Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You

We’re Baaaaaack!

After some well-deserved R&R this summer, we’re back for our second season!
Congrats on making it through the madness that is the beginning of the school year. Now that you've got your pumpkin spice latte in hand, it's time to sit back and enjoy season two of Sh*t Your Teenagers Won't Tell You where we drop more truth bombs, and answer your most pressing questions about the college admissions process and raising teenagers. 
Tune in to this episode to get a sneak peek at what’s headed your way!

A College Professor Shares His Best Practices For College Freshman

In the season finale episode of Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You, hosts Cathy and Meredith speak with special guest, Dr. Albert Herrera, professor of Biological Sciences at USC (and Meredith’s dad!). They break down the big differences between academic life during high school and what academic life looks like in college. Dr. Herrera also discusses the importance of time management in college, as well as other aspects of maturity that will help students navigate during their college years. 
 
TIMESTAMPS
[00:00] Intro
[01:22] Special guest, Dr. Albert Herrera
[05:35] Navigating the college academic environment
[11:00] Time management is key
[15:25] How to foster aspects of maturity in our children
[23:30] Common faux pas when interacting with college professors
[28:45] College syllabus (or syllabi)
[33:52] Help your children seek out experiences that make them think outside of themselves
[36:08] Should students do research as undergraduates?
[43:53] Sit in the front row
[46:40] Learn about the definitions/examples of academic dishonesty
[52:35] A heartwarming story
[55:20] Final pieces of advice from a college professor
[1:01:56] That’s a wrap for season 1
[1:05:04] Outro
 
LINKS
Herrera Educational Consulting
Village Coaches
Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You website
Sample College Syllabus

Meredith’s Bone to Pick

In this episode of Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You, hosts Cathy and Meredith talk about the lack of transparency in the college admissions process. What is the ethical responsibility of colleges? How could colleges make the admissions process more student-centered? Cathy and Meredith tackle these questions and more on this episode of Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You. 
 
TIMESTAMPS
[00:00] Intro
[01:20] Making the college process more opaque
[05:33] Colleges should just own it
[06:32] College admissions is crazy
[08:29] Are admissions processes student-centered?
[12:00] How privilege plays a part
[17:14] What is the ethical responsibility of colleges?
[22:25] Why not give families information they need to make good decisions?
[27:15] Ultimately, it’s about young people
[38:24] Outro
 
LINKS
Herrera Educational Consulting
Village Coaches
Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You website

The Rumor Mill

In this episode of Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You, hosts Cathy and Meredith discuss how rumors and gossip around the college process are not only counterproductive, but potentially harmful. They stress the importance of having a healthy skepticism and questioning the accuracy and helpfulness of the information you’re sharing with your fellow parents.
 
TIMESTAMPS
[00:00] Intro
[01:44] Don't listen to your friends
[04:30] The rumor mill
[11:03] Why is gossip bad?
[16:30] Question the helpfulness of the information you’re sharing
[18:28] Comparison is the thief of joy
[20:39] Myth Busting
[23:51] Having difficult conversations
[30:50] Healthy skepticism
[35:17] Outro
 
LINKS
Herrera Educational Consulting
Village Coaches
Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You website

Positive Psychology

In this episode of Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You, hosts Cathy and Meredith talk about positive psychology. What it is, how it can be used to promote well being in your life and the lives of your children. They also discuss the importance of community, attuning to your character strengths, figuring out what your values are and finding yourself in a state of flow. 
 
