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What happens when puberty and perimenopause collide under the same roof? Hormones are shifting, emotions are running high, patience may be running low—and suddenly a simple conversation about an unmade bed can feel like an international incident. 😅

In this episode of Girlish Gurus, Joy and Lorraine sit down with parenting expert Sue Donnellan to talk about navigating the sometimes complicated—and often emotional—relationship between mothers and teens during two major hormonal transitions.

Sue is a military wife, mom of four (including triplets!), entrepreneur, author, and self-described reformed yeller turned parenting pioneer. With more than 20 years of experience, she has helped families worldwide break generational parenting patterns and build healthier, more connected relationships.

She is the author of Secrets to Parenting Without Giving a F^ck and creator of the Fight-Free Parenting™ course and her signature Parenting in Advance™ method.

💕 In This Episode, We Talk About:

✨ What moms often misunderstand about a teenager’s moodiness, withdrawal, and pushback during puberty

✨ How perimenopause can affect a mom’s patience, emotional regulation, sleep, and ability to cope with normal teenage behavior

✨ Why taking your teen’s attitude personally can quickly turn everyday disagreements into power struggles

✨ How to recognize when you’re over-explaining, arguing, or negotiating because you simply don’t have the energy for another conflict

✨ What to say when you feel yourself getting ready to yell or say something you’ll regret

✨ How to stay connected to your teenager while still maintaining boundaries around disrespectful behavior

✨ How to repair the relationship after losing your temper—without drowning in guilt or abandoning the boundary

✨ Why one difficult interaction doesn’t mean your relationship with your child is falling apart

✨ How breaking generational parenting patterns can change not only your relationship with your children, but potentially your family’s relationships for generations

✨ What teenagers need to understand about what their moms may be experiencing during perimenopause

💡 A Powerful Reminder for Moms

Your teenager’s moodiness isn’t necessarily about you.

And your shorter fuse doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve suddenly become a terrible parent.

Puberty and perimenopause are both significant periods of physical, hormonal, and emotional change. When they happen simultaneously within a family, understanding what’s happening on both sides of the relationship can make an enormous difference.

The goal isn’t a conflict-free home or perfect parenting.

It’s learning how to navigate conflict in a way that preserves trust, respect, boundaries, and connection.

Because ultimately, we’re not just raising teenagers.

We’re building relationships with the adults they’ll eventually become. 💗

🎧 Listen If…

You’re raising a tween or teen while navigating perimenopause yourself, you’ve ever thought “Why does everything turn into an argument?”, you’re tired of yelling or negotiating, or you simply want a stronger relationship with your children as they grow.

This conversation is filled with practical strategies, perspective shifts, and reassurance for moms who sometimes feel like they’re navigating two adolescences at once—their child’s and their own hormonal reinvention.

Watch the full episode of Girlish Gurus on YouTube:  When Perimenopause Meets Puberty: How to Keep the Peace at Home.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Guest: Sue Donnellan
Author: Secrets to Parenting Without Giving a F^ck

Website: Ask Mom with Sue

Podcast: Ask Mom Parenting Podcast
Creator: Fight-Free Parenting™ and Parenting in Advance™

Life Line Screening: Get Peace of Mind Now

If You Enjoyed This Episode…

Please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who’s navigating perimenopause, menopause, or simply wants to understand her body better. Every share helps us reach more women who deserve evidence-based conversations about health, aging, and living vibrantly.

🎧 Subscribe to Girlish Gurus for inspiring conversations that help women embrace midlife, discover new possibilities, and create their most meaningful chapter yet.

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