I adore Vanessa. She is full of life (and full of opera which you will hear a little bit of in this episode!) Learn how a simple, touching story with Vanessa's youngest son brought her into the world of entrepreneurs where so leads a team of 150 who are helping strengthen families. In this episode we talk about the power of elaborate reminiscing, how to hold on to your stories, and how printed photos remind parents that they are good parents. Vanessa discusses research done in tandem with HP abo...
Nov 10, 2022•50 min
Rain or Shine Mamma, Linda Akeson McGurk is back to discuss friluftsliv - a form of slow nature. Linda Akeson McGurk is a Swedish American journalist and author who believes life is better outside. Her first book, the parenting memoir There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom’s Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids (from Friluftsliv to Hygge) , was published in 2017 to critical acclaim, receiving mentions in The Wall Street Journal as well as The New York Time...
Nov 03, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Award-winning journalist and author of "The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self" joins us to talk about everything from whether our happiness depends on being comfortable, how to expand our sense of time, how much silence we need for our well-being, overcoming alcoholism, and why rucking is arguably the best exercise for women. There are SO many nuggets in this one! Learn more about Michael Easter here: https://eastermichael.com/ Sign up for the 2 Percent...
Nov 01, 2022•57 min
You don’t have to own a big farm to have a slower, simpler lifestyle! In this episode we talk about guarding you slow living lifestyle and putting the brakes on hustle mode. Lana actually did this!! And she tells you how she did it and how she continues to do it during this conversation. We talk about everything from gardening to goats, and food security to a peach-sized brain tumor Lana had removed not too long ago. She talks us through ideas about self-sufficiency and what to do when you feel ...
Oct 28, 2022•52 min
I don't even know where to begin with this one except that I've adored Mary Heffernan (of Five Marys Farms) for YEARS and then... I got a chance to talk with her. The Heffernans run a massive ranch in Ft. Jones, California where they raise Black Angus cattle, Berkshire hogs, and Navajo-Churro sheep as a family - Mary, Brian, and their four daughters who are also all named Mary!! Mary self-describes herself as a serial entrepreneur so this episode weaves all over the place - from her first busine...
Oct 26, 2022•54 min•Season 3Ep. 60
This is the question so many of you have! How do you camp with little ones? Laura Bruner, founder of Radical Roots and co-host of The Modern Mamas Podcast joins us to talk about she's camped with a baby and a toddler and the things she does to make it work (including food ideas!) She'll also convince you why parenting is often easier outside and what she does when she's at her highest stress levels. You can learn more about Laura at: https://myradicalroots.com/ Check out The Modern Mamas Podcast...
Oct 21, 2022•54 min•Season 3Ep. 59
In an amazing turn of events I got to speak with Sally Clarkson!!!!!! Sally has been giving life and inspiration to mothers and families for decades. Her latest book, Giving Your Words carried the reminders that I needed to be more intentional about flooding our home with words because those will help with imagination and so much more. Sally gives practical idea after practical idea in her new book as well as in this episode. She's just SO encouraging. You will feel a little lighter and you'll h...
Oct 19, 2022•57 min
He's back!!! And he's just as entertaining, endearing, and enjoyable as ever. Alastair Humphreys, author, keynote speaker, adventurer, film maker and blogger joins us to talk about the five books he's written that you absolutely want to have on your shelves for your kids. Through his writing, he hides education within grand stories of adventures. You'll learn about Alastair's experiences traveling around the world and then walking through Spain with nothing but a violin that used to play and mak...
Oct 18, 2022•1 hr 2 min
Charlotte Mason meets John Muir Laws meets modern entrepreneur, Micah Pettes in this new episode that will spark ideas and warm your heart. The wonderful and talented founder of Juniper Grove Journals, Micah Pettes joins us to talk about the power of journaling (sketchbooks, calendar of firsts, phenology wheels, and more) as well as entrepreneurship, giving kids real world experiences before they have launched into the real world, process over product, scheduling in high-quality leisure time, ho...
Oct 07, 2022•55 min
We are so pleased to welcome SD Smith, author of the beloved Green Ember series back on our podcast for a second time. The first time he was on we talked about the type of childhood that prepared him to be a novelist. On this episode, he is joined by his teenage son AND co-author. SD (father) and JC (son) have started a new fantasy series together and the very first book, Jack Zulu and the Waylanders Key is available for pre-order now! Books will ship in November (a great holiday gift idea!!) Th...
Oct 05, 2022•1 hr
This is a bold statement... the best parenting decision made to date!! Listen in to find out what it is and why you don't need to feel any shame about past screen habits with your family. We all were marketed one thing and it didn't pan out. Molly walks us through many ways to keep screens from ruling your household and reminds all of us of the tremendous influence we have as parents. There are lots of things that come in this episode and in her book that I didn't know... about conversation, abo...
Sep 30, 2022•52 min
Get ready for a unique episode with award-winning children's author, illustrator, and kindie musician Sara Ernst! All of you with little ones need to know about Sara and the beautiful children's books she's written and illustrated as well as all of the darling music she has recorded to help all of us learn in nature and pique our curiosities. Sara performs two of her enchanting songs in this episode and reminds us of the power of music to help us self-soothe, move, and give us deep feelings. Mus...
Sep 27, 2022•54 min
We need to end the corporate takeover of childhood. Dr. Susan Linn always has practical and pertinent information for today's parents. She's an expert on the commercialization of childhood, the values that companies are spreading that cause division in families, and the types of toys that undermine creativity. In a gentle, supportive, and empathetic was Susan helps us find ways to protect our children's intrinsic motivation to play and create. She gives insight into what is going on behind the s...
Sep 22, 2022•59 min
What's it like recording a podcast while frantically getting ready for the news to show up last minute? You'll find out here! LaNissir is highly sought after for her momma skills (she has seven kids plus two puppies) and for her advice on roadschooling, homeschooling, Myers Briggs personality types, leadership, and so much more! Everyone loves LaNissir and I know you will too. Mamas who are in the early stages with little ones, you will find encouragement here. Mamas who are transitioning to new...
Sep 21, 2022•45 min
When you have young kids you are in the trenches, living moment by moment and trying to do the best that you can in those early years. And your kids get older, it gets easier physically but you lose the flexibility and wide-open schedules of early childhood. The point is that now is now and there won't ever be a perfect season to adventure with your family. Jodi Mockabee, author of The Whole & Healthy Family has crafted a lifestyle of adventure for her five children and she joins us to expla...
Sep 20, 2022•1 hr 4 min
Dr. Nicholas Kardaras is an Ivy League educated psychologist, best-selling author, internationally renowned speaker and an expert on mental health, addiction, and the impacts of our digital age. We spoke last year in season two about his phenomenal book Glow Kids that came out in 2016 where he lays the case that technology is habit-forming. At the time it was ground-breaking and controversial though now it has been established that we live in an "attention economy" and that our devices very much...
Sep 14, 2022•1 hr
Jon Acuff is paving the way. He's paving the way for his daughters as he just co-wrote a book with them (!) and he's paving the way for us with practical, relatable information that makes our lives better. In 2021, Jon wrote Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking and he has this way of doling out information that sticks. It slides into your brain and rolls around in there and connects with your other thoughts and helps you make more heartfelt choices. It was an honor and a hoot to ...
Sep 13, 2022•56 min
Vulnerability, grit, courage, abundance, farming, belonging, how to slow down in a busy culture, embracing change, pushing through, starting fresh, visceral connection, stoking someone else's fire, abundance, and... farming!!! Lovely topics with a lovely soul... Christine Marie Bailey reminds us through her book and her personal story, that it totally okay to change, and grow, and do something different with your life. We don't have to ask permission. You can find Christine's new book, The Kindr...
Sep 08, 2022•59 min
Todd Wilson sure does live up the hype. You're gonna laugh and cry your way through this one. Todd helps us answer pertinent questions like: * How to choose relationships when there's so much to do? * How to help you and your children smile more? * How to stop focusing so much on the future? *How to remember what matters amidst the busyness of our world? Learn more about Todd at: https://familymanweb.com/ and https://thesmilinghomeschooler.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...
Sep 07, 2022•41 min
It's so hard to turn down good opportunities. In this episode, headed into the back-to-school season we talk about defending the type of family that we want to have. We celebrate children blooming at their own pace. We discuss the often ignored gifts of motherhood and parenting. Ainsley Arment's newest book, The Wild + Free Family reminds us that if we don't make decisions about our family's values, then society will make it for us. Time is clicking by. This podcast episode will remind you to lo...
