Ep 36. The Power of Your Undivided Attention with Your Teenager

In this short but sweet episode, I’m sharing a simple (but often overlooked) parenting “hack” that has been making a big difference in my own relationship with my teens.

Like many of you, my days are full. By the time evening rolls around, it’s so tempting to check out on my phone, catch up on emails, or zone out. And my teens? They’re usually doing the same.

But I’ve realized that these everyday moments are actually some of the biggest opportunities for connection if we choose to use them intentionally.

So today, I’m inviting you into a small shift that doesn’t require more time or energy, just more presence.

What I Share in This Episode:

  • Why being in the same room isn’t the same as real connection
  • How simple shared moments (like watching a movie together) can deepen your bond
  • The impact of screens on our ability to truly connect
  • Easy, realistic ways to create connections in everyday life
  • Why presence matters more than doing things “perfectly”

✨ Ways to Connect & Get Support

If something in this episode resonated with you and you’re looking for deeper support for your teen, I’d love to invite you into a few opportunities:

📌 Wilderness Rites of Passage Trip 

(High School Girls | July 8–15)
A powerful 7-day backpacking experience designed to help your teen disconnect from distractions, reconnect with themselves, and build meaningful connections with others and mentors during this important stage of life.

🔗Sign up Here

📌12-Week Coaching Programs

  • Ignite (ages 12–14)
  • Rise Up (ages 15–24)

These high-touch coaching programs support teens with confidence, emotional regulation, mindset, motivation, and discovering their purpose, skills they’re not taught in school, but deeply need.

Learn More: guided-passages.com

Let’s stay connected:
Instagram: @jasmyne.guidedpassages
Email: jasmyne@guided-passages.com
Website: www.guided-passages.com

Image of Guided Passages Founder Jasmyne Chandler next to the question, "Want a better connection with your teen?"

share

Related posts

BACK TO RESOURCES LISTING

Kerrick Gooden

Guide

Kerrick was raised in the Hill Country of Austin, Texas where he studied at the University of Texas. After some travel, he moved to the Rogue Valley of Oregon with a vision to farm and support youth. He completed his Bachelor’s of Science in Applied Cultural Anthropology with Honors in 2004 at Southern Oregon University, and devoted over a decade supporting youth and their families navigate  local and state social service programs. During this time, he and his partner cultivated a food forest at their home and founded Verdant Phoenix as an educational mini-farm in 2016.

Verdant Phoenix Farm became an expression of a way of life for Kerrick. He is interested in the relationships between humans, soil, microbes, plants/trees/shrubs, food, culture, time, and the web of life. As these elements inform his horticultural practice, Kerrick enjoys supporting landscapes, gardens, farms, and their people who are interested in belonging to the land.