Parent Footprint With Dr. Dan

Dr. Dan welcomes back listener favorite Dr. Stuart Shanker to the 32nd episode of The Parent Footprint Podcast. https://www.facebook.com/StuartShanker2018/ International parenting expert and bestselling author Dr. Stuart Shanker (https://self-reg.ca/ ) has helped countless children and families learn about (and break) the stress cycle with his professional work and his paradigm-shifting book, SELF-REG: How to Help Your Child (and You) Break the Stress Cycle and Successfully Engage with Life (now available in paperback).   Today Dr. Dan and Dr. Shanker discuss and offer ways to tackle the ever present topic of craving and The Hook Model and how it detrimentally affects most kids today (and their parents). Listeners will recognize the fascinating science behind what happens when dopamine is triggered and how it creates stress and anxiety. There is a difference between wanting and liking. Once dopamine is triggered this craving needs an outlet and often there is none... for our children today especially with tec

Dr. Dan welcomes author and colleague Scott Barry Kaufman to today’s show (https://www.scottbarrykaufman.com/) to discuss Scott’s newest book Twice Exceptional (*Bonus: Dr. Dan is also a contributor!). Today’s enlightening interview is about the new book, Scott’s lifelong personal learning journey and work, and the science of studying intelligence and success (especially as it relates to giftedness and twice-exceptional individuals). Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD, is also a researcher, speaker, and podcast host. He’s is passionately interested in using psychological science to help all kinds of minds live a creative, fulfilling, and meaningful life. Scott is a professor of positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, and author and/or editor of 7 other books, including Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined and Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind (with Carolyn Gregoire). His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Scientific American, Psychology Today, and Harvard Business Review, and

Dr. Dan welcomes two guests today Abigail Wald (from Los Angeles) and Elle Kwan (from Hong Kong) from the international global nonprofit organization Hand in Hand Parenting (The two are the hosts of the Hand in Hand podcast: https:/www.handinhandparenting.org/podcast/ ).  The Hand in Hand philosophy is fueled by compassion, connection, and kindness - all based on the foundational belief that your child is good, the parent is good, and with love you can foster success from within for any child. Hand in Hand sets parents up to value that they are the very best expert on their own family. (One way this is emphasized is that Hand in Hand helps and supports PARENTS first.)  In this milestone episode Dr. Dan converses with Abigail and Elle about “behavior chasing” and how turning parenting methods upside can be the change your family needs. The show is filled with anecdotes, intimate moments, and in depth discussions about how all families are connected regardless of culture or geography by the universal goal of ra

Dr. Dan welcomes fellow parent and podcaster Jen Lumanlan to the show today. Jen is the founder/host of the successful Your Parenting Mojo Podcast and website http://yourparentingmojo.com/. Jen’s mission is to raise healthy (and happy) girls and her personal journey will inspire listeners. Jen Lumanlan is the parent of a 3 ½-year-old daughter, and her podcast is a reference guide for parents of toddlers and preschoolers based on scientific research and the principles of respectful parenting. She never planned to be a parent but is on this journey (by choice rather than by accident) and when she realized she had no parenting instinct whatsoever she decided to get a Master’s in Psychology so she could figure out “how to do this parenting thing”! She’s now finishing up another Master’s in Education, and she plans to help parents think through how child development intersects with education. Dr. Dan invited Jen to be a guest today to discuss the critical topic of girls and body image. Their discussion is based on

Dr. Dan welcomes author, speaker, sensory organizing expert, and parent Carolyn Dalgliesh (http://www.carolyndalgliesh.com/). Carolyn is a popular expert because she teaches the how and why setting up successful systems (at home, school, and work) can help children, families, and their parents live a more peaceful and productive life. Today’s interview is packed with ideas and examples!  Dr. Dan starts off  the discussion with details about “highly sensitive children” as well as “rigid, anxious children” and then the conversation with Carolyn moves to some of her proven examples of creating successful systems and why they work.   Many of the strategies discussed in Carolyn’s easy to follow book The Sensory Child Gets Organized: Proven Systems for Rigid, Anxious, or Distracted Kids (http://www.carolyndalgliesh.com/book.htm) will immediately help: Including: routines, reducing stress, conquering anxiety, managing transitions, using visuals and more. During the interview, Carolyn also reveals her one secret to h

Dr. Dan is excited about today’s interview with author, speaker, advocate, and entrepreneur Jonathan Mooney. https://www.jonathanmooney.com/  Jonathan inspires everyone he meets. He travels regularly and speaks about advocacy and social justice for children, teens, and adults. Jonathan’s moving story will change the way listeners think about diversity in the world: He did not learn to read until 12 years old. He faced low expectations growing up—was told he would flip burgers, be a highschool dropout and end up in jail. Happily, those prophecies didn’t come to pass. Instead of being a high school dropout he became a college graduate from Brown university with an honors degree in English lit; instead of flipping burgers he ended up writing books, and instead of becoming an inmate he became a passionate advocate creating organizations and initiatives that help people who get the short end of the stick. Dr. Dan and Jonathan have a deep and deeply moving discussion about self-advocacy, why students should have a

Dr. Dan welcomes the founder/lead editor of Autisable.com (an online community that connects people who want to tackle the puzzle of Autism) and Dad blogger Joel Manzer to the show. Joel is a special needs parent and a podcast host with a passion for writing and connecting. The focus of today’s show is community – it really does take a village (real and online) to raise happy and healthy children today. Community benefits everyone - parents and children. Joel Manzer describes himself as “just one person among the thousands sharing their stories online” and he is celebrated as an Autism Light for his dedication as an autism father and for his vision in leading Autisable today to be a helpful resource on the voices of the diverse autism community. “When my son was diagnosed with autism, we searched online for an open source blogging community that we would show daily life with autism and that search eventually birthed Autisable.com. Our mission is rather basic, to promote discussion of autism. We don’t take a s

Dr. Dan welcomes author and occupational and physical therapist Suzanne Cresswell (http://uniquelearnersolutions.com/media-resources/ ) in today’s information filled episode which will benefit children and adults. Suzanne Cresswell has worked with patients in her clinic and in the school system for over three decades. She blends her background in rehabilitation medicine with principles of neuroplasticity to provide novel and effective intervention strategies. Children and adults with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Asperger’s, sensory integration disorder, and other learning disabilities all benefit from Suzanne’s unique approach to brain and body wellness. She starts the interview discussing a favorite Parent Footprint value: being present. Dr. Dan agrees that this is the first step and most powerful step to any intervention.   When children struggle in school they often feel shame that they are not what they “should” be; not “normal.” In fact, the term learning disability

Dr. Dan introduces listeners to Amy Morin today (https://amymorinlcsw.com/). The two experts discuss resilience, happiness, and Amy’s new book 13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don't Do: Raising Self-Assured Children and Training their Brains for a Life of Happiness, Meaning and Success.   Amy Morin is a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, an instructor at Northeastern University and a foster parent. In 2013, her article, "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," became a viral TedxTalk sensation when it garnered more than 50 million views and eventually became an internationally bestselling book. Amy’s personal journey of resilience after losing her mother and husband helped her become mentally strong and today her advice is helping millions. In today’s interview Dr. Dan and Amy explore the heart of her book 13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don't Do: we can teach children of all ages—from preschoolers to teenagers—to build mental muscle and develop into healthy, strong adults by using empow

Today Dr. Dan discusses children and “entitlement vs. earning” with author Michael G. Wetter (http://www.drwetter.com/). In Earn It: What to Do When Your Kid Needs an Entitlement Intervention, author Michael G. Wetter, PsyD (with co-author Eileen Bailey) has written a comprehensive guide to stop parents when they say to themselves, “I just want him to be  happy!”  “I just want her to have all the things that I never had!” and move them towards more mindful parenting. Dr. Dan and Michael Wetter agree that entitlement is a provocative and important topic. Dr. Wetter explains how it’s important to teach parents of children of all ages clear strategies and techniques to help change and shape our child’s character by instilling a sense of responsibility, accountability, kindness, and caring. Dr. Dan and Dr. Wetter explore why parents must teach resilience to our children. They both agree that parents can create a family life and culture where responsibilities are honored, praise has meaning, decisions are made ski

