Parenting Tips for Moms and Dads of School-aged Children & Teenagers: The Impactful Parenting Podcast

How to Stop Teen Push Back: The Brain Science of Conflict Management
Picture this: It’s Tuesday night. You ask your teenager a simple, reasonable question about their homework or chores.

Suddenly, you’re locked in a high-stakes standoff.

Doors slam, voices rise, and before you know it, you’re launching into a passionate, well-meaning lecture that you know they aren’t listening to.

We’ve all been there. As parents of adolescents, it’s easy to feel like every interaction is a potential landmine. But what if the secret to ending teen pushback isn't arguing louder or laying down the law harder?

What if the key is actually understanding the brain science behind the blowup?

In this episode of The Impactful Parent, host Kristina Campos sits down with Mitch Weisberg—seasoned educator, conflict resolution trainer, and author of Mindshifting: Conflict and Collaboration. Together, they break down why well-meaning lectures backfire and how science-backed questions can flip your household script from chaos to genuine collaboration.

 

Episode Chapters: 00:00 - The Tuesday night standoff & brain science behind blowups 02:00 - Why your brain leaves the building in survival mode 02:56 - Conflict languages & non-complimentary statements 04:22 - Why lectures always backfire with teenagers 06:26 - The 5 Conflict Styles (Compete, Avoid, Accommodate, Collaborate, Negotiate) 10:23 - Parenting as mini-experiments & learning from feedback 12:46 - 3 immediate mind-shift tools for reactive parents 16:36 - How to ask curiosity-driven questions instead of lecturing 20:47 - Using strengths-based feedback to lower defenses 22:38 - The "Perhaps I Can" technique to boost teen confidence 26:45 - Overview of Mindshifting: Conflict and Collaboration 29:13 - The #1 fundamental truth for overwhelmed parents

 

📌 Connect & Resources Mentioned:

Guest: Mitch Weisberg | Learn more at mindshiftingwithmitch.org

Book: Mindshifting: Conflict and Collaboration by Mitch Weisberg

Host: Kristina Campos | The Impactful Parent

Website & App: Download the FREE Impactful Parent app at theimpactfulparent.com

Rate, Review, & Subscribe!

"I love Kristina and all the FREE tips that she has to offer!  Thank you for making my parenting journey better!"  <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people — just like you!!!

Rate with five stars, and select "Write a Review." Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven't done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I'm adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you're not subscribed, there's a good chance you'll miss out. Subscribe now!

 

What to do next:

Get The Impactful Parent App! Everything you need in your parenting journey in one spot! Available on the Android Play Store and the Apple Store. Search Impactful Parent (direct links listed above under Links in Episode).

Follow The Impactful Parenton social media if you don’t already! Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, & Pinterest

Subscribe to the PODCAST 

Check out the official website of The Impactful Parent for FREE RESOURCES, parenting classes, mom’s groups, and so much more! Click here to check it out!

Discover how you can work with Kristina!  Sign up for a FREE 30-minute discovery call! Click here to find a time that works best for you!

Bottom Line... I am here for YOU!  Contact me at theimpactfulparent@gmail.com

Emotional Intelligence for Dads

Are you running yourself ragged trying to provide for your family, only to realize you’re too exhausted to actually enjoy them? Dads, let’s be honest. Somewhere between rushing to sports practices, managing screen time, and surviving the daily grind, the joy of parenting can get swallowed up. We want to build an incredible legacy, but chronic stress can make us reactive, frustrated, and disconnected.

In this episode of The Impactful Parent, host Kristina Campos sits down with author, dad, and CPA Brian Gray to discuss his game-changing book, "Suck Less, Laugh More: A 4-Part Formula for Being a Great Dad." Brian opens up about his raw, personal journey of rebuilding his family from scratch when it was on the brink—not by following impossible parenting theories, but through the hard, rewarding work of emotional intelligence.

Kristina and Brian break down the four core archetypes that live inside every father:

🗡️ The Warrior: The provider and protector (and how an "untrained" warrior robs you of your presence).

👑 The King: The leader who sets the home culture and builds a legacy through contribution.

🧙‍♂️ The Wizard: The source of wisdom, guidance, and emotional self-mastery.

🃏 The Jester: The playful, fun-loving energy that brings joy and creates core memories.

You'll learn how to stop overusing your "Warrior" energy, how to audit your true family values, and how to use simple physiological "hacks" to break tense patterns at home and bring laughter back. Plus, stay tuned until the very end to hear Brian’s single, actionable tip you can do the moment you walk through the door tonight to instantly shift your family’s energy. It’s time to move from a worn-out provider to a deeply present father. Hit play to start your journey of emotional mastery today!

00:00 - Introduction: The Daily Grind of Fatherhood

01:18 - Welcome Guest Brian Gray (Author of "Suck Less, Laugh More")

02:57 - Rebuilding from Scratch: Why Brian Wrote the Book

04:45 - The 4 Fatherhood Archetypes Explained

05:22 - Archetype 1: The Warrior (Provider & Protector)

06:50 - What an "Untrained Warrior" Dad Looks Like

09:08 - Archetype 2: The King (Leadership & Legacy)

11:08 - Aligning Your Family Values for the True King Energy

14:29 - Archetype 3: The Wizard (Wisdom, Guidance & Emotional Mastery)

16:37 - Archetype 4: The Jester (Joy, Playfulness & Creating Memories)

20:33 - Growing Beyond the Kids: Personal Evolution as a Man

22:20 - What's Inside the Book (Applicable Exercises for Dads)

25:23 - Brian’s Free Annual 3-Day Seminar & Resources

25:54 - The Impactful Parent Question: One Thing to Do Tonight to "Suck Less"

26:48 - Outro & How to Download the Free Impactful Parent App

👉 Learn more about Brian Gray: Visit sucklesslaughmore.com to grab his book and sign up for his free annual 3-day seminar! About The Impactful Parent: Hosted by Kristina Campos, The Impactful Parent is dedicated to helping parents of school-aged children turn chaos into connection. Kristina is a mom of four, a long-time educator, and a parent coach helping you stay one step ahead of your kids.

✨ Join the Community: Website: theimpactfulparent.com App: Download the free Impactful Parent app in your app store for daily tips, resources, and support!

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE, leave a review, and share this episode with a fellow dad who wants to suck less and laugh more!

#Fatherhood #EmotionalIntelligence #DadLife #ConsciousParenting #TheImpactfulParent #SuckLessLaughMore

Internet safety: Teaching Critical Thinking to Teenagers
If a stranger walked up to your teenager on the street and tried to manipulate what they believed, you’d step in instantly. But it’s happening every single day, completely undetected, right through their screens.

In this eye-opening episode of The Impactful Parent, host Kristina Campos welcomes Dr. Mari Davies, a senior lecturer in education and author of Teaching Critical Thinking to Teenagers. Together, they pull back the curtain on the multi-billion-dollar algorithms engineered to capture your teen's developing brain. While tracking apps and screen limits offer temporary fixes, the real secret to long-term internet safety is building "cognitive immunity" through critical thinking.

In this episode, Kristina and Dr. Davies break down:

The Algorithm Advantage: What parents are truly up against when a teen opens TikTok or Instagram, and how these apps weaponize personal demographics [02:43].

The Teenage Brain on Social Media: Why a natural dip in adolescent dopamine makes teenagers uniquely vulnerable to online risks and the "imaginary audience" [05:27].

The Street Smarts Model: A deep dive into the 4 core pillars—Respect for Self, Reasons, Difference, and Change—and how they apply to a scrolling feed [11:55].

Spotting AI and Fake News: Dr. Davies' number one rule of thumb for handling outrageous influencer content and advanced voice/image deepfakes [19:17].

The Power of Healthy Arguing: Why teaching your kids (especially girls!) to respectfully debate and voice their opinions at home keeps them safe from real-world predators [24:07].

Stick around until the end, where Dr. Davies shares a single, effortless question you can ask your teen today to immediately trigger their critical thinking muscles [32:17]!

You don't have to be a tech genius to give your child a fighting chance against the digital noise. Hit that subscribe button, join our community, and let's help our teens become street-smart online!

✨ Connect with Dr. Mari Davies:

Grab her book: Teaching Critical Thinking to Teenagers: How Kids Can Be Street Smart About AI Algorithms, Fake News, and Social Media

✨ Join The Impactful Parent Community:

Website: http://theimpactfulparent.com

Head to our site to download the FREE Impactful Parent App so you never miss a tip to help your family thrive!

#InternetSafety #CriticalThinking #ParentingTeens #SocialMediaAlgorithms #KristinaCampos #TheImpactfulParent #MariDavies #DigitalLiteracy #TeenMentalHealth

 

Rate, Review, & Subscribe!

"I love Kristina and all the FREE tips that she has to offer!  Thank you for making my parenting journey better!"  <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people — just like you!!!

Rate with five stars, and select "Write a Review." Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven't done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I'm adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you're not subscribed, there's a good chance you'll miss out. Subscribe now!

 

What to do next:

Get The Impactful Parent App! Everything you need in your parenting journey in one spot! Available on the Android Play Store and the Apple Store. Search Impactful Parent (direct links listed above under Links in Episode).

Follow The Impactful Parenton social media if you don’t already! Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, & Pinterest

Subscribe to the PODCAST 

Check out the official website of The Impactful Parent for FREE RESOURCES, parenting classes, mom’s groups, and so much more! Click here to check it out!

Discover how you can work with Kristina!  Sign up for a FREE 30-minute discovery call! Click here to find a time that works best for you!

Bottom Line... I am here for YOU!  Contact me at theimpactfulparent@gmail.com

The Silent Treatment

 

In this powerful episode of The Impactful Parent, host Kristina Campos pulls back the curtain on the subtle, quiet dynamics that drain a mother's energy and erode her confidence.

