I came across this post and it perfectly summed up an idea I have had about parenting in a way I could never quite put my finger on. Frankly, this quote makes me feel super powerless as a parent…but let’s explore it some more. Think about it, thousands of years ago it made perfect sense […]
When parents lack the respect of their teen it is palpable. Parent’s experience frustration, anger, powerlessness, feeling out of control, offended, scared, and resentful towards their teen. Respect is an interesting concept. It is not quite a feeling, but more of an idea. You know when you have it and you definitely know when you […]
I hope my daughter knows struggle. I hope she knows what defeat feels like. I hope that she experiences striving for something she wants. This may sound harsh or contrary to what many parents hope for their children, but if my daughter does not experience difficulty and failure at something, then she may never know […]
I received such a nice call from a parent this morning calling me “The Teen Whisperer” and this is not the first time I’ve been given this honorable title! So firstly, I would like to say thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart for those kind words. Secondly, I want to […]
This is a little piece of advice a dear friend gave me when I first started on my journey in recovery. She noticed that I would begin to “should” all over myself, “I should have a better job” “I should be living on my own” “I should know better” “ I should be making more […]
One of the most common statements I hear from parents is, “I don’t know what is “normal” teenage behavior and what I should be concerned about.” There is a lot going on in the world right now around the word “normal” if you haven’t noticed. I would argue that humanity itself is in its […]
Feel free to read my bio on the website to get the “professional” introduction of myself, but in case I need a little more credibility, here’s the reason I love working with teens, young adults, and their families: I had a professor tell the class once that people in the helping profession typically choose […]