Proactive Parenting with Deanna Marie Mason PhD

Jan 08 2025 40 ep. 16 mins 2

Proactive Parenting with Deanna Marie Mason PhD Podcast artwork

Explore expert, judgment-free guidance on nurturing values in children within the modern family.

Kids & Family Society & Culture Science

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Healthy Kids: Addressing Childhood Obesity

Jan 08 2025 9 mins

Today’s topic has become a common theme in recent decades, but it’s helpful to talk about what the scientific literature is showing so we can make good choices for our families. Globally, we continue to see a rise in overweight and obese children. This information is pretty well known, but, for me, the interesting part is that children generally grew in a healthy manner, meanin

Protecting Our Kids: The Truth About Vaccines

Jan 02 2025 11 mins

I’m going to touch on a hot-button issue today that I know is very controversial - vaccines. Before I start, I want to clarify my position as an educator to avoid anyone reading anything into what I want to say about vaccines. As most of my listeners know, I base all my podcasts, books, workshops, programs, and courses on current research, best practice policies by leading health

Healthy Choices: The Processed Food Debate

Dec 26 2024 10 mins

Today’s topic is for parents of children of every age. We are going to be talking about the exciting and controversial world of highly processed foods. Why we have them, what they are made out of, and what they do in the human body compared to unprocessed foods. So whether you have a 6 month old who you want to introduce their first solid foods, or if you’re tackling the issues

Active Kids: Finding the Right Balance

Dec 19 2024 10 mins

In my time working with parents, a lot of parents have asked if their child is getting enough exercise. It’s a real and honest question in today’s busy life. Everyone knows exercise is great for weight management, strong bones and muscles, good posture, and heart health. Everyone also knows that exercise is good for our bodies and minds. However, it can be hard to carve out tim

Taming Junk Food Cravings in Kids

Dec 12 2024 9 mins

Sadly, marketing to children is not limited to just toys or activities anymore. Food manufactures have made children the target of heavy media advertising for nefarious foods. More than half of the foods that are advertised on television to children do not meet government nutritional guidelines. In an age where most western societies are battling to change the trend in overweight a

Tiny Tummies: The Supplement Debate

Dec 05 2024 10 mins

While reading my scientific journals, I came across some interesting findings published in the MMWR by physician Bryan Stierman and colleagues at Boston Children’s Hospital who used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for patients aged 19 years and younger. Their review of the data found that approximately 1/3 of children and teens are taking dietary su

Dream Big: The Power of Good Sleep

Nov 28 2024 8 mins

Many of the parents I work with wonder how much sleep their child needs. And, simple said - it depends. But it’s easy to find the answer by considering a few important questions: The first is, “Does my child receive enough sleep, rest and relaxation so he or she can learn, grow, participate and complete daily activities without becoming tired?” The next is, “Does my child h

Authentic Emotions in Parenting

Nov 21 2024 9 mins

I think one of the most difficult things we do to ourselves as parents is to make ourselves appear happy on the outside when we really feel stressed on the inside. The amount of energy it takes to put on a show of happiness is tremendous. Especially when we are already busy working on trying to solve what is making us feel stressed. The extra effort to appear happy taxes our system

Game Over: Unpacking the Truth About Video Game Addiction

Nov 14 2024 13 mins

Today’s topic is a hot one because it deals with video game addiction. Gaming is a big part of a lot of people’s lives and can be a wonderful source of entertainment. However, as with most things, too much of anything usually isn’t that good for us. So today we are going to look at new information about how gaming can become problematic for some children and teens. It’s imp

Baby Safety 101: Preventing Accidental Suffocation

Nov 07 2024 8 mins

Today’s topic is a sad and difficult issue to talk about, but because infant deaths related to suffocation continue to happen, I think it’s important that we discuss why it happens and what can be done to protect against it. Infant death related to accidental suffocation or strangulation in bed appears to be on the rise. In 1992, pediatric health organizations recommended that