In the Middle of It with Amy Kelly, The Ish Girl

Biggest Takeaways:

• David Drucker and Kit Lowell are two very distinct, well-developed characters
• Julie Buxbaum’s portrayal of a teen boy with autism is realistic and, at times, gut-wrenching
• Her p…

Biggest Takeaways:

• 13 Reasons Why, a popular Netflix series, resonates deeply with today’s teens.
• The issues it tackles (listed below) are portrayed with a gritty, visceral realism that is potential…

Biggest Takeaways:

• When We Collided is a layered, beautiful walk through mental illness that is an excellent vehicle to discuss important issues with your teen.
• Mental health - especially depression…

Biggest Takeaways:

• You have your own umbrella (so does everyone else) and underneath it are your own thoughts, feelings, values, etc.
• You are not responsible for what is under anyone else’s umbrella…

Biggest Takeaways:

Our family looks forward to summer because of the freedom from schedules and the fun stuff we get to do.

BUT, we still have to get things done – namely, chore-type things.

Having a…

Biggest Takeaways:

• So much of our culture points to an adversarial relationship between teens and parents.
• It's easy to get into a negative rut, especially when everyone in the family is in a busy s…

Biggest Takeaways:

• The strategies you used to answer questions when your teen was little aren't going to cut it now
• A teen's hard questions can be brutal
• When you know your own what and why on the i…

Biggest Takeaways:

• We Are Okay is the 2018 Printz Award Winner
• This is a gripping and powerful novel about grief and loss
• Empathy is an important skill to have as a parent and to model for teens
• Gre…

Biggest Takeaways:

• Book Festivals are a great way to expand your teen’s world and, if they’re avid readers, introduce them to their “tribe.”
• There are definitely a few things to “know before you go”
…

Biggest Takeaways:

THINKS acronym

          T – Is it true?

          H – Is it helpful?

          I – Is it inspiring?

          N - Is it necessary?

          K – Is it kind?

          S – is it so…

Biggest Takeaways:

• Give your brain somewhere productive to go – be deliberate in thinking positively
• Think about your thinking
• Practice gratitude
• Reframe your thoughts
• Practice receiving compliments
…

Biggest Takeaways:

• Everyone wants to be right – which makes it hard to avoid arguments, especially with your teen
• Modeling to your teen what it looks like to be wrong and to be right is really impor…

Biggest Takeaways:

• At its heart, this is a story about change - and how hard it is
• The biggest theme of the story is figuring out who you are and being brave enough to be that person 
• The book and t…

Biggest Takeaways:

• Every phase seems like it will last FOREVER! But this too shall pass.
• Parenting teens takes mind-boggling emotional endurance.
• Rejecting parents is biologically programmed into te…

Biggest Takeaways:

• It's your job to stay "in the know" with your teen - even when it's hard!
• You need to stay open to who your teen is becoming.
• Getting outside of your normal routine can help in ge…

In this episode, The Ish Girl talks about one of her all-time favorites, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. Then, she compares the newest (2018) movie version of A Wrinkle in Time with the book.

BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS:

• DON'T tell your teen what to read!
• Try to avoid censoring ("Don't do" = "Must do")
• Figure out what your teen is reading and join them
• If there is something you want your teen to r…

In this episode, The Ish Girl highlights the hot topics in The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee and explains how each plays out in the story line. Pair the episode with her downloadable questions …

Biggest Takeaways:

• Books are an AMAZING tool to create connection with your teen.
• Actions speak louder than words; when you read the books your teen is reading, you communicate a lot of positive thi…