This is a "Best Of" re-release in honor of Toddler Purgatory's 1st birthday! Thanks for coming on this amazing journey with us so far.

Kids are bananas. Some particularly so. But why are some kids seemingly born to scale the kitchen cabinets before they can walk? And are there are any future upsides to having been a “danger baby”? 

In this episode, Molly and Blaire discuss the many benefits of “free play,” the differences between danger and risk, how we can teach our little ones to be safely courageous, and what child development specialist Rebecca Weingarten calls “constructive failure.”

Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in this episode: 

Michele Borba for U.S. News: "9 Ways to Cultivate Courage in Kids"

Stacy Tornio for Today's Parent:

"Why our kids should take risks—sometimes even (slightly) dangerous ones"

Shakira’s song “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” https://youtu.be/pRpeEdMmmQ0

Special thanks to this month's sponsors:

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Peloton has thousands of workouts on their app for every goal, day, and mood! We're fans of the yoga, meditation, and dance cardio, but there's truly something for everyone. Learn more: onepeloton.com.

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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices