Shows
How Not to Screw Up Your KidsBucket Emptying: Overcoming Our Fears and Leaving Our Children in Someone Else's CareLeaving your child with someone else is one of the hardest things a parent will do.What if they need me and I’m not there?Am I just being a bad parent?What if they don’t like the babysitter?These are all rational concerns, but they shouldn’t stop you because, as we’ve discussed before, you cannot look after your children if you don’t look after yourselves.That’s why in this bucket emptying episode, I’m going to share four rational fears you migh...2025-06-2315 min
SEND Parenting PodcastEP 104: Raising Resilient Kids with Dr. MaryhanDr Maryhan, a clinical psychologist and esteemed fellow podcaster, joins us to celebrate the 100th episode of the SEND Parenting Podcast. Have you ever wondered how to raise neurodiverse children within the UK education system without losing your mind? This milestone episode offers a treasure trove of insights as Dr. Maryhan shares wisdom from her upcoming book, "How Not to Screw Up Your Kids." We tackle the intricate dance of parenting in a world where children are moulded by influences beyond our control, aiming to bolster resilience through the power of community support.Traditional discipline methods often...2024-12-3133 min
How Not to Screw Up Your KidsYour favourite Dr Maryhan moments of 2024They say, “Repetition is the mother of all learning,” so we’ve curated some of your favourite Dr Maryhan moments from 2024. Whether you’re revisiting old favourites or discovering gems for the first time, this compilation is packed with insights to inspire, motivate, and empower you.Enjoy! Here are the highlights:(0:00) Great habits for super young children(0:00) Are we too soft? Part 1(0:00) Raising confident girls(0:00) Friendships – the whole 9 yards Part 1(0:00) Teaching children how, not what to think!(0:00) Why validating em...2024-12-2647 min
SEND Parenting PodcastEP 67: Cultivating Resilience with Dr. MaryhanEpisode 67This week we are joined once more by the esteemed Dr Maryhan, in an episode that promises to equip you with the tools to nurture the skill of bouncing back from life's hurdles. The skill of resilience is both crucial to a neurodivergent child's life and simultaneously one that can be more difficult to cultivate due to the extra support our children need. We talk Ginsburg's 7 C's of Resilience (with a focus on 'confidence' and 'competence'), Embark on a journey to understand the heart of parenting neurodiverse children—resilience. With Dr. Olivia Kessel and...2024-04-0239 min
SEND Parenting PodcastEP 55: "How Not To Screw Up Your Kids" Dr Maryhan - Bitesize SummariesEpisode 55Rounding out the holiday season we are releasing a final "Bitesize Summary" episode with Olivia and her guest co-host Tamsyn, this time revisiting episode 26 with Dr Maryhan. This episode was all about parenting advice, trusting your own instincts, and containing your child's emotional dysregulation. We underline the importance of self-care for parents, especially those with neurodiverse children, and connecting to your own gut instincts, as well as sharing changes in our own personal parenting journeys. Click here for Dr Maryhan's website www.sendparenting.com2024-01-0921 min
The Motherkind PodcastMOMENT | The secret to raising confident, resilient children to conquer life's challenges with Dr MaryhanThis Moment is with Dr. Maryhan. Dr Maryhan is a groundbreaking psychologist and parenting expert, as well as a mother of two. For over 15 years she has been supporting children, teens, and young adults struggling with managing their emotions, low confidence and anxiety.@zoeblaskey - come engage with Zoe and our community over on Instagram for inspiration, tips, and sometimes a bit of humour to get us through our day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2023-04-2407 min
How Not to Screw Up Your KidsSo You’re ExpectingI am talking all about what we can do when we’re expecting the arrival of our child - however we find ourselves embarking on the journey to parenting. It's also supremely relevant for all the other stages of our children's lives as they reach them -as these are another birth - walking, talking, preschool, school, university, first job, leaving home...My six pointers will help keep you grounded and sane.Here are the highlights: (01:14) Parents-to-Be consume information by the barrel load (05:13) Read about different milestones, not just birth ...2023-01-1934 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsGreat Habits for Super Young ChildrenHere's a thought for you - every interaction you have with your child will leave a trace - in the wiring of their brain. Repeated interactions of the same type will build permanent connections - so we want these to be helpful ones which build resilience rather than reliance.In this episode I'll share the five core skills we should be teaching our under five year olds to give them the best possible start whilst reminding you it's never too late to start.Here are the highlights: (01:02) Our children a...2023-01-1236 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsProblems Making Friends (Listener Question)This episodes responds to a listener question highlighting something so many parents worry about. How do we know if our children or teens are struggling making / keeping friends and if they are - when and how do we help??In this episode I'll share how best to uncover any potential issues and then how to support them to make the very best of friendships for them. Here are the highlights: (00:30) Leslie’s question (02:27) Building a tribe (06:45) Figure out your starting point (12:26) The fear of initiating (15:24) Our chi...2023-01-0530 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsWiring Our Children's BrainsChildren's brains are built. At birth they have nearly 90 billion brain cells, and these cells makes connections which then wire together. Understanding how this happens and the role experience plays is crucial if we are to raise children who become happy, confident, resilient adults. I'll share four facts we all need to know. Here are the highlights: (01:00) Neuroplasticity (03:44) Brain stats (08:02) Neurons that fire together, wire together (14:00) Nature and nurture’s influence on brain development (20:04) Pruning (22:30) The brain’s capacity to change never stops (26:07) A workout f...2022-12-2932 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsInterview with Nadim Saad – Part 2My next interview was so good I’ve split it into two parts! So for the next two I am joined by the excellent Nadim Saad. Nadim is a parenting and relationship coach and author of seven books including the highly acclaimed Kids Don’t Come With a Manual, Happy Confident Me Journal series and Raising Happy Confident Kids. Father of three and founder of The Happy Confident Company – focused on helping children become the best version of themselves. We talk parenting, how our childhood affects our parenting and the ten life skills all children needs to learn...2022-12-2235 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsInterview with Nadim Saad – Part 1My next interview was so good I’ve split it into two parts! So for the next two I am joined by the excellent Nadim Saad. Nadim is a parenting and relationship coach and author of seven books including the highly acclaimed Kids Don’t Come With a Manual, Happy Confident Me Journal series and Raising Happy Confident Kids. Father of three and founder of The Happy Confident Company – focused on helping children become the best version of themselves. We talk parenting, how our childhood affects our parenting and the ten life skills all children needs to learn...2022-12-1543 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsGetting Children to Do As We AskThis episode is all about ways we can encourage our children to do what we ask first time! I know it’s probably one of the most frustrating things we can up against as parents - ask isn’t once, twice, three times and then getting angry and frustrated that our children haven’t listened. Now I’m going to tackle this in two half’s because there’s the dealing with it in the moment and then there’s the putting expectations in place. The more we’re clear in communicating our expectations and consistently applying them the easier t...2022-12-0831 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsReal Life Parenting with Izzy JuddWife to Harry, Mummy to Lola Kit & Lockie, Violinist, and Author of Dare to Dream & Mindfulness 4 Mums. With all the ‘perceived’ privilege and celebrity status people might attach to someone with over three hundred thousand followers on Instagram Izzy couldn’t be more real, humble, and honest about her and Harry’s parenting journey - from IVF, childhood anxiety, to juggling three children. I know Izzy’s honesty has been a lifeline to so many mothers who relate so much to her stories and her tips for integrating mindfulness into day-to-day parenting, in a way which brings...2022-12-0143 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsThey're Watching YouResilience is all about our children’s ability to bounce back from setbacks and it is very closely related to confidence and self-esteem. Resilience isn’t innate, it’s learnt and as their greatest teachers you can use my simple strategies to start developing your child’s resilience as well as asking yourself this simple question - “how am I modelling resilience??” Here are the highlights: (01:36) Our children are like computer programs (04:12) Framing the situation (10:45) The importance of modelling good goal-setting (15:34) Promote problem solving (19:32) Encourage risk-taking ...2022-11-2430 min
Stepmum SpaceS3, Ep 4. Dr Maryhan (psychologist & parenting expert) answers the questions we're too scared to ask in real life for fear of being judged!Send us a textIn this episode Katie talks to parenting expert, psychologist, and host of podcast "How not to screw up your kids", Dr MaryhanAs a birth Mum and Stepmum Dr Maryhan really understands the ups and downs of stepmum life and answers a variety of questions from listeners. She doesn't shy away from the tough stuff and we explore topics such as:- Should you correct your step kids when bio-mum tells lies about you?- What to do if you don't even like your step kids? - Wh...2022-11-1754 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsFinding Peace of Mind with Zoe BlaskeyIn life there are times when you come across people who you just know are going to be instrumental in changing your perspective on life and I am really not over playing it when I say this about Zoe. She has read, trained and pulled together all the research and best practice on navigating motherhood with self-awareness and her insights on intergenerational cycles, conditioning and what every child craves are tempered with super practical things we can do with this new found self-awareness. I wish Zoe had been around when I was raising my two children as I...2022-11-1741 min
The Motherkind PodcastLeading psychologist: anxiety is on the rise in children - here's how to prevent it with Dr. MaryhanThis week on the podcast we focus on parenting with guest Dr. Maryhan. Dr Maryhan is a groundbreaking psychologist and parenting expert, as well as a mother of two. For over 15 years she has been supporting children, teens, and young adults struggling with managing their emotions, low confidence and anxiety.You are going to learn:
Why right now is such a hard time for our children
How to know if your child has anxiety, or is it just normal worry
How to help a child who might be experiencing anxiety
How to raise resilient children that...2022-11-1046 minHow Not to Screw Up Your Kids23 for 2023Alright, so this episode is all about New Year's resolutions and its only November!!! Please just go with it as it could quite literally change your life and inspire your children too. It all starts with this simple question “If you could design your life for 2023; how it makes you feel, who you want to spend it with, and what experiences you want to have, how would you design it?”. In this episode I will share the answers I gave in 2020 for my 21 for 2021 and how I’m doing it differently in 2023. Are you ready to join...2022-11-1031 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsFinding Balance with Helen HopkinsAs the saying goes, ‘we all juggle multiple hats’ as parents and finding balance seems to be illusive to most of us. Some days we feel we’re acing it, yet I think I speak for most of us when I say we more often than not feel like we are constantly teetering on the edge of exhaustion. Helen Hopkins is a Wellness Coach and approaches balance from the perspective of habits and how we can find opportunities for balance in those habitual ‘dead times’. You will quite literally be blown away by her simple techniques – a must listen! ...2022-11-0344 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsHelping Girls Navigate Friendships with Amy & JessFriendships can be one of the biggest challenges our girls have to navigate. It can cause so much upset and make life miserable. So, Amy and Jess wrote a book to help their daughters so they never had to struggle with friendships as they did. They hope the hard lessons they learned help smooth the road for young girls and help them walk with their heads held high, never doubting who they are, or wondering if they are enough. Whilst the book was written for girls, the lessons and techniques are just as usual for boys. CLICK HER...2022-10-2749 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsHeadstrong Children - How to Manage ThemWhen we have a child who seems hellbent on arguing with everything we ask of them, making up their own rules, and struggling to manage their emotions – it can leave its mark on all of us. We often feel like we’re parenting in a war zone and then feel guilty and sad with how we’ve handled things. There isn’t a magic wand approach which will change everything, yet my seven strategies could just save your sanity and relationship with your child, without breaking their spirit. Here are the highlights: (00:41) Ther...2022-10-2032 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsHelping Children Manage Exam Stress with Stephanie HaynesIn this episode Stephanie shares her strategies as an educational consultant and coach for supporting children and teens as they navigate tests and exams. Whether your children are taking tests which measure their progress, exams to get into their next schools, or exams at 16 and 18 which are likely to determine University or career pathways you’ll want to listen to this. In fact I found so many great tips for talking to our children about life and challenges - beyond tests - so you’re in for a real treat. BUY STEPHANIE’S BOOK ‘COLLEGE IS NOT MAN...2022-10-1340 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsWhy Are Children So Unhappy?A whole generation of children and teens are desperately unhappy. A recent survey by the Children’s Society ranked UK children amongst the unhappiest in Europe, although the unhappiness trend is not just a UK phenomenon. I’ll share my thoughts on why so many children are unhappy and what we can do to reverse this worrying trend. Here are the highlights: (00:28) The three reasons your child might be unhappy (04:31) Life is too fast (08:49) Never underestimate a good bedtime routine (15:35) Being outside has a huge impact on we...2022-10-0630 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsInvesting in Yourself with Heather BlackThis is the first in my Investing In Yourself mini-series where incredible people share their wisdom and expertise across different areas in which we can invest in ourselves as parents. Heather, the driving force and dynamo behind Supermums talks about her journey investing in herself, and how we might go about doing the same. Whether we want a new career or a better balance between work and home, she’ll share how she made the decision to invest in herself and start a new career. Here are the highlights: (03:31) Becoming Supermum (0...2022-09-2933 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsHow to Talk to Children About LossWhilst the release of this episode is immediately after the death Queen Elizabeth II, the approach I suggest is intended to cover any situation where a child comes into contact with the death of someone - whether that’s a direct relative, a friend, neighbour, public figure etc. For some the current world event may mean you are talking about death for the very first time and your child might be really still quite young, for others the Queen’s death might be bringing up old sadness for a loved one who has already died, others might have...2022-09-2227 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsJuggling work and ParentingDo you feel overwhelmed with the task of having a full work life whilst being present for your children? Juggling work and being a parent can be a challenge, prioritising one without the other being affected is something many parents struggle with. In this episode I discuss tips and tricks on how to manage this balance and reduce stress. Here are the highlights: (03:23) 45% of parents feel burnt out (07:07) Asking for help (11:42) Managing expectations (17:38) Recharge (22:28) Plan B 💚 Let's grow our village together, please share this episode wi...2022-09-1528 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsI’m Not Very Good At...We have all heard a variation of one of these comments from our children - “I am not very good at... ‘this is rubbish’, ‘I can’t’, I’m not good at…’ but what does it mean?? There are potentially 6 different reasons why and yet, it is doesn’t really matter which reason it is – the comments tell us something about how they are experiencing things right now AND how to help them.I will talk you through my 6-point solution – what to do and how to solve the issue longer term.Here are the highlights: (00:3...2022-09-0827 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsInterview with Josh Connolly; Being Dad and Talking EmotionsJosh is one of the UK’s most influential mental health advocates. Josh has also spoken in the House of Commons, contributed to mental health policy and even advised the scriptwriting team on Hollyoaks. He has run resilience workshops for village schools and global brands alike. Additionally, he is an ambassador for Nacoa – a national charity supporting people affected by a parent’s drinking.In this episode he talks about being a dad, resilience, children’s emotions and how it all has to start with us. A must listen whether you’re a parent, someone who cares for childr...2022-09-0135 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsSocial Media - The Good, The Bad, & The Downright UglyLet’s talk honestly about the impact of social media. From Twitter to TikTok and the whole Metaverse in between, it is now well documented to have a significantly negative impact on our children’s mental health – linked to depression, anxiety, and increase suicide rates. What do we need to know about these platforms, how do we help our children and teens navigate these platforms, and where do we draw the lines.I’ll be answering these questions and setting out my honest thoughts on social media and how mindless use, in my view, is as dangerous for their...2022-08-2529 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsSibling DynamicsSiblings argue, this is perfectly normal. They are vying for a limited resource – our time.Yet the type of battles our children have with each other, are very much influenced by the ‘role’ our children play within the family dynamics. You cannot begin to make meaningful changes, until you fully understand, and potentially address any issues which arise from these roles.I will talk about ‘roles’ and how they are created, before moving onto how we can avoid constantly refereeing our children’s arguments.Here are the