Best Mary Eschen Podcasts (2024)

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66 - Young Kids (Toddler to Preschool) and Chores, Life Skills and Teaching Independence 12:24

2M ago12:24

12:24

How much can a 2-, 3- or 4-year-old do? What can they do? They’re so little, right? A toddler? A preschooler? What’s reasonable? What’s not? Are you doing too much as a parent? All good questions for sure that most of us struggle with! In this podcast we explore what’s reasonable to encourage and train young kids to do from chores to life skills th…

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65 - How to Connect with Teens and Tweens and Stay Connected as a Parent 18:10

4M ago18:10

18:10

Getting teens and tweens to talk to parents is an age old battle the repeats itself over and over again with each new generation. Times change but our teens wanting independence from us doesn't. In this episode learn some tips and tricks for how to get our kids to relax and just enjoy being with us so that they'll open up and want to trust us. Ther…

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64 - How to Connect With Young Kids and Stay Connected to Them 9:33

5M ago9:33

9:33

Kids of all ages need to feel connected and loved unconditionally. How can you set up a system in your family for creating and keeping those connections? In this podcast we go over connections for kids between 2 and 10. The next podcast covers what you can do for teens and tweens, a much harder demographic than younger kids who still think the worl…

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63 - Grumpy Kids: 4 Steps to Dealing with Emotional Kids 11:19

6M ago11:19

11:19

Grumpy kids can really put your home into a foul mood. What can we do to help tame these dark clouds and bring some sunshine back into our lives? In this episode we'll cover these four steps: Step 1 – Keep Your Cool Step 2 – Offer Empathy and Hugs Step 3 - Fix the Broken Connection Step 4 – Go on a Trigger Quest and Brainstorm The transcript for th…

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62 - Rewards vs. Bribes: What Should Parents Use to Motivate Kids 10:08

7M ago10:08

10:08

Parents struggle with how to motivate their children toward certain behaviors. Typically rewards and bribes are used. In this episode learn about when bribes and rewards are most likely to motivate your child. There are pros and cons of both types of motivations. Bribes tend to reinforce negative behaviors, while rewards are commonly thought of as …

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61 - Bullying - How Parents Can Help Kids Who Are Being Bullied 16:39

9M ago16:39

16:39

Kids being bullied isn't new. What's new is the extent at which they are being bullied and, with the internet, in new and harmful ways. In this episode, we'll cover the different types of bullying: Verbal - teasing, name-calling, taunting, etc., Social - spreading rumors, leaving kids out, embarrassing them, etc. Physical - hitting, spitting, tripp…

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60 - Anxious Kids and What Parents Can Do to Help: 4 Different Types of Anxiety 39:15

11M ago39:15

39:15

Do you have an anxious child? Does it worry you or drive you crazy? Either way you need to listen to this podcast! Learn about the 4 different types of anxiety, then the 4 parenting traps that we fall into when we attempt to "help" that wind up having negative impacts. Being over reassuring Swooping in/Jumping in too soon Allowing avoidance Being t…

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59 - Body Image and How Parents Can Help Kids Who Don't Fit Into Stereotypes 18:41

12M ago18:41

18:41

Today with the launch of the Barbie movie and so much emphasis on selfies and having perfect bodies, it's worth considering how we help out the millions of kids who aren't "perfect". In this episode I interview Pam Luk, Founder of Ember & Ace, a clothing brand for plus-sized kids. We talk about how to support our kids both socially and emotionally …

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58 - Helping Neurodivergent Kids Socialize 30:55

1y ago30:55

30:55

What do you with kids who are wired differently? Who might be on the spectrum (ADHD, Asperger's, OCD, etc.)? Maybe they've had a diagnosis, maybe you just can see they are off the charts brilliant and some things but a total failure at socializing with kids their age. If you have such challenges with your kids, take a listen to Sam Young of Young S…

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57- Kids Who Lose or Forget Stuff and How Parents Can Teach Responsibility in 2 Steps 7:00

