Kimberly Witt

Kimberly Witt

Kimberly Witt is an Iowa transplant placing roots in St. Paul, Minnesota. With her husband of 17 years, she is raising two amazing teenage sons who were born in Ethiopia. She enjoys writing, running, and (surprisingly) helping her sons with math homework. Her writing has appeared in Huffington Post, Insider, Scary Mommy, and more.

Your Teen Magazine •

To the Teachers of Teenagers: I See You—Your Teen Mag

First of all, I see you. Not in a creepy, “Every breath you take I’m watching you” kind of way, but in a, “While I don’t know exactly what you’re going through, I know it’s super-hard” kind of way. I see your panicked Sunday night stories on Instagram, your tongue-in-cheek tweets about the obnoxious kids in your class, your frantic Facebook post about the COVID numbers in your classroom. I was a high school English teacher a few years ago, and it was difficult back then. There was the angry st
Mercy Vineyard Church •

A Devotional on Hope

11.30.21 // Read an Advent devotion on Hope by Kimberly Witt While my diagnosis is not official, I’m sure I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. As the days grow shorter and the sun becomes a stranger, I find myself sliding into a state of despair and gloom. Ironically, this happens as we near the season of Advent, a season that’s supposed to be marked by excessive joy as we prepare to celebrate our Savior’s birth. The world, with its overly-obnoxious jingles and excessively-gaudy jangles, does its best to remind me that if I’m not feeling merry and bright, then surely something is wrong with me.
Your Teen Magazine •

How I Took the Stress Out of the Holidays-Your Teen Mag

When I was in the fourth grade, our school Christmas concert featured a select choir with the best singers performing “The Christmas Song.” I confidently signed up to audition, all the while picturing myself on the stage in a sparkly Christmas dress, the spotlight beaming on me as I sang my heart out to a crowd of beloved grandparents and teachers. The audition came, and I nailed it. And then the list of performers was released.
Business Insider •

I waited 2 years to adopt my sons and become a family. No one warned me about post-adoption depression.

From start to finish, adopting my two sons took over two years. It was two years of paperwork, interviews, training, and waiting. When my husband and I brought our adopted sons home, we had zero experience. We went through our agency's required training and read all the books. It couldn't be that hard, I thought. No one warned about post-adoption depression.
Des Moines Register •

Opinion: How a global pandemic reconfigured our sibling love

Our connections ebbed and flowed over the years, before the pandemic pushed our interactions into a text thread. Growing up, I was the odd sibling out, younger by seven years. My brother and sister were two years apart, their age a gravitational pull I couldn’t control. My younger age made me a shoo-in for the Most Annoying Sibling award. I’d relentlessly bug my older brother until he’d stuff me inside a hastily emptied toy box, sitting on the lid until Mom heard my muffled cries.
Your Teen Magazine •

Love My Mom Group: How Mom Friendships Save My Sanity —Your Teen Mag

When Facebook was down, I rejoiced. There really wasn’t much I would miss. I’m frustrated by the targeted ads (I’m looking at you, Wish), I’m salty about the immutable arguments on the neighborhood Facebook page, and I’m embarrassed by the time-suck my scrolling habit can become. However, there’s one part of Facebook I’m not sure I’m ready to part with: my mom Facebook group. I know some love to hate them, but I’ve actually found a safe sense of community in mine.
Your Teen Magazine •

4 Things Parents Should Know About the SAT and ACT—Your Teen Mag

Sweaty palms, ticking clocks, and parental pressures. Throw in a reading about the artistic influence of Jan Lievens and the value of n – m, and you have a recipe for high-stakes tests like the ACT and the SAT. For the past four years, I’ve worked as both a college writing instructor and an ACT/SAT tutor for English, reading, and writing. Most importantly, though, I’m also the mom of teenagers preparing to apply for college. Here are my thoughts: 4 Things to Know About the ACT and SAT
Scary Mommy •

Teen Movies Look So Much Different Now That I’m Watching From A Parent’s Perspective

I crushed on my first love obsessively, thanks in part to Molly Ringwald. Growing up with older siblings, I received an early introduction to the Brat Pack, watching Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles more times than I should probably admit. I imagined myself as Samantha Baker, sitting on top of that magical table and getting kissed by Jake Ryan, candlelight glow illuminating his flawless complexion. I was an expert on teenage angst before I was a teen myself, and I studied the role fastidiously.
HuffPost •

I'm A White Mom Teaching My Black Son To Drive. I'm Terrified For His Safety.

I pulled over a few blocks from home and encouraged him, sweaty palms and all, to drive for a few blocks. Like a newborn calf on wobbly legs, he was jerky and unsteady. Every corner was an adventure, every movement reactive, and several times I had to grab the wheel when it appeared he was getting too close to a parked car. But we made it home ― or at least to our block. (I pulled the car into the driveway.)
G&F •

Despite Pandemic Fatigue, Here are Family Rituals That Keep Us Sane

“You think you’re the only one who wants to go hang out with friends, but you’re not!” I raised my voice in frustration with my 17-year-old son. “We’re all suffering!” I added for dramatic emphasis. And then I went upstairs to cry. Pandemic Fatigue, is that you again? We are all suffering from pandemic fatigue We are nearly eight months into the pandemic, and my teenage sons have been home in a distance learning model since March. I’m juggling part-time work as an on-campus and online adjunct
G&F •

Five COVID Lessons I Hope My Family Never Forgets

Remember March? When the world came to a screeching halt? Yeah, me neither. In the midst of the blurry days and weeks, so much has changed about life that pre-COVID sometimes feels like a dream. Remember when we didn’t have to turn around a block from home because we forgot our mask? When the anxiety of planning a visit with aging parents didn’t shave years off your life? There was once a time when grocery shopping didn’t require hours of prep on the front end, and a few months ago, every conv
Insider •

I'm white. My sons are black. The Central Park incident confirmed that my kids won't be safe anywhere.

• Kimberly Witt and her husband adopted their two sons from Ethiopia when the boys were eight and nine. • After enduring instances of racism, the Witts moved from their small Iowa town to St. Paul, Minnesota, but they were still targeted. • The recent racist incident in Central Park in New York City and the death of a black man in Minneapolis, reminded Witt that her children won't be safe anywhere they move. It happened again. This time in Central Park in New York City. Amy Cooper, a white wom
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