Intentional Ways to Grow a Healthy Parenting Relationship 0:00 MUSIC0:07 ANNMARIE MCMAHILL:Hello, I'm Annmarie McMahill and this is a Tools for Your Child’s Success podcast.. In this podcast, we'll be learning about intentional ways to grow a healthy parenting relationship.DR. SHANNON WANLESS:A healthy parenting relationship is the foundation for everything. All learning starts in relationships.ANNMARIE MCMAHILL:So, what does that mean? It means that as a parent or someone in a parenting role, we've got to plan. We can choose to be purposeful and deliberate in the ways we parent to create a foundation for our child's success. We can choose to be involved, to be consistent and predictable, provide opportunities, and engage in intentional communication. So today, I'd like to introduce you to our guest on our podcast. I have Dr. Shannon Wanless, an applied developmental psychologist and director for The Office of Child Development at the University of Pittsburgh School of Education. So hi, Shannon, how are you?DR. SHANNON WANLESS:Thank you for having me. It's good to be here.ANNMARIE MCMAHILL:Oh, good. I'll just say, you started your career as a Head Start teacher, and you spent the first year as a parent living in Taiwan as a Fulbright scholar. You have two kiddos, 11 and 13, and you make your home in Pittsburgh. Is that right?DR. SHANNON WANLESS:That's right.ANNMARIE MCMAHILL:Alright. Perfect. Well, today we're so excited to have you. We're going to talk about intentional ways to grow a healthy parenting relationship. So, just to start off, can you talk to us about why that's important?DR. SHANNON WANLESS:A healthy parenting relationship is the foundation for everything. In fact, you mentioned that I began parenting living in Taiwan, and I've done lots of work across cultures and around the world. And, I can say it is the most universal thing there is about parenting, is that that relationship piece is so important for everyone. It's important for the parents and for their children. So, all learning starts in relationships, and your child is turning to you for learning. So, when they're very young and you make that strong relationship with them, they learn that adults and people in their lives can be trusted. And they learn what it's like to trust someone. And then, they really free up their mind to be able to learn and grow and engage together. So, you're really just teaching them what it looks like to connect with others, and then they'll be able to go out in the world and do it for the rest of their lives.ANNMARIE MCMAHILL:So what I'm hearing you say is that relationships... as parents, relationships are that foundational piece to everything -- our kids' wellbeing, their development, even in the future, their academic achievement. Is that right?DR. SHANNON WANLESS:That's right. It's important for them to be able to learn from you. So, if you're having a healthy relationship with your child, then it frees them up to be able to engage with you and learn with you. But, it also sets the stage for them learning from their teachers in the future, and other people, because they've practiced having that trusting relationship with you. So they'll be able to then apply it to other people for the rest of their lives.ANNMARIE MCMAHILL:So, as my children grow up, I have to remind myself often that through the issues that we face, that relationship is a priority. So here's a question that I have. When I'm thinking about my kids, I have to stop and reflect that I need a relationship where I can tell my daughter, like if something's wrong, and then be able to sort of walk through what's going on. Or, I need a relationship to share our hopes and...

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