Empathy. Some would say we need it now more than ever. To step into someone else's shoes and fully appreciate their lived experience is the quickest way to open our hearts and minds to those around us. Hollis Owens founded To Be Like Me - a nonprofit based on this very principle. This innovative organization organizes disability awareness programs for school-aged kids, graduate students, and special groups. Listen as Hollis describes how To Be Like Me’s programs are breaking down barriers and fostering awareness of those with unique abilities, igniting compassion, and shedding light on the positive impact of inclusion.

The best parents are the ones that never stop learning. So this week, we present to you... Daducation! This episode digs deep into all things "Dad." To help guide us, we invited our friend Andy Love to the conversation...

It is known that meditation and mindfulness can be immensely beneficial physically, mentally, and spiritually. So how do we begin to create space for something that will improve the quality of life for us and our children? Enter Dr. Elizabeth Cronin, a clinical psychologist who blends her formal education in psychology with ongoing education in mindfulness and meditation. She joins us to dig into the why and the how of mindfulness in parenting.

A lot of worry can arise from concerns around our children’s social skills. Whether our child is showing signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder, social anxiety, or delayed social skills development, it is easy to feel lost and frustrated. And, not to mention the added complexity of the global pandemic and how it has impacted all our social interactions. Fortunately for us, Mary Reilly has stepped in to share her experience and guidance on these topics and more…

To Almas Muscatwalla, a service mindset goes far beyond writing a check or packing a meal. As an Ismaili Muslim, she has been instilled with the conviction that service is a way of life. She has since passed this onto her children, and to her community through her position on the board of directors for The Thanks-Giving Foundation as chair of the Interfaith Council. This conversation is enlightening, convicting, and encouraging for any who strive to value and uplift every human life…

Many are looking for hope in the face of racial tension, injustice, and racism. Longing for the day when the inherent biases in our systems and our upbringings are a thing of the past and all people are treated with dignity and respect. But with a challenge so daunting, where do we start? Thankfully, Dr. Pam Fields has begun this work and is simply asking us to join her…

This back-to-school season isn't just bringing change for students; it's a big change for parents, too. Schedules and priorities are shifting as we're asked to find a new rhythm - this year more than ever. This episode is dedicated to all the parents out there, trying to find their “new normal.” It's a reminder to make plans, but hold them loosely. To give your kids the care they need, but not to neglect caring for yourself. To acknowledge the challenges of this season, but find the joy in it as well. Our three hosts are joined once again by Jane Hensley to bring you, parents, this special word of encouragement.

Dr. Shane Miller, pediatric sports medicine physician at Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, has a close eye on how young athletes are engaging in sports in a cautious but optimistic way during the pandemic. He brings to our conversation his expert perspective grounded in the facts and a passion for caring for the whole child…

Rabbi Andrew Paley, Senior Rabbi and Spiritual Leader of Temple Shalom, a Reform congregation, in Dallas, Texas, joins us to talk about acknowledging loss in these unprecedented times, assessing our current reality through the lens of hope, and learning to see the shades of gray in the choices in front of us. 

While back to school is a familiar rhythm for families, very little about this year feels familiar. No matter where your child attends school, you’re likely facing some major adjustments to their daily school life. As you prepare your child for the school year in this time of uncertainty, their teachers are doing the same thing.

Principal Wallace - mom and high school principal in the Dallas area - joins us for a conversation concerning the start of the school year. Listen in for tips on managing anxiety, supporting students and teachers, and navigating these new waters with a sense of positivity…

For better or worse, conflict is an inescapable part of the human experience. There are tensions and disagreements in even the healthiest of relationships. So if it's impossible to avoid conflict altogether, how do we best navigate it? Answering this question is central to the work of Jennifer Hargrave, our guest for this episode.

Ms. Hargrave is an experienced attorney who focuses her practice exclusively on family law, and provides representation to clients throughout the greater Dallas metropolitan area who are either contemplating or going through a divorce. She is especially skilled at helping clients construct creative settlement agreements. Based on her background in collaborative divorce, she encourages her clients to approach their divorce using non-adversarial techniques to minimize conflict as much as possible, diminishing the destructive effect on the family…

When we start to list skills we hope our children master, executive functions might not be the first thing that rolls off our collective tongues. But, understanding what they are and what they help us achieve can be crucial to our kids' development. Leda Owens, LPC, knows the importance of this work, and in this episode she joins us to discuss executive functions and the role of the parent in nurturing the developing minds of our children…

Our bodies need energy to function properly, no matter our age. What we choose to eat and drink has a direct effect on how well we can focus, learn, and perform. And as parents, we aren't only making those choices for ourselves... we're helping facilitate those choices for our children too. So how do we do that well? Enter Nina Salhab. Nina is a a Registered and Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas, TX with more than 20 years of nutrition and wellness counseling experience…

You have questions, we have… more questions? And maybe a few answers along the way! Jane Hensley, a therapist in the Dallas area, joins us to work through some listener questions about relationships, communication, and parenting…

When it comes to interpersonal relationships, communication is key. We are all unique people who must learn to hear, anticipate, and care for others in our lives. No matter where you find yourself on the spectrum of healthy relationships, there is always room to grow. And unsurprisingly, healthy relationships between parents help foster healthy children. Dr. Terry Parsons, an author and psychotherapist in the Dallas area, has been helping guide people in good communication and parenting for nearly 40 years. He joins us today to share the kind of wisdom and encouragement that all in relationships need to hear…

Sleep - if we’re lucky, we spend a third of our life doing it. If we’re not, we may experience interference with our health, ability to learn, and daily life. This is especially true for our children, as they are growing and developing in the early and adolescent stages of their lives. Dr. Hilary Pearson recognizes the importance of good sleep for children, and has made it her focus on the team she leads at Cook Children’s Sleep Center. She joins us today to share her wisdom and best practices for consistent, restful sleep…

2020 brought a reality that none of us saw coming. Whether great or small, all of us have felt the effects. As parents, it has made this summer look vastly different than we expected. We are joined by two of our colleagues, Dr. Karen McClard and Karen Kassanoff, to discuss the world in which we currently live, and how to make the most of this unexpected season…

With tensions around systemic racism continuing to run high in cities all over the world, we felt compelled to bring you this special episode of Parenting For The Present. For some, awareness of this issue may be new. For others, they’ve lived with this reality their entire lives. For Shonn Brown, an attorney and mother, raising three Black children meant doing her best to prepare them for the moment her kids might be on the receiving end of injustice. That moment came for one of her children just a few weeks ago. The story of their experience and the actions that followed are not only inspiring - they provide a road map for how all of us have the power to take pain and injustice and turn it into power and use it for the betterment of our world…

The world is rapidly changing, and media is often at the center of it. Angela Patterson sees this more fully than most; she is a PhD candidate in psychology with an emphasis on media. Her work addresses the ways that media and psychology inform each other, and what affect that has on our spiritual being…

COVID-19 has changed the world in quick and radical ways. Each facet of our lives have been affected, and parenting is not exempt. Our hosts, along with Dallas-area therapist Jane Hensley, take time to lament what feels lost, and offer hope and practical tips for how to navigate this unparalleled time…