The Brainy Moms
The Brainy Moms is a parenting podcast hosted by cognitive psychologist Dr. Amy Moore and Sandy Zamalis. The weekly show features conversations about parenting, psychology, child development, education, homeschooling, neuroscience, and faith with practical tips to help parents navigate the ups and downs of parenthood. We're helping moms (and dads) get smarter...one episode at a time! Find us at www.TheBrainyMoms.com and on social media @TheBrainyMoms
Episodes
212 episodes
There Are Moms Worse Than You | Glenn Boozan
The truth is, there are moms way worse than you! And the fastest way to feel like a better parent might be a laugh you did not expect. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast. Dr. Amy and Sandy talk with Glenn Boozan, an Emmy-nominated, WGA ...
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Personalized Learning for Your Homeschooled Child | Jessica Parnell
Your child isn’t a “grade level” they’re a whole person, and the fastest way to lose motivation is to teach them like they’re interchangeable. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with Jessica Parnell, CEO of E...
Homeschooling Teens: Why “Do Nothing” Deschooling Backfires and How Eclectic Unschoolers Use Guardrails Instead | Janae Daniels
Many parents are told to “just deschool and do nothing” after pulling their kids out of traditional school—but with middle school and high schoolers, that advice often backfires.In this conversation with former middle school teacher turn...
Nurturing Leadership & Grit Through Hard Things | Dr. Josh McConkey
If you’ve ever stepped in to “help” your child and realized you might be making things worse, this conversation will hit home. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy sits down with Dr. Josh McConkey, an emergency physician, former ...
Avoid Homeschool Mom Burnout (and Find Joy Again) | Jenna Lynn Myers
Homeschool mom burnout is real—and it doesn’t mean you’re failing or that God is calling you to quit. In this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy talk with former classroom teacher, veteran homeschool mom, and educational cons...
Dopamine Magnets: How to Replace Screens, Social Media, and Junk Food with High Value Habits | Dr. Michaeleen Doucleff
Dopamine gets blamed for everything from doomscrolling to snack attacks, but the real problem is that most of us were taught the wrong story. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy chat with biochemist and best-selling au...
Sensory Smart Homeschooling: Encore Conversations with the Homeschool OT Sarah Collins
Your child can be bright, curious, and capable and still melt down over an itchy tag, loud kitchen noise, or a schedule that won’t budge. That’s not “bad behavior.” It’s often sensory processing colliding with executive functioning, and once yo...
Best of Christy Faith Homeschool Conversations
Educator and homeschool mentor Christy Faith is brutally clear on what’s driving so many families to rethink education. On this mash-up of the best moments from previous conversations with Christy Faith on The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and S...
Tidy Dad Tips on Flexibility, Time, and Scruffy Hospitality | Tyler Moore
Do you love the tips from Tidy Dad on Instagram? Then you'll love this hour with us! On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with Tyler Moore, better known as Tidy Dad, to talk about small space living, declutteri...
Your Child’s Health Starts in the Gut | Dr. Elisa Song
Your child’s health starts in the gut. The immune system and brain are taking cues from the same place every day. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with integrative pediatrician Dr. Elisa Song, a leading voi...
Firm Parenting Re-Imagined | Nicholeen Peck
Firm parenting isn't the same as 'mean' parenting. And your child isn’t “pushing your buttons” because they’re broken. Sometimes the real problem is that we’ve never been taught a clear, repeatable way to stay calm, set firm boundaries, and tea...
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Stop Teaching Zen to 5 Year Olds (& Other Parenting Advice) | Dr. Will Dobud
A lot of parenting advice sounds like a to-do list. Dr. Will Dobud joins us to make the case for something both simpler and harder: stop chasing the perfect technique and start rebuilding the conditions where kids can actually thrive. We talk a...
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Parenting Through Playfulness | Dr. Kim Van Dusen
Have you tried parenting through playfulness? "Play" isn't usually what we think of as our kid melts down when it’s time to leave the park, ignores us at clean-up time, or suddenly “can’t remember” the three things we just asked them to do. But...
Diagnosis 101: Does a Label Help or Hurt Your Child? | Dr. Rebecca Fontanetta
A child's diagnosis can feel like a lifeline and a weight at the same time. When your child struggles with attention, learning, anxiety, behavior, or social connection, the question isn’t only “What is it?” It’s also “What will a diagnosis chan...
Burnout Proof: Soul Care, Rest, & Boundaries for Busy Moms | Debra Fileta
Burnout rarely announces itself with a flashing warning sign. It sneaks in through good intentions, old “shoulds,” and the quiet belief that being needed equals being faithful. We sit down with licensed professional counselor and best-selling a...
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The Dumb Dads Finally Meet The Brainy Moms
For our 200th episode, we had to celebrate in a BIG way. In this sort of funny and highly engaging conversation, The Brainy Moms interview The Dumb Dads! Dr. Amy and Sandy bring on comedians Evan Berger and Kevin Laferriere to talk about what m...
ADHD-Friendly Organization Tips | Dr. Kelly Cagle
Chaos isn’t a character flaw, and “just get organized” isn’t a plan for ADHD kids and adults. On this episode of The Brainy Moms podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy chat with Dr. Kelly Cagle to talk about what actually makes home life simpler when ADHD ...
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Rethinking Organization for Disorganized Kids | Dr. Rochelle Matthews Somerville
Does your home runs on constant reminders, never-ending rescuing, and last-minute scrambling for missing shoes, backpacks, and sporting equipment? Then this episode is for you! Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with Dr. Rochelle Matthews-Somerville, a...
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Critical Thinking and Worldview Formation | Dr. Renton Rathbun
Have you thought about how your children will learn critical thinking skills? Right now, your child is learning what to love, what to mock, and what to call “true” long before they can explain it. That’s the quiet battle behind screen time, pee...
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Classical Education: Why Logic, Latin, and Literature Matter | Martin Cothran
What if the real goal of school isn’t chasing trends but forming minds and hearts that can handle anything? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with Martin Cothran—co-founder of Highlands Latin School and Memo...
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Habits, Grace, and Parenting | Justin Whitmel Earley
What if your body is the missing link between what you believe and how you actually live? On this episode of The Brainy Moms podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down with lawyer and author Justin Whitmel Earley to unpack how embodied habits—breathin...
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Why Meltdowns Happen Over Homework
On this episode of The Brainy Moms podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy unpack reasons why schoolwork so often triggers meltdowns and then give you a practical roadmap to fix them—by finding whether you’re facing a content gap, a cognitive skills gap, or...
Your Kid’s Bookshelf Needs a Makeover: On Diversity, Belonging, & Empathy | Amber O'Neal Johnston
A single comment from a curious child—“We only study white people”—sent Amber O’Neal Johnston on a mission to rebuild her family’s learning around story, dignity, and depth. On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy sit down...
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Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Student Support at Home | Erin Vanek
Gifted doesn’t mean easy, and it certainly doesn’t mean perfect. With gifted educator and 2e advocate Erin Vanek, we dig into what giftedness actually looks like day to day: lightning-fast connections, rich vocabulary, and inventive solutions a...
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Alone in the Arctic: How it Reframed Fatherhood, Faith, & Fear for Timber Cleghorn
Ever wonder how being alone in the wilderness impacts your faith, your views on fatherhood, and how you define fear? On this episode of The Brainy Moms Podcast, Dr. Amy and Sandy upack all of that with Timber Cleghorn--humanitarian aid worker, ...
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