30 JAN 2024 · Welcome to The Parents' Solution! This week, I had an enlightening discussion with Riana Milne, a certified love, trauma recovery, and mindset coach with over 23 years of experience in mental health counseling. Riana shared insights from her work as a student assistance counselor in New Jersey, shedding light on the impact of trauma on children's mental health and academic performance. We delved into the top 10 traumas affecting children, from addiction in the home to community-wide mental health issues. Riana emphasized the importance of recognizing and addressing these traumas while offering practical parenting tips, such as pointing out positive behavior and fostering problem-solving skills. Tune in to discover more solutions and insights! For additional resources, visit https://www.rianamilne.com.

16 JAN 2024 · Welcome to another enlightening episode of The Parents' Solution! This week, I had the sincere pleasure of engaging in a meaningful conversation with Dr. Andrew Blackwood. Dr. Blackwood, a mental health professional, author, and keynote speaker, is dedicated to empowering parents in nurturing growth and healing within their relationships with their children through coaching and workshops. With a wealth of experience and qualifications, including a Masters of Divinity and Counseling, as well as a Doctorate of Ministry in marriage and family, Dr. Blackwood has graced television screens on shows like 100 Huntley Street and the 700 Club Canada. Our discussion delved into the timely and vital topic of parenting through anxiety. Dr. Blackwood illuminated the myriad factors contributing to the surge in anxiety levels among parents and children, including parenting styles, multi-generational genetics, societal issues, and intergenerational transmission. Emphasizing the importance of parental self-awareness and understanding, Dr. Blackwood underscored the significance of modeling healthy emotional regulation for children. He shared essential steps for navigating intense emotions, urging parents to cultivate mindfulness, practice responsiveness over reactivity, and strive for intentional, peace-centered responses. Dr. Andrew's Peace Framework, which he shares with parents in his weekly coaching sessions, offers invaluable guidance for fostering harmony within parent-child relationships. This episode is a treasure trove of parenting wisdom you won't want to miss! For more insights from Dr. Andrew Blackwood and access to additional resources, visit https://www.coachdrew.ca or follow @coachdrewcan on Instagram. Tune in now to elevate your parenting journey!

2 JAN 2024 · Welcome back to another episode of The Parents' Solution! This week, I had the pleasure of chatting with Honoria DaSilva-Kilgore, an attorney based in Raynham, Massachusetts, who is revolutionizing the trajectory of students' futures. Honoria wears many hats: she's an independent education consultant and the founder of Personal College Counseling Inc., which launched in 2019. Her mission? To guide each student towards the perfect university or college fit, along with the ideal financial package to support their educational journey. Passionate about education as a gateway to future success and social mobility, Honoria shared her insights on the varying necessity of university or college education for individuals. She focuses on students and parents who are preparing for higher education and emphasized the importance of personalized guidance in the process. During our conversation, we delved into the role of guidance counselors in the school system, highlighting the limitations students often face in receiving comprehensive college planning support. In contrast, Honoria discussed her approach of identifying students' interests, strengths, and natural inclinations to present tailored options that foster excitement and ensure success. For those eager to connect with Honoria and explore personalized college counseling, you can reach her at nod@personalcollegecounseling.com (yes, "Nod" is her nickname!), or simply give her a call or text at 508-622-5250. Follow her journey on Instagram at @personal_college_counselling, and visit her website at http://www.personalcollegecounseling.com. Don't miss out on this enlightening discussion on reshaping the path to higher education—tune in now!

19 DEC 2023 · Welcome to this episode of The Parents' Solution! This week, join me for an insightful discussion with the remarkable Dr. John DeGarmo as we delve into the vital topics of foster care and internet safety. Dr. DeGarmo is not your average expert—he's a father to an incredible sixty children and boasts a background in global stage performances, as well as being an acclaimed author and speaker, with appearances on TedX stages. With expertise in foster care, parenting, and child welfare, Dr. John sheds light on critical issues affecting families today. We'll explore Dr. DeGarmo's book, "Keeping Foster Children Safe Online," and discuss the heightened risks foster children face in the digital age, especially during the COVID-19 lockdowns. As online interactions surged, so did the dangers, with many children falling prey to online predators. In our conversation, we'll examine the generational gap in navigating the online world and the importance of communication in safeguarding children. Dr. John shares invaluable insights and strategies to protect children from online threats. Join us as we unravel the complexities of foster care and internet safety with Dr. John DeGarmo, and discover practical solutions to ensure the well-being of our children in today's digital landscape. Don't miss out—tune in now!

5 DEC 2023 · This week, on The Parents' Solution, I had the wonderful opportunity to have a life-changing conversation with Bracha Goetz. Bracha is a Harvard-educated author of 41 books that help children's souls shine. In her own words, Goetz says, "my goal has been to write the books that I wish I had as a child." Goetz's books teach children happiness skills, with the intention of giving children the tools they need to be able to do as well as possible in life. Her book topics range from physical health and abuse prevention, to swimming safety, learning disabilities, and practicing gratitude. Bracha has a passion for helping children foster self-confidence. She wants children to understand how amazing they are. When a child has a strong sense of self, they are able to overpower the negative thoughts that tend to eat away at positive self-esteem. In this light, Bracha wrote a powerful book entitled Don't Read This Book. It is written in the tone of that nagging, negative voice we all experience regularly, and teaches children to overcome that negativity. Bracha says, "The challenges are there to make us into better people." Yeah. Read that one again and let it go deep. "The more often we can give children the tools to succeed early in life, the more joyful a life they get to have and the more they get to accomplish." Speaking about having a joyful life... Bracha dropped a golden nugget for life during our session. She told me what the secret to happiness is. And since you're part of this community, you get to learn about it too. It's gratitude. I can go on and on about this. But what you need to know is that gratitude is really an exercise in mindfulness. North American society tends to focus on all the things we don't have instead of all the things we do have. And that is why depression and anxiety are on the rise. If we get out of the comparison and scarcity mindset, and start living in the contentment and abundance mindset, we are going to realize that we have an infinite amount of blessings to be grateful for. You really need to listen to this podcast. For more on Bracha Goetz and her books, go to https://goetzbookshop.com/ . You won't regret it!

21 NOV 2023 · This week, on The Parents' Solution, I had the opportunity to have a candid conversation with Mark Aylward. Mark is a single parent of three young adult children. He has been the owner of technical staffing firms for over 30 years, and has built and sold two multi-million dollar businesses. Mark has strong opinions about the education system due to his interaction with it as he raised his children (sole custody) and put them through school. All of Mark's children are creatives and have taken bold steps to become entrepreneurs, pursuing their passion. Aylward advises parents that "the success of your children in school has a lot to do with how involved you are as a parent." When teachers know that you are interested, they become interested. We talked about how schools are indoctrinating students with topics that should be dinner-table discussions. Aylward made it clear that he is not a fan of the run-of-the-mill post-secondary narrative that says one can only be successful by getting a degree. The same narrative fails when defining "job security." I particularly enjoyed our conversation in this area - we blew those myths right out of the water. Mark also presented some key pointers about how to attract the job you want through your resume. He said that resumes and interviews are where you get to tell your story. It's important to know how to tell it to get the results that you are looking for. Want to learn more? Check out Mark Aylward on LinkedIn or go to his website at Career Development Coaching (http://7pillarsglobal.com/).

