Tony and Kara interview Dayna Martin

Tony and Kara interview Deborah Carlisle Solomon who wrote the book author of Baby Knows Best. View more of Deborahs works at deborahcarlislesolomon.com

Tony and Kara interview Nadine Levitt to discuss the correlation between music education and emotional intelligence. Nadine is a mother, CEO & Founder of WURRLYedu, and author of “My Mama Says” books and social and emotional curriculum.

Tony and Kara sit down with author Susan Campbell to discuss her Therapy-tested book “From Triggered to Tranquil: How Self-Compassion and Mindful Presence Can Transform Relationship Conflicts and Heal Childhood Wounds”.

Free to Learn by Peter Gray Sudbury Valley School LetGrow.org Alliance for Self Directed Education Tipping Points Press - source for Peter Gray’s four collections of essays Suniya Luthar - vulnerability and resilience among youth under high achievement pressure Free Range Kids

Heather Shumaker, author and children’s novelist, joins Tony and Kara to discuss her book Its OK Not to Share and other Renegade Rules for Raising Competent and Compassionate Kids.

Kara and Tony discuss the film “The Florida Project” from the perspective of movements like “Free Range Parenting” as discussed in books and resources from Peter Gray, Lenore Skenazy, and Jonathan Haidt

Tony & Kara meet with Shelby Kretz, founder of Little Justice Leaders.org, an organization dedicated to helping parents and children raise awareness of social justice and acceptance of all people.

Tony & Kara review Bethany Saltman’s book about her personal deep dive into the seminal attachment research of Mary Ainsworth.

Tony & Kara discuss Amy McCready’s Positive Parenting Solutions Online Workshop. Positive Parenting Solutions aims to shift power struggles through a deeper understanding of the psychology of our children. The program begins with personality assessment and reflection on how we contribute to troubling behavior with our children. The program discourages punishment and rewards and focuses on Empowering your kids to be confident, capable, and independent.

Tony & Kara discuss two seminal texts on unschooling: “Free to Learn” and “Summerhill” and explore self-directed education, the failure of traditional schooling, and the instinctive drive children have to learn through curiosity, play and exploration. 

Kara and Tony review the The 8 Concepts of Bowen Theory, which addresses the emotional unit of a family, with tools for understanding differentiation of self, triangles, cutoff, family projection, multigenerational transmission, sibling position, and emotional processes of society. The special sections in each chapter for parents, coaches and leaders bring each concept home for different roles readers bring to the book.

Kara and Tony review the Aware Parenting workshop: “Helping Children Heal From Stress and Trauma” from Developmental Psychologist, Aletha Solter

Tony and Kara talk about their mutual love and admiration for Fred Rogers and the impact his work with Mr Rogers’ Neighborhood has had on countless children.

Tony and Kara discuss Patty Wipfler and Tosha Schore’s book: “Listen: Five Simple Tools to Meet Your Everyday Parenting Challenges”. From the people behind "Hand in Hand Parenting" (handinhandparenting.org) comes a powerful book that can help any parent navigate situations that feel difficult.

Tony and Kara discuss The Yes Brain: How to Cultivate Courage, Curiosity, and Resilience in Your Child, by Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson. Discussing the four fundamentals of the Yes Brain—balance, resilience, insight, and empathy, Tony and Kara give high praise for this guide for raising kids to approach life with openness and curiosity. The Yes Brain is an essential tool for nurturing positive potential and keeping your child’s inner spark glowing and growing strong.

Tony Shawcross and Laura Turley discuss "The Explosive Child", Ross Greene PhD's "New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children." Radical Honesty trainer and mother of a non-neurotypical child, Laura Turley shares the impact of implementing the lessons of this book with her daughter.

Tony discusses the priorities and choices we make as parents with Tom Dyson, an undeniably radical parent, who recovered from divorce, depression, and a mid-life crisis by taking his family on a multi-year, round-the-globe trip that culminated in couchsurfing across over 30 homes in the US during the peak of COVID. Tom reminds us that the time we have with our kids is limited and precious and provides an inspiring example of a family that has prioritized that time together above all else.

Tony and Kara discuss the significant and surprising impact our expectations and fears have on our children. Beginning with a 2015 Invisibilia podcast about a blind man who found that the expectations of his parents helped him develop the ability to see without his eyes, the discussion moves to Peter Gray, the unschooling champion who has written extensively about fear-based parenting and the ways our fears handicap our children… literally handicap them.

Tony and Kara discuss one of Tony’s favorite essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson and its implications for parenting, waxing philosophical about the intuitive wisdom in each of our beings, our capacity for self-direction and independent perception, and the ever changing nature of honesty and truth.

Tony Shawcross talks with Belfast therapist and mother Etain O'Kane, the voice of the Radical Parenting audiobook. Etain discusses the importance of healing your own wounds as a parent and the steps that enable you to parent consciously. Etain focuses on developing a relationship with your child and keeping the relationship goals you have with your child first and foremost in all interactions with your child.

Tony and Kara review children's books that support (or inhibit) a "radical parenting" approach, based in trust and respect for the child. Beginning with books that help practice emotional literacy and empathy, this podcast reviews over two dozen children's books, including: Amos & Boris (and other books by William Steig): https://amzn.com/031253566X​ Sing, Sophie! by Dayle Ann Dodds: https://amzn.com/0763601314​ Bats! By Gail Gibbons: https://amzn.com/0823443558​ Julian is a Mermaid by...

Tony and Kara discuss the book Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn, whose previous work includes "Punished by Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes". Though Unconditional Parenting was Kohn's 10th book, it was his first focused entirely on parenting. Unconditional Parenting reviews the shortcomings of Behaviorism and other efforts to control our children's behavior and focuses instead on understanding and acceptance.