Parenting Teens: Advice Redefined for Today's Complex World

Episode 200: Celebrating 3 Years, 200 Episodes, and the Truth About “I Don’t Know”

Welcome to a very special solo episode of Parenting Teens: Advice Redefined for Today’s World! Three years to the day since Episode 1 dropped (on her son’s birthday, October 13th), your host is celebrating a massive milestone with a raw, honest, and fired-up message for anyone sitting on a dream, a decision, or a hard conversation they keep avoiding.

In this episode:

• Why this podcast has been the joy of her life, and the 180+ guests who became friends
• A heartfelt thank-you to her editor (and daughter) Gabby, who dared her to start in the first place
• Why we’re parenting in “uncharted territory” with social media, AI, devices, and a post-pandemic world
• The real reason she keeps saying “it’s not them, it’s you,” and why it’s not a judgment, it’s handing your power back
• Why you KNOW what your next step is, and why “I don’t know” is often fear in disguise
• The hard truth: sitting in the in-between is 1000% harder than making the leap
• How she went from terrified of public speaking to comfortable on camera, once helping people mattered more than her own nerves
• Why your story could be the thing a parent is Googling at midnight
• What she wishes she knew: you can’t negotiate with a red flag, trust your first gut instinct, and you don’t have to know everything to start
• Big announcement: She’s writing a book of real, heart-led stories on autism, drawn from the experts and guests who’ve appeared on the show

Key takeaways:

• You don’t need to know every step, only the next one.
• Your story is someone else’s lifeline.
• Community means hearing each other out, even when we disagree.

Your challenge this week: Name the one thing you’ve been brushing off. Then take one next step. She wants to hear about it!

Connect with us:

• Want to be a guest? Reach out!

YOUR GIFT- GUIDE FOR GRADE 8 TO GRADE 9 IEP TRANSITIONS

https://www.cherylpankhurst.com/iep-high-school-transition-parent-quick-guide

Let’s Chat https://tidycal.com/cherylpankhurst/consultation-chat

http://cherylpankhurst.com

Connect with Cheryl!

Get the book here!

Daring to Belong: Autism Stories of Courage and Connection

DIRECT LINK TO COACHING WITH CHERYL

 email : [email protected] 

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PODCAST- “PARENTING TEENS ADVICE REDEFINED FOR TODAY’S WORLD

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Parenting Teens Advice Redefined

• Share this episode with someone who needs a push
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If this episode moved you, please leave a rating and review. It helps other parents find the show!

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Is gentle parenting actually helping our teenagers develop resilience, or are we sometimes taking it too far?

Welcome to WTF Friday on Parenting Teens Advice Redefined for Today's World — where we have the honest conversations about parenting teenagers that don't always fit neatly into a parenting book.

In this episode, I'm questioning what happens when gentle parenting moves from acknowledging our teenagers' feelings to allowing those feelings to dictate our parenting decisions.

Many parents grew up hearing things like, “You're to be seen and not heard,” or “I'll give you something to cry about.” Understandably, they want something different for their own children. They want their teens to feel heard, understood, and supported.

But what happens when we swing so far in the opposite direction that we start removing boundaries, fighting our teenagers' battles, or trying to protect them from every disappointment?

As parents of teenagers, we need to understand the difference between validating our teen's emotions and changing our decisions because they're upset.

In this candid Friday conversation, I explore:

• Gentle parenting and teenagers: Why some parents have embraced this approach and where I believe it can go wrong.
• Validating feelings without giving in: How to acknowledge anger, disappointment, and frustration without abandoning a reasonable boundary.
• Teenagers and consequences: What happens when a teen fails a course without doing the work — and why rescuing them from every consequence isn't necessarily helping.
• Overprotective parenting: When stepping in to solve our teens' problems may prevent them from learning to manage difficult situations themselves.
• Building resilience in teenagers: Why our teens need opportunities to experience disappointment, frustration, and challenges while knowing we're in their corner.
• Parenting boundaries: How to hold a decision even when your teenager is unhappy with it.
• Raising confident, capable teens: The power of communicating, “I know this is hard, and I have faith that you can handle it.”

My message isn't that our teenagers' feelings don't matter. They absolutely do. It's that their feelings can be valid without every feeling requiring us to change the rules, fix the problem, or make the disappointment disappear.

Our job isn't to make our teenagers' lives free of frustration. It's to help them develop the confidence and skills to navigate life when things don't go their way.

And sometimes, one of the most powerful things we can tell our teens is this: “I know it sucks. And I believe you can handle it.”

Let's talk: Has gentle parenting gone too far, or are we simply learning to parent differently from the generations before us? Where do you draw the line between validating your teenager's feelings and holding a boundary?

Share your thoughts. I genuinely want to hear this conversation.

🎧 Listen, reflect, and join the conversation on Parenting Teens Advice Redefined for Today's World.

