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Kids & Family

Parenting With Psychology

Ever wished you had a supportive and helpful parenting coach whispering tips in your ear during those trickiest parenting moments? Look no further! Welcome to Parenting With Psychology, the ultimate podcast hosted by Dr. Lindsay Emmerson, a clinical psychologist and devoted mother of four.

Dr. Lindsay’s expertise lies in transforming core psychology principles into actionable parenting tips, designed to simplify your days and create a happier family life. Join us weekly to embrace intentional parenting and discover why countless busy and overwhelmed parents turn to Dr. Lindsay for guidance on raising children of all ages.

Gain inspiration from Dr. Lindsay’s 5 C’s to amazing parenting framework and receive a new, actionable psychology-based parenting tool each week, providing invaluable guidance on your remarkable parenting journey. So, if you’re craving bite-sized nuggets of parenting gold, mark your calendars for every Thursday and follow Parenting With Psychology for the support you need in nurturing your children and fostering strong family bonds.

Latest Episodes:

Baby Registry Must Haves (and 5 Things to Skip) Oct 21, 2026

Show notes

Meet your baby first. Then buy. These are the baby registry must-haves from a clinical psychologist and mom of four: what to register for, five things to skip, and three to wait on. It's the list I sent my brother-in-law when he asked what to put on his registry.

You'll also hear the baby products you don't need, and why, so your list stays short and every item on it has a reason to be there.

The safe sleep points follow the American Academy of Pediatrics' 2022 recommendations (Moon, Carlin & Hand, 2022, Pediatrics). The baby carrier finding is from Anisfeld and colleagues (1990, Child Development).

In this episode:

→ Five registry items to delete tonight

→ Three things to buy after you've met your baby

→ Sleep, diapers, feeding, and bath: the short list by brand

→ What I wore through four nursing babies

→ The baby carrier I give at every baby shower

🛒 Everything I mention (affiliate links: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you):

SLEEP

Semphis 3-in-1 Baby Bassinet → https://amzn.to/4iduZa9

Babyletto Lolly 3-in-1 Convertible Crib → https://amzn.to/4hRXXwl

Delta Children Summer Breeze crib mattress → https://amzn.to/4B4Flk7

Waterproof crib mattress cover → https://amzn.to/47VCpZz

KeaBabies crib sheets → https://amzn.to/3WngsQA

Halo SleepSack and SleepSack Swaddle → https://amzn.to/4ihRkDr

Aden + Anais baby blankets → https://amzn.to/4jiO4J6

Sound and video baby monitor → https://amzn.to/4yf803e

DIAPERS AND CLOTHES

Huggies Little Snugglers diapers → https://amzn.to/3TPsTUH]

Diaper Genie diaper pail → https://amzn.to/4hJ5rS5

Baby changing pad → https://amzn.to/4hGqMvv

Changing pad cover → https://amzn.to/4hUjgMa

Washable changing pad liners → https://amzn.to/47PdDud

Desitin diaper rash cream → https://amzn.to/4ylH5mh

Comfy Cubs muslin burp cloths → https://amzn.to/4zrnp1n

FEEDING

Glamourmom nursing bra tanks → https://amzn.to/47POBuY

Reusable nursing pads → https://amzn.to/4zu3VJI

ESEN nursing pillow → https://amzn.to/4yJP7X8

Breast pump → https://amzn.to/3VxVw9t

Breast milk storage bags → https://amzn.to/4yKLDnz

Bottles → https://amzn.to/4jexMAZ

Bottle cleaning set → https://amzn.to/3W1U7be

Formula → https://amzn.to/4jC3bxx

BATH AND CARE

Ingenuity FoldAway baby bather → https://amzn.to/4hZEvfS

KeaBabies hooded towel → https://amzn.to/4hX0vb2

Aveeno Baby wash and shampoo → https://amzn.to/4zufXCz

Hiphop Panda baby washcloths → https://amzn.to/4zxa0oI

Electric baby nail buffer → https://amzn.to/3TARqgd

OUT THE DOOR

Graco Extend2Fit 2-in-1 Convertible Car Seat → https://amzn.to/4yOzQ7I

Chico KeyFit 30 Rear-Facing Infant Car Seat With Base → https://amzn.to/4BaddMr

Baggallini Everywhere Bagg → https://amzn.to/4ihNJW0

Travel wipes → https://amzn.to/4hTzUvH

Disposable changing pads → https://amzn.to/4ydlA7d

Baby K'tan baby carrier → https://amzn.to/47PBNVl

Ergobaby Omni Deluxe carrier → https://amzn.to/4yiEg5B

FOR LATER

BOB Revolution jogging stroller → https://amzn.to/4rXKyG8

Baby Trend Snap-N-Go car seat stroller frame → https://amzn.to/4ym9jO3

Bumkins bibs → https://amzn.to/47gmrJu

Inglesina Fast Table Chair → https://amzn.to/4zudbgD

Nuby No-Spill Sippy Cup with Flex Straw → https://amzn.to/4jTk9Y4

FOR MOM

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks → https://amzn.to/4Bfbm93

Two Sentences That End Whining Oct 14, 2026

Show notes

How to stop toddler whining comes down to one instruction: answer the voice, not the whine. Whether it’s a snack, a toy, or five more minutes of screen time, this video gives you the exact two sentences to say the second the whine starts.

