Power Your Parenting: Moms With Teens

Can you be a parent of a teen and be at peace? Not 100% of the time. But yes you can be a mom and chase after peace. It's good for you and your teen. In this episode we will explore five ways moms lose their peace and how to not fall into those traps. You will be given four practical ways moms can dial up their peace.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are going to talk about how your teen can find the right college. Our guest today is Dr. Aviva Legatt who has recently published Get Real and Get in: How to Get Into the College of Your Dreams by Being Your Authentic Self. Dr.. Leggat states that it's not about finding the best college but the best college for you. Dr. Aviva Legatt is the admissions expert and founder of Ivy Insight, the gold standard in college admissions consulting for undergraduate college applications. An in-demand leadership and college admissions speaker with a fresh perspective, Dr. Legatt has been hailed by the New York Times as a trustworthy expert on college admissions, and recognized as an expert in corporate culture and diversity as a faculty member for Coursera and the University of Pennsylvania. Find out more go to https://ivyinsight.com/get-real-and-get-in/ Follow Dr. Aviva Legatt on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/avivalegatt/ and Twitter @avivalegatt t Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever had a teen stay in their room for hours. And they were actually doing their homework but it took them way longer than it should? A lot of my parents I've coached tell me, "My daughter takes four hours to get her homework done when it should've only taken two hours. And then she's up too late and doesn’t get enough sleep." Our guest today has some amazing research and practical tips that will literally help your teens extend their brains. . Annie Murphy Paul is an acclaimed science writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Scientific American, and The Best American Science Writing, among many other publications. She is the author of Origins, selected by the New York Times Book Review as a “Notable Book,” and The Cult of Personality, hailed by Malcolm Gladwell in the New Yorker as a “fascinating new book.” Her TED Talk has been viewed more than 2.6 million times. A graduate of Yale University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, she is currently a Learning Sciences Exchange Fellow at New America. And she is the mother of two teenage boys. Her latest book The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain was just released. In this book she talks about how we can extend our brains by thinking with our bodies through sensation movement and gesture. Thinking with our surroundings through natural spaces, built spaces, the space of ideas. And Thinking with our relationships through experts, peers and groups. Learn more about Annie at anniemurphypaul.com Follow her on twitter: https://twitter.com/anniemurphypaul Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What did you appreciate about your dad when you were in high school? The reason I ask you this question is to give you perspective on how dads impact our teens by looking at how your dad impacted you in high school. Its sometimes hard to see it with your teens dad because you are so close to it. What do you appreciate about your teen's dad? Or is it hard to appreciate him? We'll talk about the greatest father's day present ever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the biggest challenges your teen will face when they enter college is self-management. Managing what they eat, managing alcohol , managing stress, managing sleep , managing relationships, exercise and their time. Self- management is everything for the college student without it they don't have their health and they definitely won't make the grade. Jill and Dave Henry met coaching high school sports in Los Angeles and have been working with teens for nearly fifteen years. With every graduating class, they’ve fielded their student-athletes’ concerns about the transition to college. Determined to help, the Henrys decided to leverage their combined professional skills in research, study design, data analysis, and storytelling (Jill is a veteran statistics teacher, Dave is a Peabody-award winning TV and film editor) to create a fun yet informative resource with the goal of preparing all students to enjoy college without sacrificing their health. Their just released book The Greatest College Health Guide You Never Knew You Needed---How to Manage Food, Booze, Stress, Sex, Sleep, and Exercise on Campus was published in June 2021. This interview is filled with great research, interesting stories, and practical information including how to get your teen to read this book. You can contact Jill and Dave at greatestcollegehealthguide.com Follow them on instagram @greatestcollegehealthguide Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should you trust your teen? Has your teen ever said to you, Why don’t you trust me? I’ve seen so many moms come into my practice reeling from that question. Why would moms be so bothered by that question? It can make us feel like we are doing something wrong, like we are supposed to love our kids, believe in them, and trust them. When you teen asks you why don’t you trust me we need to see the question in context. We need to rewind the video a bit. I am guessing that question is being thrown at you because you set a limit or you said no to things like... You cant have screens in your room after your bedtime. You cant go over to Ryans house when his parents aren't there. So often when your teen asks you Why don’t you trust me? what they are really asking is Why wont you let me do what I want? We are going to explore the concept of trust in this podcast. It's more complicated than you think Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever picked your teen up after school and said, "How's your day?" and they tell you. "fine." Then when you ask him another questions they tell you, "I don’t want to talk about it." I already know the answer to that question. Of course this has happened to you. Our teens are guarded like castles ,surrounded with a moat of crocodiles and sharks. And you do your best to get them to lower the drawbridge, but it seems whatever you do they just retreat deeper and deeper into their castle. How do you get your teen to open up and talk to you? In this episode we explore how this impacts you when your teen shuts you out. We also explore why your teen won't talk to you, and finally what moms can do to get their teen to talk. The good news is that there are things you can do to help your teen open up to you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode I want to show you the power of acceptance and how that is different than resignation. When you hear, "You just need to accept . . .", it can feel like resignation, like you are giving up and you're losing the battle with your teen.. Actually the definition of resignation is the acceptance of something undesirable but inevitable. I'm not talking about resignation. I'm talking about accepting your teen. If you want to influence your teen and change negative behavior you need to accept your teen first. I know this can feel counterintuitive to moms. But acceptance is vital for your teens well being and mental health. Acceptance lays the foundation for a secure attachment between you and your teen. Acceptance is needed for lasting and positive change. When your teen feels accepted by you, not only will this improve your relationship, but they will be more open to you and your guidance. Because when your teen feels valued and that you care for them no matter what, they will see you as someone who is worth listening to and following. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You are going to love this conversation. "I believe that parenthood is like a bungee jump. It’s scary and fun, it makes you fly and often lets you down. This book isn’t so much a parenting guide as an exploration of the complex emotional journey of being a parent, reminding us of the courage and energy it requires as well as acknowledging that no parent is perfect and at the end of the day, this relationship is about connection." Einat Nathan Einat Nathan is a parenting expert, public speaker, and bestselling author of My Everything (Haimsheli in Hebrew) in Israel. She holds a B.A. in law from Tel Aviv University, and is certified by the Adler Institute and the Ministry of Education for Parental Instruction and Group Instruction. Einat has been featured on TV, radio, podcasts, and in countless print outlets, and her second book (Mishelanu) about teenagers is due out in Israel this coming spring. Einat lives in Tel Aviv with her husband Yuval, and her five children Eyal, Yoav, Lihi, Rona, and Shira. Now translated into English, MY EVERYTHING: The Parent I Want to Be, The Children I Hope to Raise (on sale 04/06/21; Hachette Go, Hardcover; $28; ISBN: 9780306924040) provides a fresh, more millennial, relationship-based approach to parenting strategy. MY EVERYTHING is a rare mix of professional advice and intimate personal exposure that explores how to understand that your children are doing what they are doing in order to grow and develop, and how to release your expectations from them for the sake of their liberty to be who they are. Check out MY EVERYTHING: The Parent I Want to Be, The Children I Hope to Raise at https://amzn.to/3tSZGF9 Follow Einat on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/einatnathan/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every parent wants to keep their teen safe online. But we can fall into the trap of spending most of our time fighting over screen time while spending minimal time on educating our teens and raising their awareness of the dangers online. We need to intentionally focus on having informative conversations with our teens. Every time your child logs onto social media they are at risk from a number of social media-related dangers like cyberbullying, depression and suicide, hate speech, sexting, and human trafficking, to name just a few. And many children are averaging over 5 hours a day on social media! To address these issues I have invited Marc Berkman and Ed Peisner to be our guests for this show,. Marc Berkman serves as the CEO of the Organization for Social Media Safety, a national consumer protection organization that protects against all social media-related dangers like cyberbullying, hate speech, and human trafficking. Under his leadership, the Organization for Social Media Safety has taught social media safety skills to thousands of students, parents, and educators across the country; passed into law essential social media safety legislation like Jordan's Law, the nation's first law to deter social media-motivated violence; and helped develop software and apps to protect against social media-related dangers. Previously, Marc served for over a decade as a senior advisor to members of Congress and the California State Assembly. During his time as a legislative aide, he developed and helped pass numerous legislative initiatives to protect vulnerable children and families. Marc received his JD from Columbia Law School and his BA from UC Berkeley. He lives with his wife and two children in Los Angeles, CA. After a long career in business, Ed Peisner founded the Organization for Social Media Safety in 2017 after his teenage son Jordan was viciously assaulted in West Hills, CA. The attack was filmed and uploaded to social media by an associate of the attacker. Jordan was left with serious and life-long injuries from the assault. Ed decided to dedicate himself to the goal of ensuring that no other family had to endure such a terrible ordeal. Ed now proudly travels the country teaching students, parents, and educators essential social media safety skills. To find out more about the Buckling the Social Media Seatbelt Course or to contact Mark or Ed go to ofsms.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As you know we have a lot of stressed out teens. Because of stress our teens are having tension headaches. And though stress doesn’t cause migraines; it can trigger one. Today I have invited a special guest Dr. Alexander Feoktistov MD. This was a really informative interview for me. Here are some things that I didn’t know: Over 10% of our teens are suffering from migraines. The symptoms in teens are different from how they appear in adults. Migraines often first appear during puberty. If migraines are treated early on you can avoid chronic migraines in your adulthood. Dr. Alexander Feoktistov MD, is the founder and the president of the Synergy Integrative Headache Center in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Alexander Feoktistov is board-certified in Headache Medicine by the United Council of Neurological Subspecialties and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pain Medicine. He is also board-certified in Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Alex is received a PhD degree in the field of neurology at the Moscow Medical Academy, completed a fellowship in Pain Management at the Cleveland Clinic, and is currently serving as the President of the American Interventional Headache Society. In this episode we discuss: what is the difference between tension headaches and migraines in teens. Can stress cause migraines? What are some common symptoms of migraines in teens – and does it differ from migraine symptoms for adults? What are the different migraine types? In teens, should parents keep an eye out for behavior changes that might indicate a migraine? Why would drug treatments not be a first line approach for teen migraine? What are the benefits of using a holistic approach to migraine treatment? What are some school-friendly options that teens have for controlling and treating migraines? How can parents help support their teen with migraine both at home and school? Why is it important to get diagnosis and start treatment early for migraine? You can contact Dr. Alex through his website www.synergyheadache.com or by calling 773 948-7557. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you are stressed out because your teen doesn't know what they want to be when they grow up. You are not the only one. Moms spend a great deal of time thinking/worrying about their teens future and so are teens. What are their interests, skills, and passions? What should they major in? What career are they going to pursue? Teens are under more pressure than ever before to know their life plan when they have had limited life experience. This pressure isn’t helpful. Today we are going to talk about how to help your teens turn this pressuring into exploring. I have invited Tamara s Raymond as a guest today.Tamara is a certified leadership coach and career strategist dedicated to helping professionals reach their maximum potential; and young people get on the right career path so they can make a difference. Careering: The Pocket Guide to Exploring Your Future Career is Tamara’s first book. It is available as a paperback, e-book and audiobook. For more information about Tamara and her other projects, including her coaching services, visit www.imcleaders.com Tamara believes that adolescence and young adulthood are the best time to explore, experience, and eliminate possible career paths. Careering will help you do all three–and get your teen on the path that is right for them! Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamarasraymond/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a culture of perfectionism and pressure we need ways to release the stress. I can think of no better way than healthy humor. There is so much fodder for humor while parenting teens and living in these middle years. Today's episode is on the lighter and even fun side. Our guest today helps us take ourselves and our situations lightly. In this episode I interview Kristen van Ogtrop. Kristin is the author of Just Let Me Lie Down: Necessary Terms for the Half-Insane Working Mom. The former longtime editor-in-chief of Real Simple and “The Amateur” columnist for Time, she is a literary agent at InkWell Management. Her writing has appeared in countless publications, and the New York Times bestselling collection, The Bitch in the House. She is a wife and mother of three, but sometimes loves her dogs more than anybody else. Kristin just released her new book, Did I Say That Out Loud? Midlife Indignities and How to Survive Them. Kristin is a very gifted writer who pays attention to the absurdities we endure and names them. She does address some of the challenges of those middle years but in a way that is so real, poignant, optimistic, and hilarious all at the same time. There were many times that I literally laughed out loud while reading her book especially reading her chapter, "When Things Fall Apart." I think it's such a gift when someone can help you laugh at yourself and not take your life, your parenting and your future so seriously and revaluate whats the point of it all. Check out her new book: https://amzn.to/3mpmJp9 Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kvanogtrop/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode I interview Jessica Lahey. Her latest book, The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence, published by Harper Collins will be released April 6th, 2021 every where books are sold. Jessica writes about education, parenting, and child welfare for The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and the New York Times. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. Lahey is a member of the Amazon Studios Thought Leader Board and wrote the curriculum for Amazon Kids’ The Stinky and Dirty Show. She lives in Vermont with her husband and two sons. In this episode we dive into The Addiction Inoculation. This is a well written book with engaging stories and loaded with useful information. We explore questions like... How has the pandemic affected drug and alcohol use by teens? What does alcohol and drugs do to the teen brain? Does vaping impact the young persons brain? Is there a correlation between sleep and substance abuse? What risk factors make it more likely that a teen will abuse alcohol or drugs? How to talk to your kids about substance abuse? Also, we discuss refusal skills and exit strategies and how we can empower our teens to resist peer pressure. And we talk about how to tip the scales of addiction and what are the protective factors that outweigh risk. Check out her book or contact her at https://www.jessicalahey.com/ Follow on instagram https://www.instagram.com/teacherlahey/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we are going to talk about space and why we all need it: you, your teen, and your partner. We'll also talk about how to use space well and finally six ways moms can reclaim their space. I think out of your whole family moms have the hardest time getting space and we probably need it the most so we have to be strategic to make sure we get it. Everyone in your family needs space, its not a nice to have; it is a core need of every human being. For a family to be healthy you need space and connection. Learning how to negotiate your space while in relationship is mandatory for having a healthy family. 2020 was definitely a hard year to get space. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode I interview Dr. Kenneth Bock the author of "Brain Inflamed: Uncovering the Hidden Causes of Anxiety, Depression and Other Mood Disorders in Adolescents and Teens." This book is literally fresh off the press. Over the past decade the number of 12 to 17 years olds suffering from mental health disorders has more than doubled. Which leaves all of us asking what is causing this epidemic. And I know many of you listening have teens who struggle with anxiety, depression,ADHD, and other mood disorders. Dr Kenneth Boch shares a revolutionary new view of adolescent and teen mental health –which I think will be encouraging and helpful to those listening. Kenneth A. Bock, M.D. is a board-certified physician who received his MD degree with Honor from the University of Rochester School of Medicine in 1979. An internationally recognized pioneer of integrative medicine, he is the best-selling author of Healing the New Childhood Epidemics, The Road to Immunity, Natural Relief for Your Child’s Asthma, and The Germ Survival Guide. He has also contributed to numerous professional publications and is an in-demand national and international speaker. Over the course of his thirty-five-year career, he has become known for his unique ability to identify and untangle the most complex, multisystem, multi-symptom medical cases. His world-renowned private practice, Bock Integrative Medicine, is located in the beautiful Hudson Valley, in Red Hook, New York. Contact him through [email protected] or go onto braininflamed.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we are going to talk about where to see and discover signs of growth in ourselves and in our teens. Recognizing signs of growth is so important to a moms well being. Signs of growth motivate us to get back in the parenting game because it reinforces that what we do matters. But signs of growth are rarely like blockbuster movies, they are not flashy. It's easy to miss them especially when it comes to our teens. Unfortunately one little negative word from our teen can set off a five alarm fire inside of us and blind us from seeing that there are still little buds of growth in our teens. This year especially we need to look for little signs of growth or signs of life. A year of quarantine has made our world look barren and bleak and that takes a toll on our souls it takes a toll on our vibrancy and our energy. I talk to moms all over and what I know is that moms are drained and exhausted . Your mothering resources are depleted. You may find that you get frustrated easier, you have less tolerance for things, people get on your nerves, especially your kids or your partner. Many of you will have some time off during spring break or around Easter. As we enter spring let nature remind you that there is hope and that change and growth are happening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode I interview Michelle Icard about her new book, "Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen: The Essential Conversations You Need to Have with Your Kids Before They Start High School." Michelle draws from her decades of experience working with families to focus not only on those big, thorny topics—like friendship, sexuality, impulsivity, and technology—but on conversations about creativity, hygiene, money, privilege, and contributing to the family. She outlines her family-tested formula for best approaching these essential conversations, the BRIEF Model (Begin peacefully, Relate to your child, Interview to collect information, Echo what you're hearing, and give Feedback) and helps parents overcome some of the most common hurdles when talking to tweens Michelle Icard is a member of the Today show parenting team and NBC News Learn. The author of Middle School Makeover, her work has been featured in the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, The Christian Science Monitor, Redbook, Time, and People. Her leadership curriculum for middle schoolers, Athena's Path and Hero's Pursuit, have been implemented at schools across the U.S., and her summer camp curriculum is offered at more than 20 camps each summer. She lives with her family in Charlotte, North Carolina. Check out her new book: https://amzn.to/3rqxTeP Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelleicard/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Between ages 8 and 14 girls confidence levels drop by 30%. Half of teen girls feel the pressure to be perfect. Girls are 22% less likely than boys to describe themselves as confident. Nearly 8 in 10 girls want to feel more confident in themselves. Katty Kay and Claire Shipman are on a mission to change this. Each of them have incredible experiences as journalists and both are mothers of fifteen-year-old daughters. They wrote New York Times Bestseller, "The Confidence Code for Girls" in 2018. Recently they have launched, "Living the Confidence Code," the book includes real, authentic and