highlights:(00:22) Introduction(03:26) Sibling role...2022-08-1829 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsBack to SchoolI’ll be talking “Back to School’ and how we can prepare our children and teens to go back to school, start school for the first time, transition to junior school, senior school, boarding school or university.Whether you are listening to this before you children start school or well into the school term, the principles I am going to share are helpful at any point in time when you need to reset patterns of being and behaviour which aren’t optimal for school and getting the best out of school and education.Here are the high...2022-08-1128 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsBeing a Step-Mum with Katie HarrisonThis episode isn’t just for you if you are step-mum, it’s for every mum, dad, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, nanny etc who stands at the school gate, does nursery or pre-school pick up.Blended families are on the increase and societally we have failed to recognise and support step-mums and the unique challenges they face.Being a step-mum can be incredibly isolating and as a result the incidence of mental health issues are much higher than birth mothers.Join my conversation with Katie Harrison of Stepmumspace to get a glimpse into a st...2022-08-0437 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsWe Need to TalkToday’s episode “We Need To Talk’ is all about how we can have meaningful conversations with our children and teens. You know what I mean - conversations which are two-sided, you learn more than you teach, and you feel a connection. Whether that’s talking about big things such as sex, boyfriends and worries or everyday conversations about using their voice, kindness, compassion.These conversations are probably more important, more impactful, and more character building for our children than any other conversations we have.Here are the highlights:(01:07) Pick your moments(04:00...2022-07-2828 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsToxic Friendships - How to Spot Them and Support Your ChildToxic relationships are on the rise! They are friendships which aren’t healthy – they’re not about mutual respect, trust, and sharing. Instead, they are manipulative, controlling, one-sided and make our children feel awful about themselves.In this episode I will talk about how we can spot the signs our child or teen is in a toxic friendship and how we can then best support them to get out of it – and the answer isn’t to go all guns blazing and tell them to stop spending time with them! Here are the highlights: (01:03) Re...2022-07-2131 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsSchool Holidays – Beyond Surviving!This episode is all about school holidays and how we can not only survive them – we can thrive as a family. Cliché I know but go with it.I will share with you the tools I used when my children were younger, which worked so well – my children asked for them each holiday! The holidays are long but they don’t have to be a huge juggling act, battleground, or source of untold stress. I also have a bumper set of free resources to help you. Here are the highlights: (01:00) S...2022-07-1433 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsHas My Child Got an Eating Disorder?It is estimated 1.25 million people have an eating disorder in the U.K. and the data is pretty similar worldwide. Eating disorders are a mental health condition where you use the control of food to cope with feelings and other situations.Unhealthy eating behaviours may include eating too much or too little or worrying about your weight or body shape.The key, in my view, is being able to pick up on the early warning signs, so support and intervention can be put in place before it becomes an established disorder. In this episode I...2022-07-0728 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsShould I Be Worried About My Child's Mental HealthThis episode touches on the slightly uncertain ground many parents face as to whether they should or shouldn’t be worried about their child’s mental health.Maybe your child lacks a little confidence, they struggle to manage their emotions sometimes or often, maybe they even say they don’t like themselves or they wish they weren’t around anymore. Is this something which all children go through or should you be worried???Here are the highlights: (00:27) Raising confident, resilient kids (02:30) Prevention is better than cure (07:37) Equipping our children with emotio...2022-06-3029 minHow Not to Screw Up Your Kids6 Essential Skills Your Children Need You to Teach ThemThis episode is all about the six essential skills your children wish you'd teach them before they became adults. The skills which are crucial to successful adulting and you will be surprised by what’s on the list! Some of them may seem too simple, possibly irrelevant but as every successful adult can attest – without these skills, the world of work and adulthood can be tricky to navigate. And of course if you find this show helpful, please do subscribe, share and leave a review to help other parents find us so we can spread the love...2022-06-2326 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsPromoting Healthy Body ImageOver 50% of children worry about how they look, 36% say they will do whatever it takes to look good, and 57% have considered going on a diet! Scary statistics when all we want is happy children who celebrate their own uniqueness. That’s why today’s episode is all about body image - a tricky subject for us as parents to navigate, so hope by listening to this podcast you come away with some easy to implement techniques.And of course if you find this show helpful, please do subscribe, share and leave a review to help other pa...2022-06-1627 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsOne Million MomentsThis podcast episode is a bit different - it’s about my worldwide campaign - One Million Moments which launched on 8th June 2022 and aims to positively impact 1 million lives. Can you help me spread the word, and give your children the tools to be emotionally resilient?Click here to find out more about ONE MILLION MOMENTS Here are the highlights: (00:36) Children’s mental health is a global issue (02:57) One in six children (06:49) Seize the moments to connect (09:16) Let’s really listen (11:45) How you can support One Mi...2022-06-0917 min
