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

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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

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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.

This episode discusses self-harm and suicidal ideation in teens — listener discretion is advised, and if you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to a mental health professional or crisis line.

Some kids don't feel sad; they feel like they're on fire. Host Sonia Dong speaks with Katie K. May, founder of Creative Healing Teen Support Centers and author of *You’re on Fire, It’s Fine* about teens whose emotions come in fast, big, and overwhelming, and the behaviours such as self-harm, withdrawal, numbing that show up as a brain's fastest way to put that fire out. We break down why "just take a walk" doesn't work when a teen is in crisis, and what real validation sounds like instead. We also get into the practical side of assessing our parental stress meter, how to use “text check-ins,” and radical acceptance when your teen's path looks nothing like what you pictured. This episode is for any parent who has felt out of their depth with a kid who feels everything at full volume.

About Katie K. May

She is a dialectical behavior therapy Linehan Board certified clinician and owner and executive director of Creative Healing Teen Support Centers. She's helped thousands of teens cope with their emotions and understand their feelings of depression, anxiety, and self-harm. Her book *You’re on Fire, It’s Fine: Effective Strategies for Parenting Teens with Self-Destructive Behaviors* combines Katie’s professional and personal perspectives (her own child struggled with depression) to provide an instruction manual with help and hope for parents who struggle with their teens’ risky behaviors.

Connect with Katie K. May on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok

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Many support networks for moms can be overwhelming, especially when there’s a five-hundred-person group chat where you can ask a question but never really be known. This episode with Jiemi Gao, Founder of Nori, looks at what gets built when you design for the opposite: one-on-one and small group conversations that are focused and meaningful. The distraction of algorithm and ads are absent, so you’re never pulled toward things you didn't come looking for. Find out why Nori superfans love the platform so much, and how you can join this free and accessible community space to feel supported and support others.

About JiemI Gao

Jiemi Gao is a mom of two and the founder of Nori, a new social network for moms that offers intimate 1:1 mentorship, community support and conversations, and curated resources. Jiemi spent a decade advising Fortune 500s on growth strategies and is dedicating herself to building support and community for moms for the next decade. Jiemi brings sharp strategic insight, deep empathy, and an unshakable belief that when moms support each other, incredible things happen.

Follow Jiemi on LinkedIn and Instagram @nori_asknori. Learn more about the free Nori community at asknori.com.

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What happens when life doesn't follow the plan you carefully mapped out? Sonia sits down with Kena Paranjape, founder of Supernova, to explore how life's biggest challenges can become catalysts for growth, healing, and deeper self-discovery.

Kena shares her journey through caregiving, grief, motherhood, and rebuilding her life after loss, revealing how those experiences shaped the woman, leader, and parent she is today.

Together, they discuss helping children navigate friendship struggles, pressures many parents carry around achievement, identity, and success, why our own healing may be one of the greatest gifts we can give our kids and more.

About Kena Paranjape

Kena Paranjape is the founder of Supernova, a community for ambitious, growth-oriented women 35+ who are ready to evolve beyond who they’ve been. Through live experiences, coaching, and powerful conversations, she guides women to remember who they are, trust their instincts, and build lives that feel aligned and expansive.

Follow Kena on Instagram @kena_allyouare and @join_supernova. Learn more Supernova on Kena’’s website.

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What if career success isn’t about choosing the “right” path early, but learning to stay curious, adaptable, and aligned with who you are becoming?

In this episode of Raising the Next Gen, Sonia speaks with career psychotherapist and speaker Jodi Tingling about helping teens, young adults, and professionals navigate career decisions with more clarity and less pressure.

They discuss why career paths are rarely linear, how parents can support exploration instead of perfection, the importance of testing ideas before committing, and why reassessing your career throughout life can lead to greater fulfillment, balance, and confidence in every stage of life.

About Jodi Tingling

Jodi Tingling is a highly sought-after Career Therapist and Speaker. She empowers mid-level professionals, students, and early-career professionals to navigate their career paths with confidence using the transformative CLEAR™ framework. She offers a comprehensive strategy for personal and professional growth.

Follow Jodi on Instagram @creatingnewsteps and LinkedIn. Learn more about Jodi’s work on her website.

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What if one of the most powerful things you could do for your kids costs absolutely nothing? In this episode, host Sonia Dong sits down with Marcia Agius, founder of the Kindness Circle, to explore how families can weave intentional kindness into everyday life.

Marcia shares how her own parents modelled kindness and how that inspired her to launch a 52-week kindness challenge that grew into a thriving community movement.

Sonia and Marcia unpack the difference between being nice and being truly kind, why kids need to see kindness in action rather than just hear about it, and simple, low-cost ways to get your whole family involved.

Whether it's complimenting a stranger or paying for someone's meal, this episode will leave you inspired to take one small step that could change someone's entire day.

About Marcia Agius

Marcia Agius is a HumanKIND Influencer and founder of The Kindness Circle, a community-driven movement inspiring people to lead with compassion, connection, and purpose. Guided by four core pillars—kindness to self, kindness to others, giving back, and making kindness fun—her work focuses on creating meaningful moments that bring people together.

With a belief that we are better together, Marcia is on a mission to make kindness visible, celebrated, and contagious—empowering others to create ripple effects of good in their everyday lives.

Follow Marcia on Instagram @kindnesscircle.community. Learn more about and join the Kindness Circle Community.

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