Educated Parent: Evidence-Based Parenting Tips to Solve Everyday Parenting Problems

Have you ever opened Instagram after your kids go to bed and suddenly found yourself wondering if everything you're doing as a parent is wrong?

One reel tells you the phrase you should never say to your child. Another warns that something seemingly harmless could damage your relationship forever. Before you know it, your parenting anxiety is through the roof, the mom guilt has kicked in, and you're second-guessing decisions you felt perfectly fine about 10 minutes ago.

In this episode, I'm talking about parenting and social media, specifically why so much parenting content online feels terrifying. As a child psychologist and a parent, I see how fear-based advice affects families, and I've even felt that anxiety myself. So, I'm sharing a framework for separating genuinely helpful information from content that's designed to scare you, sell to you, or convince you there's one magic formula for effective parenting.

In this episode, I cover:

• How parenting anxiety can make us especially vulnerable to advice that promises one simple solution
• Why mom guilt can skyrocket when we're constantly told that one wrong phrase or decision could damage our children
• Why nuance matters when evaluating advice about effective parenting, and why “always do this” or “never say that” should make you cautious
• Why navigating parenting and social media requires becoming a more cautious consumer, even when the person you're watching seems to understand your exact struggle

If Instagram leaves you feeling like you're failing your kids, remember that feeling anxious doesn't mean the content you're consuming is accurate. Good advice should help you understand your child and make thoughtful decisions, not send your parenting anxiety spiraling or pile on more mom guilt.

There isn't one perfect phrase or magic formula for effective parenting. Real children, real families, and real relationships are much more nuanced than that. And when it comes to parenting and social media, you are allowed to question what you're seeing, look at who's giving the advice, and decide that some content simply isn't worth consuming.

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Realizing your child may need a new school can feel incredibly overwhelming. Where do you even start? How many schools should you consider? And how do you know whether a school that sounds great on paper will actually be the right fit for your child?

In this episode, I’m joined by Julie Blumberg and Dee Dee Halpin of Houston School Options to break down how to choose a school for your child without getting lost in all the possibilities. We talk about changing schools, what parents should look for during a school search, and why the right school environment can have such a significant impact on a child’s happiness, confidence, and life at home. This is one of those parenting resources that brings together parenting and education in a really practical way.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Julie Blumberg and Dee Dee Halpin recommend beginning your search, including researching schools, talking to other families, and exploring different educational approaches
• Why figuring out how to choose a school for your child requires looking beyond what worked for your friend’s child or what people recommend in a Facebook group
• Why changing schools can affect much more than academics, especially when a child’s current environment is affecting confidence, behavior, or happiness at home
• Why applications, testing, interviews, tours, and deadlines can make parenting and education decisions feel like a second job
• Why some of the best parenting resources provide an outside perspective when emotions make it difficult to evaluate your options objectively

If you’re considering changing schools, start exploring before you feel like you’re in a crisis. Julie Blumberg and Dee Dee Halpin remind us that learning how to choose a school for your child is about understanding your individual child and family, exploring what’s actually available, and tuning out some of the outside noise. When it comes to parenting and education, having trustworthy parenting resources and a clear process can make an overwhelming decision feel much more manageable.

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CONNECT WITH JULIE AND DEE DEE:

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Have you ever planned a fun family outing only to spend the entire time dealing with whining, disappointment, tantrums, and meltdowns? You get home exhausted and wonder, “Wasn’t this supposed to be fun?”

In this episode of Educated Parent, I’m sharing one of my favorite positive parenting techniques for making family outings go more smoothly: talk about expectations before you leave. So much of challenging child behavior comes from a simple disconnect between what we think is going to happen and what our kids have already imagined will happen. A little communication with children ahead of time can prevent a lot of frustration once you’re actually there.

In this episode, I cover:

• Why unexpected disappointment can help explain how to deal with tantrums before they even begin
• Why good communication with children doesn’t mean giving kids everything they want
• How setting expectations in advance is one of the simplest positive parenting techniques for helping kids handle hearing “no”
• How consistency affects child behavior, including why giving in after you’ve already said no can lead to bigger tantrums next time
• Why understanding how to deal with tantrums also means following through on the expectations you’ve set

If you’re wondering how to deal with tantrums without avoiding fun family experiences altogether, start by getting everyone on the same page before you go. Clear communication with children, realistic expectations, and consistent follow-through are positive parenting techniques that can build trust while helping you respond to challenging child behavior with more confidence.

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We hear people say things like, “He’s so OCD” or “I’m so OCD” all the time. But what does OCD actually look like in a child? And how can you tell when your child simply likes things a certain way versus when their behavior might be driven by something more serious?

In this episode of Educated Parent, I’m joined by psychologist Dr. Chad Brandt, who specializes in treating severe OCD in children and adolescents. Dr. Brandt is trained in the Bergen four-day treatment for OCD and has been providing full-day intensive treatment since 2020. We talk about how ordinary routines and repetitive behavior can differ from OCD, the warning signs parents should pay attention to, and why understanding parenting and child development can help us avoid both over-pathologizing normal behavior and overlooking a child who needs support. It’s exactly the kind of nuanced conversation I want more parenting podcasts to have.

