High School Hamster Wheel

This week’s episode is one that I have been looking forward to sharing with you. When I first started this podcast over a year ago, I drafted a “wish list” of guests I’d like to interview. Tony Wagner was one of the names at the top of that list. When I reached out to him to invite him on the show, he accepted my invitation without hesitation. I first learned of Tony Wagner years ago when I read several of his best-selling books: Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids For The Innovation Era; Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change The World; and The Global Achievement Gap. And recently, I had the pleasure of reading Tony’s newest book, Learning By Heart: An Unconventional Education, a memoir about his journey through life and education. During our conversation, Tony shares the list of the Seven Survival Skills that he cultivated through interviews with executives over a two year period. We talk about why test scores don’t matter and why mastery does. Throughout our conversation, Tony offers lots of valuable insight and actionable tips for parents of teens. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

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In this week’s episode, I’m delighted to welcome Tanya Meessmann back to the show. If you’re a loyal listener, you might remember Tanya from Episode 50, Developing Confidence, Courage, and Self-Belief in Teens. If you missed that one, be sure to check it out. After a successful career in corporate Australia and the UK, Tanya pivoted, and now has a company called Girl Shaped Flames. Tanya mentors young ambitious girls and she helps them develop self-confidence and self-belief. Tanya always brings so much wisdom and insight to our conversations and today is no exception. Some of the topics we cover in this episode include understanding why we parent the way we do, the identity phase that is critical for teens’ personal development, and the four key fears that erode a teenager’s confidence. Be sure to stay tuned till the end to hear about a special offer from Tanya exclusively for my listeners!

Connect with me on the High School Hamster Wheel Facebook page or on my website. Join me and my co-host, Jay DuSold, in our Life After 12th Facebook group where we help and encourage parents of career-confused teens!

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Hosting this podcast has so many benefits, including getting to meet, interview, and learn from so many smart and interesting people. And while I enjoy every interview I do, there are some people that I meet and connect with immediately. Today’s guest is one of those people. I am beyond thrilled to welcome Dr. Kevin J. Fleming to the podcast. Dr. Fleming has an impressive bio. He’s produced multiple viral animation videos including Success in the New Economy and he is the author of the educational bestseller (Re)Defining the Goal. Dr. Fleming is a true lifelong learner, Eagle Scout, father, and self-proclaimed recovering academic elitest. He has spent over 20 years in higher education, currently as the Vice President of Strategic Development & Planning at Norco College.

During our conversation, Dr. Fleming talks about the relationship between degrees, skills, and the labor market and shares the four important questions young people should be asking themselves before planning their future. We talk about the importance of giving our teens permission to pivot and how to help students find their purpose on purpose. You won’t want to miss Dr. Fleming’s 4 Skills and 4 Steps that all students need in order to become career-ready. Be sure to listen all the way to the end when Dr. Fleming shares the most important question that parents should be asking their teens when it comes to their future. This episode is packed full of valuable insight and actionable steps for parents of teens. 

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In this week’s episode, I welcome GenZ Career Guide, Jay DuSold back to the podcast. Today’s episode is the 2nd in a two-part series focused on building strong relationships with our teens BEFORE they move out of the house. In part one, Jay and I talked about repairing and reconciling broken relationships. If you have been struggling to make amends with your teen, you may want to go back and listen to episode 61. In this second part, we are focusing on how to begin cultivating a long-term bond with our teens. The goal is to build a strong friendship that will last throughout their adulthood. It all starts with envisioning the relationship you hope to have and it ends with the importance of consistency. There’s a whole lot of steps in between and as always, Jay provides valuable, actionable tips that parents can start applying today.

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I’m thrilled to start off the New Year with this episode featuring my guest, Ken Rusk. Ken has an incredible story to tell and he has decades of experience and wisdom to share with parents and their teens. Ken got his start digging ditches at the young age of 15. Decades later he’s a highly successful construction business entrepreneur who’s been called the “million dollar ditch digger”. Ken is also the author of Blue-Collar Cash: Love Your Work, Secure Your Future, and Find Happiness for Life. During our conversation, Ken talks about his journey from high school ditch digger to successful entrepreneur. We discuss the important distinction of skills versus education and why we need to remove the stigma of blue-collar careers. Ken shares his method for helping teens (and adults) visualize their life and why parents should encourage their teens to think outside of the “college or else” box. You won’t want to miss Ken’s suggestions for parents of teens who are struggling to choose a path or his advice to young people about beginning their investments early. In addition to his business achievements, Ken is committed to helping the Make A Wish Foundation. 

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In this week’s episode, the last episode of 2020, I am grateful to welcome Jay DuSold back to the podcast. If you’ve been listening to the show, you know that Jay and I have formed a partnership, and more importantly, a friendship, based on our shared passion and commitment to helping young people find the path that’s best for them. This episode is part one in a two-part series focused on what Jay refers to as “making things right when you’ve blown it with your teen”. Before we work on strengthening, we need to begin with repairing and reconciling our relationships. Jay shares wisdom and advice cultivated through decades spent working with teens and their parents. During our conversation, we talk about why we need to revisit the past in order to remove barriers and move forward with our teens. We also discuss the importance the self-forgiveness and why saying “I’m sorry” isn’t enough. Jay shares his three-step process for repairing your relationship with your teen and why parents shouldn’t lose hope, no matter hopeless things may seem. We’re coming up on the start of a new year and I can’t think of a better time to work on building better and stronger relationships with our teens.

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My guest today is Dr. Catherine Pearlman. Dr. Pearlman is the author of Ignore It!: How Selectively Looking the Other Way Can Decrease Behavioral Problems and Increase Parenting Satisfaction. She's also the founder of The Family Coach, a private practice specializing in helping families resolve everyday problems related to discipline, sleep, sibling rivalry, and other issues. I learned of Catherine when she wrote an article called It Doesn't Matter to Me Where My Kids Go To College. She is the proud parent of a son and a daughter and her syndicated Dear Family Coach column has appeared in the Wall Street Journal and many magazines. She has appeared on The Today Show and her advice has been featured in Parenting, Men's Health, CNN, and The Huffington Post. Dr. Pearlman is a licensed clinical social worker who's been working with children and families for more than twenty years. During our conversation, Dr. Pearlman gives lots of great advice for parents to help prepare teens for life after high school. Some of the things we talk about include teaching consequences rather than nagging, how to let go and allow space when your teens aren't engaging, the important shift in parenting that must happen between the elementary and middle school years, and how we should be promoting adulting in every way possible.

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In this episode, I am thrilled to welcome Chelsea Williams back to the podcast. Chelsea is an anxiety coach for teens and parents. When she first joined me on the podcast back in episode 8, Chelsea brought a ton of value for my listeners and now she’s back again with some very timely and relevant advice for parents. During our conversation, Chelsea talks about how to create a more flexible nervous system and why showing our teens our own vulnerability will help them learn how to navigate through their anxiety. Chelsea also shares her strategy for calming the body before trying to calm the mind. A lot of what Chelsea recommends applies to both teens and adults so this is a must-listen for anyone who struggles with anxiety. And let’s be honest, this past year has been a challenge for everyone, so there is definitely something here for everyone.

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In this episode, I am excited to welcome Rich Popper to the show. Rich and I connected through a Facebook exchange that I had with his wife in a parenting group. When I learned that Rich worked in the field of cybersecurity, I knew I had to interview him. Cybersecurity is a vast and highly in-demand field, and as Rich explains is now considered a core business function. There is an enormous shortage of skilled employees in cybersecurity and there are jobs available in lots of different disciplines. In other words, it's not just a field for those in internet technology. During our conversation, Rich talks about the many different roles in the field of cybersecurity and what skills are needed to succeed. He provides valuable advice for teens who are interested in careers in cybersecurity and offers suggestions for parents to help their kids start exploring their opportunities while still in high school.

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In today’s episode, I am thrilled to welcome my long-time friend Roger Holzberg to the show. Roger is one of the most innovative and creative people I have had the pleasure to work with and one of the most accomplished storytellers I know. We met while both working at Disney, where Roger spent 12 years as an award-winning Creative Director / Vice President of Walt Disney Imagineering. Since then, Roger has gone on to do some truly incredible and impactful work. He is the co-founder of Reimagine Well, a company that designs and builds “immersive healing experiences” for hospitals and treatment centers. As a professor at California Institute of the Arts, Roger created the experience design in healthcare curriculum. He also served as the first consulting Creative Director for the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Roger is a father, a 15+ year cancer survivor, and a competitive triathlete, using the sport to raise research dollars for causes he supports. During our conversation, Roger provides advice for teens (and adults) to develop their creative side and engage their imagination, including his three rules for creative problem solving. He also shares the “aha moment” he experienced as a child and how it came full circle decades later. Share this conversation with your teen. It’s sure to get their creative juices flowing!

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