The Parent Empowerance Podcast

Amara Bradetich
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Welcome to the Parent Empowerance Podcast, where we make early childhood research relatable and actionable for parents. Your host, Amara Bradetich of Parent Empowerance, has her Master’s and PhD in human development and family science (specializing in child development and behavior), is a former preschool teacher and early childhood intervention specialist, and, most importantly, mom to two littles (a 2 and a half year old daughter Natalie and an 8 month old son Liam). Our mission at Parent Empowerance is to help parents of young children, specifically birth to five, feel informed, empowered, and deeply supported. We do this by translating early childhood research into real-life tools for parents of little ones, while grounding our suggestions, action steps, and advice in both relatable lived experience and proven science. Each episode of this podcast will focus on a different topic within child development and most will have 3 main aspects: Summarizing what research says about that topic, Providing real-life examples, experiences, or applications, and Suggesting action steps you can take to apply the research with your own kids. I center my strategies around the idea that parents are the experts of their own children, and I keep the episodes short (15-20 minutes) so you can actually fit listening to them into your week! I know what it’s like to only have a few precious moments to yourself, and I’m glad to be a part of that.

  1. 1d ago

    Episode 33: Hyperactivity vs. activity in early childhood: What’s normal, when you need to seek more support, and how to help meet your child’s needs

    If you have a child who seems to be constantly moving—running, climbing, jumping, touching everything, or just generally keeping you on your toes—you may have wondered, “Is this just their personality, or is something else going on?” And that distinction matters. Because some children are naturally more active as part of their temperament, while other children may be struggling with attention, impulse control, sensory processing, or regulation in ways that are making everyday life harder. In this episode, I’m talking about activity level versus hyperactivity—what’s typical in early childhood, when certain behaviors may signal that your child needs more support, and what you can do to meet the needs of a child who seems to have a lot of energy. This included: Reviewing research and providing examples on: Activity level as a temperament trait Defining activity vs. hyperactivity How context, sensory processing, regulation, and sleep influence activity level Signs that more support may be needed Describing strategies (start at 16:24) to use in your own parenting: Build movement into the day Make expectations developmentally realistic Reduce unnecessary regulatory demands Get close before giving directions Use visual and environmental cues Teach regulation when they're regulated Look for the function of the movement/behavior Support regulation through co-regulation Suggesting books: “My Busy Body” by Marybeth Butler “From Head to Toe” by Eric Carle “Move!” by Robin Page “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” by Michael Rosen “My Magic Breath: Finding Calm Through Mindful Breathing” by Nick Ortner & Alison Taylor “Breathing Makes It Better” by Christopher Willard “The Rabbit Listened” by Cori Doerrfeld “The Out of Sync Child” by Carol Kranowitz “Sensational Kids” by Lucy Jane Miller “The Whole Brain Child” by Dr. Dan Siegel & Tine Payne Bryson “How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen” by Joanna Faber & Julie King Support my show! I’d love it if you would subscribe, rate, and review my podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to show your support of the show. Connect with me on Instagram: @parentempowerance for tips, tools & real-life parenting @parentempowerancepodcast for the podcast! If you want more support with understanding your child’s behaviors, emotions, or development: Download my 5-Minute Temperament Snapshot: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/temperamentsnapshot Join my FREE Parenting in Real Life group on Telegram: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/freetelegramgroup Book a 1-time 60-minute Parent Strategy Session: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parentstrategysession Book a 1-time Right Fit Childcare Consult: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parent-empowerance-right-fit-childcare-consult Download my parent coaching service guide to learn more about how I can help you and your family: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/serviceguide

  2. Oct 14

    Episode 32: Normalizing infant sleep with Pediatric Sleep and Development Specialist & Mom of 3, Kelly Routkevitch

    This week on the podcast I welcomed Kelly Routkevitch, a pediatric sleep and development specialist and mom of 3. We talk all things sleep for infants and babies. This included discussing: Kelly’s passion for normalizing infant & baby sleep & how she works with families What normal infant sleep looks like Cosleeping - the stigma around it and how to do it safely (safe sleep seven) Floor beds -the benefits and how & when to use it Helping parents transition from cosleeping Night weaning - when Kelly suggests it and her top suggestions for how How & why to meet a child’s individual needs in sleep & development Kelly’s top 3 tips for new parents around infant and baby sleep Books or resources Kelly recommends to parents around sleep including: “Safe Infant Sleep” by James McKenna La Leche League International: https://llli.org/ Connect with Kelly on Instagram: @bizzyasamother Support my show! I’d love it if you would subscribe, rate, and review my podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to show your support of the show. Connect with me on Instagram: @parentempowerance for tips, tools & real-life parenting @parentempowerancepodcast for the podcast! If you want more support with handling your child’s behaviors, emotions, or development: Download my 5-Minute Temperament Snapshot discussed in this episode: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/temperamentsnapshot Join my FREE Parenting in Real Life group on Telegram: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/freetelegramgroup Book a 1-time 60-minute Parent Strategy Session: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parentstrategysession Book a 1-time Right Fit Childcare Consult: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parent-empowerance-right-fit-childcare-consult Download my parent coaching service guide to learn more about how I can help you and your family: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/serviceguide

  3. Oct 6

    Episode 31: Big Feelings, Little Bodies: Understanding emotional development in young children and ways we can support it as parents

    Your child isn’t “too emotional.” They’re still learning what to do with all those big feelings. In this episode, we’re talking about what normal emotional development looks like from birth to 5—and why a young child’s ability to feel and express emotions develops long before their ability to manage those emotions independently. We also cover ways you can support your child’s emotional development. This included: Reviewing research and providing examples on: How emotional development changes from infancy through the preschool years Why young children need so much support from adults to regulate big emotions Why emotional regulation isn’t a straight line—and why a child can “know how” to regulate but still lose that skill when overwhelmed How temperament influences the way individual children experience and express emotions What research actually tells us about emotional development in boys and girls—and what it doesn’t tell us How social and emotional development are connected Describing strategies to use in your own parenting: Co-regulate before expecting self-regulation Help them put words to what they’re experiencing Practice regulation when they’re already calm Get curious about your child’s temperament Don’t confuse a big reaction with a lack of progress Give boys just as much permission to express vulnerable emotions Don’t assume girls are naturally better at emotional regulation Suggesting books: “The feelings book” by Todd Parr “My many colored days” by Dr. Seuss “It’s ok: Being Kind to yourself when things feel hard” by Wendy O’Leary “Breathing makes it better” by Christopher Willard and Wendy O’Leary “Today I feel silly” by Jamie Lee Curtis “Roaring Mad Riley” by Allison Szczecinski Support my show! I’d love it if you would subscribe, rate, and review my podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to show your support of the show. Connect with me on Instagram: @parentempowerance for tips, tools & real-life parenting @parentempowerancepodcast for the podcast! If you want more support with understanding your child’s behaviors, emotions, or development: Download my 5-Minute Temperament Snapshot: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/temperamentsnapshot Join my FREE Parenting in Real Life group on Telegram: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/freetelegramgroup Book a 1-time 60-minute Parent Strategy Session: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parentstrategysession Book a 1-time Right Fit Childcare Consult: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parent-empowerance-right-fit-childcare-consult Download my parent coaching service guide to learn more about how I can help you and your family: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/serviceguide

  4. Sep 30

    Episode 30: Creating connection through conflict: How & why to repair with your young child

    Healthy parent-child relationships aren't relationships without conflict. They're relationships where conflict is followed by reconnection. In this episode, I’m talking about why repair and reconnection is so important within the parent-child relationship and how to do it with your young children. This included: Reviewing research and providing examples on: Understanding conflict WITH connection Repair as a part of developing regulation Long-term impact of repair on child behavior What repair looks like: emotional, physiological, giving space, apologizing, returning to baseline How to hold a boundary while still repairing and reconnecting Describing strategies to use in your own parenting: The repair process I recommend: Regulate → Reconnect → Apologize → Take Responsibility → Repair & Move Forward Regulate yourself before you repair Get back on your child’s level Name what happened without assigning blame Own your part Keep the boundary while repairing Don't force your child to forgive, hug, or “be okay” Use connection to help them regulate Talk about what you’ll do differently next time Look for the pattern—not just the individual incident Remember: connection can come after conflict Suggesting books: “Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse” by Kevin Henkes “I'm Sorry” by Michael Ian Black “You Poked My Heart” by Brandy Cooke “Rita & Ralph's Rotten Day” by Carmen Agra Deedy “Benjamin Bear Says Sorry” by Claire Freedman “How Do Dinosaurs Play With Their Friends?” by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague “The Whole Brain Child” by Dan Siegel & Tine Payne Bryson Support my show! I’d love it if you would subscribe, rate, and review my podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to show your support of the show. Connect with me on Instagram: @parentempowerance for tips, tools & real-life parenting @parentempowerancepodcast for the podcast! If you want more support with understanding your child’s behaviors, emotions, or development: Join my FREE Parenting in Real Life group on Telegram: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/freetelegramgroup Book a 1-time 60-minute Parent Strategy Session: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parentstrategysession Book a 1-time Right Fit Childcare Consult: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parent-empowerance-right-fit-childcare-consult Download my parent coaching service guide to learn more about how I can help you and your family: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/serviceguide