1+ y ago7:00

7:00

Some kids seem to be born not caring where stuff is. They rely on us to find things and if we can't find them they blame US! Yikes! This episode gives you ideas about how to let go of the responsibility for items in our kids lives that should be THEIRS but seem to have become OURS. Learn how to keep a calm head as we turn over the job of owning "st…

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56 - Separation Anxiety in Kids: Why and What Parents Can Do 30:11

1+ y ago30:11

30:11

Most parents seem to get hit with this at some point in our parenting journey. It can start at around 6-7 months and usually goes away gradually throughout early childhood. But… sometimes we’re just put to the test with separation issues and we wish someone would let us know what’s normal, what’s extreme and give us some ideas about what to do. In …

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55 - Screentime Battles: Managing Screens as a Family Using Aro 24:20

1+ y ago24:20

24:20

Listen to Heath Wilson, co-founder of Aro, talk about their innovative technology that helps families develop good screen habits in a positive and fun way. There's a smart tech "box" to hold your devices when families decide to have non-tech time and an app that will track how long technology has been in the box. It's the complete opposite of our n…

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54 - Overbearing and Over Gifting Grandparents and How Parents Can Manage Them 14:40

1+ y ago14:40

14:40

There are so many pressures we face as parents but one of the most challenging can be managing our own parents when it comes to gifting to their grandkids. It's enough to drive some of us crazy! In this episode we'll talk about the types of interference we might be dealing from our family values being over run to dealing with huge amounts of clutte…

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53 - Kids Who Don't Enjoy Reading or Has Other Learning Differences: What Parents Can Do 27:41

2y ago27:41

27:41

When you have a child who refuses to read or is delayed in their reading compared to their peers it can be a very stressful time for parents as we try to navigate the what-to-dos and the why-is this-happening-to-my-child thoughts that constantly run through our minds. The same stress can hit us when our kids don’t want to write and then again if th…

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52 - Manners Lesson: Chewing Food and How Parents Can Get Kids to Chew Politely 8:39

2y ago8:39

8:39

In this third installment of my manners series we discuss how to train your kids to chew their food with their mouths closed. It can be a challenge but with some consistency, love and a bit of fun and games it's possible to move your kids into the social graces. There are two books for younger kids that might come in handy: “How Dinosaurs Eat Their…

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51 - What Parents Can Do When Kids Misbehave and There Are No Natural Consequences and Energy is Drained 14:21

2y ago14:21

14:21

When kids drain our energy by doing things that drive us crazy we need to respond in a loving and empathetic manner. However, when we're so tired of them doing things that drain us -- like whining, talking back, fighting with their siblings, or ignoring screen time limits -- we just don't know what to do. In this podcast you'll learn not only how t…

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50 - Mary's Parenting Report Card By Her Sons 30:05

2y ago30:05

30:05

What was Mary like as a parent? In this special episode hear from Mary's two grown sons on what it was like growing up with Mary as a parent. They talk about how natural consequences shaped them and how energy drains encouraged them to make better decisions among other topics. This episode was created at the request of Mary's Facebook Group, Parent…

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49 - Manners Lesson: "Thank You" and How Parents Can Get Kids to Give Thanks Regularly 9:45

2y ago9:45

9:45

In this episode we learn how to get our kids to say “thank you” and how to help develop a general sense of appreciation for not only “things” but also training them in thankfulness which will help to promote an “attitude of gratitude”. Start Early Be Consistent Give Praise for using Thank You Use Family Meetings to Set Expectations Set up Family Th…

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48 - Cultivating Kindness in Kids 27:39

2+ y ago27:39

27:39

We all want our kids to grow up being kind and courteous. In this episode I talk with Teresa Ramirez, a motivational speaker and Kindness Koach. Listen to lots of fun ideas on how to promote kindness inside and outside your home. Here's some of the ideas we talk about! - Model it INSIDE your home Use Family Meetings to talk about how to be kind to …

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47 - Manners Lesson: How Parents Can Teach Kids to Say "Please" 10:55

2+ y ago10:55

10:55

This is the first podcast in a series relating to getting our kids to learn manners which are fundamental to their becoming responsible, respectful adults. Starting with Life Lessons early has the biggest impact but in this series of podcasts, whether you have a toddler or a teen, it's worth investing in their future through manners. Here are the b…

