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In December 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an urgent advisory regarding the youth mental health crisis in America. The pandemic took an already strained system and pushed it to the brink.

Dr. Lisa Damour, bestselling author of Untangled and Under Pressure, has a new book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable and Compassionate Adolescents. She joins uh-PARENT-ly hosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about common myths about teens’ emotions, how to be a better listener and why distress is crucial for growth.

Like Anne and Tracy on the uh-PARENT-ly Facebook page. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Follow them on Instagram and Twitter. Or email them at [email protected]. And check out Anne’s book, Potty-Mouthed: Big Thoughts from Little Brains.

Anne and Tracy have always centered their podcast episodes around topics in the news, at the soccer field, or in their mom groups. This particular episode, however, is highly personal and painful for both of them. Last month Tracy’s brother-in-law died unexpectedly, leaving behind his wife and three young kids. He and Tracy’s sister actually met at Anne’s wedding, and all three couples spent many glorious and chaotic years raising their children together.

When an unexpected death happens to a family, there is grief, loss, and profound sadness. And if that isn’t bad enough, there’s also a mess of financial affairs and piles of paperwork to go through.

Terry Savage, a nationally recognized personal finance expert and bestselling author of “The Savage Truth on Money,” joins uh-PARENT-ly hosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about how to plan for your family’s future and have the hard talks about wills, power of attorney, and other essential estate planning.

Like Anne and Tracy on the uh-PARENT-ly Facebook page. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Follow them on Instagram and Twitter. Or email them at [email protected]. And check out Anne’s book, PottyMouthed: Big Thoughts from Little Brains.

As families of high school seniors navigate things like college visits or the “Common App” this fall, it could be helpful to revisit an episode from Season Six.

uh-PARENT-ly co-hosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos talked to Ron Lieber, the Your Money columnist for the New York Times, about his book, The Price You Pay for College. 

And yes, what YOUR family pays might be far different from what your neighbor does … even if your kids attend the same schools. Listen to find out why college is so expensive, how Merit Aid can help and what the heck the “common data set” is and why it’s useful.

Like Anne and Tracy on the uh-PARENT-ly Facebook page. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Follow them on Instagram and Twitter. Email them at [email protected]. And check out Anne’s book, POTTY-MOUTHED: Big Thoughts from Little Brains.

Whether from headlines or tweets or conversations with friends, the message lately has been clear: Inflation is on the rise.

But the price of gas and groceries is nothing compared to the cost of childcare. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index, since 1990 childcare costs have risen 214 percent while the average family income has increased by 143 percent. 

Dr. Lynette Fraga, CEO of Child Care Aware, joins uh-PARENT-ly hosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about what quality childcare looks like and why everyone should care about quality of and access to services.

Like Anne and Tracy on the uh-PARENT-ly Facebook page. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Follow them on Instagram and Twitter. Or email them at [email protected]. And check out Anne’s book, POTTY-MOUTHED: Big Thoughts from Little Brains.

According to a recent poll conducted by John Zogby Strategies, 56 percent of adults say concern for their public safety has influenced their decision not to go out. Reports of carjackings and random shootings bombard the news. Just outside of Chicago, two days before Christmas, a mall shooting left four people injured and thousands of shoppers stranded and hiding in the back rooms of their favorite retail stores. 

Brandon Rhone, a 17-year veteran of law enforcement and a school resource officer, joins uh-PARENT-ly hosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about how to mitigate risk and teach kids to navigate the unthinkable. They discuss a few simple strategies for staying safe in the middle of a dangerous situation.

Like Anne and Tracy on the uh-PARENT-ly Facebook page. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Follow them on Instagram and Twitter. Or email them at [email protected]. And check out Anne’s book, POTTY-MOUTHED: Big Thoughts from Little Brains.

Human beings are prone to negativity bias. Scientists have discovered that for every negative emotional experience you have, you need at least three positive ones to offset it.  A three to one ratio.  Feels like a big hole to dig out of, right?  Positive Psychology researchers have conducted more than 200 studies with more than 275,000 people and have found that humans have it all wrong: Cars, promotions, grades, or big houses don’t lead to happiness. It’s the other way around. When you are happy, you get better outcomes.

Devin Hughes, author and speaker, joins uh-PARENT-ly hosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about happiness and how to flip the script on ways to achieve it.  They discuss a few simple steps to try each day to retrain the brain, which will produce better outcomes in your family, marriage, career, education and friendships.

Like Anne and Tracy on the uh-PARENT-ly Facebook page. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Follow them on Instagram and Twitter. Or email them at [email protected]. And check out Anne’s book, POTTY-MOUTHED: Big Thoughts from Little Brains.

According to a new book, the average teen spends nine hours a day on a screen. Nine hours. Even more alarming, we continue to learn about BIG TECH companies (like Facebook and Instagram) and their algorithms that hijack our kids’ attention. Snapstreaks, Likes, Shares, you name it: These manipulative measures lead to more screen time. One psychologist says the key to helping reduce screen time and consumption is empowering kids to take charge and decide for themselves what is the right amount. His premise is simple: Kids care about the future. He believes that by igniting their natural resistance to being told what to do, we can help them hit their own reset buttons.

Dr. Alex Packer, educator, psychologist, and award-winning author of many books, including his latest, SLAYING DIGITAL DRAGONS, joins uh-PARENT-ly hosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about how parents can navigate screen time and educate kids on the dark side of social media and apps.

They discuss the effects of too much screen time, the difference between good and bad screen time and how Big Tech manipulates and drives kids’ eyeballs to consume more content.

Like Anne and Tracy on the uh-PARENT-ly Facebook page. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Follow them on Instagram and Twitter. Or email them at [email protected]. And check out Anne’s book, POTTY-MOUTHED: Big Thoughts from Little Brains.

More than 55 million children will be heading back to elementary, middle or high school this fall. And after the last year and a half, they might be carrying more than pencils and notebooks in their “backpacks.” 

Dr. John Duffy, clinical psychologist and author of Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety, joins uh-PARENT-ly hosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about how to create a smooth runway and transition back into the classroom after months of hybrid or remote school. 

They discuss how to build stamina and what you can do leading up to the first day of school, along with things to look for in case you need to find professional help for your child.

Like Anne and Tracy on the uh-PARENT-ly Facebook page. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Follow them on Instagram and Twitter. Or email them at [email protected]. And check out Anne’s book, POTTY-MOUTHED: Big Thoughts from Little Brains.

This past year has been incredibly challenging for many families, and mental health has really become a top priority.

Dr. Michelle Borba, author of Thrivers: Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine, joins uh-PARENT-ly hosts Tracy Weiner and Anne Johnsos to talk about how kids can cope with adversity and deal with whatever life throws at them. Through her research, she learned the secret recipe to resilience isn’t good grades or test scores, but rather seven character traits that kids can learn. Listen to find out what sets kids apart and prepares them to thrive and shine, ultimately leading to happiness and great accomplishments.

Like Anne and Tracy on the uh-PARENT-ly Facebook page. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Follow them on Instagram and Twitter. Or email them at [email protected]. And check out Anne’s book, POTTY-MOUTHED: Big Thoughts from Little Brains.

With COVID-19 and lots of “together time” at home, there may be more shut doors. This week uh-PARENT-ly cohosts Anne Johnsos and Tracy Weiner talk to Michelle Icard, educator and author of a new book, Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen: The Essential Conversations You Need to Have with Your Kids Before They Start High School.  She offers ways to start conversations with your tweens and teens without being shut down or shut out. Listen to learn about conversation starters, phrases to avoid and Icard’s B.R.I.E.F formula to get kids talking!

Like Anne and Tracy on the uh-PARENT-ly Facebook page. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Follow them on Instagram and Twitter. Or email them at [email protected]. And check out Anne’s book, POTTY-MOUTHED: Big Thoughts from Little Brains.