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[TTVN014] The Jazz Lesson That Changed How I Think About Teaching (Especially When Homeschooling Middle Schoolers)
Ever watch your tween struggle with a concept and think “they should know this by now”? Marina Joy shares a personal story about getting stuck on a jazz piano piece that completely shifted her perspective on how middle schoolers learn — and why explicit teaching matters more than we think. Discover why homeschooling middle schoolers…
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Parenting Tweens Through Difficult Phases: Why Growth Comes in Seasons (And When the Sun Will Shine Again)
Are you exhausted from the emotional ups and downs of parenting tweens? Discover why those challenging phases are actually signs of healthy development—and how to weather them with confidence. Parenting tweens can feel like living through unpredictable weather patterns. One day, your relationship feels sunny and connected. The next, you’re caught in an emotional storm…
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[TTVN013] Parenting Tweens: How to Survive the Emotional Ups and Downs
From Tween Talk Voice Notes with Marina Joy Parenting tweens can feel like unpredictable weather—sunny one day, stormy the next. In this heartfelt episode, Marina uses the metaphor of rainy seasons to help moms understand why the challenging phases of tween parenting can feel so overwhelming and endless. Drawing from her own experience with daughters…
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The Simple Dinner Planning Trick That Builds Your Tween’s Critical Thinking Skills
Are you tired of your tween making impulsive decisions or always coming to you for answers? What if I told you that something as simple as planning dinner could transform your child into an independent, thoughtful decision-maker? If you’re parenting a tween (ages 9-12), you’ve probably noticed they’re at that tricky stage where they want…
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[TTVN012] How to Teach Your Tween Critical Thinking Skills Using Everyday Decisions
Episode Description: Want to raise a tween who can think for themselves? In this episode, MarinaJoy shares a simple but powerful framework for teaching your tween how to think things through — starting with something as everyday as planning dinner. Discover how to use the classic “who, what, where, when, why, how” questions to guide…
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[TTVN011] How to Teach Tweens to Take Initiative (Without Nagging or Chore Charts)
When Initiative Starts to ClickWhat if your tween wanted to help — without being asked? In this episode, MarinaJoy reveals the overlooked skill that makes initiative possible and how to quietly build it into your everyday parenting. It’s a subtle shift, but it works. Ready to see initiative take root at your house? Hit play….
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[TTVN010] Tween Won’t Pick Up After Themselves? Try This Noticing Trick
They walked past the mess again, didn’t they?This episode isn’t about nagging or chore charts. It’s about helping your tween learn how to notice what’s out of place—and why that one small skill can shift the way your home feels. I’ll walk you through how to teach it without a lecture, what to say (and…
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Why Asking for Help Is Harder Than It Looks (And How to Help Your Tween Get Better at It)
Originally shared on Voice Notes with MarinaJoy The real reason your tween’s questions fall flat Often our kids need help. And yet when they ask for help, they’re not actually getting the answer they need to do the thing that they’re trying to do. They don’t know how to formulate the question. And it might…
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[TTVN009] The Real Reason Your Tween’s Stuck (Hint: It’s Not Just the Assignment)
Your tween’s stuck, and asking for help doesn’t seem to be helping. In this episode, you’ll get 3 ways to help your child figure out what to ask, so they can get unstuck quicker and with less frustration. https://tween-talk-voice-notes.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/TTVN009.m4aPodcast (tween-talk-voice-notes): Play in new window | Download
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[HSC012] How to Reset Your Homeschool Rhythm in the Middle of Summer
If your homeschool plans fell apart somewhere between spring and summer, you’re not alone. In this episode, we’re talking about a simple way to reset—without diving back into full curriculum mode. You’ll hear how to finish what matters, name what’s working, and set up a light project month that keeps your tween engaged (and gives…
