Do you know how to disagree with your kid without a fight breaking out?

Most of us have been told that the fix for a bad disagreement is more empathy — really try to see it from their side. But Julia Minson, negotiation researcher at Harvard's Kennedy School, joins Dr. Aliza Pressman to share what her experimental research actually shows: telling someone to "try harder to empathize" barely changes the outcome of a conflict. Instead, Julia and Aliza dig into why disagreement has gotten so much more fraught in families, what really makes someone feel heard, and a concrete, teachable framework for disagreeing with your kids, your partner, or anyone else without torching the relationship.

What you’ll learn:

🔗 RESOURCES & LINKS:

📖 Buy Julia Minson's book, How to Disagree Better

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/774525/how-to-disagree-better-by-julia-minson/

📱 Follow Raising Good Humans Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raisinggoodhumanspodcast/

📧 Follow Raising Good Humans with Dr. Aliza Pressman on Substack: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/

🎙️ Follow Raising Good Humans Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-good-humans/id1473072044

📖Order "The 5 Principles of Parenting" by Dr. Aliza Pressman: https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Parenting-Essential-Raising-Humans/dp/166801453X

This episode is brought to you by:

Great Wolf Lodge: With 22 lodges across the country, you’re always only a short drive away from adventure. Learn more at GreatWolf.com and strengthen the pack.

Boar’s Head: For lunchtime inspiration visit: boarshead.com/backtoschool. For Boar’s Head, head to your local deli counter.

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BetterHelp: See the reviews, see what stands out, and see if BetterHelp is right for you. Visit Betterhelp.com/humans. 

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Do you use your imagination enough?

Most parents think of imagination as something for playtime — a "nice to have" that fades once kids get older and life gets "serious." But Dr. Cassandra Vieten, director of science programs at the Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination at UC San Diego, joins Dr. Aliza Pressman to make the case that imagination is a trainable skill with real developmental and psychological weight. They unpack the connection between imagination and anxiety, why kids naturally live closer to the "field of possibility" than adults do, and how something as simple as a car-ride question can open up conversations that "how was your day?" never will.

What You’ll Learn:

🔗 RESOURCES & LINKS: 📖 Pre-order "Imagine That: How You Can Transform How You Think, Feel, and Live Through the Science of Imagination" by Dr. Cassandra Vieten: https://cassandravieten.com/books/ 

📱 Follow Raising Good Humans Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raisinggoodhumanspodcast/ 📧 Follow Raising Good Humans with Dr. Aliza Pressman on Substack: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/ 🎙️ Follow Raising Good Humans Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-good-humans/id1473072044

This episode is brought to you by:

Kodiak: Feel good about snack choices with Kodiak Bars. Find them at kodiakcakes.com or your local grocery store. They’re the ones with the bear on the box.

Great Wolf Lodge: Don’t miss The 84-Degree Sale. Book August 2nd through 5th at Greatwolf.com for an easy family getaway—only at Great Wolf Lodge, always just a short drive away.

Goodr: Ready to upgrade your eyewear to something functional, fashionable, fun, and affordable? Head to goodr.com/HUMANS to claim $10 off your first order.

Boar’s Head: For lunchtime inspiration visit: boarshead.com/backtoschool. For Boar’s Head, head to your local deli counter

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Aliza Pressman answers your hardest parenting questions: toddler tantrums, screen time guilt, porn talks, vaping teens & social media limits.

Real parenting questions don't come with a manual — so Dr. Aliza Pressman, developmental psychologist and New York Times bestselling author, is answering yours. In this listener Q&A episode, Dr. Pressman offers practical, shame-free parenting strategies rooted in child development research — helping you move from panic and guilt to clarity and connection, no matter what stage your kid is in.

What You’ll Learn:

🔗 RESOURCES & LINKS:

📖Order "The 5 Principles of Parenting" by Dr. Aliza Pressman: https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Parenting-Essential-Raising-Humans/dp/166801453X

📱Follow Raising Good Humans Podcast on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/raisinggoodhumanspodcast/

📧Follow Raising Good Humans with Dr. Aliza Pressman on Substack: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/

🎙️Follow Raising Good Humans Podcast:

 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-good-humans/id1473072044

This episode is brought to you by:

OneSkin: Unlock your healthiest skin now and as you age. For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code RGH at oneskin.co/RGH

Kodiak: Feel good about snack choices with Kodiak Bars. Find them at kodiakcakes.com or your local grocery store. They’re the ones with the bear on the box.

Great Wolf Lodge: With 22 lodges across the country, you’re always only a short drive away from adventure. Learn more at GreatWolf.com and strengthen the pack.

Wayfair: Ready to upgrade your home for way less? Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home and get your space ready for less.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can you actually grow your brain? Johns Hopkins neurologist Dr. Majid Fotuhi reveals 5 science-backed ways to build brain volume — even in the chaos of parenthood.

