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free parenting webinars

free parenting webinars

NEXT WEBINAR
LIVE -
September 9, 2024
Understanding Social Media’s Impact: Influencers, Body Image & Substances
The Mediatrician, Dr. Michael Rich
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free parenting webinars

free parenting webinars

NEXT WEBINAR
LIVE -
September 9, 2024
The Mediatrician, Dr. Michael Rich
-
The Mediatrician, Dr. Michael Rich
Understanding Social Media’s Impact: Influencers, Body Image & Substances
register
webinar preview

upcoming webinars

Understanding Social Media’s Impact: Influencers, Body Image & Substances
September 9, 2024
The Mediatrician, Dr. Michael Rich
Social media has a powerful grip on almost everyone, especially our kids. That’s why The Mediatrician, Dr. Michael Rich, is going to dive into its profound impact. He will cover how virtual connections are affecting real-life relationships, the toxicity of social media influencers, and how all those perfect images are harming body image and self-esteem. He will also discuss the role social media plays in promoting risky behaviors like vaping and drinking. Gain practical, actionable steps to help your family navigate these challenges and foster a healthier, more balanced digital lives.
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Effective Strategies for Balancing Family Screen Time
October 8, 2024
Dr. Mandakini Sadhir
Join Dr. Mandakini Sadhir, Chief of Adolescent Medicine at the University of Kentucky, as she shares her frontline experiences of helping families manage digital life. Drawing on her work with kids, teens, and parents, Dr. Sadhir will offer practical strategies to overcome challenges while highlighting what really works when it comes to fostering healthy tech habits. She will also spotlight valuable resources from the American Academy of Pediatrics, giving you evidence-based guidance to make your home a healthy digital environment.
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Safe Roads Ahead: How to Discuss Impaired Driving with Children and Teens
November 12, 2024
Tess Rowland
Talking to your kids about impaired driving, underage drinking, alcohol, and cannabis can be tough, but it's vital for their safety. Join Tess Rowland, a Traffic Safety Liaison, traffic crash survivor, and former National President of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), as she shares practical prevention strategies to help parents navigate these conversations. Tailored for different age groups—from young kids to teens—this webinar will cover essential topics like health risks, legal consequences, and peer pressure. You'll also gain access to helpful resources, including educational tools and activities, to reinforce safe driving habits.
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meet our experts

meet our experts

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Sarah Kimmel
Family Tech
Sarah Kimmel is a digital parenting coach and family tech expert. She has spent the last 20 years of her career working as a Microsoft Certified IT Manager supporting over 100 small businesses. During that time she started Family Tech LLC to help families understand and manage the technology in their home. She has regularly appeared as a family tech expert on local NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX news affiliates, BYUtv and Studio 5, and has been invited all over the world from tech companies like Lenovo, Verizon, Microsoft, Dell, and Samsung.
Erin Terada
PsyD, CEDS-S
Dr Terada is the director of clinical training at Relief Mental Health in Oak Brook, Ill. She is highly regarded by her peers and has decades of experience in treating feeding and eating disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, and trauma disorders. Over the years, she has practiced in multiple treatment settings throughout the Greater Chicagoland Area. A licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Terada knows that many factors can prevent people from seeking treatment during times when it is truly needed. Whether it is due to anxiety, depression, or other struggles, Dr. Terada wholeheartedly believes that everyone is worthy of help and support to live their best life.
Beth Tyson
MA
Beth Tyson, is a childhood trauma consultant, best-selling author, and an advocate for children in the child welfare system. She provides trauma-informed education/training and project implementation based on her work as a trauma therapist for foster, kinship, and adoptive families. Her tender-hearted children's book, A Grandfamily for Sullivan, is a resource to teach children how to cope with ambiguous loss, while also providing age-appropriate language for adults to communicate with children about adversity. Most importantly, Beth is the mom to a spirited little girl with a secret chocolate stash in her room, just like her mama.
Crystal Collier
PhD
Dr. Collier, herself a person in long-term recovery, is a therapist, researcher, and educator who has been working with adolescents and adults suffering from mental illness, behavioral problems and substance use disorders since 1991. Her area of expertise includes adolescent brain development, prevention programming, parent coaching, and addiction. Dr. Collier teaches the neurodevelopmental effects of risky behavior in her book The NeuroWhereAbouts Guide and in BrainAbouts, an online prevention program powered by the John Fontaine Jr Charity.
Aaron Weiner
PhD
Dr. Weiner is a strong advocate for evidence-based care in treating chemical dependency and behavioral addictions, as well as a proponent of integrating behavioral health services into medical settings. He has spoken nationally on the topics of opioid addiction, marijuana commercialization, and the vaping epidemic, as well as serving as a context expert for both policymakers and media outlets.
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past live webinars
These webinars are a great resource for parents, foster parents, school counselors, teachers, DFC’s, or anyone who is involved in the lives of children. Our parent webinars cover a wide range of trending topics such as teen anxiety, video games, and social media as well as some new topics you may have not be aware of.

