Okay, in this podcast we are going to get real. Is it possible to be happy and be a mom of a preteen or teenager? And when I say happy, I mean are you truly happy? One definition of happy says, "feeling pleasure and enjoyment...
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It's hard to say "no" to an angry, upset, or demanding teen. Moms often feel pushed in the corner and begrudgingly say "yes." But when we do that it's not in the best interest of your teen or you. How do you feel when you say...
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Often moms are told to "not take things personally," which could be said by a well-meaning spouse. Sometimes those words are said to shut down the conversation that mom desperately needs to have. Well, that's not helpful. However in this episode we are going to...
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Do you ever wake up and wonder, "How good can the teenage years get?" or do you think, "How am I going to survive the teenage years?" Many moms just wonder how they are going to survive the teenage years. And that's no surprise since this...
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[caption id="attachment_4660" align="alignright" width="849"] Angry woman behind excited teen on mobile phone[/caption] Does your teen stress you out? If you have a normal teenager then the answer should be yes and the reason for that is where they are developmentally and I talk about the science...
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Today we are going to talk about the "4 Steps to Creating the Routine You Want". This is crucial to establish routines that work for you and your family this new school year. It's easy to think that you are starting your year off with...
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The new school year is starting soon or may have already started. Before the year takes off at full time speed, I want to discuss why intentional downtime is a big deal. With our busy schedules downtime is not going to happen naturally, you have...
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Has your teen ever said anything like, "Mom you are the only one who won't let me . . ." or "Everyone else is doing it so why can't I . . .?" If they have, congratulations you have a normal teenager. Teens from...
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In this episode we'll discuss why curiosity makes you a better human being and parent. You’ll learn how healthy curiosity dials down the drama, and improves your relationship with your teen. Healthy curiosity is the secret ingredient to a well-lived life. Curiosity makes us feel...
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[caption id="attachment_4537" align="alignright" width="425"] beautiful girl lying down of grass. Copy space[/caption]I hope that Mothers' Day was all that you hoped it would be. But if you ended up disappointed, you are definitely not the only one. Heres the problem with Mother's day. I think...
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Whenever I speak to moms I tell them, "This is one of the most challenging times to raise a teen." A huge reason for this is navigating through the treacherous waters of cell phones, social media, and internet with teenagers. Most parents are blind sided...
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I think what's challenging and perplexing about parenting is that your child/ teen can feel like a moving target---or you could say a growing target. You feel like you finally have mastered one stage and then your teen grows out of it and you are...
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[caption id="attachment_4443" align="alignright" width="425"] Teenage girl consoling her sad upset friend[/caption] I hear parents second guess themselves saying things like, "I wasn't hard enough on him," or " I was too soft on her." And what they are really talking about is their parenting approach in...
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[caption id="attachment_4438" align="alignright" width="400"] OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA[/caption] How do you foster your child/teen's creativity? Expressing your creativity through art, dance, writing, film and music is an excellent way to develop the teenage brain. The brain is having a major growth spurt during the teenage years. It...
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[caption id="attachment_4410" align="alignright" width="286"] Isolated portrait of beautiful black teenage girl pouting[/caption] My friend sent me a post that said, "Check on your friends with strong willed daughters. We are not ok." I laughed but what really struck me is how many thousands of moms had...
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[caption id="attachment_4406" align="alignright" width="425"] Teens having fun on the beach.[/caption] You need to be prepared when your teen has their first big break up. Parents see the worst version of their teen after a breakup. This makes it hard for you to help your teen and...
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[caption id="attachment_4392" align="alignright" width="424"] A young female car driver adjusts the rear view mirror with her hand.[/caption] Why is it that you can be a CEO of a company and feel on top of the world and yet a sassy teenager can bring you to your...
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In this episode I interview my friend and colleague Angela Caughlin, MA. Angela is an expert on how journaling can help you find your inner parenting wisdom. She has lived her message. When recently widowed she had to raise three children by herself. Angela has authored...
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What do I mean by a hard conversation? Basically it's any conversation your teen doesn't want to have with you---and there are a-lot of those. In this episode I give you 5 key elements to help you have a (successful) hard conversation with your teen. 1....
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Every mom worries. You can't eliminate worry. Parenting a teen gives you endless things to worry about. Worry can be useful if it leads to effective action. But too often worry is just wasted energy. It doesn't lead to solutions it just leads to...
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