This week, Dr. Whitney chats with Slumberkins founders and CEOs, Callie Christensen and Kelly Oriard about their leading children’s educational brand that is on a mission to promote early emotional learning. They talk through educators and parents teaming up to create the best environment for kiddos to thrive with their skills they’re learning. Lastly, they talk about how feelings are real and valid, but are not permanent and don’t change anything about us as humans.
Key takeaways:
- Callie Christensen and Kelly Oriard are Co-Founders/CEOs of Slumberkins, a company focused on teaching children social and emotional skills through stories and characters. They were former educators who saw a gap in education for parents on how to help their kiddos who were struggling with their emotional health and created a leading children’s educational brand with a mission to promote early emotional learning.
- They’re getting their programs into schools as a proactive approach so teachers don’t have to continually focus on behaviors. It helps to address behaviors, but if you can get to the root of the cause before the behavior even presents itself, you’ll be miles ahead in helping to influence that behavior and coach that student through the situation they’re struggling in. So it starts in the home but now is able to be in schools to support teachers as well.
- When educators take on social and emotional training for kids, it normalizes it. It makes it commonplace, so that when it needs to be addressed at home, it’s something children are already familiar with–which takes some of the brunt of moms having to deal with the entirety of their kids’ emotional health. Anytime there’s another adult reinforcing something parents are teaching their kids, it makes it much easier on the parents to continually talk about it.
- One large skill that children (and moms!) can learn is that feelings are a part of us, but they don’t change who we are. Just like a mom can be mad or frustrated with a child doesn’t mean that they have anything but undying love for them. That’s the same way a child can feel anxious in a situation, but they are still a strong, resilient, wonderful kiddo.
- Similarly, moms can feel that if their child is having a hard time or having big feelings means that they’re a bad mom or something is wrong with them. Feelings are just messages for you to be curious about. Who you are and who you always will be is “good,” regardless of your feelings.
About Slumberkins
Slumberkins is a leading educational children’s brand – founded by a family therapist and educator – promoting early emotional learning in an approachable way. Through a variety of interactive channels our characters are brought to life as teaching devices, while brand products are the tools that create comfort and support learning. Our company strives to enrich lives by bringing children and caregivers together to create a deeper bond.
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About the Episode: In this eye-opening episode of the Modern Mommy Doc podcast, Dr. Whitney Casares sits down with child sleep experts Dr. Andrea Roth and Dr. Allison Shale—two clinical psychologists and co-authors of The Essential Guide to Children’s Sleep: A Tired Caregiver’s Workbook for Every Age and Stage (written with Dr. Shelby Harris) . Together, they break down the myths, shame, and unrealistic expectations that surround slee p training and offer compassionate, evidence-based advice that actually meets parents where they are. This episode is your permission slip to stop blaming yourself, throw out the cookie-cutter advice, and start working with your child’s unique temperament, challenges, and developmental stage—whether that means defiant toddlers, anxious middle-schoolers, or non-sleeping newborns. About Our Guests: Dr. Andrea Roth and Dr. Allison Shale are licensed clinical psychologists and moms who specialize in child and adolescent mental health. Together with co-author Dr. Shelby Harris, they created The Essential Guide to Children’s Sleep to give exhausted parents the tools to support their kids’ sleep with confidence, flexibility, and empathy. Their approach is grounded in science—and shaped by real-life parenting. Follow them on Instagram: @essentialkidssleep Key Takeaways: Why this sleep book is different It’s written by clinical psychologists, not influencers—and it combines science, flexibility, and real-world parenting experience. How your child’s daytime behavior impacts nighttime sleep From anxious kids to defiant or ADHD children, the team explains why your child’s personality and emotional regulation during the day matters more than you think at bedtime. The truth about sleep “milestones” You’ll learn why your two-week-old shouldn’t be sleeping through the night, why “wake windows” are often misused, and why transitioning to a toddler bed before age 3 might be setting everyone up to fail. The importance of timing and readiness Parents don’t have to sleep train when they’re already overwhelmed. These experts offer a refreshing take on how to assess if now is the right time—and how to set up for success. What works for toddlers (and what doesn’t) You’ll hear how techniques like the “break method” and “camping out” can be adapted based on your child’s age and developmental stage. How to support anxious or defiant older kids at bedtime The language we use matters. For anxious kids, it's all about reducing pressure and focusing on rest. For defiant or ADHD kids, clear expectations and behavior-based plans are key. The shame-free approach every tired caregiver needs Sleep doesn’t have to be a battleground—or a place for guilt. These authors bring compassion and practicality to every step of the process. 📩 Subscribe to The Modern Mommy Doc Podcast for more episodes on parenting with confidence and clarity. L eave a review using the hashtag #ModernMommyDoc.
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