Mighty Parenting | Raising Teens | Parenting Young Adults

As parents, we want our kids to grow up happy, healthy, and successful. But there's so much conflicting data and advice out there on everything from parenting techniques to college prep to what a happy, successful life means. So how are we supposed to figure out what works for us? Sandy Fowler joins us today, not just as the Mighty Parenting podcast host, but as a speaker and stress-relief coach, to help us answer that question. She summarizes and shares info from guest experts in her past interviews so we can get some answers on how to handle various teen behaviors, improve our relationships with our kids—and raise successful, healthy, happy teenagers. Our Guest: Sandy Fowler Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 234 From Sandy: Over 200 experts have shared tips on parenting and they all have one thing in common--we need to be calm in order to parent well. Sandy Fowler specializes in helping women reclaim their calm. Learn how you can start right now at www.ReclaimingCalm.com

We're all well familiar with ads, TV commercials, and magazines full of tips and examples of how girls and women can get and maintain that “perfect body”; it's an unfortunate staple of our culture uplifting one body type above all others as the “ideal.” However, that staple is not limited to girls and women only—there's no shortage of movies, magazines and commercials outlining the “perfect body” type for boys and men as well. Author and body image expert Dr. Charlotte Markey joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler for a serious discussion on how conversations about boys and body image are important, how to be more open and show your sons it's okay to be vulnerable sometimes, and how to help them understand and become comfortable with their body type, whatever type that may be. Our Guest: Charlotte Markey Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 233 From Sandy: Are you stressed but don't have time to deal with it? Grab Sandy Fowler's complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to start feeling better today. Our Sponsor:  Troomi—cell phones that help your child learn to live online safely and in a healthy way while giving parents peace of mind. Visit troomi.com and use the code MIGHTYPARENTING to save $50

It's a constant around the world that nobody knows what they're getting into when they first become parents. Parenting problems pop up everywhere and it's exhausting at times, trying to maintain a decent relationship with your teen while still being an authority figure. So when our teens are struggling or lashing out or having issues, we tend to assume that they're the problem. Sometimes they are—but sometimes they're not. Parenting coach Kim Muench joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to discuss how our own limiting beliefs about ourselves may have influenced how we parent our children, how focusing solely on behavior can create power struggles, and how we can alter our parenting style to parent with our kids instead of over them. Our Guest: Kim Muench Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 232 From Sandy: Are you stressed but don't have time to deal with it? Grab Sandy Fowler's complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to start feeling better today. Our Sponsor:  Troomi—cell phones that help your child learn to live online safely and in a healthy way while giving parents peace of mind. Visit Troomi.com and use the code MIGHTYPARENTING to save $50

Sorry about the mishap! The audio has been updated. Enjoy! COVID-19 charged into our world in 2019 and upended our entire lives, regardless of where we lived, how much we made, or whether we had kids or not. Now, three years later, we're living in a world irrevocably changed and maybe we should be used to that by now—but those changes certainly haven't made parenting any easier or less stressful. Parenting consultant Carol Muleta is raising twin teens and knows intimately the struggles of parenting in the pandemic. She joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to share parenting strategies, tips for regaining the joy in raising a child, and a reminder that we are not alone and never have been in this effort—even if it feels like we are. Our Guest: Carol Muleta Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 231 From Sandy: Are you stressed but don't have time to deal with it? Grab Sandy Fowler's complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to start feeling better today. Our Sponsor:  Troomi—cell phones that help your child learn to live online safely and in a healthy way while giving parents peace of mind. Visit Troomi.com and use the code MIGHTYPARENTING to save $50

COVID-19 charged into our world in 2019 and upended our entire lives, regardless of where we lived, how much we made, or whether we had kids or not. Now, three years later, we're living in a world irrevocably changed and maybe we should be used to that by now—but those changes certainly haven't made parenting any easier or less stressful. Parenting consultant Carol Muleta is raising twin teens and knows intimately the struggles of parenting in the pandemic. She joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to share parenting strategies, tips for regaining the joy in raising a child, and a reminder that we are not alone and never have been in this effort—even if it feels like we are. Our Guest: Carol Muleta Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 231 From Sandy: Are you stressed but don't have time to deal with it? Grab Sandy Fowler's complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to start feeling better today. Our Sponsor:  Troomi—cell phones that help your child learn to live online safely and in a healthy way while giving parents peace of mind. Visit Troomi.com and use the code MIGHTYPARENTING to save $50  

We've had to adjust to (and sometimes struggle with) the rapid changes in economics, information distribution and communication in the past few decades—but our kids have had this from the beginning. Generation Z is the first generation to have grown up alongside the digital age; from when they were young, they've had access to the internet, computers, cell phones and other forms of digital connection. How has this upbringing shaped their worldview, morals, and plans for the future? And how can we better connect with our kids when our childhoods were so very different? John Della Volpe joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to discuss our gen z kids (including insights from his book FIGHT: How Gen Z Is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America)—how they think; what they care about; their influence in social media, economics and politics; and how we can develop mutual understanding between different generations. Our Guest: John Della Volpe Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 230 Our Sponsors:  Inward Bound Mindfulness Education — Mindfulness courses and retreats for teens and adults  iBme offers online and in-person retreats, mindfulness courses, and weekly meditations tailored for various communities of teens and young adults (and even parents!) Visit iBme.com/mightyparenting  to learn more and register for programs, including in-person summer retreats. Troomi—cell phones that help your child learn to live online safely and in a healthy way while giving parents peace of mind. Visit troomi.com and use the code MIGHTYPARENTING to save $50.

