Connected Parenting

Why won't my kids listen?

If you find yourself repeating instructions endlessly without any response, you're not alone.

In this week's episode we explore the reasons behind this common parenting challenge and offer a treasure trove of tips and tricks to turn the tide. More than just getting your kids to listen, we'll discuss strategies for encouraging good decision-making and fostering healthy compliance.

Join me for practical advice on enhancing communication and understanding within your family.

Jennifer's Takeaways:

Intro (00:00)

Parenting, Child Development + Managing Expectations (00:59)

Effective Communication With Children (04:30)

Give Them That Window Of Time (08:02)

Parenting Strategies And Incentives (12:13)

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in the US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life examples as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).

In this special guest series episode, I am thrilled to welcome Katie Kimball, a renowned advocate for healthy kids cooking and founder of the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse.

Katie is on a powerful mission to bring families together through healthy food, aiming to teach every child the essential skill of cooking and instilling lifelong healthy habits.

Join us in this enlightening conversation with Katie as we delve into the sometimes challenging, always rewarding intersection of kids and food, exploring how we can foster a positive and healthy relationship between our children and the meals they eat.

Jennifer's Takeaways:

• Raising Highly Sensitive Children + Their Food Preferences (01:21)
• Managing Picky Eaters (05:12)
• Family Dinners, Meal Planning + Engaging Kids in the Kitchen (11:05)
• Parenting Strategies For Healthy Eating Habits (15:54)
• Developing Healthy Eating Habits (20:51)
• Strategies To Improve Picky Eater Palates (26:30)
• Childhood Food Exposure + Sensitivity (31:23)

About Katie Kimball

Connect with Katie Kimball



Website: https://kidscookrealfood.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiekimballkidscook/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kidscookrealfood/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/kitchenstew

FREEBIE: https://kidscookrealfood.com/connectedparentingpodcast

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in th US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life examples as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).

In today's episode, we tackle a topic that many families face: divorce.

It's a reality of our world, and navigating it with grace and care is crucial, especially when it comes to our children. Today we dive deep into questions like...

How do we break the news to them?

What are the do's and don'ts of discussing divorce with your kids?

But more importantly, we discuss the impact of divorce on children and underline a critical truth – it's not the divorce itself but how parents handle the situation that leaves a lasting mark.

Join me as we explore strategies for navigating one of life's most challenging processes, aiming to minimize its impact on the youngest members of the family.

Jennifer's Takeaways:

Intro (00:00)

Co-Parenting After Divorce (1:56)

The Impact Of Negative Speech During Divorce (6:15)

Focus On Children's Emotional Well-Being (7:56)

Navigating Divorce With Children (12:27)

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in the US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life examples as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).

In this episode, we dive into the world of blended families with a special focus on tips and tricks designed to help navigate the complexities and joys of bringing together 2 diverse family units.

From practical advice on fostering harmony and understanding to creative strategies for bonding, this week's release is tailored to address the unique challenges and opportunities that come with blending families together.

Join me in exploring ways to knit a cohesive, loving family fabric that respects and celebrates the individual threads of each member's life and experiences.

Jennifer's Takeaways:

Intro (00:00)

Connecting With Stepchildren (01:24)

Using Mirroring + The Calm Technique (05:30)

Blended Family Bonding Strategies (07:48)

Reentry Challenges In Co-Parenting (12:34)

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in the US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life examples as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).

Have you been struggling with your teenager's messy room and not sure how to handle it?

Well, I've got some insights on what the messy room really means for your teen and strategies to help manage it in a way that supports their mental well-being.

Find out my tips for setting boundaries while respecting their space, breaking big tasks into smaller steps, and using organizational systems that help to keep them on track.

Listen in to hear the difference between "mess in motion" and "mess in stasis" and how both can impact their psyche. 

Jennifer's Takeaways:

Intro (00:00)

Setting Boundaries With Teenagers' Personal Spaces (02:22)

Teenage Messiness + Its Impact On Mental Health (04:29)

Organizing Teenagers' Spaces For Better Mental Health (08:35)

Managing Teenagers' Messy Rooms + Emotional Well-Being (10:29)

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in th US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life exampes as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).

As we embrace the month of love, February, we're going beyond the usual hearts, cards, and candies that adorn the stores.

Let's explore how we can infuse our family life with the essence of love, making it the central theme not just for this month but as a foundational principle in our every day.

How do we pivot from parenting out of fear to parenting from a place of love? |

How can we listen with an open heart, striving to understand before being understood?

Join me as we delve into practical ways to bring the elements of love into our family dynamics, transforming the long, dark winter month into a warm, luminous period filled with love and understanding.

Are you ready to make love the focus in your family this February?

Jennifer's Takeaways:

Intro (00:00)

Oxytocin's Benefits (01:36)

Showing Appreciation Through Handmade Cards (04:55)

Nurturing Relationships (06:13)

Parenting From A Place Of Love (10:01)

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in th US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life exampes as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).

In today's episode, we're diving into the battleground of every household: messy rooms.

How do we navigate the chaos of toys, clothes, and everything in between without losing our minds?

Join me as we explore strategies to encourage our little ones to keep their spaces relatively tidy. From understanding why their rooms end up looking like a mini tornado passed through, to practical tips and tricks that can make tidying up a less daunting task for them (and less of a headache for us).

But what about the teenagers, whose rooms often resemble a story of rebellion and independence? Fear not, I have not forgotten about our teens however that will be talked about in a separate upcoming episode, where I can dive directly into the unique challenges that come with their space and how to approach it.

For now tune in to gain insights on managing messy rooms for younger children and join me down the road for our deep dive into the teenage domain.

