Substance use and addiction are affecting more families than ever—and many parents feel unprepared, overwhelmed, and alone.

In this episode of Where Parents Talk, host Lianne Castelino speaks with certified family recovery specialist Kim Porter, co-founder of Be Part of the Conversation.

Drawing from both professional expertise and lived experience as a mother, Kim shares powerful insights into how addiction develops, why it’s often missed, and what parents can do if they suspect something is wrong.

From understanding today’s evolving drug landscape—including cannabis, fentanyl, and vaping products—to navigating stigma, setting healthy boundaries, and supporting a child without enabling harmful behaviour, this conversation offers practical guidance and hope.

Kim also explains the critical role of open communication, early intervention, and community support in helping families move from fear and isolation to healing and resilience.

Key topics include:

• Early signs of substance use in teens and young adults
• Why addiction is often misunderstood—and missed
• How to talk to your child without judgment or panic
• Setting boundaries while maintaining connection
• The impact of mental health and social media on youth
• Where parents can find support and resources

Links referenced in this episode:

• whereparentstalk.com
• bepartoftheconversation.com

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Be part of the Conversation
• Ethos Treatment

This podcast is for parents, guardians, teachers and caregivers to learn proven strategies and trusted tips on raising kids, teens and young adults based on science, evidenced and lived experience.

You’ll learn the latest on topics like managing bullying, consent, fostering healthy relationships, and the interconnectedness of mental, emotional and physical health.

The tumultuous waters of parenting in today's world often requires a nuanced understanding of emotional and mental health, especially as our children face unique challenges such as bullying, social media pressures, and the complexities of consent and relationships.

In this episode of the Where Parents Talk podcast, host Lianne Castelino speaks to Micheline Green, an integral master coach, educator, executive coach, author and mom to explore why traditional, control-based parenting is failing today’s families—and what to do instead.

Blending neuroscience, leadership principles, and real-life parenting insights, Micheline reveals how parents can shift from reacting in moments of stress to responding with calm, clarity, and connection.

Key takeaways include:

• Understanding hormonal changes and their impact on emotional health is crucial for parents navigating their children's development.
• Effective communication between parents and children fosters independence and helps combat bullying in a social media-driven world.
• Establishing discipline through guidance rather than control nurtures emotional health and leads to healthier relationships.
• The importance of consent in relationships is a pivotal topic for today's youth, and parents should facilitate these discussions.
• Regular practice in self-regulation equips parents to model emotional steadiness, providing a safe environment for children amidst chaos.
• Conscious parenting transforms the home environment into a space of growth, highlighting the significance of emotional connection over mere behaviour management.

This podcast is for parents, guardians, teachers and caregivers to learn proven strategies and trusted tips on raising kids, teens and young adults based on science, evidenced and lived experience.

You’ll learn the latest on topics like managing bullying, consent, fostering healthy relationships, and the interconnectedness of mental, emotional and physical health.

Links referenced in this episode:

• whereparentstalk.com

In today’s fast-moving digital world, parents face an urgent challenge: how to raise children who can think critically, question information, and navigate the growing influence of AI and social media.

In this episode of the Where Parents Talk podcast, host Lianne Castelino speaks with John Krotec—educator, entrepreneur, U.S. Army veteran, and founder of Neo Masculinity Solutions—about why teaching kids how to think is more important than ever.

Drawing from personal experience, leadership training, and his work developing AI-integrated learning tools, Krotec shares actionable insights for parents, including:

1. Why today’s information overload makes critical thinking a must-have life skill
2. How to help kids distinguish fact from misinformation, disinformation, and AI-generated content
3. The role of curiosity, courage, and questioning in raising independent thinkers
4. Practical ways parents can guide children to use AI as a tool—not a shortcut
5. Early warning signs your child may be passively consuming information
6. Three simple habits parents can adopt to raise resilient, thoughtful kids

This conversation offers into why parenting in the digital age isn’t just about protection—it’s about preparation.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. neomasculinity.solutions

Companies mentioned in this episode:

1. Neo Masculinity Solutions

This podcast is for parents, guardians, teachers and caregivers to learn proven strategies and trusted tips on raising kids, teens and young adults based on science, evidenced and lived experience.

You’ll learn the latest on topics like managing bullying, consent, fostering healthy relationships, and the interconnectedness of mental, emotional and physical health.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. whereparentstalk.com

Strong relationships are the foundation of a healthy family—but parenting stress, busy schedules, and miscommunication can take a toll on even the strongest couples.

In this episode of Where Parents Talk podcast, host Lianne Castelino speaks with therapist Dr. Dan Sneider about how parents can build stronger, more connected relationships while raising children.

Learn practical, research-backed strategies for improving communication, setting healthy boundaries, managing conflict, and staying emotionally connected—even during the most demanding parenting years.

This episode is a must-listen for parents of tweens, teens, and young children who want to create a more secure, supportive home environment.

Key topics include:

1. How parenting impacts couple relationships
2. The importance of boundaries and emotional safety for kids
3. Communication mistakes parents commonly make
4. The “5:1 ratio” for healthier relationships
5. Simple tools like “rose, bud, thorn” for family connection
6. How to prevent arguments from escalating

This podcast is for parents, guardians, teachers and caregivers to learn proven strategies and trusted tips on raising kids, teens and young adults based on science, evidenced and lived experience.

You’ll learn the latest on topics like managing bullying, consent, fostering healthy relationships, and the interconnectedness of mental, emotional and physical health.

Links referenced in this episode:

• whereparentstalk.com

Why do children misbehave—and what is their behaviour really trying to tell us?

In this episode of the Where Parents Talk podcast, host Lianne Castelino speaks with paediatrician, author, and mother Dr. Kristen Cook about the science behind children’s behaviour and what today’s overwhelmed parents need to know.

Drawing on more than 15 years of clinical experience, Dr. Cook explains how understanding brain development—from toddlers to teens—can transform the way parents respond to tantrums, lying, emotional outbursts, and risk-taking behaviour.

Parents will learn why the brain doesn’t fully develop until the mid-20s, how emotional intelligence is reshaping modern parenting, and why misbehaviour is often a signal of an overwhelmed brain—not defiance.

This episode explores practical strategies for raising resilient, emotionally healthy kids while reducing parenting guilt and stress.

In this episode, parents will learn:

1. Why children’s brains aren’t wired for adult logic
2. The difference between discipline vs punishment in effective parenting
3. How brain science explains teen risk-taking behaviour
4. Why parenting each child’s temperament matters—especially with siblings
5. The importance of emotional regulation and modeling calm behavior
6. Practical tools like the “Duck on a Pond” technique to manage parenting stress

This podcast is for parents, guardians, teachers and caregivers to learn proven strategies and trusted tips on raising kids, teens and young adults based on science, evidenced and lived experience.

You’ll learn the latest on topics like managing bullying, consent, fostering healthy relationships, and the interconnectedness of mental, emotional and physical health.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. whereparentstalk.com

Why are so many young adults struggling with independence today—and what can parents do differently?

In this episode of the Where Parents Talk Podcast, host Lianne Castelino speaks with licensed school psychologist, author and father David Krasky, whose book Raising Future Adults explores how parents can prepare children and teens for real-world success.

Drawing on two decades of experience working with families and students, Krasky explains how modern parenting trends—including overprotection, helicopter parenting, and the pressures of technology—may unintentionally limit a child’s ability to build independence and essential life skills.

The discussion explore practical strategies for helping kids develop executive functioning skills, resilience, and social confidence—while balancing the parental instinct to protect with the long-term goal of raising capable adults.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• Why independence among teens and young adults is declining

• The long-term risks of overprotective or “helicopter” parenting

• The critical role of executive functioning skills in real-world success

• Why social skills may be one of the most important predictors of future success

• How “lighthouse parenting” can help parents guide children without controlling them

• Practical ways parents can encourage self-advocacy and independence

• Strategies for supporting neurodiverse children while fostering autonomy

This podcast is for parents, guardians, teachers and caregivers to learn proven strategies and trusted tips on raising kids, teens and young adults based on science, evidenced and lived experience.

You’ll learn the latest on topics like managing bullying, consent, fostering healthy relationships, and the interconnectedness of mental, emotional and physical health.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. whereparentstalk.com

On this episode of the Where Parents Talk podcast host Lianne Castelino sits down with leading body image researcher Dr. Charlotte Markey, professor at Rutgers University and author of The Body Image Book for Girls, for a conversation about raising confident kids in a social media-saturated world.

With nearly 30 years of research on body image, eating behaviours, puberty, and mental health, Dr. Markey unpacks the unprecedented pressures facing today’s tweens and teens — especially girls aged 9 to 15 — as they navigate hormonal changes alongside relentless digital comparison. From influencer culture and device use to bullying and shifting weight-loss trends, she explains how cultural ideals can distort self-perception and contribute to dieting, disordered eating, and low self-worth.

This evidence-based discussion equips parents with tools to:

1. Recognize early warning signs of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating
2. Navigate puberty conversations beyond just physical changes
3. Build media literacy and resilience in the age of social media
4. Foster open communication about consent, relationships, and emotional health
5. Create a body-positive home environment without overemphasizing appearance
6. Understand when professional support may be needed

Dr. Markey also explores the lasting effects of the pandemic, the rise in eating disorder rates, and how parents’ own attitudes toward food and appearance shape their children’s beliefs.

If you’re raising a tween, teen, or young adult and want science-backed strategies to help them develop body confidence, independence, and emotional resilience in a world that often prioritizes image over well-being, this episode is essential listening.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. whereparentstalk.com

Companies mentioned in this episode:

1. Rutgers University

This podcast is for parents, guardians, teachers and caregivers to learn proven strategies and trusted tips on raising kids, teens and young adults based on science, evidenced and lived experience.

You’ll learn the latest on topics like managing bullying, consent, fostering healthy relationships, and the interconnectedness of mental, emotional and physical health.

On this episode of the Where Parents Talk podcast, host Lianne Castelino sits down with picky eating expert, educator, and founder of Raising Healthy Families, Katie Kimball.

Kimball explains why teaching teens to cook is about far more than food. It’s about:

1. Reducing teen anxiety through competence and ownership
2. Building executive functioning and life skills
3. Strengthening family connection
4. Preparing kids for independent adulthood
5. Avoiding the “avalanche effect” at age 18
6. Creating a healthy family culture around food

With teen anxiety and depression rates rising, parents are searching for practical ways to empower their children. Kimball shares research-backed insights on how cooking builds confidence that spills into academics, social life, and emotional well-being.

The conversation shares approaches on how to raise a confident, capable adult who can budget, meal plan, feed themselves, and build meaningful community.

This podcast is for parents, guardians, teachers and caregivers to learn proven strategies and trusted tips on raising kids, teens and young adults based on science, evidenced and lived experience.

You’ll learn the latest on topics like managing bullying, consent, fostering healthy relationships, and the interconnectedness of mental, emotional and physical health.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. whereparentstalk.com
2. raisinghealthyfamilies.com

Companies mentioned in this episode:

1. Raising Healthy Families
2. Kids Cook Real Food