Would you like your teen to smile more? Could your teen improve their social skills? Does your teen have the social skills needed to be successful in their job. And what can parents do to help improve these much needed life skills. My guest today has some great advice for us and he models what he talks about. Kirt Manecke is the author of the book, audiobook and online course Smile & Succeed for Teens: Must-Know People Skills for Today’s Wired World, and the Parent’s Guide for Smile & Su...
Mar 06, 2023•40 min•Ep. 207
We can't always go to a tropical island to escape stress. (But wouldn't that be nice) You can't get rid of all the stress but you can start dialing it down one click at a time. Stress disempowers us. Stress sets us up for drama. Stress steals the joy out of our relationships. In this episode I give you 3 practical ways to dial down the teen stress. Be kind to yourself Dial down the drama Be intentional instead of reactive, specifically about the way you think about your teen and how you spend ti...
Feb 26, 2023•38 min•Ep. 206
I have a great episode for you. we are going to talk about toxic relationships. We will answer questions like, "What is a “toxic relationship?" "How do you know if a relationship is toxic or not?" "What does a toxic relationship look like?" This interview will help you help your teens, and give you tips on how to talk to them about their relationship. If you are in a difficult relationship this will help educate you what is healthy and what is toxic. I think you will find this podcast very empow...
Feb 20, 2023•57 min•Ep. 205
Moms, how would you like to find more time for yourself? Would you like to find some tried and true systems that can help you get rid of the chaos, and bring order, peace and joy to your home? Well, I interview the perfect guest who is the founder of Mama Systems. Laura Hernandez walks her talks. Laura is a home management coach and founder of Mama Systems. She is the mother of ten children. In just five years, her and her husband added six children to their family - three biological and three t...
Feb 13, 2023•34 min•Ep. 204
Are you sick of the constant arguing not only with your teens but also with your husband, father or partner. Would you like to put an end to arguing, or at least dial it down? Well I brought in amazing guests to talk about it. Our guests today are Linda and Charlie Bloom Married since 1972, Linda and Charlie Bloom have been working with groups, individuals, couples and organizations to enhance the quality of their relationships and communication skills since 1975. They both have Master’s degrees...
Feb 06, 2023•53 min•Ep. 203
What can parents do to raise confident and resilient teens? How do you reduce sibling rivalry? How can you stop being the homework/screentime/food/sleep warden? To address these issues I have invited Sue G. Groner to be our guest. As the founder of The Parenting Mentor, a multifaceted platform for parents looking for guidance in raising emotionally healthy, self-resilient children, Sue provides simple and effective parenting strategies. With the goal of reducing everyday stress and anxiety that ...
Jan 30, 2023•51 min•Ep. 202
Am I getting parenting right? Most parents at any and every stage find themselves asking this question. To explore this question, I invited Sandra Stanley to be my guest. Moms you are going to love this episode. Sandra Stanley received her bachelor of science degree from Georgia Tech and master of arts from Dallas Theological Seminary. Sandra has a heart for foster kids and foster families, as she and Andy have been foster parents since 2010. Her ministry passion is promoting foster care in the ...
Jan 23, 2023•53 min•Ep. 201
WOO HOO this is my 200th episode! Because of YOU my amazing listeners is the reason that there are 200 episodes. I so love and appreciate you! What does mothering look like from a wholehearted foundation? You still do the hard part of parenting. You still monitor your teen, set boundaries and guidelines. But this is only one facet of your relationship with your teen. You are not just a mother machine that hustles for productivity or perfectionism. You show up as a wholehearted human being. Your ...
Jan 16, 2023•33 min
Do your teens suffer from technology abuse? And how would you know where your teens are in the technology use continuum? To answer these questions I have interviewed Dr. Lisa Strohman. Dr. Lisa Strohman has widely become known for her advocacy and education around mental wellness as it relates to our digital lives. She has worked with thousands of parents, schools, and children around the globe. An attorney, clinical psychologist, and author, Dr. Strohman established the Digital Citizen Academy,...
Jan 09, 2023•51 min•Ep. 199
What are things you tolerated in 2022 that you don't want to tolerate in 2023? Today we are going to explore tolerations, messes, and irritations. You know the things that annoy you on a daily basis and steal your I feel good energy. If I ask you the question what are you tolerating? What’s the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe the first thing that comes to your mind is something about your teen, your boss, or your partner. In other words you are tolerating your relationships. Or, maybe the ...
