In this solo episode, I talk about how this season, whether it’s the holidays, parenting, or midlife, comes with challenges. It’s crucial to prioritize self-care: schedule health check-ups, move your body, and eat nourishing food. Reflect on habits—are they helping or harming? Tune into your body, notice sensations, and create grounding rituals. Embrace community, therapy, or coaching for support. Life ebbs and flows, but intentional care allows you to navigate challenges better. Your well-being matters—for you and those you love. Show up fully; you’re worth it.

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My guests today are Julietta Skoog and Dr. Shefali, and we’re talking about presence and connection during the holiday season. My focus is on identifying the feelings & emotions that come up during the holidays, and I share several breathing & grounding exercises. Julietta shares how she stays connected to & involves her children during the holidays, modeling life skills, & tips around play and pre-teaching. Dr. Shefali speaks on why she doesn’t add the traditional “holiday season” to her plate and why to choose simplicity & minimalism. 

Takeaways from the show

• Presence and connection with ourselves, our kids, and other relationships this holiday season
• Identifying the feelings, emotions, & physical sensations that come up for you during the holidays 
• Identifying the qualities you want during the holidays 
• E (events & experiences) + R (responses & reactions) = O (affect the outcome) 
• Reframing the intensity of the season as opportunities to model & connect - “I have to” versus “we get to” 
• 3 P’s of the holiday season = play, practice, & pre-teaching
• Leaning on routines during the holidays 
• The good & bad of holiday traditions and creating new traditions 
• “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou 
• Holidays are optional; you have choices around what you do 
• “It’s about the moment, not about the holiday” 
• Choosing simplicity, calmness, & mindfulness over traditions & extras

For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here.

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In this episode, I address a common frustration among parents: feeling disconnected from teens who seem unwilling to engage. I guide listeners to reframe their approach, shifting from “Why won’t my teen connect?” to “What’s blocking our connection?” By owning our actions, reflecting on how we show up, and dismantling barriers, we open new possibilities for nurturing relationships. I suggest tools like vulnerability, authentic apologies, and building proximity to our teens’ lives. Letting go of hurt and resentment, while embracing personal growth, fosters patience and trust. Connection takes time, but showing up consistently with curiosity and compassion makes a difference.

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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 Description

Cathy 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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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/

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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.

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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.

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