Teen Minds Redefined

About Teen Minds Redefined

"Discover ''Parenting Teens : Advice Redefined for Today's Complex World" with Special Education Specialist / Educator Cheryl, as we dive into real and raw conversations about sex, drugs, screens, social media, LGBTQ+ issues, mental health, and more. This podcast is your guide to reimagining better relationships with teens by doing the essential inner work. Join us for engaging, vibrant, and empathetic discussions that foster trust and understanding in today's complex parenting landscape. Embrace the change,we just can’t parent the way our parents did” Questions this podcast will answer; I am so grateful for you taking your time to listen and I would love your input, feedback , suggestions for topics. We are in this together. Connect with me support@cherylpankhurst.com linkedin.com/in/cheryl-ann-pankhurst-1b611855 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryl-ann-pankhurst-1b611855) https://www.instagram.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst/ (https://www.instagram.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst/) https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst (https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst) https://open.spotify.com/show/4QwFMJMDDSEXJb451pCHO9?si=9c1a298387c84e13 (https://open.spotify.com/show/4QwFMJMDDSEXJb451pCHO9?si=9c1a298387c84e13) https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYv9FQy1X43wwoYg0zF8zAJw6-nCpHMAk&si=7p-e4UlU2rsG3j_t (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYv9FQy1X43wwoYg0zF8zAJw6-nCpHMAk&si=7p-e4UlU2rsG3j_t) Optin-podcast subscriber https://www.cherylpankhurst.com/teen-minds-redefined-podcast (https://www.cherylpankhurst.com/teen-minds-redefined-podcast) How to work with me! https://www.cherylpankhurst.com/consulting (https://www.cherylpankhurst.com/consulting) Editing credit Gabbi Greco

Publisher

Cheryl Pankhurst

Category

kids & family

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 Oct 2023

Latest episode

9 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

247 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   9 Oct 2026

   ~199~"Gentle Parenting vs. Boundaries: How We Are Getting It Wrong With Our Teens?"

   Is gentle parenting actually helping our teenagers develop resilience, or are we sometimes taking it too far? Welcome to WTF Friday on Parenting Teens Advice Redefined for Today's World — where we have the honest conversations about parenting teenagers that don't always fit neatly into a parenting book. In this episode, I'm questioning what happens when gentle parenting moves from acknowledging our teenagers' feelings to allowing those feelings to dictate our parenting decisions. Many parents grew up hearing things like, “You're to be seen and not heard,” or “I'll give you something to cry about.” Understandably, they want something different for their own children. They want their teens to feel heard, understood, and supported. But what happens when we swing so far in the opposite direction that we start removing boundaries, fighting our teenagers' battles, or trying to protect them from every disappointment? As parents of teenagers, we need to understand the difference between validating our teen's emotions and changing our decisions because they're upset. In this candid Friday conversation, I explore: Gentle parenting and teenagers: Why some parents have embraced this approach and where I believe it can go wrong. Validating feelings without giving in: How to acknowledge anger, disappointment, and frustration without abandoning a reasonable boundary. Teenagers and consequences: What happens when a teen fails a course without doing the work — and why rescuing them from every consequence isn't necessarily helping. Overprotective parenting: When stepping in to solve our teens' problems may prevent them from learning to manage difficult situations themselves. Building resilience in teenagers: Why our teens need opportunities to experience disappointment, frustration, and challenges while knowing we're in their corner. Parenting boundaries: How to hold a decision even when your teenager is unhappy with it. Raising confident, capable teens: The power of communicating, “I know this is hard, and I have faith that you can handle it.” My message isn't that our teenagers' feelings don't matter. They absolutely do. It's that their feelings can be valid without every feeling requiring us to change the rules, fix the problem, or make the disappointment disappear. Our job isn't to make our teenagers' lives free of frustration. It's to help them develop the confidence and skills to navigate life when things don't go their way. And sometimes, one of the most powerful things we can tell our teens is this: “I know it sucks. And I believe you can handle it.” Let's talk: Has gentle parenting gone too far, or are we simply learning to parent differently from the generations before us? Where do you draw the line between validating your teenager's feelings and holding a boundary? Share your thoughts. I genuinely want to hear this conversation. 🎧 Listen, reflect, and join the conversation on Parenting Teens Advice Redefined for Today's World. YOUR GIFT- GUIDE FOR GRADE 8 TO GRADE 9 IEP TRANSITIONS https://www.cherylpankhurst.com/iep-high-school-transition-parent-quick-guide (https://www.cherylpankhurst.com/iep-high-school-transition-parent-quick-guide) Let’s Chat (https://tidycal.com/cherylpankhurst/15-minute-meeting)https://tidycal.com/cherylpankhurst/consultation-chat (https://tidycal.com/cherylpankhurst/consultation-chat) http://cherylpankhurst.com (http://cherylpankhurst.com) Connect with Cheryl! Get the book here! Daring to Belong: Autism Stories of Courage and Connection (https://a.co/d/0hOtQKRc) DIRECT LINK TO COACHING WITH CHERYL (https://www.cherylpankhurst.com/coaching) email : support@cherylpankhurst.com Website (https://www.cherylpankhurst.com/) (http://cherylpankhurst.com)cherylpankhurst.com (http://cherylpankhurst.com) SOCIALS: My Substack (https://cheryl309.substack.com/) linkedin.com/in/l. R.cheryl-ann-pankhurst-1b611855 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryl-ann-pankhurst-1b611855) https://www.instagram.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst/ (https://www.instagram.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst/) (https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst) https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst (https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.a.pankhurst) PODCAST- “PARENTING TEENS ADVICE REDEFINED FOR TODAY’S WORLD THE PODCAST (https://podopshost.com/65777cadcf3fc) https://open.spotify.com/show/4QwFMJMDDSEXJb451pCHO9?si=9c1a298387c84e13 (https://open.spotify.com/show/4QwFMJMDDSEXJb451pCHO9?si=9c1a298387c84e13) https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYv9FQy1X43wwoYg0zF8zAJw6-nCpHMAk&si=7p-e4UlU2rsG3j_t (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYv9FQy1X43wwoYg0zF8zAJw6-nCpHMAk&si=7p-e4UlU2rsG3j_t) Optin-podcast subscriber Parenting Teens Advice Redefined (https://www.cherylpankhurst.com/teen-minds-redefined-podcast)

