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Dr. Kanika Kadakia, EdD | Educational Psychology

@drkanikak

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👩🏽 Mom of 👦🏽👧🏽 | travel, books & deep conversations
🎓 Bringing child development research to real life
💬 Speaker & founder of @teddyintroubleofficial

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Another year of a family costume… thank you kids for still letting us do this!⚡️

Jiya: Luna Lovegood
Taj: Harry Potter
Me: Professor McGonagall
Atman: Professor Snape by @drkanikak

Keeping the door open for conversation starts with small, everyday moments… on a walk, in the car, or before bed.

With my kids, “Did anything happen today that stood out to you?” usually gets them talking. Sometimes, sharing a little about my own day helps too.

If they don’t feel like talking, I leave the invitation open. If I say we’ll talk later, I make time… and follow through.

I want them to know I’m interested in their world… and there’s room for whatever’s on their mind 🧡 by @drkanikak

Danced our way through the Disney Magic! 🪩🚢
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[Disney Cruise, Disney Magic, Family Cruise, Family Travel, Travel with Kids] by @drkanikak

When that Disney cruise feeling hits a little too hard 🕶️🚢
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[Disney Cruise, Disney Magic, Family Travel, Travel with Kids] by @drkanikak

20+ years of friendship and a weekend in Yosemite that pushed me out of my comfort zone.

We’ve lived a lot of life since high school, and I love that we’re still making memories together.

So glad I said yes to this weekend 🧡 by @drkanikak

Yes, we’re taking autographs 😎✍🏽
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[Mom and Son, Parenting Humor, Mother Son, Viral Reel] by @drkanikak

I’ll joke with him like he’s my little brother… but I’ll parent him like he’s my son.

Because playfulness isn’t permissiveness. We can laugh, be silly, and genuinely enjoy our kids… and still hold boundaries, set expectations, and be the parent.

Connection and authority aren’t opposites. That’s authoritative parenting.
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[Authoritative Parenting, Parenting with Connection, Connected Parenting, Parenting Tips] by @drkanikak

Celebrated Taj’s 11th + Atman’s 39th a couple weeks early with their cousins in Big Bear doing all the things our Kadakia boys love most:

Mountain biking (the kids’ absolute highlight!), hiking, pool time, movie night + s’mores, and of course, a cuzzy sleepover 🤎
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[Big Bear, Family Travel, Mountain Biking with Kids]

Views from the Cougar Crest Trail 🥾🏔️

First time mountain biking for the kids - and they all said it was the highlight of the trip! They had an incredible instructor who taught them the basics and got them ready to hit the green trails!

Parent Trap movie night 🍿🎬

Cuzzy sleepover - a must on every trip!

My favorite part of the entire weekend. Taj gave each of his cousins a trophy and shared exactly what he appreciated about each of them on this trip.

Parents’ game night while the kids watched their movie!

And no matter where we go or what we plan…the kids will somehow have the most fun at the pool. by @drkanikak

For anyone who has trained in classical dance, you know how much patience and commitment it takes. So much of the early years is about building a foundation… practicing the same movements over and over, knowing the payoff comes later.

This was Jiya’s second Sangamam, and I could not be more proud of her 🧡

So special watching her on stage doing a dance I grew up learning myself. I didn’t continue with Bharatanatyam long enough to experience all it has to offer, but now I get to watch her journey unfold… and hopefully learn from her along the way!

HMU @sangitas.beauty 🫶🏽 by @drkanikak

The relationship you have with your kids when they’re older is built in the little moments when they’re young.

Taj turns 11 this month, and I feel so lucky that he still wants to spend time together - whether it’s talking Teddy strategy, playing mini hoop, or making ridiculous reels like this one.

I think so much of it comes down to prioritizing connection.

Listening even when the story feels way too long. Caring about what he cares about. Laughing together. Apologizing when I get things wrong. Making space for the little conversations so he knows he can come to me for the big ones.

And most importantly, enjoying him for who he is - not just parenting him toward who I want him to become.

Because I don’t just love my son. I really, really like him too 🧡

P.S. @payalforstyle , our phone call last week may or may not have inspired this one 🤭☎️ by @drkanikak

I don’t think you can make siblings be close. But you can give them reasons to find their way to each other.

Taj and Jiya fight. A LOT. They annoy each other, need space, and turn the smallest things into arguments.

So I try not to measure their relationship by how well they get along. I notice the other things instead.

The inside jokes. What they genuinely love doing together. How well they know each other. And the way they show up for each other when it matters.

We try to create space for those moments through shared experiences, traditions, and time together.

And I love watching that extend to their cousins too. Different ages and personalities, but a deep sense of “these are my people.”

That’s what Raksha Bandhan represents in our home. A relationship they’ll always find their way back to 🧡 by @drkanikak

Hold onto your hats… For the first time ever, Teddy is coming to life! 🧢

After years of living in the pages of our books, discussion cards, and activity boxes, we finally get to meet Teddy in a whole new way.

Cheeky smile. Endearing mistakes. And the kind heart we’ve come to love. Teddy has always been about more than getting things right. He gives kids a character to laugh with, learn from, and see themselves in. And he gives parents a way to open up conversations that truly matter.

All this to say, a very warm welcome to the world of Teddy!

Follow along as we move through Big feelings. Little lessons. Together.

Teddy was created by @drkanikak , former educator and doctor in education, and brought to life by our incredible friends at Miso Theory, @nealehemrajani and @chadhanina 🧡
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[children’s books, social emotional learning, parenting, learning through play, kids activities, Teddy in Trouble] by @drkanikak