News

June 8, 2026

Thriving Kids Podcast Focuses on How Anxiety Can Affect the Brain

The latest Thriving Kids podcast episode is a discussion on how anxiety can affect the brain and how children who suffer from it often fly under the radar.

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In the podcast, Dave Anderson, PhD, senior psychologist and vice president of public engagement and education for the Child Mind Institute, joins neurosurgeon Brian Hoeflinger, MD, for a discussion on anxiety.

They discuss a scenario involving a boy who went from being the seventh grade class president to slipping out of class with his heart racing and thinking he was going to die. The boy started skipping school, his parents never noticed, and his teachers never asked why. For the next 20 years, anxiety controlled his life.

In the podcast, Hoeflinger said it shouldn’t have taken the boy so long to get help, and explains how anxious children can go unnoticed by parents, teachers, and counselors.

The podcast’s topics include what panic attacks feel like from the inside and how to face them and what parents should know about head injuries and helmets.

Tips for recognizing signs of anxiety in children and offering support include:

Know that anxiety often hides in plain sight; anxious children are often quiet, well-behaved, and outwardly OK, which is why their struggles can go unnoticed.
Watch for avoidance, not just worry. A child who skips school, dodges social situations, or finds reasons to opt out of doing things may not be lazy. Anxiety often shows up as avoidance.
Learn what a panic attack feels like – racing heart, trouble breathing, sweating, trembling, or a sense of dread.
Don’t help a child avoid what they are afraid of; avoidance feels better in the moment, but makes anxiety worse over time. Prioritize gradual exposure to the thing they are anxious about.
Validate the feeling without amplifying it; saying “I know you’re scared, and I know you can handle this” works better than dismissing the fear or promising nothing bad will happen.

For more information, listen to the Thriving Kids podcast.

News

May 11, 2026

Orlando Bloom Featured on Thriving Kids Podcast on ADHD and Learning Disabilities

The latest Thriving Kids podcast explores how caregivers might view the future for children struggling with a learning disorder or ADHD. It includes the insight of a well-known actor who once struggled with such a situation.

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Dave Anderson, a senior psychologist and vice president of public engagement and education for the Child Mind Institute, joins actor Orlando Bloom on this week’s podcast to discuss the topic.

On the podcast, Bloom discusses growing up with dyslexia, including the challenges he faced paying attention and concentrating in school. He also talks about how he developed workarounds before many of today’s evidence-based supports existed.

The podcast discussion also focuses on how movement, mindfulness, good nutrition, and sleep can help children and adults manage attention and learning challenges.

To accompany the podcast, the Child Mind Institute provided several tips on how to support children with ADHD or learning disorders:

Get them moving – Research shows that even 30 minutes of physical activity a day can help children with ADHD focus better, whether it’s a run before school or a game of tag during recess.
Find their area of excellence – Every child has something they are good at and finding an activity that gives them a sense of mastery can improve their confidence and self-esteem.
Cover the basics first – Emphasize sleep, nutrition, and movement. If children aren’t sleeping well, getting regular exercise, or eating properly, it’s harder for them to focus and regulate emotions at school.
Try mindfulness – Mindfulness practices can help children become less reactive and more focused; even a few minutes a day of paying attention to breathing helps to build a skill they can use for the rest of their lives.
Help them understand their diagnosis – Children do better when they know that a learning difference isn’t a reflection of their intelligence. Help them to understand how their brain works and give them language to talk about their strengths and challenges.

To learn more, listen to the Thriving Kids podcast.

News

April 27, 2026

Podcast Focuses on How Caregivers Can Address Learning or Attention Issues

An estimated one in five children in the United States have a learning or attention issue, so the latest Thriving Kids podcast focuses on what caregivers should do to address these issues.

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In the podcast, Dave Anderson, the Child Mind Institute’s senior psychologist and vice president of public engagement and education, joins Jacqueline Rodriguez, PhD, the CEO of the National Center for Learning Disabilities, to discuss the topic.

