Reframing Me
So many prepare us for the transition to motherhood, but no one prepares us for how hard the transition out is, and once our kids become teens, it also can feel very solitary. The issues we face with teens are often ones we need to talk about, yet feel we can't or shouldn't. Together, we can create a community of women who, faced with growing children and changing families, are relearning how to mom, and relearning who they are as women. Grounded in family communication theory, join Dr. Jennifer Brubaker to have those conversations to help you better understand this new chapter of your life. Episodes focus on both family communication with our teens and reflection and self discovery. Dr. Brubaker has her Ph.D in Communication Studies and is an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she has taught for 17 years. Prior to UNCW, she taught at The Ohio State University, Kent State University and the University of Toledo. Originally from Ohio, Jen lives in Wilmington, NC, with her husband, three children, three dogs, cat and a menagerie of small animals. She loves spending time with her family, traveling and all things fitness, sports and wellness. Reach out with your questions, issues or experiences to begin the conversation. Or reach out to say hi and let me know you’re listening :) Join the Reframing Me: The Podcast Community Facebook group to connect with others who are looking to relearn how to parent, now that their kids are teens, and rediscover who they are as women, beyond the framework of motherhood. Send emails to jen@reframing-me.com; or on socials: Reframing Me on FacebookAND join the Facebook group Reframing Me: The Podcast Community; @reframingme on Instagram; Reframing Me on YouTube @reframingme on TikTok
Reframing Me
My Biggest Parenting Secret? Boundaries, Space and Your Teens
With summer creeping up, college students about to come home, and teens ready to enjoy summer break at home, I’ve been thinking a lot about how much the dynamic in many of our homes is about to shift. For some of us, the daily routines we’ve gotten used to will be flipped upside down - again. And even though we love having our kids back under our roofs, let’s be honest, it’s not always as smooth or idyllic as we imagine it will be.
So I’ve been asking myself: What’s the one piece of advice I’d give to another parent heading into this season? What is the bang for your buck as close to the secret of parenting teens that I can give you in a one and done answer.
And my answer is actually probably the best change I’ve ever made in myself as a parent. It’s not about new rules, or stricter consequences, or some clever new strategy. It’s about something a little harder to define - but way more impactful.
I made the boundary of our family more permeable.. I gave my teens space. And making family boundaries more permeable might just be the best change you could make, too.
Please help me with my Matrenaissance Identity Theory of Communication research by completing a completely anonymous survey at https://forms.gle/WunxbwZ7L1MmvWEF6
This research has been approved by the UNCW Institutional Review Board.
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