Raising Good Humans

In today’s episode I sit down with professor Arthur Brooks to explore what actually makes a life feel meaningful in a culture obsessed with achievement, optimization, and measurable success. We talk about why happiness is more than a feeling, the difference between pain and suffering, how meaning is built through coherence, purpose, and significance, and why so many high achievers still feel empty. We discuss practical ways to resist the pressure to turn ourselves and our kids into “human doings,” and instead to just love ourselves are our children for who they are, not just for what they accomplish.

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL

Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/

Follow me on Instagram for more:

@raisinggoodhumanspodcast 

Sponsors:

Experian: Get started with the Experian App now!

Ello: Visit ElloProducts.com/CleanStart and use code RGH at checkout for 20% off your first purchase

Ka'Chava: Go to https://kachava.com and use code HUMANS for 15% off your first order

Nurture Life: For 55% off your order + FREE shipping, head to NurtureLife.com/HUMANS and use codeHUMANS

Produced by Dear Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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

In today's episode I sit down with professor Ann Masten to unpack what resilience actually means—and why it’s so often misunderstood. We explore her powerful definition of resilience as the capacity of a system to adapt to serious challenges, not just a personality trait or inner toughness. From everyday stress to real adversity, we discuss the difference between harmful trauma and growth-building challenges, and why kids need support—not perfection—to thrive. We talk about the “ordinary magic” of caring relationships, schools, communities, and cultural traditions, and why resilience is built through connection across multiple systems.

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL

Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/

Follow me on Instagram for more:

@raisinggoodhumanspodcast 

Sponsors:

BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/humans

Wayfair: Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home

Jones Road Beauty: Use code HUMANS at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Shimmer Face Oil with your first purchase! #JonesRoadBeauty #ad

Fast Growing Trees:An ADDITIONAL TWENTY PERCENT OFF better plants and better growing at FastGrowingTrees.com using the code HUMANS at checkout

Experian: Get started with the Experian App now!

Bloom: Go to bloomnu.com with code HUMANS for 20% off your first order

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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

In this episode, I sit down with behavioral geneticist and professor Dr. Kathryn Paige Harden to talk about what behavioral genetics can actually tell us about our kids—and what it can’t. We unpack the reality of psychiatric risk, family history, and the limits of control, and why genes are not destiny. We discuss how thousands of tiny genetic differences shape mental health, why diagnoses are messier than we think, and how warmth and firm boundaries still matter more than any “magic bullet.”

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL

Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/

Follow me on Instagram for more:

@raisinggoodhumanspodcast 

Sponsors:

Ello: Visit ElloProducts.com/CleanStart and use code RGH at checkout for 20% off your first purchase

Brodo: Head to Brodo.com/HUMANS for 20% off your first subscription order and use code HUMANS for an additional $10 off

Ka'Chava: Go to https://kachava.com and use code HUMANS for 15% off your first order

Experian: Get started with the Experian App now!

Fora: Become a Fora Advisor today at Foratravel.com/HUMANS

Bloom: Go to bloomnu.com with code HUMANS for 20% off your first order

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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

In today’s episode I sit down with developmental psychologist Dr. Jay Belsky to explore a question so many parents wrestle with: is temperament destiny? We talk about why children differ in how deeply they’re shaped by their environments, what “developmental plasticity” really means, and why the same parenting can land so differently depending on the child. We discuss the difference between sensitivity and susceptibility, the limits of attachment research, and why focusing only on long-term outcomes can distract us from what matters in the here and now.

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL

Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/

Follow me on Instagram for more:

@raisinggoodhumanspodcast 

Sponsors:

Zip Recruiter: Try it FOR FREE at ZipRecruiter.com/HUMANS

Bloom: Go to bloomnu.com with code HUMANS for 20%of your first order

Ello: Visit ElloProducts.com/CleanStart and use code RGH at checkout for 20% off your first purchase

Little Spoon: Get 30% off your first online order at littlespoon.coms/RGH with code RGH

First Day: Our listeners get up to 57% Off AND a Free Gift with code HUMANS at FirstDay.co

Minnow: Go to shopminnow.com code MEETMINNOW15 for 15% off

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Deepika Chopra to talk about what real optimism actually means — and why it’s so different from toxic positivity. We unpack the science behind resilience, curiosity, and staying open when life is hard, and we get practical about how to grow your “optimism muscle” in everyday moments. We talk about language shifts (like the power of “never” and “always”), parenting through low-capacity seasons, rituals that ground families, and why affirmations and manifestation don’t always work the way we think they do.

