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How Not to Screw Up Your Kids

How Not to Screw Up Your Kids

Dr Maryhan 423 Episodes Jul 1, 2026

Psychologist and parenting expert Dr Maryhan hosts this podcast for parents, grandparents, educators, and anyone who wants to raise confident children with self-belief. The show offers twice-weekly episodes, with shorter 'Bucket Emptying' episodes on Mondays and longer episodes on Thursdays. It aims to provide the right information and support to help children thrive in a fast-paced, ever-changing world.

Episodes

ADHD in Girls: Why It's So Often Missed and What Parents Need to Know Jul 1, 2026 53:07 If you’re parenting a girl who is anxious, overwhelmed, explosive at home, masking at school, or constantly burning out, this episode will give you answers you may have been searching for for years.I’m joined by Dr Olivia Kesel, whose new book Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls is one I believe every parent of a daughter should read.Olivia shares her story of years of chaos, shame,
My Child Won't Stop Comparing Themselves to Their Sibling Jun 28, 2026 15:43 If your child is constantly shouting “It’s not fair!”, measuring every biscuit, bedtime or privilege against their sibling, and turning every moment into a competition, this episode will help you breathe again.None of this is really about fairness; it’s about belonging. When children compare, they’re not asking about portions. They’re asking, do I matter as much as they do?In this episode, I’ll sh
Who's the Favourite? Birth Order, Sibling Rivalry and Why It Matters Jun 24, 2026 51:55 If you’ve ever worried about sibling rivalry, felt guilty about how your attention is divided, or wondered whether your children secretly believe you have a favourite, this episode will change how you see your family forever.I’m joined by journalist and author Catherine Carr to talk about her extraordinary book Who’s the Favourite? - a deep dive into the hidden emotional world of siblings.We explo
What to Say When Your Child Says 'I'm Not Good Enough' Jun 21, 2026 12:53 When your child looks at you and says, “I’m not good enough,” it hits you in the chest. Every instinct you have wants to fix it, to tell them they’re brilliant, to list every wonderful thing about them, to make the feeling go away. But if you’ve tried that, you already know it doesn’t work. They don’t believe you. They cry harder. They shut down. And you’re left wondering what on earth you’re supp
My Child is a Perfectionist: When High Standards Become Anxiety Jun 17, 2026 23:51 If your child is melting down over tiny mistakes, refusing to start homework, or abandoning activities the moment they stop being “naturally good,” this episode is one you cannot afford to skip.I’m seeing perfectionism show up in more children than ever, and most parents don’t realise it’s not about high standards at all. It’s anxiety. And it’s quietly eroding your child’s confidence, resilience,
Three Practical Strategies to Help Your Distracted Child Focus Jun 14, 2026 17:28 If your child can spend 45 minutes sharpening pencils, rearranging their desk, or “revising” without absorbing a single thing, you are not imagining it - something is getting in the way of their concentration, and it’s not laziness or lack of effort.In this bucket emptying episode, I’ll show you why so many children struggle to focus, even when they’re trying, and why the strategies most parents r
Why Your Child Can't Concentrate: Focus, Distraction and ADHD with Professor Sam Wass Jun 10, 2026 43:09 If you’ve ever wondered why your child can spend 40 minutes talking about Minecraft but can’t concentrate for four minutes on homework, this episode explains everything.I’m joined again by Professor Sam Wass, and if you heard his previous episodes, you’ll know why parents loved them. In today’s conversation, Sam breaks down what concentration actually is from a neuroscience perspective, why young
5 Questions to Ask Your Worried Child Tonight Jun 7, 2026 14:37 If your child is anxious, you already know how hard evenings can be. You sit beside them wanting desperately to help, but every time you try to reassure them, it backfires. Logic doesn’t land. Distraction doesn’t stick. And sometimes, despite your best intentions, the thing you say makes everything worse.This episode gives you something you can use tonight.I’ll walk you through five specific, evid
When Your Child Won't Stop Worrying Jun 3, 2026 26:10 If your child is melting down over homework, asking endless “what if” questions, getting mysterious tummy aches, refusing school, withdrawing from activities, or exploding the moment they walk through the door, you need this episode.I work with anxious and dysregulated children every single day, and what I want you to know is this: most of the behaviours parents struggle with aren’t actually behav
Bucket Empyting: One Thing to Say to Your Son Every Day to Build His Confidence May 31, 2026 14:12 If you’re raising a boy, you already know this: you can believe in him with your whole heart, and still watch him struggle to believe in himself.  You tell him he’s brilliant and he shrugs it off.You encourage him and he brushes it away.You try to have a meaningful conversation and suddenly his phone becomes the most fascinating object on earth.Meanwhile, you can see the gap widening - t
How Not to Screw Up Your Kids - A Podcast for Parents from a Child Psychologist Who Gets You May 31, 2026 2:43 If your child is melting down, shutting down, refusing school, avoiding sleep, snapping back, or clinging to you because something feels “wrong” but they can’t explain what, you’re in the right place.I’m Dr Maryhan, a psychologist who works with anxious and dysregulated children every single day. And here’s what I want you to know: most of the behaviours that keep you up at night aren’t really abo
Raising Confident Boys May 27, 2026 20:07 If you’re raising a boy right now, you already know this: the world he’s growing up in is tougher, louder, and more confusing than ever, and the cracks in his confidence can appear long before you realise what’s happening.Maybe you’ve watched your son compare himself to other boys and quietly decide he’s not good enough.Maybe he shrinks back, masks who he really is, or performs confidence he doesn

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