Smart Family Podcast

Latest Episodes:

SFP 022 | Preventing Shame from Developing in Your Kids; Raising Emotionally Intelligent Children; Creating Strong Parent - Infant Bonds with Craig Brannan Sep 09, 2020

Show notes

There's a lot of talk about how adult behaviour is driven by the underlying desire to mask shame, but when the rubber hits the road and you're parenting babies or young children, what can you do to prevent shame from developing in your own kids? While there's still so much undiscovered territory on this topic, there are some super practical ways that will help parents with the task of raising emotionally aware and responsive kids. We welcome Dr. Craig Brannan back to our podcast to uncover some of the research and to share his real life experiences as he raises his adopted infant daughter to develop emotional security as opposed to shame.

SFP 021 | Raising Kids with an Instinct for Racial Justice; Lifestyle and Anti-racism; Related Parenting Best Practices and Pitfalls - with Dr Bryan Loritts and Ashlee Eiland Aug 24, 2020

Show notes

Ever wonder how you're going to move beyond exposing your kids to educational materials, when you look around and see no Black people in your neighbourhood? How do we as parents act as change agents to instill attitudes of anti-racism in the next generation? Today we have that conversation with Ashlee Eiland and Dr. Bryan Loritts - both pastors and both generously willing to talk to us about what they've experienced and observed as best practices and potential pitfalls for parents who care about racial equality.

SFP 020 | How to Get Beyond the "I'm Sorry" That Falls Flat; How to Effectively Apologize, Forgive Each Other and Move Closer in Your Marriage - With Dr Jennifer Thomas Aug 05, 2020

Show notes

Have you ever left an argument with your husband or wife feeling unsatisfied - that their apology was lame? On the other hand, has your spouse ever accused you of saying "I'm sorry" but not really meaning it? Yet, we know that not making amends leaves us open to being blocked in our marriage by walls that are built of unresolved hurts. In this eipsode we talk to Dr Jennifer Thomas - a psychologist who has studied and written extensively about the relational skill of apologizing. Dr Thomas explains how we all speak a different apology language; how we need to practice this regularly with our partners; and model and teach this to our kids.

SFP 019 | Screen Time, Social Media, Technology and Your Kids - WIth Jeff and Wendy Henderson Jul 22, 2020

Show notes

Should I monitor my teenager's texts? Should I buy my 11 year-old a smartphone? How much screen time should my son get? If these questions resonate with you, then this episode with Jeff and Wendy Henderson will offer some practical guidance. It's not easy being a parent in a tech-filled world. There are so many good things about technology and the various social media platforms, but kids and teenagers are especially vulnerable to the pitfalls and dangers they present as well. As gifted speakers and authors, but foremost as parents themselves, Jeff and Wendy Henderson have a heart for families and communities and they strongly believe that kids need our guidance to help them navigate this world of technology. Their practical common-sense advice on this topic will help move your family to better place in cyberspace.

SFP 018 | With Dr Gary Chapman - On How COVID-19 Has Affected Relationships; Five Simple Ways To Strengthen Your Marriage Today; And Why Taking The First Step To Improving Your Marriage Is So Hard But So Important Jul 08, 2020

Show notes

The pandemic has been a crisis on so many levels. Not surprisingly, it has had a real impact on our closest relationships as well - for better or for worse. Today Dr Gary Chapman - author of The Five Love Languages - teaches us five simple ways we can strengthen our marriages, even when it feels like we are stuck at home together. There's actually no better time than this to really work on our marriages and our parenting relationships. From years of experience counselling couples, Dr Chapman shares his wealth of advice with us to "guide our various ships through the same storm" so we can emerge on the other side of this pandemic with healthier relationships than ever before.

SFP 017 | Avoiding Toxic Conflict as a Couple; How to Make Family Fights Safe for Kids; Dodging the Lasting Impacts of Poor Communication - With Lisa Emms Wice Jun 24, 2020

Show notes

Do you lie awake at night wondering whether the fighting between you will impact your kids? Do you feel stuck at an impasse over a marriage or parenting issue and not sure what to do next? Experienced mediator Lisa Emms Wice has helped countless people up their peacemaking skills. She shares her wealth of wisdom for couples and parents alike. Lisa is a wiz at helping couples move past their impasses, especially when there are children's issues involved. Take some tips from Lisa and turn what might have been an ugly scene into a better experience for everyone.

SFP 016 | With Dr. Kara Powell - On The Paradox Of Teens Growing Up More Quickly and More Slowly At the Same Time; Why Anxiety in Teenagers is Increasing; And A Super Practical Approach To Partnering With Our Teens Jun 17, 2020

Show notes

If you are a parent about to enter, or in the middle of, the teenage years - this episode is for you. We have an open and honest conversation with Dr. Kara Powell - Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute. Kara has done extensive research into teenagers and anxiety. Although she approaches the issue from a spiritual perspective, her insights apply to teenagers and parenting in any situation. This episode will encourage and inspire you but, most importantly, make you hopeful for the next generation as you learn to parent them in an anxiety-provoking culture.

SFP 015 | On Perinatal Mental Health - How Depression and Anxiety Can Steal Away The Joy of Motherhood; How Fathers Also Struggle With Mental Health in The Perinatal Period; And How Perinatal Mental Health Is About So Much More Than Postpartum Depression Jun 03, 2020

Show notes

Expecting a baby and giving birth is supposed to be a happy occasion and a time of love and bonding. For so many parents however, it is a time of struggle and deep emotional pain, like being in a fog. The accompanying guilt and loss of function can rob a mother or father of the opportunity to nurture and bond with their newborn baby and strengthen family relationships. Yet perinatal mental health is often overlooked, despite the fact that it is the most common health complication of the perinatal period. Today we shine a light on this issue with two women - Jaime Charlebois and Patricia Tomasi - who have not only lived through their own experiences but have also become advocates and experts for this cause. If you've had a baby and are struggling with mood or anxiety, or know someone who is, this episode will bring hope and validation.

SFP 014 | With Dr Tom Phelan - Why 1-2-3 Magic as a Strategy is Effective; How Routines Promote Positive Behaviours; And Why Having Fun One-on-One with each Child is Important May 20, 2020

Show notes

There have been many books written about effective discipline in children but few as popular as Dr Tom Phelan's 1-2-3 Magic. In this episode we talk with Dr Phelan and draw upon his decades of experience helping families. We discover that 1-2-3 Magic is about much more than simply counting. We delve into why this simple technique works - how it allows children to know when they have not met an expectation, then gives them the opportunity to turn it around before facing a consequence. But Dr Phelan's method is about so much more - promoting positive (or "start") behaviours and developing a healthy long-term relationship with your child. If you've ever been frustrated by constant negative interactions with your child and want to turn it around so that you love being home, this episode is for you.

SFP 013 | With Ian Morgan Cron (Part 2) - How Knowing Your Enneagram Number Can Improve Your Parenting; Your Child's Personality Development; and What Parents of Certain Enneagram Types Need to Be Mindful Of May 13, 2020

Show notes

As parents, we get a front row seat as our children develop and mature. We go through all the highs (and some lows, too) as their individual personalities come to light, and sometimes clash with our own. In this episode we discover how childrens' personalities are shaped and how they are influenced by our personalities. In this second part of our discussion with author and Enneagram teacher Ian Morgan Cron, we delve into how our personalities intersect with our children's and why knowing what motivates us is so important to becoming an effective and self-aware parent. We review the nine pesonalities of the Enneagram and highlight some personality types which may represent a challenge for parenting. Listen as Ian Morgan Cron explains how knowing yourself better can help you to know (and parent) your children better.

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