Podcast · Kids & Family

Raising Good Humans

by Aliza Pressman · English · Kids & Family

As a parent, do you ever wish someone could just whisper some realistic and trustworthy support in your ear? And not make you feel awful for not having all the answers? Well, that's what I'm here for. I'm Dr. Aliza Pressman, developmental psychologist, NYT bestselling author of The Five…

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 44 min
Latest: 9 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

9 Oct 2026 · 40 min

Is Gentle Parenting Making Kids Run the Show?

Gentle parenting turned permissive? Somewhere between "because I said so" and "is it okay if we go to bed now?", many well-meaning parents lost their footing. In this episode of Raising Good Humans, Dr. Siggie and Dr. Aliza are answering listener questions to unpack how gentle parenting can quietly slide into permissive parenting, and why children actually feel safer when a parent leads with structure, warmth, and clear boundaries. What you’ll learn: - Why "all feelings are welcome, all behaviors are not" works better than punishment when your child hits a sibling - The problem with letting…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E163 · 2 Oct 2026 · 47 min
The Homework Episode for Overwhelmed Parents
Does homework time in your house end in tears, arguments, or a kid still awake at midnight? In this episode, Dr. Aliza Pressman sits down with Dr. Ellen Braaten, founding director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) at Massachusetts General Hospital and associate professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School. Together they unpack why homework has become such a point of tension in families, why more homework isn't actually better for kids, and how too much of it can quietly chip away at sleep, motivation, and mental health, whether your child is in second grade or…
E162 · 25 Sep 2026 · 47 min
How to Help Your Child Make Friends (and Be a Good One)
Does your kid actually know how to be a good friend — or are they just hoping the right friends find them? In this episode, Dr. Aliza Pressman sits down with Sissy Goff and David Thomas, therapists at Daystar Counseling in Nashville, hosts of the Raising Boys and Girls podcast, and New York Times bestselling authors of Capable. Together they unpack why the back-to-school season triggers so much social anxiety in kids, and why shifting the focus from "how do I find friends" to "how do I be a good friend" is one of the most powerful reframes parents can offer, whether their child is walking…
E161 · 18 Sep 2026 · 39 min
Sibling Fights: When to Step In (and When to Stay Out)
Sibling fights making you crazy? If you've ever wondered when to intervene in sibling fights versus when to let your kids work it out themselves, this episode gives you a practical framework you can use today. Sibling fights are one of the most common pain points of parenting, and we’ve all been there. In this episode, developmental psychologist and Raising Good Humans host Dr. Aliza Pressman explains how to tell the difference between normal sibling conflict and situations that require real intervention, why fairness doesn't mean giving every kid the exact same thing, and how the language…
E160 · 11 Sep 2026 · 38 min
Dr. Shefali: The Hormones Behind First Love, Heartbreak, and Hookup Culture
Why does a teenage breakup feel like the end of the world for girls, but barely register for boys? Dr. Aliza Pressman sits down with Dr. Shefali — clinical psychologist, founder of the conscious parenting movement, and New York Times bestselling author of Raising Conscious Daughters and Raising Conscious Sons — for a conversation that finally explains the biology behind teen dating, heartbreak, and hookup culture. From the surge of estrogen and oxytocin that wires girls to bond instantly, to the testosterone spike that turns boys into what Dr. Shefali calls "novelty seekers," this episode…
E159 · 4 Sep 2026 · 48 min
Angela Duckworth on the Hidden Forces Shaping Your Kid's Behavior
Is your child's behavior really about who they are — or is it about where you've put them? In this episode, Dr. Aliza Pressman sits down with Dr. Angela Duckworth, bestselling author of Grit, MacArthur "Genius" Grant winner, and University of Pennsylvania psychologist, to unpack her powerful new book, Situated. Together they explore why the "fundamental attribution error" causes so many parents to blame a child's character when the real culprit is the situation around them — and why editing that situation, from where you keep your phone to which zip code you live in, is one of the most…
E158 · 28 Aug 2026 · 44 min
Were 'Covid Kids' Really Damaged? What 17 New Studies Show
Blaming your kid's attention span on Covid? In this episode, Dr. Aliza Pressman sits down with Georgetown Professor and developmental psychologist, Dr. Anna Johnson, to unpack a landmark special section of 17 longitudinal studies published in Child Development, the field's top journal. Together they walk through what parents have been told about "Covid kids" versus what the actual research shows about learning loss, executive functioning, and child mental health five years later. What you’ll learn: ● Why longitudinal research tells a different story than the "learning loss" headlines ● Which…
E157 · 21 Aug 2026 · 30 min
Here's the Talk to Have Before Your Teen's First Party
