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 611: Middle School Series Part Four - Connection and Courage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:08
Part four of my Middle School Mini Series is here! In this episode, I share powerful Positive Discipline tools that build connection and courage with your tween or teen. From family meetings and special time, to curiosit…
Eps 610: Lisa Katona Smith Talks Teen Substance Use [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:27
In this powerful episode of the Joyful Courage Podcast, I sit down with certified peer recovery specialist, family consultant, TEDx, speaker and author Lisa Katona Smith to talk about how parents can stay calm, connected…
Eps 609: Middle School Series Part Three - Life Skills to Nurture [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:44
Middle school is the perfect training ground for life skills — and in part three of the Middle School Series on Joyful Courage, I’m sharing how we can guide our tweens and teens as they practice the tools they’ll need fo…
Eps 608: Calming teenage anxiety with  Sophia Vale Galano [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:34
In this week’s Joyful Courage Podcast, I sit down with therapist and author Sophia Vale Galano to talk about helping teens manage anxiety while staying grounded as parents. We explore how to meet our kids with empathy, g…
Eps 607: Dr. Jean Twenge and the 10 Rules for Tech with Teens [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:58
Parenting teens in the digital age is no small task. In this episode, I talk with Jean Twenge about the realities of screen time, social media, and AI. We dive into why it’s important to own our mistakes, set clear limit…
Eps 606: Middle School Series Part Two - Essential Conversations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:59
In this episode, I dive into the tough but essential conversations we need to be having with our middle schoolers — around tech, social media, consent, substances, mental health, and more. I remind parents that silence d…
Eps 605: Middle School Series Part One - Growth, Change and Belonging [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:29
Middle school is a wild ride — bodies changing, moods shifting, friendships evolving, and parents wondering how to keep up. In this first episode of my four-part middle school series, I unpack the developmental landscape…
Eps 604: Alyssa Blask Campbell on Parenting Big Feeling Teens [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:28
On this week’s Joyful Courage Podcast, I welcome Alyssa Campbell, author of Big Kids, Bigger Feelings. We dive into what’s really going on in our teens’ nervous systems and how parents can support them through big emotio…
Eps 603: Building structure and connection with older teens [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:06
Parenting a teen with neurodiversity, mental health challenges, or a fiery personality can feel overwhelming—especially when you’re realizing senior year is here and boundaries have been blurry. In this week’s Joyful Cou…