Jan 02, 2023•32 min•Ep. 198
When do you introduce skin care to your teen and how do you motivate teen girls and even teen boys to take care of their skin. Our guest today was taught that, "skin care is self care," "how you treat your skin is how you treat your soul," and to "treat your skin like the most expensive silk." You're going to love Angela she not only has tips for teens but she shares self care rituals for moms that I think you are going to love. Angela Jia Kim is the founder of Savor Beauty, a natural skincare a...
Dec 26, 2022•46 min•Ep. 197
Has your teen ever lied to you? If so, how did you handle it? In this show we are going to discuss 4 common myths about honesty that make teens lie more and 4 strategies that teach kids to value honesty. Besides discussing lying, honesty and trust we are going to talk about all things respect. Have you ever said to your teen, "You need to respect me," and what does that really mean? Did your teen respect you more after you told them that. Todays guest is Colleen Doyle Bryant is the author of fiv...
Dec 19, 2022•35 min•Ep. 196
Do you feel like you have real conversations with your teens? When we are in monitor mode we are not really having a conversation, we are just letting our teens know what we expect them to do.i Do you fall in the trap of asking your teen "how was your day," and they tell you "fine." Would you like to get past the one-word answer. In this episode I interview Elizabeth Bennett an award-winning Principal with over 35 years of experience in the school system as an educator and administrator. She coa...
Dec 12, 2022•36 min•Ep. 195
Today we are going to talk about teens and music education. Your daughter has been playing piano since she was seven and now that she is a sophomore in high school and wants to quit piano. Do you let her? Your son wants to play bass so you sign him up for lessons but he doesn’t want to practice. Do you force him? Your daughter wants to quit choir and quit taking vocal lessons because she can’t sing like Taylor Swift. What should a mom do? Do you force them or let them quit? How can parents motiv...
Dec 05, 2022•49 min•Ep. 194
As we approach January we are starting to think about healthy habits for the new year. Our guest today has a habit that I want to master in the new year. Dr. Mike Rucker is the author of the upcoming book, The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life available January 23. I think this is a perfect podcast to be released in the holiday season. How about starting this fun habit during the holidays. Dr. Mike Rucker is an organizational psychologist, behavioral scientist, an...
Nov 28, 2022•41 min•Ep. 193
In todays show we talk about the importance of awe and wonder. Research reveals that the benefits of being awe-seekers is that you are more generous, curious, and more humble. Is the feeling of awe within our control or does it just happen unexpectedly? How do moms help their teenagers experience more awe? Listen as we discuss. Today’s guest is Deborah Farmer Kris. Deborah is an education journalist, parent educator Her bylines include PBS KIDS, NPR’s Mindshift, The Washington Post, the Boston G...
Nov 21, 2022•41 min•Ep. 192
Many moms feel the burden of parenting teens is on their shoulders and wish that dad would be more involved in their teens life. Today we are going to talk about why the fathers role is so important. Todays guest Patrick Cummings talks about his obsession with work as an entrepreneur. And how this took him away from his family and negatively impacted his teens. In this episode Patrick tells us how he turned that around. Patrick Cummings is an entrepreneur, business coach, and wealth management a...
Nov 14, 2022•34 min•Ep. 191
In this episode I bring in an expert who can help us with safety tips for teenage drivers. We want our kids to drive but most importantly we want them to be safe. The statistics are not good for teen drivers especially boys. What can we learn from the statistics? What can moms do to make sure their young drivers are safe and become safe drivers? Leo Waldenback is the co-founder, and head of growth, of Zutobi Drivers Ed, a gamified e-learning platform pioneering online driver’s education by makin...
Nov 07, 2022•33 min•Ep. 190
I was so blessed to interview Emma Benoit. You are going to be so touched by this 22-year-olds courageous story. I was struck by her wisdom, honesty, and vulnerability. Emma has such an important message for moms and for someone out there listening this episode could save your teens life. Emma Benoit became extremely passionate about suicide prevention after surviving a suicide attempt in 2017, the summer before her senior year in high school. At the time, she was a popular varsity cheerleader w...
Oct 31, 2022•43 min
What do you do when your teen has been cyber bullied, teased, or socially excluded? In this episode I interview KIM JOHN PAYNE, M.ED., a counselor, educator, consultant, and researcher for over thirty years. Kim is the author of several acclaimed books, including Simplicity Parenting, The Soul of Discipline, and Being at Your Best When Your Kids Are at Their Worst. His newest book is Emotionally Resilient Tweens and Teens: Empowering your Kids to Navigate Bullying, Teasing and Social Exclusion. ...
