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 it. ...
Read More
Is your happiness dependent on your teen's happiness? Here's why I asked you this question. Last week a mom told me with a big smile on her face, "I guess it's time to go back to my recovery meeting," I asked her, "Why?" She told me that...
Read More
All moms experience weariness. The reason is that we are fighting the good fight for our family. We give and give and give. And often we don't spend the necessary time replenishing all that we pour out onto those we care about. Often, this is...
Read More
Teenage girls live in the selfie generation. It's what teen girls do. So what's up with all these selfies? Parents can be baffled by the frequency of their daughter's selfies. When we were teens we also loved getting our pictures taken but it wasn't all the...
Read More
There are physiological reasons why exercise decreases drama. I know when I exercise consistently I am more patient and pleasant to be around. The same is true for your teenager. Consistent exercise, especially cardio, decreases stress and therefore will decrease drama. The Problem is current trends...
Read More
When I was a teen there were no smartphones; we only had landlines. This meant that if I was going to talk to my boyfriend, I had to s t r e t c h the telephone cord as far as I could to get...
Read More
Defining success is tricky, especially when it comes to your teenager. Would you say your teen is successful? Would you say your teen was successful? These are uncomfortable questions for both you and your teen. Here's why. This culture defines success in terms of ranking from the highest...
Read More
Yes, teen girls can be drama queens, but moms can be drama mamas. "How? Our disrespectful, moody, entitled, and defiant daughters can push our buttons. And what happens when they push our buttons? We get angry and frustrated very quickly. We fire words right back at our daughters...
Read More
It seems so simple. In your head, it's super clear. All you need her to do is clean her room. That's not asking too much. It's the least she can do. You are having guests over and you are cleaning the rest of the house, plus...
Read More
If your teen tends to be negative, don't worry; you're not the only one. Cheryl was taking my Power Your Parenting Program. On one of our calls, she said, "Most of the drama happens because my daughter Abby is so negative." I asked her to give...
Read More
What do you worry about? If you haven't worried about anything this past week, then don't read this article. But I'm guessing you have. :) Even the most enlightened and spiritual will find themselves in a state of worry. We worry about different things. We worry about...
Read More
Recently a mom told me, "I'm so sick of hearing the song, It's the most wonderful time of the year, everywhere I go. Really . . . the most wonderful time of the year??? Here's the deal. The holidays can be a huge setup for teen...
Read More
As you embark on the incredible journey of motherhood, I want you to know that you are not alone. Over the past 30 years as a marriage and family therapist, I've had the privilege of listening to countless moms share their fears, worries, and truths...
Read More
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, "Everyone hates me at school. I am...
Read More
You want the best for your teen. You want her in the best school, taking the best classes. You want her involved and developing her abilities and skills. You want her to be challenged and all this is important for her brain development. But there is...
Read More
What is Mother Fog? Mother Fog is when there are so many things going on at one time that you can't think clearly. This happens all the time with mothers. It's like your mind is covered with a thick, soupy, dense fog, and your thoughts, feelings, decisions,...
Read More
Remember Cyndi Lauper's song from the 80's, Girls Just Want to Have Fun. You might remember singing that song at the top of your lungs while driving to the lake with your friends when you were in high school or college. But that was a long time...
Read More
My family loves to tell stories. One of my favorites is when my sister was 13. My dad, sister, and I were down at Memorial Park in Houston. We had hiked down to Buffalo Bayou. The bayou is brown and murky and God knows what...
Read More
Is your happiness dependent on your teen's happiness? Here's why I asked you this question. Last week a mom told me with a big smile on her face, "I guess it's time to go back to my recovery meeting," I asked her, "Why?" She told me that...
Read More
Sometimes the answer is no. It has to be if we are going to protect our teens. 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 it. ...
Read More