Connected Parenting

In this week's episode, we're diving into the intriguing world of gifted children.

Now, even if you don't think your child is gifted, I encourage you to listen in because this episode is packed with insights that can benefit all parents.

I'll be sharing a unique checklist I've developed over the years. It's not diagnostic, nor is it infallible, but it's a tool I use to identify potential signs of giftedness based on certain behavior clusters. If these behaviors are present, I often suggest to families that they might want to consider getting their child tested, especially if they feel their child could thrive in a specialized educational setting.

Are you curious about the signs of giftedness and how recognizing these traits could help your child's development? If so, join me for this episode as we unravel the struggles and potential hidden talents of the gifted child!

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).

Today we are tackling a topic I believe is crucial for our children's development: healthy adversity.

If you're familiar with my work, you'll know I've often discussed the importance of life's contrasts and contours. I'm not talking about big traumas or terrifying experiences – no one wishes for those. But it's about the smaller, challenging experiences that might seem monumental to a child.

How does facing something painful, difficult, or seemingly impossible help them grow? What happens when a child learns that they can overcome an obstacle that initially felt insurmountable?

This kind of resilience-building is key to their development.

If you're curious about how to help your child navigate and learn from life's lesser hardships, effectively preparing them for bigger challenges, this episode is for you.

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, I'm delving into the topic of building resilience and recuperation in our children.

Recent years have taught us how quickly life can change, bringing disappointments and challenges. Many families have faced significant hardships, from losing loved ones to undergoing financial upheavals. But here's a crucial question: Are our kids equipped to handle these disappointments?

In our effort to smooth out every bump for them, have we inadvertently left them unprepared for life's inevitable setbacks?

I believe that shielding children from every hurt and disappointment does more harm than good. The ability to handle life's troubles, be it breakups, not making a team, or job rejections, develops through experience.

So, how do we ensure our children are developing this vital resilience? Find out in this week's episode.

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 of my podcast, I delve into a fascinating topic that I often refer to as 'gladiator kids.' Have you ever wondered why some children constantly respond with 'no,' 'why,' or 'not now'?

What's behind this strong-willed defiance?

Is it just their temperament, or could it be something more, like ADHD or being on the spectrum?

Intriguingly, there's a concept known as pathological demand avoidance, which I believe is a common thread among many of these children.

What exactly is pathological demand avoidance, and how does it manifest in kids? Could your child be showing signs of it?

Let's unravel these mysteries together. Tune in to gain insights and perhaps, understand your little gladiator a bit better!

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).

Ever wondered why we, as parents, sometimes resort to yelling, even when we know it's not the most effective approach?

Yelling is like an age-old parenting reflex, but let's be honest – it rarely brings out the best in our kids or us.

In this episode, I uncover the 'why' behind our shouting tendencies, the real impact it has on our little ones (hint: it's not good), and most importantly, what we can do instead.

Let's embark on a journey to discover effective, positive ways of parenting that nurture a happier, healthier family dynamic. 

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 wondered about the untapped potential of your mind?

Picture this: an average of 60,000 thoughts flow through our heads every day. But here's the catch – a whopping 75-80% of them are negative.

Today we are diving into the fascinating world of thought hygiene.

This isn't just about thinking happy thoughts. It's about understanding how your thoughts shape your reality. With 100 billion neurons and 500 trillion synapses firing at 300 miles an hour – this symphony of activity happening inside your head can either be a catalyst for positivity or a vortex of negativity.

So how can embracing thought hygiene be transformative for you and your family? Find out in this week's episode.

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).

We've previously discussed the fight and flight responses, but the freeze response is equally important and often less understood. In this episode, we'll be exploring what's happening inside the brain when this response kicks in.

Whether you're a parent of a child, teenager, or young adult, or you're just curious about the inner workings of the human brain, this discussion has something for everyone.

So, what exactly occurs during the freeze response? Tune in to find out! 

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 parents, we are the architects of our children’s brains, and our parents were the architects of ours. In truth, we are all walking around as adults with programming that was installed before we were seven years old.

Self-compassion and loving self-parenting are critical to good mental health and help us be better parents to our children. Join me for some insight and tips on how we ensure we are making these kinds of steps for ourselves.

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).

Join me for an episode of guidance, insights, and support on various topics that you, my amazing listeners, have sent in.

From nurturing your child's emotional well-being to managing those tricky moments, we've got you covered. Tune in and become part of our parenting community where we learn and grow together.

Your questions fuel these discussions, so keep them coming! 

Jennifer's Takeaways:

Anxious feelings and controlling behavior (0:00)

Calming anxious children (2:19)

Play and positive reinforcement (6:49)

Child development and executive functioning (8:59)

Overcome shyness and anxiety (13:40)

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).

My guest this week Korbalagae Kuawogai is not your average kindergarten teacher; she's an absolute expert in her field and the brilliant mind behind "Teach My Kinder."

Korbalagae is on a mission to support preschool and kindergarten moms and parents, helping them kick that overwhelming stress to the curb when it comes to their children's reading progress.

If you are ready to have your kids actually enjoying the process of learning to read this episode is for you!

Jennifer's Takeaways:

• Early childhood education and parenting (01:43)
• Teaching kindergarten during COVID-19 pandemic (07:49)
• Reading skills and phonemic awareness (10:57)
• The importance of reading and making it enjoyable for children (15:18)
• Making reading fun and engaging for children (21:17)
• Using fun activities to teach reading and math (24:27)
• Parental fears and misconceptions about reading development (29:59)
• Teaching children to read through concrete and abstract methods (35:39)
• Parenting strategies for early childhood development (45:04)

About Korbalagae Kuawogai

Korbalagae helps preschool/kindergarten Moms to stop stressing and feeling overwhelmed about their children’s reading progress so they can focus on teaching their children to read while having fun. She is passionate about sharing early literacy information to help Moms take an active role in their children’s learning. She is the founder of Teach My Kinder.

Connect with Korbalagae:

Website: www.teachmykinder.com/connectedparenting

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kindergartenreadingskills

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).