Kenneth Ginsburg, author of Lighthouse Parenting, explains how parents can build lasting bonds with teens by balancing structure, trust, and unconditional love, and shares practical communication strategies.

Full Show Notes

We often hear that teens thrive best when they feel deeply understood, loved without judgment, and gently guided rather than controlled. But this balance is hard to strike—especially as teens push away, test boundaries, and become more independent. Too much freedom feels unsafe, yet too much vigilance breeds rebellion. How can we stay close, set boundaries, and respect teens' autonomy, all at the same time?

The secret might lie in what Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg calls “lighthouse parenting". Instead of hovering anxiously like a helicopter, micromanaging like a lawnmower, or retreating entirely, a lighthouse parent provides steady guidance from the shoreline. They trust teens to navigate life's waves yet remain watchful, reliable, and ready to help when needed. Done right, this blend of love, boundaries, and respect leads to children who flourish not just during adolescence, but also maintain a strong, loving connection with parents throughout adulthood.

Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg is a leading pediatrician, adolescent health specialist, and author of numerous influential books, including his latest, Lighthouse Parenting: Raising Your Child with Loving Guidance for a Lifelong Bond. Through decades of research and practical experience working with adolescents and families, Ken has identified simple yet powerful ways parents can connect with teens while also helping them cultivate strength, compassion, and resilience.

In this episode, Ken shares the key ingredients of lighthouse parenting and how to implement them practically, starting today. From smarter ways to praise and discipline, to addressing judgment and communicating more calmly, you’ll learn actionable insights you can put into practice immediately.

The Lighthouse Approach to Parenting

We start our conversation by unpacking what lighthouse parenting actually means—and why it works. Ken explains that decades of research identify balanced parenting as the gold standard: consistent boundaries combined with genuine warmth and flexibility. The challenge has always been how to achieve this balance in real daily interactions.

The lighthouse metaphor brings clarity to that balancing act. A lighthouse is stable and dependable. Instead of running out to rescue every time the waters get rough, it provides a steady beam, trusting the sailor to learn how to navigate. Likewise, lighthouse parents deeply love their child and provide consistent boundaries, but also trust teens to handle challenges, make mistakes, and learn from them. This fosters competence, confidence, and lasting closeness.

Making Communication Effective, Not Just Emotional

Ken reveals how many conversations go awry because we mistakenly use what he calls “hot communication"—reactive, emotionally-charged messages filled with judgment or exaggerated empathy. Hot communication sets off teens’ emotional brains and blocks logical thinking. On the other hand, "cold communication,” which Ken says is actually warm, calm, and emotionally soothing, allows teens to feel safe enough to open up and engage productively.

In the episode, Ken offers practical scripts for communicating in a cooler, more effective way and avoiding judgment. He shares how even subtle judgments (criticizing neighbors or yelling at the TV) make teens less likely to open up about sensitive topics. He also discusses the dangers of praising only achievements, inadvertently signaling conditional love, and describes ways to praise kids that reinforce unconditional love and openness.

Protecting By Preparing, Not Hovering

Overprotective, hovering parenting is tempting when we desperately want to keep teens safe. But Ken makes a compelling argument that true protection comes from preparation, not control. Teens who haven't practiced decision-making, conflict-resolution, or recovering from failure at home often make mistakes outside the safety of the family when stakes are higher.

Through reminders and reflection exercises, Ken shows how parents can dilute their helicopter tendencies by asking key questions about what protection actually means for lifelong success. Instead of rescuing teens from every difficulty, lighthouse parents allow adolescents space to solve problems, while maintaining protective guardrails, setting the stage for healthier independence and interdependence.

Fostering Interdependence and Strong Character

Strong families rely on mutual interdependence, yet modern society too frequently emphasizes independence and self-reliance, damaging teen-parent bonds and emotional wellbeing. Ken passionately argues we need to raise young people who not only stand strong but also know how to lean into lasting family support systems when needed.

As teens mature into adulthood, Ken believes that intentionally nurturing key character strengths—such as gratitude, humility, generosity, compassion, and responsibility—is foundational to their success and happiness. In our interview, Ken offers powerful examples of how parents can recognize and reinforce constructive behaviors to strengthen character starting from early childhood up through the teen years, ultimately shaping a purposeful, joyful adult life.

In the Episode…

Our conversation covers so many insightful ideas, and you won’t want to miss the impactful topics we discuss:

• Why praise and excessive empathy can accidentally backfire
• Specific scripts to motivate teens using their strengths
• Understanding judgmental behaviors you might not even realize you're doing
• Why cell-phone discipline isn't always the right answer, and how to handle tech smartly
• Practical tips for enjoying happier, higher-quality “high yield” conversations with your teen

If you've ever worried whether your approach is helping or harming your relationship with your teen, this episode is a must. Dr. Ginsburg’s warm, insightful perspective and practical strategies empower parents to build deep bonds that last a lifetime.

Check out all of Ken’s resources at fosteringresilience.com or parentandteen.com, and don't forget to grab your copy of Lighthouse Parenting. If you loved this episode, please subscribe to the podcast and share this profound knowledge with other parents and educators you know.

Robert Finlay, author of Hey Dad, shares essential strategies on how parents can equip teens with crucial adulting skills, covering money management, networking, handling emergencies, and building independence.

Full Show Notes

Do your teens sometimes shock you with questions you assumed they already knew the answer to? Maybe they call in the middle of the night wondering how to fill gas in their car or whether they can use the mysterious "green gas." These “Hey Dad” (or "Hey Mom") calls are more than just amusing anecdotes—they highlight a gap we're all trying to fill as parents: how do we ensure our teenagers really understand the requirements of adulting before they leave the nest?

