Eps 555: High achieving middle schoolers with Julietta Skoog

Eps 555: High achieving middle schoolers with Julietta Skoog

Author: Casey O'Roarty March 10, 2025 Duration: 48:59
My guest today is Julietta Skoog, my co-founder and the Early Years Lead here at Sproutable. We’re talking about perfectionism and pressure on high achieving middle schoolers. Julietta and I discuss high achieving kids and the connection between extracurriculars and academics. We compare overachieving and being an efficient student and how much pressure some middle schoolers are under. Julietta shares about growth mindset and the antidote for perfectionism. We wrap up chatting about our modeling and “living out loud.”  Takeaways from the show High achieving middle school students We can’t always help our kids tune out distractions or pressure, but we can help our kids reframe  Extracurriculars and academics  Being an efficient student versus being an overachieving student  The high pressure (and even burn out) on middle schoolers  The fear of “what if I never figure it out?”  Reconciling parental expectations with school expectations and what their own expectations are for themselves  Studying for a test versus studying to learn & retain knowledge  Things can still be hard and uncomfortable even when we’re using our Positive Discipline parenting tools and doing it “right” - sometimes we just have to sit with the discomfort and the challenge  The importance of a growth mindset  “The antidote for perfectionism is I love you no matter what” When kids stop trying because of pressure from perfectionism  Modeling and “living out loud” For more show notes, including transcripts, visit our website here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parenting adolescents often feels like navigating a landscape without a reliable map, where the old rules no longer apply and connection can feel just out of reach. Joyful Courage for Parenting Teens, hosted by Casey O'Roarty, meets you right in that uncertainty. This podcast operates from a simple, powerful belief: the challenges of raising tweens and teens, while deeply personal, are also a shared human experience. Instead of offering quick fixes, conversations here focus on the foundational work of building and repairing relationships, fostering essential life skills in our kids, and perhaps most importantly, doing the internal work required of us as parents. You’ll hear honest discussions that blend practical strategies with compassionate insight, all aimed at transforming this demanding season from a battle of wills into an opportunity for mutual growth. Tuning into this podcast feels like gaining a thoughtful, experienced friend who reminds you that courage isn't about being fearless, but about finding joy and resilience within the beautiful mess of family life. It’s a resource for anyone who wants to move beyond reaction and toward a more intentional, connected approach with the young adults in their home.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Joyful Courage for Parenting Teens
Podcast Episodes
Eps 620: Meditation as a parenting tool with Katie Krimitsos [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:02
As a parent coach working with families for over 20 years, I've learned that raising teenagers requires us to pause before reacting. In this episode, I sit down with meditation expert Katie Krimitsos to discuss how mindf…
Eps 619: Life Skills for Launching Teens [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:47
I'm diving deep into teaching life skills to teens—from driving and money management to cooking and getting their first job. If you're stressed about whether your teen is "ready" to launch, this episode is for you. I sha…
Eps 618: Loving the teen you have with Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:13
I sat down with pediatric psychologist Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart to discuss her groundbreaking new book about transforming teen conflict into connection. We explored rejection sensitivity in teens with ADHD, perfectionism…
Eps 617: Revisiting Having the Courage to Let Go [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:00
In this replay episode, I'm getting real about having the courage to let go as our teens approach adulthood. I share my own journey parenting two very different kids. I talk about why our teens need space to develop cruc…
Eps 613: How to Be the Parent Your Teen Actually Turns To [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:24
In this episode of the Joyful Courage Podcast, I'm breaking down how to build real trust with your teenager—the kind where they believe you when you say "you can tell me anything." It's not about what we say, but how we…
Eps 612: Emily Redondo on Recovery & Family [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:07
In this episode of Joyful Courage, I sit down with Emily Redondo, a mom, author, and survivor of addiction, to talk about the messy, beautiful reality of parenting. We dive into how shame, regret, and perfectionism can h…