The Parenting Horizons Podcast

In this episode we talk with author Rebecca Vitsmun about her new book "Eliza Dee’s Universes."

As an autistic mother with neurodivergent children, Vitsmun was inspired by her personal experiences to provide an accessible story that inspires creative imagination in readers of all ages and backgrounds.

You’ll not only learn more about autism but also EDS, hyperphantasia and other “invisible” disabilities and how to spot them in your children. And while you shouldn’t rush in to diagnose or label your child, an accurate and timely diagnosis can be VERY helpful. We’ll also discuss what to do first, before getting your child diagnosed.

Kids do well, if they can.  If they aren’t doing well, there is something standing in their way. From a practical standpoint that means:

Finally, we’ll address how to advocate for your child in a school system that may not provide services for neurodiverse children.

Have you ever gotten into an argument with your three year old and wondered “How did it come to this? I’m bigger, stronger, smarter and yet this little tyke has me on the ropes!!!!”

Have you tried to set a boundary with your teenager, only to have them“flip the script” and suddenly you’re on the defensive.

In this special podcast we interview certified hostage and conflict negotiator Karleen Savage M.A., author other “The Confident Teen Blueprint: A Parent’s 30 Day Challenge to Empower their Teen.”

We’ll discuss universal skills for conflict resolution that work with all children of all ages (including adult children!) Some of the techniques include:

If you’ve ever felt like a hostage in your own family, you’ll want to listen to this one.

Have you ever gotten into an argument with your three year old and wondered “How did it come to this? I’m bigger, stronger, smarter and yet this little tyke has me on the ropes!!!!”

Have you tried to set a boundary with your teenager, only to have them“flip the script” and suddenly you’re on the defensive.

In this special podcast we interview certified hostage and conflict negotiator Karleen Savage M.A., author other “The Confident Teen Blueprint: A Parent’s 30 Day Challenge to Empower their Teen.”

We’ll discuss universal skills for conflict resolution that work with all children of all ages (including adult children!) Some of the techniques include:

If you’ve ever felt like a hostage in your own family, you’ll want to listen to this one.

Even parents of grown children sometimes wake up in a cold sweat reliving the battles in getting their 4 year old to go to sleep. In this episode we tackle head on the thorny but solvable challenge of getting your young child to go to sleep. After listening to this podcast, you’ll be primed to make bedtime more effective and relaxing for everybody.

Some of the topics we cover are:

When is the ideal time to switch your child from a crib to a bed?

Common causes that create difficulty falling asleep or middle of the night wakings.

How do you handle it if the child is afraid?

How much sleep do children this age actually need at night?

What is a healthy bedtime routine that promotes sleep?

In the end, it’s all about taking back parental authority by setting appropriate, respectful, firm boundaries while avoiding some of the common mistakes that parents make that inadvertently cause sleep problems.

We’ll give you tips on how to set limits and consequences that actually work and give you a realistic time frame about how long to expect before seeing results.

Finally, we’ll look at the more controversial topics: Do rewards work? And what about the “family bed”?

In this episode we interview clinical psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Cohen clinical about the huge uptick in anxiety and depression in our kids since the pandemic and how CBT is providing a lifeline for many families.

Therapists using CBT work with anxious and depressed children and teens to help them identify the specific triggers that lead to their anxiety and give them strategies to develop resilience and to handle discomfort.

We also discuss how parents can work with the principals of CBT including taking a “fear inventory” to help their children and teens at home.  Finally, we’ll discuss whether medication is helpful or something to be avoided.

“Without enough sleep, we all become tall two-year-olds.”

Sleep isn’t a luxury, and this is especially true among our tweens and teens. 77% of teens nationwide do not get the minimum number of hours of sleep they need each night (8 hours is the minimum.) And it’s no surprise that sleep deprivation leads to short-temperedness, risky behaviors; poor learning; inability to absorb, retain and retrieve new information; drowsy driving and poor mental health.  

In this episode we interview Lisa L. Lewis, author of “The Sleep Deprived Teen” who helps us come up with a strategy for helping our kids get they sleep they desperately need.

We’ll uncover the truth about how a teen’s sleep patterns differ from the years prior to and after adolescence and how this Circadian rhythm shift affects them.

Finally, we’ll give parents tips for how to help your child self-regulate, make sleep a family priority and help overworked and over-scheduled teenagers achieve a balance in their sleep, social life, school work and extracurricular activities

It’s okay to not be okay: Self-care vs. that never ending, ever expanding TO DO list

Being a parent is A LOT of work and often very stressful. But there’s stress and then there’s STRESS, and a parent’s relationship to that stress can occasionally  dip into unhealthy territory. But if that happens, there are ways to get back into balance and find a healthy way to cope.

In today’s episode we talk with Meredith Ethington, author of “The Motherload: Surviving the daily grind without losing your ever-loving mind.”

We start by debunking the idea that men and women are “wired” differently, and focus instead on how the pressure to conform to societal norms about men and women contribute to the fact that mothers typically bear the majority of the mental, physical and emotional load in families. We offer suggestions as to how mothers can learn to share that load so they don't feel so overwhelmed all of the time.

Finally, we talk about how it’s okay to not be okay. The mental load placed on mothers can sometimes lead to mental health issues and it’s important to talk about this. Destigmatizing mental health issues is critical and parents of all genders (partnered or not) do not need to feel shame about needing help. (And don't necessarily have to spend money to get that help.)

It’s a fact of life; at some point in their life, your kid is going to get knocked down by circumstances out of their control. But as uncomfortable as that truth may be, there are concrete steps you can take as a parent to foster resilience in your kid, the kind of grit that allows them to get up, dust off and get back on the horse.

In this episode we interview Kate Lund, the author of “Bounce: Help Your Child Build Resilience and Thrive In School, Sports and Life”

We’ll identify the pillars of resilience and ways to help your kid identify and build upon the tools to reduce stress and increase confidence, even in the face of setbacks and disappointment.

Finally, we’ll talk about ways you can model resilience for your kid and how both your child (and you!) can learn to tolerate discomfort.

It’s going to happen sooner or later; you catch your kid in a lie. But what do you do? Is it a teachable moment or a warning sign? In this episode we talk with Colleen Doyle Bryant (https://colleendoylebryant.com), the author the book “Rooted in Decency: Finding Inner Peace In A World Gone Sideways.”

We’ll tackle the big questions: Why do kids lie? What are the 4 myths that parents buy into that cause kids to lie MORE? What’s the difference between calling kids out on a lie vs. punishing them for a lie? And what’s the difference between punishment and consequence?

Finally, we’ll unpack why shame never works and we’ll reveal the single most effective phrase to help your child become a good person.

Technology is not a “one size fits all” proposition. Children’s developing brains process digital media differently at different stages. The challenge for parents is how to embrace their role as “gate keeper” for younger children and then how to navigate into the role of “support system” as they get older.

In today’s episode we talk with Dr. Katie Davis, (https://katiedavisresearch.com) psychologist and author of “Technology’s Child: Digital Media's Role in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up”

We’ll discuss an effective two-step decision tool that will help you provide support across the full arc of your child’s development, from toddlers to young adults.

We’ll also talk about some of the fears that parents have today that technology can interfere with and disrupt an otherwise healthy attachment between parent and child and how to keep the lines of communication open to find out what your child is experiencing online (hint: no interrogation!)