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PODCAST

The Brainy Moms

The Brainy Moms is a parenting podcast hosted by cognitive psychologist Dr. Amy Moore and Sandy Zamalis. The weekly show features conversations about parenting, psychology, child development, education, homeschooling, neuroscience, and faith with practical tips to help parents navigate the ups and downs of parenthood. We"re helping moms (and dads) get smarter...one episode at a time! Find us at www.TheBrainyMoms.com and on social media @TheBrainyMoms

kids & family parenting

All Episodes

37:00

Parenting ADHD Kids: Dr. Amy Shares Myths, Tips, and...

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/10/06

Are you parenting ADHD kids and wondering how to filter through all the ADHD advice out there? Absorbing information online during ADHD Awareness Month can feel like drinking from a firehose. Everyone has a tip, a reel, and a strong opinion leaving parents asking a real question: who should we trust and what actually helps a child with ADHD in daily life? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, we celebrate the launch of Dr. Amy's new book, Hearts on ADHD Parenting: Brain-based, Gra...

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60:12

Made to Create: A Biblical Perspective on Homeschool...

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/09/29

Most families think of “art” as an elective, but our kids are being shaped by aesthetics all day long. Clothing, movies, book covers, music, room design, even the way a table is set can train what we value without us noticing. That’s why this conversation with Christian artist and educator Ryan Lauterio lands like a wake-up call: creativity is not reserved for a small group of gifted kids. It’s part of what it means to be human and part of what it means to disciple our children with intention...

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67:35

How College Shapes (or Misshapes) Teen Faith | Dr....

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/09/22

Ever wonder how the college your teen is considering will continue to shape their faith? Or if questioning their faith is a natural part of going to college? Deconstruction is not just “asking questions.” Sometimes it's what happens when we judge biblical faith with a measuring stick that never came from the Bible in the first place. That single shift can quietly move a teen from honest curiosity to a full-blown crisis of confidence, especially once they hit the college years and are surround...

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48:17

Go Play! Part 2: Playful Homeschooling, Sensory Play,...

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/09/15

Enjoying our conversations about play? Let's talk about playful homeschooling, sensory play, and screens. Last week, early childhood educator Gennie Gorback helped us understand why child-led, open-ended play is so important for children’s learning, development, and joy. Today, we’re continuing that conversation with her co-author, Kate Allen Fox, who brings a homeschooling-family perspective and plenty of practical ideas for putting those principles into action at home. In Part 2 of ou...

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61:05

Go Play! Part 1: Making Space for the Wonder of...

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/09/08

What if “play” is actually some of your child’s most important experiences? In Part 1 of our two-part conversation with the co-authors of Go Play: How Parents Can Empower Kids to Build Their Own Worlds, educator Gennie Gorback helps parents see play through a new lens: not as wasted time or something adults need to direct, but as a powerful, child-led path to learning, connection, confidence, and discovery. Gennie explains what makes play truly play, why children benefit from time with ...

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49:20

Calm and Confident Mindset for Homeschool Moms | Lori...

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/09/01

What if all your homeschooling chaos needs is a new calm and confident mindset? Being a homeschooling mom can feel like a daily referendum on your parenting, especially when you are teaching multiple kids, supporting neurodivergent needs, and trying to keep the family from melting down at the dining room table. We wanted to offer something more useful than a new planner or a better curriculum: a way to lead your home with calm and confidence that is real, practiced, and available even on mess...

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55:21

Homeschool Freedom, Flexibility, and Fit | Cheryl Daley

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/08/25

Wondering about homeschool freedom and flexibility? And how homeschooling might be a fit for your family? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy talk with Cheryl Daley, author, speaker, and host of the popular Homeschool How To podcast, to trace the exact chain of events that took her from a six-figure New York State government career to building a homeschool life rooted in freedom, relationships, and real-world learning. Cheryl shares why she treated homeschooling lik...

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76:54

Preparing Kids to Thrive in an AI World | Wylde Scott

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/08/18

In an AI world, a robot can anticipate your needs, clean your house, and do your job. It sounds like science fiction until you realize how fast AI is already reshaping the world as we know it. That speed of change forces a tough question for parents and educators: are we preparing kids to think, create, and lead when the world as we know it no longer exists? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy have a brave conversation with author and Imagination Project founder Wyl...

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48:43

There Are Moms Worse Than You | Glenn Boozan

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/08/11

The truth is, there are moms way worse than you! And the fastest way to feel like a better parent might be a laugh you did not expect. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast. Dr. Amy and Sandy talk with Glenn Boozan, an Emmy-nominated, WGA award-winning comedy writer and the author of the New York Times bestselling gift book There Are Moms Way Worse Than You, to talk about why modern parenting can feel like a constant test you can never pass, even when you are pouring your whole heart int...

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48:01

Personalized Learning for Your Homeschooled Child |...

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/08/04

Your child isn’t a “grade level” they’re a whole person, and the fastest way to lose motivation is to teach them like they’re interchangeable. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with Jessica Parnell, CEO of Edovate Learning Corp, to get practical about personalized learning for homeschooling, online school, and hybrid models that actually respect how kids’ brains develop. If you’ve ever felt pressure to recreate a traditional classroom at home, this convers...

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56:25

Homeschooling Teens: Why “Do Nothing” Deschooling...

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/07/28

Many parents are told to “just deschool and do nothing” after pulling their kids out of traditional school—but with middle school and high schoolers, that advice often backfires. In this conversation with former middle school teacher turned homeschooling mom Janae Daniels, host of the School to Homeschool podcast, we talk about why older kids struggle most with doing “nothing” and why their brains crave structure after years in the system. Janae shares how her family—and the families she coac...

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41:20

Nurturing Leadership & Grit Through Hard Things | Dr....

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/07/21

If you’ve ever stepped in to “help” your child and realized you might be making things worse, this conversation will hit home. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy sits down with Dr. Josh McConkey, an emergency physician, former U.S. Air Force commander, and author of Be the Weight Behind the Spear, to talk about a problem many families feel but can’t always name: kids can’t build confidence and grit if adults remove every hard moment. We dig into the shift from helicopter par...

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54:20

Avoid Homeschool Mom Burnout (and Find Joy Again) |...

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/07/14

Homeschool mom burnout is real—and it doesn’t mean you’re failing or that God is calling you to quit. In this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy talk with former classroom teacher, veteran homeschool mom, and educational consultant Jenna Lynn Myers, author of Homeschooling with Purpose: Candid Encouragement for Homeschool Parents. Jenna has supported thousands of homeschool families and is passionate about helping worn-out moms avoid burnout by recognizing early warning sig...

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59:02

Dopamine Magnets: How to Replace Screens, Social...

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/07/07

Dopamine gets blamed for everything from doomscrolling to snack attacks, but the real problem is that most of us were taught the wrong story. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy chat with biochemist and best-selling author of Dopamine Kids, Dr. Michaeleen Doucleff to unpack what dopamine actually does in the brain: it drives wanting, motivation, and the powerful “do it again” loop, even when the thing we’re chasing doesn’t deliver real joy. That single shift explains...

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76:00

Sensory Smart Homeschooling: Encore Conversations...

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/06/30

Your child can be bright, curious, and capable and still melt down over an itchy tag, loud kitchen noise, or a schedule that won’t budge. That’s not “bad behavior.” It’s often sensory processing colliding with executive functioning, and once you see it, you can finally respond with the right supports instead of more pressure. On this collection of encore conversations with Sarah Collins, an occupational therapist and the creator of Homeschool OT, she helps parents figure out the real “why” b...

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49:48

Best of Christy Faith Homeschool Conversations

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/06/09

Educator and homeschool mentor Christy Faith is brutally clear on what’s driving so many families to rethink education. On this mash-up of the best moments from previous conversations with Christy Faith on The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy talk with her about the gap between what modern kids need and what mass schooling often rewards, and why more parents are choosing homeschooling for school environment, mental health, and real learning instead of constant performance. Christy walk...

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54:31

Tidy Dad Tips on Flexibility, Time, and Scruffy...

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/06/02

Do you love the tips from Tidy Dad on Instagram? Then you'll love this hour with us! On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with Tyler Moore, better known as Tidy Dad, to talk about small space living, decluttering, and the kind of simple home organization that actually holds up in real family life. Tyler shares what it’s like parenting three daughters in a NYC triple bunk setup in 750 square feet, why an early bedtime boundary can be a sanity saver, and how “...

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60:09

Your Child’s Health Starts in the Gut | Dr. Elisa Song

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/05/26

Your child’s health starts in the gut. The immune system and brain are taking cues from the same place every day. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with integrative pediatrician Dr. Elisa Song, a leading voice in pediatric functional medicine, to map out what the gut microbiome actually is and why it matters even when your kid’s poop looks “normal.” If your family is dealing with eczema, allergies, frequent illness, anxiety, sleep issues, attention struggl...

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58:55

Firm Parenting Re-Imagined | Nicholeen Peck

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/05/19

Firm parenting isn't the same as 'mean' parenting. And your child isn’t “pushing your buttons” because they’re broken. Sometimes the real problem is that we’ve never been taught a clear, repeatable way to stay calm, set firm boundaries, and teach kids how to regulate themselves. Parenting behaviorist and family advocate Nicholeen Peck joins Dr. Amy and Sandy to redefine strict parenting as self-government: living by principles, staying emotionally steady, and using skills that make conflict p...

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60:50

Stop Teaching Zen to 5 Year Olds (& Other Parenting...

The Brainy Moms ·

2026/05/12

A lot of parenting advice sounds like a to-do list. Dr. Will Dobud joins us to make the case for something both simpler and harder: stop chasing the perfect technique and start rebuilding the conditions where kids can actually thrive. We talk about youth mental health trends, why anxiety can rise even when “support” increases, and how easily adults can confuse more intervention with better outcomes. We dig into research on school-based social emotional learning and universal stress man...

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221 results

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