Raising Healthy Kid Brains
Amy Nielson
Raising Healthy Kid Brains helps moms and teachers understand how children's brains work and what they can do to set them up for success. Discover the critical elements of supporting a child's healthy brain development, psychological factors that influence emotional development, and simple suggestions to encourage the creativity and curiosity of life-long learners.
Join your host, Amy Nielson, Founder of Planning Playtime, a provider of game-changing educational programs and resources to moms and teachers, as she and her guests discuss the importance of understanding child development.
This is the show for you if you find yourself asking questions like:
*Am I communicating effectively with my child?
*How can I build a bonding experience with my child?
*What exactly are the structures, limits, and boundaries for children?
*Why are good parent-teacher relationships important?
*What benchmarks should I focus on in early childhood?
To learn more, visit planningplaytime.com
Join your host, Amy Nielson, Founder of Planning Playtime, a provider of game-changing educational programs and resources to moms and teachers, as she and her guests discuss the importance of understanding child development.
This is the show for you if you find yourself asking questions like:
*Am I communicating effectively with my child?
*How can I build a bonding experience with my child?
*What exactly are the structures, limits, and boundaries for children?
*Why are good parent-teacher relationships important?
*What benchmarks should I focus on in early childhood?
To learn more, visit planningplaytime.com
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 30, 2023 • 29min
54. Internal Family Systems Therapy for Kids with Bekkilyn Toone
Internal Family Systems therapy suggests that we all have parts of us that aren't necessarily our identity. Whether it's sadness, anger, or anxiety, they aren't really us, but they all have jobs that they're doing and need to be heard. To walk us through Internal Family Systems therapy and the practice of personifying our parts, I'm speaking to Bekkilyn Toone this week, a licensed marriage and family therapist who currently works with children, teenagers, and their families. Bekkilyn is sharing what happens when you allow space for all your parts, how this practice separates what we're feeling from who we actually are, and her top tips and ideas for using this concept with your children. Get full show notes and more information here: https://planningplaytime.com/54
Nov 23, 2023 • 14min
53. Helping Kids Develop the Habit of Gratitude
Gratitude is a game-changing life skill that all of us can start and improve at any point in our lives. It is a beautiful gift you can give your children right now that will change the way they approach their lives forever, but it all starts with you modeling it for them first because kids learn from what we do more than what we say. Hear what happens when we teach our children the practice of gratitude, and why it's about so much more than just learning to say thank you. I'm sharing four steps to helping your children develop the habit of gratitude, and my top suggestions for modeling it with consistency so it becomes an automatic lifestyle choice for them. Get full show notes and more information here: https://planningplaytime.com/53
Nov 16, 2023 • 35min
52. Teaching Your Child to Read: Homeschool Edition
My guest this week is Hillary Ruprecht, a long-time member of our Planning Playtime community. She's a mom of one who started homeschooling when her daughter was three and a half years old. Hillary felt inadequate and uncertain about her ability to teach her daughter how to read, and then she found Play to Read, and she's here to tell us about her journey. Hear Hillary's experience of using the Play to Read program with her daughter as a homeschooling mom. She's openly sharing some of the objections she initially had to using Play to Read, what changed her mind, and how the incorporation of play was a game-changer in her daughter's love of reading. Get full show notes and more information here: https://planningplaytime.com/52
Nov 9, 2023 • 31min
51. Creative Ways to Get Kids Excited About Reading with Dr. Victoria Waller
Dr. Victoria Waller is a creative child educator, rockstar tutor, and author of Yes! Your Child Can: Creating Success for Children with Learning Differences. She's got some amazing insights on helping children with learning differences harness their strengths and build an identity as a reader, and she's sharing them with us today. Join us on this episode to hear Dr. Victoria Waller's expertise on getting children to love reading and the value of starting as early as possible. She's sharing the brilliance she's witnessed in children with learning differences throughout her career, and how you can begin translating your children's unique strengths into a love of reading. Get full show notes and more information here: https://planningplaytime.com/51
Nov 2, 2023 • 40min
50. Peaceful Parenting without Punishments or Rewards with Michelle Kenney
