Parenting Understood

Understanding temperament can transform parenting approaches, bringing harmony to the often turbulent journey of raising children. In this episode, we speak with Dr. Sandee McClowry about recognizing that each child's temperament is unique, and how this allows parents to cater their strategies to individual children's needs. Whether your child is industrious, friendly, cautious, or high maintenanc...

Dr. Ronald Mah and Michelle discuss how a parent with narcissistic tendencies can impact a child and their development of self. He discusses entitlement, grandiosity, and righteousness, which create a mindset where rules don't apply. Parenting styles are examined, emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries with sensitivity for healthy child development. Problematic parenting styles include p...

This week we are re-airing a previous episode with Dr Clancy Blair on self-regulation  in honor of his life and legacy. Sadly Clancy passed away on Dec. 19th. Clancy was a groundbreaking professor of child development at New York University, died December 19, 2024 in Nashville, TN. He was 63. The author of over 200 scientific articles, Blair was one of the most influential developmental psychologi...

In this episode, we chat with Amanda DeLuca, founder and CEO of Riley, a platform designed to support new parents with evidence-based information and technology. Amanda shares her journey from a career in technology to becoming a parent and the challenges she faced, including postpartum depression and anxiety. Despite meticulous planning, she and her husband found themselves unprepared for the rea...

In this episode, we are joined by my colleague, Dr. Robin Neuhaus, to discuss recent research of ours on Perinatal Mood Disorders (PMADs) and parenting supports. We highlight the stigma associated with PMADs, leading to underreporting and inadequate support. We emphasize the need for improved screening methods, increased awareness among healthcare providers, and accessible resources for parents. T...

In this episode, we catch up after a short break, and chat about strategies for easing school transitions, particularly for children experiencing separation anxiety. We discuss the special importance of parental support through acceptance, validation, and confidence-building. We also emphasize establishing routines to provide children with a sense of security and familiarity. We finish up by discu...

This episode of Parenting Understood features Dr. Robyn Koslowitz, author of the upcoming book "Post Traumatic Parenting". Dr. Koslowitz, an expert in child development and trauma, discusses the often-overlooked impact of past trauma on parenting. Robyn explains how common coping mechanisms developed in childhood, like people-pleasing, dissociation, and perfectionism, can become obstacles in paren...

This episode of Parenting Understood explores the crucial topic of emotional regulation for both parents and children. Dr. Cindy Hovington, a neuroscientist and parenting expert, explains that emotional regulation is about responding thoughtfully rather than reacting impulsively. She emphasizes that parents' emotional states deeply impact their children, highlighting the importance of modeling hea...

In episode 145, Erin and Michelle delve into the concepts of attachment and self-regulation, highlighting their significance in parenting and child development. The hosts discuss how attachment forms a secure base, allowing children to regulate stress and explore their environment. Attachment theory categorizes relationships as either secure, which supports effective self-regulation, or insecure,...

In this latest episode, we discuss with Professor Selcuk Sirin the potential influences of our expanding digital world on parenting and child development. We speak about both preparing children for entering the digital world, as well as supporting them once they are in it. We also touch upon the development of technology, and the various generational responses to it.  As an applied psychologist, D...

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Diana Turk to discuss civic engagement and supporting children in their engagement. We explore traditional and critical civic engagement. Diana provides a definition of civic engagement that includes community building, empathy, and understanding diverse perspectives. She emphasizes the importance of involving children in civic activities from a young age, mod...

This is the first episode in our new biweekly release schedule. In this episode, we discuss permissive grandparents and how to navigate, at times, different parenting styles between parents and grandparents. We acknowledge the vital role grandparents play in a child's life while recognizing the potential challenges of inconsistent parenting styles. We further offer practical advice for parents, wh...

In this episode of Parenting Understood, we delve into early literacy with Dr. Susan Neuman. We discuss creating child-centered learning environments that foster literacy development. Dr. Neuman emphasizes the importance of responsive teacher-child conversations, play, reading, writing, and singing. She highlights the need for a balanced approach to alphabetics and encourages parents to engage chi...

This episode of Parents Understood features Dr. Rose Perry and Dr. Natalie Brito discussing Social Creatures , a non-profit focused on social health. Dr. Perry, a social neuroscientist, discusses her research highlighting the impact of early social connections on lifelong well-being, and how her recognizing the societal undervaluing of these connections lead to her founding Social Creatures, which...

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Katie Scott Newhouse, Clinical Assistant Professor and Program Director of Special Education at New York University, to discuss supporting neurodiverse students in middle childhood. Dr. Newhouse emphasizes the importance of recognizing individual differences and tailoring support strategies accordingly. Transitions, especially back-to-school after summer, can...

In this episode, we discuss with Dr. Fabienne Doucet her new bilingual picture book "Love is Still Winning." The book tells a story of a child reminding their mother about the enduring power of love and kindness in the world. Fabienne's professional background in education and her passion for children's literature have intertwined in this project. She sees stories as a powerful tool to initiate co...

In this latest episode, we speak with Dr. Lindsey Cormack about ways parents can support their children in becoming engaged citizens. Lindsey is a civics expert and the author of the book HOW TO RAISE A CITIZEN (And Why It's Up to You to Do It) . We speak with Lindsey about how Americans' civic knowledge is alarmingly low; how young voters struggle to navigate the complicated system of voter regis...

In this last episode of our back to school series, we speak about starting a new school from the perspectives of parent and child. We draw on our own personal experiences, as well as research in this conversation. We pay special attention to the role of social capital in the transition to a new school year. We also speak on best practices for speaking with our children about how their day went and...

We are thrilled to be joined in our first episode of the New Year by Jessica Grose. Jessica is an opinion writer at  The New York Times  who writes a popular newsletter on parenting. Jessica was the founding editor of Lenny, the email newsletter and website. She also writes about women's health, culture, politics and grizzly bears. She was named one of LinkedIn's Next Wave top professionals 35 and...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Matthew Zakrowski, a psychologist specializing in gifted and talented, and twice-exceptional children. We define what it means to be gifted and talented, moving beyond the stereotype of high-achieving students to recognizing the unique neurodivergence of gifted children. Dr. Zakrowski emphasizes that parenting gifted children involves comprehensive 360-degree suppor...

In today's first of two episodes with Dr. Jeanne Donaldson, we discuss using token economies with children to help them establish positive behaviors. Dr. Donaldson defines what a reward/token economy is and how the functions of a reward system can be used, as well as how to avoid misusing them. Dr. Jeanne Donaldson earned her Ph. D. in Psychology from the University of Florida and completed a post...

In this episode, Dr. Jess Gaulton of FamilyWell Health discusses the increasing awareness and evolving support for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs). She highlights the progress made in recognizing these conditions, which were previously dismissed or stigmatized. Dr. Gaulton emphasizes the importance of breaking the stigma by sharing personal experiences, as she did with her own struggl...

In this podcast episode, Kevin Seldon, founder of the nonprofit "All Parents Welcome," shares his personal experience of feeling unsupported and isolated as a non-birthing parent. He discusses the lack of resources and awareness for the mental health struggles of non-birthing parents around perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs). Kevin emphasizes the importance of changing terminology to inc...

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Damour about the emotional lives of teenagers. We pay especial attention to the pressures that both genders feel yet how those may be manifested differently across genders, at times. Dr. Damour unpacks parent-child relationships, especially the mother-daughter relationship, and the role of identification in that relationship as girls mature. We also discuss how r...

In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Niobe Way about her new book, Rebels with a Cause, which expands on her earlier work about boys and friendships. Niobe explores "boy culture," a term she uses to describe the privileging of stereotypically masculine qualities over feminine ones. As she discusses, this creates a crisis of connection for everyone, not just boys and men. Niobe...