Episode 364-Parenting Neurodiverse Teens With Autonomy And Respect with Dr. Carla Caturia

Send us Fan Mail (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1650403/fa...) Your teen’s behavior makes more sense when you stop treating it like a moral failing and start treating it like communication. We sit down with Dr. Carla Cataria, an educator turned family support specialist, to talk about what actually helps teens thrive, especially neurodiverse kids who are too often stereotyped, mislabeled, or underestimated by the adults around them.  We dig into the difference between teaching responsibility and teaching conditional worth. If kids only feel valued when they achieve, perform, or keep the peace, they start building an identity around approval and outcomes. Dr. Carla and I talk about shifting toward relationship-first parenting, praising effort, and “meeting them where they’re at” while still holding clear expectations. It’s a conversation full of practical, real-life moments, like celebrating a 16-year-old’s “small” win because it’s a big step for them, and why that kind of reinforcement builds confidence over time.  We also get concrete about autonomy and independence: the bow-and-arrow idea of parenting, how family values shape boundaries and culture, and why money skills (debit cards, jobs, even cash) can be a powerful teacher for teenagers. We even tackle the hot-button topic of chores, including how to teach life skills without turning your home into a constant power struggle.  To close, we talk grace and emotional regulation, including a simple “yelling trick” that can interrupt angry parenting in the moment and help you become the parent you want to be. If this helps you, subscribe, share it with a parent friend, and leave a review so more families can find these tools. Support the show (https://www.sjchilds.org) SJ CHILDS - SOCIALS & WEBSITE MASTER LIST WEBSITES Stream-Able Live — https://www.streamable.live-COMING SOON The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.sjchilds.org The SJ Childs Show Podcast Page — https://www.sjchildsshow.com YOUTUBE The SJ Childs Show —    / @sjchildsshow   Louie Lou (Cats Channel) —    / @2catslouielou   FACEBOOK Personal Profile —   / sara.gullihur.bradford   Business Page —   / sjchildsllc   The SJ Childs Global Network —   / sjchildsglobalnetwork   The SJ Childs Show —   / sjchildsshow   INSTAGRAM   / sjchildsllc   TIKTOK   / sjchildsllc   LINKEDIN   / sjchilds   PODCAST PLATFORMS Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/4qgD3ZM... Apple Podcasts — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... CONTACT EMAIL [email protected]