Hands Full: A Parenting Podcast

In this episode of the Hands Full Parenting Podcast, Axel and Pat dive into the essentials of preparing your child to return to school after the long summer break. From re-establishing routines to addressing emotional readiness, they share practical tips and expert advice on how to make the transition back to school smoother and less stressful for both kids and parents. Whether you're dealing with back-to-school jitters or just want to get a head start on organization, Axel and Pat have you covered with strategies to set your child up for a successful school year. Tune in for a lively and informative discussion that will leave you feeling confident and prepared for the start of the new school year!

This week, Axel and I explain why kids test limits and push boundaries. We explore whether children actually need and/or desire boundaries and examine the effect of establishing firm limits on the parent-child relationship. If you've ever wondered why kids need boundaries and how to effectively respond to limit-pushing behavior, this episode is for you!  

Our development is shaped by people passing in and out of our lives. Sometimes the only thing we consciously remember about them are words of advice they either intentionally, or unintentionally, impart to us. If we accept that this is the case, shouldn't we, as parents, deliberately cultivate a list of aphorisms to share with our children that will help them navigate life? This week, Axel and I tout the benefits of deliberately transmitting words of wisdom (aka aphorisms) to children, and we share some of the most impactful words of wisdom we've received from our families and mentors.

This week, Axel and I are awestruck by our guest, Sara Reith, the brilliant and indefatigable Executive Director and Founder of OHuddle, a non-profit that provides 1:1 mentoring and wraparound services to over 600 children in Wayne County, Ohio. Sara shares with us secrets from the best mentors, what we can learn about parenting from research on mentoring– and makes us choke up with heartwarming tales of mentoring successes.

This week, we pack as many discipline strategies, tools, and hacks as possible into an hour-long episode. We provide scripts and concrete explanations for how to deal with a range of different behaviors, from sibling conflicts to physical violence. You'll learn how to de-escalate, redirect, diffuse, and teach. If you're looking to add to your discipline toolkit, you won't want to miss this episode. 

There are likely entire podcasts and dissertations dedicated to examining leadership insights from the hit Apple TV series Ted Lasso. What isn't discussed as much, but should be, are the show's lessons about how to raise healthy, well-adjusted young people. In this episode, Axel and Patrick outline and explore the most essential (in our humble opinions) parenting lessons from the series.

If you're like us, your default parenting responses can make you seem like a bad boss. Curiously, we would never allow someone else to treat our kids the way we sometimes treat them. Is it okay that we hold others to a different standard than we hold ourselves? Or should we strive to parent more like the best coaches? In this episode, Axel and Patrick make the case for parenting like Ted Lasso, as opposed to a bad boss.   

Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in the US have tripled. Over a similar time period, the prevalence of eating disorders has more than doubled. Understandably, Parents are worried about what and how their children eat. In this episode, Axel and Patrick discuss the fine line parents walk in deciding how to feed their kids and offer practical solutions for common childhood eating issues (picky eaters, disinterested eaters etc.).

In this episode, Axel and Patrick describe ways parents are dealing with all-night gaming binges, and the consequences of each method. They also offer their recommendation for a Best Practices approach to addressing this behavior and, possibly, how to decrease your child's interest in video games.

Are you concerned that your child, or a child you know, is staying up too late (too often) playing video games? If so, you are not alone. In this episode, Patrick and Axel reveal the results of an informal high school survey which suggest that the vast majority of adolescents are playing video games into the wee hours. Additionally, they consider potential benefits, likely drawbacks, and offer insight into why kids are motivated to engage in this puzzling behavior.

In this week's installment, Axel and Patrick list their top 10 Montessori-inspired Holiday gifts. The items they chose have been tested with their own children, and students, and are proven winners. If you're looking for something original, fun, educational, and inexpensive, you won't want to miss this episode!

In this second episode in a two-part series on the Montessori method, Axel explains How Montessori teachers approach discipline The importance of a student's first three years in Montessori Which students may not be well suited for Montessori How to know when a Montessori school is not working for your child (as well as Montessori school and teacher warning signs) What aspects of original Montessori teaching may not be relevant now And what type of adult the Montessori is working to create.

To many of us, Montessori schools are like Masonic Temples: We can only imagine what goes on inside. In this episode, Axel (a licensed Montessori school founder and teacher) demystifies the Montessori method by telling the story of its founder, Maria Montessori, detailing its foundational principles, and describing daily activities that characterize a Montessori classroom. If you want to understand the Montessori method, this episode is for you.

In this second episode in a two-part series on screen time, Axel and Patrick explain how to tell the difference between healthy versus unhealthy uses of screens. They also provide an overview of research on the impact of screens on kids. Finally, they offer practical tips for how to teach children to manage their own screen time.

Why is it so easy for children to become addicted to video games, youtube, and Netflix? Is screen time really as terrible as experts claim it is? Are some forms of screen time more addictive than others? Is there such a thing as healthy screen time? In this first part of a two-part screen time series, Axel and Patrick grapple with these and other screen time-related questions and try to make sense of how we can help children adapt and develop healthily in a technology-rich environment.

