The Parenting Pair Podcast | Expert Guidance for Parents of Teens and Tweens
Are you raising a teenager, tween or adolescent — whether that's a middle schooler, college student, or somewhere in between — and looking for real, compassionate guidance from people who actually get it?
Welcome to The Parenting Pair Podcast — hosted by Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen, two licensed child and adolescent clinical psychologists and moms of teens and tweens themselves.
After years of answering questions in our offices, at the bus stop, and on the sidelines, we created this podcast to bring evidence-based mental health guidance directly to parents of older kids, teenagers and young adults — without the jargon, and without the judgment.
Every week we tackle the topics parents of teens and tweens are actually navigating: anxiety, depression, ADHD, motivation, communication, emotional regulation, resilience, self-harm, sports betting, gratitude, and so much more. We also bring in expert guests — specialists, clinicians, and researchers — to go deeper on the topics that matter most to your family.
Whether you're dealing with a mental health crisis, trying to figure out how to talk to your middle schooler or high schooler, navigating the college process, or just looking for reassurance that you're not alone — you're in the right place.
New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe so you never miss one.
The Parenting Pair Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional psychological or medical advice.
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Is It Safe to Skip Your Period? Birth Control & Cancer Risk | Dr. Sophia Yen
Saison 3 · Épisode 3
mercredi 23 septembre 2026 • Durée 31:05
Is it safe to skip your period? Dr. Sophia Yen makes the case that for many teens and women it is, and that the long-term benefits may include a significantly lower risk of ovarian cancer.
In honor of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, we're re-sharing one of our most-talked about episodes. Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron talk with Dr. Sophia Yen, a board-certified pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist, about menstrual suppression, the medical option to reduce or eliminate periods with hormonal birth control, and her "Periods Optional" approach.
Dr. Yen frames menstrual suppression as a risk-benefit decision and explains why she believes the benefits outweigh the risks for many women. She discusses her perspective that fewer lifetime menstrual cycles may reduce the risk of ovarian, endometrial, and colorectal cancers, noting that five years of pill, patch, or ring use can lower ovarian cancer risk by roughly half. She also addresses the small increase in breast cancer risk associated with hormonal contraception.
The conversation extends beyond cancer risk to the day-to-day impact of menstruation, including heavy bleeding, missed school, anemia, and the stress of unpredictable cycles. Dr. Yen explains how stable hormone levels may benefit acne and other health conditions, and she addresses common myths, including whether hormonal birth control affects future fertility.
For parents, this is a clear, evidence-informed starting point for a conversation with your daughter and her doctor.
You'll learn:
- What menstrual suppression is and why Dr. Yen calls periods "optional"
- How periods relate to anemia, and what Dr. Yen says about cancer risk
- Whether birth control affects fertility later
- Who should not use estrogen-containing birth control, including those with a blood clot history or migraine with aura
- Why estrogen dose matters for teen bone health
- When starting may make sense, and why timing depends on how heavy periods are and how much growing a teen has left
Episode highlights:
00:00 – The Real Reason Women Have Monthly Periods
02:32 – What If Periods Could Be Optional?
04:10 – To Bleed or Not to Bleed: Understanding the Risk–Benefit Balance
05:03 – Periods and Cancer Risk: Ovarian, Endometrial & Colorectal
07:32 – Menstruation and Anemia: A Common Connection
11:04 – Does Birth Control Make It Harder to Get Pregnant Later?
14:02 – How Birth Control Pills Can Support Fertility and Hormonal Health
15:07 – When Birth Control Pills Aren't Recommended
17:50 – The Unexpected Benefits of Making Periods Optional
20:00 – Dr. Yen's Algorithm for Choosing the Right Birth Control Pill
22:53 – Why Estrogen Plays a Key Role in Bone Health
26:49 – When to Consider Birth Control as a Health Tool
For more on #PeriodsOptional, watch Dr. Yen's TEDx Talk, "Making Periods Optional":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ7-_MOjEeY
You can also follow Dr. Yen on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, or connect with her company Pandia Health (where you can access the birth control algorithm):
https://www.pandiahealth.com/about/
https://www.instagram.com/pandiahealth/
https://www.tiktok.com/@drsophiayen
https://www.facebook.com/pandiahealth/
https://twitter.com/pandiahealth
🔔 New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe for more expert conversations on parenting, health, and raising confident, well-informed teens.
🌐 Visit https://drscaronandallen.com/ to listen and learn more.
DISCLAIMER: The Parenting Pair Podcast is designed for informational and educational purposes only. Do not rely on the information presented in this podcast as a substitute or replacement for professional (psychological or medical) advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have concerns about your or a family member's well-being, please contact a licensed mental health professional or physician.
