uh-PARENT-ly

In December 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an urgent advisory regarding the youth mental health crisis in America. The pandemic took an already strained system and pushed it to the brink. Dr. Lisa Damour, bestselling author of Untangled and Under Pressure, has a new book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable and Compassionate Adolescents. She joins uh-PARENT-ly hosts […]

Anne and Tracy have always centered their podcast episodes around topics in the news, at the soccer field, or in their mom groups. This particular episode, however, is highly personal and painful for both of them. Last month Tracy’s brother-in-law died unexpectedly, leaving behind his wife and three young kids. He and Tracy’s sister actually […]

As families of high school seniors navigate things like college visits or the “Common App” this fall, it could be helpful to revisit an episode from Season Six. uh-PARENT-ly co-hosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos talked to Ron Lieber, the Your Money columnist for the New York Times, about his book, The Price You Pay for […]

Whether from headlines or tweets or conversations with friends, the message lately has been clear: Inflation is on the rise. But the price of gas and groceries is nothing compared to the cost of childcare. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index, since 1990 childcare costs have risen 214 percent while the average family income has […]

According to a recent poll conducted by John Zogby Strategies, 56 percent of adults say concern for their public safety has influenced their decision not to go out. Reports of carjackings and random shootings bombard the news. Just outside of Chicago, two days before Christmas, a mall shooting left four people injured and thousands of shoppers stranded […]

Human beings are prone to negativity bias. Scientists have discovered that for every negative emotional experience you have, you need at least three positive ones to offset it.  A three to one ratio.  Feels like a big hole to dig out of, right?  Positive Psychology researchers have conducted more than 200 studies with more than […]

According to a new book, the average teen spends nine hours a day on a screen. Nine hours. Even more alarming, we continue to learn about BIG TECH companies (like Facebook and Instagram) and their algorithms that hijack our kids’ attention. Snapstreaks, Likes, Shares, you name it: These manipulative measures lead to more screen time. One […]

More than 55 million children will be heading back to elementary, middle or high school this fall. And after the last year and a half, they might be carrying more than pencils and notebooks in their “backpacks.”  Dr. John Duffy, clinical psychologist and author of Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety, joins uh-PARENT-ly hosts […]

This past year has been incredibly challenging for many families, and mental health has really become a top priority. Dr. Michelle Borba, author of Thrivers: Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine, joins uh-PARENT-ly hosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about how kids can cope with adversity and deal with whatever […]

With COVID-19 and lots of “together time” at home, there may be more shut doors. This week uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Anne Johnsos and Tracy Weiner talk to Michelle Icard, educator and author of a new book, Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen: The Essential Conversations You Need to Have with Your Kids Before They Start High School.  […]

As COVID-19 upended daily life, many families wondered why they were writing large checks for tuition, room and board to send their kids off to college for remote classes or very limited in-person connections.  In the first episode of Season Six, uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos talk to Ron Lieber, the Your Money columnist for the […]

When uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos left the studio in March of 2020, they thought they’d see each other again the next week. They were wrong.  Now after months of watching the world spin out of control, they’ve figured out a way to join the conversation. (Tracy could use a windscreen on her microphone, but BABY STEPS.) Here’s a quick […]

When boys enter puberty, they tend to get quiet, and parents need to interpret their monosyllabic signals. Dr. Cara Natterson is a pediatrician, consultant, and New York Times bestselling author. Her latest book is Decoding Boys: New Science Behind the Subtle Art of Raising Sons. She joins uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos with advice about talking to our sons the way we talk to our daughters.

The season for influenza runs from October until April. That means we're in the thick of it. How can you keep your family healthy, and what can you do to shorten any illnesses your kids do bring home? Dr. Anita Chandra, spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, joins uh-PARENT-ly, cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about everything from preventing the flu from spreading through your whole house to finding mental health resources for your teen to testing babies for vision loss. Oh. And tummy time.

What's the single most important thing parents can do for their children? A new book suggests it's a matter of simply “showing up.” But that means a lot more than cheering on the sidelines, cooking dinner and serving on the PTA. Dr. Dan Siegel, clinical professor of psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and co-author of The Power of Showing up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired, joins uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about how parents can learn to really see their children in a way that fosters long-term security, empathy and happiness.

Dr. Sharon Saline is a clinical psychologist and the author of What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids for Success in School and Life. She joins uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about ADHD, executive functioning skills, and learning differences in children, teens, college-age adults and families.