Sending your teen to their first party? In this solo episode, developmental psychologist Dr. Aliza Pressman walks parents through exactly how to talk to teenagers about parties before the car ride there. From the alcohol and drug conversation to setting a code word and exit plan, this episode is a practical guide for parenting teenagers through one of the most anxiety-provoking adolescent milestones. What you’ll learn: ● Curiosity-first scripts for the "parties, alcohol, and drugs" conversation with your teenager ● Setting a code word and no-questions-asked exit plan for teen safety ● How to…
E156 · 14 Aug 2026 · 46 min
Picky Eating & Food Guilt with Jennifer Anderson
Is your child's relationship with food already shaped by guilt, fear, or "good food/bad food" rules — even before they can talk? Registered dietitian Jennifer Anderson, founder of Kids Eat in Color, joins Dr. Aliza Pressman to unpack "embodied independence" — the idea that raising confident eaters means combining a healthy relationship with food and the practical skills to take care of one's body. This is a must-listen for any parent trying to raise a healthy eater without passing down diet culture baggage. What you’ll learn: Why labeling foods "good" or "bad" creates food rules, guilt, and…
E155 · 7 Aug 2026 · 55 min
How to Disagree With Your Kids Without Fighting
Do you know how to disagree with your kid without a fight breaking out? Most of us have been told that the fix for a bad disagreement is more empathy — really try to see it from their side. But Julia Minson, negotiation researcher at Harvard's Kennedy School, joins Dr. Aliza Pressman to share what her experimental research actually shows: telling someone to "try harder to empathize" barely changes the outcome of a conflict. Instead, Julia and Aliza dig into why disagreement has gotten so much more fraught in families, what really makes someone feel heard, and a concrete, teachable framework…
E154 · 31 Jul 2026 · 40 min
How to Raise an Imaginative Child — and Why Imagination Matters More Than You Think
Do you use your imagination enough? Most parents think of imagination as something for playtime — a "nice to have" that fades once kids get older and life gets "serious." But Dr. Cassandra Vieten, director of science programs at the Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination at UC San Diego, joins Dr. Aliza Pressman to make the case that imagination is a trainable skill with real developmental and psychological weight. They unpack the connection between imagination and anxiety, why kids naturally live closer to the "field of possibility" than adults do, and how something as simple as a…
E153 · 24 Jul 2026 · 31 min
Hard Parenting Questions Answered: 'I Hate You,' Porn Talks, Vapes, and School Pickup Meltdowns
Dr. Aliza Pressman answers your hardest parenting questions: toddler tantrums, screen time guilt, porn talks, vaping teens & social media limits. Real parenting questions don't come with a manual — so Dr. Aliza Pressman, developmental psychologist and New York Times bestselling author, is answering yours. In this listener Q&A episode, Dr. Pressman offers practical, shame-free parenting strategies rooted in child development research — helping you move from panic and guilt to clarity and connection, no matter what stage your kid is in. What You’ll Learn: How to respond when your young child…
E152 · 17 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 4 min
Your Brain Isn't Declining — It's Waiting for You to Do These Five Things
Can you actually grow your brain? Johns Hopkins neurologist Dr. Majid Fotuhi reveals 5 science-backed ways to build brain volume — even in the chaos of parenthood. In this episode of Raising Good Humans Podcast, Dr. Fotuhi breaks down the research on neuroplasticity and brain health, and helps us all understand how measurable brain growth is possible in as little as 12 weeks. What You’ll Learn: The 5 pillars of brain health and the minimum effective dose for overwhelmed parents How poor sleep physically shrinks the brain and whether years of damage can be reversed Brain training demystified:…
E151 · 10 Jul 2026 · 38 min
What a Neuropsychological Evaluation Actually Reveals About Your Child
Should your child get a neuropsychological evaluation? Neuropsychologist Dr. Joanna Jacobs explains what it reveals, who needs one, and why it's not scary. If you've ever been told your child might need a neuropsychological evaluation and felt your stomach drop, this episode is for you. Dr. Aliza Pressman sits down with neuropsychologist Dr. Joanna Jacobs to demystify what a neuro psych evaluation actually is, what it can tell you about your child's learning profile, and why so many parents leave the process feeling relieved rather than devastated. Whether your child is struggling with…
E150 · 3 Jul 2026 · 43 min
Why Your Kid Needs More Chores, More Boredom, and More Frustration (Yes, Really)
Why do constraints help kids thrive? Dr. Aliza Pressman & David Epstein reveal the counterintuitive science of raising resilient, confident children. If you've ever wondered whether making things easier for your kids is actually holding them back, this episode will stop you in your tracks. Dr. Aliza Pressman sits down with bestselling science writer David Epstein, author of Inside the Box, to unpack the research-backed case for constraints as one of the most powerful — and most misunderstood — tools in child development. From the Harvard Study of Adult Development's landmark findings on…