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Is 13 Too Young for Social Media? What Parents Need to Know About the Teen Brain | Dr. Eva Telzer
Saison 3 · Épisode 2
mercredi 16 septembre 2026 • Durée 37:07
Is 13 really the right age for a teen or tween to start using social media? What does social media have to do with the developing adolescent brain—and should parents limit, delay, or ban it altogether?
In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen talk with Dr. Eva Telzer, psychologist, neuroscientist, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at UNC Chapel Hill, and co-director of the Winston Center for Technology and the Developing Mind.
Dr. Telzer explains why adolescence is a particularly important period of brain development, when teens become more sensitive to rewards and social experiences while executive functioning continues to develop. Today's digital environment can amplify these developmental changes by providing highly personalized social feedback, algorithms, short-form content, and other powerful sources of engagement.
But this isn't a conversation about why social media is all bad. Adolescence is also a time of tremendous growth, connection, creativity, independence, and social awareness—and social media can help teens connect, organize, advocate, and create positive change.
So what can parents actually do? Dr. Telzer discusses when kids should get social media, whether parents should delay, limit, or ban social media, how parents can better understand what their teens are actually seeing online, and why working together with other parents may reduce the social pressure around smartphones. She also highlights the importance of protecting teen sleep by keeping phones and devices out of the bedroom at night.
If you're parenting a tween or teenager and wondering about social media, smartphones, adolescent brain development, screen time, algorithms, or healthy boundaries, this episode offers a research-informed and hopeful perspective on helping teens navigate the digital world.
In This Episode, We Discuss:
Why Adolescence is a remarkable period of brain development and growth
AI, Teens & Relationships: What Parents Need to Know | Dr. Mitch Prinstein
Saison 3 · Épisode 1
mercredi 9 septembre 2026 • Durée 39:45
What happens when kids and teenagers begin turning to AI chatbots for friendship, advice, reassurance, and connection?
In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen sit down with psychologist and adolescent development expert Dr. Mitch Prinstein to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way teens and young people experience relationships.
AI chatbots can be useful tools—but some are also designed to feel remarkably human. They remember what users have said, respond instantly, appear endlessly available, and may reinforce what a young person is already thinking or feeling. For tweens and teens navigating an especially important period of social and emotional development, that raises important questions about what happens when technology begins to replace some of the friction, vulnerability, and learning that come from real human relationships.
In this conversation, we explore:
Why adolescence is such an important period for learning how to build relationships
How teens are using AI chatbots for information, advice, companionship, and connection
Why humans naturally form attachments to things that aren't human
Why an AI chatbot can feel like a friend—even when we know it's a machine
What happens when teens begin preferring chatbots over human peers
How AI can remove the "friction" that is actually important for social and emotional development
The potential connection between chatbot use, loneliness, and reduced interaction with human peers
What teens may miss when AI replaces opportunities to navigate conflict, rejection, vulnerability, and repair
Why real human connection matters so much during adolescence
How parents can approach AI use without immediately turning the conversation into a battle
Why curiosity and open-ended questions may be more effective than judgment
How parents can model critical thinking about AI and help teens think about whether technology aligns with their values
Why AI-enabled toys and chatbots may raise different concerns for younger children
Medical Trauma in Parents: Caring for Yourself So You Can Care for Your Child | Dr. Meghan Marsac
Saison 2 · Épisode 70
mercredi 2 septembre 2026 • Durée 22:22
When your child is facing a serious illness, hospitalization, medical procedure, injury, or other frightening medical experience, it can be easy to focus entirely on your child—and forget that the experience affects you, too.
In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen welcome back Dr. Meghan Marsac, a pediatric psychologist and expert in pediatric medical traumatic stress, to talk about what happens to parents when their child is facing a medical challenge.
Medical trauma doesn't only affect children. Parents may experience intrusive thoughts or memories, avoidance, sleep difficulties, trouble concentrating, increased anxiety, changes in mood, and other symptoms of traumatic stress.
Dr. Marsac explains why recognizing these reactions matters—and why supporting yourself isn't an indulgence or an additional item on an already overwhelming to-do list. Taking care of yourself can actually help you remain present and effective as your child's advocate and caregiver.
