Explore every episode of the podcast How Not to Screw Up Your Kids

Is your son a misogynist?

Have they discovered the manosphere?

Are you worried about the content they might be finding online?

In today’s episode, I cut through the fear, the headlines, and the overwhelming statistics to help you understand what’s really happening in the world our children are growing up in. Because the truth is, our children are exposed to misogynistic language and content long before we realise it.

So I am going to explain exactly what the manosphere is, why our kids are being drawn towards it, and the three things our boys are really looking for instead.

I’m going to share five practical, age-specific things you can start doing right now to help them develop critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and the confidence to challenge harmful ideas.

If you want to raise children who are respectful, confident, compassionate, and able to think for themselves, but you just don’t know where to start, this episode is for you.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

02:14 - It never starts with hatred

06:54 - The content finds them

10:41 - Show them how the sausage is made

15:55 - Clunky beats silent

21:20 - Lord of the Rungs

27:14 - Your own source of self-worth

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has your toddler ever bitten another child, hit a sibling, or shoved someone at the playground?

Have they ever lashed out in a way that left you feeling shocked, embarrassed, or judged?

In this episode, I explain why toddlers hit, bite and hurt other children, and why these behaviours are far more developmentally normal than most parents realise. I’ll walk you through what’s actually happening inside your child’s brain, why it’s almost never aggression in the way we understand it, and how hitting and biting is less about naughtiness, and more about overwhelm.

I am going to share the three most important things you can do:

1. how to respond calmly and effectively in the moment,
2. how to build the emotional language that eventually replaces physical behaviours, and
3. how to identify the hidden triggers that make hitting and biting more likely in the first place.

So if you’re struggling with toddler aggression, playground incidents, sibling fighting, nursery reports, or the shame that so often comes with these moments, this episode is the roadmap you need. The practical strategies I share with you today genuinely work.

And remember: your toddler’s hitting or biting is not a reflection of your parenting. It’s a sign that a skill is still developing, and together we can help build it.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:26 - It’s not aggression… it’s communication

07:24 - The 3 things you need to know

17:40 - Common triggers

21:08 - What to do if things don’t get better

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When siblings fight, it can feel endless - the bickering, the shouting, the “that’s not fair,” the constant demand that you step in and decide who’s right.

In this episode, I explain why sibling rivalry is normal, why refereeing often makes things worse, and what actually helps children learn to resolve conflict themselves.

I am going to walk you through the real developmental reasons siblings clash, the skills they’re missing, and how stepping back (safely) gives them the practice they need to build frustration tolerance, negotiation, perspective‑taking and repair.

I will share three things that actually help, and the best part - you can start doing them right now.

This episode is a practical, hopeful guide to transforming sibling dynamics and giving your children the lifelong skills they’ll use in every relationship they ever have.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:18 - Sibling rivalry is a training ground

05:48 - 3 things to remember

09:37 - Resist, resist, resist

12:10 - Neurodiversity

17:18 - Unite and conquer

21:21 - Give your kids a process

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you dread bedtime?

Are you children refusing to go to sleep?

Don’t worry, we’ve all been there! When bedtime becomes a nightly battle, it drains every ounce of energy you have left.

In today’s episode, I walk you through why children of every age struggle to settle at night - from toddlers who can’t tolerate separation, to primary‑aged children whose brains haven’t yet wound down, to teenagers whose phones and FOMO keep them wired long past bedtime.

I explain the real drivers behind bedtime resistance, and share three practical things you can start doing today that will genuinely help.

If you’re exhausted, frustrated, or feeling like nothing you try ever works, this episode will help you understand what’s going on underneath the behaviour, and give you simple, doable steps to finally change the bedtime dynamic in your home.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:41 - Is bedtime a nightmare for you?

06:41 - Three causes of bedtime problems

09:34 - The wind-down window

17:50 - Fix the environment

22:37 - Give your kids responsibility

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let me guess… you spend ages nagging about teeth brushing?

You’re constantly running late?

Homework is a war?

And don’t even mention tidying rooms, am I right?

When I sat down to record this episode, I wanted to flip the whole conversation about children’s habits upside down, because none of the above actually shape who your child becomes as an adult.

In this episode, I walk you through what the research really shows. I explain why self‑control, distress tolerance, problem‑solving, emotional regulation, persistence and self‑advocacy matter far more than perfect mornings or tidy bedrooms, and why rescuing and over-helping is the worst thing we can do (in this particular instance, at least!)

Plus, I share five things you can start doing today to build the habits that matter. These are small shifts with huge long‑term impact, and they will help your child become a capable, resilient adult who can navigate life with confidence.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:12 - IQ doesn’t tell you this

06:25 - Surviving, not thriving

10:19 - The habit of trying

15:36 - Self-advocacy & neurodivergence

21:09 - Resist the rescue

26:15 - Embrace the discomfort

31:06 - Praise the struggle

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I’m talking about food.

Does your toddler refuse pasta because the shape is “wrong”?

Or does your teenager come home from school every day with an energy drink and packet of crisps?

Don’t worry, you are not alone. The struggle is real and it can feel relentless (pun not intended 😆).

But underneath every food battle is the same thing: pressure. It can be their body’s cravings, it can be developmental, it can be social, or (here’s the brutal truth) it might even be us. However, once you understand what’s actually going on in your child’s brain and body, everything changes.

So in today’s bucket-emptying episode, I talk you through the five practical things you can do that genuinely change the game between your kids and food. No battles. No bribing. No guilt. Just simple, doable shifts that help your child build a healthy relationship with food over time.

And the best part: you can start doing these five things right now.

So if food has become a battleground in your home, this episode will help you take back control of the long game.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:03 - Children have more taste buds than adults

03:23 - The Forbidden Fruit Effect

07:22 - My 5 top tips

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has homework become a battle?

Has your child stopped trying or caring?

In this episode, I’m talking directly to the parents who feel like their child’s motivation has quietly slipped away, because I want to help you understand what’s really going on underneath that perceived lack of effort.

Spoiler alert: it’s almost never laziness.

I’m going to walk you through why pushing harder doesn’t work, why rewards and consequences lose their power, and what motivation really looks like in a developing brain. Then I’m going to share five practical things you can start doing today to help your child reconnect with learning and learn how to feel proud of themselves again.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, frustrated, or worried about your child’s motivation, this episode will help you see the problem differently and give you a clear path forward.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:58 - The two kinds of motivation

06:31 - The three skills in this episode

08:26 - Early years and primary school

12:56 - Middle childhood and finding a sense of self

17:59 - Autism & ADHD

23:04 - My top five things

27:59 - Autonomy supporting language

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is your teenager ghosting you?

Do they feel more distant and shut off?

Are you scared that your relationship with them is fading away?

Spoiler alert: we’ve all been there, and I promise you it’s nothing to panic about.

When your teenager stops talking to you, it can feel like you’ve lost the child you once knew. The little person who used to climb into your bed and tell you everything is now quiet, distant, and locked behind their bedroom door.

So in today’s bucket-emptying episode, I explain what’s actually happening in the teenage brain, why this withdrawal is normal (even healthy), and why the old ways of getting them to open up no longer work.

I am going to share five practical things you can start doing today that genuinely help rebuild connection. You’ll learn how to stop overthinking when your teen pulls away, how to ask the right questions, and what to do when your teenager gives you absolutely nothing at all (we’ve all been there!).

This episode will help you understand what your teen is going through, and give you the tools to reconnect in a way that works for both of you.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:00 - An elastic band

05:27 - My five top tips

08:28 - Stop the Spanish Inquisition

12:42 - Listen without agenda

15:16 - Do not disturb

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a family separates, everything shifts. As parents we want to protect our children, but it can feel overwhelming when we don’t always have the answers.

In this episode, I walk you through what the facts tells about children and parental separation, and why long‑term wellbeing is about how we manage conflict, how we communicate, and how we support our children emotionally as they adjust.

In today’s episode you will learn what children need at different developmental stages, from toddlers to teenagers, and I give five practical steps you can start using right now. And for parents of neurodiverse children, I also outline the specific things you can do to make transitions between homes feel much easier.

This episode is here to help you feel steadier, clearer, and more confident… and to remind you that our children are far more adaptable than we give them credit for, but we have to model what that looks like.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:00 - Separating is ok!

04:11 - Fine lens wide lens

07:22 - Different needs at different stages

12:48 - Protect your child from the conflict

15:34 - Your child is NOT a messenger

20:57 - The messages every child needs to hear.

26:10 - Neurodiverse children

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I’m talking honestly about something so many parents worry about - a child who “won’t read”, says reading is boring, or hasn’t picked up a book in years.

I explain why this isn’t a motivation problem at all, but a skills gap in reading identity, attention, language, and confidence. And once you understand what’s really going on underneath the surface, helping your child become a reader becomes far more straightforward.

I walk you through the wide‑lens view of reading: why some children haven’t yet found the right book, why reading has accidentally become a chore, and why the digital world makes sustained attention harder for every child.

I also share five practical things you can start today to help your child rediscover a love of reading that lasts for life.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:00 - The biggest predictor of academic success

04:03 - Why reading skills matter

08:06 - 5 things that actually help

12:06 - Let your kids read whatever they want

16:38 - Model reading to your children

19:22 - Stop doing these things right now

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A child melts down at the door, stomach pain, tears, refusal, and you’re standing there with a 9am meeting to get to, unsure whether to push harder or give in.

Your child is at a developmental crossroads, but when should does normal age-appropriate behaviour become emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA)? And more importantly, what can you do about it?

Not every worry is an anxiety disorder, and when we treat normal discomfort as something it isn’t, we risk teaching children that hard feelings mean something is wrong with them.

In this episode, I help you to understand the difference between something totally expected for your child’s developmental stage, versus something that may need some additional support and attention.

I am going to share the four functions of avoidance to look out for, and give you some practical things you can do to help your kids right away.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:56 - 2 truths

07:25 - 4 reasons for school avoidance

10:48 - 3 levels of distress tolerance

16:13 - The core skills you’re building

19:01 - Neurodiversity and school avoidance

24:39 - Maryhan’s top tips

31:46 - You can do these things right now…

37:52 - Where to get support

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is bedtime a battle?

Does your child wake through the night?

Or are you simply unsure whether your child is getting enough sleep?

Most parents think of sleep as “rest”, but once you understand what sleep is actually doing inside your child’s developing brain, everything changes.

In today’s episode, I break down the science behind sleep - what it really says about memory consolidation, emotional regulation, growth, immunity and mental health, and how chronic sleep loss shows up in behaviour in more ways than just yawning!

I’ll walk you through age‑by‑age sleep guidelines, the neuroscience behind sleep, why some children wake repeatedly, why teenagers genuinely can’t fall asleep early, and how circadian rhythm disruptions quietly sabotage bedtime.

And I also share with you five practical, proven things that genuinely help, and you can start doing them tonight.

Sleep isn’t a luxury. It’s the foundation of learning, behaviour, resilience and emotional wellbeing. Once you understand this, you’ll never look at bedtime the same way again.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:00 - Your child does 4 things in sleep that they do not do awake

04:27 - Sleep is not a luxury item

08:02 - How much sleep does your child need?

11:40 - Learnt sleep associations

16:34 - 5 things that actually help

23:11 - Practical things you can do

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m diving deep into one of the most emotionally charged parts of parenting: your child’s friendships.

I’ll show you how to read what their social world is really telling you, how to recognise what’s developmentally normal, and how to support them without stepping in too fast or taking over.

I will explain the difference between friendship friction and genuine red flags, how to coach your child from the sidelines, and how to make home the safest place for them to talk about their social world. I also unpack the unique challenges neurodiverse children face in friendships and give you clear, practical things you can right now to help.

If you’ve ever worried about your child being left out, dropped, overwhelmed, or stuck in friendship drama, this episode will give you clarity, confidence, and a roadmap for what to do next. 

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:46 - Friendships are developmental

04:45 - The foundations of a healthy friendship

11:11 - Things you can do

15:05 - Quality over quantity

18:39 - Know what is age appropriate

22:25 - The three parts of an apology

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spoiler alert: a tantrum isn’t bad behaviour. It’s a developmental event that happens when your kid’s nervous system is really overwhelmed.

When your children have tantrums, it is never a reflection of you or your parenting. It’s a completely normal and age appropriate thing.

So in this episode, I’m diving into the world of toddler tantrums - what causes them, what happens in your child’s brain at that moment, and the five things that genuinely help.

You’ll learn why reasoning never works during a meltdown, how your calm becomes their co‑regulation, why naming the feeling (not the behaviour) changes everything, and how staying close and reconnecting afterwards builds emotional regulation, resilience, confidence and long‑term self‑belief.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, frustrated or unsure how to respond when your toddler explodes, this episode gives you a clear, compassionate roadmap that works.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:58 - The spiky beaker

03:36 - Look through a wide lens

09:10 - Co-regulation

11:06 - Do not try to reason

16:20 - Name the feeling

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you know if your child is confident, or just masking?

In today’s episode, I explain the two core skills that create genuine, lifelong confidence, and once you understand these foundations, helping your child become braver, more resilient, and more willing to try new things becomes so much easier.

I walk you through the wide‑lens approach I use with families, showing you how confidence grows through lived experience AND I share the five practical strategies I recommend for toddlers, primary‑aged children, and teenagers.

If you’ve ever worried about a child who won’t try new things, who crumbles at the first sign of difficulty, or who compares themselves harshly to others, this episode will give you the language and mindset to help them grow real confidence from the inside out.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:06 - Confidence is not fearless

05:28 - Self-effigacy and self-worth

09:47 - Confidence is trying anyway

13:41 - How to deal with pre-schoolers

17:13 - Age and stage appropriate levels

21:48 - Watch the labels

27:42 - Separate worth from performance

32:42 - Hold first, help second

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve ever asked your children “How was school?” and received “Fine”, “I don’t know”, or total silence, you’re not alone. Our children walk through the door with a full emotional bucket, tired from holding themselves together all day, so the usual questions just don’t work.

In today’s bucket emptying episode, I give you five simple questions you can start using today that help your kids open and help you connect deeper and communicate better.

If you want to strengthen your relationship with your child, reduce after‑school battles, and finally hear what their day was really like, this episode gives you the exact language and structure to do it.

These five questions are so much more than ice-breakers.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:55 - Stop asking impossible questions

04:09 - Talking is not the same as being ready to connect

08:09 - Consistency is safe

10:26 - Plant the seeds

12:40 - The 5 questions

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s the real key to raising a child who genuinely loves learning - not because of school pressure, grades, or how much homework they do, but because curiosity and resilience have been built from the inside out?

As a psychologist and parent, I’ve seen again and again that children do the best academically and emotionally when we stop focusing on homework battles, reading resistance, or low motivation, and instead think about the deeper skills that make learning fun and self‑driven.

In today’s episode, I walk you through the two main skills every child needs - curiosity and resilience - and give you five practical ways you can start strengthening them today.

From following your child’s natural spark, to praising the process instead of the outcome, to letting them see you get things wrong, protecting unstructured time, and resisting the urge to rescue them too quickly… these are the tools that build lifelong learners who don’t need pushing, bribing or nagging.

This episode will help your child become more confident, capable, motivated and engaged, at school and beyond.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:47 - Playing the long game

05:39 - 2 skill gaps you need to know

08:41 - Failing is how you learn

13:19 - Identity and outcome

15:55 - Get things wrong

18:30 - Teach your kids to be curious

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first day at a new school can be a scary experience for many children, as well as us parents! But what do you do if your kid is super nervous?

We often feel like the bad guy making them go in when they clearly don’t want to, even when we know it’s the best thing for them, so in this week’s bucket emptying episode, I give you my ten top tips for managing those first day jitters.

So pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:21 - It’s normal to feel nervous

05:33 - Active listening

09:28 - Pulling back bedtime

13:28 - Role play problem solving

14:55 - Prep ourselves

18:03 - Protect their energy

21:35 - A happy child is more likely to learn

24:51 - Pulling everything together

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether your child is starting reception, moving into secondary school, returning to a familiar classroom, or stepping into a brand‑new environment like college or university, there is one important conversation you should be having, but most parents miss it.

In today’s episode, I walk you through exactly how I approach this conversation in my own family and with the families I support: how to choose the right moment, how to open the discussion without triggering anxiety, how to validate their feelings, how to widen the emotional picture, and how to end with the kind of certainty that genuinely steadies a child’s nervous system.

I’m going to give you the practical steps to help your children feel safe, prepared and connected, without the overwhelm.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:49 - Ch-ch-ch-changes

04:00 - How to know when your child is ready

08:06 - Worst case scenarios

10:49 - What to ask… and what not to ask

13:29 - Validate whatever they say

17:03 - This is what certainty sounds like

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Results week doesn’t end on results day - in fact, the days and weeks following results day is where the real emotional work happens.

In today’s bucket emptying episode, I give you three precise, ready‑to‑use conversation starters that help your child feel seen, steady and supported, regardless of whether they’re celebrating, disappointed, confused or quietly struggling.

As a parent, your words shape how your child processes their results, how they rebuild their confidence, and how they move forward. These conversation starters work for GCSEs, A‑levels and any moment where your child is facing uncertainty, shame, pride or a changed plan.

If you want to be the supportive presence your child needs, reduce overwhelm, and strengthen their emotional resilience, this episode gives you the exact language to do it.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:41 - What about afterwards?

02:23 - No pressure

05:03 - Resist reassurance

08:02 - Love is not conditional

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GCSE results day isn’t really about grades - it’s about emotions. Everyone is feeling a lot of things, from the moment you wake up, to opening that envelope, and then processing whatever is inside.

In this episode, I explain why teens react so differently to results, and how your own exam memories resurface to influence your parenting. Remember: this day belongs to our children. Let them lead and be there to help them navigate whatever they’re feeling.

To help you get through results day, I am giving you five tools you can use today that help your child feel safe, supported, and seen, because a calm parent changes everything.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:40 - Results day stays with us

05:08 - Signs to look for

08:33 - Why does our response matter so much

12:11 - 5 things you need to do

14:47 - Do not compare

17:05 - You don’t need to talk about the future today

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

☀️ NEW — The Summer Reset. My seven-week summer programme for parents of anxious children (5–16) — whatever sets the worry off: five live group coaching calls + two private 1:1 sessions with me + every tool, all summer. 18 families only, starts 23 July. Details & enrolment: https://stan.store/drmaryhan/p/the-summer-reset  

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If your teenager’s exam results were not what you expected, your plans might be making some sudden changes. That’s ok, and this episode is for you.

Whether your child didn’t get the grades they hoped for, is suddenly unsure about university, or is facing a future that looks different from what they imagined, I will walk you through the five things I want you to do this week to help them move forward.

Disappointing results can trigger shock, anxiety and fear, because teenagers aren’t just losing a plan, they’re losing the version of themselves they thought they were becoming.

I show you how to name the loss, how to slow the decision‑making process so your teen isn’t making life choices in a state of distress, and how to help them build a new story that feels hopeful rather than catastrophic. I also give you the exact language to separate their identity from their grades, and the questions that help them lead the next step with confidence rather than panic.

If your teenager is hurting, overwhelmed or unsure what comes next, this episode will give you the guidance you need to support them in the weeks and months ahead.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:50 - Grieving your imagined future

02:21 - How to acknowledge your child

05:35 - Help them write a new story

09:11 - Let them lead

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

☀️ NEW — The Summer Reset. My seven-week summer programme for parents of anxious children (5–16) — whatever sets the worry off: five live group coaching calls + two private 1:1 sessions with me + every tool, all summer. 18 families only, starts 23 July. Details & enrolment: https://stan.store/drmaryhan/p/the-summer-reset  

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Results Day is one of the most emotionally-charged moments in your teenager’s life, and what you say in the first hours after they open that envelope can shape their confidence, their resilience, and their future selves. No pressure 😂

Today I am going to give you the exact sentences to use on A‑level Results Day, GCSE Results Day, or any high‑stakes academic moment. No clichés, no “at least” statements, no accidental pressure, just clear, grounded language that helps your teen feel seen, supported and safe.

