JumpSpark’s popular “PhD in Parenting Tweens and Teens” program is back for a second year.The program helps parents of tweens (10-13) and teens (14-18+) manage the stressors and complexities their teens are facing amid a pandemic that has turned their world upside-down.
Erica Hruby facilitates the program. She’s well aware of the unique issues that have faced teens and tweens in a COVID environment — depression, anxiety, and feelings of isolation from peers. Erica says, “Parenting tweens and teens isn’t intuitive. Many would call it an art. Parents find it difficult to be vulnerable or ask for help because they don’t want to feel that they’ve failed. In PhD in Parenting, the parents of tweens and teens share their challenges together. They begin to understand that teen issues require the same intensity of attention as the issues they focused on when their kids were infants and toddlers.”
Karen Bowen, the mother of a teen and a tween said, “My biggest insight and takeaway from the class is that we need to meet our kids where they are developmentally. I’m applying what I learned by taking a step back when I approach my children, to remember where they’re at emotionally before I engage.”
Shana Stukalsky, a parent of two teens, found the group setting extremely helpful. “It provided the opportunity to consider situations that I had not encountered, as well as approaches that worked or did not work. It’s always beneficial to hear other people’s perspectives, especially with regard to complex situations. Not only did the group leaders keep the learning relevant, but they also found ways to connect things back to individual situations.”
For more information about PhD in Parenting Tweens and Teens contact info@jumpsparkatl.org.
