The Netflix Show Everyone Is Talking About

It goes without saying: we love our teens! But also? This phase is…something! 

Why A Netflix TV Show is Striking a Chord With Parents 

Everyone is talking about Adolescence. It’s a new gripping TV series on Netflix about a 13-year-old boy accused of killing his classmate. This isn’t simply a compelling TV drama that serves as entertainment or escapism. It’s shockingly realistic and a painfully accurate portrayal of what it’s like to be a teen in today’s world. It has struck a chord with viewers across the world, especially parents. All teens can be susceptible to the violence and mental health issues portrayed in Adolescence but we have to be honest about what the stats show us— some of these issues disproportionately impact young boys. It’s important we stay vigilant in helping our boys process their feelings, keep an open dialogue and do our very best to cultivate an environment that fosters a version of masculinity that is empathetic, gentle and emotionally available.

If you watched this show and it scared you, we totally get it. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. But the good thing about a show like this is that it serves as a wakeup call to parents and a reminder that it’s never too late to start asking your kids the tough questions. We talked about this with our The Common Parent Community and we also offer our Screen Sense Guide as a step-by-step guide to help protect your child online with essential phone and social media tools. Building community and working together to ensure a safer, kinder world for our children is all we can do, one day at a time! 

The Mental Load of Motherhood

This brilliant comic by Mary Catherine Starr had us laughing…and crying (being a mom in a nutshell!). But it also got us thinking. The mental load of motherhood isn't just the big stuff. It’s also the millions of little things – the activities and pickups and drop-offs and sporting events and summer camps and college prep courses and field trip permission slips and dozens of other things that overwhelmingly (but not always) fall to the mom of the household. There are so many choices to make and tasks to fulfill. And whether it’s a work conflict or classic mom guilt, the insurmountable weight of everything often falls to moms and it’s downright exhausting.

Like most things in life, there’s no quick fix to this feeling. But sometimes something as small as seeing your experience reflected in art, perhaps with a dash of humor, can really help. Along with building community, establish healthy boundaries and most importantly,  give yourself a little bit of grace. You’re doing great. We promise!

What is Democratic Parenting?

It’s not political. Although if it were, I’m pretty sure a lot of our teens would’ve voted us out of office a long time ago 😂. Democratic Parenting is explained as a parenting style based on the foundation of democracy– where people are treated as equals and are able to freely express their opinions. Blaise T Ryan, author of Democratic Parenting: Evolving Beyond Authoritarian and Permissive Parenting, explains, “When we talk about raising children using democratic parenting, it's not that children get to vote. It’s about helping children navigate challenges in their life, helping parents navigate challenging behaviors, and teaching children to make intelligent choices.” 

Parenting isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s always a good thing to keep an open mind when it comes to something as important as the well-being of our children. We never stop learning, both as people and as parents. At the end of the day, you choose what’s best for your family.

We are big fans of letting kids be kids. But that doesn’t mean stripping them of any kind of independence or autonomy. It’s important we let our kids try things for themselves (within reason of course!): 

• Take this mom, for example. She encouraged her 11-year-old daughter to guide their family through the airport. With some guidance (and some laughs), her daughter built up confidence and was proud of her budding navigational skills! That’s a win for the whole family! 

• The little things matter! Here are a few things  you can do to help your kids be more independent while still allowing them to hold onto their childhood/teenage years!