Send us a text How can we better support dads in their crucial roles during prenatal and postpartum stages, and why is it so vital to address their mental health? Join us as we explore this essential topic with Dr. Deborah Da Costa, a researcher at McGill University, and my guest co-host, Travis Goodman, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and returning guest and father. Together, we aim to break the stigma surrounding dads in mental health and shed light on the importance of open, c...
Jun 19, 2023•46 min•Season 5Ep. 12
Send us a text Are you unknowingly fostering unhealthy food relationships in your household? Join us as we chat with Evelyn Tribole, co-author of Intuitive Eating, to discover how to nurture a healthy relationship with food for ourselves and our kids, and break free from the detrimental diet culture that can creep into our homes. Unintentionally, parents may contribute to the restriction of their kids' eating, causing more harm than good. In this episode, we delve into the intuitive eating ...
Jun 12, 2023•41 min•Season 5Ep. 11
Send us a text Ever find yourself stuck in a spiral of what-if thoughts, unable to shake off the anxiety that accompanies them? I've been there, and so have my kids. Let me share with you a powerful conversation I had with them that helped us all better understand and manage our emotions. Listen in as we explore techniques for letting go of these thoughts, such as talking to someone or writing them down, to gain emotional awareness and keep our worries from taking over our lives. You'r...
Jun 05, 2023•19 min•Season 5Ep. 10
Send us a text Can you predict your child's attachment style before they're even born? Join us as we unravel the fascinating world of pregnancy, attachment, and mental health with our special guests Drs. Shalaka and Allison. As Shalaka shares her research on predicting attachment through biological predictors and exposure to prenatal and postnatal stress, Allison offers her expertise as a doctor specializing in internal medicine, cardiology, nephrology, and obstetrical medicine. Togeth...
May 29, 2023•49 min•Season 5Ep. 9
Send us a text Let's talk about both euphoric moments in parenting and rage moments. I did something very "out of the box" with my kids this weekend and I wanted to share it with you so that you can give it a try too. Also, I have been talking a lot about "mom rage" online these past 2 weeks but let's get into the science and create a game plan to help you out if this is something you are experiencing. I hope you enjoy this episode! Our partners: Get 50% off yearly ...
May 22, 2023•21 min•Season 5Ep. 8
Send us a text In today’s episode we are joined for a second time by Susie Allison, M. Ed., a former teacher and creator of Busy Toddler. What did Susie post that instigated this conversation? Why did Susie make the reel? What is the real definition of “social skills” How exactly can a parent teach a child social skills? How can parents intentionally model emotion regulation skills? How and when can a parent teach conflict resolution to their child? Are all social skills mostly learned in school...
May 15, 2023•37 min•Season 5Ep. 7
Send us a text In today’s episode we are joined by Tarah Schwartz, Canadian journalist and author of Can’t Help Falling - A Long Road to Motherhood. Why did Tarah write this book? Should you mention anything when you know someone had a pregnancy loss? When should you go back to work after a pregnancy loss? Are there any local support groups that were helpful? What can you do to support the non-pregnant parent after a pregnancy loss? How does adoption actually work? Was it hard writing the book o...
May 08, 2023•40 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Send us a text In today's solo episode, I chat about a 3 day weekend I had my family and extended family. By the time it was over, I had some body discomfort and I couldn't figure out why. The weekend had gone fairly well but I did hold back from saying a few things to my mom. Whenever I do express frustration or anger, it almost ALWAYS becomes about her. The weekend I attended was a special occasion and I didn't want to get into an argument with her so I kept my feelings to mysel...
May 01, 2023•14 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Send us a text In today’s episode we are joined by Karl Mercuri a Social-Emotional Learning Consultant and Coach based in Montreal, Canada 3:56 - Who is Karl Mercuri? 6:06 - The increase of complaints from school about child behavior changes since the pandemic, isn’t about behavior… it’s about missing social skills. 8:53 - Do all schools implement social emotional learning programs? 11:00 - What exactly is SEL: Social emotional learning? 12:43 - What are the 5 competencies of SEL and how are the...
Apr 24, 2023•46 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Send us a text In today’s episode, we are joined by Bethan O’Riordan, psychotherapist and mom of 3. 5:57 - What does Bethan do? 7:50 - What is the number one thing I need to know before becoming a parent? 9:31 - How do you deal with a partner who isn’t interested in doing the work themselves? 11:57 - How can we make the shift from negative self-talk to having more self-compassion? 17:01 - Is it possible to go forward in our emotional growth journey without learning more about our past? 19:46 - W...
