Parenting Decoded

We break down how anxiety shows up in elementary age kids and why it often looks like stomach aches, avoidance, and anger instead of “I’m worried.” We share five practical tools we use at home to help kids face fears in small steps while we stay calm and steady. • anxiety signs in kids that look like behavior problems • common patterns to watch for such as reassurance seeking and physical complain...

Your kid keeps doing the same thing over and over and you can’t find a consequence that fits. There’s no natural fallout for whining, talking back, sibling fighting, ignoring screen time limits, or “forgetting” something that forces you into an extra trip across town, so you end up stuck between yelling, taking away the iPad, or giving in just to make it stop. Learn about a technique called energy...

In this episode, we cover: Why whining is a communication issue , not a behavior problem How whining looks different in toddlers vs. older kids Common parenting responses that accidentally reinforce whining Simple, effective strategies like: Naming the whining and teaching an “asking voice” Knowing when to wait it out (without engaging) Addressing hunger, fatigue, and overwhelm before whining star...

Parenting Decoded welcomes McCall Gordon to tackle one of parenting’s toughest questions: Why won’t my kid sleep? Her book is aimed at parents of "livewires" — kids who are more alert, intense, and emotionally reactive than average, making traditional sleep advice ineffective. McCall explains that temperament plays a huge role in sleep struggles — some kids just have a harder time windin...

Getting Kids to Stay at the Table: Four Simple Rules That Work Tired of mealtimes feeling like a circus? Kids jumping up every two minutes, running after them with food, or resorting to screens just to keep them in their seats? You're not alone—and there's a better way. In this episode, we tackle one of parents' biggest daily battles: getting kids to actually sit and eat their meals...

Are you planning to give your child their first smartphone, tablet, gaming console, or smartwatch this holiday season? Before you wrap that gift, there's crucial work you need to do! In this week's episode of Parenting Decoded, I'm sharing essential guidance from Defend Young Minds on how to set up digital devices the RIGHT way—before your child ever touches them. I walk you through...

How to Stop Nagging Your Kids (And Get Better Results) The Problem: You're repeating yourself constantly, and it's exhausting everyone. Nagging doesn't work, damages relationships, and prevents kids from developing independence. What You'll Learn: Why nagging fails and what it teaches your children How to use natural consequences effectively The power of saying things once (and...

Transform your back-to-school shopping from a budget-busting headache to an opportunity for teaching financial responsibility. I share how I went from spending $100 per child on school supplies to $50 while teaching my kids valuable money lessons in the process. • Set a firm budget before looking at supply lists and commit to not exceeding it • Give kids their budget in actual cash so they can phy...

Summer break intensifies the screen time battle with teens and tweens, but shifting from screen time enforcer to screen time strategist can transform your approach and relationship with your kids. You should head over to the Screenagers website for the full blog post "Screen Time and Parental Controls: Simple Tips for a Smoother Summer. " but I'm including a brief synopsis in this p...

Tackling the age-old parenting challenge of getting kids to do their chores requires a systematic approach rather than nagging or giving up. We explore a six-step process focused on bedroom cleanup that can transform your family's approach to household responsibilities. • Breaking down "clean your room" into specific tasks like making the bed, putting clothes in hamper, and picking...

In this episode, we tackle the important issue of childhood sexual abuse and how to help prevent it. By educating ourselves as parents, we can provide our children with the tools they need to protect themselves. • Discuss the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse statistics  • Explore the need for children to know proper terminology for body parts  • Encourage open lines of communication about cons...

Does your child have a problem with what's in their backpack?   You know,  those papers that are wrinkled at the bottom?  Maybe a permission slip?  Or possibly a banana?    Or how about the things that are NOT in their backpack?  Do they forget to put their homework in?  Or maybe their lunch or water bottle?  In this podcast take a new approach! We want it to be THEIR fault in their minds.  I...

For some families having lots of Halloween candy floating around our homes causes stress and strain.  In this podcast learn some tricks for treating your whole family to a more fun and happy experience as you learn to set limits and boundaries while giving lots of choices and, occassionally, letting your kids make poor decisions.   Email me at mary@parentingdecoded.com or go to my website at www.p...