Together, they discuss:
What medical trauma can look like in parents
How traumatic stress can show up after a child's diagnosis, hospitalization, accident, or medical procedure
Why parents may minimize or overlook their own distress
Why even teenagers can sense when a parent is struggling
How a parent's emotional health can affect their child
The COACH model for supporting children through medical challenges
Why parents may have difficulty using the COACH approach when they are overwhelmed themselves
How to accept help—and why asking for help isn't a sign of weakness
Ways to find support during hospitalizations and ongoing medical care
Child life specialists, social workers, psychologists, chaplains, and other hospital resources
How parents can take small, realistic steps to care for themselves
Resources for families dealing with pediatric medical trauma and chronic illness
Here are the highlights from the episode:
Back-to-School Parenting: Why Connection Matters More Than Getting Everything Done
Saison 2 · Épisode 69
mercredi 26 août 2026 • Durée 20:14
Back-to-school season can quickly turn parents into the project managers of the household.
School forms, homework, practices, appointments, schedules, emails, deadlines… suddenly, so much of our interaction with our tweens and teens can become solely about getting things done.
But what if, in the middle of all that busyness, we're missing something that matters much more in the long run?
In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen talk about how to navigate the pressure of back-to-school season while protecting the relationships that matter most.
They explore why the quality of our relationships is so important to well-being—and why a missed deadline, imperfect grade, or forgotten task is unlikely to matter as much years from now as the relationship we build with our children.
You'll hear practical strategies for:
Staying connected when most conversations seem to be about what needs to get done
Understanding your teen's growing need for independence
Not taking adolescent distance or irritability personally
Listening to what your teen is interested in instead of immediately redirecting them to the next task
Respecting reasonable differences in opinions and choices
Asking your teen what they think before immediately giving your own advice
Recognizing the importance of friendships, mentors, coaches, teachers, and other adults in your child's life
Balancing the inevitable "management mode" with moments of genuine connection
Remembering that parenting is about the long haul—not getting every moment right
These are the highlights of the episode:
00:00 Why Relationships Matter Way More Than Management
Medical Anxiety in Kids & Teens: How to Help Them Cope | Pediatric Medical Trauma
Saison 2 · Épisode 68
mercredi 19 août 2026 • Durée 38:16
Medical challenges can affect far more than your child's physical health.
Whether it's a routine shot, bloodwork, a frightening trip to the ER, surgery, an injury, or managing a chronic medical condition, medical experiences can bring fear, anxiety, avoidance, stress, and sometimes even medical trauma.
And for parents, these situations can be overwhelming too. Suddenly you're managing appointments, medications, insurance, specialists, school, siblings, and your child's emotional needs—all while trying to figure out how to help your child cope.
In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen sit down with Dr. Meghan Marsac, a pediatric psychologist and Division Chief of Psychology at the University of Kentucky Pediatrics Department, to talk about how parents can support children and teens through medical challenges. Dr. Marsac brings extensive expertise in pediatric medical trauma and shares practical, evidence-based strategies for helping families navigate difficult medical experiences while protecting connection, autonomy, and the rest of a young person's life.
In This Episode, We Discuss:
How medical challenges can affect children's mental and emotional health — and why physical and mental health shouldn't be treated as completely separate.
Medical anxiety and medical trauma — from everyday procedures like shots and bloodwork to more significant medical events and chronic illness.
Why validation matters — and how acknowledging that something is difficult for your child can strengthen connection rather than making the fear worse.
Parent vs. caregiver — how chronic illness or injury can shift parents into a caregiving role and unintentionally change the parent-child relationship.
Protecting your teen's independence during medical challenges — including finding ways to preserve friendships, activities, school, and the other parts of life that matter to them.
Supporting siblings when one child's medical needs require more attention from the family.
How to Raise a Teen Who Makes Good Decisions (Even When You're Not Watching)
Saison 2 · Épisode 67
mercredi 12 août 2026 • Durée 28:04
Parenting Pair classic: We are bringing this essential conversation back to the top of your feed this week. This is one of our most-watched episodes, and the practical tools inside are too important to miss. Whether you're hearing it for the first time or need a timely refresher, we hope it brings you some compassionate guidance today.
How do you raise a teen who makes good decisions on their own — even when you're not there to guide them? In this episode, child and adolescent psychologists Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron tackle a question every parent of a tween or teen asks at some point: my child wants more freedom, but can they actually handle it?
They break down exactly how to raise responsible, independent teens without swinging to either extreme — permissive parenting on one end, helicopter parenting on the other. Using real examples and a simple framework parents can start using today, they explain the three types of independence every teen needs to develop: the ability to make their own choices, the ability to think through problems on their own, and the ability to trust their own feelings and judgment.
