Just Ask Your Mom

Join us with our guest Dr. Bobbie Solley, expert on teaching kids to read, as we talk about the impact early reading has on kids' success. Even kids who read only one book a day will hear about 290,000 more words by age 5 than those who don't read regularly. What should our kids be reading, and when?

In this week leading up to the US Thanksgiving holiday, we offer some tips to teach, model, and nurture the virtue of gratitude. What does it mean to be grateful and is it different from toxic positivity? Besides its many health benefits, practicing gratitude can make us more aware, present, content, and focused. Besides teaching the basic "thank you" response, what else can we do to make gratitude a part of our kids' lives?

Sports are as American as apple pie. They build character, appreciation for a team, physical fitness and the ability to win and lose well. The episode's guests include a mom whose daughter went on to play college soccer, and another "sport mom" who's also seen hundreds of families navigate the time crunch of having their kids in sports. There's lots of pressure on families to have their kids play & be good at something-- how can we decide what's enough or too much?

This episode features two military moms who give us a peek into what it's like raising a family while serving their country. What are their unique challenges and how do they cope with deployments, transfers, and the uncertainty that comes with a life in the armed services? Bonnie's sister, Maj. General Karen Rizzuti (USAF), and Toni Laubacher, whose husband, Maj. Matt Laubacher (USAF) had multiple deployments, weigh in on Veteran's Day week.

We're always saying it's much better to cultivate what you ARE looking for in your children rather than squashing what you don't want. This is the first in our "cultivate series," and we're talking about ways to cultivate kindness in your children--and maybe in yourself while you're at it!

Table manners aren't about stuffy formality. They're about polite behavior that respects others. Table manners matter because people matter. In this episode, we give a run-down of some basic table manners parents can work on from toddlers just starting to use a spoon to teenagers & all the rest of us! Are mealtimes a battleground at your house? This episode will have some tips!

Emotional intelligence is what glues people together, and it's a proven predictor in academic, professional, and relationship success. What exactly IS it, can we improve it, and how do we coach our kids to have better EQ?

Got toddlers? This episode is a quick rundown (because obvs you're busy!) of our top toddler tips. What behavior can you reasonably expect from a toddler and what's asking too much? 15-36 months is a time of rapid development, discovering (& testing) boundaries, and a great time for parents to help set the stage for their successes down the road.

Not much happens accidentally in life, and that includes making and meeting goals we have for our marriages. This episode sums up 6 intentional steps we can all use to create a more flourishing, successful marriage relationship. Based on Paul Tripp's book on marriage, we talk about ways we did or didn't practice these tips in our own ways.

A key element in any relationship, trust involves some risk. How do parents foster trust between themselves and their children? What should we do when that trust is broken? Who (or what) do we and our children put our trust in--and is it trustworthy?