Parenting Pointers - Competitive Sports and Confidence

 Sports tryouts are where many girls build lifelong confidence, or decide they don't belong.

Research shows that by age 14, girls are dropping out of sports at twice the rate of boys, often just as puberty, periods, and social pressure begin to intensify. Those exits don't just affect athletics, they can shape confidence, leadership, and willingness to take risks for years to come.

I had a chance to interview Nicole Johnston, former Fortune 500 executive, executive leadership coach, bestselling author of Taboo Topics: Things Women Should Talk About, But Don't, and TEDx speaker (When Being ‘Too Much’ Is Actually Just Enough). She discusses why the conversations parents have before and after fall sports tryouts matter just as much as the results themselves.

What are the benefits of being involved in competitive sports, especially for girls?

I was a high jumper in high school and college. Not a glamorous event. You run fifty feet and throw yourself backward over a bar, hoping your body cooperates. But that sport taught me things I still use every day. How to walk up to a bar you've failed to clear twice and try a third time. How to trust a coach who sees something in your form that you can't see yourself. How to be part of something bigger than yourself  (team) even when your event is, essentially, a solo act.

Girls who play sports get to practice being brave and resilient in a low-stakes way, over and over, until it's not so low-stakes anymore. You miss the shot. You get back in position. You lose the match. You show up to practice on Monday anyway. That rhythm becomes part of who you are, and it follows you into boardrooms and hard conversations long after the uniform comes off.

What are some benefits to trying out, even if someone doesn't make the team? How can parents and guardians respond to both success and disappointment around tryouts?

The bravest thing your daughter does this year might be walking into that gym for tryouts, not knowing if she'll make the cut. That takes more nerve than most adults have.  And, regardless of what happens, this builds very necessary life skills, because we don’t always get what we want in life.

I write in my book about the first time I tried salsa dancing. I stepped on my teacher's toes almost immediately. I was mortified. She just laughed and said, "It happens. Now remember, start with your right foot." That one moment of grace made me willing to keep going. Tryouts work the same way. The outcome matters far less than whether she felt safe enough to try in the first place.

If she doesn't make the team, sit with her in the disappointment instead of rushing to explain it away or fix it. Let her feel it fully. Then, when she's ready, ask her what she's proud of about showing up.  And, even more critically, ask her what she wants to do next¹:  try again, get more training/skills/camp, decide to add to the team as support (manager or statistician), or simply be done.  And then, critically, ice cream - ice cream always helps¹. If she does make it, celebrate the courage and the work as much as the result. Kids who only get praised for being naturally good at something learn to avoid anything they're not immediately good at. Kids who get praised for trying to learn to keep walking into that gym.

What factors contribute to girls dropping out of sports at a much higher rate than boys?

I think about the girl in my fourth-grade class who got her period early. During recess one day, kids went through her desk, took her pads, and stuck them where everyone could see. I remember her face. I remember not understanding why it was happening, only that something about being a girl had suddenly made her a target.

A few things collide at exactly the wrong moment. By age 14, girls are dropping out of sports at twice the rate of boys.  Bodies are changing in ways that feel exposed and unfamiliar. Friend groups start deciding what's cool and what isn't, and sports can quietly fall into the "not cool" category. Nobody wants to be the one still showing up to practice if her whole friend group has moved on to something else.

There's also a quieter pressure running underneath all of it. Girls are often taught that they need to be good at something right away or not bother. Boys tend to get more room to fail and try again. So, when a sport gets harder right as everything else in her life feels harder too, quitting can feel like the only path that doesn't require more risk. It isn't the only path. It's just the one that asks the least of her in the moment.

How can parents, guardians, coaches, and other adults help teen girls navigate menstruation and sports participation?

When I worked in feminine care earlier in my career, we used a machine that simulated period cramps using electric shocks. Men would put the leads on laughing, confident they could handle it. By the time we hit level six (the usual pain of an average period day two) most of them were sweating and had stopped joking. That image has stuck with me for years. What girls carry through a normal week of practice is not small, and many of the adults around them have never had to feel it to understand it.

One of my favorite stories is about a woman named Kiran Gandhi, who trained for a year to run the London Marathon and found out on race day that she'd be on her period. Rather than pull out, she ran the whole thing without stopping to manage it. She later said the marathon course was a place where sexism could be beaten. That's the spirit we want to hand our daughters, that a period is not a reason to sit out her own life.

The most useful thing an adult can do is talk about periods before they arrive, so the first one isn't a crisis. Make sure products are always available at practice without her having to ask for special treatment. And build enough trust with coaches that she can say "I need a minute" without an explanation attached. Girls don't need adults to solve menstruation. They need adults who don't flinch when it comes up.

¹All colons and dashes inserted by an actual human.  ☺

Tech Tidbits - How AI Is Making Legal Help Easier & More Effective for Families

 Can an AI Chatbot Help Families Find Justice Faster and More Effectively?

By Merilee Kern, MBA

For decades, the legal profession has operated on a simple premise. If you needed legal help, you found a lawyer, scheduled a consultation, waited for a response, and hoped someone had enough time to fully understand your situation. That model is beginning to change.  

