Prism Parenting: Looking at Behavior in a Different Light

The only thing constant in parenting is change. Can I get an amen?! Whether your kids are about to start preschool or on the edge of the dreaded teenage years, chances are the next transition is coming sooner than you realize. Elise Knox provides insight regarding how she helps families walk through times of change as confidently and painlessly as possible.    

We all know that bullying is a big deal, but did you know it has a measurable impact on the brain? Dr. Fraser describes what a bullied brain looks like and how it can be repaired.

The term bully is thrown around a lot, but what does it really mean? How is it different than being mean, and when does it cross the line into harassment? Dr. Ambroes Pass-Turner answers these questions (and more!) on this episode.

As parents we know that it's important to encourage our kids to be creative, but sometimes it's hard to know what this looks like at a practical level. This week Dr. Fajans provides insight about how he is doing this in his own home and provides insight about how to make this the norm in your own home.

Although parents of young kids might think cutting or other forms of self-harm is something they won't need to worry about until the teenage years, Dr. Kelly explains why this is not true. She explains how parents can actively work to prevent self-harm and how to respond if it does happen in their home.

Dr. Healy discusses practical (and fun!) ways to build grit and resilience within your kids to foster true happiness for parent and child.

Children's author Emma Jean is passionate about helping young girls (and boys) engage with all things science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). She shares why girls have historically shied away from STEM and what parents can do to change this paradigm.

Dr. McNally provides insight to help you make the best decisions for your family regarding social media. She also breaks down the ever changing list of the most common social media platforms that kids and teens are exposed to and provides suggestions of how parents can stay on top of new trends and apps.

Lauren is a multi-passionate mom working to help all parents become their best selves and build positive relationships with their kids through mindful parenting. She hits on several great topics including small changes parents can make to decrease the overwhelm that is all to common, how to teach your kids about disabilities (such as deafness) in a way that encourages them to befriend those with special needs, and so much more!

Dr. Steve Hodges explains why bedwetting happens, and (more importantly!) how to help kids and families successfully address this common challenge. He also discusses the link between constipation and potty training difficulties.

 When our kids tell us we are being “mean” or “not nice” it can really be hard to hear. This week we tackle a listener question related to the right (and wrong!) ways to react when our kids say this to us.  

Brandon Miller discusses what happens when you focus on your child's strengths (and your own!) rather than on deficits. He provides practical and step-by-step ways to start doing this in your home today.

This week's guest provides evidence-based strategies in mindfulness to help kids manage and overcome stress and anxiety. Her simple and easy to use approach helps parents walk alongside their kids, teaching and modeling healthy coping skills. 

While ADHD is clearly associated with challenges in areas like attention and hyperactivity, there is also something to be said for less discussed areas of strength that kids with ADHD often demonstrate. This week Dr. Andrea Bailey provides valuable insight from the perspective of a clinical psychologist and mother of a kiddo diagnosed with ADHD.

Eventually this pandemic will fade to endemic status. For some parents, this may mean that work travel schedules of the past start up again. This week on the show we focus on simple things you can do to minimize stress and disruption when your partner travels for work.

What are some simple and practical things you can do to make being a mom easier and more enjoyable? This week Toni-Ann answers that question and more on the show.

This week on the show we discuss why your kids are lying to you, how their development impacts lying, and the best (and worst!) ways to respond when they lie.

In this 100th episode we discuss three strategies you can use with kids of various ages to get them to listen… the first time!

Today's high achieving students often struggle with feeling overloaded and stressed out. Some even find themselves lost in periods of anxiety and depression as they attempt to navigate endless academics, sports, and other activities. This week Dr. Jannot provides tips to prevent this from occurring in the first place, but also manage it when it happens despite our best intentions.

It's been two years since the first episodes about ADHD aired on this podcast. At the time Heather's son, Landon, had just been diagnosed with ADHD. Well a lot changes in two years! In this episode we will give a quick recap on the different types of ADHD, as well as go over non-medication and medication treatment options. We will end with an update on how Landon is doing currently, what treatments have worked for him, and which treatments were less than ideal.

This week Heather interviews Deb Flashenberg. She is the founder of the Prenatal Yoga Center in New York, and she is the host of the Yoga | Birth | Babies podcast. Her mission is to “empower pregnant people to take an active role in their birth so they can emerge feeling heard, seen, understood and supported."

Grit is one of those things best taught through life experience. This week we dive into how to support our kids with the tools they need to work towards their goals, the best way to motivate them when they need an extra push, and the power of modeling determination for them in our own lives.

Why is mental illness still stigmatized, and how can running improve the mental health of parents? This week Sasha answers these questions and shares her personal story about why she started the non-profit Still I Run. She also gives some practical advice to Heather who recently signed up for a half-marathon.

The fall is upon us and winter is coming! In the upcoming season of the Prism Parenting podcast we will explore topics related to parenting, improving the behavior of our kids, and more through solo episodes and many great interviews. In this introduction, Heather gives a sneak peak about the topics that will be covered this season and also a quick update about her summer. Welcome back!

