In this episode of Parenting Understood, we speak with Jodi, founder of Flrrish, about her journey as a NICU mom after her daughter was born at 28 weeks. Jodi shares the shock, fear, and identity shifts that followed her daughter's early arrival, as well as the loneliness many NICU parents experience. She explains how these challenges inspired her to support other preemie families through coaching, community, and guidance navigating early intervention services. Lastly, we discuss parental mental health, the stigma around seeking help, and the importance of meeting children—and parents—exactly where they are.

Jodi can be found at the following:

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In this episode of Parenting Understood, we are joined by Dr. Debbie Raphael, a child and adult psychiatrist, to discuss how her personal experiences as a parent intertwine with her professional insights. Dr. Raphael shares how becoming a mother during her child psychiatry fellowship deepened her understanding of validation, attunement, and mentalization—skills that foster healthy emotional development in children. She explains how parents' ability to validate their child's feelings builds self-trust and resilience from early childhood through adolescence. The conversation also explores the importance of community support, self-care, and maintaining balance between empathy and boundaries. Dr. Raphael introduces her forthcoming book, which integrates clinical research and lived experience to guide parents in creating positive childhood experiences that buffer against stress and adversity. We reflect on how nurturing connection—both within families and communities—supports mental health across generations.

In this episode, we speak with early childhood educator, Lucy Chen, about the challenges of separation anxiety during the start of school. We explore how separation begins as early as infancy with object permanence and continues to evolve as children enter preschool and beyond. Lucy emphasizes that separation is not "one and done" but an ongoing process tied to trust, attachment, and new environments. Teachers play a key role in creating safe, predictable routines, building relationships, and honoring the wide range of ways children express their emotions—whether outwardly through tears and tantrums or inwardly through silence and withdrawal. The conversation also highlights the dual experience of parents navigating their own feelings of letting go, balancing expectations, and supporting their children while giving themselves grace. With strategies like modeling confidence, slowing down schedules, and fostering consistent routines, the episode underscores that separation is developmental, relational, and best approached with patience and compassion.

In this episode, we sit down with Naaz Nichols of Care.com to discuss the growing pressures on working parents, especially those in the "sandwich generation" caring for both children and aging parents. Nichols highlights alarming trends, including a sharp decline in mothers' workforce participation driven by return-to-office mandates, high childcare costs, and limited flexibility. She underscores the urgent need for affordable childcare and senior care, workplace equity policies, and cultural shifts that normalize flexibility and caregiving support. The conversation explores the financial and emotional toll of caregiving, from families patching together multiple care arrangements to the staggering stress levels that leave many parents feeling isolated. Nichols shares personal stories, Care.com's new senior care offerings, and advice for caregivers: prioritize self-care, build support systems, and advocate openly for help. The episode closes with sobering insights on declining interest in parenthood, shaped by the high costs of caregiving

In this last episode of our back to school series, we speak about starting a new school from the perspectives of parent and child. We draw on our own personal experiences, as well as research in this conversation. We pay special attention to the role of social capital in the transition to a new school year. We also speak on best practices for speaking with our children about how their day went and what they have learned beyond just asking "How was school today?".

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Damour about the emotional lives of teenagers. We pay especial attention to the pressures that both genders feel yet how those may be manifested differently across genders, at times. Dr. Damour unpacks parent-child relationships, especially the mother-daughter relationship, and the role of identification in that relationship as girls mature. We also discuss how research methods may not always allow for the identification of areas of concern for boys.

Dr. Lisa Damour is the author of three New York Times best sellers: Untangled, Under Pressure, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers. She co-hosts the Ask Lisa podcast, works in collaboration with UNICEF, and is recognized as a thought leader by the American Psychological Association. Dr. Damour is also a regular contributor to The New York Times and CBS News.

Dr. Damour serves as a Senior Advisor to the Schubert Center for Child Studies at Case Western Reserve University and has written numerous academic papers, chapters, and books related to education and child development. She maintains a clinical practice and also speaks to schools, professional organizations, and corporate groups around the world on the topics of child and adolescent development, family mental health, and adult well-being.

Dr. Damour graduated with honors from Yale University and worked for the Yale Child Study Center before earning her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Michigan. She has been a fellow at Yale's Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy and the University of Michigan's Power Foundation. She and her husband are the proud parents of two daughters.

To learn more about Dr. Damour and her work please visit https://drlisadamour.com/ and follow her on instagram @lisa.damour

In this episode, we welcome author Lauren Tetenbaum to discuss her new book, "Millennial Menopause: Preparing for Perimenopause, Menopause, and Life's Next Period." Lauren, a perinatal mental health specialist, shares her motivation for writing the book: a shocking realization of how little she, and many women, knew about this significant life stage.

We delve into common misunderstandings surrounding perimenopause and menopause, emphasizing that symptoms like mood changes, irritability, and brain fog can begin as early as the late 30s and are often dismissed. The conversation highlights the critical need for better education, trusted healthcare providers, and open communication with partners, even dedicating a chapter in the book for men. Lauren stresses the importance of community and destigmatizing menopause, advocating for it to be discussed as openly as pregnancy and motherhood.

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Koepp discusses his research on children's self-regulation and behavioral changes throughout the day and week. He explains how children's self-control, particularly in terms of restlessness and inhibition, tends to wear out across the school day and week.

Andrew suggests that understanding these natural ebbs and flows can help parents and teachers plan activities, emphasizing the importance of restorative experiences like sleep, physical activity (recess), and unstructured playtime. He also offers three key pieces of advice: meet kids where they are by understanding their varying self-control, anticipate difficult moments and plan accordingly, and use anticipatory guidance to clearly communicate behavioral expectations to children.

To learn more about Dr. Koepp's work please visit: Dr. Andrew Koepp