Parenting the Mental Health Generation

CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health

CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health, invites you to their conversations with mental health professionals and others about topics that concern us as we navigate our parenting journeys and support our kids struggling with their emotional well-being. So put in your earbuds, take these 30 minutes for you and join our conversation.CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health, is a 501(c)3 that provides support and education for families around mental health topics. Original content and materials from CATCH and its collaborators are for informational purposes only. They are provided as a general resource and are not specific to any person or circumstance. © CATCH 2023

  1. 5d ago

    The 15 Minutes That Matter: How Curiosity and Connection Help Kids Discover Their Values and Their Voice

    What if connecting with your kid didn’t require a big heart-to-heart or even a lot of time? Teacher and parent Buffy Sallee aims for something much more manageable: 15 minutes daily of real connection - time together that isn’t about grades, schedules, college applications, or getting something done. In this episode of Parenting the Mental Health Generation, Buffy joins CATCH founder Amy Oberholtzer to talk about what she’s seeing in teens at school and at home.  After more than two decades in the classroom, she has some tried and true ideas about what parents can do to help kids slow down, get curious, and figure out what matters to them.  Amy and Buffy, explore how parents can model curiosity instead of rushing to provide the “right” answer,  thus allowing our kids to understand their own values and opinions more authentically. They also discuss why kids need opportunities to sit with disagreement and uncertainty rather than immediately dismissing what makes them uncomfortable. You’ll also hear practical ideas for creating more connection at home, including: Finding small, realistic opportunities for one-on-one timeAsking questions instead of immediately correctingHelping kids identify their values through everyday choicesModeling humility, vulnerability, and repairMaking room for conversations that don’t have easy answersIt's noisy and chaotic out there. Come in and connect with your kids. You don’t need hours. You don’t need the perfect question. Sometimes, 15 good minutes is a meaningful place to start.   Try this after you listen Name one emotion out loud. Share something you felt that day or week, and give your child space to do the same without judgment.Lead with curiosity. When you hear something you disagree with, try asking, “I wonder what I don’t know yet?”Music Credit: Line Up/Pond 5 CATCH 2026 To find all of the resources CATCH provides to caregivers of young people struggling with their mental health, go to www.catchiscommunity.org. Follow us on social media Facebook/Instagram/YouTube/Bluesky: @catchiscommunity CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health, is a 501(c)3 that provides support and education for families around mental health topics. Original content and materials from CATCH and its collaborators are for informational purposes only. They are provided as a general resource and are not specific to any person or circumstance.

    The 15 Minutes That Matter:  How Curiosity and Connection Help Kids Discover Their Values and Their Voice
  2. Apr 14

    When the World Feels Like Too Much Helping Kids Process the Information Overload

    In this episode of Parenting the Mental Health Generation, Amy talks with therapist Karen Cloyd about how parents can help kids navigate a world full of constant headlines, graphic images, and overwhelming information. Together, they explore what it looks like to respond rather than react, how to open age-appropriate conversations, and why curiosity, calm, and connection matter so much when kids are trying to make sense of hard things. Karen shares practical ways parents can support children of different ages, help them name their feelings, sort truth from misinformation, and understand the impact of social media and comparison. This conversation is a reminder that parents do not have to have perfect answers—they just have to keep showing up as a safe, steady place for their kids. Action item: Learn what your kids are seeing and hearing. Be curious. Prioritize connection with your children and find a regular time to normalize conversation about feelings and vulnerabilities including yours. Some of the news to which our kids are exposed in this ever-changing world may cause them to experience big feelings or feel overwhelmed. Use the safe place you've created to help them process and better understand with your guidance.  SHOW NOTES: Family Service Center, Northfield IL Music Credit: Line Up/Pond 5 CATCH 2026 To find all of the resources CATCH provides to caregivers of young people struggling with their mental health, go to www.catchiscommunity.org. Follow us on social media Facebook/Instagram/YouTube/Bluesky: @catchiscommunity CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health, is a 501(c)3 that provides support and education for families around mental health topics. Original content and materials from CATCH and its collaborators are for informational purposes only. They are provided as a general resource and are not specific to any person or circumstance.