  5. Sep 24

    Episode 29: How to talk about death with your young children and developmentally appropriate ways to help them grieve

    Death is one of those topics we may not feel prepared to talk about with our young children—but eventually, they encounter it. In this episode, I’m talking about what young children actually understand about death, how to use honest and developmentally appropriate language, what grief can look like in toddlers and preschoolers, and how we can support children through loss without trying to make their difficult feelings disappear. This included: Reviewing research and providing examples on: Why it's okay—and important—to use the word “dead” Why children may ask the same questions over and over Why grief can look like play, tantrums, clinginess, or seemingly “moving on” How to help children express and process grief through play, books, art, and rituals How to talk about death without overwhelming or frightening your child What to do when your child asks, “Are you going to die?” When a child might need additional support Describing strategies to use in your own parenting: Use the word "dead." Keep explanations simple and truthful and developmentally appropriate. Let their questions guide you. Expect repetition! Let grief look like grief AND play. Give them ways to express and remember. Don't hide every emotion. You don't have to make grief disappear. Suggesting books: “The Goodbye Book” by Todd Parr “I Miss You: A First Look at Death” by Pat Thomas “The Dead Bird” by Margaret Wise Brown “Badger's Parting Gifts” by Susan Varley “The Invisible Leash” by Patrice Karst “Big Cat, Little Cat” by Elisha Cooper Support my show! I’d love it if you would subscribe, rate, and review my podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to show your support of the show. Connect with me on Instagram: @parentempowerance for tips, tools & real-life parenting @parentempowerancepodcast for the podcast! If you want more support with understanding your child’s behaviors, emotions, or development: Join my FREE Parenting in Real Life group on Telegram: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/freetelegramgroup Book a 1-time 60-minute Parent Strategy Session: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parentstrategysession Book a 1-time Right Fit Childcare Consult: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parent-empowerance-right-fit-childcare-consult Download my parent coaching service guide to learn more about how I can help you and your family: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/serviceguide

  6. Sep 17

    Episode 28: Understanding & supporting sensory integration & self-regulation in young kids with Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Effie Pomaki from Uplifted Parenting

    This week on the podcast I welcomed Effie Pomaki, a pediatric Occupational Therapist and founder of Uplifted Parenting. We talk all things sensory integration and regulation for young children. This included discussing: Effie’s passion for helping parents with their kids’ sensory, regulation, & big feelings What sensory integration is, the 8 senses, what sensory seeking/avoidant/sensitive are How sensory integration relates to being regulated/dysregulated in children Most common issues Effie helps parents and children with What sensory thresholds are & how and when to help your child meet them The importance of using play for sensory & regulation (and other tools/props Effie recommends) Effie’s top 3 tips for parents who want to support their kids’ sensory & regulatory system needs Children’s book or resources Effie recommends to parents around sensory integration including: “The Out of Sync Child” by Carol Stock Kranowitz “Brain Body Parenting” by Mona Delahooke “The Whole Brain Child” by Dan Siegel & Tina Payne-Bryson “Sensitive Sam” by Marla Roth-Fisch “A Kids Book About Neurodiversity” by Laura Petix “Wonderfully Wired Brains” by Louise Gooding Connect with Effie on Instagram: @upliftedparenting Support my show! I’d love it if you would subscribe, rate, and review my podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to show your support of the show. Connect with me on Instagram: @parentempowerance for tips, tools & real-life parenting @parentempowerancepodcast for the podcast! If you want more support with handling your child’s behaviors, emotions, or development: Book a 1-time 60-minute Parent Strategy Session: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parentstrategysession Inquire about ongoing parent coaching support: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfuUgpYqqBbQTM4TWXOI89Cw4p19k7JqUk8E3tXZNL4RyxCkg/viewform?usp=header Book a 1-time Right Fit Childcare Consult: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parent-empowerance-right-fit-childcare-consult Download my parent coaching service guide to learn more about how I can help you and your family: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/serviceguide

  7. Sep 10

    Episode 27: Parenting babies into toddlerhood: What behaviors are normal & how to use redirection & other strategies to support their emotional & behavioral regulation