In this episode, we cover:

• What OCD in children actually looks like and how obsessions, compulsions, fear, and interference with daily life fit together
• How to distinguish normal childhood preferences and repetitive behavior from rituals that are driven by anxiety or fear
• Why Dr. Chad Brandt looks at how much time OCD consumes when considering the severity of a child's symptoms
• How letting children experience manageable discomfort instead of immediately fixing it connects parenting and child development with building confidence and resilience

If you're sorting through repetitive behavior and wondering whether it's simply part of your child's personality or could be OCD in children, this conversation with Dr. Chad Brandt can help you know what to watch for and when to seek an expert evaluation. Among parenting podcasts, I hope Educated Parent can give you the evidence-based information you need to feel more confident navigating parenting and child development when your child is struggling.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

International OCD Foundation Website

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CONNECT WITH DR. CHAD BRANDT:

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Have you ever felt completely touched out by the end of the day, but guilty for wanting your child to just stop touching you? I want you to know that needing physical space doesn't make you a bad parent, and setting limits around your body isn't harmful to your child.

In this episode of Educated Parent, I'm talking about why parenting boundaries around physical touch are not only okay, but important for our kids to learn. I'll explain why I don't believe children need unlimited access to our bodies in order to regulate, how setting limits teaches bodily autonomy and consent, and why respectful parenting means that your comfort and safety matter, too. I'm also sharing practical parenting tips you can use when your child climbs on you, pulls your hair, jumps on you, or keeps touching you after you've had enough.

In this episode, I cover:

• Why being touched out is a valid reason to set limits around how and when your child touches you
• How parenting boundaries teach your child about bodily autonomy, consent, personal space, and respecting other people's bodies
• How respectful parenting includes modeling that everyone, including parents, gets to decide how their body is touched
• My practical parenting tips for clearly explaining a boundary, offering your child an alternative, following through when they ignore the limit, and praising them when they respect it
• How setting limits when you're touched out can help your child learn other ways to regulate instead of always relying on another person's body
• Why practicing parenting boundaries at home can help kids understand personal space and physical safety with friends, teachers, and other people

You don't have to sacrifice your own physical comfort to be a loving parent. These parenting tips are about using respectful parenting to teach your child that their body matters, other people's bodies matter, and everyone deserves to have their boundaries respected. So if you're feeling touched out, remember that setting clear parenting boundaries can be good for you, good for your child, and good for your relationship.

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Getting your child to eat vegetables can turn dinner into a nightly power struggle. You serve the broccoli, carrots, or cauliflower; your child refuses, and suddenly you're negotiating over every bite. If you've ever wondered how to get kids to eat vegetables without making everyone miserable, registered dietitian Jennifer Anderson of Kids Eat in Color has a surprisingly simple approach.

In this episode of Educated Parent, I talk with Jennifer about taking the pressure, guilt, and morality out of feeding kids. We discuss why picky eaters often become even more resistant when they sense pressure, what healthy eating for kids can look like without forcing bites, and practical parenting tips that can make dinner feel more relaxed and connected.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why learning how to get kids to eat vegetables starts with letting go of the idea that your success as a parent depends on what your child eats
• Why telling picky eaters they "have to try it" can actually make them more resistant to unfamiliar foods
• Why modeling the behavior you want is one of the simplest parenting tips you can try at dinner tonight
• Why laughter, jokes, and connection at the dinner table can support a less stressful approach to healthy eating for kids

You don't need another complicated dinner strategy or a new way to convince your child to take "just one bite." Jennifer's approach to how to get kids to eat vegetables is about changing the environment instead of controlling the outcome. These parenting tips can help you take the pressure off picky eaters while building a more positive approach to healthy eating for kids - one toothpick, laugh, and low-pressure meal at a time.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Feed Them Well by Jennifer Anderson

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CONNECT WITH JENNIFER ANDERSON:

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Parenting has always been demanding, but what happens when you suddenly feel more anxious, irritable, overwhelmed, or forgetful than you used to? For many moms, these changes can feel like a personal failure when they may actually be perimenopause symptoms. And because we don't talk nearly enough about hormone changes in women, it can be difficult to recognize what's really going on.

In this episode, I talk with reproductive psychiatrist Elisabeth Netherton about perimenopause, parenting, and women's mental health. We explore why anxiety, sleep problems, mood changes, and brain fog in women can affect everything from keeping track of your child's schedule to responding calmly when your kid pushes your buttons.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why perimenopause symptoms can show up years before you might expect them
• How hormone changes in women can influence mood, anxiety, sleep, attention, and the way you respond to your kids
• Why brain fog in women can make managing school schedules, activities, work, and family responsibilities suddenly feel much harder
• How struggles with women's mental health during perimenopause can be mistaken for simply "not handling things well"

If you've been wondering why parenting suddenly feels harder, this conversation may help you see your experience differently. Understanding perimenopause symptoms, recognizing brain fog in women, and talking more openly about women's mental health and hormone changes in women can help replace guilt and shame with information, self-compassion, and a clearer path toward getting the support you need.

