Episode Details

If you or someone you know is going through a divorce with kids involved, you’re not going to want to miss this episode of the Are they 18 yet?™ Podcast.

In this episode, I sit down with my sister, Mary Leonard, and talk about how to help your kids build resiliency when coping with big life transitions like divorce.

She shares her experience single parenting two young children; including how to thrive when getting through the day alive feels like a chore.

Specifically, we talk about:

✅Her biggest challenges when she had to start parenting all on her own.

✅What she wishes she would have learned as a child when it comes to emotional regulation.

✅De-escalation strategies for handling tantrums, avoiding arguments, and teaching your kids emotional intelligence.

✅How to play detective when your kids can’t find the words to express what they’re feeling; especially when you have multiple kids who need very different coping strategies.

✅The unexpected silver lining of divorce; for both her and her kids.

✅What NOT to say to someone who’s going through a divorce.

✅How to get through the toughest part of the process so you can set your family up for success.

Also, remember to check out my free parent guide where I share the set of skills that kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up  for the guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide

The De Facto Leaders podcast was formerly the “Are they 18 yet?®” podcast. As of November 2022, the name of the show has changed, and we’ve shifted from a focus on parenting to a focus on supporting clinicians and educators to design effective services for kids (but parents are still welcome to listen). Episodes published before November 24, 2022 will still contain some of our old branding. 

Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL and Renaissance:

Learn more about Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no