Alexandria, VA – September is a strange month, isn’t it? Everyone’s finally back to school, lunchboxes are mysteriously missing lids again, and the routines are starting to settle. Sort of. But underneath the hustle of new schedules, sharpened pencils, and that leftover pool chlorine smell clinging to backpacks, something bigger is happening:

Our kids are becoming someone new.

Every school year marks more than just academic milestones. It’s also a powerful season of identity building, especially for tweens and teens. That first month back is like an emotional and developmental dress rehearsal. Who do I want to be this year? What’s different about me now? Am I the same person I was in June?

These questions aren’t always spoken aloud (because, well, teenagers), but they are loudly playing

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