Today's kids are bombarded by expectations of success without the tools to cope with failure. Some of them become risk-averse, while others find ways to take shortcuts. Adam Russo, author of Unwritten Rules, joins uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about how parents can help by delaying gratification, embracing the uncomfortable and working through emotions.

Thinking of getting your kid a smartphone for the holidays? Maybe you're contemplating allowing Instagram or Snapchat or TikTok. Before you open that door, you should know what to expect. Devorah Heitner, founder of Raising Digital Natives and author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World, joins uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about how technology can help rather than threaten our kids.

Thinking about putting a furry or feathered friend under the Christmas tree or next to the menorah? You might want to avoid impulsive decisions. Did you know rabbits have acrophobia (fear of heights), and Amazon Parrots can live for 75 years? Are there "baby steps" to getting a dog? Are certain breeds better for your family's lifestyle? Is there a right age to consider getting a pet? Renowned pet expert Steve Dale joins uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about the world of pets.

According to research from the University of Oregon, comic books average 53.5 rare, or complex, words per 1,000. Children's books average 30.9, and adult books average 52.7 per 1,000. Studies also have found that graphic texts promote learning and better reading comprehension. Raina Telgemeier, best-selling author of Smile, Sisters, Drama, Ghosts and newly released Guts, joins uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about the genre and how she so beautifully connects with her readers.

Food allergies are on the rise in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the prevalence of food allergies in children increased by 50 percent between 1997 and 2011. Managing these allergies requires more than reading labels. Psychologist Gianine D. Rosenblum tells uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos families with food allergies navigate a rigorous set of behaviors with a palpable amount of anxiety.

Think back to your days in the classroom. Did you get a “participation grade?” How was it calculated – by quantity or quality? Kids today are asked to behave like extroverts, but 25-40 percent of the population is introverted. uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos talk to Priscilla Gilman, author of The Anti-Romantic Child: A Story of Unexpected Joy and columnist for Quiet Revolution, about unlocking the power of introverts in a way that benefits everyone.

A federal study released by the Centers for Disease Control shows 27.5 percent of high school students have used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. Now the CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and state and local health departments are investigating a multistate outbreak of lung disease associated with e-cigarette use. uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Anne Johnsos and Tracy Weiner talk to Dr. MeiLan K. Han, professor of internal medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Michigan Health System and spokesperson for the American Lung Association, about the dangers of vaping and how parents can educate their kids.

About 2.7 million grandparents in the United States are the primary caregivers for children in their households. Long working hours for young parents, along with the rising costs of professional childcare, have transformed grandparents from occasional babysitters to critical safety nets. Susan Newman, PhD, is a social psychologist and the author of more than a dozen books including Under One Roof Again: All Grown Up And (Re)Learning To Live Together Happily and The Book of No: 365 Ways to Say it and Mean it―and Stop People-Pleasing Forever. She tells uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos how to navigate the tension when formerly parent-child relationships become adult-adult ones.

Young people today deal with so much more than the generations before them. They're exposed to information, thoughts, emotions and pressures they're not prepared to process. Dr. John Duffy, author of The Available Parent and his brand new book, Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety, tells uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos typical “teen parenting” tactics are dangerously out of date, but it's not too late to for parents to catch up.

When you have a baby or toddler, the advice comes from all sides. But when your child hits the teen years, the questions increase while the resources dwindle. Mary Dell Harrington and Lisa Endlich Heffernan cofounded the number-one site for parents of teens and young adults. Now they're offering a book called Grown and Flown: How to Support Your Teen, Stay Close as a Family, and Raise Independent Adults. Heffernan joins uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Anne Johnsos and Tracy Weiner to talk about this new guide for building strong relationships and helping your teens launch into adulthood.

The American Medical Association published a report in May 2019 linking social media to teen depression and calling the role of social media among adolescents “an urgent public health issue that merits further investigation.” In one five-year period, the suicide rate for girls increased 65 percent. Dr. Ana Radovic, an assistant professor of pediatrics at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, joins uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Anne Johnsos and Tracy Weiner to talk about how hard it is for kids to filter out the negative and how sleep plays a role in your child's mental health.

According to a study published in Pediatrics, 42 percent of Internet users between the ages of 10 and 17 have seen PORN. And 66 percent of those kids reported unwanted or accidental exposure. Dan Rice, interim executive director of Answer at Rutgers University, joins uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Anne Johnsos and Tracy Weiner to discuss parenting strategies around "the pornography talk."

