Everyday Parenting Podcast

Maribeth continues her conversation with Los Angeles Times writer Paul Thornton and brings Ed Ternan into their conversation about educating children on the danger of fentanyl. Following the death of Melanie Ramos, Paul and his wife had the drugs and alcohol talk with their children much earlier than they had anticipated. Maribeth advised putting this talk into the context of consent - the idea that you have control over what you put into your body. Both Paul and Maribeth knew this was part of a larger conversation they wanted to start with parents about this new threat to children and why children are turning to substances in such large numbers. 

Ed Ternan lost his youngest son Charlie in May of 2022. Charlie died shortly after taking what he thought was a Percocet he'd purchased online that turned out to be a "fentapill." At that time, this was not in the public consciousness. Charlie was a savvy college senior but did not know the danger of buying a pill online. Following Charlie's death, Ed and his wife founded Song for Charlie to raise awareness about fentapills. Ed shares Charlie's story and what he has learned during his two-year deep dive into understanding the new drug trade. "We need to rethink how we describe the drug landscape and reimagine the drug talk we have with our children around the kitchen table," Ed explains, "we need to move away from the scare tactics."

In this episode, the three talk about having age-appropriate conversations with children to build trust and help them navigate a world that often feels overwhelming. 

School refusal is a term used to describe the signs of anxiety a school-aged child has and his or her refusal to go to school. It’s common in children from preschool to high school and is a topic Maribeth Henry, M.A. LMFT  is covering with many families right now.

In this episode, she addresses what to do if your child refuses to go to school, from talking with them about what they are feeling, to pre-loading the week ahead, and exploring what is happening from when a child leaves for school to the time they get home. She provides tips on how to deal with a child’s refusal to go to school and a five-step plan for successfully supporting your kid through this process.

"This is a story of a child who learned how to regulate herself because her parent took the time to change how she parented her child," Maribeth Henry, M.A. LMFT explains in her introduction. In this episode, Maribeth talks to Margarita, and her daughter, Samantha, about their journey over the past 15 years of working with her. Like any parent, Margarita sometimes struggled to find the patience to help her daughter. Margarita explains how she learned to help her daughter regulate and understand her emotions. And as she heads off to college, ready to take on her next challenge, Samantha shares what she has learned about herself and how she works through tough situations. If you have a child who is struggling with big emotions or avoiding situations, this episode should give you hope. 

The start of a new school year can be both exciting and anxiety-producing for children of all ages. In this episode, Maribeth Henry, M.A. LMFT, encourages parents to prepare their children for the school year ahead now. Pre-loading children's brains - talking to them about what they'll need to do to get ready for school each morning, what the drop-off plan will be, what to expect at school, and any fears they have - will help prepare children for what is coming and help them manage their discomfort.

If you find this episode helpful, we also recommend two other mini episodes Maribeth recorded this summer: 

Helping Children Develop a Growth Mindset

Parenting Strategies for Managing Separation Anxiety

We need to understand that educators are people too. So how have all of the challenges of the past two years affected them?

In this episode, Maribeth Henry, M.A. LMFT talks to six educators from various backgrounds and parts of the U.S. about what it's like to be in the classroom today. This conversation is a chance to hear from educators about how parents can give them the support they need. The conversation spans parent-teacher communication, helping kids build resilience, the roles parents, students, and teachers play in the classroom, developmental gaps caused by COVID school closures, and how we can keep kids safe at school. 

Our Guests: Brent Beaty, Katie Ethridge, Hannah Henry, Christina Martin, Kristen Mascheroni, and Josh Monroe

This more extended episode includes Maribeth Henry's introduction about why she thought it was important to assemble this group and have this conversation now. We hope you find this conversation helpful as you prepare to send your children back to school.

"What is a growth mindset, and how can you cultivate it in your kids?" These questions recently came across Maribeth Henry's desk, and she was happy to answer them. A growth mindset is not a new concept, but looking at it through the lens of the experience the families she works with have had over the past two years has provided Maribeth with a fresh perspective on it. In this episode, Maribeth explains how to help children develop it and how parents can also model it.

Maribeth Henry, M.A. LMFT talks to the Jarvis family about their youngest daughter's separation anxiety. She reviews the techniques the family is practicing and explains the one piece of managing their daughter's separation anxiety that is missing.

In the second part of the Youth Drug Trends episode, Maribeth Henry, M.A. LMFT, and Christian Lar and Elton Ferrero of Insight Treatment Centers answer parents' questions following their presentation.

Part 1 of this episode included an overview for parents on current youth drug trends, the warning signs, available resources, and how to intervene. The webinar, including visuals shared, is available on YouTube.

Maribeth Henry, M.A. LMFT has always encouraged a summer theme she calls "What do you want to learn this summer?" As we head into the heart of the summer, she is sharing the conversation she often has with parents about how to create structure in the summer. 

Maribeth Henry, M.A. LMFT host of the Everyday Parenting Podcast partnered with Insight Treatment Programs to help educate families on drugs and substance abuse. California Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor Elton Ferrero joins her to help parents recognize current youth drug trends and the impact they are having on today's youth, warning signs, resources, and how to intervene.

Watch the Webinar on YouTube