Ep 238: The Advantages of Being a Beginner

<p>Tallo is a digital portfolio platform where your teen can apply for scholarships, internships, and opportunities. Check them out at <a href="https://bit.ly/tallotalkingtoteens">https://bit.ly/tallotalkingtoteens</a> </p><p>Visit our website, <a href="https://bit.ly/talkingtoteenswebsite">https://bit.ly/talkingtoteenswebsite</a>, to sign up for our newsletter so you'll never miss an episode!</p><br><p>Tom Vanderbilt, author of Beginners, discusses with us how parents can inspire their teenagers to be more confident in trying new things by being lifelong learners themselves. Turns out, being an expert beginner has its advantages!</p><p><br>As parents, it's easy to get into a rut of only doing things we're already good at, or activities we've been doing for years. Yet our teens are essentially beginners at everything. And sometimes it becomes difficult to encourage them to try new things. Being a beginner can get old quickly—it’s hard work!</p><p><br>One of the biggest challenges parents may face is encouraging their teenager to step outside of their comfort zone. It's easy to get stuck in routines and habits, and teenagers are no exception. The problem is that this can lead to a lack of confidence in trying new things and can hinder their long-term growth and development. This can leave parents—who maybe haven’t been beginners in a long time—unsure of how to best help their teens.</p><p><br>To understand this, I spoke this week with Tom Vanderbilt, author of<em> </em><a href="https://amzn.to/3V1DibL"><em>Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning</em></a>.  As a parent himself, Tom found that he was spending a lot of time on the sidelines watching his daughter try new things and learn new skills. It wasn't until he realized that he wasn't doing the same for himself that he decided to become a beginner again. This sparked his journey into exploring the benefits of being a beginner and how it can positively impact parenting.</p><p><br>In our interview, Tom points out it’s important f