Play Is the Point: How Stephanie Feero Built a Therapy Tool Kids Actually Love

Katia Conte on Loss, Resilience, and Helping Families Survive Childhood Cancer

This episode is one of the most personal conversations on the podcast, as host Luba Patlakh opens up about losing her own mom to cancer and how that loss shaped her view of advocacy and leadership. Luba sits down with Katia Conte, founder of the Daniela Conte Foundation, who shares the story of her daughter Daniela's four year battle with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive childhood cancer. Katia walks through the moment everything changed, the years of treatment, relapse, and resilience, and the heartbreaking decision to keep fighting even when answers ran out. The conversation covers what real support looks like for a family in crisis, how the Daniela Conte Foundation helps cover rent, bills, and medical costs for families in active treatment, and how Katia turned unimaginable grief into a mission that has already helped hundreds of families. For anyone who has wondered what genuine support looks like for a family facing a child's serious illness, or who is looking for a way to help, this conversation will stay with them. Learn more about the Daniela Conte Foundation here: https://www.danielacontefoundation.org [https://www.danielacontefoundation.org] Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/ [https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/] Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com [http://bobowearsabowtie.com] Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com [http://lubapatlakh.com] The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com [http://theconfidentiepparent.com] Join the Parental Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/ [https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/] 00:00 - Introduction to the episode and why this conversation is personal for Luba 01:55 - The day everything changed, pumpkin picking and the first signs something was wrong 04:00 - Rushing to the hospital and the diagnosis no parent is prepared for 07:44 - What it feels like to hear the words "your child has cancer" 10:52 - Starting chemo immediately and the realities of treatment 17:21 - The cancer relapses and the family faces a harder road 20:56 - Daniela's final battle and the days leading up to her passing 22:33 - How grief became the spark for the Daniela Conte Foundation 30:36 - How the foundation supports families financially and emotionally during treatment 44:18 - Advice for anyone who feels called to start something meaningful after loss

The Truth About Late Talkers and What Every Parent Needs to Know

Is your child a late talker, and are you wondering whether to wait it out or pay closer attention? In this solo episode, Luba breaks down the real truth about late talkers, the version you won't find on social media. She explains what a late talker actually is, why understanding language is not the same as being able to communicate, and how speech delays ripple out into behavior, confidence, learning, and relationships. You'll hear the surprising connection between language and executive functioning, the red flags worth watching for at 12, 18, 24, and 36 months, and how to tell the difference between a child who needs a small nudge and one who needs real support. Most importantly, Luba reminds you that trusting your instincts is enough. You don't have to earn the right to ask questions about your own child. Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/ [https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/] Get a copy of Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com [http://bobowearsabowtie.com] Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com [http://lubapatlakh.com] The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com [http://theconfidentiepparent.com] Join the Parental Pathway: https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/ [https://www.skool.com/the-parent-pathway/] 00:00 Welcome to The Growth Lab 01:13 The truth about late talkers, the real version 01:50 What a late talker actually is 02:24 The biggest myth, "as long as they understand, they're fine" 03:43 Why speech delays turn into behavior challenges 05:48 The hidden connection to executive functioning 07:41 What gets missed most, your child's confidence 11:13 Red flags to watch at 12, 18, 24, and 36 months 13:06 A true delay versus needing a little nudge 14:13 Why early support prevents problems, it doesn't create them

How to Raise Kids With a Healthy Relationship to Food With Lea Rifkin

Most of us were raised on "clean your plate," "that's a bad choice," and "you're so lucky you can eat that." Then we grow up and wonder why food feels so loaded. In this episode I sit down with Lea Rifkin, a non-diet registered dietitian and founder of Kindred Nutrition Co., to talk about how early food messaging shapes our kids, and how we can rewrite that story while we heal our own relationship with food. We get honest about the comments that slip out without us realizing it, why labeling food good or bad tends to backfire, and what it actually looks like to guide your child around food without controlling it. Lea shares the difference between always foods and sometimes foods, why sitting down together matters more than any perfect plate, and the signs that it's time to reach out for support instead of waiting it out. If you have a picky eater, a snack grabber, or a little one already picking up messages about their body, this conversation will help you feel steadier at your own table. Want to work with Lea? Check her out here: https://kindrednutritionco.com [https://kindrednutritionco.com] Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/ [https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/] Pre-order Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com [http://bobowearsabowtie.com] Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com [http://lubapatlakh.com] The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com [http://theconfidentiepparent.com] 00:00 Welcome and meeting Lea Rifkin 02:52 Why our food stories start in childhood 06:09 What non-diet really means 13:09 How the words we use shape the way kids eat 18:14 The phrases parents don't realize are harmful 27:50 Bodies are like trees, and guidance versus control 37:41 Family meals and modeling around the table 42:36 When to seek help and why not to wait

How Beth Heyer Is Changing the Way Families Find Trusted Childcare

When childcare falls apart, everything falls apart with it, work, stress, and the whole rhythm of family life. In this episode of The Growth Lab, Luba sits down with Beth Heyer, founder of Babysitting Connection and mentor to women building service-based businesses across the country. Beth shares how a frustrating search for trustworthy sitters turned into a vetted, membership-based network now serving families in five cities, and why she's so passionate about ending the "mommy martyrdom" that tells parents asking for help is a weakness. Together they get into what makes childcare reliable rather than just available, how to protect both the families and the caregivers in any care system, and what families consistently misunderstand about the real value of trusted support. For any parent trying to build something meaningful while raising a family, this conversation reframes childcare as what it really is, the infrastructure that lets everything else hold together. Check out Babysitting Connection: https://babysittingconnection.com [https://babysittingconnection.com] Follow Beth on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebethheyer/ [https://www.instagram.com/thebethheyer/] Connect with Luba on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/ [https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh/] Pre-order Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com [http://bobowearsabowtie.com] Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com [http://lubapatlakh.com] The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com [http://theconfidentiepparent.com] 00:00 Welcome to The Growth Lab 02:07 How a frustrating sitter search became a business 05:10 Ending the mommy martyrdom, why asking for help isn't weakness 06:02 Turning childcare into a business and pivoting through COVID 08:00 The biggest challenges families face finding reliable care 11:37 What families misunderstand about good childcare 13:07 How Babysitting Connection actually works, membership and vetting 16:15 Protecting both the families and the caregivers 21:23 Starting a service business without shrinking yourself 28:23 Where Beth sees the future of childcare heading

The Early Signs Your Child Needs More Support

Long before children can use their words, they communicate through behavior, their play, their reactions, and the patterns parents and teachers notice but can't always name. In this solo episode, Luba walks through the everyday signs that quietly signal a child may need more help, from delayed speech and frustration-driven meltdowns to sensory red flags, feeding challenges, rigid routines, and motor concerns. She explains why these cues so often get dismissed with "wait and see," why waiting rarely makes things easier, and what actually happens when a family reaches out for support. Most of all, she reminds parents that their intuition is powerful, that there is nothing wrong with them or their child, and that they don't need a diagnosis or anyone's permission to start advocating right now. Connect with Luba: Instagram: @lubapatlakh [https://www.instagram.com/lubapatlakh] Pre-order Bobo Wears a Bowtie: bobowearsabowtie.com [http://bobowearsabowtie.com] Luba's website: lubapatlakh.com [http://lubapatlakh.com] The Confident IEP Parent ebook: theconfidentiepparent.com [http://theconfidentiepparent.com] 00:01:09 The everyday behaviors that signal your child needs more support 00:01:36 Why behavior is your child's first language 00:02:33 Your gut is data too 00:03:05 Speech and communication signs to watch for 00:04:58 Meltdowns, biting, and shutting down 00:06:23 Sensory needs and when OT can help 00:07:57 Feeding challenges that aren't just picky eating 00:09:14 Rigid routines and hard transitions 00:10:22 When your child just seems different 00:10:54 Why waiting doesn't make it easier