Sep 01, 2022•37 min
Wow! Wow! Wow! I learned SO much from Linda Flanagan's brand new book "Take Back the Game, How Money and Mania are Ruining Kids' Sports, and Why it Matters." Not only did I learn a lot about things like the college admissions process and what's going on behind the scenes, why kids' sports have become such a big deal over the past two decades, the dangers of early sports specialization and more but her book also left me SO much to ponder. Ever since reading the book I've been thinking about how w...
Aug 26, 2022•51 min
What’s coming and how we should be preparing our children? Ryan Collins, President and CEO of Bethel Tech gives us a solid view into current trends in the job market and what the future may hold. He explains why character traits such as trustworthiness, empathy, brave communication, healthy relationship and community are highly sought after characteristics by employers and he helps us understand why childhood is meant for play. Ryan reminds us that "Play is the impetus for creativity." Screens c...
Aug 24, 2022•49 min
Sandi Schwartz, author of Finding Ecohappiness joins us to talk about so many things I've never heard of before relating time interacting with nature and our overall wellbeing (both in childhood and adulthood). We discuss the new emerging science of awe, lessons we can learn in the garden, Attention Restoration Theory, and more! We talk about differnet Citizen Science opportunities that are available, blue zones, and why we should all float more :). Sandi's book is so comprehensive and this podc...
Aug 18, 2022•55 min
Kristen A. Jenson is the founder of Defend Young Minds (formerly Protect Young Minds®) and #1 best-selling author of the Good Pictures Bad Pictures series of read-aloud books, which have translations in 10 languages and are now augmented by a guidebook for professionals which supports child therapists and educators. She is also the executive producer of the Brain Defense: Digital Safety curriculum—a powerful and engaging video-based course for families and educators. Kristen is a positive voice ...
Aug 16, 2022•54 min
I think you're going to listen to this one twice. Maybe three times. I cried while editing it and I can hardly believe I got to speak with Kim John Payne a second time. Payne's newest book, Emotionally Resilient Tweens and Teens launches this week and it left me slack-jawed. Like all of Payne's other books, he covers so many pressing topics in both practical and memorable ways and then, in these conversations, he somehow is able to expound even more. In just sixty minutes we cover the crucial to...
Aug 11, 2022•1 hr 12 min
As seen on Good Morning America, Kyana Miner adventures with her family and then helps other families join in by providing all the tips and tricks you need as a parent to follow in the Miner's footsteps. With concise, bulleted lists Kyana (both on Instagram and her website) walks through the ins and outs and their travels with four young kids, explaining their favorite spots, how long the hikes are, what's near by, and so much more. As campers, bikers, skiers, and hikers the Miners sure do know ...
Aug 09, 2022•58 min
My lovely friend, Jennifer Pepito wrote an extraodinary and unique book about the lessons we can learn as parents through the read aloud stories we share with our children. In this episode, we dive straight into so many of the fears we hold of not doing enough, of the baby years, of kids falling being, of being along, and so much more and then the process of finding hope and the answers to many of our fears through the literature that we read. We discuss comparison, habits, and even the power of...
Aug 04, 2022•1 hr 1 min
Sarah sings us the most beautiful little song in this episode!!! It's SO lovely and heartwarming. Goodness, there is so much in this hour. We talk about rhythm and why it's espeically importat in the early years. We discuss how every seven years we reach a new stage of development - and this occurs throughout our life! We touch on heirloom quality toys, open-ended toys, and the characteristics of traditional toys. We touch on creating our own village because we were never meant to parent in isol...
Aug 03, 2022•1 hr 2 min
It's been 15 years since Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone and as Russell York, CEO of Cosmo Technologies puts it we have "blazed past some disturbing mile markers." Many are starting to take another look at the role of technology in our lives and beginning to determine ways to intentionally use it as a tool rather than being the end product that is used by technology as it collects our data, our money, and our time. Through Cosmo Technologies and the JrTrack Kids Smartwatch, Russell York and team ...
Jul 28, 2022•57 min
Parenting coach, Lindsay Ford encourages all of us to keep taking steps forward because with each new step you're gathering new information and you'll find clarity. Parenting is an ever-changing endeavor and Lindsay helps us sort out many of the pertinent questions and issues such as tantrums, dealing with fear and worry, and why some kids are easier than others. You can learn more about Lindsay and check out her free parenting class called How to Get Your Kids to Listen Without Yelling, Threats...
Jul 25, 2022•57 min