inspiring stories of thirty girls around the world between the ages of 8-14. I was so touched by these girls courage to face obstacles, failure, and take the risk needed to gain confidence. This book is upbeat and restores your hope in the world. This is such a delightful conversation with Katty and Claire who were very open about their relationships with their daughters. We talk about what moms can do to foster confidence in our daughters. The good news it's not about being perfect. Katty Kay is the anchor of BBC World News America, based in Washington, D.C. She is also a frequent contributor to Meet the Press and Morning Joe. In addition to her work on women’s issues, Kay has covered the Clinton administration sex scandal; four presidential elections; and the wars in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. She was at the Pentagon just 20 minutes after a hijacked plane flew into the building on 9/11—one of her most vivid journalistic memories is of interviewing soldiers still visibly shaking from the attack. Katty grew up all over the Middle East, where her father was posted as a British diplomat. She studied modern languages at Oxford and is a fluent French and Italian speaker with some “rusty Japanese.” Kay juggles her journalism with raising four children with her husband, a consultant. Claire Shipman is a journalist, author, and public speaker. Before turning to writing, Claire spent almost three decades as an award-winning television journalist. For the last 14 years Claire was a regular contributor to Good Morning America and other national broadcasts for ABC News. Before that she served as White House correspondent for NBC News where she regularly reported on presidential policy and politics for NBC Nightly News and TODAY. Prior to that, she worked for CNN for a decade, covering the White House, and also posted in Moscow for 5 years, covering the fall of the Soviet Union. Claire’s reporting from Moscow helped CNN earn a National Headliners Award, and a coveted Peabody award. She received a DuPont Award and an Emmy Award for coverage of the 1989 Tiananmen Square student uprising, and a DuPont Award for CNN’s coverage of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. She graduated from Columbia College and later earned a Master’s degree from the School of International Affairs there. She’s now a member of Columbia’s Board of Trustees. She lives in Washington, DC with her family. Check out their new book: Living the Confidence Code: Real Girls, Real Stories, Real Confidence https://amzn.to/3uzF86d Follow them on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/confidencecodegirls/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we are going to talk about all things control. I think there can be a lot of confusion for parents around control. You hear phrases like keep your teens under control because you don’t want them to be out of control and then you hear don’t be too controlling or over controlling, or you need to exercise self control And then you have parental controls for everything social media. So I think it's easy to get confused about where you should stand on the whole control issue. In this episode we explore healthy control or monitoring vs being over controlling. We will look at the 4 traps over controlling moms fall into. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parenting is hard. So what do we do with that reality? I’m definitely not going to give you 5 tips to easy parenting. It's going to be hard. So what do we do with that emotionally? It's easy to get angry about it, or bitter or resentful. It's easy to want to numb on great wines and Netflix. It's easy to fantasize about escaping the hard and going to a remote tropical island. It’s easy to get discouraged and frustrated. It's easy to feel trapped and cornered, and swim in the waters of, "it's just not fair." And maybe some of you are thinking I pour out my heart and soul to my teen and what do I get…disrespect. . What's in it for me? That’s actually a good question. What if there is something in this for you Is there anything positive or beneficial that can come out of all this?. Can these hard things shape our character and make us a better human? Can these things cause us to grow spiritually and emotionally? Yes! No one likes going through hard times, but if you knew that this was making you a better person with a whole new skill set, well, it makes it a lot more tolerable. I hope this episode encourages you. There is light at the end of the tunnel and it's not a train. Good things can come out of the hard. You are not being taken out; you are getting stronger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you have a hard time saying no to your teen? Do you have a hard time saying yes to your teen? You may say no frequently because you are scared of letting your teen have more independence and freedom? You may yes frequently because you are scared of your teen's reaction. What you want to shoot for is saying yes and saying no from a clear place instead of scared place.. Today we are going to talk about why it's hard to say no to your teen and what you can do about it. We will explore the top 7 reasons why it's hard for mom's to say no and five things you can do about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the 100th episode of Power Your Parenting: Moms with Teens Podcast. Woo Hoo. This is because of all you amazing listeners. Does your teen feel accepted by you? Why is this important? A big part of your parenting job is to tell your teen what is unacceptable. Setting boundaries and consequences for unacceptable, unhealthy, risky or dangerous behaviors is the hard work of parenting and is desperately needed. Your teens behavior can be unacceptable, but who they are and their true essence should always be acceptable. In this episode we talk about what it means to accept your teen and for them to feel your acceptance. And how this builds a secure attachment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After observing moms and teens for decades, I see predictable traps moms of juniors and seniors fall into . These traps dial up the drama, leave your relationship strained and you drained. This podcast will help you avoid these common pitfalls so you wont miss these precious years with your teen before they go off to college. With a little information, awareness and strategy you can avoid the traps and experience everything you hope for before your teen leaves home. This is a hard season. Legally your eighteen year old may be an adult but they are far from it with their undeveloped prefrontal cortex. You are well aware of their emotional immaturity. Your knee deep in the college application process and your teen doesn’t seem to be taking everything as serious as you. All of this stresses you out. You could relax if you saw your teen was being responsible but you don’t. You feel the pressure to get them ready before they leave home. You want to see them being mature and responsible. But you don’t see evidence of that. I have heard this statement from parents for decades. How can my teen be ready for college if they cant even... manage their money clean their room work on their college applications get up on time do their chores. And when you see this irresponsibility it can throw you into a panic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Would you like to feel like you're moving forward in 2021? This episode is the last in a 3-part series to help you successfully start 2021. I want to focus on how you and your family can move forward even in the midst of a global pandemic and the constant barrage of bad news. Experiencing moving forward is so important to our mental health. You see that clearly with your teen. You want to see your teen moving forward with their emotional maturity, friendships, academics, talents, and accomplishments. Just like its good for your teens vibrancy and emotional health; it's good for our vibrancy and emotional health to see that we are moving forward. Building on last week we want to take what you want and help you move forward. There are three tools to help you mover forward: unleash the power of goal setting, creating affirmations and using visualizations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you want? This episode is the second in a three- part series. Think of this as your virtual retreat. My intention is to help you start the new year strong The previous episode we explored what you were tolerating. So that you can clean up the messes and irritations from 2020 and not drag them into the new year. When you dial down what you tolerate you free up attention for what you really want. In this episode we explore how moms tie themselves up in knots around what we want. Often we just say "I don't Know." I give you writing and vision exercises to help you identify what you want in seven different areas of your life. Let's have a little fun! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the next several weeks I will lead you through a process to get you ready for the new year. Think of this as your personal retreat. What are you tolerating? 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 first thing that you thought of is the color of your kitchen wall, all those piles of papers on the table, or the kitchen disposal that hasn’t worked in a year. You are tolerating things in your physical space. Heres the thing. All of us tolerate things we shouldn't, instead of handling them. Every time we tolerate things instead of managing them they drain our energy. It steals our attention away from what we really want to do and what we want to achieve. And if we don’t handle these little things in life we can go into resignation. Like if I can’t handle these little irritations then I can’t have what I want and we feel this at a deep unconscious level. This episode helps you become aware of what you're tolerating and gives you a plan to clean up your irritations and messes in your physical space and your relationships. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are going to talk about how mindfulness meditation can dial down the drama and help you be the best parent for your teens. Did you know that 47 different studies showed that mindfulness meditation reduces anxiety, reduces depression, increases well being , improves quality of sleep, and improves health outcomes? I have a special guest today that will help us explore mindfulness and parenting. Hunter Clarke-Fields, MSAE, RYT, is a mindful mama mentor. Hunter is the creator of the Mindful Parenting course, host of the Mindful Mama podcast and widely-followed author of Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids. She helps parents bring more calm and peace into their daily lives. Hunter has over twenty years of experience in meditation practices and has taught mindfulness to thousands worldwide. Hunter has a special gift for you today. Thirty-six minutes in Hunter will lead you in a special nine minute meditation to help you reduce stress. Here are some questions you can explore. 1. How did you get interested in mindfulness and meditation practices. 2. What is mindfulness and how does that help your parenting? 3. Can you explain how mindfulness meditation changes the brain? 4. How do you practice mindfulness? You can contact Hunter at https://www.mindfulmamamentor.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Moms, as you know social media has created a whole new set of problems for parents of teens. I know trying to monitor screen time will bring out the beast in most teens. And that’s so draining to deal with that day after day. Today we are going to go deeper and explore the impact of how social media is impacting our teens. Specifically addressing this selfie generation. And how it's not just about posting selfies it's directly correlated with how many likes you get. This is a recipe for compulsive posting, anxiety, and poor self esteem with a dash of narcissism. Our guest today is not only a wealth of information she is offering you a tool to communicate with your teen about the impact of social media and selfies. Kim Laureen is co founder of Fresh Independence Productions - a writer, speaker and advocate for youth and families at risk. Director of the award winning documentary 'selfless' Kim says being a mom of 8 has prepared her well and lends authenticity, compassion and understanding to the challenges families face today. In this episode we discuss these questions. Why selfless? · How the film came to be... (inspirational back story) · What are some stats you have learned along the way? · What are the realities you are hearing from youth? · What did you learn parenting through 3 decades of teens? · What is your greatest concern? · What advice would you pass along to parents of teens today? You can go to selflessmovie.com to watch and purchase via iTunes - Apple - Amazon or reach out directly to book a community screening license or workshop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many teens are preoccupied with body image and girls especially can be obsessed with weight loss. In this episode we focus on health gain. A majority of weight and health issues are caused by unhealthy eating habits started in the teen years. Teens can get caught in that dieting and deprivation cycle, which can be extremely unhealthy. The goal is to interrupt those unhealthy habits as a teen so they don’t follow them into adulthood. Dr. D Nice or Dr Beaugelin, real name Denise Hunter, MD, is an Adolescent Wellness Specialist and has been a medical doctor for over 20 years. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine and has completed hours of training towards board certification in Functional Medicine. She’s also been a youth leader for over 30 years and a trained youth motivational speaker. Her training in improv and storytelling helps her presentations to be delightfully engaging. Dr. D-Nice also currently serves on the Wake County (North Carolina) Public School Student Health Advisory Council (SHAC). There are 4 major areas Dr. D Nice will address: - Your mind: how you think about food - Your mouth: how, what and when you eat - Your moves: how and when to exercise - Your rest: how rest plays an important part in health and weight loss Contact Dr. D Nice Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.dnicebeaugelin/ Website: https://www.wisdomteethinger.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we are going to talk about what to let in and what to keep out. Another way to say it is where to tune in and when to tune out. There is lots of drama, chaos, and fear swirling around our world right now. Therefore we are experiencing a lot of drama, chaos, and fear in our families. Just because the drama is swirling around you doesn't mean you have to let it in. You have a choice. You don't have to let the chaos, drama or fear inside of you. We can stay centered, grounded and calm in the midst of an adolescent storm or a global pandemic and actually enjoy our day. Yes we are living in some turbulent times. My goal here is to keep you afloat and keep the toxicity out of this holiday season and so you can feast on life. I don't want you to miss the feast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you raise money-wise teens? Is that really possible? To answer this question I invited Molly Ward to be my guest. Molly Ward, CFP® (Certified Financial Planner), CDFA® (Certified Divorce Financial Analyst) and Founder of Well Lived Wealth, LLC is a Financial Planner based in Houston with more than 20 years of professional experience. When she’s not helping clients take control of their lives through financial management, you can find her throwing a ball in the front yard with her 11-year-old son, late evening dog walking with one of her teen daughters, paddle boarding on gorgeous Texas Hill Country Rivers, playing tennis with a friend, or hosting weekly Friday Fajitas parties. Molly Ward offers securities through Equitable Advisors, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory products and services are offered through Equitable Advisors, LLC, which is an investment advisor registered with the SEC, and annuity and insurance products are offered through Equitable Network, LLC. Well Lived Wealth is not a registered investment advisor and is not operated or owned by Equitable Advisors or Equitable Network. During this episode we explore these questions. 1. When should you start talking to your kids about money? And what should you talk to your teens about concerning money? 2. What are some of the traps that moms fall into with teens and money? 3. Can teens really manage their money or be responsible with money? 4. How can you train teens to handle money and make spending decisions on their own. 5. How do you keep teens from being entitled when it come to money? Here's Molly's last piece of advice. Give them an allowance that does not give them 100% of what they want. If they want more, they need to get a job. The important part here is getting a job where they have to show up and work. I heard that only 33% of students have a job before entering college. these jobs, well maybe menial are so important to you developing great long-term habits with money. Especially, if you couple it with an Allowance that Isn’t enough for all their wants. there is a big focus on the résumé and the ACT scores, however a job will teach them Real world perspective and be great for the long term and in the short term it will put money in their wallet to buy the coolest pair of tennis shoes. You can contact Molly at http://www.welllivedwealth.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I've been listening to moms for a long time. 99.9% of moms complain about their teens messy room. So if you struggle with your teen around cleaning their room you're not the only one. Yes this is not a life or death situation….but it is one of those damn dailies that can drain us and strain our relationship with our teens. So I have invited a very special guest who has personal experience with her own teens and also professional experience with organizing teens rooms. Amy Gardiner is a Professional Organizer and Organizer Coach based in San Diego. Her company, Higher Order, has helped declutter, destress, and demystify home organization for more than six years. Trained as an Organizer Coach, Amy helps clients identify and connect to their big goals, develop an actionable plan, and provides accountability and support along the way. She serves overwhelmed clients from executives to entrepreneurs, busy families, military on the move, and everyone in between. Amy also hosts decluttering challenges on The Daily Five, a Facebook group formed to encourage, support, and inspire people world-wide to live a bigger life with less stuff. Here are some questions we explore. 1. Why did you start the clutter free kid program. go into your philosophy. 2. What are lessons that you learned from your kids about what to do and what not to do. 3. What's realistic for teens? Did you have a clean room when you were a teen? 4. Can you tell me how you would approach helping a teen organize your room? (the process of clutter free kids) 5. What advice or tips do you have for moms who can't higher an organizer? 6. How can moms preserve the relationship with their teen and still have a clean room? You can reach Amy for complimentary consultations by email ([email protected]) or by phone. Find out more at www.HigherOrderHome.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we're going to check in with your heart. How's your heart doing mom? Some of you may feel that your mothers heart is just fine. Others may feel that your heart has numbed out. Some of you may feel like you have a bleeding heart.? Some of you may describe your heart has gone cold or like it just feels tarnished. Parenting a teen is hard on our hearts. But too often moms suffer needlessly. WHY is that? Because we take things personally. In this episode we discuss how moms can guard their hearts, nurture their hearts, and restore their hearts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When your teen yells at you, "It's none of your business." Most likely it is your business! Today's episode we are going to get into your teen's personal business. We will address the question, "Whose business is it, your teens business, your business or our business? The way you define your teens business, your business or our business is by establishing boundaries. If you're unclear about whose business it is, you are unclear about the boundaries and your expectations. If you are unclear about these things, you can’t parent effectively. My goal is that as we explore the murky waters of "whose business is it" that you will become crystal clear about your business and your teens business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are going to talk about all things empathy. Why should you care about empathy? In this episode we answer this question. Empathy is on the decline in our culture and we will look at why. How does social media and out digital world impact empathy? What can moms do to help increase empathy in teens? Can empathy be taught? Are middle school and high school students capable of empathy? What’s the evidence that people can learn to be more empathetic? What is the empathy advantage? We will explore self empathy, empathy to others and empathy to our planet. We have a special guest that is highly knowledgeable around the research and science of empathy and also has practical advice for you moms. LYNNE AZARCHI, author of THE EMPATHY ADVANTAGE, is Executive Director of Kidsbridge Tolerance Center outside of Trenton, New Jersey—a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering bullying prevention, anti-bias, diversity appreciation, empathy, and empowerment strategies for youth. She is a tireless advocate for improving the lives of at-risk youth in communities across New Jersey. Kidsbridge helps more than 2,500 preschool, elementary, and middle school students and educators improve their social-emotional skills each year. Azarchi has won many awards and her articles have been published both in newspapers and academic journals. She is a frequent speaker to parent and teacher groups, corporations and major educational conferences. To learn more about the book or to contact Lynne click this link. https://empathyadvantagebook.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's no way to escape stress right now with all that's going on. Parenting alone is stressful. The problem with stress is that it impacts more than your mind and your emotions. It impacts your body. Being in a constant state of stress response is not good for you or your family. This is more than being drained from all the drama, it impacts your biology too. It effects all the systems of your body including muscles, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and the nervous and reproductive system . When you go into stress response you release a flood of stress hormones including adrenaline and cortisol, which rouses your body for emergency action. Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, and breath quickens. You tend to take shallow breaths which can make you dizzy. Stress that’s unchecked weakens your immune system, can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. In the book, Burnout: the Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski, they talk about two very important concepts about burnout. Understanding the difference between the stress and the stressor. Completing the stress cycle. To feel like yourself again and get your mojo back you need to complete the stress cycle every day. I discuss several ways you can do that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we're going to talk about what you can do to build courage and confidence in your teens. We’ll talk about why it is important to instill leadership skills in your teen especially your daughter and how to do that. This includes from being a leader of an organization, to being a leader among her friends, or even self-leadership. We also talk about the importance of resilience in our teens and what moms can do. And why instilling an entrepreneurial mindset in your teen is so important in current times. My special guest today is Amy Klein. As a former online TV host, Amy will make you laugh until you cry and find a way to make every #momlife moment humorous - even on the days when adulting seems way too hard. Amy has an award-winning sales and leadership background in coaching and managing very dynamic teams. Follow Amy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/givehercourage/ To find out more visit https://givehercourage.