Today I’m joined by Laura Hope Whitaker, CEO of Extra Special People, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating transformative experiences for people with disabilities and their families. Laura is a speaker, advocate, and the author of her brand new book, The Joy Exchange, Finding Life's Greatest Lessons in Those You Least Expect. This book is so beautifully written and filled with stories that will touch your heart. Truly a must-read. Not just for you, but for your adult child too.

Laura is known for her joyful approach to leadership and her ability to shift perspectives around inclusion, community, and the power of human connection. Throughout her book, Laura shows how the very individuals our culture often overlooks have the most to teach us about love, leadership, and community.

In this episode, we talk about the surprising meaning behind joy, how we can all experience it, what parents can do to reconnect with their adult children, and what they can do to feel a sense of belonging and connection again, something these young adults desperately need.

I really enjoyed speaking with Laura and I'm sure this conversation will resonate with you. Remember to subscribe so you never miss and episode. And please to share it with someone who needs a little joy.

About My Guest: Laura Hope Whitaker

https://www.laurahopewhitaker.com/

The Joy Exchange is available at the link below or on Amazon

https://www.laurahopewhitaker.com/thejoyexchange

100% of the books proceeds go to ESP

As always, thank you for listening.

💻 Shari's Parenting Course is now OPEN for REGISTRATION! “Journey to Independence: A Step-by-Step Roadmap to Guiding and Launching Your Adult Child.”

For more information and where to sign up, visit: https://parentingfx.com/parentingcourse

🎉 Just Released!

Understanding Boundaries: 25 Ready-to-Use Boundary-Setting Statements The Every Parent Needs

CLICK HERE if you Want to Discover the Secret to Finally Getting Your Adult Child to Listen & Respect You!

It's not WHAT you say, but HOW you say it that will make the BIGGEST impact.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you want to know if your adult child is struggling with Failure to Launch? Grab the FREE Failure to Launch Checklist here:

🗣️One-on-One Consultations are available. Click here!

Email me if you have any questions at: Shari@ParentingFX.com

🎙️Remember to hit the SUBSCRIBE button so you never miss an episode.

Shari can be found on Instagram & TikTok Search @sharijonaslifefx

YouTube has all of the interviews available to watch! C...

In 2015, I picked up a book, read the back cover and instantly it resonated with me. As a mom raising kids of my own, I knew how easy it was to slide into the role of the overprotective mama bear, wanting to shield my babies from any discomfort. But I also knew that doing that would come at a cost. Wanting to raise resilient, confident, independent adults who could function in the world on their own was always my intention but it wasn't going to be easy. I had to be strong. And in fact for many of the years, I was raising my children on my own.

When I read, How to Raise an Adult, it reinforced a concern that I was already having about the impact helicopter parenting was having on their children, and their young adults. I knew in my gut this parenting style was going to create problems down the line. In all fairness to parents who adopted this approach, the cultural message was made very clear; a good parent did everything for their child. But where did that leave kids, when their parents weren't around? Who was fighting their battles, rescuing them from school yard bullies, solving their problems? It made me uncomfortable to think that if I did that for my kids, I was leaving them without armour, and that was not what I wanted for them.

The book went on to become a New York Times bestseller, and the author did a Ted Talk called Raising Successful Kids Without Overparenting that has now been viewed over 8.2 million times. You can only imagine how deeply meaningful this episode is for me and how honored I am to have Julie Lythcott-Haims as my guest on LAUNCH .

In addition to "How to Raise an Adult", Julie is also the author of "Your Turn: How to Be an Adult" and "Real American", a critically acclaimed, award-winning memoir. Julie's work spans writing, speaking, teaching, mentoring, and activism.

This conversation felt less like an interview and more like a heartfelt discussion between two people who care deeply about helping parents who are living with their young adults. We talked about what's happening in the home, the challenges parents are facing, the issues that young adults are dealing with, and what it actually takes for a family of adults to truly enjoy living together.

Sometimes the hardest part about having virtual interviews is that I never get to give my guests a hug after we've talked about suc

💻 Shari's Parenting Course is now OPEN for REGISTRATION! “Journey to Independence: A Step-by-Step Roadmap to Guiding and Launching Your Adult Child.”

For more information and where to sign up, visit: https://parentingfx.com/parentingcourse

🎉 Just Released!

Understanding Boundaries: 25 Ready-to-Use Boundary-Setting Statements The Every Parent Needs

CLICK HERE if you Want to Discover the Secret to Finally Getting Your Adult Child to Listen & Respect You!

It's not WHAT you say, but HOW you say it that will make the BIGGEST impact.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you want to know if your adult child is struggling with Failure to Launch? Grab the FREE Failure to Launch Checklist here:

🗣️One-on-One Consultations are available. Click here!

Email me if you have any questions at: Shari@ParentingFX.com

🎙️Remember to hit the SUBSCRIBE button so you never miss an episode.

Shari can be found on Instagram & TikTok Search @sharijonaslifefx

YouTube has all of the interviews available to watch! C...

If your adult child is uninterested in trying anything, won't apply for jobs, avoids challenges, and is perfectly content having you do everything for them, this episode explains why and what you can do to help. And is it ever easy!

Discover the one psychological factor that determines whether young adults move forward or stay stuck, plus the specific things parents need to STOP doing and START doing to help their adults build confidence.

It’s short but impactful!

Thank you for listening.

Please remember to hit the subscribe.

💻 Shari's Parenting Course is now OPEN for REGISTRATION! “Journey to Independence: A Step-by-Step Roadmap to Guiding and Launching Your Adult Child.”

For more information and where to sign up, visit: https://parentingfx.com/parentingcourse

🎉 Just Released!

Understanding Boundaries: 25 Ready-to-Use Boundary-Setting Statements The Every Parent Needs

CLICK HERE if you Want to Discover the Secret to Finally Getting Your Adult Child to Listen & Respect You!

It's not WHAT you say, but HOW you say it that will make the BIGGEST impact.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you want to know if your adult child is struggling with Failure to Launch? Grab the FREE Failure to Launch Checklist here:

🗣️One-on-One Consultations are available. Click here!

Email me if you have any questions at: Shari@ParentingFX.com

🎙️Remember to hit the SUBSCRIBE button so you never miss an episode.

Shari can be found on Instagram & TikTok Search @sharijonaslifefx

YouTube has all of the interviews available to watch! C...