This week, I’m back with another solo episode, diving into practical tips for tackling the challenges of parenting teens. With my kids coming home soon, I’ve been reflecting on how to handle tough moments with patience and clarity.

If you’re feeling stuck or frustrated, this episode is for you! I’m sharing 10 actionable strategies to help you navigate tricky situations with confidence. From knowing when to step back to asking the right questions, I hope these tips will empower you to connect with your teen in a more thoughtful, effective way. Tune in and take a moment to learn some new approaches!

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Charmelle Maynard, a first-time dad, husband, and all-around thoughtful human being, to explore his journey into fatherhood. Charmelle shares candid insights about the values, conversations, and intentional choices he and his wife Jan made before welcoming their son, Miles Jackson Maynard, into the world. From first-date deep dives about kids to navigating boundary-setting with grandparents, Charmelle offers a fresh perspective on modern parenting. Whether you're a parent, aspiring parent, or simply curious about rethinking traditional parenting approaches, I hope this episode will inspire and empower you.

This week, I’m thrilled to have three amazing moms from my Tools for Teenage Years group here with us: Vicki, Alex, and Adi. In this episode, we’re recreating the intimate, reflective atmosphere of our sessions—starting up with a quick check-in and then diving deep into family dynamics. You’ll hear candid stories about the different challenges these moms face as they navigate raising teenagers alongside their partners. Everything from handling parenting disagreements to cross-cultural communication and balancing marriage while being full-time parents. Each of my guests share a unique perspective shaped by their own unique backgrounds. Join us as we dig deep into the complexities of co-parenting, cultivating family bonds, and building lasting partnerships.

Today’s episode, Transparency, is a solo one where I’ll be diving into something central to my approach to parenting: being open and honest with our kids. Many of my clients and friends have told me they love how I offer actionable tips they can use right away, which is why transparency has become one of the core themes I share.

Transparency in parenting means showing your kids what real struggle looks like and letting them know it's normal to not have it all figured out—something most of us didn’t experience growing up. When we share what we’re thinking and the challenges we’re facing, our kids learn it’s okay to face uncertainty. It helps them sit with uncomfortable feelings rather than running from them, seeing that struggle is part of being human. And in doing so, we’re taking ourselves off the “parenting pedestal” and creating a family culture that values authenticity over perfection.

So today, I wanted to model this transparency for you through this podcast. Getting back into it after a break makes me both thrilled and nervous, and rather than pretending it’s all smooth, I’m inviting you to share this journey with me. For my next episodes, I’ll be interspersing solo episodes with inspiring dad interviews to provide a mix of insights, and I hope it serves all my listeners well. Thanks for joining me, and remember, you can reach me anytime at rethinkingparenting@gmail.com—I love hearing from you!

In this episode, I sit down with Frank Marzano, a proud father of five and a close family friend, to kick off our series highlighting the incredible journey of fatherhood. Frank and I dive deep into the ups and downs of being a dad, from the early days of parenting without a clear plan to the hard-earned wisdom that comes with raising five children. We talk about how becoming a father shapes you into a different kind of man, the importance of patience, and learning to let go of control.

We also explore the emotional moments that define success as a parent—like when your grown child expresses gratitude for everything you’ve done. This episode is all about the lessons we learn from our kids and how fatherhood is an evolving experience, not just for the kids, but for the dads as well.

Welcome to Rethinking Parenting with Cristina Young.

In this podcast, I will address the challenges and frustrations that arise from parenting in today's complicated world. While parents have more access to advice than ever before through social media, blogs, books, and podcasts, this wealth of information can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate.

Many of my clients struggle to distill this information into practical strategies that align not only with their own personalbeliefs but also with those of their spouse or parenting partner. This is not an easy task. I like to think of myself as a synthesizer, drawing from my vast experiences as a parent of three kids who are now 25, 22, and 19, while also using the knowledge I've acquired from running my private practice for the past decade, where I help parents of teenagers.

So many of the parents in my weekly parenting groups over the years jokingly say to me, can you just tell me the exact words to say to my teenager, please? So, my goal is to do just that in this podcast.

I'll simplify parenting strategies by providing listeners with real scripts they can use to handle common parenting issues, particularly those faced by parents of teenagers. Episodes of Rethinking Parenting will include my own thoughts, expert interviews, and conversations with everyday parents.

Thanks for listening!

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