"10 Tips for Going “Greener” as a Family"
January 20, 2010 Episode - Listen Here

10 Tips for Going “Greener” as a Family

Going green is not only good for the earth, it’s good for your health. Certain products contain toxins that are dangerous to you and your kids. Learn the “top secret” body care ingredients you’ll want to avoid, which fruits and veggies you’ll want to buy organic, which plastics are contaminating our kids, how to clean your house safely and other great tips that will help your family stay healthy. Join Toni when she talks with Micaela Preston, author of “Practically Green: Your Guide to Ecofriendly Decision-Making.”

"Solutions to the Top 10 Parenting
Challenges from Toddler to Teen"
January 13, 2010 Episode - Listen Here

Solutions to the Top 10 Parenting Challenges from Toddler to Teen

Today you’ll get answers to the Top 10 parenting challenges from one of the premier parenting experts, Michele Borba, author of “The BIG Book of Parenting Solutions” and NBC Today Show parenting contributor. Tune in for answers on how to get your child to listen, firm up your discipline, reduce sibling rivalry, help an angry child, reduce back talk and whining, make bedtime easier, get homework and chores done and reduce bullying and lying. The show will be packed with solutions that you can use whether your child is a toddler or a teen!
 

"Kids & Sports: Healthy or Overkill?"
January 6, 2010 Episode - Listen Here

Kids & Sports: Healthy or Overkill?  

We all know the positives connected to our kids playing sports, but sports participation may actually be harming our kids more than we know. Have we crossed a line where fun, exercise and team spirit are no longer the goals while traveling teams and year-round sports are causing more injuries, burnout, pressure and emotional injuries that hurt our children? Bob Bigelow, former NBA player and co-author of “Just Let the Kids Play: How to Stop Other Adults from Ruining Your Child’s Fun and Success in Youth Sports” will join the program to share the facts and solutions for making sports fun again for our kids while still enjoying the benefits that sports participation can bring.
 

"New Year’s Resolutions to
Make Your Family Stronger"
December 30, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

New Year’s Resolutions to Make Your Family Stronger

Many people make New Year’s resolutions to exercise and lose weight but few parents make resolutions to improve the most important relationship of all – family. It’s time to take stock and see if you’re spending as much time with your children as you think. In today’s busy world it’s easy to let family time, family meals, couple time and special time with your child fall off the radar screen. Yet, time spent with family is the number one protective factor in keeping your child happy and out of trouble. Join Barbara Carlson, co-founder of Putting Family First-Making Time for Family Initiative and Anne Naumann, a mother of two and part-time teacher, as they share strategies for making your family stronger throughout the New Year. Barbara will also share tips from her book, “"Putting Family First; Successful Strategies for Reclaiming Family Life in a Hurry-Up World.”

"What Values are You Teaching Your Kids?"
December 23, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

What Values are You Teaching Your Kids?

We all get so busy with the daily tasks of parenting that we may not take a step back and look at the big picture. What values do you want your children to have so they can be likeable, compassionate, productive adults? Are you making a concerted effort to teach and reinforce those values to your children or just assuming that they’re receiving those messages from you? Richard and Linda Eyre have made it their mission to help parents on this journey through their best-selling book, Teaching Your Children Values, instructional materials, media appearances and world-wide speaking engagements. Richard will join “Real Parents. Real Solutions.” to share the 12 values they believe are critical to create a strong family and a child you'll be proud of. Ideas for incorporating those values in your daily life will be provided. As parents of 9 children, the Eyre’s have taught these values to their own children and their value-based instructional materials have been shared throughout the world.

"Creating a Mindset for Success in Your Child"
December 16, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

Creating a Mindset for Success in Your Child 

We all want our children to be successful. Many parents spend an incredible amount of time and money on the right school and extracurricular activities in the hopes that their child will be successful when really, the answer may lie within your child. Helping your child develop the proper “mindset” is one of the most important things that you can do to help your child achieve more success in the world. Carol Dweck, a researcher at Stanford has studied what helps children succeed and fail for the last 40 years and she’ll share her findings and steps you can take to cultivate a “growth mindset” within your child. Dweck is author of the book, “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success." Kristin Boileau, a mother of 3, and an Elementary School Counselor in her 6th yr. at Osceola Elementary School, will also join us. Kristin believes that children's social emotional development is critically important in a child's academic success and will share tips on helping your child succeed in school.
 

"Raising a Generous Child in a “Me” Culture"
December 9, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

Raising a Generous Child in a “Me” Culture 

If you’d like to fight the tidal wave of “me” messages your child receives and shift to “we” messages more often, tune in as four experts and parents share ideas that can make significant shifts in the generous nature of your child. Corinne Gregory, creator of SocialSmarts will talk about creating an “attitude of gratitude” that will open the door for more generosity. Janet Montgomery, mother of four, will share real-life tips of how she incorporates giving in her children’s daily lives. Michelle Holloman, a Certified Professional Coach, will share practical, everyday strategies that make it easy to model giving while teaching your kids the “why” of giving rather than just the “should” of giving. Alison Smith and Debbie Zinman, founders of ECHOage will provide a fabulous idea for incorporating giving into your child’s next birthday party. Learn how you can change your child’s attitude from “What’s in it for me?” to “How can I help?”
 

"Money Matters: Teach Your Child
How to Be Money-Savvy"
December 2, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

Money Matters: Teach Your Child How to Be Money-Savvy

Teaching your child how to manage money is a big responsibility. In today’s show, Ellie Kay, financial expert, author and mother of seven, will break it down to make the job manageable. Should you give your child an allowance? How much should it be? Should you tie it to chores? How can you teach your child about budgeting and staying out of debt so they can become savvy consumers? Ellie will have answers to these questions and more as she shares real-life tips and activities that will teach your child about the value of money, saving and giving. Ellie is a best-selling author of 13 books, including the book, “Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees: Teaching Your Kids the Value of a Buck” and an internationally-known speaker on financial matters.
 

"Unplug Your Kids From
Electronic Gadgets for Good!"
November 25, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

Unplug Your Kids From Electronic Gadgets for Good 

TV shows, video games, computer use, cell phones, texting ... Kids are so plugged into electronic devices that it seems they barely have time for us anymore! Can use of all these gadgets harm our kids and if so, how? How can we rein in their usage and unplug the gadgets so we can connect in more meaningful ways with our kids? Mike Mann, an award-winning speaker fron the National Institute on Media and the Family will join us and share his vast knowledge with us so we can be "Media Wise" and unplug for good!

"Stress Free Holidays"
November 18, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

Stress Free Holidays

Holidays are supposed to be fun, right? Then why do we get so stressed out? And what can we do about it? Three professionals will help us lower our stress so we can enjoy the holidays more. Elizabeth Scott, a stress management expert, Beth Tabak, a life coach, and Kathy Franzen, a professional organizer, will help us sort through our priorities, simplify, reexamine our expectations, give us suggestions for dealing with “the relatives” and provide organizational tools that will help us prepare for Thanksgiving and the December holidays. Resources for great articles, checklists and low-cost options will be provided, as well.

"Family Fun Nights:
Have a Blast with Your Kids at Home"
November 11, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

Family Fun Nights: Have a Blast with Your Kids at Home

Looking for some fun low-cost activities to beat the winter doldrums? Debra Immergut, senior editor at Disney Family Fun magazine will share easy ideas for beating boredom when the winter weather keeps your family indoors. Turn off the video games or cartoon channels— instead, try some kitchen science projects, learn to knit with a tin-can knitter, play a get-active game, or make a stop-motion movie. We’ll make it simple to have some good, cheap fun during the chilly season. “Real parents” Mark and Sonja Zapchenk will also share how they’ve made family nights special for years.

"Are You Overindulging Your Child?"
November 4, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

Are You Overindulging Your Child?

There are lots of ways that parents are overindulging their kids these days… buying them too much stuff, not disciplining their kids consistently and over nurturing them. Jean Illsley Clarke’s research shows that this can damage our kids in ways that we never dreamed. She’ll share concrete steps parents can take to turn these problems around so they can raise likeable, responsible and respectful child. Jean and her co-authors wrote the book “How Much is Enough” to provide parents with a road map for avoiding overindulgence which can lead to adult children being depressed, obese and in debt if parents don’t make changes to the way that they’re parenting. Jean will share the highlights of their findings and help you figure out if you’re overindulging your child and ways to act differently if you are.

"Solutions to 5 Scary Trends
Parents MUST Face"
October 28, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

Solutions to 5 Scary Trends Parents MUST Face

There are five scary trends that you’ll want to learn about so you can make sure that your child is staying safe and growing strong. We’re parenting differently than our parents and while we’re spending more time with our kids, there are some mistakes we’re inadvertently making that’s causing an alarming number of kids to experience stress, anxiety, depression and narcissistic tendencies. Join the show so you can learn the red flags with parenting expert and educational psychologist Michele Borba. Borba will reveal the five trends we need to face, the reasons why it’s important to do so and share concrete steps that you can take to turn the behaviors around in your family. The show will be packed with information from Michele’s new book, “The BIG Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries.”

"Online Parenting Advice:
Great Tips or Bum Advice?"
October 21, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

Online Parenting Advice: Great Tips or Bum Advice? 

Parenting forums and message boards are hugely popular. Millions of parents give and receive advice on parenting forums, message boards and blogs daily. Parents seem hungry to connect with others online, yet they’re reaching out less and less to parents in person. Is the advice helpful or meaningless fluff? Are online relationships replacing “real” friendships? Can cyber communities be supportive communities or are people just nosey? Voice your opinion by calling in at 1-866-472-5788. Then join managers of two of the largest online communities, Cindy Chapman from www.momslikeme.com and a manager from www.Cafémom.com along with Kathy VanDerostyne, the owner of an unconventional parenting forum, www.sybermoms.com, and Jason Avant, founder of www.dadcentric.com, a blog where dads gather as they share heart-warming and jaw-dropping stories from parents who use their forums. Kristen Stuenkel, a parent educator, will then weigh in on the pros and cons of parents using these forums.

