Melinda Wenner Moyer

Melinda Wenner Moyer Speaking Topics

• How to Talk to Kids About Anything

  From bedtime battles to the hardest conversations — racism, death, sexuality, identity, and today’s cultural flashpoints — parents often don’t know what to say, when to say it, or how to say it. This session draws on developmental psychology and effective communication science to give adults a framework for approaching any topic with clarity, sensitivity, and confidence. You’ll learn how to create environments where kids feel heard — and where meaningful conversations shape character and understanding.

  Thought-Provoking Questions:

  1. What are the building blocks of a conversation that really lands with a child or teen?
  2. How can parents talk about tough issues without shutting kids down — or overloading them?

  What This Session Delivers:

  1. Practical, science-backed techniques for starting and structuring difficult conversations.
  2. Tools to help kids become thoughtful, articulate, and emotionally intelligent communicators.
  3. Methods for turning everyday moments into developmental conversations.

• How to Raise Kids Who Can Handle Our Complex, Turbulent World

  In an era of accelerating change, disinformation, polarization, and uncertainty, parents often ask: What do kids actually need to thrive — not just survive? Drawing from decades of scientific research and real-world evidence, this talk reframes what it means to prepare children for the world they’ll inherit. Instead of simplistic “checklists” or trend-based parenting, attendees will explore the core attributes that research shows matter most — including resilience, self-compassion, empathy, and media and financial literacy. Through compelling examples and practical, science-based strategies, Moyer shows parents and professionals how to raise young people who are not only emotionally strong but socially conscious and equipped to make a positive impact.

  Thought-Provoking Questions:

  1. What skills do kids need in order to thrive in this complex world, and what can parents and educators do to foster them?
  2. How do we balance protection and independence without tipping into overparenting?

  What This Session Delivers:

  1. Evidence-based tools for fostering resilience and adaptive coping strategies in children and teens.
  2. Practical frameworks for nurturing critical thinking (especially around media and information) and compassion.
  3. Actionable shifts families and educators can make today to prepare kids to meet complexity with confidence.

• Building Resilience in a Time of Anxiety

  Parents and professionals alike are seeking answers to questions about youth mental health: Why are anxiety and depression on the rise? How can we respond to kids without panic or overcorrection? What does resilience really look like? This evidence-based talk cuts through the noise and equips audiences with a nuanced understanding of how stress and discomfort impact kids, what resilience actually entails, and how to foster it constructively. Melinda’s grounded insights help shift participants from worry to strategic parenting and teaching practices that work.

  Thought-Provoking Questions:

  1. Is all stress and discomfort harmful — or are there forms that actually build strength?
  2. What parenting approaches can make kids more resistant to trauma?
  3. How do popular parenting trends actually shape resilience?

  What This Session Delivers:

  1. Research-based perspective on youth stress, and coping mechanisms.
  2. Practical strategies for supporting kids (and adults) in building resilience.
  3. Tools to foster emotional literacy, regulation, and confidence in real scenarios.

• How Schools Can Foster Resilient Learners

  In an effort to support students, schools and families often unintentionally shield kids from struggle, failure, and discomfort. But research shows that too much rescue can undermine confidence, independence, and motivation. In this thought-provoking session, Melinda Wenner Moyer examines how overprotection shows up in academic, social, and emotional contexts — and what schools can do differently. Attendees will learn how to create environments that are safe but not fragile, where students are supported while still being challenged to grow.

  Big Questions Schools Are Asking:

  1. When does support become counterproductive?
  2. How can schools encourage independence without sacrificing compassion?

  What This Session Delivers:

  1. Evidence-based insight into how challenge builds competence and resilience
  2. Concrete strategies for educators and parents to encourage productive struggle

• Helping Students Think Critically in an Age of Misinformation

  Today’s students are growing up immersed in social media, algorithms, and nonstop information — much of it misleading or polarizing. This session focuses on how schools can help students develop the cognitive and emotional skills needed to evaluate information thoughtfully, resist manipulation, and engage respectfully with differing viewpoints. Drawing on research in cognitive development, media literacy, and psychology, Melinda offers a hopeful, practical roadmap for fostering curiosity, discernment, and intellectual humility in young people.

  Big Questions Schools Are Asking:

  1. How do students learn to tell credible information from misinformation?
  2. What role should schools play in teaching media and information literacy?

  What This Session Delivers:

  1. Research-grounded strategies for teaching critical thinking and discernment
  2. Tools educators can use to support thoughtful discussion rather than reactivity
  3. A framework for partnering with parents to reinforce these skills at home