    What looks like “bad behavior” in babies and toddlers is often just big feelings, big desires, and very little self-regulation colliding. The goal isn't simply to make the behavior stop—it’s to set boundaries while helping your child build the skills they’re still developing. This episode focused on what behaviors are normal around the first birthday and in early toddlerhood and what strategies you can use to address these behaviors. This included: Reviewing research and providing examples on: What behaviors are normal around 1 to 2 years of age How coregulation, redirection, attention, boundary-setting, and other strategies address these behaviors Why tantrums are expected at this age Describing strategies to use in your own parenting: Prevent when you can and set up the environment for success Set clear, simple limits and be consistent with them Physically intervene when necessary - block as needed Validate the feeling without changing the boundary Redirect toward an acceptable behavior Teach the skill later Practice regulation when they're already calm Suggesting books: “What to Do When You Feel Like Hitting” by Cara Goodwin “Hands Are Not for Hitting” by Martine Agassi “The Color Monster: A Story About Emotions” by Anna Llenas “Llama Llama Mad at Mama” by Anna Dewdney “Little Monkey Calms Down” by Michael Dahl “Grumpy Monkey” by Suzanne Lang “When Sophie Gets Angry, Really Really Angry” by Molly Bang “The Rabbit Listened” by Cori Doerrfeld “No, David!” by David Shannon “The Feelings Book” by Todd Parr Support my show! I’d love it if you would subscribe, rate, and review my podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to show your support of the show. Connect with me on Instagram: @parentempowerance for tips, tools & real-life parenting @parentempowerancepodcast for the podcast! If you want more support with understanding your child’s behaviors, emotions, or development: Join my FREE Parenting in Real Life group on Telegram: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/freetelegramgroup Book a 1-time 60-minute Parent Strategy Session: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parentstrategysession Book a 1-time Right Fit Childcare Consult: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parent-empowerance-right-fit-childcare-consult Download my parent coaching service guide to learn more about how I can help you and your family: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/serviceguide

  8. Sep 2

    Episode 26: As safe as necessary, not as safe as possible: The importance of safe risky play for child development

    You want to keep your child safe—but sometimes it’s hard to know when to step in and when to let them figure it out. This episode focused on why safe risky play matters and how you can support your child’s confidence and independence without hovering. This included: Reviewing research and providing examples on: The core developmental benefits What this can look like in young children Describing strategies to use in your own parenting: Remove hazards when possible Allow manageable risks. Stay available. Pause before intervening. Let children solve problems. Use questions instead of constant warnings. Give graduated challenges. Let them experience small failures. Follow their abilities and developmental level. Notice when your discomfort—not actual danger—is driving the intervention. Suggesting books: “The Big Slide” by Daniel Kirk “Jabari Jumps” by Gaia Cornwall “The Thing Lou Couldn't Do” by Ashley Spires “I Can Be Brave: Overcoming Fear, Finding Confidence, and Asserting Yourself” by Holde Kreul “Confidence Is My Superpower: A Kid's Book about Believing in Yourself and Developing Self-Esteem” by Alicia Ortego Support my show! I’d love it if you would subscribe, rate, and review my podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to show your support of the show. Connect with me on Instagram: @parentempowerance for tips, tools & real-life parenting @parentempowerancepodcast for the podcast! If you want more support with understanding your child’s behaviors, emotions, or development: Join my FREE Parenting in Real Life group on Telegram: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/freetelegramgroup Book a 1-time 60-minute Parent Strategy Session: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parentstrategysession Book a 1-time Right Fit Childcare Consult: https://calendly.com/amarabradetich/parent-empowerance-right-fit-childcare-consult Download my parent coaching service guide to learn more about how I can help you and your family: https://parentempowerance.myflodesk.com/serviceguide

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About

Welcome to the Parent Empowerance Podcast, where we make early childhood research relatable and actionable for parents. Your host, Amara Bradetich of Parent Empowerance, has her Master’s and PhD in human development and family science (specializing in child development and behavior), is a former preschool teacher and early childhood intervention specialist, and, most importantly, mom to two littles (a 2 and a half year old daughter Natalie and an 8 month old son Liam). Our mission at Parent Empowerance is to help parents of young children, specifically birth to five, feel informed, empowered, and deeply supported. We do this by translating early childhood research into real-life tools for parents of little ones, while grounding our suggestions, action steps, and advice in both relatable lived experience and proven science. Each episode of this podcast will focus on a different topic within child development and most will have 3 main aspects: Summarizing what research says about that topic, Providing real-life examples, experiences, or applications, and Suggesting action steps you can take to apply the research with your own kids. I center my strategies around the idea that parents are the experts of their own children, and I keep the episodes short (15-20 minutes) so you can actually fit listening to them into your week! I know what it’s like to only have a few precious moments to yourself, and I’m glad to be a part of that.

Information

  • Creator
    Amara Bradetich
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Parent Empowerance Podcast