It's said that once something is on the internet, it's there forever. Given the rise of the digital age and how intertwined the internet is in our teens' lives, it's not a surprise that they post things constantly—the key is that they're not always aware of the consequences, short- and long-term, of certain comments, posted videos or shared photos on their reputations and futures. Evan Nierman makes his living in PR management and crisis resolution for clients around the world; today he's joining Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to discuss how teens can fall into social media pit traps, what the legal consequences might be for seemingly innocuous actions, and how we as parents can pull our teens up before they go too far and get into serious trouble. Our Guest: Evan Nierman Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 229 Our Sponsor:  Inward Bound Mindfulness Education — Mindfulness courses and retreats for teens and adults  iBme offers online and in-person retreats, mindfulness courses, and weekly meditations tailored for various communities of teens and young adults (and even parents!) Visit iBme.com/mightyparenting  to learn more and register for programs, including in-person summer retreats. Troomi—cell phones that help your child learn to live online safely and in a healthy way while giving parents peace of mind. Visit Troomi.com and use the code MIGHTYPARENTING to save $50

It's common to hear college students joking about pulling all-nighters and drinking truly unwise amounts of caffeine to get through classes and clubs and survive that one irritating professor who likes assigning ten-page papers every week. However, this trend of increasingly sleep deprived teenagers is not limited to college students alone; in 2018, the CDC declared a global public health crisis for high school students after many studies showed they too were sleeping far too little to be healthy. Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright join Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler this week to discuss this juvenile sleepless epidemic (including their upcoming book Generation Sleepless) and how to combat it with our own teens, including adjusting nighttime routines, family screen time, and social media habits. Learn how to help your own sleep deprived teenager and get them back to a healthy schedule. Our Guests: Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 228 Our Sponsor:  Inward Bound Mindfulness Education — Mindfulness courses and retreats for teens and adults  iBme offers online and in-person retreats, mindfulness courses, and weekly meditations tailored for various communities of teens and young adults (and even parents!) Visit iBme.com/mightyparenting  to learn more and register for programs, including in-person summer retreats.

We don't want to believe that we could lose our children to something that we can't fight for them; unfortunately, depression, addiction and suicidal tendencies have become significantly more evident in teenagers around the world in recent years. And that is terrifying to every one of us who have teens of our own. How do you fight your child's own mind? Judy Davis is one such parent, who nearly lost her son to addiction and suicide before she even realized he was struggling so much. She returns to Mighty Parenting, joining Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to share her story and her son's—a story of hope for parents, to remind us that suicide prevention is possible and so is recovery, be it from addiction, depression, or other mental and physical illnesses. With the right tools and support for yourself and your child, you can help them save themselves—and maybe one day, they can save others too. Our Guest: Judy Davis Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 227 Our Sponsor:  Inward Bound Mindfulness Education — Mindfulness courses and retreats for teens and adults  iBme offers online and in-person retreats, mindfulness courses, and weekly meditations tailored for various communities of teens and young adults (and even parents!) Visit iBme.com/mightyparenting  to learn more and register for programs, including in-person summer retreats.

One of the major problems our kids have with education after high school is that there are so many options to choose from, and those options don't narrow much if they decide they want to go to college—there's everything from the degree type, to the area of study, to the scholarship and financial aid options, to the commute, and so on. Student mentor Emma B Perez is back to answer parents' and students' most burning question: What is the best way to choose a college? She joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to give us choices and answers to narrow down our kids' options and reduce their stress levels surrounding choosing the next step in their future. Our Guest: Emma B Perez Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 226 Our Sponsor:  Inward Bound Mindfulness Education — Mindfulness courses and retreats for teens and adults  iBme offers online and in-person retreats, mindfulness courses, and weekly meditations tailored for various communities of teens and young adults (and even parents!) Visit iBme.com/mightyparenting  to learn more and register for programs, including in-person summer retreats.

Being confident and being bold are not, in fact, the same qualities. Confidence is a state of mind; boldness is taking action. However, both of these are all too often difficult for our kids to develop for themselves. Entrepreneur and author Fred Joyal joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler and explains to us how we can adjust our parenting styles to increase confidence and encourage boldness in our kids, to help them find security in themselves and take joy in life even when societal norms would dictate otherwise. Our Guest: Fred Joyal Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 225 Our Sponsor:  Inward Bound Mindfulness Education — Mindfulness courses and retreats for teens and adults  iBme offers online and in-person retreats, mindfulness courses, and weekly meditations tailored for various communities of teens and young adults (and even parents!) Visit iBme.com/mightyparenting  to learn more and register for programs, including in-person summer retreats.

When we were in high school and college, smoking a joint of marijuana was a way to be cool, to get a little high and have a little fun. Today's marijuana is a very different beast. Laura Stack lost her son to suicide after he became addicted to marijuana; today, she joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to discuss how marijuana has changed from our school days, what it means to smoke marijuana today, and how we can protect our kids from addiction and worse. Our Guest: Laura Stack Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 224 Our Sponsor:  Inward Bound Mindfulness Education — Mindfulness courses and retreats for teens and adults  iBme offers online and in-person retreats, mindfulness courses, and weekly meditations tailored for various communities of teens and young adults (and even parents!) Visit iBme.com/mightyparenting  to learn more and register for programs, including in-person summer retreats.

