Santa Barbara, CA - Dr. Judy Osterhage is an expert in optimizing parenting skills and running programs that advance her vision of more skilled and engaged parents in an effort to improve kids’ emotional regulation, behaviors, and school success.

She also aims to support parents reducing the chances of children going to prison or falling victim to drug abuse or sexual trafficking. She is the owner of two consulting concerns, one a for profit business and one a non-profit collaborative. Both arose from  the gaps and patterns she observed during her years as a teacher, first with elementary students and later with at-risk youth in foster care. It was always the same underlying mission -- to help kids and families succeed.

Dr. Osterhage is not a medical doctor, a social worker or a psychologist. Her doctoral degree is in Social Justice and Leadership for Change, which thoroughly suits her mission.  Parenting Matters and Family Matters were established on the premise that strong families and schools yield strong communities and drive a better world.  The programs she has established, both as a private consultant for schools and in the nonprofit organization, often overlap.  They are intended to build strong family foundations, increase children’s resilience, and create better interpersonal relationships.

During her years in teaching, Dr. Judy (she likes to keep it down-to-earth) became fixated on why some children learned and progressed so readily while others floundered.  Of course, there were sometimes medical diagnoses involved but more often it was a case of parenting and nurturing early childhood development that led to the gaps.

Her studies show that behavioral issues and skill gaps start as early as one year of age, and that parents who always placate, indulge and over accommodate their children (often with electronic devices) impact their ability to deal with routines, schedules, social issues, and other school demands.   Even early developmental skills like learning to use a scissor are impacted by what parents show them and the way education changed dramatically during COVID. It starts a cycle of underperformance and negative behaviors that only spiral as kids age, with some ending up on the street by age 18 or never launching successfully.

By launching initiatives like her Love and Logic parenting program she hopes to stem this tide.  Dr. Judy herself attended parenting classes when her son was born the size of a 6-month old and she didn’t know how to deal with the struggles of a new parent. She later became a facilitator of the Love and Logic program and her desire to be part of the educational system in a unique way grew.   She further worked with families in foster care for 20+ years, and realized the effect that trauma has on learning and relationships.  It all combined to set the tone for her professional life.  It is much like doing coaching work for populations who need support and parenting help but could never afford to hire a coach.

“According to the Surgeon General, we are watching a parenting and educational crisis unfold.  It’s the perfect storm now but I want to help change the trajectory.  In California, where I live, elementary school will soon begin at age four with Transitional Kindergarten T-K. I don’t like to see kids having difficulties that young.  It’s hard to watch parents struggle that early on. I find interventions for those families in trouble and youth possibly heading down a bad path.”

Dr. Judy’s work is multi-pronged.   Some issues she tackles are the trauma cycle, punitive parenting styles, trafficked children, parenting interventions, teenagers at risk with computer addiction and drug use and self-harming.

Dr Judy stresses that when kids improve, families improve and the whole community improves.  So, she has programs aimed at them all: the child, the family, the school and the community.  One community initiative is known as Circle of Security.

“If we’re just standing by, and not striving for change, we’re missing out.  People have to step up and say we can make a difference. Often parents want to change but just don’t know what to do.”

By doing her podcast she hopes to raise awareness of that.

For more information about Dr. Judy and her programs visit one of these sites: https://parentingmattersconsulting.com/ or https://www.familymattersconsulting.org/