YOUR GIFT- GUIDE FOR GRADE 8 TO GRADE 9 IEP TRANSITIONS

https://www.cherylpankhurst.com/iep-high-school-transition-parent-quick-guide

Let’s Chat https://tidycal.com/cherylpankhurst/consultation-chat

http://cherylpankhurst.com

Connect with Cheryl!

Get the book here!

Daring to Belong: Autism Stories of Courage and Connection

DIRECT LINK TO COACHING WITH CHERYL

 email : [email protected] 

Website  cherylpankhurst.com

SOCIALS:

My Substack

linkedin.com/in/l. R.cheryl-ann-pankhurst-1b611855

https://www.instagram.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst/                       https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst

PODCAST- “PARENTING TEENS ADVICE REDEFINED FOR TODAY’S WORLD

THE PODCAST

https://open.spotify.com/show/4QwFMJMDDSEXJb451pCHO9?si=9c1a298387c84e13

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYv9FQy1X43wwoYg0zF8zAJw6-nCpHMAk&si=7p-e4UlU2rsG3j_t

Optin-podcast subscriber

Parenting Teens Advice Redefined

What if one of the biggest things standing between our teenagers and independence… is us?

In this no-filter conversation, Cheryl sits down with Michael Scheller, founder of Astute Academics and an educational consultant with more than 15 years of experience working with students and families.

And fair warning: this conversation goes everywhere.

From phones and social media to AI, academic pressure, gentle parenting, failure, accountability, resilience and the uncomfortable truth that sometimes our teenagers need us to step back rather than step in.

Michael and Cheryl don't agree on everything—and that's exactly what makes this conversation so good.

Because parenting teenagers isn't about finding the one "right" answer.

It's about being willing to question what we're doing, examine our own values, and ask:

Are we actually preparing our kids for adulthood—or are we making their lives so manageable that they never get the chance to manage them themselves?

• Why teenagers need opportunities to fail, struggle and figure things out
• Whether we're protecting our kids from discomfort at the expense of resilience
• The difference between acknowledging your teen's feelings and letting their feelings dictate the outcome
• Why accountability is a skill teenagers need to practice—not something we can simply demand
• Cell phones, social media and how much access teenagers really need
• The importance of parents deciding their own technology values instead of looking outside themselves for validation
• How excessive screen time may be affecting learning, attention and independence
• Why reading still matters in an increasingly digital world
• AI and teenagers: when it can support learning and when it simply does the thinking for them
• Why using AI to write your teen's paper may solve today's problem while creating a much bigger problem tomorrow
• The difference between using AI as a collaborator and pressure tester versus using it as a replacement for thinking
• Why parents need to stop rescuing their teenagers from every uncomfortable consequence
• What sports, competition and losing can teach teenagers about resilience
• Why "everybody gets a trophy" can sometimes rob kids of the opportunity to experience disappointment
• The importance of parents modeling accountability by saying "I was wrong. I'm sorry."
• Why apologizing to your teenager isn't weakness—it's leadership
• How parents can teach their kids to disagree without needing to prove the other person wrong
• Why we need to raise teenagers who can think, question, communicate and solve problems, not simply get the answer

You can have your teen's back without carrying them.

You can acknowledge that something is hard without removing the hard thing.

You can say:

"That sucks. I know you're disappointed. And I'm still not fixing it for you."

Because sometimes the most powerful message we can give our teenagers is:

"I know you can handle this. And I'm not going to take that opportunity away from you."

Michael Scheller is the founder of Astute Academics and an educational consultant who has spent more than 15 years working with students and families. His work focuses on academics, educational strategy, student development and helping families navigate the increasingly complicated world of education.

Michael can be reached through LinkedIn or at Astute Academics.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-scheller-994b53a5/

Cheryl Pankhurst is an Educational Strategist & Family Advocate with more than 25 years of experience in education, including extensive experience supporting teenagers with learning differences, ADHD, autism, anxiety and other educational needs.

Through Insight to Impact, Cheryl helps parents understand the school system, interpret assessments, navigate IEPs and school meetings, advocate effectively, and support their teenagers without taking over.

Learn more and connect with Cheryl at CherylPankhurst.com.

If your teen is struggling at school, navigating a new diagnosis, or you need help figuring out what to do next, Cheryl offers educational consulting and 90-day advocacy support.

Follow or subscribe to Parenting Teens Advice Redefined for Today's World, share this episode with another parent, and leave a review.

And remember:

You are not failing because you don't have all the answers. You're a parent who is still trying to figure it out.

You don't have to do this alone.

Parenting Teens Advice Redefined for Today’s World with Cheryl Pankhurst

What happens when your child receives an ADHD or autism diagnosis—and suddenly the future you imagined for your family feels uncertain?

In this deeply honest conversation, Cheryl Pankhurst talks with Nadia Patel, high-performance identity coach, speaker, and mother of two neurodivergent children, about the emotional side of parenting that doesn't get talked about enough.

Because a diagnosis doesn't just change what you understand about your child.

Sometimes, it changes how you see yourself.