The first thing to remember is that trauma is experienced differently and means different things to every individual. There is no comparison or contest; understanding trauma means understanding yourself and what affects you. Meditation teacher and trauma student Sara Shapouri joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to help us recognize that, to help us understand how events and acts like racial micro-aggressions can build up to a traumatic point, to see where trauma hides in wisdom passed from generation to generation; and to show us that there is no shame or weakness in having experienced it. Our Guest: Sara Shapouri Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 223 Our Sponsor:  Inward Bound Mindfulness Education — Mindfulness courses and retreats for teens and adults  iBme offers online and in-person retreats, mindfulness courses, and weekly meditations tailored for various communities of teens and young adults (and even parents!) Visit iBme.com/mightyparenting  to learn more and register for programs, including in-person summer retreats.

Here's a little fun fact: nobody knows what they're doing when they're holding that first child and thinking, oh my god, I'm a parent. There's no universal parenting manual, and it's easy to spiral into guilt thinking you're screwing up all the time. But that doesn't mean there isn't help. Heather Chauvin, author of Dying to Be a Good Mother, joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler in discussing how to deal with guilt and shame, and how to keep them from preventing you from giving your kids the best life that you can. Our Guest: Heather Chauvin Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 222 Our Sponsor:  Inward Bound Mindfulness Education — Mindfulness courses and retreats for teens and adults  iBme offers online and in-person retreats, mindfulness courses, and weekly meditations tailored for various communities of teens and young adults (and even parents!) Visit iBme.com/mightyparenting  to learn more and register for programs, including in-person summer retreats.

Everyone is assigned a gender when they're born. For some people that's fine, and they keep using that gender in their lives. For others, it's not—it's uncomfortable or downright painful, and they're not sure why, or what other options they have to feel truly comfortable with themselves. Rae McDaniel has experienced this and understands it; they're here with Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to discuss what gender means, the gender and sexuality spectrum, and how you can work with your child to understand their struggle and help them feel safe as they explore this part of living for the first time. Our Guest: Rae McDaniel Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 221 Our Sponsor:  Inward Bound Mindfulness Education — Mindfulness courses and retreats for teens and adults  iBme offers online and in-person retreats, mindfulness courses, and weekly meditations tailored for various communities of teens and young adults. Visit iBme.com/mightyparenting  to learn more and register for programs, including in-person summer retreats.

The beliefs we learn when we're young form the cornerstone of our morals, opinions, speech and behaviors for the rest of our lives. So how do we make sure that our children internalize beliefs that will help, not hinder, their futures? Shelly Lefkoe is here to show us how beliefs affect behavior; she talks with Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler on learned beliefs and behaviors, common beliefs that can be harmful, and opening up your child to share what they believe and how you can guide them forward in their life. Our Guest: Shelly Lefkoe Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 220  Our Sponsor:  Inward Bound Mindfulness Education — Mindfulness courses and retreats for teens and adults  iBme offers online and in-person retreats, mindfulness courses, and weekly meditations tailored for various communities of teens and young adults. Visit iBme.com to learn more and register for programs, including in-person summer retreats.

People tell us that constant push back is normal for teenagers and parents need to be grateful because it means they're growing up. But this push back can leave parents feeling disconnected from their teen. And what happens when the pushback takes the form of breaking curfew, failing exams, and talking back, or constantly butting heads? We can feel like we're living in a constant struggle. What if there was a different way, one that helped your child grow and mature while fostering a deeper connection between you and them? Ellen Gottlieb has that alternative path and she's sharing it with Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler.  They discuss how to set boundaries for teens using conscious parenting techniques and show parents how to deepen connection while keeping teens safe. Our Guest: Ellen Gottlieb Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 219 From Sandy: It's easier to listen and connect with your teenager when you are calm. Grab Sandy's complimentary lesson on finding calm at https://sandyfowler.com   

For those of us juggling parenthood, adulthood, work and COVID-19 habits, cooking often seems like just one more item on the to-do list, and many times gets dropped in favor of take-out when we just can't find the time. Chef Kibby talks us through taking that chore and using it for connecting with teens. He and Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler discuss the power of cooking with others, the life skills our teens gain from cooking, and how we can use everything from shopping to preparation to eating together to strengthen our relationships with our kids. Our Guest: Chef Kibby Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 218 From Sandy: It's easier to listen and connect with your teenager when you are calm. Grab Sandy's complimentary lesson on finding calm at https://sandyfowler.com 

There's nothing quite so intimidating for teens as putting themselves out there and interviewing for their first job, whether it's waiting tables or fixing computers. Choosing a career can be a complicated process with a number of factors from personal skills to college class choices. Career and life design coach Emma B Perez knows this and is here to help us, parents and teens alike. Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler interviews Emma about changing freelance job market trends, varied options for education after high school, and how our teens need to look at choosing a career path for their futures. Our Guest: Emma B Perez Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 217 From Sandy:  It's easier to listen and connect with your teenager when you are calm. Grab Sandy's complimentary lesson on finding calm at https://sandyfowler.com 

