Sara Dimerman in conversation with J.M. Kearns. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about:

• How our "How can I be your lover when I'm too busy being your mother?" book came to be
• The Mother Syndrome and how big of a problem it is
• the connection with feeling and acting like a mother to one's partner and the lack of intimacy
• an overview of our book and what one will learn from reading it
• How a couple can implement our step by step plan
• what to do if one partner is not on board

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Betty Cornelius. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about:

• What is a kinship family?
• How common is it that children are being raised by their grandparents?
• What is CANGRANDS?
• How does CANGRANDS reaches out to and helps grandparents.
• How and why are grandchildren typically raised by their grandparents?
• What is different about raising a grandchild compared to raising a child of ones own? What special requirements need to be in place?
• What if the grandparents don't have the resources to provide for their grandchildren?
• How does raising ones grandchildren typically affect the dynamics
• How are grandchildren typically affected - both positively and not as positively by being raised in a kinship family?
• CANGRANDS Hearts & Hands Quilt project
• How the rate of kinship families compares between Canada, the USA and other countries.
• How kinship families from around the world can connect with one another.

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Liana Lowenstein. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about:

• What are some of the more common loss experiences for young children? Less common?
• Do young children grieve? What are some of the different ways in which children cope with loss?
• What factors determine how well or poorly child deals with loss?
• What are some of the warning signs that a child is not coping well
• How should we, as parents, help our child deal with loss?
• what should we be careful of doing or saying when our children are dealing with loss?
• What if we are coping with the same loss? should we hide our pain from our children? why or why not?
• what about if children are not showing any difficulty after a loss? might it still be beneficial to talk or receive therapy from a professional?
• What are some resources for children coping with loss?
• Books recommended for parents and children?

Sara Dimerman In conversation with Rick Kelly. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about:

• What restorative/restorative justice means?
• How long the restorative justice model has been used and how it evolved?
• Other options for dealing with bullying issues
• How the restorative justice model works
• Who facilitates this process in schools
• The benefits of being with the right facilitator in a safe, supportive environment
• The risks of being with a facilitator who is not trained/certified
• How parents can familiarize themselves with the model being used in their children's school in relation to bullying
• How teachers and administrators can encourage the restorative justice model as an intervention and form of prevention

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Barbara Lebo. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about:

• Possible causes of autism
• Signs to look for in recognizing that your child may be autistic
• The roller coaster of emotions when raising a special needs child
• The impact that raising an autistic child has on the family
• Treatment options when caring for an autistic child
• How to advocate for your autistic child at school
• What to consider regarding school placement – mainstream or a specially contained classroom
• How treatment programs can be integrated into the school/educational system
• Practical strategies that can make a difference – at home and school
• Resources and supports for parents and children

Related links:

• An Unexpected Life: A Mother and Son's Story of Love, Determination, Autism, and Art

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Janet Nezon. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about:

• What a "healthy eater" means
• At what age children become more discerning in regards to taste and texture of food
• Whether children's tastes and eating behaviour change as they grow
• Tips for parents on guiding their children towards healthy eating habits
• What and who the most important influencers on a child's eating behaviour are
• Whether its okay for children to skip meals, eat "junk" food and not eat the vegetables on their plate
• Tips on how to eliminate meal time power struggles eg getting children to try new foods and refusing what has already been prepared
• What a "picky eater" means and how to deal with one
• Working as a family towards healthy eating behaviour

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Kate Davidson and Carol Y. Barber. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about:

• How to identify signs that your child may be more distractible, inattentive or hyperactive when compared to the average child his/her age.
• Reasons why your child may be distractible, inattentive or hyperactive.
• What steps to take in order to have your child assessed and by whom.
• Why a formal assessment may be key to getting your child the help he/she needs
• The tests that may be used to assess your child.
• Treatment approaches to dealing with children who are distractible, inattentive or hyperactive.
• How to advocate on your child's behalf at school and outside of school
• Dos and don'ts when dealing with a child who is distractible, inattentive or hyperactive.
• What resources and supports are available to you and your child.

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Dr. Karen Leitner. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about:

• What changes to expect in behaviour and attitude from your 12-18 year old.
• The most powerful influences on your tween/teen during this stage of life.
• What you can do to keep your adolescent connected to your family.
• Setting limits and what to do when your child goes against them.
• What to expect and how to respond if your child is using drugs, alcohol or engaged in sexual behaviour.
• How to promote healthy self esteem in your tween/teen.
• How to detect the early stages of an unhealthy relationship with food or body image and what you can do about it.
• How to detect self injurious behaviour such as cutting and what you can do about it.
• How to detect depression or other mental health issues in your child and what to do about it.

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Dr. Debby Zweig. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about:

• How to identify signs that your child may be more anxious than an average child his/her age
• What steps to take in order to have him/her assessed and by whom
• The different kinds of anxiety disorders e.g. phobia, separation anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder and what this all means
• Different treatment approaches to dealing with anxiety in children
• Your emotional reaction to learning that your child has an anxiety disorder
• How to advocate on your child's behalf at school and outside of school
• Dos and don'ts when dealing with an anxious child
• What resources and supports are available to you and your child

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Deborah Moskovitch. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about:

• The normal range of mixed emotion you will experience after the separation.
• The most common mistakes that parents unintentionally make with their children after the separation.
• The most important factors to keep in mind in order for your children to be least affected by the changes to your family.
• The best ways to respond to your children's most common questions such as "will daddy ever come live with us again?" and "do you still love mommy?"
• How to cope with the changes to your social life: what's there to do when you're feeling lonely on a Saturday night.
• The domino effect: how to deal with friends and family who are feeling the impact of the changes too.
• When, where and how to introduce your children to a new partner.
• Resources and supports available to you.