Parents of the Year

Respect doesn't suddenly appear during the teenage years. Responsibility, honesty, gratitude, and consideration for others are skills children learn through repeated teaching, consistent expectations, and everyday family interactions. In this episode of Parents of the Year , Andrew and Dr. Caroline explore why many families struggle with disrespect, constant negotiations, and boundary battles...

Can the Words We Teach Our Kids Change Their Relationships? Should children always reply "It's okay" when someone apologizes? A conversation sparked by Brené Brown opens the door to a much bigger discussion about the language we teach children and the messages those words carry. Andrew and Dr. Caroline explores why genuine apologies matter, why accountability should never disappear...

When Is It Okay for Kids to Lie? A Parent's Guide to Honesty, Friendship, and Boundaries As parents, we tell our kids to be honest. Then one day they use us as the excuse to get out of plans with friends. So what happens when honesty feels harder than a harmless excuse? In this episode of Parents of the Year, Andrew and Dr. Caroline tackle a surprisingly complicated parenting question: Is it...

Somewhere along the way, a lot of parenting shifted from leading to negotiating. We talk our kids into things, trade screen time for cooperation, and let the daily battles get decided by whoever has more energy that night usually not us. In this episode of Parents of the Year, Andrew and Dr. Caroline dig into a quieter shift happening in a lot of homes: the slow handover of parental authority. Sle...

Are Parents Losing Authority? Why Respect at Home Is Breaking Down Why are so many parents feeling ignored, dismissed, or completely powerless with their kids? In this episode of Parents of the Year , Andrew and Dr. Caroline tackle the growing culture of disrespect happening at home, at school, online, and across society. From kindergarten graduation fights between parents to teens brushing off ru...

Why Do Some Parents Actually Enjoy Parenting More Than Others? Why do some families seem genuinely connected, even during busy seasons, while others feel like they’re running a constant relay race of chores, sports, and stress? In this episode of Parents of the Year , Andrew and Dr. Caroline talk about the simple moments that shape strong family relationships long after childhood ends. From late-n...

This week on Parents of the Year , Dr. Caroline and Andrew are joined by their youngest daughter  Willow for one of their most honest conversations yet. From social media stress to family rules that actually work, this episode pulls back the curtain on life with teens. Willow shares why she is now grateful she did not grow up with unrestricted social media, what she sees happening with friends onl...

In this episode of Parents of the Year , Andrew and Dr. Caroline tackles a concern many are facing right now: how do you raise children who enjoy reading when screens compete for every second of attention? From bedtime stories and graphic novels to hockey intermissions with a book in hand, Andrew and Dr. Caroline share what worked in their own home raising readers. They talk honestly about screen...

Dr. Caroline and her husband pull back the curtain on the chaos, comedy, frustration, and heart behind parenting in an ADHD household. From forgotten conversations and missed instructions to emotional overwhelm, impulsive comments, and the endless “Did you take your meds today?” jokes, this episode hits the realities many families live every day but rarely talk about out loud. They share honest st...

When another parent pulls you aside and says your kid is the problem… what do you actually do? In this episode, Andrew and Caroline get real about one of the hardest parenting moments: facing the possibility that your child is the one causing harm. From playground conflicts to teen behaviour that crosses a line, they unpack why so many parents jump to defensiveness and what it costs our kids when...

Non-suicidal self-injury is showing up earlier and more often than many expect, and most adults feel unprepared when it does. In this episode, Andrew and Dr. Caroline talk openly about why kids hurt themselves without wanting to die, what it actually gives them, and why the usual reactions can make things worse. Caroline breaks down what’s happening in the brain when emotions feel too big to handl...

Roblox isn’t just a game—it’s one of the most active online spaces kids are spending time in right now. In this episode, Andrew and Caroline get real about what’s happening behind the screen. With over 150 million daily users—many under 13—this platform has become a digital playground where kids are interacting, spending money, and forming connections… sometimes with people they don’t actually kno...

This episode pulls apart one of the biggest fears circulating among parents right now: plastics and microplastics. Andrew and Caroline sit down with scientist Dr. Chris DeArmitt, who has reviewed thousands of studies to separate what’s actually proven from what’s being repeated online. The conversation moves from social media backlash and parenting pressure to a deeper look at how fear spreads—and...

