Joyful Courage for Parenting Teens

My guest today is Jenn Ireland, and we’re talking about the mental health in youth sports, particularly for teen girls. Jenn shares what youth sports culture looks like today and we discuss teens tying their self-worth to athletic performance. Jenn talks about some of the skills she mentors young female athletes about, like countering your inner-critic voice with your inner-coach. We get into the similarities between parent coaching and coaching young athletes, and we wrap up touching on when to (gently) push your adolescent and effective coaching.  Takeaways from the show: The focus on winning & success in youth sports culture today  Being disappointed with a loss versus associating losses with your self-worth  Self-worth can’t be tied to performance  Being good at a sport takes many life-skills in addition to the necessary athletic skills  How to help kids who are stuck in their head or beating themselves up about performance  Teens need mentors aside from parents & coaches  Countering your inner-critic with your inner-coach  Similarities between parent coaching and coaching young athletes - we’re all working on the same skills  Parents encouraging/pushing their children into elite sports versus kids who are intrinsically motivated How do you know when to push your athlete? When do you hand the decision to play to your adolescent?  Telling a teen you love them unconditionally versus making sure they know and believe that you love them unconditionally  Building relationships  Effective coaching & being connected to your coaches For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parenting teens is a wild ride, and in this episode, we’re diving into how we can stay connected, even when it feels like they’re slipping away. I’ll be sharing insights from the community, including a real question from a parent struggling with their teen’s choices and independence. We’ll explore how to reframe challenges, strengthen communication, and shift our own mindset to create deeper, more meaningful relationships. You can’t control your teen, but you can control how you show up—and that changes everything. Join me for a conversation full of insight, validation, and practical tools to support you on this journey!For more show notes and information about our sponsors, go to: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-552-influence-through-connection-while-dealing-with-our-teens-partners-family/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My guest today is Clarissa Moll, and she’s here today to talk about helping teens cope with grief. Clarissa shares her story and what led her to griefwork. We discuss how teens grieve and what your child(ren) want and need to know during loss. Clarissa offers us tips around relationship building and starting tough conversations with our adolescents. We end our conversation talking about spirituality in grief. Takeaways from the show Teens don’t have a lot of resources around grief  Adolescents don’t grieve like children or adults, and everyone grieves differently  Asking your child what it’s like to be a grieving teenager  Needing our teen’s guidance into what they need from us  When, what, and how much to share with your child  Being the gatekeeper for your family  The importance of one trusted adult and building a community of support  Wanting to say the “right thing” while not layering on additional sadness  “Be a good question asker, not a good advice giver”  Spirituality in grief For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As parents, we often feel stuck when communicating with our teenagers, convinced they're being manipulative or just trying to get their way. This podcast challenges that mindset by exploring how kids—at any age—are driven by a deep need for belonging and significance. It encourages us to shift from commands to curiosity, creating an environment where our kids feel safe, heard, and empowered. By understanding their "private logic" and using questions instead of demands, we foster real connection. If you're ready to transform your parenting approach, this episode is a must-listen!Find more show notes and info about sponsors at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-183-your-kids-are-not-manipulating-you/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My guest today is Ron Kerbs, and he’s here to talk about online gaming safety tips & gaming toxicity for our teens. We get into the biggest threats to kids who play online multiplayer games and why gaming is so toxic. Ron shares advice for parents and some positives about gaming. We finish by talking about Ron’s company, Kidas, which monitors kids’ gaming and offers parents concrete resources and tips for how to talk to your child about what happened.  Takeaways from the show What are the threats to kids who play online, multiplayer games? Spoiler: privacy issues & sharing personal information  The big feelings & frustrations that come with gaming  Why is online multiplayer gaming so toxic?  Are there “safe” games for kids? How do parents know?  Getting interested & involved in your adolescent’s games   What’s “too much” gaming?   Around 60% of kids under 18 who play video games will be bullied, harassed or scammed  Benefits of gaming include making friends, getting scholarships, and even making a living  Kids offers monitoring AND help with how to communicate and have those tough conversations with your child after an incident  Collaborating with other parents in your child’s friend group to get on the same page about gaming For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parenting a struggling teen is an incredibly tough journey, and if you’ve ever felt alone in it, this episode is for you. A fellow parent bravely shares their experience of admitting their 13-year-old into residential mental health care—how they got there, the doubts, and the hope. We’re diving into when to seek help, how to find it, and how to support our kids while also taking care of ourselves. If you’re navigating the impossible, know that you’re not alone. Tune in for insight, encouragement, and a reminder that healing—for both you and your teen—is possible.Find more show notes and resources about our sponsors at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-549-when-our-teens-need-more-support-than-what-we-can-give/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My guest today is Dr. Paul Sunseri. We’re talking about gentle parenting and oppositional teens. We get into how to get your teen on board with the limits & expectations you’ve set. Dr. Sunseri and I do several role plays as an oppositional teen & father to share specific strategies & language. We discuss threatening and physically aggressive or self-harming behaviors and finish on the importance of modeling emotional regulation.  Takeaways from the show Dr. Sunseri’s new book - Gentle Parenting Reimagined: How to Make it Work with Oppositional Kids  What is intensive family-focused therapy?  Defining gentle parenting  Gentle parenting “harder kids”  Staying firm without being punitive or shaming  What is oppositional defiance disorder?   Your kids will be angry with you at times - part of parenting is telling your children “no”  Getting your resistant teen on board with limits & expectations  Handling threatening and physically aggressive behavior or self-harming behaviors  What to do/say in the moment when your teen is raging Modeling emotional regulation - if you’re modeling explosiveness, they learn to be explosive  Creating a positive, self-sustaining feedback loop with your teen   What should parents look for when finding a great therapist for their adolescent For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s guest is Doctor Dan Siegel. Dan is a clinical professor of Psychiatry at the UCLA school of Medicine and the founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Centre at UCLA. He is also the Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute which focuses on the development of Mindsight, teaches insight, empathy and integration in individuals, families and communities. Dr. Siegel has published extensively for the professional and lay audiences. We are discussing his new book: Aware: The Science and Practice of Presence.Takeaways from the show The wheel of awareness: what it is and how it helps  How awareness impacts your body and health  How being present impacts the speed of the aging process Wellbeing and how it is enhanced by being present Relationships with your kids and how being present improves it Cultivating awareness Role modeling resilience How awareness feeds connection vs control Impacts of a lack of structure on the brain and future of children Authoritative parenting vs Authoritarian parenting Why we need the village and how that creates stress for contemporary parents Finding joy, tranquility and connection through expanding awareness Flipping our lid, learning from our body’s signals and how awareness can help Monitoring and modifying for self-regulation and to improve responses to stress The 3 O’s what they mean For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parenting through the teen years is a wild ride—full of highs, lows, and everything in between. We get tangled up in our kids' struggles, feeling responsible for fixing things, worried about their future, and desperate to help. But what if the real work is about stepping back, seeing them fully, and trusting their journey? In this episode, we explore the power of encouragement—not as empty praise, but as a way to build resilience, connection, and confidence. If you're deep in the muck with your teen, this is for you. Take a breath and listen in.For full show notes and info about our sponsors, go to: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/547-energetic-encouragement-for-emotional-teens-and-tweens/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My guest today is Vibha Arora, and we’re discussing being empty nesters. Vibha and I both share stories and feelings from our own kids launching and discuss how our relationship with our partners change. We get into how to rediscover yourself as someone besides Mom or Dad. Vibha and I finish our conversation, chatting about checking-in with our recently launched baby adults and the importance of tending to ourselves. Takeaways from the show The phrase “empty nest” versus “freedom nest”  Our adult children leaving is our goal  There’s a wide range of feelings and emotions that come when our children leave the house, and those are all okay  Our relationship with our partners changing during this phase of life  Relaunching yourself as an empty nester & identity shifts  Letting go of control and trusting our newly-launched adults  When we jump in and fix things, we rob them of experiences and learning  We have to be okay with it when our kids don’t take our suggestions or advice  Clarifying expectations and making a plan about checking-in with each other  5 Minute Journal Prompt: “I am…”   For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices