In this episode, host Erin Prather Stafford spoke with Jessica Lahey, author of The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence. The two discussed the importance of understanding substance abuse and how to prevent it in children and adolescents. Listen to the full interview with on Word of Mom Radio. Lahey shares …
Five Ways Storytelling Improves Your Parenting
“What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split open.” ―Muriel Rukeyser, American poet and political activist When was the last time you shared a story with your children from your life before you became a parent? Do they even know you had a life before them? There …
Sand Play: Four Tips From a Sculptor
One of the things kids love most about the beach is the chance to play with sand. Sand is an excellent material to play with. It is versatile, widely available, open-ended and cheap. Not only is it nature-based, but it involves manipulation, exploration, and construction with materials to create imaginary worlds. On top of being …
The Only New Year’s Resolution You’ll Need
What makes you come alive? As parents and caregivers, the question is worth pondering as we move into a new year. That’s why nationally recognized life balance author/speaker/coach Renée Trudeau shared the following guest post with Girls That Create. Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. …
Hey, New Parents – Go Ahead and ‘Spoil’ That Baby!
When an infant cries, parents frequently wonder whether they should soothe the baby or let the baby calm itself down. If they respond to every sob, won’t the baby cry more? Isn’t that spoiling the baby? I hear these questions a lot as a professor of child development and family science. The notion of spoiling …
Help Your Kids Thrive By Debunking These Myths About Resilience
Most parents naturally want to raise resilient kids. After all, life is filled with pitfalls, setbacks, and disappointments. Uncertainty is our new normal. We are constantly bombarded by news of economic distress, mass shootings, and political upheaval, and all of this causes stress (and sometimes even grief) to build in our kids. As parents, we …
Parents and Caregivers: Ways to Say No for Self-Care
Life balance coach and speaker Renée Trudeau asks a crucial question of all parents and caregivers, what is your intention for the summer? Even though we’re all navigating a lot of chaos, it’s important that caring for ourselves not get shelved. Trudeau offers nine creative ways parents and caregivers can say no when feeling pulled …
Infants Need Movement and Play – Here Are Simple Ways to Help Them Get It
When people set personal fitness goals and establish their physical exercise routines, there’s a group of cuddly individuals that is often left out – infants! Historically, infant active movement has been perceived as a personality characteristic. It’s assumed that infants are plenty active on their own, without needing adult intervention to encourage movement. However, research …
Play and Creativity: Help Your Children Play Out a Story
Just about every institution these days is looking for creative individuals. Adults who can innovate in high-quality ways and contribute to the progress of science, engineering and the arts. Creative expressions start from an early age. Children express creativity through “pretend play” – an activity that involves using imagination and make-believe. They make up stories …
Nurturing Your Friendships and Why You Should
We know how crucial it is that our children learn to nurture their friendships. With that in mind, we need to set an example by also tending to friendships close to our hearts. That is why life balance coach and speaker Renée Trudeau has shared the following guest post with Girls That Create. Nurturing Your …