Today's episode is part 2 of episode 290 where I talked about an article looking at why Generation Z is so depressed and anxious. In today's episode, I share with you what YOU can do to prevent this. Join me! 

In this episode, I discuss an article I read called Why is Generation Z so Depressed: Overprotective Parents. I share my thoughts about why this might be true and I will cover what we can do about it in part 2, episode 291. Join me! 

This episode is a throwback to episode 7 of Maximizing Life in the Middle that Jay and I recorded. We recorded this episode at the end of a particularly crazy week for all of us. In this episode, we process the week that we had, and how we navigated it. Sometimes things don’t always turn out the way we envision them, and how do we adjust to that on the fly? We talk about how important mindfulness is to successfully making it through challenging periods of time.

We also discuss the “elephant” in the kid’s room – screen time. How do we balance screen time with time in the 3D world, and how do we help our kids balance that as well? Some of the summer-fun things I have done with my kids include games, bike rides, tennis, playing at the park, and watching Dude Perfect videos - my favorite you-tubers!

This is such a common struggle for parents, and when we overreact to our child's poor grade, it helps no one, as it closes down the lines of communication between us, and doesn't help them to do a better job next time. Join me to find out how to navigate this situation in a much more productive way. 

How often do you say "No" to your teen? How does it work for you? In this episode, I explain how we can look at that word as sacred, especially with our teens, and how effective it is to minimize its use. Join me to get some useful nuggets! 

On today's show, I talked with teen expert Deanne Barrett about how we can be leaders in our home with our growing children. She explains brilliantly how we can help our teens practice and strengthen their critical thinking skills, something they will need throughout adulthood. We also talk about asking good, productive questions of our teens without having a judgmental tone in our voices, which can be challenging! But we must if we want our children to come to us as trusted advisors. This episode is packed full of useful nuggets so whether you have teens at home or will someday, be sure to to tune in!

You can find out more about Deanne at https://www.gratitudework.com/.

To follow up on last week's discussions of the craziness of the end of the school year, I wanted to offer you this little bit of wisdom today....

Today, Jay and I talk about our son's 12th birthday party last weekend with 13 of his closest friends, which got us to wondering when is the right age to begin pairing down that list? Join us to hear more! 

I was inspired to record today's episode based on this article that I read yesterday. What are we doing to ourselves and our children, and what can we do to change it? Join me to hear more!