We partner with renowned child psychologists, pediatricians, and parenting experts to bring you the most current information available. Just like those of us at Operation Parent, our guest speakers have years of real-world experience and have dedicated their lives to helping parents through some of their toughest challenges.

Be sure to sign up for our newsletter so we can keep you up to date with all the latest news and events happening at Operation Parent. We will send you updates on our free and upcoming live parent webinars where you can learn valuable information and have a chance to ask questions to some of the most qualified experts in the field of parenting, pediatrics, and child psychology.

webinar library

Risky Behaviors
Raising and Educating Resilient, Super-Powered Tweens & Teens
Navigating the tween and teen years can be a stressful time for kids, parents, and educators alike. This period of change, pressure, and uncharted territory can feel overwhelming. Join Phyllis Fagell, a school counselor and acclaimed author, as she shares practical strategies to help kids develop essential skills for managing social complexity, academic challenges, and intense emotions. Drawing from her extensive counseling experience and research, Phyllis will provide insights on self-regulating emotions, building confidence, recovering from setbacks, and making informed decisions about friendships, and substances. This webinar offers valuable tools to support children through these critical years and foster their growth and resilience. Join Phyllis Fagell and Operation Parent and start your school year off right!
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21st Century Technology
Screen Smart Parenting
Screens and technology are not going away, so as parents we need to find the BALANCE and promote digital wellness at home. In this webinar, Dr. Adam Pletter will share about using positive technology tools, modeling tech breaks, setting boundaries, and managing the impact of multiple screens. Everyone will leave with actionable tips for fostering a healthy relationship with technology and raising resilient children in today’s digital world.
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21st Century Technology
The Truths of Youth Screen Addiction
Are you noticing your child's screen time creeping out of control? Join us for an eye-opening webinar with Mike Eiden. He will break down the science behind youth screen addiction and help you spot the signs. Discover how excessive gaming, social media scrolling, pornography, and other screen habits affect development. Plus, get practical tips for intervention and prevention that you can implement at home.
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Alcohol, Nicotine & Drugs
Is Your Child at Risk for Addiction? How to Know and What to Do
Most kids will experiment with alcohol or other drugs at some point in their lives, but not everyone is at equal risk of developing problems. How do you know if your child will be the one in four who goes on to develop a substance use or mental health challenge? In this talk you will learn about why some kids are more at risk than others, how to know if your child is at elevated risk, and what you can do about it.
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Risky Behaviors
Crystal Collier
Know your Child’s Neuro: Positive Empowerment for Elementary Parents
Dr. Crystal Collier joins Operation Parent again to educate parents, clinicians, and educators on the principles of modifying behavior. In this webinar, Dr. Collier provides practical advice for nurturing optimal brain development and enhancing preventive skills in children from Kindergarten through 5th grade. The prevalence of high-risk behavior among kids is occurring at younger ages. Dr. Collier enables parents to be proactive, empowering them to prepare their children for potential exposure to social media, gaming, and substances. The session will address strategies for promoting positive behavior and reducing negative tendencies. Feel free to bring your questions!
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Alcohol, Nicotine & Drugs
What Every Parent Needs to Know About Adolescent Substance Use
If you're a parent, you know that a lot has changed since you were a kid. That's why Dr. Danielle Dick, from Rutgers University and author of The Child Code, is joining us for a two-part series on adolescent substance use. In this first part, you will hear about about the latest trends in tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs. You will also learn the science behind the adolescent brain to gain a better understand of the behaviors you may be seeing and to prevent future problems.
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Alcohol, Nicotine & Drugs
Parents Against Vaping (PAVe)
Dangers of Youth Vaping and E-Cigarettes
