Message from Mom partnered with Headfirst Mental Health Initiative to launch a new series where moms and mental health experts gather together to have an open conversation about topics relevant to our lives and our culture at this very moment in time. The topic of the conversation was Forging Your Own Parenting Path. We asked Dr. LaKaavia Taylor, a PhD clincial professor at Southern Methodist University to join us to offer her insight. In this episode, you will hear a conversation that took place in a home in Dallas on Thursday, September 7th. We discussed the rising trend of anxiety in very young children and how to recognize what is normal and what isn't. We talked about the influence parents have on their children's behavior and the challenge of balancing control with independence in a world filled with information overload. The conversation also delved into the significance of breaking the cycle of generational trauma, advocating for self-compassion and the willingness to adapt and improve parenting approaches. A special thank you to our guest, Dr. LaKaavia Taylor and our hosts Laura Mclaughlin, founder of Headfirst Counseling and founder of Headfirst Mental Health Initiative, and Tazim Salehani, a board member of Headfirst Mental Health Initiative and founder of 360 to 180.