How do you support your child through grief when you’re grieving too?

In this Q&A edition of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson answers your top questions about helping kids navigate death, loss, and big emotions. He covers how to support neurodivergent kids when grief shows up as anger or outbursts, how much to show your own emotions, when grief becomes something more serious, and even the surprising role imaginary friends can play in healing.

What you’ll learn:

• “All feelings are welcome, all behaviors are not” — how to validate emotions while holding boundaries
• How grief can look different in kids with ADHD or ODD — and how to respond
• The clearest language to use when telling a child someone has died
• What not to say when trying to soften the news
• How to talk to a 5-year-old about loss in three simple steps
• Why grief comes in unpredictable waves — and how to help kids ride them
• How to model healthy coping when your child sees you cry
• Signs that suggest it may be time to seek additional support
• How pretend play and imaginary friends can actually aid the healing process

Have a question for Dr. Dave? Email [email protected].

How do I talk to my child about death and grief — without making things worse or shutting down their feelings? In this episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson sits down with Katie Peinovich, LCSW, to share compassionate, practical guidance for supporting kids through loss. Drawing on years of experience working with children in New York City schools who’ve faced trauma, Peinovich explains why it’s important to be direct, validate emotions, and model coping — even when you’re grieving too.

Key topics include:

• Why kids need clear, honest language (and why euphemisms don’t help)
• What grief looks like in children — and why it often comes in waves
• How to sit with a child’s feelings without trying to “fix” them
• When to worry that grief may be interfering with daily life
• Scripts for answering tough questions like “What is death?”
• Whether children should attend funerals or memorial services and how to prepare them
• Creative ways kids can remember loved ones, from memory boxes to rituals
• Why it’s okay for kids to see parents grieve, as long as they feel safe and loved

Further reading

• Talking to Kids About Death and Grief – Child Mind Institute

How do you help your child do well in school — without constant stress or conflict? 

In this Q&A edition of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson answers your top questions about supporting kids’ academic success. He covers how to support teens when they're unmotivated, what to do when school doesn’t fit your child’s learning style, balancing activities without burnout, keeping kids focused when they’re not interested, what to do when kids say they “hate school,” and how to talk about grades without piling on pressure.

What you’ll learn:

• How to use motivational interviewing to help teens set their own academic goals
• How to collaborate with teachers on realistic supports for neurodivergent learners
• Drop-off rituals and coping strategies for separation anxiety
• A developmental checklist for balancing school, activities, and downtime
• Practical focus hacks: participation checklists and active note-taking
• Visual cues and positive reinforcement to build independence in organization
• Shifting the conversation from grades and achievement to effort and process

Have a question for Dr. Dave? Email [email protected].

How can I help my child do better in school — without pushing too hard or taking over? In this episode, Dr. Dave Anderson sits down with Dr. Adam Zamora, a neuropsychologist at the Child Mind Institute, to talk about how to build the habits, mindset, and support systems that help kids thrive academically. From kindergarten through college, they cover everything from procrastination and motivation to homework battles, parent-teacher communication, and how to know when it’s time to get extra support.

Key topics include:

• Building a growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset
• Supporting effective homework routines (without micromanaging)
• When to push, when to scaffold, and when to step back
• How to work with schools and teachers as part of your child’s “village”
• The value of neuropsych evaluations and what they actually tell us
• Prepping kids for college success — academically and emotionally

Further reading

• College Readiness Toolkit – Child Mind Institute
• Strategies to Make Homework Go More Smoothly – Child Mind Institute

Parenting teenagers can feel like a rollercoaster — mood swings, pushback, and “leave me alone”… until they need a ride. In this Q&A edition of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson answers parents’ real questions about staying connected when teens shut you out, handling blow-ups, setting boundaries that actually stick, spotting the signs of depression, and helping teens cope with rejection and social media comparison.

Have a question for a future episode? Email [email protected].

In this special episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson sits down with NYU social psychologist Dr. Jonathan Haidt for a live conversation on how smartphones and social media are transforming childhood — and what parents, schools, and policymakers can do in response.

Recorded at Guild Hall in East Hampton, they discuss the questions raised in Dr. Haidt’s new book The Anxious Generation — including the points they see differently.

They talk candidly about screen time, youth anxiety, social media “addiction,” digital literacy, tech regulation, and why we’re seeing such sharp mental health shifts in teens and tweens. Whether you’re alarmed by what you see on your kid’s phone or just looking for practical next steps, this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and room for multiple perspectives.

