Successful Parenting

We may teach our children many great lessons in a lifetime, but the ones that make a lasting impact are the practices we model and live by. Parents often write in and inquire about ways to teach their children some core values, such as kindness, empathy, and compassion. Our Guest Expert this week Andrea “Dre” Carnegie, has spent much of his life inspiring others to live better and fuller lives, a motto he calls ‘Life on Life Investing’. Dre is not only an inspiration, but his authenticity and generosity leave you feeling fuller after just a few short moments of being in his presence. Maybe teaching our children to believe in themselves and wanting to inspire others is not that trickey…. Possibly it starts with us being that mentor for our children and those around us. Mentorship does not require endless praise or material possessions, but as Dre mentions, a listening ear, a non-judgemental response, and, at times, accountability. As we invest in our children and build them up, the return will be greater confidence and motivation, as well as a desire to treat others the way they have been treated. 

Andrea “Dre” Carnegie is the Student Success Coach with the Shawnee Mission School District, Kansas. He has over 17 years of experience working in education. He specializes in building authentic relationships and is responsible for supporting students, staff, and families throughout the Shawnee Mission School District. Dre works very closely with Principals, Counselors, and Social Workers in the work he does daily. He is involved in Deep Equity work with SMSD and is one of the “Train the Trainers”. This work includes training staff to lead Deep Equity work in their buildings. Dre loves to invest in, encourage, motivate, and spur on others and the students he works with. He is a powerful force in the SMSD and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to help clothes succeed. In addition, Dre owns a consulting business, and runs an AAU Youth Track and field program in the Kansas City area. Dres loves to workout, attend Bible studies, travel and spend time with his dog Cable. 

Dre Carnegie (@DreSuccessCoach) / Twitter

Nathan Cable Summers (@cabledre) | Instagram

As a parent, have you ever felt like you and your child were butting heads? Maybe, your child shuts down and you 'nag' more? Or you simply want to learn more ways to support your child while helping them to reach their full potential. This episode is right for you if you answered yes to any of these. Our guest expert this week, Karen Clarke, specializes in working with children to help them unlock their real potential. Karen also teaches parents strategies to increase their child's motivation and empower them to gain confidence, take chances, and tolerate frustrations and even failure. Parents often comment how they love learning practical strategies from Karen, especially her authenticity and ability to connect to children and families in a meaningful way. So often, children do not put forth effort because they believe they will not be successful. So, listeners get ready to learn how shifting our mindsets can influence how our children see themselves. Let us be our child's number-one champion!

Karen Clarke is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker that received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Loyola University and Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Elmhurst College. She began her career in Residential Treatment homes for DCFS wards of the state as an Assistant Family Teacher. She was employed at Schaumburg Police Department collaborating with community members in crisis situations as well as domestic violence assistance. She has worked as a high school social worker for over twenty years as well as in private practice for seven years. Within both settings, Karen has assisted youth in areas such as crisis intervention, anger management, anxiety, depression, and social skills training (running Social Language groups) to assist individuals with or without an Autism diagnosis. Karen uses a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approach as well as a Solutions Focused model to assist those she serves. Karen assists her clients in creating action plans to recognize the root cause of their difficulties and the steps they need to take control of their lives. Karen believes that by assisting her clients they can better explore life’s challenges, identify areas of improvement and set attainable goals that will help change their lives for the better.

A Better You Well-Being is private pay and accepts BCBS-IL Insurance. If you are interested in scheduling a first-time consultation to discuss current fees and availability, appointments may be requested via website, email, phone or text.

LinkedIn: A Better YOU Well-Being: Overview | LinkedIn

Being a child today can be challenging in today’s world, which can often be fast paced, including pressures to succeed. Children must also navigate through life while dealing with societal expectations via peer pressures, social media, academics, and personal expectations, to name a few. Another pressure that is not discussed as often comes from cultural expectations. As parents, we place expectations on our child, which may stem from our own upbringing, especially influenced by our religion and/or culture, possibly arising from our family of origins, beliefs, and expectations. Children who grow up with foreign-born parents often try to meet the expectations of two cultures, their parents and their peers. While this can be an amazing opportunity, it can also be difficult as the child tries to develop his/her own identity.

Dr. Arna Erega joins Jackie and Robin to discuss how families can recognize the expectations they hold of their children, as well as powerful tips to connect with their children and create meaningful experiences influenced by cultural and family values while understanding societal pressures our children may face.

Dr Arna Erega (she/her) is a native of Croatia, and she arrived at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2007 on an athletic scholarship to pursue her dream of becoming an Olympic athlete. Simultaneously, she pursued a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Sociology. She completed a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Webster University and her doctoral degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Currently, She is certified as a hypnotherapist by the National Guild of Hypnotists, Inc. and is an expert telemental health clinician recognized by the Telehealth Certification Institute. Dr. Erega is also listed in the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) mental health registry. In addition to private practice, she is the Diversity Counselor and Outreach Coordinator for International Students at The University of Texas at Austin. She is very passionate about her work with the athletic populations and international students in various settings.

Dr. Erega started her athletic career at a young age taking part in various sports, however, she quickly fell in love with Track & Field and hurdling. She was a Croatian national champion numerous times, as well as the Croatian National Record holder for Youth (13.51") and Junior (13.56") categories in 100m Hurdles. She also held the fastest time in the world for 15-year-old girls in 100m Hurdles in a time of 13.63" from 2003 until 2016. Arna competed for a Division I school, where she used all four years of eligibility and helped Huskers win the Big XII Indoor Championship in 2010. Upon graduating from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln in 2011, she moved to Columbia, SC to train with a professional coach in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games. Unfortunately, in February of 2012, she suffered an ankle injury that prevented her from qualifying and resulted in surgery later that year. Arna's professional running career was brief but nevertheless, it contributed to her overall knowledge, skills, and abilities to be a better clinician. Read more about her achievements at her World Athletics Profile.

Dr. Erega is a professional member of the American Counseling Association (ACA), American Psychological Association (APA), Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), and North Carolina Counseling Association (NCCA). 

For more information

Please visit website:  Arna Erega

Facebook: Arna Erega, PhD, LPC | Austin TX

Instagram: @dr.erega 

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While this is not necessarily a fun & light topic to discuss, this week’s guest expert will share strategies to support parents in having conversations with their children about safety, traumatic events, and much more. Often children hear or see things online, via television, or simply by overhearing conversations at school or in their home that may be upsetting. Sometimes children may feel alarmed, resulting in feelings of anxiousness or depression, and parents may not even realize the cause and effect. This week’s guest expert, Lisa Aguilar, M.S., shares tips that can be key in helping our children feel safe and empowering them to feel more secure and confident. We have chosen Lisa Aguilar due to her vast expertise and knowledge as a consultant, school educator, and parent. During this episode, Lisa also discusses ways parents can minimize exposure to information that may not be age-appropriate, as well as ways to have healthy conversations with their children around these topics, particularly when events occur in the community, school, and/or within the family.

Lisa Aguilar, M.S. SSP

Licensed Specialist in School Psychology

Lisa Aguilar is a Licensed School Psychologist with 12 years of experience working in the educational system. Lisa received her Master's degree in Clinical Child/School Psychology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville along with her Specialist degree in School Psychology.  

Lisa has experience with psychoeducational assessment and intervention, mental health counseling and programming in schools, and parent education and support. Lisa also has valuable experience in school crisis response and behavioral threat assessment and intervention. 

Lisa's strengths include evaluating educational systems and practices and assisting other professionals in developing effective protocols and procedures.  She is driven by education transformation and developing strategies to support systemic change and student achievement. Lisa enjoys collaborating with parents, schools, and students by assessing strengths and weaknesses, focusing on supports and interventions, and creating feasible action plans.

Lisa’s professional affiliations include the Illinois School Psychologist Association (ISPA), National Association of School Psychologists, and the Association for Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP).

For More Information about Lisa please visit her website, Lisa Aguilar – Action Consulting and Therapy

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We live in a different era of technology with our children than the world we grew up in. Our children and young people have access to powerful technology and information as close as the palms of their hands. We must be informed, vigilant, and engaged with our children and students to keep them safe in the cyber world far beyond our homes, schools, and neighborhoods. Our guest expert Retired Detective Richard Wistocki has 20 years of experience as a Cyber Crimes Detective and Internet Crimes Investigator. He started BeSure Consulting; a company committed to protecting our children’s safety. During this episode, Detective Wistocki shares his view on safeguarding children and how parents can be watchful by monitoring all devices. Parents will learn tips to become more involved in their child’s relationship with their devices while also learning to monitor and teach children about safety, protecting their emotional, mental, and physical safety. 

