Smart Family Podcast

What a thrill to talk with Dr Karyn Gordon - psychologist, Ted Talk speaker and author of The Three Chairs. Karyn has done years of research on leadership and what makes an effective leader. Using principles from her knowledge of family systems she has figured out what allows people to work together effectively. She has distilled her findings into a metaphor which she calls The Three Chairs. Together we unpack this idea and along the way talk about self-leadership, self-confidence and how to distinguish between thoughts and feelings (hint: it's super important to understand the difference!). Listen in and find out which chair you might be sitting in.....

When Jon Acuff asked kids at a camp to write down their hidden doubts and fears, it became clear to him that the soundtracks they're listening to - the negative messages they feed themselves - aren't setting them up for success. Sound familiar? Has overthinking ever been an issue for you? If you've ever caught yourself thinking I'm not _____ enough to do that or heard your child saying, "I'm the worst at ________" or your teen saying, "I'll never pass ______" or "Fat chance I'll ever get into _______", then stop right here and listen in. Jon Acuff tackles this problem head-on, backed by research in his recent book, Soundtracks. Even better, in this conversation he shares what he and his two teenaged daughters, L.E. and McRae have learned, applied and written about to help other teens replace their broken soundtracks with thoughts that launch them into a better future.

Does your child have difficulty focusing or paying attention? Are they hyperactive? Do you wonder if they (or maybe you) have ADHD? Maybe a friend or teacher has suggested the diagnosis and now you don't know what to do. Today we turn to ADHD expert and author Dr Walter Karniski for answers. He explains where ADHD comes from, why it used to be an advantage to have ADHD but how for many people it is a challenge. He explains how ADHD isn't really a disease or based in actual pathology but is better perceived as being a maldaptive way of coping in today's complicated world. He also goes into detail about medications. If you have ever wondered whether you or your child has ADHD, this episode will address common questions. Want to know more? Check out Dr Karniski's book ADHD Medication: Does It Work and Is It Safe?

Ever wonder if your kids have too few friends? Or too many? Or none? It's been a tough few years for kids and personal connection. As parents we want our kids to grow in a healthy family and community environment. We want positive peer influences - but how do we protect them from the negative influences (or should we?). What about the pull of on-line connections versus in-real-life connections? Dr Rob Meeder tackles all this and more in a super practical way that will help you as you parent your children through the ups and downs of life in a busy and often confusing world.

On the fence about whether you should sign your kids up for sports? Prior to the pandemic, lots of families were engaged in sports but recently parents have started to rethink whether to sign kids back up for sports or not. One of the reasons parents are hesitating is the toxic culture that exists in certain sports and teams - one that is often driven by coaches who bully and one that is hitting headline news on a regular basis. We learn that trying to "motivate" kids by bullying them is actually counter-productive and harmful. In this episode we talk to author and speaker Jennifer Fraser who has lived-experience with this issue and has written extensively about this in her recent books. We talk about sports, but also bullying in general, and how we can protect our kids so that sports - and every area of their life - can be enjoyable, healthy, fun and safe. Find out more at bulliedbrain.com.

Ever felt that nagging feeling you should be doing something for your kids or at home while you're at work? Or, doing something more at the office once you're at home? For the first time on our podcast, we're tackling the problem of 'mom guilt' (but for you men, we don't believe that only mothers get this feeling!). Dr Michelle Deering is a psychologist with decades of experience in helping people overcome the emotional hurdles in their lives and family relationships. She talks about the core beliefs that give rise to 'mom guilt', dispels the myth that you need to be present with your children all the time, and shines light on the often-hidden problem of mom's needs being deprioritized - by mom herself. She gives us valuable, practical advice on how to move beyond feeling guilty while building stronger bonds with your spouse and kids, and emerging with a healthier you!

This episode will inspire you. We get right into the nuts and bolts of the motto of our podcast: "Love Being Home!" with clinical psychologist Dr Lynyetta Willis. Do you feel like you are stuck in your family relationships? Do you see your spouse and kids and wonder if you are settling for mediocrity? Can there be more to your marriage and parenting? Dr Willis thinks so. She explains how we can get stuck in patterns of stable misery. More importantly, she describes how to move out of that pattern and move towards dynamic joy using the PATHS framework. We learned so much talking to Dr Wilis and believe you will be inspired to take a step in the right direction and can once again Love Being Home.Enjoy!

  The tough times we've all been through lately have been impacting our marriages. How's it going with your sex life these days? Today's guest has years of experience helping couples get to the root of problems with their sexual intimacy. In this episode, Toni and our guest Amie Latta talk about the three most common pitfalls that trip couples up in the bedroom, along with practical wisdom on potential solutions and next steps. She shares ways to move past the barriers you've been experiencing but not really discussing, including the performance pressure we too often place on ourselves. If you've been wondering how to deal with a sensitive issue impacting your sex life - that one you're afraid to raise with your partner - you'll want to hear what Amie has to say. 

Why is it that we are so often led to believe that boys and men must supress their emotions in order to be truly masculine? It is as if the terms "emotional" and "masculine" are mutually exclusive. Our guest today has a different perspective. David Thomas believes that boys are healthier if they are emotionally strong. He also makes a powerful case that emotionally strong boys become much healthier men - a profound message given the sad mental health statistics for men. David has done extensive research on this topic, and draws from decades of counselling experience. He has written about it in his new book Raising Emotionally Strong Boys. He shares his insights with us today - insights which will help you raise your son in a way that is mentally, physically and spiritually healthy.

Having conversations with our kids about topics of diversity, equity and inclusion can feel complicated these days. Even during periods when we're not hearing much about racial prejudice in the news, there's a lot for us to learn and much work to be done to right the wrongs of racial injustice in our societies. How can you and your family be part of ongoing antiracism efforts to put an end to racial injustice for this generation? Deanna Singh has been named by Forbes as an African American woman everyone needs to know. Educated in law and business, Deanna is both a social entrepreneur and a changemaker. She tells her story of how east met west in her family of origin, her own childhood experience of racism, and how she and her family approach other cultures with curiosity and love.