About Us
From Karen
One thing that I have learned in my twenty years of school nursing and health teaching is that speaking with children about the changes that come with adolescence is not only rewarding but great fun.
When I graduated from nursing school I realized rather quickly that I should have studied to become a teacher. While I enjoyed nursing, nothing compared to the satisfaction I received from the teaching aspect of my profession. The opportunity to combine my nursing skills with a job in education as a school nurse/health teacher was a dream come true for me. While I did actually spend a year as a fifth grade teacher, my true career has been school nursing and health teaching.
Having taken time off for the great fun of raising my children, I returned to work and to school when my first child left for college. This reentry to the work force awakened in me an intellectual curiosity that I had not experienced in many years. I quickly secured a School Nursing Certificate, an Elementary Teaching Certificate and a Master of Education.
While employed in the district of Ridgewood, I worked on the high school, middle school and elementary level.
As a health teacher, I witnessed the need for student education and became aware of the many questions and concerns of parents as well. This need led me to found my business, Puberty for Petrified Parents. The Ridgewood District generously allowed me to pilot my presentation during a community outreach series. Since then, I have also presented to HSA groups, always with great success.
On a personal level, my husband and I have two grown children whom we raised in the town of Glen Rock, NJ. All of my students know that sports, and in particular the New York Giants, are a passion for our family. One of the highlights of our lives was attending Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis.
I hope that my love of teaching and my sincere belief that puberty education must begin at home will enable parents and guardians to enjoy their journey.
-Karen
What We Do
Puberty for Petrified Parents currently offers VIRTUAL presentations for Parent Groups, School Organizations, and any other organization that could benefit from this fun and educational experience. Private consulting also available. Based out of North New Jersey and a Zoom Conference near you, please go to the Contact Us page to find out more.
What People Are Saying
“The parents I spoke with on my way out were saying things like, ‘I could have listened to her for hours,’ and ‘We are so lucky she will be the Health teacher of our kids at GW.’ I couldn’t agree with them more.”
“If you haven’t seen Karen do this, you really should. She’s so engaging, has a great sense of humor, and when she’s presenting you can hear a pin drop because the parents are hanging on her every word.”
“Words can not capture how important you are to me not only as a co-worker, but as our savior with our children. You have an elegance and grace that can’t compare. You can be trusted in every capicity.”
“You were successful in sharing somewhat uncomfortable information in a fun and positive manner. As both an educator and parent, I learned so much from you. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge with the community.”
“The only time we get a big attendance at an HSA meeting is if Karen is speaking.”
“As a teacher and non-parent, I often get questions from parents that I don’t feel qualified to answer. Thank you for being a great resource that I can recommend.”
