Parenting a Differently Wired Kid on Your Own Terms with guest Debbie Reber, MA

If you’re parenting a differently wired kid, you may have concerns that go beyond the already heavy stressors that can come with parenting. Am I parenting to bring out the best in my child or doing what’s comfortable, easy or socially expected? Is my child’s IEP just addressing the behavior rather than the stressors that are causing the behavior? Is my neurodivergent student going to be left behind because they don’t perform well on standardized tests despite being very smart? Am I stuck in a cycle of “compare and despair” rather than respecting my child’s unique timeline, interests and gifts?

On this episode of the Brainy Moms, podcast, Dr. Amy and Dr. Jody host a conversation with Debbie Reber, M.A., author of the book, “Differently Wired: A Parent’s Guide to Raising an Atypical Child with Confidence and Hope” and founder of Tilt Parenting. It felt like a lifeline for many of us raising neurodivergent children and teens. Offering insights, personal stories, and guidance for listeners who may be grappling with insecurities around parenting a differently wired child, Debbie provided comfort—and useful tips—to help us all gain perspective.

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Shame, Taboos, and Trauma: Talking to your Kids about their Bodies, Intimacy, and Porn with guest Clint Davis, MS, LPC

On this episode of the Brainy Moms parenting podcast, Dr. Amy and Teri welcome the return of trauma therapist Clint Davis to the show to share his insights about an uncomfortable topic: protecting your kids from sexual abuse and trauma. Beyond just recommending parental-control apps, Clint delves into the psychology behind age-appropriate curiosity, the impact of pornography on both children and adults, and the importance of creating a safe space for communication without shame. This is an episode that every parent needs to hear.

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Conscious Parenting: Finding Balance Between Permissive and Punitive Approaches with guest Dr. Elham Raker

Has someone ever told you to “enjoy every minute of parenting because it goes by so fast”? Or that“you only have 18 summers”? For some of us, the extra pressure to feel like we have to relish every touch point with our kids only adds to the stress we feel as busy parents just trying to do our best to juggle it all.  On this episode, Dr. Amy and Sandy interview Dr. Elham Raker, pediatrician and certified parent coach who has worked with parents through telemedicine and her virtual coaching program, Ask Dr. Mom. Dr. El says the pressures and expectations for parents can lead to unnecessary feelings of guilt. We bet you can relate.

In her coaching, Dr. El provides support and guidance to parents looking to strike a balance between punitive and permission parenting. Through Conscious Parenting, she helps parents grow deeper connections with their children in ways that are calmer, more respectful, and enriching for both parent and child. She also shares her knowledge and experience as a pediatrician to clarify which unnecessary “shoulds” we can let go of as parents.

Parents, if you’re constantly worried that you’re not doing enough as a parent or you’re just looking for ways to develop a deeper relationship with your child or teen, this conversation with Dr. El may feel like a breath of fresh air. She’s the trifecta of experts—mom, pediatrician and certified parenting coach—and we hope her expertise will help you enrich your relationship not only with your child, but also yourself.

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Juggling Work and Parenthood without the Guilt with guest Dr. Yael Schonbrun

If we asked you, “who’s taking care of you?” what would your response be? We bet the responses would range from a spit-take to a chuckle, from a frown to actual tears. Nancy Colier, author of The Emotionally Exhausted Woman, Why You’re Feeling Depleted, and How to Get What you Need has asked a number of women this question as she worked on her book and, almost without fail, the women cried—they were desperate for her book and desperate for someone to care for them. We’re sure you can relate—do you have someone who takes care of you?
In her book, Nancy investigates why women have such a hard time with this concept, and how our friends, our partners, and we ourselves have conspired to create a culture in which women are expected to make themselves small, put others first, and ignore our own needs in favor of being easygoing and likeable.
Listen, ladies: if you’ve ever been told you’re hysterical, too much, angry, unlikeable, difficult, or overreacting, this one’s for you. (Isn’t that all of us?) Nancy’s approach to emotional exhaustion was truly revolutionary for us—and we hope it will help you approach your feelings of emotional exhaustion and overwhelm from a new perspective.

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Hey Mom, Who’s Taking Care of You? (Let’s Talk About Emotional Exhaustion) with guest Nancy Colier, LCSW

If we asked you, “who’s taking care of you?” what would your response be? We bet the responses would range from a spit-take to a chuckle, from a frown to actual tears. Nancy Colier, author of The Emotionally Exhausted Woman, Why You’re Feeling Depleted, and How to Get What you Need has asked a number of women this question as she worked on her book and, almost without fail, the women cried—they were desperate for her book and desperate for someone to care for them. We’re sure you can relate—do you have someone who takes care of you?
In her book, Nancy investigates why women have such a hard time with this concept, and how our friends, our partners, and we ourselves have conspired to create a culture in which women are expected to make themselves small, put others first, and ignore our own needs in favor of being easygoing and likeable.
Listen, ladies: if you’ve ever been told you’re hysterical, too much, angry, unlikeable, difficult, or overreacting, this one’s for you. (Isn’t that all of us?) Nancy’s approach to emotional exhaustion was truly revolutionary for us—and we hope it will help you approach your feelings of emotional exhaustion and overwhelm from a new perspective.

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How to Connect with your Kids (Before they Stop Listening!) with guest Dr. Amanda Craig

If you want to set yourself (and your kids!) up for a successful relationship as they enter their teen years, it starts with deep connection with tweens! Research shows that kids between the ages of 9 and 12 are starting to think for themselves, but they still listen to what mom and dad have to say. That makes tweens the perfect age for building deep connections that will last them into and beyond their teenage years! This conversation with Dr. Amanda Craig, author of the book, Who Are You and What Have You Done with My Kid? Connect with your Tween While They’re Still Listening was a fascinating look at the four pillars of connection.

Even as they parent older kids, Dr. Amy and Teri were able to glean some great ideas for deepening connection, from creating daily and nightly rituals, to owning our mistakes and being vulnerable in our relationships with our kids. Dr. Craig’s four pillars are instinctual, but so incredibly helpful in framing our approach to parenting.

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Tired of yo-yo dieting? Losing weight isn’t just about what you eat (or when you eat it) with guest Matty Lansdown

Have you ever tried a diet and lost weight, only to put the weight back on a few months or a year later? Research shows that as many as 80% of overweight people who manage to slim down noticeably after a diet gain some or all of the weight back within one year. That staggering figure can be overwhelming and discouraging when we’re trying to lose weight.

Dr. Amy sat down with Matty Lansdown, founder of the Healthy Mums Collective, to discuss why so many diets leave us feeling frustrated and why the weight often comes back on, even with careful changes and restrictions. It was a fascinating conversation about our relationship with food and our inner child-inner parent relationship!

If you are looking for a gentle approach to healthy living—regardless of your current size—Matty takes an innovative approach to food, nutrition, and lifestyle that might get you started on a journey to self-love and caring for your body. These are tough topics, especially if you struggle with an eating disorder or body issues. But this is a no-shame conversation. Matty is an encourager and educates us on some different ways to think about and understand our ongoing relationship with food. As a yo-yo dieter, Dr. Amy appreciated Matty’s tip to just make “one tweak a week” to our eating habits. That seemed manageable to her. Our hope is that you’ll hear a tip that resonates with you as well. It’s a food-for-thought episode without judgement for anyone who wants to dig in a little to the topic of eating for better health.

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Caring for your newborn: How to feel confident as a new mom (and when to worry) with guest Dr. Emeka Obidi

Are you a new mom? Do you love a new or soon-to-be mom? If you do, then this podcast episode is for you! It’s been a while since Dr. Amy and Dr. Jody were mothers of newborns, but the story hasn’t changed much: we are all just wondering if our babies are okay! Becoming a first-time mother may seem like an instinctual rite of passage for many women, but once baby is born, many of us find that we have more questions than answers. And it can be hard to know where to turn in the middle of the night when baby is crying! 

Dr. Amy and Dr. Jody sat down with Dr. Emeka Obidi, board-certified pediatrician and CEO of the Newborn Prep Academy, to talk about parenting a newborn. We asked some doozies: should baby boys be circumcised? When should we worry about a fever? What about vaccinations? Breastfeeding or formula feeding? Dr. Obidi shared his wisdom after more than 17 years as a practicing pediatrician, and we found his answers incredibly helpful—and graciously gentle. Join Dr. Obidi as he provides new moms with a Confident Mom Mindset!  

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Self-care: It’s not selfish, and it’s probably not what you think! with guest Dr. Tamara Beckford

If you’ve ever felt stressed (like, you know, every other mom who’s lived through the past two years), and if you’ve ever tried to do something about it, it’s likely that someone, somewhere along the way, has asked you this question: “What do you do for self-care?” We know, we know, that can cause quite a visceral reaction! In fact, it does just that for our very own Dr. Amy. But—here’s the good news! According to our latest podcast guest, Dr. Tamara Beckford, self-care is probably not what you think! Join Dr. Amy Moore and Sandy Zamalis as they chat with Dr. Beckford about her own self-care journey, where to start if you’re ready to embark on your own journey, and how very important our own self-care is to our children’s understanding of what it means to be a parent. Because, statistically speaking, many of them will eventually parent their own kids! We really enjoyed this conversation, and left with some personal, real-world ideas for how to reframe self-care as a reasonable practice—that may or may not involve journaling OR the nail salon.

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How to help your kids successfully navigate the school system (Hint: it starts with a strong parent-teacher relationship) with guest Punam Saxena

Every family has their own set of goals for their children after they graduate high school and fly the nest. No matter whether your family’s goals are secondary education at an Ivy League institution, learning a trade at a vocational school, or heading straight into the workforce, parents can play an active role in their child’s education and help them safely experience both successes and failures as part of their journey.
Join Dr. Amy Moore and Sandy Zamalis for a chat with Punam Saxena, author of Parent Power: Navigate School and Beyond. Punam shares her tips and tricks for navigating the school system and creating positive relationships between parents and teachers so that they can work together to help their children safely experience both the highs of great success, and the lows of difficult, sometimes unexpected, failures. Punam explains why it’s important to provide a safe place for children to fail while they are still living at home, so that they can independently navigate the world of secondary education, the workforce, and beyond.

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