You’ll learn why teens process results so intensely, how to avoid the most common parental mistakes, what to say before they open their grades, how to respond if they’re devastated, and how to hold the emotional space so they can think clearly again.

If you’re stressed about how to help your child through results day, this episode is exactly what you need!

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:40 - Your role on results day

05:04 - 4 things to do before they open the envelope

10:34 - What to do on the day

14:45 - Follow their lead

18:10 - It’s their news to tell

20:09 - Avoid these things

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

☀️ NEW — The Summer Reset. My seven-week summer programme for parents of anxious children (5–16) — whatever sets the worry off: five live group coaching calls + two private 1:1 sessions with me + every tool, all summer. 18 families only, starts 23 July. Details & enrolment: https://stan.store/drmaryhan/p/the-summer-reset  

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A must‑listen for every parent navigating the screen‑time battle this summer!

Today, I cut through the overwhelm with one simple, highly effective rule that stops arguments, protects your child’s sleep, stabilises their mood, and restores calm at home.

If you’re seeing bedtime resistance, evening meltdowns, wired behaviour at night, or grumpy mornings, this episode explains why screens are disrupting your child’s emotional regulation - and exactly how to fix it without becoming the screen police.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:06 - A different rule for Summer

03:20 - Screens are not the enemy

06:06 - 2 minute conversations

09:21 - What are your endpoints?

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

☀️ NEW — The Summer Reset. My seven-week summer programme for parents of anxious children (5–16) — whatever sets the worry off: five live group coaching calls + two private 1:1 sessions with me + every tool, all summer. 18 families only, starts 23 July. Details & enrolment: https://stan.store/drmaryhan/p/the-summer-reset  

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Screens aren’t just distracting your child - they’re quietly disrupting the one thing their brain and body cannot function without: sleep. And when sleep quality drops, everything else follows: mood, behaviour, emotional regulation, impulse control, learning, resilience and family harmony.

In today’s episode, I explain the real screen‑time problem most parents miss, how it impacts your child’s sleep, and give you five practical things you can start doing tonight to fix it.

So if you’re constantly in a battle with the screens, and it’s turning bedtime into a war, this episode is a must listen.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:38 - The biggest danger of screen time

03:10 - Does your child do this?

06:52 - The science of sleep

12:06 - 5 things you can do tonight

18:04 - The one week experiment

20:24 - We’re not fighting the robots

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

☀️ NEW — The Summer Reset. My seven-week summer programme for parents of anxious children (5–16) — whatever sets the worry off: five live group coaching calls + two private 1:1 sessions with me + every tool, all summer. 18 families only, starts 23 July. Details & enrolment: https://stan.store/drmaryhan/p/the-summer-reset  

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fear of failure is one of the most misunderstood challenges parents face, especially when you’re raising a bright, capable child who refuses to try anything unless success is guaranteed.

Today, I break down exactly why children avoid new experiences, quit the moment things get hard, melt down over mistakes, or insist “I can’t do it” before they’ve even begun.

I am going to give you 5 practical strategies you can start using today to build resilience, confidence and emotional regulation, without pushing too hard.

If your child avoids homework, quits activities, panics about getting things wrong, or compares themselves constantly to others, then I promise this episode will help you.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:55 - A quick reminder

02:52 - What’s the worst that can happen?

07:46 - Model imperfection

11:30 - They are never doing it alone

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

☀️ NEW — The Summer Reset. My seven-week summer programme for parents of anxious children (5–16) — whatever sets the worry off: five live group coaching calls + two private 1:1 sessions with me + every tool, all summer. 18 families only, starts 23 July. Details & enrolment: https://stan.store/drmaryhan/p/the-summer-reset  

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re watching your bright, capable child refuse to try anything unless success is guaranteed, this episode is going to feel like oxygen.

I’m breaking down exactly what’s really driving fear of failure in children - the avoidance, the perfectionism, the “I’m not doing it if I’m going to be bad at it” - and I’m giving you five practical things you can do right now to close the resilience gap.

You’ll learn how fear of failure forms, how to spot it, and how to help your child build the confidence to try, struggle, persist and grow… even when things don’t go perfectly.

If you’ve ever worried that your child’s fear of getting it wrong might hold them back, this episode will show you how to turn it around starting today. 

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:24 - Fear of failing is NOT this…

05:57 - How to spot a fear of failure

11:23 - 3 mistakes you might be making

16:05 - 5 things you can do right now

18:33 - Normalise failure

21:22 - Separate your child from the performance

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

☀️ NEW — The Summer Reset. My seven-week summer programme for parents of anxious children (5–16) — whatever sets the worry off: five live group coaching calls + two private 1:1 sessions with me + every tool, all summer. 18 families only, starts 23 July. Details & enrolment: https://stan.store/drmaryhan/p/the-summer-reset  

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I’m tackling one of the most confusing challenges parents face: how to support a highly sensitive child without wrapping them in cotton wool or pushing them too hard. If your child feels everything deeply - the party overwhelm, the criticism that undoes them, the emotional intensity that seems bigger than everyone else’s - then you need this episode.

• I explain what high sensitivity actually is, how it overlaps with anxiety, ADHD and autism, and why so many parents misinterpret sensitivity as fragility or a sign that something is “wrong”.
• I walk you through five practical, evidence‑based strategies you can start using today to build your child’s resilience without dismissing who they are.
• 
  

If you’ve ever worried that you’re either protecting your child too much or not protecting them enough, this episode will give you the middle path - one that honours their depth, strengthens their confidence, and helps them grow into the extraordinary person they’re wired to be.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:18 - The biggest mistake you will make

05:22 - A flooded nervous system cannot take information

08:14 - Manage, don’t avoid

10:40 - What adult do you want to raise?

13:16 - Be your child’s counter narrative

15:19 - Be a role model

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

☀️ NEW — The Summer Reset. My seven-week summer programme for parents of anxious children (5–16) — whatever sets the worry off: five live group coaching calls + two private 1:1 sessions with me + every tool, all summer. 18 families only, starts 23 July. Details & enrolment: https://stan.store/drmaryhan/p/the-summer-reset  

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I’m diving into one of the most misunderstood traits I see in children every single week: high sensitivity.

If your child feels everything deeply - the loud places, the scratchy clothes, the emotional intensity of a birthday party they actually enjoyed - you may have wondered whether it’s anxiety, ADHD, autism, or something you’ve somehow caused. So let’s clear it up.

I explain the difference between high sensitivity, anxiety, and neurodivergence, why they overlap, and how to tell what you’re really looking at.

You’ll learn the five patterns that reliably show up in highly sensitive children, why their nervous system processes the world more deeply, and how this trait can be a profound strength when it’s understood rather than pathologised.

Most importantly, I will give you five practical tools you can start using today.

If you’ve ever been told your child is “too sensitive”, or you’ve quietly wondered whether something is wrong, this episode will help you see what’s actually happening, and what your child truly needs.

Highlights from this episode:

01:21 - Can labels be limiting?

03:13 - Highly sensitive is not a diagnosis

06:26 - 5 signs of high sensitivity

13:41 - Sensitivity versus neurodivergence

19:36 - What you can do right now

26:07 - Sensitivity is a superpower

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

☀️ NEW — The Summer Reset. My seven-week summer programme for parents of anxious children (5–16) — whatever sets the worry off: five live group coaching calls + two private 1:1 sessions with me + every tool, all summer. 18 families only, starts 23 July. Details & enrolment: https://stan.store/drmaryhan/p/the-summer-reset  

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I will walk you through the real first week of the school holidays - the meltdowns, the boredom, the clinginess, the explosions over nothing - and why this week is always the hardest for anxious children.

I explain exactly what’s happening in your child’s nervous system when the school‑day scaffolding disappears, why their bucket fills before lunchtime, and the three practical tools you can use immediately to stabilise the week.

So if you’re standing in your kitchen wondering how you’re going to survive six weeks, this episode gives you what you need to get through the first seven days without losing yourself!

Highlights from this episode:

01:11 - When the scaffolding comes down

03:00 - What is the bucket?

05:09 - Name the state, not the behaviour

08:50 - Predictable moments

11:01 - Lower your expectations

14:33 - Holiday rhythm card

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

☀️ NEW — The Summer Reset. My seven-week summer programme for parents of anxious children (5–16) — whatever sets the worry off: five live group coaching calls + two private 1:1 sessions with me + every tool, all summer. 18 families only, starts 23 July. Details & enrolment: https://stan.store/drmaryhan/p/the-summer-reset  

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Summer holidays are tough for parents, but it can be a hidden superpower! In this episode, I explain exactly why anxious children struggle the moment school ends, why the holidays bring out their anxiety, and the five practical tools that genuinely help.

I walk you through the real reason behind the meltdowns, the boredom‑to‑explosion cycle, the clinginess, and the screen‑time battles. You’ll learn how predictability, scaffolding, social structure and nervous‑system load change dramatically once term ends - and why this shift hits anxious children harder than anyone expects.

I also break down the three groups of children who improve in the holidays:

• separation‑anxious children
• school‑specific anxious children, and
• children who monitor family safety.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clear, compassionate framework for understanding your child’s behaviour, plus five actionable tools you can start right now.

Highlights from this episode:

01:22 - Anxiety is information

04:45 - How to spot anxiety

09:23 - Social comparison

12:19 - The trigger has left the building

16:54 - Contrast is the signal

20:57 - Where does overwhelm come from?

23:18 - 5 tools to use now

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

☀️ NEW — The Summer Reset. My seven-week summer programme for parents of anxious children (5–16) — whatever sets the worry off: five live group coaching calls + two private 1:1 sessions with me + every tool, all summer. 18 families only, starts 23 July. Details & enrolment: https://stan.store/drmaryhan/p/the-summer-reset  

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s bucket‑emptying episode, I’m giving you the exact words to use in one of the hardest parenting moments: when your child looks at you and says “I’m not good enough.”

If you’ve ever watched your child crumble after a mistake, a test, a football practice, or a moment that didn’t go their way, and your reassurance only made things worse, you need this episode.

I walk you through three specific tools that work with an overwhelmed nervous system, not against it.

You’ll learn why reassurance backfires, what’s actually happening inside your child’s emotional bucket, and how to respond in a way that builds resilience, emotional regulation, and self‑worth.

If your child struggles with perfectionism, anxiety, low confidence, big feelings, or shutdowns, this episode is your secret weapon.

Highlights from this episode:

02:12 - This is what your child really means

04:31 - Do this before anything else

07:16 - Permanence is terrifying

09:24 - Empty the bucket

11:48 - My give to you

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

☀️ NEW — The Summer Reset. My seven-week summer programme for parents of anxious children (5–16) — whatever sets the worry off: five live group coaching calls + two private 1:1 sessions with me + every tool, all summer. 18 families only, starts 23 July. Details & enrolment: https://stan.store/drmaryhan/p/the-summer-reset 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re a woman in your 40s or 50s who feels like everything has suddenly become harder - the brain fog, the overwhelm, the burnout, the emotional crashes, the sense that you’re “failing” at things you used to manage - this episode may explain more than you realise.

I’m joined again by Jessie Hewitson to talk about a phenomenon we’re seeing everywhere: women in peri‑ and post‑menopause receiving an ADHD or autism diagnosis for the very first time.

Jessie shares her own story, how supporting her neurodivergent son led her to recognise lifelong patterns in herself, and how the hormonal shifts of perimenopause made previously manageable struggles suddenly impossible to ignore. We talk about why so many women were missed as children, how inattentive ADHD presents completely differently in girls and women, why masking works until it doesn’t, and how executive function collapses under hormonal change.

We also dive into rejection sensitivity dysphoria, people‑pleasing, burnout, the “good girl” conditioning so many women carry, and why the perfect storm of midlife - teenagers, aging parents, senior roles, and hormonal upheaval - pushes long‑standing neurodivergence to the surface.

If you’ve ever wondered why you’re suddenly overwhelmed by tasks you used to juggle, why anxiety has spiked, why your coping strategies have stopped working, or why menopause feels like more than menopause, this conversation will give you clarity, and help you understand what might really be going on.

Highlights from this episode:

01:44 - Neurotypical strategies don’t work!

04:43 - Inattentive versus hyperactive

10:25 - Executive function

16:43 - ADHD and burnout

19:25 - Rejection sensitivity

25:17 - Anxiety of falling short

28:59 - The shame of ADHD

32:51 - Task initiation

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If your daughter is “fine at school” but falling apart at home - the meltdowns, the morning battles, the homework explosions, the constant need for you to narrate every step - this episode may be the missing piece you’ve been searching for. Because none of this is about attitude, defiance or bad parenting. It may be ADHD, and in girls it looks nothing like the stereotype.

In this episode, I walk you through three signs of ADHD in girls that are missed for years sometimes decades. You’ll learn why your daughter’s bucket fills faster than anyone realises, why she can hold it together all day only to unravel the moment she feels safe, why she can’t sequence tasks her peers manage easily, and why her emotional reactions seem so out of proportion to the trigger.

I’ll show you how masking works, why teachers often see a completely different child, and why girls are diagnosed three to four years later than boys… if they’re diagnosed at all.

And most importantly, I’ll give you the language and the framework to recognise these signs in your daughter and know exactly what to do next.

If you’ve been quietly wondering whether something deeper is going on, if anxiety treatment hasn’t shifted the core problem, if the worry keeps coming back, if the restlessness never quite makes sense, this episode will help you see your daughter clearly, compassionately, and accurately.

You know your child. If something has felt “off” for a long time, trust that. And let this episode be your starting point.

Highlights from this episode:

02:14 - The stuff nobody else sees

04:48 - This is why your daughter is not diagnosed

07:11 - Executive dysfunction

10:07 - It’s not bad behaviour

12:09 - Why do girls get missed?

14:20 - Treatment is more than medication

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re parenting a girl who is anxious, overwhelmed, explosive at home, masking at school, or constantly burning out, this episode will give you answers you may have been searching for for years.

I’m joined by Dr Olivia Kesel, whose new book Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls is one I believe every parent of a daughter should read.

Olivia shares her story of years of chaos, shame, confusion and exhaustion, and the moment everything changed when she finally understood what was happening inside her daughter’s brain. We talk openly about the behaviours parents blame themselves for: the violent outbursts, the school‑morning battles, the sleepless nights, the homework meltdowns, the “she’s fine at school but falling apart at home” pattern. And we unpack why girls with ADHD are so often missed, misdiagnosed, or treated for the wrong thing entirely.

You’ll learn the signs of ADHD in girls that parents and teachers overlook, why masking is a red flag rather than reassurance, how estrogen amplifies symptoms during puberty and perimenopause, why anxiety and depression treatments often fail when ADHD is the root cause, and what to do if you suspect your daughter’s struggles go deeper than anyone has realised.

If you’ve ever felt alone, ashamed, or convinced you’re “failing” as a parent because nothing seems to work, this conversation will give you clarity, compassion, and a roadmap. You are not imagining it. You are not alone. And there is a way forward.

More from Olivia:

Beyond the Label - https://a.co/d/0c1d9ou4 

SEND Parenting Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/send-parenting-podcast/id1655677210 

Website - https://www.droliviakessel.com/ 

Highlights from this episode:

04:23 - Chaos and crap

08:52 - The biggest myth about ADHD

13:31 - Symptoms of ADHD in girls

19:58 - Dopamine and masking explained

23:52 - Treating the symptom over the cause

29:03 - Everyone has ADHD

32:55 - What can parents do?

38:20 - Diagnosis pros and cons

42:26 - To medicate or not to medicate

48:01 - Don’t listen to social media

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If your child is constantly shouting “It’s not fair!”, measuring every biscuit, bedtime or privilege against their sibling, and turning every moment into a competition, this episode will help you breathe again.

None of this is really about fairness; it’s about belonging. When children compare, they’re not asking about portions. They’re asking, do I matter as much as they do?

In this episode, I’ll show you exactly what’s happening underneath the comparison and why logic never works when your child’s emotional bucket is full. You’ll learn the three tools that actually shift the dynamic: how to name the feeling beneath the argument, how to reframe fairness as equity rather than equality, and how to help your child build their own yardstick so they stop measuring themselves against their sibling.

If you’re exhausted by the constant battles, or worried that your child will always be stuck in comparison mode, this episode will give you clarity, language and practical steps you can use today.

They’re not fighting about the biscuit - they’re asking if they matter. And you can answer that question in a way that changes everything.

Highlights from this episode:

01:11 - It’s not about the biscuit

04:29 - Name what they’re actually asking

06:40 - Equity over quality

09:14 - Give them their own yardstick

12:13 - It’s not you, it’s me

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve ever worried about sibling rivalry, felt guilty about how your attention is divided, or wondered whether your children secretly believe you have a favourite, this episode will change how you see your family forever.

I’m joined by journalist and author Catherine Carr to talk about her extraordinary book Who’s the Favourite? - a deep dive into the hidden emotional world of siblings.

We explore the roles children fall into - the helper, the golden child, the invisible one - and how parents often reinforce these roles without realising.

We talk about birth‑order myths, why each child grows up in a completely different family, and how sibling dynamics can quietly shape anxiety, perfectionism and self‑worth.

And Catherine shares powerful insights on “glass siblings,” the children who become unseen because a brother or sister’s needs dominate family life.

If you’re raising siblings, an only child, or simply trying to understand the emotional ecosystem your children are growing up in, this conversation is essential. It’s warm, honest, eye‑opening, and it will give you the language and perspective you need to support every child in your family more intentionally.

More from Catherine:

Buy the book - https://a.co/d/0aiXNRSq 

Listen to the podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/relatively/id1544111718 

Highlights from this episode:

03:31 - Who’s the favourite?

09:13 - The optimal age gap

16:44 - Assigning roles

21:39 - Glass siblings

27:46 - I’m the star!

37:55 - Ch ch ch changes

41:17 - The longest relationship you will ever have

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When your child looks at you and says, “I’m not good enough,” it hits you in the chest. Every instinct you have wants to fix it, to tell them they’re brilliant, to list every wonderful thing about them, to make the feeling go away. But if you’ve tried that, you already know it doesn’t work. They don’t believe you. They cry harder. They shut down. And you’re left wondering what on earth you’re supposed to say.

In this episode, I’ll show you exactly what’s happening in your child’s brain in that moment, and why reassurance, however loving, cannot land.

When a child says “I’m not good enough,” their emotional bucket is full. Their nervous system is overwhelmed. Their thinking brain is offline. You’re not talking to logic; you’re talking to a flooded body.

I’ll walk you through the three tools that actually work: how to acknowledge the feeling so their guard comes down, how to shift them from a global identity statement to a specific moment, and how to help them empty their bucket so they can regulate again.

These are simple, powerful steps you can use tonight - in the car, in the kitchen, or at bedtime - to help your child feel seen, safe and supported.

If you’re tired of reassurance falling flat and you want a response that truly helps your child in their “I’m not good enough” spiral, this episode gives you the words, the sequence, and the science behind why they work.

Highlights from this episode:

01:09 - I’m Not Good Enough

03:58 - Hear It First

06:43 - Action Over Identity

08:50 - Empty the Bucket

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If your child is melting down over tiny mistakes, refusing to start homework, or abandoning activities the moment they stop being “naturally good,” this episode is one you cannot afford to skip.

