Reflective Parenting Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Can parenting advice be found in a book about negotiation? Surprisingly, the answer is yes! As I recently explored the book Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss, I discovered that the lessons I gained from this read not only improved my business negotiation skills but also offered valuable insights into parenting. Join me in this enlightening episode that will change your pers...

Send us Fan Mail How can we better support dads in their crucial roles during prenatal and postpartum stages, and why is it so vital to address their mental health? Join us as we explore this essential topic with Dr. Deborah Da Costa, a researcher at McGill University, and my guest co-host, Travis Goodman, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and returning guest and father. Together, we...

Send us Fan Mail Are you unknowingly fostering unhealthy food relationships in your household? Join us as we chat with Evelyn Tribole, co-author of Intuitive Eating, to discover how to nurture a healthy relationship with food for ourselves and our kids, and break free from the detrimental diet culture that can creep into our homes. Unintentionally, parents may contribute to the restriction of thei...

Send us Fan Mail Ever find yourself stuck in a spiral of what-if thoughts, unable to shake off the anxiety that accompanies them? I've been there, and so have my kids. Let me share with you a powerful conversation I had with them that helped us all better understand and manage our emotions. Listen in as we explore techniques for letting go of these thoughts, such as talking to someone or writ...

Send us Fan Mail Can you predict your child's attachment style before they're even born? Join us as we unravel the fascinating world of pregnancy, attachment, and mental health with our special guests Drs. Shalaka and Allison. As Shalaka shares her research on predicting attachment through biological predictors and exposure to prenatal and postnatal stress, Allison offers her expertise a...

Send us Fan Mail Let's talk about both euphoric moments in parenting and rage moments. I did something very "out of the box" with my kids this weekend and I wanted to share it with you so that you can give it a try too. Also, I have been talking a lot about "mom rage" online these past 2 weeks but let's get into the science and create a game plan to help you out if th...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode we are joined for a second time by Susie Allison, M. Ed., a former teacher and creator of Busy Toddler. What did Susie post that instigated this conversation? Why did Susie make the reel? What is the real definition of “social skills” How exactly can a parent teach a child social skills? How can parents intentionally model emotion regulation skills? How and when...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode we are joined by Tarah Schwartz, Canadian journalist and author of Can’t Help Falling - A Long Road to Motherhood. Why did Tarah write this book? Should you mention anything when you know someone had a pregnancy loss? When should you go back to work after a pregnancy loss? Are there any local support groups that were helpful? What can you do to support the non-p...

Send us Fan Mail In today's solo episode, I chat about a 3 day weekend I had my family and extended family. By the time it was over,  I had some body discomfort and I couldn't figure out why. The weekend had gone fairly well but I did hold back from saying a few things to my mom. Whenever I do express frustration or anger,  it almost ALWAYS becomes about her. The weekend I attended was a...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode we are joined by Karl Mercuri a Social-Emotional Learning Consultant and Coach based in Montreal, Canada 3:56 - Who is Karl Mercuri? 6:06 - The increase of complaints from school about child behavior changes since the pandemic, isn’t about behavior… it’s about missing social skills. 8:53 - Do all schools implement social emotional learning programs? 11:00 - What...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, we are joined by Bethan O’Riordan, psychotherapist and mom of 3. 5:57 - What does Bethan do? 7:50 - What is the number one thing I need to know before becoming a parent? 9:31 - How do you deal with a partner who isn’t interested in doing the work themselves? 11:57 - How can we make the shift from negative self-talk to having more self-compassion? 17:01 - Is it...

Send us Fan Mail Today, I want you to change your guilt around yelling to compassion for yourself for being dysregulated. Sometimes, we power through our days, weeks, months, and years without addressing our needs. Our brain and nervous system have needs too. If we don't address them, we can't nurture them. What needs does your nervous system have? What causes you to feel "off"...

