Healthy Parenting Handbook with Katie Kimball

If you have ever looked at your teenager and thought, “Why are we suddenly having toddler-level emotional meltdowns again?” this episode is going to make so much sense. I had such a fascinating conversation with Tania Johnson from the Institute of Child Psychology about what is actually happening inside the teenage brain, and honestly, it completely reframed some things for me as a parent.
We talk about why teens and toddlers are surprisingly similar from a brain development perspective, why emotional outbursts and withdrawal are actually normal parts of development, and what parents can do to stay connected without smothering their kids. I especially loved how practical this conversation became. Tania has such a gift for taking complicated psychology concepts and making them feel doable in real life.
One of my biggest takeaways from this episode was the reminder that connection is still the foundation of parenting during the teen years. Even when they roll their eyes, shut their doors, or seem like they do not want us around, attachment and relationship still matter deeply.
In this episode, we cover:
Why the teenage brain develops similarly to a toddler’s brain
What co-regulation actually looks like during emotional moments
Why talking less can sometimes help more with teens
What is happening when your teen explodes and then withdraws
Why parents should step back into connection after conflict
How attachment continues shaping mental health during adolescence
Simple family rituals that help teens feel loved and connected
Why family meals matter more than most parents realize! 
Resources We Mention for Parenting Teens with Connection
Check out Tania’s book: The Parenting Handbook: Your Guide to Raising Resilient Children by Tania Johnson and Tammy Schamuhn (Amazon / Bookshop.org)
What Is Nervous System Work, and Why Is It Important?
Teens Want to Be in Control. Here’s Why They’re NOT (& What They Can Do About it) Direct from a Teen Author
Table talk: why you need to prioritize family meals
Don't miss #LifeSkillsNow Season 5! Register now. 
Kitchen Stewardship
Raising Healthy Families 
follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
YouTube shorts channel for HPH
Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast
Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Artificial intelligence is changing so quickly that honestly? I don’t think any of us can accurately predict what our kids’ jobs will look like in 10 or 20 years.
But I also don’t think parents can afford to throw up our hands and say, “Well, who knows?” and ignore the conversation.
In this second part of my AI series on the Healthy Parenting Handbook podcast, I’m digging into the question I think every parent is asking right now: What skills will actually matter in the age of AI?
Not coding. Not memorizing facts. Not just following directions.
The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that our kids are going to need to become more fully human, not less.
In this solo episode, I share the seven skills I believe will help kids thrive in a rapidly changing future, whether they become entrepreneurs, tradespeople, creators, leaders, or something none of us can even imagine yet. We’re talking about the kinds of skills AI can’t practice for us: communication, resilience, critical thinking, emotional regulation, adaptability, and learning how to learn.
I also share some surprising thoughts about which college paths may already be becoming obsolete, why hands-on skills may actually become more valuable again, and what I’m seeing firsthand as AI completely transforms the way my husband works every single day.
If you’ve been wondering how to prepare your kids for a future nobody can fully predict, this episode will help you focus on the skills that actually last.
Resources We Mention for Raising Kids in an AI World
Get those kids #LifeSkillsNow!
Dr. Michele Borba’s episode on raising resilient kids
Raising kids who know how to problem solve
Teaching Kids the Value of Money and Joy in Spending — and Saving
How Kids Can Learn to Deal with Big Challenges and Big Emotions with Counselor and Coping Skills Expert Janine Halloran
Don't miss #LifeSkillsNow Season 5! Register now. 
Kitchen Stewardship
Raising Healthy Families 
follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
YouTube shorts channel for HPH
Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast
Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

What happens when the future changes faster than parenting advice can keep up?
Artificial intelligence is already transforming jobs, schools, communication, creativity, and even the way businesses run day to day. And as parents, it can feel equal parts fascinating and terrifying.
Should we be worried? What skills will our kids actually need? And how in the world do we prepare children for jobs that don’t even exist yet?
In this solo episode, I dive into the rapidly changing world of AI through the lens of parenting, critical thinking, life skills, and human connection. I’m exploring why parents can’t afford to ignore this conversation… but also why panic probably isn’t the answer.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why AI might eliminate some jobs… but create entirely new industries we can’t yet imagine
The surprising historical parallels between AI and the decline of family farms
Why trying to predict your child’s future career may be impossible (and that’s actually okay)
What Back to the Future got hilariously wrong about the year 2015
The reason “human touch” jobs may become even more valuable in the AI era
How my husband uses AI all day long and why he says he may never code manually again
The parenting mindset shift we need if technology keeps evolving faster than schools can adapt
Why life skills, critical thinking, adaptability, and human connection still matter more than ever
If you’ve ever wondered whether AI is something to fear, embrace, resist, or simply learn alongside your kids, this episode is the beginning of an important conversation for every modern parent.
Resources We Mention for Parenting in the Age of AI
Get those kids #LifeSkillsNow!
Here’s my TEDx talk on why kids need critical thinking skills
More about confidence and competence (especially as it has to do with learning to cook)
Why chores aren’t punishment – and here is my simple chores system if you need it!
How to Help Kids Thrive with (and in spite of) Tech and Screens
Nurturing Young Skeptics: Essential Guide to Teaching Critical Thinking to Kids and Teens
Don't miss #LifeSkillsNow Season 5! Register now. 
Kitchen Stewardship
Raising Healthy Families 
follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
YouTube shorts channel for HPH
Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast
Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Do you ever feel that tension between wanting to help your kids… and knowing you probably shouldn’t step in so fast?
Because if we’re honest, it’s almost always easier and quicker to just do it ourselves. Open the bottle. Fill out the form. Solve the problem.
But what if that instinct is exactly what’s holding our kids back?
In this episode, I’m talking with Amy Carney about what it really takes to raise kids who are ready for the real world. Not just capable on paper, but confident, resilient, and able to handle life when things don’t go smoothly.
This is part two of our conversation, and we’re digging into the everyday moments that actually shape independent kids. (Here’s part 1 if you missed it.)
Here’s what we cover:
Why so many young adults struggle with basic problem-solving (and what parents are unintentionally doing that contributes to it)
The surprising power of letting kids struggle instead of stepping in
How to create family fun that actually works, even with teens who “don’t want to” participate
The mindset shift from doing things for your kids to mentoring them through life
Real-life examples of skills that fall through the cracks (even in great homes)
Why “easier and quicker” should be your red flag as a parent
Practical ways to start handing over responsibility, one small step at a time
If you’ve ever wondered how to raise kids who can actually handle adulthood, this conversation will both challenge and encourage you in the best way.
Resources We Mention for Raising Independent Kids
Get those kids some life skills at #LifeSkillsNow summer camp!
Letting toddlers help in the kitchen
My interview with Jessica Lahey on letting kids fail
Amy’s viral post on 8 things you should stop doing for your kids
Don't miss #LifeSkillsNow Season 5! Register now. 
Kitchen Stewardship
Raising Healthy Families 
follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
YouTube shorts channel for HPH
Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast
Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

One of the motivations for creating the Kids Cook Real Food™ eCourse was that I was just over halfway to “launch” with my oldest child.
Nine years old is half of the intensive part of parenting, and Paul had just turned 10. He demonstrated how to make homemade guacamole to his 4th-grade class, and I realized that guac was the only thing he truly knew how to make!
One cannot live on guac alone…so I knew I needed to teach him more before he left my home!
I love that parenting expert and author Amy Carney also uses the word “launch” to describe the process of sending off a child into the world, ready to serve and grow and live on purpose.
She too had a crisis of parenting when her oldest kids were about 10, and she reacted even more strongly than I did – that and more in today’s interview!
What Amy made me desire: The sort of MARGIN she found in her life when she taught her kids certain things.
How I’ll rethink something today: That being frustrated about a task is an opportunity for a teaching moment.
A goal I need to keep in mind: Play is as important as “being busy.”
In the first two days after the interview, I quoted a certain portion twice, and it’s what college professors and deans all agreed that young adults need more of.
This is a heartfelt, fun, fascinating, and inspiring interview, and I hope you enjoy Amy as much as I did!
Amy is teaching on How to Spot a Scam in #LifeSkillsNow Season 5 – register now!

Resources We Mention for Teaching Life Skills to Teens
Supporting the foster care system
Amy’s video on adoption through foster care
My interview with Julie Lythcott-Haimes about raising successful adults
Find Amy online here
Follow her on social media: Facebook, Instagram
Don't miss #LifeSkillsNow Season 5! Register now. 
Kitchen Stewardship
Raising Healthy Families 
follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
YouTube shorts channel for HPH
Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast
Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!