"Mealtime Dilemmas Solved"
October 14, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

Mealtime Dilemmas Solved 

Many families struggle to make meals enjoyable. When your child is a picky eater, has food jags, is rude, doesn’t eat at all or eats all the wrong foods, it’s stressful. Ellyn Satter, who is the leading authority on nutrition and feeding of infants and children of all ages, will share 40 years of wisdom working with families so you can raise a healthy eater. Practical, warm and empowering, Satter will share her advice about what your job is when feeding your family and what a child’s job is, give tips on how to break out of the short order cook business and teach you how to relax around food and create family-friendly meals that will satisfy all of you.

"Better Sleep Equals Happier Kids:
Find Out How"
October 7, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

Better Sleep Equals Happier Kids: Find Out How 

Most kids (and adults) don't get enough sleep which can leave them cranky, uncooperative and at a disadvantage in the classroom. Insufficent sleep affects behavior and it could be that your acting-out child just needs a few more ZZZZs. If you'd like to get your child to sleep longer, reduce bedtime hassles and improve your child's mood and performance, listen in when Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, author of "Sleepless in America: Is Your Child Misbehaving ... or Missing Sleep?" (and author of "Raising Your Spirited Child") offers sage advice on how to get your child to sleep, ease tension and work with temperament to get your child (and you!) a good night's sleep. You may reduce temper tantrums, morning wars, homework hassles and gain a happier child by following the strategies that Kurcinka will share.

"Keep Your Kids Healthy: H1N1, Head Lice, Playground Safety and More"
September 30, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

Keep Your Kids Healthy: H1N1, Head Lice, Playground Safety and More 

It’s never been more important to keep your child healthy than now. What steps can you take as a parent and what do you need to teach your child so your child stays healthy? We’ll talk about H1N1, head lice, playground safety, strep throat, anxiety and other health concerns your child may face. We’ll talk about practical steps you can take as a parent to try and protect your child like proper hand washing, elbow coughing, sharing food and cell phones, taking vitamins, whether supplements work, great sleep and nutrition habits and more.

"17 Secrets to Cutting the Family Budget"
September 23, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

17 Secrets to Cutting the Family Budget 

Liss Burnell, founder of www.budget101.com, the premier website for helping families save money will be sharing 17 secrets for helping you cut expenses in your family. Liss will share secrets for trimming money from your grocery bills, entertainment budget, home décor and household expenses. With creative, easy-to-implement tips, Liss will help you save money on craft items, holiday gifts, cleaning products and more. Tune in to save!
 

"Lose the Mommy Guilt for a Happier You"
September 16, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

Lose the Mommy Guilt for a Happier You 

If you’re like most moms, you feel guilty every day. You feel guilty because you yell, your house is messy, you don’t spend enough time with your spouse and you work outside the home. You name it and you feel guilty about it! You can lose the mommy guilt and find ways to be happier and have more fun with your kids by using strategies that Aviva Pflock and Devra Renner share in their book, “Mommy Guilt: Learn to Worry Less, Focus on What Matters Most, and Raise Happier Kids.” You can learn the seven principles of the Mommy Guilt-Free Philosophy and practical tips that will help you keep your guilt in check at every stage of your child’s development.

"Great Ways to Connect as a Couple"
September 9, 2009 Episode - Listen Here
 

Great Ways to Connect as a Couple

Do you still have dates with your spouse or partner? Do you have meaningful conversations that remind you why you once fell in love? If you’re like most parents you’re focusing so much effort on your kids and work that you’re neglecting your partner. And conversations probably revolve around schedules and the to-do list, rather than anything that will bring you closer. If you’d like some creative ways to reconnect with your lover, then tune in to “Great Ways to Connect as a Couple.” Author Kevin Anderson who wrote “The 7 Spiritual Practices of Marriage” and conducted “date nights” in Ohio for hundreds of couples will provide insights on communicating at a deeper level. Dan Devey, owner of Coolest Dates.com will spice up the show with romantic date ideas sure to light the love flames and Ann and Mike Searles will share ways that they’ve stayed connected in 16 years of marriage.

"Best Back to School Tips"
September 2, 2009 Episode - Listen Here

Best Back to School Tips

You want your children to be successful in school and with a little planning on your part, your child can have the best school year yet. Lynda Enright, a registered dietician will provide tips on how to pack the most nutrients into breakfast, lunch and snacks that will give your child the necessary energy to concentrate in school. Audrey Thomas, a certified professional organizer, will provide tips on how to organize for success. Elementary school teacher Brad Kasper will share important pointers for homework success and building rapport with teachers to help your child in the classroom. Call in at 1-866-472-5788 and share what's worked for you, too. We welcome your comments!