Talking To Teens: Expert Tips for Parenting Teenagers
Kids & Family
Click for full show notes, exercises, and parenting scripts from this episode
We all remember middle school….probably not too fondly! Between the relentless social drama to the embarrassing body changes, middle school is pretty much the worst. Not only are kids today dealing with the things we dealt with, they’re also juggling the pressures of social media, an intense political climate and a terrifying pandemic as the cherry on top! Growing up through all this is no easy task, and neither is parenting our kids through it.
It’s hard enough watching teens struggle with these difficult years, but when they won’t talk to us, it can feel impossible to be a good parent. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for pubescent kids to suddenly shut parents out with no explanation. With everything going on in their lives, a lot of kids feel overwhelmed and afraid to open up, or they think it’s their job to go at it alone. How can we get through to preteens and remind them that we’re here to help them get through the perils of middle school life?
To find out, we’re talking with Judith Warner, author of And Then They Stopped Talking to Me: Making Sense of Middle School. Judith is the bestselling author of multiple parenting books as well as a senior fellow at the Center for American progress–and those are just a few of her many accolades! In her work and personal life, Judith recognized that parents of middle schoolers seemed to really be struggling, but not sharing their woes with one another out of embarrassment or fear. That’s why she’s decided to write this book: to help parents wrap their heads around this wild time, and realize they’re not alone.
In the episode, Judith and I are covering why middle school is one of the most painful periods–but also one of the most important. We’re discussing why this age is so hard on parents, and what we can do about it. Plus, we’re addressing how you can get a middle schooler to finally open up, even if they’ve been shutting you out!
Click for full show notes, exercises, and parenting scripts from this episode
Ep 234: The Emotional Lives of Teenagers
Ep 233: The Opioid Crisis: What Parents Need to Know
Ep 232: Solving Conflict and Building Connection
Ep 231: The Power of Strangers
Ep 230: Breaking Down Systemic Racism
Ep 229: The Blame Game
Ep 228: Repairing Relationships
Ep 227: Are We Too Hard on Our Kids?
Ep 226: Making Better Decisions
Ep 225: The Hidden Benefits of Joy and Fun
Ep 224: The Power of Peer Influence
Ep 223: Mastering Work/Life Balance
Ep 222: Demystifying Sex
Holiday Special 2022: The Year in Review!
Ep 221: The Forgotten Power of Friendship
Ep 220: How to Raise An Anti-Racist
Ep 219: Discipline Without Negativity
Ep 218: Planning For a Bright Future
Ep 217: Why Your Teen Thinks Differently
Ep 216: Creating a Coming-of-Age Ritual
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