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You are going to really love this episode. I interview Marcia Smart who is going to make your life easier. We talk about meal planning and how this can help you dial down the drama around the dinner table. Marcia Smart is a food writer, recipe developer and culinary instructor based in Houston. She has taught cooking classes for 20 years and contributed articles and recipes to Cooking Light, Sunset, Parenting, The Houston Chronicle and others. On her blog, Smart in the Kitchen, Marcia shares simple, delicious recipes and free weekly meal plans Marcia is not only a culinary arts extraordinaire, she is a mom of three teenagers. Marcia's advice comes from a mom who has been there. How do you put together a meal plan? Marcia makes it easy and has great ideas for meals when you have had one of those days. You can follow Marcia on Instagram and find great recipes at https://www.instagram.com/smartinthekitchen/ You can also find smart recipes, meal plans, cooking classes and videos at https://smartinthekitchen.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Teens are going to be curious, but it's not always positive. Parents can redirect teens toward healthy curiosity instead of unhealthy and sometimes dangerous curiosity. My guest today is Mike Alpert. Mike Alpert is the founder of Cogent Solutions, an educational consulting firm that designs professional development for teachers and administrators. Mike brings private sector experience to the field of education, where he used his MBA to become a project analyst at a wind energy firm before going back to grad school a second time to pursue a position teaching middle school humanities and entrepreneurship and working his way up as a Crystal Award Winning educator to an administrator position. Mike now spends his time empowering parents, educators, and administrators so they can more freely empower the next generation. In this episode he answered these questions. 1. Why is curiosity important? 2. How has it been historically cultivated or discouraged in school? 3. How can parents help to support curiosity at home? Are there any risks to be aware of? 4. What are some offline opportunities for parents and students that might not be obvious? 5. What role do teachers, mentors, coaches, etc. play in curiosity? How can you incorporate these aspects into your kids’ lives in the days of COVID? You can download the Graphic Survey Download for free at https://thecuriosityblueprint.com/freebies If you're interested in the Curiosity Blueprint course you can get a 20% discount when you enter the code "momswithteens" https://courses.thecuriosityblueprint.com/p/curiosity You can find Mike Alpert on social media @heymikealpert for Twitter, IG, and FB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's going on with teens and e cigarettes? Dr. Kandi Walker answers this question. Dr. Walker is a Professor in the Department of Communication and part of the Christine Lee Brown Envirome Institute at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. For over 20 years her work has explored the intersection between health and interpersonal communication looking at how people perceive the social world surrounding health issues. Her research primarily focuses on health, family, and interpersonal communication; specifically, her research examines how people talk and behave when an illness is present, how people perceive healthy lifestyles, and how people perceive and communicate about risky health behaviors, such as tobacco. With the American Heart Association’s Tobacco Regulation and Addiction Center, Dr. Walker has researched youth perceptions surrounding tobacco use. Here are some of the questions that we address. ·Is e-cigarette use or vaping an issue for teens? How many youth are using e-cigarettes? What risks are associated with vaping? What advice do you have with talking with teens about vaping? How do I talk with my teen about vaping? There is some evidence that vaping leads smoking initiation. What are your thoughts on this issue? Is vaping safer than cigarettes? What is the connection between vaping and using other tobacco products? What is the difference between e-cigarettes and Juul? Why is Juuling or vaping unsafe for youth and young adults? What role do flavors play with vaping? You can reach Dr. Walker at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As you start a new semester, I want to encourage you--What You're Doing Matters! It's easy to feel like what you're doing does NOT matter, because it can feel like a thankless job, you're not getting the results you want, and you feel powerless to change your teen. The truth is what you’re doing matters. You have an impact on your teens. It would be impossible not to have an impact on your teens. A better question is, are you impacting them in a positive way or negative way. I discuss ways to make sure your parenting and relationship matters in a positive and lasting way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode I interview Kari Kampakis. She is author of the new book Love Her Well: 10 Ways to Find Joy and Connection with Your Teenage Daughter. We dive into her book and explore ways to speak life and see the good in your teenage daughter and different ways to be your daughter's emotional coach, Kari ends her book with 50 prayers for your teenage daughter and she shares some of her top prayers. This episode is full of sage advice. Kari is a top parenting blogger and national speaker from Birmingham, Alabama whose previous books for teen girls, 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know and Liked: Whose Approval Are You Living For?, have been used widely across the country by teen youth groups and church groups to empower girls through faith. Kari’s work has been featured on the TODAY Show, TODAY Parents, Yahoo! News, Thrive Global, For Every Mom, EWTN, Proverbs 31, Ann Voskamp’s blog, The Huffington Post, and other national outlets. She and her husband, Harry, have four daughters and a dog named Lola. Learn more by visiting www.kari kampakis.com or finding Kari on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. Love Her Well book: https://amzn.to/2EtDBFX Website: www.karikampakis.com Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/girl-mom-podcast/id1504764007 Facebook: Kari Kampakis, Writer Instagram: @karikampakis Twitter: @karikampakis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does your teen tend to say extreme generalizations like "everyone at school is so fake", "all the teachers are mean," or "I have no friends." These kind of statements can drive you crazy. You think your daughter is being so overdramatic or you think geez my son is so negative. Why does this bother you? Teens often speak in one extreme or the other. This can be called binary thinking, black and white thinking or all or nothing thinking. The problem is this type of thinking is hurtful to your teen and to others. If you teen tends to speak this way, they are not the only one. Actually, teens from all over the world often talk this way. Why is that? The answer lies in Neuroscience. In this episode I will give you practical steps to move your teen past this all or nothing thinking including avoiding the drama traps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has your teen ever said to you, "Why don't you trust me?" My guess is they have. This usually happens when you’ve questioned what your teen said, or you’ve said no to something he/she really wanted to do. When a teen says, "You don't trust me," it can be confusing for moms. In this episode we will explore why moms get confused when teens say, "You don't trust me!" We'll look at why teens say that and what they are really up too. Should we trust our teens? This is the big question. And on what basis do we make that decision. We'll let neuroscience answer that. Finally we'll look at the best way to respond to your teen when they yell out, "MOM, Why don't you trust me?" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we explore the stories we tell ourselves and how they impact our lives and relationships. We have now lived in six months of uncertainty and this certainly has impacted us. And one huge way it impacts us is it shapes the stories we tell ourselves. Some of these stories we are aware of and many we are not aware of. The stories in the background of our mind can do the most damage to our energy, health and our vitality. We will explore some of these unconscious stories that we don't want and how to become aware of them and turn these stories into something we really want. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is there more for you? In the teenage years you focus on your son or daughters future. You want them to have every opportunity possible and you’d sacrifice everything to make that happen. You want them to get the internship in Spain. You want them to get into the best university. But at some point this sometimes quiet and other times really loud voice thinks, "What about me???" Are you tired of your corporate job? Do you regret quitting your career when you had kids, because you've been out of the work force for so long? Do your wonder what's next for you? In today's episode I interview my friend and mentor Christine Kane. Christine helps people break through their fears and build wildly successful businesses from their dreams. Christine is gifting you with, "The Complete Guide to Vision Boards," which will help you tap into the power of intention. (link below) https://christinekane.com/visionboard-ck Before Christine Kane founded what became a multi-million dollar business-coaching company, she enjoyed fifteen years in the music industry, producing seven CD’s and a DVD on her own label, and selling more than 100,000 copies. She won a Telly Award and performed with none other than John Mayer, The Beach Boys, Los Lobos, Nanci Griffith, and Shawn Colvin, among many other luminaries. Her extraordinary success as a singer-songwriter had fellow artists, entrepreneurs, and fans asking how she did it while staying true to her art and herself. Those backstage questions turned into weekend retreats and set her on a new path. In 2010, Kane opened Uplevel You, a company that speaks directly to the ever-growing class of sensitive, idea-driven, aggression-averse entrepreneurs (a class she counts herself a member of). After just over a year, her revenues catapulted over $1 million. Among her early business successes was her self-published e-book, The Complete Guide to Vision Boards: The Ultimate Starter Kit to Get Wildly Clear and Create the Life of Your Dreams, which quickly became an Amazon best-seller and has exceeded over 75,000 downloads to date. Today, Kane leads a small yet mighty team at Uplevel World Headquarters in Asheville, North Carolina. Her openness and humor online, on stage, and in writing are what first attract her clients (or her “peeps,” as she calls them) to her and her approach to business. They become devoted followers and enthusiastic advocates because what she teaches works - their lifestyles and bank accounts prove it. Her first book will be published in November 2020. Check out Christine's podcast "Soul Sourced Business Podcast." (link below) https://christinekane.com/podcast/ Check out The Soul-Sourced Entrepreneur: An Unconventional Success Plan for the Highly Creative, Secretly Sensitive, and Wildly Ambitious which will be released November 2020. https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Sourced-Entrepreneur-Unconventional-Sensitive-Ambitious/dp/1950665445/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1C79XHN4IKIYR&dchild=1&keywords=christine+kane&qid=1596394985&sprefix=Christine+Kane%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we talk about a surprising way to be a leader in your home. My good friend Sue Ludwig and I were talking about Dr. Jill Bolte Taylors quote, "Please take responsibility for the energy you bring into the space," and how this quote changed her business, family and her personal life. Sue Ludwig is the President and Founder of the National Association of Neonatal Therapists (NANT), an organization full of passionate neonatal therapists who aim to improve developmental outcomes for premature and sick infants in the NICU. Sue practiced as a neonatal occupational therapist at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for over 20 years. Sue is a sought after speaker, consultant, writer and educator. She is also a published author and poet. She is driven to improve the culture of healthcare, armed with decades of experience speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves. ' Believe it or not preemies and teens have something in common. They both respond to the energy we bring into the room. We can be the leaders of the energy we bring into the room through intention, pre-deciding, taking a pause, being mindful of transitions, and practicing self awareness. There is a huge cumulative effect on our teens when we practice this and when we don't. At the end of the day Sue would ask herself this very brave question, "What's it like to be on the receiving side of you?" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the difference between a reactive parent and a responsive parent? Why does this matter? This distinction can change your life, your family and your relationship with your teen. If you want to create a secure attachment with your teen you want to be responsive and not reactive. You want to make sure you’re responding in healthy ways instead of reacting in ways that are detrimental to you and your teen. No parent signs up to be a reactive parent, it happens automatically. In this episode we explore the 4 characteristics of a reactive parent and how to turn that around. We will also explore the do's and don'ts of responding versus reacting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you safeguard your teens from Sexting? To answer this question I interview two experts. Heather Boynton who is a mother of four (three who are currently teens) and is a professor of Child Development at Clovis Community College where she teaches a variety of classes including child and adolescent development. AND Christy Monson who has an M.S. in Counseling Psychology and Marriage & Family Therapy from University of Nevada at Las Vegas. She established a successful counseling practice in Las Vegas, Nevada where she works with children and their families. Recently Christy Monson and Heather Boyton have coauthored Stand Up to Sexting, An Open Conversation Between Parents and Kids.. I have been a family therapist for decades and have seen many girls who have suffered greatly from the aftermath of sexting. There are so many consequences to the girl, the boy, the families, bystanders, law enforcement and school districts. Most of these girls were bullied into sending nude pictures. Often older boys would threaten and pressure these girls. They were promised that they would not share their picture ...only to have their pictures shared to multiple middle schools and high schools in their school district. Moms would bring these girls to see me, their heads hung down in shame. They were utterly humiliated. What I saw over and over again is that these girls weren’t bad girls...they were good girls, they were naïve girls, and they were scared girls. Many just didn’t know what to do and thought the only option was to send the picture. Christy and Heather wrote Stand up to Sexting so that parents and especially middle schoolers could have honest conversations. For this to happen the teens need to feel safe to share this secret with their parents. You can find Stand Up to Sexting, An Open Conversation Between Parents and Kids on Amazon. You can reach Christy at christymonson.com You can reach Heather at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices