Kids of all ages need to feel connected and loved unconditionally.  How can you set up a system in your family for creating and keeping those connections?  In this podcast we go over connections for kids between 2 and 10.  The next podcast covers what you can do for teens and tweens, a much harder demographic than younger kids who still think the world of you.  In this episode we explore ideas on how to have regular "quick" connections on a daily or weekly basis while also considering longer "dates" with our kids.  We talk about how the intention is for each parent to ..read more

Grumpy kids can really put your home into a foul mood.  What can we do to help tame these dark clouds and bring some sunshine back into our lives? In this episode we'll cover these four steps: Step 1 – Keep Your Cool  Step 2 – Offer Empathy and Hugs  Step 3 - Fix the Broken Connection  Step 4 – Go on a Trigger Quest and Brainstorm The transcript for this episode is HERE Here are the resources mentioned in the podcast: Kings Corner Card Game YouTube Instruction Video  Mood Meter Graphic  Parenting Decoded YouTube Videos  Communicating with Teens and Twee ..read more

Parents struggle with how to motivate their children toward certain behaviors. Typically rewards and bribes are used.  In this episode learn about when bribes and rewards are most likely to motivate your child.  There are pros and cons of both types of motivations.  Bribes tend to reinforce negative behaviors, while rewards are commonly thought of as something that's planned ahead and well-thought-out, used for positive behaviors.  However, sometimes our plans backfire!  When? How? What do we do?  Listen and learn! Click HERE for a written transcript on my webs ..read more

Do you have an anxious child?   Does it worry you or drive you crazy?  Either way you need to listen to this podcast! In this podcast, hear from Stephanie Pinto, founder of Let’s Raise Emotionally Intelligent Kids and author of the best-selling book From Chaos to Connection.   We talk about how parents can support their kids who have anxiety.   Learn about the 4 different types of anxiety, then the 4 parenting traps that we fall into when we attempt to "help" that wind up having negative impacts. Being over reassuring Swooping in/Jumping in too soon Allowing avoidance Be ..read more

Today with the launch of the Barbie movie and so much emphasis on selfies and having perfect bodies, it's worth considering how we help out the millions of kids who aren't "perfect".   In this episode I interview Pam Luk, Founder of Ember & Ace, a clothing brand for plus-sized kids.  We talk about how to support our kids both socially and emotionally as well as how we as parents need to tamp down our own feelings about perfection that harm our kids in emotional ways that hurt more than help. Email me at mary@parentingdecoded.com or go to my website at www.parentingdecoded.com ..read more

What do you with kids who are wired differently?   Who might be on the spectrum (ADHD, Asperger's, OCD, etc.)?  Maybe they've had a diagnosis, maybe you just can see they are off the charts brilliant and some things but a total failure at socializing with kids their age.  If you have such challenges with your kids,  take a listen to Sam Young of Young Scholars Academy in this episode as he explains how his online community for neurodivergent and gifted children works.  He brings a strength-based approach to getting our kids to connect in healthy, positive ways while l ..read more

Some kids seem to be born not caring where stuff is.  They rely on us to find things and if we can't find them they blame US!  Yikes!  This episode gives you ideas about how to let go of the responsibility for items in our kids lives that should be THEIRS but seem to have become OURS.   Learn how to keep a calm head as we turn over the job of owning "stuff" back to our kids in loving ways.   ..read more

Most parents seem to get hit with this at some point in our parenting journey.  It can start at around 6-7 months and usually goes away gradually throughout early childhood.  But… sometimes we’re just put to the test with separation issues and we wish someone would let us know what’s normal, what’s extreme and give us some ideas about what to do. In this podcast we have Jessica O’Connor, LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist to help step us through ideas in dealing with separation at different ages and stages. For more details about separation anxiety and what do to: LINK ..read more

There are so many pressures we face as parents but one of the most challenging can be managing our own parents when it comes to gifting to their grandkids.  It's enough to drive some of us crazy! In this episode we'll talk about the types of interference we might be dealing from our family values being over run to dealing with huge amounts of clutter that we have to organize not to how too many toys can interfere with creativity in our kids.  Take a listen to hear more possible issues.   What can you do?  Start by having Family meetings with your parents and in-laws.  ..read more

When you have a child who refuses to read or is delayed in their reading compared to their peers it can be a very stressful time for parents as we try to navigate the what-to-dos and the why-is this-happening-to-my-child thoughts that constantly run through our minds.  The same stress can hit us when our kids don’t want to write and then again if they start falling into the “I hate school” mode which really tears us up.  Having learning differences can contribute heavily to this stressful time but knowing what to do and what resources you can employ in your home and in child’s schoo ..read more