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.

We all manage to be relatively productive during our daily life, putting one small task after another, one small step after another. But have you ever wondered how you actually learned how to do this?

Executive functioning is the ability to organize tasks in such a way as to accomplish goals, but how we do it can vary wildly from person to person. We see this especially in the ways our children approach homework, for example. One child can sit at a desk for hours doing their homework while another may need to sit on the floor, or even listen to show tunes!

Our guest today is Val Marsden Fitzhugh (she/her), founder and executive director of Next Level Learn (www.NYCLearn.com), who will help us unpack and understand exactly what Executive Functioning is and how do you know if your child has issues with it?

You’ll come away with a greater understanding of your child's learning style and why your brain is like a CEO (it’s probably not what you think.)

Understanding and leaning into your child’s executive functioning style sets them up for success, giving them skills to get through all of life's difficulties, not just school.