentless stream of responsibilities—that truly weighs me down.…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/WP-Banner-scaled.jpg8962048Lauren Hallhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2025-05-06 10:45:442025-05-06 10:45:47The Invisible Load: Why Moms Are Mentally Maxed Out (and What We Can Do About It)
If you have children or grandchildren under the age of 8 years old, you’ve more than likely heard of the rise of gentle parenting. Met with mixed reviews, feelings and feedback, this parenting trend has generated a large buzz. But is this nurturing approach the parenting gold standard—or a recipe for raising emotionally fragile, mini-dictators?…
Last week, my one-year-old daughter discovered the comedy goldmine of me pretending to fall asleep at the dinner table. Nothing, and I mean nothing, makes her giggle like someone slowly closing their eyes and pretending to snore while they’re taking a bite of mashed potatoes. Meanwhile, my six-year-old son—nearly finishing his first year of kindergarten—has…
If you’ve ever found yourself eating leftover chicken nuggets off your toddler’s plate while frantically answering an email and mentally calculating how many minutes you have before soccer practice, congratulations—you may be experiencing family burnout. As a working parent of two young kids, I know the hustle all too well. Mornings are a frantic dash…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/WP-Banner-scaled.jpg8962048Lauren Hallhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2025-04-02 11:07:192025-04-02 11:09:01Family Burnout: How to Spot It, Stop It, and Bounce Back
Last week, I had lunch with my five-year-old son and his kindergarten class. I try to eat lunch with him at least once a month, so all of his classmates know me fairly well. One extra talkative student planted themselves next to me and proceeded to tell me all about how one of their parents…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/WP-Banner-3-scaled.jpg8962048Lauren Hallhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2025-03-28 13:25:432025-03-28 13:25:46When a Parent Goes to Prison: The Unseen Sentence on Children
Honoring Where You’re From While Building What Comes Next
The first time you pack a home to start a new one, you realize you’re not just moving furniture, you’re moving a culture. I found that out the year my husband and I wrapped and packed our new dishes next to his large trunk of travel souvenirs and my grandmother’s floral music box. On paper,…
How “Therapy Culture” has Increased Mom Guilt
Key Adult Milestones Are Not Being Reached: What That Means for Everyone
Here’s the truth about “adulting” in 2025: it’s a moving target. As a 35-year-old CEO of a family nonprofit—and a mom to a fearless two-year-old and a six-year-old who just discovered the magic of school lunch pizza—I think a lot about what our kids are growing up into. The U.S. Census Bureau’s latest look at…
The Low Down on Mental Health, Stress and Family Genetics
My brother and I had a lengthy conversation this week about mental health. We both work in what I’ll call “high-impact” jobs, though they seem worlds apart. Some days, coping and processing the stress can feel like mental gymnastics, flipping and stretching the capacities of our mental health. According to a 2016 meta-analysis on mental…
7 Stress‑Saving Steps for a Smooth Back‑to‑School Launch
If you listen closely, you can already hear it—the zip of fresh backpacks, the crinkle of notebook wrappers, and the collective gasp of parents realizing the days of “popsicles for lunch” are numbered. Whether your child is brand‑new to kindergarten or a seasoned locker‑door slammer, a little prep now will save everyone tears. Here are…
How Screen Use Can Shape Children’s Brains (and What to Watch For)
As a mom of two—I get it. Screens are everywhere. They’re helpful, entertaining, and sometimes, let’s be honest, the only reason we get to finish our coffee while it’s still warm. But as both a parent and the CEO of a nonprofit that helps strengthen families, I can’t stop talking about the effects screens have…
When and How to Discuss Tragedies With Your Children
The other night, my 6-year-old son looked up from his peanut butter sandwich and asked, “Mom, what’s going on in that place called Gaza? Everybody is talking about it.” I paused, mid-bite, suddenly aware that his little ears had caught news from the TV at his grandparents’ house. It’s a question many of us face:…
How to Help Young Kids Grow More Independent
My almost two-year-old daughter insists on putting her shoes on “by MY-self.” It takes five full minutes, a mild meltdown, and one backward sandal, but she makes it happen. Meanwhile, her six-year-old brother loves to “make his own breakfast”—which, in his world, means putting jelly on bread and pouring his own oatmilk. Was it messy?…