In this episode of Raising Good Humans Podcast, Dr. Fotuhi breaks down the research on neuroplasticity and brain health, and helps us all understand how measurable brain growth is possible in as little as 12 weeks.

What You’ll Learn:

Your brain isn't declining — it's waiting for the right conditions to grow. The science is more hopeful than you think.

🔗 RESOURCES & LINKS:

📚The Invincible Brain by Dr. Majid Fotuhi: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-invincible-brain-majid-fotuhi?variant=43878812614690

🧠The Invincible Brain App (free): 

https://drfotuhi.com/online-course-app/

📖Order "The 5 Principles of Parenting" by Dr. Aliza Pressman: https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Parenting-Essential-Raising-Humans/dp/166801453X

📱Follow Raising Good Humans Podcast on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/raisinggoodhumanspodcast/

📧Follow Raising Good Humans with Dr. Aliza Pressman on Substack: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/

🎙️Follow Raising Good Humans Podcast:

 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-good-humans/id1473072044

This episode is brought to you by:

Merit Beauty: It's time for your makeup and skincare to meet the reality of your daily routine with Merit Beauty.com

MyPhone by Ooma: Safe calling with parental controls. Go to ooma.com/myphone to shop phones and learn more. 

Kodiak: Feel good about snack choices with Kodiak Bars. Find them at kodiakcakes.com or your local grocery store. They’re the ones with the bear on the box.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Should your child get a neuropsychological evaluation? Neuropsychologist Dr. Joanna Jacobs explains what it reveals, who needs one, and why it's not scary.

If you've ever been told your child might need a neuropsychological evaluation and felt your stomach drop, this episode is for you. Dr. Aliza Pressman sits down with neuropsychologist Dr. Joanna Jacobs to demystify what a neuro psych evaluation actually is, what it can tell you about your child's learning profile, and why so many parents leave the process feeling relieved rather than devastated. Whether your child is struggling with reading, attention, executive functioning, or social communication — or whether they seem fine on paper but something feels off at home — this conversation will help you understand what the evaluation process looks like, what questions to ask, and how to make sense of what you find out.

What you'll learn:

This episode is brought to you by:

OneSkin: Unlock your healthiest skin now and as you age. For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code RGH at oneskin.co/RGH

Kodiak: Kodiak Bars help keep busy families fueled, satisfied, and ready for whatever the day brings. Find them at kodiakcakes.com or your local grocery store.

Goodr: Ready to upgrade your eyewear to something functional, fashionable, fun, and affordable? Head to goodr.com/HUMANS to claim $10 off your first order.

BetterHelp: You don’t have to say yes to everything this summer. Find support in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/humans.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why do constraints help kids thrive? Dr. Aliza Pressman & David Epstein reveal the counterintuitive science of raising resilient, confident children.

If you've ever wondered whether making things easier for your kids is actually holding them back, this episode will stop you in your tracks. Dr. Aliza Pressman sits down with bestselling science writer David Epstein, author of Inside the Box, to unpack the research-backed case for constraints as one of the most powerful — and most misunderstood — tools in child development. From the Harvard Study of Adult Development's landmark findings on chores and confidence, to the neuroscience of why frustration tolerance is a skill every parent should be actively building, this conversation gives you concrete strategies you can implement this week. Starting at the dinner table.

What you’ll learn:

Why assigning chores in kindergarten predicts higher self-confidence later, and how to frame them so kids actually want to do them

What the Constraints-Led Approach (used by elite sports coaches) can teach every parent about stepping back and letting kids self-organize

"Brain first, tool second," David's framework for navigating AI, screens, and the cognitive risks of passive consumption

Why anomie (normlessness) drives youth anxiety and how clear family values and rituals act as a protective anchor

This episode is brought to you by:

Minnow: Cabana Capsule celebrates days spent lingering by the sea, soaking up the sun, and savoring the simple luxury of having nowhere to be. Shop the capsule starting July 7th at shopminnow.com and enter code MEETMINNOW15 at checkout to receive 15% off your first order.

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What if the hardest part of dating after divorce isn't whether you're ready, but whether your kids are?

This solo episode tackles one of the most-asked, least-discussed questions in the inbox: how to start dating again after divorce in a way that honors your own life and your children's emotional reality. It's a topic carrying guilt, grief, longing, worry, and the very real truth that you are still a living, breathing person who wants a romantic life. 

Drawing on listener-submitted questions, this conversation walks through the practical and emotional terrain of re-entering romantic life. We will discuss why your timeline almost never matches your child's, what inner work to do before your first date back, how to introduce a new partner without quietly handing your kids the job of approving them, and how to be honest about loneliness without making them feel responsible for filling it.

