Transforming Reluctant Writers | Andrew Pudewa

About this Episode
What if better writing doesn’t start with a prompt, but with what’s already living in a child’s mind? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with Andrew Pudewa, founder of the Institute for Excellence in Writing, to trace a surprising line from Suzuki violin training to strong language skills. Andrew shares how deep listening, memorized repertoire, and deliberate repetition lay the groundwork for fluent expression—whether you’re bowing a cello or crafting a paragraph. Input shapes output: the richer the vocabulary and sentence patterns a child absorbs, the more creative and confident their writing becomes.
We unpack the twin engines of memory and imagination and why they share the same neural real estate. That insight reframes everything from read-alouds to comprehension: prior knowledge often outweighs decoding when it comes to understanding, and books ask kids to co-create mental imagery word by word. Andrew contrasts that with today’s “cartoons on steroids,” where hypervisual stimulation, thin language, and passive consumption blunt attention and displace inner pictures. The fix isn’t anti-tech dogma; it’s smarter sequencing—long-form stories first, screen adaptations second, and daily habits that favor focus over flicker.
Then we tackle AI. Yes, modern tools can collect and polish at lightning speed, but only students who know the underlying process will use them well. Andrew argues for paper-first drafting to recruit more of the brain—motor planning, spatial processing, and the intuitive, artistic networks that spark better ideas. From there, we walk through his step-by-step method for transforming reluctant writers: start with short source texts, build keyword outlines, ask structured story questions, and move toward inventive writing that recombines known elements. Along the way, parents become coaches who prize process over product and help kids stack small wins into lasting confidence.
If you wonder about about attention, language, handwriting, and how to raise resilient thinkers in an AI world, this conversation offers clear tools and a hopeful roadmap. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s teaching a reluctant writer, and leave a review telling us one change you’ll try this week.
About Andrew Pudewa
Andrew is the founder and director of the Institute for Excellence in Writing. As a global speaker and educator, he addresses issues related to teaching, writing, thinking, and spelling with clarity, insight, practical experience, and humor. His seminars for parents, students, and teachers have helped transform reluctant writers and have equipped educators with powerful tools to dramatically improve student skills. He's a graduate of the Talent Education Institute in Japan, best known for the Suzuki method. He holds a certificate of child brain development, and he and his wife Robin homeschooled their seven children and are now proud grandparents of 19.
Connect with Andrew
Website: www.IEW.com
IG: https://www.instagram.com/iew
FB: https://www.facebook.com/excellenceinwriting
Read MoreIs Homeschooling the Rescue Plan Your Child Needs? | Christy Faith

About this Episode
Ever wondered why your child’s spark fades the longer they stay in a school environment that never quite fits? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with master educator and homeschool expert Christy Faith to rethink the purpose of education and design a path that actually supports healthy development. Drawing on decades of work with families, Christy shares why home-based education isn’t about recreating school at the dining table—it’s about building a flexible team of co-ops, live online classes, tutors, and parent coaching that aligns with your values and your child’s needs.
We unpack the socialization debate with a fresh lens: belonging versus fitting in, and why peer orientation can derail identity and confidence. If your kid lives in fight or flight, learning stalls. You’ll hear how reducing chronic stress at home can unlock curiosity, grit, and self-regulation without coddling. We talk indicators that school isn’t working—rising anxiety, shame from labels, and mounting family conflict—and outline how to respond with deschooling, intentional routines, and practical supports that restore calm and momentum.
Then we get tactical. Learn how to pick curriculum by educational style and place by skill rather than age, especially when learning is asynchronous. Discover why “it’s the brain, not the books” matters: if working memory, processing speed, or visual processing lag, no worksheet swap will fix it. We share a real-world story of letting a teen experience safe failure to build executive function, and how to coach time management without hovering. Expect a balanced roadmap: fewer bells, more thinking; fewer labels, more growth; strong academics paired with resilient minds.
If you’re on the fence, this conversation offers clear next steps, free tools to find your homeschool style, and encouragement to make changes at a humane pace. Subscribe for more grounded guidance, share with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review to tell us: what would you redesign first in your child’s learning?
