Child Meltdowns and Tantrums: Teaching Emotional Regulation Skills

Is your child having daily meltdowns and tantrums? In this essential episode, veteran first-grade teacher Carla Heumann shares 17 years of proven strategies for managing emotional outbursts and teaching kids emotional regulation. Hosts Dr. Christopher Villarreal and Dr. Deb Anderson explore why toddlers and children struggle with big feelings, how to recognize dysregulation, and practical calm-down techniques that actually work. Learn why punishment fails, discover the surprising brain-reset power of cold water, and get step-by-step guidance for helping dysregulated children at home and school. Perfect for parents dealing with tantrums, teachers managing classroom behavior, and anyone seeking effective emotional regulation strategies for kids.

The Youth Sports Pressure Cooker: When Does Support Become Too Much?

Remember when youth sports were just... fun? Dr. Lisa Chipps, Senior Associate Athletic Director at Creighton University, joins hosts Dr. Christopher Villarreal and Dr. Deb Anderson to unpack the mounting pressures facing young athletes today - and how parents can support without suffocating. Drawing from years working with college athletes, Dr. Chipps reveals the evolution of student-athlete expectations, the difference between healthy pressure and harmful stress, and the critical conversations parents need to have (even when kids roll their eyes). Whether your child dreams of a college scholarship or just loves the game, this episode delivers practical guidance on nurturing athletic development while protecting childhood joy.

When your kid says "I don't care" about homework, what are they really telling you? Nick Zadina from the Boys Town National Hotline joins us to flip the script on motivation. Drawing from his work in crisis intervention and motivational interviewing, Nick explains why punishments and fear-based motivation stop working the moment kids leave for college. He shares practical strategies including how to identify what your child actually values, why "gentle pressure constantly applied" beats threats, and when to simply let natural consequences happen. This conversation will change how you think about homework battles, the "I don't care" attitude, and what really drives our kids to succeed.

In this critical episode, hosts Dr. Christopher Villarreal and Dr. Deb Anderson sit down with FBI Supervisory Special Agent Brian LeBlanc to decode school threats and expose the online predators targeting our children.

Agent LeBLanc, who leads the FBI's Domestic Terrorism and Threat Response Squad, reveals why anonymous bomb threats are almost always hoaxes and explains why students are actually safer staying inside during threat assessments rather than evacuating. Parents will learn how to differentiate between real and hoax threats, why behavioral threat assessment is our best defense against school violence, and what warning signs indicate their child might be targeted by online predators. Most importantly, Agent LeBlanc emphasizes that having honest conversations with kids about these dangers won't scare them - they're already dealing with more than parents realize.

Whether you're concerned about school safety or worried about your child's online activities, this episode delivers the FBI-level expertise every parent and educator needs to protect kids in today's complex threat landscape.

Content warning: This episode contains discussion of school violence that may be sensitive for some listeners

What really happens when a school goes into lockdown during an active shooter incident? In this powerful episode, Dr. Christopher Villarreal shares his first-hand experience of a school shooting, when he was a third-year teacher hiding under his desk, unable to reach anyone, learning about the crisis through news reports on his laptop.

Now serving as Director of Communications and leading school safety initiatives, Christopher and co-host Dr. Deb Anderson discuss how school emergency protocols have transformed, what actually helps students and staff recover from crisis, and what gives hope for keeping schools both safe and joyful.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by device settings or wondered what your kid's school Chromebook is actually filtering, this one's for you. PLCS Director of Technology Matt Moore breaks down the difference between what schools manage and what you can control at home - from iPhones and Androids to gaming consoles and Netflix profiles. He explains where to find parental control tools you didn't know existed, why that "downtime" feature matters for sleep, and the warning signs (like defensiveness or sudden mood swings) that tip him off when his own three kids are testing boundaries. No tech degree required - just start with the manufacturer's website and ask good questions.

Ever wonder why your child loved blueberries yesterday but refuses them today? Jennifer Anderson from Kids Eat in Color joins us to solve the "blueberry lottery" mystery and share game-changing strategies for feeding picky eaters. Learn why putting a cookie on the dinner plate might actually work, discover the simple protein-energy-color formula for balanced meals, and find out why those "three more bites" negotiations might be backfiring. Plus, get reassurance that you're not ruining your child – even when dinner is just five bites of food.

The kids themselves are saying it: "Thank you for putting in a cell phone policy." In this revealing episode of Mindshift, hosts Dr. Christopher Villarreal and Dr. Deb Anderson sit down with Papillion La Vista High School Principal Jason Ryan to explore the surprising reality of phone-free classrooms.

Ryan shares how his school's three-year journey from "phones in pockets" to "phones in caddies" transformed not just grades but the entire social fabric of the school. Students are having real conversations at lunch, finishing homework, and finding relief from the constant pressure of being "always on."

Whether you're a parent wondering how to support school policies at home or an educator considering similar changes, this episode offers practical strategies for setting healthy tech boundaries. The surprising truth? Kids actually want the structure we're afraid to give them.