The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation

Why Your Teen's Brain Is Being Hijacked (And What to Do About It) with John Assaraf

John Assaraf, behavioral neuroscience researcher and founder of NeuroGym, said something to me in this conversation that I haven't been able to stop thinking about: "In the absence of practice, we all default to our highest level of training, or lack thereof."  That hit me somewhere deep. Because so many of us are parenting from our own unexamined defaults, while our kids are getting their brains hijacked by algorithms designed to keep them anxious, comparison-obsessed, and scrolling.  Here's what John knows that most parents don't: emotions wire into the brain 100 times faster than logic, which means by the time a teen's prefrontal cortex even comes online, the damage from doom scrolling, social comparison, and identity erosion can already be baked in.  He introduced me to his "uncommon wisdom" approach, a total reframe of how we try to reach our kids, and it's not what you think. You'll walk away knowing exactly why telling your kid what to do is neurologically guaranteed to fail, and what to do instead to actually build their identity, self-worth, and emotional resilience from the inside out. FOR FULL SHOW NOTES & TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE, GO TO: badmompodcast.com/overcomefear [http://badmompodcast.com/overcomefear] KEY TAKEAWAYS: * Why the teen brain is neurologically wired to tune you out, and what's actually happening up there that explains everything * Discover John's "uncommon wisdom" strategy: the counterintuitive move that gets your kid to absorb the exact lesson you want them to learn, without a single argument * The reason emotions wire into the brain 100 times faster than logic, and why that changes everything about how you approach an anxious teen * What "down-regulating the stress circuit" actually means, and the breathing and visualization technique (mental contrasting) that eliminated his 30-year-old son's recurring challenge in just seven days * Why your kid's doomsday thinking isn't stubbornness, it's neuroscience, and how the law of polarity can gently crack that open * The Innercise methodology: how to strengthen your kid's seven neuro muscles the same way you'd strengthen a physical muscle * The brilliant question John asked his young kids that made discipline almost argument-proof, and why "people defend what they participate in" 📌 Connect with John Assaraf * Website & Neuro Fitness Assessment: https://www.myneurogym.com * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnassaraf/ * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/JohnAssaraf * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnassarafpage/ * Books on Amazon:  * Innercise https://www.amazon.com/INNERCISE-Science-Unlock-Brains-Hidden/dp/1949001598 [https://www.amazon.com/INNERCISE-Science-Unlock-Brains-Hidden/dp/1949001598] * Having It All https://www.amazon.com/Having-All-Achieving-Lifes-Dreams/dp/141656361X/ [https://www.amazon.com/Having-All-Achieving-Lifes-Dreams/dp/141656361X/] RESOURCES & NEXT STEPS: 👉 If you’ve ever thought, “Am I doing this right?” or felt the pain of wanting to do everything but not having the tools, this episode is for you. Listen, share it with another parent who needs healing and guidance, and subscribe to The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation. And remember: you are not a bad mom; you’re a bada$$ in a broken system. Keep fighting.  📌  Connect with Vivian Glyck & The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation * The Bad Mom Podcast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/badmompodcast/?hl=en] * Vivian on Instagram  [https://www.instagram.com/vivianglyck/?hl=en] * The Bad Mom Podcast on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579494953451#] * The Bad Mom Podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheBadMomPodcast] * The Bad Mom Podcast on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@thebadmompodcast?_t=ZT-8zmOqrATaZL&_r=1] The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation is a Project Grit initiative: fortifying mental wellness for the next generation. Just Like My Child Foundation is a proud nonprofit partner of Project, committed to equipping today's youth with the tools they need to thrive and build a better future. For Moms Running on Empty…This Coffee Hits Different We are so excited to welcome Dave Asprey’s Danger Coffee as the first official sponsor of Project Grit and Bad Mom Podcast. The truth is that I am addicted to Danger Coffee and I won’t drink any other coffee so it’s a good thing there are so many great benefits to it! The flavor is way better than other premium brands and I get the caffeine support without the jitters. Get 10% off your next purchase here and keep Project Grit and Bad Mom Podcast afloat: https://dangercoffee.com/

How Do I Let Go of My Kid Without Feeling Like I'm Giving Up? with Lisa Garr

Here's the thing…I sat across from my friend Lisa Garr, someone who has spent 20-plus years interviewing the greatest minds in consciousness and personal growth, and she looked at me and basically said, "I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing as a mom." 100%. And I just loved her so much for that. Lisa is the host of The AWARE Show, a woman who has given voice to Wayne Dyer, Bruce Lipton, and Joe Dispenza. And yet when it comes to her daughter Kayla, she's been in the trenches right alongside the rest of us, figuring it out one painful lesson at a time. Here's what Lisa knows that most parents don't: the instinct to put your child on a pedestal, to brag, to grandstand, to lead every conversation with their accomplishments, can actually set them up for a harder fall. She learned that the hard way. So did I. And this conversation gets real about what it actually looks like to stop enabling, stop rescuing, and start trusting that your kid's mess is also their medicine. You'll walk away from this episode knowing that you are not alone in the sandwich generation squeeze, that letting go does not mean giving up, and that the next right thing might just be staying out of the way long enough for your kid to find their own way back. FOR FULL SHOW NOTES & TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE, GO TO: badmompodcast.com/lisa [http://badmompodcast.com/lisa] KEY TAKEAWAYS: * Why the most accomplished, conscious women alive can still feel completely lost as mothers, and why that is actually a sign you care * The "pedestal problem" that might be setting your kid up for a harder fall than you ever imagined * What it really means to stop enabling and why saying "talk to your professionals" is an act of love, not abandonment * The surprising way your child might be using blame to stay connected to you (this one will stop you cold) * Why the sandwich generation's greatest hidden burden is not the logistics but the identity * What Gen Z's COVID years actually did to their developing brains and why connection, not correction, is the cure * The simple shift from "look what my kid can do" to something that actually serves their long-term wellbeing 📌 Connect with Lisa * Lisa’s podcast: https://theawareshow.com/podcast [https://theawareshow.com/podcast] * Lisa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisagarrhost/ [https://www.instagram.com/lisagarrhost/] RESOURCES & NEXT STEPS: 👉 If you’ve ever thought, “Am I doing this right?” or felt the pain of wanting to do everything but not having the tools, this episode is for you. Listen, share it with another parent who needs healing and guidance, and subscribe to The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation. And remember: you are not a bad mom; you’re a bada$$ in a broken system. Keep fighting.  📌  Connect with Vivian Glyck & The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation * The Bad Mom Podcast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/badmompodcast/?hl=en] * Vivian on Instagram  [https://www.instagram.com/vivianglyck/?hl=en] * The Bad Mom Podcast on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579494953451#] * The Bad Mom Podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheBadMomPodcast] * The Bad Mom Podcast on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@thebadmompodcast?_t=ZT-8zmOqrATaZL&_r=1] The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation is a Project Grit initiative: fortifying mental wellness for the next generation. Just Like My Child Foundation is a proud nonprofit partner of Project, committed to equipping today's youth with the tools they need to thrive and build a better future.

The Lawyer Who Beat Meta and YouTube: How He's Changing Everything for Parents | Matthew Bergman, Esq

