Parenting with Understanding, How Self-Awareness and Connection Shape the Way We Respond with Meaghan Hampton

Robyn talks with therapist Meaghan Hampton about child development, discipline, and how a parent’s own wounds and anxiety shape their parenting.

In this episode, therapist and mom Robyn Isman is joined by Christian therapist Meaghan Hampton for a grounded conversation about what children truly need from their parents. Meaghan shares how understanding basic child development helps parents interpret behavior accurately rather than personally. She explains how discipline works best when it is rooted in connection and guidance, not control.

Robyn and Meaghan talk about how parental anxiety, old wounds, and unprocessed experiences can show up in everyday parenting moments. They highlight how easy it is to misread a child’s behavior when a parent is overwhelmed, and how important it is to pause, reflect, and respond rather than react. Their discussion weaves in both clinical insight and spiritual grounding, emphasizing the value of integrating mental health tools with faith practices for families who want a holistic approach.

The episode also touches on the importance of boundaries, emotional regulation, and modeling healthy communication. Meaghan encourages parents to heal their own unfinished stories so they can support their children with clarity, compassion, and confidence.

By the end of this episode, parents will feel more equipped to view discipline as connection, understand behavior through a developmental lens, and approach their children—and themselves—with greater gentleness and curiosity.

Shared Resources:

• Meaghan Hampton website
• Meghan’s Co-Regulation PDF and Substack Community
• Follow Meaghan on Instagram @soulcareforfamilies
• Follow Robyn on Instagram @parentingtheanxiouschild
• Parenting the Anxious Child Membership
• Sign up for Robyn’s Newsletter and find additional resources

Understanding Relational Aggression, Helping Kids Navigate Social Dynamics with Dr. Noelle Santorelli

Robyn talks with psychologist Dr. Noelle Santorelli about relational aggression, childhood social dynamics, and how parents can support kids through friendship challenges.

In this episode, therapist and mom Robyn Isman sits down with psychologist Dr. Noelle Santorelli to explore the complex and often quiet ways relational aggression shows up in children’s friendships and family interactions. Dr. Santorelli explains how behaviors like exclusion, subtle put-downs, and shifting alliances can have a significant emotional impact on kids, even when the signs are not immediately obvious.

Robyn and Dr. Santorelli discuss the importance of teaching children empathy, boundaries, and conflict resolution from an early age. They emphasize how parents can help by scaffolding social experiences rather than rushing to fix or curate every challenge. Their conversation highlights why understanding social capital—the influence and status kids hold among peers—matters when interpreting behaviors and guiding children through conflict.

Throughout the episode, Dr. Santorelli encourages parents to balance support with autonomy. She reminds listeners that children develop confidence when parents stay grounded, avoid overreacting, and model healthy communication.

By the end of this conversation, parents will feel more equipped to recognize relational aggression, respond calmly, and help children build the skills they need to navigate real-life friendships with empathy and resilience.

Shared Resources:

• Dr. Noelle Santorelli website
• Dr. Santorelli’s e-guide Mean Girl Mom Survival Guide: Scripts, Red Flags, and Boundaries to Protect your Peace
• Follow Dr. Low on Instagram @drnoellesantorelli
• Follow Robyn on Instagram @parentingtheanxiouschild
• Parenting the Anxious Child Membership
• Sign up for Robyn’s Newsletter and find additional resources

Doing Less is the Path to Balance with Dr. Corinne Low

Robyn talks with economist and mom Dr. Corinne Low about the pressures modern women face, the myth of doing it all, and the power of doing less.

In this episode, therapist and mom Robyn Isman sits down with Dr. Corinne Low, economist and professor, for an eye-opening discussion about what she calls the squeeze—the overwhelming pressure many women feel to excel at work, manage a home, and parent perfectly. Dr. Low shares how her research on women’s time use connects with the emotional and practical realities of parenting, and why balance begins with permission to do less.

