Navigating Life as a Teen

Summary

Podcast Summary: Navigating Life as a Teen | Dr. Laura Call of the Day

Podcast Information:

• Title: Dr. Laura Call of the Day
• Host: Dr. Laura Schlessinger
• Platform: SiriusXM Triumph 111
• Episode: Navigating Life as a Teen
• Release Date: March 25, 2025

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Introduction

In the episode titled "Navigating Life as a Teen," Dr. Laura Schlessinger engages in a heartfelt conversation with Felicity, a 17-year-old high school senior facing critical decisions about her future and personal relationships. Through this dialogue, Dr. Laura provides no-nonsense advice grounded in ethics, accountability, and personal responsibility, aiming to guide Felicity through her current challenges.

Felicity's Educational and Future Plans

Felicity's Academic Status At the onset of the conversation, Felicity shares her academic standing and impending graduation:

• Felicity (00:46): “It looks like my school is going to shut down, but the only thing that I need to do to get to properly graduate is to have one more science credit.”

Plans Beyond High School Felicity outlines her intentions post-graduation, emphasizing a gap year approach:

• Felicity (01:29): “I'm going to take time to learn, do internships, take jobs, just try to figure out what I want to do.”

Dr. Laura commends Felicity's decision to delay college, highlighting its importance in self-discovery:

• Dr. Laura (09:15): “Your decision not to go to college, I think, is so unbelievably smart. That's part. That's why you don't need a boyfriend, you don't need college. You're still finding out who you are and what you want to be and do.”

Personal Struggles: Self-Relationship and Faith

Felicity's Inner Conflict Felicity opens up about her struggles with self-relationship and spirituality:

• Felicity (01:56): “I have a like, poor relationship with myself, with God, and like as an actual extension of that with the people around me.”

Dr. Laura's Perspective on Faith Dr. Laura encourages Felicity by reframing her spiritual journey as a natural, ongoing process:

• Dr. Laura (07:11): “You're beginning your religious journey. That's not equivalent to not being right with God.”

She emphasizes that fluctuating feelings about faith are common and part of personal growth:

• Dr. Laura (08:22): “Everybody has periods where they just don't feel right with God. Not in God's determination, but in their own. That's a process that you will do forever.”

Navigating Teenage Relationships

Considering Separation from Boyfriend Felicity expresses her intent to separate from her boyfriend to focus on personal growth:

• Felicity (01:56): “I think it might be healthier for me to separate from my boyfriend while I do this.”

Dr. Laura's Candid Advice Dr. Laura challenges the necessity of a boyfriend at Felicity's age, urging her to prioritize self-development:

• Dr. Laura (02:33): “What do you need a boyfriend for? You're not getting married.”

She elaborates on the transient nature of teenage relationships and the importance of focusing on personal goals:

• Dr. Laura (03:58): “I don't think you have any need for a boyfriend at 17 and it is distracting from you learning about yourself.”

Impact on Self-Image and Personal Security Dr. Laura addresses common insecurities among young women tied to having a boyfriend, advocating for self-sufficiency:

• Dr. Laura (09:45): “There's a certain amount of security to your self image that comes with having a boyfriend. But that's not the way I'd like you to develop your self image.”

The Role of Self-Discovery and Personal Growth

Encouraging Self-Focus Dr. Laura advises Felicity to engage in activities that foster self-discovery, such as internships, travel, and hobbies:

• Dr. Laura (09:15): “You need to develop your full self. And that's really hard to do when you're 17 with a boyfriend. They're very demanding.”

Long-Term Decision Making She underscores the importance of taking time to make informed decisions about the future without external pressures:

• Dr. Laura (11:22): “Take your time. I feel like you think something huge has to happen quickly.”

Felicity concurs with this sentiment, acknowledging the value of slowing down:

• Felicity (11:29): “I agree.”

Conclusion

Throughout the episode, Dr. Laura Schlessinger provides Felicity with pragmatic advice tailored to her unique situation as a teenager on the brink of adulthood. By encouraging Felicity to prioritize self-understanding, spiritual growth, and thoughtful decision-making over transient relationships and societal expectations, Dr. Laura emphasizes the importance of building a strong, independent foundation for the future.

Key Takeaways:

• Self-Discovery: Prioritize personal growth and self-understanding over maintaining teenage relationships.
• Faith Journey: Recognize that spiritual alignment is an ongoing process, not a static state.
• Informed Decisions: Take time to explore career and life options without rushing into college or other commitments.
• Self-Sufficiency: Develop self-image and security from within rather than relying on external relationships.

By addressing these themes, the episode serves as a valuable resource for teenagers navigating the complexities of adolescence, offering guidance that balances empathy with practical wisdom.

Transcript

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[Dr. Laura]

Thanks for listening to my Call of the Day podcast. You can hear my live radio program Monday through Friday from 2 to 5pm Eastern Time on Sirius XM Triumph 111. Dad and Felicity, welcome to the program.

[Felicity]

Hi. Thank you.

[Dr. Laura]

You're welcome. Felicity, how old are you?

[Felicity]

I'm 17.

[Dr. Laura]

Rua junior, senior. What are you?

[Felicity]

That's a little bit complicated, right? She's a senior. Okay. Weird school.

[Dr. Laura]

Uncomplicated for me.

[Felicity]

Basically. It looks like my school is going to shut down, but the only thing that I need to do to get to properly graduate is to have one more science credit. Which means that if I can take an extra class this year, I'll be graduating.

[Dr. Laura]

Oh, good. Excellent. What are your subsequent plans?

[Felicity]

I'm going. Since I don't really know what to do, I'm not going to be spending the money to go to college yet. I'm going to take time to learn, do internships, take jobs, just try to figure out what I want to do.