Send us Fan Mail Hello friend! In today's solo episode, I discuss what it means to be an emotionally aware parent. We are having the Emotionally Aware Parent Challenge over at Wondergrade (I am the co-founder of this company). You can sign up with the link below: https://forms.gle/cmASL48RhMsWKW1L6 Many parents tell me they easily snap at their kids or often feel their emotions go from 0-100....

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, we are joined by Kishanda Vyboh, MSc and seasoned breastfeeding support parent. We discuss ALL things beautiful and challenging about breastfeeding. We speak about the pressure parents are put under to feed their babies whether it should be by breast milk or formula. This is a judgment-free zone! 5:16 - What is a breastfeeding support parent? 7:27 - Is there ot...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, we are joined by Tracie, a speech-language pathologist. What a study found with regard to screen time and a child's cognitive abilities (link below)  What is Tracie’s take on Cocomelon and how the characters speak? Why is screen time not recommended before the age of 18 months? What can parents do if their child is already getting screen time under 2? How...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, we are joined by Chelsea Conaboy & Dr. Jodi Pawluski. We discuss all things parent brain - if you’re not sure what that is, this episode is for you. Why is it important to talk about the postpartum period and the brain? Is “mommy brain” negative? Does parenting keep you young? Does a father or non-birthing parent’s brain change when their child is born? Is...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, we are joined by Alanna Gallo, a former educator who sold all her stuff and travels with her 4 kids! 3:30 - What did play look like when your children had a home base, compared to when you left to travel? 8:00 - If you come back to living in one home would you re-create it the same way? 10:23 - What is an open-ended toy? What are the most beneficial toys for in...

Send us Fan Mail Hi friends! I received this question from a listener so I thought I would answer it in today's episode.  This parent asked, "If my husband and I have been working hard to validate our 13-month-old feelings but our parents do not, will this be harmful to our child's development and emotions?"   It is important to validate our child's feelings, however, if c...

Send us Fan Mail We all yell because...we are human. We have moments when we lose our cool and our kids can also have these moments.  However, in today's episode, I would like to walk you through a process I did to control my own yelling.  If you are yelling more than you would like at your child, listen to today's episode for a few minutes. It will help you start the work. Are you yelli...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode we are joined by Dr. Abigail Gewirtz child psychologist and author of When the World Feels Like a Scary Place . 3:22 - Are being worried and being anxious the same thing? How do you know it’s a problem to bring up with your child’s doctor? 6:26 - If I’m an anxious person, how can I teach my child to manage anxiety? 9:36 - Should I hide my emotions from my child?...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, we are joined by Melinda Wenner Moyer, award-winning science journalist and author of How to raise kids who aren’t assholes . Here’s what we talked about: 5:19 - What inspired the book 9:31 - Why is your main message “communication is key?” 12:32 - How can we raise a kind human? 15:48 - How can we foster our child’s emotions if we weren’t raised that way? 21:25...

Send us Fan Mail Hi friends! In today's solo episode, I talk about a new habit I have been doing this year that has really brought me tons of joy.  It only takes me 5 min per day! I have noticed a change in how I perceive difficult moments with my kids and how mindful I am of small beautiful moments with my children. Listen to this short episode to learn more about my new habit and to listen...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode (100th!!!) we are joined by co-host Claudia Belliveau and guest Dr. Bruce D Perry. he episode highlights the vital role of self-regulation in parenting, especially in navigating holiday gatherings and family dynamics. Dr. Bruce Perry discusses the importance of understanding brain development and the processes involved in engaging with children emotionally.  • T...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Julie Scorah a licensed neuropsychologist at McGill University. Julie practices as a clinician and is involved in research about how to make autism resources more accessible to the families that need them. Here’s a preview of what we talked about: 11:21 - What should parents be looking for in terms of symptoms? When is the proper age to get...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode we are joined by Dr. Cheng Qian, Stanford & Harvard trained Clinical Psychologist. We speak about all things difficult behaviors. Specifically Dr. Qian gives useful, effective and simple tips & tricks to deal with your child’s difficult behaviors. Here’s a preview of what we talked about: 4:03 - When to seek professional help for tantrums 6:47 - What can...