Most parents worry whether they have properly prepared their kids for adulthood, for those surprising (and inevitable!) real-world circumstances. But with teens constantly occupied by schoolwork, sports, friends, and the digital world, how can we efficiently—and effectively—pass along the essential skills needed to confidently step into adulthood?

Our guest this week, Rob Finlay, found himself pondering the same question after repeated "Hey Dad" calls from his four kids. Inspired by these moments—and a particularly memorable call from his daughter asking about gas options—Rob set out to gather the necessary knowledge teens needed. After collecting advice and insight from over 30 experts ranging from finance executives to medical specialists and seasoned first responders, Rob compiled Hey Dad: Everything You Should Have Learned About Life But Didn’t, a hands-on guide to navigating early adulthood.

In our conversation, Rob shares practical tips and hilarious stories to help parents bridge life-skill gaps with their teens. We discuss how to approach money management, prepare kids for career uncertainties, teach networking fundamentals and handle emergencies without panic, and ultimately shift those seemingly trivial late-night phone calls into moments that reflect growth and independence.

The Power (and Peril) of Teen Money

Many parents know the frustration of seeing their teen disregard financial advice, only to later scramble when reality hits. Rob stresses that simply "lecturing" teens about finances rarely sticks—instead, he recommends leveraging conversations about actual real-world consequences. Rob illustrates how introducing basic concepts with compelling scenarios can make money feel relevant to teens. Whether exploring the benefits of good credit scores or the hidden costs of overdrafts, making finances meaningful prepares teens better than abstract and dry instructions ever could.

Rob also discusses the power of "compounding" beyond just a financial context, underscoring how even small, consistent actions build substantial results over time—not just in savings, but also in relationships, networking, and personal habits.

Networking for Young Adults

Ever heard your teen wishfully mention becoming a digital influencer or shrug off job opportunities because it doesn't align with their unclear plan for the future? Rob emphasizes the reality that connections matter profoundly when seeking employment opportunities. He encourages parents to expose teens to situations outside their peer groups and comfort zones—from attending family business dinners to encouraging brief informational interviews with professionals in fields of interest.

Rob reminds us that teens are more respected and supported by adults than they realize. Teaching teens to leverage LinkedIn or encouraging them to reach out for career advice fosters self-confidence, creates diverse connections, and transforms the job market from a daunting challenge to a network-driven opportunity.

"Real World" Readiness and Handling Emergencies

Every parent dreads the thought that their teen will one day encounter an emergency situation. But as Rob shares, there are essential skills every young adult should know, from handling first-aid emergencies all the way through troubleshooting car issues when stranded late at night.

Incorporating expert insights from professional first responders, Rob advises parents on walking teens through emergency preparedness so they can remain calm and in control when it matters the most. After all, adulting skills also go beyond financial independence—they mean knowing how to stay calm when things inevitably don't go as planned.

Embracing the Journey

Above all, Rob emphasizes preparing teens not just for immediate independence but for flexible, resilient, lifelong growth. He illustrates how important it is for teens to accept uncertainty and potential failure not as setbacks, but as essential parts of the journey. By modeling and teaching these attitudes, Rob believes we can elevate those unforgettable phone calls from anxious dependency into mature, genuine moments of bonding and learning.

In The Episode…

Rob’s insights offer practical solutions to parents seeking to empower their teens for real-world readiness. In addition to these core topics, we explore:

• Why it's essential to let teens fail (and why failure can be productive)
• How to help teens realize the real benefits behind college decisions
• Ways to shift from "giving answers" to mastering the art of guiding teens resourcefully
• How adulting skill-building can extend even to occupying oneself on a quiet night at home

Rob Finlay's practical wisdom and instructive energy make this episode indispensable listening for every parent who wants to transform their teen's uncertainty into confident independence. The next time your teen calls around midnight, you'll not only know how to handle the call—you'll welcome the growth behind it. Tune in for more, and don’t forget to subscribe!

Christine Miles, author of What Is It Costing You Not to Listen?, teaches us how transformational listening can deepen connections with teenagers by hearing what's unsaid, asking the right questions, and creating life-changing conversations.

Full Show Notes

We all think of ourselves as pretty good listeners, right? But consider this: 96% of us claim good listening skills, yet only 2% have ever had formal training in how to listen. As parents, teachers, or mentors of teenagers, we spend so much energy worrying about what we say in conversations—we want to give advice, teach life lessons, and help teens make the right decisions. But the truth is, we often completely overlook the real key to meaningful communication: our ability to listen deeply.

Most of our listening approaches barely scratch the surface and simply skim the basic facts of a situation. However, teens rarely communicate straight to the heart of what’s truly bothering them. A surface complaint or confrontation can disguise deeper emotional struggles. How can we move beyond mundane conversation and create more meaningful connections with the young people in our lives?

Our guest Christine Miles, author of What Is It Costing You Not to Listen?, is a renowned listening expert and speaker, who has spent her life empowering people to tap into what she calls “transformational listening.” Christine’s groundbreaking work has led her to teach listening workshops nationwide, helping families, educators, and corporate teams unlock deeper understanding, resolve problems, and build authentic connections through the power of listening better.

In this thoughtful and eye-opening episode, Christine shares powerful insights from her personal story and her professional expertise to demonstrate exactly why listening is so crucial, and how developing listening skills will profoundly affect all aspects of our relationships with teens.

