Understanding the Teenage Landscape
co-founders of Raising Resilient Teens
As parents, the teenage years of your child can often seem like a daunting journey filled with emotional highs and lows, academic pressures, and the quest for identity. Erin Campbell and Megan Enge, co-founders of Raising Resilient Teens, and licensed counselors at Breathe Counseling Center, share their insights on the Chasing Brighter podcast to help parents foster stronger connections during these transformative years.
Erin and Megan discuss the push and pull inherent in raising teenagers. These years are marked by emotional turbulence, rapid development, and significant discoveries. Through their professional experience and personal journeys, they highlight the common struggles parents encounter, such as finding the right balance between family time and granting independence, and navigating the complexities of technology use among teens.
In today’s digital age, one of the biggest challenges for parents is managing their teen’s screen time and engaging with their online world. Megan emphasizes the importance of showing genuine interest in your teenager’s digital activities and establishing a balanced approach to screen use.
Addressing Academic and Social Pressures
The podcast also delves into the pressures teens face to excel academically and socially. Erin and Megan advocate for helping teens separate their self-worth from external achievements and focus on resilience and individuality. They stress the value of teaching teens to handle setbacks and failures as part of their growth process.
Fostering Resilience and Independence
Encouraging resilience and autonomy in teens is crucial for their development. Erin and Megan recommend gradually introducing responsibilities to help teens build the capacity to manage life’s challenges. This scaffolding approach helps prevent a “failure to launch” syndrome and supports teens in carving their own paths.
Strengthening Parent-Teen Connections
Erin and Megan offer a wealth of advice for nurturing healthy relationships with teenagers. The key lies in empathizing, engaging, and actively participating in your teen’s world. This stage of parenting extends beyond giving advice to truly understanding and connecting with your teen.
Conclusion: A Journey of Growth and Connection
Erin and Megan invite parents to view the teen years not just as a challenging period but as an opportunity for mutual learning, growth, and stronger bonds. Their insights shed light on the complexities of raising teenagers and the potential for deeper joy and connection in these pivotal years.
Connect with Erin & Megan in Instagram
Books Recommended on Teen Parenting:
- The Scaffold Effect: Raising Resilient, Self-Reliant, and Secure Kids in an Age of Anxiety
- Generation Sleepless: Why Tweens and Teens Aren’t Getting Enough Sleep and How We Can Help Them
Check out this Parenting Podcast: Raising Kind Humans
February Book Club Book: You Will Find Your People by Lane Moore
Check out our previous blog posts on Teens:
Teens & Sex with Dr. Laura Deitsch, MS, DHS
October Book Club: “How to Talk So Teens Will Listen and Listen So Teens Will Talk”