I was talking to Chelsea a 15-year-old girl a few days ago. She's gorgeous and tall, yet she looked small sitting on my office couch. I asked her what was going on. She looked out the window and said, ...
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Sometimes the answer is no. It has to be, if we are going to protect our daughters. This is not the fun part of being a parent. There she is standing in front of you in her mature grown up body. She tells you, she can handle...
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Your daughter is going to get upset. The question is how will you handle it? This is a hard one for moms. We hate to see our daughters unhappy, so we jump in and try to fix it, but we make it worse. Your daughter needs...
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Why is it rare for moms to feel like they're doing a good job parenting their teenage daughter? What would your grade be? What's the criterion for...
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I remember when I was 8 months pregnant when an acquaintance came up me and said, Is this your first? I said, "YES" in a happy voice....
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This podcast comes from the third chapter in Dial Down the Drama: Why Moms and Daughter's Can't Get it Right All the Time, which will be published at the end of October 2015. No mom or daughter can get it right all the time, but we feel...
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I just got back from seeing some of my life-long friends in Novato, CA, which is about an hour north of San Francisco. We started visiting their family when my daughter was in second grade and made this a yearly ritual. This was a win-win...
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We call it multi-tasking. Women pride themselves for being able to do a million things at once. Here's my question. How's it working for you? My guess is that it's not working that well. Something is going to be compromised. It's not just that we are doing several...
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Every mom wants to see that her daughter is making progress. You hope to see your daughter moving forward and progressing in her academics, creativity, relationships, responsibility and maturity. This yearning is instinctual in moms and feels like it is written in our DNA. Because this feeling...
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Laughter is medicine for the soul and has many health benefits. It helps you bond with your daughter. It decreases stress and releases the endorphins that make you feel good. In other words laughter helps you lighten up, enjoy your life and enjoy your relationships. But...
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The lazy days of summer are finally here. Hopefully you've had a chance to catch your breath and play a little bit. What are you hoping for...
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I am from Texas and yes I do have a cowboy hat. I don't wear it all the time but you never know when I might feel the urge to wear it. There is a certain feeling and persona I feel when I wear a...
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Why is it that so many moms feel bad about their parenting? I think one big reason for this is Mother's Guilt. Webster dictionary defines guilt as a bad feeling caused by knowing or thinking that you have done something bad or wrong. Mother's guilt is when this...
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The problem is teenage girls need exercise more than ever. Exercise gets kicked to the curb with screen time (Internet, Facebook, and TV) and demanding homework. Another reason for the decrease in exercise is the super star syndrome. This is when teens quit exercising because they...
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The last month of school can get crazy. Many of you have been living your lives at 100 miles per hour with all of the end of the year activities. Your daughter thought that summer would never come, and the finals and projects would never stop....
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Yes, teen girls can be drama queens, but mom's can be drama mamas. "What are you talking about? It's my daughter's fault. She is rude, disrespectful, and defiant." I know it's easy to focus on your daughter's behavior, but it's easy for mom's to join the drama...
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Summer is around the corner but first you have to get through projects, papers, finals--oh my. This is not only challenging for your daughter but it is challenging for you because your daughter is stressed. Stress is contagious and if you are not intentional you will...
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How many of you worked on Mother's Day? Probably most of you did. It's great to get the cards, flowers, and be taken to lunch or dinner. It's wonderful to be appreciated for all that you do. But it's not enough. Here's why. I know that most moms are...
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Are you and your partner on the same page concerning your daughter? Do you back each other up? Are you a united front? Do you have each other's back? ...
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"We get along great on vacations!" I can't tell you how many times I have heard this in my private practice. Why is it, that families (and couples) who fight all the time at home, can enjoy each other on vacations? The answer is STRESS. The Conspiracy of...
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