Positive Parenting | Mr. Dad

Diana Graber, author of Raising Humans in a Digital World. Topic: Helping kids build a healthy relationship with technology. Issues: What happens when kids are left to their own devices; what it means to be human; offline skills and online life; screen time; relationships; privacy; thinking critically; digital leadership.

Emily Guy Birken, author of End Financial Stress Now. Topic: Immediate steps you can take to improve your financial outlook. Issues: Redefining money; economic reasons why we struggle with money; psychological reasons we struggle with money; the difference between reducing financial stress and reducing financial problems; achieving a stress-free financial life.

Carl Pickhardt, author of Who Stole My Child? Topic: Parenting through the four stages of adolescence. Issues: What is an adolescent? Early adolescence (ages 9-13), which is marked by resistance and conflict, disorganization, and distractibility; Mid-adolescence (13-15), marked by puberty, vulnerability, peers, intense friendships, and social life; Late adolescence (15-18), marked by risk-taking, dating and romance, substance abuse, and the Internet; and Trial independence (18-23), marked by graduation, separation, stress, self-discipline, and independence.

Kurt Newman, author of Healing Children. Topic: Stories from the frontiers of pediatric medicine. Issues: A longtime pediatric surgeon talks about the story of his career and some of the hundreds of children he’s treated; the triumphs and tragedies he’s seen; the revolution taking place in children’s medicine; what children need to thrive in today’s world.

Scilla Andreen, producer of “Angst” documentary, and Steve, Mannie, and Samantha Nimmo, who host screenings of the film in the SF Bay Area. Topic: The making of a documentary about anxiety, depression, and suicide. Issues: Recognizing symptoms of anxiety in children and adults; how one family member’s anxiety affects the rest of the family; resources for patients and family members; text the crisis line: 741741; find a screening of the film in your area.

Tony Sanders, Jr. author of Daddy Talks. Topic: Empowering fathers, encouraging children, and equipping families. Issues: Character; birds and bees; talking to boys and girls; building independence. Jeremy Schneider, author of Fatherhood in 40-Minute Snapshots. Topic: Reflections on fatherhood, marriage, and life. Issues: Essays on pregnancy, raising babies, bonding, parenting challenges, parenting as partners, disagreements, joys, and much more.

Michael Hebb, author of Let’s Talk About Death over Dinner. Topic: A guide to life’s most important conversation Issues: A series of several dozen prompts and conversation starters designed to stimulate productive discussions about what for many people are very difficult–yet very important–conversations.

Donald Moses, coauthor of Raising Independent, Self-Confident Kids. Topic: Nine essential skills to teach your child or teen. Issues: When to step in and when to guide from afar; helping kids learn independence skills; developing frustration tolerance and patience; helping kids look within; risks and benefits of technology.

Andrew Yarrow, author of Man Out. Topic: Men on the sidelines of American life Issues: Masculinity; mating; marriage; the lost boys; online and offline; lost jobs; fathers without children; men’s health.

Ryan Craig, author of A New U. Topic: Faster, cheaper alternatives to college. Issues: Too many college grads can’t get jobs in the field of their major and end up either un- or under-employed; too many grads have a tough time paying off their student loans; Unique programs where you can pay for your education, but only if you get an appropriate job; online programs and competency marketplaces; many other options for getting the education you want at a price you can afford.

Bryna Siegel, author of The Politics of Autism. Topic: The truths and fictions of public understanding about autism. Issues: The politics of autism diagnosis; the psychiatric diagnosis industry; autism education and the illusion of inclusion; the right way to educate youth with autism spectrum disorder; the false promise of alternative medicine; the vaccine wars.

Christa Santangelo, author of A New Theory of Teenagers. Topic: Transformational strategies to empower you and your teen. Issues: Endure emotions; look at the bigger picture; grasp less, let go more; discover your purpose in parenting; heal yourself; work on your own issues.

Temple Grandin, author of Calling All Minds. Topic: How to think and create like an inventor. Issues: A thought-provoking discussion with world-renowned autism exert, scientist, engineer, and inventor about the childhood projects that started her on the road to becoming who she is; the importance of perseverance.

Joy Marchese, co-author of Positive Discipline for Today’s Busy and Overwhelmed Parent. @PDTweets Topic: How to balance work, parenting, and self for lasting wellbeing. Issues: What is positive discipline; how technology affects parenting; effective vs. ineffective parenting; understanding mistaken goals; debunking the myth of the perfect parent (or child); understanding the brain and how it works; overcoming your guilt.

Wendy Mogel, author of Voice Lessons for Parents. @drwendymogel Topic: What to say, how to say it, and when to listen. Issues: How your vocal style affects your parenting effectiveness; how a shift in that style can lead to children who are calmer, listen more attentively, and communicate with more warmth, respect, and sincerity; best ways to communicate with children of all ages.