Nadia shares her personal journey through parenting ADHD and autism, including the shock of diagnosis, parental grief, burnout, fear about the future, financial and family pressures, and the realization that she needed to work on her own emotional regulation before she could fully support her children.

And this conversation gets real.

We talk about the thoughts parents may be afraid to admit: What does this mean for my child's future? What does this mean for my career? What will this do to our marriage? Will our family ever feel normal again?

Those thoughts don't make you a bad parent.

They make you human.

But what we do with those thoughts matters.

Nadia explains how shifting her own identity changed the way she experienced her son's autism and ADHD—and how she moved from seeing the challenges as something that was bigger than her to becoming someone who could hold both her family and the life she still wanted to create.

Cheryl and Nadia also discuss why parents need to be careful about spending too much time in online parenting groups, consuming worst-case scenarios about autism and ADHD, and worrying about problems that may never happen.

For parents of neurodivergent children and teens, this episode is a reminder that your child's diagnosis is not the end of their story—and it doesn't have to be the end of yours either.

• What parents may experience emotionally after an ADHD or autism diagnosis
• The grief that can accompany a diagnosis—and why talking about it doesn't mean you don't accept your child
• The difference between accepting your child and worrying about how the world will treat them
• Parenting burnout and why parental regulation matters
• How a parent's internal view of their child can influence the way that child experiences themselves
• The identity shift that can happen when you're parenting a neurodivergent child
• ADHD and autism parenting challenges
• How parents can hold space for their child's needs without putting their own dreams and identity on hold
• Finding practical support when you're overwhelmed
• Why asking for help is not failure
• The impact of neurodivergence on siblings, marriage, finances and family life
• Why online parenting communities can sometimes increase anxiety instead of reducing it
• The importance of staying grounded in the present instead of constantly worrying about your child's future
• Why your child's diagnosis does not mean you have to abandon the life you want

If you've ever thought, “I don't know how we're going to do this,” you're not alone.

And if you've had thoughts or feelings that you don't feel comfortable admitting out loud, that doesn't automatically make you a bad parent.

You may simply need somewhere safe to process what you're carrying.

As Nadia says, getting support for yourself can be one of the most important things you do for your child.

And Cheryl's reminder throughout this podcast is simple:

It's not them. It's you—and that's where the magic happens.

Not because your teen or child is the problem.

Because sometimes changing the way we understand ourselves, our children and the situation we're facing changes everything.

Nadia Patel is a high-performance identity coach, speaker and mother of two neurodivergent children. Her work focuses on identity, self-belief, confidence and the internal shifts that can help people create meaningful change in their careers, relationships, businesses and lives.

Find Nadia at nadiapatelcoaching.com.

Cheryl Pankhurst is an Educational Strategist and Family Advocate with more than 25 years of experience supporting teenagers, families and schools. Her work includes neurodivergent teens, ADHD, autism, psycho-educational assessments, IEPs, school advocacy and the transition through high school.

If your teenager is struggling at school, you've received a new diagnosis, you're trying to understand an assessment, or you need help navigating the school system, visit CherylPankhurst.com.

#NeurodivergentParenting #ADHDParenting #AutismParenting #ParentingTeens #ParentingTeenagers

#ParentingTeens #TeenParenting #ExecutiveFunctioning #ADHDParenting #NeurodivergentTeens #TeenMentalHealth #TimeBlindness #ParentingADHD #TeenDevelopment #ExecutiveFunctioningSkills #ParentingSupport #NeurodivergentParenting #ParentingPodcast #Teenagers #EducationalAdvocacy

Have you ever wondered how your teenager can spend hours gaming, scrolling TikTok, or hanging out with friends—but somehow can't get ready for school, start their homework, remember what they need, or get out the door on time?

And then you find yourself thinking:

“They can do it when they want to. So why won't they do it?”

What if the problem isn't motivation, laziness, defiance, or not caring?

In this episode of Parenting Teens: Advice Redefined for Today's World, I sit down with Dr. Anna Levy-Warren, licensed clinical psychologist, speaker, founder of Organizational Tutors, and an expert in executive functioning, to unpack what's really happening underneath these everyday struggles.

With more than 20 years of experience working in psychology and education—and as a parent herself—Anna brings both professional expertise and lived experience to this conversation.

Executive functioning isn't one single skill. It's an interconnected set of cognitive processes that help us manage things like:

• Working memory
• Self-regulation
• Mental flexibility
• Planning
• Task initiation
• Decision-making
• Time management
• Attention
• Organization
• Goal-setting

And when these skills are developing differently, the impact can show up everywhere—not just at school.

We talk about the difference between long-term memory and working memory, and why a teenager can remember an incredible amount of information but still forget what you just asked them to do.

“Go get ready for school” might sound like one simple instruction to a parent.

For a teen with working-memory challenges, it can actually contain a whole series of steps that are difficult to hold onto and execute.

If you're sitting in the car with the engine running while your teenager is still inside getting ready, this part of the conversation is for you.

Anna explains time blindness and why some teens don't experience time in the same way their parents do.

We talk about:

• Working backwards from a deadline
• Building in extra time
• Using alarms and visual reminders
• Creating routines collaboratively
• Reducing verbal reminders
• Helping teens build their own systems rather than constantly managing them

One of the biggest themes in this conversation is the difference between “won't” and “can't yet.”

A teen may genuinely want to do something and still struggle to initiate it, organize it, estimate the time required, or shift away from something they are deeply engaged in.

And yes, your teen may be able to play video games for three hours.

That doesn't necessarily mean they are capable of transferring that same level of attention and executive functioning to a math assignment.

We also challenge the idea that a teenager is simply “motivated” when they want to do something and “unmotivated” when they don't.

Adults work this way too.

There are things we can do for hours because we enjoy them—and things we procrastinate on despite knowing they need to be done.

So what happens when we stop treating our teenagers like they're deliberately making our lives difficult and start looking at what support the task actually requires?

A 16-year-old is chronologically 16.

But their executive functioning skills don't necessarily develop in a perfectly linear way.

Your teen might be incredibly mature in one area and need significantly more scaffolding in another.

We talk about why parents need to look at the developmental skill required by the task, rather than simply assuming that a teenager should be able to do something because of their age.

We also explore how executive functioning can affect:

• Friendships and social relationships
• Social media use
• Phone regulation
• Impulsivity
• Planning social activities
• Extracurricular activities
• Sleep
• Eating
• Future planning
• College preparation
• Emotional regulation
• Knowing when to stop

This conversation is packed with practical strategies, including:

Collaborate instead of command.

Instead of putting the problem between you and your teen, put the problem in front of both of you and work on it together.

Use visual cues.

Post-it notes, calendars, written instructions, alarms and other visual systems can reduce the endless parent-teen verbal ping-pong.

Talk less when everyone is activated.

When your teenager's nervous system is overwhelmed, more talking usually isn't the answer.

Work backwards.

Start with the time your teen needs to be somewhere and work backwards to determine when they need to begin getting ready.

Build the system with your teen.

The goal isn't for you to become your teenager's external executive functioning system forever. It's to gradually help them develop systems they can eventually use independently.

Anna has a particular obsession with the family calendar—and after this conversation, I can see why.

A shared visual calendar can help teenagers anticipate what's coming, understand competing demands, see how much time they actually have, and participate in planning their own lives.

Instead of:

“You have a test Monday!”

Try:

“Let's look at the week together. You have a test, you want to see your friends, and we have Grandma's birthday. How can we make all of this work?”

That's the shift.

From control → collaboration.

From consequences → curiosity.

From telling → problem-solving together.

Dr. Anna Levy-Warren is a licensed clinical psychologist, speaker, and founder of Organizational Tutors, a company that connects students and families with customized executive functioning support.

Her work focuses on helping young people develop the skills they need to navigate academics, relationships, emotional growth, organization, and everyday life.

Learn more about Dr. Anna Levy-Warren and Organizational Tutors through the link in the episode resources.

I'm Cheryl Pankhurst, Educational Strategist and Family Advocate, and host of Parenting Teens: Advice Redefined for Today's World.

If your teenager is struggling at school, navigating a new diagnosis, transitioning to high school, or you need help understanding assessments, IEPs, accommodations, or how to advocate effectively within the school system, you can work with me directly.

Visit CherylPankhurst.com to learn more and book a complimentary consultation.

And remember:

It's not them. It's you. And that's where the magic happens.

If this episode gave you a different way to understand your teenager, share it with another parent. You never know who needs to hear that their teen isn't simply being lazy, defiant, or unmotivated.

Dr. Michelle Machado is an international keynote speaker, author, human performance strategist and creator of the Human Connection Framework™. Recognized for her dynamic presence as a 2x TEDx speaker, Dr. Machado is a trusted voice on connection and self-leadership in an always-on world. Her work has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, MSN, The Economic Times and Business Insider.

She has also delivered high-impact keynotes for Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit audiences. With a PhD, MBA, and two decades of leadership in universities spanning Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, and the UK, Dr. Machado uniquely blends neuroscience and lived experience to challenge the epidemic of disconnection. She empowers high-achievers to reclaim attention, presence and fulfilment beginning with reconnection to self. Her practical approach has made her a sought-after advisor to leaders worldwide who are ready to transform how they live, work, and lead in a rapidly changing world.

In her upcoming book, Alive Again: 4 Steps to Reclaim Your Life in a Distracted World, Dr. Machado makes the case that high-performance leadership and lasting impact are impossible without first mastering internal alignment, because the way we lead ourselves ultimately defines how we lead others.

LinkedIn and IG (drmichellemachado). Website: https://michelledmachado.com

What if the biggest influence on your teenager isn’t what you’re saying to them—but what they’re watching you do?

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Michelle Machado and I get into the messy, complicated reality of parenting teenagers in a world that neither of us grew up in.

We talk about social media, screen time, comparison, authenticity, resilience, human connection, nervous-system regulation, and the pressure parents feel to keep their kids constantly busy and entertained.

