In today's episode of the "Helping Families Be Happy" podcast, host Christopher Robbins, co-founder of Familius Publishing, husband, father of nine, author, fisherman, backpacker, and aspirational musician based in the Central Valley of California, talks with guest Donna Tetreault. She is a national TV parenting journalist, seen on NBC News, The Today Show, Dr. Phil, The Doctors, and The Talk on CBS. She is also seen regularly in Los Angeles on KCBS/KCAL, NBC's California Live, KTLA, and Spectrum News One. The episode focuses on discussing how to support children as they return to school. Episode Highlights 00:59: Donna's work has been featured on prominent shows such as the Today Show, The Talk, The Doctors, and Dr. Phil. She has also written for prestigious institutions like Harvard's Graduate School of Education, U.S. News & World Report, parents.com, Your Teen magazine, and Thrive Global. 02:17: Donna and Christopher discuss, the dynamics and challenges of the back-to-school transition for families. 02:40: Donna and Christopher delve into the array of emotions that parents and children may feel at the start of the school year, ranging from excitement to anxiety, and the various levels of preparedness. 03:00: Donna suggests that heading back to school is an opportune time to introduce a family meeting. 05:59: Christopher acknowledges the value of being a supportive presence behind the child, helping them reach their goals and fostering their independence. 07:50: Donna shares the role of friendships in education and offers practical guidance for parents on supporting their children's social interactions and relationships at school. 08:48: Moving on to teenagers, Donna emphasizes the importance of teenagers' involvement in school activities like athletics, clubs, and the arts to help build bonds with peers. 09:20: Christopher shares a practical tip for parents to get to know their child's friends by inviting them over and being welcoming, even opening the refrigerator to offer food. 10:33: Donna shares her experience of creating vision boards with their own children since they were little and how the process has evolved. 11:43: Donna and Christopher discuss the challenge of balancing academics and extracurricular activities. 13:40: Monday nights are always reserved for a family night in their household. During this time, they engage in activities like making pizza, playing games, and having conversations. This dedicated family time helps foster connections and maintain a healthy balance between various aspects of life. 15:05: The conversation touches on the idea of learning and growing from experiences, embracing failures, and trusting in the process of self-discovery and decision-making. 17:50: Donna provides valuable advice and perspectives for parents on supporting their children's growth, education, and well-being, emphasizing trust, open communication, and fostering a balanced and supportive environment. 3 Key Points Donna highlights the importance of family communication and involvement in supporting students' success in school. Donna and Christopher offer practical strategies for parents to support their children's social interactions and friendships at different stages of their education. Donna emphasizes the concept of balance and effective ways parents can guide their children to achieve both academic success and well-rounded development through extracurricular activities. Tweetable Quotes "Kids with friends in school tend to perform better academically." – Donna "Parents help their children prioritize their school responsibilities while also engaging in extracurricular activities they enjoy. The goal is to ensure that technology doesn't interfere with these pursuits." – Donna Allowing parents to trust their kids in this academic journey their own journey, that there are going to be failures. There's going to be successes and those failures matter, and we have to allow them to fail and just trust.