Simple Families

We are currently packing the whole house into boxes to move out for renovations. Therefore, I've been reflecting a lot on our journey towards minimalism. In today's episode, I'm talking about minimizing the "stuff" in all parts of the home--kitchen, bath, closets, wardrobe, drop zone, etc.

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Safe and healthy screen use is a topic on my mind...all.the.time. In today's episode, I'm sharing some rambling thoughts about how I'm making decisions for my kids (ages 8 and 10) around things like smart watches, YouTube, phones, content restrictions, and much more. In this episode I'm sharing many of my own thoughts and opinions, so please take what works for you and leave what doesn't.

How are you managing screens at home? What's working and what isn't working?

Gryphon Parental Monitoring Router

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There are widely held assumptions about the adolescent years--many of which are negative. My guest today, Ellen Galinsky, challenges many of the stereotypes that we've come to believe about teens. In this chat she shares the basic needs of adolescents to help us better understand what they need (and want) from us. Her research supports collaborating with children during these years of growth, rather than trying to hold tight in controlling them.

Book: The Breakthrough Years: A New Scientific Framework for Raising Thriving Teens 

Website: Ellen Galinsky

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Most of us have a conflicted relationship with social media and online life. For today's episode I'm chatting with author Kara Alaimo. Kara's new book, Over the Influence: Why Social Media is Toxic for Women and Girls - And How We Can Take it Back, debuts this month. In our conversation we are sifting through a variety of topics related to how we are influenced as parents and how we can be thoughtful when leading our children into a more mindful online space.

Due to some sensitive content, this episode should be first previewed without young children present.

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The chances are good that you are familiar with perfectionism. Either you have experienced it yourself, you have a partner or parent with these tendencies, or perhaps you have a child touched by perfectionism. In today's episode, I'm chatting with Clarissa Ong Ph.D. She's a professor and the co-author of the book The Anxious Perfectionist: How to Manage Perfectionism-Driven Anxiety.

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There are many misconceptions about what it means to be 'gifted'. Today's guest, Julie Skolnick, explains to us that giftedness usually comes with considerable challenges. She also shares ideas and insight on how to support and educate children who are gifted, but also have challenges (sometimes called twice-exceptional). 

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Many of the guests on this show are authors—especially of non-fiction books. Although we often rely on non-fiction to teach us, sometimes the greatest lessons actually come through diving deeper into the life experiences of characters in a novel. Today, I’m speaking with authors Christine Platt and Catherine Wigginton Greene. Christine and Catherine have co-authored a brand new book that tells the story of an entertaining and thought-provoking interracial friendship between two mothers, De'Andrea and Rebecca. You can find Rebecca, Not Becky anywhere books are sold. 

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Once upon a time, building a village to raise a family probably felt simpler. The village was likely the (literal) neighbors and family members who lived right around the corner. But in today's world, our communities are more complex and diverse. The people we lean on may live nearby, but they also may live on the other side of the globe. I'm joined by Michelle Kennedy, the founder of the app Peanut, to talk about building community in motherhood.

• Peanut's Invisible Mother Campaign

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In today's episode, author Michael Easter, shares his work and theories on the topic of comfort. He posits that the growing rates of mental and physical health challenges may be rooted in the fact that we are living more comfortable lives than ever before.

As parents, we strive to keep our kids as comfortable as possible when they are infants. But, perhaps we should ask ourselves if continuing on that path will negatively impact their future resilience.

As adults, we often avoid uncomfortable situations and even frequently rescue our children from uncomfortable experiences. We know, however, that experiencing discomfort can result in growth and resilience. Have you gotten uncomfortable recently? Maybe you should.