Raising Good Humans

Worried AI will make your kids stop thinking? If you’ve watched your child ask a chatbot for the answer and wondered what that’s doing to their brain, you’re not alone, and the picture is more hopeful than the headlines suggest. In this episode of Raising Good Humans, developmental psychologist Dr. Aliza Pressman talks with theoretical neuroscientist and AI researcher Dr. Vivienne Ming, author of Robot-Proof: When Machines Have All the Answers, Build Better People. Drawing on decades of research into what predicts a good life, Vivienne explains why the skills that matter most haven’t changed: curiosity, resilience, intellectual humility, perspective-taking, and a sense of purpose. Better still, these are skills parents can help grow. What you’ll learn: The research-backed traits that predict long-term success Why most students using AI put in 40% less mental effort, and what to do differently How AI that asks questions instead of giving answers can help kids think more deeply Why praising interesting questions, not just correct answers, builds curiosity 🔗 RESOURCES & LINKS: Learn more from Dr. Vivienne Ming: 📘 “Robot-Proof: When Machines Have All the Answers, Build Better People”:  https://socos.org/robot-proof 🌐 Website: https://socos.org/about-vivienne Buy Dr. Aliza Pressman's Books: ✨ Preorder “The Orchid Code: How Temperament Shapes Who We Become": https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250462312/theorchidcode/ 📖 Order "The 5 Principles of Parenting" by Dr. Aliza Pressman: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-5-Principles-of-Parenting/Aliza-Pressman/9781668014547 Follow Raising Good Humans:  📱 Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/raisinggoodhumanspodcast/  🎙 Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-good-humans/id1473072044  Subscribe on Substack for weekly articles and exclusive LIVE Q&As:  📧 https://dralizapressman.substack.com/  This episode is brought to you by: Merit Beauty: Right now, Merit Beauty is offering our listeners their Signature Makeup Bag – which if you’ve seen it, it’s not just a make-up bag but really an accessory – free with your first order at meritbeauty.com.   OneSkin: Born from over 10 years of longevity research, OneSkin is helping you unlock your healthiest skin now and as you age. For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code RGH at oneskin.co/RGH Understood.org: Zero Reject is an investigative podcast from Understood.org, a nonprofit helping millions of people navigate neurodivergence. To listen, follow this link: https://lnk.to/zerorejectPS!raisinggoodhumans Little Spoon: Feeding the kids doesn’t have to be complicated. Get 30% off your first online order at littlespoon.com/HUMANS with code HUMANS. Momentous:  Momentous Signature Spec Creatine is setting a new standard for creatine quality. If you want to try Momentous Signature Spec Creatine, head to livemomentous.com and use code HUMANS for up to 35% off your entire first order.  ADT: This is your time to make memories. Let ADT handle protecting your home. Visit ADT.com or call 1-800-ADT-ASAP. When every second counts, count on ADT. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gentle parenting turned permissive?  Somewhere between "because I said so" and "is it okay if we go to bed now?", many well-meaning parents lost their footing. In this episode of Raising Good Humans, Dr. Siggie and Dr. Aliza are answering listener questions to unpack how gentle parenting can quietly slide into permissive parenting, and why children actually feel safer when a parent leads with structure, warmth, and clear boundaries.  What you’ll learn: - Why "all feelings are welcome, all behaviors are not" works better than punishment when your child hits a sibling  - The problem with letting kids choose their own consequences, and what builds real ownership instead  - Mom guilt, separation, and how to help kids "hold on" to you when you're apart  - Setting bedtime limits: when connection becomes accommodation  - How to respond to negative self-talk in kids  - Why empty threats stop working, and how to set boundaries that teach self-regulation  🔗 RESOURCES & LINKS:  📖 About This Episode's Guest, Dr. Siggie Cohen:  https://drsiggie.com/ 📚 Her Book, You Are the Parent:  https://drsiggie.com/you-are-the-parent/ Buy Dr. Aliza Pressman's Books: ✨ Preorder “The Orchid Code: How Temperament Shapes Who We Become": https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250462312/theorchidcode/ 📖 Order "The 5 Principles of Parenting" by Dr. Aliza Pressman: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-5-Principles-of-Parenting/Aliza-Pressman/9781668014547 Follow Raising Good Humans:  📱 Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/raisinggoodhumanspodcast/  🎙 Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-good-humans/id1473072044  Subscribe on Substack for weekly articles and exclusive LIVE Q&As:  📧 https://dralizapressman.substack.com/ This episode is brought to you by: Orion Sleep: Get better sleep, backed by your own data. Right now, Orion is offering our listeners 15% off at Orionsleep.com/HUMANS. BetterHelp: If you’ve been waiting to start therapy, BetterHelp works with more than 125 health plan networks, and eligible members have an average copay of just $23 per session with insurance. Don’t have insurance or don't live in the United States? You can still get 10% off your first month. Visit BetterHelp.com/HUMANS OneSkin: Born from over 10 years of longevity research, OneSkin is helping you unlock your healthiest skin now and as you age. For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code RGH at oneskin.co/RGH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does your kid actually know how to be a good friend — or are they just hoping the right friends find them?  In this episode, Dr. Aliza Pressman sits down with Sissy Goff and David Thomas, therapists at Daystar Counseling in Nashville, hosts of the Raising Boys and Girls podcast, and New York Times bestselling authors of Capable. Together they unpack why the back-to-school season triggers so much social anxiety in kids, and why shifting the focus from "how do I find friends" to "how do I be a good friend" is one of the most powerful reframes parents can offer, whether their child is walking into their very first kindergarten classroom or navigating the brutal social terrain of middle school. What you’ll learn: Why reframing "find a friend" as "be a friend" changes everything for anxious kids The FAILS framework: teaching kids that awkward first interactions are just data, not failure "Back pocket questions" kids can use to start conversations at lunch, recess, and beyond Why middle school friendship struggles are developmentally normal (even when they look fine on the outside) How to talk to kids about hard social moments without lecturing — the "breezy" approach The "balcony friends" and "pacesetter" frameworks for helping kids recognize who's actually good for them RESOURCES & LINKS: 📖 About This Episode's Guests, Sissy Goff & David Thomas https://www.raisingboysandgirls.com/about?srsltid=AfmBOooxvHK80JWyYOegbfKJ_Vcqn5ImOoRaHXE5109SNfAUPaMDb8SD 📚 Their Book, Capable: https://www.raisingboysandgirls.com/capablebook 🎙️ Their Podcast: Raising Boys and Girls: https://www.raisingboysandgirls.com/podcast Follow Raising Good Humans: 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raisinggoodhumanspodcast/ 🎙️ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-good-humans/id1473072044 Subscribe on Substack for weekly articles and exclusive LIVE Q&As: 📧 https://dralizapressman.substack.com/ This episode is brought to you by: OneSkin: Born from over 10 years of longevity research, OneSkin is helping you unlock your healthiest skin now and as you age. For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code RGH at oneskin.co/RGH. Tell them we sent you. Kodiak: Feel good about snack choices with Kodiak Bars. Find them at kodiakcakes.com or your local grocery store. They’re the ones with the bear on the box.  Minnow: Cabana Capsule celebrates days spent lingering by the sea, soaking up the sun, and savoring the simple luxury of having nowhere to be. Shop the capsule starting July 7th at shopminnow.com and enter code MEETMINNOW15 at checkout to receive 15% off your first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why does a teenage breakup feel like the end of the world for girls, but barely register for boys?  Dr. Aliza Pressman sits down with Dr. Shefali — clinical psychologist, founder of the conscious parenting movement, and New York Times bestselling author of Raising Conscious Daughters and Raising Conscious Sons — for a conversation that finally explains the biology behind teen dating, heartbreak, and hookup culture. From the surge of estrogen and oxytocin that wires girls to bond instantly, to the testosterone spike that turns boys into what Dr. Shefali calls "novelty seekers," this episode breaks down what's actually happening inside your child's brain during their first crush, their first relationship, and their first heartbreak. What you’ll learn: The hormonal science behind why girls bond faster and boys move on faster — and how to talk to each about it Why Dr. Shefali says daughters must be taught they are "the chooser, not the chosen" How to talk to sons about testosterone, impulse control, and sexual responsibility before puberty hits Why hookup culture and "situationships" are more about FOMO than a lack of values What porn is really doing to how teens experience rejection and real-life romance The single biggest antidote to disconnection Dr. Shefali says every family is missing RESOURCES & LINKS: More from Dr. Shefali:  📚 Raising Conscious Daughters and Raising Conscious Sons by Dr. Shefali Tsabary https://www.drshefali.com/raisingconscious-daughters-sons/ Follow Raising Good Humans: 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raisinggoodhumanspodcast/ 🎙️ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-good-humans/id1473072044 Subscribe on Substack for weekly articles and exclusive LIVE Q&As: 📧 https://dralizapressman.substack.com/ This episode is brought to you by: Little Spoon: Feeding the kids doesn’t have to be complicated. Get 30% off your first online order at littlespoon.com/HUMANS with code HUMANS. Orion Sleep: Get better sleep, backed by your own data. Right now, Orion is offering our listeners 15% off at Orionsleep.com/HUMANS. Kodiak: Feel good about snack choices with Kodiak Bars. Find them at kodiakcakes.com or your local grocery store. They’re the ones with the bear on the box.  OneSkin: Born from over 10 years of longevity research, OneSkin is helping you unlock your healthiest skin now and as you age. For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code RGH at oneskin.co/RGH. Tell them we sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices