Talking To Teens: Expert Tips for Parenting Teenagers

Todd Baratz, author of How To Love Somebody Without Losing Your Mind , explains how parents can navigate conflict in their relationships with their teens and partners, fostering true intimacy and realistic expectations. Full Show Notes Navigating relationships with teenagers can be incredibly challenging. There's often conflict, emotional rollercoasters, and moments when parents feel like they mig...

Kristina Kuzmic, author of I Can Fix This and Other Lies I Told Myself While Parenting My Struggling Child , shares personal insights on handling teen depression, substance use, and the importance of connection over control in parent-child relationships. Full Show Notes Parenting a struggling teen comes with challenges that can often feel insurmountable. Whether you're facing issues like lying, su...

Heather Hester, author of Parenting with Pride , joins us to discuss the essential do's and don'ts for parents when their teenager comes out as LGBTQ, offering practical advice on supportive communication, unlearning biases, and addressing mental health and substance use concerns. Full Show Notes Every parent wishes to be a source of unwavering support and love for their children. However, when a...

John Petrocelli, author of The Life Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit , explains how parents can identify when their teens are bullshitting and how to raise teens who critically evaluate the information they encounter. Full Show Notes As teenagers grow and seek more independence, they can sometimes wield sophisticated tactics to avoid responsibility or twist the truth to their advantage. This...

Tiziana Casciaro, author of Power For All , joins us to explore the intricate power dynamics between parents and their teenage children, shedding light on effective strategies for sharing power, preventing power abuse, and empowering teens to make constructive choices in their lives and communities. Full Show Notes Raising teenagers presents a unique challenge in the realm of power dynamics. As ch...

Craig Wright, author of The Hidden Habits of Genius , explores the patterns and habits behind history's greatest minds, discussing curiosity, risk-taking, and why genius doesn't always equate to happiness. Full Show Notes Raising a teenager comes with its unique set of challenges, and one of the most daunting tasks for any parent, teacher, or guardian is nurturing the inherent potential within eac...

Kristin Neff, author of "Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself," sheds light on the pivotal shift from cultivating self-esteem to fostering self-compassion in our children, especially through the tumultuous teenage years. Full Show Notes Parenting teenagers is an odyssey filled with highs and lows, during which we often focus on bolstering our kids' self-esteem and ensuring t...

Louis Weinstock, author of "How the World is Making Our Children Mad and What to do About It," explores toxic communication patterns, the impact of societal pressures on teen mental health, and strategies for fostering emotional empowerment and resilience. Full Show Notes Today's teenagers are navigating an increasingly complex world. With the rise of social media, economic pressures, and an overa...

Tanith Carey, author of What's My Tween Thinking?, returns to discuss the distinct challenges and opportunities of parenting tweens, focusing on identity development, handling changing family dynamics, navigating peer influence, and fostering emotional awareness and introspection in 8 to 12-year-olds. Full Show Notes As parents, witnessing our child morph from a carefree kid into a tween can somet...

Dr. Uma Naidoo, author of "This Is Your Brain on Food" and "Calm Your Brain with Food," discusses how dietary choices can significantly impact anxiety levels and overall mental wellness, highlighting the critical connections between gut health, inflammation, and the brain. Full Show Notes Raising teenagers is no easy feat, especially when dealing with the complexities of their mental health. In to...

Tiffany Jewell, author of Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School, joins us to expose the myriad ways racism is embedded in the education system. We discuss the opportunity gap, biased disciplinary practices, problematic tracking, predatory military recruitment, and more - and what teens and parents can do about it. Full Show Notes Today's teens are facing unprecedented challenges -...

Chelsey Goodan, author of Underestimated: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls , shares invaluable insights into empowering teenage girls through listening, validating their emotions, and encouraging a broader sense of self beyond societal expectations, while also addressing body image, feminism, and the struggles teens face today. Full Show Notes Raising teenage girls often feels like navigating...

Sheila Liming, author of Hanging Out: The Radical Power of Killing Time, explores the underestimated value of unstructured social time for teens, discussing why it's essential for developing negotiation skills, setting boundaries, and fostering creativity. Full Show Notes: In today's fast-paced world, parents often worry about their teenagers' productivity and safety. The idea of teens "just hangi...