Why Teens Need Transformational Listening

Christine introduces the idea of transformational listening, which goes beyond empathy and allows us to truly hear not only the words teens speak but also their underlying and often unspoken feelings. Transformational listening helps us understand each teenager's unique experience. Christine explains how listening provides teens a safe space to truly open up by guiding them to reveal parts of their story they may not even be aware of themselves.

One major reason parents and teens experience poor communication is because teens rarely start at the beginning when they share their story. According to Christine, we usually get dropped right in the middle of a teenager’s internal narrative, causing misunderstanding or confusion. Parents often mistakenly assume that teens don’t want to talk or be open. Christine teaches us how to navigate conversations strategically to capture the whole story and not just surface details.

How to Stop Getting in Your Own Way

Most of us unconsciously interfere with our own listening ability, making typical mistakes like asking too many questions or imposing assumptions onto teens’ stories. Christine helps us recognize and prevent these conversational pitfalls by sharing simple but incredibly effective techniques she calls the Listening Compass. We'll learn a small but powerful set of open-ended questions that invite teenagers to dive deeper without feeling interrogated or misunderstood.

Christine also explains how to notice important non-verbal listening cues by paying attention to what teens aren't saying. Mastering this technique helps teens feel truly understood, even when they're struggling to articulate what's actually bothering them, allowing us to support or steer the conversation positively without forcing direct solutions on them prematurely.

Discovering Your Teen’s True Story

Christine emphasizes the incredible power of finding the "tipping point"—the moment in stories or conflicts when a decision or realization occurs and everything shifts. Often teenagers present us with a seemingly minor problem (like shoes or school struggles), but beneath the surface lies a complex mix of emotions or concerns teens don't even consciously realize. By engaging in transformational listening, parents can genuinely empower teens, helping them discover and navigate their emotional challenges and even reach deeper insight about their own decisions.

Christine shares impactful stories and case examples, illustrating how parents and mentors using these listening practices earned trust and ultimately became part of life-changing turning points simply by listening in a new way.

Taking Listening to Real Life

The beauty of Christine's approach is that the tools she teaches can be practiced right away, leading to rapid and transformative results in relationships with teenagers. Christine shares moving real-life examples—not just from parenting, but from workplaces and friendships—where transformational listening has allowed meaningful conversations to flourish, deeper trust to build, and healthier emotional decision-making to happen.

Christine explains why feelings do matter, even when societal messages often teach us to keep emotions separate from work or challenging situations. Her insights expand our emotional intelligence, improving not just our teen relationships but demonstrating how attentive listening benefits nearly every aspect of our public and private lives.

In this powerful conversation, Christine provides clear steps and tools to start implementing transformational listening immediately, teaching us how to revolutionize the ways we communicate with and understand teens.

In the Episode, we also discuss

• Why focusing on your response interferes with listening effectively
• How emotional intelligence can matter more for teen success than academic grades
• Why saying “Don’t get mad, but…” almost always backfires
• How listening skills can vastly improve communication in workplaces and schools as well as at home

If you want to strengthen your connection with the teens in your life and genuinely help guide them towards growth and emotional maturity, don’t miss this groundbreaking episode! And don't forget to subscribe for more insightful guests and inspiring strategies every week.

Richard Orbé-Austin, author of Your Child's Greatness, discusses imposter syndrome, perfectionism, boundaries, and how parents can empower teens to build true resilience and self-confidence.

Full Show Notes

As parents, we want the best for our teenagers. We hope they'll be successful academically, thrive socially, and embrace the opportunities ahead. But lurking beneath the surface for many adolescents—and adults—is the pervasive doubt called imposter syndrome: the haunting fear of being revealed as a fraud, not belonging, or never being good enough. Surprisingly common, imposter syndrome can emerge quietly and lead our teens toward patterns of perfectionism, people-pleasing, anxiety, and even deeper stress.

But how can parents recognize the signs of imposter feelings in their kids? And more importantly, how do we help teens develop the resilience, confidence, and realistic self-image that protect them against its harmful effects?

To unravel these questions, we're joined by Dr. Richard Orbé-Austin, psychologist and co-author of Your Child's Greatness. An expert on imposter syndrome, Richard understands how these subtle feelings of doubt can sometimes quietly shape a person's identity, often beginning at a young age. He provides practical, down-to-earth strategies parents can use to nurture healthier mindsets in teens, helping them genuinely own their strengths while managing the anxieties involved in growth and change.

Understanding Teen Imposter Syndrome

Richard first helps us understand exactly what imposter syndrome means. Though not an official mental health disorder, "Imposter Syndrome" describes the chronic feeling that your success is undeserved or accidental, despite evidence to the contrary. As Richard explains, it often surfaces in perfectionist individuals who strive for an elusive, unrealistically perfect "ideal self" and become critical of their actual self. It's common among high-achievers, causing them to attribute their success to luck or external factors instead of their own abilities.

In our discussion, he describes three common roles teens pick up early on—the "smart one," the "hardworking one," and the "survivor"—and how over-identifying with any one role can contribute to imposter feelings. He helps parents recognize subtle symptoms of these thoughts, like negative labeling, comparing themselves unfairly to others, and anxious attempts to predict future failure.

Breaking Boundaries for True Self-Worth

One critical contributor to imposter syndrome, according to Richard, is a family environment lacking clear, healthy boundaries. Teenagers who grow up believing their sole purpose is pleasing their parents, coaches, or teachers often develop intense feelings of inadequacy, as they never feel truly good enough. They’re likely to overwork, avoid conflict, and suppress their own emotional experiences.

