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Raising Resilient Kids in an Uncertain World: Purpose, Belonging & Gen Z Mental Health

Raising Resilient Kids in an Uncertain World: Purpose, Belonging & Gen Z Mental Health

Author: Lianne Castelino July 18, 2026 Duration: 35:36
Where Parents Talk: Evidence-based Expert Advice on Raising Kids Today
KidsKids & FamilyEducationFamilyHow ToParenting

Are we raising resilient kids, or just protecting them from the very challenges that build resilience?

In this episode of the Where Parents Talk podcast, host Lianne Castelino speaks to developmental psychologist Dr. Isabel Granic — McMaster University professor, CEO of Liminal Learning and mom. She unpacks what tweens, teens, and young adults actually need to thrive in 2026.

Drawing on more than 25 years of research and her own experience raising 20-year-old twin sons, Dr. Granic challenges common assumptions about anxiety, depression, and motivation in Gen Z. She explains why rising mental health struggles are often a rational response to a genuinely precarious world — climate anxiety, job market disruption, AI, and political instability — rather than a personal weakness or a parenting failure. She also shares why "small p" purpose matters more than a single dream career, how belonging and social connection are among the strongest predictors of a healthy, long life, and practical ways parents can talk to their kids about big global issues without fueling fear or helplessness.

Whether your child seems anxious, unmotivated, or simply uncertain about the future, this conversation offers evidence-based, compassionate strategies for raising purpose-driven, resilient young adults — without the guilt or the guesswork.

In this episode:

  • The biggest myth parents believe about resilience
  • Why Gen Z's mental health struggles reflect their world, not a weakness in them
  • How to talk about climate change, AI, and global uncertainty without increasing kids' fear
  • What "purpose" really looks like for young adults today
  • How belonging and friendship protect long-term mental and physical health
  • Inside Liminal Learning, Dr. Granic's world-readiness program for 18-24 year olds

Links referenced in this episode:


Companies mentioned in this episode:

  • McMaster University
  • Liminal Learning
  • Scientific American
  • Time
  • Wall Street Journal

This podcast is for parents, guardians, teachers and caregivers to learn proven strategies and trusted tips on raising kids, teens and young adults based on science, evidenced and lived experience.


You’ll learn the latest on topics like managing bullying, consent, fostering healthy relationships, and the interconnectedness of mental, emotional and physical health.

Links referenced in this episode:



Raising children in this era comes with a unique set of questions, and Where Parents Talk: Evidence-based Expert Advice on Raising Kids Today is here to offer clarity, not just opinions. Hosted by award-winning journalist and mother Lianne Castelino, this weekly conversation moves beyond anecdotal advice to explore the science and research behind modern parenting. Each episode feels like a thoughtful discussion with a knowledgeable friend, one who brings in leading experts and thinkers to tackle the real issues families face. You’ll hear practical strategies for navigating everything from the emotional turbulence of adolescence to building a foundation of healthy communication from a young age. The focus is on holistic development-addressing the emotional, mental, and physical well-being of both kids and their parents. Lianne’s skill as an interviewer helps distill complex topics into actionable insights, making this podcast a reliable resource for anyone looking to ground their parenting choices in evidence and shared experience. It’s a space where the noise of conflicting advice fades, replaced by informed conversations that empower you to find your own path through the joys and challenges of family life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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Where Parents Talk: Evidence-based Expert Advice on Raising Kids Today
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