In this final part of the five-part Emotionally Resilient Tweens and Teens series, Kim John Payne concludes “Annika’s Story,” the true account of a middle school girl learning to reclaim her sense of self after a painful fall from popularity. Following the cheating incident and the loss of her so-called friends, Annika faces deep loneliness and the sting of exclusion. Yet in the quiet of that isolation, she begins to rediscover who she really is. With the gentle support of her former friend Danielle and a new ally, Skylar, Annika learns that real belonging comes from honesty, kindness, and being true to herself.

Kim reflects on how these experiences mirror what so many young people face when trying to fit in, how easily self-worth can become tangled in social approval, and how freeing it is when they realize they can simply be themselves. The story closes on a hopeful note, reminding listeners that even painful moments of loss can become the ground where genuine confidence and connection take root.

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In this fourth part of the five-part Emotionally Resilient Tweens and Teens series, Kim John Payne continues reading from “Annika’s Story,” following the seventh grader as she becomes more deeply entangled in her desire to fit in with the popular group. When Annika’s mother unexpectedly sees her dressed in a way that reflects the influence of her new friends, Annika experiences a moment of painful self-awareness. Her mother’s silent disapproval becomes a mirror that reveals how much she has changed, and Annika begins to feel the discomfort of living out of alignment with who she truly is.

As the story unfolds, Annika’s need for acceptance draws her into increasingly compromising situations, culminating in a serious lapse in judgment that threatens her integrity and reputation. Kim reflects on how these moments, though painful, can become turning points in a young person’s development if they are met with guidance, patience, and understanding rather than judgment. He reminds listeners that this kind of steady support is at the heart of the Emotionally Resilient Tweens and Teens Care Professionals Seminar, which helps parents and educators strengthen the confidence and self-awareness children need to stay true to themselves.

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In this third part of the five-part series on Emotionally Resilient Tweens and Teens, Kim John Payne reads aloud “Annika’s Story” from the book he co-authored with Luis Fernando Llosa. The story follows Annika, a seventh grader who moves to a new school and struggles with the temptation to change herself to fit in with a popular group. At first she is thrilled to be included, but little by little she begins to lose touch with who she really is, her confidence, her interests, and her natural kindness.

Through Annika’s experience, Kim reflects on how easily children can give up too much of themselves for acceptance and how important it is for parents and educators to help them stay connected to their authentic selves. He reminds listeners that belonging should never come at the cost of identity and that caring adults can gently guide children back to their center when they start to drift. Kim also shares that this theme is at the heart of the Emotionally Resilient Tweens and Teens Care Professionals Seminar, which helps professionals support families in building true confidence and social resilience.

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In this second part of the five-part series on Emotionally Resilient Tweens and Teens, Kim John Payne continues exploring how parents can guide children through difficult social experiences. Drawing from Chapter Four of the book, he focuses on helping children understand their emotional reactivity when they are teased or excluded. Through the story of a boy named Tony, Kim illustrates how teasing often continues not because of a child’s shortcomings, but because strong reactions feed the behavior of the child teasing them. He explains that when children learn to stay centered, they reclaim their power and reduce the payoff for those who provoke them.

Kim offers practical ways for parents to teach this skill, such as practicing calm reactions at home, planning responses together, and sometimes even using humor to defuse tension. He also acknowledges how painful it can be for children to face these truths and encourages parents to provide reassurance and hope while keeping conversations short, natural, and consistent. Even when children push back or claim they already know what to do, Kim reminds parents to stay close and emotionally steady. The heart of this episode is a message of perseverance. Children to find confidence and strength within themselves, one small step at a time.

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This episode is the first in a five-part series drawn from Kim John Payne’s book Emotionally Resilient Tweens and Teens, co-authored with Luis Fernando Llosa. As part of the lead-up to his upcoming Emotionally Resilient Tweens & Teens Care Professionals Seminar, Kim begins by exploring how parents can respond when their child is socially struggling, feeling excluded, teased, or left out. He reminds us that every child experiences this at some point and that how we respond can make a lasting difference.

He then reads Anika’s Story, from the Ten Story Tool Box in the book. Anika recounts a situation in her middle school years where she gave up too much of herself to fit in the the popular kids, how she came to understand that her morally guided, “inside voice” was not matching the “outside actions” of what her peers were doing. She navigates this tricky path and finds her way to finding true friendship.

This series will continue in the weeks ahead, guiding parents through conversations about reactivity, empathy, and emotional steadiness. Together, the five parts form a practical and compassionate roadmap for helping children build confidence and resilience in their social worlds.

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In the final part of their conversation, Kim and Dr. Freed shift from exposing the harms of persuasive technology to offering practical solutions. Kim introduces the idea of “four connections” as a foundation for a healthy childhood: connection to nature, to friends through real play, to family, and to one’s inner self. Dr. Freed emphasizes the importance of building community among parents and resisting screen culture together. They highlight resources like Kids, Brains, and Screens by Melanie Hempe and Reset Your Child’s Brain by Dr. Victoria Dunckley, as tools to help families go low or no screen. The episode includes inspiring examples of families replacing screen time with rituals like Friday family nights and creative play. Dr. Freed shares personal stories about parenting without screens and the long-term benefits he has seen in his daughters. The conversation ends with hope and encouragement: that raising children in a humanized, connected environment not only helps them thrive but also fosters qualities that others naturally seek out—empathy, presence, and resilience.

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In the second installment of their conversation, Kim and Dr. Freed take a deeper look at how powerful interests influence public understanding of screens, particularly through organizations that claim to promote children's health. Dr. Freed describes what he calls the “Silicon Valley exception,” where major health bodies are either aligned with or funded by the tech industry, much like tobacco-funded health research decades ago. They examine the contradiction between what parents instinctively know—that screen immersion harms connection, learning, and wellbeing—and what schools and media often promote. Kim shares a revealing story about comparing the pace and editing of Mr. Rogers’ programming to modern children's shows, illustrating the intense sensory stimulation that now defines children's media. They also identify common myths, such as the belief that teenagers need peers more than parents, and expose how these narratives are used to weaken parental influence. The episode ends with a preview of the next conversation, which will focus on what families can actually do in response.

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In this first part of a three-part fire side style chat, Kim John Payne speaks with leading psychologist Dr. Richard Freed about the growing influence of persuasive design in modern digital technology. Dr. Freed shares how screen-based platforms, especially social media and video games, are intentionally engineered to hijack attention and foster dependency, using principles drawn directly from behavioral psychology. He warns that these technologies are designed not just to entertain, but to profit from manipulating children’s behavior. The conversation compares today’s screen culture to the tobacco industry of the past, noting how psychological techniques are used to override parental authority and reshape childhood itself. Kim and Dr. Freed discuss the deep concern that many parents feel, even when they can’t fully articulate it, and they affirm that this intuition is valid. They explore how tech companies use parents’ fears and children’s vulnerabilities as tools for marketing and control, and they call for greater awareness and resistance to these manipulations.

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In this episode, Kim highlights the importance of previewing and “getting out ahead” of difficult moments before they escalate. Whether it’s a grumpy morning with a young child or a teenager returning home with restraint collapse, acknowledging the emotional state early can shift the tone of the day. Rather than ignoring frustration or trying to immediately fix it, Kim encourages parents to calmly name what they see and reassure their child that they are present and supportive. This approach signals safety and understanding, and it helps children feel less alone in their struggles. For teens, he suggests offering flexibility and emotional space, even letting them opt out of dinner or homework when they clearly need to decompress. Asking, “Let me know what you need,” empowers older children and shows trust. These small, anticipatory gestures build connection and trust over time and prevent many conflicts from growing larger.

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Kim addresses the common parenting dilemma of whether to correct a child’s behavior or let it go. He gently challenges the popular idea of “choosing your battles,” suggesting that framing these moments as battles may not serve the relationship. Instead, he invites parents to see each behavior—no matter how small—as a moment to define family values and build connection. The key, he says, is not whether to correct, but when and how. Small corrections delivered calmly in the moment can prevent larger issues from forming. Kim emphasizes that if we ignore repeated missteps, they may accumulate into bigger breakdowns later. He suggests that a brief, gentle acknowledgment such as, “That’s not okay, we’ll talk about it later,” can hold a boundary while maintaining connection. These micro-moments, when handled thoughtfully, help children understand what is acceptable and create an atmosphere of mutual respect.

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