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46 - Unintended Consequences of Pushing for Good Grades 36:07

2+ y ago36:07

36:07

In this episode I interview Liz Bayardelle author of Clean Your Plate! 13 Things that Good Parents Say that Ruin Kids’ Lives. This book covers all sorts of unintended consequences that good parents say regularly like Get Straight As, Don’t Hit, Sit Still, Don’t Be a Quitter and many more. She goes into detail in all these areas and has wonderful id…

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45 - Screen Addiction: Is My Child Addicted? What Parents Can Do to Help Identify and Deal With Addiction to Electronics 26:58

2+ y ago26:58

26:58

Some of us struggle with trying to figure out if our kids are addicted to screens. In this episode Emily Cherkin, The Screentime Consultant, and I discuss what causes screen addictions and what resources might help to determine if our kids are addicted. We also go over different levels of intervention in overcoming screen issues in our homes. Emily…

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44 - Screen Time Struggles 23:38

2+ y ago23:38

23:38

In this episode enjoy hearing from Emily Cherkin, The Screentime Consultant, as we talk about strategies to deal with kids and screen time use in our homes. Emily works with families all the time to help put "tech intentional" ideas into homes. Listen for ideas on how to set clear and reasonable limits in a way that can be integrated into your home…

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43 - Siblings Who Hate Each Other: What Parents Can Do To Help Promote Sibling Harmony 13:11

2+ y ago13:11

13:11

Siblings who hate each other is unfortunately all too common an issue for parents to ignore. In this podcast we explore what a parent can do with their kids who aren't getting along, who are unbearably mean to each other. Our kids fighting all the time can be: 1 - draining for the ENTIRE family 2 - full of opportunities to learn some life lessons a…

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42 - Challenges with Boundaries: How Parents Can Set True Limits and Stick to Them 8:53

2+ y ago8:53

8:53

Setting limits for our kids can be such a challenge. We set them, they ignore or break them. Ugh! In this episode learn how to set better boundaries that we can stick by so that our kids know that we mean what we say. Learn to say: 1 - "AND WHAT DID I SAY" Using this phrase helps stop the whining and begging that gets so annoying that we often time…

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41 - 8 Steps For Parents in Dealing with Disrespect From Kids 16:22

2+ y ago16:22

16:22

In this podcast learn how to deal with disrespect in your home by teaching and modeling respect while keeping calm. The truth is, disrespectful behavior is one of the inappropriate ways kids, especially teenagers but not limited to teens, try to solve their problems. Kids can feel powerless in the face of rules and expectations and talking back and…

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40 - Fairness: What Parents Can Do With Kids Who Don't Think Things are Fair and Just 11:55

3y ago11:55

11:55

Life isn’t fair it never has been. How we deal with life is what matters. In this episode learn how you can nurture an understanding of fairness in your child's life as well as ideas on how you can respond to unfairness. We want our kids to be able to: Let them know it's ok to express their emotions when life is unfair Encourage them to give praise…

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39 - Bad Teachers and How to Deal With Them 16:29

3y ago16:29

16:29

In this podcast I cover a few things. First, what do bad teachers look like? How do they behave? Next, what can you do about it as a parent and, lastly, what can your child do about making it through the year in once piece having learned what they need to. Three types of bad teachers: Fluffy - ones that are nice but don't teach the material Boring …

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38 - Parenting Pressure and Lazy Kids - What Healthy Pressure Looks Like 31:38

3y ago31:38

31:38

In this episode I talk with Dr. Weisinger about their approach of transforming harmful parental pressure into healthy pressure. He has just released a new book with Dr. Christopher Thurber, The Unlikely Art of Parental Pressure: A Positive Approach to Pushing Your Child to Be Their Best Self. This book provides a roadmap for parents to engage in he…

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37 - Annoying Kids and How to Handle Them Calmly as a Parent 9:37

