Art Creativity & Wellbeing

FYI: I am starting a WTOO book club, a chapter-by-chapter read of my parenting books! If you want to learn to get good behavior from your kiddos, and share some stories, and spend some time each week with me, you can do that starting in May : ) Click here to buy Positive Discipline Ninja Tactics , the book we'll start with, so you can get reading! I am so excited to bring you this conversation, wi...

OkayCon FREE Virtual Summit happening now If you're not sure how much more of this whole stuck-at-home stuff you can take, go to okaycon.com for a new, relevant interview each Monday and Wednesday, and a watch party each Monday and Wednesday evening throughout April! We will get through this together I recorded this before our current "double pandemic" (of Covid-19, and Fear). But it seems especia...

Today's conversation is part of the OkayCon Virtual Summit! - Not sure how much more of this whole stuck-at-home stuff you can take? Go to okaycon.com for a new, relevant interview each Monday and Wednesday, and a watch party each of those weeknights! We will get through this together Dr. Heather Maguire's day job is that of professor, teaching graduate students how to shape children's behavior. M...

How, you might be wondering, are we actually really going to get through this time? You're not alone in wondering that. I have been wondering about it too. I've also been feeling terribly guilty, any time that I forget we are in the midst of a worldwide pandemic and find myself enjoying something, or laughing at a joke, or feeling contented. So today I want to bring you an episode that defines our...

Today we are bringing back – for the fifth time! – beloved guest, an expert in teaching kids coping skills, Janine Halloran LMHC of copingskillsforkids.com . We discuss: – How Janine is thinking about school work and all this extra time at home with kids and family – The kinds of questions her clients are bringing to her right now, in spring 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic – Why a child's behavi...

Hey friends! I hope everyone you love is doing okay. And if you're going a little stir crazy, I hope I can help! I've been working hard behind the scenes to put together a Virtual Summit, bringing you the best ideas, from experts in their fields, to help you through this double pandemic – of Covid 19, and Fear. So! Each Monday and Wednesday at OkayCon.com during April 2020 I'm releasing presentati...

During our Ninja Parenting Community live members only call last week, many members expressed frustration with all the list of activities coming at us, but the lists are often in a somewhat disorganized fashion. So I wanted to give you a list, organized by how much time/input required by us parents! Read the complete list at: weturnedoutokay.com/323 Announcing OkayCon, We Turned Out Okay's FREE vi...

So, I say I'm going to drop an F bomb in the beginning segment of this episode, but we decided to edit it out, so no worries about earmuffs :-) Re coronavirus: I had an anxiety attack this morning, before I was even fully awake. To help you in case you are experiencing heightened anxiety right now as well, I start off today’s show with audio from a video series I’m doing on how to feel better duri...

Today's guests have written a book, called Screen Schooled , which has had a huge impact on how I think about my teenagers and their educations. I found Matt Miles' and Joe Clement's book so compelling, and so full of great ideas for helping teens navigate the modern technical world, that I knew I wanted their take on young kids and tech. (They are both parents, each raising young children in thei...

When my husband Ben went grocery shopping this weekend, there were empty shelves instead of many things we normally get. Earlier in the day there had been not one but two fistfights in our local grocery store over supplies! If you're worrying about interruptions in the supply chain, the stock market, and other factors related to (or attributed to, anyway) coronavirus, you are not alone. And right...

Screens are here to stay – which is awesome on the one hand, and completely frightening on the other. Especially when it comes to little kids. It's so hard to know: – what is the right amount of screen time – what is damaging or detrimental – how to come up with guidelines about this in the first place – how to implement those guidelines in the second We discuss all of this today – in fact, we are...

What do you do when: – Your six-year-old witnessed a traumatic event, and is so traumatized that he feels he can never be away from your side – Your four-year-old "really misses mommy and daddy" and cannot enjoy his enrichment class – You fear your three-year-old's "declining independence," because she increasingly needs you by her side as she is going potty, getting dressed, and going to sleep at...