Artificial intelligence is now moving beyond legal research and document review. A new generation of AI agents is starting to influence one of the most important and often frustrating parts of the legal process: the first interaction between families and the legal system. For consumers, this shift matters more than many realize.  

  

When families face a birth injury, a serious medical mistake, nursing home neglect, or a wrongful death, they are rarely prepared for the complexity that follows. Medical records can stretch into thousands of pages. Events may span months or years. Key facts are often scattered across multiple hospitals, providers, specialists, and care facilities.  

At the same time, families are frequently dealing with grief, stress, financial pressure, and uncertainty. They are searching for answers while trying to understand whether something went wrong and whether they have any legal options at all. That is where AI agents are beginning to enter the picture.  

  

Unlike traditional chatbots that simply answer questions from a script, AI agents are designed to engage in conversations, gather information, ask follow-up questions, organize data, and assist with more complex tasks. In the legal sector, some firms are now using AI agents as an extension of their intake and case evaluation processes.  The distinction is important.  

One example is Mama Bear Law, a technology-driven national litigation firm focused on birth injuries, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, and wrongful death cases. The firm's proprietary AI assistant, known as "Mama," helps gather information from families, organize medical records, build chronologies, and identify areas that may warrant closer legal review. Rather than replacing attorneys, the system was designed to help legal teams understand highly complex cases more efficiently at the earliest stages of evaluation.

Historically, a law firm's intake process often depended on a brief phone call, a short online form, or a limited review of information provided by a prospective client. Attorneys and staff faced practical constraints. Time was limited. Resources were finite. Decisions sometimes had to be made quickly.  

  

AI agents create the possibility of a different approach. "Families often come to us carrying years of medical records, unanswered questions, and the feeling that nobody has taken the time to understand what happened," says David Roddenberry, co-founder of Mama Bear Law. "The goal is not to automate legal judgment. The goal is to make sure important information gets surfaced and organized so attorneys can evaluate a case with greater depth and context."

Rather than collecting only basic information, an AI system can continue asking relevant questions, organize timelines, identify missing information, and help clients assemble documentation. It can remain available at any hour of the day. It does not get distracted. It does not forget to ask a follow-up question because the office is busy.  

  

For consumers, that accessibility can be significant. This can be especially meaningful in catastrophic injury cases where timing matters. Families frequently begin looking for legal guidance outside traditional business hours while navigating medical appointments, caregiving responsibilities, or grief. AI agents can remain available around the clock, helping collect information and answer questions during periods when law offices would traditionally be closed.

Research from the Legal Services Corporation continues to highlight a persistent access-to-justice problem in the United States. Low-income Americans receive inadequate or no legal help for 92 percent of their civil legal problems, and financial barriers remain one of the primary reasons people never seek legal assistance in the first place.  

  

The reality is that many people never even reach the point of speaking with an attorney. Some assume they cannot afford legal help. Others are intimidated by the process. Many simply do not know whether their situation warrants legal review. AI agents cannot solve those systemic challenges on their own. They can, however, lower the friction that often prevents people from taking the first step.  

  

The legal industry's growing investment in artificial intelligence suggests that many firms see long-term potential in these technologies. In May, Kirkland & Ellis, the world's largest law firm by revenue, announced plans to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into developing its own AI platform. Other major legal organizations are integrating AI into research, litigation support, and client service functions.  

  

Yet the most meaningful impact for consumers may occur far from corporate boardrooms and large commercial litigation. It may happen during a midnight conversation with an AI agent when a parent is trying to understand a possible birth injury. It may happen when an adult child is gathering records related to suspected nursing home neglect. It may happen when a family overwhelmed by medical terminology finally has a system that can help organize events into a coherent timeline.  

Roddenberry indicated that, at Mama Bear Law, those interactions often begin long before an attorney reviews a file. He explains that the firm's AI assistant communicates with prospective clients through phone, text, and email, gathering information and helping families organize records before the legal team begins its formal evaluation process. The approach reflects a broader shift occurring throughout the profession as firms explore ways to reduce friction during intake and case assessment.

Supporters of AI-assisted legal intake argue that these systems excel at one task in particular: handling large volumes of information. Complex injury and medical malpractice cases are fundamentally information challenges. The facts exist somewhere inside medical records, treatment histories, physician notes, test results, and timelines. Finding the critical details often requires sorting through an enormous amount of material.  

"Medical malpractice and birth injury cases are fundamentally information problems," Roddenberry says. "The facts are usually there somewhere. The challenge is finding them, understanding how they fit together, and identifying the moments that deserve closer scrutiny. AI can help organize that information, but attorneys still have to interpret it and decide what it means."

AI systems are increasingly capable of helping identify patterns, inconsistencies, missing records, and events that deserve closer examination. They can help organize information in ways that allow attorneys to spend less time searching for facts and more time evaluating them. The difference is more than semantic.

That capability is one reason AI adoption has accelerated within highly document-intensive areas of law. At firms handling medical malpractice and birth injury litigation, a single case can involve thousands of pages of records spanning multiple healthcare providers and years of treatment history. Technologies that can help organize and analyze those materials are increasingly viewed as practical tools rather than experimental ones.

