How Do You Raise Connected Kids in a Disconnected World? Now You’re Talking™ is a conversation-centered podcast hosted by Adrienne Giffen, executive recruiter, author of UNRAVEL YOU, and creator of the Now You’re Talking™ board game, a tool that sparks meaningful conversations among families and friends, across generations. We’re looking to speak with parents who are successfully juggling demanding careers and raising a family in the digital age. We are especially interested in guests with personal experience and practical insight on maintaining meaningful connection at home while navigating distraction, stress, and technology. Each episode uses shared wisdom, not theory, to explore how we communicate, what shaped our beliefs about parenting, and how we can break generational patterns with awareness and intention. Our conversations are story-based, not promotional and grounded in the belief that genuine connection and honest conversation are being lost to screens and it’s time to bring them back for all of us. Topics we’re currently booking:
 • Parenting in a digital-first world
 • Family communication and emotional literacy
 • Screens, social media, and youth mindset
 • Raising pre-teens and teens while working full-time
 • Outdoor learning and youth resilience
 • Breaking inherited belief systems
• Vulnerability, storytelling, and honest connection
 • How we were parented vs. how we parent today Ideal guests include:
Everyday parents with demanding careers and a compelling real-life story that offers insight and practical tools listeners can apply immediately.

I am a parent and the author of the upcoming book Making it Up: A Revolutionary Way to Bond with Kids Through Play (Familius/Abrams, January) and would love to connect on your podcast. I feel like the method I'm introducing and the work you're doing align perfectly. Making it Up is based on intense connection, which is fostered through a set of theatre skills I teach to parents. It's based on twenty years of theatre experience, and my time as both an educator and an at-home dad. This isn't a psychology book or a typical parenting book at all- and it's not a theatre book either- it's a set of easy to learn, really important skills that promote family communication, vulnerability- honestly everything you've mentioned in this request. I do have a publicist if you'd rather book through her - or you can check out my site ChristopherMannino.com for more about the book, course, and method- but I love what you're doing with the board game and feel like we could really connect well and boost/amplify each other. Best, and thanks for helping families connect, Chris Mannino

Hello! I would love to be a guest on Now You're Talkingtm. Love what you are doing! I am a psychologist, therapist, podcast host and mom with extensive media experience. I always bring actionable tips in a relatable practical way for parents that ensures value for listeners. I am on a mission to teach parents about Regulation Firsttm and exactly how to put the nervous system first so kids and parents can connect and learn. I would love to come on a talk about how we can shift how we speak to our kids so they can hear us and just how easy regulation is. Parents need the tools to counter the overwhelm that we all feel and I would love to bring that to your listeners. Here is my media kit: www.drroseann.com/media-kit Warmest regards, Dr. Roseann

I would feel privileged to join the gathering. I have dedicated myself to creating a spa environment that promotes screen-free presence while I care for my pre-teen son. The process of learning through experience has become my reality as I make deliberate decisions. I returned home after twelve hours of work to find my son telling me that I spend more time working than any other person he knows. The words he spoke had a deep impact on me. Our family now observes screen-free dinners and spends weekends in nature, using the Now You're Talking board game question cards during our Sunday evenings. He expresses skepticism through eye rolls, but still responds to every question. My immigrant parents instilled in me a strong work ethic, which I now understand has created certain emotional patterns that I needed to change while raising my child. People visit our spa to establish deeper connections with themselves and with others. The foundation of genuine human connection emerges from the way you behave within your family environment. I would appreciate the opportunity to share both our family's successful and less successful approaches as part of the conversation.

I have witnessed how screens and busy schedules can quickly consume the quiet, peaceful moments that build meaningful relationships. At Happy V, we emphasize active listening--both to our customers and within our own families--because truly hearing one another is essential. My wife and I both work full-time, and we consistently try to create routines that prioritize connection, like talking during dinner cleanup or taking short walks around the neighborhood. Those brief, shared moments of attention reinforce that our home is the place we feel seen and heard. We take a similar approach in product development, intentionally slowing down, minimizing distractions, and focusing only on the essentials. I believe that if parents want to raise connected kids, they have to consistently model presence--asking non-critical questions and giving their children the space and time to respond at their own pace. The most genuine conversations in our family happen when we put our phones out of reach and show up, however imperfectly. Success isn't about doing it perfectly, but about showing up regularly.

Hi Adrienne: I'm reaching out about your HARO request regarding how to raise connected kids in a disconnected world. I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in teen mental health. Over the years I've worked with many parents and families who struggle with reconnecting and building trust with their teens. Here are a few tips I suggest: #1 Model what it means to be connected: Maintain eye contact when they're speaking to you, leave phone face down when they're in your company, be present emotionally to their needs and practice mindfulness to what's happening around you. #2 Create open dialogue by asking open-ended questions. #3 Use Micro-moments that matter: You don't always need a two-hour family meeting—try no-phone meal time, a judgment-free car-ride rant, or random dance offs for fun and engagement. Add to what you're already doing and put "what works" on repeat so you're not overwhelmed. #4 Don't despise tech-use it to build stronger bonds: Face-to-face time isn't the only way to bond. Learn how to play a video game of choice or let them teach you something digital (again, for the purpose of engagement even if you never use the skill again). Feel free to reach out to me at bournetolivellc@gmail.com or by phone at (718) 926-0517 should you need any more information or details. Thank you, Charletta D. Bourne, LPC

I'd be glad to join the show. I've got two young kids, a business that never quite clocks out, and more screens in the house than I'd like to admit -- but we work hard to stay connected. Dinner together is a hard rule. Phones stay elsewhere. We talk, even when the conversation goes sideways. One night my 9-year-old looked at me and said, "Dad, how come you listen better to your clients than to us?" That stung, but it also shifted something. Now we do weekly check-ins where everyone gets to say what's on their mind, no smoothing the edges. Working in tech, I know exactly how easily the digital world pulls kids (and adults) in. So we try to treat screen time as something to talk about, not just manage. If they're watching TikTok, I'll ask what they saw and how it made them feel. Those little debriefs open the door to bigger conversations about confidence, friendships, and all the head stuff that comes with growing up today. If you're still lining up guests, I'd love to share what's working -- the real version, not the curated one.

Hi Adrienne, I'm reaching out to express my interest in appearing on Now You're Talkingtm. I can speak to your audience from firsthand experience, having been a working parent from the time my children were born. Drawing on my 50+ years as a clinical psychologist, researcher, and spiritual guide, I can share personal insights and real-life stories about maintaining meaningful connection at home while balancing career demands, supporting emotional literacy, fostering resilience, and nurturing authentic family communication. I'd be happy to explore how we can make this work together and provide a story-based perspective that aligns with your podcast's approach. In Loving lights, Dr. Eleanor Haspel-Portner

I am a new mom with a nine month old baby and am currently starting my own business. I am balancing working on my business to financially provide for my family while spending as much time as possible connecting with my son. I'd love to talk more about this opportunity.