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 601: Revisiting Validation, Mutual Respect and Back to School [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:01
Back-to-school season stirs up ALL the emotions for our teens—and for us too. In this replay episode, I’m diving deep into how validation and mutual respect can shift everything at home. Your teen’s emotional world is re…
Eps 599: How to Talk to Your Teen About the New School Year [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:47
Back-to-school season with tweens and teens can stir up anxiety, avoidance, and tricky conversations. In this episode, I share Positive Discipline tools and mindset shifts to help you move from “manager” to “mentor” so y…
Eps 596: Being an "otrovert" with Dr. Rami Kaminski [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:05
Ever feel like your teen doesn’t quite fit into the “introvert” or “extrovert” box? In this week’s episode, I talk with psychiatrist and author Dr. Rami Kaminski, who introduces the idea of the “otrovert”—someone who thr…
Eps 595: Revisiting Meeting and creating life as it unfolds [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:07
This solo episode comes straight from my heart. Inspired by my morning routine, I pulled cards and reflected deeply on what it means to take full responsibility for generating the love, connection, and joy I want in my l…
Eps 593: Parenting, Growth and the Power to Choose [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:51
In this episode, I’m inviting you to pull up a chair and exhale with me. We’re talking about the messy beauty of midlife, the realities of parenting teens, and what it means to trade the illusion of control for the groun…
Eps 592: Daily Habits That Build Connection with Tammy J. Cohen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:21
In this episode, I sit down with Tammy J. Cohen — author of A Text Message Away — to talk about the power of connection through simple, consistent gestures. Tammy shares her personal journey of learning to lead with hear…