About Christy Faith
With over 20 years of extensive experience in K-college academics and administration, Christy-Faith has worked in and instructed every level of education in a professional capacity. She achieved remarkable success by establishing and managing a private educational center and consulting firm, alongside her husband Scott. As their family expanded along with their center, Christy-Faith embarked on a personal exploration of homeschooling, an experience that profoundly transformed her perspective on educating children. Today, Christy-Faith spends her days advocating for homeschool on social media, advising moms within her flourishing membership community, Thrive Homeschool Community, hosting her podcast The Christy Faith Show, and writing. She's the author of the book, “Homeschool Rising: Shattering Myths, Finding Courage, and Opting Out of the School System.”
Connect with Christy Faith
Website: https://christy-faith.com/
Instagram: @Christy_Faith_Homeschool
TikTok: @Christy_Faith
YouTube: @Christy-Faith
Twitter/X: @Christy_Faith_1
Facebook: @ChristyFaithHomeschool
Podcast: The Christy Faith Show - https://christy-faith.com/pages/podcast
Book: “Homeschool Rising: Shattering Myths, Finding Courage, and Opting Out of the School System” (on Amazon)
Click here to access the Free Homeschool Style Finder from Christy
Read MoreSeason 6 Launch: A Year of Tools for Homeschooling (and Classroom) Parents | Dr. Amy Moore & Sandy Zamalis

About this Episode
Ready for a season that actually makes parenting, homeschooling, and supporting your child easier? We’re kicking off season six with a clear promise: weekly, expert-driven conversations that turn overwhelm into action for families of struggling learners—homeschoolers and classroom parents alike.
In 2026, you’ll hear from experts around the world on topics relevant to kids with learning struggles and special needs as well as curriculum choices and support for all types of students. Starting with homeschooling guru Christy Faith, we've got a lineup you won't want to miss. For example, occupational therapist Sarah Collins returns with practical strategies for executive function and sensory processing—think sensory diets that fit real lives, smoother transitions, and routines that build independence without battles.
We go deep on writing and thinking with Andrew Pudewa, exploring how background knowledge fuels expression and how breaking skills into tiny steps wires stronger pathways. Expect concrete takeaways for reluctant writers, from copywork and oral narration to deliberate practice that sticks. Scientist and autism expert Dr. Teresa Lyons brings a sharp, evidence-first lens to epigenetics, nutrition, and supplements, cutting through social media noise so you can make decisions with clarity and care.
You’ll also get a no-nonsense guide to choosing methods and reading curricula by fit, not hype—what each approach does well, where the gaps are, and how to supplement at home. We tackle technology and the brain with balanced guardrails: when screens help, when they hinder, and how to protect attention, sleep, and deep work. And we widen the lens with survivalist Timber Cleghorn on fear, faith, and resilience, connecting outdoor grit to everyday parenting courage.
We’re back to weekly drops, launching a monthly newsletter packed with free PDFs and guides, and hitting conferences across the country to meet you in person. Subscribe now, share with a friend who needs practical hope, and leave a quick review to help more parents find tools that work. What topic should we tackle next? Email us at [email protected]
If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a quick review. Your feedback helps more families like you!
Read MoreHomeschooling Tips for Military and Special Needs Families | Natalie Mack & Ashly Barta

About this Episode
Are you a military or special needs family feeling torn between stability, services, and what your child actually needs to thrive? We sit down with Natalie Mack and Ashley Barta, two military homeschool leaders who have navigated frequent moves, special needs, and high school planning—then turned those lessons into practical guidance for families everywhere. Their stories show how homeschooling can transform from a last resort into a flexible, confidence-building path that adapts to your life instead of demanding you adapt to it.
We unpack the “now what?” moment after withdrawing from school and offer a clear starting plan: distinguish online school from true homeschooling, take a short deschooling reset, and use interests to weave core subjects into meaningful projects. If calculus or chemistry makes you sweat, we share how outsourcing, co-ops, tutors, and dual enrollment let parents become curators, not solo teachers. For high school, we flip the script: begin with the destination—college, trades, service, entrepreneurship—and reverse-map requirements with transcripts that reflect real initiative, not just seat time.
Special needs families will find concrete strategies that honor therapy schedules, energy windows, and real progress. Ashley explains how to embed OT, speech, and PT goals at home, use puzzles, games, and assistive tech for literacy and math, and embrace the power of the pause. We also tackle the socialization myth with a richer picture of sibling bonds, multi-age learning, and intentional community. For military families and anyone moving often, we highlight how virtual networks serve as lifelines to local co-ops, park days, and inclusive groups—plus what leaders can do to genuinely welcome neurodivergent learners and short-term volunteers.
