Confession: I am currently climbing out of an almost three month-long deep depression that really threw me for a loop. As the clouds are finally beginning to part, and I’m feeling more myself, I’m ready to get back into creating content for this podcast and I’d like to share what depression looks like for me.

Included in this episode:

*why my two month hiatus from this podcast dragged on into 6 months

*why I've had to start talking to my son about my depression

*my analogy of living life while underwater

*how depression showed up for me this time (lack of interest, difficulty completing daily tasks, procrastination linked to mindless activities, irritability, and self-isolation)

*the lies depression told me: you are a burden and no one cares about you

*what I was still able to accomplished while in a deep depression

*some of my cognitively distorted thoughts during that time

*why I'm hiring someone to clean my house- PRONTO!

SHOWNOTES:

5 Lies Depression Tells You

Talk to me! Click here to provide feedback

Thanks for listening, Beloveds. Please take care of yourselves; if you don’t do it, who will? Keep advocating for your child. And, most importantly, stay tenacious!

PODCAST RECOMMENDATION:

The TBRI Podcast

QUICK VIDEOS TO WATCH:

Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development

BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting Strategies and Solutions by Sarah Naish

Resources on suicide prevention:

Contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

- Call or text 988
- Chat at 988lifeline.org

Connect with a trained crisis cou...

Confession: It is sometimes hard for me to allow Lane to express himself through his appearance, whether it’s coloring his hair, wearing goofy earrings, or sagging his pants. However, I realize if I stifle this important teen outlet of creativity, the risk of rebelling increases exponentially. I have no research or data to back this up. It’s just my opinion.

Included in this episode:

*summer activities for a 15 year old

*executive functioning skills class for teens

*his first day camp experience at 2 and 1/2 and what I realized

*Lane's questionable attire on day one of this week's day camp

*I love boobies! belt

*his love for wearing fancy clothes when he was little

*our car's google tells us a joke and sings to us every day

*Tesla's on the road- blegh!

SHOW NOTES:

Keep A Breast Foundation

Example of a rockabilly kids’ shirt

Example of a guayabera

Talk to me! Click here to provide feedback

Thanks for listening, Beloveds. Please take care of yourselves; if you don’t do it, who will? Keep advocating for your child. And, most importantly, stay tenacious!

PODCAST RECOMMENDATION:

The TBRI Podcast

QUICK VIDEOS TO WATCH:

Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development

BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting Strategies and Solutions by Sarah Naish

Resources on suicide prevention:

Contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

- Call or text 988
- Chat at 988lifeline.org

Connect with a trained crisis cou...

Confession: I secretly judge parents and caregivers who do not expect their child or teen to help out around the house with regular chores. I don’t know how many of them are out there, but I certainly know a few personally. I don’t typically judge others, however, I’m gonna get on my soapbox about this one.

Also included in this episode:

*my shift in perspective from the dreaded teen years to parenting a teen is fun!

*Lane's spot on application of a classic quote from the movie Elf

*Lane's household chores over the years

*allowance for chores?

*how I have motivated him through the years to help out around the house

*why chores are a good thing for kids and teens and why I'm secretly judging those who have no expectation for their children

*two things I said (and sang) to put a stop to whining, complaining, and begging when he was younger

SHOWNOTES:

Chores and Children

Love and Logic

Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain by Daniel J Siegel

Talk to me! Click here to provide feedback

Thanks for listening, Beloveds. Please take care of yourselves; if you don’t do it, who will? Keep advocating for your child. And, most importantly, stay tenacious!

PODCAST RECOMMENDATION:

The TBRI Podcast

QUICK VIDEOS TO WATCH:

Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development

BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting Strategies and Solutions by Sarah Naish

Resources on suicide prevention:

Contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

- Call or text 988
- Chat at 988lifeline.org

Connect with a trained crisis cou...

Confession: I recently learned in a family therapy session that one cannot be angry and twerk at the same time. Fun fact!

Also included in this episode:

*more valuable content from Daniel Siegel's book Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain

*the handy model of the brain

*why the ages of 12-24 are the most dangerous of our lives

*the importance of keeping open lines of communication with your teen and how to work toward it

*how Siegel recommends healing from a disorganized attachment model

*why Lane and I love the movie Instant Family

*another funny Lane story

SHOW NOTES:

Dr. Dan Siegel’s Hand Model of the Brain

Instant Family Trailer

Talk to me! Click here to provide feedback

Thanks for listening, Beloveds. Please take care of yourselves; if you don’t do it, who will? Keep advocating for your child. And, most importantly, stay tenacious!

PODCAST RECOMMENDATION:

The TBRI Podcast

QUICK VIDEOS TO WATCH:

Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development

BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting Strategies and Solutions by Sarah Naish

Resources on suicide prevention:

Contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

- Call or text 988
- Chat at 988lifeline.org

Connect with a trained crisis cou...

Confession: I have started referring to myself as Lane’s bumpers on a bowling lane. I can guide and provide for him, keeping him out of the gutters in adolescence, while at the same time understanding he has free will. I need to trust in his ability to make good choices in the teen years. Lane needs to trust that I will be there for him, even when he doesn’t.

Also included in this episode:

*the sad reality of school lockdown drills

*school tours and how Lane chose his new school for 10th grade

*more about Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain by Daniel J. Siegel

*the importance of keeping the lines of communication open between you and your teen

*examples of showing no emotional reaction when my then-stepsons and Lane shared surprising things

*why I try to ask, "Do you want to be heard, hugged, or helped?" when Lane discloses things

*how I worked with Lane to understand why he was ditching school in 8th grade and what finally cured him of the bad habit

SHOW NOTES:

Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain by Daniel J Siegel

Talk to me! Click here to provide feedback

Thanks for listening, Beloveds. Please take care of yourselves; if you don’t do it, who will? Keep advocating for your child. And, most importantly, stay tenacious!

PODCAST RECOMMENDATION:

The TBRI Podcast

QUICK VIDEOS TO WATCH:

Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development

BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting Strategies and Solutions by Sarah Naish

Resources on suicide prevention:

Contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

- Call or text 988
- Chat at 988lifeline.org

Connect with a trained crisis cou...

Confession: I used to think that the teenage years were something I had to suffer through before Lane grew up to be an adult. But I just found a book that changed all that. I now understand the massive changes the teen brain is undergoing and I look forward to helping Lane harness the power of his powerful new brain so he can thrive in his adolescence.

Included in this episode:

*my Mother's Day surprise!

*Overview of the book Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain by Daniel J Siegel

*two common symptoms questionnaires administered for mental health services

*funny Lane stories involving our favorite movie Nacho Libre

SHOW NOTES:

Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain by Daniel J Siegel

Talk to me! Click here to provide feedback

Thanks for listening, Beloveds. Please take care of yourselves; if you don’t do it, who will? Keep advocating for your child. And, most importantly, stay tenacious!

PODCAST RECOMMENDATION:

The TBRI Podcast

QUICK VIDEOS TO WATCH:

Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development

BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting Strategies and Solutions by Sarah Naish

Resources on suicide prevention:

Contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

- Call or text 988
- Chat at 988lifeline.org

Connect with a trained crisis cou...

Confession: I have to let go of what I thought high school would be like for Lane and accept the fact that he needs more specialized and individualized attention that simply is not available in a traditional high school. Luckily, there are lots of options out there for kids like mine. The trick is figuring out which one will be the best for Lane.

SHOWNOTES:

What We Carry: A Memoir By Maya Shanbhag Lang

The Sixteenth of June By Maya Shanbhag Lang

Talk to me! Click here to provide feedback

Thanks for listening, Beloveds. Please take care of yourselves; if you don’t do it, who will? Keep advocating for your child. And, most importantly, stay tenacious!

PODCAST RECOMMENDATION:

The TBRI Podcast

QUICK VIDEOS TO WATCH:

Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development

BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting Strategies and Solutions by Sarah Naish

Resources on suicide prevention:

Contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

- Call or text 988
- Chat at 988lifeline.org

Connect with a trained crisis cou...

Confession: My best friend of over 30 years ghosted me two years ago. Believe it or not, she shut me out of her life not once, not twice, but a total of three times over the course of our friendship.

Also included:

*how and when we met

*how we stayed close, despite the 1000s of miles between us

*our roadtrip to attend the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta

*a helpful article that helped me understand

*details about the first two times she dumped me

*my reflection on why I kept letting her back in, but this time I won't

SHOW NOTES:

My BFF Ghosted Me When I Needed Her Most By Aileen Weintraub

Talk to me! Click here to provide feedback

Thanks for listening, Beloveds. Please take care of yourselves; if you don’t do it, who will? Keep advocating for your child. And, most importantly, stay tenacious!

PODCAST RECOMMENDATION:

The TBRI Podcast

QUICK VIDEOS TO WATCH:

Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development

BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting Strategies and Solutions by Sarah Naish

Resources on suicide prevention:

Contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

- Call or text 988
- Chat at 988lifeline.org

Connect with a trained crisis cou...