  

The future of legal AI is unlikely to involve robots replacing lawyers. The more realistic future involves technology supporting legal professionals while human attorneys remain responsible for judgment, strategy, advocacy, and accountability.  

"People sometimes frame this as a choice between technology and lawyers," Roddenberry says. "That misses the point. The strongest outcomes happen when technology helps professionals spend less time sorting through information and more time exercising judgment, strategy, and advocacy."

Recent court decisions and regulatory developments underscore that point. As AI adoption accelerates, courts and bar associations are issuing guidance that reinforces the lawyer's responsibility for overseeing and validating AI-assisted work. The technology may assist. Human professionals remain accountable.  

Consumers should view AI through the same lens. An AI agent can help collect information. It can help organize records. It can help identify questions worth exploring. It cannot replace legal judgment. It cannot determine liability. It cannot stand in a courtroom. It cannot understand the full human dimensions of a family's experience.  What it can do is make the path to legal help more accessible. For families confronting some of the most difficult moments of their lives, that alone could represent a meaningful shift.  

For firms focused on serious injury litigation, accessibility often means helping families obtain answers sooner. Mama Bear Law's AI-assisted intake model was built around that premise, combining technology-driven record analysis with attorney oversight in an effort to reduce delays and provide a more comprehensive initial review of potential cases.

  

The legal profession has experienced technological change before. Digital research transformed law libraries. Electronic filing changed court administration. Online databases accelerated access to information. AI agents represent another step in that evolution.  

The firms attracting attention today are not necessarily the ones using the most technology. They are the ones using technology to remove barriers, improve responsiveness, and help families receive answers faster than traditional systems often allowed. In an industry built on information, the ability to gather, organize, and understand that information more effectively may become one of the most consequential changes consumers experience over the next decade.  

Some of the most visible experimentation is occurring in firms that focus on highly complex healthcare-related litigation. These practices operate at the intersection of medicine, technology, and law, making them natural testing grounds for AI-assisted analysis. Mama Bear Law, founded by Harvard-trained attorney and cognitive neuroscience graduate David Roddenberry along with former Paul Weiss litigator James Fleming, represents one example of how legal organizations are beginning to integrate AI tools into case evaluation while maintaining attorney accountability throughout the process.

Entrepreneur Leadership Network member Merilee Kern, MBA, is a highly regarded brand strategist and analyst who reports on cultural shifts, trends, and notable industry leaders across both B2C and B2B sectors. Her work covers a broad range of categories, including field experts, thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations, and events. As Founder, Executive Editor, and Producer of The Luxe List International News Syndicate, Merilee is a respected voice in the business, lifestyle, travel, dining, and leisure industries. She stays attuned to the market, discovering innovative must-haves and unique experiences at all price points. Her work reaches millions worldwide through broadcast TV (including her own shows and numerous others on which she appears) as well as a variety of print and online publications. Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com / Instagram www.Instagram.com/MerileeKern / Twitter www.Twitter.com/MerileeKern / Facebook www.Facebook.com/MerileeKernOfficial / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.

Photo courtesy of Mama Bear Law

Music Minute - The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra: Sentimental Over You

The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, directed by Jeff Bush, honors the enduring legacy of legendary bandleader Tommy Dorsey with the release of its new album, Sentimental Over You, available now through Hindsight Records. Marking the first new album from The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra since 1981, the project celebrates the music that helped define the Big Band Era while bringing a fresh perspective to Dorsey’s timeless sound. Recorded in 2026 at Suma Recording Studio in Painesville, Ohio, the album breathes new life into some of Dorsey’s most popular recordings, including “Opus One,” “Yes, Indeed” and “Marie,” while also embracing the evolution of big band music with a fresh take on “Mr. Sandman,” originally made famous by The Chordettes in the 1950s.

Recording engineer David Shaw captured the orchestra with a crisp, modern sound while preserving the energy and character of the original recordings. Vocalist Hayden Grove brings his style to “Yes, Indeed” and “Marie,” while Jeff Bush takes the lead on “Birmingham Bounce” and “Mr. Sandman.” The album closes with a new swinging arrangement of “When the Saints Go Marching In,” featuring The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra’s Clambake Seven. Sentimental Over You celebrates Dorsey’s lasting influence while keeping the spirit of Big Band music alive for longtime fans and a new generation of listeners.

To purchase/stream: TommyDorsey.lnk.to/SentimentalOverYou 

More About The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra:
The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, under the direction of Jeff Bush, is one of the original Big Band Era orchestras still performing today, carrying forward the legacy of one of the most influential bandleaders of the Swing Era. Founded by trombonist Tommy Dorsey, the orchestra helped define the sound of big band music with timeless hits including “Opus One,” “Yes, Indeed,” “Marie” and “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You.” Today, the orchestra continues to honor Dorsey’s musical legacy through live performances and new recordings that preserve the energy and musicianship of the original era while introducing this timeless music to new generations. With a commitment to keeping the Big Band tradition alive, The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra remains a celebrated name in American music.

