75. Parenting Teen Boys Without The Mom Guilt: A Conversation With JoAnn Crohn

Seven missing assignments in math. A phone he won’t put down. “Mom, you mom too much.” And in about two seconds, your mind is racing: “He’s going to ruin his future. I’ve lost him. I’ve failed as a mom.” If you feel scared, panicked, or guilty about your teenage son more days than not, you are in good company. You’re not a bad mom. You’re a scared mom who loves her son. In this episode, Heidi Allsop, Master Certified Life and Parenting Coach and mom of five sons, shows you where that fear really comes from (hint: it’s not his behavior). You’ll learn why “just stop yelling” never sticks, how to pull the behavior from the boy, and a simple 3-step practice for this week when the worry shows up. This is the first step of The Connected Mom Method: Manage Yourself. Because restoring your relationship is the fastest way to improve his behavior, and it starts with how you think about him. One mom wrote in after listening: “After just one podcast, that feeling was gone, that hopeless feeling. I finally had hope that I can have a relationship with my son.” In this episode, you’ll learn:

“Why can’t you take a joke, Mom?” If your teenage son has been disrespectful lately, this one is for you. Maybe you reminded him to take out the trash and he said, “No.” You pushed back, and he grinned: “Just kidding.” Or he snapped a salute and said, “Yes, ma’am,” like it was the funniest thing in the world. And you were left wondering when your sweet boy started talking to you like this. In this episode, Heidi shares 4 simple shifts for the next time it happens: what to do before you say a word, exactly what to say in the moment, and how to repair after. Disrespect is fixable, and it doesn’t have to come between the two of you. Takeaways:

When your teenage son is struggling, it's easy to spend all your energy on the problems. The eye rolls, the arguing, the slammed doors. In this episode, Heidi does something a little different. She shares the five things she loves most about raising boys, the ultrasound moment that changed everything, and a simple challenge that will help you enjoy your son again, even on the hard days. Takeaways:

He says he cares, but nothing changes. He says the homework is done, and it isn't. And before you know it, your mind has jumped ten years ahead to a future that scares you. In this episode, Heidi shares a different way to look at your son's "lack of motivation," plus three points that will help you meet him where he is and guide him forward with more calm and less fear. Takeaways:

Heidi's last son just left home, and it cracked something open in her. In this episode, she shares three honest, unconventional truths about self-care and motherhood, things she wishes she had leaned into more, so that instead of losing yourself in these years, you come out the other side having become someone even better. Takeaways: