Exceptional Parenting Podcast

We are in the midst of the worst drug epidemic in U.S. history. And it’s getting worse. The data is in, and the numbers are shocking: 1 in 12 children under the age of 18 now faces a Substance Abuse Disorder. That number rises to 1 in 6 for young adults. So, what can parents do to protect their kids from developing addictions that halt normal brain development in its tracks and derail their most precious dreams? In this episode, substance abuse expert, Carolyn Bradfield, discusses the actionable steps parents can take to prevent their children from engaging in substance use and becoming one of the 27 million Americans struggling with addiction.

About Our Guest:

Carolyn Bradfield is a serial entrepreneur and technology executive with a 30-year track in starting, growing and exiting companies in conferencing and collaboration and SaaS technology. She co-founded Phoenix Outdoor, a licensed wilderness therapy program in North Carolina, focused on substance abuse and addiction and intense family treatment. In December 2017, she lost her 29-year-old daughter, Laura, to an overdose after a 15-year battle with addiction. As a result, Carolyn is now committed to helping families identify children at risk for addiction and creating strategies to prevent the disease. This new initiative is The Laura Project offering a content-rich educational online portal for teachers and parents to help them better understand the disease, its prevention, and treatment in children and teenagers.

To what extent should you monitor your child’s life on social media? Should you allow your teen unlimited privacy on Instagram, Snapchat, or Facebook, or must privacy be earned? And if it must be earned, how might that happen? In this episode, author, international speaker, and digital health consultant, Janell Burley Hofmann (alongside Exceptional Parenting Podcast host, Stefanie Boucher), gives parents a crash course on the ins and outs of social media use in adolescence. Tune in now for answers to the above questions, practical tips for raising good digital citizens, and advice for helping kids maintain a healthy self-image in a digital world filled with unrealistic expectations.

Kids love social media. But many parents dread the (inevitable) day their son or daughter opens up that first Instagram or Facebook account. "Is my tween old enough for Snapchat?" "Will my middle schooler be safe online?" "Is my teen spending too much time 'socializing' on her smart phone?" In this episode, author, international speaker, and digital health consultant, Janell Burley Hofmann (alongside Exceptional Parenting Podcast host, Stefanie Boucher), gives parents a crash course on the ins and outs of social media use in adolescence. Tune in now for answers to the above questions, as well as for practical tips parents can use to ensure that their kids become good digital citizens.

Do you ever feel as though your kids simply aren’t listening to you? In this episode, social worker, author, and public speaker, Gena M. Rotas, LICSW, discusses the positive communication techniques that can help parents strengthen the relationship they have with their kids. Tune in to learn about the most common communcation challenges faced by modern families, how to overcome them, and how you can finally get your kids to feed the cat, do their homework, and take out the trash!