Richard emphasizes the importance of empowering teenagers with strong personal boundaries. We discuss how parents can foster open dialogues with their kids about emotional and interpersonal boundaries, especially in competitive environments like youth sports, debate, or other activities. By teaching teens to stand up for themselves and express their needs, parents help them build independence, resilience, and authentic self-esteem.

Tackling Perfectionism Through Growth Mindsets

Perfectionism and imposter syndrome go hand-in-hand, as teens may see mistakes and failures as signs of inadequacy rather than natural parts of learning and growth. Richard shares meaningful ways to help adolescents redefine success and embrace the process of incremental improvement.

We explore strategies for shifting teens from a rigid, achievement-focused perspective to a more flexible, growth-oriented one. For instance, Richard describes how reframing poor grades or performance anxiety as opportunities to learn, not signals of failure, can reduce teens' fear of taking healthy risks. He also discusses how parents' language around mistakes, success, and failure profoundly shapes their kids' attitudes toward personal growth.

Parent Imposter Syndrome—Yours Counts Too!

Interestingly, Richard notes that imposter syndrome doesn't stop with teens. Many parents also struggle with their own "idealized" parenting role and feelings of inadequacy around parenting decisions, mistakes, or imperfection. Parents who struggle with their own imposter thoughts can unintentionally pass down that sense of self-doubt to their children.

Throughout our conversation, Richard provides affirming reassurance for parents facing these challenges. He stresses that no parent is perfect, that mistakes are inevitable, and that a willingness to form deeper self-awareness and gentler inner dialogue helps parents model genuine confidence for their teens. Being open about our own experiences with imposter syndrome and showing teens we too have growing to do can create healthier mindsets within the whole family.

In the Episode….

This impactful conversation with Richard is full of thoughtful, practical tips parents can put into practice immediately. On top of the topics discussed above, we also cover:

• Signs your teen is developing performance anxiety
• Ways to challenge automatic negative thoughts ("ANTs")
• Differences between ideal and actual selves—and why they matter
• How social anxiety or school bullying can fuel imposter syndrome
• Strategies to reduce people-pleasing tendencies and conflict avoidance 

If you'd like to learn more from Richard, check out his book, Your Child's Greatness, available now from major booksellers and independent bookstores. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to share and subscribe, and we'll see you next week.

Ethan Kross, author of Shift: Managing Your Emotions So They Don't Manage You, explains how teens and parents can become adept at emotional regulation, manage upsetting feelings effectively, and develop healthier responses to life's challenges.

Full Show Notes

Emotional regulation—the ability to manage and shift our feelings—has huge implications for everyone, especially teenagers. It's a life skill that might just make the difference between thriving or struggling in adulthood. Teens understandably grapple with heightened emotions and can sometimes feel controlled by them rather than the other way around. But what if we could teach them how to manage their emotions and build resilience early on?

The effects of emotional dysregulation can be major: kids who struggle with this skill are more likely to face substance abuse, school dropout, and even criminal behavior as they grow older. Meanwhile, teens who are skilled at managing their emotional states tend to excel academically, professionally, and have healthier relationships overall. The good news is that emotion regulation is a learnable and teachable skill, with far-reaching positive effects if mastered during adolescence.

In this episode, we're joined once again by Ethan Kross, award-winning professor, renowned researcher, and author of the new book Shift: Managing Your Emotions So They Don't Manage You. Ethan has dedicated his career to unpacking the mystery of our emotional worlds, blending cutting-edge research with practical, actionable insights. As both a scientist and a parent of a teen himself, Ethan understands deeply how crucial it is to arm our kids (and ourselves!) with simple yet powerful emotional regulation strategies.

In our conversation, Ethan shares eye-opening findings, common misconceptions, and accessible, effective tools for parents who want to raise emotionally intelligent and resilient teenagers.

Why Emotional Regulation Matters for Teens

Emotion impacts every aspect of a teen's daily life—friendships, schoolwork, athletics, and family relationships. Despite its importance, emotional skills are often overlooked, leaving kids unequipped to manage powerful feelings. Ethan reveals eye-opening research, from classic experiments to recent ground-breaking studies, that clearly connect teens' successes and setbacks later in life to how well they can manage their emotional states.

Ethan emphasizes that there are no "bad" emotions—anger, sadness, anxiety all serve valuable evolutionary purposes. Rather than suppressing these feelings, Ethan offers strategies to help teens learn to tune into their emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them. He also tackles the "myth of universal approach," noting that always facing or always avoiding tough feelings isn't the right solution—teens must learn flexibility instead.

Teaching Teens Practical Ways to Shift Their Emotions

So how can parents and educators tangibly equip teens with emotional regulation skills? Ethan shares practical interventions from research that really work. For example, understanding how our surroundings influence our emotional states empowers teens to strategically modify their spaces to feel less anxious or stressed. Ethan discusses how teens can make small changes, like placing items or images in their environment that effectively boost their mood and sense of calm.

He also explains broader methods, like the proven WOOP framework (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, and Plan). WOOP is essentially an easy-to-use reference for teens (and adults) when emotions inevitably flare up. Ethan breaks down how parents can talk teens through this process, helping them clearly define how they want to act during difficult times—rather than becoming reactive or impulsive.

Subtle (and Powerful) Ways to Help Teens

Sometimes offering too much direct help can backfire, causing teens to feel disempowered or defensive. Ethan reveals research that shows invisible support—the kind teens don't realize you're giving—can play a huge role in helping them build regulation skills. He's sharing small shifts, like subtly introducing conversations around emotional techniques or quietly removing stressors in the family routine, that greatly improve teens' emotional balance and confidence.

We also dive deep into how teens can use sensory influences like music and smells to modify their emotions deliberately, and the importance of shifting self-talk—from a self-focused, blaming style to one that feels more empathetic and empowering.

In the Episode...

Ethan's extensive knowledge and relatable advice offer invaluable guidance for parents hoping to raise emotionally resilient kids. In addition to the topics above, we also discuss:

• How to help teens view intense emotions as temporary and manageable
• The specific connection between pronouns and processing breakups
• Why avoidance can sometimes be a surprisingly helpful strategy
• How shifting language perspective (like using your own name when talking to yourself) can rapidly lower distress

Don't miss this enlightening conversation with Ethan Kross, where science meets practical parenting strategies. Check out his latest book Shift: Managing Your Emotions So They Don't Manage You and explore more at ethankross.com. Thanks for listening—make sure you share and subscribe!

Mike Matheny, author of The Dad Coach, reveals how parents and coaches can teach character through youth sports, handle competitive pressures, and create a positive athletic environment.

Full Show Notes

Youth sports can be a minefield for parents and kids alike. With intense competition and mounting pressure to excel, it's easy to lose sight of what truly matters—the development of character traits that will set our teens up for lifelong success. So how do parents, coaches, and mentors ensure their teen athletes reap the full benefits of sports without becoming overwhelmed?

This week, Mike Matheny joins us to share clear, impactful wisdom on harnessing youth sports as a tool for shaping teens into better people. Mike is a former MLB catcher, a four-time MLB gold glove winner, and has managed both the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals. Mike is also a New York Times bestselling author known for his acclaimed book The Matheny Manifesto and now returns with his latest work, The Dad Coach, a practical guide for parents and coaches of young athletes.

In this episode, we're exploring Mike's powerful insights on cultivating character through sports, adopting the right competitive mindset, and creating practices that engage and inspire young athletes. Mike reveals how sports, approached thoughtfully, can significantly improve teens' confidence, resilience, work ethic, and interpersonal skills.

Competitive Edges: Building Inner Strength

Mike views sports as a rich training ground for building crucial character traits, which he identifies as "Competitive Edges." These include grit, discipline, growth mindset, optimism, selflessness, and composure under pressure. He explains these edges not only help kids become better athletes but prepare them to thrive in academics, careers, and relationships. Mike emphasizes that these traits are controllable factors anyone can develop, regardless of natural talent.

We discuss how parents and coaches can intentionally incorporate these Competitive Edges into daily interactions with teens. Mike outlines how to talk with teens about handling setbacks, sustaining focus, and showing up consistently with a positive, selfless attitude. He argues the most transformative sports experiences aren't defined by trophies or titles, but by the internal growth that sustained effort naturally creates.

Planning Impactful Youth Practices

Mike deeply believes every practice should empower kids and reinforce positive values—not just drill technical skills. He shares practical tips for planning engaging practices, including how to structure sessions to maximize learning, fuel enthusiasm, and build fundamental skills. Mike argues youth practices should prioritize constant involvement, curiosity, and teamwork to keep players invested and excited about the game.

He explains the importance of explicitly incorporating character lessons into each practice. By setting aside a small amount of time to discuss values like humility, perseverance, or empathy, coaches can drive home powerful lessons that resonate throughout players' lives. Mike strongly advocates for a clear, shared culture within every youth team, shaped by coaches, parents, and player input.

Navigating Pressure from Parents

Many coaches and parent-volunteers face the tricky issue of intense parental pressure. Mike provides guidance on handling rising expectations, parental demands, and the so-called "hovering" parents whose behaviors can discourage athletes or affect team dynamics. He emphasizes open but upfront communication about roles and expectations to set healthy boundaries. Mike also talks us through practical strategies parents can use at home—like regular backyard games, casual conversations, and unconditional support—which make a huge, positive difference.

Mike's thoughtful, practical advice will empower anyone involved in youth sports to make athletics a more rewarding, character-building experience for teens—and themselves!

In the Episode:

Mike offers invaluable guidance on transforming sports into a platform for growth and character development. We also discuss:

• How to help teens develop true passions, not just follow trends
• The balance between multi-sport play and focusing on a single sport
• Keys to handling internal team conflict and fostering cooperation
• A fresh approach to pre-game motivation that builds lasting confidence
• Mike’s inspiration behind donating all proceeds from The Dad Coach to a unique sporting initiative in the Dominican Republic

To learn more about Mike Matheny’s inspiring coaching approach, pick up a copy of The Dad Coach wherever books are sold. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to share and subscribe, and we'll see you next week.

Nicole Karlis, author of Your Brain on Altruism, discusses the neuroscience behind altruism, revealing how acts of kindness impact teen brains, mental health, resilience, and lasting happiness.

Full Show Notes

As parents, we hope our teenagers grow up to be kind, caring, and community-oriented adults. We encourage them to volunteer, assist neighbors, or participate in community service projects, hoping it'll build character and strengthen empathy. But did you know there's actual science linking altruism to improved well-being, reduced stress, and even better health? What if building compassion wasn't just a nice extra—but a powerful tool for coping with stress, fostering mental health, and developing meaningful relationships?

