Welcome to Just One Thing for Parents, the podcast designed for busy parents supporting young minds. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, these quick, 5-7...
Episode 25: Navigating The Transition To University: Supporting Neurodiverse Students with Linda Philips
Many parents of neurodiverse young people struggle with how to support their children when they transition to University. It’s a huge step and a time when these these young people are quite vulnerable. Linda Philips is a Speech and Language therapist who specialises in this area and in this episode she answers the question - What’s Just One Thing Parents can do to support their neurodivergent child while they are away at university. Linda highlights the unique challenges faced by university students with autism and ADHD as they transition and how parents can support them. She emphasizes the importance of regular check-ins for parents, shifting from giving advice to facilitating problem-solving through active listening. We also cover strategies for building resilience, understanding individual needs, and fostering social connections through clubs and interests. Please have a listen and I know all parents will find some useful ideas from this episode.
--------
26:03
Episode 24: Building Resilience: The Power of Healthy Stress in Teenagers with Matilda Gosling
In this episode, we explore how parents can support teenagers in building resilience through healthy stress. Matilda, an expert in evidence-based parenting, explains that healthy stress involves manageable challenges that help teens develop coping skills for future difficulties, without exposing them to toxic stress or leaving them unsupported. We discuss the science behind this approach, including studies on squirrel monkeys and controlled tree growth, highlighting the benefits of mild stress exposure. Matilda also shares practical strategies for recognizing normal stress versus serious issues, emphasizing the importance of understanding your child’s unique behavior patterns. In today’s social media-driven world, where normal variation in emotions can be misinterpreted as disordered, this conversation provides valuable insights for fostering resilience and raising confident, capable teens.
--------
18:41
Episode 23: Building Healthy Digital Relationships with Your Kids with Dr Naomi Fisher
In this episode of the podcast Just One Thing For Parents, we tackle the question of how parents can help their children develop a healthy relationship with screens. Our guest, Dr Naomi Fisher challenges the traditional focus on screen time, which can become somewhat of an obsession for well intentioned parents. Doing this distracts from more important considerations when it comes to screens, such as what children are actually doing on the screen, how they connect with their activities and helping them to develop those all-important self-regulations skills. She encourages parents to engage with their kids’ screen-based interests rather than just limiting time, showing an interest and perhaps joining them. When we look closely, there is usually a developmental value of children's chosen screen activities. As we share interests with them we build trust in our relationship which will serve them and our relationship (and therefore influence on them) well in the long term. Ultimately, the message is to join children in their digital experiences, validating their interests and building a foundation for communication as they grow.
--------
18:14
Episode 22: Peg’s Take on the ‘Perfect” Intervention for Executive Skill Difficulties in Older Kids with Peg Dawson
In this episode of JOT for Parents, Bettina is joined by the renowned Peg Dawson to explore effective interventions for executive skill difficulties in older kids. Executive functions, like planning, organizing, paying attention, and managing time, are crucial for managing everyday life and reside in the brain’s frontal lobes. Many children struggle with these skills, leading parents to mistakenly think their kids are being difficult or lazy when they actually haven't developed the necessary brain circuits or habits. Peg Dawson, the author of "Smart but Scattered," shares her expertise and introduces a simple yet powerful five-minute intervention designed to help parents enhance their child’s executive skills. This episode is a must-listen for every parent, as it addresses a universal challenge in supporting children’s development.
--------
17:12
Episode 21: The Power of Problem-Solving: Strategies for Parents and Families with Professor Roz Shafran
Professor Roz Shafran is a highly experienced Clinical Psychologist who really knows about what works for parents. She talks about the power of problem solving as a parent and problem with our kids. It is not only incredibly helpful for us to approach something we feel stuck on but when we do it with kids we built their future ability to manage their lives/ Most importantly, it works. Roz talks us through the the IDEAL method—Identify the problem, Describe the outcome, Explore strategies, Anticipate outcomes, Act, and Look and learn. I always think a template is helpful for parents to find new skills in these highly emotive situations. Roz talks us through some everyday examples all parents will struggle with - when a child won’t leave a playdate or with a child who has an eating disorder. This is a technique parents can use when they are struggling but also can be used with adolescents to collaboratively problem solve how they could find a solution to their difficulties. It’s an episode that everyone can get something from.
About Just One Thing for Parents with Dr Bettina Hohnen
Welcome to Just One Thing for Parents, the podcast designed for busy parents supporting young minds. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, these quick, 5-7 minute episodes offer a powerful daily reminder of what truly matters when it comes to your kids.
Hosted by clinical psychologist Dr. Bettina Hohnen, each episode brings you expert insights from renowned guests such as Dawn Heuber, David Trickey, and Anita Cleare. These professionals, including authors, parent coaches, psychotherapists, and parenting experts, share science-backed advice and real-life experiences to help you navigate the challenges of raising children.
What to Expect:
Short and Digestible: Episodes are crafted to fit seamlessly into your busy schedule. Take just a few minutes every day—whether it's after dropping the kids at school, during your commute, or before diving into family life after a hectic day.
Actionable Insights: Distilled complex concepts into easy-to-understand nuggets, providing you with practical tips and tools grounded in both scientific research and real-world parenting expertise.
Daily Focus: Each episode presents Just One Thing for you to focus on, simplifying the overwhelming demands of parenting and allowing you to approach each day with clarity and purpose.
Connect with Us:
Subscribe, leave a review, and share the wisdom with fellow parents. Join the conversation using #JustOneThingforParetings and visit @DrBettinaHohnen for additional resources.
UK