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Educated Parent: Evidence-Based Parenting Tips to Solve Everyday Parenting Problems

Dr. Leah Clionsky

You’re doing everything you can to be a great parent. You’ve read the books, followed the mommy bloggers, asked your friends—yet somehow, parenting still feels overwhelming. One person says one thing, another says the opposite, and now you’re wondering if you’re ruining your child.

It’s not you. It’s the endless, conflicting advice that’s making parenting more stressful than it needs to be.

I’m Dr. Leah Clionsky, a licensed parenting psychologist, child development expert, and real-life mom of two. As the owner of Thriving Child Center and PCIT Experts, I’ve spent over 15 years helping parents raise emotionally healthy children with evidence-based parenting strategies.

And now, I’m bringing that expertise—and my network of trusted parenting experts—straight to you.

Welcome to Educated Parent, the podcast that gives you real answers to everyday parenting dilemmas. No guilt. No guesswork. Just expert-backed parenting tips to help you feel confident in raising emotionally healthy, thriving kids.

If you’re tired of second-guessing yourself and just want to know what actually works, you’re in the right place.

It’s time to ditch the stress and step into confident parenting—together.

LET'S CONNECT:
Thriving Child Center → https://educated-parent.captivate.fm/thrivingchildcenter
PCIT Experts → https://educated-parent.captivate.fm/pcit-experts
Instagram → https://educated-parent.captivate.fm/instagram
Want more parenting tips? Join our newsletter for expert advice straight to your inbox! → https://educated-parent.captivate.fm/newsletter
Are you a provider? Subscribe here for professional insights and parenting resources! → https://educated-parent.captivate.fm/provider-newsletter

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  • 23 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 20 min
  • English

Episodes 23

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  • #56
    April 21 · 15 min

    Why Kids Push Your Buttons (And Why Yelling Makes It Worse)

    If your child seems to know exactly how to get a reaction out of you, you’re not imagining it. When kids engage in attention-seeking behavior in children, it can feel intentional, frustrating, and hard to ignore, especially when it looks like child testing boundaries in real time. In this episode, I’m breaking down what’s really going on underneath attention-seeking behavior in children and why kids rely on it to get positive attention. We’ll talk about how to respond when your child is child testing boundaries, what it looks like to stay grounded in confident parenting, and why your reaction matters more than you think. You’ll also learn how to shift your approach so that positive attention reinforces the behaviors you actually want to see. In this episode, we cover: Why attention-seeking behavior in children is normal and often tied to a need for positive attention What’s happening when your child is testing boundaries and looking for a reaction How confident parenting helps you respond without escalating the situation Why giving positive attention at the right time reduces attention-seeking behavior in children How to handle moments of child testing boundaries without reinforcing the behavior What positive attention looks like when you feel triggered or frustrated How increasing positive attention can decrease attention-seeking behavior in children over time When frequent child testing boundaries might signal a deeper need for connection and positive attention If you’re stuck in a cycle where attention-seeking behavior in children and child testing boundaries lead to bigger reactions, this episode will help you shift into confident parenting and use positive attention in a way that actually works. LET'S CONNECT: Thriving Child Center PCIT Experts Calm and Connected Program Instagram Love having expert tips you can actually use? Join our newsletter and get a beautifully designed PDF of each episode’s top 3 takeaways—delivered straight to your inbox every week. Are you a provider? Subscribe here for professional insights and parenting resources!

    • Transcript
  • #55
    April 14 · 26 min

    Why Smart Kids Still Struggle With Studying: 4 Tips from Evan Weinberger on How to Help Your Child Study

    If your child is bright but still struggling with studying, you’re not alone. I see this all the time in my practice, where kids have the ability but not the study skills for students or the time management for kids that actually help them succeed. And that can be incredibly frustrating for both parents and kids. In this episode, I sit down with Evan Weinberger to talk about why even smart kids struggle and what we can actually do about it through confident parenting. We break down what’s missing when it comes to study skills for students, how time management for kids plays a huge role in academic success, and how to support your child without turning studying into a constant battle. Evan Weinberger shares practical strategies you can use right away to help your child build independence, confidence, and stronger habits. In this episode, we cover: Why smart kids often lack study skills for students even when they understand the material How poor time management for kids leads to last-minute stress and inconsistent performance What confident parenting looks like when your child resists studying How Evan Weinberger approaches building study skills for students in a way that actually sticks The role of time management for kids in reducing homework battles How to shift into confident parenting instead of nagging or constant reminders Simple systems Evan Weinberger recommends to improve studying at home Why building study skills for students and improving time management for kids creates long-term success If you’ve been stuck in a cycle of reminders, frustration, and your child avoiding work, this episode will help you take a confident parenting approach while building the study skills for students and time management for kids your child actually needs, with guidance from Evan Weinberger. LET'S CONNECT: Thriving Child Center PCIT Experts Calm and Connected Program Instagram Love having expert tips you can actually use? Join our newsletter and get a beautifully designed PDF of each episode’s top 3 takeaways—delivered straight to your inbox every week. Are you a provider? Subscribe here for professional insights and parenting resources! CONNECT WITH EVAN WEINBERGER: SAOTG Client Challenge Facebook Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn Binder system for students Reach out (713-665-4263 or info@saotg.com) to discuss any additional support needs for academic tutoring and/or executive function coaching

    • Transcript
  • #54
    April 7 · 20 min

    Should I Be Concerned About My Child’s Reading? How To Know and What To Do with Dyanna Villesca

    If you’ve ever wondered whether your child is just learning at their own pace or truly a child struggling to read, this episode is for you. Questions about early reading can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re unsure what’s typical and what might require support from a dyslexia psychologist. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Dyanna Villesca, a dyslexia psychologist, to talk about what’s really going on when a child struggling to read isn’t making progress. We break down what to look for in early reading, how specialists think about how to diagnose dyslexia in a child, and when it might be time to seek guidance from a dyslexia psychologist. If you’ve been unsure about your child’s early reading development, this conversation will give you clarity and next steps. In this episode, we cover: What’s typical in early reading, and when to start paying closer attention How a dyslexia psychologist evaluates a child struggling to read Early indicators that may point toward the need for how to diagnose dyslexia in a child What parents should understand about how to diagnose dyslexia in a child and the evaluation process Why early reading struggles don’t always mean something serious, but shouldn’t be ignored How a dyslexia psychologist supports families through the assessment process The emotional experience of a child struggling to read and how to support them When to take the next step toward how to diagnose dyslexia in a child If you’re concerned about a child struggling to read, this episode will help you better understand early reading, what a dyslexia psychologist looks for, and how to approach how to diagnose dyslexia in a child with confidence. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Read the full show notes HERE! LET'S CONNECT: Thriving Child Center PCIT Experts Calm and Connected Program Instagram Love having expert tips you can actually use? Join our newsletter and get a beautifully designed PDF of each episode’s top 3 takeaways—delivered straight to your inbox every week. Are you a provider? Subscribe here for professional insights and parenting resources! CONNECT WITH DYANNA VILLESCA: Website Instagram Facebook

    • Transcript
Showing 21–23 of 23 episodes