Is your teen trampling over your last nerve? Do you get tired of constantly feeling like the disciplinarian, where your relationship with your teen gets more strained by the day? Dr. Karin Jakubowski knows how that feels, and she joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler in discussing dealing with challenging behaviors in our teens. We learn how to stay calm, how to be patient, how to interpret those behaviors, how to connect, and how to strengthen that strained relationship. Our Guest: Dr. Karin Jakubowski Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 216 From Sandy: It's easier to listen and connect with your teenager when you are calm. Grab Sandy's complimentary lesson on finding calm at https://sandyfowler.com 

Marriage is a beautiful commitment, but that doesn't mean that every moment is going to be easy and wonderful. Yana Gil de Montes has been married for over 15 years and she and her partner were getting mired down in complaints, stress and fear regarding each other and their marriage. Yana talks with Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler about how to make a better marriage through self-reflection, communication, and showing up as a partner and spouse. Let's teach our teens what a healthy marriage looks like, and how to go about fixing an unhealthy one. Our Guest: Yana Gil de Montes Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 215 From Sandy:  It's easier to listen and connect with your teenager when you are calm. Grab Sandy's complimentary lesson on finding calm at https://sandyfowler.com 

Does your teen struggle with finding their purpose in life? It's common to get caught in thought spirals of existentialism and lose motivation because we lose our direction. But purpose doesn't have to be this enormous responsibility or the entire reason we think we exist. It's unique to every person, yes—but this giftedness, this pattern of behavior, can be as simple as wanting to write a book or as complex as wanting to solve world hunger in their lifetime. Bill Hendricks and Bev Hendricks Godby join Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler in discussing how we can learn to consider “giftedness” as purpose, beyond the often incorrect cultural synonym “genius,” and how we can apply our understanding to our teens, help them find purpose, and raise happier, more self-confident and more emotionally stable young adults. Our Guests: Bill Hendricks and Bev Hendricks Godby Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 214   It's easier to listen and connect with your teenager when you are calm. Grab Sandy's complimentary lesson on finding calm at https://sandyfowler.com    Is your teenager undecided about a career? Help them get unstuck and go from undecided to excited http://www.emmabperez.com/undecided2excitedmightyparenting.html 

Many of the socially pivotal moments in history were triggered by, driven by or accompanied with protests, small or large. The Black Lives Matter Movement is the most recent socially pivotal moment in U.S. history and has driven many teens to start or join protests and start asking questions about racism, black culture and black cultural history, and their role in this movement. Veronica Chambers, author of Call and Response: The Story of Black Lives Matter,  joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to discuss peaceful protesting, various methods of protesting, why it matters, how powerful it can be—and how to help our kids understand what they think and feel about the issues behind protests. Let's show our kids how they as individuals can come together to effect real change in the world.  Our Guest: Veronica Chambers Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 213 From Sandy: It's easier to listen and connect with your teenager when you are calm. Grab Sandy's complimentary lesson on finding calm at https://sandyfowler.com 

Rights of passage, especially those of transitioning from a teenager to an adult, are often critical to our teens' self-identities and their motivation to move in the world. Our society has been shifting, however, and many of those rights of passage don't quite fit anymore, which leaves our teens floundering and stuck. Dr. Mark Schillinger joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler in discussing how our current society and cultural habits have impacted our teens' emotions, habits and future plans and how we can help motivate boys and girls into moving forward and finding who they can be as adults in today's world. Our Guest: Dr. Mark Schillinger Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 212 From Sandy: It's easier to listen and connect with your teenager when you are calm. Grab Sandy's complimentary lesson on finding calm at https://sandyfowler.com 

These days it seems like every time you turn around, your teen has their face in their phone—or tablet, or laptop, or GameBoy...you get the picture. Our lives revolve around electronics and we can't imagine being without them. Fun interaction with your family becomes a chore to arrange. How can we get ourselves and our teens to take a break from screen time without simply banning tech use in our homes? Tiffany Shlain joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to discuss the impacts of technology on our brain functions, why devices are so easy to get attached to, and how to get some regular tech-free time with our kids without removing screens from our lives entirely. Our Guest: Tiffany Shlain Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 211 From Our Sponsor Better Help: Better Help provides confidential, professional help through licensed therapists. They match you with a therapist based on your situation. You can communicate through message, chat, phone and video for one flat fee and get the help you need anytime. Get 10% off your first month at https://BetterHelp.com/listener 

We parents often call the teen years the most difficult stage of raising a kid; they come with everything from backtalk to door slamming, skipping curfews, arguing and emotional outbursts of all kinds. Our teens act out, and it's tiring and frustrating and it feels like we say one thing and they hear something completely different. Dr. Cameron “Cam” Caswell and Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler discuss how to use values-based parenting and the CALM technique to help us understand where our teens are coming from and how we can grow and learn together instead of trying to consistently fix or correct their behaviors. Our Guest: Dr. Cam Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 210 From Our Sponsor Better Help: Better Help provides confidential, professional help through licensed therapists. They match you with a therapist based on your situation. You can communicate through message, chat, phone and video for one flat fee and get the help you need anytime. Get 10% off your first month at https://BetterHelp.com/listener 

Parents wonder how to reduce anxiety in teens as our teens face more challenges and deal with the impact of those challenges. Isabell Robledo understands this. As a teen mindfulness coach, and a teenager herself, she has a strong grasp of what our children struggle with in this modern world. She discovered tools that help her and learned how to share those with children and teens. Isabelle chats with Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler about mindfulness and its ability to reduce anxiety. They talk about what mindfulness is, why teens often miss the mark when trying to use mindfulness, and how parents can support their teenagers. Our Guest: Isabelle Robledo  Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 209 From Our Sponsor Better Help: Better Help provides confidential, professional help through licensed therapists. They match you with a therapist based on your situation. You can communicate through message, chat, phone and video for one flat fee and get the help you need anytime. Get 10% off your first month at https://BetterHelp.com/listener 

Concepts in math build on each other as they go; if your teen runs into difficulty in algebra, then geometry and algebra 2 and calculus are only going to confuse them further. This is how our kids develop math anxiety, compounding years of failed understanding and struggle through their schooling. Dr. Aditya Nagrath joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler and explains why our kids have math anxiety, how to tell when they have math anxiety and where the breakdown in understanding is happening, and how we can teach them the language of math and rebuild their confidence in themselves. Our Guest: Dr. Aditya Nagrath Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 208 Sponsor Tip and Deal from Troomi Wireless: Talk to your child about cell phones. Ask them (no matter what their age!) how they see their cell phone supporting them in their life. How will it help them meet their goals? Grow their friendships? Feel good about themselves? When do they want to use it and when do they want a break from it? Then help them set up their phone in a way that supports them. And the reason I partnered with Troomi is their phones and wireless network encourage those conversations and support the follow through. Your child's experience is completely customizable and can only be changed through the parent portal so you can have conversations and make changes together. And through December 31st you can use the coupon code MIGHTYPARENTING to get a free phone (after that the code gets you $50 off your phone). So if you're buying a first phone or want to support the development of healthy habits in your teen visit https://troomi.com(affiliate link–thanks for supporting the podcast by using this link ) and remember to use the coupon code MIGHTYPARENTING to save yourself some money. From Sandy: It's easier to listen and connect with your teenager when you are calm. Grab Sandy's complimentary lesson on finding calm at https://sandyfowler.com. 

Are you struggling with your teen's behavior? Do they have skin concerns? Headaches? When kids seem lethargic, unmotivated, squirrelly, inattentive, angry or exhibit other concerning behaviors we don't think first about food as a solution. Registered dietician Abby Black talks to Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler about the role of food in our children's lives. And  independent Epicure consultant Lisa Fawcett shares her family's story along with tips for cooking faster and healthier. Listen in to get insights on the role of food and tips for making mealtime easier and faster. Our Guests: Abby Black and Lisa Fawcett Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 207 From Our Sponsors:  Healthy meals in 30 minutes or less! Independent Epicure Consultant Lisa Fawcett helps so many people find fast and healthy meal solutions – GOOD FOOD REAL FAST! Whether you want to eat healthier, have a family member with food allergies, or are dealing with food sensitivities, Lisa can coach you through finding meal solutions that are fast and easy and work for your family. Order directly or contact Lisa for questions or coaching at https://lisafawcett.epicure.com/en-ca   Safe and Customizable Cell Phone Solutions for Your Family from Troomi Wireless (and a 50% off coupon!) Our kids don't magically know how to use cell phones in a healthy way and yet it's essential for their well being. Our sponsor Troomi's exclusive KidSmart OS™ means your child can develop healthy habits in a safe space that grows along with them. This is the system I wish I had for my girls when they were using their first smart phone during their teen years. I highly recommend checking this out and be sure to use the coupon code our sponsor Troomi gave us to share with you. Through December 15th the code MIGHTYPARENTING will get you 50% off your phone at Troomi.com.

Angry outbursts, tears, and difficult behavior can be the hallmark of the teen years. We also see these behaviors in our emotionally sensitive child as they learn to navigate the flood of emotions that overwhelms them. Matis Miller is an expert in dialectic behavior therapy and the author of The Uncontrollable Child. He uses DBT as a base for helping parents learn how to navigate these difficult situations. He talks to Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler about strategies for parenting teens, and particularly those who are emotionally sensitive, in a way that calms the storm and builds a stronger relationship at the same time. Find out how to respond to outbursts and ways to manage discipline and problem solving when your teen acts out or breaks the house rules. Our Guest: Matis Miller  Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 206 Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links which reward me monetarily or otherwise when you use them to make purchases. Thank you for supporting my work by using my links to purchase products and services. Sponsor Help:  Parenting a teenager likely means there is a time when you feel it's necessary to take away phone privileges. But that makes life more difficult for you since you can't communicate with your child when they're out of the house, or if they're home and you don't have a landline. Troomi understands smartphones are a great tool for teens and yet our kids need to grow into them. So they've created an eco system that is fully customizable and completely under the parents' control. Now you can give them only the aspects of the phone they are ready to use—and take away anything you think needs to be restricted. The phone is designed to be a great first phone that grows with your child and that means you can also take away phone privileges while leaving your teen with the ability to communicate with you. So whether you want them to learn to live with a smartphone in a healthy way and in a safe environment or you need the ability to restrict usage and access, get a Troomi phone. You can set up appropriate access to everything on the phone right in the parent portal. You can learn more at troomi.com and use the code MIGHTYPARENTING to get 50% off a phone. And if you want to know more of Sandy's thoughts on using Troomi to help your child develop healthy technology habits just email through the contact page on mightyparenting.com. From Sandy: How to Talk to Your Teen — free email series at MightyParenting.com