E149 · 26 Jun 2026 · 26 min
Dating After Divorce: What to Tell Your Kids and When
What if the hardest part of dating after divorce isn't whether you're ready, but whether your kids are? This solo episode tackles one of the most-asked, least-discussed questions in the inbox: how to start dating again after divorce in a way that honors your own life and your children's emotional reality. It's a topic carrying guilt, grief, longing, worry, and the very real truth that you are still a living, breathing person who wants a romantic life. Drawing on listener-submitted questions, this conversation walks through the practical and emotional terrain of re-entering romantic life. We…
E148 · 19 Jun 2026 · 51 min
The Science of Dad Brain: How Fatherhood Changes Men Forever
Postpartum depression isn't just for moms. Dr. Darby Saxbe explores why new dads struggle, identifies the often unrecognized signs, and demystifies the science of paternal mental health. Did you know that "dad brain" is a scientifically proven biological shift? Recent brain science shows that fatherhood literally changes and rewires men's brains--but unlike maternal shifts, a father's brain adapts primarily through the lived experience of hands-on caregiving. In this episode of Raising Good Humans, world-renowned researcher Dr. Darby Saxbe joins host Dr. Aliza Pressman to expose the hidden…
E147 · 12 Jun 2026 · 40 min
Adam Grant + Dr. Aliza: The Real Science of Effective Parenting
What does it actually mean to be a good parent and why does knowing the research make it harder, not easier? This week I'm sharing an interview I did with Adam Grant on his show, ReThinking, where we got into the framework I come back to constantly: all feelings are welcome, but all behaviors are not. We talked about gentle parenting, why asking your child to do something nine times is no better than asking twice, orchid vs. dandelion kids, and what I think the job of a parent actually is. What you'll hear: Why "all feelings are welcome, but all behaviors are not" is the organizing principle…
E146 · 5 Jun 2026 · 45 min
Why Are All the Young People So Insecure?
What if raising secure kids has less to do with what you do wrong as a parent — and more to do with teaching them to build the right relationships from the start? My guest this week is Dr. Amir Levine, molecular neuroscientist, child psychiatrist, and associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University. His new book, Secure: The Revolutionary Guide to Creating a Secure Life, offers a unified theory of relationships with surprisingly concrete tools for building security at any age. This episode shares specific, teachable tools for helping kids of all ages — including…
E142 · 29 May 2026 · 46 min
Your Kids Are Wired to Flourish — Here's How to Get Out of Their Way
What if the most powerful thing you could do for your child's brain development has nothing to do with them at all? This episode is for any parent who has worried about screen time, big emotions, or whether they're doing enough — and hasn't realized that the most direct path to a flourishing child runs straight through their own mind. I'm joined by Dr. Richard Davidson, neuroscientist, founder of the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and author of Born to Flourish. What you'll learn: Why neuroplasticity is happening to your brain right now whether you want it…
E144 · 22 May 2026 · 45 min
Deodorant, Porn, and Nudes: How to Actually Talk to Your Tween About the Hard Stuff
What if the reason the hardest conversations with your middle schooler keep going badly isn't the topic — it's that we keep starting them like a lecture? This episode is for any parent who has braced themselves to "have the talk" about porn, dating, nudes, or consent and watched their kid mentally exit the room before the second sentence. I'm joined by Michele Icard, parenting expert and author of Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen: The Essential Conversations You Need to Have with Your Kids Before They Start High School. What you'll learn: Why most thorny conversations go wrong before they…
E143 · 15 May 2026 · 28 min
Perfectionism Isn't High Standards. It's Hurting Your Kid
What if what we call high standards in our kids, and quietly admire in ourselves, is actually something much more painful underneath? This episode takes on a question that hits closer to home than most parents want to admit: have I been confusing high standards with something more punishing, in my kids and in myself? I'm joined by Professor Thomas Curran, social psychologist at the London School of Economics and author of The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough, whose research has reframed how a generation of psychologists, parents, and young people understand what…
E142 · 8 May 2026 · 43 min
Perimenopause Starts Earlier Than You Think — What Every Mom Needs to Know Now
⁠What if the years where you feel less rested, less resilient, less yourself aren't burnout or bad parenting — but a hormonal transition no one prepared you for?⁠ This episode tackles a question every woman asks herself: am I losing my edge, or is something actually happening to me? I'm joined by Dr. Mary Claire Haver — the OB-GYN whose work has reshaped how an entire generation of women, doctors, and families talk about midlife, and the first person who made me feel sane in my own body when symptoms started showing up in my early 40s. We talk about why perimenopause is landing earlier than…
E141 · 1 May 2026 · 28 min
The 3 Tools That Actually Work When Your Kid Won't Listen
What if your child's most "defiant" behavior at home isn't a discipline problem — but a sign of how safe you've made them feel? This solo episode tackles one of the most common questions we all have: what to do when your kid digs in, pushes back, and you can feel yourself slipping toward the version of bedtime you swore you'd never have. It comes on the heels of a Today Show segment with Hoda and Jenna that sparked a wave of comments split between recognition and resistance — much of it circling the same anxious question: isn't picking your battles just permissive parenting? This…
24 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
Are You Oversharing With Your Kids — or Not Sharing Enough?
What if oversharing isn't the real problem — and the quieter habit of holding back is what's keeping us, and our kids, from the connection we're looking for? Dr. Aliza Pressman sits down with Harvard Business School behavioral scientist and author Professor Leslie John to challenge one of the most widespread assumptions in modern parenting and culture: that the path to healthy relationships is learning to say less. It isn't. And understanding why could change how you show up with your partner, your colleagues, and your children. Professor John unpacks the surprising science behind…
17 Apr 2026 · 35 min
Is Anxiety Your Secret Weapon?
What if anxiety isn't the enemy but the edge you've been missing? Dr. Aliza Pressman sits down with clinical psychologist, professor, and author Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary to challenge one of the most widespread misconceptions in modern parenting: that anxiety is something to be eliminated. It isn't. And understanding why could change how you show up for yourself and your kids. Dr. Dennis-Tiwary unpacks the surprising science and history behind anxiety, from its ancient roots to how modern psychiatry transformed a normal human emotion into a medical diagnosis, and why that shift has made things…
E139 · 10 Apr 2026 · 45 min
Dopamine Kids: A Science-Based Plan to Rewire Your Child's Brain and Take Back Your Family in the Age of Screens and Ultraprocessed Food w/ Dr. Michaeleen Doucleff
In today’s episode, I sit down with Dr. Michaeleen Doucleff to unpack what dopamine actually is—and how understanding it can completely shift the way we approach screens, food, and motivation in our kids’ lives. We talk about why dopamine isn’t about pleasure but about desire, and how that “do it again” loop can pull kids toward things that don’t actually make them feel good in the long run. We discuss practical, doable ways to redirect that drive—by replacing, not restricting—so kids naturally want the activities that support their well-being. We also explore why willpower isn’t the answer,…
E138 · 8 Apr 2026 · 18 min
The Family as a Team: Why It Matters & How to Build It at Home
In today’s episode, brought to you by Skylight, I walk through how shifting from being the “family manager” to a team leader can dramatically reduce the invisible load so many of us carry. We talk about why predictability and visual structure are so regulating for developing brains, how simple systems can support autonomy and executive functioning across ages, and why nagging tends to backfire. I share practical strategies for building shared responsibility at home—from weekly check-ins to visual task lists—and how tools like a centralized family calendar can make expectations clearer,…
E137 · 3 Apr 2026 · 49 min
Understanding Status: The Science Behind Respect and Influence (And What It Means for Parenting) w/ Professor Alison Fragale
In today’s episode, I sit down with psychologist and professor Alison Fragale to explore the concept of status—what it really means, why the need to be respected is such a fundamental human drive, and how it shapes the way our kids navigate friendships, school, and their broader social world. We talk about how status often shows up differently for girls, the balance between being likable and being confident, and how subtle habits like self-deprecation can influence how our kids see themselves. We discuss a simple, powerful framework for understanding behavior through the lens of warmth and…
E136 · 27 Mar 2026 · 52 min
Real Ways to Stay Regulated When Parenting Feels Overwhelming w/ Dr. Elisha Goldstein
In today’s episode I sit down with Dr. Elisha Goldstein to explore how small, practical shifts can help us break out of the constant overwhelm so many parents are living in. We talk about why knowing what to do isn’t the same as actually doing it, how chronic low-grade stress impacts the way we show up with our kids, and why self-regulation is one of the most important skills we can model. We discuss simple, in-the-moment tools to interrupt reactive patterns, calm the nervous system, and move from reacting to responding, as well as how these “tiny shifts” can improve not just our parenting,…

About Raising Good Humans

Raising Good Humans is a English kids & family podcast from Aliza Pressman. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Aliza Pressman
Language: English
Category: Kids & Family
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 44 min
Latest episode: 9 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1473072044
Website: voicingchange.media/voice/dr-aliza-pressman

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