I’m seeing perfectionism show up in more children than ever, and most parents don’t realise it’s not about high standards at all. It’s anxiety. And it’s quietly eroding your child’s confidence, resilience, and joy.

In this episode, I break down what perfectionism really is, why it develops, and the hidden signs most families miss - from the blank‑page freeze to the endless erasing, the shutdowns, the self‑criticism, and the sudden quitting of things they once loved.

I’ll show you the neuroscience behind why your child reacts this way, the early experiences that wire these beliefs in, and the five practical tools you can start using today to help them feel enough, even when things aren’t perfect.

If you’re tired of walking on eggshells, exhausted by homework battles, or worried that your child’s fear of getting it wrong is holding them back, this episode will give you clarity, language, and a plan. Perfectionism isn’t fixed, and with the right support, your child can learn to try, to tolerate mistakes, and to thrive again.

Highlights from this episode:

01:11 - Performance = Worth

06:05 - The signs of perfectionism

10:05 - The root cause of anxiety

14:40 - Five things that work

18:18 - Mind the gap

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If your child can spend 45 minutes sharpening pencils, rearranging their desk, or “revising” without absorbing a single thing, you are not imagining it - something is getting in the way of their concentration, and it’s not laziness or lack of effort.

In this bucket emptying episode, I’ll show you why so many children struggle to focus, even when they’re trying, and why the strategies most parents rely on - timers, bribery, removing distractions - often don’t work. Drawing on the neuroscience shared by Professor Sam Wass in Thursday’s deeper‑dive episode, I’ll walk you through three practical, evidence‑based strategies you can use this week to transform how your child focuses.

You’ll learn why stressed or anxious brains cannot concentrate, why understanding must come before focus, and why even a face‑down phone across the room can derail your child’s attention.

Most importantly, you’ll come away with three simple tools that work with your child’s brain rather than against it so homework, revision, and everyday tasks finally feel doable again.

If you’re exhausted by the battles and starting to wonder whether something is “wrong,” this episode will give you clarity, relief, and a plan that actually works.

Highlights from this episode:

01:14 - What Would Sam Do?

02:45 - STRESS

05:24 - Two Kinds of Concentration

07:07 - Give the brain something to cling to

09:05 - Understanding Before Focus

11:59 - Screens are competing for your child’s attention - don’t let them win!

14:25 - Watch out for these two things

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve ever wondered why your child can spend 40 minutes talking about Minecraft but can’t concentrate for four minutes on homework, this episode explains everything.

I’m joined again by Professor Sam Wass, and if you heard his previous episodes, you’ll know why parents loved them. In today’s conversation, Sam breaks down what concentration actually is from a neuroscience perspective, why young children are wired to be easily distracted, and why some children struggle far more than others in noisy classrooms, during revision, or when faced with a blank page.

We dig into the two types of concentration every child needs, why the frontal cortex develops painfully slowly, how screens hijack attention, and why understanding something is the single biggest predictor of whether a child can focus on it.

If you’re battling procrastination, homework refusal, or a child who “just can’t sit still,” this episode will give you the clarity you’ve been missing

If you want to understand your child’s brain - and finally stop blaming them (or yourself) for something that’s biological, predictable, and fixable - you need to listen to this.

Highlights from this episode:

02:40 - Concentrating through doing

09:20 - Two ways to structure learning tasks

15:46 - My name is Sam and I am a Candy Crush addict

21:53 - Build on interests

27:24 - Stress and concentration

34:39 - Screen time

38:56 - We are prediction machines

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If your child is anxious, you already know how hard evenings can be. You sit beside them wanting desperately to help, but every time you try to reassure them, it backfires. Logic doesn’t land. Distraction doesn’t stick. And sometimes, despite your best intentions, the thing you say makes everything worse.

This episode gives you something you can use tonight.

I’ll walk you through five specific, evidence‑based questions that shift an anxious child from overwhelm into curiosity, even if they’re tired, irritable, or shutting down.

These questions work because they bypass the logical brain (which is offline during anxiety) and instead help your child observe what’s happening inside them with a little more distance and a lot more safety.

You’ll learn exactly why each question works, how to use them, and what to do when your child gives you nothing but a shrug or a grunt. By the end, you’ll have a simple, repeatable toolkit you can rely on every night - no scripts, no pressure, no perfect parenting required.

If you’ve been searching for the right words to help your worried child, this episode gives you five you can use before bedtime.

Highlights from this episode:

00:59 - What you get from this episode

03:34 - The 5 questions

06:53 - Give the worry a form

09:25 - A brutal inner demon

11:22 - Two red flags

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If your child is melting down over homework, asking endless “what if” questions, getting mysterious tummy aches, refusing school, withdrawing from activities, or exploding the moment they walk through the door, you need this episode.

I work with anxious and dysregulated children every single day, and what I want you to know is this: most of the behaviours parents struggle with aren’t actually behaviour problems - they’re anxiety in disguise.

Spoiler alert: the more you reassure, explain, distract or accommodate, the worse the anxiety quietly becomes.

In this episode, I’ll walk you through what childhood anxiety really is (and what it absolutely isn’t), why your child’s nervous system is behaving like a smoke alarm, and why logic and reassurance never stick.

You’ll learn the skills‑gap model that changes everything about how we approach anxiety, and the first practical steps you can take today to help your child feel safer, calmer, and more capable.

If you’ve ever felt helpless, confused, or guilty in the face of your child’s worry, this episode will give you clarity, direction, and a framework that finally makes sense.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Take 10 Technique - https://drmaryhan.com/episode/breathing-techniques-for-anxious-children/ 

Highlights from this episode:

00:52 - Saying “it’s fine” doesn’t work!

03:05 - It’s not your fault

08:24 - Children should feel anxious

12:25 - How to recognise anxiety

15:56 -You’re probably making it worse

18:18 - This will change everything

23:10 - When to seek additional help

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re raising a boy, you already know this: you can believe in him with your whole heart, and still watch him struggle to believe in himself.  

You tell him he’s brilliant and he shrugs it off.

You encourage him and he brushes it away.

You try to have a meaningful conversation and suddenly his phone becomes the most fascinating object on earth.

Meanwhile, you can see the gap widening - the gap between how you see him and how he sees himself. And nothing you say seems to close it.

This episode gives you one simple, evidence‑based daily habit that will.

One question that teaches your son to look inward, recognise his own effort, and build confidence from the inside out - not from praise, not from performance, not from comparison.

I’ll show you exactly how to use it at every age, what to do when he rolls his eyes or gives you nothing, and how this tiny daily ritual slowly rewires the way he sees himself.

