Thriving Kids

In this episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson is joined by Caroline Maguire, an ADHD and executive function coach and author of Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults. They discuss friendship, social anxiety, and how neurodivergent kids and teens can build more authentic relationships without feeling pressured to hide or “mask” who they are.

In this episode, they cover:

• What masking is and how it can affect k...

In this Q&A episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson answers listener questions inspired by last week’s conversation with Dr. Lisa Damour about how to “future-proof” kids in an uncertain world.

Dr. Dave breaks down the simple but powerful habits that help protect children’s mental health over time, including consistent sleep, family connection, face-to-face time with peers, satisfying hobbies, and emot...

In this episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson welcomes back Dr. Lisa Damour for a conversation about how parents can help kids prepare for an uncertain future. Drawing on decades of clinical experience, Dr. Damour explains why the most protective tools are often the simplest: sleep, safety, family connection, coping skills, and opportunities for kids to develop interests that truly belong to them.

In this episode, they cover:

•...

In this Q&A episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson answers listener questions inspired by last week’s conversation with NBC News anchor and correspondent Kate Snow about mental health, journalism, and how suicide loss has shaped her reporting.

Dr. Dave discusses how parents can talk with kids about suicide and mental health honestly and in age-appropriate ways, what changes in a child’s mood or behavior may indi...

In this episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson is joined by NBC News anchor and Senior National Correspondent Kate Snow for a conversation about journalism, mental health, and the power of telling stories that can reduce stigma. Kate discusses how personal loss shaped her reporting on mental health, as well as suicide prevention, substance use, access to care, and the systems that families often have to navigate during moments...

In this Q&A episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson answers listener questions inspired by last week’s conversation with actress and author Busy Philipps about parenting, mental health, technology, and staying actively involved in kids’ lives.

Dr. Dave discusses how parents can stay connected to what kids are seeing on the internet, including how to help them think critically about influencers and what to...

Dr. Dave Anderson sits down with best-selling author, actor, and activist Busy Philipps to discuss the challenges of modern parenting. Busy talks about her adult ADHD diagnosis, helping kids navigate mental health TikTok, and how to broach tricky conversations about the “manosphere” and politics with honesty and love. 

They also cover:

• Active parenting in the digital age. Busy shares why watching YouTubers and lear...

In this Q&A episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson answers listener questions inspired by last week’s conversation with Dr. Candice Odgers about kids, social media, and what the research really says about screens and youth mental health.

Dr. Dave discusses how parents can set healthy limits around phone use without reacting out of fear, why screens are often part of a much bigger picture, and how families can focus on...

In this episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson is joined by Dr. Candice Odgers, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Irvine, whose research focuses on adolescent mental health and the role of smartphones and social media in kids’ daily lives. Together, they discuss what the evidence does — and does not — show about technology and youth mental health, and why the most popular explanations...

In this Q&A episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson answers listener questions inspired by last week’s conversation with Dr. Alfiee about youth mental health, community care, and what it really means to help young people thrive.

Dr. Dave discusses how parents can talk with kids about mental health without making them feel like something is “wrong” with them, how to help children process stressful news and c...

In this episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson is joined by Dr.  Alfiee Breland-Noble — better known as Dr. Alfiee — psychologist, founder of The AAKOMA Project, and author of Rise and Thrive: An intentional guide to caring for your mental health. Together, they discuss youth mental health, the importance of community-based care, and how parents, caregivers, and mental health professionals can better support y...

In this Q&A episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson answers parents’ questions inspired by last week’s conversation with Dr. Brian Hoeflinger, a neurosurgeon who talked about how the death of his son led him to face his panic attacks over public speaking.

In this episode, he covers:

• What parents can learn from doctors about staying calm in a crisis
• Why anxiety can run in families — and what parents ca...

In this episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson talks with Dr. Brian Hoeflinger, a neurosurgeon whoseprofession and personal story gives him a rare perspective on mental health.

Dr. Hoeflinger shares how his brother’s traumatic brain injury first inspired him to pursue neurosurgery, howchronic panic attacks shaped his adolescence and early professional life, and how the loss of his son changed the way he speaks publicly ab...

In this Q&A episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson answers parents’ questions about the intense stress that can come with raising young children. Inspired by his recent conversation with pediatrician Dr. Lauren Hughes, this episode focuses on the early years of parenting: feeding decisions, sleepless nights, emotional overload, relationship strain, and the pressure many parents feel to do everything “right.&rdq...

In this episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson talks with Dr. Lauren Hughes, a board-certified pediatrician, mother of three, and trusted voice for realistic, evidence-based parenting guidance. Together, they explore the stress and pressure parents can face in the first years of raising a child, from navigating developmental milestones to feeding choices and methods for sleep training.  Dr. Hughes also offers practical ti...

In this Q&A episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson answers parent questions sparked by the Orlando Bloom conversation, focusing on dyslexia myths, practical at-home learning strategies, self-esteem, movement and focus, AI tools, and the emotional impact of learning differences. He explains what dyslexia actually is, why evaluation and targeted support matter, and how parents can help kids understand a learning disorder in ...

This week on Thriving Kids, I’m joined by actor Orlando Bloom. He talks about growing up with dyslexia, including the challenges he faced paying attention and concentrating in school, and how he developed his own workarounds before many of today’s evidence-based supports existed. We also discuss how movement, mindfulness, good nutrition, and sleep can help kids 
(and adults) manage attention and learning challen...

In this Thriving Kids Q&A, Dr. Dave Anderson explains how parents can recognize early signs of dyslexia, ADHD, and learning disabilities, advocate for school support, and protect their child’s self-esteem while they struggle academically. This episode offers practical guidance on evaluations, IEPs and 504 plans, reading intervention, ADHD treatment, and why early support can change a child’s trajectory.

In this e...

What happens when systems built to support kids with learning disabilities change?  In this episode, Dr. Dave Anderson sits down with Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez, CEO of the National Center for Learning Disabilities, to discuss the state of learning disability support across the country, from early screening and phonics-based reading instruction to IEP protections and the real concerns parents are raising right now about changes ...