When you feel the system is rigged and you have no power, sometimes the only place left to turn is the courthouse. Matthew Bergman, founder of the Social Media Victims' Law Center, has spent the last four years building an airtight case against the companies that knowingly designed their platforms to be addictive to our kids.  During our conversation, he walked me through the landmark trial against Meta and YouTube, explained how he found the legal loophole to Section 230 (the immunity law that's protected Big Tech for decades), and shared the absolute moral imperative that drives his work: parents deserve the ability to hold these companies accountable in a court of law.  Here's what Matthew knows that most parents don't: these platforms aren't just engaging, they're deliberately engineered to exploit your teen's developing brain and their need for social validation. You'll walk away knowing exactly how the addiction happens, why regulation alone won't fix it, and what the next steps look like for parents ready to do the next right thing. FOR FULL SHOW NOTES & TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE, GO TO: badmompodcast.com/addictedbydesign [http://badmompodcast.com/addictedbydesign] KEY TAKEAWAYS: * The design feature, not the content: Why suing for product liability (not publishing) was the game-changer * The documents don't lie: What Big Tech's own internal emails reveal about their addiction strategy * The frontal cortex exploit: How platforms prey on teens' underdeveloped decision-making abilities * Section 230 is ancient history: Why the "negligent design" exception is cracking the immunity problem * Settlement whispers: What TikTok and Snap's pre-trial exit tells us about their confidence level * The three-pronged solution: Regulation, civil justice, and the court of public opinion, and why all three matter * Vicarious trauma is real: How advocates stay grounded while fighting for kids who've been lost 📌 Connect with Matthew Bergman, Esq. * Social Media Victims' Law Center offers free resources to assess if your child shows signs of social media addiction: https://socialmediavictims.org/ [https://socialmediavictims.org/] * Documentary: "Can't Look Away" (Peabody-nominated) https://www.jolt.film/watch/cantlookaway [https://www.jolt.film/watch/cantlookaway] What to Tell Your Representatives: * Push for federal regulation with civil justice components * Watch for "small print" legislation that sounds good but strips parent accountability * Demand strong age verification and algorithmic transparency For Parents Ready to Act: * Document your child's social media use patterns * Connect with other parents building cases * Educate yourself on your state's legal pathways * Model "the next right thing" by engaging in legislative advocacy RESOURCES & NEXT STEPS: 👉 If you’ve ever thought, “Am I doing this right?” or felt the pain of wanting to do everything but not having the tools, this episode is for you. Listen, share it with another parent who needs healing and guidance, and subscribe to The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation. And remember: you are not a bad mom; you’re a bada$$ in a broken system. Keep fighting.  📌  Connect with Vivian Glyck & The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation * The Bad Mom Podcast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/badmompodcast/?hl=en] * Vivian on Instagram  [https://www.instagram.com/vivianglyck/?hl=en] * The Bad Mom Podcast on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579494953451#] * The Bad Mom Podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheBadMomPodcast] * The Bad Mom Podcast on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@thebadmompodcast?_t=ZT-8zmOqrATaZL&_r=1] The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation is a Project Grit initiative: fortifying mental wellness for the next generation. Just Like My Child Foundation is a proud nonprofit partner of Project, committed to equipping today's youth with the tools they need to thrive and build a better future.

Why Is My ADHD Kid So Anxious? The Connection Parents Miss with Elaine Taylor-Klaus

"I wasn't handling it well." That's how Elaine Taylor-Klaus, parent educator and founder of ImpactParents.com, describes her early years raising three kids with ADHD, learning disabilities, anxiety, and autism. Not from a place of shame, but from a place of radical honesty that every parent in the trenches needs to hear.  Here's what Elaine knows that most parents don't: the struggle isn't just about your kid's diagnosis. It's about what you, as the parent, are bringing into the room.  In this conversation, Elaine breaks down her four-phase model for fostering independence in kids and young adults, and why getting stuck in "director mode" is quietly robbing your child of the chance to practice real decision-making. She also drops a truth bomb about ADHD and addiction that completely reframes what so many of us thought we understood.  You'll walk away knowing exactly which phase of parenting you're in right now, why that matters more than any diagnosis, and the five grounding principles that can start shifting the dynamic in your home today. FOR FULL SHOW NOTES & TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE, GO TO: badmompodcast.com/complexkids [http://badmompodcast.com/complexkids] KEY TAKEAWAYS: * Why calling your kid "complex" instead of broken might be the reframe that changes everything * The sneaky way YOUR anxiety is getting in the way of your kid's independence (and it's not what you think) * "Assume best intentions" sounds simple until you try it with a 23-year-old and a sketchy mechanic * Why less than 30% of families ever get a proper ADHD treatment plan, and what comprehensive care actually looks like * The surprising truth about ADHD medication and addiction risk that most parents and providers don't know * Four phases of parenting from director to champion, and why most of us are stuck in the wrong one * Why "commit to calm" isn't just a nice idea but the foundation everything else is built on 📌 Connect with Elaine Taylor-Klaus * Website: https://impactparents.com [https://impactparents.com] * Blog: https://impactparents.com/blog/ [https://impactparents.com/blog/] * Podcast: https://impactparents.com/podcast * Free Communication Guide + Sanity School Info: impactparents.com/badmom * Sanity School: 6-week coaching skills course for parents of any kind of kid: https://impactparents.com/programs-offerings/parent-training-sanity-school/ RESOURCES & NEXT STEPS: 👉 If you’ve ever thought, “Am I doing this right?” or felt the pain of wanting to do everything but not having the tools, this episode is for you. Listen, share it with another parent who needs healing and guidance, and subscribe to The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation. And remember: you are not a bad mom; you’re a bada$$ in a broken system. Keep fighting.  📌  Connect with Vivian Glyck & The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation * The Bad Mom Podcast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/badmompodcast/?hl=en] * Vivian on Instagram  [https://www.instagram.com/vivianglyck/?hl=en] * The Bad Mom Podcast on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579494953451#] * The Bad Mom Podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheBadMomPodcast] * The Bad Mom Podcast on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@thebadmompodcast?_t=ZT-8zmOqrATaZL&_r=1] The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation is a Project Grit initiative: fortifying mental wellness for the next generation. Just Like My Child Foundation is a proud nonprofit partner of Project, committed to equipping today's youth with the tools they need to thrive and build a better future.