7 NOV 2023 · This week, on The Parents' Solution, I had the wonderful opportunity to have an inspiring conversation with Anne Montgomery (that's Anne with an "E"!). Anne has a varied background. She spent 20 years teaching high school journalism, has been a TV sportscaster (including for ESPN), an amateur sports official, a studio host for the NBA Phoenix Suns and a newspaper and magazine writer. Anne is an author of multiple novels. She is also a foster parent to 4 children. Montgomery shared that the most important thing we can teach students is to get out and do different things. In the words of Anne, "they don't have to be great at them, but the point is to get out and try." The more involved your children can become (with balance) the better. How can you help? Encourage your children to step out of their comfort zone. Your child can only expand their horizon when they move from the comfortable place they have settled in. "There are so many wonderful things to do in the world; instead they're missing out and staring at their phones." We dove deep into a discussion about the over-usage of phones in school. We went through the list of pros and cons as Montgomery compared the evidence she had seen on both sides with the usage of cellphones in school. If you want to find out more about Anne, go tohttps://www.annemontgomerywriter.com/.

24 OCT 2023 · This week, on The Parents' Solution, I had the unique opportunity to interview Rick DellaRatta. Rick is a highly acclaimed jazz artist, composer, entrepreneur, and a philanthropist. He has created a Benefit Concert Series that helps over 850 causes including programs that bring music back into schools, give instruments to schools, and give instruments to children and adults. Rick DellaRatta is the founder of Jazz for Peace, which is an organization that helps outstanding causes: "helping those who are helping others." The idea of Jazz for Peace began when DellaRatta realized through his travels that music is an important part of solving problems. Music has a knack of being able to cut through barriers. Rick also shared that he was an eyewitness to the 9/11 attacks in America, and that in that time he wrote a poem that has he has held on to as a mission statement. Rick strives to meet the expectations of his statement every day, Below is a powerful quote from his poem: "The gift of giving is our greatest privilege. I hear jazz for peace." DellaRatta believes that music is a stimulant of intellect -I'd say rightfully so. He believes that children should be exposed to all forms of music, and that they should have a chance to pick and learn an instrument. Can you imagine the richness that such open possibilities could bring? Creativity, expression, musical attunement, and even mathematical foundations could be taught and built upon in a free-flowing musical program. Rick made it clear that he wants to benefit listeners and entertain audiences with his much-needed message without abandoning the art form of jazz, Indeed, as you listen to his pieces, you will find that he is meeting his goal in beautiful form. For more information about Rick, check out the link: https://www.rickdellaratta.com/. If you have an outstanding cause that you would like Rick to support, email info@jazzforpeace.org.

10 OCT 2023 · Welcome back to "The Parent’s Solution" podcast! Our guest today is Heather, who went through tough times but turned them into strength. She worked in schools and saw how students faced problems because of tough experiences. Now, she wants to wake up Gen Z and inspire them to care about their future. Heather talks about being a parent to two generations – one from Gen Z and one post-COVID. She noticed changes in schools and wants better for her youngest daughter. Heather also talks about a scary incident with a gun at her daughter's school, making Heather question things. She shares her thoughts on the problems in the education system, especially apathy in students. Join us in this episode and learn about Heather's advocacy of encouraging students to believe in themselves and become leaders. Thanks, Heather, for sharing your story on "The Parent’s Solution" podcast.

26 SEP 2023 · I had the opportunity to interview Francisco Cepeda. Francisco has over 12 years of experience in the education system, as a teacher and a school counsellor (from kindergarten to grade 12). He has counselled students from all backgrounds and diverse histories concerning issues such as trauma, social emotional skills, and higher education. Cepeda reflected on some memorable moments that he experienced as a school counsellor. He said that he had been taught to advocate for himself and his students. Often times, advocating directly involved being at odds with administration. Cepeda explained that school counsellors are often given other tasks which are not truly associated with their responsibility in the school. Francisco and I chatted about homeschooling, as he and his wife currently homeschool their son. Francisco pinpointed some of the benefits of homeschooling, such as: - Flexible schedule - Field trips that double as hands-on history lessons - Ability to travel - Freedom to customize your method of teaching your child - Tailored learning experiences to fit the needs of your child We had an in-depth and informative conversation about the pros and cons surrounding technology. As a teacher, Francisco has seen both sides of technology, and shares his own take on what he believes should be the norm in the education system. He reminds us to have a balanced perspective on the use of technology in this Information Age.