3y ago9:37

9:37

Do you have a kid who is always seeking attention? They are pulling on you, saying “Mommy, mommy, watch me!” Or maybe they try to one up anyone just to make themselves look bigger or better than others. Maybe they’ll even make things up to do that? In this episode you'll learn why your kids are acting that way and how to bring new skills into the m…

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36 - Raising Complex Kids with ADHD, Anxiety, and other Executive Function Issues 32:19

3y ago32:19

32:19

In this episode Mary interviews author Elaine Taylor-Kraus from ImpactParents about her new book: The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids with ADHD, Anxiety and More This guide gives all parents a guide in how to best help their children overcome their challenges in healthy, loving and practical ways. Whether or not you have a child who has bee…

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35 - 3 Steps for Parents To Teach Kids to Apologize With Grace and From the Heart 8:09

3y ago8:09

8:09

In this episode learn how to get to the heart of your child and teach them how to apologize. Learn how to: 1 - Wait till the emotion has passed 2 - Brainstorm with your child to encourage ideas of how the apology can work for them 3 - If their hearts won't melt then allow consequences of their poor decision to not apologize guide them to make bette…

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34 - How Parents Can Teach Life Skills for Teens To Promote Indepence and Confidence 14:36

3y ago14:36

14:36

In this episode we’ll talk about how to get our older kids, teens and tweens, to experience the bigger picture stuff and expose them to some of the messiness of life in a loving, supportive environment where they might even mess up some. Everything from chores they should know how to do on their own to handling money, cars and how to get a part tim…

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33 - Loving Your Family Using Love Languages 36:41

3y ago36:41

36:41

Understanding how a person perceives love is essential for knowing how to communicate love to them. In this interview I'm so happy to have Bec and Holly who have a podcast called ILoveYouTooMuchToArgue to explain what Love Languages are and how to use them in your family. Five Love Languages are: Acts of Service Gifts Words of Affirmation Physical …

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32 - Substance Use and Abuse: What to Know as a Parent 37:26

3y ago37:26

37:26

In this podcast I interview Richard Carpriola an expert in addiction counseling with over 20 years of experience. He's the author of The Addicted Child: A Parent's Guide to Adolescent Substance Abuse. I found the book and talking with Richard really useful in learning about the different substances – marijuana, alcohol, vaping, inhalants and more, …

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31 - Sibling Competition - How Everyone Can Win! 11:16

3+ y ago11:16

11:16

Do you have kids who are always running to the car and saying: “I’m first!”? Or maybe they argue over who mom or dad reads to first at night? How about who gets to sit where at the dinner table? Or who does dad pour the catsup on French fries first? I know my boys would have a battle each time we got into an elevator over who gets to push the butto…

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30 - Getting Kids to Listen SEMINAR 44:41

3+ y ago44:41

44:41

Parents are often baffled by their kids not listening and totally ignoring them. In this seminar which was taped during a Zoom presentation, parents learn that how we talk to our kids and when we talk to them has a huge impact on their ability to listen to us. In this talk you'll learn not only WHEN to communicate but about these techniques to be m…

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29 - Communicating with Teens SEMINAR 56:47

3+ y ago56:47

56:47

This is special podcast recording of a seminar at Prospect High School meant for all of you who are having a tough time communicating with your teens. I also have a YouTube version from Evergreen High School that includes all my PowerPoint slides that you can find on my Parenting Decoded YouTube Channel. Whether you prefer podcasts or YouTube I wan…

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28 - Understanding Anxiety in Kids and What Parents Can Do 56:46

3+ y ago56:46

56:46

In this episode I interview Bianca D'Agostino. She's a family and child therapist in Ottawa Canada who has lots of experience help families with issues around anxiety. Learn how to identify and then deal with some common scenarios in dealing with kids and anxiety. Here's the link to Bianca's helpful graphic on the different levels of anxiety, A thr…

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27 - Anger Management for Parents SEMINAR 1:12:03

3+ y ago1:12:03

1:12:03

This is the audio version of my online seminar which is also available on my YouTube Channel, Parenting Decoded. There is also a YouTube link to this seminar if you'd like to see all the slides that go along with this presentation. YouTube LINK In this expanded conversation we go over tips to handle our anger that is triggered by our children and f…

