Parenting Unfiltered

When kids understand how their brains grow, they make safer choices. In this episode of Parenting Unfiltered, host Sara Kapp talks with Dr. Crystal Collier—therapist, educator, person in long-term recovery, and author of The NeuroWhereabouts Guide and the children’s series Know Your Neuro. Drawing on 25 years with kids and teens, Dr. Collier explains “brain-based prevention,” or practical ways families and schools can build protective factors every day. You’ll hear why delaying and limiting screens matters for attachment, motor skills, and self-regulation; how simple rituals (meals together, chores, device baskets, bedtime reading) boost resilience; and a three-step script for emotional literacy. At school, she outlines plug-and-play prevention that teaches executive function and reduces risk across tech, substances, and more. If you want clear, doable steps to protect a growing brain, this one’s for you.

Play isn’t a break from learning, it’s how young children learn. In this episode of Parenting Unfiltered, host Sara Kapp talks with early childhood specialist Janet Bassingthwaite (25+ years from Head Start to university classrooms) about using unstructured, open-ended play to grow confidence and emotional intelligence. Janet explains why simple, flexible materials (blocks, boxes, crayons, puzzles) beat gadgets; how “voice and choice” in play strengthens problem-solving; and why letting kids struggle a little is essential to resilience. From sibling conflict to screen questions, Janet keeps it practical: “A minute of real connection beats a perfect activity.” If you want calmer evenings and kids who bounce back after frustrations, this conversation gives you doable ways to start today.

In this episode of Parenting Unfiltered, host Sara Kapp talks with Dr. Shauna Eberhardt, a clinical leader who blends research with real-life routines families can keep. As days get shorter and schedules shift, Dr. Eberhardt shares simple ways to balance screens and sleep for kids 0–8, without guilt or power struggles. You’ll hear how to set realistic screen-time guardrails (hello, co-viewing and content checks), why sleep is a foundational mental health need, and how to build a wind-down routine that sticks. Dr. Eberhardt offers doable ideas like swapping phones for audiobooks at bedtime (try a Bluetooth speaker on a timer), using “highs and lows” to wrap up the day, and gamifying small changes when habits slide. Her message for the darker months: grant yourself grace, model balance, and start small. “It’s never too late to make changes,” she says. Whether you’re navigating after-school meltdowns, holiday overstimulation, or a child who wants “just five more minutes,” this episode gives you quick wins you can try tonight.