120. Releasing Control and Desired Outcomes for Our Teens With Maggie, Mom of a Wilderness Kid

Parenting Post-Wilderness: Parenting a Struggling Teen Before, During and After Treatment

It’s natural to want to steer our kids toward success and protect them from struggle. But what if trying to control the outcome does more harm than good? In this episode, I speak with Maggie, a mom of four (including one “wilderness kid”), who shares her deeply personal journey of learning to step back, trust her child’s path, and focus on her own growth.
“I leaned in on control-based, outcome-oriented parenting because I thought that was my job. I thought that’s what a good parent looked like” Maggie admits. Be she started noticing she was consistently crossing the line when her kids grew older, moving from reassuring them about her own choices to trying to make their choices for them. The result? Miscommunication, frustration, and strained family dynamics.
Maggie’s turning point came when she realized she’s not the main character in her child’s life.
“It is not my job to make my child succeed and it’s not my job to intervene when struggle is up ahead” - Maggie
By stepping out of the way and allowing her child to make their own decisions, whether these are the choices she would have made herself or not, she noticed an interesting shift: he started making healthier choices for himself.
Maggie’s story is so relatable for many parents out there with a struggling teen, so have a listen and enjoy.
In this episode on letting go of control and desired outcomes for our teens, we discuss:

• How to shift from controlling to supporting your child’s journey;
• Why prioritizing impact over intent is key in parent-child communication;
• The surprising ways letting go can improve your relationship with your struggling teen and family dynamics in general;
• How struggles shape kids into who they’re meant to be, and why parents shouldn’t stand in the way.
• And much more!

Looking for support?
🗺️Need help setting healthy boundaries with your teen AND following through? My free guide will help you do so by creating your own Parent Home Plan!
🤍Influence lasting change in yourself and your struggling teen with my private coaching or parent group program specifically created for parents of struggling teens.
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And remember parents, the change begins with us.

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