Oct 24, 2022•45 min•Ep. 188
In this episode I interview Dr. Charles Sophy, author of FAMILY VALUES: Reset Trust, Boundaries, and Connection with Your Child . He is the medical director of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services and a regular contributor on the Dr. Phil show. Dr. Sophy has helped all kinds of families break harmful patterns. Based on his wealth of experience as a psychiatrist and as a father, Dr. Sophy assures every parent: “No matter how complicated life gets or how off course you...
Oct 17, 2022•27 min•Ep. 187
Do you spend a significant time worrying about all things, especially your kids. Anxiety is sneaky and gets inside your head. It convinces you that you are being a good mom if you worry and that you are a bad mom if you don't. It deceives you into thinking that worrying and obsessing is productive and will lead to problem solving. The truth is anxiety is exhausting and is a huge reason we can feel all mothered out. To talk about this I brought in a knowledgeable guest. Lynn Lyons, LICSW has been...
Oct 10, 2022•51 min•Ep. 186
If you are married, divorced, single, or remarried, you will get something out of this episode. Co-parenting can be extremely challenging. I have listened to countless moms who feel the other parent doesn’t support them, listen to them and actually disempower their parenting decisions. It's hard enough dealing with drama with a teen but it gets exponentially harder when you have drama with the other parent. I brought in an expert with great practical advice. Bestselling Author, Coach, Speaker &a...
Oct 03, 2022•32 min•Ep. 185
In this episode I was interviewed by Allison Michelle Conlon. It was part of a virtual summit called Best Mom Ever which was a free virtual event with top global experts. The name of my talk was Home Stretch: Delighting in Your Teen Junior-Senior Year. The question that plagues moms junior and senior year is, Will my teen be ready to leave home? It can feel like they’ll never be ready and you’re running out of time? In this episode I discuss how to enjoy these last few years with your teen and w...
Sep 25, 2022•40 min•Ep. 184
I have a question for you? Would you like to feel less stressed and more relaxed? Do you feel you are on the road to burnout? Todays guest is going to help you find more peace in your life through taking mindful breaks throughout the day. Shonda Moralis, MSW, LCSW is on a mission to help women play big without burning out. She is a Life Balance Coach, Therapreneur, Author, and Podcast Host. Shonda serves on the board of Shanthi Project, an education nonprofit providing evidence-based mindfulness...
Sep 19, 2022•48 min•Ep. 183
A BIG fear for moms is that our kids will hang out with the wrong people and get addicted to nicotine, alcohol or drugs. Our guest today, Jackie Polk was the perfect teen in High School and yet started hanging out with the wrong people and tried drugs. She quickly became addicted. Jackie can help you protect your teens with very practical advice from her experience as an ex-addict. Jackie Polk is an addiction awareness and recovery influencer who is five years sober from drugs and alcohol. Durin...
Sep 12, 2022•38 min•Ep. 182
This is such an important conversation on how to raise our teens with agency so that they have the skills to set boundaries, and know what they want and know what they don't want. This conversation about consent explores all the nuances of a true consent. We address what moms can do to reduce the shame factor so our teens will be honest with us. Dr. Laura McGuire is an internationally recognized consultant, survivor, researcher, seminarian, and author of the book Creating Cultures of Consent (Ro...
Sep 05, 2022•52 min•Ep. 181
When teens and young adults struggle with their mental health they tend to isolate from friends and family. And when they are isolated they struggle with self esteem and shame. What teens and young adults and actually all of us need is conversation, connection and validation when we are struggling. Just knowing we are not alone makes us feel better and improves our mental health. Our guest today Lauren Cikara is the Director of K-12 Initiatives at Active Minds. Active Minds was founded at the Un...
Aug 29, 2022•34 min•Ep. 180
Ok moms I have a question for you. Do your teens, college students, or emerging young adults know How to Money. Do they know how to earn it, manage it, use it and have an eye on the future. Do they know how to curb the urge to splurge. Well today I have two wonderful guests who can help you with teens and money?Jean Chatzky & Kathryn Tuggle, co-founders of HerMoney and the authors of How To Money: Your Ultimate Visual Guide to the Basics of Finance. Jean Chatzky is CEO and co-founder of HerM...
Aug 22, 2022•41 min•Ep. 179
3500 TEENS ・ 2 RESEARCHERS ・ 1 QUESTION What are adults missing about teens and technology? A lot. Drawing on perspectives from more than 3,500 teens, Harvard Project Zero researchers Emily Weinstein and Carrie James bring stories and data together for a powerful reframe of what teens are up against – and what teens need adults to understand. Emily Weinstein is a Research Director at Project Zero at Harvard and a Lecturer at the Graduate School of Education. Carrie James is a sociologist and Pri...
Aug 15, 2022•55 min•Ep. 178
