Parenting Doctors Podcast

Are parents more happy?  Put another way, is parenting a happy endeavor?  Certainly, parents experience less pleasurable moments.  Parents are inconvenienced more.   But parents experience more meaning.  Check out this week's parenting podcast on happiness and parenting.  See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20

On this week's parenting doctors show, our parenting doctors podcast is an interview with Dr. Patricia Price.  She is an expert on eating disorders.  She provides some of the keys that parents can be aware of related to disordered eating, treatment, family changes, and nutrition.  Dr. Price is a Parenting Doctor and renown for the treatment of eating disorders.  She is author of No More Screen Tim...

Today's parenting podcast is more of a reflection podcast.  What is your parenting style?  It is helpful to take a step back, push pause, and take perspective on our type of parenting.  What is your parenting style?   See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20

During and after divorces, secure parents don’t take anything personally.  Kids are allowed to express their preferences.  Parents validate feelings, encourage expressions, and provide a two-step process to help kids navigate the difficult changes.  What is your motivation? Are you trying to hurt or are you trying to be vulnerable? Or in other words, are you trying to hurt or are you trying to exp...

Have you ever dealt with tremendous negativity?  Have you ever been cursed with the most vile hate and nastiness?  Have you been told how toxic you are and repeatedly had negativity and nasty statements said about you over and over and over again?   Friends, this is the kind of the thing that young people will face via cyberbullying, nastiness at school, or the junk at home.  We need to prepare yo...

Families establish token economies with reward charts, star charts, and a system of rewarding desired behaviors.  These reward systems can provide structure and consistency.  Some issues to consider at home life include the value of encouraging personal responsibility (i.e. rewarding all work takes away from the value of being a family contributor), the problem of using affection as a reward, and...

There is a time to comfort.  There is a time to Instruct.  There is a time to Correct.  The distinctions are important for healthy parenting, on this week's parenting podcast.   See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20

Welcome to the Summer!  It's summertime! Successful families average a minimum of FOUR family dinners per week during the summer.   Instead of, "How was the day?" "Fine."   Let's engage in meaningful dialogue.  3 P's: Positive parents prepare!   See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20    

Kids, preteens, and teens face all kinds of stressors nowadays.  Safety from violence, getting enough to eat, single parent households, domestic violence and so many others are some of the real stressors American children face.   Then there are those stressors that have changed over the last 10 years.  Trends show that stressors have taken on an entirely new look that previous generations never fa...

There are several aspects to separation anxiety.  Sometimes finding a child psychologist or a counselor who specializes in anxiety and attachment issues can be of great help for a family.   This podcast focuses on one unique angle.  After talking with over 100 mental health practitioners in El Paso, Texas and Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico this week, one of the things that comes up frequentl...

Humility, Rules & Principles to Live by, & The Beauty of Motherhood: Happy Mother's Day! See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20

Shifting attention is another pillar of happiness.  I provide a number of interesting research ideas on how allocating attention is more critical than actually experiencing positive events.  Two major areas can be discussed for parents and families: allocating attention and being in the present.   See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20

Is there meaning in video games?  Kids using video games excessively end up with quick analytical skills and reflexes, but lack communication skills, have few bonds with people, exhibit little empathy, and show minimal self-control.   A metaphor for managing video games is considering the effects of high fructose corn syrup (HSFS), which has shown to be more addictive than cocaine.  Like the food...

Building Optimism in Teenagers requires 5 steps.  The goal is to learn how to deal with setbacks with optimism.  Some of my greatest failures helped me to reinterpret and view setbacks optimistically.  I share some of those at the end of today's podcast.   The main focus of today's podcast is to help teens see setbacks and disappointments not as permanent, but temporary, not as pervasive, but spec...

I'm back from a trip through Illinois speaking to psychologists, counselors, social workers, marriage & family therapists, teachers, speech pathologists, and occupational therapists. Today's podcast focuses on building mindfulness skills for teenagers.  Research shows that our attention is on something other than what we are doing 1/2 of our awake time.  We live in a culture that reinforces rushin...

Specific, Not Terrific Technique Kids don’t have to be perfect.  Parents don’t have to be perfect.  We all make mistakes, we all come up short.  It’s helpful to communicate directly to kids that they don’t have to be terrific.  We just want them to be specific.  If you use the phrase, “You are a terrific kid!” Great.  Absolutely use that phrase.  What I am talking about is communication.  Communic...

Parents need strategies to dismantle power struggles.  Today's podcast focuses on The Negotiation Strategy.  We can assert obedience.  However, choice helps children (and especially preteens and even more so, teens) to find their own individuality while they learn to follow directions and learn to take responsibility within their own boundaries.  The next and more advanced step is teaching negotia...

Kids need a strategy for arguments.  Parents can give their kids a strategy by having them classify arguments into petty and purposeful arguments.  This podcast looks at a strategy that when applied, can make a difference in developing the skill of perspective taking - which is the ultimate goal.   See Dr. Dan's new book:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20

The Oven Timer Strategy is a great solution for putting an end to manipulation.  "Start engaging in problem solving or you will lose a minute toward your allotted time with your iPhone."  For more, see You Are Your Child's Best Psychologist.   The use of this strategy is great for bed time ritual, homework problems (i.e. procrastination), video game limits (or lack thereof). See Dr. Dan’s new book...

How do we teach children humility?  It starts with us.  Check out this week's parenting podcast.  There are lots of things to apply from the latest research on parenting including addressing manipulation and the keys to allowing disagreement in the home while maintaining respect for authority. Then there are things that make life better for the family like turning off the TV.   One of the things t...

Parents of Teenagers have a lot in common.  It's time to get together and form support groups.  Many of you do this informally through friendships via sporting events, church get togethers, community gatherings, etc.  We provide some key things to think about in putting together the parameters of a formal support group.   Themes, facilitator roles, key books and websites, and group rules.   Time t...

We need strategies for our kids' anger.  Of course, parents need to work on their own stuff.  The more parents are calm, cool, and collected, and can self-soothe and handle stress with poise, the more are kids will respond well.  Our stuff is for another day. This podcast is about key strategies for our kids.  This podcast presents anger scaling, helping kids with categories, and the use of visual...

It is common to deal with manipulation when you are attempting to address another problem.  It is common to see eye roles or receive back talk when addressing aggression between siblings.  First of all, address everything and assume nothing.  Second, you need a strategy.  The following podcast is a Triple D Strategy when you are dealing with a second level of nonsense.   Check out our new website...

In today's podcast, I provide an example where a Dad made a mistake by communicating a negative assumption about his kid.  The kid went on to speak out of her hurt by being passive aggressive.  The answer in this scenario is vulnerability.  We walk through the steps on how family members can express how they feel and others can receive those expressions.  

Holiday Stress?  We can all relate.  There are numerous holiday challenges.  Inconveniences are endless in family situations.  Inconveniences double and triple and stress multiples during holidays.  Cognitive Flexibility helps with the flow that is needed during holiday stress. See Dr Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20