We're always updating the operating systems on our devices, but do we ever think about updating the "operating system" we use to live our lives? The truth is, a lot of people end up living with their "default" setting; doing things not because it's what they want, but because it's what they think they're "supposed" to be doing based on what they've seen in their past. That's why in episode 26, I sit down with Kate Wendell from FamilyOS . Kate and her husband Tanner Wendell work with couples to h...
Sep 22, 2021•54 min•Ep. 26
In this episode, I talk about "toxic positivity" in both the parenting and professional communities for therapists and teachers. If you've ever felt dismissed when someone told you to "look on the bright side" or "be grateful for what you have", you'll appreciate this discussion. I share: ✅Why telling someone to "just think positive" can make an overwhelmed person feel worse . ✅Why many depressed people don't WANT to feel happy when they're having an episode (and what they want instead). ✅Why it...
Sep 15, 2021•43 min•Ep. 25
In this episode, I talk with Drew Vernon about how to help kids develop a natural sense of curiosity and ability to tell stories. Drew currently works for Tonies® , a toy brand that partners with schools to bring screen-free education to your children. He also spend several years working for the LEGO® Group, hosts a podcast with his 5-year old daughter, and has a passion for toys that help kids become creative thinkers. In our conversation, we discuss: ✅Ways to guide your kids through play in a ...
Sep 08, 2021•49 min•Ep. 24
Meltdowns and tantrums are a normal part of parenting, but it's not always easy to get through the day if you aren't sure how to handle them. That's why in episode 023, I share the second half of my conversation with DJ Stutz, where we talk about bad parenting advice, building self-esteem, and how to de-escalate tantrums and melt-downs. She also shares her experience growing up with an undiagnosed hearing impairment until 6th grade, and how this has helped her be a better teacher and parent. DJ ...
Sep 01, 2021•39 min•Ep. 23
Most parents know they should be giving their child praise and encouraging them to explore their interests... But most people don't realize that making small changes to what you say can make a big difference in your day-to-day life and interactions with your family. That's why in episode 022, I sit down with early childhood educator and parenting coach DJ Stutz to talk about the RIGHT (and wrong) ways to communicate expectations with your child. DJ has been an early childhood teacher for kids wi...
Aug 25, 2021•39 min•Ep. 22
One of the best ways to take care of your kids is to take care of the people taking care of our kids. That includes any professionals working with your child, like teachers, school therapists, administrators, and coaches to name a few. If you know anyone in any of those positions, you know it can be a thankless job. That became even more apparent this year after school staff endured harsh criticism no matter what decisions they made. Despite this, thousands of educational and medical professiona...
Aug 18, 2021•33 min•Ep. 21
It can be frustrating when you aren't sure how to best support your child; especially when it comes to schoolwork. If you have a child who gets some type of specialized services and therapies, that makes it even more complicated. The good news is that strong communication with the professionals helping your child can make it much easier. The problem is that it can be a challenge to figure out HOW to do it seamlessly; so you get the information you need to help your child. That's why in episode 2...
Aug 11, 2021•40 min•Ep. 20
In this episode, I had the opportunity to talk with Nicole Holcomb from Dyslexia Mom Life. Nicole is a lawyer, and educator (she's worked as a teacher, school counselor, and school administrator); but most importantly, she's a mom of a dyslexic daughter and the host of the Dyslexia Mom Life podcast where she provides information and support for moms of children with dyslexia. In this conversation, she shares: ✅ Red flags of dyslexia that indicate that you may want to seek out a professional eval...
Aug 04, 2021•54 min•Ep. 19
In this episode, I share my thoughts on two popular shows: "Love on the Spectrum" and "Atypical". *Please note: This episode is marked "explicit" because I discuss certain topics that may not be suitable for young children. Being someone who's spent a lot of time working with autistic people (as well as someone who doesn't identify as neurotypical), I procrastinated in watching these shows. I think I was afraid I'd hate what I saw, and that I'd be cringing the whole time. I finally sat down to w...
Jul 28, 2021•43 min•Ep. 18
In the spring, I often get a lot of questions about what parents should be doing with their kids over the summer to keep them from regressing. That’s why in episode 016 of the Are they 18 yet?™ podcast , I shared my tips and recommendations for summer “school” work, so the back-to-school routine doesn’t throw your family in to a complete state of chaos in the fall. I talk through: ✅ How to start your day off on the right foot , so you can avoid meltdowns and arguments. ✅ How keeping routines in ...
Jul 14, 2021•39 min•Ep. 16
In this episode, I sit down with Rebecca Robbins, a pediatric speech-language pathologist who specializes in working with young children with autism, apraxia, and other conditions that impact communication. You’ll find this conversation extremely helpful if you’re a parent of a toddler and you want to know how to interact with them in a way that helps them to build the speech and communication skills they need to thrive. During this interview, we talk about: How you can help your child develop e...
Jul 07, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 15
When I was growing up, the idea of being diagnosed with a mental health condition or a disability had a certain negative stigma associated with it. To be honest, my choice to become a pediatric speech pathologist and eventually get a doctorate in special education didn’t initially have to do with my own personal struggles. I was too deep in to denial to think of that. There were certain sensory needs I had…and when I found ways to meet them through what I now realize was stimming, I’d find mysel...