In this impactful webinar with Parents Against Vaping (PAVe), we'll uncover the health risks of youth vaping, shed light on the tobacco industry's tactics and trends for marketing to youth, and acquire practical strategies for essential conversations with your child or the youth you work with. Whether you're a parent, guardian, or closely involved with young individuals, join us in our mission to protect the next generation and stand against youth vaping.
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Emotional & Mental Health
Hope Squad
Peer-to-Peer Suicide Prevention
According to the CDC, 7 out of 10 teens considering suicide show some signs of their intentions whether it be verbal or behavioral. This is why The Hope Squad is dedicated to training youth to recognize those signs and provide peers with the help and tools they need when they are at their most vulnerable. Learn more about suicide prevention in this video. Contact Hope Squad at hopesquad.com for more information.
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21st Century Technology
Sarah Kimmel
Family Tech
Making the Internet Safe
Discover how to protect your family from your biggest technology concerns like malware, inappropriate content, and the time spent on technology.
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21st Century Technology
Sarah Kimmel
Family Tech
Digital Parenting
Kids and teens seem to be the experts of smartphones, social media, tablets, and all the other new technology. Learn how you can become the expert in your house with digital parenting. Digital parenting requires 6 important steps, Learning, Setting Expectations, Training, Management, Monitoring and Communicating. This presentation will give you actionable steps and conversation starters to have with your kids and teens to create a healthy relationship with technology in your home.
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Emotional & Mental Health
Beth Tyson
THE IMPACT OF TRAUMA ON CHILDHOOD AND TEEN DEVELOPMENT
When a child experiences trauma and loss in their life their foundation of trust is damaged. Feeling safe and secure in our homes and schools is a basic human need. When children can't trust that their caregivers will provide for them, support them emotionally, and keep them safe their mental health begins to suffer. A lack of trust keeps the child from being able to connect with new caregivers, no matter how kind and loving we are. This rejection of you is a natural protective defense all humans possess when we feel threatened. In this webinar, Beth Tyson will help you get inside the mind and hearts of children who have experienced trauma, and you will learn practical skills for rebuilding trust in order to begin the healing process at home or in the community
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Alcohol, Nicotine & Drugs
SONG FOR CHARLIE
FENTANYL: EVERY FAMILY NEEDS TO KNOW
Hear from two Moms who have lost their sons to fentanyl and have dedicated their lives to educating families. This webinar was made to teach teens and parents alike exactly what they need to know about illicit fentanyl, and fentanyl poisonings.Families go away with an understanding of the risks of fentanyl and why teens are vulnerable to deceptive drug dealing practices on social media. School can learn how to include fentanyl in drug education programs
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Alcohol, Nicotine & Drugs
Aaron Weiner
VAPING AND MARIJUANA: WHAT PARENTS MUST KNOW
Vaping remains a huge problem for teens both at school and at home - not just with nicotine vapes, but also for THC and marijuana products. Dr. Aaron Weiner, President of the Society of Addiction Psychology, joined us for an exploration of vaping, including flavor restrictions, federal regulations, and THC products sold at gas stations. Also, he shared what you as parents can do to keep your teens healthy and safe.
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Risky Behaviors
Crystal Collier
BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION: SHAPING YOUTH BEHAVIOR
Dr. Crystal Collier joined Operation Parent again to train parents, clinicians, and educators on behavior modification. The webinar goes over theories and tools to combat negative and risky behaviors like acting out, cell phone overuse, excessive gaming, substance use, and more.
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Alcohol, Nicotine & Drugs
OPIOID PREVENTION IN THE HOME AND IN THE COMMUNITY
Captain Michael King from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) highlights what he has seen in the field regarding opioid addiction and shares examples for what communities can do for opioid addiction prevention and recovery. He also shares resources that can be utilized by parents, schools, and communities.
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Alcohol, Nicotine & Drugs
FACING FENTANYL HEAD ON AS A PARENT
Wendy Woolcock, DEA Special Agent in Charge Special Operations Division, shares stories from the field and delves into the dangers of Fentanyl. She will explain why as parents we should be concerned about Fentanyl and how we should communicate these concerns to our teens so that they can be protected.