What you'll learn:

Why your child's timeline is on a totally different track than yours and the rough one-year guideline for keeping your dating life "off-stage"

The two moves to avoid when you introduce a new partner, including the one that quietly puts adult-sized weight on your child's shoulders

What to actually say when the blunt questions come and why your kids can never be the ones who fill your loneliness

This episode is brought to you by:

OneSkin: Unlock your healthiest skin now and as you age. For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code RGH at oneskin.co/RGH

MyPhone by Ooma: Safe calling with parental controls. Go to ooma.com/myphone to shop phones and learn more. 

Wayfair: Patio season is here and these deals won’t last! head to Wayfair.com right now to get your outdoor space ready for way less.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Postpartum depression isn't just for moms. Dr. Darby Saxbe explores why new dads struggle, identifies the often unrecognized signs, and demystifies the science of paternal mental health.

Did you know that "dad brain" is a scientifically proven biological shift? Recent brain science shows that fatherhood literally changes and rewires men's brains--but unlike maternal shifts, a father's brain adapts primarily through the lived experience of hands-on caregiving. In this episode of Raising Good Humans, world-renowned researcher Dr. Darby Saxbe joins host Dr. Aliza Pressman to expose the hidden mental health crisis in new dads that modern culture completely ignores. 

🦋We discuss:

The neuroscience of fatherhood: How caregiving rewires a dad's brain to filter out distractions and focus on the baby.

Postpartum depression in men: What the signs look like and why it so often goes unrecognized.

"Maternal gatekeeping": How well-meaning moms accidentally shut dads out of the process.

The truth about paternity leave and why modern isolation is breaking the "village."

A fascinating look at why parenting is neuroprotective (and linked to a younger-looking brain later in life).

We also tackle a critical question: How much of father absence is actually driven by untreated perinatal mental health problems? Tune into this paradigm-shifting conversation on fatherhood and mental health.

This episode is brought to you by:

Uresta: Learn more about this amazing breakthrough, trusted by over 50 thousand women at Uresta.com

OneSkin: Unlock your healthiest skin now and as you age. For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code RGH at oneskin.co/RGH

Tumble: Machine Washable Rugs, Made Better. For a limited time only, our listeners get 10% off + free shipping at Tumbleliving.com/HUMANS

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does it actually mean to be a good parent and why does knowing the research make it harder, not easier?

This week I'm sharing an interview I did with Adam Grant on his show, ReThinking,  where we got into the framework I come back to constantly: all feelings are welcome, but all behaviors are not. We talked about gentle parenting, why asking your child to do something nine times is no better than asking twice, orchid vs. dandelion kids, and what I think the job of a parent actually is.

What you'll hear:

Why "all feelings are welcome, but all behaviors are not" is the organizing principle behind almost every parenting question

What orchid/dandelion research reveals about why some kids are more harmed by permissiveness than others

Why asking more than twice doesn't increase compliance and what to do instead

The one-sentence definition of the parenting job I keep coming back to

This episode is brought to you by:

Merit Beauty: It's time for your makeup and skincare to meet the reality of your daily routine with Merit Beauty.com

OneSkin: Unlock your healthiest skin now and as you age. For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code RGH at oneskin.co/RGH

Great Wolf Lodge: Bring your pack together at a Lodge near you. Learn more at GreatWolf.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if raising secure kids has less to do with what you do wrong as a parent — and more to do with teaching them to build the right relationships from the start?

My guest this week is Dr. Amir Levine, molecular neuroscientist, child psychiatrist, and associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University. His new book, Secure: The Revolutionary Guide to Creating a Secure Life, offers a unified theory of relationships with surprisingly concrete tools for building security at any age.

This episode shares specific, teachable tools for helping kids of all ages — including neurodivergent kids — move through the world with greater security.

What you'll learn:

Why less than 10% of adult attachment style can be explained by parenting and why that's good news if you've been worrying you've already "done something wrong"

What CARP means (Consistent, Available, Responsive, Reliable, Predictable) and why teaching kids to look for CARP friends can shape their relationship patterns for life

Why our brains chase drama and ignore the secure people already around us and how to redirect toward a "secure village"

How small, everyday micro-interactions create structural changes in the brain and why each one is an opportunity

This episode is brought to you buy:

BetterHelp: You don’t have to say yes to everything this summer. Find support in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/humans.

Uresta: Learn more about this amazing breakthrough, trusted by over 50 thousand women at Uresta.com

Tumble: Machine Washable Rugs, Made Better. For a limited time only, our listeners get 10% off + free shipping at Tumbleliving.com/HUMANS

Great Wolf Lodge: Bring your pack together at a Lodge near you. Learn more at GreatWolf.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices