Joyful Courage for Parenting Teens

This week's solo show is about empowering your parenting journey by leaning into clarity, communication, and self-awareness. We get to shift focus from controlling teen behavior to creating a supportive environment with clear boundaries. Remember, teens learn through experience, not manipulation. Be explicit about expectations while fostering independence through responsibility (like budgeting). Manage emotional triggers by recognizing personal stories and responding with curiosity and respect. Create connections by acknowledging their growth and practicing calm communication. When frustration arises, pause and ask: What do I want to create? Your actions inspire change, shaping a positive dynamic. Parenting isn’t perfect, but intentionality builds trust, resilience, and lifelong connections. You’ve got this!

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My guest today is Dain Heer and we’re talking about helping teenagers make better decisions through judgment, communication, & choices. We discuss how to react when we know our teenagers are making decisions that (we believe) aren’t in their best interest. Dain shares tools & strategies for communicating with others, including our youth, when they have different points of view. We talk about the difference between teaching right and wrong versus the power of choices. We get into the feeling of urgency & reactivity that comes with raising our kids.  

Takeaways from the show

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This was such a fun episode to create! A parent in the Joyful Courage for Parents of Teens opened up about their concerns for their 15-year-old daughter, who’s beginning to ride with friends who are new drivers. As her peers gain driving experience, this parent is feeling understandably anxious about safety and how to guide their teen through this phase. I acknowledged these valid concerns and suggested a reframing approach, focusing on building trust in teens’ growth through their experiences. While emphasizing the importance of safety, I encouraged open, ongoing conversations about responsible driving to help build awareness and accountability. I also recommended that parents engage their teens with questions about friends’ driving behaviors and reinforce family rules constructively. To help manage parental anxiety, I shared practical tools like deep breathing, recognizing fears, and reframing thoughts to foster trust in the learning process. Allowing teens to make mistakes within safe boundaries, I explained, helps build their decision-making skills and strengthens the parent-teen relationship. Watching teens gain independence is challenging, but it’s a crucial step in their development.

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My guest today is Jenell Kheriaty, and we’re talking about school avoidance & school refusal. We discuss what school refusal is and if there’s certain “types” of kids who are predisposed to school avoidance or school refusal. Both Jenell and I share how we support families who are struggling with their teens not going to school, some specific questions you can ask your teen about school, and how and why parents need to stay curious about their teen’s school experience.,

We talk about how to handle our own feelings when changes are not happening as fast as we want. We get into figuring out if your child’s school is a good fit, finding alternative options to your neighborhood high school, and checking our own assumptions about our teen’s journey in school. 

Takeaways from the show

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In today’s episode, I respond to a parent in the Facebook community who is seeking support for an “unmotivated” 14-year-old, wanting a coach for help with goals, motivation, executive functioning, and self-care, ideally within budget and virtual. I explore the difference between being “unmotivated” and “uninspired,” suggesting that teens may seem unmotivated due to broader issues like discouragement or lack of inspiration. Instead of trying to “fix” teens, I encourage listeners to reframe the situation by asking, “What is getting in my child’s way?” I emphasize curiosity, encouragement, and a connection-based approach, allowing teens to express their needs and experiences without judgment. I also remind parents to avoid labeling, stay present, and focus on personal growth, trusting that their child will ultimately find their way.

Find more show notes and info about our sponsors at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-525-support-for-parents-with-unmotivated-teens/

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I am really excited about my guest today, and I have a feeling you will be, too! My amazing daughter, Rowan, is back to give us an update on her life. She talk about everything from teen mental health, navigating ADHD as a teen and young adult, the college journey, and more!

I ask Rowan what she’s learned in her first few years of adulthood while juggling working, living on her own, and going to school. We talk about motivation versus discipline, lessons learned through experience, changing perspectives, and boundaries. Rowan wraps us up by sharing what she wishes Gen X knows about the young adults of today. 

Takeaways from the show

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Inspired by my conversation with Annie Donaldson this week, I explore the layered experience of being a teen and offer some ideas around how to invite them to consider their higher selves. Our teens are deep and thoughtful. Listen in for tips and strategies around communication and connection.

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This episode is an interview with Annie Donaldson, coach for teens. We spend our time talking about how spirituality and considering a higher power and bigger picture can be helpful to our teens as they move through adolescence and navigate the beginning of realizing that change in life is the only constant. This conversation isn't about religion, but it is about deeply considering, sharing and normalizing conversations about our spiritual selves. Check it out and let me know what you think!

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Getting into the nitty-gritty of how to navigate the lies we may be hearing from our kids. Why is it so triggering? Why do they do it? What is the most useful way to respond? And how can we keep in mind that mistakes (like lying) are opportunities to learn and grow? Listen in and we can dive into all of these questions together!

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My guest today is Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart.

Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart & Casey dig into ADHD in the adolescent years. Parents of teens with ADHD may see dysregulation looking like compulsiveness, messiness, impulsivity, & a lack of motivation. Parents may think that their kids are lazy or lacking willpower, when in reality, their executive functioning skills are truly off balance. Dr. Lockhart & Casey talk about discussing long-term goals with teens, moving backwards from there, baby steps, as well as figuring out what feels hard so we can best support them. They discuss how to support adolescents with ADHD and how that may differ from what neurotypical teen brains need. Dr. Lockhart explains what rejection sensitive dysphoria is & how to talk to teens about their ADHD. Casey asks how to get buy-in from a teen to work with an ADHD coach or other outside support or services. They finish by talking about what teens with ADHD need most.  

Takeaways from the show

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