Sophie Shay, founder of Chez Shay Designs, a Toronto kids’ interior design studio, joins Sonia to talk about bringing Montessori principles home. They discuss how to set up shared spaces that say “we see you,” and what to do with the stuff that migrates from the dining table to the desk and back. Sophie shares how inviting her daughter into the kitchen, and into her work life, built confidence and connection. If you think you missed the Montessori window, you didn’t. Montessori helps to foster a sense of belonging within the home at any age and stage.

Book Recommendations

The Montessori Toddler and The Montessori Child by Simone Davies

About Sophie Shay

Sophie Shay is the founder of Chez Shay Designs, a Toronto-based kids’ interior design studio where Montessori principles meet elevated home design. Drawing on her experience as a former Fortune 50 executive and mom of two, Sophie helps families create playrooms, bedrooms and family spaces that foster independence, movement and wonder. Her work has been featured on Breakfast Television, CTV, CP24 and in Today’s Parent.

Follow Sophie on Instagram @chezshaydesigns and on LinkedIn. You can also find out more about her kids’ interior design studio at Chez Shay Designs.

Related episodes: Check out E37 - Easy Ways to Get Kinds Involved & Save Time Scheduling with Erin Binns

Did you like this episode? Remember to review, follow and share!

Receive weekly parenting tips and reflections, and don’t miss an episode by signing up to my newsletter, ⁠Next Gen Connection⁠.

In this episode, Sonia talks with Jim Wright and Adam Hart, who created NotSus.net, a kid-safe browser designed as a library, classroom and workshop in one.

Adam shares what he noticed while teaching 3D design: kids raised on passive screen time often froze when asked what to build next. Jim opens up about years of screen-time battles with his kids, and the moment his son started spotting the hooks game designers use to pull him back in.

They explore the attention economy, why friction and boredom fuel creativity, creating versus consuming, and how to talk with teens about scaling back their screen time.

About Jim Wright and Adam Hart

Jim Wright is a parent of two teens and a software developer and entrepreneur. Adam is a STEM-oriented tutor who noticed that parents have a lot of concern and frustration around screens. They are the creators of A kidsafe browser called NotSus.net.

Phone and tablet versions of NotSus.net are now available, and a Chrome extension will be released soon. Listeners are welcome to sign up at www.notsus.net to get early access.

Follow NotSus on Instagram @notsus_edu and YouTube where you’ll find their podcast featuring young people who talk about their experiences, share insights and give tips for tech usage.

Related episodes: Check out E27 - Parents Are the Algorithm Behind Digitally Savvy Kids with Yetty Williams

Did you like this episode? Remember to review, follow and share!

Receive weekly parenting tips and reflections, and don’t miss an episode by signing up to my newsletter, ⁠Next Gen Connection⁠.

In this episode, Host Sonia Dong speaks with Dr. Bethany Bilodeau, or Dr. B, behaviourist, author, and business owner about ADHD and the different types of ADD. They discuss why blood flow to the prefrontal cortex matters, why high-intensity movement can shift a kid's ability to focus in minutes, and why dehydration symptoms so often mimic an ADHD diagnosis. We walk through the different types of ADD — classic, overfocused, inattentive, anxious — and why they need different approaches, from diet to supplements to environment design. There's also a candid look at oppositional behaviour: why power struggles with kids almost always backfire, and a simple hack for making requests land without triggering a fight. We close on toxic stress and how a prolonged stress state can produce symptoms that look exactly like ADHD, and why more people are showing up with both right now. Practical, brain-first, and useful whether or not your kid has a diagnosis.

About Dr. Bethany Bilodeau

Dr. Bethany Bilodeau, or Dr. B, is a behaviorist, author, and business owner whose work centers on supporting children, families, and professionals through trauma-informed, nervous-system-aware approaches to behavior, regulation, and connection.

Her career began as a teacher in Guam and has been shaped by both professional experience and her own family’s challenges, leading her to specialize in practical, brain-based strategies that help adults better understand and support developing nervous systems. She is the CEO of C.O.R.E. Methods and author of the book, Ease the Pain in the Classroom: A Guide to Safety and Regulation.

Follow Dr. B’s on Instagram and LinkedIn.