Joyful Courage for Parenting Teens

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

This week’s podcast is a must-listen for parents navigating the challenges of raising teens in the digital age! I dive into a relatable post from our Joyful Courage for Parents of Teens Facebook group about a mom’s discovery of her 12-year-old’s creative use of tech to bypass school filters. We discuss the struggles of setting screen boundaries, the importance of co-creating agreements, and how to handle these conversations with curiosity and connection rather than confrontation. If you’re dealing with tech-related parenting hurdles, this episode is packed with insights and actionable tips. Don’t miss it!For more show notes and information about our sponsors go to: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-545-secret-browsers-hiding-tiktok-middle-school-screen-challenges/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My guest today is Julietta Skoog, my co-founder and the Early Years Lead here at Sproutable. We’re talking about middle school friendships today.  We discuss established elementary school friendships changing in middle school. Julietta shares a recent story about her own middle schooler and when it’s appropriate for parents to get involved in friendship drama. We talk about the difference between belonging & fitting in, coaching your kid(s) through discomfort, and how important it is to acknowledge and validate how hard our middle schoolers are working. We end by getting into how we can encourage new friendships & nurture good friendships. Takeaways from the show Middle school is messy!  Your sweet, innocent child being exposed to new things  Middle school is a great, lower-stakes time to make mistakes  Reflecting on your own middle school experiences & memories to find compassion for your adolescent  Kids need at least one or two good friends they can count on  Coaching our kids through discomfort  When is the time for parents to get involved in middle school drama?  Listen, acknowledge, validate, believe, and encourage your middle schooler  Middle schoolers need to practice decision making before high school  Encouraging new friendships and nurturing good friendships For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This show is a replay, and I think you will love it!I've been reflecting on surrender in parenting and life. Inspired by my morning routines, coaching, and my daughter's journey to thriving independence, I've learned that surrender isn't defeat but trust—letting go of control and embracing what is. Parenting my teens, navigating challenges like mental health struggles and my husband's cancer, taught me to release attachments to outcomes, timelines, and "why" questions. Instead, I focus on being present, curious, and supportive. I've found peace in trusting my kids' paths, holding space for them to grow authentically. This surrender brings freedom and deeper connection in parenting and beyond.Find more show notes and information about our sponsors at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-380-art-surrender-parenting-teens/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices