The Challenges of Modern Parenting with Busy Philipps

Dr. Dave Anderson sits down with best-selling author, actor, and activist Busy Philipps to discuss the challenges of modern parenting. Busy talks about her adult ADHD diagnosis, helping kids navigate mental health TikTok, and how to broach tricky conversations about the “manosphere” and politics with honesty and love. 

They also cover:

• Active parenting in the digital age. Busy shares why watching YouTubers and learning Roblox alongside her kids was more effective than setting blanket screen-time rules. 

 
• TikTok, self-diagnosis, and critical thinking. Mental health TikTok can empower kids to seek earlier diagnoses, but it can also lead impressionable teens to misidentify normal traits as disorders. Dr. Dave and Busy emphasize teaching kids to think critically about online health content and come to trusted adults with questions.

• Talking to kids about politics. A recent survey found that kids want open civic discourse. Dismissing children's political views is psychologically harmful, while honest, values-driven conversations — grounded in love and critical thinking — help them thrive.

Further Reading 

Teen Self-Diagnosis and How to Respond, Child Mind Institute

When Parent and Child Both Have ADHD, Child Mind Institute