Many teens face abundant pressures: academic expectations, college applications, social anxieties, and now the unprecedented rise of loneliness and technology overload. With these challenges mounting, could altruism offer a unique and surprisingly effective antidote—not just helping teens survive but thrive in today's world?

In this week's insightful conversation, we're joined by Nicole Karlis, health and science journalist and author of Your Brain on Altruism: The Power of Connection and Community During Times of Crisis. Nicole spent nearly a decade exploring the science behind altruism, kindness, and community connection. She specializes in translating compelling neuroscience into practical lessons we can apply right at home with our teens.

Nicole reveals the neuroscience underpinning the benefits of altruism, describing how selfless actions activate brain regions responsible for stress relief, emotional regulation, and meaningful fulfillment. By cultivating altruistic behaviors, Nicole argues, teens can overcome feelings of isolation and connect meaningfully with their communities—even during a loneliness epidemic.

In our conversation, Nicole sheds light on why altruism is so powerful and how parents can harness and revive this instinct in their teens to create their own "culture of caring."

The Neuroscience of Altruism

It turns out our brains are wired to benefit from kindness. Nicole outlines research showing that acts of generosity, kindness, and compassion trigger neural pathways linked to reward and decreased stress. Teens who practice altruism report feeling more deeply connected to others and their community, experiencing higher executive functioning, and enjoying mental health benefits.

Creating regular acts of kindness, Nicole explains, can physically change the structure of teen brains due to neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to reorganize and strengthen beneficial pathways. Over time, practicing altruism can become habitual—ultimately shaping teens into compassionate adults who experience less stress and improved overall health.

This powerful link raises the important question: how can parents best encourage altruism, especially today when teens are so busy and pressure-laden?

Cultivating Kindness Without Crisis

Ever notice how, after a crisis, communities come together in uniquely powerful ways? Nicole describes this phenomenon—called bounded solidarity—in regions recovering from natural disasters where neighbors join forces to help one another through difficult times. But eventually the solidarity fades. Nicole wondered if communities could maintain this spirit without needing a tragic catalyst.

In the episode, Nicole shares inspiring stories from teens who joined together after devastating wildfires. Remarkably, their initial impulse turned into a long-term community service nonprofit that raised spirits and built lasting bonds for everyone involved. She reveals that challenges and crises aren't necessary prerequisites. Families and communities can foster sustained altruism—cultivating solidarity simply through commitment and deliberate intention.

Nicole offers practical methods families can use to cultivate caring cultures, from volunteering vacations to meaningful weekend rituals. She explains why clustering multiple kindness actions on special days—rather than making kindness a daily chore—helps compassion become a joyful, healthy habit.

Why Intent Matters Most

Teenagers often feel pressure to volunteer to pad college applications—checking off boxes without truly feeling connected to their service activities. But Nicole emphasizes the critical role intention plays: altruism is dramatically more beneficial if teens authentically embrace their volunteering choices.

When teens genuinely want to make a difference, altruism deepens their empathy, nurtures authentic relationships, and provides real mental health benefits. Finding activities that align with your teen's natural interests enables them to genuinely experience joy and authentic connection while doing good. Nicole highlights examples, from playing bingo at senior homes to fun volunteer projects during family trips, that deeply resonate with teenagers and leave lifelong positive impacts.

In the Episode…

Nicole shares eye-opening insights about kindness, altruism, and their remarkable effects on teenagers. On top of the above, we discuss:

• How kindness helps teens counter loneliness
• Techniques for fostering kindness in kids and teens
• Decoding the bodily impacts of isolation and loneliness
• The power of awe when witnessing acts of altruism
• How volunteering boosts teens’ confidence, connections, and resumes

This meaningful conversation with Nicole Karlis will forever shift how you view compassion—revealing how cultivating altruism in teenagers profoundly strengthens their brains, supports emotional resilience, and helps them thrive throughout adolescence and beyond.

If you enjoyed this episode, you can find more from Nicole at Salon.com or connect with her on Instagram @NicoleKarlis. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to share, subscribe, and tune in next week for more critical teen parenting insights.

Jessica Slice, author of Unfit Parent, shares her profound insights and experiences on disability and parenting, breaking down stereotypes, addressing ableism, and showing what disabled parents can teach us all about resilience, adaptability, and embracing life's challenges.

Full Show Notes

In our conversations around parenting, we often have a narrow definition of what abilities and physical capacities are required to be a “good” parent. From movies and advertisements portraying mothers and fathers effortlessly multitasking and holding toddlers on their hip, to parenting talks describing the chaos of carpool lines and daily errands, the portrait of parenting we encounter every day seems to leave out those with disabilities or physical limitations. As a parent, what do you do when your experiences don’t match up with these cultural representations? How can each of us benefit from broadening our understanding of what it truly means to be an effective caregiver?

In today’s insightful episode, we're joined by writer and disability advocate Jessica Slice, author of Unfit Parent: A Disabled Mother Challenges an Inaccessible World. Jessica became disabled at age 28 and has experienced firsthand how our cultural perceptions about motherhood often exclude people with disabilities. Through her writing and advocacy, she passionately argues that disabled parents have powerful insights to offer all parents, and she exposes the ableism and biases in parenting culture. Jessica’s eye-opening perspectives invite us to consider how embracing a broader definition of parenting can benefit everyone.

What Disabled Parents Can Teach All of Us

Early in our conversation, Jessica describes how attending a typical parenting talk left her feeling like an imposter because none of the descriptions matched her own parenting reality. In writing openly about her experience, Jessica discovered a community of disabled parents who shared similar feelings. But what began as a revealing essay soon transformed into a broader mission: to show how disabled parents actually contribute unique abilities and insights to parenting.

Jessica points out how disabled people grow adept at solving practical day-to-day problems surrounding movement, food, rest, and more. Such problem-solving skills translate directly into caring for a newborn, making disabled parents often surprisingly adept at navigating early parenthood. Moreover, disabled parents have already learned powerful lessons in letting go of expectations, embracing uncertainty, and adapting to changing circumstances—qualities that deeply serve all parents as they navigate the complexities of raising children.

Ableism and Our Culture of Fear Around Disability

Jessica thoughtfully unpacks ableism: the deep-seated, often unconscious biases and fears that lead society to view disability through a lens of pity or disdain. She explores how ableism shapes everything from medical care to reproductive rights—and even the way parenting itself is structured and evaluated.

One of the episode’s most fascinating discussions focuses on Jessica’s research around early transitions into parenthood for non-disabled families versus disabled families. Remarkably, Jessica discovered that disabled parents tend to adjust far more easily and report fewer incidences of postpartum depression—despite often facing greater physical health challenges. She explains how our cultural fear of disability makes this early period harder for non-disabled parents: society conditions us to dread having bodies that are weak, fragile, or dependent on others. Disabled parents, meanwhile, have already accepted and adapted to these realities, making the transition less shocking and chaotic.

Overcoming Barriers in Parenting Systems

Throughout our interview, Jessica candidly describes how social systems and institutions—from reproductive health practices to the foster care system—are often ill-equipped for disabled people. She discusses the enormous challenges and fears disabled parents face when navigating the foster adoption process, including inaccessible mandatory classes and intense scrutiny about physical fitness to parent. Despite these obstacles, Jessica demonstrates the incredible resourcefulness and creativity that disabled parents show in developing customized solutions for caring for their families.

Jessica’s story about becoming a parent through fostering and surrogacy illustrates poignantly both the systemic barriers disabled people face and their impressive capacity to advocate for themselves, adapt, and thrive. She insists that disabled parents' lives are not tragedies to be pitied; instead, they exemplify adaptability, patience, and the courage to embrace life’s unpredictability.

In the Episode…

Beyond these deeply insightful conversations, our discussion with Jessica covers much more, including:

• How Jessica's disability shifted her perspective from striving and achievement to genuine contentment
• The critical importance of accessible and inclusive sexual education for disabled teens
• The ongoing practice of invention and creativity disabled parents rely on to accomplish everyday caregiving tasks
• The connection between productivity, capitalism, and society’s attitudes toward disability and human worth

Jessica challenges and expands our cultural notion of what it truly means to be a capable, loving, and effective parent. Her journey offers invaluable lessons, not only for the disabled community, but for parents everywhere. Join us for an illuminating conversation you won’t want to miss—and don’t forget to subscribe to Talking to Teens!

Sara and Morton Sherman, authors of Resonant Minds, reveal how parents can use music intentionally to build stronger connections with teens, navigate emotions, and support adolescent development.

Full Show Notes

In a fast-paced world flooded by digital distractions, it's sometimes difficult for parents to understand how to connect more closely with their teens. We might even wonder: Is music helping or distracting teens? They have their headphones on non-stop, but what music are they listening to, and why does it mean so much to them? Music is consistently present throughout teen culture, providing emotional refuge, identity reinforcement, and sometimes, a channel to express thoughts that might otherwise remain unspoken. But as parents, educators, and caregivers, how can we intentionally use music as a communication tool to foster emotional growth, mindfulness, and stronger family connections?

In this week's conversation, we explore how music isn't just entertainment or background noise—it's a powerful gateway to teen emotions and a key to deeper family relationships when used mindfully and intentionally.

Our guests this week, Sara Leila Sherman and Morton Sherman, authors of the new book Resonant Minds: The Transformative Power of Music, One Note at a Time, help parents explore ways to better understand and support their teens through music. Sara is a classical musician, educator, and founder of the children's concert series Mozart for Munchkins and the Little Mozart Foundation, while Morton is an esteemed educational leader renowned for visionary contributions in teaching and leadership. They're here to offer insight into the rich possibilities music provides for building emotional awareness, mindfulness, and family connections.

How Music Shapes Emotions and Mindset

Sara and Mort explain that teenagers spend up to four hours a day on average listening to music—but not always intentionally or thoughtfully. Music, they explain, is always working subtly to influence our emotions. Intentionally choosing music can help teens shift their emotional state, whether they want to reduce stress, lift their mood, or even find calm and concentration. Sara reveals how a simple piece of music can help teens reach a calmer mindset or even create safe emotional exploration.

Sara shares practical tips on how parents can help teens become more purposeful listeners. Asking teens to select songs as a mood-boosting family activity, for example, can create an emotional dialogue and a stronger familial bond. But this practice takes patience and openness—forcing teens to turn off their music or forbidding certain genres won’t work and can backfire quickly. The real key, the Shermans explain, is to let music serve as a platform for conversations, connections, and ultimately self-discovery.

Using Music for Mindfulness and Family Harmony

Sara highlights examples from her workshops, where music paired with mindful practices helps students handle anxiety or self-consciousness during challenging moments. Simple exercises, like breathing along with the rhythm of a carefully-selected piece of music, can significantly relieve tension. Additionally, choosing family music traditions or routines—like designating a specific artist or playlist to accompany certain tasks like homework, chores, or winding down—can set helpful rhythms for the entire family's daily routine.

