Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam

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
 
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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
 
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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
 
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Tackling “The Talk” with Your Teen with Dr. Jennifer Lincoln

If you’re uncomfortable or unsure about how to talk to your teen daughter about periods, sex, or personal hygiene this episode is for you.
Today I’m joined by Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, a board-certified OB-GYN who is passionate about helping girls, women, and those assigned female at birth understand their bodies and feel empowered to advocate for themselves. Dr. Lincoln is going to help us tackle “the talk” and other tough health conversations with our teens.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Let's Talk About Down There: An OBGYN Answers All Your Burning Questions Without Making You Feel Embarrassed for Asking
Dr. Jen’s YouTube playlist for parents
Girlology
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens
 
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The Antidote to Bullying with Deanna Singh

If your teen is a target of bullying, the instigator, or even a witness to bullying, this episode is for you.
One out of every five students report being bullied based on their physical appearance, race/ethnicity, gender, disability, religion, or sexual orientation. In other words, prejudice. The bullying behavior can range from verbal and physical assault to casual, yet hurtful comments. In all cases, it has a negative impact on the mental health of everyone involved: the bullied, the bully, and the bystander. 
We know from research that ignoring the behavior or trying to stop it, only makes it worse because it doesn’t address why the behavior exists. So, what do we do instead?
That’s what we’re going to talk about in this episode.
Today I’m joined by Deanna Singh, founder of the Flying Elephant, who is on a mission to empower marginalized communities.  
 
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Ending Child Abuse in Youth Sports with Dr. Amy Saltzman

If your teen is involved in sports, this episode is for you. We encourage our children to get involved in sports for many reasons: have fun, meet friends, get exercise, and learn valuable skills like teamwork, perseverance, and sportsmanship. Unfortunately, there is also an epidemic of abuse as well—not just at the Olympic and college level, but in our middle and high schools too.
In this episode Dr. Amy Saltzman shares tips on how to spot and stop our own children from being abused and what we can do to create a safety net of prevention, healing, and protection to end this epidemic. 
Key Takeaways
Overt emotional abuse involves yelling and screaming and is easy to detect.
Covert emotional abuse is subtle and often extremely hard to detect. Often looks like generosity at first with love bombs (special treatment, praise, gifts, and friendship). Builds trust.
 
The four primary patterns that covert emotionally abusive coaches weave together to create the web of covert emotional abuse: tangling feelings of specialness and fear, controlling the environment, isolating victims, and distorting the truth. 
If child resists going to practice, get curious. 
To keep our children safe, we must not only dismantle the spider’s web (the abuser), but also create a safety net of prevention, healing, and protection. Enacting policies that protect children on a national level is crucial to ending the epidemic of abuse and beginning cycles of healing. 
If coach is abusive, report them. May also consider pulling child from team.
 
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Dr. Saltzman’s article See It. Stop It. Heal It:  Ending Cycles of Abuse in Sports and Society
Spot a Spider videos
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens: www.askdrcam.com/parentingtips
 
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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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Teens + Gender Identification with Matthias

This week, in recognition of pride month, we’re talking about how to better understand and support our non-binary and transgender children. 
Although the LGBTQ+ community has gained more acceptance and support over the years, statistics show that most remain closeted in fear of discrimination. They are also at far more serious risk for depression, suicide, and victimization.
My goal is to answer questions, clear up misconceptions, and put some fears to rest so we can show up for our children the way they need us to.
In this episode I’m joined by my nephew, Matthias, to talk about gender identity, what it means to be non-binary, and how to best support our children as they transition. Matt is also an LGBTQ+ Tik Tok advocate at www.tiktok.com/@matthiaussy. 
 
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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Parenting a Transgender Child with Camden + David

This week, in recognition of pride month, we’re talking about how to better understand and support our non-binary and transgender children. 
Although the LGBTQ+ community has gained more acceptance and support over the years, statistics show that most remain closeted in fear of discrimination. They are also at far more serious risk for depression, suicide, and victimization.
My goal is to answer questions, clear up misconceptions, and put some fears to rest so we can show up for our children the way they need us to.
In this episode I’m joined by Camden and his dad David to talk about the transgender experience, coming out, and how to best support our LGBTQ+ children.
 
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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Online Safety for Teens with Cathy Pedrayes

If you’re worried about what your teen is doing online, concerned they’ll fall prey to predators, and can’t seem to get through to them how dangerous the internet can be, this episode is for you. I’m joined by Safety and Security Influencer Cathy Pedrayes to share tips for keeping our teens safe online. 
 
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Get Cathy’s free ebook: The Mom Friend Guide to Everyday Safety and Security
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens: www.askdrcam.com/parentingtips
 
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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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.

How to connect with teens with Elise Knox

If you’re frustrated because your teen refuses to talk to you, wants little to do with you or the rest of family, or snaps at you when you provide guidance, this episode is for you. I’m joined by former middle school teacher turned coach Elise Knox. She shares tips on how to connect with our teens with her three steps to listening without judgment. 
Key Takeaways
If we haven't healed our past traumas or relationship issues, we project that onto our kids. 
Be aware of your face, body language, and energy. They pick up on that.
If you shut them down and judge them enough times, they will stop coming to you.
CBA of listeningClarity:  What do they need from you? Advice or empathy.
Breathe: Open your body language, open your mind, and calm your nervous system, so that you can be that open space for them to come and share
Accept: Understand that they're learning how to process things in different ways.
If you’re shocked by what they say or don’t’ know what to say, ask, “tell me more.” This puts the ball back in their court and gives you time to compose yourself to process whatever they've said.
Beware of futurecasting, which is thinking if they’re doing this now, they’ll always do it. They're never going to get a job. They’re never going to talk to me again.
Parenting teens can feel isolating. See outside support and help. You’re not alone.
 
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Elise’s free communication guide: https://www.eliseknox.com/communication 
Dr. Cam’s Top 10 Secrets for Raising Teens: www.askdrcam.com/parentingtips
 
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.