What If It's Not in Their Head? Connecting Metabolic Health to Your Child's Mental Wellness with Dr. Henna Karna

I'm going to be real with you: when my son was in crisis, every doctor I saw handed me a prescription instead of an answer. And I kept thinking, "Has ANYONE actually looked at what's happening inside his body?" That question is exactly what Dr. Henna Karna, mathematician turned AI innovator and Harvard fellow, has spent years trying to answer. Here's what Henna knows that most parents don't: the brain is an organ, and unlike literally every other organ in the body, we treat it with symptom checklists instead of data. Her platform, NeuroVitals, connects metabolic biomarkers, lab work, wearables, and daily mood patterns to give parents and teens a biological picture of mental wellness, not just a label. In this conversation, we get into why dopamine-saturated phones may be stealing your child's ability to produce serotonin, and why social media layered on top of a genetic predisposition can turn a quiet vulnerability into a full-blown crisis. You'll walk away knowing why your gut instinct to dig deeper was right all along, and what you can actually do about it today. FOR FULL SHOW NOTES & TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE, GO TO: badmompodcast.com/henna [http://badmompodcast.com/henna] KEY TAKEAWAYS: * Why treating the brain like a "feelings organ" instead of a biological one is failing our kids, and what a different approach looks like * The dopamine-serotonin connection that may explain why your child feels good for five minutes on their phone, then crashes into the floor * What a continuous glucose monitor revealed about a teenager's mental state that his own pediatrician refused to look at * How one mom's moment in a two-minute doctor's appointment changed the entire mission behind NeuroVitals * The "micro action" framework: why asking a struggling kid to overhaul their life doesn't work, and what actually does * What it means to design technology for the user's state of mind, and why most social media never even tried * Why your child feeling lonely even when surrounded by people might be one of the most important data points you're not tracking RESOURCES & NEXT STEPS: 👉 If you’ve ever thought, “Am I doing this right?” or felt the pain of wanting to do everything but not having the tools, this episode is for you. Listen, share it with another parent who needs healing and guidance, and subscribe to The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation. And remember: you are not a bad mom; you’re a bada$$ in a broken system. Keep fighting. 📌 Connect with Dr. Henna Karna * NeuroVitals: neurovitalsai.com * Website: hennakarna.com  📌  Connect with Vivian Glyck & The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation * The Bad Mom Podcast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/badmompodcast/?hl=en] * Vivian on Instagram  [https://www.instagram.com/vivianglyck/?hl=en] * The Bad Mom Podcast on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579494953451#] * The Bad Mom Podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheBadMomPodcast] * The Bad Mom Podcast on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@thebadmompodcast?_t=ZT-8zmOqrATaZL&_r=1] The Bad Mom Podcast: Parenting The Anxious Generation is a Project Grit initiative: fortifying mental wellness for the next generation. Just Like My Child Foundation is a proud nonprofit partner of Project, committed to equipping today's youth with the tools they need to thrive and build a better future.