The Teen Years Toolkit For Moms: Parenting Communication Skills to Calm the Chaos

There are so many thoughts we have as parents that were handed to us and sound like the truth. What if these thoughts are not helping us out as parents at all? Over the next few episodes I'm going to explore some of these unhelpful thoughts, how they could be hurting you and your teenager. I will also offer you some other thought options to help you with all relationships. Lost it on your teenager...

We've all heard about creating action plans, but what about creating a plan for how to think? I get it, I always want to know what to do in any situation. What I have found though is that it is more important for me to know what I am thinking about any situation that comes up. This can then lead to better outcomes because I'm taking action from a more managed emotional state. Here's the plan I tal...

Why are my old ways of parenting not working anymore? What's happening now that I have a teenager that I feel like I've lost all of my parenting skills? You are not alone in this thinking. As our teenagers grow and change, so must we. It's not easy though and we can be so resistant to this. It makes sense that we resist it but it also doesn't help make our parenting journey any easier. In this epi...

Love yourself and others unconditionally they say..... This is simple in concept but harder in practical terms. There is so much that comes up in our brains when we are told to love ourselves. My hope for this episode is that you can begin to see a glimmer that this is possible for ourselves. We are usually the hardest people to love. Who else can be tough to love at times? Well, teenagers, I mean...

Why don't people come with an instruction manual? Especially our teenagers. Well they do, but the kicker is that we have made it up for them ourselves. We have ideas about everyone we interact with according to our own world view. In this episode I explain this concept and how it has helped me view and improve the relationships with all of the people in my life. Learn more about me here www.jessic...

Anger feels good sometimes. We usually don't continue doing things that aren't working for us in some way. This episode is looking at the ways in which we like to keep our anger and the ways anger helps us feel empowered sometimes. What about when it doesn't work though and it is harming our most important relationships? What do we do then. In this episode I teach you how to identify and work with...

Ever had somebody tell you to calm down when you're angry? Does it ever help? Never has for me that's for sure. Anger is normal, natural and universal and we wouldn't want to banish it from our lives forever. What happens when we are struggling with our anger and what are the best ways to deal with it. In this episode I share some perspectives on anger and a personal anger story of my own. This po...

If you listen to my podcast, I'm sure you struggle with not being able to remain calm. I hear you and it's precisely why I'm sharing this work. In this episode we are going to look at our anger and some different ways to think about it. If we can reflect on the times we are most triggered and become angry, it will give us valuable clues about our emotions and why we get so triggered when it comes...

Remember when they were little and cute? What happened? Where did they go and when are they coming back? I've thought these thoughts and I bet you have too. What emotion does this bring up for you? In this episode I talk about processing difficult emotions, why it helps and why we often don't want to do it. After listening you will be able to name the emotion that's coming up and have a framework...

Worrying is a habit that can absolutely be reduced. Do you describe yourself as a worrier who feels doomed to have to do it forever? Worrying is not necessary, helpful or inevitable but it does take some practise to reduce it. In this weeks episode I give you 3 steps to help reduce your worry adapted from Dr. Jud Brewer's work. www.drjud.com Want to be part of my 6-week free coaching program? E-ma...

Being future-focused is great right? Well not always.... Always living in the future can ensure that we miss what's happening right now, which is really all we ever have. In this episode I talk about how to use this concept to help with finding your CALM. Anxiety and worry abounds when we are trying to solve for a future that has not happened and we can't ever be certain about. Want to be part of...

How do you know when you are resisting what is happening in your life and why does it matter? In this episode I talk about the way you can tell you are in resistance and why this creates so much struggle in our lives. I will also give you some simple tips you can try today to practise the skill of acceptance. That's right!! Acceptance is a skill you can learn if you are willing and it is a shortcu...

We moved house this past week and was it ever chaotic in my brain!! It got me to thinking about what is going on in the brains of teenagers as we navigate through this challenging time in our lives and in theirs. I want to snap my fingers and skip past these difficult times but they are a necessary part of growth and change in our lives. Listen to this week episode as I discuss how we can more ful...

At some point in my parenting journey it came to me that I have been treating my kids as projects to get an A on. When we want to do well on something we become so goal-oriented and "to-do list focused" that we forget sometimes that we are dealing with human beings who are a constant work in progress. Join me in today's episode where I discuss my journey with this and the simple solution to seeing...

When someone asks you how you're doing, what do you usually say? Fine? Good? It's easier right, then explaining how we are actually feeling. If it's true for us, it's true for our teenagers. In this episode I go over why we do this in some detail and how to encourage an open space for our teenagers to share what's really going on for them. There are some connection builders in here for sure. You d...

Happy Holidays! This episode was recorded on Christmas Eve. The Eve of when many of you have already been to holiday gatherings or are about to embark on what can be a super busy and overwhelming time of year. Listen to this weeks episode for some strategies to think about BEFORE you head into these situations. I share a strategy about deciding ahead of time how you are going to respond to those t...

Ever listen to a greatest hits album on repeat? A record album has grooves that the needle rides along and the album goes round and round. The thoughts in our brains work the same way. We have thoughts and return to them over and over again on default. What are your top 3 thoughts about yourself as a parent? What are your top 3 thoughts about your teenager? It's good information to know as it is t...

Flipped your lid? Lost your cool? Flown off the handle? We all do this as parents and it usually doesn't go well. So why do we do it? This episode will talk about the very human reasons we do this and what we can do about it. It also explains why our teenagers are more likely to flip their lids as well. Some light neuroscience in here that can help us understand ourselves so much better. I also gi...

What is connection capital and how is it like money in the bank for your relationship with your teenager? Why is connection so important and how can we connect consistently and in small ways? In this week's episode I share the answers to the above questions and will also give you 10 ideas for how to improve connection with your teenager. Book referenced in the pod Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy...

Anytime I come across a challenge, I usually search to find if there is a book about it to help me and today I have a book report and recommendation for you. The Grown-Up's Guide to Teenage Humans by Josh Shipp In today's episode I share a valuable lesson learned just by reading the introduction. Listen to find out what that is along with what else is included in this book. I also give you some ot...

Have you ever felt like a failure as a parent? I have and for a long time I didn't have the tools to know how to manage that emotionally. I have these tools now and am sharing them with you in this episode. We look at how to redefine success in parenting as something that is more achievable. It's impossible to be successful when the measure of success is impossible to achieve. I also go through a...

Are you feeling frustrated trying to communicate with your teenager, only to be met with silence, misunderstandings, or shutdowns? In today’s fast-paced, tech-driven world, effective communication with teens can feel harder than ever. If you’ve ever struggled to stay calm, manage emotional reactions, or truly connect with your teenager without arguments or misunderstandings, this episode offers pr...

How do we motivate our teenagers? Wouldn't it be great to wave a magic wand and have it show up for them and let's be honest, for us as well. In this episode I discuss motivation and why a lack of motivation is actually part a being a normal human being. I also share how to approach this and release the blame and shame for a lack of motivation. Grab your Lost it on Your Teenager Video here Book a...

Where do we start with helping improve our teenager's mental health? In this episode I share what I think is the most important and impactful place to support our teen's mental health and well-being. Hint.....it involves feeling our feelings and understanding the importance of our emotions as they relate to our relationships with others. Get your lost it on your teenager video here Learn more abou...

Ever wonder how to have a conversation about vaping/smoking with your teen? I am a Respiratory Therapist and Certified Tobacco Educator and will give you the most important facts to share with your teen. They will listen to you and the earlier you have the conversation the better. Tip Sheet for How to Talk to Your Teens about Vaping E-mail me with any questions Jessica.stwrt@gmail.com Learn more a...