John Coleman, author of The Psychology of the Teenage Brain, joins us to explain why the biology of the adolescent brain leads to risk taking and emotional ups and downs, and how parents can provide support during this temporary period of development. Full Show Notes The teenage years can feel like an emotional rollercoaster for parents and kids alike. Why does your once sweet child suddenly start...

David Magee, author of Things Have Changed, joins us to explain today's teen addiction crisis involving social media, potent synthetic drugs and vulnerable mental health. Full Show Notes  Teen substance use has drastically changed in recent years. With skyrocketing rates of anxiety, depression and addiction, today’s parents are facing new and confusing challenges when trying to help their kids. We...

Michael Rich, author of The Mediatrician’s Guide, joins us to explain why we must move beyond fear of “screen time” to have more nuanced conversations with teens about finding balance, meaning and ethics in their digital lives. Full Show Notes Teens today have never known a world without smartphones, social media, and round-the-clock internet access. As digital devices become more and more ingrain...

Lance Burdett, author of Dark Side of the Brain, explains why teens generate unhelpful thoughts and how we can reframe anxious thinking by getting comfortable with discomfort. Full Show Notes Raising teenagers can feel like navigating an emotional minefield blindfolded. Their moods swing rapidly from joyful to gloomy, their friendships feel fleeting, and their interests change every five minutes....

Dustin Dunbar, author of You’re Doing Great and Other Lies Alcohol Told Me, joins us to reveal the false messaging alcohol feeds teens about itself and discusses how parents can model alcohol-free lives to intrinsically give kids the skills to resist drinking culture. Full Show Notes Teenage years come with intense new social pressures – the urge to fit in, make friends, and figure out who you are...

Justin Lee, author of Talking Across the Divide, joins us to explain how parents can have more productive disagreements with teens by overcoming the ego protection instinct and using storytelling to find common ground. Full Show Notes Parenting a teenager often feels like an ideological battleground. Their values, interests and worldviews can seem completely foreign to our own, causing rifts in ou...

Janice Fraser, author of Farther, Faster, and Far Less Drama, joins us to explain how families can have productive debates using decision-making frameworks that increase understanding between parents and teens. Full Show Notes Big family decisions often come loaded with drama. Choosing a high school, making plans for college, or deciding on a family vacation can easily erupt into endless debates....

Cai Graham, author of Fearless and Free, joins us to offer practical strategies for helping teens open up about their anxiety, break through communication barriers, and understand the science of their emotions, guiding them from silent struggles to active coping. Full Show Notes Navigating the turbulent waters of teenage anxiety can often feel like a daunting task for parents. Teenagers, caught in...

Simone Heng, author of "Let's Talk About Loneliness," joins us to explain why loneliness is reaching epidemic levels among teens, how it rewires the teenage brain, and what steps we can take as parents to help our kids reset and relate. Full Show Notes Loneliness is reaching epidemic levels among today's teenagers. Studies show teens are lonelier than any other generation, with 10 out of 11 feelin...

CJ Casciotta, author of The Forgotten Art of Being Ordinary , joins us to discuss parenting beyond social media and finding real community. We talk about how to guide teens to separate online fiction from truth, why ordinary existence is profoundly meaningful, and how to foster raw, personal connection. Full Show Notes In today's social media saturated world, it can feel impossible to raise teens...

Sheri Glucoft Wong, author of Raising Kids , shares the importance of being a consistent parent, even when raising teens feels like a complicated maze. As a therapist, Sheri has a wealth of insight on how to effectively and consistently communicate with our kids.  Full Show Notes As parents, we all have those moments when communicating with our teen feels easy, and other times when no matter what...

Michael McQueen, author of MindStuck , dives into the science of persuading stubborn teenagers, and reveals why the tactics parents typically use to influence our kids simply don't work. Full Show Notes Trying to convince a stubborn teenager to see things your way can feel impossible at times. They seem completely stuck in their perspectives, unwilling to listen to reason or logic. So how do we ge...