    When the World Feels Like Too Much Helping Kids Process the Information Overload
  3. Feb 25

    Staying Connected While Kids Feel, Fail, and Figure It Out

    In this special, closer-to-home episode of Parenting the Mental Health Generation, host Amy O. shares a real (not scripted, not polished) conversation with her daughter, Shawn. It was recorded for a CATCH “Parenting with Grit” event on February 25, 2026. Together, they talk about what it looked like to grow up in pressure-filled community, chase achievement for a sense of self-worth and battle crippling anxiety- all while trying to stay connected.  They get honest about the moments parents miss, how reassurance can feed anxiety, and why kids need space to feel what they feel, without being rushed, fixed, or talked out of it. This episode isn’t about quick solutions. It’s about presence, repair, and building trust that can hold steady when things get messy. Action item: Over the next few days, choose one moment to validate instead of fix. Reflect back what you see or hear, “That sounds really hard,” “I can see why that upset you,” “Thanks for telling me”, and stop there. No lesson. No solution. Just connection. SHOW NOTES: Letting Go and Trusting What Matters Most | A Parenting with Grit Conversation music credit: Line Up/Pond 5 ©CATCH 2026 To find all of the resources CATCH provides to caregivers of young people struggling with their mental health, go to www.catchiscommunity.org. Follow us on social media Facebook/Instagram/YouTube/Bluesky: @catchiscommunity CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health, is a 501(c)3 that provides support and education for families around mental health topics. Original content and materials from CATCH and its collaborators are for informational purposes only. They are provided as a general resource and are not specific to any person or circumstance.

    Staying Connected While Kids Feel, Fail, and Figure It Out
  4. 06/18/2024

    Real Talk with CATCH Moms

    It's CATCH Moms at the Pod today!   Rachel Tzinberg, CATCH President and Julie Weinberg, the Vice President, join us to share heartfelt experiences and lessons learned on our parenting journeys thus far.  We recorded in the very living room where CATCH began, too!  Join us to discover practical advice, have a few laughs and find yourself in our conversation. We cover the gamut from fostering open communication to validating our kids.  We have learned a lot and this is an easy, compassionate,  wisdom-filled conversation that just might leave you with some real-life parenting strategies. We hope you enjoyed Season 3! We'll see you in the fall for Season 4! SHOW NOTES: Dr. Becky Kennedy Good Inside, Dr. Becky Kennedy Sitting With Kids Through Hard Feelings - Breathing Space  Blessing of a Skinned Knee, Wendy Mogel PH.D. Julie Lythcott Haimes Bonsai vs. Wildflower CATCH Parents Connect Groups CATCH Lunch and Learn: Be Curious Not Furious CATCH Learn from Experts: Judith Joy Finding Gratitude Playlist Feelings Wheel music credit: Line Up/Pond 5 ©CATCH 2024 To find all of the resources CATCH provides to caregivers of young people struggling with their mental health, go to www.catchiscommunity.org. Follow us on social media Facebook/Instagram/YouTube/Bluesky: @catchiscommunity CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health, is a 501(c)3 that provides support and education for families around mental health topics. Original content and materials from CATCH and its collaborators are for informational purposes only. They are provided as a general resource and are not specific to any person or circumstance.

    Real Talk with CATCH Moms

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CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health, invites you to their conversations with mental health professionals and others about topics that concern us as we navigate our parenting journeys and support our kids struggling with their emotional well-being. So put in your earbuds, take these 30 minutes for you and join our conversation.CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health, is a 501(c)3 that provides support and education for families around mental health topics. Original content and materials from CATCH and its collaborators are for informational purposes only. They are provided as a general resource and are not specific to any person or circumstance. © CATCH 2023