Kelly and Miguel Cervantes join uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Anne Johnsos and Tracy Weiner to talk about what parenthood looks like for couples navigating endless doctors, tests and treatments in search of answers for their medically fragile children. Kelly and Miguel are trying to help their daughter Adelaide, who suffers from infantile spasms and epilepsy.

Bullying doesn't look like it did 30 years ago. Kids these days have no relief after the school bell rings because bullies continue online. Detective Rich Wistocki from Be Sure Consulting joins uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Anne Johnsos and Tracy Weiner again -- this time to talk about the apps kids use on their classmates and the apps parents can use to monitor their kids' digital devices. Also: Rich has an interesting take on sleepovers...

Parents want their kids to grow, thrive and learn to take care of themselves, and that happens through hundreds and thousands of life lessons. Some of those lessons might come in the form of self-defense: teaching our kids to overcome actual physical dangers. Jen Zanotti is an esthetician and wellness coach, the host of podcast Getting Zen with Jen Z, and a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete and teacher. She joins uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about how what happens on the mat affects her students' lives in every way.

According to the National Organization of Women, 53 percent of American girls are “unhappy with their bodies” by age 13. That number grows to 78 percent by the time girls reach 17. How can parents help their kids accept and even celebrate what they see in the mirror? uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos talk to licensed clinical social worker Gina Graham about why parents need to quit body shaming themselves and start modeling healthy behavior. Hint: Put on your swimsuit!

Journalist Belinda Luscombe has been writing about relationships at TIME for more than a decade, so when she came out with Marriageology: The Art and Science of Staying Together, uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos couldn't wait to talk to her. Luscombe uses six F-words to describe the obstacles all partners must overcome. (No, not that F-word.) The book combines research, humor and brutal honesty about making marriage work.

uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos talk to Colleen Curtis, Head of Community and Marketing at The Mom Project, about a new effort to connect talented women (and some men) with world-class employers who respect work-life balance.

June 20, 2019 is No Small Matter Day in Chicago. Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued the proclamation to increase awareness of a new documentary about early childhood. According to Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child, during the first few years of life, a child forms more than one million new neural connections every second. That means every interaction counts, but not every child has access to those interactions. Cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos start season four of uh-PARENT-ly talking to writer and filmmaker Greg Jacobs about the childcare crisis in America.

Should college women wear leggings to church? What about moms at school drop-off? What can sports failures teach our kids about life? And, speaking of life, how can we balance work commitments with family time? Heidi Stevens writes the Balancing Act column for the Chicago Tribune, where she has worked since 1998. She joins uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to dish about all things parenting.

Kristin Russo cofounded Everyone Is Gay and My Kid Is Gay, both organizations that provide advice, guidance, and education to LGBTQIA youth and their families. She also is the co-author of This Is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids. She tells uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos that parents and kids will make mistakes, but that's OK.

Have you heard the term “mompreneur?” It refers to a mom who merges parenting with business. Lindsay Pinchuk did just that when she founded Bump Club and Beyond. Now the site serves parents and almost-parents across the country with blog posts, webinars and live events. Lindsay joins uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about building her community and helping parents get ready for the arrival of their bundles of joy.

Everyone knows death is unavoidable. But does it have to be a dinner-table topic? What do you do when your child comes home asking about a school shooting or the murder of 5-year-old A. J. Freund? How do you break the news that Grandpa "went to heaven?" Barbara Coloroso, author of Parenting Through Crisis: Helping Kids in Times of Loss, Grief and Change, tells uh-PARENT-ly hosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos about the importance of honesty…and listening.

Everyone's road to parenthood is unique. One in eight couples has trouble getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy. This week is National Infertility Awareness Week. It's intended to increase awareness surrounding infertility, which affects the reproductive systems of both women and men. uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos talk to Rebecca Flick, vice president of communications and programs at RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, to learn about support and advocacy for couples facing challenges and stressors in their family-building journey.

As college admissions letters roll in, many students are facing the biggest decisions of their lives. Add to that the fallout from the admissions scandal involving dozens of parents, including actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman, and the stakes get even higher. The story made uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos wonder just how valuable enrollment in a selective college is. They talked to Paul Franz, a research associate with Challenge Success, who co-wrote a study that shatters the college-rankings myth.

Is our culture's narrow definition of masculinity harming our boys and men? What does it mean to “man up” or “be a man?” The Mask You Live In documents the pressures boys face: to disconnect from emotions, to devalue friendships, to degrade women and to resolve conflicts with violence. Michael G. Thompson, psychologist and author of the New York Times best-selling book Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys, contributed to the documentary. He tells uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos boys need to learn and practice social literacy.