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Risky Behaviors
Erin Terada
UNDERSTANDING HOW TO SUPPORT A LOVED ONE'S STRUGGLE WITH FOOD AND THEIR BODY
Dr. Erin Terada presented on Eating Disorders and body image. Eating Disorders are now developing at earlier ages for females and males. Food that once bonded a family together can easily become the thing that breaks that same bond, creating chaos in the home. Tips will be shared on how to communicate, support a healthier home environment, and ways parents can encourage a balanced lifestyle. This webinar will also go over the most observable warning signs and behaviors that can be present when an eating issue emerges as well as when to seek out treatment. Viewers will also learn about the more commonly diagnosed Eating and Feeding Disorders, along with the evidence-based treatments that are currently used.
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Emotional & Mental Health
BE A FORCE FOR LIFE A WEBINAR ON SUICIDE FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
Every single day, someone you know is thinking about committing suicide. In the past 20 years, hospital emergency departments experienced a 92 percent increase in visits by children for suicide ideation and attempts. During the pandemic, the proportion of pediatric admissions for mental health issues has increased 24 percent for young children and 31 percent for adolescents.
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21st Century Technology
Crystal Collier
EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY ON BRAIN DEVELOPMENT
The Effects of Technology on the Growing Brain focuses on how technology overuse affects brain development. Evidence from studies performed in Asian cultures where technology addiction has grown to large proportions will be used. Effects on mood, sleep, relationships, and behavior will also be discussed. Solutions regarding healthy technology limits and treatment issues will also be covered.
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Emotional & Mental Health
Aaron Weiner
WHAT EVERY PARENT NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT EMOTIONAL TRAUMA
Our children have been required to shoulder the burden of unprecedented levels of stress. The effects of the pandemic and exposure to the news about recent mass and school shootings has driven a surge of anxiety and depression in teens across the country. Operation Parent welcomes you to join Dr. Aaron Weiner for a discussion on how these traumatic events can impact a child's physical and emotional state because of trauma-based stress reactions.
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Risky Behaviors
YOUR TEEN’S BRAIN AND THE LINK TO RISKY BEHAVIOR
Get ready to learn about how substances and other risky behavior affect the teen brain, the role of genetics in addiction, and implications for prevention and treatment. Dr. Crystal Collier, author of The NeuroWhereAbouts Guide, teaches the science of risky behavior to students, families, and clinicians across the country and every parent can utilize the information in daily parenting interactions.
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Alcohol, Nicotine & Drugs
WYATT'S STORY: A MESSAGE ON FENTANYL
With his big and shining personality, 23-year-old Wyatt Williamson lit up every room he entered. "Wyatt really didn't know a stranger," his mother, Julie Hofmans, said. "Everybody loved Wyatt. He was my best friend." Wyatt tragically passed away at age 23 after taking a pill he thought was Xanax, but was actually laced with the powerful synthetic opioid, fentanyl. By sharing Wyatt's story, Julie hopes to save other families from tragedy and heartache. “Are you willing to take a chance with your life … to take a pill and you don’t know where it came from?”
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Emotional & Mental Health
Erin Terada
EMBRACING UNCERTAINTY HOW TO SUPPORT ANXIOUS TEENS IN DEVELOPING RESILIENCE IN STRESSFUL TIMES
Attempting to navigate these stressful times can be a strenuous endeavor families face. This operation parent webinar will focus on the effects of our current times and the resulting role that anxiety can play in the family. Parents will learn how to support teenagers through adaptive open communication skills. Plus, how resiliency in the home can be a key factor in helping adolescents thrive in uncertain times.
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Emotional & Mental Health
SOCIAL ANXIETY THE SILENT PANDEMIC THAT NEEDS A LOUDER VOICE
We all have a social anxiety part that keeps us from doing things we want to do because of fear of judgment. Take back control of your social anxiety with Kyle’s 3 step process to achieve social confidence and tackle goals you were too anxious to strive for before. Learning objectives (3) 1. What social anxiety is and its purpose 2. 3 step process to turn social anxiety into social confidence 3. How to support others with their social anxiety and mental health.
