Elevate Etiquette Founder Alison Cheperdak reveals the unwritten rules of the holiday season – including how to avoid (and end) those awkward holiday party conversations.

In this episode of MOMlitics, Alison shows us how to navigate the do’s and don’ts of the holidays with ease, using kindness, grace and honesty to replace uncomfortable situations with positive and meaningful connections.

This holiday season, skip social media in favor of family time and other valuable pursuits. Because who ever feels more grateful and less alone - after scrolling our feeds?

ScreenStrong Founder Melanie Hempe explains how to go screen free, and why it’s so essential for the wellbeing of our families. She also talks about the lawsuit that 42 states have filed against Meta - and why waiting for the verdict simply isn’t good enough. 

Swedish author and nature-play expert Linda McGurk explains why it’s essential to get your family outdoors, and how to brave - and even enjoy - the cold, dark winter days ahead.

McGurk says, “I think we’ve just become very comfortable, and then all of a sudden, you start thinking, well, maybe it’s not a good thing to be outside because it’s uncomfortable.”

So the mother of two set out to change that. In her book “There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather,” her goal is to help American families become more comfortable heading outdoors at all times of year – even on those imminent dark winter days.

“Head outside for a little bit every day, regardless of the weather,” she says, “I think it’s good for kids to learn to be comfortable with the discomfort. That it’s not dangerous to experience cold weather…and that’s how my friends back home in Sweden were raising their kids.”

Scandinavian tips for (actually enjoying) cold weather outdoors:

For a successful outdoor experience, McGurk says the goal is to identify any risks and mitigate them.

Start by making sure kids’ physical needs are met before heading outside, i.e. they’re fed, hydrated, have gone to the bathroom, and aren’t too tired.

Dress for the weather with lots of removable layers – and head outdoors wearing all of them.

Have activities in mind. When you’re outside, McGurk recommends having a couple of games or ideas up your sleeve, just in case. This can be as simple as tag, hide and seek, or playing with a ball.

Assess the weather. How cold is too cold? She says, “I think it’s pretty rare to get to those [extreme] temperatures where you can’t even leave the house.” If you’re not sure, she recommends staying close to home, so you can quickly get inside if anyone gets too cold. 

And remember: independence helps kids thrive. McGurk insists that letting children play on their own isn’t as perilous as Americans often think.

Watch on YouTube | Read the full blog post at momlitics.com

“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.” - Elie Wiesel

In this episode of MOMlitics, Rebecca delves into the aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel with Lane Koch, a political advisor who specializes in grassroots campaigns.

As someone with expertise in messaging and the organic circulation of information, Lane talks about the spread: the spread of misinformation (e.g. the idea that supporting Palestinians equates to supporting Hamas), along with growing antisemitism and propaganda. She then discusses how and why this detrimental and dangerous content is so easily spread, and how we can discern fact from fiction.

Other episode topics include where to find legitimate information on the Israel-Hamas war,  what Americans can do to make a difference, and why every American should care. Lane also advises parents how to discuss the situation in the Middle East with children.

Resources mentioned in episode:

Books:

Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman

A History of the Modern Middle East by William Cleveland and Martin Bunton

Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land by David K. Shipler

Righteous Victims: A History of the Zionist-Arab Conflict by Benny Morris

Instagram:

@just.chi.talks

@stop_antisemitism

@jewishoncampus

@jewishbreakingnews - also good resource for places to donate

@standwithus - IDF

@onthisdayinjewishhistory

Stay true to your values and lose your job - or compromise them to keep it. What would you do? 

That's the conundrum sports broadcaster Teryn Gregson was facing. In this episode of MOMlitics, Teryn shares with Rebecca what's happened in the aftermath of her decision to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

In the second episode of Season 2, Rebecca chats with Carnivore Snax Founder Sylvia Tabor about the back-to-basics regenerative farming trend: its global impact and potential to revolutionize our meat consumption.

Where should we be getting the meat we feed our families? Tabor discusses the benefits of sourcing meat from regenerative farms - and what, exactly, makes a farm “regenerative” in the first place.

Tabor says the best meat doesn’t have to break the bank - but can save our waistlines, and ultimately, even the planet. 

Going back to school can feel overwhelming both for parents and kids. In the first episode of MOMlitics Season 2, parenting and homeschool expert Jennifer Pepito shares her secrets to a smooth transition from summer to the school year.

You can read more of Jennifer's tips at momlitics.com.

Caught Doing Good: it's the secret parenting weapon you didn't know you needed. It's a way to get kids to proactively do good things for other people (by rewarding them, of course). This quick episode explains how it works and how you can implement it in your home. It also features an inside peek into the fun our kids have getting Caught Doing Good - brought to you by MOMlitics' most junior podcasters themselves!

Caught Doing Good is most suitable for ages 3+. For more resources, visit momlitics.com.

When it comes to transgender athletes, where do we draw the line between encouraging athletic participation for all people, while protecting the physical safety of biological females? In no area is this delicate balance more apparent than in combat sports. To delve deeper, Jiu-Jitsu World Masters Champion Erica Zendell joins MOMlitics to discuss the concept of competing against trans women, in addition to solutions that all sides might be willing to support.

(PSA: please excuse the brief cameos from Erica’s excited Dachshunds.)

30 years from now, will smartphones, laptops and tablets become the next cigarettes, tanning beds and lead-based paint?

EMF radiation expert and DefenderShield CEO Dan DeBaun joins MOMlitics to explain the potential health risks associated with the devices we use every day - including why kids could be especially at risk. 

So what do you think: is this a fringe conspiracy theory or a legitimate, pressing concern?