I’ve mentioned secure attachment in several previous episodes. We sometimes lump this very scientific concept under general terms like having a “good relationship” or “strong connection” with our kids and teens. This concept of secure attachment is the basis for these more general terms. It’s about first understanding and then meeting our kids', teens' and tweens' needs. If we don’t meet those needs, we see dysregulation, anxiety, depression, mistrust, etc. In today’s episode I talk to Laurie A....
Oct 10, 2023•46 min
If you need help now, call the National Dating Abuse Helpline at 1-866-331-9474 or go to loveisrespect.org to receive immediate confidential assistance. If you've not been in this situation yet, you've been lucky so far. It's a terrible position for the parent of a teenager to find themselves. It's hard to imagine but your teen may just have different tastes in romantic partners than you'd expected (and you may not like this person one bit.) Maybe you can't even put your finger on it...there's j...
Oct 06, 2023•15 min
Do you have a teenager dealing with a mental health issue? Maybe you have a teen who’s cutting or self-harming in some way or one who’s depressed or anxious or just can’t seem to cope with daily life. Maybe you’re just hoping and praying they hang in there until they reach adulthood. It can be so hard to imagine they’ll ever be okay again when you’re in the middle of this battle. If you’re feeling the weight of your teen’s mental health struggle, Sadie’s story will not only give you hope, but wi...
Oct 03, 2023•52 min
Every Friday we're dropping a BONUS episode. Shorter but no less informative. Today's episode is about communicating with your teenager. Parenting a teen is far from easy. But remaining calm when they open up to you about something critical - well, it can be extremely difficult (but so important if you want to remain their primary "influencer.") Related episodes: 8 , 26 , 57 FREE GUIDES for parents of teens and tweens: “Emotional Awareness Strategies” (for parents) “Why Doesn’t My Teen Sleep?” (...
Sep 29, 2023•13 min
If you've ever been curious about "tapping", now's your chance to learn everything you need to know about this evidence-based, therapeutic self-help technique. The Emotional Freedom Technique, otherwise known as "EFT" or "EFT Tapping" has been scientifically shown to help children, adolescents, and adults with all manner of mental, physical, and emotional pain. Have you ever heard of it or seen anyone practice it? It looks a little bit odd , and I was admittedly skeptical, but the evidence is cl...
Sep 26, 2023•42 min
Every Friday we're dropping a BONUS episode. Shorter but no less informative. Today's episode is all about rules about rules! Related episodes: 15 , 16, and 22 Show Notes Find our FREE Parenting Guides Here "I just wanted to let you know that I'm so thankful for your podcast! ...I'm so happy I discovered it!" Speaking of Teens Listener ^If you feel the same way, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps people know the show is worth their time to listen. Tap here , to go to Apple ...
Sep 22, 2023•9 min
If you haven’t listened to episode #70, you might want to go back now and listen before returning here. Perhaps you’ve been there; sitting on the edge of your 15-year-old daughter’s bed while she cries and pleads with you not to make her go to school because she “just can’t.” Or maybe you’ve stood outside the bathroom door while your 13-year-old son intermittently throws up and yells that he’s “never going back to that school!” Statistically speaking, you may have had an experience like this or ...
Sep 19, 2023•41 min
Normally, Friday is a bonus episode, but you've been waiting on this one! Today is the first part of the recent conversation I had with Jayne Demsky of The School Avoidance Alliance and you don't want to miss this or the second part coming Tuesday 9-19. If you've ever dealt with a stressed out, anxious or depressed teen or tween that just couldn't go to school, we've got some great information for you in these two episodes! The following resources are from Jayne: School Avoidance Master Class fo...
Sep 15, 2023•14 min
Middle school sucks for most kids. They feel awkward, embarrassed by everything, want more than anything to fit in and be part of the crowd. And navigating friendships can be ridiculously difficult...but when you throw smart phones in the mix, it's next-level. On today’s episode I talk to Jessica Speer, the author of three wonderful books for kids and teens, who has two teenage daughters herself. She has a masters in social sciences, but what really makes her an award-winning author is her knack...
Sep 12, 2023•35 min
Every Friday we're dropping a BONUS episode. Shorter but no less informative (maybe a little less formal). Mattering Movement Never Enough, When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic-And What We Can Do About It (Jennifer Breheny Wallace) Greater Good Magazine article Find our FREE Parenting Guides Here "I just wanted to let you know that I'm so thankful for your podcast! ...I'm so happy I discovered it!" Speaking of Teens Listener ^If you feel the same way, please consider rating and reviewing my sh...
