The Empowering Parents Podcast - Child Behavior Help The Total Transformation Way

Do you have an ODD child or teen who constantly argues and fights your authority, refusing to follow the rules of your home? Believe it or not, there are definite strengths that go hand-in-hand with that challenging, ODD personality. This week, we’re going to show you how to see your child through a different lens,with stories of ODD kids who have worked with Kimberly Abraham and Marney Studaker-C...

“Why can’t I get my kids to get their homework done and off to bed without the constant screaming, bickering, and crying?” If you’ve asked yourself this question regularly, you’re not alone. Parents say that homework and bedtime battles are some of the most nerve-wracking, exhausting moments of parenthood. We're here to help you get through it with 8 Tips for Calmer Nights with Kids.

Do your kids make you feel like an ogre when you set limits? Does the word “no” kick off whining, yelling and protests? It can be hard to know if the limits you set are reasonable or not. On top of that, how do you know that the limits you set even work? Whether you’re just beginning to set limits, or you’re adjusting your limits to match your child’s unique needs and developmental changes, it doe...

Some parents go to conferences expecting glowing reports, but many of us dread them. Maybe it’s because you’ve had a prior bad experience and felt powerless, or that you weren’t a good enough parent. If you're dreading parent-teacher conferences, try Anna Stewart's new approach.  

Jerry Sandusky. Michael Jackson. Mary Kay Letourneau. All of these individuals were accused and/or convicted of committing unspeakable crimes against children. While certainly upsetting, these high profile cases are a good opportunity to spark a conversation with your kids about staying safe, as parents are the first and most powerful line of defense against predators.

What do you do when your morning routine just isn’t working? On today’s podcast, we’ll help you get back on track for the school year with 6 Ways to Fix Your Morning Routine, by Megan Devine.    

When you look at kids and people in general, it’s easy to see that we all have differences in our “wiring;” in how our brains work. As a parent, you see these differences between your children every day. On today’s podcast, child psychologist and author of The Total Focus program, Dr. Robert Myers, writes 6 Brain-Training Exercises For Children and Teens.  

Sometimes us parents don’t think we’re anxious because we’re not trembling in our boots. There’s often no visible signs of how anxious we are. Yet when we look inside our heads, we notice that we spend a lot of time thinking about our kids—sometimes scary thoughts about things that haven’t even happened. On today's podcast, learn 5 ways you can relieve parental anxiety.  

Why can’t your kid just follow one simple direction? It’s annoying, right? It’s not like you’re asking them to do something complicated. What you ask is really quite simple:  Fold your laundry. Walk the dog. Take the trash out. Clean your room. So why do you have to say the same thing fourteen times, with your voice and your blood pressure rising every time? On today's podcast: Ask Once and Your K...

Even as adults, managing our anger can be hard, and we’ve had years of practice. For our children, who are just learning about their emotions, keeping their anger in check can be especially difficult. As parents, we can help by teaching our children to recognize what sets them off so that they too can keep their anger in check. On today's podcast, learn 8 Steps to Anger Management for Kids.  

What can you do when your child just refuses to get up and go to school? You’ve yelled, nagged, pleaded and even tried bribing her, but she just digs her heels in and says, “Nope, not going, no matter what you do.” Maybe this has never happened to you—or maybe it happens every day. On this week's podcast, learn exactly what you can and can't control as a parent.

What causes bad child behavior? James Lehman says it happens because children don’t yet know how to solve problems effectively. To put it another way, they're trying to handle many of the situations that life throws at them by acting out. On today's podcast, 5 tips to help you cope with bad child behavior.

Does it seem like every time you tell your child “No,” it turns into a tug-of-war? Many parents find themselves in a negotiation with their children when they are met with any kind of resistance. On today's podcast, 5 tips to help you avoid over-negotiating with your child.

As parents, we know the importance of parenting from our principles, things like teaching our children to own up to their actions and face the fallout when they make poor choices. And you’ve tried. You’ve talked to your child over and over, you’ve explained your reasoning repeatedly. You’ve given them restrictions, taken things away and grounded them for a month. Yet nothing seems to be getting th...

While you likely have good intentions, doing too much for your child can have unforseen consequences. Find out if you "over-do" for your child and learn how to fix it on today's podcast.  

Many of us can recall summer days spent playing games outside with friends, riding bikes, playing hopscotch, or making forts in the woods. Now, though, it seems like most kids prefer to lead a wired existence, constantly connected to some electronic device. On today’s podcast: 4 steps you can take to manage your child’s screen time, by Sara Bean.    

We don’t always like our kids. It’s a truth we don’t often admit, even to ourselves. It’s important to accept the fact that you won’t always like your kids—and they won’t always like you. This is especially hard for parents of difficult, acting out kids to deal with. But the fact is, you’re on your way to less guilt and a better relationship with your child when you can acknowledge your feelings....

Since Colorado voters passed a law earlier this year legalizing the sale and purchase of marijuana, many parents have wondered what this means for their children’s future. As a resident of Colorado, Dr. Joan Simeo Munson has been bombarded with questions from concerned parents wondering not only how to broach this topic with their kids, but how to frame their responses and keep kids healthy and sa...

Many parents are at a loss for what to do with their older children during the summer months – they may get the summer off, but you probably don’t. That leaves a whole chunk of time to fill each day. How do you know if your child is responsible enough to be left home alone? What if you know he isn’t, but he won’t stop begging to be in charge of his own schedule this summer?

Have you ever wondered what’s going on inside of your teenager’s head? What was she thinking when she made that choice? Why won’t he listen to what I’m telling him? It can seem as if an adolescent is completely wrapped up in a separate world, feet planted firmly in the air instead of on the ground. As parents, we often come away bewildered or frustrated when our teen’s perspective seems so utterly...

Is your child forgetful, irresponsible, moody and prone to daydreaming? Does he seem to lack motivation and become easily bored? This behavior could be related to SCT, or "Sluggish Cognitive Tempo Disorder." This new way of looking at certain ADHD-like symptoms in kids has been generating quite a bit of controversial buzz in the media lately. Listen for 4 ways to help your child focus.

We all know that kids can act in many disrespectful and rude ways to parents: they can slam doors, roll their eyes, and tell you they hate you, to name a few. It’s natural to get very worried and frustrated and wonder if these types of behaviors constitute out-and-out abuse, or just “rudeness and mild disrespect.” How can a parent know when these rebellious and rude behaviors have crossed over a b...

When Anna Stewart's son received his GED this year, she put together a small scrapbook for him with photos, quotes, and cards from his friends. She also considered the life skills he’s already mastered and thought about the ones he’s still working on. The big "aha moment?" Realizing that everything else in life builds upon the ability for kids to be able to do these five things.

You know the drill: you’re trying to talk to your teen about curfew. Or dinner. Or absolutely anything—and they pretend they can’t hear you. They start an argument with you, or give you an eye roll and a "Whatever." Licensed clinical therapist and regular Empowering Parents contributor Megan Devine writes 3 ways to get your teen to listen, on this week's podcast.

What is at the heart of most helicopter parenting? Anxiety—about our kids’ safety, happiness, and ability to navigate in the world. Many of us spend a large percentage of our time second guessing every move we make as parents. Our minds cause us to project our worst fears onto them – we love them so much and we want to protect them from any harm. Learn how you can stop worrying and avoid helicopte...