What helps kids feel safe, motivated, proud, and ready to try hard things? In this episode of Parents of the Year, Andrew and Caroline sit down with Matt Kaufman —camp director, author of The Campfire Effect , and lifelong summer camp leader—to talk about what camp gets so right about child development, belonging, and confidence. Matt breaks down five brain chemicals that shape how kids grow: oxyt...

What helps kids learn, keep trying, and bounce back after a hard moment? In this episode of Parents of the Year , Andrew and Caroline sit down with educator, author, speaker, and chess coach Kevin Cripe to talk about what truly helps children thrive at school, in sports, and at home. With more than 27 years in education, Kevin shares what he learned from teaching in high-mobility classrooms, build...

When a child says, “This is who I am,” what does a supportive parent do next? In this episode of Parents of the Year, Andrew and Caroline take on a topic many families are trying to understand with more care and less fear: gender identity, sexual orientation, pronouns, transition, and the language kids and teens may be using right now. This conversation starts the way real parenting conversations...

How do parents build a village when they’re raising kids far from family? In this episode of Parents of the Year , Andrew and Caroline dig into one of the hardest parts of modern parenting: feeling alone while trying to raise connected, confident kids. From neighbours and school families to sports teams, gyms, dog parks, and simple daily routines, they talk about how community is built in real lif...

A jar of peanut butter almost ends a marriage… and somehow becomes the perfect opener for a conversation about what’s happening to adolescence right now. In this episode of Parents of the Year , Andrew and Caroline unpack what ADHD expert Dr. Russell Barkley calls “ early arrival, late departure ”: kids hitting adult ideas sooner (thanks, screens) while independence shows up later (thanks, anxiety...

In this episode of Parents of the Year , Andrew and Caroline sit down with Mashood Ahmed, founder and CEO of GigabitIQ (the UK’s safest broadband provider) and a dad of five, to talk about what’s really happening online: strangers in game chats, disappearing messages, school-issued devices that come home unfiltered, and why a bedroom can be riskier than the park. Mashood breaks down where parents...

Peanut butter crumbs, a surprise lap dog, and a teen who’s meeting new people at bars… this episode starts like a sitcom and lands on a real parenting pressure point: when kids start wearing diagnoses like usernames. Andrew and Caroline talk about the “sick role” trend online—especially on short-form video—where teens self-diagnose, compare who has it worse, and sometimes copy symptoms they’ve see...

Tracking your kids can feel like “good parenting”… until it turns your home into a control room. In this Parents of the Year episode, Andrew and Caroline talk about why location-sharing and constant check-ins often backfire—especially as kids become teens and young adults. They unpack the real driver underneath most tracking habits: adult discomfort with uncertainty. You’ll hear how “just nice to...

What happens when a child feels invisible—and how can adults respond in a way that builds confidence, connection, and kindness? In this episode of Parents of the Year , Andrew and Caroline sit down with Mark Perloe , a retired infertility physician turned children’s book author and grandfather, to talk about modern parenting through a grandparent’s lens. Mark shares the real family moments that in...

Andrew and Caroline start this episode the same way many parents start a “normal” day: northern lights, a bank visit that ate two hours, and a reminder that adulting is its own full-time job. Then they try something parents are doing more and more—asking AI for parenting advice. They put a “nice British voice” to the test on real-life sticking points: kids refusing chores, screen-time blowups, bed...

AI isn’t going away, and kids are already using it. So how do we protect their curiosity, critical thinking, and safety without panicking or burying our heads in the sand? In this episode of Parents of the Year , Caroline and Andrew sit down with English professor, game developer, and AI builder Jerry White to talk about kids, teens, AI, and critical thinking. Jerry has spent years teaching colleg...

Working from home with kids in the mix can feel like you’re failing at two jobs at once.  Andrew and Caroline get real about why “balance” is a trap, and why clear boundaries work better—at home and at work. They share what actually helped in their house (the red/green door system, kid-friendly “emergency rules,” and setting kids up with non-screen activities—yes, including the legendary cardboard...