Hearing the phrase "secure attachment" makes us think of some academic thesis.  BORING!  Well,  I want to help flip that idea in our minds to "CRUCIAL".  Yes,  having our kids see us as stable, reliable and empathetic beings in their lives is ESSENTIAL .  In this podcast episode I talk to Eli Harwood, a therapist and "attachment nerd", as she calls herself on social m...

 How much can a 2-, 3- or 4-year-old do?  What can they do?  They’re so little, right?  A toddler?  A preschooler?  What’s reasonable?  What’s not?   Are you doing too much as a parent?    All good questions for sure that most of us struggle with!  In this podcast we explore what’s reasonable to encourage and train young kids to do from chores to life skills that will build self-confidence and ind...

Getting teens and tweens to talk to parents is an age old battle the repeats itself over and over again with each new generation.  Times change but our teens wanting independence from us doesn't.  In this episode learn some tips and tricks for how to get our kids to relax and just enjoy being with us so that they'll open up and want to trust us.  There is a list of activities and how to...

Kids of all ages need to feel connected and loved unconditionally.  How can you set up a system in your family for creating and keeping those connections?  In this podcast we go over connections for kids between 2 and 10.  The next podcast covers what you can do for teens and tweens, a much harder demographic than younger kids who still think the world of you.  In this episode we explore ideas on...

Grumpy kids can really put your home into a foul mood.  What can we do to help tame these dark clouds and bring some sunshine back into our lives? In this episode we'll cover these four steps: Step 1 – Keep Your Cool   Step 2 – Offer Empathy and Hugs  Step 3 - Fix the Broken Connection  Step 4 – Go on a Trigger Quest and Brainstorm The transcript for this episode is HERE Here are the resource...

Parents struggle with how to motivate their children toward certain behaviors. Typically rewards and bribes are used.  In this episode learn about when bribes and rewards are most likely to motivate your child.  There are pros and cons of both types of motivations.  Bribes tend to reinforce negative behaviors, while rewards are commonly thought of as something that's planned ahead and well-th...

Kids being bullied isn't new.  What's new is the extent at which they are being bullied and, with the internet, in new and harmful ways.   In this episode, we'll cover the different types of bullying: Verbal - teasing, name-calling, taunting, etc., Social - spreading rumors, leaving kids out, embarrassing them, etc. Physical - hitting, spitting, tripping, etc.  Cyberbullying - using...

Do you have an anxious child?   Does it worry you or drive you crazy?  Either way you need to listen to this podcast! Learn about the 4 different types of anxiety, then the 4 parenting traps that we fall into when we attempt to "help" that wind up having negative impacts. Being over reassuring Swooping in/Jumping in too soon Allowing avoidance Being too tough or critical In this podcast,...

Today with the launch of the Barbie movie and so much emphasis on selfies and having perfect bodies, it's worth considering how we help out the millions of kids who aren't "perfect".  In this episode I interview Pam Luk, Founder of Ember & Ace, a clothing brand for plus-sized kids.  We talk about how to support our kids both socially and emotionally as well as how we as par...

What do you with kids who are wired differently?   Who might be on the spectrum (ADHD, Asperger's, OCD, etc.)?  Maybe they've had a diagnosis, maybe you just can see they are off the charts brilliant and some things but a total failure at socializing with kids their age.  If you have such challenges with your kids,  take a listen to Sam Young of Young Scholars Academy in this episode as...

Some kids seem to be born not caring where stuff is.  They rely on us to find things and if we can't find them they blame US!  Yikes!  This episode gives you ideas about how to let go of the responsibility for items in our kids lives that should be THEIRS but seem to have become OURS.   Learn how to keep a calm head as we turn over the job of owning "stuff" back to our kids in lovin...

Most parents seem to get hit with this at some point in our parenting journey.  It can start at around 6-7 months and usually goes away gradually throughout early childhood.  But… sometimes we’re just put to the test with separation issues and we wish someone would let us know what’s normal, what’s extreme and give us some ideas about what to do. In this podcast we have Jessica O’Connor, LMFT, a l...