TIMESTAMPS
[00:00] Intro
[03:34] What is Positive Psychology?
[13:38] Things we can do to promote well being
[19:25] Looking for awe
[20:10] The importance of community
[27:26] Helping your child attune to their individual character strengths
[30:02] What are my values?
[31:23] Finding your flow
[40:18] Outro
 
LINKS
Herrera Educational Consulting
Village Coaches
Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You website
UPenn Positive Psychology Center
Flourish by Martin Seligman
Foundations of Positive Psychology on Coursera
Adam Grant Ted Talk on Languishing
Personal Values Tool
Character Strengths Survey

Let’s Talk About Sex, Babyyyy…

In this episode of Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You, hosts Cathy and Meredith talk with Justine Fonte, intersectional health educator, who holds a Masters in Education and Public Health from Columbia University. They get into some real-talk about what parents may not know (or want to know) about adolescent sexual behavior, how to talk to your child about sex, and when to start having those conversations. 
 
TIMESTAMPS
[00:00] Intro
[01:02] Introducing special guest, Justine Fonte
[04:45] What you might not know (or want to)
[08:43] Normalize talking about sex with your child
[14:00] How to talk about pornography
[20:15] Will I encourage sexual behavior if I talk about it with my child?
[23:03] Don’t be afraid to be human
[27:03] The conversation didn’t go as planned
[30:48] Safety, Affirmation and Joy
[34:04] Healthy exploration vs. risky behavior
[40:41] In Conclusion
[43:15] Foodie recs from Justine
[47:00] Outro
 
LINKS
Herrera Educational Consulting
Village Coaches
Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You website
Justine Fonte
Justine’s IG
Your Friendly Ghostwriter
 

Parenting Mistakes

In this episode of Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You, hosts Cathy and Meredith discuss some common parenting missteps, the impact they have on our children and how we can avoid making those same mistakes. 
 
TIMESTAMPS
[00:00] Intro
[01:09] Parenting pitfalls
[02:45] Culture of comparison
[12:39] Impulse to fix
[13:53] Resist the temptation to gossip
[23:53] Stop minimizing/maximizing
[29:43] Progress not perfection
[34:57] Outro
 
LINKS
Herrera Educational Consulting
Village Coaches
The Four Agreements
Turning Red

Structure

In this episode of Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You, hosts Cathy and Meredith discuss structure and schedules as it relates to our child’s lives. What does good structure vs. poor structure look like? How much structure in your child’s life is too much? Cathy and Meredith answer these questions and more in this episode.
 
TIMESTAMPS
[00:00] Intro
[01:03] Over-scheduled vs. under-structured
[02:35] What is your parenting style?
[04:45] What does good structure look like?
[11:32] Stay consistent
[14:30] It’s okay to re-evaluate the structure
[24:00] What does poor structure look like?
[34:08] Strive for a balanced structure
[37:10] Additional tips
[40:30] Outro
LINKS
Herrera Educational Consulting
Village Coaches
Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You website
Personal Values Tool

Mental Health Red Flags

In this episode of Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You, hosts Cathy and Meredith interview Cristina Perez, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Clinical Instructor of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Keck School of Medicine of USC. They discuss mental health red flags, how to approach mental health concerns with your teen, when and how you can intervene, and support resources that parents can be aware of and discuss with their teens. There is so much packed into this episode, you don’t want to miss it!
 
TIMESTAMPS
[00:00] Intro
[01:54] Introducing Cristina
[08:55] Red flags - indicators that something’s up
[16:25] Approach with curiosity
[18:24] Overcoming resistance
[26:36] When and how do you intervene? 
[30:55] Perfectionism
[39:00] Resources to be aware of
[47:37] Outro
 
LINKS
Herrera Educational Consulting
Village Coaches
Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You website

I’ve Got a Bone to Pick

In this episode of Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You, hosts Cathy and Meredith talk about the culture around college admissions in addition to the independent college counseling scene and what to watch out for. 
 
TIMESTAMPS
[00:00] Intro
[01:03] If it seems too good to be true, it probably is
[8:49] To thine own self be true
[10:55] Culture around college admissions
[23:23] Why might you need an independent college counselor?
[32:00] Predatory advertising - what to steer clear of!
[36:15] What to look for in an independent college counselor
39:43] Outro
LINKS
Herrera Educational Consulting
Village Coaches
Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You website