So, there's a tiny swear, the word bada**, in the break of today's episode… while I'm sharing about last week's hospitalization of one of my sons. (There is also an invitation to you, to join the Ninja Parenting Community at 50% off the standard annual rate! Click here for details : ) – A parenting book about showing up – A new action-adventure podcast for kids ages 8 to 12 – An awesome ninja tact...

Welcome! To listen to today's episode, scroll down to the very bottom of this post and hit the triangular "play" button. Enjoy the show! Recently an NPC member brought up a hugely important issue, and it sparked a whole line of thinking for me that led us to this video! Here's the issue: "It would be interesting to hear some data/facts on how harmful NOT disciplining your kids can be. So many time...

Will you be my Valentine? I have a special gift exclusively for newsletter subscribers… Click here to read my most recent newsletter (all about Valentine's Day) and to subscribe! "Schools are way, way behind the times when it comes to what kids need today," one of today's guests, educational psychologist Dr. Rob Reiher, shares during our conversation. Rob and his podcast cohost, Wayne Yercha, team...

What we believe influences everything: our thoughts, our interactions, our relationships, and in the end our reality. But it can be really hard to nail down what we actually believe. In today's episode I take you into my beliefs, show you how I figured out what they are, and most importantly help you clarify your own. It's a master class in getting the reality that you want most – both as a parent...

Hey friends! I'm excited to be a part of the launch of a new podcast, FAM – For All Moms . In this quickie bonus episode, you get to hear from Susan and Sharzad, the creators themselves, about their journeys to motherhood. ( Click here for the trailer and additional information about FAM.) The podcast is available right now, so if you like what you hear, be sure to find FAM - For All Moms in your...

FYI: If you need support keeping your sanity while raising kiddos, try out my private coaching community (called the Ninja Parenting Community)! You can spend your whole first month in the community for just $1 -  but only when you join by Friday 1/31. Click here for details! ) -------------------------------- Welcome to our first ever Parenting News Roundup! Over the month of January a theme has...

"My dad and stepmom are, simply put, selfish and controlling. They guilt me about not seeing my son more often, and usually want us to drive an hour out to their very not-kid-friendly house. How do I find a line of how often to see/talk to them that works for me and my kid?" So writes one of our most beloved ninja parents, known in the Ninja Parenting Community forums as Mama Llama. Maybe her feel...

My wellness coach is here for YOU today! "Linda," who's going incognito for our conversation, shares about so much: – Her own wellness journey – What it was like for her to raise a child with special needs – How to get what you want out of life Hope you enjoy this conversation and find it helpful! Here is the link to the show notes for this episode : ) PS One place where you can get help with your...

Happy New Year!! In 2019 I had two goals: 1. To fit into my ski pants 2. To be in control of my food intake If my ski pants fit, that meant I could go skiing and spend wonderful, exhilarating time with loved ones! And if I could be in control of my food intake, that meant I wouldn't inadvertently hijack other goals that I had about health and weight loss. Today I share about how I met those goals,...

Continuing in this end-of-year "big idea" line of thinking, one of our beloved Ninja Parenting Community members recently asked a huge, and great question: "How can I relax and enjoy our relationship more and not feel like I'm always on the edge of discipline mode or like I should have handled things differently [with my 3-year-old]?" Effectively she's asking: do I have to control my young child's...

"He asked me tonight who God was…" When Ninja Parenting Community member Mama Llama shared about this conversation with her three-year-old, I knew you were going to want to hear about it too. This is a short-and-sweet episode (and it's topsy-turvy, with the other stuff coming after the main part of the show, rather than before.) But don't be fooled by its brevity. We talk about something big! So b...

I love this conversation. It's different from many of the others I've done, a little less focused on children and family… And more focused on how today's guest, Sunny Gault, found fulfillment within herself and built a career in helping other parents find fulfillment. Consequently Sunny is able to love and support her family, as they love and support her. Come with me on a deep dive into one mom's...

This question came directly from a ninja parent with this problem: "I can't identify a trigger but [my three-year-old] wakes up sometime around 1 to 3 AM and is just wide-awake and mad that it's not morning yet. Any tips on sleep stuff?" In this episode we talk about what to do when your child wakes up in the middle of the night and doesn't want to go back to sleep. Join us! Sign up for my Weekly...