This episode is all about the challenge of raising teenagers in today’s world. But it’s not all doom and gloom, I promise! I’m especially excited about this interview, because my guest, Dr. Christine Carter, believes raising teens today need not be something for parents to simply endure, but that it can actually be enjoyable and fun.
Christine is a sociologist, speaker, coach, and author of the brand new book, The New Adolescence: Raising Happy and Successful Teens in an Age of Anxiety and Distraction, a book which I found incredibly helpful by the way, and what I loved about this book and about the work Christine is doing is that she’s helping parents like us better understand our role during the teen years so we can truly show up in the way that our kids need us to—so we can all be happier, parents and teens alike. This is an uplifting conversation with a lot of concrete strategies and examples, and though Christine’s book is aimed at parents of teens, so much of what we talk about is applicable to parents with kids of any age and can help all parents feel better prepared for and more optimistic about those daunting adolescent years.
About Dr. Carter: Christine Carter, Ph.D., is an author, speaker, and coach. Her books include The New Adolescence: Raising Happy and Successful Teens in an Age of Anxiety and Distraction (2020), The Sweet Spot: How to Accomplish More by Doing Less (2017) and Raising Happiness: 10 Simple Steps for More Joyful Kids and Happier Parents (2011). A sociologist and senior fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, Carter draws on the latest scientific research in psychology, sociology, and neuroscience to help her clients lead their most meaningful, joyful, and productive lives.
THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:
- Why Dr Carter believes that parenting teens can be easier and more fun than we‘ve been led to believe
- The three most important and character building skills we can teach our teens for success and happiness in the digital age
- How and why to resist the urge to overparent our teens
- How parents can support teens without nagging, especially kids with lagging executive functioning skills
- What is meant by the term scaffolding
- The important role of challenges in a teens life and how parents can help coach their child through difficulties
- What is meant by story fondling and how to handle it with teens
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
- The New Adolescence: Raising Happy and Successful Teens in an Age of Anxiety and Distraction by Christine Carter, PhD
- Raising Happiness: 10 Simple Steps for More Joyful Kids and Happier Parents by Christine Carter, PhD
- The Sweet Spot: How to Accomplish More by Doing Less by Christine Carter, PhD
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