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Overcoming Parental Guilt: Empowering Choices in Teen Development

Release Date: 03/20/2025

Graduation, Growth, and the Keys to the Car: A Mother’s Story

Listen Love Launch Podcast

In this heartfelt episode of Listen Love Launch, Cindy Manko sits down with her cousin, Lana Howell, to explore the emotional roller coaster of parenting a high school senior. As Lana navigates her only child Jalan’s final year, she shares honest reflections on stress, shifting roles, and savoring the little moments before graduation. Together, they unpack how parents can equip their kids with smart, responsible habits behind the wheel—blending practical tools with deep emotional support. From the tears to the triumphs, this conversation offers comfort, wisdom, and camaraderie for...

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Listen Love Launch Podcast

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Choosing Service to Our Country: How Family, Sports, and Struggles Shaped A Military Man

Listen Love Launch Podcast

In this episode of Listen Love Launch, Cindy Manko shares the inspiring story of Darin Nicholas, a U.S. Air Force helicopter and F-35 maintainer. Darren opens up about his journey from high school athletics to military service, revealing how sports, friendship, and family support shaped his unexpected shift from struggling college student to enlisted airman. His story offers real-world insight into embracing change, challenging societal expectations, and finding purpose through service. Darren reflects on the brotherhood of deployment, the challenges of military life, and the unshakable...

Empowering Kids with Disabilities: Overcoming Limits with Love and Grit

Listen Love Launch Podcast

In this inspiring episode of Listen Love Launch, Cindy Manko sits down with Julie, a passionate mom and advocate, as she shares the incredible journey of raising her son Declan, born as a micro preemie and later diagnosed with cerebral palsy. From early interventions like hippotherapy to Declan mastering percussion and track, Julie offers a powerful reminder that disabilities don’t define potential. Together, they explore the balance between advocacy, independence, and community support. Julie’s story is filled with grit, grace, and the unshakable belief that our kids can achieve more...

Senior Year Support for Moms: Connection, Journaling & Community for Class of 2026

Listen Love Launch Podcast

In this episode of Listen Love Launch, Cindy guides moms of the Class of 2026 through the emotional ups and downs of their child’s final year at home. She introduces a heartfelt way to capture memories, milestones, and meaningful moments before the big launch. Cindy also shares exciting updates about upcoming in-person meetups, small group gatherings, and a special girls' weekend—designed to build community and offer support through this bittersweet season. Moms are encouraged to join the private Facebook group and explore one-on-one coaching or small group chats. You...

From Listening to Letting Go: Key Parenting Techniques for Senior Year Success

Listen Love Launch Podcast

In the year's final episode, Cindy Manko delivers a heartfelt send-off, sharing 50 powerful reminders from this season's Listen Love Launch podcast. Packed with encouragement and wisdom, each reminder is crafted to help you excel in parenting during your teen’s senior year. Covering everything from emotional regulation to giving your teen space, trusting your instincts, and letting go gracefully, this episode beautifully recaps the essential themes. Cindy's message to all moms is clear: you are enough, and your experiences in this emotional rollercoaster of motherhood are heard and...

Cherishing the Lasts: Embracing the Emotional Journey of Senior Year

Listen Love Launch Podcast

As the school year wraps up, Cindy Manko guides moms through the emotional highs and lows of senior year's final months in this poignant episode . Cindy offers practical advice and emotional support to help moms cherish these fleeting moments, reflecting on the transitions and the sweet sorrow of seeing their teens step into the next chapter of their lives. Cindy also announces exciting developments for the podcast, broadening her support to include all moms of teens. She introduces plans for upcoming face-to-face gatherings and virtual meetings to foster a community of moms who can share...

Turning Rejection into Resilience: A Parent's Guide to Supporting Teens

Listen Love Launch Podcast

In this episode of the Listen Love Launch Podcast, Cindy Manko tackles the challenging topic of rejection and its effects on youth. She delves into various types of rejection that teens may encounter, including social, academic, and romantic. Cindy emphasizes the importance of recognizing their emotions, building resilience, and enhancing self-worth. Cindy offers practical strategies for parents to help their teens navigate these difficult experiences. She discusses the importance of seeking support, focusing on strengths, and understanding that rejection is a normal part of life. The...

Overcoming Parental Guilt: Empowering Choices in Teen Development

Listen Love Launch Podcast

In today’s episode, Cindy discusses her daughter Maria’s tough decision between two sports events, emphasizing the importance of letting teens make their own choices. The episode explores the guilt many moms feel, advocating a shift from controlling “engineering parenting” to nurturing “shepherding parenting.” It offers insights into overcoming misconceptions that a child’s failures reflect on parenting. Discomfort is part of growth, underscoring the need to trust the process and lean on support networks. If you are feeling overwhelmed, make sure to sign up for the free...

Empowering Teen Independence: Insights from Cindy and her daughter, Nadia

Listen Love Launch Podcast

Hey everyone, it’s Cindy Manko here, and today we've got a special episode of Listen Love Launch with a very special guest—my daughter, Nadia! We’re diving deep into how understanding teenage emotions can shape healthier adult relationships. We're sharing our own rollercoaster ride from Nadia's senior year through her leap into adulthood, reflecting on the emotional highs and lows, and how these experiences have strengthened our bond. We’ll talk about balancing independence with support, making savvy decisions like Nadia's double major in college, and managing the transition from...

More Episodes

Discomfort is part of growth, underscoring the need to trust the process and lean on support networks. If you are feeling overwhelmed, make sure to sign up for the free discovery call with Cindy to help navigate the challenges of raising resilient teens.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

(0:50) - 5 top reasons we feel mom guilt

(1: 05) - 1. Feeling responsible for every last thing when it comes to our kids.

(1:50) - 2. Comparing your kids to others, and comparing your parenting to other’s parenting.

(2:39) - 3. You believe your child is a reflection of your parent.

(3:10) - Cindy’s story about mom-guilt and how she weathered the storm.

(7:00) - The conclusion of the story

(7:05) - 4. Prioritizing Protecting over helping them grow and how this creates mom-guilt

(9:00) - 5. Mom’s unrealistic expectation of themselves. No one is perfect.

(10:00) - Engineering parenting vs. Shepherding parenting

(11:55) - God modeled what shepherding looks like.

(12:40) - Facing challenges and the culturally misleading messages.

(14:55) - Connecting with last week's podcast message about normal life challenges

(17:00) - The world will not tiptoe around your kids’ emotions. How can we help them?

(21:10) - Cindy’s Pep Talk : Be kind to yourself.

LINKS :

Free discovery call:

https://www.the.cindymanko.com/11-coaching-page

The Journal Project: My Senior Year Through Mom's Eyes by Cindy Manko

https://a.co/d/2YguEiH

Private Facebook Group just for moms of high school seniors:

www.facebook.com/groups/savvyseniormoms/

CONNECT WITH CINDY:

Instagram: @MankoCindy

Email: Cindy@cindymanko.com

WHAT TO DO NEXT:

Create reminders in your calendar –
NEW episodes will be released every Thursday!
Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app
Share this episode. Tag #savvyseniormom

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