Money doesn't buy happiness but not having enough creates problems. Relationships get strained, mental health suffers, and opportunities are limited. But what if our teens could achieve early financial independence? What if they could have enough income to give them more choices about their job or how they spend their time? Dan Sheeks works with teens who are striving for early financial independence. Dan joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to discuss 6 ways parents can help teens gain fundamental financial skills and get a leg up on financial independence.  Our Guest: Dan Sheeks  Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 205 DISCLAIMER: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS WHICH REWARD ME MONETARILY OR OTHERWISE WHEN YOU USE THEM TO MAKE PURCHASES. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING MY WORK BY USING MY LINKS TO PURCHASE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. Sponsor Tip:  One of the best ways to help kids learn is to allow them to make mistakes. The older they get the bigger the stakes and the greater the fear parents have around allowing them to make mistakes. So start today. Just take a deep breath and let them learn. And if you want them to learn in a safe environment get a Troomi phone so you can set up appropriate access to everything on the phone right in the parent portal. Troomi lets you guide your child in learning to use smartphones is a safe and healthy way with plans that grow with your child.  You can learn more at troomi.com and use the code MIGHTYPARENTING to get half off a phone through November 30th ($50 off after that). And if you want to know more of Sandy's thoughts on using Troomi to help your child develop healthy technology habits just email through the contact page on mightyparenting.com.  

The holidays are here and they can be fun, festive, and happy but also stressful, frustrating and sad. There can be a lot of pressure and endless to-do lists that rob us of the joy of the season. Fortunately there are ways to shift things to a more positive experience. Mighty Parenting host Sandy Fowler discusses these shifts with John Sovec. John lends insights into how we end up stressed and unhappy. Then he's talks about how you can reduce holiday stress for yourself and your family while creating a holiday to remember.  Our Guest: John Sovec  Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 204 DISCLAIMER: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS WHICH REWARD ME MONETARILY OR OTHERWISE WHEN YOU USE THEM TO MAKE PURCHASES. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING MY WORK BY USING MY LINKS TO PURCHASE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.   Sponsor Tip:  One of the best ways to help kids learn to use cell phones in a healthy way is to model healthy smartphone habits ourselves. You can:    1. Be intentional   2. Set boundaries   3. Make a usage schedule for yourself Then talk to your child about how they can do the same. Have a conversation about what would work for them and things they can do to support themselves in developing those habits. And if you want amazing support in helping your child develop those healthy habits, get a Troomi phone so you can set up appropriate access to everything on the phone right in the parent portal. Troomi lets you guide your child in learning to use smartphones is a safe and healthy way with plans that grow with your child.  You can learn more at troomi.com and use the code MIGHTYPARENTING to get half off a phone through November 30th ($50 off after that). And if you want to know more of Sandy's thoughts on using Troomi to help your child develop healthy technology habits just email through the contact page on mightyparenting.com.    From Sandy: How to Talk to Your Teen — free email series at MightyParenting.com

We've heard a lot about inclusion recently as it pertains to race and ethnicity. But what about disabilities? What happens when we have kids with disabilities? Genia Stephen is a mom, an advocate, and she has a son with disabilities. Genia joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to talk about community, school, home, expectations for our disabled kids and what it means for the families without a disabled child. Our Guest: Genia Stephen Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 203 From Sandy:  You can't teach your child how to lower their stress if you're stressed. Grab Sandy Fowler's complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to lower your stress without adding anything else to your plate! How to Talk to Your Teen—free email series at https://MightyParenting.com.

College is widely touted to high school students as "the best four years of your life." And that may very well wind up being true, but those years come with massive changes for our kids that they aren't prepared for--not least of which is the sudden responsibility of entirely managing their own lives without the support and structure they're accustomed to leaning on. Jill and David Henry are here today to help with that preparation; they join Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler in giving advice on how to prepare our high schoolers for that reality--how to set their own schedules, manage their own finances, assign their own study hours, and how to generally stay healthy in college. Our Guests: Jill and David Henry Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 202 From Sandy: It's easier to listen and connect with your teenager when you are calm. Grab Sandy's complimentary lesson on finding calm at https://sandyfowler.com 

Alcohol, marijuana and other drugs are prevalent in today's society. They're present and easy for kids to access. Regardless of where you live or your economic situation, your child will be exposed. So how can you prepare your teen or young adult to avoid use and abuse? Is it better to let them have some exposure at home, in a safe environment? What can parents do-that actually works-to prevent drug use? Richard Capriola is an addiction counselor and today he talks to Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to answer these questions. They discuss the 6 essential areas parents need to focus on to prevent drug use and alcohol abuse, what research says about consumption at home, and more. Our Guest: Richard Capriola  Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 201 From Our Sponsor:  Want to improve your communication and build a better relationship with your teenager? Get the free email series How to Talk to Your Teen at MightyParenting.com

You may find yourself wondering about your child's life path. Maybe your teen is struggling academically, perhaps they have a hard time managing their schoolwork or their life. Or maybe they're in college and struggling there. Whatever the situation, you just want to give your teen a leg up and send them off with a strong foundation. Virginia Horan has insights for you. Ginny teaches college communication courses and is the creator of The Centered Student Planner. She joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to take an inside look at what helps our kids achieve personal and academic success through high school and beyond. Our Guest: Ginny Horan  Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 200 From Our Sponsor:  You can't teach your child how to lower their stress if you're stressed. Grab Sandy Fowler's complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to lower your stress without adding anything else to your plate!

One way to connect with our teens and to give them a sense of stability is to share family history and stories. But what if some of that history is ugly? What if it's painful? Cassandra Lane tackled this in her book We Are Bridges where she tells the story of her grandfather's lynching. She joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler for a conversation on family, history, generational trauma and racism. Get inspiration for discussing your family history and talking to your teenager. Our Guest: Cassandra Lane  Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 199

Eating disorders cause children to suffer and bring chaos to families. But what exactly is an eating disorder? What causes them and who develops them? Do you really need to worry about your child having an eating disorder? Can you prevent it? Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler explores these and many other questions about eating disorders in teens in her conversation with Jillian Walsh. Our Guest: Jillian Walsh  Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 198 Our Sponsor:  Are you stressed but don't have time to deal with it? Grab Sandy Fowler's complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to start feeling better today.

“If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.” The sentiment is admirable and practical; realistically, you shouldn't expect to succeed the first time at something you've never done before. However, our current cultural pressures regarding success and failure do expect that very thing, and nowhere is that pressure showing more effects than in our kids—in school, in extra-curriculars, in college applications, even in hobbies that should be purely for fun. We forget that in order to learn, you have to fail—and that's where Luke Reynolds comes in. He joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to help us readjust our own views on failure, learning and success; and to teach us how to help our kids re-learn that failing the first time doesn't make them a failure as a person or at life. Our Guest: Luke Reynolds Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 197 Our Sponsor:  Sandy Fowler—The Art and Science of Saying No: Ditch Guilt, Find Time, and Enjoy Your Life More www.sandyfowler.com/saying-no 

Anxiety is increasing and teenagers are feeling the effects. It impacts their happiness, their activities, schoolwork, sleep, and more. As our kids deal with all of this, parents wonder how to reduce anxiety in teens. Do we talk to them about it? Change house rules? Dr. Charlotte Reznick has spent her career working with anxious children and teens. She helps them find the answers inside themselves then uses the power of their imagination to escape the anxious thoughts and feelings. She talks to Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler about how this works and why imagination is the key to helping kids reduce anxiety, how it related to meditation, what mindfulness is, and more.  Our Guest: Dr. Charlotte Reznick  Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 196 From Our Sponsor:  Stressed moms have a harder time being the parent they want to be. Get Sandy's free video lesson and discover 2 simple ways to relieve stress at http://sandyfowler.com/notime

Parents can do more than they realize to help their teen deal with the roller coaster of emotions that come with the teenage years. As our kids grow and their brains develop, they experience large feelings. Their limited skill set for managing emotions paired with the extra pressure of the pandemic has exacerbated behavioral health issues and increased teen suicide. Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler interviews Dr. Lia Gaggino to find out what we need to know about behavioral health and teen suicide. They discuss what's happening, why, and share steps parents can take to help their teenagers. Our Guest: Dr. Lia Gaggino Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 195 Our Sponsor:  Sandy Fowler: Are you stressed but don't have time to deal with it? I get it. Grab my complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to start feeling better today.

It's becoming more and more common for teens to take a gap year in their secondary educations, and parents often get concerned because of some common misconceptions, including that gap years are excuses to skip school and can be damaging to college prospects. Emma B Perez joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to help calm parents' fears regarding gap years and enlighten us as to the benefits and full potential for growth and experiences that gap years actually hold for our teens. Our Guest: Emma B Perez Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 194 Our Sponsor:  Sandy Fowler: Are you stressed but don't have time to deal with it? I get it. Grab my complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to start feeling better today.

We all have personal lines in the sand that we sometimes struggle to uphold, especially when they're between us and our kids. Boundaries are a critical part of any relationship, but especially ours with our children, and setting fair boundaries for teens helps strengthen our relationship with them. Conscious parenting coach Lauren Coglianese Keck joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to explain how we can better understand ourselves, avoid trying to dictate our teens' behavior and emotions, and how to communicate with our children so we and they can set and uphold fair, strong, two-way boundaries together. Our Guest: Lauren Coglianese Keck Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 193 Our Sponsor:  Sandy Fowler: Are you stressed but don't have time to deal with it? I get it. Grab my complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to start feeling better today.

Part of growing up includes learning to push boundaries and develop opinions independent of others' influences. This gets taken to the extreme during the teenage years. With teens it often seems like one minute they're small children listening to you about everything and the next minute they're taller, lankier, and not listening to you at all. Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler invites educator and business consultant John J. Murphy to teach us eight leadership competencies to help increase our insight into and positive influence in our relationships with our kids, and encourage our kids to start developing these competencies for themselves. Our Guest: John J. Murphy Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 192 Our Sponsor:  Sandy Fowler: Are you stressed but don't have time to deal with it? I get it. Grab my complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to start feeling better today.

