Teen Savvy Coaching with Samantha Straub

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Teen Savvy Coaching with Samantha Straub

Sam Straub-Coach for parents of teens. Info & mailing list: https://bio.site/samanthastraub.teensavvy

07/24/2025

Before coaching, parenting can feel like walking on eggshells.
The yelling. The shutdowns. The constant loop of nag → resist → repeat.
It’s exhausting—and lonely.

But with the right support, it doesn’t have to stay that way.

After coaching, my clients describe something powerful:
🧘‍♀️ Calm confidence, even in hard conversations
💬 Frustration without losing it
😂 More connection, more ease
📈 Real motivation (not just compliance)
🧠 And this deep, steady knowing: I’ve got this.

If this is the shift you’re craving, I’d love to help you make it.

✨ DM me “READY” or learn more through Teen Savvy Coaching.

🌟 Sam Straub – Teen Savvy Coaching
🦋 Parenting Coach for Parents of Teens + Tweens
💬 Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
📚 Empowering Parents to Raise Thriving Teens
🌐 Visit https://vist.ly/3z32m
✉️ Email sam@teensavvycoaching.com
🆓 DM ‘LOVED’ for my free guide to turn tough teen talks into real connection.

07/22/2025

What if your biggest parenting blow-ups aren’t about what just happened… but about everything that came before or the fears you have about what could come after?
This week on Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Dr. Melissa Wellner and I dive into the nervous system science behind parenting triggers—and why so many of us lose it over seemingly minor things like a messy room or a half-hearted “I got it.”
We explore:
✅ What “flipping your lid” really means
✅ A metaphor I use in coaching called Sky Mind vs. Storm Mind
✅ Eckhart Tolle’s 3 modes of conscious action: acceptance, enjoyment, and enthusiasm
✅ How to pause long enough to respond with wisdom (instead of reactivity)
Whether you’re a parent, educator, therapist—or all three—this one’s for you.
🎧 Listen to the podcast wherever you hear your favorite podcasts or follow my link in bio.

07/21/2025

Ever totally lost it over laundry on the floor? Or snapped at your teen because they rolled their eyes and you were already hanging by a thread?
Yeah. Me too.
This week on Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Melissa and I break down what’s really going on in those moments—and introduce my favorite metaphor for staying calm and connected when parenting gets stormy. 🌩️
We talk:
⚡ When your nervous system takes over your parenting
🌤️ How to use “Sky Mind” vs. “Storm Mind”
🧠 Why presence beats panic (even when it’s really hard)
❤️ How to ask: “What does this moment need from me?”
🎧 Link in bio to listen
👂 DM me if the Sky Mind metaphor resonates with you

07/16/2025

✨ 𝗜𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 “𝗖𝗮𝗻’𝘁”… 𝗼𝗿 𝗮 “𝗪𝗼𝗻’𝘁”?

Ever feel like your teen is just choosing to make life difficult? 🙃

👕 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱
🎧 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲
🪑 𝗦𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿

These look like attitude problems on the surface… but what if they’re actually clues that your teen’s nervous system is in overdrive?

This week on 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗪𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱, I’m talking with Samantha Hyali, occupational therapist, about how to decode what’s really going on—and how we can help our teens regulate instead of just react.

Because every behavior tells a story. And sometimes, the story is “I can’t,” not “I won’t.”

🎧 Tune in on YouTube or your favorite podcast app!

🌟 Sam Straub – Teen Savvy Coaching
🦋 Parenting Coach for Parents of Teens + Tweens
💬 Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
📚 Empowering Parents to Raise Thriving Teens
🌐 Visit https://vist.ly/3y59t
✉️ Email sam@teensavvycoaching.com
🆓 DM ‘LOVED’ for my free guide to turn tough teen talks into real connection

07/15/2025

Is it defiance… or a nervous system issue?

In our latest episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, we’re joined by pediatric occupational therapist Samantha Hyali, founder of Children at Play in Annapolis, Maryland. She shares how occupational therapy for kids supports everything from core strength and focus to sensory regulation and social-emotional development.

We cover:
✅ Why some kids “can’t,” not “won’t”
✅ How OT uses play to build strength and self-regulation
✅ What OT looks like for tweens and teens—not just preschoolers
✅ Why common parenting struggles (like getting dressed or sitting still) may have physical roots

If you're working with, raising, or supporting a neurodiverse or highly sensitive child, this conversation is a must-listen.
🎧 Tune in to the episode by looking for Parenting Shrink Wrapped wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

🔗 And if you’re a parent looking for more support, check out the Teen Savvy Parent Hub → www.teensavvycoaching.com

07/14/2025

🚨 Can’t sit still. Refuses to wear jeans. Melts down every morning. 🚨

What if the issue isn’t behavior… but biology?

This week on Parenting Shrink Wrapped, we sit down with pediatric OT Samantha Hyali to unpack what occupational therapy for kids really is—and why it might be the tool you didn’t know your family needed.
We talk about:
🧠 Sensory overload (it’s real)
💪 Core strength & "bad behavior"
👖 Clothing meltdowns
💡 The difference between “can’t” and “won’t”
🎯 Why play is serious work in OT

Spoiler– Occupational Therapy: It’s not just for little kids—and it’s not just about handwriting.

🎧 Link in bio to listen or search for Parenting Shrink Wrapped where you find your favorite podcasts.
💬 Tag a parent who needs to hear this!

07/10/2025

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗺-𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝟮 𝗮.𝗺. 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:

1️⃣ “𝘐𝘴 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 ‘𝘵𝘪𝘭 1 𝘱𝘮 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳?”
2️⃣ “𝘋𝘰 𝘐 𝘏𝘈𝘝𝘌 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨?”
3️⃣ “𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩?”
4️⃣ “𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴.”

You’re not alone.

Summer is glorious—and sometimes it’s also a chaotic swirl of boredom, attitude, and unanswered questions.

✨ Instead of Googling in shame, come hang out in the Teen Savvy Parent Hub. It’s where parents get real answers, practical tools, and a community that gets it.

Real questions. Real answers. Real support.

The Teen Savvy Parent Hub is here for the “what the heck do I do now?” moments of summer parenting—and all year long.

🌟 Sam Straub – Teen Savvy Coaching
🦋 Parenting Coach for Parents of Teens + Tweens
💬 Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
📚 Empowering Parents to Raise Thriving Teens
🌐 Visit https://vist.ly/3n824br
✉️ Email sam@teensavvycoaching.com
🆓 DM ‘LOVED’ for my free guide to turn tough teen talks into real connection

07/09/2025

In this follow-up episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, we explore what ADHD kids wish their parents knew—and the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways we can accidentally shame them instead of support them.
We’re covering:
✅ Why “lazy” is the wrong word (and what to say instead)
✅ How to scaffold executive functioning without becoming a full-time nag
✅ What to do when reward systems don’t work
✅ The emotional impact of being misunderstood—at home and in school
Whether you’re raising a neurodivergent teen or working with families who are, this episode offers practical tools and powerful reframes. ADHD is challenging—but with connection and clarity, it doesn’t have to be chaotic.
🎧 Listen through my link in bio or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

07/07/2025

Part 2 of our ADHD series is live! ⁠
⁠
If you’ve ever wondered what ADHD kids wish their parents knew, this one’s for you. We’re talking:⁠
🔹 Why “lazy” is the wrong label⁠
🔹 The truth about weekend meds⁠
🔹 What actually helps executive function⁠
🔹 How to celebrate the wins (even tiny ones)⁠
⁠
This is the parenting pep talk you didn’t know you needed—and the validation your kid does.⁠
⁠
🎧 Link in bio to listen or find Parenting Shrink Wrapped wherever you find all your favorite podcasts.
⁠

07/01/2025

If your child can memorize every Minecraft mod but forgets to put on shoes for school… it might be ADHD.
In our latest episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Dr. Melissa Wellner and I dive into the misunderstood world of ADHD in kids—what it really looks like, how it impacts families, and why some standard parenting advice just doesn’t work.
🎙 We cover:
✔ Lesser-known symptoms (think time blindness and rejection sensitivity)
✔ The emotional toll on kids and parents
✔ Parenting tools that actually help
✔ And the strengths ADHD kids bring to the table
If you’re raising (or working with) a neurodivergent kid, this is one to bookmark.
🎧 Listen now → link in bio or wherever you find your favorite podcasts

06/30/2025

✨ Your child might have ADHD if...
They’re brilliant and bored.
Forgetful but hyper-focused.
Creative and chaotic—and leave a trail of open drawers and cereal bowls behind them.
This week on Parenting Shrink Wrapped, we’re pulling back the curtain on ADHD in kids—the myths, the meltdowns, and the unexpected magic.
🎧 We’re talking:
👉 The lesser-known signs of ADHD
👉 Why gentle parenting doesn’t always work
👉 What ADHD kids wish their adults knew
👉 And the superpowers that come with neurodivergence
This episode is for the parents who are trying everything and still feel like they’re missing something.
🔗 Link in bio to listen + feel more seen.

06/28/2025

Here at the with my introvert husband, the 50th birthday king, who is happy that his sash mostly blends into his dark shirt.

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Severna Park, MD
21146

Website

http://www.teensavvycoaching.com/, https://mailchi.mp/teensavvycoaching/beyondnagginghomeworkhelp, https://bio.site/sama

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Our Philosophy

Welcome! Glad you’re here. Raising--and being--a teenager in today’s world can be hard work, but it doesn’t have to be confusing work. Samantha Straub Consulting LLC provides programming, support, and resources for adolescents and parents about navigating the teen years. For nearly 25 years, I have been supporting teens and their parents as an educator, school administrator, school counselor, and now as a licensed therapist (https://www.waypointwellnesscenter.com/samantha-straub-lgpc). I believe that people of all ages operate best from their strengths. When we blend an understanding of adolescent development with methods to tap teens’ unique gifts, we give them the tools to flourish. I also believe in finding humor in life’s absurdities. Adolescence is full of unexpected turns and twists, mountains and valleys. If we can laugh during that journey, we’re all better off. Finally, I believe that interpersonal connections are the foundation for learning and growth--at any age. Helping teens and their parents maintain connections with one another and with peers is critical for raising and being a healthy teenager.

Please use this site to seek and post resources about parenting and being a teen. Because no matter your age--life is easier with a tribe.