Music Minute - Rick Maltese: Simply Love

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Toronto pianist, singer, composer, and songwriter Rick Maltese has released "Simply Love," a warm, Ray Charles-inspired pop and jazz single drawn from his album 'Rick Maltese & Friends Vol 2.'

 

The song basically conveys that what already exists between two young lovers is working and is enough. When we’re young it’s easy to succumb to pressure to do the “expected” thing for family - get married, have children, settle down.

The chorus lands the idea simply: "It's simply love, you love me, plain simple love, I love you." Later, the man shares his devotion: "Without you my heart would break, together we are strong."

Maltese says that the song was Instrumentally and thematically influenced by his admiration for Tom Waits' soundtrack for the film 'One From the Heart' and the songs with Crystal Gayle. "I had the grand piano, the bass, the drums, but no sultry solo that could make a Ray Charles style melody and accompaniment more authentic," he says. "Alison Young’s playing fit the bill," as a very welcome guest musician on tenor sax.

For one song Bill McBirnie’s flute is replaced by tenor sax. These musicians with a long history together include Bassist George Koller and drummer Ben Wittman. George is a National Jazz Award-winning Bassist of the Year, composer, producer with credits on over 1,600 albums and collaborations, spanning Peter Gabriel to Loreena McKennitt. Ben is a New York-honed composer and producer who has recorded with multiple artists including Sting, Paul Simon and Rosanne Cash. The musicians’ familiarity with each other gives "Simply Love" its unforced, conversational groove.

 

Maltese brings decades of range to the project. An accomplished pianist, arranger and music director whose repertoire crosses classical, jazz, blues, pop, world music and folk. He has served as musical director and conductor for musical theatre and choir settings, and formerly held the role at Toronto's Royal York Hotel, coaching and accompanying the hotel's singing waiters. He continues to draw from the great melody composers, an influence he's now expanding into a planned classical work, 'Cantata for Peace.'

 

With "Simply Love," Rick Maltese reminds young people to take their time and not to rush into things, while acknowledging the good that they have. Sometimes love is all you need. It’s one of the most direct songs he's written.

Music Minute - Christopher Wyze & The Tellers: Naptown Blues

Big Radio Records artist Christopher Wyze & The Tellers return with their latest single, “Naptown Blues,” out now, which is also the title track from their forthcoming album, due October 2. Originally recorded in 1929 by Indianapolis blues legends Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell, the song sets the tone for the 11-track project, which pays tribute to the rich blues history of Indianapolis and the groundbreaking music of Carr and Blackwell. Their work helped establish Indianapolis as an influential force in the blues, and with “Naptown Blues,” Wyze and The Tellers honor that legacy while bringing their own voice and perspective to the music that helped shape the city's musical and cultural history. 

To purchase/stream: CWyze.lnk.to/NaptownBluesPR 

“We wanted to approach this project in a way that felt true to the music Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell created,” says Wyze. “There are no drums or percussion on the album, and we relied heavily on acoustic instruments, including guitar, bass, and harmonica. Keeping the arrangements stripped down and centered around a single vocal allowed us to capture the intimacy and raw character of those early recordings while still giving the songs our own identity.”

Why This History Matters:
Naptown Blues highlights the significance of Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell’s pioneering works. Their distinctive style defined the sound of Indianapolis blues, helping to establish the city as an important contributor to American blues music in the late 1920s and 1930s. 

Their recordings brought a sophisticated, relaxed approach to the blues, blending Carr’s distinctive piano and vocals with Blackwell’s elegant guitar work to create a sound that influenced generations of blues, R&B, and rock musicians. Their 1928 recording of “How Long, How Long Blues” helped popularize the piano and guitar duo format, while recordings such as “Midnight Hour Blues,” “In the Evening” and “Hurry Down Sunshine” introduced their Indianapolis sound to audiences across the country. Blackwell’s “Kokomo Blues” also provided the foundation for Robert Johnson’s later classic “Sweet Home Chicago.” Together, Carr and Blackwell helped define an Indianapolis blues sound that would leave a lasting mark on American music, influencing artists from Robert Johnson and Ray Charles to Charles Brown and Eric Clapton. 

For more information, visit christopherwyzeandthetellers.com.

About Christopher Wyze & The Tellers:
Christopher Wyze & The Tellers blend the grit of traditional blues with the storytelling spirit of Americana, creating a sound that’s raw, soulful, and unmistakably their own. Led by frontman and songwriter Christopher Wyze, the band’s music captures life’s highs, heartbreaks, and hard-earned lessons with honesty and fire. Their debut album, Stuck in the Mud, earned international acclaim and won the 2025 Blues Blast Music Award for Best New Artist Debut Album, landing on blues charts around the world. With authentic lyricism, powerhouse musicianship, and an energy that connects across generations, Christopher Wyze & The Tellers are redefining what modern blues can be—real, rootsy, and relentlessly human.

Book Nook - Little Bee and The Bloom

Beekeepers' Naturals is pleased to announce the first children’s book from founder Carly Kremer, Little Bee and The Bloom, publishing on September 1, 2026, by Tiny Torch Books, an imprint of The Collective Book Studio. 

This delightful children’s picture book takes young readers on a journey of discovery, exploring the wonders of pollination and the vital role bees play in our world. 

The book follows Little Bee as her life changes forever when a new flower friend sparks a plan to spread blooms far and wide, discovering the magic of pollination along the way. Illustrations by Katie Hunt blend with the story’s playful, gently rhyming to help to explain how bees impact the food we eat and the health of our environment. Key bee terms and simple tips for helping pollinators are woven throughout in a way that’s digestible for young readers. 

“Writing Little Bee and the Bloom has been such a heartfelt journey for me,” says Carly Kremer. “I wanted to create a story that reminds children how even the smallest acts of kindness, courage, and curiosity can help something beautiful grow. My hope is that young readers will see a little of themselves in Little Bee and come away feeling inspired to nurture the world around them—and each other—with love and compassion.”

“We are so happy to partner with Beekeeper’s Naturals to create Little Bee and the Bloom, a book that beautifully combines storytelling, education, and environmental awareness,” said Angela Engel, founder and publisher of Tiny Torch Books and The Collective Book Studio. “This collaboration represents the perfect union of two mission-driven brands that believe in inspiring curiosity, nurturing young readers, and helping children better understand and care for the natural world. Carly has created a special story that celebrates the magic of bees and the importance of protecting our planet.”

Carly Kremer founded Beekeeper’s Naturals in 2017 after years of battling an autoimmune condition. The company makes clean, bee-powered remedies that connect ancient medicine with modern science. Today, the brand is one of the most recognized in the supplement space, with a bottle of their Immune Support Spray sold every 15 seconds. 

About Carly Kremer

Carly Kremer is a mother, beekeeper, and the founder of Beekeeper’s Naturals, a health company reinventing medicine with clean, bee-powered remedies. She’s a passionate activist for pollinator protection and hopes this book will help kids see bees as magical, vital creatures they are. When she’s not beekeeping or R&D Beekeeper’s Naturals latest products, you can find her adventuring with her husband, daughter, and their dog, Minnie.

About Beekeeper’s Naturals 

Carly Kremer founded Beekeeper’s Naturals in 2017 with a mission to reinvent the medicine cabinet with clean, science-backed remedies powered by the hive. Beekeeper’s Naturals harness clinically proven bee-derived ingredients like propolis and superfood honey to support whole body health–from your immune system and sinuses to your gut and brain. Every product is formulated with doctors and every batch is tested by third-party labs for contaminants like pesticides and heavy metals. Beekeeper's brings science and nature together, making it possible to take control of your health without compromise.

About Tiny Torch Books and The Collective Book Studio

Tiny Torch Books is devoted to crafting beautiful books that excite, engage, and inspire kids. They publish stories that ignite ideas and curiosity, and that lay the foundation for a lifetime love of reading. For more information visit: www.TinyTorchBooks.com 

The Collective Book Studio is a woman-owned, independent publisher based in the Bay Area dedicated to creating high-quality, beautifully crafted books that celebrate diverse voices and empower storytelling. Their unique publishing model creates a true partnership between author and publisher, meaning authors can spend time doing what they love while they take care of everything else. The Collective Book Studio books are distributed by Simon & Schuster, a global leader in general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages. For more information, visit http://www.TheCollectiveBook.Studio

Music Minute - Linda MacLeod: I Tried to Get Through

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Linda MacLeod has spent a lifetime making music, whether anyone was watching or not, and with her new single "I Tried to Get Through," the 75-year-old Cape Breton-born, Halifax-based singer-songwriter is proving that a voice this determined never really goes quiet. The song arrives as the first taste of her forthcoming album, 'The Well Known Unknown,' due later this year, and its title could not be more fitting for an artist who has spent six decades earning every inch of her career the hard way.

MacLeod's story starts almost as soon as she could talk. Raised on Cape Breton Island as the fourth oldest of ten children in a deeply musical family, she sang her first solo at five years old, when nuns brought her from classroom to classroom to perform, until a school principal put her on the PA system so the entire building could hear her. From there, the momentum never really stopped. In 1967, a fourth-place finish in a CJCB radio contest led to regional television appearances in Halifax, a coast-to-coast broadcast, and performances at the opening of the Miner's Museum in Glace Bay and the Centennial train that crossed the country that same year. Along the way, she met and shared stages with Gordon Lightfoot, Kenny Tobias, Anne Murray, Murray McLachlan, and Valdy, a run of encounters most young performers only dream about.

For more than twenty years, MacLeod was a fixture of the Sydney music scene, performing with the groups Load of Wood and Load of Hay, writing jingles, and even composing a theme for the film 'The Bay Boy,' a song that ultimately went unused but hinted at a bigger break that always seemed just out of reach. In 1996, she moved to Halifax and connected with Kevin McMichael of Cutting Crew, who produced an EP with her in 1998. Years earlier, in 1983, she had already recorded with symphony musicians on a Donnie Palmer produced track, "Daryl's Lullaby," a song that found strong regional airplay in Sydney the first time around, even if the industry did not always make room for it the second time.