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26 - Lying, Cheating and Stealing: What Parents Should Do At Different Ages and Stages 23:08

3+ y ago23:08

23:08

26: Lying, Cheating, and Stealing Many parents get very upset when they catch their children lying, stealing, or cheating. We all hate the feeling of betrayal, being lied to, or cheated. But we all lie for lots of reasons. Sometimes to cover up bad behaviours. Other times, we do it out of fear because we want to spare ourselves of punishment or avo…

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25 - Solving Tantrums SEMINAR 1:08:25

3+ y ago1:08:25

1:08:25

Tantrums continue to be a huge problem for parents. Take a listen to this one hour Zoom seminar Mary did with a live audience with lots of practical advice on how to get a handle on tantrums in your home. Learn about: Why tantrums happen What to do while the tantrum is happening What to do AFTER the tantrum is over How to avoid tantrums in the futu…

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24 - Educational Testing Ideas and Issues 25:07

3+ y ago25:07

25:07

It’s very difficult as a parent to see our kids struggle either academically or socially. For some of us we feel that our kid is the only one struggling and we have no idea where to turn to. In this podcast I interview Lexie Burnes of NeuroPlay Academics for information about how and when you might look to get your child tested if you suspect somet…

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23 - Gift Giving and Kids: How To Create Giving Hearts and Gratitude in Our Kids 20:14

3+ y ago20:14

20:14

Holidays and gift giving can bring about so much stress to families who are sucked into the commercialism of our current situation. In this podcast I want to give you all some hints about making gift giving a more heartfelt experience not only from you as the giver but also how to create an attitude of gratitude in our kids who are receiving those …

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22 - How to Teach Kids To Be Grateful and Cultivate an Attitude of Gratefulness and Avoid Entitlement 18:20

3+ y ago18:20

18:20

Kids are self-centered from the get-go, no doubt about it. We have to teach them to be grateful for all that they have, all that we give them. But, how on earth do we do that when there's so much taking and so little giving going on around us? First, I want to talk about entitlement – what it is and how it can grow out of control. Then I’ll go over…

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21 - Kids Who Want to Quit Sports Or Activities: What Does A Parent Do? 11:28

4y ago11:28

11:28

Are you having trouble deciding whether to give in to your child's request to quit an activity? Feeling like you might be raising a kid to be a quitter if you do ? Take a listen to help you navigate this touchy subject! It seems that many parents have to cross the threshold of their child wanting to quit an activity. It could be piano, basketball, …

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20 - Creating Calm with Boundaries and Limits 7:29

4y ago7:29

7:29

Our kids are smart. They really know how to manipulate us into getting what they want – crying, whining, having tantrums, giving us the silent treatment. It can be overwhelming. In my last podcast we were learning how to use choices early to avoid power struggles from the get-go. In this podcast we’re going to follow along that positive path by usi…

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19 - Using Choices With Kids to Helps Parents Avoid Power Struggles 11:53

4y ago11:53

11:53

Do you feel like you’re always battling your child? You tell them to do something and you immediately get a “no” followed by whining and complaining or outright defiance? A simple request that turns into a war is enough to send us over the edge sometimes. In this podcast I talk about how to avoid power struggles by using a secret weapon -- Choices!…

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18 - Distanced Learning During COVID 20:35

4y ago20:35

20:35

I'm in California where parents are going through setting up and managing distanced learning in their homes since almost no schools are doing in-person learning. This podcast will cover these areas: 1 - Physical LEARNING AREA - how to organize it, get rid of distractions, provide a quiet area to focus, how and when to charge and test devices, and h…

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17 - Calming the Chaos with Family Meetings 16:39

4y ago16:39

16:39

Many of us struggle with kids who whine, disobey and maybe even lie just to get their way. We get so exasperated we want to explode and some of us certainly do explode. In this podcast we’ll explore what happens in our families if we’re always operating in “crisis mode” then talk about ways to avoid ever getting into that mode by using Family Meeti…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Mary Eschen Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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