And yes, we talk about phones.

Because today’s parents are navigating something completely different from the world we grew up in. Our kids can carry school drama, friendship problems, comparison, cyberbullying and social pressure straight into their bedrooms—and onto the dinner table—24/7.

But this conversation isn't about blaming parents.

It's about getting curious.

Dr. Michelle shares why she believes human connection has three critical layers: connection to self, connection to others, and connection to the world and a greater sense of purpose.

We also talk about what authenticity actually looks like for our kids—and how easily we can confuse our idea of who they should be with their emerging identity.

• Why teenagers need to develop their own authentic identity
• The difference between advocating for your child and allowing them to become themselves
• How parents can model authenticity instead of simply talking about it
• Why “pick your battles” matters when parenting teens
• Social media, comparison and the impact of constant digital stimulation
• Why “everyone else has a phone” is such a difficult parenting conversation
• How to talk to a teenager who is already using social media
• Why education and buy-in may work better than simply taking the phone away
• The importance of teaching kids to compare themselves with their previous selves—not everyone else
• Why boredom is actually an important part of childhood
• The pressure parents feel to keep their kids constantly busy
• What our own hustle, stress and constant stimulation are teaching our children
• Why parents need white space too
• Setting boundaries when you're exhausted and overwhelmed
• The idea that “your calm is contagious—and so is your chaos”
• How children can learn to recognize when they need to “recharge”
• Why vulnerability can completely change a difficult conversation with your teenager

One of my favourite moments is Michelle's reminder that we don't have to force our children to change.

We can invite them to consider another perspective.

That distinction matters.

Our teenagers are becoming their own people. Our job isn't to control every choice they make. It's to give them the values, critical thinking, self-awareness and relationship with us that they can carry with them when we're no longer standing beside them.

And sometimes, that means knowing which hill is actually worth dying on.

If you've ever found yourself wondering:

“Did I already screw this up?”

“How do I get my kid off their phone?”

“Why are they comparing themselves to everyone?”

“Am I parenting from my values—or from fear?”

“What am I actually modeling for my teenager?”

—you are not alone.

And you're not failing because you're still trying to figure it out.

Dr. Michelle Machado is an international speaker, TEDx presenter, medical educator and founder of the Human Connection Framework. With more than two decades of experience in education and leadership across multiple countries, her work focuses on the connection between mindset, identity, human potential and meaningful human connection.

Her book, Alive Again: Four Steps to Reclaim Your Life in a Distracted World, explores what happens when our external lives look successful while internally we feel disconnected—and how we begin to reconnect with ourselves.

Find Michelle at michellmachado.com and connect with her on LinkedIn and Instagram at Dr. Michelle Machado.

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

Michelle also recommends exploring Jonathan Haidt's work and the research surrounding children, smartphones, social media and mental health.

If this episode resonated with you:

Subscribe or follow the podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with another parent who is trying to navigate the teenage years without losing themselves—or their relationship with their kid.

And if your teenager is struggling at school, navigating a new diagnosis, or you need help understanding assessments, IEPs, school meetings or high-school transitions, you can work with me directly through educational consulting or my 90-day advocacy program.

Visit CherylPankhurst.com to learn more and book a complimentary consultation.

Because parenting teens is fricking hard.

But you do not have to figure it out alone.

I got you.

#ParentingTeens #TeenParenting #ParentingTeenagers #SocialMediaAndTeens #TeenMentalHealth #ScreenTime #TeenagersAndTechnology #ParentingAdvice #ConnectedParenting #AuthenticParenting #TeenResilience #HumanConnection #DigitalParenting #ParentingPodcast #AnxiousGeneration #ParentingInTodaysWorld #TeenIdentity #ParentingSupport #NeurodivergentTeens #CherylPankhurst

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Parents often believe their teenager's emotional struggles began during adolescence.

But what if the roots started much earlier?

In this fascinating conversation, Cheryl Pankhurst sits down with birth trauma expert Sharon King to explore how our earliest experiences—even before birth—may influence connection, emotional regulation, trust, independence, and relationships throughout life.

Together they discuss how sibling birth order, early attachment, separation after birth, and childhood experiences can leave lasting emotional imprints that sometimes reappear during the teenage years.

Whether you're parenting a struggling teen or simply want to deepen your understanding of child development, this episode offers a completely different perspective on connection and healing.

✔️ Why the arrival of a new sibling can feel like loss for an older child

✔️ How early attachment influences trust later in life

✔️ Birth order and how it may shape personality

✔️ Why some teens become fiercely independent or emotionally withdrawn

✔️ The surprising connection between childhood experiences and teenage behaviour

✔️ Practical ways parents can repair connection—even years later

✔️ The power of genuine apologies and emotional validation

✔️ Why listening with your heart changes everything

Sharon King is an international trainer in energy psychology, bestselling author of Heal Your Birth, Heal Your Life, and founder of Magical New Beginnings. Her work focuses on healing birth trauma, attachment wounds, and early childhood experiences for both mothers and children.

