One of my favorite things about hosting the Parenting Great Kids podcast is meeting people who are deeply passionate about building stronger families. Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Beliza Perez, a licensed marriage and family therapist, parent educator, and mom who has spent years walking alongside families in their most tender, chaotic, and growth-filled moments.
Beliza brings both professional expertise and personal experience to the table. But what stood out most to me is how her work is rooted in something we talk about often on this podcast: the power of presence and the healing that comes from simply listening to our kids.
What I’ve learned through decades of working with parents is this: our kids want to talk to us. But life gets loud. Screens, schedules, and stress can drown out those little opportunities to connect.
Top 5 Questions to Spark Meaningful Conversations
During our conversation, Beliza shared five of her favorite questions from Fam Gabs—a simple, screen-free card deck she created to help families connect through open-ended conversation. Designed for kids ages 5–12 (and surprisingly effective with teens and parents, too), Fam Gabsoffers thoughtful prompts that consistently help kids open up, reflect,…
