Best PA Parent and Family Alliance Podcasts (2025)

1
Roblox, Screen Time, and Sanity 31:11

Play Pause

12d ago31:11

31:11

This week we’re talking about the Roblox takeover—endless screen time battles, kids begging for Robux, and parents just trying to hang on to their sanity. If you’ve ever wondered how much is too much (or how to make the “you’ve had enough” conversation meltdown-free), this one’s for you. For one on one support at no cost to parents of children with…

1
Homework battles and WiFi Wars 37:16

25d ago37:16

37:16

There’s nothing like back-to-school season to remind us that kids are creative negotiators. From “forgetting” assignments to late-night Wi-Fi wars, this week we’re laughing through the chaos and reminding every parent you’re not the only one. For one on one support at no cost to parents of children with behavior and mental health challenges in PA v…

1
When Insurance Says No (Again) 34:41

1M ago34:41

34:41

This week we’re talking about the all-too-familiar battle with insurance. From surprise denials to sky-high medication costs, parents know the frustration of fighting for what their kids need. You’re not alone - and we’re sharing stories, laughs, and strategies to keep going. We talked about PA insurance and how children who have a disability diagn…

1
I love my kids but also, please go back to school! 30:26

3M ago30:26

30:26

This week we're talking about the joys (and chaos) of summer break —nonstop snacks, sibling fights, messy houses, and the mental math of just how many weeks are left. If you're feeling touched out, overstimulated, or like you’ve had 47 conversations about popsicles before noon... you're in good company. Join us for laughter, solidarity, and a remin…

1
It’s Not Just You. Friendships Are Hard 32:48

3M ago32:48

32:48

This week we’re talking about the heartbreak, confusion, and awkwardness that can come with our kids’ friendships—or lack of them. Whether your child has trouble making friends, keeps getting left out, or has one intense friendship that implodes overnight, we’ve been there. We share the real stuff: the guilt we feel, the questions we wrestle with, …

1
We Get Therapy for Our Kids—But What About Us? 35:25

4M ago35:25

35:25

We're quick to get our kids the therapy they need—but what about ourselves? This week we're opening up about the barriers, and the real reasons it’s hard to ask for help. From finding the right therapist to figuring out if it’s even working, we get honest about the challenges of caregiving and figuring out how to take care of ourselves. Check out s…

1
I did her homework and only got a 68 0:38

4M ago0:38

0:38

Flexible instruction days are nice in theory but they cause a lot of chaos for families! For one on one support at no cost to parents of children with behavior and mental health challenges in PA visit: https://www.paparentandfamilyalliance.org/one-on-one-help Find out more about the PA Parent and Family Alliance and how you can support our work at …

1
No One Prepares You For Senior Year (So We Will) 37:14

4M ago37:14

37:14

Senior year hits different when your child struggles. Between IEP meetings, doctors, legal paperwork, and the emotional rollercoaster of “what’s next,” so many parents feel like they’re barely hanging on. This week we talk honestly about the chaos, the questions, and the moments we didn’t see coming—and share what we wish someone had told us sooner…

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We’re Fine. Totally Fine. Probably. 29:20

5M ago29:20

29:20

Storms, screaming kids, no power—and somehow, we’re still standing (barely). This week we're talking about the real chaos of parenting through emergencies, how our kids handle it (spoiler: wildly differently), and why staying calm sometimes means hiding in a closet later. Laugh, relate, and remind yourself you’re doing just fine… probably. For one …

1
If You Want a Day Off, You Might Have to Plan It Yourself 31:37

5M ago31:37

31:37

This week we’re talking about what happens when the people who hold the whole family together get a last-minute group text and a wilting plant. From funny fails to heartfelt moments, we open up about why those supposed "special days" can feel complicated and why it’s okay to set expectations, speak up, and even plan your own celebration. Whether yo…

1
Rediscovering What Fills Your Cup 28:49

6M ago28:49

28:49

When was the last time you did something just because it made you feel good? This week we talk about finding simple, personal outlets—like painting, baking, journaling, or even making your own laundry detergent—that help manage stress and bring a little peace into the chaos. No pressure, no perfection—just time for you. For one on one support at no…

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Mama’s Tired: The Mental Load Is Real 28:24

6M ago28:24

28:24

Let’s be honest—parenting is exhausting, and the stress doesn’t disappear when the kids grow up. This week our moms talk about the constant mental load we carry, from managing school calls and family logistics to trying (and sometimes failing) to find time to breathe. We share real talk, practical ways to cope, and a few laughs along the way—becaus…