If you’re craving educational choice with confidence, this conversation is your homeschool roadmap—practical, hopeful, and real about the work involved. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review to help more families discover tools that make learning lighter and life-giving. What’s one change you’ll try this week?
If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a quick review. Your feedback helps more families like you!
About Natalie Mack
Natalie Mack is an experienced author, TEDx speaker, educational consultant, podcaster and military home educator, with over 23 years of service to military homeschooling families. Her passion for homeschooling is clear through her encouraging words. She is the proud mother of five children, four of whom are college graduates and a current 12th grader.
Recently, Natalie’s husband, a Navy chaplain, retired after 34 years of service, marking a new chapter for their family. Through her business, Natalie Mack LLC, she offers consultations to homeschoolers, assisting with navigating how to homeschool well, She is also the founder of Military Homeschoolers Association (MHA) which is an advocacy and resource support nonprofit for military homeschoolers. The podcast Base2Base Military Homeschooling is a service of MHA and is viewable on the MHA YouTube channel.
Her TEDx speech on The Impact of Homeschooling has over 27K views on YouTube. Her insights on military life have been published in outlets like The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, with articles such as “Fair Winds and Following Seas” and several other magazines. She is the magazine’s new columnist for Military Homeschooling. Natalie is also the author of 101 Tips for Homeschoolers available on Amazon. She is currently working on Homeschooling on the Move: Military-Style, a guide for military homeschooling families.
Natalie Mack’s dedication to homeschooling and the military community makes her a respected leader and advocate. Some of her initiatives and experience include more than 20 years of leadership of military homeschool groups, HSLDA Military Outreach Coordinator, training and collaboration with all six DoD branches of school liaisons, training of US Army and US Air Force recruiters and Education Service Specialists, collaborations with Tutor.com, Military Family Advisory Network, Military Child Education Coalition, Blue Star Families, Milspouse Fest, Partners in Promise, and others. She is a huge supporter of military service, having partnered with National MEPS to host two ASVAB/Career Exploration Program opportunities for homeschoolers in the D.C., MD and VA area.
About Ashley Barta
Ashly Barta is the Special Education Program Director for the Military Homeschool Association, where she brings over a decade of experience in education, specializing in special education, curriculum development, and educational technology. With a Master of Science in Learning Experience Design and Educational Technology, a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, and more than 10 years of homeschooling experience, Ashly is dedicated to helping military families navigate the complexities of education for children with diverse learning needs.
A mother to a child with special needs, Ashly has firsthand experience designing and implementing individualized educational plans to support her son’s unique learning journey. This personal insight allows her to deeply understand the challenges military families face when educating children with special needs.
As an Educational Consultant at Empowered Strategies and Consulting, Ashly supports parents and educators with IEP/504 consulting, offering customized activity recommendations based on thorough evaluations. Her background also includes serving as a Preschool/Kindergarten Teacher, Early Childhood Evaluator, and the owner/teacher at Puddle Jumpers Preschool, where she developed tailored curricula for children with varying abilities.
Ashly believes in creating inclusive and supportive learning environments where all students can thrive. She is committed to empowering students by integrating the latest educational research and technology into her teaching approach. Beyond her professional roles, Ashly enjoys reading, photography, and traveling with her family, discovering new places through their military life. She is continuously striving to improve her expertise to make a lasting, positive impact on education.
Connect with MHA
Website: https://militaryhomeschoolers.org/
Instagram: @military_homeschoolers
Facebook: @militaryhomeschoolersassociation
Read MoreSelf-Harm In Teens: Advice for Parents Navigating Non-Suicidal Self Injury | Stacy Schaffer

About this Episode
Teen pain often wants proof, and too many families discover self-harm the hardest way—by finding the evidence. Dr. Amy sits down with returning guest Stacy Schaffer, a licensed professional counselor, to unpack non-suicidal self-injury with clarity and care. We name what NSSI is and isn’t, explore why it seems to provide fast relief to hurting teens, and talk through what to do the moment a teen opens up. You’ll hear how shame keeps kids silent, how calm presence invites honesty, and why a clear plan beats punishment every time.
