Difficult Conversations Podcast

Lessons I Learned as an ICU Physician

Episode 119 | November 24, 2020

Difficult Conversations with Your Teenager

Joshua Wayne

Family Coach and Youth Mentor

Josh Wayne

Welcome to Difficult Conversations with Dr. Anthony Orsini. Today, my special guest is Joshua Wayne. For over 25 years he has worked with at-risk foster youth. Once a struggling teen himself, Joshua understands what teens are going through. He speaks across the country to schools and youth organizations on how to help kids today become successful young adults tomorrow. Joshua helps youth face challenges and make smart, empowered decisions as they navigate toward adulthood . He also helps parents, teachers, and others how to best love and support them through the process. He has trained police departments, school districts, state and local governments, and youth organizations on how to work effectively with teens and their families. He is the author of The Simple Parenting Guide to Technology and has been featured as a Life Coach on the Style Network, Joshua is the co-creator with Josh Shipp of the One Caring Adult online community.

Joshua shares his journey as a troubled teen. He explains the phrase, “Every kid is one caring adult away from a being a success story.” Dr. Orsini mentions two important words, “trusting relationship,” that are always brought up in his podcast interviews with people in business and in healthcare. Joshua explains the importance of having a seat at your child’s “board of directors” table. He explains the best way to let your kids know that it’s okay to come to you when things get really bad? Joshua shares some great advice about keeping the relationship vital, and current with your children. He explains one piece of advice that he finds helpful – “Can I let go of this?” He talks about the astonishing statistics of suicide in adolescents. Joshua gives advice on how to have a conversation with your children so they will come to you when things are getting bad. Dr. Orsini and Joshua discuss how important having father’s in a household is to the well being of children. Joshua shares his advice. Dr. Orsini talks about how important it is for boys and girls to get involved in sports and activities and to have somebody else in their life, like a coach. They discuss the ill effects Joshua has seen with COVID-19, and children not getting the social interaction with virtual learning. We end with Joshua telling us what he thinks is the most difficult conversation any parent or adult would have with their child.

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