Life, as it does, had other plans in the years that followed. As a single parent, MacLeod kept music close but let it take a back seat while she built a career running a healthcare agency in Halifax, a role she still holds today. But the pull never fully let go. She auditioned for Canada's Got Talent, unafraid to put herself forward even when the outcome did not go her way, and in August 2023, she was invited into the Dreamcatcher's Song Circle and Songwriter's Workshop, sharing space with Rodney Crowell, Peter Asher, John Paul White, Bill Haynes, and Gretchen Peters. That experience reignited something, and MacLeod has been writing and recording ever since.

"I Tried to Get Through" grew out of one of those conversations that stays with you. MacLeod and her longtime collaborator Rosemary Wall had been talking about a couple named Mary Theresa and Martin, who had lost their daughter Jody after a long illness. Mary Theresa had once dialed her daughter's number out of habit, only to hear her voicemail still waiting on the other end, a moment both beautiful and devastating. It reminded MacLeod and Wall of something achingly universal: the instinct to reach for someone who is gone, the way grief can knock you off your feet all over again in an ordinary moment. Out of that shared understanding, the two wrote a song that speaks directly to anyone who has ever kept reaching for someone they've lost.

Still very much in the game, as she puts it herself, MacLeod is a reminder that talent does not come with an expiration date. She has spent a lifetime showing up, whether it was a packed television broadcast in 1967 or a quiet writing session decades later, and "I Try to Get Through" is proof that her voice, and her story, are only getting started for audiences across the rest of the country who are just now getting the chance to hear her.

Music Minute - Anne Wilson: Who I Am to You

PLATINUM-certified, GRAMMY-nominated artist and songwriter Anne Wilson releases “Who I Am To You,” available everywhere now via Capitol Christian Music Group. A declaration of identity rooted in Christ, the new song pushes back against insecurity, comparison and the labels the world can place on us, pointing instead to the truth of who God says we are. “Who I Am To You,” which garnered over 800K views on socials pre-release, also impacts Christian radio today and arrives with an all-new music video, directed by Alexa Campbell.

WATCH: “WHO I AM TO YOU”

“'Who I Am To You' is a reminder that our identity isn't defined by the labels the world puts on us, it's defined by what God says is true about us,” shares Wilson. "This song is all about trading the lies, insecurities and negative labels we've believed for the truth of who God created us to be. I want this to be an encouraging, faith-filled movement where we remind each other who we really are in Christ and choose to walk confidently in that truth.”

“Who I Am To You” serves as the first track from her next chapter and follows the July release of Stars (Blue Hour Deluxe), which expanded Wilson's latest album with five additional songs, including “Me & Jesus,” “Maker's Mark” with Drew Baldridge and “Still Do” with Cole Swindell. “Still Do” recently earned Wilson and Swindell a Dove Award nomination, adding to Wilson's growing list of honors across Christian and country music.

Wilson will take the new music overseas next, appearing at Big Church Festival in Pulborough, U.K. on Aug. 28 and The Long Road Festival in Lutterworth, U.K. on Aug. 30. She then returns stateside to launch the fall leg of The STARS Tour on Sept. 10 in Portland, Ore. The recently extended run includes 24 dates across the U.S. with special guests Peter Burton and Aodhán King joining on select stops. Tickets are available at annewilsonofficial.com.

Earlier this summer, Wilson released her third book, “Rebel: Following Jesus When the World Walks the Other Way,” via W Publishing, an imprint of Thomas Nelson. The release followed her 2026 K-LOVE Fan Awards Book Impact Award win for her “Hey Girl” 40-Day Devotional.

With more than 2 billion career streams, Wilson is cementing herself as “one of contemporary Christian music's most dynamic trailblazers” (People.com). A GRAMMY nominee and multiple Dove Award winner, Wilson continues to use her music to point listeners back to faith, truth and their identity in Christ, carrying that message across both Christian and country music. Stay up to date at annewilsonofficial.com and keep up with her on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Upcoming Tour Dates:
Aug. 28, 2026 in Pulborough, U.K. at Big Church Festival
Aug. 30, 2026 in Lutterworth, U.K. at The Long Road Festival

The STARS Tour Fall 2026 dates:
Sept. 10, 2026 in Portland, Ore. at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall *
Sept. 11, 2026 in Spokane, Wash. at Fox Theater *
Sept. 12, 2026 in Tacoma, Wash. at Pantages Theater *
Sept. 15, 2026 in Colorado Springs, Colo. at Pikes Peak Center *
Sept. 17, 2026 in Tulsa, Okla. at Mabee Center *
Sept. 18, 2026 in Kansas City, Mo. at The Midland Theatre *
Sept. 19, 2026 in Springfield, Mo. at Spence Chapel Auditorium at Evangel University *
Sept. 23, 2026 in Roanoke, Va. at Berglund Performing Arts Theatre *
Sept. 24, 2026 in Baltimore, Md. at Lyric Baltimore *
Sept. 26, 2026 in Virginia Beach, Va. at The Dome by Rutter Mills *
Sept. 30, 2026 in Houston, Texas at Bayou Music Center *
Oct. 1, 2026 in Grand Prairie, Texas at Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie *
Oct. 2, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Okla. at The Criterion *
Oct. 9, 2026 in Birmingham, Ala. at BJCC Concert Hall ~
Oct. 11, 2026 in Augusta, Ga. at Bell Auditorium ~
Oct. 22, 2026 in Omaha, Neb. at Peter Kiewit Concert Hall at The Holland Performing Arts Center ~
Oct. 23, 2026 in Peoria, Ill. at Prairie Home Alliance Theater ~
Oct. 24, 2026 in Davenport, Iowa at Capitol Theatre ~
Nov. 5, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nev. at The Smith Center ~
Nov. 6, 2026 in Riverside, Calif. at Fox Performing Arts Center ~
Nov. 7, 2026 in Tucson, Ariz. at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall ~
Nov. 9, 2026 in San Diego, Calif. at San Diego Civic Theatre ~
Nov. 12, 2026 in Bakersfield, Calif. at Dignity Health Theater ~
Nov. 13, 2026 in Sacramento, Calif. at SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center ~

