Complicated Kids

When we're thinking about early speech and language delays, parents, pediatricians and other well-meaning people often take a "wait and see" approach. "He'll grow out of it"; "My daughter didn't talk till she was 3"; "You were a Late Talker and you're fine" are some of the things parents hear from other folks. Jen Branchini and I will dive into why this is actually terrible advice and what to do instead. Join us for this lively discussion! To learn more about Jen and her practice, visit districtspeech.com.

We promise! Your child is not a monster. Leslie Cohen Rubury, LCSW and host of the "Is My Child a Monster?" Podcast, joined me today to talk about her approach to helping parents with their challenging kiddos. As the parent of a controlling anxious child, Leslie learned early on what parenting strategies were and were not working. As a therapist trained in DBT, she brings her non judgemental curiosity to all the work she does with families. Join us for this spirited discussion and how Leslie knows your child is not a monster. To find out more about Leslie, visit her website at www.lesliecohenrubury.com.

There are so many nuggets (including chicken nuggets!) in this podcast, you won't want to miss it. Amy Burkholder came on the podcast today to talk about picky eating and some of the factors that might be at play when kids are picky eaters. In particular, pay attention to the part where Amy reminds us that the dietary needs of toddlers - pound per pound -- are LESS than those of infants. That one struck me for sure! Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review if you really like this episode! To find out more about Amy, visit her website at seedtosaplingnutrition.com.

When Jessica's son was diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), she spent some time grieving and asking "why me". And then she went into action to help other mom caregivers not feel alone through their own experience of parenting a child with disabilities. The result was her organization, We Are Brave Together, and her book, "Becoming Brave Together: heroic, extraordinary caregiving stories from mothers hidden in plain sight", released May 2024. Join Jessica and me for this insightful discussion about resilience, strength and the beautiful stories contained in this gorgeous book. Find We Are Brave Together on Amazon. To find out more about Jessica and We Are Brave Together, visit her website at www.wearebravetogether.com.

Amanda Diekman, author of the book Low Demand Parenting, joined me today for some "yellow bubble" time. Our conversation ran the gamut from autistic burnout, the problems with masking, and how our children are not empty vessels to be filled to how to think differently about the relationship with ourselves and our children while also dropping demands. This was a powerful conversation that you won't want to miss! To find out more about Amanda and her work, find her on FB and IG @lowdemandamanda and at www.amandadiekman.com.

Join me and Emily Cherkin for a spirited discussion about Tech-Intentional Screen Use. We'll cover what it means to be tech-intentional, how the battles that parents have with tech and their kids isn't a fair fight, some of the research around kids and screens, and how parents can manage screen use at home using Emily's judgement-free tech-intentional approach. You won't want to miss this one! Find out more about Emily by visiting her website at www.thescreentimeconsultant.com or pick up her book at https://www.amazon.com/Screentime-Solution-Judgment-Free-Becoming-Tech-Intentional/dp/B0CB9JS5KB. To view the research mentioned in the podcast, go to https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2815514?guestAccessKey=a[…]ferral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=030424.

Angela O'Brien and I sat down to discuss the ways in which her complicated kids have changed her life. From a challenging toddlerhood with her first child, to her second child's unexpected Down Syndrome diagnosis, Angela helps put it all into perspective, having survived and thrived, along with her children. We talk about the moment she realized that she needed to really start listening to what her children were telling her - verbally and nonverbally - and question her own assumptions about what her children's paths would be. We also talk about how she's leveraging what she's learned, along with her natural gift for organization, to help special needs families find more time and space for joy in their lives through her Especially Organized podcast and her professional organizing business, Your Space Reclaimed. Find out more at www.yourspacereclaimed.net.

Complicated Kids can sometimes struggle with constipation -- even if they're pooping every day! Join me and Dr. Kiley Gibbs, pelvic floor physical therapist, as we investigate some of the reasons kids become constipated and how to help them. Visit www.kcgpediatricpt.com to find out more about Kiley and her practice.

Join Scot Marken and me to talk about post high-school placements for neurodivergent kids. There are more and more opportunities for college-bound ND teens, as well as more and more supports for students who need them. We'll talk about some of these programs as well as mental health conditions and supports that are available beyond high school. Becoming responsible for their own medication, becoming aware of their own neurology, being able to advocate for themselves are all skills that young adults will need in order to leave home and live independently. We'll dive into these topics and so much more. To find out more about Scot at www.EdRedefined.com.

Cai Graham joined me today from the UK to talk about anxiety in teens (and parents). Trained as a coach and NLP practitioner, Cai's approach is practical, forward-looking and simple (though not always easy). Her no-nonsense way will have you leaning in for more all the way through this episode. Stay tuned till the end for an elegant and neuroscience-based way of dealing with anxiety! To find out more about Cai and how she may be able to help you and your teen visit her website at https://www.caigraham.com/.