Joyful Courage - A Conscious Parenting Podcast

My friend Douglas Haddad is here this week to chat about all things middle school, with a focus on encouraging discouraged learners.   Douglas has been teaching for over 24 years (at ONE school!), and I love his commitment to his students. Douglas shares what he’s seen changing during that period, like higher anxiety & social media misuse, and what’s stayed the same, like a child’s need to feel loved, heard, and understood.    Douglas shares his wisdom on keeping middle schoolers encouraged & engaged: making sure they understand the systems in place around them, how we can help when our kid isn’t connecting with a teacher, collaborating on family agreements, and helping our tweens grow their tolerance for discomfort.   Takeaways from the show What’s different between middle school today & when you were a tween?  “Loved, heard, and understood”  What does discouragement look like in the classroom?  Wait Until 8th Pledge  Does your child know & understand the systems in place around them?  How to help f