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The first segment runs a half-hour and focuses on emotional intelligence – the ability to understand and manage one’s own feelings. The conversation includes understanding what emotional intelligence is, why it’s so important, and how and when it develops.

“All of your interactions with your child have a component of emotional intelligence,” says Bell, who is clinical director at Hanna Perkins Center for Child Development. “So you don’t have to do anything special. There’s no flash cards. There’s just life. You go through living your life … and the more you can talk about feelings, or recognize feelings in the moment … then you have a child who can go into school and be emotionally neutral. And I promise parents that when learning kicks in, it’s like magic. When the brain is ready, their ABC’s come and reading comes.”

When Kyle asks how parents might recognize their children need help managing emotions, Bell replies:

“If your child’s worries and fears are impeding their ability to enjoy life, to participate in school, to move forward developmentally, to become more independent, that’s time to get help. I prefer to look at it that way rather than diagnosing. Diagnosis is for insurance companies and choosing medications. When it comes to just asking for help, if you see your child suffering and it’s significantly impeding their ability to love and to work, it’s time to ask for help.”

The podcast can be found at PodBean podcasting platform and is available on major streaming channels.