Jun 30, 2021•52 min•Ep. 14
In episode 013, I sit down with my husband Joe as we share how we handled conversations on some difficult topics when we first got together. Specifically, we talk about how we handled the money conversation early on, in addition to how we continue to manage our finances and talk about money with Olivia. I firmly believe that if you are in a relationship, one of the keys to being a good parent is having a strong relationship with your partner. One of the most common arguments in romantic partners...
Jun 23, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 13
In this episode, I sit down with writer and speaker Dr. Kate Browne to talk about the narratives being told in the media, the impact it has on our beliefs, and the way it’s effecting our kids’ health and well-being. In this interview, Dr. Browne shares both her personal experiences that led to her becoming an activist for body positivity, as well as her research on the story telling that goes on in advertising. Specifically we talk about: ✅ Why before/after weight loss stories can often do more ...
Jun 16, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 12
In this special pop-up episode, I take a break from the regular content to talk about burnout and boundaries; and specifically how I use systems to help me set healthy boundaries and reduce burnout. Back when I started working as an SLP in 2004, I found there was one area of my life (work-related) that caused an exponentially larger amount of stress than other things in my life. So much, in fact, that this ONE thing was impacting me in other areas of life outside of work. Like health and relatio...
Jun 09, 2021•25 min•Ep. 11
In episode 011, I sit down with Katherine Endy from The Family Life Coach . Katherine is a social worker, mom of 3, and doctoral candidate at the University of Maryland. If you’re a parent, you’ve likely spent a lot of time thinking about your kids’ behavior and mental well-being. But how much time do you spend thinking about your OWN mental health and well-being? In this conversation, Katherine share insights from her clinical work, personal experiences as a mom, and her research, including: ✅T...
Jun 02, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 11
If you or someone you know is going through a divorce with kids involved, you’re not going to want to miss this episode of the Are they 18 yet?™ Podcast. In this episode, I sit down with my sister, Mary Leonard, and talk about how to help your kids build resiliency when coping with big life transitions like divorce. She shares her experience single parenting two young children; including how to thrive when getting through the day alive feels like a chore. Specifically, we talk about: ✅ Her bigge...
May 26, 2021•49 min•Ep. 10
In this episode, I share the second part of my interview with speech-language pathologist and ADHD specialist Mike McLeod from GrowNow Therapy as we continue our conversation about how to support with kids with ADHD and other conditions that impact executive functioning. If you’re someone who easily estimates how long things will take so you can plan ahead, it’s often frustrating when you see other people dawdling or not using their time wisely. But often there are MULTIPLE things going on in th...
May 19, 2021•41 min•Ep. 9
When it comes to working with kids who have ADHD, it’s easy to mistake skill-based issues with behavioral issues. That’s why in this interview, I sit down with Mike McLeod, a speech-language pathologist who specializes in ADHD and executive functioning. During this conversation, Mike shares: ✅ Red flags of executive dysfunction, how it relates to organization and time management, and why it’s so common in kids with ADHD. ✅ What the “argument vortex” is, and the reason kids would rather argue wit...
May 12, 2021•36 min•Ep. 8
When I worked in the school systems, rewards and behavior charts were a common practice. Even in my training to be a therapist, “positive reinforcement” was often a go-to strategy for managing behaviors and motivating kids to do “non-preferred” tasks. The problem was that for a lot of kids it didn’t work. And what was even worse…sometimes it worked TEMPORARILY, but as soon as the reward went away, so did the motivation to do the task. It left me wondering if relying on external rewards is really...
May 05, 2021•37 min•Ep. 7
When raising kids in elementary school, junior high, and high school, a lot of parents wonder if they're preparing their kids for what lies ahead in college and adulthood. We can't look in to a crystal ball and predict the future, but we can bring insights from our own failures and successes to the way we parent. That's why in this episode, Joe and I continue our conversation about his experience going through school, including: How he initially failed out of college, but then later went back an...
Apr 12, 2021•34 min•Ep. 4
We all have a point where the demands of life become too overwhelming and we lose our ability to self-manage and stay disciplined. For people who have a diagnosis of ADHD, that point can come sooner rather than later. In this episode, my husband (Joe) shares what happened when he hit his breaking point, including: His experience growing up with an "almost ADHD" diagnosis How he managed to fall through the cracks and squeak by in elementary and secondary school. What happened when he went away to...
Apr 12, 2021•37 min•Ep. 3
Do you find that using organizers, minimizing distractions, or using rewards just don't work when it comes to getting your kids to focus? Does getting your kids to follow through with chores, homework, or other daily tasks seem like pulling teeth? If so, you're going to love this episode. When it comes to getting kids to follow through on activities that require sustained focus and effort, most people don't realize that improving attention and alertness is just the first step. There is actually ...
Apr 12, 2021•36 min•Ep. 2
Can you change your child's capacity to focus? Or do they just have to play the hand they've been dealt for life? In this episode, Dr. Karen discusses what she's learned through the last 15 years of studying the research and working with school-age kids, as well as the parents and educators who support them. She also discusses the great "medication debate", including ways it's often mishandled by well-meaning professionals, and also the set of skills your kids need in order to successfully focus...
Apr 12, 2021•29 min•Ep. 1