“One of the greatest risks to our children are the devices they carry with them every day.” Detective Richard Wistocki

Child crime expert retired Detective Richard Wistocki, (BeSure Consulting, Training for Law Enforcement, Parents and Children) has dedicated his career to helping children by tirelessly pursuing, apprehending and prosecuting child predators.  As an active Cyber Crimes Detective, he educates Law Enforcement using cutting edge investigative techniques and Parents and Students on responsible digital activity.

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Childhood 2.0 Documentary Social Media Dangers Documentary — Childhood 2.0

For the first time in history, mental illness and suicide have become one of the greatest threats to school-aged children. Many parents still view dangers as primarily physical and external, but they’re missing the real danger: kids spending more time online and less time engaging in real life, free play, and autonomy. What are the effects on the next generation's mental, physical, and spiritual health? Childhood was more or less unchanged for millennia, but this is CHILDHOOD 2.0. For more resources and to download a community discussion guide and share with your community, please visit: https://bit.ly/32voKpY. NOTE: Bark is proud to sponsor the free release of this film because we believe every family should have access to such a crucial, powerful resource.

Run Time: 88 Minutes | A Film by: Jamin Winans, Robert Muratore, and Kiowa Winans | Music by: Jamin Winans

If you are interested in knowing more about the Illinois HB1121 visit Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB1112 (ilga.gov)

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For some of us, our drug of choice may be caffeine or nicotine, while others may turn to alcohol or another type of substance, and some may even turn to food or find themselves obsessed with exercise or some other pastime. Addictions may appear in different forms, and these are just a few examples our listeners have shared. Jackie and Robin are delighted to be joined by Dr. Evelyn Higgins and Jacqueline Hall from ⁠Wired for Addiction ⁠® in this week's episode. 

Dr. Higgins shares her personal story and what feeds her passion for helping others with addictions and mental health struggles. In addition, Dr. Higgins and Jacqueline provide listeners with information on biomarkers and genes and why this information can empower families and foster positive decision-making. 

Significant comorbidities exist in mental health and addictions, creating difficulties with diagnosing and effective treatment. Therefore, we spend some time discussing addiction as a bio-psycho-social condition and the benefits of looking at biology to establish treatment protocols.

Finally, we examine the shame and stigma for many with mental health issues and addiction and how this might impact families and treatment.  

Founder of Wired For Addiction®, Dr. Evelyn Higgins is a recognized international expert in the science of addiction recovery.  As a Certified Addictionologist, Diplomate of the American Board of Disability Analysts specializing in pain management, and Diplomate of the American College of Addictionology and Compulsive Disorders, Dr. Higgins has had the honor of advising the U.S. Surgeon General, producing and hosting a Gracie Award winning nationally syndicated health and wellness radio program, and serving as a 1996 Olympic Team Doctor and Olympic torch bearer.  

With 35 years in practice, Dr. Higgins has specialized in the clinical application of the neuroscience & epigenetics behind mental health complexities.  Recent events include presenting at the 2023 Executive Summit on Addiction Treatment in Waikoloa Beach, Hawaii, honored as a ⁠2022 TEDx Speaker⁠, 2022 International Society of Substance Use Professionals Annual Conference panelist in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 2022 International Gambling Conference in Auckland, New Zealand speaker, 2021 Nominee for Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Innovators in Healthcare, 2018 & 2023 Compass Transatlantic speaker, and frequent national media healthcare commentator, Dr. Higgins finds herself at the nexus of epigenetics, neuroscience, and health. 

Jacqueline Hall, Chief Operating Officer 

Merging nearly a decade of federal government relations and political affairs experience with the latest scientific research pertaining to mental health and addiction, Ms. Hall acts as the principal conduit between Wired for Addiction™ and the entities they serve. A member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Corrections Committee and International Society of Substance Use Professionals, she ensures that stake holders in the criminal justice community, members of state and federal government, and the international medical community have access to the services provided by Wired for Addiction. In addition, Jacqueline was the brakeman for USA Bobsled & Skeleton teams between 2011 - 2013, competing for the United States of America on the North America Cup Circuit, sliding with Olympians, National Team, and Developmental Team Pilots.

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It's never too early to teach children about racial, gender, and ethnic identity with inclusivity and respect. In fact, we should begin teaching our children about diversity and acceptance from the time our children are born. If you believe your child is not impacted by racism, you may be deeply mistaken. Join us, with guest expert Sherrine Peyton, for a thought-provoking discussion that dives into a difficult conversation around the impact racism has on minority youth and all children and families. 