2. 

   7 Oct 2026

   ~198~"AI, Phones, Failure & Accountability: Are We Preparing Teens for Adulthood?" with Michael Scheller

   Are We Raising Capable Teens—or Making Life Too Easy for Them? What if one of the biggest things standing between our teenagers and independence… is us? In this no-filter conversation, Cheryl sits down with Michael Scheller, founder of Astute Academics and an educational consultant with more than 15 years of experience working with students and families. And fair warning: this conversation goes everywhere. From phones and social media to AI, academic pressure, gentle parenting, failure, accountability, resilience and the uncomfortable truth that sometimes our teenagers need us to step back rather than step in. Michael and Cheryl don't agree on everything—and that's exactly what makes this conversation so good. Because parenting teenagers isn't about finding the one "right" answer. It's about being willing to question what we're doing, examine our own values, and ask: Are we actually preparing our kids for adulthood—or are we making their lives so manageable that they never get the chance to manage them themselves? In this episode, we talk about: Why teenagers need opportunities to fail, struggle and figure things out Whether we're protecting our kids from discomfort at the expense of resilience The difference between acknowledging your teen's feelings and letting their feelings dictate the outcome Why accountability is a skill teenagers need to practice—not something we can simply demand Cell phones, social media and how much access teenagers really need The importance of parents deciding their own technology values instead of looking outside themselves for validation How excessive screen time may be affecting learning, attention and independence Why reading still matters in an increasingly digital world AI and teenagers: when it can support learning and when it simply does the thinking for them Why using AI to write your teen's paper may solve today's problem while creating a much bigger problem tomorrow The difference between using AI as a collaborator and pressure tester versus using it as a replacement for thinking Why parents need to stop rescuing their teenagers from every uncomfortable consequence What sports, competition and losing can teach teenagers about resilience Why "everybody gets a trophy" can sometimes rob kids of the opportunity to experience disappointment The importance of parents modeling accountability by saying "I was wrong. I'm sorry." Why apologizing to your teenager isn't weakness—it's leadership How parents can teach their kids to disagree without needing to prove the other person wrong Why we need to raise teenagers who can think, question, communicate and solve problems, not simply get the answer One of the biggest takeaways You can have your teen's back without carrying them. You can acknowledge that something is hard without removing the hard thing. You can say: "That sucks. I know you're disappointed. And I'm still not fixing it for you." Because sometimes the most powerful message we can give our teenagers is: "I know you can handle this. And I'm not going to take that opportunity away from you." About Michael Scheller Michael Scheller is the founder of Astute Academics and an educational consultant who has spent more than 15 years working with students and families. His work focuses on academics, educational strategy, student development and helping families navigate the increasingly complicated world of education. Connect with Michael Michael can be reached through LinkedIn or at Astute Academics. https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-scheller-994b53a5/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-scheller-994b53a5/) About Cheryl Pankhurst Cheryl Pankhurst is an Educational Strategist & Family Advocate with more than 25 years of experience in education, including extensive experience supporting teenagers with learning differences, ADHD, autism, anxiety and other educational needs. Through Insight to Impact, Cheryl helps parents understand the school system, interpret assessments, navigate IEPs and school meetings, advocate effectively, and support their teenagers without taking over. Learn more and connect with Cheryl at CherylPankhurst.com. If your teen is struggling at school, navigating a new diagnosis, or you need help figuring out what to do next, Cheryl offers educational consulting and 90-day advocacy support. If this episode resonated with you... Follow or subscribe to Parenting Teens Advice Redefined for Today's World, share this episode with another parent, and leave a review. And remember: You are not failing because you don't have all the answers. You're a parent who is still trying to figure it out. You don't have to do this alone.