* with Aodhán King
~ with Peter Burton

Anne Wilson makes music where faith and country meet, a rare space where honesty, grief and hope live side by side. At just 24, she has already crossed the 2 billion streams milestone and emerged as one of the most distinctive new voices in both Christian and country music.

Her third studio album, Stars, captures a young artist growing up on record. Shaped by the tragic loss of her brother Jacob, Wilson's faith could have been shattered — but instead it was strengthened. That tension, of wrestling with God yet still loving Jesus, defines her music and makes her profoundly relatable. “Faith isn't about never questioning,” she says. “It's about holding on in the middle of the storm.”

Stars threads together themes of grief, growth, maturity, and wonder, carried by Wilson's soaring vocals and country-pop production. From the wide-eyed imagery of the title track to the raw prayer of “Carry Me” and the redemption arc of “Dead in the Water,” the album reflects both the hardship of loss and the joy of new perspective.

Alongside the album, Wilson is delivering her new music to fans in person on The STARS Tour. She's also released a 40-day “Hey Girl” devotional. Named after her encouraging anthem, the devotional is aimed at young readers, extending her message of identity and Christ-centered hope beyond the stage. Following her record-breaking album REBEL, which boldly defined what it looks like to stand firm in faith, Wilson continues that powerful message in her new book, “Rebel.” Written to encourage readers of all ages to learn what it means to follow Jesus, even when the crowd walks the other way.

Anne Wilson is still becoming, still wrestling and still rejoicing – but Stars proves she's shining brighter not in spite of the struggle, but because of it.

Healthy Habits - Weight Loss Survey

A new nationwide survey from Trimi Health explores the financial commitment Americans are making to weight loss, from monthly budgeting and spending tradeoffs to the rising cost of treatment.

 

Here’s a look at the financial realities of weight loss:

• Americans spend an average of $116 per month ($1,392 annually) on weight-loss efforts
• Nearly 2 in 5 intentionally budget for weight-loss expenses each month
• Nearly 3 in 10 Americans have cut spending elsewhere to afford weight-loss expenses
• 34% have delayed or avoided a weight-loss treatment because of cost

 

The study also found that 52% of Americans would be more likely to consider prescription weight-loss medication if it were more affordable.

 

Take a look at the full report linked above for more insights. 

Enriching Education - America's Most Stressful School Runs Revealed in Report.

 As families across the U.S. prepare for the new school year, parents are bracing themselves for more than packed lunches, early alarms and last-minute searches for missing shoes. The return to the classroom also means the return of the school run - and, for many parents, one of the most stressful parts of the weekday routine.

What should be a relatively simple journey can quickly become a daily pressure point, with traffic, crowded drop-off zones, tight schedules and the race to arrive before the bell all adding to the strain. Throw in the pressure of getting to work afterwards, and parents can find themselves starting the day feeling stressed before it has really begun.

With the back-to-school season underway, AMFM surveyed 3,044 parents to identify where the school run causes the most stress, the factors making certain journeys particularly difficult, and how the daily rush can affect parents’ mental wellbeing.

The top 10 most stressful school runs in the country are:

#1. Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York
The most stressful school run in the country is in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Parents can find themselves navigating cyclists, pedestrians, buses, parked vehicles and drivers searching for curb space, all while trying to beat the school bell. With Flatbush Avenue adding through traffic to the local flow, even the final few blocks can become an unexpectedly tense part of the morning.

#2. Upper East Side, New York City, New York
New York also takes second place, with the Upper East Side home to the country’s next-most stressful school run. Here, the pressure comes from a succession of small delays: dense blocks, limited curb space, frequent stopping and the sheer number of people moving through the neighborhood can make even a short journey surprisingly time-consuming.

#3. Katy, Houston, Texas
Katy ranks third nationally. As families leave residential developments, school traffic mixes with the wider commuter flow toward Houston, meaning a journey that starts with plenty of time can quickly become more pressured as queues build and traffic lights eat into the morning buffer.

#4. Berkeley Hills, Berkeley, California
Berkeley Hills takes fourth place, where the school run presents a rather different challenge. Steep, winding streets mean parents may be watching for pedestrians, cyclists and approaching vehicles while also keeping one eye on the clock. When traffic slows on a hillside route, there may be few convenient alternatives.