It's safe to say that every parent has felt shame or embarrassment – in response to their child's behavior – at some point in the parenting process. The stress of feeling shame is real and can cripple a parent's self-esteem, strain relationships, and result in parenting tactics that exacerbate the behaviors of concern. In this episode, Axel and Patrick delve into why we feel shame, the consequences of shame, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy reframing strategies to prevent and diminish feelings of shame.

In this episode, Axel and Patrick welcome their first ever guest, Aaron Glass, to talk about his experience helping raise twin boys with autism. Aaron's powerful and compelling testimonial includes a detailed explanation of how and why his sons were diagnosed with autism; a rich description of his parenting journey, including the personal growth, work, and effort required to raise kids with disabilities; and tips for raising and working with children with autism. If you're curious about or interested in autism, or if you simply need to hear an uplifting (true!) story, this episode is for you.

In this episode, Axel and Patrick tackle three common sleep problems: kids who won't go to bed, kids who wake up in the middle of the night, and kids who have chronic or frequent nightmares. Learn about how a problem-solving model can help you choose the best strategy for your child's unique needs.

Are you still sharing a bed with your school-aged child? Do you wonder about the impact this is having on your child(ren)? In this episode, Axel and Patrick review the history of co-sleeping, the research on co-sleeping with young and older children, and offer their views on whether it's advisable to bedshare with older children. They also discuss methods for gently extracting yourself from your child's bed.

What's the best type of nightlight or alarm clock for your child? Is it okay for kids to eat right before bed and if so, what should they eat? What are the hallmarks of a healthy sleep routine? Does sleep have an impact on academic performance and behavior? In this episode, Axel and Patrick review recent research on the impact of poor sleep on children and share their TOP 10 list of surefire tips and hacks for helping kids to fall and stay asleep. Thanks for listening and be sure to tune in next week!

Are there easy and effective alternatives to punishment? What's the best way to discipline? In this episode, Axel and Patrick discuss how to use tools of behaviorism (positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement) to easily and effectively improve your child's behavior. They also make the case that positive discipline and emotion coaching are gold standard forms of discipline to which all parents should aspire. Thanks for listening and be sure to tune in next week!

Raising a child is (arguably) the most consequential project that most adults undertake. And yet, no degree, course completion, or even basic demonstration of competence is necessary to become a parent. Many assume that parenting skills will emerge naturally in response to the needs of their children. In reality, parents are often caught off-guard by the demands of presenting a coherent disciplinary strategy. In this episode, Axel and Patrick discuss foundations of discipline that should be considered in order to discipline children intentionally and effectively.

Is it okay to punish your child or, as some parenting gurus claim, will it irreparably harm your relationship with them? What are the different forms of punishment and are some better than others? In this first episode of a two-part series, Axel and Patrick discuss different forms of punishment, whether or not punishment is effective, how punishment should be delivered, and the potential harm of using certain forms of punishment. Thanks for listening, and be sure to follow the Hands Full Podcast on Social Media! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hands.full.pod/

Boys are often pressured by peers to be toxically masculine– but our culture often punishes (and cancels) them for it. If you're worried about helping your son navigate these competing demands, you're not alone. In this (longer than normal) episode, we explain toxic masculinity, provide alternatives to it, and discuss how parents can model and encourage healthy masculinity. Thanks for listening, and be sure to follow the Hands Full Podcast on Social Media! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hands.full.pod/

If there was one thing you could do that would improve nearly every aspect of your parenting, what would it be? Personal development is the key to unlocking Matrix-like parenting superpowers. In this episode, Axel explains what personal development is and how to become the best version of you. Thanks for listening, and be sure to follow the Hands Full Podcast on Social Media! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hands.full.pod/

In this episode, Axel and Patrick conclude their discussion on the topic of attention-seeking. Part II focuses more intensely on concrete solutions to minimize attention-seeking and how to teach healthy alternatives. Thanks for listening, and be sure to follow the Hands Full Podcast on Social Media! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hands.full.pod/

Why do school and mass shootings only seem to happen in the U.S.? What can we do to make our schools, and country, a safer place for our children? In the wake of the tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, Axel offers insights from the perspective of someone outside the U.S., and our intense partisan divide. Thanks for listening, and be sure to follow the Hands Full Podcast on Social Media! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hands.full.pod/

Why do some kids hit, spit, kick, scream, and throw things (in addition to other upsetting behaviors) to get our attention? What can be done about it? In this first episode of Hands Full, Axel and Patrick begin to discuss A.) Potential causes of attention-seeking behaviors; B.) Concrete interventions for minimizing attention-seeking; and C) How to teach healthy alternative behaviors. Thanks for listening, and be sure to follow the Hands Full Podcast on Social Media! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hands.full.pod/