Simple Families

As a neuropsychologist with over 40 years of practice, Dr. William Stixrud has seen many parenting trends come and go. His best-selling book The The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives with co-author Ned Johnson is on my must-read list for parents. It was a pleasure to speak to one of my all-time favorite scientists, authors and practitioners about motivating our children, screen time, and the root causes of stress.

FRILUFTSLIV is the Norwegian word describing a popular Nordic way of life: Passion for nature and getting outdoors. I loved learning more about this concept (and cultural differences) from Linda Åkeson McGurk, and author and mother who has raised children in the US and Scandinavia in her new book The Open-Air Life.

I'm answering several listener questions today on a wide variety of parenting topics, including: extracurricular activities, handling challenging behavior at dinnertime, volunteering at your child's school, and an update on my wardrobe.

• Manageable (Imperfect) Mornings

Parents are faced with all sorts of complicated questions from their children. Today, Mary-Robb Wilson is here to give us her wisdom to answer some big questions in her new book Soulshine.

The addition of children is one of the most pivotal changes experienced in a partnership or marriage. Reconnecting and strengthening partnerships in the parenthood stage is what we are chatting about today with Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Abby Nordquist.

I would love to introduce you to one of my favorite podcasts. 3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms is hosted by Rachel Nielson, who is a lover of practical ideas, conversations with kindred spirits, and her two wild miracle children who keep life interesting. She combined all of these passions when creating her podcast. After a long fight to become a mother through adoption and IVF, Rachel truly believed that she would thrive as a mom from day one. Her transition into motherhood was a little bumpier than she had imagined, and she sought the help of professionals for actionable advice.

3 in 30 is a podcast for women who want to love motherhood as much as they love their children. Since moms are short on time and brain space, each 30-minute episode offers 3 actionable takeaways to help you make your family life a little better each week. If this sounds up your alley, listen to 3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms on your favorite podcast listening app. 

In this excerpt, Rachel interviews Dr. Jen Riday about how to be a more emotionally-resilient mom. The takeaway you hear them discuss is the importance of boundaries.

I hope you will listen and subscribe!

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. While many of us know someone or have been a victim of bullying ourselves, it remains a source of great pain for some of our youth with long-lasting effects. Kayla Taylor is a mom who lived through the pain with her child and shares her experience in her new the book, Canaries among us: A mother's quest to honor her child's individuality in a culture determined to negate it.

It's more than a month into the new school year, and many parents are feeling stress getting out the door in the morning for school and/or work. Although a consistent, smooth morning routine is never guaranteed, I am sharing some simple things you can do to increase your chances of success during before school hours.

I'll be honest, cooking and meal planning has never come easy to me. If you've listened to Simple Families for long, you've heard me sing the praises of a meal-planning company called PrepDish and its founder Allison Schaaf. Although this episode of my chat with Allison is not sponsored, I couldn't wait to share more about how the simple tool PrepDish provides, in the form of a weekly PDF, has simplified my life around around family meals.

When it comes to setting boundaries, clarity saves relationships. Implementing boundaries is a vital component to building a healthy relationship, whether with a partner, relative or friends. After reading Nedra Glover Tawwab's book Set Boundaries, Find Peace, it's become clear just how important boundaries are for every relationship. If you've ever struggled to communicate your needs and limits, then this episode is for you.