You’ll learn why giving in “just this once” keeps the whine coming back louder, why snapping or over-explaining doesn’t stop it either, and what it actually sounds like in a pickup line or a toy aisle.

Whines are harder for your brain to tune out than ordinary speech, which is why staying calm through one feels so much harder than it should.

In this episode:

→ The two sentences that stop a whine

→ Why giving in on the fourth whine teaches your child to keep going

→ What the fix sounds like with a real four- and five-year-old

→ What to expect in week one (including why it may get louder first)

→ The one thing to do before the whine even starts

Join the Parent Solutions Library 👉 https://www.drlindsayemmerson.com/solutions

The Piece You've Been Missing Oct 07, 2026

Show notes

Whether you lean strict or soft, you've probably never been told which parenting style you slip into, or what the research shows happens to kids raised inside each one. This video walks you through the three you're most likely to land in, in plain language, with no shame attached and gives you the piece you've been missing: Reasoned Rules, the way into the style linked to the best outcomes for kids.

You'll learn the difference between rules that build respect and rules that just build compliance, why "being the fun parent" can quietly backfire, and the one style researchers consistently find produces the best outcomes for kids, on every measure that matters.

Researchers Lamborn, Mounts, Steinberg, and Dornbusch (1991) followed adolescents raised in all four styles and found one pattern stands out clearly above the rest and it may not be the one you'd assume.

In this episode:

→ Why being the "fun parent" can work against you long-term

→ Where "gentle parenting" actually lands — and why it's not always what you think

→ The strict style that gets obedience but not always trust

→ The one style the research consistently points to as the winner

→ Reasoned Rules — the piece you've been missing, and the one sentence to say tonight

Reserve your seat in my free workshop 👉 https://www.drlindsayemmerson.com/workshop

How to Respond When School Calls About Behavior Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

Is your child misbehaving at school and you don't know how to respond when the call comes in?

When your child is misbehaving at school, the call itself is often the hardest part, the instant defensiveness, embarrassment, or panic that hits before you even know the full story. This video walks through a simple 3-step method for responding to a school behavior report in a way that actually changes things, instead of just discharging your own stress onto your child.

Most parents decide the punishment before they've even heard what really happened — and that reaction is usually about the parent's own feelings, not the child's behavior. A calmer, more curious response gets better information and better outcomes.

Parents' own emotional state at the moment of a discipline decision directly organizes how they respond to their child — when that emotion is too strong or mismatched to the moment, it undermines the quality of the response, which is exactly why the first step in this method isn't about your child at all.

In this podcast:

→ Why the call itself triggers a punishment decided in the wrong state of mind

→ The Check, Ask, Choose Method - 3 steps for responding to any school behavior report

→ The one question that gets the real story instead of shutting your child down

→ How to pick one consequence instead of stacking a second punishment on top of the school's

→ What changes, and by when, once you consistently respond this way

Grab my free Better Behavior Guide 👉 https://www.drlindsayemmerson.com/better

Stop the Rescue Reflex, Build Real Confidence Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

Learning how to build confidence in kids starts with a hard truth: the instinct to jump in and help isn't just harmless, it can quietly teach your child that they can't handle hard things alone. If your child refuses the puzzle above their level, hides when it's their turn, or gives up the second something gets tricky, this is the pattern behind it.

Confidence for kids doesn't come from praise or from things going smoothly, it comes from tolerated struggle. In this video, I break down exactly what's happening in the moment you rescue, why it backfires, and the specific low-stakes practice that rebuilds a child's willingness to try.

Research on self-efficacy shows that a child's belief in their own capability is built primarily through mastery experiences — actually doing the hard thing, not through being told they're capable.

In this episode:

→ Why "he won't try" is fear of failure, not laziness and why it's often tied to a label

→ The Rescue Reflex: the parenting instinct that feels like love but teaches "you can't handle this"

→ The exact phrase to say instead of stepping in

→ What this looks like with a toddler vs. a big kid, start to finish

→ How long it takes before you see your child attempt something without checking your face first

Grab my free Better Behavior Guide 👉 https://www.drlindsayemmerson.com/better

Stop the Amygdala Hijack Before You Yell Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

You've asked your child to do something for the fifth time, you're already late, and something in your chest goes hot before you've even decided how to respond. That's the amygdala hijack and it's the reason you sometimes hear yourself yell something you didn't plan to say.