The birth-ed podcastConsciously Preparing for Parenthood with Guest Dr MaryhanWhat kind of parents do you want to be?So much of pregnancy is taken up researching prams and cots and car seats and preparing the nursery.. Or considering birth plans and pregnancy complications and baby names.. It's not often that anyone actually consciously considers parenting until they are in it.Is parenting something you can prepare for? We think YES!This week I am joined by Dr Maryhan, experienced psychologist & parenting expert, to discuss what consciously preparing for parenthood might look like for you.A must...2022-06-0743 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsHelping Children Succeed at SchoolLet’s talk about how we can help our children succeed at school. Success at school is of course linked to academics, but it is also linked to social aspects such as friendships, and confidence. So I will talk about how our children can succeed by becoming independent learners, and owing their learning journey. You might find this useful if your teen is studying for big exams as well as for children owning their school success - whether it’s homework, friendships, reading, or just being curious about the world and wanting to learn. Here are the...2022-06-0224 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsHelping Children Feel Confident About Their Future with Stephanie HaynesIn this episode I am joined by Stephanie Haynes, education coach and consultant. We talk about how we can raise children who believe all options are open for their furure - whether that’s going to university, an apprenticeship, entrepreneurship, or something else AND it starts earlier than you think. Some truly mind-blowing revelations and advice. A must listen whether your child is 2 or 22! BUY STEPHANIE’S BOOK ‘COLLEGE IS NOT MANDATORY’ HERE Here are the highlights: (03:09) What is an education coach? (08:15) More awareness around the impact of student debt (14:23) Our...2022-05-2645 min
How Not to Screw Up Your KidsPromoting A Growth ‘Can-Do’ MindsetIn this episode I want to talk about how we can promote a can-do growth mindset in our children. Helping our children to see they are capable of almost anything they set their minds to and helping set high aspirations for themselves. Here are the highlights: (02:07) A fixed versus growth mindset (05:35) Teaching our children how the brain works (09:27) Using the right vocabulary (12:04) Turn it back on the adult (17:11) Use problem solving language (18:23) The power of yet 💚 Let's grow our vi...2022-05-1925 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsLet’s Talk Children’s Mental HealthI want to talk about children’s mental health. What is it, why do we keep hearing about rising numbers in it, what are the common factors which affect it, and are some children more likely to have issues with it???? I will then share my top 5 tips on how we can best equip our children to safeguard their mental health. Here are the highlights: (00:52) What do we mean by mental health? (04:19) Our experiences leave a chemical signature (07:20) Common factors affecting mental health (13:19) It’s ok to be a parent with...2022-05-1234 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsInterview with Anna MathurEnjoy my conversation with the amazing Anna Mathur, a psychotherapist, mother of three and best selling author of Mind Over Mother. Anna’s passion for taking therapy out of the therapy room has culminated in her wonderful new book The Little Book of Clam for New Mums, which I feel is a must read for any mother regardless of the age of your children. We talk rage & irritability, fears of judgements, self-care, and missing our pre-children life. A must listen for every mum. Click here to buy THE LITTLE BOOK OF CALM FOR NEW MUMS by Anna Mathur...2022-05-0542 min
How Not to Screw Up Your KidsSex, Drugs & Rock n Roll! When should we have these difficult conversations?I have had a number of conversations this week with friends - without breaking any confidences - who’s children have either become very drunk, they have caught their children vaping, looking at porn, taking drugs, or sneaking downstairs to switch the wifi back on and grab their devices!These are all incredible parents, wonderful parents in fact who have a great relationship with their children. They talk a lot and they thought they had several years yet before they had to have that difficult conversation and than bam!! So this is going to be a...2022-04-2828 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsRaising Independent ChildrenDoesn’t every parent want an independent, self motivated, resilient child or teen who takes ownership of their learning (and revising), their bedroom, their behaviour and their choices?? Sound too good to be true? It’s really not but the secret is starting early and please don’t worry if you’ve already got a teen - all is not lost!! Independence breeds confidence and confidence leads to resilience. What distinguishes those who are the most successful in life is their ability to pick themselves up, dust themselves down, and start all over again!! I’ll share my top...2022-04-2133 min
The RebuildersRebuilding Childrens' Confidence with Dr MaryhanIf you enjoy the podcast then you will enjoy our new book called The Rebuilders, exploring how to overcome set-backs in work or life, featuring Dr Maryhan and many more. The book is out in June and you can pre-order here.For over 15 years Dr Maryhan has been supporting children, teens, and young adults struggling with low confidence and anxiety. She bottles and shares her wisdom and experience in her acclaimed podcast 'How Not to Screw up Your Kids' which shares really practical tips for parents and carers. Of her work she says "You might th...2022-04-2028 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsListener QuestionsThis episode I am doing something a little different. I am answering 4 listener questions which cover ADHD, Autism, Teen Friendships, Death and a Fear of Flying. Your children or teens might not be struggling with the exact same challenges but I can guarantee you will get some very useful tips from listening. So here goes.. Here are the highlights: (01:10) I think my son has ADHD (16:54) My daughter is being excluded by her friends (25:42) Talking to my child about death (33:24) My child has a fear of flying – help! 