The Surprising Subject That’s Missing from Our Kids’ Lives
The other night, my six-year-old son asked, “Can something be true for one person but not for another?” And just like that, between spaghetti and bedtime, we stumbled into philosophy. I know—it sounds like something best left to college kids with thick glasses and lots of coffee. But recent research says otherwise. In fact, teaching…
Bridging the Gap: When Mental Health Culture Meets Family History
Something interesting is happening around kitchen tables these days. Families are talking more openly about things that used to stay quietly tucked away—anxiety, boundaries, burnout, childhood wounds. Mental health culture has brought these topics out of the shadows and into everyday conversation. That’s a good thing—mostly. But it’s also created a growing tension between generations.…
The Unsung Superpower of Fathers: What Dads Really Bring to the Table
It’s no secret Dads play a special role in the lives of their children. Whether they’re fully present, somewhat present or not present at all, the impact fathers and even father figures have on children’s lives is profound. Yet a report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notes, “Too many fathers become…
The Poverty We Don’t Talk About Enough
I’ve worked in the non-profit space long enough to know poverty wears more faces than just financial strain. And while my current reality is keeping my toddler from climbing everything in sight and trying to stop my six-year-old from sneakily waking up in the middle of the night to play legos for hours, I can’t…
Should You Care for Family Members Who Never Cared for You?
There’s an old saying: “You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family.” It’s a phrase often used when we’re caught between the emotional turmoil of familial obligation and the complex realities of our relationships. But does this mean we’re required to care for family members who’ve shown little to no care for…
From School Bells to Summer Breezes: 9 Ways to Make the Most of Summer
If your household is anything like mine, summertime can feel like you’ve traded one color-coded calendar (school) for another (everything else). The good news? With a pinch of planning and a dash of research-backed creativity, families can turn the season into a relationship-building sandbox—no matter how full the calendar looks. Here’s the game plan. 1.…
How Artificial Intelligence is Shaping Families
My (almost) two-year-old daughter loves to listen to Elmo songs. Thanks to AI, she can say “Hey Google, play Elmo” in any room in the house and her favorite jams will fill the speakers, so long as Google can “speak toddler” that day. While this is cute and convenient for her, it’s also created a…
The Invisible Load: Why Moms Are Mentally Maxed Out (and What We Can Do About It)
As a 34-year-old mom of two (a Lego-obsessed 6-year-old and a toddler who thinks sleep is optional), wife of 12 years, and CEO of a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening families, I often find myself juggling more than just the usual daily tasks. It’s the mental load—the invisible, relentless stream of responsibilities—that truly weighs me down.…
The Rise of Gentle Parenting- Helpful or Harmful?
If you have children or grandchildren under the age of 8 years old, you’ve more than likely heard of the rise of gentle parenting. Met with mixed reviews, feelings and feedback, this parenting trend has generated a large buzz. But is this nurturing approach the parenting gold standard—or a recipe for raising emotionally fragile, mini-dictators?…
Happy Families Aren’t Just Lucky, They’re Intentional
Last week, my one-year-old daughter discovered the comedy goldmine of me pretending to fall asleep at the dinner table. Nothing, and I mean nothing, makes her giggle like someone slowly closing their eyes and pretending to snore while they’re taking a bite of mashed potatoes. Meanwhile, my six-year-old son—nearly finishing his first year of kindergarten—has…
Family Burnout: How to Spot It, Stop It, and Bounce Back
If you’ve ever found yourself eating leftover chicken nuggets off your toddler’s plate while frantically answering an email and mentally calculating how many minutes you have before soccer practice, congratulations—you may be experiencing family burnout. As a working parent of two young kids, I know the hustle all too well. Mornings are a frantic dash…
When a Parent Goes to Prison: The Unseen Sentence on Children
Last week, I had lunch with my five-year-old son and his kindergarten class. I try to eat lunch with him at least once a month, so all of his classmates know me fairly well. One extra talkative student planted themselves next to me and proceeded to tell me all about how one of their parents…