Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw

In this podcast episode, Dr. Shaw addresses the notion of teaching our children good citizenship.  She notes that it is similar to good sportsmanship wherein knowing how to lose and to win graciously may be the most important part of playing a game.  Teaching good citizenship can start with simple tasks like cleaning the environment, but it can also be demonstrated in so many ways... kindness bein...

In this episode, Dr. Shaw examines the concept of self-doubt.  She begins with a reference to one of her favorite books, The Four Agreements, and she talks about a featured notion of that book which is to be impeccable with your words.   Her interpretation of that is to not go against yourself, because if you do, with your perception pf self-doubt you may have a self-fulfilling prophecy on your ha...

In this highly personal episode, Dr. Shaw reacts to a message that came to her from an acquaintance...  the message was supposed to positive, but because the message was rooted in bad sportsmanship and over-zealous pride it triggered a reaction in Dr. Shaw that made her want to remind everyone of the inclusiveness that America was built upon.  There are lessons for us all in what she shares here,...

In this episode, Dr. Shaw takes a quick look at the notion of SELF-LOVE.  For starters, the development and maintenance of self-love begins with not being down on oneself.  With our children, it's important to model our ability to navigate difficult waters.  Self-love also promotes self-trust.  Giving your child a good amount of responsibility demonstrates to them that you feel that they understan...

Inspired by the spring holiday season, particularly by the story told during the Passover holiday, Dr. Shaw lead us through her observations on the concept of freedom.  

In this episode, Dr. Shaw succinctly sums up her three key ingredients for having a relationship that's based on emotional well-being. Her list is a simple one... (1) fill your emotional tank, even if you fill it yourself, (2) hold the space for your partner to be okay with having a bad day, and (3) table the conversation if it's clearly not a good time for it.  That list sounds simple, and it is,...

In this brief episode, Dr. Shaw explores that moment for all of us when we grasp a concept that we are learning, and the experience of learning kicks into gear.  She refers to that as the moment the light bulb goes on over our heads, but she also points out that the crucial moment is what we do in the learning process before that moment of understanding kicks in.  When we are trying to teach somet...

In this brief but important episode, Dr. Shaw takes a close look at what it means to share your feelings honestly with your friends and with your associates.   In any instance where we feel that telling the truth will create a negative consequence, we may have our rationale, but in reality, honesty is the best policy.  The old saying that "the truth will set you free" is correct, but it is all bas...

On this brief podcast, Dr. Shaw takes a moment to express her gratitude and share her desire to help people and continue to contribute to society.  As she hits the 4 1/2 year mark in the life of her weekly podcasts, Dr. Shaw wanted to simply reflect on her desire to share her expertise each week and to thank those who have been so supportive of her podcast efforts.  Her reflection here reminds us...

In this brief but very valuable episode, Dr. Shaw shares some timeless wisdom regarding maintaining friendships as quality relationships.  For a long time she has promoted the concept that friendships, relationships and partnerships are only truly succeeding if all parties involved are lifted up.   No one needs nor should anyone tolerate a relationship where you are made to feel worse or smaller o...

It this episode, Dr. Shaw discusses when and how to designate responsibility to our children.  She draws an important comparison between responsibility and respect because they both need to earned and they both need to be mutual.  She also illustrates how responsibility must be a product of responsiveness, and what that really means.  Here, Dr. Shaw also re-introduces the concept of modeling the k...

This podcast was recorded on March 1, 2025, the day after the surreal meeting of the U.S. President and the President of Ukraine at the White House.  Dr. Shaw has been a proponent of ethics and humanity for a long time... she has written 22 children's nonfiction books on social and emotional behavior... and she cannot digest the embarrassing bullying that took place at the White House on Feb. 28,...

In this very valuable episode, Dr. Shaw dives into not only the importance of having quality relationships, but she also provides a road map for how to have and maintain them.   She breaks it down into what she calls the "6 C's"... Communication, Conflict management, Caring for yourself and those around you, Connecting openly and deeply, Commitment and Courage.  These essential ingredients to qual...