1
Navigating Sibling Dynamics 32:30

7M ago32:30

32:30

When one child in the family has mental health or behavioral challenges, it affects everyone—including their siblings. How do you balance attention, make sure no one feels left out, and manage the unique sibling dynamics that come with raising a child who needs more? This week we get real about the challenges, share personal stories, and offer idea…

1
Parenting Battles 29:01

7M ago29:01

29:01

What happens when you and your partner don’t see eye to eye on parenting? From discipline styles to daily decisions, disagreements are inevitable—but they don’t have to lead to all-out war. In this episode, we get real about handling parenting conflicts, finding middle ground, and managing the frustration of feeling like you’re in it alone. Tune in…

1
Chaos, Creativity, and Keeping It Together 28:33

8M ago28:33

28:33

What happens when snow days turn into “Flexible Instruction Days”? In this episode, we dive into the highs, lows, and downright hilarious moments of balancing work, kids, and packets of schoolwork. From creative ways to make learning happen (cooking French toast counts as math, right?) to real talk about managing IEPs and 504 plans during these cha…

1
Flexible instruction days, Christmas Chaos, and Hot Mess Realities. 26:48

10M ago26:48

26:48

It’s the holiday season, and we’re diving into the real-life chaos of parenting while trying to manage Flexible Instruction madness, holiday prep, and everything in between. From kids refusing to do packets to mismatched socks for spirit week, we’re sharing the behind-the-scenes mayhem. We talk about setting realistic expectations, finding small mo…

1
How about some bad parenting advice? 50:26

10M ago50:26

50:26

We’ve all heard it—unsolicited advice from family, friends, and even strangers that ranges from mildly annoying to downright harmful. In this episode, we break down some of the worst parenting advice we’ve received and share how these misconceptions can block us from getting the help our kids truly need. We’ll also give you a few cheeky phrases to …

1
From Meal Planning to Meltdowns: Tackling Decision Overload 39:01

11M ago39:01

39:01

We talked about the book and cards called Fair Play Life. If you check it out let us know what you think. For one on one support at no cost to parents of children with behavior and mental health challenges in PA visit: https://www.paparentandfamilyalliance.org/one-on-one-help Find out more about the PA Parent and Family Alliance and how you can sup…

1
Running on Empty: Finding Space for Yourself as a Parent 39:09

11M ago39:09

39:09

Parenting doesn’t come with a roadmap, but sometimes it does come with wax in the drain and a pumpkin patch meltdown! Join us as we get real about juggling our own needs with the chaos of family life, from unexpected “kid experiments” to the stress of spirit days, Halloween costumes, and daily demands. We’ll talk about how we’re learning to protect…

1
Heart over DNA: Mental Health Journeys for Non-Bio Families 37:11

12M ago37:11

37:11

Have you met Julia yet? You'll love her just as much as we do as she takes her first turn hosting this week's podcast! Julia leads our group of moms through a deep dive into the unique journey of raising and supporting children who aren't biologically ours. Whether you're an adoptive parent, foster parent, step-parent, or legal guardian, this episo…

1
A Little Kindness Goes a Long Way 26:51

1y ago26:51

26:51

All it takes is 1 person to roll their eyes or smirk and just like that a difficult situation gets even worse. If you've been there, in public while your kiddo is melting down, you've seen that look and know that feeling. However, there are times when strangers’ simple acts of kindness in the middle of our chaos make such a difference just when it …

1
Things We No Longer Do 29:25

1y ago29:25

29:25

After decades of advocacy work between us all here's a list of the things we'll no longer do as parent raising kiddos with mental health challenges and just parenting in general. We'd love to hear what's on your list! Share your list in the comments. For one on one support at no cost to parents of children with behavior and mental health challenges…

1
How Can I Manage It All 45:09

1y ago45:09

45:09

As parents we're expected to keep everything moving, on time, while ensuring everyone is safe and taken care of. But how can we balance everyone's needs as well as our own? This week join Melissa, Tracy and Perl as they share the challenges and their tips for keeping all the balls up in the air, while tending to children's and their own mental well…

1
Parenting with a mental health challenge 30:26

1y ago30:26

30:26

Raising a child who has a behavior or mental health challenge is hard enough but if you're doing it and have a challenge of your own, it's extra hard. On this week's episode we talk about our own challenges and share our tips and tricks for managing. Sometimes it's nice to know that we have a community of friends who get it. For one on one support …

