Parenting Shrink Wrapped

Getting Real About Fatherhood

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2400622/fan_mail/new] In this special Father's Day episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam Straub and Dr. Melissa Wellner welcome filmmaker, educator, podcast host, and father Dan Gvozden for a candid conversation about the realities of fatherhood. From neighborhood adventures and childhood imagination to work-life balance and parenting confessions, Dan shares what he's learning while raising a preschooler and building a business. Together, they explore why presence, curiosity, and listening may be some of the most important gifts parents can give their children. Filled with humor, honesty, and heartfelt reflections, this episode celebrates fathers while offering meaningful insights for all parents striving to build stronger connections with their kids. About Dan With over fifteen years of experience teaching filmmaking, photography, and creative writing at prestigious private high schools and universities, Dan’s passion for teaching his students to use the filmic arts to express their voices, regardless of budget, resources, or ability, led him to found The Backlot - Film School and Studio. Dan earned a BFA in Film & Television Production from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, an MA in Cinema and Media Studies from UCLA, and has a decade of published work as a film critic and a lifetime of film production, and prides himself as a passionate pied-piper for creativity in all of its forms! Connect with Dan and Backlot [https://www.thebacklotmd.com/] Follow Backlot on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581631114197] Contact: parentingshrinkwrapped@gmail.com [parentingshrinkwrapped@gmail.com] Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped [https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingShrinkWrapped] for the latest episodes. Follow: Sam – Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/teensavvycoaching] & Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TeenSavvyCoachingwithSamanthaStraub] Melissa – Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554676977230] Work with Us: Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching [http://www.teensavvycoaching.com] Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554676977230] Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework [https://samantha-straub.mykajabi.com/you-screwed-up-convo-sign-up-page] for handling tricky convos. Listen & Review: Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.

The CALM Approach: Raising Kids Differently Than You Were Raised

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2400622/fan_mail/new] Many parents find themselves repeating parenting patterns they never intended to carry into their own families. In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam Straub and Dr. Melissa Wellner welcome parenting coach Angie Weber [https://theparenttoolbox.info], founder of The Parent Toolbox [https://theparenttoolbox.info] and creator of the CALM Approach. Angie shares her personal journey of recognizing generational parenting patterns and explains how parents can begin creating healthier relationships with their children through intentional communication, emotional awareness, accountability, and modeling. Together, they discuss emotional regulation, discipline versus punishment, perfectionism in parenting, co-parenting challenges, and practical ways parents can create more connection and calm in their homes. In This Episode: * What generational parenting cycles look like * The four pillars of the CALM Approach * Why emotional regulation starts with parents * How awareness creates meaningful change * The role of accountability and repair * Why your kids don't need a perfect parent * Practical ways to create stronger family connections About Angie Angie Weber, owner of The Parent Toolbox, developer of the C.A.L.M. Approach to Parenting©, creator of The C.A.L.M. Family Planner, and host of the podcast Mom Essentials, is on a mission to help break generational parenting cycles.  Angie helps parents upgrade their own toolboxes with new strategies and approaches to create more communication, connection, and calm in their homes!  Connect with Angie Weber Website: https://theparenttoolbox.info [https://theparenttoolbox.info] Social Media:  @theparenttoolbox Contact: parentingshrinkwrapped@gmail.com [parentingshrinkwrapped@gmail.com] Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped [https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingShrinkWrapped] for the latest episodes. Follow: Sam – Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/teensavvycoaching] & Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TeenSavvyCoachingwithSamanthaStraub] Melissa – Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554676977230] Work with Us: Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching [http://www.teensavvycoaching.com] Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554676977230] Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework [https://samantha-straub.mykajabi.com/you-screwed-up-convo-sign-up-page] for handling tricky convos. Listen & Review: Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.

What does ADHD really look like in children and teens?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2400622/fan_mail/new] In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Dr. Melissa Wellner and Sam Straub are joined by child psychiatrist Dr. Chad Lennon [https://www.sheppardpratt.org/why-sheppard-pratt/our-experts/details/chad-lennon-md/] to unpack the realities of ADHD beyond the stereotypes. Together, they discuss: * Why ADHD is often misunderstood * Emotional regulation and mood instability * The role dopamine plays in ADHD * Why bedtime and transitions can become so difficult * ADHD in Black and Latino children * The impact of cultural bias and school discipline * Medication, therapy, and parenting support strategies * Why ADHD has nothing to do with intelligence This episode offers practical insight, compassionate perspective, and reassurance for parents navigating ADHD at home. About Dr. Lennon Dr. Chad Lennon [https://www.sheppardpratt.org/why-sheppard-pratt/our-experts/details/chad-lennon-md/] is a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist at Sheppard Pratt’s Baltimore/Washington Campus. He earned his medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of Maryland/Sheppard Pratt Residency Program, followed by a child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Mt. Sinai Elmhurst Hospital. Dr. Lennon is widely published and has presented on topics including ADHD, anxiety, suicide prevention, trauma, and mental health in children and adolescents. He is especially passionate about increasing awareness around mental health in underserved communities and has written extensively about the stigma surrounding mental illness in the African American community. 🛜Connect with Dr. Lennon [https://www.sheppardpratt.org/why-sheppard-pratt/our-experts/details/chad-lennon-md/]🌐Dr. Lennon on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-lennon-ab51a593] 🎧 Subscribe for more Parenting Shrink Wrapped episodes every week. Contact: parentingshrinkwrapped@gmail.com [parentingshrinkwrapped@gmail.com] Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped [https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingShrinkWrapped] for the latest episodes. Follow: Sam – Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/teensavvycoaching] & Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TeenSavvyCoachingwithSamanthaStraub] Melissa – Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554676977230] Work with Us: Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching [http://www.teensavvycoaching.com] Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554676977230] Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework [https://samantha-straub.mykajabi.com/you-screwed-up-convo-sign-up-page] for handling tricky convos. Listen & Review: Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.

What do Teens Really Need from Parents Right Now?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2400622/fan_mail/new] What do teens really need from parents right now? In this powerful episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam and Melissa sit down with 19-year-old TEDx speaker and Cloud9 [http://cloud9go.com] founder Sonia Suthar [http://cloud9go.com] for an eye-opening conversation about communication, emotional intelligence, and what truly helps teens feel connected to their parents. Sonia shares practical advice for building trust, reducing pressure, and creating emotional safety at home, including her powerful “3 H’s” framework: Heard, Helped, or Held. This episode is full of wisdom, hope, and actionable tools for parents navigating the teen years. About Sonia Sonia is a 19-year-old founder who built Cloud 9 [http://cloud9go.com] because she lived the gap herself, the one between what school teaches and what teens actually need to navigate real life. She works with teens and parents to build the kind of emotional intelligence and self-awareness that changes how families actually talk to each other. Her whole thing is that when a teen grows, the parent has to grow too, and that's where the real magic happens.  Connect with Sonia: LinkedIn: Sonia Katara [https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakatara] YouTube: TedX [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVqO3ESJ9fo] Facebook: Cloud9 [https://www.facebook.com/cloud9go] Instagram: Cloud9 [https://www.instagram.com/cloud9go] Contact: parentingshrinkwrapped@gmail.com [parentingshrinkwrapped@gmail.com] Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped [https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingShrinkWrapped] for the latest episodes. Follow: Sam – Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/teensavvycoaching] & Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TeenSavvyCoachingwithSamanthaStraub] Melissa – Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554676977230] Work with Us: Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching [http://www.teensavvycoaching.com] Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554676977230] Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework [https://samantha-straub.mykajabi.com/you-screwed-up-convo-sign-up-page] for handling tricky convos. Listen & Review: Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.

Understanding Healthy Sleep Environments with Naturepedic

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2400622/fan_mail/new] What creates a truly healthy sleep environment for kids and teens? In this episode of Parenting Shrink Wrapped, Sam and Melissa sit down with Arin Schultz, Chief Growth Officer of Naturepedic [https://www.naturepedic.com], to talk about safe sleep practices, organic mattresses, environmental toxins, and how sleep environments may impact emotional regulation, nervous system health, and overall wellness. Together, they discuss what many parents never think about when it comes to sleep, including off-gassing, mattress materials, safe sleep recommendations for babies, and why sensitive kids (of any age) may react more strongly to environmental stressors. This practical and thoughtful conversation helps parents better understand how small environmental changes may support healthier sleep for the whole family. About Arin: Chief Growth Officer, Arin Schultz, joined Naturepedic in 2014, bringing a strong background in manufacturing business development and sales operations. Working for the certified organic, non-toxic mattress pioneer has opened Arin’s eyes to the dangers of harmful chemicals and their pervasive presence in households across the globe and this knowledge has added a deeper purpose to his relentless push to help transform the brand’s vision into reality. As the lead on all Naturepedic sales and marketing efforts, Arin develops and implements strategies that support the company’s business growth, customer retention, product innovation and sustainability goals. He also plays a key role in all educational initiatives, including thought leadership articles, webinars, live events and more. A father of four and an empathetic listener, Arin leads with  his genuine desire to help families make the safest, healthiest sleep choices.  Resources:  • Learn more about Naturepedic: Naturepedic [https://www.naturepedic.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Contact: parentingshrinkwrapped@gmail.com [parentingshrinkwrapped@gmail.com] Watch on YouTube: Subscribe to Parenting Shrink Wrapped [https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingShrinkWrapped] for the latest episodes. Follow: Sam – Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/teensavvycoaching] & Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TeenSavvyCoachingwithSamanthaStraub] Melissa – Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554676977230] Work with Us: Sam – Teen Savvy Coaching [http://www.teensavvycoaching.com] Melissa – Annapolis Psychiatry [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554676977230] Free Parenting Resource: Learn the L.O.V.E.D. framework [https://samantha-straub.mykajabi.com/you-screwed-up-convo-sign-up-page] for handling tricky convos. Listen & Review: Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This podcast is educational in nature and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care.