How Not to Screw Up Your Kids

In this episode, I’m talking about food.

Does your toddler refuse pasta because the shape is “wrong”?

Or does your teenager come home from school every day with an energy drink and packet of crisps?

Don’t worry, you are not alone. The struggle is real and it can feel relentless (pun not intended 😆).

But underneath every food battle is the same thing: pressure. It can be their body’s cravings, it can be developmental, it can be social, or (here’s the brutal truth) it might even be us. However, once you understand what’s actually going on in your child’s brain and body, everything changes.

So in today’s bucket-emptying episode, I talk you through the five practical things you can do that genuinely change the game between your kids and food. No battles. No bribing. No guilt. Just simple, doable shifts that help your child build a healthy relationship with food over time.

And the best part: you can start doing these five things right now.

So if food has become a battleground in your home, this episode will help you take back control of the long game.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:
01:03 - Children have more taste buds than adults
03:23 - The Forbidden Fruit Effect
07:22 - My 5 top tips

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together
💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/
💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library
💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025
💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Has homework become a battle?

Has your child stopped trying or caring?

In this episode, I’m talking directly to the parents who feel like their child’s motivation has quietly slipped away, because I want to help you understand what’s really going on underneath that perceived lack of effort.

Spoiler alert: it’s almost never laziness.

I’m going to walk you through why pushing harder doesn’t work, why rewards and consequences lose their power, and what motivation really looks like in a developing brain. Then I’m going to share five practical things you can start doing today to help your child reconnect with learning and learn how to feel proud of themselves again.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, frustrated, or worried about your child’s motivation, this episode will help you see the problem differently and give you a clear path forward.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:
00:58 - The two kinds of motivation
06:31 - The three skills in this episode
08:26 - Early years and primary school
12:56 - Middle childhood and finding a sense of self
17:59 - Autism & ADHD
23:04 - My top five things
27:59 - Autonomy supporting language

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together
💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/
💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library
💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025
💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is your teenager ghosting you?

Do they feel more distant and shut off?

Are you scared that your relationship with them is fading away?

Spoiler alert: we’ve all been there, and I promise you it’s nothing to panic about.

When your teenager stops talking to you, it can feel like you’ve lost the child you once knew. The little person who used to climb into your bed and tell you everything is now quiet, distant, and locked behind their bedroom door.

So in today’s bucket-emptying episode, I explain what’s actually happening in the teenage brain, why this withdrawal is normal (even healthy), and why the old ways of getting them to open up no longer work.

I am going to share five practical things you can start doing today that genuinely help rebuild connection. You’ll learn how to stop overthinking when your teen pulls away, how to ask the right questions, and what to do when your teenager gives you absolutely nothing at all (we’ve all been there!).

This episode will help you understand what your teen is going through, and give you the tools to reconnect in a way that works for both of you.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:
01:00 - An elastic band
05:27 - My five top tips
08:28 - Stop the Spanish Inquisition
12:42 - Listen without agenda
15:16 - Do not disturb

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together
💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/
💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library
💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025
💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a family separates, everything shifts. As parents we want to protect our children, but it can feel overwhelming when we don’t always have the answers.

In this episode, I walk you through what the facts tells about children and parental separation, and why long‑term wellbeing is about how we manage conflict, how we communicate, and how we support our children emotionally as they adjust.

In today’s episode you will learn what children need at different developmental stages, from toddlers to teenagers, and I give five practical steps you can start using right now. And for parents of neurodiverse children, I also outline the specific things you can do to make transitions between homes feel much easier.

This episode is here to help you feel steadier, clearer, and more confident… and to remind you that our children are far more adaptable than we give them credit for, but we have to model what that looks like.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:
01:00 - Separating is ok!
04:11 - Fine lens wide lens
07:22 - Different needs at different stages
12:48 - Protect your child from the conflict
15:34 - Your child is NOT a messenger
20:57 - The messages every child needs to hear.
26:10 - Neurodiverse children

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together
💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/
💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library
💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025
💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I’m talking honestly about something so many parents worry about - a child who “won’t read”, says reading is boring, or hasn’t picked up a book in years.

I explain why this isn’t a motivation problem at all, but a skills gap in reading identity, attention, language, and confidence. And once you understand what’s really going on underneath the surface, helping your child become a reader becomes far more straightforward.

I walk you through the wide‑lens view of reading: why some children haven’t yet found the right book, why reading has accidentally become a chore, and why the digital world makes sustained attention harder for every child.

I also share five practical things you can start today to help your child rediscover a love of reading that lasts for life.

So take a seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:
01:00 - The biggest predictor of academic success
04:03 - Why reading skills matter
08:06 - 5 things that actually help
12:06 - Let your kids read whatever they want
16:38 - Model reading to your children
19:22 - Stop doing these things right now

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together
💚 For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/
💚 For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library
💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025
💚 Brands and advertisers, email contact@drmaryhan.com

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.