The Dark Tunnel of Adolescent Evolution (Part 2): What Does “Staying in The Game” Look Like For Parents?
As I continue my discussion in video 2 with therapist Amy Frisch, who has been leading groups for teenage girls for twenty years, Amy offers some great advice for parents (none of which will necessarily be easy to follow).
All the different parenting phases in our child's life depending on their age are hard, and here's the deal, it doesn't get easier.” - Amy FrischClick To TweetStaying in the game
Staying in the game, as she says, can take many forms. The concept that we need to “listen more than we talk” feels particularly important for all parents of teens (and Directors of teen summer camps).
For several years at Odyssey Teen Camp I would invite certain adults who I thought had a lot of wisdom to share to come and speak to the teenagers. They were people I wanted to listen to.
I quickly realized teenagers were not all that interested in hearing what these people had to say. I would hear things like “that was so boring” after someone would give a talk I found inspirational, or campers would say, “that speaker was only interested in talking about themselves.”
Listening more than we talk
I’m pretty sure Amy’s advice for us to try to refrain from telling the teenagers in our lives all the things we know and offering our wise advice is probably a good idea.
It’s probably more helpful to tell them about our insecurities, anxieties, and some things we struggle with. That’s probably something they can identify with and may find interesting.
“Consciously Parenting Teens” Video Series
Let’s listen more than we talk. I hope you enjoy our short video above. If you haven’t opted-in to see the entire series, here’s the form again to subscribe.

Get the 8-Part Series
One short segment will be delivered to your inbox each day for 8 days. Occasional notifications for new videos will follow. Your info is sacred and will never be shared.
Find out about Odyssey Teen Camp

Adam Simon
Related Posts
Hi There ...
Thanks for stopping by the Odyssey Teen Camp blog. Do you like what you see?
Recent Posts
- Building Confidence and Resilience in Teens August 30, 2023
- Odyssey Teen Camp’s First Ever Benefit Gala April 27, 2023
- Teenagers are a Lightning Rod to Show us How we Are as a Society November 2, 2022

Find Out About Odyssey Teen Camp
A Non-Profit Overnight Summer Camp For Teens Ages 13-18
Located in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts.
