I have admired Shawni's parenting from afar as I've read her blog 71Toes.com for many years. She is just about 3 years ahead of me in this parenting gig, and I felt inspired seeing how she mothered just a few steps ahead of me.  I was so delighted to hear her words of encouragement for teens, words she hopes her kids will know before leaving the home and under her roof. She came up with a list of 5 all encompassing hopes for her kids, which I loved hearing her thoughts. For more on my...

Episode #100!!!! I'm so excited to introduce you to my high school best friend, Natalie. We met right after my 14th birthday, the week I moved from Louisiana to Texas about to begin my freshman year of high school. We had so much fun during our teen years, and you'll hear us talk about the good, the crazy, our parents, and then of course how all of that has affected how we parent our teens. One of my favorite quotes from Natalie in this episode:  "Worry is a wast of imagination. I'd like to...

In March, we talked all about TEENS and FRIENDS. Friends are SO important for teenagers, and as parents, we often run this challenge about how to navigate friendships we are concerned about, as well as how to help them make friends. If you missed episode #98 with Dr. Justin Coulson about toxic friendships, I encourage you to LISTEN! But with Katie, she moved with teens, and is in the trenches of helping her kids adjust, and I REALLY wanted to pick her brain, as I knew it was likely in our...

My friends, I've declared this episode among my top 10 favorites in my two years of podcasting. So many wisdom nuggets on information, it's worth the 1 hour listen! Dr. Coulson not only shares some gems about how to help our teens with toxic friends, but it applies to so many relationships as well.  You can find @DrJustinCoulson on Instagram and JustinCoulson.com And his book Miss-Connection on Amazon (kindle best in the US). I'd LOVE if you can leave an iTunes review! Shopping through...

This episode is full of little tidbits about how we can help our teens be a better friends and make good friends. LISTEN and SHARE, and leave an iTunes review if you felt inspired! You can find Vanessa on IG at @VanessaQuigley If you aren't already following @Chatbooks, do that! Study on pictures: Printed photos = Stronger Families. MomForce Podcast episode about strengthening families through the printed photos. My CHATBOOKS DIY BOOKSHELF.  Visit our AMAZON store as the official sponsor...

My teen friends--have you talked to your parents about sex? I mean, beyond the birds and the bees of "how babies are made?" I would expect that most of you haven't, but if you have...yay! I'm giving you MY thoughts on the sex talk, as if you were my teenagers.  With that, I encourage you to TALK TO YOUR PARENTS! Ask them questions, invite them into your world of curiosity. My hope is that they will be honest and forthcoming and open with you.  This is a jumping off of my Teens+Sex chat on...

I'm happy my guest @KristinBHodson is here to help us know how to best have sex talk with teens. No longer is it enough to have "the talk" just once, it should be an ongoing discussion with 1,000 1 minute conversations, Kristin says. Kristin runs a practice in Salt Lake City called @TheHealingGroup and is also a professor at the University of Utah. As often happens, I ended up falling into the therapy chair to discuss my experience on the topic, and Kristin weighs in.  You will surely walk...

This interview with Wendy about her son Erik coming out as gay is heartwarming. She helps me understand the difference between cisgender (new word for me!) and transgender. Listen and share with any mama warriors out there that could use some support. Check out our favorite family items and shop in our AMAZON store. I'd love if you left an iTunes review! Continue the weekly discussion over on Instagram at @KristenDukeChats Send Wendy a personal note of gratitude at @WendyvonSosen Sign up...

Listen as Madeleine shares her story of manipulations and sexual abuse from a teen relationship.  She not only shares tips we can offer our kids to hopefully avoid the same, but also suggestions on how to help, including a specific type of trauma therapy.  If you're not already a part of the community on Instagram, follow the weekly topics at @KristenDukeChats You can find Madeleine on IG at @madeliene1 Tell her THANK YOU! Next time you shop Amazon, we'd love you to go through our link! ...

Ruby Franke has 6 kids (3 teens) and I really loved our chat all about teens and dating! She is a very intentional mother, and she shares their family adventures on their YouTube channel and Instagram @8passengers.  They have been preparing their kids for dating since they were little, teaching personal accountability. Watch Ruby's Love story here: Love Story Read about my Love Story here: Love Story ***Print 27 Creative Teen date ideas on my website Other dating points we discussed in...

My guest Cassie from @Fit_Is_a_Journey shares with us how she struggled with body positivity since she was a teen, and how a dear friend help her out of a tough mental state.  She shares some tips for parents to watch out for, and how to help our teens find that beauty. 

In this episode, we learn some "do's & don'ts" of how to talk to our teens about what they are eating. Us parents are all well intentioned (that's why we're listening, right?) but sometimes we mess up, and I've asked Laura Solorzano to come chat with us about her eating disorder, and tips for parents to do better. You can find Laura at @Remarkable_now on Instagram and her website www.RemarkableNow.net Support this podcast by shopping our AMAZON STORE anytime! Join the weekly...

My dad, Norman Hill, dissects the responsibility & independence continuum between parents and teens in this BONUS episode. It's important to know WHERE your teen lies on this scale, to best know how to parent and what they need most.  Visuals for this episode will be available on KristenDuke.com (on 1/17) with definitions as well, so make sure you reference that for visual details. Reach out to Norman via [email protected] Community discussion at @KristenDukeChats Instagram Please...

After I shared about the year of the teenager initiative, I had a handful of people say, “I just can’t get behind that, because I’m in a really hard place with my teen.” My heart hurt for them. One commenter said to me, “I love following along to what you share, but sometimes it makes me feel worse about myself.” That is the complete OPPOSITE of the feelings I want to invoke! There are so many variables to consider, and so many ways of doing things, but I did some research, and sharing what...

Kicking off the first interview and episode of the new year talking about teens and stress. Excited to share ways that parents can help teens de-stress and better understand emotions. We also talk about the importance of SLEEP and how it can cause stress (lack of it). Speaking with Nicci Bontrager, a licensed professional counselor in this episode. She meets with clients in Austin, TX at Joyful Family Counseling and shares tips on her instagram: @JoyfulFamilyLife Listen to the tips she...

I'm declaring 2020 The Year of the Teenager as we focus on tactics to strengthen the relationship with our teens. Listen to this short podcast episode that is a recording of the video I shared on Instagram. If you prefer to watch it, you can do that here:  We Were All TEENAGERS Once IGTV video As always, I appreciate any shares or podcast reviews!

Hi Friends! I've missed sharing episodes with you this month as I've taken a little time off to work on a few projects. ONE OF THEM I'll be sharing really soon (hopefully less than 2 weeks) and I chat about it in this surprise episode.  I figured I'd share a little brain dump with my loyal listeners, and ask for your feedback. So PLEASE email me {[email protected]} or reach out in a DM on Instagram {@KristenDukeChats} to share your thoughts. I talk about some mentoring I've started, and...

BONUS EPISODE!!! We are not all blessed with the same capabilities, work ethic is a lifelong skill, learning how to be a good sport whether you win or lose is a conversation we need to have with our kids! Kristi Haskins is my guest today sharing all the things, and I'm so happy to have her! Listen with your kids, discuss, it's a conversation that may not happen naturally, but by hearing these tips, will go more productively.  SUPPORT THIS PODCAST BY SHOPPING ANYTHING AMAZON THROUGH OUR...

Divorce is hard, and I'm grateful that Chari Pack was willing to come on and share the challenges of blending families, with her 3 teens! From curfews to phone rules, and with teens coming from different rules and expectations, she talks about merging and adjusting.  Find her on Instagram at @Chari.Pack and @PersnicketyPrints   Catch the highlights and extended discussion on divorce and co-parenting on my Instagram: @KristenDukeChats

Lynette from @ThrowbackParenting is a fabulous guest and we are talking all about letting control go as a parent of teenagers and taking on the Mentoring position.  This is season 3 of the 4 seasons of parenting she has broken down and I LOVE what she has to say!  Listen. Share. Implement.  Find her at www.lynnettesheppard.com as well as a few free courses on her website. She also has a podcast, THROWBACK PARENTING! On Instagram at @ThrowbackParenting as well.  

My friend Emily is just barely 17, already enrolled in college, has a few businesses under her belt, and guess what? Didn't graduated high school!  There are so many routes to get to a career destination, and Emily opened my eyes to other options. And so did the community this week on @KristenDukeChats on instagram where we talked about all different types of schooling.  It's ok to seek out alternative options!  You can find Emily a few places on Instagram: @TheSheJewels @EmilyLoderup ...

We ALL love our screen time, and I talk to Andrea from @BetterScreenTime all about how we could do things a little better. I got some great tips for MYSELF and we talked about how isolating screens can be, especially for teens, who over-consume.  Andrea shared a fabulous TEDxtalk from Adam Atler with me which I reference as well. We are chatting EXTRA about this topic this week on @KristenDukeChats instagram page. If you miss it, scroll through the highlight bubbles! PLEASE SHARE with...

We've been talking about teens and dating all week on Instagram, you can catch a recap in the highlights under DATING. I've got my friend Kaylee on to chat with me today. She's in college now, and I've had the opportunity to know her since she was 15 and watch from the sidelines a bit as she navigated dating as a teen. You will surely love her as I do. SHARE this episode with friends if you found it helpful! SHOP the AMAZON STORE to help support this podcast (Any item on Amazon purchased...

Is your Child Addicted to Pornography? Probably not. If you've found your teen has been seeking out pornography, it doesn't mean they are addicted. Free in 13 is a program meant to bridge the gap between preventative measures and pornography addiction. Very few teens are addicted and there is a stigma attached to the word "addict" that we don't want our teens to feel. There is so much information about how to prevent pornography exposure, but what to do if you've found your child is stuck...