Dare On with Jodi

The Stories We Don’t Tell Our Kids — And Why Sharing Them Changes Everything - Ep#161

Jodi Silverman Season 5 Episode 161

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0:00 | 31:46

What if your most imperfect, unpolished, didn’t-go-as-planned stories are actually the greatest gift you can give your adult children? After a health scare made her ask hard questions about what she’d really prepared her daughters for, Joanne McHugh sat down and wrote it all out — the career stumbles, the life detours, the things she wished someone had told her. In this conversation, we explore why real stories connect more than advice, how authenticity transforms your relationship with your adult kids, and what happens when you finally stop pretending life is all sunshine and butterflies.


In This Episode, You’ll Discover

  • Why a health scare became Joanne’s daring moment — and the promise she made to herself when the results came back clean
  • How she wrote a book of real stories from her own young adulthood and surprised her three daughters with it on Valentine’s Day
  • Why storytelling connects where direct advice creates resistance (and eye rolls!)
  • The difference between positive psychology and toxic positivity — and why it matters for how we prepare our kids for adulting
  • How being vulnerable with your adult children can shift your relationship from parent/child to something closer to friendship
  • The one permission question that can change any conversation with your kids, your partner, or your friends
  • (Stay to the end!) Joanne answers one more question after we thought we were done — about oversharing, how to decide what to tell your kids, and why you’re always the editor of your own story


About Joanne McHugh

Joanne McHugh is a mom of three daughters and the creator of Things Your Mom Should Have Told You — a weekly newsletter and blog where she shares real, honest stories from her own life to help young adults navigate the things nobody warned them about. What started as a private book for her girls became something she knew had to be shared more widely.


Resources & Links Mentioned

  • Things Your Mom Should Have Told You (Joanne’s newsletter & blog) HERE
  • Shift for Moms — From Fixer to Coach HERE


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DISCLAIMER: The commentary and opinions available on this podcast are for informational and entertainment purposes only and not for the purpose of providing medical, physical, or psychological advice. You should contact a trained medical professional before making any significant changes to your health and wellness routine and with respect to any particular issue or problem.