Parenting the Mental Health Generation

Today you'll meet Adison Schwartz, an inspiring high school senior erasing the mental health stigma every day!  She is joined by her school staff mentor, Robyn Corelitz, a social emotional learning specialist.  Together, they are making a difference at Deerfield High School.  Adison will take us on an audio tour of the amazing space she created, dedicated to student wellness at her school. She will also introduce us to You Are...

When Glenbrook North High School delayed finals at the last-minute due to the weather, it launched a firestorm of anger aimed at the administration.  In response, student editors at the school newspaper took a stand that brought its own criticism.  In this episode of Parenting the Mental Health Generation, we meet the authors of that editorial, Avery Copeland, and Kaitlyn Lu. They share the backlash they faced and why they believe ...

If you’re stuck in the muck of parenting, you can make positive change without sticker charts and timeouts.  Yes, there is another way, and you’ll find it by searching for glimmers, those minor moments that deliver peace and joy.  During this episode, we meet an artist who made a big life change for the better and shares how you can follow her lead with small steps.

SHOW NOTES:
B Kez website
B Kez Instagram (@BKez)...

How often are you or your child checking their grades?  How is that impacting your relationship with your child? In this episode of Parenting the Mental Health Generation, we dive deep into the addictive nature of online grade tracking systems for both parents and students. Join us as we look at the toll these systems take on our families and learn how we can break free from what Julie Lythcott-Haims calls the "insidious paren...

Parents are facing real pressures to keep kids active, focused, and accomplished.  But to what end?  The award-winning documentary, Chasing Childhood, emphasizes the importance of free play and independence as the keys to a kid’s success.  In this episode of Parenting the Mental Health Generation, we dig into what’s best for our children and offer guidance on avoiding the overparenting trap.

SHOWNOTES:
Chasing Childhoo...

From the intense pressures of the college application process to the societal expectations shaping student extracurricular choices.  Our kids are doing it all.  Are they achieving success?

Join Amy O. and Dr. Lisa in a candid conversation with Aimee Wool, a seasoned high school teacher, as they delve into the evolving world of student stress. Wool shares valuable insights into the changing dynamics of education and offers ...

"It's wild to me that we throw all these things at teenagers and expect them to handle it with the grace and poise that a 35-year-old would. And so, if I were speaking directly to teenagers of today, what I would say to them is that it makes so much sense that you feel this pressure. It makes so much sense that you feel stressed out. The environment that you are in is such a competitive and high pressure one that I would ...

" I guess we shouldn't make up someone else's story," stated a kindergartner after hearing the book Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Pena.

That is the powerful message one kindergarten student walked away understanding from their library time with Tara LaCerra. LaCerra is a beloved librarian at one of our local elementary schools. She sees firsthand how our youths’ mental health has changed over th...

  " You know, once you become an expert in being yourself, navigating the world gets a whole lot easier."  Olivia, from Food Fight

Did you know some picky eating is considered an eating disorder?  Extreme cases are now diagnosed as ARFID, Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.  Local author and social worker Linda B. Davis is releasing the book, Food Fight, to help readers better understand this mental illne...

Don’t worry about reading, writing, and ‘rithmatic for your young children.  During the preschool years, they learn all they need to know from playtime. In this episode of Parenting the Mental Health Generation, Amy and Lisa talk to Sue Carr, Director of Monona Grove Nursery School in Madison, Wisconsin, about the lessons that come from independent exploration with peers. 

So put in your earbuds, take this 30 minutes for y...

How are schools responding to the growing mental health demands of students? In this episode of Parenting the Mental Health Generation, we get an inside look at how one local district is stepping up, especially after community-wide trauma.  Jennifer Ginopolis, the Director of Recovery for Township High School District 113, which represents Highland Park and Deerfield High Schools, talks about the deliberate steps they are taking fo...

 If your child is struggling with anxiety, finding them a therapist is often a great option, but it’s certainly not the only one.  Sometimes, effective help comes from therapy for parents.

In this episode of Parenting the Mental Health Generation, Amy and Lisa talk with Niki Aquino, LCSW, Mind Chicago, about SPACE: Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions.

So put in your earbuds, take this 30 minutes f...

How do you respond when a young person comes out about their gender or sexual preference? What do you say when someone makes a homophobic comment in your home? And how do you initiate a conversation about pronouns?

 In this episode or Parenting the Mental Health Generation, our hosts, Amy and Lisa, talk with Lizzy Appleby, LCSW and Director of the Pride Youth Program for LGBTQ+ youth at Youth Services of Glenview/Northbroo...

Amy and Lisa sit down with two North Shore filmmakers, Ari Braun and Eden Grunsberg, to discuss their film "The Stigma." The documentary is a raw look into the struggles teens experience in sharing their mental illness with friends. What is so compelling about the documentary is that these filmmakers are themselves teens.

Amy and Lisa expand the conversation with Ari and Eden to their thoughts and feelings about...

When the Anxiety Monster reared his ugly head one morning at college, a student called his mom. In this essay from the CATCH series, In Real Life, she shares their conversation and the one important question she asked to support him in that moment.
You can read this In Real Life Journal post here.

Do you ever wonder if you’re the only one struggling with bumps and pitfalls on a daily basis? Listen to Real Talk: Essays ...

It took five years, but I finally figured out how to follow the therapist’s advice. In this Essay from Real Life, a mom shares her struggles with managing her anxiety while trying to support her son on his mental health journey. Through a series of trials and errors, can she learn the true value of validation?

You can read this In Real Life Journal post here.

Do you ever wonder if you’re the only one struggling wi...

During this holiday season, why are we surprised when that unwanted guest, Grief shows up? Listen to this Essay from Real Life as one family opens their arms to a young man walking through his journey of grief.

You can read this In Real Life Journal post  here.

If you’d like to write an In Real Life, email info@catchiscommunity.org.

Do you ever wonder if you’re the only one struggling with bumps and pitfa...

Kids say the darnedest things.  In this episode of Parenting the Mental Health Generation, our host’s adult children join the conversation.  Shawn and Luke Oberholtzer, Amy’s kids, are in their 20s, and have some things to say about growing up, the parent-child relationship, social media and more. Our other host, Lisa, is raising two young children and soaks in all the Oberholtzers have to offer. 

SHOW NOTES:

• Articles ...

Fear of going to camp...or is it? Toothpaste flavors, chicken nuggets, and friendship drama are all up for discussion in this episode of Parenting the Mental Health Generation.   

Our hosts, Amy and Lisa, talk with Dr. Natalia Kaczmarek, licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Indigo Therapy Group, Northbrook, Illinois about the challenges of parenting, the pitfalls we experience, and how to course correct in a way t...