Sara Bean (Opperman), M.Ed. is an educator, a certified school counselor, and former Empowering Parents Parent Coach.
Sara is the author of more than two dozen articles on our site.
She has over 15 years of experience working with youth and families in private homes, residential group homes, and schools.
She is the proud mother of two children.
Sara holds Masters Degree in Education with a concentration in School Counseling from Florida Atlantic University and a BA in Psychology from the University of Southern Maine.
“You don’t have to be Superman, Wonder Woman, Mike Brady or June Cleaver. These are all fictional characters and you don’t have to try to be one of them. We all make mistakes. We all do things that we regret. And we are all imperfect parents. That’s okay. The great thing is that tomorrow is a new day and you can choose to forgive yourself. Just learn from your mistakes and move on.”
Sara was quoted on BCParent.ca in “How to Help Kids Who Won’t Willingly Go to School” by Susan Cumberland.
Sara wrote the article “Balancing Cool with Productive School Factor” for beliefnet.com.
Is it just me or does it seem like children have lost their playfulness? Many of us can recall summer days spent playing games outside with friends, riding bikes, playing hopscotch, or making forts in the woods. Now, though, it seems that most kids prefer to lead a wired existence, constantly connected to some electronic... Read more »
When we think of peer pressure, we typically have a picture in our minds of a kid handing your child a cigarette, a joint, or a beer and saying something like, “Come on, just try it.” But at times peer pressure can be felt without a single word being spoken, like when a clique excludes... Read more »
Recently, a frustrated mom sat in my office and said, “I just don’t know what to do anymore. We’ve tried everything! There’s no punishment that gets through to our child; there’s nothing we can say that will fix her behavior. There’s so much going on we just don’t know where to start.” Sound familiar? Parents... Read more »
Guilt and parenthood just seem to go together. Maybe you lost control and screamed at your child today. Or perhaps you’re struggling to give your kids enough. Or you might even be worrying that you’re doing too much for your child. Whatever the cause, most parents experience guilt regularly. I’ve talked with so many parents... Read more »
As spring kicks into high gear, many parents struggle with the anxiety they associate with prom and graduation season. Parents of chronically misbehaved kids might wonder, “Does my child even deserve this privilege?” Other parents are nervous that their child might do drugs, drink, have sex—or all of the above. The high cost of prom... Read more »
You hear that you should let your child face natural consequences, but what exactly does this mean? Many parents struggle with this concept because they don’t fully understand what constitutes a "natural" consequence. And sometimes parents have difficulty relinquishing control because they feel they always have to get their child to obey. I’ve talked to many... Read more »
Over the years, I’ve talked with countless parents who “fixed” things for their children—cleaning their rooms, picking up left-behind messes around the house, apologizing for their kids, easing their disappointments, or even typing their teen’s school papers because they could “type faster.” I recall talking to a mother who would stop what she was doing... Read more »
Recently I met with a 15-year-old boy to talk about his future. He was getting into trouble at school and on the brink of failing all his subjects. When we discussed his career goals, he stated that he wanted to be a mixed martial arts pro or a firefighter. Had he taken any classes related... Read more »
Is your child playing video games instead of doing schoolwork? Is he avoiding social situations—and is his behavior worsening as a result of constant gaming? I’ve heard the desperation and concern in the voices of many, many parents whose kids seem to spend all their time playing video games. As one parent said, “I worry... Read more »
These days, we’re bombarded with mixed messages about how to parent “the right way.” It’s easy to buy into advice from the media, relatives, and other parents and start to worry that we’re doing something wrong. We’re often comparing ourselves to others—and feeling judged and criticized by them. One of the most important ways to... Read more »