Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam

How to Get Teen Sleep on Track with Dr. Cara Ooi

Episode Summary
In this episode, I’m joined by sleep physician and youth psychiatrist Dr. Cara Ooi. Dr. Ooi is going to clue us in to why the teen years are a perfect storm for insomnia, the most common mistakes parents make when trying to get their teen’s sleep back on track and the three things we can do instead.  
 
Key Takeaways
The teen years create the perfect storm for insomnia. There is a natural delay in their body clock, which makes it difficult for them to fall asleep; they aren’t coping well with stress, which makes it challenging to unwind at night; they spend a lot of time hanging out on their beds, which creates an association with an awake alert state.
Common mistake #1: Insisting teens get to bed too early. Their bodies aren't ready for sleep until 12 or one. If their bedtime is before that, they end up spending 2-3 hours in bed not sleeping. This can snowball into more anxiety and frustration and strengthens a negative association with their bed, which makes it even more difficult to sleep. 
Common mistake #2: Don’t start by taking screens away. This creates conflict right before bed, which disrupts sleep more than the screens do. It also erodes connection, which means they’ll dig their heels in more.
Common mistake #3: Trying to convince them by telling them the benefits of sleep. This tends to be counterproductive
Tips to reset your teen’s sleep:
Delay their bedtime to better match up with when they are actually sleepy, to retrain their association with their bed to being in calm, sleepy state and good sleep.
Create a cozy nook. A place that is separate from their bed but provides the same comfort and privacy. This can be a fun project to do together. 
Create a sleep kit to put next to their bed so they don’t default to staring at their phone if they wake up. Can include notebook and pen, book or magazine, coloring book.
Minimize the amount of light in the room as much as possible. The darker the better.
Meet your teen where they’re at. Find a reason to get better sleep that is important to them. For example, if they love video games, better sleep can improve their reaction time.  
If you want to reset their sleep schedule, make small incremental changes to give their body the opportunity to adjust.
 
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Learn more about Dr. Ooi on her website and snag her free resources: The Parent’s Jumpstart Guide to Help Your Teen Sleep Better and I'm Exhausted but I Can't Sleep Webinar
Tune into her podcast series: Find the Eight
You can also connect with Dr. Ooi on Instagram + Tik Tok @decodeinsomnia
I’d love to hear from you too! Send me a message on Facebook or Instagram.
 
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it with a friend.
 
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast right here on YouTube!

Tackling Teen Behavior Problems with Kimball Lewis

Disrespect, backtalk, and lying are just a few of the problematic teen behaviors many parents are trying to deal with. What do you do when you’ve tried everything, and nothing seems to work? That’s what we’re going to tackle in today’s episode.
I’m joined by Kimball Lewis, the CEO of EmpoweringParents.com (@ParentingAdvice). In addition to his leadership and management roles, he contributes as an editor, a homeschooling expert, and a parent coach. Kimball is frequently interviewed by CBS News in Tampa Bay, Florida, for his expert parenting adviceFREE STUFF!
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens: www.askdrcam.com/parentingtips
Coupon code CAM10 good for $10 off the first month's subscription of The Total Transformation Online Package.
 
If you found this episode valuable, please take a quick moment to comment and share. This helps other parents like you find the show. Thank you!!

How to Have a Happy Divorce with Nikki & Ben

Navigating divorce and stepparenting is challenging for everyone involved, but statistics show it’s particularly difficult for teen-aged children. Fortunately, there are things we can do to ease the transition and even thrive.
Today I’m joined by authors of @ourhappydivorce Nikki DeBartolo and Ben Heldfond. Although their marriage has been over for nearly a decade, Nikki and Ben have learned how to create a happy life with each other and their new families. They are sharing their story in hopes of empowering and inspiring people to think differently about divorce, co-parenting, step-parenting, and what it means to put kids first. FREE STUFF!
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens: www.askdrcam.com/parentingtips
If you found this episode valuable, please take a quick moment to comment and share. This helps other parents like you find the show. Thank you!!

Breaking Free from Social Anxiety with Mark Metry

Is your teen’s fear of being around a lot of people, getting called on in class, or having to talk to someone new making it feel impossible to go to school or out in public? Are you worried that they are becoming too isolated but don’t know how to help? Then this episode is for you.
I’m joined by Mark Metry, a 24-year-old mental health advocate, Forbes featured TEDx keynote speaker, host of the Social Anxiety Society podcast, and author of "Screw Being Shy.” Mark’s Kick Social Anxiety program helps people break free from anxiety by rewiring their brain, and today he’s going to give us some tips on how to best support our socially anxious teens. FREE STUFF!
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens: www.askdrcam.com/parentingtips
If you found this episode valuable, please take a quick moment to comment and share. This helps other parents like you find the show. Thank you!!

Teens, Porn, and Sexting with Sean Clifford

Did you know that almost half of our kids have been exposed to sexting by the time they were 14 and that number continues to grow? As a mom of a 15-year-old daughter that scares me.
That’s why I’ve invited Sean Clifford, CEO and Founder of Canopy to join me today. A father of 4 young children, Sean founded Canopy in 2019 to protect children from pornography and help families take advantage of what’s good about the Internet without the bad.
In this episode, Sean is teaching us how to help our teens navigate technology safely.
FREE STUFF!
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens: www.askdrcam.com/parentingtips
 
If you found this episode valuable, please take a quick moment to comment and share. This helps other parents like you find the show. Thank you!!

Teaching the Attitude of Gratitude with Chris DT Gordon

If your teen is miserable and making everyone around them miserable and you don’t know how to break them out of it, this episode is for you. Today I’m joined by Chris DT Gordon (@chrisdt.gordon.5), an international speaker, teacher, and survivor of the flesh-eating bacteria necrotizing fasciitis. After his recovery, this teacher from Minnesota chose to rise above his circumstances to help others. He created The Attitude of Gratitude (TAG), which helps people overcome their own “personal bacteria,” increase their positivity and resilience, and improve the lives of those around them. Chris strives to share TAG with young adults all over the world so they can achieve greatness on their own terms. FREE STUFF!
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens: www.askdrcam.com/parentingtips
 
If you found this episode valuable, please take a quick moment to comment and share. This helps other parents like you find the show. Thank you!!

Supporting Overachieving, Perfectionist Teens with Donovan Dreyer

If you have an overachieving, stressed out teen who is crumbling under the weight of their own high expectations and self-inflicted pressure, this episode is for you.
Today I’m joined by Teen Takeoff Coach Donovan Dreyer, who specializes in preparing highly driven teens to accomplish their lofty life goals. Through his organization Get Ready Coaching, Donovan helps overachieving students get clarity on what they truly want and minimize their constant need to be perfect at EVERYTHING.
FREE STUFF!
Talking to teens about their lofty goals: https://www.getreadycoaching.com
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens: www.askdrcam.com/parentingtips
If you found this episode valuable, please take a quick moment to comment and share. This helps other parents like you find the show. Thank you!!

The Antidote to Teen Anxiety with Dana Baker-Williams

I’ve been inviting several experts on recently to talk about Teen Anxiety. It’s something I see a lot in my practice, and the statistics support the growing problem. According to Pew Research three-in-ten teens say they feel tense or nervous about their day every or almost every day. Seven-in-ten say anxiety and depression is a major problem among people their age in the community where they live. And the #1 cause of teen anxiety according to teens is pressure to get good grades.
Today I’m joined by Parent and Teen Coach, Dana Baker-Williams. Dana specializes in ADHD and Anxiety, which are often linked.
Today Dana is going to provide us with some tips for helping us help our teens manage their stress and some strategies for fostering self-confidence and independence - the antidotes of anxiety.FREE STUFF!
Mental Health Resources for Teens & Their Families: https://drcam.ck.page/mental-health-resources
8 Coping Skills to Mitigate Anxiety: https://www.parentinginreallife.org/anxiety
 
If you found this episode valuable, please take a quick moment to comment and share. This helps other parents like you find the show. Thank you!!

Preventing Teen Dating Violence with Nenia Corcoran

Did you know that one out of three kids between the ages of 13 and 18 will find themselves in an abusive relationship this year? That statistic is terrifying to us parents, which is why I’ve invited Nenia Corcoran (@neniacorcoranauthor) to teach us what we need to know about Teen Dating Violence. Nenia combines her own experiences as a sexual assault survivor with her decade of training as a police officer to empower and educate young adults on toxic relationships, dating violence and consent. She also writes young adult fiction novels focused on raising awareness surrounding difficult topics teens often struggle to deal with. Today Nenia is going to provide us some tips and insight to help us protect our teens from dating violence and empower them to recognize abusive relationships and break free. FREE STUFF!
Mental Health Resources for Teens & Their Families: https://drcam.ck.page/mental-health-resources
If you found this episode valuable, please take a quick moment to comment and share. This helps other parents like you find the show. Thank you!!

How to keep our perfectionist teens free from the “Stay Busy” trap with Oie Dobier

If your teen is stressed out trying to do it all but struggling to stay focused and motivated, this episode is for you. I’m joined by Oie Dobier, the founder of Project Who Am I (@projWhoAmI), is a mom of 2 teenagers and a nature loving, bubble tea fanatic. Her mission in life is to help people pay attention to their true self so they can intentionally fill their day with things that leverage their natural talents AND things that align to what’s important to their life.In this episode, Oie tells us how to prevent our perfectionist teens from falling into the “Stay Busy” trap and help them find their true passion, purpose, and focus.
FREE STUFF!
From Oie: Downloadable Career Ideas Guide: www.projectwhoami.com/career
From Dr. Cam. 10 Secrets to Raising Teens: https://www.askdrcam.com/parentingtips
If you found this episode valuable, please take a quick moment to comment and share. This helps other parents like you find the show. Thank you!!