3. 

   30 Sept 2026

   ~197~"When Your Child Is Diagnosed With ADHD or Autism: The Grief, Identity Shift & Parenting Reset" with Nadia Patel

   Parenting Teens Advice Redefined for Today’s World with Cheryl Pankhurst What happens when your child receives an ADHD or autism diagnosis—and suddenly the future you imagined for your family feels uncertain? In this deeply honest conversation, Cheryl Pankhurst talks with Nadia Patel, high-performance identity coach, speaker, and mother of two neurodivergent children, about the emotional side of parenting that doesn't get talked about enough. Because a diagnosis doesn't just change what you understand about your child. Sometimes, it changes how you see yourself. Nadia shares her personal journey through parenting ADHD and autism, including the shock of diagnosis, parental grief, burnout, fear about the future, financial and family pressures, and the realization that she needed to work on her own emotional regulation before she could fully support her children. And this conversation gets real. We talk about the thoughts parents may be afraid to admit: What does this mean for my child's future? What does this mean for my career? What will this do to our marriage? Will our family ever feel normal again? Those thoughts don't make you a bad parent. They make you human. But what we do with those thoughts matters. Nadia explains how shifting her own identity changed the way she experienced her son's autism and ADHD—and how she moved from seeing the challenges as something that was bigger than her to becoming someone who could hold both her family and the life she still wanted to create. Cheryl and Nadia also discuss why parents need to be careful about spending too much time in online parenting groups, consuming worst-case scenarios about autism and ADHD, and worrying about problems that may never happen. For parents of neurodivergent children and teens, this episode is a reminder that your child's diagnosis is not the end of their story—and it doesn't have to be the end of yours either. In this episode, we talk about: What parents may experience emotionally after an ADHD or autism diagnosis The grief that can accompany a diagnosis—and why talking about it doesn't mean you don't accept your child The difference between accepting your child and worrying about how the world will treat them Parenting burnout and why parental regulation matters How a parent's internal view of their child can influence the way that child experiences themselves The identity shift that can happen when you're parenting a neurodivergent child ADHD and autism parenting challenges How parents can hold space for their child's needs without putting their own dreams and identity on hold Finding practical support when you're overwhelmed Why asking for help is not failure The impact of neurodivergence on siblings, marriage, finances and family life Why online parenting communities can sometimes increase anxiety instead of reducing it The importance of staying grounded in the present instead of constantly worrying about your child's future Why your child's diagnosis does not mean you have to abandon the life you want A message for the parent listening If you've ever thought, “I don't know how we're going to do this,” you're not alone. And if you've had thoughts or feelings that you don't feel comfortable admitting out loud, that doesn't automatically make you a bad parent. You may simply need somewhere safe to process what you're carrying. As Nadia says, getting support for yourself can be one of the most important things you do for your child. And Cheryl's reminder throughout this podcast is simple: It's not them. It's you—and that's where the magic happens. Not because your teen or child is the problem. Because sometimes changing the way we understand ourselves, our children and the situation we're facing changes everything. About Nadia Patel Nadia Patel is a high-performance identity coach, speaker and mother of two neurodivergent children. Her work focuses on identity, self-belief, confidence and the internal shifts that can help people create meaningful change in their careers, relationships, businesses and lives. Find Nadia at nadiapatelcoaching.com. About Cheryl Pankhurst Cheryl Pankhurst is an Educational Strategist and Family Advocate with more than 25 years of experience supporting teenagers, families and schools. Her work includes neurodivergent teens, ADHD, autism, psycho-educational assessments, IEPs, school advocacy and the transition through high school. If your teenager is struggling at school, you've received a new diagnosis, you're trying to understand an assessment, or you need help navigating the school system, visit CherylPankhurst.com. #NeurodivergentParenting #ADHDParenting #AutismParenting #ParentingTeens #ParentingTeenagers

Who has been a guest on Teen Minds Redefined

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Richard R Ramos
• Iuri Melo
• Erin Williamson
• Jay Aedo
• Clare Ford

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

88,011

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

7 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 74 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

72

Social presence

91

YouTube

72

Engagement

71

Contact Teen Minds Redefined

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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