Dr. Emily Upshur, my partner from our joint group practice Upshur Bren Psychology Group, and I are helping a mom who is worried about maintaining a secure attachment bond with her baby when she has to go back to work once her maternity leave ends. Whether or not you’re planning to be a working parent, this episode is chock full of the psychological and real world applications of attachment theory, attunement, transitions, self-care and separation anxiety.

Music is a fantastic tool through which we can foster community, attunement and joy. I’ll pick Mark Joseph’s brain on how he supports his own children’s love of music and integrates it into his parenting. And through this lens we’ll discuss some universal topics, like different learning styles, fostering intrinsic motivation, and navigating societal pressures and expectations.

How will masks impact our children’s development? Joining me is speech-language pathologist Becky Birkenfeld. Becky talks about what she’s observed in her practice, ways she’s feeling reassured about language development during ther pandemic, and actionable steps parents can take to foster communication skills with their child.