Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam

Raising Teens in a Hypercompetitive Culture with Cindy Muchnick

If you want your teen to thrive within our current hypercompetitive culture and uncertain landscape, this episode is for you.   
In this episode  I’m joined by Cindy Muchnick, Educational Consultant and author of The Parent Compass: Navigating Your Teen's Wellness and Academic Journey in Today's Competitive World, which Katie Couric selected as one of the top 11 fall parenting reads. 
Cindy shows us how we can best support our teens without having to frantically tutor, manage, and helicopter them.  
7 points to the Parent Compass
Intact relationships
Living a life with purpose
Being confident and secure in one's capabilities
Attending a "right fit" college
Having a zest for exploration and developing insatiable curiosity
Being able to self-advocate
Embracing new challenges and the mistakes/failures/faltering that come along the way.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Buy the Parent Compass on Amazon
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens
 
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others would appreciate the guidance and encouragement, please take a quick moment to rate and review. Reviews from my listeners are extremely valuable and greatly appreciated. Review on iTunes.
 
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9 Tips to Improve Teen Mental Health with Jamie Edelbrock

This is my 3rd anniversary episode with Jamie Edelbrock. Jamie was my very first podcast guest back in 2019. Pre-Pandemic! We were both just starting a new chapter in our life story and scared! 
Since then, Jamie has become a prolific advocate for children's mental health. She’s published two award-winning children’s books: Tangled Up and Be the Sparkle, which shine a positive, hopeful light on mental health and therapy. She’s also raising 3 teen girls of her own.
Jamie and I talk about what she’s been up to, lessons learned, and 9 powerful ways parents can Be the Sparkle for their teenagers.
Be calm
Believe them 
Ask if and how you can help them 
Leave them alone if they want to be left alone 
Do not take their words personally 
Validate their feelings 
Have patience 
Listen to connect with them 
Talk to a professional if needed 
 
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Buy Tangled Up
Buy Be the Sparkle
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens
 
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others would appreciate the guidance and encouragement, please take a quick moment to rate and review. Reviews from my listeners are extremely valuable and greatly appreciated. Review on iTunes.
 
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Prepping Teens for the Future with Michael Trezza

If you want to prepare your teen to be successful in their careers or whatever they decide to do in the future, this episode is for you. 
In this episode I’m joined by Michael Trezza, the Founder and CEO of Giant Leaps Learning, an online after-school enrichment program. Michael and his team help kids master the skills they’ll need become great leaders not just in the future, but right now.  
Michael talks to us about the foundational routines and behaviors he believes are essential for setting our teens up to thrive.
 
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Learn more about Gian Leaps Learning
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens
 
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others would appreciate the guidance and encouragement, please take a quick moment to rate and review. Reviews from my listeners are extremely valuable and greatly appreciated. Review on iTunes.
 
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Managing Teen Emotions with Gina Nelson

Do your teen’s erratic mood swings and emotional outbursts make you feel like you’re on a never-ending rollercoaster ride? Then this episode is for you.
The challenge of dealing with teen emotions is difficult for parents and teens alike. Parents feel like they’re walking on eggshells unsure of what will set their teen off or what to do about it when they do. Teen’s feel overwhelmed by growing demands around school, grades, performance, and behavior and the expectation that they should be able to handle it all and still be pleasant to be around. Although it may seem like a lose-lose situation at times, there are things we can do to change the dynamic.
In this episode, I’m joined by Gina Nelson a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the creator of the 10-step method to Combating Teen Anxiety.  
Gina teaches us how to help our teens manage their big emotions and have conversations about tough topics in a way that makes them feel safe and calm.
 
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Combating Teen Anxiety free mini course
Combating Teen Anxiety Teen-Parent Journal on pre-order at Amazon 
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens
 
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others would appreciate the guidance and encouragement, please take a quick moment to rate and review. Reviews from my listeners are extremely valuable and greatly appreciated. Review on iTunes.
 
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Google, Spotify. You can also subscribe from the podcast app on your mobile device or listen LIVE in my Private Facebook Group.

Helping Teenagers’ Tame Anxiety with Dr. Loretta Breuning

Are you baffled about why your teen is so anxious? Do you want to know how to help them? If so, this episode is for you.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 32% of teens suffered from an anxiety disorder in the last year compared to just 19% of adults, and the numbers keep growing. 
What’s going on?!
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Loretta Breuning, author of many personal development books, including Habits of a Happy Brain: Retrain Your Brain to Boost Your Serotonin, Dopamine, Oxytocin and Endorphin Levels. She is also the Founder of the Inner Mammal Institute which helps thousands of people make peace with their inner mammal.
Dr. Breuning teaches us how anxiety shows up in the brain and how we can use that information to help our teens (and ourselves) manage anxiety more effectively.
 
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Books by Dr. Loretta BreuningHabits of a Happy Brain: Retrain Your Brain to Boost Your Serotonin, Dopamine, Oxytocin, and Endorphin Levels
Status Games
Tame Your Anxiety: Rewiring Your Brain for Happiness
The Science of Positivity
Inner Mammal Institute Video Series
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens
 
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others would appreciate the guidance and encouragement, please take a quick moment to rate and review. Reviews from my listeners are extremely valuable and greatly appreciated. Review on iTunes.
 
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Google, Spotify. You can also subscribe from the podcast app on your mobile device or listen LIVE in my Private Facebook Group.

Building Up Your Teen’s Self-Confidence with Kate Lund

If your teenager has low self-confidence or is anxious about being picked on, this episode is for you.
7 in 10 girls believe that they are not good enough or don’t measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school, and friendships.  Boys struggle with self-esteem almost as much. When teens feel bad about themselves, they may try to avoid normal daily activities like going to school, or often engage in unhealthy activities like cutting, bullying, disordered eating, and even losing themselves in video games. 
What can we do?
In this episode, I’m joined by Clinical Psychologist, Kate Lund, who has worked with major hospitals, schools, and hundreds of parents. Her international bestselling book Bounce is the ultimate guide to helping children build resilience and thrive in all areas of life.  
 
Kate and I discuss:
How to help your teens build resilience
Common mistakes parents make trying to build their teen’s confidence
The #1 thing parents can do to build their child’s self-esteem
 
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Kate Lund’s Website
Bounce Help Your Child Build Resilience and Thrive in School, Sports and Life
The Seven Pillars of a Resilient Child parenting course
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens
 
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others would appreciate the guidance and encouragement, please take a quick moment to rate and review. Reviews from my listeners are extremely valuable and greatly appreciated. Review on iTunes.
 
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Google, Spotify. You can also subscribe from the podcast app on your mobile device or listen LIVE in my Private Facebook Group.

Teenagers and Sexting with Christy Keating

If you’re worried your teen may be sending or receiving inappropriate snapchats, texts, and DMs, this episode is for you.
According to the CDC sexting can damage a teen’s self-image, is linked to cyberbullying, increases rates of depression and other mental health issues, and may even result in felony charges.
Yet, this activity has become somewhat normalized even expected among teens. Nearly 15% have sent an explicit or suggestive image or message, and one out of four teens have received one. 
In this episode, I’m joined by Christy Keating, founder and CEO of The Heartful Parent, to discuss how to talk to our teens about consent, and what to do if we discover they’ve been sexting. 
 
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
The Heartful Parent website
Parenting Outside the B.O.C.S. tip sheet
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens
 
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others would appreciate the guidance and encouragement, please take a quick moment to rate and review. Reviews from my listeners are extremely valuable and greatly appreciated. Review on iTunes.
 
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Google, Spotify. You can also subscribe from the podcast app on your mobile device or listen LIVE in my Private Facebook Group.

Helping Teens Develop a Positive Body Image with Pam Luk

If you have a plus-sized teen struggling with their body image or not feeling accepted, this episode is for you.
Thanks to media, advertisers, and the ever-growing weight-loss industry, we live in a society that believes the thinner the better. This has led to an increase in eating disorders for both women and men, which has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
To counter this dangerous trend, many are trying to reignite the body positive movement that was first launched in the 60’s. The goal is to shift the focus from thin as the image of “health” to the acceptance and celebration of all sizes and weights. But we still have a long way to go!
In this episode I’m joined by Pam Luk, the founder of Ember & Ace, an athletic wear brand exclusively for plus size kids (PSKs).  Pam and I discuss:
The impact of today’s thin culture on our kids
How to help children of all shapes and sizes develop a positive body image
How to support and advocate for our children
 
Thanks for Listening!
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Teen Drug Use and Addiction with KL Wells

If you know or suspect your teen is using drugs or want to prevent them, this episode is for you.
More than half of teens surveyed said they have experimented with substances such as alcohol, marijuana, vaping, and prescription drugs. Some are able to stop easily, some are not, some have no interest in even trying. 
In this episode I’m joined by KL Wells, the Founder of Voices InCourage, to help parents navigate teen drug use and addiction.
In this episode we cover:
What parents can do if they suspect or know their child is using.
How to protect your teen from addiction.
 
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Voices InCourage website 
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens
 
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.
 
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Teenage Suicide & Depression with Elliot Kallen

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently declared adolescent mental health a national emergency, as rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal thoughts continue to skyrocket. The pandemic brought this serious issue to the forefront, but this uptick started years before COVID arrived on the scene.  
Sadly, and too often, the parents of these teens are the last to learn about their child's mental health struggles—and often too late to take action.
In this episode, I’m joined by Elliot Kallen, the Co-Founder and President of A Brighter Day, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing suicide by helping teens manage their depression and stress. Elliot is going to teach us what warning signs to look for and what we can do to protect our teens from the number one preventable cause of death.
 
Key Takeaways
Warning signs: drastic change in behavior patterns (sleep habits, eating, socializing) 
Redefine what failure means to remove implicit stress
What we want for our child may not align with who they are and what they need.
What parents can do: Listen!
Cell phones create a highlight reel of everyone else’s life. Makes it seem like everyone else has a better life than they do. They feel like a victim
Make dinner a cell phone free environment - for EVERYONE -- and talk.
Ask questions: What are their favorite classes and why? Favorite activity and why?
To make room for all the things we pack into our child’s life to ensure they succeed is often at the expense of the most important thing - time to build a connection with us.
You can’t depend on the schools to care for your child’s mental health. They don’t have the training or the bandwidth. You need to take it into your own hands.
 
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Text "BRIGHTER" to 741741 for 24/7 mental health support
Parent Survival Toolkit and a Teen Survival Toolkit
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens
 
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.
 
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