Today’s episode is very special to me. My firstborn son graduated from high school this week and it’s been a rollercoaster of emotion as we prepare to send him off to college in the fall. In addition to that big adjustment, my family is making a huge move from Florida to New Jersey this summer. Needless to say that I am up to my elbows in packing material and tissues as I burst into spontaneous tears more frequently as the days go on. Twelve years ago, we moved to our Florida home, and almost...

In today’s episode, I am joined by Jill and Dave Henry, authors of “The Greatest College Health Guide You Never Knew You Needed.” Not only are they published authors, but they are also parents and high school athletic coaches. In researching their book, Jill and Dave talked to hundreds of students as they developed this amazing “how-to manual” about how to manage food, booze, stress, sex, sleep, and exercise on campus. During our conversation, Dave and Jill explain why students struggle so...

In this episode, I am joined by Stephanie Haynes. Stephanie is an Education Coach and Consultant providing custom educational consulting and coaching for high school students, educators, and schools that equips all stakeholders to build a pathway to a successful future that teens are excited to pursue. She is also the author of “College Is Not Mandatory: A Parent’s Guide to Navigating All the Options Available to Our Kids After High School”. During our conversation, Stephanie provides insight...

If I asked you to walk into your kitchen pantry and tell me what was on your shelves, what would be the first three items you would list? I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that we have way too many carbs on our pantry shelves and more processed food than we should. Most of the time, I can walk on by and avoid eating those unhealthy foods but my teenagers are another story. Chips, cookies, and the "can't live without it" mac and cheese are probably our biggest culprits. I try to limit those...

Get ready for a conversation that will make you rethink the traditional ways of post-high school education. My guest today is Abby Brody. Abby is a mother on a mission to bring education to meet the needs of the modern student and the knowledge-based economy. She is also a co-founder of The MYX, a personalized outcome-based approach to higher education that puts purpose and experience first. During our conversation, Abby explains why The MYX was created and how it works. We also discuss the...

This episode is a special one and it’s personal for me. I had the pleasure of being a guest on the Your Teen podcast a few weeks ago. Susan Borison and Stephanie Silverman have become two of my favorite podcasters and also my new BFFs. The three of us thought it would be fun if I turned the mic around and interviewed them about what it’s like to send your firstborn off to college. My son will be starting college this fall and will be living far from home. I’m starting to prepare myself for...

If you are a loyal listener, then you are well aware that I am passionate about today’s topic. In this episode, I am joined by Tom Pike. Tom is the founder of Jump Education, an educational consulting service that helps families and teens understand the benefits of Early College and how to access that path. I am all about helping young people find the path that is best for them and the early college path is one that is definitely worth exploring. During our conversation, Tom explains what...

Today’s episode is one of my favorite topics as it is related to helping young people plan for the world of work. My guest today is Mark Herschberg, author of The Career Toolkit, Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You. Mark has spent his career launching and developing new ventures at startups and Fortune 500s as well as in academia. During our conversation, Mark shares lots of helpful tips for young people embarking on a new career but his advice is valuable for job seekers of...

Today we are talking about aptitudes and why they are important. But what exactly are aptitudes and how are they different from skills? I’m glad you asked! My guest today is Betsy Wills. Betsy is the founder of YouScience, the career assessment tool that I use in my coaching practice. If you are a data nerd like I am, you are in for a treat. During our conversation, Betsy shares the origin of YouScience, why it’s so different from other assessment tools, and how to identify career...

Today, I am welcoming Jane and Jason Sarouhan back to the podcast. They are the owners of J2Guides, a gap year counseling service. You might remember them from episodes 16, 26, and 55. Yes, they are my most-frequent guests here on the pod, and there’s a reason for that. There has never been a better time for a gap year and there is no one better to inform and educate on this topic than Jason and Jane. In this episode, we are focusing on gap year experiences for neurodiverse and...

In today’s episode, I am delighted to welcome a great friend and someone I’ve admired for a long time. Ann Imig is a positive psychology certified life coach at listenlifecoaching.com. Ann and I met when our firstborn kiddos were in preschool (over a decade ago). We moved away shortly thereafter but Ann and I have stayed connected over the years. Ann has traveled a very interesting and successful journey and she shares more about that in this episode. During our conversation, Ann explains...

Today’s episode is one that you won’t want to miss. It’s no secret that I am passionate about education, especially when it comes to our teens. And while it doesn’t make me popular with some people, I tend to speak up about the critical need for education reform in our schools. For me, it’s not so much about education but about learning and how we can fix a broken system so that the young people of today will be equipped for the future. This isn’t just about college prep or career planning....

Today I’m excited to bring you not one but two amazing guests. Cynthia C. Muchnick, M.A. & Jenn Curtis, M.S.W. are the co-authors of The Parent Compass: Navigating Your Teen's Wellness and Academic Journey in Today's Competitive World. You might be wondering right now... just what is the Parent Compass? Well, I’m glad you asked! During our conversation, Jenn and Cindy share how and why they wrote their book. They will also provide their expert advice for helping our teens learn how to...

