The Parenting Pair Podcast

When a teen or tween is experiencing a mental health crisis—such as depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts—parents and caregivers often feel scared, exhausted, and increasingly isolated. In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast , clinical psychologists Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen explore how to truly show up for families navigating a teen mental health crisis. They discuss a p...

Middle school is often the point where parents notice a sudden drop in motivation—and it can be confusing, frustrating, and even worrying to watch a once-engaged child seem checked out or uninterested. Sometimes what looks like “laziness” or a lack of effort is often something very different beneath the surface. In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast , Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne All...

Why do our teens keep messing up — and why do we sometimes lose our cool? 😫 In this episode, we dig into why mistakes are a normal part of adolescence — because teens are human just like us! We explore how their curiosity, need for independence, and brain development lead to errors, and why that’s actually healthy for their growth. We also talk about how our reactions as parents can often be driv...

Do you ever find yourself second-guessing your parenting decisions… not because they feel wrong, but because you’re worried what other parents might think? Yeah — us too. In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron dive into five powerful mindset shifts to help you stop spiraling and start parenting from a place of confidence, clarity, and calm. You’ll l...

In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron dive into the complex world of parenting children and teens with ADHD. They explore common parent feelings—from exhaustion and frustration to dark thoughts—and emphasize the importance of self-compassion and understanding. Together they discuss: ● How ADHD symptoms can look different during puberty and adolesce...

The holiday season is meant to be joyful and connecting—but for many families, it can quickly become overwhelming. Between big gatherings, clashing personalities, differing expectations, and the emotional needs of teens and tweens (especially those with ADHD, depression, or other challenges), parents often feel stretched thin and unsure how to navigate it all. In this grounding episode of The Pare...

Behavior change doesn’t happen just through willpower—as many people actually think. In this episode, we explore how shaping the environments around teens can make healthy habits more likely — and success more achievable. In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast , Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen unpack one of the most powerful concepts in behavioral science: how to make the behaviors...

Lying is one of the behaviors parents fear most—but in most cases, it’s far less alarming than it feels in the moment. This episode matters because understanding why kids and teens lie can help parents respond with calm, empathy, and connection instead of panic and shutdown. In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast , Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen take a grounded, myth-busting look...

Online sports betting has become one of the fastest-growing risks for teens and tweens—often long before parents realize it’s on their child’s radar. This episode matters because parents today are navigating an entirely new digital landscape where gambling is marketed as entertainment, built into sports culture, and accessible 24/7 from a phone. Understanding how to educate our children and teens...

Why do so many teens and tweens struggle with sleep—and what can parents actually do to help?  In this insightful episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast , Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen sit down with clinical psychologists, Dr. Allison Shale and Dr. Andrea Roth, to unpack the science and psychology behind adolescents’ sleep challenges. They explore why biological shifts, technology use, a...

If your child has been showing signs of anxiety, repetitive behaviors, or intrusive thoughts — and you're not sure whether what you're seeing is typical or something more — this episode is for you. In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, clinical psychologists Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron walk parents through everything they need to know about OCD in kids and teens — from recogn...

Every parent hits that moment—the one where stress takes over, patience runs out, and it feels like you’re about to lose it. What you do in that moment matters, not just for your child, but for you. In this supportive episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast , Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron unpack what’s really happening when parents feel emotionally overwhelmed. They explain how stress hij...

What do a 13-year-old getting her first period and a 47-year-old navigating perimenopause have in common? More than most people realize — and understanding the connection can change how parents and teens talk about bodies, moods, and health.   In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, we explore hormonal health across the female lifespan — from puberty and adolescence through the perimenopaus...

More and more teens (and parents) are asking: is it safe — or even beneficial — to skip periods altogether? This is one of the most common questions in adolescent health right now, and the answers might surprise you.   In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron sit down with Dr. Sophia Yen -a board certified pediatrician and adolescent medicine speciali...

Why does your teen or tween keep asking for reassurance—and why doesn’t it actually help in the long run? In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast , Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen unpack reassurance seeking as a safety behavior that often signals underlying anxiety. They explore why offering repeated reassurance may calm kids momentarily but ultimately can reinforce and even increas...

Should parents set a curfew for their teens—or is it better to allow for more flexibility? And if setting a curfew, what is the “right” time for teens to be home?  In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast , Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron unpack one of the most common questions parents face about raising teenagers: when, why, and how to set curfews. They discuss the benefits of curfe...

Setbacks and tough decisions can feel overwhelming when they affect your child’s or teen’s path—but it’s key to bear in mind: they don’t define their future. In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast , Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron discuss how parents can navigate challenges without falling into common traps like catastrophizing or comparing their kids to others. They introduce two...

Your teen is sleeping more, withdrawing, and seems uninterested in everything they used to love. You're wondering — is this typical teenage behavior, or is something more going on? In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, clinical psychologists Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron help parents answer that question with clarity and confidence — and walk through exactly what to do when the...

Raising a teen on the autism spectrum often means balancing worries, hopes, and the constant pull of “shoulds.”  In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen sit down with Dr. Lauren Turner Brown, an autism expert, to unpack the pressures of parenting a neurodivergent child, especially the weight of all the “shoulds” parents carry—the belief that our kids...

In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast , Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron discuss how parents can help their teens navigate unfair situations in school, sports, and daily life.  They consider different ways to manage disappointment, and how to consider the gains (vs. losses) of how they could respond.  From being overlooked by a teacher, to losing a spot on a team, unfairness is a p...

In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron thoughtfully discuss sexual assault prevention for teens and young adults. As teens and young adults head to college and/or spend more time with friends in new environments, parents can worry about how to best prepare them for real-world risks of assault, while also supporting their growing independence. This e...

In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast , Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron unpack how parents and teens experience stress—both healthy and unhealthy—offering practical insights and actionable advice for families who want to build resilience and balance at home. Together, they explore: How the way we think about stress shapes how we manage it Why some stress is healthy and helps kids...

In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron unpack the myths and realities around teens and marijuana . With cannabis now legal in many states, parents are left wondering what’s normal experimentation, what’s risky, and how to talk about it without shutting their teen down. Together, they explore: How marijuana affects the developing teen brain Why legal...

Should you track your teen’s location? From apps like Life360 to Find My iPhone, GPS tracking can offer parents peace of mind — but it can also raise big questions about trust, privacy, and independence. In this thoughtful conversation, Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen explore the pros and cons of location tracking for teens and tweens. You’ll hear: What parents gain (and lose) when tracki...

Should parents apologize to their teenagers? The short answer is yes — and the way you do it matters more than you think.   In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, clinical psychologists Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron explain why apologizing to your teen is one of the most powerful trust-building tools a parent has — and why so many parents avoid it, often without realizing the co...