💚 Let's grow...2022-04-1443 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsThe Secrets to Raising Happy ChildrenI want to talk about what might possibly feel like the elusive art of raising happy children. Everywhere we are reading about children and teenagers struggling with their mental health and yet there are a vast number of children growing up happy. What’s the secret?? Sometimes it is hard to get the balance right between what makes our children happy and what’s actually in their best interests. This episode is not about always taking the line to happiness but I do think happiness and what’s right are not mutually exclusive. You can most definitely raise a...2022-04-0739 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsA Letter to All Ambitious MothersIn this episode I talk about being a mother and having personal ambitions. Wanting something for you which feels worthwhile striving for and yet comes with a whole host of guilt about whether you are failing at motherhood because of your ambitions. At 52 I no long worry what anyone thinks of me, my drive, or my ambition. I am unapologetically me, and by the way – I know I am a great mother!!What I know now to be true has always been true, I just wish I could have told my younger self and spared mysel...2022-03-3128 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsParenting the Child You Have and Not the Child You Secretly Wanted!You know that time when you are expecting and you’re lost on those dreams of what your child will be like? The interests you think they are likely to have because of you and your partner’s interests and passions. The qualities you feel they will inherit and how they will utilise them. Maybe you are both musical and you imagine them growing up to have an appreciation of classical music, as you do. Maybe you are super sporty and you imagine which sports they will choose to take up or maybe you are super creative and you imag...2022-03-2429 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsReal Parenting - Parenting Consistently When You're KnackeredThis is episode is brought to you as a result of a listener email. We are going to talk about real parenting - the messy, dirty, ugly, crying, shouting, despairing trials which confront us - often it feels, on a daily basis!! Whether you’re feeling totally knackered, as though you’re failing. Feeling as though you are throwing random threats out when your children make poor choices and then not being able to follow through - maybe even feeling as though your children are ganging up on you - being deliberately non-compliant and hatching a plan to c...2022-03-1729 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsMental Health Is A Whole Family ProjectSocietally we juggle more than our parents ever did when they were raising us.We are a generation raised on the notion we could have it all - a great marriage, fulfilling careers, wonderful children, holidays, a big house, nice cars, after school paid activities, tutoring, the best schools, and so on and so on.Add social media, rolling news, and the need to be constantly 'on' and it's no wonder we have the mental health issues we have today. Whilst some children will need the support of a specialist, there is so much we...2022-03-1025 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsHow to Talk to Children About Scary World EventsIn this episode I want to tackle the complex subject of how do we have conversations with our children about scary world events. Now if you are listening to this episode in March 2022 you may find this relevant for explaining to children about what is happening with Ukraine and Russia. However, the advice I will give is relevant across a number of issues, whether it’s climate change, wars, riots, unrest or widely publicised prosecutions. Anything which bursts our children’s bubble of the world being an inherently good and safe place. Here are the highli...2022-03-0331 min
How Not to Screw Up Your KidsIf Only I KnewThis is episode takes a slightly different tack to parenting - looking at it from the perspective of “If only I knew!” It takes the approach if I knew then what I knew now - how would I parent differently? I believe quite strongly that it’s never too late to start afresh, we genuinely cannot screw up our kids, if we approach parenting consciously - constantly reflecting back on choices we’ve made and why we made them - and then making changes when we need to. So if you’re an expectant parent...2022-02-2418 min
How Not to Screw Up Your KidsBack-Chat and Pushing BoundariesIn this episode we are talking about back-chat and pushing boundaries. I get asked about this a lot as I know it’s something we can really struggle with as parents. We usually associate this type of behaviour with the teenagers; thirteen, fourteen-year-olds being rebellious and pushing every boundary. Yet what I know to be true is this pattern of behaviour is not limited to any age. It’s much more to do with what is happening in our children’s internal world than something which is specifically related to a given age or stage of development. I’ll...2022-02-1730 min
How Not to Screw Up Your KidsChildren’s Willpower: A Battery Which Needs RechargingChildren’s willpower is like a rechargeable battery; it starts the day full and slowly drains away to nothing, before sleep recharges it for the next day. How quickly your child’s battery runs flat depends in part on their character, how much their willpower has been used throughout the day, and whether they have regularly visited a recharge station. In this episode I will share with you my five simple ways to ensure your child’s battery has enough charge to get them through their day. Plus, I answer the question of the week from a p...2022-02-1023 min
The Friday Film ClubDr Maryhan, Child Psychologist & Parenting ExpertOn this episode we are delighted to welcome Dr Maryhan, renowned child psychologist and host of How Not to Screw Up Your Kids - one of the biggest parenting podcasts in the UK.We cover everything from The Sound of Music to Ocean's 11 and Sandra Bullock as Maryhan discusses her own childhood growing up in the UK as a 1st generation immigrant.CONNECT WITH MARYHAN ON LINKEDINVISIT DR MARYHAN'S WEBSITELISTEN TO HOW NOT TO SCREW UP YOUR KIDS HERENew episodes of The Friday Film Club are...2022-02-0433 min
How Not to Screw Up Your KidsHelp! I’ve Completely Lost It with My ChildrenI want to regularly answer your most burning questions as part of my Help! Question. So here is our first. Help!! I’ve completely lost it with my children!!We have all been there right?? You know, those times when we become some sort of mum/dad zilla - unleashing anger, fury, and frustration in a way which almost feels like an out of body experience, and you just can’t seem to stop yourself. In this episode I will share my 5 step plan of what to do once it’s happened, and I will share a free resou...2022-02-0325 min
How Not to Screw Up Your KidsPlay - A Child’s WorkThis episode is all about the importance of play for our children.I am often asked about how much time school-aged children should have to play each day. My answer is always the same…I believe play is the single most important activity for children to engage in, each and every day, for at least one hour.The research evidence is overwhelming in documenting the power of play for children’s emotional wellbeing, social development, AND academic achievement. I will share with you my five top reasons why you should be scheduling play int...2022-01-2725 min
How Not to Screw Up Your KidsFriendships - The Highs and LowsThis episode is all about childhood friendships; the high and lows, ins and outs and how we can help our children navigate them better.As humans we are social animals - we want to belong, we want to be accepted, be part of a collective and friendships serve that purpose for us. When it comes to school - friendships are the reason children stay happy and bounce into school. When they are struggling with friendships it can create a whole host of other issues.These issues occur across all ages from pre-schoolers all...2022-01-2032 min
How Not to Screw Up Your KidsNavigating Uncertainty SuccessfullyI want to talk about all things related to uncertainty. You might instinctively think about the global pandemic, yet there are so many other types of uncertainty our children, teens, and young adults will need to learn to navigate – changing school, applying to university, moving house, forming new friendships. Some people have a high tolerance to uncertainty, whilst others worry excessively and become paralysed with fear. I will share my top five strategies to help navigate uncertainty more successfully. Here are the highlights:(02:27) Does your child have a low tolerance to un...2022-01-1332 min
How Not to Screw Up Your KidsCreating a Positive Learning Environment with Clare FordIn this episode I am joined by Clare Ford as we talk about how we can create a positive learning environment for our children to succeed academically. I know this is a topic I get asked about all the time! We talk through the common challenges we face as parents - how do we encourage our children to learn without nagging!! Clare is an award winning education expert with over 20 years’ teaching experience, an international best-selling author and Founder of SwitchedON!, the cutting-edge global education platform offering inspirational education and parenting solutions. Here are t...2022-01-0643 min
How Not to Screw Up Your KidsBack to SchoolThis episode I talk about all things Back to School! We’re talking about preparing our children’s mindsets, cultivating curiosity, dealing with back-to-school anxieties and creating good habits. This episode is for you whether you have a 5-year-old or a 20-something your old going back to University/Work! Here are the highlights: (00:49) Creating the right habits (04:29) Tailor a back to school plan for your child (09:03) Sleeping patterns go out of the window during holidays (14:45) Cultivating curiosoty through reading (19:05) How to deal with back to school an...2021-12-3026 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsWhy We Need to Talk to Our Kids About Porn NOWThis episode is all about what can often feel like the ‘icky’ subject of pornography, and why we need to have that conversation with our children NOW!!A recent study by The Children’s Commission in the UK has revealed over half of children will be exposed to online pornography before they leave primary school!! Some as young as 7 years old!Whilst this data is from the UK, the exposure is online, and so is likely to follow similar trends globally. As parents we have to act, and we have to act now!! I shar...2021-12-2328 min
The AMotherBrand PodcastHow to build a business around your kids without screwing them up with Dr MaryhanDo you ever suffer from Mum guilt? Or from comparing yourself to other mothers and feel like you ‘should’ be doing something differently? Do you worry that your work is negatively affecting your children? Or that not working is negatively affecting them? In today’s interview I’m talking to the brilliant Dr Maryhan, an experienced psychologist and parenting expert, as well as a mother of two. For over 15 years she has been supporting children, teens, and young adults struggling with low confidence and anxiety – as well as their parents and care givers. Dr Maryhan’s podcast is in the top 5 fo...2021-12-2032 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsI Want, I Want, I Want... Avoiding Entitlement at ChristmasI want to talk about how we can avoid entitlement at Christmas - you know what I mean - what feels like the constant “I want, I want, I want” Whether this come from a place of comparison - so and so has chocolates for breakfast in their advent calendar, to long list of demands for Christmas presents you can’t afford, or feels excessive and before you know it you’re being sucked into excess when you know that’s not what you want to do. Here are the highlights: (00:34) Don’t be sucked into excess at Christmas (03:52) What does Christmas mean t...2021-12-1620 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsStop Nagging and Get Children ListeningI know we can all relate to this one! This week’s episode is all about how we can stop nagging and instead encourage our children to listen more, do more, and take on more responsibility. I can imagine a lot of you will be thinking this is an impossible task but I can reassure you there is a better way. I will talk you through my 3 simple steps and then gift you my How To sheet. It’s not a quick fix way, but a way which could genuinely be transformational for your family. It just...2021-12-0932 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsBecoming Our Best SelvesI want to dedicate this episode to you as parents, first and foremost. We will do a separate episode for how you can integrate these principles for your children. Trust me you are absolutely not going to want to miss this. I want this episode to be an inspiring one, one which I hope you will refer back to time and time again. Whilst the context behind what I am going to talk you through is very much linked to the New Year - the principles are something which you can quite genuinely do any time o...2021-12-0221 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsHelping Children Find Their Voice and Respect the Choice of OthersChildren who find their voice have a strong sense of who they are, are able to stand up for themselves, can express their views without fear, are respectful of others, accept differences, and as a result are well-liked by their peers. I believe, as parents, we should all be striving to raise children with a voice as all these character traits are key to living an adult life confidently and compassionately. In this podcast