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CONNECT WITH ELISABETH NETHERTON:

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Bringing a new baby home can be joyful, exhausting, isolating, and completely overwhelming.

Suddenly you're responsible for this tiny person while trying to figure out when you're supposed to sleep, shower, eat, or have a moment to yourself. And all that pressure to do everything "right" can create some serious mom guilt. In this episode, pediatric nurse practitioner and lactation counselor Elyse Traverse joins me to share practical advice for new moms that might sound counterintuitive but can make those early months a whole lot easier.

We talk about why taking care of yourself doesn't mean neglecting your baby, how finding the right postpartum support can make new motherhood less isolating, and why you don't need to entertain your baby every second they're awake. From creating simple baby "stations" around your home to leaving a perfectly happy baby alone, these strategies can give overwhelmed parents permission to meet their own needs without feeling like they're doing something wrong.

In this episode, we cover:

• Practical advice for new moms who aren't sure how to meet their own needs with a baby at home
• Why mom guilt makes parents feel like they should constantly entertain or stimulate their baby
• How finding a community of parents in the same stage of life can provide valuable postpartum support
• How overwhelmed parents can take care of themselves while still giving their babies what they need
• More advice for new moms about doing everyday activities while your baby is awake instead of waiting for naps
• How letting go of mom guilt can benefit both you and your baby
• Why community and postpartum support can make such a difference during an isolating season

You don't need to spend every waking moment entertaining your baby to be a good parent. For overwhelmed parents, giving yourself permission to shower, get something done, or simply enjoy a few quiet minutes while your baby is happy can be good for everyone. Letting go of some mom guilt and building the right postpartum support around you can help you feel more like yourself while caring for your new baby.

LET'S CONNECT:

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CONNECT WITH ELYSE TRAVERSE:

Email - [email protected]

Mom’s Group Meeting - South Boston Community Health Center - Every Wednesday at 1pm in the Community Room on the 3rd floor

One of the biggest transitions of the year is here: back to school. New teachers, new classrooms, new routines, and plenty of unknowns can create back-to-school anxiety for kids and parents alike. In this episode, I’m sharing what to say when your child starts worrying about the new school year, including how to validate feelings without accidentally reinforcing their fears. We’ll also talk about how confident parenting can help children face uncertainty instead of avoiding it.

You’ll learn why repeatedly promising that "everything will be fine" isn’t always helpful, how to use logic and past experiences to work through worries, and why rescuing kids from uncomfortable situations can actually make anxiety stronger. We’ll also discuss the difference between typical school-year nerves and signs and symptoms of childhood anxiety that may mean your child needs additional support.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why back-to-school anxiety is a normal response to change, uncertainty, and new situations
• How to validate feelings when your child tells you they’re worried about school
• How confident parenting teaches kids that they can handle uncomfortable feelings and difficult situations
• The signs and symptoms of childhood anxiety that can help you recognize when worry is interfering with your child’s daily life
• How parents can manage their own back-to-school anxiety while helping their kids navigate theirs

The goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety before the first day of school. It’s to help your child recognize that anxiety is a normal feeling, understand that they can handle hard things, and know that you’ll be there to support them if something doesn’t go according to plan. Learning how to validate feelings while resisting the urge to over-reassure is an important part of confident parenting. And recognizing the signs and symptoms of childhood anxiety can help you know when ordinary worries may require additional support.

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One of the most frightening moments as a parent is when your young child tells you that something upsetting happened. Your mind immediately jumps to the worst-case scenario, but reacting too quickly can make it harder to understand what actually happened.

In this episode, I'm joined by child psychologist and trauma specialist Jenny Hughes to discuss how to respond in a way that helps your child feel safe, heard, and supported. You'll learn how to validate feelings without making assumptions, why calm communication with children matters so much in these moments, and how positive parenting techniques can help you navigate these difficult conversations with confidence.

Jenny shares a simple three-step framework: validate your child's emotions, gather more information with open-ended questions, and wait until you're calm to make a plan if needed. We also discuss why young children may unintentionally embellish details, how to avoid asking leading questions, and why preserving trust is more important than immediately finding every answer.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why how to validate feelings is the first step when your child shares something upsetting
• How communication with children can help you gather information without leading them
• Why open-ended questions are more effective than yes-or-no questions
• How positive parenting techniques strengthen trust during difficult conversations
• Practical insights from trauma specialist Jenny Hughes on helping children feel safe and heard

If you've ever wondered how to validate feelings, improve communication with children, and use positive parenting techniques when your child shares something upsetting, this episode with Jenny Hughes will give you a practical framework you can use the next time your child opens up to you.

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CONNECT WITH JENNY HUGHES:

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LinkedIn