If you want a practical, realistic way to strengthen your son’s confidence - one that actually sticks - this is the episode you cannot afford to skip.

Highlights from this episode:

02:15 - Let’s talk about the bucket

04:17 - The only daily question you need to ask

06:56 - Every age is different

10:44 - Two flags!

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If your child is melting down, shutting down, refusing school, avoiding sleep, snapping back, or clinging to you because something feels “wrong” but they can’t explain what, you’re in the right place.

I’m Dr Maryhan, a psychologist who works with anxious and dysregulated children every single day. And here’s what I want you to know: most of the behaviours that keep you up at night aren’t really about behaviour at all. Underneath the back‑chat, the tears, the slammed doors, the school‑morning battles, there is almost always anxiety, and a child whose emotional bucket is full and overflowing.

And parents of those children? We zoom in so close, replaying conversations at 2am, questioning every decision, wondering if we’re making it worse, that we lose the wide lens. The perspective that says: your child isn’t broken... and neither are you.

This podcast gives you that wide lens back.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, confused, or alone in your child’s big feelings, then listen and follow wherever you get your podcasts.

Pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and let’s do this together.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re raising a boy right now, you already know this: the world he’s growing up in is tougher, louder, and more confusing than ever, and the cracks in his confidence can appear long before you realise what’s happening.

Maybe you’ve watched your son compare himself to other boys and quietly decide he’s not good enough.

Maybe he shrinks back, masks who he really is, or performs confidence he doesn’t actually feel.

Maybe he’s a teenager who barely speaks to you anymore, and you’re terrified you’re losing the connection you once had.

Or maybe he’s still little, and you can already see how easily the world will shape him if you don’t get ahead of it.

This episode is your roadmap.

I’ll show you exactly how confidence is built in boys - from babyhood to young adulthood - and the subtle ways we accidentally undermine it without ever meaning to. You’ll learn what to say, what to stop saying, the moments that matter most, and the strategies that genuinely shift a boy’s internal world.

I’ll also show you how to protect him from the pressures, comparisons and online influences that quietly erode boys’ self‑belief.

If you want your son to grow into a young man who knows who he is, trusts himself, and comes to you when it matters, this episode is the one you cannot afford to skip.

Highlights from this episode:

02:36 - Confidence starts earlier than you think

05:38 - Are you creating emotional safety?

09:44 - Tweens and teens

14:46 - Your son is desperate to be accepted

18:46 - The confidence conversation guide 

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If your children have been at each other all week, this episode will change everything.

I’m diving into one of the biggest sources of family stress - sibling conflict - and why it’s almost never about the toy, the sofa, or the “look” one child gave the other, and nearly always about your children’s emotional buckets overflowing.

In this bucket-emptying episode, I walk you through three powerful tools I use with families every day:

• Weekly one‑to‑one special time that transforms behaviour through connection

• Protected “own time” so each child can decompress and reset

• Real‑time descriptive praise that rewires the emotional climate in your home

You’ll learn how to stop refereeing, reduce friction, and help your children regulate themselves, even during school holidays, long weekends, or those intense indoor days when everyone is in each other’s pockets.

Pick one tool this week and watch the shift.

You’ve got this!

So pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:55 - Sibling conflict is not what you think

02:07 - Special time

07:19 - Time and space

09:14 - Descriptive praise

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You don’t need more time with your child. You just need five intentional minutes.

And in this episode, I’ll show you exactly why those tiny moments matter more than you think.

If you’ve ever worried that you’re not present enough, not connected enough, or that the days are slipping by while you’re juggling work, life and everything in between, you’re not alone. I hear this from parents constantly, but the research is clear and reassuring: children don’t need perfect parenting - they need consistent, emotionally responsive moments that tell them, “You matter to me.”

In this episode, I’ll walk you through the science behind connection, why guilt is not reliable data, and what children truly need to feel secure and loved.

You’ll learn four powerful micro‑moments you can weave into any day, including the two‑minute reunion, naming one feeling, child‑led play, and the pause‑before‑help technique that builds resilience in real time.

I’ll also share creative ways to stay connected when you can’t be physically present, from handwritten notes to voice messages to slow‑motion games played across the day.

If you’re ready to feel more connected to your child without adding anything overwhelming to your plate, this episode will change the way you see your everyday moments.

So pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:28 - It only takes five minutes

02:42 - Parental guilt

07:31 - The one thing all children need

11:13 - How to support dysregulation

12:45 - The two minute reunion

14:35 - Name a feeling

18:11 - Pause before you help

19:43 - Connecting over physical distance

24:31 - Games across time and space

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back‑chat isn’t your child being “difficult” - it’s a message. And in this episode, I’m going to show you how to finally hear it.

If you’re dealing with eye‑rolls, snappy comebacks, or that sudden surge of attitude that leaves you wondering what on earth is happening, you’re not alone. So I’m going to unpack what back‑chat really means, why it shows up at any age, and the psychological needs sitting underneath it… especially your child’s deep drive for autonomy, agency and connection.

You’ll learn the five hidden triggers that often fuel back‑chat (including stress, developmental leaps and inconsistent boundaries), and I’ll walk you through the five strategies I use with families every day to reduce defiance and rebuild cooperation.

From offering meaningful choices, to shifting the power dynamic without losing authority, to creating daily connection time that transforms behaviour, you’ll come away with practical tools you can use immediately.

If you’re ready to turn back‑chat from a battle into a breakthrough, this episode is for you.

So pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:53 - Back-chat is not just a teen thing

03:04 - The biggest symptoms

10:22 - 5 strategies for coping with back-chat

13:20 - The Three Cs

17:07 - How are you doing?

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, you’ll discover a completely different way to think about feeding your family - one that saves you time, money, stress, and emotional bandwidth, and joining me is Helen Hopkins, better known as The Meal Time Maverick, whose viral batch‑cooking method has transformed kitchens across the UK.

Instead of filling your freezer with meals you forget to defrost, Helen shows you how to batch‑cook fresh dishes that live in your fridge and reheat in minutes.

You’ll learn her simple “1–2–3” system, why it works for even the busiest families, and how it can stop the nightly dinner‑time chaos in its tracks. You’ll also hear how to build batching into your weekly habits, involve your children in food prep, and create healthier, calmer mealtimes for everyone.

If you’re exhausted by cooking from scratch every night, this episode will feel like a lifeline.

So pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:04 - Intro to Helen Hopkins

02:45 - Going viral

09:18 - The mix and match batch method

14:54 - Cooking fresh isn’t easy

17:18 - New habits always have resistance

22:08 - Building a healthy relationship with food

26:52 - Writing a book is cruel

31:21 - Everyone else comes first

34:34 - A frictionless society

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com 

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.