Healthy Expat Parent

A poem for you, celebrating what it is to be spring. Rainy, and at the same time everything new. And we are still here. Spell against indifference ~Maria Popova The rain falls and falls cool, bottomless, and prehistoric falls like night -- not an ablution not a baptism just a small reason to remember all we know of Heaven to remember we are still here with our love songs and our wars our space telescopes and our table tennis Here too in the wet grass half a shell of a robin

Susie and Angi talk about evacuation, trying to find footing, figuring out the new normal, and dealing with stress.  Sadly, evacuations are part of a consideration of Foreign Service life; right now many posts and 1,000s of families are impacted by the situation in the Middle East.  Let's find some space together, support our friends, and give ourselves some grace as we deal with this. Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2304981/episodes/18883637-finding-footing-during-ev

Social media is such a beast. Not only can we not tell if something written was AI-generated, but also we can't tell what someone really looks like, what (if anything) might have been changed about their face.  Or their voice.  Or their appearance. What's real, what's not? No wonder young people are struggling with mental health!  Listen, you and I, we are smart, discerning, capable and skilled adults who have had a lifetime of experiences interacting with other people. We kn

I know, famous last words, right?   Here's the thing: when your kids are very little, we adults think we can do anything we want around them and the kids won't notice, right?  I mean, we all know that teenagers don't see or hear a thing if it isn't on a device, but little kiddos are not that observant either, right?  Nope. Your kids see you.   They hear how you treat others.  They watch your interactions.  They see how you treat yourself.  Pay attention because they are payin

Humans like to be liked.  It is in our DNA to be social, to have a community, and to be well-regarded.  Oftentimes, this defaults us to people-pleasing behavior even when this means that the one that does not get to have enough space/food/comfort is you.  I get it, though: I am a bona-fide people pleaser myself.  I get the need to be loved, understood and accepted.  Somewhere along the way, we have learned that being easy, helpful, or agreeable made life smoother — for others

A couple weeks ago,, we talked a bit about social media and its impacts on young people . This week, I want to delve into another unexpected but more common effects of time spent online. This is perhaps different than what you might expect: teens are self-diagnosing themselves with various mental health disorders. Unfortunately, this is often a result of watching probably less accurate and not reliable sources such as TikTok or Reddit, and highlights how finding informatio

Teens and tech and all the things It’s hard to know, isn’t it, just how big of a social experiment we are setting up our teenagers for with this whole social media + smartphones + constant digital immersion situation, amiright?  Is this the time bomb sensationalists are declaring it to be?  Is it a passing fad?  If only we could know. It would be amazing to have a clear-cut answer to the question of plummeting mental health and teenagers.  The water is murky, at best, and hon

Excited to chat today with Dr Kristen Cook, a pediatrician, talking about kids, adjustment and transitions, and how to parent the child you have.  We move a lot in this lifestyle, and it can start to wear on your kiddos.  Let's support their well being with some key suggestions. Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2304981/episodes/18584336-kids-and-transition-parenting-the-child-you-have Dr Kristen shared with us some great resources for mental health support: https://www

This is going to be a little bit science heavy but hopefully by the end of this, you'll have a better understanding of your teenager's motivations, why they act like they have zero caution or sense (read: risk takers), and why they are actually not that different than we (sane) adults are.  Question to consider: What motivates you?  I am assuming you are a mature, forward thinking, capable adult and you consider motivation to come from different intrinsic and extrinsic source

Let's explore more for FS kids and college: this time we are exploring international options.  Is your student a good fit to flourish in university overseas?  Hannah and I discuss options in Canada, UK, and Netherlands, and include considerations for parents and students for exploring these options. Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2304981/episodes/18505917 To reach Hannah: hannah@peakcollegeconsulting.com   www.peakcollegeconsulting.com

Looking to make some changes, add some healthier habits, shifting the balance of your activities more towards “well” rather than just maintaining.  Often, especially this time of year, people start seriously considering or moving towards adding new habits, or changing behavior.  Well, listen, changing behavior is hard, my friend.  In all cases of success, there has to be a lot of determination, will, and the ability to resist temptation.  Effective change CAN happen, but it c

I am a rule- and schedule-lover, and I am not going to apologize for it. At the same time, I love a spontaneous rambling adventure. For me, the best times are with my kids, even if it is as simple as going to the mall, and hanging out over some weird food concoction in the food court. I love that there’s this pure and beautiful area of life where we are grounded, engaged, and deeply connected. My relationship with my kids has always felt right, and I’ve always trusted mys

Here we are with episode 3 from our series talking about Foreign Service kids and College.  This time, Hannah and I talk about money.  How to figure costs, what is need, what is merit and other kinds of aid, and how can we make going to university a bit more accessibly, financially-speaking.  It's a very different ballgame than when we parents went to university!  Grab your notebook and get ready to take a deep dive into finances for university.   Listen here for the episode:

Recording # 2 - FS kids and University A chat with Hannah Engel-Rebitzer, an independent Educational Consultant with Peak College Consulting, about what it is students should be looking for in university, and how parents can support this piece of the process .  We talk about location, academics, social scene, as well as a little about finances.  We talk about creating a balanced list and what that looks like.   Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2304981/episodes/1831679

First in a series of podcasts about Foreign Service Kids and Applying to College.  We'll talk about what colleges are looking for, what kids should be looking for, finances, different types of schools, and more.  We welcome comments and questions!   Podcast # 1 -- What colleges are looking for in applications, and how parents can support their FS kids through the process? A chat with Hannah Engel-Rebitzer, an independent Educational Consultant with Peak College Consulting, a

Join Susie Brown and Sex Education Expert Scotney Young talk sex ed: global sex education standard disparities, age appropriate sex/gender education, helping parents with difficult (and awkward!) discussions with their tweens/teens, empowering teens for gender equality, & what you can do to support child safety. Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2304981/episodes/18223385-sex-education-your-tween-teen-and-you Scotney Young: https://www.instagram.com/rootsandboundaries?ig

Do you feel as though you and your teen are from different planets, speaking different languages and your responses rarely if ever align?  Ever wonder why you can be ever-so-efficient and your child is oh-so-not?  Listen, it isn't you, and also there is nothing wrong with your teenager.  Most likely their bizarre-to-you response — or lack there of — is due to the completely normal and expected developmental processes of their executive function (read: brain development).   Le

Sharoya, Angi and I talk about different aspects of kids leaving the house, having fewer family members around, and what happens when they come back home?  Some great suggestions for keeping the peace, making the most out of the new additional space ... and making sure you have beds for everyone when/if they come back home! We all know that our kids are supposed to grow up, go to uni, and then go off on their own. This is our primary goal as parents: help foster independence

Finally, another podcast! Shipping our kiddos off to university feels like a bit of a leap of faith, but it is what is supposed to...

Our kids are amazing, aren't they? They are also like closed doors, especially as they get older. It gets harder and harder to get any...