Cat & Nat Unfiltered

We couldn't wait to bring you part two of our conversation with Dr. Jeremy Alland! In part two we ask the question, is your kid actually loving their sport, or have we turned it into a full-time job? We’re talking youth sports, burnout, the pressure to go “elite,” endless tournaments and the growing expectation that more training always means better athletes. Dr. Jeremy Alland talks about how much is too much, why kids need real downtime, and how parents can support their kids without making their sport their entire identity. Plus, the simple thing he says every parent should tell their kid after a game. If you haven't watched part 1 go back and check it out! And for more on Dr. Jeremy find him @jeremyallandmd.Keywordsyouth sports, parenting, athlete development, sports system, burnout, competition, fun in sports, youth athlete health, sports parenting, sports system reformKey Topics • The impact of year-round sports on children's health and happiness • Balancing competition and fun in youth sports • The influence of social media and marketing on youth sports • Strategies for parents to support their children's sports journey • Understanding the real chances of making it professionally in sports • The importance of communication and setting expectations • The role of systemic change in youth sports reform Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Youth sports have officially gotten out of control. We’re talking year-round training, travel teams, rankings, social media, parents spending a small fortune and the pressure to figure out your kid’s “next level” before they’ve even hit puberty.We sit down with Dr. Jeremy Alland, a sports medicine physician in Chicago where he serves as a team physician for the Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox. He’s also the voice behind Play the Long Game, a youth sports platform built on the belief that every kid deserves the chance to play sports, stay in sports, and develop a lifelong love of the game. Now a dad of young athletes himself, he gets both the medical side and the very real parent side of trying to keep your kids healthy, happy, and actually enjoying the game.We get into what’s really happening in youth sports and whether we’re pushing our kids too hard. When does encouraging them become pressure? When is quitting actually quitting, and when does a kid just need a break? And do they really need to be playing their sport 10 months a year to keep up? We also get into the ridiculous idea that if your eight-year-old isn’t already on an elite team, they’re somehow falling behind. Are we actually listening to what our kids want from sports, or are we projecting what we think they should want?We loved this conversation so much we had to break it up into two parts! Tune in for part two tomorrow and follow Dr. Jeremy Alland @jeremyallandmd.Keywordsyouth sports, parenting, athlete development, sports system, burnout, competition, fun in sports, youth athlete health, sports parenting, sports system reformKey Topics• The impact of year-round sports on children's health and happiness• Balancing competition and fun in youth sports• The influence of social media and marketing on youth sports• Strategies for parents to support their children's sports journey• Understanding the real chances of making it professionally in sports• The importance of communication and setting expectations• The role of systemic change in youth sports reform Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re talking college athletes making millions, kids becoming “famous” on Instagram, parents turning into sports managers, and somehow… Taylor Swift sitting beside Tom Cruise at a football game. Just your average day with ADHD.College sports have changed, and athletes can now make money from their name, image and likeness, which naturally leads us down the rabbit hole of whether parents should help a kid who’s training to be an athlete build a following. Is Instagram part of the job if you’re a young athlete?Key wordscelebrity gossip, social media influence, AI in fame, youth sports, college scholarships, social media for kids, digital identity, sports marketing, celebrity relationships, online trollingKey topicsCelebrity gossip and behind-the-scenes storiesThe role of social media in shaping youth sports and fameThe impact of AI on online reputation and trollingThe economics of college sports and athlete compensationCelebrity relationships and privacy issues Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Natalie sent her daughter off to university and, surprisingly, she’s… fine? We’re talking about the reality of sending your kid away, why the transition can sometimes be easier than you expect, and how university forces kids to figure things out for themselves. Then, of course, we get into Taylor's Pottery Barn dorm room makeover which sparked plenty of opinions. Some loved it and saw it as a fun opportunity, while others felt it was unrealistic and questioned the expectations we’re setting for kids heading off to university. Plus, we share all the dorm hacks we learned along the way.Keywordsuniversity, dorm room, parenting, independence, student life, college prep, room decor, transition, parenting tipsKey topicsDorm room decor tips and tricksParenting and managing expectations during college transitionThe importance of independence and self-reliance for studentsPractical advice for creating inspiring and functional dorm spacesInsights into university housing and student life Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re feeling a little overwhelmed by the world right now. AI is moving faster than we can keep up, and somehow we’re supposed to teach our kids how to navigate all of this when we’re still trying to figure it out ourselves. We’re talking about schools going back to pen and paper, kids using AI, algorithms deciding what we see, and whether we’re actually losing some of our ability to think, focus and trust our own instincts. We also get into AI scams, voice cloning and why every family might need a secret code word. And somewhere along the way, we decide that maybe the only reasonable solution is to move to a farm, raise baby chickens and completely opt out of modern life.KeywordsAI, education, parenting, online betting, NFTs, digital assets, technology, AI safety, social media, internet cultureKey topicsAI safety and escape from sandboxImpact of technology on education and note-takingParenting challenges with digital and social mediaThe rise and fall of NFTs and online assetsOnline betting and gambling risks for teensAI literacy and education policiesThe speed of technological change and societal adaptationParental strategies for digital safety and awareness Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.