Our 12 Most Popular Podcasts of 2018

The Healthy Family Connections podcast addresses topics that many families encounter. I discuss out of the box solutions for your family to find success. I've rounded up our most popular podcasts of this year so far to give you a one-stop shop to finding answers to questions you likely have for your family.

1. My Husband Undermines My Parenting

Parents sometimes have different ideas on how rules should be enforced with their teenagers. It often happens that one parent is stricter in wanting to set limits and the other parent takes a more lenient approach. In this podcast, I answer a question from Toni who is battling with her husband on how to enforce limits with their teenagers. She feels dis-empowered and is tired of giving in.

2. Am I Helping or Enabling my Young Adult Child?

There are many parents with young adult children that wonder if the support they are providing for their child is preventing them from reaching their full potential. Rachel is one parent that is struggling with getting her 19 year-old son to transition into adulthood.

3. The 3 Stage Journey from Childhood to Adulthood

As parents, we can have a strong influence on our adolescents’ development so that when they reach adulthood, they’re ready to take full responsibility for their own success and happiness. In this podcast, I discuss the 3 different stages of adolescence. Each stage has its own developmental tasks and our kids will do best if we understand these stages and parent in a way that supports these developmental tasks.

4. Is My Son Addicted to Video Games?

Video games might seem like a great way for kids to be social, but there comes a time where too much play can be addictive & interfere with life. I answer a question from a mom that's concerned her son is bordering on the side of addiction and wants to know what she can do to get him over it.

5. I’m Terrified That My Son Is Losing His Way

What do you do if your model student suddenly quits doing their work and takes up rebellious activities? Lisa, the mother of a 15 year old teen, recently found out that her son has taken an interest in marijuana. Her son is a gifted student but has let his studies fall to the wayside. Despite her best efforts to resolve the behavior, she finds herself in a never-ending control battle with her son.

6. My Teen Daughter Says She Hates Me

Does your teen become emotional and/or upset when things don't go her way? It seems that no matter what efforts you put in, nothing helps. Maybe she even takes her anger out on you, and say things like, “I hate you”. The behavior isn't normal. But there is something that can be done to change it.

7. Why Doesn’t My Brilliant Son Care?

Many students who are highly gifted don't feel challenged in academics. This can sometimes result in a control battle between parents and teens. Ann has a son who has a very lackadaisical attitude toward his studies and his future. She's been stuck in a control battle for quite some time and is at her wits end.

8. Should I Push My Anxious and Fragile Son To Try Harder?

Do you have a teenager in therapy but aren't seeing them make much progress or effective changes? Anna has a son that suffers from anxiety. Despite attending some form of therapy, she isn't seeing a positive change in his behavior. She wonders if she might need to start pushing him just a bit harder to work on himself.

9. My Teen Daughter Doesn’t like to Socialize

Do you have a teenager that doesn't seem too interested in social activities or her future? Maybe you wonder if she lacks passion. This mom has a daughter who doesn't have clear goals for her future or sees any importance in participating in social or extracurricular activities. She doesn't seem to like challenging herself. What's a parent to do when their child, although doing seemingly well in school and sports, doesn't want to put in any extra effort to be social?

10. Time to Switch from Consequences to Privileges

Are you in a pattern of giving your child or teenager consequences, only to have them do the same behavior again? It can be frustrating. And, you're likely receiving some resistance from your teenager. It may be time to switch to a new paradigm.

11. How To Achieve Emotional Intimacy by Meeting Emotional Needs

If you've been listening to my podcast and reading my blogs, you've probably heard me talk about emotional needs. I answer a question from a parent of two teenagers, Annie, who is struggling to connect with them. Annie wonders if the root cause is because the emotional needs of her family are not being met.

12. My Failure to Launch Son

There are lots of parents these days who are struggling with how to get their young adult children to move forward. Julie has a 20-year-old son who simply isn't pursuing anything. Despite trying everything she can to get her son involved and motivated, nothing seems to be working.

I hope you find these podcasts beneficial. If you enjoyed these topics and are eager to be the first to know about new podcasts, visit my website and sign up for my weekly email.

If you haven’t already, grab a copy of my book, Ending the Parent-Teen Control Battle. Many readers have told me it is the least expensive and best counseling session they’ve ever had.

And if you are enjoying my podcast, please stop over to my iTunes site Healthy Family Connections. Click on ratings and reviews, and write a brief review.

Remember: take care of yourselves; you need it, you deserve it, you’re worth it.

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