Topics include:

• The “post-play childhood” and decline in free time
• When (and if) kids should be using social media
• Why phones in schools are so hard to manage
• Where tech harms hit boys and girls differently
• What parents can do now — even if the genie’s already out of the bottle

Further reading

The Anxious Generation – Jonathan Haidt
Screen Time and Technology Resources – Child Mind Institute

Special thanks to Guild Hall and the Hamptons Institute for hosting this event and to journalist and filmmaker Perri Peltz for moderating with insight and care.

Raising a teenager isn’t easy — but it is possible to stay connected. In this episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson sits down with Dr. Janine Domingues to explore how caregivers can support teens through adolescence — from emotional shutdowns to risky behavior to the weird world of YouTube.

Together they unpack:

• What’s really going on in the adolescent brain
• How to connect with your teen even if they won’t talk to you
• The power of shared rituals, from car rides to diner breakfasts
• Why you should care about what they care about (yes, even Minecraft)
• How to model communication — and stay regulated when they roll their eyes
• Tips for keeping teens safe around drugs, alcohol, social media, and more
• What to do when your teen shuts you out

Whether your child is 13 or 18, this conversation offers practical insights for building trust, maintaining open communication, and guiding kids through one of the most intense developmental phases of their lives.

Further reading

• Communicating with Teens – Child Mind Institute
• How do I help my child through the challenges they face in the teen years? – Child Mind Institute

How do you help your child feel confident in who they are without putting pressure on them to be perfect or the best at everything?

In this Q&A edition of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson answers questions from listeners about how to support self-esteem in kids and teens. Building healthy self-worth isn’t just about praise — it’s about helping young people feel capable, valued, and grounded even when life is hard or they fall short. Drawing from clinical insight and everyday parenting strategies, Dr. Anderson tackles common concerns around negative self-talk, comparison, perfectionism, and how to model healthy self-esteem as an adult.

Topics include:

• How to build kids’ confidence without making them feel entitled
• What to do when your child says “I’m stupid” or “I hate myself”
• Helping kids avoid harmful social media comparisons
• Encouraging risk-taking when kids are afraid to fail
• Supporting kids when they hear something unkind from a peer
• Knowing the difference between low self-esteem and a rough patch
• What to do when a child’s self-esteem depends on one area (like sports)
• Moving beyond achievement as a source of pride
• How to support perfectionists without reinforcing pressure
• Why how you talk about yourself matters — and how to model healthy self-worth

In a world full of comparison — from the classroom to social media — it’s not always easy for kids to feel confident, capable, and valued just as they are. In this episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson is joined by Dr. Jenny Louie, a psychologist in the Anxiety Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute, to explore how parents can help children develop healthy self-esteem.

You’ll hear about creating a safe, supportive home environment, encouraging healthy challenges, and finding the right balance between nurturing and pushing kids to grow. Dr. Louie shares practical, real-world examples (including some from her own life) that show how small shifts in what we say and do can make a big difference in how kids see themselves.

You'll learn:

• Why unconditional love is the foundation of self-esteem
• Why it's good to encourage kids to try new things — even when they’re nervous
• Why effort matters more than achievement
• How to help kids recover from mistakes and “beautiful oopses”
• How to support self-esteem in the teen years

Further reading

• 12 Tips for Raising Confident Kids – Child Mind Institute
• (Video) How to Help Kids Build Healthy Self-Esteem – Child Mind Institute

What do you do when your child is struggling to make friends, or causing conflict with the friends they have? In this Q&A edition of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson answers real questions from parents and caregivers about how to help kids build and maintain healthy relationships, from early childhood through the teen years.

We cover:

• How to explain that not everyone will like you — and that’s okay
• What to do if your child doesn’t seem to have “real” friendships
• How to support your child’s social life if you’re a shy parent
• How to help a tween handle peer rejection
• What to do when your teen gossips or ghosts their friends
• How to respond to “bossy” behavior in younger kids
• Why teen friendships can sometimes feel toxic — especially among girls
• What to do when an older sibling is being unkind
• How to recognize emotional dependence in friendships
• Tips for supporting a child with ADHD who struggles socially

Whether your child is 6 or 16, this episode is packed with practical advice to help you guide them toward strong, supportive friendships — and build the social-emotional skills they’ll use for life.

 Further reading

• (Video) Being a Good Friend in Hedgehog Land – from the Child Mind Institute's Emmy and Webby-nominated series for young kids, featuring music by Lake Street Dive
• How to Help Teens Through a Friendship Breakup – Child Mind Institute
• How to Help Kids Who Are Lonely – Child Mind Institute