In today’s episode, I am delighted to welcome Dr. Thomas Welch to the podcast. Dr. Welch is a child and family clinical psychologist and leading expert in working with neurodiverse young people and their families. He specializes in working with those on the autism spectrum, and those identified as Twice Exceptional (2e). Dr. Welch is also the author of “The Breakaway: A Parent’s Guide to Transitioning the Autistic and Twice Exceptional Adolescent Into Young Adulthood.” During our...

This week’s guest brings a ton of value to the show. Today I’m thrilled to introduce you to Jennifer Cook-DeRosa. Jennifer is the founder and executive director of Homeschooling for College Credit. If you aren’t familiar with it, Homeschooling for College Credit is an online support community that is free to join and run entirely by volunteers. Each year, this social organization helps thousands of homeschooling families learn how to inject college credit into their homeschool programs. If...

My guest today is Dr. Adam Price. Dr. Price is a clinical psychologist with more than 20 years of experience working with children and teens. He is also the author of “He’s Not Lazy: Empowering Your Son to Believe in Himself.” During our conversation, Dr. Price explains what he means when he says that teenagers aren’t lazy. We also discuss the true underlying issue that causes our teens to opt out, and why Dr. Price believes that we must encourage our teens to do things that make them feel...

Today’s episode is number 4 in a 4-part series on skilled trades and blue-collar careers. I hope you have enjoyed hearing the first three interviews as much as I have enjoyed doing them. Prepare to be blown away by this week’s guest. I am beyond thrilled to welcome Aaron Valencia to the podcast. Aaron is the Executive Director and Founder of the Lost Angels Children’s Project and an extraordinary human. His goal is to provide young people with the tools they need to succeed and help open...

If you’ve been listening to my two most recent episodes, you already know that I’m publishing a four-part series about jobs in the trades and blue-collar careers. It’s no secret that tradespeople are in high demand and that there just aren’t enough workers to fill jobs that exist today, not to mention in the coming years. My guest today is Ken Rusk. You might remember Ken from episode 62. It’s been a while since Ken was here and he is back with some exciting news and a brand new course to...

This week’s episode is number two in a series of four highlighting blue-collar careers and careers in the trades. Last week we heard from Steve Turner of Bring Back the Trades. If you missed that episode, be sure to check it out. This week, I am delighted to welcome Andrea Harris to the podcast. Andrea is the CEE, Chief Empowerment Executive, at a non-profit organization called Tools and Tiaras, where she and her co-founder Judaline Cassidy, mentor and teach young people about the trades....

I’m super excited to bring you today’s episode. It’s one of four in a series this month focused on blue-collar careers and the trades. If you are a loyal listener, you know that I have no issue with college but the fact is, that a college path is not the right path for everyone. As a society and as parents, we need to help empower our kids to explore all paths, including those that don’t require college. In today’s episode, I am joined by Steve Turner. Steve has spent the past 40 years...

I’d like to welcome you to a very special episode of the High School Hamster Wheel podcast. I am beyond thrilled to tell you that this is the 100th episode of the podcast. Even when I say that out loud, it’s still hard to believe. I remember recording episode one like it was just yesterday. And coincidentally, today happens to be International Podcast Day, so there’s even more reason to celebrate! I am not just a podcaster. I am a parent of teens which means that I am going through this right...

I am super excited to bring you a “bonus episode” today. I was recently interviewed by my friend, Joanna Lilley, and our conversation aired on her podcast, Success is Subjective. I thought it would be helpful for me to share our conversation here as well because I think it provides a lot of insight and background into who I am and why I am so passionate about what I do. Joanna and I are extremely liked-minded when it comes to helping young people transition through adolescence and into...

In this episode, I am welcoming back Joanna Lilley to the podcast. If you are a loyal listener, you might remember Joanna from episodes 33 and 69. If you missed those episodes, be sure to check them out because Joanna ALWAYS provides valuable advice for parents of teens and young adults. During our conversation, Joanna and I discuss something called “early alert”. It might have a different name based on the college or university, but basically, it’s the point during the first semester of...

In this episode, I am delighted to welcome Dr. Mandy Pacheco to the podcast. Crossing paths with Mandy was a huge stroke of luck, thanks to our mutual friend Michelle. Once we connected, I knew I had to have her on the podcast. Mandy’s years of experience in higher education as well as her role as a flex-schooling parent provides her with the perfect blend of insight and expertise from both perspectives. During our conversation, we discuss the importance of experiential learning and why...

Today’s topic is one that will resonate with every parent, no matter the age of their kids. I’m thrilled to welcome Karen Moon, a psychotherapist specializing in grief and loss to the podcast. Karen has a private practice in Wayne, Pennsylvania and she has worked with teenagers for over fourteen years. During our conversation, Karen shares her expert wisdom and insight to help parents as they guide their teens through grief and loss. Some of the topics we cover include helping our teens gain...