#5. Levittown, Long Island, New York
New York claims a third place in the top five, with Levittown ranking fifth. As families move from residential streets toward larger roads, buses, commuters and other parents can converge at the same intersections, leaving little opportunity to recover lost time once traffic starts to build.

#6. Bethesda, Washington, D.C. Metro, Maryland
Bethesda has the sixth-most stressful school run in America. Parents making the daily drop-off are often joining the wider stream of commuter traffic moving through the Washington, D.C. area, meaning families, workers and buses are all competing for road space during the same narrow morning window.

#7. Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada
Summerlin comes in seventh. Tight work commutes, congested school zones and closely managed traffic rules can combine to make the morning journey particularly demanding, especially for parents who need to head straight to work once drop-off is complete.

#8. Kendall, Miami, Florida
Kendall ranks eighth, with bottlenecks able to form quickly around busy stretches where several schools feed traffic onto the same roads. Parents, buses and commuters may all be competing for space at once, turning a familiar journey into a race against a fixed school start time.

#9. Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey
Paramus places ninth nationally. Heavy regional commuter traffic, busy household schedules and tightly managed school zones can all add pressure to the journey, leaving parents with little room for delays when several trips need to be completed before the working day begins.

#10. University Park/Highland Park, Dallas, Texas
Rounding out the top 10 is University Park/Highland Park in Dallas. Curb space can become part of the problem when large numbers of families arrive within the same drop-off window, with parents also having to watch for pedestrians and crossing guards while judging where they can safely stop. By the time children leave the car, what should be a short neighborhood journey can already feel like the first major challenge of the day.

Infographic shows the most stressful school runs in each state

For Many Parents, the Stress Starts Before They Leave Home

The survey suggests the school run is not merely an occasional annoyance.

Nearly 4 in 10 parents said it leaves them stressed or overwhelmed either every school day or several times a week. Another 10% experience that feeling roughly once a week. 

Perhaps more revealing is that many parents are worrying about the journey before it has even started. 71% have dreaded the school run before leaving home. 

And the Stress Does Not Always End at Drop-Off

For some parents, reaching the school gates is enough for the tension to disappear fairly quickly. For others, the morning follows them into the rest of the day.

When asked how long it takes to calm down after a particularly stressful school run:

• 31% said less than 10 minutes.
• 34% need between 10 and 30 minutes.
• 19% said it takes between 30 minutes and an hour.
• 9% remain stressed for several hours.
• Another 8% said a bad school run can affect them for the rest of the day.

In other words, roughly one in six parents can still be feeling the effects hours after drop-off is over. 

Traffic Is the Biggest School-Run Enemy

Parents were also asked to identify the single part of the journey that causes them the most stress, and one answer stood well above the rest.

Traffic congestion was named by 39% of parents, making it easily the biggest source of school-run frustration. 

The next biggest pressures were:

• 16% - Fear of being late.
• 13% - Unsafe driving by other parents.
• 12% - Finding somewhere to park.
• 12% - Children arguing or refusing to cooperate.
• 6% - Pressure to get to work afterward.
• 3% - Pedestrians or cyclists near the school.

The Other Parents Aren’t Always Helping

There is another source of tension that parents cannot control quite so easily: everyone else behind the wheel.

Almost three-quarters of respondents (74%) said they had witnessed dangerous or inconsiderate driving during school drop-off or pickup in the past year.

Of those experiences, two behaviors stood out in particular. 30% had seen drivers speeding near their child’s school, while 25% had seen someone using a phone while driving. 

Parents also reported seeing:

• 10% - Double parking.
• 9% - Blocking driveways.
• 9% - Allowing children to exit into traffic.
• 7% - Parking on sidewalks.
• 7% - Ignoring crossing guards.
• 3% - Making illegal U-turns. 

The irony is hard to miss: parents rushing because they are worried about being late can end up creating precisely the kind of driving environment that makes the school run stressful for everyone else. 

Would Parents Rather Give Up the School Run or Cleaning?

Finally, AMFM gave parents a hypothetical offer: permanently remove one household responsibility from their lives.

The school run came remarkably close to winning. 27% said they would get rid of the school run altogether, making it the most unpopular household task in the survey.

Cleaning was not far behind, chosen by 24%, followed by yard work at 16%, cooking dinner at 13%, grocery shopping at 11% and laundry at 9%.

For parents staring down another year of traffic lights, carpool lines and frantic searches for backpacks, the result may not be particularly surprising.

Anand Meta, LMFT, Executive Director at AMFM, says:

“School mornings bring together several pressures at once - time, traffic, work responsibilities and the emotional demands of getting children ready for their day. None of those things may seem overwhelming in isolation, but when they happen repeatedly, five mornings a week, the stress can accumulate.

“What is particularly striking is how many parents told us the effects continue after drop-off, sometimes for hours. Parents cannot control the traffic or the behavior of every other driver, but creating a little more breathing room in the morning, reducing unnecessary rushing where possible, and recognizing when that stress is carrying into the rest of the day can make a meaningful difference.

“The school run may be routine, but that does not mean the stress surrounding it should simply be dismissed as part of being a parent.”