Art Creativity & Wellbeing

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...

Welcome to the fourth and final installment in our series about school, and how it can screw up your child, and how to make sure that that does not happen! Today we discuss the dangers that come with someone feeling continually assessed, judged, and evaluated. I work really hard to give you ideas to overcome this challenge. Plus in Parenting News: I share about this documentary that I first watche...

It's almost time! -- NPC Cyber Monday special: 30% off of annual Ninja Parenting Community membership… Get on the waiting list (and get 7 of my best parenting resources – for free) by clicking weturnedoutokay.com/cybermonday ! In this episode find out: – What's the right age for starting soccer – What to do with your three-year-old's tantrums – How to handle night terrors in your young child – How...

Surprise! Bonus episode on how to have a happy Thanksgiving! Special thanks to Graham Smith and Kirsten Dunlap of the Welcome Home podcast, and Desirae Endres of Minimal-ish , for sharing in this edition of We Turned Out Okay … We are connecting our shows, each of us with a "Best Thanksgiving Day Ever" in a pod hop, similar to the blog hops of old! FYI: NPC Cyber Monday special: 30% off of annual...

NPC Cyber Monday special: 30% off of annual Ninja Parenting Community membership… Get on the waiting list (and get 7 of my best parenting resources – for free) by clicking weturnedoutokay.com/cybermonday ! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As a preschool teacher I used to get asked all the time about when we would be teaching reading. Or writing. I cou...

NPC Cyber Monday special: 30% off of annual Ninja Parenting Community membership… Get on the waiting list (and get 7 of my best parenting resources – for free) by clicking weturnedoutokay.com/cybermonday ! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Fortunately the children have no words to define the panic and anger they feel at constant violations of natural...

We talk with the Mindful Mama Mentor, Hunter Clarke-Fields, in this episode of We Turned Out Okay! Hunter is a parent coach who found real solutions to her own anger and frustration with meditation and mindfulness. She is a force for good, and I am so excited to bring her on the show! The title of this episode was very nearly "Mindfulness: A Cool Parental Brain Hack," which is how today's guest ch...

"This morning we were reading a space book and [my three-year-old] was talking about how he was going to kill the astronauts. Aggressive talk really freaks me out." When one of the parents I mentor in the Ninja Parenting Community posted this recently, I knew that you might be hearing "aggressive talk" with your child as well. Why DO kids seem to talk and think so much about death, and killing? We...

There are lots of reasons why we want our kids to become independent, in their actions and their thinking. (If for no other reason than, when our kids are independent, we do less for them. This means we are happier, and also it helps help our children understand the joys of being part of a system in which we all work together.) Today's episode is about how, if we're not careful, we might be teachi...

We're celebrating today, 300 episodes of We Turned Out Okay! I am super excited to welcome back beloved guests Tricia Tomaso, preschool teacher extraordinaire, and Janine Halloran, coping skills expert, for a roundtable discussion talking about social and emotional learning, and if schools actually do screw up kids… And we're also answering your questions in this tri-centennial episode! Join us! G...