If a kid is LGBTQ+, it may take an enormous amount of courage to come out to their parents, even if their parents love them unconditionally. So what can parents do to assure their children that they are safe in talking to them about something so personal and profound.

We talk today with Heather Hester, author of the book “Parenting with Pride: Unlearn Bias and Embrace, Empower, and Love Your LGBTQ+ Teen.”

The most common question we get around this subject is deceptively simple: What DO you say if your kid comes out to you? While there’s no “right way” to respond there are specific ways to show up with love, courage and clarity for our LGBTQ+ children. We’ll offer advice on how to keep this from becoming an interrogation, and how to listen to your child in an authentic way versus “virtue signaling.”

Finally, you’ll get some valuable tips on how to take care of your kid if other family members are non-affirming especially/ even during the holidays.

Would you drop your kid off in a strange part of town and leave them to find their way home when it gets dark? When you sit at a restaurant and give your kids tech to keep them quiet, you’re doing the very same thing.

Tom Arnold, (https://www.idigitaldetective.com), cyber security expert and author of “The Digital Detective: First Intervention“ explains the subtle and not-so-subtle ways strangers infiltrate your child’s life through all the screens and how to realistically work with them to become security savvy. He explains what “tradecraft” is and why it’s important to educate people around it.

Some parents ask, why not just take away all tech? No cell phones, no Apple TV, no laptops? As appealing as that may sound, putting parental controls on games and tech is not enough. Instead there are more effective ways to monitor for safety (as opposed to control) and build up your relationship at the same time.

“Hey Mom, did you lock the door? Are you sure? Are you SURE? How do I know you locked the door? Tell me the truth, did you lock the door? Can you check again? Can I check again?”

What can a parent do when a child asks questions over and over like: “Are you sure you locked the door?” or “How do I know you’ll be home when I get home from school today?” How can a parent know if this behavior is just “a phase” or if it’s something more?

Today we’re talking with Dr. Joanna Robin (www.https://westchesteranxietytreatment.com)

co-author of “The OCD Workbook for Kids: Skills to Help Children Manage Obsessive Thoughts and Compulsive Behaviors” about OCD and children.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), know as the “doubting disease”, is more than just an adjective; it’s a painful and often misunderstood disease. People who suffer from this disease struggle with intrusive images (obsessions) that force that person to engage in repetitions (compulsions) to feel better.

We’ll also discuss the most current research on PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections), conditions that are characterized by a sudden and severe onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) thought to affect certain children who've had strep infections.