When It’s Hard

About this episode

Julie discusses the challenges of parenting teenagers and emphasizes the importance of trust and presence over perfection.

Parenting teenagers isn’t just challenging—it can be exhausting . Even when you’re doing everything “right,” some seasons are simply hard. In this episode of Plot Twist Parenting , Julie speaks directly to those moments—when trust feels fragile, emotions run high, and you’re wondering if you’ve already messed it up. Drawing from leadership wisdom, applied psychology, and faith traditions, you’ll learn how steadiness, presence, and repair matter more than perfection, and why trust is built not by avoiding mistakes, but by how we return after them. You’ll also hear a powerful metaphor for staying grounded under pressure—keeping a steady gaze and an open heart —and how this practice can change the way you show up when things feel overwhelming. If parenting feels harder than you expected right now, this episode offers reassurance, perspective, and a reminder you may need to hear: You are not behind. You are learning in real time.

People in this episode

Host: Julie Winchester Workman

Topics covered

• parenting
• teenagers
• trust
• emotions
• leadership wisdom
• applied psychology
• faith traditions

Keywords

• parenting
• teenagers
• trust
• emotions
• leadership
• psychology
• faith
• grounded
• learning

More episodes of Plot Twist Parenting: Teenagers

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• Be It til you Are It · May 19, 2026 · 20 min
• Mother's Day <3 · May 11, 2026 · 21 min
• You’re Doing Better than You Think · February 2, 2026 · 18 min
• Unconditional: Presence Without Prerequisites · January 11, 2026 · 27 min
• Joy on Purpose · November 30, 2025 · 27 min