Are well-meaning parenting phrases doing more harm than good?

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, child psychologists Tammy Schamuhn and Tania Johnson unpack five common phrases many parents use every day—phrases like "Good job!" and "Be careful!"—and explore how they may unintentionally shape children's confidence, resilience, independence, and self-belief.

While these phrases often come from a place of love and protection, research in child development suggests that the words we use matter. The goal isn't to make parents feel guilty—it's to become more intentional about the messages children receive about themselves, their abilities, and the world around them.

Tammy and Tania discuss practical alternatives that encourage intrinsic motivation, problem-solving, emotional regulation, confidence, and healthy risk-taking. They explain why small shifts in language can have a powerful impact on children's long-term development and self-esteem.

In this episode, you'll learn:

▪️ Why "Good job!" may not be the praise children need most

▪️What to say instead of "Be careful!"

▪️ How language influences confidence, motivation, and resilience

▪️Common parenting phrases that can unintentionally increase anxiety

▪️ Simple communication strategies that foster emotional growth and independence

If you've ever wondered how to raise confident, capable, and resilient children, this conversation will help you rethink some of the most common parenting advice and give you practical tools you can start using today.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boys are struggling — academically, emotionally, socially, and developmentally. But what do boys actually need to grow into healthy, grounded, responsible young men?

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, Tammy sits down with Dr. Alan Hahn doctoral-level educator, founder of Iron Academy, and author of The Iron Academy, to explore the modern crisis facing boys and young men.

Together, they discuss why so many boys are struggling in school, mental health, motivation, identity, and purpose — and what parents, educators, and communities can do to help. Dr. Hahn shares why boys need more than lectures or discipline. They need joy, community, accountability, identity, responsibility, and meaningful rites of passage.

This conversation explores how we can help boys move from simply consuming to contributing — and why young men need trusted adults who will guide them with both love and high expectations.

In this episode, we discuss:

▪️ Why boys are struggling in today’s culture

▪️ How schools may be failing to meet boys’ developmental needs

▪️ The importance of joy, community, accountability, and identity

▪️ Why boys need responsibility and opportunities to build competence

▪️ How screens, pornography, gaming, and digital culture can shape identity

▪️ The role of male mentorship and brotherhood

▪️ Why rites of passage still matter

▪️ How parents can create a family culture rooted in values

▪️ Why boys need adults who delight in them, not just push them

This episode is an important conversation for parents, educators, therapists, and anyone who cares about helping boys become healthy, connected, purposeful young men.

Dr. Alan Hahn is a doctoral-level educator, author, founder, and CEO of Iron Academy, a private all-male school in Raleigh, North Carolina, serving boys in grades 6–12. His work focuses on helping families and communities form boys into young men of character, responsibility, leadership, faith, and purpose.

Through Iron Academy, Dr. Hahn has developed an educational and mentorship model rooted in intentional male formation, rites of passage, brotherhood, moral development, accountability, and service. His work addresses what he describes as a modern crisis of masculinity by helping boys develop a clear identity, a sense of responsibility, and a vision for becoming mature, virtuous men.

To find out more, please click here: https://www.amazon.ca/Iron-Academy-Forging-Young-Fight/dp/B0FJ47PLM6

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why does your child fall apart over “nothing”—the wrong socks, a transition, a loud sound, or being asked to leave the house? In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, Tammy sits down with pediatric occupational therapist Kathryn Hamlin-Pacheco to unpack what may really be happening beneath those big reactions.

Kathryn explains how children’s nervous systems are constantly scanning for cues of safety or danger, and why something as small as uncomfortable clothing, a rushed morning, or too much sensory input can become the “last straw.” Together, Tammy and Kathryn explore sensory processing, fight-or-flight responses, co-regulation, and how parents can become a calming cue of safety for their child.

This conversation helps parents shift from asking, “Is my child being difficult?” to “What is my child’s nervous system trying to tell me?” You’ll learn how to spot patterns, respond in the moment, and support children who may experience the world as too much, not enough, or simply hard to process.

In this episode, we discuss:

▪️ Why meltdowns can happen over seemingly small things

▪️ The connection between sensory processing and behaviour

▪️ How children’s bodies label experiences as “safe” or “unsafe”

▪️Why rushed mornings can trigger bigger reactions

▪️How parents can use their voice, body language, and presence to cue safety

▪️The difference between managing behaviour and listening to behaviour

▪️When sensory challenges may be interfering with everyday life

▪️Practical ways to help kids understand their brains, bodies, and emotions

As Kathryn shares in the interview, children’s behaviours are often an “output” of what is happening inside the nervous system—and when parents understand this, they can respond with more curiosity, compassion, and confidence.

Kathryn “Katie” Hamlin-Pacheco, M.S., OTR/L, ASDCS, is a pediatric occupational therapist, former teacher, author, and founder of the Brain Executive Program. She specializes in helping children and families understand sensory processing, regulation, and everyday neuroscience in simple, child-friendly ways. Kathryn is the author of How to Be a Brain Executive: And Get Sensory Sharp!, a practical workbook designed to help children better understand their sensory patterns and learn tools for daily life. She is also an Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist and has training in Polyvagal Informed Practice, sensory integration, neuroscience, and child development.

To learn more about Kathryn's Brain Executive Progam visit: https://www.brainexecutiveprogram.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.