In this episode, Dr. Shaw takes a close look at what it means to either live with self-doubt OR to cast doubt aside and live with an attitude of possibility.  Dr. Shaw acknowledges that there are many things that we may not be able to master or ever to do well, but understanding our reasonable limitations is not the same as living in doubt.  She puts forth that doubt (along with regret and guilt)...

In this brief episode, Dr. Shaw examines the question that many of us ask ourselves which is... how do we get to the point where we feel that we are "enough"?   Over-achievers clearly are motivated by being better all the time, and Dr. Shaw, who admits to being an over-achiever, points out that for her, her biggest competition is with herself.   Often, doing your best is simply enough, and we need...

In this advice-filled episode, Dr. Shaw veers into a territory that she usually does not address which is interacting with adolescents.  This topic came in by request, and Dr. Shaw dove right in with a balanced and intelligent approach.  She begins by acknowledging that adolescence is a challenging time, and she then runs through a number of key points in how to best address issues with that age g...

In this episode, Dr. Shaw continues responding to the feedback she received from parents regarding what they would like to see included in their children's education.... and today she addresses COMMITMENT and FOLLOW-THROUGH.   Dr. Shaw describes what a commitment consists of and how to not avoid the task.  The importance of commitment is that it keeps an individual on track.  If you begin a commit...

In this episode, Dr. Shaw continues here mini-series focused on best practices for educating children per what parents want most for their children.  Here she concentrates on the concept of grit and hard work, and she begins with a reminder that parents and educators must model exactly what we want our children to learn.  Dr. Shaw also points out that confusion is important to avoid, and checking...

With this episode, Dr. Shaw continues her series within a series.  During this edition, she is addressing the areas of education in which most parents have indicated to her that they are most interested in regard to their child's learning.  This week her focus is on teaching kindness and compassion.  One key to teaching kindness and compassion is by example.  Parents often unconsciously display be...

With this podcast, Dr. Shaw begins a brief series within her series during which she will present key components of what parents are telling her they want out of their children's education.  The areas of interest for most parents of young children do vary, but Dr. Shaw has distilled the most common goals and topics into a handful of categories, and what she focuses on in this podcast is teaching c...

Happy New Year!   In this episode, Dr. Shaw starts the new year of 2025 off with a conversation about New Year's Resolutions and about making your life experience as productive and successful as it can be.  It's a refreshing look at starting the new year out properly without pie-in-the-sky goals that may lead to disappointment.   She offers solid advice and information on how to set reasonable exp...

In this episode, Dr. Shaw takes a moment to focus on how the human condition and the desire for connection can sometimes be guided simply by the group that we are part of rather than our pure humanity.  It is true that being a member of a group does offer valuable support, but it is too narrow of a definition for ourselves.  Dr. Shaw observes that she never wanted one chapter of her life to be the...

This brief episode is another one inspired by the recent election in the U.S., and it is a personal and non-political commentary.  Dr. Shaw is an educator who believes in "walking your walk" and it would not be honest for her to not share her wishes and hopes for the world going forward, and that's what she does here.  She references the words and theories of other writers, yet at the same time sh...

In this brief episode, Dr. Shaw re-examines the topic of surrender versus seeing things through.   She feels that it is an important attribute of child-rearing that conversations take place and that many of life's tasks and events are prepared for in advance or "front-loaded" as much as possible.  One of the conversations that is important to have is when it comes to commitments that are made by c...

In this brief episode, which follows two very personal episodes, Dr. Shaw returns to her specialty as a parenting expert.  Here she discussed the simple scenario of having a child acting out because something didn't go their way.  What actually happened isn't as important as Dr. Shaw's tenet that it's okay to veer away from your usual parenting rules and boundaries AS LONG AS bad behavior is not s...