Is Not Getting Enough Sleep Really That Bad For Us? with guest Dr. Jennifer Reid

About this Episode

What’s the big deal if we don’t get enough sleep? On this episode of Brainy Moms, Dr. Amy and Sandy asked psychiatrist and insomnia expert, Dr. Jennifer Reid that question and she shared several ways that sleep deprivation impacts both our physical and mental health. We talk about the basics of sleep, the difference between sleep deprivation and insomnia, and the impact of sleep on weight, metabolism, immune system function, focus and attention, and overall health. It’s kind of a big deal that we get enough sleep! Join us to learn some serious sleep science from a serious sleep doctor.

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What Parents Need to Know about Speech and Language Development with guest Sarah Billingham

About this Episode

Did you know that as parents, we are the best partner to support early language skills in our children? On this episode of Brainy Moms, Dr. Amy and Teri interview speech and language specialist teacher, Sarah Billingham of Confident Kids. Sarah shares how parents are the most “tuned in” to the speech and language skills of young children and how we are uniquely suited to help them develop those skills. She shares specific tips for communicating in ways that optimize their speech and language development, which milestones to be aware of, what red flags to look for, and some fantastic resources to help.

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Help Your Child Survive the Stressors of Middle School with guest Jessica Speer

About this Episode

Middle School is a time filled with big changes and big stressors for many adolescents. On this episode of Brainy Moms, Dr. Amy and Teri interview Jessica Speer, social scientist and author of the new book, Middle School: Safety Goggles Advised. Jessica shares what she discovered from interviewing middle schoolers about what they defined as their top stressors. The big ones? Social media, judgement by peers, friendships, crushes, gossips, and popularity. Jessica talks about many of the struggles identified by kids in middle school and gives parents some tips and advice on how to help our kids navigate these challenges.

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Get Your Toddler Talking with guest Jill Urbane

About this Episode

Communication and language in early childhood is intricately connected to behavior and social-emotional development. Every temper tantrum is an attempt to communicate an unmet need. How do we help young children develop effective communication skills? On this episode of Brainy Moms, Dr. Amy and Sandy interview the Mentor Mom, Jill Urbane.

Jill is an early childhood interventionist and social worker who specializes in the connection between speech development, emotions, social skills, and behavior. She shares the importance of recognizing our own temperament and communication style and its impact on our child’s behavior. She talks about big emotions in little children and how emotions impact communication. Jill walks us through the development of foundational language skills, what to look for, and what to do if we see red flags. We even spend time talking about the benefits of infant/toddler sign language in the development of language skills. Tune in for some fantastic facts and tips in helping your toddler communicate effectively.

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How to Quiet Your Inner Mean Girl with guest Onnie Michalsky, M.A.

About this Episode

Hey Moms! Are you ready to silence that inner “mean girl” who says you’re not enough? Are you exhausted from doing all the things and ready to shed your Supermom cape? On this episode of Brainy Moms, Dr. Amy and Sandy interview licensed therapist and host of Moms without Capes, Onnie Michalsky, about how to quiet our inner mean girls and take off our supermom capes. Onnie shares tips on identifying our own needs and emotions, setting boundaries, banishing guilt over self-care, and more.

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Managing Anxiety about School Shootings & Other Traumatic Experiences with guest Stacie Boyar, LMHC, MS Ed

About this Episode

With so many scary things happening in the world today, it’s easy to understand why kids are struggling with anxiety. On this episode, Dr. Amy and Teri interview licensed mental health counselor, Stacie Boyar, LMHC, MS Ed, who shares tips and specific strategies for managing anxiety. She’s uniquely qualified to give advice on this topic as a therapist in Parkland, FL who worked with teens from the Stoneman Douglas high school shooting.

We talk about effective therapies for anxiety like CBT and EMDR and also learn at-home breathing and grounding techniques that we AND our kids can use whenever we’re feeling stressed or anxious about anything at all. Join us for this fantastic conversation with the author of You’re Not the Boss of Me, a book for teens on conquering anxiety.

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A Radical Parenting Partnership with Your Teen - with author Lainie Liberti

About this Episode

On this episode of Brainy Moms, Dr. Amy and Teri interview Lainie Liberti, teen mentor and author of the book, Seen, Heard, and Understood: Parenting and Partnering with Teens for Greater Mental Health. Lainie shares a radical approach to relating to teens through a partnership parenting paradigm. Although unconventional, it’s an approach that promotes connection and cooperation with your teen. Based on ideas from her book, Lainie explains the benefits of knowing your teen’s love language, creating shared family values, and partnering in problem solving as a family. Join us for this conversation about a truly unique approach to raising teens.

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Creating & Modeling Healthy Habits & Mindset with guest Dr. Orlena Kerek

About this Episode

Are you running out of ways to get your kids to eat better? Do you struggle with yo-yo dieting or emotional eating? Want some tips for adopting a healthier lifestyle for your whole family? On this episode of Brainy Moms, Dr. Amy and Teri interview Dr. Orlena Kerek – a pediatrician, health coach, and author of the book, Building Simple Habits to a Healthy Me. Dr. Orlena talks about the four pillars of health we’re all familiar with: diet, exercise, sleep, and emotional wellness. But her perspective on these pillars of health is different. Health habits begin with our mindset. We have to adopt not just healthy beliefs but healthy identities if we want to create lasting healthy habits for ourselves and for our children. Join us for this fresh look at becoming a healthy family.

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Bedtime Tips from a Heart-Centered Sleep Coach with guest Maisie Ruttan

About this Episode

Are you tired of the bedtime battles with your kids? Are you at your wits end most nights when your child gets out of bed again and again? On this episode of Brainy Moms, Dr. Amy and Teri interview sleep coach Maisie Ruttan. Maisie shares powerful insights about why bedtime is so hard. She reveals that maybe our timing is wrong, that we are rushing through our routines, and that we aren’t turning screens off earlier enough. She also says we have to stop relying on the evenings for our own self-care time because that makes us resent our kids when they don’t go to bed quickly enough. It’s an episode that makes you re-think what a bedtime routine should really be about.

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How to Get Your Kids to Listen More and Argue Less with guest Cynthia Klein

About this Episode

Are you tired of arguing with your kids? Do you feel like every other conversation with your child ends in a conflict? Are there days when your kids just won’t listen? Imagine a relationship with your child that was full of cooperation rather than conflict. On this episode of Brainy Moms, Dr. Amy and Teri interviewed Cynthia Klein, parenting coach and author of the book, Ally Parenting: A Non-Adversarial Approach to Transform Conflict into Cooperation—a book that I believe should be on every parent’s bookshelf. Cynthia teaches us specific tips for changing how we communicate with our kids to encourage them to listen more and argue less.

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