Careers are incredibly variable, and many of our societies are big on kids choosing career paths before they even start secondary education. But how are they supposed to even know where to start? And how can we guide our teens in figuring out how to educate themselves and choose a career without letting our own experiences and preferences influence their choices? Career strategist and coach Devan Turcotte joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to explore education options alternative to college, ways to research possible careers, and how to encourage and support your teen through the first steps of choosing their career paths. Our Guest: Devon Turcotte Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 191 Our Sponsor:  Sandy Fowler: Are you stressed but don't have time to deal with it? I get it. Grab my complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to start feeling better today.

Thanks to family stories, past experiences and popular media exposure, it's been hammered into us that arguing in a family should not happen; that arguments are bad and shouldn't be present in a happy, healthy family. Nobody likes listening to their parents or siblings argue. However, arguments also get points across when we feel we can't get them across any other way. Today Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler is joined by Lynda Cormier, a personal development speaker and coach, to help us understand arguing, its place in familial relationships, and how we can make it productive instead of hurtful.  Our Guest: Lynda Cormier Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 190 Our Sponsor:  Sandy Fowler: Are you stressed but don't have time to deal with it? I get it. Grab my complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to start feeling better today.

We think teaching our kids about sex is all about The Talk. Actually it starts with how we behave, what they learn from friendships and sibling relationships and more. Jennifer Litner joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to discuss sex-positive parenting. Jennifer shows us how everyday actions and interactions in many areas of our lives impact our teens and twenty somethings. Find out what you need to know about communication, boundaries, media, values and more as they play into your child's views on sex and sexuality. Our Guest: Jennifer Litner Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 189 Our Sponsor:  Sandy Fowler: Are you stressed but don't have time to deal with it? I get it. Grab my complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to start feeling better today.

Our kids are often unfocused, stressed, things just aren't sticking in their brains, or they have trouble balancing school, home and other activities. It's easy to fall back on thinking they don't care, they're being lazy or they're unorganized. But what if they aren't? What if they just need to understand how their brain works and how to get it to do what they want to do? That's what Malin Gutestam discusses with Mighty Parenting Podcast host Sandy Fowler. She cracks the code on the teenage brain and shows us tips, tricks, and ways to help our teens do better all day long. Our Guest: Malin Gutestam Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 188 Our Sponsor:  Sandy Fowler: Are you stressed but don't have time to deal with it? I get it. Grab my complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to start feeling better today.

The pandemic has affected our society across the globe, from economics, to travel, to social behavior and interaction--we can all see and feel the differences from now to back in 2018. Most notably, we are seeing a rise in mental health issues and their physical and emotional repercussions, especially in our teenagers. Psychologist Dr. Melanie McNally joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to help parents figure out how the pandemic is affecting our teens, what the warning signs are, and gives us steps and tools to help them support and manage their mental and emotional health. Our Guest: Melanie McNally Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 187 Our Sponsors:  Motherhood: The 3rd Chapter – How to transition into your 50's and beyond with joy, confidence and vitality This is a series created by Tania Carcenac which shares the collective wisdom of a group of women to help all moms transition into the 3rd chapter of motherhood and life. Sandy is a guest speaker in this series. You can gain free access by visiting https://sandyfowler.com/series Omio, a travel booking company that covers planes, trains, and buses. Use the code LISTENER5 to get 5% off through July 31st at https://omio.sjv.io/c/2544961/1078765/7385 

Self-confidence is an important core support and driving force behind our teens' ability to move forward in building their lives; however, it's too easy for our kids to focus on their failures, to be afraid to try, to compare themselves to others and feel like they'll never measure up. Shari Medini, author and co-owner of AdoreThemParenting.com, joins Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler to discuss our teens' lack of self-esteem, how that impacts their behavior and relationships, and four healthy ways to build confidence in your teen. Our Guest: Shari Medini Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 186 Our Sponsors:  Sandy Fowler: Are you stressed but don't have time to deal with it? I get it. Grab my complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to start feeling better today. Omio, a travel booking company that covers planes, trains, and buses. Use the code LISTENER5 to get 5% off through July 31st at https://omio.sjv.io/c/2544961/1078765/7385 

The teen years can be challenging for both teens and parents. Letting our kids make more choices, do more on their own, and follow the beat of their internal drummer can be scary. And feeling them pull away to spend more time with their friends can be painful. But our teens do still need us. They need to feel loved and supported to help them through the ups and downs of these years. And connecting with your teenager is key. Courtney Conley joins Mighty Parenting Podcast host Sandy Fowler to share insights, tips, and strategies for connecting with your teenager. Our Guest: Courtney Conley  Detailed Show Notes and Support at MightyParenting.com episode 185 Our Sponsors:  Inward Bound Mindfulness Education — Mindfulness courses and retreats for teens and adults, online and in-person. Visit iBme.com to learn more and register for programs, including in-person and online summer retreats. Sandy Fowler: Are you stressed but don't have time to deal with it? I get it. Grab my complimentary lesson at http://sandyfowler.com/notime to find out how to start feeling better today. Omio, a travel booking company that covers planes, trains, and buses. Use the code LISTENER5 to get 5% off through July 31st at https://omio.sjv.io/c/2544961/1078765/7385