Apr 17, 2023•44 min•Season 5Ep. 3
Send us a text Today, I want you to change your guilt around yelling to compassion for yourself for being dysregulated. Sometimes, we power through our days, weeks, months, and years without addressing our needs. Our brain and nervous system have needs too. If we don't address them, we can't nurture them. What needs does your nervous system have? What causes you to feel "off"? What makes you feel warm and connected inside? As a challenge this week, I would like you to start u...
Apr 10, 2023•18 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Send us a text Hello friend! In today's solo episode, I discuss what it means to be an emotionally aware parent. We are having the Emotionally Aware Parent Challenge over at Wondergrade (I am the co-founder of this company). You can sign up with the link below: https://forms.gle/cmASL48RhMsWKW1L6 Many parents tell me they easily snap at their kids or often feel their emotions go from 0-100. Working on our emotional awareness helps us recognize aspects of our environment that lead to strong ...
Apr 03, 2023•27 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Send us a text In today’s episode, we are joined by Kishanda Vyboh, MSc and seasoned breastfeeding support parent. We discuss ALL things beautiful and challenging about breastfeeding. We speak about the pressure parents are put under to feed their babies whether it should be by breast milk or formula. This is a judgment-free zone! 5:16 - What is a breastfeeding support parent? 7:27 - Is there other programs like Nourri-Source out there? 8:30 - What is the best way to feed your child and why brea...
Mar 27, 2023•46 min•Season 4Ep. 36
Send us a text In today’s episode, we are joined by Tracie, a speech-language pathologist. What a study found with regard to screen time and a child's cognitive abilities (link below) What is Tracie’s take on Cocomelon and how the characters speak? Why is screen time not recommended before the age of 18 months? What can parents do if their child is already getting screen time under 2? How does language actually develop? You can follow Tracie on Instagram @tracieb.slp Sources to help you mak...
Mar 20, 2023•31 min•Season 4Ep. 35
Send us a text In today’s episode, we are joined by Chelsea Conaboy & Dr. Jodi Pawluski. We discuss all things parent brain - if you’re not sure what that is, this episode is for you. Why is it important to talk about the postpartum period and the brain? Is “mommy brain” negative? Does parenting keep you young? Does a father or non-birthing parent’s brain change when their child is born? Is parental leave adequate around the world? What is the “perfect mother myth” Do we really need the vill...
Mar 13, 2023•48 min•Season 4Ep. 34
Send us a text In today’s episode, we are joined by Alanna Gallo, a former educator who sold all her stuff and travels with her 4 kids! 3:30 - What did play look like when your children had a home base, compared to when you left to travel? 8:00 - If you come back to living in one home would you re-create it the same way? 10:23 - What is an open-ended toy? What are the most beneficial toys for independent play? What is a close-ended toy? 16:08 - What is a truly educational toy? 20:35 - Alanna and...
Mar 06, 2023•50 min•Season 4Ep. 33
Send us a text Hi friends! I received this question from a listener so I thought I would answer it in today's episode. This parent asked, "If my husband and I have been working hard to validate our 13-month-old feelings but our parents do not, will this be harmful to our child's development and emotions?" It is important to validate our child's feelings, however, if certain adults do not validate their emotions, it is not necessarily harmful. I discuss: what validating e...
Feb 28, 2023•28 min•Season 4Ep. 32
Send us a text We all yell because...we are human. We have moments when we lose our cool and our kids can also have these moments. However, in today's episode, I would like to walk you through a process I did to control my own yelling. If you are yelling more than you would like at your child, listen to today's episode for a few minutes. It will help you start the work. Are you yelling out of frustration? To control? Because of unmet needs? Because you feel triggered? Remember, we are ...
Feb 20, 2023•15 min•Season 4Ep. 31
Send us a text In today’s episode we are joined by Dr. Abigail Gewirtz child psychologist and author of When the World Feels Like a Scary Place . 3:22 - Are being worried and being anxious the same thing? How do you know it’s a problem to bring up with your child’s doctor? 6:26 - If I’m an anxious person, how can I teach my child to manage anxiety? 9:36 - Should I hide my emotions from my child? 13:05 - What is a parenting journal and why is it helpful? 15:31 - If you and your partner have diffe...
Feb 13, 2023•50 min•Season 4Ep. 30
Send us a text In today’s episode, we are joined by Melinda Wenner Moyer, award-winning science journalist and author of How to raise kids who aren’t assholes . Here’s what we talked about: 5:19 - What inspired the book 9:31 - Why is your main message “communication is key?” 12:32 - How can we raise a kind human? 15:48 - How can we foster our child’s emotions if we weren’t raised that way? 21:25 - Should all kids be bullied to become resilient? 27:16 - What are parenting styles and are they real...
Feb 06, 2023•50 min•Season 4Ep. 29
Send us a text Hi friends! In today's solo episode, I talk about a new habit I have been doing this year that has really brought me tons of joy. It only takes me 5 min per day! I have noticed a change in how I perceive difficult moments with my kids and how mindful I am of small beautiful moments with my children. Listen to this short episode to learn more about my new habit and to listen to the story of my 7-year-old daughter and how she pitched an idea of hers at one of my business meetin...
Jan 30, 2023•18 min•Season 4Ep. 28
Send us a text In today’s episode (100th!!!) we are joined by co-host Claudia Belliveau and guest Dr. Bruce D Perry. he episode highlights the vital role of self-regulation in parenting, especially in navigating holiday gatherings and family dynamics. Dr. Bruce Perry discusses the importance of understanding brain development and the processes involved in engaging with children emotionally. • The significance of regulating oneself before helping children • Strategies for approaching holiday gath...
Jan 23, 2023•1 hr 25 min•Season 4Ep. 27
Send us a text In today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Julie Scorah a licensed neuropsychologist at McGill University. Julie practices as a clinician and is involved in research about how to make autism resources more accessible to the families that need them. Here’s a preview of what we talked about: 11:21 - What should parents be looking for in terms of symptoms? When is the proper age to get a diagnosis and how is autism diagnosed? 18:52 - What is the prevalence of autism? 22:22 - Does autism...
Jan 16, 2023•56 min•Season 4Ep. 26
Send us a text In today’s episode we are joined by Dr. Cheng Qian, Stanford & Harvard trained Clinical Psychologist. We speak about all things difficult behaviors. Specifically Dr. Qian gives useful, effective and simple tips & tricks to deal with your child’s difficult behaviors. Here’s a preview of what we talked about: 4:03 - When to seek professional help for tantrums 6:47 - What can a parent expect in a therapist’s office 10:32 - How do we teach our kids how to comply or listen 13:2...
Jan 09, 2023•56 min•Season 4Ep. 25
Send us a text Happy New Year Curious Neuron Parents! I hope you had a wonderful holiday. In today's episode, I reflect on some aspects of my holidays that you might have experienced and I share my 2023 goals. Here is what I chatted about: Should kids use a screen the entire time they are with the family during family gatherings? What my husband did when my 3-year-old didn't want to take turns with his brother My thoughts about family arguments (political, religious, values, etc). How ...
Jan 02, 2023•23 min•Season 4Ep. 24
Send us a text Content warning: Sexual abuse We need to talk about this. We need to learn how to protect our children from sexual predictors. I reached out to author Jayneen Sanders to learn more about what we can do to protect our kids. Here is what we discussed: Questions you should ask your daycare about how they teach kids body safety (all daycare should!) We revisit parts of our last conversation about teaching our own kid's body safety We discuss body safety programs in schools We cha...
Dec 22, 2022•52 min•Season 4Ep. 23
Send us a text This is not your conventional toy and app review. I will name a few that I love (not sponsored), however, I want to give you a framework to help you choose them on your own! First, I review what play should look like in our homes. Open-ended and self-directed play is the best! I review some of our favorite toy companies and give you a list of TYPES of items and toys you can include in your home. Need more ideas? Visit my website below! https://www.curiousneuron.com/shop If you nee...
Dec 19, 2022•42 min•Season 4Ep. 22
Send us a text The word I would like you to remember today is "dysregulated". Is my child dysregulated? Am I dysregulated? How can I regulate my child? The reason why I am chatting about this in today's podcast is that I attended this outdoor event this week and as the night went on and the children around me clearly became dysregulated, they started acting out and parents started yelling at them and getting upset. If we can shift or think from "misbehaving" to dysregula...
Dec 15, 2022•19 min•Season 4Ep. 21
Send us a text Content warning: sexual violence, sex industry, difficult conversations In today’s episode we are joined by Sarah Jones , Tony winner writer, performer and director of Sell Buy Date. Sarah and I had very important and uncomfortable conversations about sex, the sex industry, sex education, and gendered violence. You might be thinking, “what does this have to do with being a parent?!?” well, tune in and you’ll understand exactly how necessary these conversations are. Sarah discusses...
Dec 12, 2022•42 min•Season 4Ep. 19
Send us a text Perhaps you are looking forward to the holidays or perhaps you are not. Unwanted comments from family members judging how you are parenting your child, big emotions from your child because they are tired and overwhelmed, and hanging out with that family member that always drinks too much and says uncomfortable comments. (sigh) In today's episode, I chatted with child psychologist Dr. Tamara Soles (based in Montreal) and asked her all the questions you need answered to help yo...
Dec 08, 2022•42 min•Season 4Ep. 20