The podcast includes discussion of what caregivers are seeing and feeling when their child starts to struggle, why early screening and evidence-based intervention can make a life-changing difference, and how evolving language around learning disabilities – from “learning disorder” to “neurodivergent” – reflects a shift in how people are owning their identities.

Other strategies for caregivers with children with learning or attention difficulties include:

Help them reframe the narrative; listen closely to how a child talks about themselves and their abilities – if you hear “I’m stupid” or “I can’t do anything right,” gently help them to reframe those thoughts. A learning disability means that their brain works differently, and not that they’re less capable.
Practice speaking up. Self-advocacy is a skill that gets easier with practice; role-play conversations your child might have with a teacher, such as asking for extra time on a test. The more comfortable they are using their voice now, the better prepared they’ll be in middle school, high school, and beyond.
Talk with them about their diagnosis – and early. Children are often more capable of understanding things than they are given credit for, and a learning specialist can help to find age-appropriate language. The sooner they can say that they have dyslexia or learn differently, the sooner they can advocate for themselves.

For more information, listen to the latest Thriving Kids podcast.

News

March 3, 2026

Podcast Explores Importance of Caregivers Taking Care of Themselves

Being the caregiver of a child can be equally exhilarating and exhausting. As a result, many caregivers find themselves worn out and running on empty.

When this happens, the latest Thriving Kids podcast episode explores, even small challenges can be overwhelming.

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In the podcast, Dave Anderson, PhD, senior psychologist and vice president of public engagement and education at the Child Mind Institute, discusses with Joanna Kim, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at Arizona State University, why taking care of oneself as a caregiver is important, but might feel unrealistic.

The podcast discussion involves how guilt can prevent a caregiver from meeting their own needs, why self-care doesn’t have to mean making big changes, and how filling one’s own cup helps caregivers to show up for their child with more calm, patience, and consistency.

In addition, Thriving Kids provided some reminders about caring for oneself as a caregiver.

Being a caregiver can be demanding, and sometimes it can feel like you’re running on empty. But taking care of yourself is essential and self-care isn’t a luxury. Even taking small, mindful moments dedicated to yourself can make a big difference.
Building a strong support network is crucial. Surround yourself with other adults – a partner, family members, friends, or fellow parents – who understand your challenges and can lend a helping hand. Share responsibilities, delegate tasks, and ask for help.
Investing in your well-being isn’t selfish – it’s empowering. When you take care of yourself, you’re better able to parent with patience, joy, and presence. You’ll also set a positive example for children in your care by demonstrating that it’s important to take care of yourself.

News

February 11, 2026

Thriving Kids Episode Covers How to Help Children Manage Stress

Children face a number of situations that can be stressful, from school pressure and social dynamics to the big emotions they might have difficulty controlling.

It’s natural that caregivers would want to help children to make their stress go away. However, it’s important for caregivers to teach children how to manage, rather than avoid, stress.

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In the latest episode of the Thriving Kids podcast, Dave Anderson, the Child Mind Institute’s senior psychologist and vice president of public engagement and education, joins Dylan Gee, PhD, a professor of psychology at Yale University, to discuss why learning to manage stres is an important emotional skill for children.

The conversation also touches on why avoiding stress can make it worse over time and how children can learn to tolerate discomfort and recover from difficult moments. They also talk about what caregivers can do to support the process as well as how their staying calm and regulated can help a child feel safer, more supported, and better able to cope.

Additionally, the Thriving Kids podcast provided some tips on how to support a child when they’re feeling stressed:

Validate their emotions and let them know it’s normal to feel overwhelmed sometimes; using words like “frustrated,” “worried,” or “scared” can help them to identify and express their feelings.
Show genuine interest in how the child is feeling and make sure you’re actively engaged in the conversation. Listen without judging or rushing to offer solutions.
Your own emotional state can influence your child’s, so take time for self care and learn how to manage your own stress effectively.
Help the child learn that stressful situations can have many interpretations, and challenge negative thoughts by gently guiding them towards more balanced perspectives.
Help the child to learn to tolerate stress instead of trying to eliminate it by teaching them such coping strategies as deep breathing, mindfulness exercises, or creative expression.

For more information, listen to the latest Thriving Kids episode.

News

February 9, 2026

Thriving Kids Episode Focuses on Teaching Children How to Handle Disappointment

In a culture that emphasizes achievement – and considers mistakes something to avoid at all costs – it is important for caregivers and educators to teach children how to tolerate disappointment.

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Failing at something is a core life skill and not a weakness. When failure feels unacceptable, children can become anxious, overly self-critical, or afraid to try new things and, in the process, become more vulnerable to burnout or emotional distress.

Dave Anderson, the Child Mind Institute’s senior psychologist and vice president of public engagement and education, joins journalist Jennifer Wallace, author of “Never Enough” and “Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose,” in the latest episode of Thriving Kids to discuss this topic.

They talk about how toxic achievement culture affects caregivers and children alike, and what it means to raise a child who feels like they matter for who they are – and not what they accomplish.

The discussion covers:

Why fear of failure fuels anxiety and burnout
How caregivers can instill counter-culture messages about self-worth
What children need from adults when they fall short

Some tips provided by Thriving Kids on how to help children learn to fail and recover from setbacks include:

Start with empathy; when children fail, resist the urge to immediately reassure them or fix the problem. Instead, acknowledge their feelings and recognize that they are in distress.
Model how to handle mistakes; help the child understand that failure is a normal part of life and happens to everyone.
Turn failure into a teachable moment. A setback can be an opportunity to build acceptance and problem-solving skills.
Step back and allow failure. It can be painful to watch children struggle, but hovering or rescuing can prevent them from developing resilience.
Know when extra support may help. If a child’s fear of failure is so intense that it interferes with their daily life, professional support from a therapist can help them practice tolerating disappointment in a structured way.

News

October 21, 2025

Podcast Discusses How to Promote Better Sleep and Other Wellness Habits for Children

It’s often difficult for caregivers to get children to go to sleep and, as a result, it can be a challenge to get children who are not getting enough sleep to focus on learning.

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Sometimes, getting children to go to bed at the desired time can be difficult due to inconsistent routines or small disruptions that can throw them off.

In the latest Thriving Kids podcast, Shelby Harris, PsyD, DBSM, discusses how caregivers can help children develop lasting sleep habits as well as why better rest can make everything else easier, from focusing on learning to mood or resilience.

The podcast discusses sleep, but also other ways to build healthy habits, such as encouraging regular movement, eating balanced meals, and creating predictable routines.

Recommendations listed in the Thriving Kids podcast to help children build strong wellness habits include:

Make wellness a routine – plan meals together, take family bike rides, and encourage sleep through such routines as bedtime stories or listening to relaxing music before the lights go out.
Understand healthy choices – help children understand how different foods affect their bodies and minds, and discuss how healthy choices can make them feel better, such as how vegetables can give them stronger muscles or sleep can make their brains sharper.
Discuss healthy habits early – start talking about healthy choices when children are small by letting them pick out fruits while food shopping and involving them in meal preparation (let them help wash vegetables).
Have routine family check-ins – get children to talk about how things are going and celebrate successes; find out if they are getting enough sleep and praise efforts to be healthy, while working together on areas that need to be tweaked.

For more information on how to promote wellness in young children, listen to the Thriving Kids podcast.

News

September 23, 2025

Thriving Kids Podcast Outlines 9 Tips on How to Help Children Succeed in School

The Thriving Kids podcast recently hosted a psychologist who provided nine tips on how children can succeed in school.

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Now that the school year is in full swing, caregivers could pick up some useful tips from Adam Zamora, PsyD, who recently joined the Thriving Kids podcast to discuss how to help children create good habits, but also when to step back so they can learn on their own.

