Parenting Teens: The Hard Truth No One Tells You (And the Shift That Actually Works)

Today on the pod we welcome Dr. Daniel Amen, an expert on brain health and mental health disorders. Dr. Amen is a best-selling author, a physician, an adult and child psychiatrist, AND a brain disorder specialist, who is making it his mission to end mental illness by creating a  revolution in the way we view brain health. In this episode, Dr. Amen brings a *research-backed* approach to help you learn to be the parent you want to be and raise emotionally healthy kids who are equipped to THRIVE. Highlights include: Easy, concrete things you can start doing TODAY to ensure your child grows up with the *strongest* possible mental health Practical tools to help our kids go from defiance, meltdowns, and power struggles to being responsible, confident, kind, and emotionally resilient How we can boost OUR brains as parents and optimize our own mental health (because spoiler alert: our kids’ mental health starts with *us*) The one GAME CHANGING thing you can do daily to foster a healthy brain and better behavior for your kid The tool you can use to help make literally EVERY decision about optimizing brain health for you and your kid The 11 major risk factors every person should know about if you want to keep your brain healthy Plus, the brain science behind women feeling more guilt than men (Yep! It’s biology!) The transcript of this episode can be found here! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

27 Mar 202453min

If you’re stuck in an endless cycle of yelling, threatening, and then feeling super guilty afterwards, you’re not alone. AND, today’s episode is for *you.* By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with an *exact* roadmap on how to handle those extremely common parenting triggers (your child’s crying, mess, whining) and find the right coping tools FOR YOU. Triggers will show up in your parenting journey no matter who you are. You’re not a monster, there’s nothing wrong with you, there’s nothing wrong with your child, sometimes we all need a reset and a roadmap. This episode will empower you with all the tools (backed in neuroscience) that you need, so that your triggers are no longer in the drivers seat with the way you parent. You’ll walk away from this episode with:  An understanding of how your unique generational cycles are shaping the way you react The ability to retrain and rewire your brain’s automatic stress response 4 concrete, *specific* tools you can use TODAY to stop your stress response in its tracks - so that you no longer yell, storm off, or go into fight or flight mode with your kids Tools to work WITH your triggers instead of trying to push them down Effective, REALISTIC coping skills to ground you in stressful moments in both parenting and life in general Added bonus: everything you learn on todays episode will carry on to YOUR children -  as they watch you manage YOUR triggers, they’ll mirror stress management and emotional regulation  The transcript of this episode can be found here! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

20 Mar 202443min

We’re unpacking the very *best* and the very *worst* TV parents—from Mom Tiger to Lorelai Gilmore to Logan Roy, and everyyyyone in between. Join us, along with VP hype squad aka Kristin’s husband Tyler for an episode that is *sheer fun*, includes TONS of nostalgia, and also happens to be full of SUPER valuable nuggets of ACTUAL parenting wisdom. Highlights include: Lorelai Gilmore: national treasure OR in a super unhealthy codependent relationship with her kid?! Who is the most universally loved TV dad, and is his parenting style admirable OR just completely unattainable? Why TV moms *still* don’t get enough credit (BOO.) Insight from an actual therapist on what *exactly* makes Logan Roy one of the WORST parents in TV history Home Alone: Fun family flick or the start of years of therapy for Kevin McAllister? PLUS a super helpful listener Q-and-A where we tell you how to handle your toddler’s screaming when it feels SUPER triggering AND the EXACT, best way to get your kid to transition or leave the park when it’s time to go, including one of our favorite hacks to help you avoid a power struggle in the first place The transcript of this episode can be found here! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

13 Mar 202437min

Defiance. Pushback. Power struggles. They’re one of the hardest parts of raising kids, but we’ve got some great news for you—it *DOESN’T* have to be this way! Today on the pod we are going to teach you how to end power struggles FOR GOOD, starting NOW! Join Kristin, Deena, and their special guest, BLF’s very own VP hype squad (Kristin’s husband, Tyler), as they walk through the three simple hacks to stop power struggles in their tracks. Hit that play button ASAP because it’s going to be totally game changing and make your life as a parent *so* much easier! Highlights include: Three incredibly *SIMPLE*, *CONCRETE* steps to stop power struggles in their tracks, before they even begin Tips *backed in neuroscience* to retrain YOUR nervous system to stay steady in chaos moments and not engage in a tug-of-war with your toddler Easy tips for shifting your kid from pushback mode to collaboration mode (YES, PLEASE) EXACTLY how to react when your toddler pushes back, to end power struggles in the long-term How to lay a healthy foundation NOW so that the power struggles are totally non-existent by the time you have a big kid or teenager The *bonus* fourth hack that that will instantly change your life, your relationship with your kid, and even your relationships with other adults The transcript of this episode can be found here! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

