The Child Psych Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Julie Lythcott-Haims, New York Times bestselling author of How to Raise an Adult, to explore how well-intentioned parenting can sometimes get in the way of the very skills children need to become capable, confident adults.

Julie unpacks the rise of the “checklisted childhood,” where success can become defined by grades, activities, achievements, and getting into the “right” school, and explains how this pressure can undermine independence, self-efficacy, and a child’s ability to discover who they really are. We talk about why parents often overhelp out of love and fear, how to know when support becomes overparenting, and why struggle, failure, responsibility, and everyday life skills are so important for healthy development.

We also explore how parents can step back without becoming disconnected, support anxious or struggling children without rescuing them, and shift from managing a child’s life to becoming a trusted guide. Julie offers a powerful reminder that the goal of parenting is not to create a perfect childhood, but to prepare children to navigate adulthood with confidence, resilience, and a sense of ownership over their own lives.

Julie Lythcott-Haims is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and former Stanford dean. She is best known for How to Raise an Adult, which explores how overparenting and achievement culture can undermine children’s independence, resilience, and self-confidence—and how parents can better prepare kids to become capable, self-directed adults.

Get Julie's Book "How to Raise an Adult" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are we raising our children, or are Big Tech, big business, and algorithms quietly doing it for us?
In this thought-provoking episode of The Child Psych Podcast, psychologist Tania Johnson sits down with Dr. Susan Linn, psychologist, author, and one of the world's leading voices on creative play and the commercialization of childhood. Drawing from her groundbreaking book Who's Raising the Kids?, Susan explores how technology companies, advertisers, toy manufacturers, and even schools have become powerful influences in children's lives—often shaping their values, relationships, attention, and development in ways parents never intended.

Together, Tania and Susan unpack what it means to parent in a world where children's attention has become one of the world's most valuable commodities. They discuss why the conversation isn't about blaming parents or banning technology, but about reclaiming childhood through connection, imaginative play, boredom, and real-world experiences. Susan also shares practical, hopeful ways families can resist the pressures of consumer culture and raise children whose identities are shaped by relationships rather than algorithms.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why the biggest competition for your child's attention isn't other children—it's an industry built to capture it.
How Big Tech and big business influence children's values, relationships, learning, and emotional well-being.
Why imaginative play is one of the most important foundations for healthy child development.
The hidden ways marketing reaches children through toys, apps, schools, games, and digital media.
How parents can reclaim their influence without relying on guilt or fear.
Practical ways to foster creativity, connection, and resilience in a commercialized world.
Why protecting childhood isn't about eliminating technology—it's about ensuring children have the freedom to be children.

If you've ever wondered why it feels harder than ever to compete with screens, devices, and digital entertainment, this conversation will leave you informed, empowered, and inspired. More importantly, it will remind you that parents remain the most powerful influence in a child's life—and that it's never too late to reclaim that role. Dr. Susan Linn is an internationally recognized psychologist, author, ventriloquist, and one of the world's leading advocates for protecting childhood from the harmful effects of commercialism and excessive screen use.
Through her research, writing, and advocacy, she has spent decades helping parents understand the importance of play, creativity, and connection in raising healthy, resilient children.
To learn more about Dr. Linn or to purchase Who's Raising the Kids? Big Tech, Big Business, and the Lives of Children, click here.
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"Most parents know that play is important. But what if it's not the game that matters most—it's how you show up while you're playing?
In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, child psychologists Tammy Schamuhn and Tania Johnson pull back the curtain on what therapists know about play that every parent can use at home. Drawing from the principles of child-centred play therapy, they explore how simple shifts in the way you play can strengthen attachment, build emotional safety, and help your child feel deeply seen and understood.
You'll learn why following your child's lead is more powerful than directing the activity, how presence and attunement create the foundation for emotional regulation, and why children often communicate their inner world through play long before they have the words to explain it. Whether you have five minutes before bedtime or an afternoon at the park, these practical techniques will help you create moments of connection that support your child's emotional development for years to come.

In this episode, you'll learn:
Why your presence matters more than the activity itself.
The power of child-directed play and why following your child's lead builds confidence and connection.
How attunement helps children feel safe, understood, and emotionally secure.
Simple play therapy techniques every parent can use at home.
What reflective responding is and how it deepens connection without needing to solve or fix.
How play supports emotional regulation, communication, and resilience.
Easy ways to create meaningful moments of connection, even in the middle of a busy day.
You don't need expensive toys, elaborate activities, or hours of free time to build a strong relationship with your child. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is slow down, enter their world, and simply be present."
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Love Over Algorithms: Raising Kids Who Choose Connection Over Screens with Nikki Martyn
Screens aren't just competing for our children's attention—they're competing for their relationships. And while many parents focus on limiting screen time, what if the real solution isn't found in stronger rules, but in stronger connections?

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, psychologist Tania Johnson sits down with parenting educator and author Nikki Martin to discuss her new book, Love Over Algorithms. Together, they explore how today's digital world is shaping our children, why technology struggles are often relationship struggles, and how parents can create homes where connection is more compelling than the endless pull of the algorithm.

Nikki introduces practical, research-informed tools that help families move beyond constant battles over devices. From the Love Loop and the L.O.V.E. Method to the power of the Pause Moment, she shares simple strategies that foster emotional safety, trust, and healthy technology habits without relying on shame, fear, or endless punishment.

This conversation offers a refreshing perspective for parents who want to raise digitally healthy children while protecting what matters most—the parent-child relationship.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why technology challenges are often rooted in relationship, not just screen time.
The difference between the Dopamine Loop and the Love Loop, and why connection changes everything.
How to use the L.O.V.E. Method during everyday screen-time struggles.
Why the Pause Moment can completely change difficult interactions.
How narrating your own technology use helps children develop healthy digital habits.
What it means to move from control to trust using the Three Cs of Consent.
Practical ways to create a home where children naturally choose connection over constant scrolling.

Whether you're introducing your child's first device or navigating daily battles over phones, gaming, or social media, this episode will leave you with practical tools and renewed confidence to raise children who thrive in a digital world—without sacrificing connection along the way. Dr. Nikki Martyn is a parenting educator, speaker, and author of Love Over Algorithms. Passionate about helping families navigate the digital world with confidence, she equips parents with practical, relationship-first strategies that foster healthy technology habits, emotional connection, and resilience in an age of constant distraction.

To learn more about Nikki or to purchase Love Over Algorithms, click here.
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Feeding children can bring up so much pressure. Are they eating enough? Are they getting the right nutrients? Should we limit sugar? What do we do when they refuse everything on their plate?

In this episode, Tania is joined by Jennifer Anderson, registered dietitian, founder of Kids Eat in Color, and author of the new book, Feed Them Well: A Guide to Raising Healthy, Confident Eaters for Life.

Jennifer takes us deep into the research on how children learn to eat and what happens when parents restrict certain foods, pressure kids to eat, or try to tightly control what and how much they consume.

She explores the difference between restrictive feeding practices and helping children learn to listen to their own hunger and fullness cues, and why our best intentions around nutrition can sometimes have unexpected consequences.

They also dig into picky eating, sugar, treats, highly processed foods, food rules, body image, and the enormous amount of pressure parents feel to “get feeding right.”
How much control should parents actually have? Should dessert be restricted? What do we do when our child would happily live on crackers? And can giving children more freedom around food actually help them make better choices over time?

Jennifer brings the research, practical strategies, and plenty of reassurance for parents who want their children to eat well without creating fear, shame, or battles around food.

This is a fascinating conversation about what it really takes to raise children who are not only well nourished, but who grow up trusting themselves around food.

To order your book now, click here
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