Congratulations! You’ve been promoted!

I still remember the moment my daughter looked at me and said,
“I know you’re trying to help… but can you not right now?”

I’d been lecturing her about homework.
Trying to motivate her. Fix it. Solve it.

She wasn’t being rude. Just direct.
And it hit me like a punch to the gut.

I’d been so focused on getting through to her that I missed the shift happening right in front of me:

She didn’t want to be managed.
She wanted to be trusted.

If your advice suddenly falls flat…

If your teen shuts down, rolls their eyes, or tells you to stop…

It’s not because you’ve failed.

It’s because the job you’ve been doing for years—the managing, the reminding, the overseeing—is no longer what they need.

And no one taught you what to do instead.

Your teenager is in a huge transition.
And so are you.

Your role is changing from manager to CEO.

On the Good Inside podcast, author Matt Richtel shared:

“Adolescence is the proverbial hand-off moment in life’s relay race. We are handing off some control… and that is freaking scary.”

It is scary. But here's what I've learned:
That hand-off is also where real connection begins.

Great leaders trust instead of control, and that's exactly what your teen needs now.

When you shift into that role…

They start opening up again.
You stop walking on eggshells.
And parenting feels more grounded, even when things are messy.

Imagine this:
You walk into the kitchen and hear, “Hey, can I tell you something?”
Not because they need a ride.
Not because they want $20.
But because they actually want to talk.

That’s the power of parenting with leadership instead of control.

Congratulations on your promotion.
You’re the right person for the job.

🧡 Jeanine

P.S. I resisted this shift for a long time and it led to a lot of frustrating, tear-filled days, feeling shut out. Don’t wait as long as I did. If you’re ready to feel more confident and connected, I’d love to help.

Let’s talk.