Learn how unchecked parental worry can sabotage connection with your kids—and how compassion, humor, and awareness can quiet the noise so you can truly see them.
Not So "Gentle" Parenting
You have probably heard a lot about “gentle parenting.” It is everywhere right now on Instagram, TikTok, and podcasts. At its heart, gentle parenting has beautiful intentions: listen to your child, validate their feelings, stay connected, and avoid the yelling and harshness many of us grew up with. I am all for that. Our kids should feel seen, heard, and respected.
How to Stay Connected to Your Tween (Even When They Pull Away)
The years fly by, and staying connected with your preteen can feel impossible. Here’s how to slow down, tune in, and build lasting trust. One moment at a time.
She needed me, but she didn’t want me.
When those words came out of my mouth, my friend stopped me. He shared the powerful sentiment and agreed that this phrase pretty much summed up his last five years parenting his now 21-year-old.
Conflict: Creating Internal Chaos
Fighting can create a whole lot of internal chaos.
Of course it can. Aside from the most obvious frustrations of not feeling heard, respected, or understood, it can go even deeper than that. Fighting can cause major catastrophic thinking; taking us down a road of speculating future worst-case scenarios. It can make us feel unsafe or untrusting.
So Your Teen Messed Up… Now What?
Your teen made a mistake—now what? Before you panic or punish, here’s how to respond with calm, connection, and curiosity (instead of shame).
It's The Little Things
Spring Break didn’t go quite as planned—and in the midst of road trip chaos, teen drama, and an injury that kept me off my snowboard, I found myself spiraling into that familiar place of parental overwhelm. But something shifted. A simple nightly habit, inspired by a book, turned our whole trip around—and reminded me of the quiet power we have to reset our mindset, connect with our kids, and trust the journey (even when it’s messy). If you’re navigating the wild waves of raising teens, this one’s for you.
What's up with all the angsty resistance?
Ever feel like parenting your teen is like trying to hug a cactus? Between the eye-rolls, dramatic sighs, and constant resistance, February nearly did me in. But here’s what I’ve learned—it’s not just attitude, it’s counter will: a normal (but exhausting) part of adolescent development. Understanding this one concept completely shifted how I show up in tough moments.
Talking to Your Teen About Sex (Without Dying of Cringe)
Let’s take a deep breath—because we’re going there: talking to our kids about sexuality, consent, relationships, and everything in between. If you grew up with awkward (or nonexistent) conversations on these topics, you're not alone—and you're exactly who this is for. In a culture that’s louder than ever about sex, it’s time we become the trusted voice in our teens’ lives.
Wait, what just happened?
If raising your daughter feels like a rollercoaster of snuggles one minute and slammed doors the next, you are not alone. The tween and teen years are tough—for both of you. Let’s ditch the guilt and guesswork—because “What just happened?!” doesn’t have to be your daily mantra.
The Emotional Bank Account
What are some things you can add to your relationship with your tween or teen that will help sustain you through those sticky parenting moments?
What is Healthy Parenting?
We’re raising kids in a time when we hear that we need to meet our children with more empathy, validation, and steadiness. But at the same time, we also live in a time where disrespect, back-talk, and defiance are out of control in so many homes. So, what’s the balance?
Little Fires...
That’s really what parenting can feel like. Seemingly nonstop little fires with the hopes of renewed growth following right behind. And trust me, that new growth isn’t always beautiful or obvious, but it is there.
What can we do as parents to stay present and keep that connection strong on our end?
As parents, it’s easy to get wrapped up in our children. When we create that distance from them, it gives us permission to see our kiddos more clearly without getting caught up in the web of their emotions, needs, moods, quirks, and pains. I invite you to check yourself
I have had a shitty mom week.. and I think it boils down to the transition into our summer schedule.
Recently, I had a strong urge for a family ski trip... Of course, after only half an hour into the car ride, I looked into the review mirror and saw everyone already on their screens and in their own worlds. I knew right then that this trip wasn’t going to go according to my agenda.
Fear, worry and massive feelings of attachment to what we want for our kids will take over at times - how do we handle it?
“I reminded myself every single day that you two needed me, whether or not you knew it. That thought would get me through, even on the roughest days.”
I'm focusing on the dads and all those who are partnered or co-parenting.