episode I share my top five strategies and a great free resource to help you get started! Here are the highlights: 2021-11-2528 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsFear - How It Stops Our Children from Being Their Best SelvesBroadly speaking I would put fear into two categories. The fear which is real and the fear which we perceive. Perceived fear occurs when we encounter a situation which feels overwhelming. We imagine all manner of scenarios which don’t bode well. We are in no real life threatening or immediate danger but our body reacts as though it were. Our fight, flight or freeze mechanism is activated. This type of fear holds us and our children back from reaching our full potential. So, in this episode I get super practical and share with you exact...2021-11-1827 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsSocial Media - What We Need to Wise Up to As ParentsSome of you may know that on 28th October 2021 I wrote across all my social media accounts that I had found my continued use of social media platforms untenable with my passion for children's wellbeing. I want this episode to be an honest conversation about social media so we can make more informed decisions about their use for our families. As parents we should know the dangers these platforms pose for our children’s emotional wellbeing and feel confident we can help equip our children make better choices about social media use. Here a...2021-11-1129 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsHow to Support Children Through a SeparationThis might be something you are right in the middle of, something you think might be coming, or you are simply listening because you want to be there for a friend or someone in your family. Either way I am glad you’re here and I hope you find it useful. Let’s start by taking away any guilt or judgement you might be harbouring. No one embarks on the process of separating from a partner lightly. It comes with a great deal of considered thought and guilt too. Quite often the relationship has not been right for a...2021-11-0426 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsHelping Children Get a Good Night’s SleepA recent survey by the NHS found that 29% of six to 10-year-olds had trouble sleeping on three or more nights in the previous week. Problems getting to sleep, waking in the night or waking early were even more common among older children, affecting 38% of 11- to 16-year-olds and the majority – 57% – of young people aged 17 to 23. To me, it’s no wonder we have rising numbers of mental health challenges with sleep data like this!!! I want this episode to be super practical and informative so you can help your child, or teen, if they are one of t...2021-10-2827 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsRaising Compassionate ChildrenThe world has never felt more divisive. Globally we have the hugely divisiveness of political views, whether this relates to vaccination, climate change or in the United Kingdom the whole division which was created around Brexit. Extremism and radical views aren’t born, they are made and when we live in a society in which we either consciously or unconsciously place people into groups or give them labels we are in real danger of dehumanising people. How does this relate to compassion and children I hear you ask? It comes into our everyday living...2021-10-2125 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsThe Importance of a Good Morning RoutineThis episode is all about the importance of a morning routine and how it helps us to become more effective parents. In fact, I’m going to be even more specific than that’s and talk to all you mothers out there. Now it’s not that this episode won’t be relevant to dads, it absolutely will, I have just found in my experience mum’s gain the most from the shift in emphasis - as will become evident as we go through the process. As parents we often find ourselves in patterns and cycles which have become...2021-10-1428 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsTalking to Children About Race and Discrimination with Rania RobinsonI am delighted to be joined by the incredible Rania Robinson, MD of Quiet Storm the ad agency responsible for the Haribo ads we all love where the adults talk with children’s voices. As a woman of colour raising two mixed race children she shares her personal insights on how she has navigated discussions around race and discrimination. I believe we all have a responsibility to educate ourselves and our children so we can eradicate discrimination. So many parents have not known how to start discussions around Black Lives Matters and Rania shares the most incre...2021-10-0735 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsManaging Sibling ConflictThis episode is all about how to manage sibling conflict. Now let me start by being totally honest and upfront - sibling rivalry, disagreements and fall outs are normal. Your children will want to kill each other at times and really dislike each other most of the rest of the time - and that’s normal, you aren’t a bad parent, you haven’t failed and they are certainly not going to turn into a psyho killer!! However, there are things we do as parents which makes things worse, which we need to stop doing, and...2021-09-3027 minHow Not to Screw Up Your KidsA Step by Step Guide to Helping Children Move Out of Their Comfort ZoneIn this episode I am going to take you through a step by step guide to helping your children move out of their comfort zone. By comfort zone I mean that place where they are coasting - doing things they are familiar with and not stretching themselves beyond that. Moving out of their comfort zone is all about trying new things, meeting new people and all the slightly scary things they always so ‘thank you but no thank you to’ not because they don’t want to do them - rather they feel far too scary to even try. Here...2021-09-2335 min
The Merilyn Show236. How Not To Screw Up Your Kids – with Dr Maryhan BakerOn this episode I'm chatting with the very insightful Dr. Maryhan Baker. She's a groundbreaking Psychologist and Parenting Expert with over 20 years experience.Dr Maryhan works with children, teens and adults who have difficulties managing their emotions, worry excessively, have low self-confidence, find managing friendships difficult, or get a little overwhelmed with life's challenges.We chat about:Raising children to be resilient and healthy individuals. Anxiety and low confidence in children.Knowing when a parent should hire a psychologist.Managing guilt as parents. Boundaries and the 'work-life' balance.And much much more...For al...2021-09-2146 min