You'll learn:
How to raise a teen who can think for themselves and problem-solve without you
The difference between authoritative parenting and authoritarian parenting — and why it matters for raising a responsible teen
A real-life role-play example (a teen who got a D on a test) showing exactly what to say — and what not to say — to help your teen make good decisions
Why asking "what do you think?" before offering advice builds better decision-makers
The "get out of their way" coaching lesson that applies directly to parenting tweens and teens
What decades of research from Dr. Joseph Allen's lab at the University of Virginia reveals about how this kind of parenting shapes teens' decision-making, relationships, and choices well into adulthood
Plus, book recommendations for parents who want to go deeper: The Self-Driven Child by William Stixrud PhD and Ned Johnson, How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims, and Age of Opportunity by Laurence Steinberg.
Sexual Assault Awareness: College Red Zone Conversation Guide for Parents and Teens
Saison 2 · Épisode 66
mercredi 5 août 2026 • Durée 25:29
Encore episode: It's move-in week — and this episode is a timely one for parents of teens heading to college, a new social scene, or just more unsupervised time with friends.
In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron have a clear conversation about sexual assault prevention — for teens and young adults of any gender, not just those heading off to college. They talk through how to bring up a hard topic without lecturing, what actually helps reduce risk at parties and social gatherings, and how teens can look out for each other and step in when something feels off.
This episode is for parents who want to prepare their teen without over-scaring them — and for teens themselves, since it's built to be shared directly with them.
Dr. Allen and Dr. Caron cover:
Why open, low-pressure conversations about safety matter more than one big talk
How to talk about prevention without implying it's ever the victim's fault
The role alcohol and parties can play in risk — and practical ways to reduce it
Five concrete strategies teens can use to stay safer in social settings
What healthy bystander intervention looks like, including for teens who worry about misreading a situation
How this conversation applies well beyond college — to high school, new friend groups, and beyond
Here are some highlights from this episode:
00:00 – College parties can be fun and risky at the same time 03:08 – How Dialectical Thinking helps parents handle tough topics with teens 05:10 – Campuses tend to be very safe, except for sexual assaults 09:00 – Five strategies a teen can do to minimize risk 10:43 – The importance of protecting your drink and how to do so 12:15 – What healthy peer support looks like 14:42 – Teaching teens to speak up and step in 16:28 – How to protect friends and peers, safely 18:33 – Recap of 5 strategies to decrease risk of sexual assault 19:48 – Sexual assault prevention starts at home 21:32 – Dialectical thinking helps parent-teen communication and problem solving 23:15 – Acknowledging difficult subjects when feeling unprepared
I Yelled at My Teen. Now What? How to Repair Your Relationship
Saison 2 · Épisode 65
mercredi 29 juillet 2026 • Durée 21:57
Encore episode: Every parent loses their temper sometimes—it is a completely normal part of raising teens. But what matters most is what we do after the dust settles. We are re-sharing this essential conversation because learning how to genuinely repair and apologize to your teen is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen your relationship.
Did you lose your temper with your teen this summer? Wondering how to reconnect after an argument?
Conflict is part of every family—especially during the unstructured days of summer, vacations, and the transition back to school. The good news? Relationships aren't strengthened by never making mistakes. They're strengthened by repairing them.
In this episode of The Parenting Pair Podcast, clinical psychologists Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen explain why a genuine apology is one of the most powerful ways to rebuild trust with your teenager or tween. You'll learn why apologizing doesn't weaken your authority—it actually strengthens your relationship—and how a few common mistakes can unintentionally make an apology less effective.
Whether you recently yelled, overreacted, or simply wish you had handled a parenting moment differently, this episode offers practical, evidence-based strategies to help you reconnect with your child and model the kind of healthy relationships you hope they'll build throughout their lives.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why apologizing actually increases your teen's trust and respect for you • The three biggest apology traps parents fall into—and how to avoid them • How to repair your relationship after an argument without giving up your authority • Why "I'm sorry, but..." almost always backfires • How to apologize without expecting your teen to apologize back • Why relationship repair is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child
Raising Confident, Independent Kids With Food Allergies | Tamara Hubbard
Saison 2 · Épisode 64
mercredi 22 juillet 2026 • Durée 38:08
Food allergies don't just affect what your child or teen eats—they can shape your family's entire experience of school, friendships, and independence. In this episode, therapist and author of May Contain Anxiety Tamara Hubbard joins Dr. Annalise Caron and Dr. Suzanne Allen to talk about food allergy anxiety in kids and teens, and how parents can build trust instead of fear.
Together, they explore how parents can balance vigilance with confidence, help children gradually build independence, and avoid letting anxiety shrink their family's world. Tamara shares practical, evidence-based strategies for navigating food allergy anxiety while maintaining a strong parent-child relationship and preparing tweens and teens to safely manage their allergies as they grow.
