But if I don’t control this, something terrible will happen.” Sarah, a mother of a 14-year-old, was explaining why she checked her daughter’s phone multiple times daily, read all her texts, and required her to share all social media passwords. “I’m keeping her safe,” she insisted. Her daughter, Emma, put it differently in our private […]
Michael, a father in one of my webinars, insisted, “My son doesn’t talk to me. He never tells me anything.” When I spoke to his 16-year-old son separately, he said, “I try to tell my dad things, but he’s always on his phone, or he immediately starts giving advice I didn’t ask for, or he
Your Teen IS Talking. You’re Just Not Listening. Read More »
How to Talk About Anything with Your Teen (Yes, Even THAT) A mother named Jennifer once told me: “I know I should talk to my daughter about sex, about peer pressure, about her mental health. But every time I try, it goes sideways. So I just… don’t.” She’s not alone. Most parents avoid the conversations
The Framework for Difficult Conversations Read More »
What Your Teen Really Wants (It’s Not What You Think) I was sitting across from Marcus, a 16-year-old who’d been caught shoplifting. His parents were devastated, confused. “We give him everything,” his mother said. “What more does he want?” Marcus finally spoke, voice barely above a whisper: “I just want you to know me.” They
The Anatomy of Authentic Connection Read More »