Robyn and Dr. Low talk about how societal expectations and guilt often push moms toward martyrdom, leaving little space for rest or self-care. They explore how boundaries, intentional choices, and self-awareness can shift the way families function. Dr. Low also offers a powerful reminder that doing less isn’t about neglect—it’s about creating sustainability and well-being for both parent and child.

By the end of this episode, you will feel validated in the struggle to balance it all and be encouraged to redefine success. You’ll learn how small, deliberate changes can create more harmony at home and why systemic support—not personal perfection—is what parents truly need.

Shared Resources:

• Dr. Corinne Low, PhD website
• Having It All by Dr. Corinne Low
• Follow Dr. Low on Instagram @corinnelowphd
• Follow Robyn on Instagram @parentingtheanxiouschild
• Parenting the Anxious Child Membership
• Sign up for Robyn’s Newsletter and find additional resources

Parenting an Anxious Child when you’re anxious too! Tools and Truths with Courtney Montgomery

Robyn sits down with author and mom Courtney Montgomery to talk about parenting an anxious child, managing guilt, and finding balance between support and independence.

In this episode, therapist and mom Robyn Isman talks with Courtney Montgomery, author of Lily’s Special Toolbox, about the real and emotional work of parenting an anxious child. Courtney opens up about her own lifelong experience with anxiety—how it shaped her childhood, her parenting, and the way she helps her kids navigate big feelings.

Together, Robyn and Courtney explore how anxiety can look different in every child and how it often shows up as frustration or anger rather than fear. They discuss the guilt parents feel when they try not to rescue, and the importance of validation and supportive language in helping kids build confidence. Courtney shares how she uses tools from her book to make coping accessible and how small shifts in words can create powerful changes in a child’s sense of safety.

By the end of this conversation, parents will feel seen, supported, and equipped with practical ways to respond to their child’s anxiety with calm and confidence. You’ll also be reminded that your own self-compassion—and willingness to do less—can make the biggest difference of all.

Shared Resources:

• Courtney Montgomery’s book: Lily’s Special Toolbox
• More information about Courtney
• Follow Courtney on Instagram @likereallyanxious
• Follow Robyn on Instagram @parentingtheanxiouschild
• Parenting the Anxious Child Membership
• Sign up for Robyn’s Newsletter and find additional resources

Letting Go of Control, How to Foster Trust and Independence

Robyn sits down with therapist Bridget KerMorris to talk about parenting through the middle school years with connection, curiosity, and communication.

In this episode, therapist and mom Robyn Isman is joined by fellow therapist Bridget KerMorris, a Stanford-trained lawyer and a mom of seven, for a thoughtful conversation about parenting during the middle school years—a season full of change, emotion, and opportunity for growth. Bridget shares her parenting framework that centers on curiosity rather than control, inviting parents to stay connected while allowing children the space to learn and repair.

Together, Robyn and Bridget discuss the realities of friendships, technology, and family communication in today’s world. They explore how parents can shift from monitoring to understanding, and how teaching empathy, repair, and self-awareness helps kids build the relationship skills they need for life. Bridget also reflects on her own transition from law to mental health work, emphasizing how self-care and emotional regulation shape the way parents show up.

By the end of this episode, you’ll feel encouraged to approach parenting with less pressure and more connection. You’ll learn how curiosity builds trust, how repair strengthens relationships, and how focusing on your own well-being creates space for your child’s independence to grow.

Shared Resources:

• Bridget KerMorris’s Website
• Follow Bridget on Instagram @bridget.parentcoach
• Middle School Safety ToolKit
• 50 ways I’m staying close to my middle schooler
• Free Social Script ToolKit
• Steady + Connected Parenting Group Program Waitlist
• Follow Robyn on Instagram @parentingtheanxiouschild
• Parenting the Anxious Child Membership
• Sign up for Robyn’s Newsletter and find additional resources

Parenting Through Change, Supporting Kids When Life Feels Uncertain

Robyn and guest therapist Ellanee Wilson, Certified Pediatric Sleep Coach, Credentialed Educator, and mom of three talk about how parents can help children navigate change, transitions, and uncertainty with confidence and connection.

In this episode, therapist and mom Robyn Isman is joined by therapist Ellanee Wilson for an honest conversation about parenting during times of change. Together, they explore how transitions—whether it’s a new school year, a move, or a shift in family routines—can trigger anxiety for both kids and parents.

Robyn and Ellanee discuss why uncertainty can feel so uncomfortable and how a parent’s own stress or worry can shape how a child adjusts. They offer practical ways to build stability through connection, from keeping routines flexible but predictable to modeling calm when things don’t go as planned. Their conversation highlights how doing less and focusing on presence helps kids learn to trust themselves in the middle of change.

By the end of this episode, parents will feel encouraged to approach transitions with compassion instead of control. You’ll learn how to create safety through connection, even when life feels uncertain—and how every change can become a chance for growth.

Shared Resources:

• Ellanee Wilson’s Website
• Follow Ellanee on Instagram @sleep.coach.mom
• Find Ellanee’s Resources HERE
• Follow Robyn on Instagram @parentingtheanxiouschild
• Parenting the Anxious Child Membership
• Sign up for Robyn’s Newsletter and find additional resources

Building Resilience Together, Supporting Parents Through Their Own Anxiety

Robyn talks with fellow therapist Joanna Hardis, LISW-S about how parents can work through their own anxiety to better support their children’s growth and independence.

In this episode, therapist and mom Robyn Isman is joined by fellow therapist Joanna Hardis for an honest conversation about what it really means to support anxious kids when you’re an anxious parent yourself. Together, they explore the emotional tug-of-war that happens when parents want to help but feel overwhelmed by their own worries.

Robyn and Joanna discuss how a parent’s anxiety can shape family dynamics, impact communication, and even influence a child’s ability to cope. They share how self-awareness, small shifts in behavior, and compassionate boundaries can make an enormous difference at home. Their discussion reminds parents that taking care of themselves isn’t selfish—it’s foundational to helping their children feel safe and capable.

By the end of this episode, parents will feel encouraged to view their own anxiety as part of the process, not a flaw to hide. You’ll learn practical ways to model regulation, connect through honesty, and build resilience together as a family.

Shared Resources:

• Joanna Hardis’s Website
• Follow Joanna on Instagram @joannahardis
• Find Joanna’s Books HERE
• Follow Robyn on Instagram @parentingtheanxiouschild
• Parenting the Anxious Child Membership
• Sign up for Robyn’s Newsletter and find additional resources

When School Becomes Scary, Understanding School Avoidance and What Helps

Robyn talks with fellow therapist Kristen McNeely about school avoidance, unpacking what’s really happening beneath the surface and how parents can help kids return to school with confidence.

In this episode, therapist and mom Robyn Isman is joined by fellow therapist Kristen McNeely for a meaningful conversation about school avoidance. Together, they explore why some kids start to resist school, how anxiety plays a major role, and what parents can do to help. Rather than seeing school refusal as defiance, Robyn and Kristen explain how avoidance is a form of distress that needs understanding, not punishment.

They discuss the early signs of school avoidance, the difference between a tough morning and a pattern of anxiety, and the common mistakes parents make when trying to fix it. Robyn and Kristen share language parents can use to support their child’s feelings while still encouraging attendance. They also highlight how collaboration with schools can create a consistent, compassionate plan for getting kids back into class.

By the end of this episode, parents will feel more equipped to approach school avoidance with empathy and structure. You’ll learn how to balance validation with clear expectations, helping your child feel capable of facing school again—one small step at a time.

Shared Resources:

• Kristen McNeely’s Website
• Follow Kristen on Instagram @childhood.empowered
• Follow Robyn on Instagram @parentingtheanxiouschild
• Parenting the Anxious Child Membership
• Sign up for Robyn’s Newsletter and find additional resources