Whether your child was recently diagnosed or is preparing for college, this episode offers compassionate guidance to help your family move from fear toward confidence.
In This Episode You'll Learn:
Why food allergy anxiety is common—and when it becomes problematic
How to balance safety with quality of life
The difference between food allergy anxiety and food allergy social anxiety
How to help tweens and teens gradually build independence
The 6 "allergy parenting traps" that quietly increase anxiety over time
Why trust is essential when preparing teens to manage allergies
How to respond when your teen isn't taking allergies seriously
The power of curiosity instead of lectures
How Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles can help parents
Ways family and friends can better support children with food allergies
Practical strategies for reducing anxiety while keeping kids safe
Here are some highlights from the episode:
00:00 How to Raise Independent Kids With Food Allergies
00:30 Food Allergies: Today's Topic 01:10 Meet Tamara Hubbard, MA, LCPC, Therapist & Author of "May Contain Anxiety" 02:18 Coping With Food Allergy Anxiety 06:01 Building Confidence Through Skill Development 08:40 Why Professional Guidance Matters 10:30 Living by Your Values, Not Your Anxiety 13:18 Teaching Kids With Food Allergies to Self-Advocate 16:39 Food Allergy Anxiety vs. Food Allergy Social Anxiety 17:54 How Parents and Kids Experience Food Allergy Anxiety Differently 20:43 Less Lecturing, More Understanding 23:44 Common Anxiety Thinking Traps 27:42 When Burnout Becomes a Wake-Up Call 29:02 Food Allergy Support Groups: Benefits and Drawbacks 31:55 How Others Can Better Support Kids With Food Allergies 33:59 How to Connect With Tamara Hubbard
The three major changes happening in the adolescent brain
Why teens are especially sensitive to rewards and social experiences
How social media and today's digital environment interact with adolescent development
How likes, streaks, algorithms, and short-form videos keep teens engaged
Why your teen's social media feed may look completely different from yours
What parents should know about the age of first social media exposure
Why turning 13 doesn't mean a child is suddenly developmentally ready for social media
Whether parents should delay, limit, or ban social media
How parents can better understand their teen's online world
Why protecting sleep and keeping phones out of the bedroom matters
The potential benefits of social media for teens, including connection, activism, and social change
Why digital media literacy matters
How parents can help teens learn to navigate—not simply fear—the digital world
Questions Parents May be Aasking: What is the right age for social media? There is no magic age when every child suddenly becomes developmentally ready. Dr. Telzer explains why the timing of social media exposure matters and why age 13 may actually be a particularly concerning time to introduce social media.
Should I ban social media? An outright ban can sometimes lead teens to seek access secretly and without parental guidance. Dr. Telzer discusses the benefits of clear and thoughtful boundaries and open conversations between parents and teens.
How can I know what my teenager is actually seeing online? Algorithms personalize social media feeds, so parents and teens can have very different experiences on the same platform. Curiosity about your teen's actual digital world is an important place to start.
What can I do right now? Protect sleep. Keeping phones and social media out of the bedroom at night is one of the clearest boundaries parents can set and can support adolescent mental health, attention, school functioning, and overall well-being.
If you're parenting a tween or teenager, listen to this episode for a research-informed look at teen social media use, smartphones, adolescent brain development, and what parents can actually do to help.
00:00 Is 13 Really the Right Age for Social Media? 00:44 Why Social Relationships Matter So Much During Adolescence 03:46 The Positive Side of the Teenage Years 05:43 3 Major Changes in the Adolescent Brain 08:12 Why Social Media Can Be So Compelling to Teens 11:33 Adolescence, Brain Development & the Digital World 14:28 What Can Parents Do About Teen Social Media Use? 16:37 What Actually Counts as Social Media? 19:48 Likes, Streaks & Other Features That Keep Teens Engaged 23:24 How Algorithms Shape Your Teen's Social Media Feed 26:31 What Age Should Kids Get Social Media? 27:59 Should Parents Ban, Limit or Delay Social Media? 31:16 The Positive Side of Social Media for Teens 33:08 Should Schools Teach Digital Media Literacy? 35:51 Helping Teens Navigate the Digital World
🎧 Listen to the full episode and share it with another parent who could use this perspective.
And if this episode helped you think differently about your teen’s relationship with technology, subscribe to The Parenting Pair Podcast for more conversations about parenting, adolescent development, mental health, and family relationships.