Mort emphasizes that music isn’t just about individual wellbeing, but also about building community and understanding. He suggests that instead of shutting down teens’ interests or dismissing music they appreciate but parents might find unsettling, we can choose to engage in it as an educational and bonding opportunity. Redirecting potentially negative influences requires a careful conversational approach, built on trust, respect, and dialogue. By showing respectful curiosity about their music choices, we not only acknowledge their emerging independence, we also reinforce healthy decision-making skills.

Cultivating Positive Musical Habits

The Shermans encourage parents and teens alike to develop “mindful musical habits” to promote emotional regulation and balance. Sara explains how picking anchoring pieces of music—those we connect strongly with and that reliably help us feel grounded—can become positive habits in both teens' and parents' daily landscapes. Mort adds the importance of experimenting and discovering what works best for each individual family member, reminding parents that music choice is deeply personal, and what works for one may not resonate for all. Mutual respect in listening develops lifelong learning, understanding, and family closeness.

Mort also suggests playful, simple family activities, like guessing songs by tapping rhythms, sharing musical memories from each generation, or collectively creating family playlists, can extend bonding experiences. These intentional rituals turn fleeting family moments into treasured memories, layered with musical meaning that resonates far beyond adolescence.

In the Episode…

Whether your teen is an aspiring musician or just glued to their Spotify account, the Shermans provide practical, actionable ideas to make music a more intentional part of family life. Other topics covered include:

• How music can support teens who struggle socially or academically
• Using musical earworms positively in your teen’s daily routine
• Why parents shouldn't outright ban controversial music but engage through listening and dialogue
• Emerging technologies and AI-generated personalized music—and how it impacts teens' musical consumption

To learn more about Resonant Minds and find the Sherman’s recommended playlist, visit resonantminds.com. You can also directly experience Sara's interactive musical sessions at Mozart for Munchkins events if you're located in New York City. Thanks so much for tuning in this week—share, subscribe, and stay tuned for more fascinating conversations next week!

William Stixrud and Ned Johnson, authors of The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-driven Child, share how parents can build connection, support autonomy, set healthy expectations, and create more joy and calm in family life.

Full Show Notes

As our children grow into teenagers, parents often find themselves uncertain about how deeply to intervene. We know our kids need our involvement and guidance, but teenagers also crave autonomy and independence. Teens often appear distant and difficult, getting frustrated when we try to help solve their problems, yet feeling hurt when we don't show enough interest. Add stress about school, extracurriculars, and the future into the mix, and family life can quickly spiral into frequent conflict, anxiety, and disconnection.

How can we give our teenagers the steady presence they need without micromanaging or inadvertently amplifying their stress? What does being a relaxed, positive, and supportive parent actually look like in daily practice? How can we inspire our teens to be driven, motivated, and self-directed without resorting to threats, bribes, or constant reminders?

Today's guests, William Stixrud and Ned Johnson, offer compassionate, practical solutions from their new book, The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-driven Child. Bill is a clinical neuropsychologist, and Ned is the founder of Prep Matters. After two bestselling books on parenting and educational motivation, their latest interactive workbook provides powerful exercises and reflective prompts to help parents foster resilience, autonomy, and joy in their families. Together, Bill and Ned show how parents can become calm, confident leaders who empower teens rather than push or control them.

Building a Calm and Confident Parental Presence

Bill and Ned share why being a calm, non-anxious presence is one of the most powerful ways to support our teens. Rather than reflecting back our children's stress or adding to it with our own worries, they recommend setting the goal of becoming less emotionally reactive. Bill and Ned offer practical strategies, including meditation and cognitive practices, to train ourselves out of fear-based interactions. This calm approach reinforces teens' belief that they can handle life's ups and downs without parents needing to intervene constantly.

Healthy Expectations vs. Anxiety-Driven Pressure

How high should parents set their expectations? Bill and Ned dive deep into how expectations can provide either healthy motivation or become harmful sources of anxiety. They remind parents that expressing gentle confidence—that our teens are capable if they work at something—is far healthier and more motivating than demanding perfect outcomes. Bill and Ned reveal thoughtful ways to assess and realign your family's expectations around what truly matters to you and your teen.

Using Joy and Humor to Connect

It's easy for family life with teens to center solely around problems to solve—grades, chores, social relationships—leaving everyone exhausted and joyless. In this episode, Ned and Bill emphasize why prioritizing joyful family rituals like Friday movie nights, outings, or humor-filled interactions are so essential. By carving out time simply to enjoy and laugh together, you communicate that your child's presence is valued and loved unconditionally, no matter the stressors you face.

Helping Teens Discover Their Own Path

Many teens feel overwhelmed by other people's expectations—parents, teachers, coaches—and lose sight of what they truly want or care about. Bill and Ned offer profound insights into how to ask non-threatening, reflective questions about what teens genuinely love and value. Learning to help your teens identify their intrinsic motivators rather than external pressures is vital to building lifelong skills and confidence.

In this Episode, we also discuss

• Talking to teens about their core values
• The surprising importance of "passionate pastimes"
• Addressing perfectionism and self-criticism
• Strategies to parent anxiety-prone or avoidant teens

If you're looking for proven approaches to calm anxiety around parenting teens and foster self-driven motivation, you won't want to miss Bill and Ned's tested wisdom. Their thoughtful, compassionate insights help every parent gracefully navigate the teenage years. Listen now, and make sure to subscribe and share!