This podcast walks through exactly what's happening in your brain in that moment, why the instinct to raise your voice louder makes it worse, and the exact three-step method I use myself to stop the hijack before it turns into yelling, in about 90 seconds.

UCLA researchers found that simply naming an emotion measurably calms amygdala activity in the brain, the same region driving the hijack. This isn't a willpower problem. It's a brain problem, and once you can see it happening, you can actually stop it.

In this podcast:

→ Why the instinct to raise your voice makes the hijack worse, not better

→ What's actually happening in your brain in the seconds before you yell

→ The 90-Second Reset — the exact three-step method, in real time

→ What to expect in the first week, and when it actually starts to stick

→ The one thing your child learns every time you catch it instead of losing it

Reserve your seat in my free workshop 👉 https://www.drlindsayemmerson.com/workshop

The Real Risk of Posting Your Kids Online Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

Posting your kids online feels harmless — a cute photo, a proud caption, gone in the time it takes your thumb to move from camera roll to send. But most parents are moving faster than they realize, and the research on what that actually creates for your child might surprise you.

This podcast breaks down exactly what's happening every time you hit post, why the instinct behind it is a good one even when the follow-through isn't, and the one three-second habit that turns posting from a reflex into a real family decision.

A 2024 study of 228 parents published in the Italian Journal of Pediatrics found that 93% had no idea there was legislation or real risk tied to sharing their child's content online, most parents genuinely don't know what they don't know.

In this podcast:

→ The reflexive thoughts that feel harmless but move faster than the thinking

→ What's actually happening to your child's digital footprint every time you post

→ The one specific question that fixes this in three seconds

→ What it looks like in real life, at two different ages

→ What changes for your family once this becomes a habit

💬 Comment ASK below if you're going to try the three-second question next time you go to post.

Grab my free Family Meeting Guide 👉 https://www.drlindsayemmerson.com/meeting

Which Parenting Style Works Best? Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

There are four recognized parenting styles, and most parents have never been told which one they default to, or what the research actually shows happens to kids raised inside each one. This video breaks down all four, in plain language, with no shame attached.

You'll learn the difference between rules that build respect and rules that just build compliance, why "being the fun parent" can quietly backfire, and the one style researchers consistently find produces the best outcomes for kids on every measure that matters.

Researchers followed adolescents raised in all four styles and found one pattern stands out clearly above the rest, and it's not the one most parents assume.

In this podcast:

→ The strict style that gets obedience but not always trust

→ Why being the "fun parent" can work against you long-term

→ Where "gentle parenting" actually lands and why it's not always what parents think

→ The style almost no parent means to fall into

→ The one style the research consistently points to as the winner (and what gentle parenting looks like when it's done right)

→ The one shift that moves you toward it, starting today

Reserve your seat in my free workshop 👉 https://www.drlindsayemmerson.com/workshop

Why "Who Do You Want Tonight?" Backfires Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

When your child prefers one parent, that stretch where they suddenly only want one of you — it's one of the most common and most misunderstood phases in early parenting. Most parents respond by accidentally gamifying it, and that's the exact thing that makes it worse.

In this podcast, a licensed clinical psychologist breaks down why treating "who do you want tonight?" like a contest backfires, and what to say and do instead so both parents feel valued, and your child learns that love isn't something you win.

Research on infant-parent attachment shows preference patterns are a normal, temporary part of development, but how parents respond to them determines whether the pattern fades or gets reinforced.

In this podcast:

→ The bedtime habit that's accidentally training your child to pick favorites

→ Why cheering for the "winner" makes preference worse, not better

→ The Interchangeable Parent Rule, and the exact words to use tonight

→ What to do when your child protests the parent they didn't pick

→ How this connects to raising a child who thrives long-term

Grab my free Better Behavior Guide 👉 https://www.drlindsayemmerson.com/better

How to Respond When Another Child Hits Your Toddler Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

When another child hits your toddler, the instinct to snap at the other kid — or tell your own child to hit back — is completely understandable. Neither one teaches your child what actually helps. This video walks through what to do instead, including the honest answer to the question almost every parent asks at some point: should you ever teach your child to hit back?

Physical aggression in toddlers peaks around age 2 to 2.5 before declining — the child who hit yours is very likely going through the same developmental stage most toddlers pass through, not something uniquely wrong with them (Tremblay et al., 2004).

In this podcast:

→ The 3 A's Method, applied to the moment your child gets hit

→ The honest answer to "should I teach my child to hit back?"

→ How to manage your own protective anger in the moment

→ What to do when it's the same child hitting yours, over and over

→ The exact words to use with your child afterward

Grab my free Family Meeting Guide 👉 https://www.drlindsayemmerson.com/meeting

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