Sep 08, 2023•11 min
While it's impossible to be a “perfect parent” to your teen or tween, there are certain mistakes we can avoid...and it's crucial to your relationship with them, their overall wellbeing and their eventual success that you learn them now. The parenting mistakes I talk about in this week’s episode lead to lots of unnecessary conflict between you and your teen and can cause or increase a teenager's bad behavior. I’m talking about issues that impact the way we interpret and understand their behavior,...
Sep 05, 2023•39 min
Every Friday we're dropping a BONUS episode. Shorter but no less informative (maybe a little less formal). Check out these guides to help you go deeper: “The Challenging Adolescent Brain” (e-book) “Communication for Teen Cooperation” “10 Keys to Unlock Your Teen’s Emotional Intelligence” (now called "Emotion Coaching") Show Notes Find our FREE Parenting Guides Here "I just wanted to let you know that I'm so thankful for your podcast! ...I'm so happy I discovered it!" Speaking of Teens Listener ^...
Sep 01, 2023•10 min
How well can we really know our teens? Of course, when they’re little we know everything just by default - we know them to their core. But when they become adolescents, our relationship naturally shifts, they want and need more privacy and it becomes much easier for them to hide bits and pieces of themselves from us. Do you think you’d know if they had an enormous secret? One they feel might be just too hard for you to understand and accept (like being gay)? Tune in today for my interview with H...
Aug 29, 2023•45 min
Every Friday we're dropping a BONUS episode. Shorter but no less informative (maybe a little less formal). See also, episodes 22 and 26 Find our FREE Parenting Guides Here "I just wanted to let you know that I'm so thankful for your podcast! ...I'm so happy I discovered it!" Speaking of Teens Listener ^If you feel the same way, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps people know the show is worth their time to listen. Tap here , to go to Apple podcasts, and scroll down until you...
Aug 25, 2023•14 min
Teenagers are experiencing anxiety today more than ever before. Yet, as a parent, you may have no idea what teen anxiety looks like or how to help your kid if you suspect they may have it. Teen anxiety doesn’t look like adult anxiety, and often teens and tweens don’t have enough self-awareness to even understand that’s what they’re feeling. So, it falls on you to figure it out, give them the support they need and find the right kind of help for them. On the show today is Lauren Wolfe, licensed p...
Aug 22, 2023•46 min
Every Friday we're dropping a BONUS episode. Shorter but no less informative (maybe a little less formal). About the 26th Amendment Age Requirements History See also, Episode 62 and Episode 63 Find our FREE Parenting Guides Here "I just wanted to let you know that I'm so thankful for your podcast! ...I'm so happy I discovered it!" Speaking of Teens Listener Please be sure to share this episode with another mom you think may find it helpful and follow the show right here where you’re listening. N...
Aug 18, 2023•10 min
Parenting is a stressful journey, and the teen years can be a major challenge when we don’t understand what role our own emotions play in our day-to-day interactions with our kids. On the show today is Hunter Clarke-Fields, the Mindful Mama Mentor and host of the Mindful Mama podcast. Hunter is also the bestselling author of Raising Good Humans and has just released her second book, Raising Good Humans Every Day: 50 ways to press pause, stay present and connect with your kids . She talks about h...
Aug 15, 2023•45 min
Every Friday we're dropping a BONUS episode. Shorter but no less informative (maybe a little less formal). See also, Episode 1 and Episode 10 Parenting Science: Authoritarian parenting outcomes: What happens to the kids? About Gwen Dewar Find our FREE Parenting Guides Here "I just wanted to let you know that I'm so thankful for your podcast! ...I'm so happy I discovered it!" Speaking of Teens Listener ^If you feel the same way, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps people know...
Aug 11, 2023•12 min
Today, I'm sharing an episode of The Purposeful Parent podcast. I was interviewed recently by Kristin Joy Davis and Melissa Curtis , both of whom work with parents and children. We talked about my own parenting journey of self-discovery and what parents who struggle to find peace with their teens need to know. Find our FREE Parenting Guides Here "I just wanted to let you know that I'm so thankful for your podcast! ...I'm so happy I discovered it!" Speaking of Teens Listener ^If you feel the same...
Aug 08, 2023•52 min
Every Friday we're dropping a BONUS episode. Shorter but no less informative (maybe a little less formal). Find our FREE Parenting Guides Here "I just wanted to let you know that I'm so thankful for your podcast! ...I'm so happy I discovered it!" Speaking of Teens Listener ^If you feel the same way, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps people know the show is worth their time to listen. Tap here , to go to Apple podcasts, and scroll down until you see the STARS to tap on the ...
Aug 04, 2023•11 min
You know it's true! We should all just have "what the hell were you thinking?" tattooed on our foreheads! We not only have to watch out for their wildly emotional behavior but we have to worry about them doing things they've always promised us they've NEVER do. Afterall, they know better. We know they know better. And if you gave them a true/false test, they'd get it right every time: Drinking is bad - TRUE, Vaping is bad - TRUE, Smoking marijuana is bad - TRUE, Driving 75 mph with a car full of...
Aug 01, 2023•21 min
Every Friday we're dropping a BONUS episode. Shorter but no less informative (maybe a little less formal). Today: How do you manage your own emotions when your teen is testing your patience at every turn? "Emotional Awareness Strategies" Episode 8 Find our FREE Parenting Guides Here "I just wanted to let you know that I'm so thankful for your podcast! ...I'm so happy I discovered it!" Speaking of Teens Listener ^If you feel the same way, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps p...
Jul 28, 2023•12 min
As parents, we have a lot of expectations of our kids (and we should ). The problem is, once they start looking more like an adult, we start expecting them to act like one. The "funny" thing is - that's not the way this works. Just because they have to shave or they're allowed by the state to practice driving doesn't mean they can show empathy for us or can do their homework when they should or can stay calm when something's upset them. We assume they can do things they can't. We assume because ...
Jul 25, 2023•33 min
Every Friday we're dropping a BONUS episode. Shorter but no less informative (maybe a little less formal). Today: There are so many things about parenting teens and tweens that are uncomfortable. Too many to even begin to list. It's time to get comfortable in your discomfort. FREE GUIDES for parents of teens and tweens: “10 Keys to Unlock Your Teen’s Emotional Intelligence” “The Challenging Adolescent Brain” (e-book) “Emotional Awareness Strategies” (for parents) “Why Doesn’t My Teen Sleep?” (e-...
Jul 21, 2023•11 min
Screens. It’s the absolute bane of every parent’s existence. And it only gets worse when kids get old enough to spell and search! And when puberty kicks in, well it’s a whole other story. I know I’m not the only one who’s silently cursed Steve Jobs every day since my child first laid his hands on an iPhone. Today’s teenagers have never known a world without a smart phone, a computer, or a gaming system. Did our parents say the same thing about us and arcade games, microwaves, and VCRs? Quite pos...
Jul 18, 2023•33 min
Every Friday we're dropping a BONUS episode. Shorter but no less informative (maybe a little less formal). Today, we address the following questions: 1. Can you discuss Hip Hop’s origins with your teen? 2. What are the chances your son or daughter has been approached by a sextortionist online? 3. Have you seen or experienced TikTok’s Bold Glamour filter? Sources and Resources for today's episode: NPR on Hip Hop WeProtect Global Alliance on sextortion Bold Glamour Find our FREE Parenting Guides H...
Jul 14, 2023•13 min
Today’s episode is our 60th and we zeroed in on this topic because recently, I’ve been seeing more questions about teen drug and alcohol issues in online groups and forums. These questions cover everything from punishments to at-home drug tests. Learn the answers in this episode featuring Richard Capriola, author of The Addicted Child, A Parents Guide to Adolescent Substance Abuse (or available on Amazon ) Show Notes and Transcript Find our FREE Parenting Guides Here "I just wanted to let you kn...
Jul 11, 2023•38 min
Every Friday we're dropping a BONUS episode. Shorter but no less informative (maybe a little less formal). Today, we address the following questions: Is your teen more or less likely to develop a substance use disorder if they take stimulant medication for their ADHD? What is it about your voice and the way your teen reacts? Is your teen such a picky eater that you’re really concerned about them? Sources and Resources for today's episode: About ADHD Stimulant Medication Study on ADHD Medication ...
Jul 07, 2023•13 min
“What do you want to do when you grow up?” It’s the question kids become accustomed to from the time they can talk. They’ll give answers like astronaut, doctor, teacher, veterinarian or maybe artist, dancer, singer. But as they move through middle school, they begin to understand a little more about the “practicalities” of some of those careers as the adults in their life begin to wield more influence. And the closer they get to graduating from high school, it can seem that’s all anyone around t...
Jul 03, 2023•34 min
Every Friday we're dropping a BONUS episode. Shorter but no less informative (maybe a little less formal). Today, a Question from a Facebook Group. Find our FREE Parenting Guides Here "I just wanted to let you know that I'm so thankful for your podcast! ...I'm so happy I discovered it!" Speaking of Teens Listener ^If you feel the same way, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps people know the show is worth their time to listen. Tap here , to go to Apple podcasts, and scroll do...
Jun 30, 2023•13 min