6 Mar 202434min

Struggling with endless battles over screentime? Not sure how to navigate the whole sharing thing? Going through some serious parent burnout? Then this episode is for YOU. Back by popular demand, today’s episode answers more of YOUR burning parenting questions! If you have a toddler or preschooler in your life, trust us, you’ve had to deal with allllllll of these issues we’re getting into today. This episode is for all of us and we PROMISE that the hacks that we share will make your life a million times easier. On this episode we cover: Ending the cycle of screentime battles FOR GOOD, starting TODAY Hot tips to make the concept of sharing click for your kid The *specific techniques* to teach your toddler NOW to set them up with REAL sharing skills for their whole life Mantras to ground yourself during the most chaotic moments The parenting technique for you and your partner that will TOTALLY change your life, make you a better parent, AND prevent burnout before it starts The transcript of this episode can be found here! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

28 Feb 202431min

If you want to laugh so hard you pee your pants a little (us too) - this episode just might be our funniest yet. Kristin, Deena, and Kristin’s husband, Tyler, aka VP Hype Squad unpack the craziest, best mom trends that we’re all obsessed with. (Plot twist: Tyler is way more up on what’s *in* with millennial moms than Deena is.) Whether you’re a total trend b*tch (Kristin) or couldn't care less about following the latest craze (Deena), this episode is SO fun, will having you laughing out loud, *and* will make sure you can keep up at preschool pickup (if you’re into that kind of thing). We unpack: HOT takes from a man on mom trends from Y2K sunglasses to micro dosing on mushrooms The upcoming mom approved 2024 trends you definitely don't want to miss What trend took three months for Kristin to work up the courage to wear in public?! A spicy round of “eff, marry, kill” featuring some of our favorite husbands from across the Housewives franchise PLUS a super helpful toddler Q and A where we tell you EXACTLY how to react when your toddler says “I hate you” AND our magical, totally lifesaving ‘poop chocolates’ recipe for when your kid is constipated The transcript of the episode can be found here! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

21 Feb 202440min

We’re busting the myth that labeling feelings means you’re creating soft or weak kids. Real talk: there’s a way to *do* the whole feelings thing and there’s a way to *not* do the whole feelings kid if you’re wanting to raise strong, capable, emotionally resilient kids. If your parenting feels gentle, permissive, or like your kids are walking all over you? Then you’re doing the whole feelings thing wrong. Not to worry bestie, we are going to unpack EXACTLY how to label feelings, create lifelong emotional intelligence, all while being the strong leader that you are. Today's episode will be so empowering, you’re going to walk away with: EXACTLY what to do in the moment when your kid is having BIG feelings How feelings talk early on positively affects the brain and interpersonal relationships later on in life  Hot tips backed in neuroscience to raise a truly strong kid PLUS, bestie fan favorite VP Hype Squad, Tyler, is BACK and he’s coming in hot with how shoving down feelings has worked out for *him* and our generation of men The transcript of this episode can be found here. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

14 Feb 202441min

On today’s episode we dive into something that SO many of us agonize over once we become parents. We’re talking about optimal age gaps, how many kids is the “right” amount of kids to have, and everyyyything that goes into making those decisions. On this episode we cover: How many kids is the ideal number of kids to have? The ideal age gap: What the *actual research* says in terms of child developmental outcomes AND parental happiness How to deal when fertility struggles impacts your age gap/number of kids plans Two under two: Setting your kids up to be lifelong best friends or a recipe for TOTAL CHAOS? BUSTING the myths about only children Concrete questions to ask yourself to to figure out what is best for YOUR family The transcript of the episode can be found here! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

7 Feb 202439min