Episode 11: Should I Push My Anxious Teen… or Let It Go and Pull Back?
What should parents do when a teen says, "I can't do it" — whether it's going to school, trying out for a team, or facing a social situation? In this episode, child and adolescent clinical psychologists, Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron, dive deep into this common parenting dilemma: Should you push your teen to do hard things—or back off?

This insightful episode explores how to support adolescents facing anxiety, avoidance, or depression with empathy, strategy, and connection. Drawing from evidence-based practices like exposure therapy, the hosts offer four essential parenting principles to help you encourage your child without adding pressure or power struggles.

You'll learn:

• Why anxiety is a normal part of adolescent development—and when it becomes a concern
• How to tell the difference between helpful encouragement and unhelpful pushing
• Helpful strategy #1 “Zooming out” if your teen is melting down.
• Helpful strategy #2 Compassion (for yourself and your teen) is a superpower during anxious moments.
• Helpful Strategy #3: Regulate Yourself! Parental emotional reactions impact teen behavior and resilience
• Helpful Strategy #4: Stay on the same team with your teen—even when your teen doesn’t act like a teammate
• When to consider seeking professional mental health support

Whether you're dealing with school refusal, performance anxiety, or general emotional overwhelm, this episode gives you actionable tools and a calming framework for parenting with connection and confidence.

Watch on YouTube: The Parenting Pair

Connect with us:
📩 Email: hello@theparentingpair.com
📱 Instagram: @‌theparentingpair

🎙️ If this episode resonates with you or someone you know, please share it. Let’s build a more connected, compassionate parenting community—one episode at a time.

5 Mindset Shifts to Worry Less About Other Parents’ Judgments

Do you ever find yourself second-guessing your parenting decisions… not because they feel wrong, but because you’re worried what other parents might think?

Yeah — us too.

In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron dive into five powerful mindset shifts to help you stop spiraling and start parenting from a place of confidence, clarity, and calm.

You’ll learn:
✔️ How to connect with your best self as a parent
✔️ Why judgment is unavoidable — and fleeting
✔️ How to stop wasting energy trying to mind-read other parents
✔️ Why “your family, your call” is the healthiest mantra you can adopt
✔️ The power of showing kindness to other families — and yourself

🎯 Whether you’ve been side-eyed at the pickup line, judged over a playdate rule, or just feel pressure to “get it all right,” this episode is a breath of fresh air.

🧠 You’ll leave with practical tools, real-world examples, and permission to parent with confidence — even when your approach looks different.

⏱️ Chapters:
00:00 – Why parents feel judged—and why it matters
00:56 – Mindset Shift #1: Reconnect with your best parenting self
03:53 – Mindset Shift #2: Accept that judgment is fleeting
05:37 – Mindset Shift #3: You’re not a mind reader
08:09 – Mindset Shift #4: Your family, your call
11:03 – Mindset Shift #5: Extend kindness to other parents
13:25 – Reflection: How these shifts can help
15:17 – What now: Modeling confidence for your teen

📩 Got a question for a future episode? Email us at hello@theparentingpair.com

💬 Let’s keep the conversation going!
DM us on Instagram @‌TheParentingPair or visit our website The Parenting Pair

Watch on our YOUTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheParentingPair

✨ Stay tuned — upcoming episodes will explore anxiety and depression in teens, based on your requests.

#ParentingPodcast #MindsetShifts #ADHDParenting #TeenParenting #MomLife #DadLife #ParentingConfidence #YourFamilyYourCall #TheParentingPairPodcast

In this engaging episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron explore the many benefits and challenges of youth sports. They discuss how sports can boost confidence, teach important life skills like resilience, teamwork, and serve as a supportive environment outside of school.

Join us as we cover:

• The value of sports for fun, social connection, and emotional growth
• How sports help develop self-efficacy and critical thinking in children and teens
• Practical ways parents can support their kids during games and practices
• The impact of parents' sideline behaviors, including facial expressions and tone of voice
• The importance of fostering autonomy and choice in sports participation
• How to advocate for a positive, healthy sports culture that prioritizes growth over winning at all costs

Time stamps to quickly reference key moments:

• 00:00 – Intro: Why sports matter
• 04:00 – How sports build self-efficacy
• 09:45 – Parents as real-time supporters
• 14:30 – Dangers of sideline coaching
• 21:10 – Autonomy and early specialization
• 27:30 – What to say (and not say) after games
• 33:00 – Final takeaways for sports parents

Whether you're a seasoned sports parent or just starting out, this episode offers valuable insights on how to nurture your child's love of sports while supporting their emotional and social development. Plus, tips on creating a supportive environment that encourages decision-making, reduces stress, and celebrates effort and progress.

Share this episode with fellow parents, coaches, and community members committed to making youth sports a positive experience for every child!

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1StHYrzPfd2cSH7Sepnt8M9bU4UkG2gSf?usp=drive_link

Or watch on our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@TheParentingPair