We talk a lot about comparisons at The Family Room. Comparisons to other peoples experiences from pregnancy to early parenthood and beyond can make us feel terrible about our own journey. There is a popular saying that comparisons can be the thief of joy. 

Another comparison trap that everyone with two or more children has intentionally or unintentionally fallen into is sibling comparisons. In this episode Karen talks with Denise about sibling comparisons, why they are harmful,  how to avoid falling into the comparison trap, what to do instead to promote sibling sibling relationships, and more. 

Denise is a mother of two and teaches yoga at The Family Room in addition to leading the second time Parenting and Me group.

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Anxiety is one of the most common mental illnesses and can affect many of us in varying degrees. It’s hard not to be anxious in our modern world. Becoming a parent can increase anxiety even more with intensified concerns about the world and keeping our children safe.

Dr. Lauren Cook joins Karen to talk about anxiety caused by everything from gun violence to everyday parenting concerns, tips to help manage it, and when to seek help. She also discusses her upcoming book Generation Anxiety: A Millennial and Gen Z Guide to Staying Afloat in an Uncertain World, including why anxiety is at an all time high and helps normalizes the experience for listeners. 

Dr. Lauren is therapist with a practice in Pasadena, a consultant, a speaker, has been interviewed by too many outlets to list but includes CNN, the New York Times and Parents, and has well over 200,000 followers on TikTok where she regularly shares mental health tips. She hosts a podcast called The Board Room Brain.  Dr. Lauren is also a mom to an adorable baby boy and a Family Room parent. 

Links:
Generation Anxiety
drlaurencook.com
instagram: @dr.laurencook
TikTok: dr.laurencook
The Brain Health Book Club
The Boardroom Brain podcast

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https://www.familyroomcenter.com/podcast/

As a follow-up to Episode: 48, we continue the conversation about having a special needs journey with Elise's husband, Quinn. Karen speaks with Quinn about what the experience has been like for him.  He speaks very candidly about his struggles in accepting his son's early diagnosis, learning to be ok with life looking different,  the ways he and Elise encourage and help each other in their journey, and advice for anyone else going through it. 

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https://www.familyroomcenter.com/podcast/

Dual language immersion school programs have become increasingly more popular with more and more families considering them. On this episode Karen talks to Family Room mom Melissa Merritt about the ins and outs of enrolling her two children in dual language programs. 

Melissa's children started in a dual language preschool and then transitioned into a dual language kindergarten program. Melissa shares what it was like sending her non-native speakers into a classroom where they didn't know the language, how they adapted, all about researching, applying and choosing a dual language immersion kindergarten program and more. 

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https://www.familyroomcenter.com/podcast/

Being a parent is hard. But being the parent of a child with special needs can seem downright impossible and completely overwhelming at times. 

In a candid conversation, Karen talks with Elise Lovejoy, a friend and Family Room mom all about navigating her son's Crosby's autism diagnosis.  Elise shares their story from the early signs that her son had different challenges, to denial and diagnosis, how to fight for local and school based support, effects on relationships including friends and her partner, the importance of community, plus truly practical tips and valuable advice for anyone navigating a similar path. 

Through fear, frustration and uncertainty, there is also unwavering love, pride and joy. Whether you have a child with special needs or know someone who does, everyone will learn and grow from this episode. 

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https://www.familyroomcenter.com/podcast/

While we many expecting couples take classes to learn how to care for their new babies, often parents don't consider how to take care of themselves during the life-changing transition and beyond.

In this episode Karen is joined by Lauren Hays and Megan Dalton.  Lauren Hays is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and boy mom to three. Lauren's co-founder Megan Dalton is a marketing guru and mom of 3 under 6.  On a mission to change the landscape of maternal mental health and to identify its role and importance to overall wellness, they created The Matrescence --  a maternal mental health community providing a space to learn, heal, and grow.

Karen, Lauren, and Megan discuss integrated wellness and why it is so important to new moms.  From true self-care tips, to ways to improve mental health, common pitfalls, advice for working parents and more, this episode provides  helpful insights and important perspective for all new parents. 

Links:
thematrescence.com
@thematrescence

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https://www.familyroomcenter.com/podcast/

Language development is an essential part of your child's growth. Speech and language impact your child's social interactions, behavior and academic skills. A whole new world opens up when your child can communicate with words!

Speech and language delays are the most common type of developmental delay in children. Between five and twelve percent of children ages two to five years are diagnosed with a speech or language delay.

Stephanie Masek, a speech and language therapist and owner of Jabber Dogs, a private speech, language, and occupational therapy group in San Marino joins Karen to discuss how to promote language development with your child, how to know if your child is just a bit on the later side of the language development scale or if they are delayed, plus common questions about sign language, learning a child language and differences between girls and boys. 

Links
Jabberdogs.com

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https://www.familyroomcenter.com/podcast/

This topic grew out of the What’s for Dinner discussion in Episode 38 with registered dietician Elise Compston. If you haven’t listened to that episode you should! It is hard to talk about food and not talk about feelings around food and our bodies. As we know, body image is complex, from the way we feel about our body to the way society values it. Children are exposed to thousands of messages every day about how to look and as media exposure continues to increase, talking to kids about body positivity is more important than ever.

As parents, we can help set a foundation for body positivity at a very young age. Helping your child develop a healthy relationship with food and their body often starts with awareness and self-reflection. Elise is back on the podcast to share ways we can teach and model body positivity to our children. Elise shares:

- how your relationship with food affects your child
- what is intuitive and mindful eating
- how to approach feeding your child
- ways to encourage body positivity  and things to be mindful of

Links:
Compston Kitchen
Your Latina Nutritionist

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https://www.familyroomcenter.com/podcast/

Children outgrow clothing quickly and often have items in their closets with tags on them from gifts yet to be worn. Buying secondhand clothing can not only save you money for the next ever-frequent growth spurt, but is an eco-friendly and sustainable option everyone should consider.  

In this episode Karen is joined by Samira Husein, the owner of Dakota + Rowan, a cute secondhand store located in Sierra Madre, California. Samira shares her tips to get the most out of shopping secondhand, how to find high quality pre-loved items, stigmas around thrifting, how the shopping process works, why and how she turned her passion for thrifting into a business,  and so much more. 

Links:
@dakotaplusrowan_
dakotaplusrowan.com

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https://www.familyroomcenter.com/podcast/

Early intervention is critical in addressing developmental delays and the good news is that there is support for you and your little one through the Regional Centers in California. They provide free services such as speech and language therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy to support your growing child. 

Many of our families have gained important support through the Regional Center, but not everyone knows about the resources that are available or how to navigate what can feel like a complicated system. Erin Rae is a mother of two who used the Regional Center to obtain speech and language support for her son. In this episode Erin shares her experience, the process, how to advocate for your child,  and helpful tips about working with a Regional Center.

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https://www.familyroomcenter.com/podcast/