[Dr. Laura]

I like you already. If your dad doesn't feed you regularly, I'll adopt you. How's that?

[Felicity]

Sounds good. I already did. You like that.

[Dr. Laura]

What can I help you with, Felicity?

[Felicity]

So let's see. I realized pretty recently that I have a like, poor relationship with myself, with God, and like as an actual extension of that with the people around me. So started figuring that stuff out. That means I'm spending a lot of time, like studying and reflecting on myself. And I think it might be healthier for me to separate from my boyfriend while I do this. My question is, you know, whether I should and if so, what exactly that separation would entail. Like, should I break up with him completely? Can we still talk? Is it more like a soldier going to war kind of situation?

[Dr. Laura]

I'm going to ask you kind of a stupid sounding question, but it just hit me what to ask you and I do think it's pithy. P I t h y not pissy at 17. What do you need a boyfriend for? You're not getting married.

[Felicity]

Well, I am. I am dating with like the eventual consideration of marriage, but the knowledge that it won't happen for quite a while. I refuse.

[Dr. Laura]

Okay, stop for a second. Youth actually think that a boyfriend you have at 17 is highly likely going to be the man in your life, the father of your 84 children for the rest of your life. 80 years. You think that your taste and understanding and your preferences are not going to change in the next 10 years because they do. Dramatically. Truth is, I don't think you have any need for a boyfriend at 17 and it is distracting from you learning about yourself, as you just mentioned, and from participating in life to learn more about life and yourself to be a better judge of what you want. I don't think teenagers, even somebody as intelligent and deep as you, have any clue as to what would be the best choice in a man.

[Felicity]

All right.

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[Felicity]

Well, it's not that I'm not necessarily right with God. It's that I don't.

[Dr. Laura]

So to finish this, I don't.

[Felicity]

And then lights. I was kind of just. Sorry. What?

[Dr. Laura]

Start all over again. You did say several times. Twice. Not right with God. I want to know what that means.

[Felicity]

Okay. I mean that I realized that until recently, I didn't actually believe in a God so much as follow the habit of acting like I did.

[Dr. Laura]

That's not being not right with God. That's a religious journey. You know your biggest problem? You're going to get a laugh. Well, your dad will get a laugh out of this. You won't. But here's the thing. You're 17. What the hell do you think you know by now? You're a kid. You're a teenager. You've been under the influence of parents and other adults, and it's going to take you through your 20s. And that's primarily what your 20s are for, to learn more and make decisions. You're only 17. You're not on right with God. You're beginning your religious journey. That's not equivalent.

[Felicity]

Thank you.

[Dr. Laura]

I mean, think about it. You can ask all the adults, you know, are you right with God? And they're all going to look at you and go, whoa. Well, I don't do everything I think I'm supposed to do by virtue of the Ten Commandments. And I sometimes use God's name in vain. And I sometimes. And I sometimes. And Sometimes I don't believe because something bad happens to me. And I just don't think God would do that to me. Everybody goes through all that stuff. So everybody has periods where they just don't feel right with God. Not in God's determination, but in their own. That's a process that you will do forever. So please be kinder to yourself right now about this.

[Felicity]

All right. Thank you.

[Dr. Laura]

You're just beginning to enter the world, sweetheart. That's why I don't really want you to bother with a boyfriend right now. You don't need one. You need to do these interning jobs and travel a little bit and read a lot more and participate in activities and hobbies. You need to develop your full self. And that's really hard to do when you're 17 with a boyfriend. They're very demanding.

[Felicity]

Yes, ma'am.

[Dr. Laura]

And I know young women in particular get a little nervous about not having a boyfriend because maybe they're not adequate, maybe they're not pretty enough, smart enough. Why can't they have a guy who cares about them? There's a certain amount of security to your self image that comes with having a boyfriend. But that's not the way I'd like you to develop your self image. Not with respect to another teenager who likes you. He's a boy, he's not a man. His needs are going to be the needs of a boy. His ability to take care of you is to be on the realm of a boy. I mean, look at the difference between him and your dad.

[Felicity]

Be nice. Okay, fine.

[Dr. Laura]

Very good, dad.

[Felicity]

Thank you.

[Dr. Laura]

You got miles to go. You got miles to go. Don't rush it. Miles to go. Your decision not to go to college, I think, is so unbelievably smart. That's part. That's why you don't need a boyfriend, you don't need college. You're still finding out who you are and what you want to be and do, and college doesn't provide that for you. So if you need that ticket someday because you want to be a dentist and you need that ticket to go to dental school, then that makes sense. But just to go to college, to say I'm in college is a waste of money and time, especially these days.

[Felicity]

I agree.

[Dr. Laura]

Take your time. I feel like you think something huge has to happen quickly.

[Felicity]

All right. Thank you. I appreciate it.

[Dr. Laura]

Are you okay?

[Felicity]

Yes.

[Dr. Laura]

Okay. You can always call me back. You know that, right?

[Felicity]

Yes.

[Dr. Laura]

You got lots to think about. But I'm just asking you slow it all down.

[Felicity]

I will.

[Dr. Laura]

Everything from God to life. Slow it all down.

[Felicity]

Okay.

[Dr. Laura]

Okay.

[Felicity]

Thank you.

[Dr. Laura]

Thank you, Felicity. Bye, dad. I'm sure she thinks you're a wonderful dad.

[Felicity]

Thank you very much, Dr. Laurent.

[Dr. Laura]

I'm sure of it. Okay. You're welcome. My number, 1-800-375-2872. If you like this podcast, be sure to rate it on Apple Podcasts or your favorite place to listen to my podcast. Of course, I'd love if you gave me five stars. And be sure to share this podcast with a friend on Facebook or your preferred social media platform.

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