Flusterclux With Lynn Lyons: For Parents Who Worry

Ed joins Lynn to first laugh (a lot) about their mutual fainting, and then discuss the negatives and positives of using distraction to deal with anxiety. Although distraction is routinely prescribed, Lynn sees what she calls “destructive distraction” as an increasingly common. Can distraction be helpful? And what do parents and clinicians need to know? WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here⁠ For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist featuring Lynn Lyons and the 7-part anxiety disruptor series as well as a 3-part series on the skills most helpful in managing anxious kids: flexibility, problem solving, and autonomy. Consult our Spotify profile for the most up-to-date selection.   WIN A COPY OF THE ANXIETY AUDIT COURSE! We will select two listeners who complete our ⁠⁠listener survey⁠⁠. We hope it is you! FOLLOW US Join the Facebook group to get news on the upcoming courses for parents, teens, and kids. Follow Flusterclux on Facebook and Instagram. Follow Lynn Lyons on Twitter and Youtube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this conversation, the hosts highlight the importance of unstructured hanging out for teens' social development. They discuss how the pandemic shifted interactions to virtual format, limiting essential in-person social skills. The benefits of messy experiences are emphasized, as they teach vital life lessons like conflict resolution. Scheduled activities are seen as a barrier to free play, which is crucial for fostering social competence. Lastly, the impact of screen time on connection and the challenges teens face with driving are explored, offering parents practical support tips.

Discover the differences between introverted, shy, and socially anxious kids. Learn how solitude can be healthy but recognize when it crosses into anxiety. Valuable insights highlight the importance of inner dialogue and how context matters in social fears. Practical strategies, like fostering autonomy and encouraging real-life tasks, help build confidence. The episode underscores the significance of normalization and ongoing practice for parents and kids alike to navigate their social landscapes.

Explore the fascinating world of parenting styles, from gentle to snowplow. Discover how flexibility plays a key role in effective parenting. Learn about the pitfalls of eggshell and concierge parenting, and the impact of helicopter oversight. Contrast free-range independence with the concept of unparenting. The hosts highlight the balance of playful and sturdy parenting while introducing FAFO parenting, which encourages kids to learn from their mistakes. Practical tips on blending approaches emphasize the importance of autonomy.

Lynn is big on families knowing how worry and anxiety work. If we’re going to ask kids and parents to take an approach that is the OPPOSITE of what feels comfortable, they need to understand the rationale. But what happens when — despite explaining and externalizing and talking to worry— a child insists it is NOT worry? What are parents to do with explosions and refusal and demands about bedtime or school attendance or separating when their efforts to address the anxiety are met with: “Nope! That’s not what’s happening!” WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here⁠ For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist featuring Lynn Lyons and the 7-part anxiety disruptor series as well as a 3-part series on the skills most helpful in managing anxious kids: flexibility, problem solving, and autonomy. Consult our Spotify profile for the most up-to-date selection.   WIN A COPY OF THE ANXIETY AUDIT COURSE! We will select two listeners who complete our ⁠⁠listener survey⁠⁠. We hope it is you! FOLLOW US Join the Facebook group to get news on the upcoming courses for parents, teens, and kids. Follow Flusterclux on Facebook and Instagram. Follow Lynn Lyons on Twitter and Youtube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when your child wants to stay home from school? The hosts discuss recognizing early signs of school avoidance and how the pandemic has shifted attitudes around attendance. They explore whether consequences for missing school are effective, highlighting anxiety and learning issues as common root causes. Practical strategies include structuring the home environment to discourage avoidance and keeping social activities intact. Plus, they emphasize the importance of teamwork between parents and schools to address these challenges early.

The research is clear: when children (and adults) contribute in a useful way, their confidence, autonomy, and self-efficacy improve. Mood gets better, too, which is why volunteering helps with depression. Do your kids contribute? We’ll talk about how to make it happen…and what gets in the way. WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here⁠ For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist featuring Lynn Lyons and the 7-part anxiety disruptor series as well as a 3-part series on the skills most helpful in managing anxious kids: flexibility, problem solving, and autonomy. Consult our Spotify profile for the most up-to-date selection.   WIN A COPY OF THE ANXIETY AUDIT COURSE! We will select two listeners who complete our ⁠⁠listener survey⁠⁠. We hope it is you! FOLLOW US Join the Facebook group to get news on the upcoming courses for parents, teens, and kids. Follow Flusterclux on Facebook and Instagram. Follow Lynn Lyons on Twitter and Youtube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Explore how to boost your child's frustration tolerance, tackling listener concerns about rigidity and emotional skills. Learn practical strategies like movement and breaks to manage frustration effectively. Discover phrases to replace 'You can handle it!' to disrupt worry. Lynn emphasizes the importance of modeling emotional resilience and making skills learnable through practice. This engaging discussion highlights real-life scenarios and encourages parents to embrace their own reactions while guiding their children through challenges.

Join Dr. Jean Twenge, a psychology professor and author of '10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World,' as she dishes about the alarming effects of smartphones on teens. She shares compelling data linking device use to rising depression and emphasizes the crucial role of limiting phone access in bedrooms for better sleep and mental health. Dr. Twenge also advocates for delaying smartphone ownership until teens reach driving age and discusses the benefits of school phone bans for focus and discipline. Parents, this one's packed with practical advice!

Parents consistently ask Lynn for the language to use with their children and teens when the family is moving away from avoidance and accommodation. In this episode, Lynn provides a list of four key phrases and conversation starters that help navigate a shift into action. WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here⁠ For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist featuring Lynn Lyons and the 7-part anxiety disruptor series as well as a 3-part series on the skills most helpful in managing anxious kids: flexibility, problem solving, and autonomy. Consult our Spotify profile for the most up-to-date selection.   WIN A COPY OF THE ANXIETY AUDIT COURSE! We will select two listeners who complete our ⁠⁠listener survey⁠⁠. We hope it is you! FOLLOW US Join the Facebook group to get news on the upcoming courses for parents, teens, and kids. Follow Flusterclux on Facebook and Instagram. Follow Lynn Lyons on Twitter and Youtube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices