An incredibly thoughtful question from a 14-year-old in the United Kingdom helps us look at the complexities of teen friendships. The letter writer asks about the challenge of wanting to distance from a friend without being unkind. Should teenagers be encouraged to have candid conversations with friends about their feelings, or is there a more nuanced approach that minimizes hurt feelings? How do we teach kids to be compassionate while establishing personal boundaries? Dr. Lisa and Reena discuss the balance between directness and sensitivity, how to accomplish a “polite distance,” and how adults sometimes contribute, unwittingly, to painful social dynamics.

Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can see all our latest video episodes: https://youtube.com/@asklisapodcast
And follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn @AskLisaPodcast, @Lisa.Damour, @ReenaNinan.
Checkout Dr. Lisa’s website for more resources: https://www.drlisadamour.com/

Ask Lisa is produced by: https://www.goodtroubleproductions.com
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156: Is There a Gentle Way to Drop a Friend?

Raising kids can be a bumpy, stressful, and uncertain process – which is why Dr. Lisa Damour is here to help. The author of bestsellers Untangled, Under Pressure, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers brings her sane, informed, and practical perspective to your timely and timeless parenting questions. Co-host and journalist Reena Ninan, a former White House and foreign correspondent, gets the answers parents need. In each episode, Dr. Lisa and Reena blend expert knowledge with their experience and struggles as parents themselves to tackle real-life questions sent in by listeners.

Kids & Family

Parenting

Health & Fitness

Mental Health

Dr. Lisa and Reena tackle the challenge of making a big move with kids. A parent writes in with concerns about her kids' reactions to the news of the move and asks how to best support them through the transition. Dr. Lisa provides insights on how parents can prepare kids for moving and offers age-specific strategies for helping children cope. Dr. Lisa and Reena discuss the importance of validating emotions, maintaining predictability, and involving children - when possible - in decision-making. Dr. Lisa also addresses common misconceptions about the implications of moving at a young age and explores the benefits of parents sharing their own feelings about the transition. Tune in for practical tips and guidance on navigating family transitions with empathy and resilience.

Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can see all our latest video episodes: https://youtube.com/@asklisapodcast
And follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn @AskLisaPodcast, @Lisa.Damour, @ReenaNinan.
Checkout Dr. Lisa’s website for more resources: https://www.drlisadamour.com/

Ask Lisa is produced by: https://www.goodtroubleproductions.com
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169: How Do We Move Our Family Without Damaging Our kids?

Sleep is essential for mental and physical health, but most teens don’t get nearly enough of it. Special Guest Lisa L. Lewis, journalist and author of "The Sleep-Deprived Teen: Why Our Teenagers Are So Tired, and How Parents and Schools Can Help Them Thrive," joins Dr. Lisa and Reena to answer listener questions about teens and sleep, tech use, summer bedtimes, school start times and more. Their conversation unpacks the results of the Stanford Sleep Study, and Reena finds out how Lisa L. Lewis helped change school start times in California. Tune in for expert advice and practical tips to ensure that our teens get the rest they need.

Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can see all our latest video episodes: https://youtube.com/@asklisapodcast
And follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn @AskLisaPodcast, @Lisa.Damour, @ReenaNinan.
Checkout Dr. Lisa’s website for more resources: https://www.drlisadamour.com/

Ask Lisa is produced by: https://www.goodtroubleproductions.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

168: Teens and Sleep, with Journalist & Author Lisa L. Lewis

How can adults steer teens away from marijuana in states where the drug is now legal? A parent writes in asking for guidance on raising teens in a community where pot use is wide-spread and normalized. To complicate matters, the parent uses recreational cannabis at home but worries, appropriately, about how early experimentation with the drug could compromise her teens’ safety and well-being. Dr. Lisa and Reena address several crucial questions: What are the risks associated with adolescent marijuana use? How do adults have effective conversations with teens about the potential harms of using pot? And how do we help our teens make good choices now that we are raising them in a cannabis-friendly world?

Listen to Reena's interview with Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on FAFSA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnobVC432HE

Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can see all our latest video episodes: https://youtube.com/@asklisapodcast
And follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn @AskLisaPodcast, @Lisa.Damour, @ReenaNinan.
Checkout Dr. Lisa’s website for more resources: https://www.drlisadamour.com/

Ask Lisa is produced by: https://www.goodtroubleproductions.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

167: Weed's Legal. How Do I Talk With My Teen About It?

How do you respond when your child is being bullied? A concerned parent writes in about her 12-year-old daughter who is being taunted by three older boys on the school bus. Dr. Lisa unpacks the dynamics of bullying and answers several key questions: What’s the difference between conflict and bullying? Why do kids bully? What is the impact of being bullied? How and when should adults step in? The conversation addresses the step-by-step process adults should consider when addressing bullying in order to not make the situation worse. Reena asks what adults can do to support children who are being mistreated by their peers and what really works to prevent bullying.

Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can see all our latest video episodes: https://youtube.com/@asklisapodcast
And follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn @AskLisaPodcast, @Lisa.Damour, @ReenaNinan.
Checkout Dr. Lisa’s website for more resources: https://www.drlisadamour.com/

Ask Lisa is produced by: https://www.goodtroubleproductions.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

166: My Kid Is Being Bullied. What Should I Do?

A parent writes in about her 17-year-old son who is reeling from a tough breakup with his long-time girlfriend. As the teen faces the transition to college and grapples with intense sadness his parents have several questions: Should they be concerned about his reaction? How can they support him, especially when he shuts them out? And must high school sweethearts part ways before college? Dr. Lisa describes the many ways that adults can help teens cope with heartbreak including offering empathy, providing comfort, helping the teen establish healthy boundaries with the ex, and more. Reena asks if there’s any way to prevent heartbreak in teens and the conversation covers how best to help young people navigate the loss of their first love.

Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can see all our latest video episodes: https://youtube.com/@asklisapodcast
And follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn @AskLisaPodcast, @Lisa.Damour, @ReenaNinan.
Checkout Dr. Lisa’s website for more resources: https://www.drlisadamour.com/

Ask Lisa is produced by: https://www.goodtroubleproductions.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

156: Is There a Gentle Way to Drop a Friend?

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