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Risky Behaviors
BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN PARENTS AND TEENS HOW TO KEEP TWEENS AND TEENS TALKING TO US
There are so many curveballs and moments of uncertainty in parenting ‘tweens and teens. In this presentation, we will focus on trouble spots such as keeping our big kids talking to us, putting an end to arguing and yelling, and being the kind of parent your child can confide in.
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Emotional & Mental Health
Beth Tyson
UNDERSTANDING CHILDHOOD TRAUMA AND HOW TO HELP YOUTH RECOVER
Childhood trauma is common, and a natural response to overwhelming events, yet most people are unaware of what it is and how it shows up in the life of a child. If you are raising a child with big emotions and nothing you do seems to help, this webinar is for you! You will take away practical, evidence-based techniques for helping the children you love to heal the root cause beneath their challenging behaviors - a lack of security in the world around them caused by trauma.
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21st Century Technology
Managing Your Teen's Excessive Gaming
One lingering pandemic hardship for teen parents is reducing excessive gaming after teens had open access to screens. Dr. Sussman, a gamer himself, will talk about gaming through the pandemic, today's popular streaming games, and why balancing low dopamine and high dopamine activities is key. As a screen use disorder expert, he'll explain exactly how excessive gaming affects our teens brains and give you a straightforward plan and practical tips for setting age-appropriate limits and reducing power struggles.
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21st Century Technology
Aaron Weiner
SEX, DRUGS AND NETFLIX
Depictions of drug and alcohol use is widespread in current media, including shows often viewed by teenagers such as Stranger Things and The Queen's Gambit on Netflix, and HBO's Euphoria. Given that research indicates that exposure to these messages increases teenage substance use, what can parents do to protect their children? And how do depictions of substance use and sexual activity relate to risky sexual behavior in real life? Join Dr. Weiner for an exploration of the psychological impact of drug use and sexual content in media, as well as actionable strategies for parents and caregivers to help teenagers navigate this complicated social and cultural terrain.
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Alcohol, Nicotine & Drugs
Parents Can't Stop What They Don't Know!
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Alcohol, Nicotine & Drugs
TEENS & OPIOIDS WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW
Operation Parent is again joining forces with Arlene Rice whose life’s work is to provide hope to anyone dealing with addiction. She will present an informative webinar digging deep into the topic of teen opioid use, focus on how prescription pain pills can lead to heroin or fentanyl use. Arlene will teach you about the various types of opioids, how to recognize use, and where and how a teen might conceal drugs. Most importantly, she is a parent who has lived through losing a child to drug overdose and crusaded two children to recovery. You will leave with hope and resources if a teen you love is struggling with drug addiction.
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21st Century Technology
How are Children Being Trafficked Without us Noticing?
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Risky Behaviors
Teen Triple Threat: Top Risks for Young Drivers
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Alcohol, Nicotine & Drugs
Helping Families Navigate the System of Addiction and Understand Treatment Options
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Emotional & Mental Health
Helping Kids Overcome School Anxiety and Build Resiliency
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Alcohol, Nicotine & Drugs
Talking With Your Teens about Underage Drinking
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Emotional & Mental Health
Youth Suicide on the Rise
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Alcohol, Nicotine & Drugs
MARIJUANA: PARENTING FOR PREVENTION
In this webinar, we will explore the important role parents play, discuss the landscape of cannabis products our kids may be exposed to, and learn how we can reduce the chances of our teens using.
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Alcohol, Nicotine & Drugs
PRESCRIPTION OPIOID ABUSE AMONG THE TEEN POPULATION
Prescription opioid abuse continues to be an issue affecting every state across the United States. Teens and young adults are among the most susceptible to prescription opioid misuse and abuse. We will take a look at the problem, define prescription drug diversion, review the signs of abuse and addiction, and explain how the DEA is working to address the problem.
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