Could your teenager's emotional struggles actually begin before they could even talk?

In this powerful episode, parenting expert Cheryl Pankhurst interviews internationally recognized birth trauma specialist Sharon King about the surprising ways pregnancy, birth experiences, early attachment, and sibling relationships may shape our children's emotional lives decades later.

If you've ever wondered why your teen seems distant, struggles with trust, becomes easily triggered, or pushes you away, this conversation may completely change the way you understand their behaviour.

Whether you agree with every perspective or simply want to explore another lens on childhood development, this episode will leave you thinking differently about connection, healing, and parenting.

If this episode resonates with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another parent who needs to hear this conversation.

Sharon King is an international trainer of energy psychology techniques for transforming trauma and living a more joyful, connected, and empowered life. One of her specialties is working with pre and perinatal birth trauma for both mother and baby. As a best-selling author, Sharon shares her extensive knowledge in her books Heal Your Birth, Heal Your Life and co-author of Return to The Mother World: Ancient Feminine Wisdom in Times of Transition.

Sharon’s specialty is transforming your experience of giving birth or being born and any trauma associated with conception, pregnancy, and birth. She also works with mothers-to-be to achieve a natural birth, as well as infertility, IVF, adoption issues and healing the wounds of losing a baby.

Her training is extensive, with qualifications and experience in holistic healing modalities and creating her own; Heal Your Birth (formally known as Matrix Birth Reimprinting) and The Light Matrix techniques, for transforming ancestral patterns, past lives, discovering your life purpose and manifesting the life of your dreams.

Sharon is living on the beautiful island of Koh Phangan in Thailand and is hosting retreats and producing online programs for parents-to-be to achieve a conscious conception, pregnancy and birth, plus hosting new training programs for students.

Important Links / How to find you 

*

Websites: www.magicalnewbeginnings.com & www.healyourbirthbook.com Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magicalnewbeginnings YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sharonking5861

YOUR GIFT- GUIDE FOR GRADE 8 TO GRADE 9 IEP TRANSITIONS

https://www.cherylpankhurst.com/iep-high-school-transition-parent-quick-guide

Let’s Chat https://tidycal.com/cherylpankhurst/consultation-chat

Connect with Cheryl!

Get the book here!

Daring to Belong: Autism Stories of Courage and Connection

DIRECT LINK TO COACHING WITH CHERYL

 email : [email protected] 

Website  cherylpankhurst.com

SOCIALS:

linkedin.com/in/l. R.cheryl-ann-pankhurst-1b611855

https://www.instagram.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst/                       https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst

PODCAST- “PARENTING TEENS ADVICE REDEFINED FOR TODAY’S WORLD

THE PODCAST

https://open.spotify.com/show/4QwFMJMDDSEXJb451pCHO9?si=9c1a298387c84e13

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYv9FQy1X43wwoYg0zF8zAJw6-nCpHMAk&si=7p-e4UlU2rsG3j_t

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Parenting Teens Advice Redefined

#ParentingTeens

#TeenFriendship

#GirlDrama

#ParentingTeenagers

Your daughter comes home crying because she was left out.

She wasn't invited.

The group chat is exploding.

Someone said something hurtful.

And every instinct in you wants to fix it.

Call the other parent. Contact the school. Tell her those girls are awful. Tell her to find new friends.

But what if some of the ways parents try to help are actually making teen friendship problems worse?

In this episode of Parenting Teens Advice Redefined for Today's Complex World, Cheryl Pankhurst sits down with internationally recognized friendship expert Sheri Gazitt, founder of Teen Wise and author of Girl Drama Decoded.

Together, they unpack the complicated world of teen friendships, social exclusion, group chats, mean girl behaviour, social anxiety, and the emotional impact friendship struggles can have on adolescents.

This is not about blaming parents.

It's about giving parents better tools.

• Why calling girls "mean" may not tell the whole story
• The difference between bullying and typical teen friendship conflict
• Why today's friendship drama feels different from previous generations
• How group chats and phones have changed teenage social dynamics
• What happens when parents become emotionally involved in their teen's drama
• Why confronting another parent can sometimes make things worse
• What to say when your daughter comes home feeling excluded or rejected
• How to listen without immediately jumping into problem-solving mode
• The LOVE framework for supporting teens through friendship struggles
• What to do when your own teen is participating in hurtful behaviour
• Why parents need to stay "above the drama"
• How to help your teen repair friendships instead of immediately ending them
• What to do when your teen is hanging around friends who are making unhealthy choices
• When parents should intervene with schools, coaches, or other adults
• How to know when your teen needs additional emotional support

One of the most powerful messages in this conversation?

Your teen doesn't need you to jump into the trench with them.

They need you to stand above it and help them find their way out.

Teen friendships can be messy. They can be painful. And watching your child struggle socially can be heartbreaking.

But these moments can also become opportunities to help adolescents build emotional resilience, communication skills, confidence, self-awareness, and healthier relationships.

If you're parenting a tween or teenager navigating friendship problems, exclusion, social anxiety, group chats, or girl drama, this episode is for you.

Sheri Gazitt is an internationally recognized friendship expert, speaker, and founder of Teen Wise. With more than 30 years of experience and a background in counseling psychology, she helps girls navigate friendship struggles, social anxiety, confidence, and the emotional challenges of adolescence.

She is the author of Girl Drama Decoded and creator of the MomWise Collective, supporting mothers who want to help their daughters navigate difficult social dynamics without losing themselves in the process.

Learn more about Sherry and Teen Wise at Teen-Wise.com.

Cheryl Pankhurst is an Educational Strategist, Family Advocate, speaker, published author, and former Special Education Specialist with more than 25 years of experience supporting adolescents and their families.

Through Insight to Impact, Cheryl helps parents navigate:

• Neurodivergence and new diagnoses
• IEPs and school accommodations
• Educational assessments
• High school transitions
• School advocacy
• Complex challenges facing today's teenagers

Learn more or book a complimentary consultation at CherylPankhurst.com.

If this episode helped you, please follow the podcast, share it with another parent, and leave a review.

Parenting teenagers is hard.

But you do not have to figure it out alone.

YOUR GIFT- GUIDE FOR GRADE 8 TO GRADE 9 IEP TRANSITIONS

https://www.cherylpankhurst.com/iep-high-school-transition-parent-quick-guide

Let’s Chat https://tidycal.com/cherylpankhurst/consultation-chat

http://cherylpankhurst.com

Connect with Cheryl!

Get the book here!

Daring to Belong: Autism Stories of Courage and Connection

DIRECT LINK TO COACHING WITH CHERYL

 email : [email protected] 

Website  cherylpankhurst.com

SOCIALS:

My Substack

linkedin.com/in/l. R.cheryl-ann-pankhurst-1b611855

https://www.instagram.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst/                       https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst

PODCAST- “PARENTING TEENS ADVICE REDEFINED FOR TODAY’S WORLD

THE PODCAST

https://open.spotify.com/show/4QwFMJMDDSEXJb451pCHO9?si=9c1a298387c84e13

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYv9FQy1X43wwoYg0zF8zAJw6-nCpHMAk&si=7p-e4UlU2rsG3j_t

Optin-podcast subscriber

Parenting Teens Advice Redefined

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#TeenParenting

#TeenSafety

#ParentingAdvice

#ParentingPodcast

#ChildSafety

#ChildSexualAbusePrevention

Talking about child sexual abuse and teen safety can feel frightening, uncomfortable, and overwhelming. But avoiding the conversation doesn't protect our kids. Knowledge, connection, boundaries, and open communication can.

In this important episode of Parenting Teens: Advice Redefined for Today's Complex World, Cheryl Pankhurst sits down with Jenny Coleman, Director of Stop It Now!, to talk honestly about preventing child sexual abuse without parenting from a place of fear.

This conversation goes beyond "stranger danger" and explores what parents, caregivers, educators, and communities can do proactively to create safer environments for children and teenagers.

Together, Cheryl and Jenny discuss:

• What child sexual abuse actually means, including contact and non-contact abuse
• Why prevention matters and how we can move from reactive parenting to proactive awareness
• Why "stranger danger" may actually interfere with prevention
• How to talk to teens about boundaries, consent, privacy, and personal safety
• How parents can create an environment where teens feel safe coming to them with difficult information
• The importance of checking your tone, body language, and reactions when your teen tells you something difficult
• What it means to be an "upstander" instead of a bystander
• Warning signs that parents, educators, and caring adults should pay attention to
• How online relationships and digital spaces can create additional vulnerabilities
• Why speaking up matters, even when you're worried you might be wrong
• How adults and young people can seek confidential support before harm occurs
• The importance of reducing shame and isolation when someone recognizes they may be at risk of crossing a boundary

One of the most powerful messages in this episode is that prevention is not about frightening our kids or making them afraid of the world.

It's about helping them develop language, confidence, boundaries, self-awareness, and trusted relationships.

Because the goal isn't to make our teenagers scared to tell us something.

The goal is to make sure they know they can.

Stop It Now!

A child sexual abuse prevention organization offering resources, education, consultation, and support for adults, families, and communities.

What's OK?

A confidential resource designed specifically for young people who have questions or concerns about sexual thoughts, behaviours, boundaries, relationships, or safety.

Visit:

• Stop It Now!
• What's OK?

Jenny Coleman is the Director of Stop It Now! and a clinician, educator, and advocate with more than 30 years of experience working with youth and families.

Her work focuses on prevention, education, safer communities, and helping adults recognize warning signs and take action before harm occurs.

Jenny Coleman

whatsok.org | stopitnow.org

Cheryl Pankhurst is an Educational Strategist, Family Advocate, speaker, published author, and former Special Education Specialist with more than 25 years of experience supporting families and adolescents.

