In my work I talk a lot about how to prevent and dial down the drama. A crucial part of this is how to repair the relationship after the conflict or the big blow up. And the good news is that you can repair the...
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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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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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Every mom wants to know that she's doing a good job. It's natural for moms to look for validation. We compare ourselves to other moms and other daughters, or we look to our daughter's behaviour for confirmation. This is a big trap for moms and is...
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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...
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Do your teens need better communication skills---especially when they are wanting something from you? In this podcast I interview Laura Lyles Reagan who is a family sociologist with more than 30 years of experience in practical youth development and parenting coaching. She holds a Masters in...
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Do you feel like you worry about your teen 24/7? Does your son and daughter seem to always be stressed? Ready to dial down the worry and the stress! In this episode I interview Jodi Aman, who has been a psychotherapist for over 20 years. Jodi is also...
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Why do you need a long-term perspective when parenting a teenager? The answer comes from the final Chapter in my book, Dial Down the Drama: Reducing Conflict and Reconnecting with Your Teenage Daughter. It's important to remember that we were once teenagers and we did a...
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"How to be your daughter's (or son's) dream maker" is a complicated question. Your daughter or son may not know what they want to be when they grow up. Your son is set to get a scholarship for baseball in college but he decides his senior year...
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Have you ever felt like everyone in your family is driving your life? I had one mom tell me, "I feel like I'm my daughter's personal assistant. I wish I had one!" This episode is the practical "how to's" on how to recapture your life which...
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"You can't tell me what to do!" Let's face it disciplining a defiant teen is challenging. Because parents often feel powerless when it's two hours past curfew, we can be flooded with a whole array of emotions. At this point we are not thinking clearly. This...
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[caption id="attachment_3010" align="alignnone" width="851"] The month of May can be a stressful month for both moms and teens. What do you do when your teenage son or daughter lies on the sofa playing on their phone when they should be studying?. What is your role...
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Do you need a vacation from the Holidays? I wouldn't be surprised if you are All Mothered Out. You know if you are All Mothered Out because...
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