1
Is it time to make dinner, again?! 28:50

1y ago28:50

28:50

Here we are deep into summer and our kids are eating us out of house and home! We're doing our best to keep them busy and enriched all while working a demanding job, from home. Who else can relate? Join us this week as Tracy, Melissa and Chrissy talk about snack deficits, how hard it is teaching our kids about how money works and 504 plans for the …

1
Back to School Prep 34:44

1y ago34:44

34:44

We're sorry to be the ones to bring it up but our kiddos will be going back to school shortly so our group of moms got together to share some tips and tricks that can help make back to school manageable. For one on one support at no cost to parents of children with behavior and mental health challenges in PA visit: https://www.paparentandfamilyalli…

1
It's OK to not be the popular parent 28:12

1y ago28:12

28:12

Do you feel like you're the only parent who says "No" or has rules for your child? Well this week Melissa is here to tell you that you're not alone! Our parents, Tracy, Perl, and Christina, talk about the limits and rules they insist on for their children and how they're fine not being their child's friend. At least until they get older. If you fee…

1
Who has time to be bored? 30:27

1y ago30:27

30:27

How many times have you heard, "I'm bored" already this summer? If Perl or Tracy hear that phrase again they may just blow their tops. This week our ladies share how they're managing to keep everyone in their family on track and having fun during the dog days of summer. For one on one support at no cost to parents of children with behavior and ment…

1
What happens after high school? 34:01

1+ y ago34:01

34:01

One day they're toddlers and getting into everything and the next they're teens who you only see when they emerge to visit the fridge. They grow up so fast that it's never too early to start thinking about what's going to happen once they leave high school. Join Chrissy, Tracy, Perl and Christina to talk about what you should think about now, befor…

1
A funny thing happened 26:16

1+ y ago26:16

26:16

This week we completely forget our planned topic and instead ended up talking about our summer plans compared to our Gen X and Millennial childhoods. From formerly fully stocked fridges to drinking out of the hose, this behind the scenes episode let's you see what happens before we hit record. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the chaos as we take you…

1
What mom's really want for Mother's Day 27:24

1+ y ago27:24

27:24

This week our moms talk about the challenges and mental load that comes with motherhood. It takes a team to help raise a child who has a mental health challenge and that team includes not only family but bosses and coworkers and the community. For one on one support at no cost to parents of children with behavior and mental health challenges in PA …

1
Why Is My Child Behaving This Way? 30:02

1+ y ago30:02

30:02

Did you know a child with ADHD may have trouble falling or staying asleep? Did you know that children with physical disabilities can have mental health challenges too? Join Tracy, Perl and Christina to talk about some of the surprising things they've learned as parents of children with mental health challenges and bust some of the myths you may hav…

1
So many fights 36:02

1+ y ago36:02

36:02

For parents raising children with behavior and mental health (and other) challenges it feels like we spend so much time fighting. Fighting our insurance company to provide the treatments our children need. Fighting the school to help our children. Fighting the doctors to actually listen to all of our child's symptoms and what we've already tried. S…

1
Can my child say no to mental health treatment 27:23

1+ y ago27:23

27:23

This week we have a full house to talk about PA's law regarding mental health consent. So many parents reach out to ask if their children can refuse mental health treatment once they turn 14. The answer to that is an emphatic No. Act 65 of 2020 allows children to consent to mental health treatment on their own once they turn 14 but it definitely do…

1
Parental Guilt 40:14

1+ y ago40:14

40:14

If you've ever lost it because you had to ask your child 14 times to bring their laundry down from their room or felt like a bad parent because you medicated your child or didn't medicate your child, you're not alone. As parents of children with mental health or behavioral challenges we can find a lot to beat ourselves up over. Join Melissa, Tracy …

1
No break for you! 25:30

1+ y ago25:30

25:30

It school break and while our kiddos may be thrilled as working parents break time means double duty for us. If you feel like your world is absolute chaos you're not alone! Join Chrissy, Jill, Melissa and Christina as we wade through the sea of anarchy together. For one on one support at no cost to parents of children with behavior and mental healt…

1
Why doesn't my insurance cover what my child needs 20:53

1+ y ago20:53

20:53

It's not unusual for parents to be told that their health insurance won't pay for their child's mental health treatment. That can leave a parent in a tough spot trying to cover the costs out of pocket or even worse forgoing the necessary treatment. No need to panic! Today we're talking about how you can get insurance that will cover the therapies y…

1
There's no upside to organizing 32:57

1+ y ago32:57

32:57

Children come with so much stuff! We're tempted to organize but one Parent Alliance team member has a good reason to not get organized. This week we share some tips on organizing, ideas for helping your child break down large tasks and a surprising downside and we chat a bit about chores. Have a topic you want us to address? Reach out to us at cont…

1
Why is this happening? 38:51

1+ y ago38:51

38:51

When your child suddenly starts acting out at school it can really throw you for a loop. The goal is to figure out what's going on and get them back on track as quickly as possible but the process is so slow. Additionally it really takes a toll on us, a parents. We question everything we're doing. This week we unpack not only ideas on how to help o…

1
Are we babying our children too much? 32:48

1+ y ago32:48

32:48

We're never quite sure if we're doing too much or too little for our children. When you're raising a child with a mental health challenge it's even harder to know. Join us for this week's episode when Tracy, Chrissy and Christina share tips they've learned for walking that line between helicopter parent and hands off parenting. We'd love to hear wh…

1
Winter blues 19:24

1+ y ago19:24

19:24

Sometimes we wonder if anyone understands just how hard it is ... to be a parent, to be a parent of a child with a mental health challenge, to BE the child with the mental health challenge. Join Melissa, Tracy and Christina to check in and and chat about how this time of the year can be a little disheartening. For one on one support at no cost to p…

1
Managing your relationship with your adult children 25:11

1+ y ago25:11

25:11

The Parent Alliance offers one on one support to parents of children with behavior and mental health challenges no matter their age! Yes, you can give us a call and talk to a Family Support Partner at no cost even if your child is over 18 because, we get it. Our job as parent doesn't end just because our child becomes a legal adult. For one on one …

1
Extended School Year services (ESY): Why you need to plan for the summer now 30:09

1+ y ago30:09

30:09

As always the team at PaTTAN has excellent resources to help us understand this service. Check them out here: https://www.pattan.net/publications/teachers-desk-reference-extended-school-year-esy/ https://www.pattan.net/videos/extended-school-year-esy/ Questions an IEP team could consider regarding the need for ESY: Documented problems with working …

1
How do I keep my kiddos busy over the holidays 30:10

2y ago30:10

30:10

The holiday break has started and we're already out of things to do to keep our kiddos busy! We're looking for any ideas we can find to avoid hearing the dreaded "I'm bored." Join us as we troubleshoot ideas and inspiration to help everyone enjoy winter break. For one on one support at no cost to parents of children with behavior and mental health …

1
What I wish my family knew about my kiddo (holiday edition) 17:59

2y ago17:59

17:59

When you're raising a child who struggles with their behavior or mental health, changes in schedules, large noisy events and activities with lots of pressure are ticking timebombs. Unfortunately all those things come together to make the holiday season the most joyful and hectic time of the year. Join our team as we talk about some of the challenge…

1
Holiday mishaps 36:49

2y ago36:49

36:49

In the real world the holidays don't always go as planned. In the moment things can feel like a disaster but so often looking back they're some of our favorite memories. In today's podcast the Parent Alliance team shares some of their favorite mishaps and ideas for managing those holiday expectations. Help your child prepare for holiday socializati…

1
Tough conversations 42:06

2y ago42:06

42:06

It's never easy to talk with your child about topics that are scary, awkward or safety focused. But when your child has anxiety, depression or any mental health challenge you, as a parent, can feel like you're walking a tightrope between giving them the information they need and not needlessly upsetting them. Join Melissa, Perl and Chrissy to hear …

1
It's so nice when we can get together 36:37

2y ago36:37

36:37

This fall the Parent Alliance team held a youth, young adult and parents conference. We learned so much we wanted to share the highlights with those who couldn't make it. Join us to catch up without having to leave your house. We won't be posting next week since it's Thanksgiving but we hope you have a nice day filled with love and peace. For one o…

1
It's beginning to look a lot like stress season 32:31

2y ago32:31

32:31

We shared the Parent Alliance's tip sheet for Understanding your Child's Social Battery: https://www.paparentandfamilyalliance.org/understanding-social-batteries We're always here to provide one on one parent peer support to parents living in PA at no cost: https://www.paparentandfamilyalliance.org/one-on-one-help For one on one support at no cost …

1
So much anxiety 33:26

2y ago33:26

33:26

We shared the Emotional Safety Planning tip sheet. There's versions for parents, kiddos and we didn't leave out our Spanish speaking parents! There's a version for you as well. https://www.paparentandfamilyalliance.org/emotional-safety-plan It's also never too early or too late to help our children learn some mindfulness exercises. Check out those …

PA Parent And Family Alliance Podcasts