Joyful Courage for Parenting Teens

My guest today is Cathy Adams. We’re talking about engaging in those hard, honest conversations with our teen girls. Cathy and I dig into the messiness of the teen years. We discuss the importance of focusing on resiliency, not happiness, what is happening to Gen Z girls today, and why we need to appreciate the girls we have.  Guest DescriptionCathy Cassani Adams, LCSW, co-hosts the long-running Zen Parenting Radio podcast and founded the Zen Parenting Conference in Chicago. She is the author of Zen Parenting and Living What You Want Your Kids to Learn (both Nautilus Award and International Book Award winners) and her upcoming 2025 release, Restoring Our Girls. Cathy is a clinical social worker, certified parent coach, former elementary school educator, and yoga teacher. She was a blogger for The Huffington Post and a former columnist for Chicago Parent Magazine. She previously worked as a Child and Family Therapist and Clinical Educator at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and now teaches in the Sociology and Criminology Department at Dominican University. She lives outside Chicago with her husband, Todd, and their three daughters.Takeaways from the show Cathy’s new book “Restoring Our Girls”  Adolescent girls’ mental health  Expectations & contradictions young women face  The messiness of the teen years doesn’t make them bad years  Your teenage experience is NOT the experience that teens today are having  Engaging in conversations instead of lecturing  The importance of teaching critical thinking Why we need adolescent girls to take risks  The meaning and joy of mother & daughter relationships  Adolescents developing their unique inner dialogue  For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week’s pod, I reflected on the inspiring work of Dr. Baxley and Dani Ferrigno. Their mission aligns with Sproutable’s core values: fostering dignity, respect, and compassion while equipping parents with tools grounded in Positive Discipline. I also addressed a parent’s concern about their discouraged teen grappling with school and existential doubts about capitalism. Teens often feel overwhelmed by systemic flaws, but this can be an opportunity to connect and explore solutions together. I encouraged parents to validate their kids’ feelings, stay curious, and model engagement with societal challenges while fostering empowerment. Ultimately, parenting is messy, and there are no perfect answers. But by staying compassionate, curious, and open, we can guide our kids through challenges and learn from their fresh perspectives. You’ve got this! Let’s keep showing up for our teens and ourselves.Find all the show notes and info about our sponsors at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-532-moving-through-existential-crisis-and-adolescence/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My guests today are Dr. Traci Baxley and Dani Ferrigno. We’re talking about Blue Mom+ Group, their response to the recent elections. Dr. Baxley and Dani give suggestions about small, tangible actions people can take. We discuss talking to our teenagers about the election results, leaning into local & personal causes, and staying hopeful. For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this solo episode, I dive into the challenges of supporting teens as they navigate friendships, especially when setting boundaries with friends who aren’t treating them well. A parent shared their struggle with wanting to help but being perceived as distrusting, sparking today’s discussion. I explore reframing the question to focus on how parents can show up supportively and empower their teens without overstepping. Key strategies include active listening, emotional honesty, affirming strengths, and trusting teens to learn through their experiences. It’s about fostering connection and faith in their growth while managing our own discomfort with their struggles. You’ve got this!For more detailed show notes and info about our sponsors go to: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/ eps-530-empowering-our-teenagers-with-friendship-drama/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My guest today is Dena Moes and we’re talking about our teen’s sexual and reproductive health. We discuss methods & access to birth control and parental consent around reproductive health decisions. Both Dena and I share about the current political climate impacting access to health services, how to react when your teenage daughter is pregnant, and what the most crucial things to talk to your adolescents about sex are.Takeaways from the show Dena’s new book, for teen’s, “It’s Your Body: The Young Woman’s Guide to Empowered Sexual Health”  Current stats for teen sexual health & birth rates  Condom & birth control use  Explicit text messages  Reducing barriers for care  Reproductive rights & access to abortion vary substantially from state to state - consider what services your teen daughter may need in the next few years  Empowering our sons that are in heterosexual relationships to be supportive partners  Outdated beliefs & anxiety around birth control  Teens are the most fertile they’ll be in their entire lives  “Party ready” birth control  Getting your teen in to speak with a doc about birth control options before January 2025 and letting your teen speak independently to their doctor - “Get out of the room!” Pulling in the extended family & village during the teen years   Finding out your daughter is pregnant  “It’s hard to hear no; it’s harder to say no.”  