Is your response to your teen’s emotions helping—or hurting—the situation? In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Meg Meeker sits down with Sheri Gazitt, teen life coach and founder of Teen Wise, to explore how parents unintentionally contribute to the emotional “drama” of adolescence—and what to do instead.

Together, they unpack the real reasons teens act out, how parents can shift from reacting to responding, and why connection—not control—is the foundation of a healthy parent-teen relationship.

In this episode, we cover:

• Are you reacting or responding? How to tell the difference
• Why emotional regulation starts with you, not your teen
• The impact of post-COVID loneliness on teen behavior
• Friendship drama and social conflict—why it’s normal and how to guide without rescuing
• How to talk about social media without making your teen defensive
• Rebuilding trust after big blow-ups or boundary-crossing
• Small daily practices to ease tension and build emotional safety

About Sheri Gazitt

Sheri Gazitt is a certified teen life coach, parenting educator, and founder of Teen Wise, an organization dedicated to empowering teens and supporting parents through the challenges of adolescence. With a background in psychology and counseling, Sheri specializes in emotional resilience, social confidence, and helping families navigate the often turbulent teen years with compassion and clarity. She also hosts workshops and speaks nationally on teen mental health, friendship dynamics, and parent-teen communication.

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Sheri Gazitt and Teen Wise → https://www.teenwiseseattle.com
• Coaching and parenting tools with Dr. Meg Meeker → https://meekerparenting.com
• Join Dr. Meg’s community → https://linktr.ee/meekerparenting

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• Hungryroot – 40% off + a free item in every box at hungryroot.com/drmeg (code DRMEG)
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Do you feel like you're constantly running on empty trying to be the “perfect” parent? In this powerful episode of Parenting Great Kids, Dr. Meg Meeker sits down with Israa Nasir, licensed psychotherapist and author of Toxic Productivity: Reclaim Your Time and Emotional Energy in a World That Always Demands More, to unpack how the pressure to always “do more” is impacting parents and their children.

Israa shares how toxic productivity is driven by perfectionism, fear of inadequacy, and cultural expectations—and how it leads to chronic stress, emotional overwhelm, and strained family dynamics. Together, she and Dr. Meg explore practical ways to break the cycle of overfunctioning and reclaim peace and presence at home.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What toxic productivity looks like in real-life parenting

• How fear and societal expectations fuel burnout

• The long-term emotional effects on both parents and kids

• How to set flexible boundaries and prioritize well-being

• Simple tools like micro-breaks, reprioritization, and self-worth reframing

• Empowering advice for single moms carrying it all

About Israa Nasir

Israa Nasir is a NYC-based psychotherapist, speaker, and mental health educator. She helps high-achieving individuals overcome perfectionism, burnout, and emotional dysregulation. Her new book Toxic Productivity is a compassionate guide to reclaiming mental space and joy in a hustle-obsessed culture.

Episode Breakdown

00:00 – Introduction to Toxic Productivity
00:50 – What is Toxic Productivity?
02:05 – How It Impacts Parents and Children
04:31 – Parenting Rooted in Fear
08:40 – Breaking the Cycle of Overachieving
12:07 – Reprioritizing and Setting Boundaries
26:26 – Separating Self-Worth from Productivity
32:16 – Advice for Single Moms Navigating Overload
36:34 – Final Reflections and Empowering Takeaways

Resources & Links

Toxic Productivity by Israa Nasir → Toxic Productivity — Israa Nasir Learn more about Israa Nasir → Israa Nasir Expert parenting coaching with Dr. Meg Meeker → https://meekerparenting.com

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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.