Through her work at Insight to Impact and her podcast, Parenting Teens: Advice Redefined for Today's Complex World, Cheryl helps parents navigate adolescence, neurodiversity, school systems, diagnoses, IEPs, transitions, and the complex realities of raising teenagers today.

If you're parenting a teen and need support navigating school, a diagnosis, advocacy, or educational challenges, visit CherylPankhurst.com to learn more.

If this episode resonated with you, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with another parent.

You never know who may need this conversation.

YOUR GIFT- GUIDE FOR GRADE 8 TO GRADE 9 IEP TRANSITIONS

https://www.cherylpankhurst.com/iep-high-school-transition-parent-quick-guide

Let’s Chat https://tidycal.com/cherylpankhurst/consultation-chat

http://cherylpankhurst.com

Connect with Cheryl!

Get the book here!

Daring to Belong: Autism Stories of Courage and Connection

DIRECT LINK TO COACHING WITH CHERYL

 email : [email protected] 

Website  cherylpankhurst.com

SOCIALS:

My Substack

linkedin.com/in/l. R.cheryl-ann-pankhurst-1b611855

https://www.instagram.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst/                       https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst

PODCAST- “PARENTING TEENS ADVICE REDEFINED FOR TODAY’S WORLD

THE PODCAST

https://open.spotify.com/show/4QwFMJMDDSEXJb451pCHO9?si=9c1a298387c84e13

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYv9FQy1X43wwoYg0zF8zAJw6-nCpHMAk&si=7p-e4UlU2rsG3j_t

Optin-podcast subscriber

Parenting Teens Advice Redefined

#NeurodivergentTeens

#NeurodivergentKids

#SpecialEducation

#IEPAdvocacy

#ParentAdvocate

If you're parenting a neurodivergent teen and you've ever sat staring at a school email thinking, "I don't even know what I'm supposed to ask for," this episode is for you.

You don't know what you don't know.

And when you're navigating IEPs, assessments, accommodations, diagnoses, school transitions, administrators, teachers, and support systems, knowing what to ask—and who to ask—can make all the difference.

In this episode of WTF — Welcome to Friday, Cheryl Pankhurst talks about why she's so passionate about parent advocacy and why the right advocate isn't simply someone who walks into a school ready for a fight.

A good advocate understands the education system from the inside.

They understand how schools operate, how administrators work, what accommodations can look like, how assessments translate into school-based support, and how to bring parents and schools to the same table.

• Why parents often don't know what to ask for when their teen needs additional support
• Why "you don't know what you don't know" is so important when navigating special education
• The importance of having a transition plan before your neurodivergent teen walks through the school doors
• Why waiting until September can make a difficult school transition even harder
• How the first day of school can influence a teen's experience for the entire year
• What can happen when appropriate supports aren't in place, including school refusal and significant distress
• Why parents should look for an advocate who understands the education system—not simply someone who is ready to fight
• How an advocate can help translate a psychological or educational assessment into practical school supports
• Why effective advocacy means working with parents, not simply advocating for them
• The ultimate goal of advocacy: helping parents and teens become confident self-advocates

You are not failing because you don't understand the school system.

You aren't expected to know how an IEP works, what accommodations your teen may need, how to interpret a lengthy assessment, or how to navigate school administration.

That's why support exists.

And the goal isn't for you to need an advocate forever.

The goal is to help you understand the system well enough that eventually, you don't need the advocate anymore.

If you're currently wondering what your neurodivergent teen needs for the upcoming school year—or you've received a diagnosis and don't know what to do next—you don't have to figure it out alone.

If you're Googling.

If you're reading the books.

If you're asking questions.

If you're still looking for answers.

You're still in the game.

You're not failing.

You're parenting.

And parenting is hard enough without having to become an expert in the education system, too.

If you're feeling stuck navigating your teen's school, I can help you understand what comes next and determine where advocacy may make a difference.

Visit CherylPankhurst.com to learn more or book a complimentary discovery call.

YOUR GIFT- GUIDE FOR GRADE 8 TO GRADE 9 IEP TRANSITIONS

https://www.cherylpankhurst.com/iep-high-school-transition-parent-quick-guide

Let’s Chat https://tidycal.com/cherylpankhurst/consultation-chat

http://cherylpankhurst.com

Connect with Cheryl!

Get the book here!

Daring to Belong: Autism Stories of Courage and Connection

DIRECT LINK TO COACHING WITH CHERYL

 email : [email protected] 

Website  cherylpankhurst.com

SOCIALS:

My Substack

linkedin.com/in/l. R.cheryl-ann-pankhurst-1b611855

https://www.instagram.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst/                       https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst

PODCAST- “PARENTING TEENS ADVICE REDEFINED FOR TODAY’S WORLD

THE PODCAST

https://open.spotify.com/show/4QwFMJMDDSEXJb451pCHO9?si=9c1a298387c84e13

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYv9FQy1X43wwoYg0zF8zAJw6-nCpHMAk&si=7p-e4UlU2rsG3j_t

Optin-podcast subscriber

Parenting Teens Advice Redefined