This week, we're joined by Dr. Laurie Santos, the Chandrika and Ranjan Tandon Professor of Psychology and Head of Silliman College at Yale University. Dr. Santos offers valuable insights into why modern parenting can feel more overwhelming than ever—and what we can do about it. Drawing on evidence-based research, she shares practical strategies to help parents reduce stress and boost their well-being. From tackling parent guilt to navigating the ever-elusive concept of “time,” we explore the mental health challenges and everyday decisions that come with raising kids today. Tune in for a thoughtful, informative conversation every parent can relate to. Instagram: @lauriesantosofficial FaceBook: DrLaurieSantos Threads: @lauriesantosofficial TikTok: @drlauriesantos Twitter: @lauriesantos LinkedIn: laurie-santos YouTube: @DrLaurieSantos Website: https://www.drlauriesantos.com/ Resources for Parents: drlauriesantos.com/parents The Happiness Lab Podcast: https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos Newsletter: https://www.drlauriesantos.com/newsletter-signup/ The Science of Well-Being for Parents: https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being-for-parents The Science of Well-Being for Teens: https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being-for-teens The Science of Well-Being: https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being
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Bethany Teachman- Rethinking Anxiety and Growth
This week on Parenting for the Present, we’re joined by Dr. Bethany Teachman, Professor and Director of Clinical Training in the Department of Psychology at the University of Virginia. She also leads public research initiatives focused on reducing anxious thinking and exploring how our unconscious beliefs shape our mental and physical health. With anxiety levels continuing to rise, Dr. Teachman helps us rethink the way we view anxiety—not as something to fear or eliminate, but as an emotion that can actually serve a purpose. Learning to tell when anxiety is helpful versus when it’s not is key, and labeling it as terrible or unbearable only makes it harder to manage. We also talk about how social media plays a powerful role in shaping our thoughts and emotional responses, and why it's so important to stay mindful and balanced in our engagement with it. And perhaps most encouraging—Dr. Teachman reminds us that we don’t have to have all the answers. Our kids benefit far more from seeing us model growth and flexibility than from seeing perfection. Thriving Youth in a Digital Environment's social media handles are: Instagram: @tyde.uva Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tydeuva Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104683549
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Casey Bonano- Feeding Yourself & Your Family
This week, we are joined by Casey Bonano, RD, LD, CEDS-C, the owner and CEO of Dallas Nutritional Counseling. Casey recognizes the importance of her specialty and acknowledges the challenges it presents, but she also finds it incredibly rewarding to help individuals nourish themselves and rediscover the joy in food. In this episode, Casey discusses the difference between picky eating or food preferences and when there may be an underlying issue. She offers valuable insights on how to nourish yourself and your family, while enjoying a balanced approach to food—reminding us that food is not black and white. Casey also addresses common misconceptions about eating disorders and shares advice on how to support loved ones when they first disclose their struggles, creating a guilt-free and shame-free space. To wrap up, she touches on the impact of social media and algorithms on our mental health, encouraging us to approach ourselves and others with a more holistic understanding in this digital age. Be sure to check out Casey on social media @dallasnutritionalcounseling and @feedyourselfandyourfamily for more great tips and insights! Also, check our her socials for more information about her Picking Eating Parent Workshop coming up on April 3rd, 12:00pm - 1:00 pm.
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Alyson Schafer- Parenting: Past, Present, and Future
We hope you're ready for this week's episode of Parenting for the Present! We have a special guest, Alyson Schafer, joining us all the way from Canada! She is an internationally acclaimed parenting expert, speaker, bestselling author, and media personality. We were fortunate to speak with her and hear her insights on parenting. In this episode, we discuss how parenting has evolved over time, what it looks like now, and what it may look like in the future. Based on her extensive work and research, Alyson shares that parents are exhausted, incredibly busy, and burnout is on the rise. She explains that family units are struggling, and something needs to change. Without giving too much away, she believes a future movement will emerge, one that is slower and calmer than the current pace of parenting. If you'd like to learn more about her work, be sure to check out the links below! FB = https://facebook.com/AlysonSchaferParentingExpert IG = @alysonschafer X = @alysonschafer LI = www.linkedin.com/in/alysonschafer
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49:45
Eileen Kennedy-Moore- Dr. Friendtastic
To kick off Season 8, we’re excited to welcome our "friend," Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD. Eileen is the creator of the Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic podcast, where she answers kids' questions about making and keeping friends. She’s also the author of several books for children and parents, and has delivered an inspiring TEDx talk. This podcast has taught us so much about what it truly means to be a friend. Eileen discussed important topics like conflict, bullying, and how these issues affect not only children but parents too. She explained that we shouldn’t aim for transactional friendships and emphasized that we shouldn’t change who we are to make friends, because "deceit is not a path toward friendship." Tune in this week to learn more about Dr. Friendtastic and all the incredible work she’s doing! Main Website: EileenKennedyMoore.com Podcast for Kids: DrFriendtastic.com/podcast TEDx: Is It Bullying or Ordinary Meanness?
Do you have this whole parenting thing figured out? Are you the perfect parent? Neither are they. Drs. Early Denison, Matthew Housson and Andy Stoker are three dads but, together, have nearly sixty years of experience cultivating the minds, bodies, and spirits of children, parents, and families through their work as a pediatrician, a clinical psychologist, and a minister. Their goal is to help you raise kids who can thrive in this complex, messy, beautiful world.
Rates of anxiety and depression, especially in our kids, are up. Early, Matthew, and Andy believe that challenging this trend starts at home with parents, caregivers, and families. They will share their conversations and connect with other experts in their fields to help you engage your kids, enhance your parenting strategies, and have fun with your family. They don’t have all the answers, but they know that we are stronger if we all work together to become more proactive and engaged parents and families.
Ireland