When reviewing research for this podcast, one study found that although ⁠81% of white mothers believed it was essential⁠ to have such discussions around race, only 62% reported doing so. Having conversations with our children and teaching our children about diversity and inclusion means actively searching for and reducing unseen biases in ourselves, our viewpoints, our perspectives, and our responses. As a result, we will provide opportunities for our children to learn empathy, perspective-taking, compassion, and feelings of deeper connection and love for their family, community, and the world around them.

Sherrine Peyton (she|her|hers) founded Peyton and Consulting. Sherrine has worked 20-plus years in community health, as well as consulting and training companies and educational institutions on topics related to inclusion and racial, ethnic, and gender diversity. Sherrine started her career at Kenneth Young Center in 2003. She has also worked for Metropolitan Family Services as the Director of Public Resource Development and as a federal contractor working with states and tribes on public health issues. In addition, Sherrine has presented locally and nationally on positive youth development, community organizing, and LGBTQ+ inclusive practices and programs.

In 2013, Sherrine returned to KYC as a consultant to build the Communities for Positive Youth Development coalition under their prevention program. In 2014, she became the Project Lead for KYC’s Partnerships for Success grant. She was promoted to Supervisor and eventually Manager of the Positive Youth Development Program and then Director of Community Collaboration and Public Resource Development. Sherrine has a Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Michigan University. When Sherrine is not at work, she and her wife enjoy spending time with their adult children, grandchildren and attending multicultural events.

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It's never too early to teach children about racial, gender, and ethnic identity with inclusivity and respect. In fact, we should begin teaching our children about diversity and acceptance from the time our children are born. If you believe your child is not impacted by racism, you may be deeply mistaken. Join us, with guest expert Sherrine Peyton, for a thought-provoking discussion that dives into a difficult conversation around the impact racism has on minority youth and all children and families. 

When reviewing research for this podcast, one study found that although 81% of white mothers believed it was essential to have such discussions around race, only 62% reported doing so. Having conversations with our children and teaching our children about diversity and inclusion means actively searching for and reducing unseen biases in ourselves, our viewpoints, our perspectives, and our responses. As a result, we will provide opportunities for our children to learn empathy, perspective-taking, compassion, and feelings of deeper connection and love for their family, community, and the world around them

Come back next week for Part 2/2 of this fascinating conversation with Sherrine, Jackie and Robin!

Sherrine Peyton (she|her|hers) founded Peyton and Consulting. Sherrine has worked 20-plus years in community health, as well as consulting and training companies and educational institutions on topics related to inclusion and racial, ethnic, and gender diversity. Sherrine started her career at Kenneth Young Center in 2003. She has also worked for Metropolitan Family Services as the Director of Public Resource Development and as a federal contractor working with states and tribes on public health issues. In addition, Sherrine has presented locally and nationally on positive youth development, community organizing, and LGBTQ+ inclusive practices and programs.

In 2013, Sherrine returned to KYC as a consultant to build the Communities for Positive Youth Development coalition under their prevention program. In 2014, she became the Project Lead for KYC’s Partnerships for Success grant. She was promoted to Supervisor and eventually Manager of the Positive Youth Development Program and then Director of Community Collaboration and Public Resource Development. Sherrine has a Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Michigan University. When Sherrine is not at work, she and her wife enjoy spending time with their adult children, grandchildren and attending multicultural events.

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Parents regularly ask, ‘what impact does social media have on the development of our children.’ Jacqueline and Robin tackle this topic in this week’s episode, focusing on the impact social media can have on our children, as well as the importance of setting limits, understanding the content and the capabilities of various platforms, and some of the dangers associated with its use. The rise in the use of social media platforms has been linked to an increase in mental health issues. Listeners will also learn strategies to discuss these topics with their children and ways to monitor and set limits on the apps. Social media is not going away anytime soon. Families are key in managing the influence these platforms can have on our children.

Jacqueline and Robin lead an exciting conversation focusing on the impact of self-awareness and mindful reactions on the relationship with our children. Every parent has that one hot button or perhaps more that our loved ones tend to press, especially during times of exhaustion and stress. The hot button may be disrespect, telling a lie, or maybe even when your child overtly disobeys you in public. Unfortunately, for many of us, when we are feeling overwhelmed, it may take less for that button to be activated. Jacqueline and Robin share tips to help listeners gain awareness of their hot buttons and devise a proactive plan that will allow time to react with purpose when those situations arise.

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