It's been over a year since the start of the pandemic, and a large number of parents continue to work from home. This has both its advantages as well as challenges. This week Shari Medini from Adore Them Parenting shares practical strategies to help parents effectively work from home while still being the supportive parents they desire to be.

This week licensed therapist Torrey Commisso shares her personal journey of divorce, single-parenting, and remarriage. She provides insight for parents walking through these challenges to help them move from just trying to survive to truly thriving in their new normal.

Every strong relationship has at least one common thread: effective communication. But how do you make that happen in your own home?! This week Amber Trueblood, a licensed marriage and family therapist, shares her wisdom on the best ways to improve family communication.

Often our kids act out to communicate with us. In this episode we will work through the best (and worst) ways to react when our kids act out.

Many parents are tolerating rather than managing their anxiety, and this can make parenting even more challenging than it already is. This week, Dr. Kennedy gives practical strategies to manage and reduce anxiety as parents.

This week we start a mini-series dedicated to the fundamentals of understanding and changing your child’s behavior. In this first episode we uncover what’s triggering your child’s behavior and (more importantly!) how to make effective changes to prevent triggering it in the future.

Although stress is not a new phenomenon for kids, it’s definitely exacerbated in our current context. This week’s guest Dr. Hovik provides several practical strategies to help your child deal with long-term (as well as short-term) stress.

Sleeping difficulties can occur at any age. This week we will cover how to help your child sleep during infancy, the toddler years, and into early childhood.

Marci discusses how to know if your kiddo is language delayed and also the best strategies to use to facilitate fast and steady language growth.

Being a parent is amazing, but it’s also challenging, even on the best days. On the hardest days, it sometimes feels impossible to check yourself in the moment and change course. To kick off season 2, we will discuss three ways to show up as a parent on those days that you just don’t feel like it.

Season two comes out March 1st, and I’m so excited to connect with you all again. Through solo episodes and interviews, we will continue to tackle all topics parenting and behavior. Stay tuned!

This week on the show Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge discusses several topics including Lyme disease prevention and treatment, helping kids who suffer from chronic stomach aches, and managing night terrors during the toddler years.

Culture still finds ways to tell women that they are less than. This week we look at three quotes from Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. Based upon these quotes, we will consider the best way we can raise our daughters to become strong and independent young women.

What age should kids get cell phones, and what are the risk and benefits that parents should be aware of? This week Isaiah McPeak shares invaluable information and perspective about this important topic.

The holidays are a good opportunity to introduce your kids to new food and help them move past picky eating habits. In this episode we cover three simple (and painless!) things you can try with your kids.

Ever wonder what you can you do to raise grateful little humans?! This week is Thanksgiving, and I think it is the perfect time to contemplate this topic. In this episode I’ll go over three practical ways to do just this. For the fun of it, I’ve also included a short interview with my daughter, Ady.

Do my kids need to be parented differently than one another? How can I do this without making my kids think I’m playing favorites? This week we cover what to do to guard against the perception of favoritism while still meeting the unique needs of each child.

This week Dr. Claire Nicogossian provides practical tips on how moms can set themselves up for success to proactively manage their feelings of anger and frustration.

Sometimes it seems like our kids act out for no reason, but behavior always has a cause! This week we will chat about four things your child’s tantrum could be telling you.

Sometimes it seems like we need to choose between keeping our kids happy and doing what we know is best for them in the long-term. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be one or the other. This week Matt Larson gives us several practical and proven ways to help our kids (and us!) find lasting happiness.

This week Dr. Rebecca Branstetter will give insight on how to help your kids emotionally thrive rather than just survive in our current context. She will explain how mental health professionals in the schools are currently helping students and how to access their support if your child needs it.

This political season has been challenging for so many reasons. Likely your kids have picked up on some of the high emotions and stress so many are feeling. This week we break down the DO’s and DO NOT’s of discussing politics with our kids.

This week Prism Parenting teams up with Generation Mom to dish out practical insight and resources. The focus is on helping all the moms out there thrive despite the continued chaos that 2020 has (and continues to!) dish out.

Failure is important because it’s tied to resilience. While we all know this, it’s so tempting in the moment to shelter our kids. This week we will talk about what to do instead of rescuing them.

Although most parents agree that teaching kids about diversity is important, it is hard to know the best way to do this. In this episode, Mijha Godfrey from Jambo Books shares how to do this in an easy and fun way with the help of children’s literature.

As parents, it’s hard to be consistent. So often we say something, our kids protest, and we just give in. This week we will go over why we give in as parents and the easiest way to break the cycle.

As a working mom, it often feels like there are not enough hours in the day. Of course 2020 has only intensified this! Whether you're homeschooling or your kids are participating in distance learning, chances are you are feeling overwhelmed. This week Jen Mackinnon provides practical strategies to balance career and our children’s education in the current climate.