The Empowered Parent Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Schooling Options - S5E4 Apr 06, 2018

Show notes

Chris, Ryan, and Kayla are joined by Allison Highton. Allison, along with her husband Russ, is an Empowered to Connect parent trainer in New Jersey. Allison works with Miriam's Heart, a non-profit adoption ministry that radically supports families who take action on behalf of adoptive and foster children.

The group discusses various schooling options for our kids from hard places, from public to private to homeschooling.

Is your adopted or foster child in public school? You should know what an IEP is, and be your kid's biggest advocate. They also talk about being flexible on the home front after kids get home from school.

Back to School: Teachers are Important

One Big Happy Home: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Email

Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Produced by Dallas Stacy

Make Play a Part of Every Day - S5E3 Mar 30, 2018

Show notes

The team discusses how playing with our kids is a great way to connect with them. Play is fun and disarming and makes us enjoy our kids as much as it makes them enjoy us. Play is the language of children but is sadly something most of us are no longer fluent in.

One Big Happy Home: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Email

Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Produced by Dallas Stacy

Sassy Talk - S5E2 Mar 13, 2018

Show notes

Chris is joined once again by Kayla and Ryan North to talk about something that can be quite irritating to all parents: sassy talk. They discuss various ways to counteract it and get our kids to a place where they can talk respectfully not just to parents, but others as well.

Baby Owl Lost Her Whoo - Cindy Lee

The Frequency and Intensity of Behavior Dictates the Frequency and Intensity of Response - S3E2

One Big Happy Home: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Email

Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Produced by Dallas Stacy

Mealtime Struggles - S5E1 Feb 24, 2018

Show notes

Ryan and Kayla join Chris to talk about mealtime struggles. The team discusses the typical concerns parents of adopted and foster kids see at meals: food sensory issues; eating too much; before-meal snacking; not wanting to eat what is being served, and actually getting kids to the table! They talk about setting expectations and using transitions, as well as other things that have worked in their families.

One Big Happy Home: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Email

Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Produced by Dallas Stacy

Trauma and the Brain - S4E10 Dec 29, 2017

Show notes

Chris talks with Ryan and Kayla about how the brain processes trauma, and how this affects our kids' relationships with us and the world at large.

Join our Facebook Community

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Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Produced by Dallas Stacy

Simplifying Christmas - S4E9 Dec 13, 2017

Show notes

With all of the craziness that comes this time of year, Chris, Ryan, and Kayla talk about some ways families can simplify holiday time to reduce stress on moms, dads, and the kids. The team discusses everything from gifts to traditions, holiday travel, extended family, and more.

Join our Facebook Community

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Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Produced by Dallas Stacy

Dedicating Time to Our Kids - S4E8 Dec 06, 2017

Show notes

Chris, Ryan, and Kayla respond to a lister email asking about one-on-one/play time with their children. The team discusses things they have tried in the past and how creating an environment of felt safety changes the way their kids interact with them.

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One Big Happy Home | Ryan's Blog

Intro/Outro Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Engineered and Produced by Dallas Stacy

Toddlers - S4E7 Nov 29, 2017

Show notes

Listener Tracy writes in asking about an episode devoted to TBRI with kids under the age of 4. How do we use compromise and other tools seen in The Connected Child when our little ones don't always have the words or understanding to utilize them. Chris, Ryan, and Kayla talk about how these concepts can be put into practice for toddlers and preschoolers in our households.

I Love You Rituals - Becky Bailey

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One Big Happy Home | Ryan's Blog

Intro/Outro Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Engineered and Produced by Dallas Stacy

Navigating the Holidays - S4E6 (Repost) Nov 20, 2017

Show notes

Ryan and Kayla North join Chris Turner and they discuss why the holiday season is so difficult for many of our kids. They share personal insights from their experiences, as well as ways that they have learned to help their children, and themselves, navigate the holidays successfully.

Tapestry: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Donate

Empowered to Connect: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Donate

One Big Happy Home | Ryan's Blog

Intro/Outro Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Engineered and Produced by Dallas Stacy

Birth Families - S4E5 Nov 10, 2017

Show notes

Chris, Ryan, and Kayla discuss a listener's question, "How important is maintaining biological family relationships for foster/adoptive children? Is this something that we should put a lot of effort into for long-term benefit? Will our children remember visits from when they are very young, and will those be something they look back on an appreciate?"

Tapestry: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Donate

Empowered to Connect: Web | Facebook | Twitter | Donate

One Big Happy Home | Ryan's Blog

Intro/Outro Music: "Home" by Moses Uvere

Engineered and Produced by Dallas Stacy