Traveling with Teens: Connection over Perfection
Episode 210: Vacationing With Teens – How to Stay Connected with Parenting Coach Janine Mushwar
Vacationing with teens can be magical—or maddening. In this episode, Rob talks with parenting coach Janine Mushwar about how to move from conflict to connection with your teenager, both at home and while traveling. If you’ve ever felt your teen slipping away, or if vacations bring out more eye-rolls than smiles, this conversation is for you.
Janine shares her own journey as a mom of three very different kids and the parenting shifts she had to make when rewards, punishments, and “the old ways” stopped working. Now, as a parenting coach, she helps families find practical strategies to reduce conflict, strengthen communication, and make family trips less stressful and more meaningful.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Why vacations with teens can be both magical and challenging
- The importance of shifting your parenting approach during the teenage years
- How to balance teens’ independence with family togetherness on trips
- Tools to de-escalate conflict in the moment (without turning the trip into a battle)
- Why involving teens in the planning process makes a huge difference
- Ways travel can strengthen connection during family transitions—like divorce, blending families, or big moves
- Simple but powerful mindset shifts that help parents prioritize connection over chasing a “perfect” trip
About Our Guest
Janine Mushwar is a parenting coach who helps moms and dads move from conflict to connection with their teens. Drawing on her own experience raising three children and supporting hundreds of families, Janine provides practical, compassionate strategies that help parents build stronger relationships with their kids. Learn more at JanineMushwar.com and check out her short, actionable videos on YouTube.
Resources & Links
- Visit Janine’s website: JanineMushwar.com
- Follow Janine on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube (@JanineMushwar)
- Connect with The Family Vacationer on Instagram and Substack
Don’t Miss
Stay tuned for Rob’s upcoming book, The Family Vacationer: A Parent’s Guide to Meaningful Travel, coming soon! Plus, we’re headed toward our 200th episode—with some fun surprises along the way.
