S2E25: Parenting, Resilience, and Connection with Dr. Theresa Bajt, PhD

Hello, and welcome back to The Parent Doctor Podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Marissa Caudill. Please rate and follow this podcast to help spread this resource, and be sure to visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theparentdoctor.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to sign up for my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or join the monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book club⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, both are FREE! Interested in working with me directly? Sign up for my monthly Office Hours call⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.  In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Theresa Rose Bajt, PhD a clinical psychologist and mom of two from Missouri, to talk about the ups and downs of parenting through life’s unexpected challenges. Dr. Bajt’s story is truly inspiring—she became a widow nine years ago and continued to parent with incredible strength, successfully launching her two sons into adulthood. We dive into her fascinating research on Career Salience and First-Time Moms, where she explored how first-time mothers decide whether to stay in the workforce. Her findings reveal how emotional harmony often outweighs financial factors in these choices, offering valuable insights into family dynamics. Dr. Bajt and I also discuss the biggest shifts in parenting since the 1990s, particularly the influence of technology and social media. She shares practical tips for fostering connection, such as creating device-free spaces and modeling intentional behaviors. We touch on timeless lessons from Harry Harlow’s famous monkey experiments, emphasizing the need for both physical care and emotional security in parenting. Dr. Bajt also offers strategies for teaching kids resilience, building social skills, and prioritizing your own well-being as a parent. If you’re looking for actionable advice and encouragement to navigate parenting with strength and grace, this episode is for you.  If you’d like to reach out to Jamie, you can contact her via email at [email protected], or connect with her on social media: LinkedIn and her Website.  Thanks for tuning in!