The podcast included discussion on how to make education an adventure by letting children discover the joy of learning through shared stories, problem-solving activities, and exploring their own ideas.

Other pointers included building a supportive community by scheduling check-ins with teachers and getting to know classmates’ parents as well as creating good habits – such as setting up a quiet space at home for homework and developing routines where homework comes before other activities, including watching TV. Helping a child organize their backpack and using a calendar to keep track of important school events and assignments were other tips.

Caregivers should celebrate a child’s unique journey and avoid comparing them to other children. Instead, focus on their individual strengths and areas for growth by learning strategies that work best for the child. Lastly, caregivers should seek help if a child is struggling in school.

Thriving Kids host Dave Anderson, PhD, emphasized that school success isn’t about perfection – but instead about effort, routine, and encouragement.

The podcast’s nine tips to help children thrive in school include:

Make learning fun for children, whether it’s through reading, exploring areas of interest, or exposing them to a variety of opportunities.
Establish good habits at home, such as creating a dedicated homework space, setting up a planner, helping children organize their backpacks, and offering homework support.
Teach school skills at home – how to organize, prioritize and plan tasks, set goals, take notes, and study for tests.
Get involved in your child’s school community and establish an open line of communication with their teacher.
Give children space. Experience can be the best teacher, so don’t be afraid to let them make mistakes and figure out things on their own.
Be patient, understanding, and supportive if a child is struggling in school and help them to figure out what they might need to succeed.
Don’t compare your child to others. Every individual succeeds at their own rate and has unique strengths and challenges.
Encourage children, but don’t stress them because too much pressure often backfires.
Focus on effort, not outcomes. Children will grow to be more resilient if their efforts are praised, rather than caregivers focusing on results. Let them know you are proud of them, even if their grades aren’t where you’d like them to be. When they succeed, focus on how effort played an important role.

For more information, read the Thriving Kids newsletter.

News

August 13, 2025

Podcast Focuses on Helping Children to Build Healthy Friendships

A recent episode of the Child Mind Institute’s Thriving Kids podcast focused on how caregivers can help children to build positive and healthy friendships.

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In the episode, podcast host Dave Anderson, PhD, who is the senior psychologist and vice president of public engagement and education for the Child Mind Institute, discussed the topic of helping children build healthy friendships with Mandi Silverman, PsyD, MBA.

In the podcast, the two of them discuss how to support a child’s social development, whether they are in preschool or high school, and regardless of their nature – shy or socially successful.

One way to do this is to help children to meet other children. Set up playdates for younger children for outings to playgrounds, museums, parks, libraries, or other places. For older children, encourage participation in teams, after-school clubs, or shared-interest activities.

Caregivers should have open conversations about the traits their families value – such as kindness, honesty, or teamwork – and ask children what they believe makes someone a good friend.

Using real-life examples to teach friend-making skills can be valuable. Caregivers can talk about their own friendships and how they treat people in their lives.

It is also useful to teach children how to set healthy boundaries – in other words, helping them to learn to say “no” in respectful ways and to recognize when someone else is doing the same. Caregivers can also explain that different people have different needs and comfort levels.

The podcast included eight tips to help children make and keep healthy friendships:

Create and support a variety of opportunities for socialization and focus on a child’s interests and encourage activities where they can meet peers with similar interests.
Create an open and ongoing conversation about healthy relationships and discuss what matters in a friend.
Praise good friendship behaviors. When you see a child showing empathy or setting a boundary, show support for it.
Model healthy relationships – in other words, let children see how you show up for the people in your life.
Help children to set their own boundaries. Peer pressure starts at a young age. Teach children how to speak up and how to listen when others do.
Practice at home by playing board games or doing chores together. This teaches collaboration, communication, and turn-taking.
Work on problem-solving skills. Conflict is normal, so teach your child to consider others’ perspectives and work toward solutions.
Be involved – but not too involved. Create opportunities and offer guidance, but give children space to navigate social situations on their own.

For more information, listen to the Thriving Kids podcast.