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in th US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life exampes as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).

In this week's Q&A we are unraveling the complexities of guiding sensitive children and teenagers through life's transitions. Ever wondered why some kids struggle with seasonal changes like wearing a winter coat, or why teens might push you away?

We're diving deep into these challenges, exploring innovative strategies like using therapeutic lamps for seasonal shifts and engaging in heart-to-heart car rides for better communication with teens.

If you're curious about nurturing a supportive environment that fosters resilience and emotional intelligence in your sensitive child or teen, this episode is a must-listen.

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in th US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life exampes as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).

Have you ever noticed how some children hesitate to try new things?

Whether it's tasting a new food, petting an unfamiliar dog, or watching a thrilling movie, each child faces their own set of challenges when it comes to taking risks.

But here's an intriguing thought: What if we could equip our children with the ability to muster bravery for facing the new and unknown? Imagine the impact of those brief moments of courage on their overall confidence and life experiences.

In this episode, we explore the importance of building this 'courage muscle' in children, especially those who aren't natural risk-takers. We'll discuss strategies to support them in trying new things, experiencing the joy of discovery, and the satisfaction of overcoming fears.

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in th US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life exampes as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).

As part of our esteemed guest series. I'm excited to welcome a dear friend and an incredibly insightful psychiatrist, Dr. Omid Naim.

Trained in the Western traditions, Dr. Naim has evolved to embrace a more holistic approach when it comes to mental health care. He advocates for the integration of spiritual and community-based methods, emphasizing the power of connection and shared human understanding.

So what does a more holistic approach to psychiatry look like?

How can addressing family trauma transform our mental health?

Why is the sense of community so critical for this journey?

Join us as we delve into these questions and more ...

This episode is not just a dialogue; it's a journey towards understanding the deeper facets of mental well-being and how they affect us and our family's. 

Jennifer's Takeaways:

• Mental health disorders and their causes (03:35)
• Family dynamics and mental health (06:03)
• Parenting stress and self-care for moms (12:15)
• Men's emotional struggles and parenting (18:00)
• Setting boundaries (23:17)
• Gender roles (26:13)
• Personal growth (31:42)
• Self-awareness + community building (36:01)
• Differences between pleasure and happiness (41:24)
• Self-care, and toxic shame.(46:58)

About Dr. Omid Naim

I was born in Tehran, Iran, just before the Iranian Revolution in 1978. This early childhood experience of societal terror and chaos shaped my appreciation for how unresolved trauma and grief have lifelong effects on individuals, families, and the community. Through the lens of my own family and community I came to witness firsthand how unacknowledged trauma can be neglected as the root cause of mental illness and other chronic health conditions in our society. Although I didn’t know it then, this would become the foundation of my professional life.

After completing medical school at the University of Southern California and residency training in General Adult and Child Psychiatry at USC, I began working in community mental health with high risk youth. Even though I was a classically trained Western psychiatrist, I could see that there was a need for more holistic, spiritual, and community-based approaches to health due to the limitations of the medical model. Witnessing patients with the extensive histories of abuse and neglect becoming more and more medicated – while trauma was as a root cause was ignored, and their disabilities worsened – I knew the system needed to change. This fueled my passion to find new ways to approach how we care for people and led me to further my education in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona as a Bravewell Scholar under Dr. Andrew Weil.

This time spent training in Integrative Medicine laid the foundation for creating a new model for mental health which evolved into the Hope Integrative Psychiatry Clinic. At Hope, we focused on empowering our clients to tap into their capacity to heal and recover naturally and elevating our deep needs for meaning, community, and belonging as the cornerstones for emotional well-being. This practice informed an entirely new integrative model for health and led to what would become La Maida Institute.

With the help of my wife, Alexis, and the team of dedicated professionals who made La Maida Institute grow, we were able to continue our private practice and develop the ecological approach with the support of a new communal model. Things were coming together in a profound way and we began to see that what we were really talking about was a paradigm shift in how society views health and well-being and how, through the formation of La Maida Project, we could truly make a meaningful impact. And the story keeps getting better and better!

Omid and Alexis are parents of two children. He enjoys exploring and adventuring with his family as well as connecting with others to uncover the deeper truths of life.

Connect with Dr. Omid Naim:



Website: https://lamaidaproject.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamaidaproject/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lamaidaproject/

Meet Jennifer Kolari

Jennifer Kolari is the host of the “Connected Parenting” weekly podcast and the co-host of “The Mental Health Comedy” podcast. Kolari is a frequent guest on Nationwide morning shows and podcasts in th US and Canada. Her advice can also be found in many Canadian and US magazines such as; Today’s Parent, Parents Magazine and Canadian Family.

Kolari’s powerful parenting model is based on the neurobiology of love, teaching parents how to use compassion and empathy as powerful medicine to transform challenging behavior and build children’s emotional resilience and emotional shock absorbers.

Jennifer’s wisdom, quick wit and down to earth style help parents navigate modern-day parenting problems, offering real-life examples as well as practical and effective tools and strategies.

Her highly entertaining, inspiring workshops are shared with warmth and humour, making her a crowd-pleasing speaker with schools, medical professionals, corporations and agencies throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

One of the nation’s leading parenting experts, Jennifer Kolari, is a highly sought- after international speaker and the founder of Connected Parenting. A child and family therapist with a busy practice based in San Diego and Toronto, Kolari is also the author of Connected Parenting: How to Raise A Great Kid (Penguin Group USA and Penguin Canada, 2009) and You’re Ruining My Life! (But Not Really): Surviving the Teenage Years with Connected Parenting (Penguin Canada, 2011).