Joyful Courage for Parenting Teens Casey O'Roarty

Join me today and consider how we can better be with the unfolding. So many in the Joyful Courage community are moving through big things with their adolescents right now - end of school year, transition into summer, teen risk taking, having a tough time with relationship - it is all real and relevent. AND, what if the contrast and discomfort we're feeling is an indicator that we can expand our mindset and try and see things in a new way?

For show notes and info about sponsors, go to https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-494-having-faith-when-we-feel-out-of-control/

Join the Joyful Courage for Parents of Teens FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jcforparentsofteens
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My guest today is my dear friend and the cofounder & managing director at Sproutable, Alanna Beebe! You’ll recognize Alanna from the Art of Connected Parenting series we did earlier this year.  

I’m so excited that Alanna is here to kick off Pride! Alanna is an amazing parent, and she’s here to share some of her child’s gender journey with us. Alanna’s child, was born male, transitioned to female around age 3, and more recently has transitioned to nonbinary. I have so many questions for Alanna, and although her child is still an elementary-schooler, we can still learn from so much Alanna does and how she holds space for her own child. I ask how a 3 or 4 year old knows their gender, what going through this process was like for her as a mother, and where her fears & hopes are.  

We hit on a lot this week: inclusive conversations & language, the political aspects that play in, how to best support your kiddo when unkind or unsafe things happen, how to make sure your message of love is getting through, using gender-neutral language, and how it looks differently supporting transgender teens versus transgender children. 

Takeaways from the show

Alanna shares her child’s gender journey with us

“Our kids can’t be in the world what they can’t see.” 

What age do kids start to notice and identify with a gender?  

What comes up for us as adults when we see our child(ren) questioning or transitioning their gender?  

How do we have those constant, hard conversations around gender?  

Making home a safe, loving place to come back to - as a parent, you are their safe space 

How to stop yourself from future tripping (spoiler: it comes back to teaching those life skills!) 

“All you have to do is love and accept the kid that’s in front of you.” 

Transitioning is not rebelling!   

What happens when we pushback? What happens when we give them space? 

Supporting transgender teens & adolescents (even when we’re feeling fearful & unsure)


For more details, including transcripts, visit our website here.
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Alright... We are going a bit sideways today. Or are we? Maybe we are going in the perfect direction... You'll have to let me know. I am sharing about our personal practice of dropping in with what is real and relevant for me as I work to drop into the present moment and be who I need to be for myself and others. Having a practice is what keeps me focused in on what matters most to me, it helps me to keep my inner compass pointed in the direction I live towards... We get a bit woo woo this week but I trust you to hear the takeaways you need.

Find more about the episode and sponsors at https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-492-exploring-inspiration-and-soul-care-on-the-journey-of-parenting-teens/
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My guests today are Maren Goerss and Angela Sizer - two former school teachers who both chose homeschooling for their families (and created an awesome podcast & book about it!). We get right into it today, jumping into collaborating with your teen around their learning, lasting effects to the homeschool community post-Covid, and what to do if you don’t mesh well with the homeschool community in your area. 

We hit on a lot during this episode: school refusal, “optimally” scheduled days, trusting our children to know what’s best for them, disinterested (discouraged) learners, who teens are earning their grades for, leaning into your strengths as a parent and home educator, and saying no to things that don’t matter to your family.  

We wrap up this week on homeschooling our kids with learning differences or who are neurodivergent. Check out Maren and Angela’s new book, “Think Differently about Learning,” to dig in even further to Homeschool Unrefined! 

Takeaways from the show

Collaborating with your child on their education 

Finding community for homeschooled teens 

Asking kids for their opinion 

Homeschooling shifts post-Covid

What can you do when you don’t mesh well with the homeschooling community in your area? 

“Think Differently about Learning” book 

Children deserve to be trusted & deserve authority over their choices 

What can we do with our disinterested (discouraged) teens? 

Grades - who & what are they for? 

Leaning into your strengths as a teacher 

Homeschooling kids with neurodivergence or learning differences 

Accepting our teens (and making sure they know it)


For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here.
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Drop in with me to explore what it takes to be with the ebb and flow of the season of parenting teens and tweens. It isn't for the faint of heart and it absolutely requires our development of self awareness, reflection and endurance. We have the power to shift how we are experiencing the challenges that are showing up with our young people if we are willing to go there. Listen to this episode for inspiration on the HOW.

Find show notes and info about our sponsors at: https://www.besproutable.com/podcasts/eps-490-endurance-personal-growth-and-intersecting-with-our-adolescents-experience
Join the discussion in the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jcforparentsofteens
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My guest today is Dr. Jenn Noble, and she’s here to talk about adolescent identity development and support us all in broadening our lens around the experience of mixed race kids and families.

Dr. Jenn helps parents to see who their kids really are and helps teens express who they are to their parents. We all know teen identity development is a total rollercoaster! On one hand, we know our adolescents are growing up, but we sure like to hang onto who they were as children. Their experiences and perspectives are real, but they’re often dismissed.  

As we dig into adolescent identity development, and Dr. Jenn reminds us that part of a teen’s job is to explore things, try things out, and push back with a safe place to land. I ask Dr. Jenn what parents can do to invite your teens to talk to you, how adolescents can read our agendas (even when we think we’re being open-minded!), and how this plays out differently in mixed race households.

Takeaways from the show

What should parents know about adolescent identity development? 

Broadening our lens around the experience of mixed race kids and families

Seeing your kid for who they are - how do we really get to know & see them? 

Negative stereotypes around teens 

Teens need to try & explore new things with a safe place to land 

What makes adolescents feel open to talking and sharing more with parents 

Code switching (cognitive flexibility) 

Teens are seeking groups and are very sensitive to rejection 

How can we best show up for mixed race teens? 

Authentically affirming & complimenting teens’ experiences


For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here.
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