This week, I'm speaking to M.Ed Certified Parenting Coach, Michelle Kenney. Michelle is a mother of two girls and a former high school teacher and counselor who transitioned into a certified parenting instructor. After years of parenting using consequences, bribes, and gold stars, she completely reshaped the sacred relationship she shares with her daughters, and she credits connected parenting for it. Hear Michelle's insights on connected parenting and why difficult behaviors naturally fall into place when you focus on your relationship rather than on punishments and rewards. Learn why rewards don't exemplify unconditional love, how connection increases cooperation, and her top tips for harnessing connection whenever your children are having a hard time, whether they're in adolescence or toddlerhood. Get full show notes and more information here: https://planningplaytime.com/50
Oct 26, 2023 • 34min
49. Autism in Children: The Importance of Early Intervention with Shannon Urquiola
Shannon Urquiola is the founder of Not Your Average Autism Mom, a non-profit organization that equips families raising children on the Autism spectrum with resources, trainings, coaching, and a sense of community. She entered the special education advocacy space after her own son was diagnosed with Autism, and she's here to shed light on how to make this journey easier if you, too, are navigating parenting a special needs child. Discover some of the early signs of Autism in young children and why early intervention is critical. Shannon is walking us through the options of evaluations that are available to you, the difference between various therapies, and her top tips for next steps if you receive an Autism diagnosis. Get full show notes and more information here: https://planningplaytime.com/49
Oct 19, 2023 • 17min
48. Create a Culture of Learning in Your Home or Classroom
A culture of learning can be a very organic, natural, and beautiful thing to create, and it doesn't have to be hard. This week, I'm sharing what this culture can look like and how you can start creating one in your own kiddos' environment. Discover the different types of curiosity and how curiosity plays a role in your child's future success. I invite you to add a little bit of curiosity to your child's learning so you can inspire them to gain more knowledge, gain more curiosity, and continue that loop as they age. Get full show notes and more information here: https://planningplaytime.com/48
Oct 12, 2023 • 35min
47. How to Reverse Picky Eating with Katie Kimball
I'm bringing you a conversation with Katie Kimball, the creator of Kids Cook Real Food and a trusted authority and advocate for children's health. She is a former teacher, a two-time TEDx speaker, a writer, and a mother of four kids. Her Kids Cook Real Food course is recommended by the Wall Street Journal as the best online cooking class for kids, and she's full of amazing tips and insightful advice for parenting picky eaters. Discover how to tell if your kids are picky eaters. We're discussing why it seems like picky eaters are increasingly common, how to stop your toddlers from becoming picky eaters, some basic steps parents can take to start reversing picky eating habits, and some general tips on how to assist your children in building a healthy relationship with food. Get full show notes and more information here: https://planningplaytime.com/47
Oct 5, 2023 • 28min
46. The Power of the Play to Read Program with Angela Mason
Angela Mason was a teacher who is now teaching her own kids to read at home. She has been a member of our Planning Playtime community for a number of years now, and she's here to share her experience of using the Play to Read program with her children and why she has found stacking play with the science of reading to be a magical combination. Hear how Angela is using the Play to Read program at home with her children, and how it helps kids want to read and love the learning process. She's sharing her thoughts on how teachers can benefit from this program, how play helps grow the new brain connections necessary for reading, and why her kids love it. Get full show notes and more information here: https://planningplaytime.com/46
Sep 28, 2023 • 53min
45. Connected Parenting: From Combat to Connection with Jennifer Kolari
My guest this week is Jennifer Kolari, a clinical social worker, family therapist, board-certified hypnotherapist, and founder of Connected Parenting. She's also a highly sought-after speaker, author, and podcaster, and she's here to introduce us to her Connected Parenting methodology, and why it's the medicine you and your child need to go from combat to connection. Join us on this episode as Jennifer breaks down the science of language and the power of harnessing compassion, empathy and connection. You'll hear what mirroring means, the difference between punishments and consequences, the benefits of using the calm technique, and how her philosophy brings infinite gifts that will help you connect with not only your child, but the rest of the world. Get full show notes and more information here: https://planningplaytime.com/45