For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's solo show is about empowering your parenting journey by leaning into clarity, communication, and self-awareness. We get to shift focus from controlling teen behavior to creating a supportive environment with clear boundaries. Remember, teens learn through experience, not manipulation. Be explicit about expectations while fostering independence through responsibility (like budgeting). Manage emotional triggers by recognizing personal stories and responding with curiosity and respect. Create connections by acknowledging their growth and practicing calm communication. When frustration arises, pause and ask: What do I want to create? Your actions inspire change, shaping a positive dynamic. Parenting isn’t perfect, but intentionality builds trust, resilience, and lifelong connections. You’ve got this!For more show notes and more about our sponsors, go to: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-528-boundaries-and-language-for-building-consideration-in-our-teenagers/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This was such a fun episode to create! A parent in the Joyful Courage for Parents of Teens opened up about their concerns for their 15-year-old daughter, who’s beginning to ride with friends who are new drivers. As her peers gain driving experience, this parent is feeling understandably anxious about safety and how to guide their teen through this phase. I acknowledged these valid concerns and suggested a reframing approach, focusing on building trust in teens’ growth through their experiences. While emphasizing the importance of safety, I encouraged open, ongoing conversations about responsible driving to help build awareness and accountability. I also recommended that parents engage their teens with questions about friends’ driving behaviors and reinforce family rules constructively. To help manage parental anxiety, I shared practical tools like deep breathing, recognizing fears, and reframing thoughts to foster trust in the learning process. Allowing teens to make mistakes within safe boundaries, I explained, helps build their decision-making skills and strengthens the parent-teen relationship. Watching teens gain independence is challenging, but it’s a crucial step in their development.Find more show notes and info about our sponsors at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/Eps-527-Managing-our-fears-about-teenagers-and-driving/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My guest today is Jenell Kheriaty, and we’re talking about school avoidance & school refusal. We discuss what school refusal is and if there’s certain “types” of kids who are predisposed to school avoidance or school refusal. Both Jenell and I share how we support families who are struggling with their teens not going to school, some specific questions you can ask your teen about school, and how and why parents need to stay curious about their teen’s school experience.,We talk about how to handle our own feelings when changes are not happening as fast as we want. We get into figuring out if your child’s school is a good fit, finding alternative options to your neighborhood high school, and checking our own assumptions about our teen’s journey in school. Takeaways from the show School refusal is typically not a case of defiance, it’s an act of protection  All kids, even successful high-achievers, can struggle with school avoidance   School refusal is a symptom of something else going on “Be curious, not judgmental”  When our timeline doesn’t line up with their timeline  When your teen has a different temperament and stress tolerance than you do  Alternative schooling options  Trusting the process, trusting the journey  Maintaining relationship during the bumpy times  For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today’s episode, I respond to a parent in the Facebook community who is seeking support for an “unmotivated” 14-year-old, wanting a coach for help with goals, motivation, executive functioning, and self-care, ideally within budget and virtual. I explore the difference between being “unmotivated” and “uninspired,” suggesting that teens may seem unmotivated due to broader issues like discouragement or lack of inspiration. Instead of trying to “fix” teens, I encourage listeners to reframe the situation by asking, “What is getting in my child’s way?” I emphasize curiosity, encouragement, and a connection-based approach, allowing teens to express their needs and experiences without judgment. I also remind parents to avoid labeling, stay present, and focus on personal growth, trusting that their child will ultimately find their way.Find more show notes and info about our sponsors at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-525-support-for-parents-with-unmotivated-teens/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I am really excited about my guest today, and I have a feeling you will be, too! My amazing daughter, Rowan, is back to give us an update on her life. She talk about everything from teen mental health, navigating ADHD as a teen and young adult, the college journey, and more!I ask Rowan what she’s learned in her first few years of adulthood while juggling working, living on her own, and going to school. We talk about motivation versus discipline, lessons learned through experience, changing perspectives, and boundaries. Rowan wraps us up by sharing what she wishes Gen X knows about the young adults of today. Takeaways from the show Describing and revisiting tough times & emotions  Returning to (and loving) college  Changing your mindset to achieve your goal  Learning how to be a college student  Navigating ADHD diagnosis & medications  The pressure of early adulthood  Takeaways from the first few years of being on your own  Motivation versus discipline  Lessons are learned through experience  How we respond to our kids when they are having a hard time influences the relationships we have with them later  Perspectives changing as you age and get out of the thick of it  Finding the humor, joy, and not taking life too seriously For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices