Smart Family Podcast

We want you to hear this episode - so we are playing it again in case you missed it the first time. It is powerful. "Most things that seem complicated are actually just hard." This is a central idea that grounds Dr. Anita Phillips' work as a trauma therapist and life coach. Marriage is a primary relationship where the impacts of trauma - often trauma that occurred prior to the relationship - show...

Sports are part of our society and so it's no wonder that parents wonder whether they should put their kids into sports. And if so, when and what sport? These are all great questions that we explore today with Dr Katie Misener. Katie's research is devoted to sports and their benefits - not just for kids but also for parents and our communities. It turns out that getting kids involved in sports is...

Wouldn't it be great if you had a parenting mentor at your side during those difficult parenting moments? Sometimes we are faced with conundrums - do I intervene, or let my kids figure it our on their own? When do I shift from manager to consultant role? What about sibling rivalry? How can we be real with uncomfortable emotions in front of our kids? What if one parent wants to parent differently?...

Ever wondered about why it's sometimes hard to sync up your intentions for your relationships, and the ways you actually show up? Childhood trauma isn't necessarily what you think it is - we tend to think of the death of a parent or being involved in a life-threatening incident or being sexually abused when we talk about the lasting impacts of trauma (and rightfully so), but sometimes the sources...

The world of teenagers is vastly different from the high-school world we experienced. This generation is digitally-native, more diverse and open to talking about mental health. This might leave your head spinning - what was taboo just a few years ago is now normal. Yet many teenagers are struggling with their mental health and the adults in their lives (teachers and parents) can sometimes find it...

We found this conversation not only enlightening and super practical, but also lively and surprising. Today's expert guest, Patrick Lencioni is acclaimed worldwide for his business acumen and leadership insights. The model he's talking about in our conversation was originally conceived of through his business and team experience, but the wonderfully surprising discovery is that this model (similar...

So pumped to have Dr Mona Delahooke back for another brand-new episode. Today we discuss how everyday practical parenting links with a new understanding of child behaviour and how brains and bodies are interlinked. Drawing on insights from her new book Brain-Body Parenting , Mona simplifies a complex theory called polyvagal theory and applies it to frustrating parenting challenges we see every day...

If you're in a relationship and you value a sex life that is exciting and enduring, hear what our expert Dr. Michael Sytsma, experienced sex therapist and marriage researcher, has to say. His high-quality research findings are so encouraging for couples who look forward to a vibrant sex life for decades! Openness and honesty about physical intimacy plays a vital role. Did you know that there are d...

Welcome to Part 2 of our conversation with Andy and Sandra Stanley as we dive further into the topic of parenting. Andy and Sandra explain how we need to keep our parenting focused on the relationships first and foremost, and how they intentionally built that into every aspect of their parenting years - which have now evolved into friendships with their adult children. What do you need to do to en...

Nobody gave you a manual when your child was born, so now what? Today we get some fantastic advice from speakers and authors Andy and Sandra Stanley. They emphasize how every family needs to have a "north star" that guides the family journey. Andy and Sandra, drawing upon their own parenting experience with candid recollections and humor, make a strong case for a "north star" that focuses on the r...

Most of us parents know what it's like to be stressed out, dealing with your child telling lies. Practically every parent faces this issue at one time or another. How to handle lying in ways that don't make it worse is tricky and sometimes not intuitive. Today's guest Colleen Doyle Bryant is author of the book Common Decency and known for her character resources to equip teachers and parents with...

Do infants have "mental health"? How important are those early weeks and months when it comes to developing secure attachments to caregivers? Well, today our own cohost Dr Rob Meeder shares recent learnings about these topics. Rob makes the point that those early relationship matter - a lot! Why? Because this is when kids develop the skill of mentalization - the ability to understand the state of...

Listen in on what Brad Griffin, co-author of The Three Big Questions that Change Every Teenager, offers out of his depth of experience in researching and living out the approaches that build solid, healthy relationships with young people. From research he co-led, we turn our focus to the questions every teenage holds in common: what is my identity; where do I belong; and what is my purpose? Our co...

Acclaimed relationship expert Dr John Delony brings it in this interview! We tackle two issues that can wreak havoc in a relationship when they're not dealt with, namely, loneliness and trauma of the past. Do you have a friend you could call in the middle of the night in an emergency? We have a hope-filled conversation about how to build authentic friendships. Dr. John has written about the divers...

In this episode, Rob turns the mic on Toni about what she learned in her practice as a divorce attorney about relationships and the struggles almost every couple experiences. She is transparent about the challenges in her own marriage with her husband Carey, and the transformation that they eventually experienced. Toni talks about how to fight for "we" instead of "me", the benefits of ditching you...

What a thrill to talk with Dr Karyn Gordon - psychologist, Ted Talk speaker and author of The Three Chairs. Karyn has done years of research on leadership and what makes an effective leader. Using principles from her knowledge of family systems she has figured out what allows people to work together effectively. She has distilled her findings into a metaphor which she calls The Three Chairs. Toget...

When Jon Acuff asked kids at a camp to write down their hidden doubts and fears, it became clear to him that the soundtracks they're listening to - the negative messages they feed themselves - aren't setting them up for success. Sound familiar? Has overthinking ever been an issue for you? If you've ever caught yourself thinking I'm not _____ enough to do that or heard your child saying, "I'm the w...

Does your child have difficulty focusing or paying attention? Are they hyperactive? Do you wonder if they (or maybe you) have ADHD? Maybe a friend or teacher has suggested the diagnosis and now you don't know what to do. Today we turn to ADHD expert and author Dr Walter Karniski for answers. He explains where ADHD comes from, why it used to be an advantage to have ADHD but how for many people it i...

Ever wonder if your kids have too few friends? Or too many? Or none? It's been a tough few years for kids and personal connection. As parents we want our kids to grow in a healthy family and community environment. We want positive peer influences - but how do we protect them from the negative influences (or should we?). What about the pull of on-line connections versus in-real-life connections? Dr...

On the fence about whether you should sign your kids up for sports? Prior to the pandemic, lots of families were engaged in sports but recently parents have started to rethink whether to sign kids back up for sports or not. One of the reasons parents are hesitating is the toxic culture that exists in certain sports and teams - one that is often driven by coaches who bully and one that is hitting h...

Ever felt that nagging feeling you should be doing something for your kids or at home while you're at work? Or, doing something more at the office once you're at home? For the first time on our podcast, we're tackling the problem of 'mom guilt' (but for you men, we don't believe that only mothers get this feeling!). Dr Michelle Deering is a psychologist with decades of experience in helping people...

This episode will inspire you. We get right into the nuts and bolts of the motto of our podcast: "Love Being Home!" with clinical psychologist Dr Lynyetta Willis. Do you feel like you are stuck in your family relationships? Do you see your spouse and kids and wonder if you are settling for mediocrity? Can there be more to your marriage and parenting? Dr Willis thinks so. She explains how we can ge...

  The tough times we've all been through lately have been impacting our marriages. How's it going with your sex life these days? Today's guest has years of experience helping couples get to the root of problems with their sexual intimacy. In this episode, Toni and our guest Amie Latta talk about the three most common pitfalls that trip couples up in the bedroom, along with practical wisdom on pote...

Why is it that we are so often led to believe that boys and men must supress their emotions in order to be truly masculine? It is as if the terms "emotional" and "masculine" are mutually exclusive. Our guest today has a different perspective. David Thomas believes that boys are healthier if they are emotionally strong. He also makes a powerful case that emotionally strong boys become much healthie...

Having conversations with our kids about topics of diversity, equity and inclusion can feel complicated these days. Even during periods when we're not hearing much about racial prejudice in the news, there's a lot for us to learn and much work to be done to right the wrongs of racial injustice in our societies. How can you and your family be part of ongoing antiracism efforts to put an end to raci...