Kristina is joined by special guest Ama K. Karikari, author of Silenced to Soaring, to decode the painful patterns of emotional withdrawal and the exhausting cycle of the silent treatment. Together, they break down why the silent treatment is an intentional form of narcissistic abuse and emotional harm, rather than a healthy need for space.

You will learn the psychological mechanics of emotional withdrawal, how it mimics physical pain, and why it forms dangerous trauma bonding mechanisms that keep women stuck.

Kristina and Ama also dive deep into how these toxic home environments and silent conflicts impact your children's emotional development and create negative blueprints for their future relationships.

More importantly, you'll discover how to reclaim your voice, rebuild your self-trust, and move from just surviving to truly soaring.

Get Support & Resources Mentioned in This Episode: 👉 Join the community and get your FREE ebook copy of Silenced to Soaring: http://www.skool.com/silenced-2-soaring-moms

Connect with The Impactful Parent: ✨ Visit the website for more parenting resources: https://theimpactfulparent.com 📱 Download the FREE Impactful Parent App so you never miss a tip to turn chaos into connection!

What Teens Are Really Asking

In this episode, Kristina Campos and Jenny Colman dive deep into the digital world adolescents navigate today, revealing the unspoken questions and curiosities teens have about relationships, boundary-crossing behaviors, and online content. Rather than looking for "how-to" guides, data from the What's Okay helpline shows that teens are overwhelmingly asking "Is this normal?" regarding things they witness or experience in the digital space [03:01].

They discuss how to spot red flags wh

Rate, Review, & Subscribe!

"I love Kristina and all the FREE tips that she has to offer!  Thank you for making my parenting journey better!"  <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people — just like you!!!

Rate with five stars, and select "Write a Review." Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven't done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I'm adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you're not subscribed, there's a good chance you'll miss out. Subscribe now!

 

What to do next:

Get The Impactful Parent App! Everything you need in your parenting journey in one spot! Available on the Android Play Store and the Apple Store. Search Impactful Parent (direct links listed above under Links in Episode).

Follow The Impactful Parenton social media if you don’t already! Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, & Pinterest

Subscribe to the PODCAST 

Check out the official website of The Impactful Parent for FREE RESOURCES, parenting classes, mom’s groups, and so much more! Click here to check it out!

Discover how you can work with Kristina!  Sign up for a FREE 30-minute discovery call! Click here to find a time that works best for you!

Bottom Line... I am here for YOU!  Contact me at theimpactfulparent@gmail.com 

ere healthy curiosity crosses into harmful behaviors, the protective boundaries parents can establish at home, and how to debunk the "internet stranger danger" myth by focusing on real peer-to-peer relationships [16:20].

Jenny Coleman is a clinician, educator, and dedicated child welfare advocate who serves as the director of Stop It Now!, a national prevention program focused on keeping children safe from sexual harm. Driven by the realization that youth frequently have complex, unaddressed questions about their own thoughts and digital exposures, she also directs What's Okay (whso.org), a pioneering, confidential, and judgment-free national helpline designed specifically for youth and teens. On The Impactful Parent, Jenny reveals that rather than seeking "how-to" advice, the overwhelming majority of teens reaching out to the helpline are simply asking, "Is this normal?" or "Is this okay?". She explains that because today's adolescents are heavily inundated with intense digital imagery, social media group chats, and adult content online, they frequently experience a confusing mix of curiosity and distress. Jenny emphasizes that beneath this overwhelming influx of data, teens genuinely want to make healthy, responsible relationship choices, but the fear of shame often drives their concerns underground—making confidential platforms like What's Okay a vital bridge to credible information and safe adults.

#teenmentalhealth #teencopingskills #parenting

Key Highlights & Timestamps [01:50] – The origin of the What's Okay helpline and addressing the gaps in resources for youth. [03:01] – The #1 theme from teen submissions: navigating confusion and looking for normalization in a high-exposure digital world. [05:01] – Defining normal adolescent development vs. concerning behaviors (identifying repetitive patterns, shifts in social skills, and isolation). [07:02] – The specific, advanced topics teens ask about (fetish behaviors, age gaps, anime content, and encountering illegal imagery). [14:37] – Barriers keeping youth from telling their parents about abuse or pressure (fear of blame, shame, and wanting to protect loved ones). [16:20] – The "Predator vs. Peer" reality: why the majority of boundary-crossing happens with known peers or relationships built online. [19:17] – Spotting red flags and establishing home safety rules around the unspoken topic of sibling sexual abuse. [21:49] – Practical safety infrastructures parents can set (physical boundaries, dressing expectations, and using anatomically correct language). [27:18] – Special discount offer for listeners: Use code IMPACT at stopitenow.org for 50% off the "Circles of Safety" foundational training bundle. [28:16] – The Impactful Parent Takeaway Script: A gentle, non-judgmental conversational guide parents can use tonight to learn more about their teen's online life without making it feel like an interrogation.