What do Parents Know?

Dipti Solanki joins Amit as his special guest today as we discuss grief and the impact it can have on teenagers. We talk about own personal stories, Dipti suddenly losing her mother as a teenager and me losing  my mother to ovarian cancer in my late 20s. We also discuss the ways in which people grieve and how grief isn't always related to death, but can be related to separation and divorce as well. 

Heidi Mavir is a best-selling author and neurodivergent adult. She also has a son that is transgender. In this episode, Heidi and I discuss how she handled her son coming out to her and how she has been in his corner ever since finding out. We talk about the media frenzy that surrounds the trans debate and why the debate has been so polarised in recent years. Heidi also offers her views on JK Rowling, gender, what it means to be a woman and how parents can support their trans children through the journey. 

Keely Grainger's best friend was murdered by her boyfriend. In this episode, she shares that tragic story and how the signs of domestic abuse were missed by everyone. We also talk about why parents need to know how to keep their children safe and also the work Keely does for Remedi and CEASE. Based around the Keely's personal experience of supporting her best friend through an abusive relationship that ended in tragedy, CEASE is a range of interventions and services provided by Remedi to address issues presented by domestic abuse for young people. 

What is a growth mindset? How do we build a growth mindset? How can parents help their children build a growth mindset? Join me as I talk to Rachel Stuart, founder of Mindset Lab and an academic coach for teenagers. We discuss the difference between a growth and fixed mindset and why having a growth mindset can lead to better academic performance. We also talk about practical ways that parents can instil a growth mindset in themselves and their children. 

This episode focuses on the impact that separation and divorce has on both young people and parents. I'm joined by Deepa Graham, a certified break up and divorce coach, who shares her own story of raising two children through a difficult divorce. We discuss how different children respond to divorce and the trauma it can cause in them, sometimes for many years. 

Harj Gahley, an award winning speaker and entrepreneur, talks about his gambling addiction that left him £250,000 in debt. In this episode, we discuss Harj's addiction as well as the impact it had on his life and his family. We also talk about how gambling is seen as something attractive to young people today, especially in the form of accumulators and online gaming. 

Something seldom talked out is when a parent faces abuse at the hands of their child. In this episode, I talk to Michelle John, founder of PEGS about how many parents have relationships with their children where abuse is present. We talk about the lack of media reporting on child on parent abuse and also the humiliation and shame that many parents feel if they are victims. We also discuss the types of abuse that parents face as well as what they can do to find help. 

Rachel Macdonald and I talk about school refusal and why child absenteeism has gone up so much in recent years. Rachel is a former teacher and currently supports a Multi-Academy Trust as their Head of Learning and Development. In this conversation, we discuss whether school refusal is linked to a young mental health crisis or whether parents are making decisions that suit them post-COVID. We also talk about why home schooling is on the rise and if some parents are choosing to home school because of the liberal agenda in education at the moment. 

This episode features Malarvilie Krishnasamy, an Executive Coach, founder of Mal CPD, and former senior leader in secondary education. We discuss how parent can change the way they communicate so the focus is less on telling children what to do and more on empowering children to make good choices. We also talk about how powerful coaching can be in building positive relationships and why reframing the way we think and talk can lead to far more positive outcomes.  

Amit chats to Juggy Sidhu, founder of The Complete Health Rewire, about why it is so crucial that teenagers have a good relationship with food. We discuss the importance of family meals and why it is a parental responsibility to provide a balanced and well regulated diet for their children. We also talk about obesity and the way in which social media influencers can indirectly cause mental health issues in young people regarding body image and what parents can do about it.  

Amit talks to Kirstin Coughtrie, founder of Gaia Learning, about how her virtual learning platform is providing an alternative education for young people in the neurodiverse community. We discuss ADHD in great detail, including our own diagnoses, and whether being labelled should be seen as a positive or something to be avoided. 

In this episode, I'm joined by Vanessa McFarlane, founder of Mariposa Education, where we discuss how young people are exposed to a sexualised world younger than ever. We talk about the role schools have to play, but also how they often find themselves against parents that want to shelter their children from sex education. We also discuss how boys and men need to be part of the solution and not always singled out as being the problem when it comes to sexual behaviour, especially in schools. 

Management Consultant and Keynote Speaker, Toni McLelland joins me as she talks about her experience working in environments where difficult conversations need to be had. She also discusses how she navigated parenting and why building open channels of communication with our children is so important. We talk about parents being role models, why family meetings are important, how parents can listen without judgement and also Toni's experience, as a Christian, learning that her son was going to convert to Islam. 

Worrying about money is something that affects so many teenagers and their parents. Join me as I speak to Maddy Alexander-Grout, founder of Mad About Money, about her experience as a spending addict and her recovery. We talk about why managing money is so important and the role parents need to play in supporting their teenagers in making sensible financial decisions. 

What is mindful eating? Join me as I talk to Nav Birdi, a dietician and founder of Nutrition by Nav, as we discuss what mindful eating is and how it can benefit teenagers. We discuss being in control of what we eat, ensuring diets are balanced and how to manage situations such as diabetes and obesity. 

Suzanne Alderson, founder of Parenting Mental Health, joins me as we talk about the struggles parents go through when they have a child with mental health issues. We discuss how lost parents can feel, how ashamed they might be and how alone they can be. When her own daughter was suffering from a mental health crisis, Suzanne set up Parenting Mental Health so that parents were not alone; the charity now supports over 30,000 parents around the world and gives them a safe space to communicate. 

A lot of people suffer from anxiety at different points in their lives. This can affect teenagers, but it can affect parents as well. I'm joined by Dr Rina Bajaj, counselling psychologist, as she discusses the signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression. We discuss the impact that either can have on an individual and why parents need to be on top of their own mental health before they can support their teenagers. We also discuss simple techniques that parents might be able to use to help manage their anxiety. 

Many religious homes function perfectly well. But, what happens when your teenager decides they don't want to be part of the religion or that they don't want to follow the rules you follow? I am joined by Rabbi Alex Goldberg, Dean of Religious Life and Belief the University of Surrey, a world renowned speaker on inter-faith matters, and a former Human Rights barrister, as we discuss the topic of religion in the home. We discuss what parents can do to create a harmonious and peaceful religious home where their teenagers are respectful and understanding and we discuss what parents can do if their teenagers decide it isn't for them. 

OCD is something that is commonly misunderstood, especially amongst teenagers. People that don't understand OCD find it odd and strange that somebody would need to repeat things or do things in a certain way, but those that have OCD know how debilitating it can be. Join me as I talk to Julie Derrick, Founder of Mind Monsters, parent of an OCD teenager and OCD author and expert, about what OCD is, the different types of OCD that exist and what parents can do to support their teenager through it. 

Clare Steedman and Rachael Alder-Byrne, founders and clinical directors at TEDS, join me to discuss eating disorders and the different types that exist. Whilst most people would be familiar with anorexia and bulimia, less would know the signs of Pica and OFSED. We discuss the different eating disorders and what parents can do to understand them better, including the links between eating disorders and mental health issues.