Have you ever felt awkward in a social situation? Today Dr. Dan’s guest is Ty Tashiro, Ph.D. (http://tytashiro.com/) the author of AWKWARD: The Science of Why We’re Socially Awkward and Why That’s Awesome. A psychologist and interpersonal relationship expert, Ty Tashiro gives Dr. Dan and listeners an illuminating look at what it means to be awkward and how we can all embrace our personal quirks to harness our potential and more comfortably navigate this complex world.  For awkward people (this includes adults and children), the simple act of navigating everyday situations can feel very overwhelming. Often unable to grasp social cues or master the skills and grace necessary for smooth interaction, they feel out of sync with those around them. How can parents help themselves and their children embrace their awkwardness?  Growing up Ty Tashiro was awkward himself -- he could do complex arithmetic in his head and memorize the earned run averages of every National League starting pitcher but he struggled during in

Dr. Dan welcomes Mel Schwartz today. This exciting episode is about the incredible work of psychotherapist Mel Schwartz and his new book THE POSSIBILITY PRINCIPLE. Mel’s groundbreaking philosophy about reality and quantum physics will make readers think and embark on self-examination journeys. Today’s episode challenges readers to answer the question Mel’s been asking his clients for over 20 years: How would you like to experience your life? Dr. Dan and Mel Schwartz discuss how THE POSSIBILITY PRINCIPLE offers a revolutionary approach to how we can live the life we choose—free from the wounds of our past and the constraints of our ingrained beliefs and thoughts. It’s a blueprint for how to overcome anxiety and depression and shows us how we can thrive in our relationships and develop authentic self-esteem. And it is this groundbreaking philosophy that parents can learn to model and teach their children. By answering Mel’s simple question we can all begin to believe that our goals and desires are attainable. B

Today Dr. Dan welcomes Dr. Marilyn Paul, an author, parent and well being expert. Marilyn‘s passion is the basis of her new book for parents and families An Oasis in Time: How a Day of Rest Can Save Your Life (Rodale, August 2017) – in it she shows us all how a day of rest can transform and save lives.  We live in hurried times. We value busy-ness, juggling too much, and trying to reach daily pie-in-the-sky goals. We are connected 24/7 and we are passing these habits on to our children. Dr. Paul encourages us to make small changes to make big life changes - spending meaningful time in nature or attending a family dinner and taking a day of rest is a gift we can give ourselves and our children. Listeners today will learn that there are practical strategies for creating their own modern-day Sabbath or day of rest, whatever their religious beliefs. Scheduled rest time is life-affirming and creates an oasis.  Parents can integrate "oasis time" into their lives by examining their habits and finding and scheduling

In today’s episode Dr. Dan welcomes Summit Center colleague Dr. Paula Wilkes to discuss how to create well being for ourselves and our families. Dr. Dan and Dr. Wilkes discuss how we can help all children discover their true nature and find their inner peace. This episode also devotes time to the particular challenges of gifted and spiritually sensitive children. Dr. Wilkes lives by deliberately making mindfulness and well being her daily goals as a result of her own personal journey with stress and pain. Her “morning workout” is easy to follow and transformative. She explains that by modeling wellness to our children they will begin to learn about the mind and body connection. During the interview listeners will hear how we can all create calm and peace in our lives: by not rushing, by listening to calm music, by practicing meditation, by finding on-the-go mindful moments and much more. Dr. Wilkes defines mindfulness as being in the moment as life is happening. And for our children because regulation and env

Dr. Dan joyfully welcomes author and Rhodes Scholar Jessica Teich today (www.byjessicateich.com). Jessica’s memoir The Future Tense of Joy has been universally praised by many including Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Daniel Silva, countless reviewers and a diverse group of bloggers for its honest, courageous, and real discussion of fear, suicide, violence against women, sexual abuse and rape. Through her writing and her own harrowing story Jessica advocates for victims of violence and sexual abuse as well as anyone struggling with anxiety and mental illness. Ultimately, Jessica is a real life role model for purposeful parenting, facing fears, equality, philanthropy, and volunteerism. Her writing has built a community of connection and a safe place for truth telling. Jessica’s deeply personal take on how she is a survivor and how her own resilience is a daily process that she cultivates for herself and her daughters and family – by tuning into the noises and violence she experienced when she was sixteen she freed

Dr. Dan welcomes Oprah Winfrey favorite, author, entrepreneur and parent Mary Carlomagno to this episode. Today’s interview will delight listeners because it is all about chasing your dreams, living in experiences (as opposed to buying materialistic things) and being present. www.marycarlomagno.com Mary has a fresh approach to navigating parenting – she lives by the motto dream big (“Leap and the net will appear!”) and live fully (but with balance and passion)!  Just like in her organizing business, Mary teaches the daily practice of modeling behavior for and with her own family. Her deliberate ways of parenting will open up how listeners think about their own parenting. Dr. Dan agrees with Mary that modeling our best selves for our children is the most important thing we can do for our kids – and ourselves. Dr. Dan frames their lively conversation by talking about Parent Footprint’s main core value: when we are aware of our own goals and our own visions then we are successfully living in the moment and leavi

Dr. Dan is very excited about today’s episode with guest Kimberlee Anne King because the focus is on many of the core values of Parent Footprint.  The two discuss Kimberlee’s work with parents and families, her book and how she is revoltionizing modern parenting by telling parents to work on their own issues first and then their parenting will not only improve it will soar! Kimberlee Anne King is a parent of four, stepparent of three, author, co-founder of Inspired Attention, Inc., educational consultant, speaker, mentor, and parent coach.   Her first-hand parenting experience over the last 20 years has given her a unique perspective on how to overcome the challenges and frustrations of parenting whether the children are gifted, challenged, or neurotypical. In her book, Parenting is Hard. Suffering is Optional. A Handbook for Parents on the Brink, she gives the reader a peek into her own humorous and heart-wrenching and very personal journey as she discovered the key to becoming a better parent: Work on yours

Dr. Dan welcomes author/editor/expert Lisa Stiepock of ToughLove to the Parent Footprint podcast. Among other achievements Lisa Stiepock was the Editor of Disney’s award winning parenting magazine Wondertime and she is currently the editor of UCONN magazine. Dr. Dan and Lisa discuss the new parenting anthology (Dan is a contributor) toughLOVE: Raising Confident, Kind, Resilient Kids (published by Simon & Schuster) and the companion online platform. Lisa’s vision as editor was to bring together amazing parenting experts in an advice book and online for tackling the many different parenting challenges. In addition to a book ToughLove is also a thriving unique online community. Lisa explains that the book and community provide balanced, practical advice for parents from child psychology experts on how to handle almost everything - from picky eating to media consumption to the homework wars. Questions such as: How do we set limits on what our children are exposed to without sheltering them too much? How do we rai

Today Dr. Dan Peters welcomes expert Lisa Van Gemert the founder of Gifted Guru to discuss the important topic of Perfectionism. Both Dr. Dan and Lisa are recovering Perfectionists and today they define the condition (“unreasonable expectations with a lack of self-love”) and then teach us how to push through mistakes and discover a path to recovery based on managing perfectionism. The episodes opens with Lisa sharing a very personal story of her own struggle with perfectionism and how she organically came to this life-changing work. Lisa’s new book, Perfectionism: Practical Strategies for Managing Never Good Enough, is the foundation for today’s important discussion about signs to look for in our children and students and how to manage perfectionism with several strategies. Listeners will love Lisa’s Parent Footprint moment story at the end of the interview about her youngest son imitating her one day at home. This innocent playing led Lisa to an epiphany because she heard herself sounding like a teacher (whi

Dr. Dan welcomes the amazing educator, author, and co-founder of Challenge Success. Dr. Denise Pope on this episode. Today’s show focuses on helping our children and our schools (and ultimately our families) help our children find balance and deal with stress. This is a provocative topic and will challenge parents everywhere. Dr. Pope explains success is not linear. Her work aims to turn our thinking about learning, education, and success upside down (just like her logo!). Dr. Pope believes success is measured over the course of a lifetime (*not one semester!) and believes that our society has become too focused on grades, test scores, and performance, leaving little time for kids to develop the necessary skills to become resilient, ethical, and motivated learners. Dr. Dan and Dr. Pope dive deep into the topic of wellbeing and why she wants us all to move away from the narrow notion of success and expand our definition of it. Our children are suffering (as a result of sleep deprivation, depression, anxiety an