Wait Until 8th This is the movement referenced when the hosts and Dr. Telzer discuss parents banding together to delay smartphones and reduce the social pressure children feel to have them. Wait Until 8th
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Teenage brain, social media and teens, social media and adolescent brain, teen brain development, tween brains, adolescent brain development, teens and social media, social media effects on teenagers, social media effects on teen brain, parenting teenagers, teen mental health, teen relationships, teenage relationships, social media and relationships, social media algorithms, teens and technology, digital media and te...
Why parents should think about AI use differently depending on their child's developmental stage
What we still don't know about the long-term effects of AI on adolescent development
One of the central ideas in this conversation is simple but important: relationships aren't just something teenagers have—they are something teenagers learn through real life experience.
The disagreements, awkward conversations, misunderstandings, breakups, rejection, vulnerability, and repair that happen in real relationships can be difficult to watch as a parent. But they can also become important "learning moments" that help young people develop empathy, perspective-taking, communication skills, and the ability to navigate relationships throughout adulthood.
And as AI becomes increasingly sophisticated, parents may need to think not only about what their teens are doing with technology, but also about what opportunities they might be missing because of it.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Why We As Humans Can Feel Attachment to a Chatbot
00:48 Today’s Topic: Teens, Technology & AI
00:59 Meet Dr. Mitch Prinstein
02:23 Why Adolescence Matters So Much
06:26 How Teens Are Using AI Chatbots
10:03 Why We Form Attachments to AI
11:41 When Kids Prefer Chatbots Over People
13:55 Why AI Chatbots Are So Compelling
15:13 The Mental Health & Developmental Risks
17:16 The Mental Health Implications
19:24 What Teens Lose When AI Replaces Relationships
23:01 Why Human Connection Can’t Be Replaced
25:55 Should AI Chatbots Be Regulated?
27:48 What Parents Need to Know
29:49 AI Guidance for Different Ages
32:35 How Parents Can Model Healthy AI Use
34:54 Curiosity Over Judgment
37:09 Growing Up in the AI Experiment
38:31 Final Thoughts
ABOUT DR. MITCH PRINSTEIN
Dr. Mitch Prinstein is the John Van Seters Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and co-director of the Winston Center for Technology and the Developing Mind. His research focuses on interpersonal relationships, adolescent development, mental health, and the ways technology and digital platforms influence young people.
He is also the author of Popular: The Power of Likability in a Status-Obsessed World, which examines the role of popularity, likability, relationships, and social status across development.
🔗 Learn more about the Winston Center for Technology and the Developing Mind: UNC Winston Center
🔗 That Popular Podcast — Mitch Prinstein and Aaron Keck’s podcast exploring psychology, relationships, human behavior, and the social dynamics we experience every day. Listen to That Popular Podcast on Apple Podcasts
You don't have to become an AI expert overnight to have meaningful conversations with your teenager about technology.
Start with curiosity.
Ask what they're using, what they like about it, what they find helpful, what concerns them, and what they think AI can—and cannot—provide that a real person can.
The goal isn't simply to control technology. It's to help young people develop the judgment and relationship skills they will need to navigate a world in which AI is becoming part of everyday life.
💬 We want to hear from you: How is your teen or young adult using AI? Are they using it for school, advice, entertainment, companionship—or something else?
And if you're concerned about their AI use, what questions are you finding hardest to navigate as a parent?
Share your experience below. 👇
And if this conversation gave you something to think about, please subscribe to The Parenting Pair Podcast and share this episode with another parent.
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One of the most important reminders from this conversation: you don't have to do this alone. Sometimes the first step isn't finding more time for yourself—it's saying yes when someone offers to help.
👩⚕️ Meet Dr. Meghan Marsac
Dr. Meghan Marsac is a pediatric psychologist and Division Chief of Psychology at the University of Kentucky. She has published extensively on pediatric medical trauma and co-authored Afraid of the Doctor: Every Parent's Guide to Preventing and Managing Medical Trauma with Melissa Hogan.Her work focuses on helping children and families navigate the psychological impact of medical experiences.
📚 Resources Mentioned in This Episode
📖 Afraid of the Doctor: Every Parent's Guide to Preventing and Managing Medical Trauma By Meghan L. Marsac, Melissa J. Hogan, with a foreword by John F. Crowley. The book provides practical strategies for parents navigating medical procedures, medical trauma, chronic conditions, and difficult healthcare experiences.
🧰 Healthcare Toolbox — Center for Pediatric Traumatic Stress A free resource with information, handouts, and workbooks for children, teens, parents, and caregivers coping with injury, illness, hospitalization, and medical treatment. Dr. Marsac is co-director of this organization.
🧠 National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) The NCTSN provides information and resources about child traumatic stress, including resources specifically related to medical trauma and healthcare experiences.
🤝 Alongside Network A community and resource network supporting families caring for children who have experienced a life-threatening illness or injury. Alongside offers parent/caregiver communities, support, resources, and connections with others who understand these experiences.
If your child or teenager has experienced a frightening medical event, chronic illness, hospitalization, injury, or difficult medical treatment, we hope this conversation reminds you that your experience matters, too.
And if someone in your life is navigating a medical challenge with their child, share this episode with them. Sometimes hearing that your reactions are understandable—and that you don't have to carry everything alone—can make a meaningful difference.
💬 Questions you want answered on future episodes or topic suggestions: hello@theparentingpair.com
DISCLAIMER: The Parenting Pair Podcast is designed for informational and educational purposes only. Do not rely on the information presented in this podcast as a substitute or replacement for professional -- psychological or medical -- advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have concerns about you or a family member's well being, please contact a licensed mental health professional or physician.
07:05 Why Teens Pull Away
09:11 Why Peer Relationships Matter
10:16 You Don’t Have to Be Everything
11:41 How to Build Connection in Busy Moments
13:13 Show Interest in What Matters to Them
15:50 Respecting Their Independence
16:29 Ask Before Giving Advice
17:34 Don’t React to Every Eye Roll
18:00 What Now? Parenting Is About the Long Haul
The goal isn't to stop managing altogether. There will always be homework, schedules, forms, deadlines, and mornings when you're running late. The goal is to make sure that those things don't become the only focus of your relationship with your child or teenager.
As Annalise and Suzanne discuss, parenting gives us thousands of moments with our kids. If one doesn't go well, there's always another opportunity to reconnect. ❤️
💬 What tends to take over in your household when back-to-school gets busy: connection or task management? Let us know in the comments.
Research Mentioned
The episode references Stanford research on how the adolescent brain responds differently to a mother's voice compared with unfamiliar voices. The study found a developmental shift toward greater responsiveness to unfamiliar voices during adolescence, consistent with the growing importance of social connections outside the family.
💬 Questions you want answered on future episodes or topic suggestions: hello@theparentingpair.com
DISCLAIMER: The Parenting Pair Podcast is designed for informational and educational purposes only. Do not rely on the information presented in this podcast as a substitute or replacement for professional -- psychological or medical -- advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have concerns about you or a family member's well being, please contact a licensed mental health professional or physician.
How parents can advocate within complex medical systems — including asking questions, gathering information, communicating between providers, and making sure important information doesn't get lost.
Helping teens become more involved in their own medical care — gradually giving them opportunities to ask questions, advocate for themselves, and take more leadership.
The COACH approach — a framework Dr. Marsac and her coauthor developed to help parents break down challenging medical situations and choose strategies that fit their child.
Planning ahead for medical appointments and procedures — including determining how much information your child wants and when they want to receive it.
Why your child's medical condition shouldn't become their entire identity — and how families can continue to make room for the many other parts of who they are.
Chapters:
00:00 | Medical Challenges: Why Planning Ahead Works 00:29 | Today’s Topic: Medical Challenges With Teens and Tweens 01:17 | Meet Meghan Marsac, Pediatric Psychologist 02:48 | Why Meghan Marsac Wrote Afraid of the Doctor 05:20 | The Connection Between Medical Trauma and Emotional & Behavioral Struggles 08:44 | Considering Medical Challenges in the Context of a Child’s Whole Life 13:43 | Why Validation Is So Important 14:50 | The Role of a Parent vs. a Caregiver 18:20 | How to Address a New Medical Reality With Siblings 21:13 | When the Parent Becomes the Leader of the Medical Team 24:20 | The COACH Approach: What It Means 29:20 | How Parents Can Cope Ahead With Medical Anxiety 32:59 | Recommendations for Parents Facing Medical Challenges
Important Takeaways
One of the most powerful ideas in this conversation is that a child is more than their medical condition.
As Dr. Marsac explains, families can become understandably focused on appointments, medications, treatments, and medical care—particularly when a child has a chronic condition. But it's also important to keep seeing the whole person: their friendships, activities, interests, school, family relationships, independence, and the things that bring them joy.
Medical care matters. So does the rest of their life.
The conversation also emphasizes that parents don't have to navigate complex medical systems perfectly. Asking questions, requesting clarification, writing things down, and advocating for your child are all legitimate parts of supporting them.
And if a particular strategy doesn't work for your child, that doesn't mean you've failed. Dr. Marsac emphasizes that different strategies work for different children—and parents know their own children better than any professional does.
If you're parenting a child or teen through a medical challenge, we hope this conversation helps you feel more informed, more confident, and a little less alone.
💬 What part of your child's medical journey has been hardest to navigate as a parent?
💬 Questions you want answered on future episodes or topic suggestions: hello@theparentingpair.com
Resources Mentioned In This Episode
Afraid of the Doctor: Every Parent's Guide to Preventing and Managing Medical Trauma By Dr. Meghan Marsac and Melissa Hogan.
https://www.afraidofthedoctor.com/
The Cellie Coping kit
https://www.celliecopingkit.org/ About Dr. Meghan Marsac
Dr. Meghan Marsac is a pediatric psychologist and Division Chief of Psychology at the University of Kentucky Pediatrics Department. She is a tenured professor at the University of Kentucky's College of Medicine, an Affiliate Research Scientist at the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), an Affiliate at the Center for Violence Prevention at CHOP, and Division Chief of Psychology in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Kentucky.
DISCLAIMER: The Parenting Pair Podcast is designed for informational and educational purposes only. Do not rely on the information presented in this podcast as a substitute or replacement for professional -- psychological or medical -- advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have concerns about you or a family member's well being, please contact a licensed mental health professional or physician.
If you're raising a teen who wants more freedom, a tween pushing back on rules, or you're simply wondering how to raise a responsible teen who makes good choices — this episode gives you a practical, research-backed place to start.
💬 Questions you want answered on future episodes or topic suggestions: hello@theparentingpair.com
DISCLAIMER: The Parenting Pair Podcast is designed for informational and educational purposes only. Do not rely on the information presented in this podcast as a substitute or replacement for professional -- psychological or medical -- advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have concerns about you or a family member's well being, please contact a licensed mental health professional or physician.
If you've ever worried about your teen being vulnerable in college or social settings, this episode will give you actionable tools to keep them safe and empowered.
🧰 Resources & Tools Mentioned in This Episode:
Drink safety products — spill-proof drink covers, drink-spiking test strips, and water bottles with flip-top lids or built-in straws can add an extra layer of protection at parties or bars
Self-defense classes — many towns, community organizations, and universities offer beginner-friendly courses; a great option to look into before heading to campus
Campus safety resources — most colleges have blue light emergency phones and call/escort services; encourage your teen to locate these during orientation
⬇️ For downloadable resources for teens/young adults and parents, based on this episode:
💬 Questions you want answered on future episodes or topic suggestions: hello@theparentingpair.com
DISCLAIMER: The Parenting Pair Podcast is designed for informational and educational purposes only. Do not rely on the information presented in this podcast as a substitute or replacement for professional -- psychological or medical -- advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have concerns about you or a family member's well being, please contact a licensed mental health professional or physician.
Episode Highlights
00:00 – Why relationship repair matters more than getting parenting "right" 02:50 – Does apologizing make parents lose authority? What the research—and experience—actually shows 05:20 – The three apology traps: losing authority, "tit for tat," and "double dipping" 11:51 – How to make an apology feel genuine instead of manipulative 17:22 – When it's not too late to apologize—and why timing matters less than sincerity 18:42 – How repairing conflict teaches your teen to build healthier future relationships 21:00 – Simple, effective ways to apologize that teens and tweens are more likely to hear 27:00 – What your teenager learns when they see you own your mistakes 33:00 – This week's parenting takeaway: Progress over perfection
If you've ever searched "I yelled at my teenager," "How do I reconnect after an argument with my teen?" or "How do I repair my relationship with my child?", this episode is for you.
Because parenting isn't about being perfect. It's about showing your children what healthy relationships look like—even after things go wrong.
If you found this episode helpful, please share it with another parent, subscribe to The Parenting Pair Podcast, and leave us a review. Your support helps more families discover practical, evidence-based parenting advice.
💬 Questions you want answered on future episodes or topic suggestions: hello@theparentingpair.com
DISCLAIMER: The Parenting Pair Podcast is designed for informational and educational purposes only. Do not rely on the information presented in this podcast as a substitute for professional psychological or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have concerns about your own or a family member's well-being, please contact a licensed mental health professional or physician.
Resources Mentioned
📘 May Contain Anxiety: Managing the Overwhelm of Parenting Children with Food Allergies — by Tamara Hubbard, MA, LCPC
💬 Questions you want answered on future episodes or topic suggestions: hello@theparentingpair.com
DISCLAIMER: The Parenting Pair Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional psychological or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have concerns about your or a family member's wellbeing, please contact a licensed mental health professional or physician.