We dig into real-world guidance for parents, coaches, and teachers: how to thank a teen for their trust, offer choices for bringing caregivers into the conversation, and separate safety steps from secrecy-inducing consequences. Stacy explains the addictive loop—dopamine, relief, and reinforcement—that can build around cutting or burning, and how speaking to a teen’s own values and near-future moments (prom, summer jobs, sports uniforms) often lands better than distant warnings. We also highlight the long tail of scars and how regret can surface even after the behavior stops.
Most importantly, we share practical tools to bridge the urges: sensory substitutions like sour candy, ice, and specialized fidgets that create safe discomfort; 15-minute “urge surfing” to let intensity pass; and when tracking “sober days” can motivate rather than shame. We cover safety planning—locking up sharps without locking down trust—and the power of a supportive circle of adults beyond the home. Throughout, we keep the focus on curiosity over judgment and parenting the child you have in today’s always-watched, always-connected world.
If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a quick review. Your feedback helps more families like you!
About Stacy Schaffer
Stacy Schaffer is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over twenty years of experience helping children, teens, and young adults navigate emotional and behavioral challenges. Based in Arvada, Colorado, she is the founder and director of Stacy Schaffer Counseling and specializes in both grief therapy and Synergetic Play Therapy. Her extensive training includes a Master's Degree in Professional Counseling from Ottawa University, a Graduate Diploma in Christian Counseling from Phoenix Seminary, and certifications in Synergetic Play Therapy and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). She is a proud member of both the National Association of Play Therapy and the Colorado Association for Play Therapy. She’s the author of the book, With Love from a Children's Therapist about lessons she’s learned from her practice.
Connect with Stacy
Website: authorstacyschaffer.com
Instagram: @hoperestored
Facebook: @StacySchaffer
Read MoreGaslighting, Narcissism, and Other Teen Buzzwords: A Therapist’s Guide for Parents | Stacy Schaffer

About this Episode
Teens today live at the intersection of real mental health risks and viral misused language like gaslighting, narcissism, and DID. On this episode of The Brainy Moms podcast, Dr. Amy sat down with children’s therapist Stacy Schaffer to unpack how parents can support mental health without turning every rough patch into a diagnosis. Stacy shares the story behind her new book and the core idea that guides her work: integrate tough histories into practical, present-day tools so kids feel seen, safe, and capable.
We dig into the messy middle of modern childhood—where TikTok trends meet group-chat drama and where grooming, exclusion, and “subtle” cruelty often fly under the bullying radar. Stacy offers concrete steps for delaying social platforms, keeping an open pulse on online connections, and having frank, age-appropriate talks about consent, safety, and the law. We also explore why framing therapy as a gift changes everything, and how to invite teens into the process so they feel respected rather than “sent.”
A big theme is language. Words like trauma, gaslighting, narcissist, and DID carry weight and meaning; when they get stretched to cover discomfort or disagreement, everyone loses clarity. Stacy walks us through what those terms actually mean, when they apply, and how to teach kids a simple 1–10 scale that builds perspective without dismissing pain. We also clarify dissociation versus dissociative identity disorder and offer scripts that keep compassion high while holding responsibility steady: “You’re in charge of all your parts.”
Along the way, we talk about modeling healthy conflict at home, building emotion regulation, and helping kids collect “data” from hard moments they survived. If you’ve wondered how to respond when your teen throws out a buzzword, how to know when it’s time for counseling, or how to keep kids safer online, this conversation delivers calm, clear guidance you can use today.
About Stacy Schaffer
Stacy Schaffer is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over twenty years of experience helping children, teens, and young adults navigate emotional and behavioral challenges. Based in Arvada, Colorado, she is the founder and director of Stacy Schaffer Counseling and specializes in both grief therapy and Synergetic Play Therapy. Her extensive training includes a Master's Degree in Professional Counseling from Ottawa University, a Graduate Diploma in Christian Counseling from Phoenix Seminary, and certifications in Synergetic Play Therapy and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). She is a proud member of both the National Association of Play Therapy and the Colorado Association for Play Therapy. She’s the author of the book, With Love from a Children's Therapist about lessons she’s learned from her practice.
Connect with Stacy
Website: authorstacyschaffer.com
Instagram: @hoperestored
Facebook: @StacySchaffer
Read MoreRaising Career-Ready Kids | Dr. Tega Edwin

About this Episode
What if helping your kid find “the right career” starts with removing the pressure to choose one? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with counselor and career coach Dr. Tega Edwin to rethink how families approach work, college, and the messy middle in between. From fifth-grade classrooms to college advising offices, she’s seen how early biases about gender and prestige quietly close doors—and how simple exposure to real people in diverse roles opens them again.
We unpack a practical roadmap: start with exploration in childhood, not decisions; move into skill-building and option-finding in the teen years; and treat careers as fluid expressions of who we are, not final destinations. Dr. Tega shares classroom-tested ideas that make pathways tangible. For parents guiding older teens, we dig into smarter college strategy—sampling classes, staying undeclared when helpful, using career services early, and avoiding the debt spiral of constant major changes. You’ll also hear how to translate any degree into marketable skills, and why “What Can I Do With This Major?” belongs in every family’s toolbox.
Money worries fuel career fear, so we go straight at financial literacy: budgeting, saving, and investing as the bedrock of freedom to explore. We talk about leveraging your network for shadowing, coaching social skills for the workplace, and turning part-time jobs into lessons in EQ, advocacy, and professionalism. And when a dream is blocked—by health, academics, or reality—we talk about redirecting it without crushing it, honoring the spirit behind the goal. Along the way, we challenge parents to audit their own beliefs about work, because kids learn from what we model, not just what we say.
If you’re ready to replace anxiety with clarity and give your kids tools to pivot with purpose, hit play. Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who’s stressing about career and majors, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway so more families can find it.
About Dr. Tega Edwin
Dr. Tega is a counselor educator, licensed counselor, and career coach who worked as a school counselor helping children, teens, and families navigate career exploration and big life decisions before transitioning to career coaching. Known as Her Career Doctor, she equips women to find fulfilling work for themselves and land higher-paying jobs that improve their life satisfaction. Her work combines research-based career development strategies with real-life counseling experience to make conversations about the future less overwhelming and more empowering for families.
Connect with Dr. Tega
Website: http://www.hercareerdoctor.com/
Instagram: @hercareerdoctor
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tegaedwin
YouTube: Her Career Doctor
Read MoreFrom Cancel Culture to Kitchen Tables: A Parenting, Family Values, and Weight Loss Discussion with Matty Lansdown

About this Episode
The temperature of public disagreement feels scorching—and that heat is seeping into our homes. We dig into what it means to hold strong convictions while still honoring people, then connect that idea to everyday parenting: how we talk with our kids, how we set boundaries without shaming, and how we handle it when we don't agree. From there, we pull back the curtain on the forces shaping our families—peer culture, dopamine-driven feeds, and convenience foods designed to hijack attention and appetite—and lay out a calmer path forward.
Joined by our favorite nutrition scientist (and new dad) Matty Lansdown, now rebranded as The Real Weight Loss Coach, we walk through why root-cause health beats quick fixes. Matty talks GLP-1 medications with clear eyes—acknowledging potential benefits while naming real side effects and the risk of unresolved binge cycles—and then outlines an alternative: nervous system safety first, sleep and stress dialed in, ingredients-first meals, strength training for muscle and metabolism, and low-risk natural experiments that respect bioindividuality. Matty’s core message is simple and radical: the body keeps the score, and lasting change begins when we feel safe enough to choose differently.
We also take on the tricky question of teens and weight. Instead of aesthetic pressure, we focus on health markers, modeling, and the quiet power of the “ingredients household.” Device-free dinners, predictable rituals, and parent-led example set the tone even when teens detour. And throughout, we return to one big takeaway: honor family values, do less, do it better. Presence lowers cortisol, steadies cravings, and makes healthy choices feel possible in real life.
About Matty Lansdown
Matty Lansdown is the scientist-turned-nutritionist behind The Real Weight Loss Coach Podcast, a show in the top 1% globally with more than 850,000 downloads. But before becoming “The Real Weight Loss Coach,” Matty was secretly stuck in the same cycle as so many of his listeners — hooked on sugar, battling emotional eating, and frustrated by quick-fix diets that never lasted.
After years working in disease research, Matty saw firsthand how the medical system pushes pills and procedures while ignoring the real root causes of poor health: mindset, food habits, and emotional wellbeing. Tired of watching people stay sick and stuck, he left the lab to help people reclaim their health for good.
Now, Matty works with women who are exhausted by the yo-yo diet rollercoaster and want to finally understand why they self-sabotage. His approach blends science, psychology, and practical nutrition so healthy habits become natural — without calorie counting, fad diets, or relying on willpower alone.
