1/3/10
Guest 1: Mary Gordon, author of The Roots of Empathy.
Topic: Changing the world child by child.
Issues: A revolutionary program that reduces bullying, antisocial behavior, and aggression while at the same time boosting self-esteem, and enhancing each child’s ability to understand other points of view and respect the feelings of others.
Guest 2: Michael Ungar, author of The We Generation.
Topic: Raising socially responsible kids.
Issues: how to organize play dates with children of different ages so your child can help younger kids; the importance of watching the news with your children and discussing what you see; getting kids to consider how their actions make others feel.
1/10/10
Guest 1: Susan Linn, author of The Case for Make Believe.
Topic: Saving play in a commercialized world.
Issues: Why play? The false promise of screen time for infants and toddlers; how media violence is killing play; what we all gain from make believe; how to nurture play in a culture that seems bent on stifling it.
Guest 2: Mark Tappan, coauthor of Packaging Boyhood.
Topic: Saving our sons from superheroes, slackers, and other media stereotypes.
Issues: What boys are watching, reading, hearing, and doing; conversations to have with your son about the messages he’s getting; overcoming media messages that encourage slacking over studying, competition over teamwork, power over empowerment, and being cool over being yourself.
1/17/10
Guest 1: Ana Homayoun, author of That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week.
Topic: Helping disorganized and distracted boys succeed in school and life.
Issues: Identifying your child’s disorganization style; helping you child set academic and personal goals he cares about; completing assignments without puling all-nighters; helping your child tune out social pressure and fend off anxiety.
Guest 2: Joseph Allen, coauthor of Escaping the Endless Adolescence.
Topic: How we can help our teenagers grow up before they grow old.
Issues: Why 25 is the new 15; How to keep adult children from regressing if they move home after losing a job; parenting practices that help support your teen’s self esteem and independence.
1/24/10
Guest 1: Isabel Granic, author of Bedtiming.
Topic: The parent’s guide to getting your child to sleep at just the right age.
Issues: Proven strategies for helping your child sleep through the night; why popular techniques fail when used at the wrong times; how to solve sleep setbacks and set nap schedules.
Guest 2: Cara Natterson, author of Dangerous or Safe.
Topic: Which foods, medicines, and chemicals really put your kids at risk.
Issues: Why parents should be interested in the latest scientific research; weeding out the useful information from the overblown; why kids have more allergies today than in the past? Are plastics safe to microwave? Is it safe to give a child over-the-counter cold and cough medication?
1/31/10
Guest 1: Sam Buser, coauthor of Guys-Only Guide To Getting Over Divorce.
Topic: Practical advice for every man going through divorce.
Issues: The nuts and bolts of starting over; why time is on your side; dating again; getting serious; recognizing normal—and not-so-normal feelings.
Guest 2: Michele Lowrance, author of The Good Karma Divorce.
Topic: Avoid litigation, turn negative emotions into positive actions, and get on with the rest of your life.
Issues: Creating a road map to guide you through the ever-twisting divorce journey; learning to harness your negative emotions; preventing collateral damage (AKA how not to hurt your kids).
2/7/10
Guest 1: Evelyn Resh, author of The Secret Lives of Teen Girls.
Topic: What your mother wouldn’t talk about but your daughter needs to know.
Issues: The mysterious world of female, adolescent sexuality and how parents—especially mothers—can help their daughters through this tumultuous time; battling underachievement; emerging from the teen years with self-image intact.
Guest 2: Richard Whitmire, author of Why Boys Fail.
Topic: Saving our sons from an educational system that’s leaving them behind.
Issues: The most likely causes of boys’ reading troubles; how boys’ lagging in reading and math affects everything from grades to career choices; what really works for boys—including targeted tutoring and single-sex classrooms.
2/14/10
Guest 1: Marc and Amy Vachon, coauthors of Equally Shared Parenting.
Topic: Rewriting the rules for a new generation of parents.
Issues: Tools to create a balanced life; going beyond “involved dad” and “working mom”; communicating concerns, expectations, and desires to you can build a life that works for both of you.
Guest 2: Terry Orbuch, author of 5 Simple Steps to Take Your Marriage from Good to Great.Topic: Discovering the secrets of marital happiness at every stage of your relationship.
Issues: Strategies for improving and enhancing your marriage; reconnecting with the feeling of first being in love; gaining a deeper appreciation of the things you and your spouse share; getting to know your spouse and reducing boredom.
2/21
David Burns, author of Feeling Good Together.
Topic: The secret to making troubled relationships work.
Issues: The creator of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy explains how we cause exactly the relationship problems we complain about; that we have the power to change troubled relationships if we’re willing to change our own attitudes and behaviors
2/28
Charles Sophy, author of Side by Side.
Topic: Conflict-free mother-daughter communication.
Issues: How mother-daughter communication is like a big, scary roller coaster; the four truths of mother-daughter communication; observing and identifying potential sources of conflict; money and values; sex and the perceived transfer of sexuality;
3/7
Nancy Rappaport, author of In Her Wake.
Topic: A child psychiatrist explores the mystery of her mother’s suicide.
Issues: How tragic loss can bring family members closer together; how to talk to your child about suicide; how grief can lead to positive things like personal growth; how the survivors of suicide loss can heal and thrive.
3/14
Tom Farrey, author of Game On.
Topic: How the pressure to win at all costs endangers youth sports.
Issues: Why winning isn’t nearly as important to kids as it is to parents; the real reasons kids like sports; how overbearing parents can ruin a child’s interest in sports; the importance of just getting out there and having fun.
3/21/10
Maggie Jackson, author of Distracted.
Topic: The erosion of attention and the coming dark age.
Issues: The roots of an attention-deficit culture; why channeling our thoughts and ideas into outlines and bullet points is dangerous; how the tools we use shape and teach us; how the way we live is eroding our capacity for deep, sustained, perceptive attention.
3/28/10
Sherrie Eldridge, author of 20 Things Adoptive Parents Need to Succeed.
Topic: The secrets to understanding the unique needs of your adoptive child—and becoming the best parent you can be.
Issues: Talking candidly with your child about her adoption and birth family; connect with other adoptive families to build a support network; help your child move past his “broken life” narrative.
4/4/10
Richard Morris, coauthor of Kids, Wealth, and Consequences.
Topic: Ensuring a responsible financial future for the next generation.
Issues: How parents can impart to their children the skills they need for successful, happy lives; financial management and estate planning for wealthy parents.
4/11/10
Guest 1: Patti Handy, author of How to Ditch Your Allowance and Be Richer Than Your Parents.
Topic: Nine wealth building tools to make a teen rich.
Issues: Spending money wisely; good debt and bad debt; the art of saving; the nuts and bolts of your credit score; why giving it away is the greatest gift of all.
4/18/10
Guest for both segments: Stephanie Nelson, author of The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half.
Topic: The strategic shopping method that’s proven to slash food and drugstore costs.
Issues: Why buying in bulk isn’t always better; how to find and combine coupons for the biggest discounts; easy ways to track pricing and when to get the best deals; the secrets to saving at wholesale clubs, etc; how to buy organic without breaking the budget.
4/25/10
Chris Finn, from the U.S. Power Soccer National Team.
Sylvia Colt-Acayo and Ray Acayo
Topic: Power soccer.
Issues: Soccer played in power wheelchairs; sports played by disabled people; resources for disabled athletes; winning the power soccer world cup.
Resources:
US Power Soccer National Team
US Power Soccer Association
Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program
5/2/10
Guest 1: Judy Mandel, author of Replacement Child.
Topic: The autobiographical story of a woman who was born as a “replacement” child, a child conceived as a way to heal the wounds from the loss of a previous child.
Issues: What it’s like to live life in the shadow of a sibling who died; creating your own identity; uncovering the complex layers of relationships with mother, father, and other siblings.
Guest 2: Rupert Isaacson, author of The Horse Boy.
Topic: The remarkable story of parents making sense of their child’s autism
Issues: How combining horses and healing brought a boy back from the depths of autism.
5/9/10
Guest 1: Leigh Oshirak, coauthor of Balance is a crock, Sleep is for the Weak.
Topic: Surviving working motherhood
Issues: Savoring every second of maternity leave; choosing almost-perfect childcare; how to hide morning sickness; mixing business and breastfeeding.
Guest 2: Tracy Mayor, author of Mommy Prayers.
Topic: The missing binkie, the late preschool pickup, the birthday party from hell . . . and other everyday absurdities.
Issues: Musings on motherhood; co-sleeping, redshirting, homeshooling, and other hot-button topics; plastic surgery for mothers; video games; culture wars; how to emerge from motherhood with your sense of humor intact.
5/16/10
Guest for both segments: Elizabeth Schmitz, coauthor of Building a Love That Lasts.
Topic: The seven surprising secrets of a successful marriage.
Issues: Why studying marriages that succeed is far more important than studying those that fail; how do successful couples keep the fire from going out? Successful marriage isn’t difficult to understand, but many couples fail to do the simple things required to make their marriage work—they either forgot to do them or haven’t learned them in the first place.
5/23/10
Guest 1: Andrew Park, author of Between a Church and a Hard Place.
Topic: One faith-free dad’s struggle to understand what it means to be religious (or not).
Issues: What it’s like to be irreligious in a deeply religious society; can peaceful coexistence with people of faith ever truly exist? How to embrace religion—or not—while still being a good role model, and staying try to yourself.
Guest 2: Larry Winget, author of Your Kids Are Your Own Fault.
Topic: Raising responsible, productive adults.
Issues: We’re in a crisis with our kids—they’re overindulged, over- entertained, underachieving, and under-disciplined. And the real problem is that parents aren’t paying attention.
5/30/10
Guest 1: Linda Nahan, author of The Hardest Questions Aren’t on the Test.
Topic: Lessons from an innovative urban school.
Issues: In the average urban school district, 50 percent of high schoolers graduate and go on to college—but at Boston Arts Academy, 94 percent of grades are accepted to college; how and why does a school develop a shared vision of what it stands for? What makes a great teacher? How can a principal help good teachers improve? What schools must talk openly about race and achievement.
Guest 2: Mike Mosiman, co author of The Smarter Preschooler.
Topic: Unlocking your child’s intellectual potential.
Issues: What kind of play teaches the most valuable skills? How can I make the most of reading time? Will listening to Mozart or watching educational TV make my child smarter? What is the right classroom experience for my child?
6/6/10
Guest for both segments: Audrey Nelson, coauthor or Code Switching.
Topic: How to talk so men will listen.
Issues: How men and women manage conversations differently; how men use language to impart information and women use it to build relationships; how women can use language to build their credibility; how gender talk creates and shapes work relationships.
6/13/10
Guest 1: Eugene Buchanan, author of Outdoor Parents, Outdoor Kids.
Topic: Getting your kids active in the great outdoors.
Issues: How to keep your child from becoming an obesity statistic; how the fate of the environment rests with connecting our kids to the outdoors; getting kids outside and instilling a respect for their own health.
Guest 2: Jane Isay, author of Mom Still Likes You Best.
Topic: The unfinished business between siblings.
Issues: How the rivalries, pettiness, and tensions that develop between siblings in childhood often continue into adulthood; getting—and staying close—to those who’ve known us the longest; what parents can do to get their kids to love each other; is it possible to heal rifts that have lasted a lifetime?
6/20/10
Guest for both segments: John Badalament, author of The Modern Dad’s Dilemma.
Topic: How to stay connected with your kids in a rapidly changing world.
Issues: Balance family time and work demands; build open communication with your kids no matter how old they are; model a healthy relationship with your children’s mother; sort through your own father’s legacy.
6/27/10
Guest for both segments: Ron Taffel, author of Childhood Unbound.
Topic: Confident parenting in a world of change.
Issues: The powerful new parenting approach that gives our 21st century kids the authority, love, and listening they need to thrive.
7/4/10
Guest for both segments: Susan Newman, author of Under One Roof Again.
Topic: All grown up and (re)learning to live together happily.
Issues: Resolving differences in parenting styles between adult children and their parents; handling the touchy subject of money—who contributes, how much, and what if they can’t? the best attitudes to adopt when adult children move in with their parents.
7/11/10
Guest 1: Len Saunders, author of Keeping Kids Fit.
Topic: A family plan for raising active, healthy children.
Issues: Fitness activities the whole family can enjoy; the positive effects of competition; strategies for busting the video game habit; tips on kid-healthy eating.
Guest 2: Carol Kranowitz and Joye Newman, coauthors of Growing an In-Sync Child.
Topic: Simple, fun activities to help every child develop, learn, and grow.
Issues: The importance of being in sync; tips on growing an in-sync child; how simple movements such as skipping, rolling, balancing, and jumping can make a world of difference for your child; in sync activities for children of every age.
7/18/25
Guest for both segments: Gordon Green, author of Making Your Education Work for You.
Topic: A proven system for success in school and for getting the job of your dreams.
Issues: The first half of this show deals with the importance of education and how parents can help their children understand the value of good grades and the connection between a good education and a good job. The second half of the show covers the specific skills students will have to master to be successful in school and in life.
7/25/10
Guest 1: Lenore Skenazy, author of Free Range Kids.
Topic: How to raise safe, self-reliant children.
Issues: The difference between safety and smothering; how to stop worrying about one-in-a-million dangers and start letting kids enjoy the adventures of childhood; “worldproofing” children so they can be safe even when we’re not right there next to them.
Guest 2: Margaret Nelson, author of Parenting out of Control.
Topic: Anxious parents in uncertain times.
Issues: Helicopter parents, hovercraft parents, and parents from hell; social networking sites and tech devices that parents use to communicate with, supervise, and spy on their children; why today’s prosperous and well-educated parents are unable to set realistic boundaries for their children; fundamental differences in American parenting styles.
8/1/10
Guest 1: Suzy Martyn, author of Sleep Tight.
Topic: Help your child attain a good night’s sleep in three days.
Issues: Sleep myths and misconceptions; sleep routines for every age; handling special sleep challenges; establishing routine, expectations, and mood.
Guest 2: Matthew Edlund, author of The Power of Rest.
Topic: Why sleep alone is not enough. A 30-day plan to reset your body.
Issues: The difference between sleep and rest; benefits of making time for rest-and the health and performance problems that are caused by not getting enough rest; four distinct types of rest: physical, mental, social, and spiritual.
8/8/2010
Guest 1: Judith Simon Prager, coauthor of Verbal First Aid.
Topic: Help your kids heal from fear and pain–and come out strong.
Issues: The amazing science that process that the words we use can heal physical injuries; using the mind to heal; scripts for handling burns, asthma, cuts and bruises, nosebleeds, and more.
Guest 2: Rachelle Katz, author of The Happy Stepmother.
Topic: Stay sane, empower yourself, thrive in your new family.
Issues: Why being a stepmother is one of the toughest jobs in the world; alleviate stress and take care of yourself; bond with your new family; set and enforce clear boundaries; get the respect you deserve; strengthen your relationship
8/15/2010
Guest for both segments: Betsy Braun Brown, author of You’re Not the Boss of Me.
Topic: Brat-proofing your four- to twelve-year-old child.
Issues: What causes bratty behavior; is your child a brat, or just trying to grow up in a world filled with temptations and distractions; helping kids get over the “gimmies;” helping kids learn to show gratitude, be respectful, take responsibility, and be independent.
8/22/2010
Guest for both segments: Thomas Armstrong, author of Neurodiversity.
Topic: Discovering the extraordinary gifts of autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other brain differences.
Issues: Overcoming the tendency to look at brain differences in a negative way; Understanding the positive features of a number of psychiatric features; strategies for making the best of one’s “neurodiverse” brain; ways parents and teachers can meet the needs of neurodiverse children.
8/29/2010
Guest 1: Katharine Brooks, author of You Majored in What?
Topic: Mapping your path from chaos to career.
Issues: Uncovering overlooked opportunities; reframing experiences; beyond majors and minors; creating an irresistible resume; finding truly satisfying work; how to search for a job in a recession.
Guest 2: Abigail Sullivan Moore, co-author of The iConnected Parent.
Topic:Staying close to your kids in college (and beyond) while letting them grow up.
Issues: How much communication with child away at college is too much; practical tips on texting, calling, and Facebooking; how too much communication can keep kids from growing up; why college kids want more connection with dad; why it’s not okay for parents to edit their kids’ papers via email.
9/5/10
Guest for both segments: Robert Neuman, author of Are You Ready for College?
Topic: A college dean’s 12 secrets of success – what high school students don’t know.
Issues: How kids can use their high-school years as a training ground; what college is like and what it expects of you; to be a stronger student in all your courses—even the hard ones; how to master an efficient learning style that works for you.
9/12/10
Guests for both segments: Mike Maslayak and Maribeth Tulenko, K12.com
Topic: High-performance, individualized online education
Issues: Effective, quality learning options for military families, struggling learners, homeschoolers, advanced learners, and overseas students.
9/19/10
Guest 1: JoAnne Pedro-Carroll, author of Putting Children First.
Topic: Proven parenting strategies for helping children thrive through divorce.
Issues: The hidden emotions behind the words and behaviors children use; developing flexible, responsive parenting plans that put the needs of the children first; how the parents’ relationship predicts how well the children will cope after the divorce;.
Guest 2: Bill Eddy, author of Don’t Alienate the Kids!
Topic: Raising resilient children while avoiding high conflict divorce.
Issues: Avoiding the three biggest problems in divorce: All-or-Nothing Thinking, Unmanaged Emotions, and Extreme Behaviors.
9/26/10
Guest 1: Jennifer Gunter, author of The Preemie Primer.
Topic: A complete guide for parents of premature babies–from birth through the toddler years and beyond.
Issues: What is a preemie? Factors that increase the chances of having a preemie; how a premature birth affects the couple relationship; taking care of your emotional health; coping with side effects, health conditions, and complications associated with premature birth.
Guest 2: Jenn Berman, author of Superbaby.
Topic: Giving your child a head start in the first 3 years.
Issues: Respectful communication; responding to cues; creating security and predictability; promoting language development; screen time; reading; reducing exposure to toxins; and more.
10/03/10
Guest for both segments: Jim Thompson, author of Positive Sports Parenting.
Topic: How “second goal” parents raise winners in life through sports.
Issues: Using youth sports’ teachable moments to teach and reinforce positive character traits; supporting your child at home and on the sidelines; creating mistake rituals; why rewarding hard work and effort is more important than achievements.
10/10/10
Guest 1: Gail Parent, coauthor of How to Raise Your Adult Children.
Topic: Big kids have big problems.
Issues: When to give your adult child money; boundaries; house rules; how to maintain your own life even with an adult child living in your home; when to speak up about your adult child’s parenting.
Guest 2: Brad Sachs, author of Emptying the Nest.
Topic: Launching your adult towards success and self-reliance
Issues: The convergence of forces that have made it tough for many young people to become financially and psychologically independent; what behavior parents should strive for—and avoid; improving lines of communication; why helping adult children actually encourages them to see themselves as helpless.
10/17/2010
Guest for both segments: Ellen Galinsky, author of Mind in the Making.
Topic: The seven essential life skills every child needs.
Issues: Skills that won’t develop on their own without conscious effort on the part of parents: Focus and self control, perspective taking, communicating; making connections, critical thinking, taking on challenges, self-directed learning.
10/24/2010
Guest for both segments: Richard Gentry, author of Raising Confident Readers.
Topic: How to teach your child to read and write—from baby to age 7.
Issues: How a child’s brain learns to read—and why encouraging drawing and scribbling is as essential as reading aloud; best at-home activities to develop early literacy; strategies for overcoming dyslexia and other challenges.
10/31/2010
Guest 1: Joe Bruzzese, author of A Parents’ Guide to the Middle School Years.
Topic: Guiding your child’s transition into adolescence.
Issues: How will you handle the inevitable adolescent crises? Balancing a child’s growing need for independence with genuine concern for his or her physical or emotional safety; the many challenges faced by today’s middle schoolers (that we never faced when we were their age).
Guest 2: Susan Greenland, author of The Mindful Child.
Topic: How to help your kid manage stress and become happier, kinder, and more compassionate.
Issues: How mindful awareness can help kids become happier, kinder, and more compassionate; how to incorporate mindfulness into bedtime routines; how to use a toy “barrel of monkeys” to demonstrate how we relate to thoughts and emotions.
11/7/2010
Guest for both segments: Scott Simon, author of Baby, We Were Meant for Each Other.
Topic: The joys and wonders of adoption.
Issues: coping with the “failure” of not being able to get pregnant the natural way; what really makes a family; are we hard-wired to adopt? How and why do we fall in love? International adoption.
11/14/2010
Guest for both segments: James Weiner, coauthor of The Legacy Conversation.
Topic: The missing gem in wealth planning.
Issues: How to identify and cultivate your family’s true wealth: wisdom; myths about wealth; myths about money; starting the conversation about passing on wisdom and values.
11/21/2010
Guest for both segments: Sue George Hallowell, co-author of Married to Distraction.
Topic: Restoring intimacy and strengthening your marriage in an age of interruption.
Issues: Restoring and repairing communication in just 30 minutes a day for 30 days; “Special-ize” your marriage by building romance and hope; developing and nurturing empathy; protecting the natural sequence of love: attention, time, connection, and play.
11/28/2010
Guest for both segments: Rob Eastaway, author of Old Dogs, New Math.
Topic: Homework help for puzzled parents.
Issues: What are “open number lines”? “decomposing”? How do you multiply on a grid? New takes on long division, multiplication, probability, and chance; how to demystify math and help yourself—and your child—discover math all around—and have fun doing it.
12/5/2010
Guest 1: Robyn Silverman, author of Good Girls Don’t Get Fat
Topic: How weight obsession is messing up our girls and how we can help them thrive despite it.
Issues: Tools to stop the ripple effects of attitudes and actions that damage our girls; finding positive female role models; how girls—whatever their size—can own their strengths, trust their power, and accomplish amazing things.
Guest 2: Susan Shapiro Barash, author of, You’re Grounded Forever, But First Let’s Go Shopping
Topic: The challenges mothers face with their daughters and ten timely solutions
Issues: Maternal indulgence; What happens when there are no boundaries and rules between mother and daughter; are mothers spoiling their daughters? The most difficult challenges mothers face when raising daughters; Are moms trying to be friends or adversaries to their daughters? Are we creating our own monsters?
12/12/2010
Guest 1: Rushworth Kidder, author of Good Kids, Tough Choices.
Topic : How parents can help their children do the right thing.
Issues: Raising kids in today’s moral environment; teaching responsibility; resolving ethical dilemmas (including right vs. right choices, which are a lot harder to deal with than traditional right vs. wrong).
Guest 2: Dathan Paterno, author of Desperately Seeking Parents.
Topic: Why your child needs a parent in charge and how to become one.
Issues: Reestablishing a hierarchy in your family; in control vs. controlling; where does paternal authority come from? How creating a family constitution can help restore order in your family; how not to be a wimpy parent.
12/19/10
Guest for both segments: Mark Fenske, coauthor of The Winner’s Brain.
Topic: 8 strategies great minds use to achieve success.
Issues: The science of success; tune out distractions and focus on what’s really important; choose the right risks for higher rewards; know your talents and shortcomings; spot opportunities—even when they’re disguised as problems; cultivate the drive to win.
12/26/10
Guest 1: Michael Gurian, author of The Purpose of Boys.
Topic: Helping our sons find meaning, significance, and direction in their lives.
Issues: Why parents need to provide purpose for boys; brain differences between boys and girls; differences in the ways boys and girls develop purpose; creating rites of passage for boys; how boys are struggling for purpose in schools.
Guest 2: Unger, author of Men Can.
Topic: The changing image and reality of fatherhood in America
Issues: How has popular culture responded to men’s changing roles in society? The problems of language (can fathers “mother” their children?); media portrayals of dads; men taking family leave—and suffering the consequences.