In today’s episode, I am joined by Jill and Dave Henry, authors of “The Greatest College Health Guide You Never Knew You Needed.” Not only are they published authors, but they are also parents and high school athletic coaches. In researching their book, Jill and Dave talked to hundreds of students as they developed this amazing “how-to manual” about how to manage food, booze, stress, sex, sleep, and exercise on campus. During our conversation, Dave and Jill explain why students struggle so much after high school and how parents can best support their children during the college years. They also share valuable tips for parents when talking to teens about alcohol and why it’s so important that our kids know their limits. Some of the topics that we discuss might make some listeners uncomfortable, but I truly believe that it is important that we have these conversations with our teens now, to prepare them for what lies ahead.
About Jill and Dave Henry
Jill and Dave Henry are married co-authors of the award-winning book, The Greatest College Health Guide You Never Knew You Needed.
Jill Henry is a veteran high school girls cross country coach. She was recently selected as a National Winner of the 2022 Positive Coaching Alliance’s Double-Goal Coach Award for her attention to athlete wellness and mindset and has received local “coach of the year” honors a total of six times in her fourteen-year career. Jill’s professional background is in secondary education, with a specialty in statistics.
Dave Henry is a Peabody Award-winning and Emmy-Nominated editor with extensive experience in unscripted television and documentary features. His work has won awards from the Associated Press, Directors Guild of America, and the Television Critics Association. Additionally, Dave was a two-sport college athlete and spent five years as a high school football coach.
Episode Highlights
- Why students struggle after high school
- College is the infancy of their independence
- Learning to navigate freedom at college
- Successfully managing a shift in identity
- Biological changes can lead to mental health challenges
- The question that all young people should ask themselves frequently
- Education and communication are two big parts of the solution
- Jill and Dave’s Summer To-Do List for college-bound teens
- How to talk to teens about alcohol
- The most dangerous time of college
- Teens must know their own limit and recognize intoxication in others
- Advice for parents to best support their college student
- Developing good communication before teens leave home
Resources
The Greatest College Health Guide website