Alongside coaching, Matty’s podcast delivers two episodes each week, mixing expert interviews with short, no-nonsense coaching chats that cut through the noise of the health industry. His mission is clear: to help one million people break free from the yo-yo diet cycle, forever.
Connect with Matty
Podcast: The Real Weight Loss Coach
Instagram: @the.real.weight.loss.coach
Website: www.mattylansdown.com
Read MoreOpen Education: Your Child Deserves a Learning Path as Unique as They Are | Matt Bowman

About this Episode
Homeschooling or thinking about it? Wondering if 'open education' is right for your homeschooled child? What if everything we thought we knew about education was designed for a world that no longer exists? Matt Bowman, founder of OpenEd and international bestselling author, joins Dr. Amy and Sandy on this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast to challenge the foundations of traditional education and offer a refreshingly practical alternative for today's families who are homeschooling or even considering it.
After watching all five of his children develop in completely different ways despite growing up in the same household, Matt realized that education shouldn't be one-size-fits-all—it should be as unique as each child.
The conversation dives deep into why standard education often fails to meet individual needs. Matt explains how our current system was originally modeled after military training methods imported from Europe over 200 years ago—designed to produce obedient soldiers rather than creative, independent thinkers. This standardization approach stands in stark contrast to how children actually learn and develop.
"The real tragedy," Matt shares, "is that this system not only fails to measure what matters in education—creativity, continuous progress, critical thinking, skill development—it actively works against it." For parents whose children are struggling, unhappy, or just not thriving, Matt offers a revolutionary yet simple starting point: take two weeks to try something different. Give your child space to explore their interests without pressure, and watch what naturally emerges.
One of the most powerful insights Matt shares is reframing our understanding of failure. While traditional education treats failure as something to avoid at all costs, successful athletes, musicians, and entrepreneurs embrace it as essential to growth. Teaching children to see challenges as "not yet" rather than failure fundamentally transforms their relationship with learning.
With AI rapidly changing our economic landscape, the skills that matter most aren't standardized test scores but creativity, adaptability, and entrepreneurial thinking. Matt encourages parents to tap into community resources—museums, local businesses, nature, arts programs—and integrate them into core education rather than treating them as mere enrichment.
For families ready to explore alternatives, Matt reminds us that small changes can make an enormous difference. Whether it's adjusting schedules, exploring interests, or incorporating entrepreneurship, the goal isn't to replicate school at home but to create learning experiences that honor each child's unique path.
Join us to get inspired about personalizing an education that works for your unique child.
Present, Not Perfect: How to Support Your Teen’s Mental Health Journey | Jenn Robb

About this Episode
When your child is drowning in mental health struggles, the weight of helplessness can feel crushing. Where do you turn? How do you fight a battle you can't even see? Nurse practitioner and author Jen Robb knows this battlefield intimately. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, she tells Dr. Amy all about it.
"We were the white picket fence, typical all-American kind of family," Jenn shares, describing how her daughter Chloe's mental health crisis blindsided their family. Like many parents, Jen initially retreated into silence, carrying the burden alone rather than risking judgment from others. That isolation nearly broke her.
Through raw vulnerability and faith-filled wisdom, Jenn guides listeners through the transformative journey from silent suffering to empowered advocacy. She challenges the notion that doctors always know best, encouraging parents to respectfully question treatment plans and seek providers who address root causes rather than simply medicating symptoms. "Your child doesn't have a voice in that circumstance," she reminds us. "No one is going to fight as hard for your child as you will."
The path forward isn't about perfection but presence. Jenn's powerful reminder that "your child doesn't need a perfect mom; they need a present mom" liberates parents from impossible standards while focusing on what truly matters – showing up emotionally and physically while allowing children space to feel their feelings. This delicate balance requires setting healthy boundaries not just for our children, but for ourselves as parents.
Perhaps most profound is Jenn's perspective on surrender. After a terrifying incident where Chloe was hospitalized with alcohol poisoning, Jenn describes hearing God whisper, "As much as you love her, I love her more." This spiritual surrender didn't mean abandoning responsibility, but rather acknowledging her limitations and finding strength beyond herself.
Whether you're currently navigating teen mental health challenges or simply want to be prepared, Jenn's practical wisdom on supporting brain health through technology boundaries, sleep hygiene, and proper nutrition offers valuable tools for every family. Connect with Jenn's supportive community at warriormomcoach.net and discover how to become the warrior your child needs during their darkest battles.