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL

Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/

Follow me on Instagram for more:

@raisinggoodhumanspodcast 

Sponsors:

Quince: Go to Quince.com/humans for free shipping on your order and 365-day return

Experian: Get started with the Experian App now!

Little Spoon: Get 30% off your first online order at littlespoon.com/RGH with code RGH

OneSkin: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code RGH at https://www.oneskin.co/RGH #oneskinpod

Monarch: 50% off your first year at monarch.com with code HUMANS

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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

In this solo episode, I’m diving into 10 practical tips to help make listening and cooperation with your kids easier. I’ll walk you through straightforward strategies for strengthening connection and communication, plus I’ll share a quick mindfulness exercise to keep you feeling centered, even on the toughest days.

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL

Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/

Follow me on Instagram for more:

@raisinggoodhumanspodcast 

Sponsors:

Quince: Go to Quince.com/humans for free shipping on your order and 365-day return

Wayfair: Head to wayfair.com

Brodo: Head to Brodo.com/HUMANS for20% off your first subscription order and use code HUMANS for an additional $10 off

Pique: Secure 20% off your order and begin your intentional wellness journey today at Piquelife.com/humans

BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/humans

Fora: Become a Fora Advisor today at Foratravel.com/HUMANS

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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

In this solo episode, I talk directly to parents about how to show up for our kids when the world feels heavy and unsettling—without turning the conversation into politics. I share what research tells us about stress, co-regulation, and why our kids absorb our emotional state even when we think we’re hiding it. I also offer practical guidance for talking to children at different ages, setting healthier boundaries around the news and doom scrolling, and staying grounded so we can provide safety, connection, and hope while raising compassionate, resilient humans.

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL

Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/

Follow me on Instagram for more:

@raisinggoodhumanspodcast 

Sponsors:

Experian: Get started with the Experian App now!

Bloom: Get Bloom’s best offer by visiting bloomnu.com and using code HUMANS at checkout

Ka'Chava: Go to kachava.com and use code HUMANS for 15% off

OneSkin: 15% off when you use code RGH at oneskin.co/RGH

Skims: Go to skims.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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

In this episode, I’m joined by psychologist and author Dr. Jean Twenge to talk about the seven essential conversations to have with kids before they get a device. We break down what kids need to understand about privacy, posting, and why nothing online is ever truly private. We also discuss the tech rules that matter most—like no devices in bedrooms at night—and how to set limits without panic, guilt, or power struggles.

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL

Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/

Follow me on Instagram for more:

@raisinggoodhumanspodcast 

Sponsors:

Experian: Get started with the Experian App now!

Osea: Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code HUMANS at OSEAMalibu.com

Monarch: Use code HUMANS at monarch.com for half off your first year

Fora: Become a Fora Advisor today at Foratravel.com/HUMANS

Bloom: Get Bloom’s best offer by visiting bloomnu.com and using code HUMANS at checkout

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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

In this episode, I sit down with award winning journalist and author Jennifer Wallace, to talk about her new work on mattering—the need to feel seen, valued, and needed. We explore how mattering emerged as a powerful protective factor for kids growing up in high-pressure, achievement-driven environments, and why so many adults today feel lonely, disengaged, or untethered. Jennifer shares the SAID framework—feeling significant, appreciated, invested in, and depended on—and we talk about what this looks like in real life, at home, at work, and in our communities. This conversation is about practical, doable ways to help our kids (and ourselves) feel like we matter—without more pressure, perfection, or performance.

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL

Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/

Follow me on Instagram for more:

@raisinggoodhumanspodcast 

Sponsors:

Quince: Go to Quince.com/humans for free shipping on your order and 365-day return

Experian: Get started with the Experian App now!

Brodo: Head to Brodo.com/HUMANS for20% off your first subscription order and use code HUMANS for an additional $10 off

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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

I answer four listener questions—toddler biting, potty training pressure, emotional daycare drop-offs, and early “lying” in preschoolers—breaking down what’s developmentally normal, what to do in the moment, and the practical, compassionate strategies that actually help (without shame, power struggles, or panic).

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL

Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/

Follow me on Instagram for more:

@raisinggoodhumanspodcast 

Sponsors:

Pique Tea: Secure 20% off your order and begin your intentional wellness journey today at Piquelife.com/humans

Ka'Chava: Go to https://kachava.com and use code HUMANS. New customers get twenty dollars off an order of two bags or more, January 1st through 31st

Zip Recruiter: Go to ZipRecruiter.com/HUMANS

Wayfair: Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home

BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/humans

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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