My New Life (Lovevery)

Giving birth is one experience in your life you will never forget. There are so many emotions in the mix, both leading up to the birth, and on display during the birth! 

Host Jessica Rolph met Leslie Schrock when she was in the process of publishing her book Bumpin’: The Modern Guide to Pregnancy, which she wrote while she was pregnant with her first baby. Leslie does not consider herself a pregnancy guru, but instead a curious person who found trustworthy resources for pregnant women in short supply. She talked with all variety of experts in the process of writing her book and shares her findings on this episode.  

Key Takeaways:

[1:34] What inspired Leslie to write her book about pregnancy?

[3:10] Leslie shares how it felt to be her own health advocate.

[5:58] What is the technical difference between a doula and a midwife? Why would you want one over the other? Does it make sense to have both? 

[7:55] Does the participation of a doula or midwife preclude you from having a medicated birth? 

[10:32] Where does a doctor fit into all of this? 

[11:59] What goes into the decision to have an epidural or not? How to build a supportive birthing team and what to consider if you want to plan for an un-medicated birth.

[16:07] Leslie shares tools for feeling positive when going into labor.

[18:40] Leslie gives advice on how to best involve your birth partner. 

[20:23] What is going on with the pelvic floor during pregnancy and birth? What can women do to make sure that it's healthy after birth?

[21:18] What is pelvic floor dysfunction?

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Bumpin’: The Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Leslie Schrock

Bumpin.com

The first years of a baby’s life can feel anything but simple. While their needs are few, namely love, food, sleep, and play, parents often feel pressure to provide the absolute best on these fronts. The best food. The best sleep. The best play. 

We are told that to accomplish this by doing more: more playdates, more lessons, more outings, and more variety on the table. Jessica Rolph is joined by Kim John Payne on today’s episode to help us question this approach. He is the author of the best-seller Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids and he has also written: The Soul of Discipline: The Simplicity Parenting Approach to Warm, Firm, and Calm Guidance — From Toddlers to Teens and Being at Your Best When Your Kids Are at Their Worst: Practical Compassion in Parenting.

Highlights::

[2:07]  What does Simplicity Parenting mean?

[3:15] Kim lists the four main areas to start simplifying your child’s life.

[5:20] How do parents know if a toy is purposeful before they decide to bring it home? 

[7:25] The power of predictability: Why do children benefit from knowing what to expect? 

[12:24] What does a Waldorf-informed mealtime look like? 

[15:10] How can parents simplify their lives more proactively and less reactively? 

[17:12] A child’s brain processes a fraction slower than adults; Kim explains how to match their timing.

[20:17] Kim shares tips for parents who are struggling with the transition from a busy day to reentering the family unit at a slower pace.

[24:18] Jessica offers three takeaways from her conversation with Kim John Payne.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

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Simplicity Parenting Podcast

Our guest today is a mother of four children, ages 5 to 17. She knows well how the demands of parenting can run you into the ground. She made the choice to step off the “struggle bus of overwhelm” — as she calls it — but it was a move that took time, and conscious effort.

The secret? Establishing clear boundaries. And choosing not to identify with the “mother as martyr” role. So many of us look for our partners to validate how hard we are working, before we give ourselves permission to delegate and take a break. Or hold onto resentment because we feel we are shouldering more than our fair share of the parenting burden. 

In this episode, Julie Tenner gives us permission to ask: What do I need to show up as the best version of myself in this family? She is an Australian-based relationship expert who shares her wisdom as co-host of the podcast Nourishing the Mother. You can also find her at julietenner.love.

Takeaways:

1. If you find yourself resenting the people you love, it’s a sign you need to re-enforce your boundaries. Score-keeping is something we slip into when we’re feeling under-valued. Time to have a conversation with your partner about what you need out of each of your roles.
   
   

2. This conversation around roles is constantly shifting. Revisit the agreements you make regularly because our needs as adults shift with the changing children around us. Julie likes to think about it as tending to the you, to the me, to the us and to the family inc.
   
   

3. Julie talked about setting limits around breastfeeding and the inevitable resistance that a mother will come up against. Responding to your baby’s cries from a loving place, firm in your boundaries, can sound like: “Yeah, it’s really hard for you. I know you really want to have a feed, but I can’t give that to you right now, but I love you and I’m here.”
   
   

4. Julie is a big fan of delegating. She reminds us that when delegating, we need to let go of how the task is executed. It’s not going to look exactly like it would have, if you had done it. But we can’t do this work on our own, so time to lean into the team!

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com 

Find Julie Tenner at julietenner.love

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram

Switching your child from a crib to bed can be a big milestone! Most sleep experts recommend waiting until your child is around three years old. 

Jessica Rolph, your host,  is joined by Dana Obleman to discuss what factors might go into that timing. Dana is an Infant and Child Sleep Consultant and the creator of The Sleep Sense Program.

Highlights:

[1:08] What are the signs that your child is ready to make the switch from a crib to a bed? 

[1:50] What should parents do when their child is climbing out of the crib?

[3:30] How much weight should parents give to their children's request to be in a big bed? 

[4:39] Night training in a bed: Will your child keep you up all night with requests to go to the potty? 

[6:13] What can parents do when their child is potty trained during the day but not as confident at night?

[8:02] If parents are welcoming a new sibling and want to use the crib for the baby, how should they manage this situation with their toddler? 

[9:45] Is there anything parents can do to make the crib more comfortable for an older child? 

[11:17] How can you best prepare a child for this transition?

[13:11] What kind of bed does Dana recommend parents transition to? 

[14:06] How concerned should parents be about the child rolling out?

[14:56] What kind of child-proofing needs to happen when a child has access to the bedroom at night? 

[16:14] What are some positive ways to handle night waking? 

[17:43] Dana speaks about co-sleeping.

[19:52] Does Dana have tips for parents that were co-sleeping and now making the switch?

[21:09] Dana explains why sleep is a skill.

[21:58] Jessica shares the key takeaways from her conversation with Dana Obleman.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram.

Bickering, fighting, jealousy, constant comparison and competition — sibling rivalry can be exhausting. Here to help us reduce the conflict between our children is parent educator, Kristin Mariella. Her approach is to hold the limits, while welcoming the waves of emotion. You can find more from Kristin Mariella @respectfulmom.

Takeaways:

1. Hold your tongue! Kristin urges parents to resist getting involved with sibling conflict, as long as there is not a safety issue. Even with the best of intentions, adult interference creates resistance and it sends the message of mistrust.
   
   

2. Welcome the big emotions your siblings have toward one another. It’s OK if they’re not the best of friends — and their relationship will shift over time. By normalizing disagreements, you will diminish the tension in the sibling relationship.
   
   

3. Avoid fostering competition. For example, asking your children to race to the car has a tendency to pit one child against another. Instead, have them compete against you. Play the part of the clumsy adult and you're bound to bring some humor to the situation.
   
   

4. Do your best to avoid equalizing things, particularly when it comes to food. Kristin reminds her children: “We never count food.” If you’re forever equaling out portions, you are sending the message that your children should look to their sibling’s plate to see if they have enough, rather than listening to their body. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com 

Find Kristin Mariella @respectfulmom

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

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Do you find yourself constantly having to nudge your toddler to stay on schedule and tick all the boxes? Let’s get a move on, we’ll be late! No seriously, it’s bedtime! Little wonder that we parents lose sight of our playful side in all the hustling. Today’s guest on the podcast has a remarkable knack for incorporating playfulness in the trickiest of situations. Even the dreaded tantrum feels slightly less scary with her guidance.

Dr. Becky Kennedy has earned the title of this generation’s Dr. Spock for her ability to dispense no-nonsense advice as a clinical psychologist, Instagram influencer, and now through her podcast, Good Inside. Let’s not overlook perhaps her greatest credential: She is a mother of three!

Key Takeaways:

[2:20] What do we do when our kids go in the opposite direction when we call them?

[5:36] Dr. Becky shares why being goofy humanizes parents in the eyes of a child.

[7:20] What’s the best way to handle a tantrum?

[11:28] Dr. Becky’s tips to help parents stay calm, even in the eye of the storm.

[16:24] Feelings don’t scare kids, but being alone with their feelings may.

[19:31] Dr. Becky speaks about how to model emotional regulation through play.

[22:25] Guidance on patching things over after a meltdown.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Visit GoodInside.com

Listen to Peaceful Parenting: Dealing with Tantrums an interview with Dr. Laura Markham

Some children make a lot of noise as they move through their day. They tend to like big movements: bear hugs, wrestling, getting messy. Others are quieter. They can sometimes be bothered by subtle things: tags, temperature, too much light. These children might retreat if their senses get overloaded. Sensory preferences fall on a spectrum.

Jessica Rolph is accompanied by Dr. Allie Ticktin to talk about how to navigate these differences. Dr. Allie is an occupational therapist with a specialty in sensory integration and early childhood development. She is the author of Play to Progress, Lead Your Child to Success Using the Power of Sensory Play.

Key Takeaways:

[2:07] Allie talks about how sensory needs can vary from child to child.

[3:19] How do you know if a child’s sensory needs are within the normal realm, versus when it’s time to get extra support?

[4:07] Why is proprioception one of Allie’s favorite senses to work on? 

[5:32] Allie shares tools to provide more proprioceptive input to your child.

[9:25] What senses other than proprioceptive should be on a parent’s radar?

[11:25] How do we respect our child’s need to be clean? 

[13:40] Why do parents need to engage these senses for children’s learning?

[14:52] How can we have sensory-rich play that engages all of these senses?

[15:38] What are open-ended toys and why you should choose more of those?

[18:38] What is a sensory toolbox? Does it vary based on the child’s needs? 

[20:42] The first step is regulation; a child who is not regulated can’t learn.

[21:04] How can you tell if a child is playing with something or if it’s helping them regulate? 

[22:15] What is in the calming toolkit?

[24:14] Allie’s advice to parents: Allow your child the space to play and to explore.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Play2Progress

Success in life — that looks different for everyone. But skills like persistence, managing frustration and emotional regulation tend to scaffold that success, no matter what the end result looks like.

These skills are all part of what scientists call executive function, something we’re focusing on this season. We like to talk about executive function, because young children have lots of chances to practice these skills!

In this episode, we look at how to build frustration tolerance. One of the best ways to do that is to play games — games where your child occasionally loses! Joining My New Life Host Jessica Rolph is Licensed Clinical Social Worker and founder of Starr Therapy, Talia Filippelli. She is a Genius of Play ambassador and has contributed to the Emotional Wellness Playbook.

Takeaways:

1. Our brains develop back to front over our lifespan, and the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for executive function, isn’t fully developed until age 30. So adjust your expectations accordingly! Play is a great place to start building these skills.
   
   

2. Coach your child through losing a game, rather than avoiding your child’s unhappiness at all costs. Explaining that every game has a loser, can help develop appropriate expectations. Talia starts games with her child by explaining: “I can’t tell you who’s going to win. I can’t predict the future. We don’t know how this is going to go.”
   
   

3. If your child’s frustration is mounting (particularly if siblings are involved) encourage them to take a pause and to recognize the signals in their body: “I can see you’re getting frustrated. And I can tell because I see you’re moving all your pieces around...” Then validate their feelings and encourage them to put their feelings to words: “Tell me about what’s making you feel frustrated about this game.” If children don’t have the language to express what they’re feeling, they will often resort to behaviors, some of them unwelcome.
   
   

4. The Lovevery wooden emotion dolls can help with emotional coaching. Ask your child where they feel the frustration in their body and point it out on the figure.
   
   

5. With children who prefer tasks and games that are easy for them, Talia likes to introduce the word “challenge”. “You’re so good at this game, why not go for something that’s going to be a little harder and see how you do? Challenges can be fun!” 

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com 

Find Talia Filippelli at Starr Therapy

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram

The Montessori method is rooted in the idea that children can—and should—be empowered to do things on their own. On this episode of My New Life, we consider handwriting through a Montessori lens. But how much independence can we truly expect from a child who is forming words on paper for the first time?

You may be surprised to learn that a toddler can start practicing handwriting as early as age 3. It all comes down to building the foundations through play! Host Jessica Rolph is joined by Julia Volkman, who wrote her thesis at Harvard on the moveable alphabet. Julia, founder of Maitri Learning, says writing comes online for developing brains before reading. 

Takeaways:

1. Julia points out that a child’s capacity to understand letter sounds is there before their capacity to write them or read them. The Montessori moveable alphabet is extremely helpful in familiarizing children with how these sounds fit together. They move into place the tiles that make the sounds mmm — ooo — pp and, voila, they have a word! MOP.

2. The more a child succeeds at building these words, the more readily they will start to read, and then write… and over time, their spelling will refine. This is the gradual, organic process that happens when they have the right conditions and the materials to support their learning.

3. When it comes to handwriting, the physical aspects are often what we think about: for example, the muscular ability to hold the pencil. But there are also intellectual aspects like the desire to write — and knowing enough about the world around them to find inspiration. 

4. Vocabulary and sequencing also play important roles. Vocabulary development comes naturally with your child’s exposure to lots of songs, rhymes and books. Give them the words for everything — and remember to keep it playful!

5. Montessori uses lots of indirect preparation, like scrubbing and preparing food to strengthen hand muscles and coordination. You can also practice sequencing in the kitchen by laying out ingredients from left to right, in the order you will use them.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com
Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram

Ever get the feeling like you are babbling more than your baby? It turns out that going gaga over your baby actually serves a purpose. It helps them with language acquisition! Their brains are taking in loads of information from these back-and-forth interactions.

Jessica Rolph welcomes Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek to this episode to explore the characteristics of this early communication. Kathy is a  professor in psychology at Temple University and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. She is also co-author of Becoming Brilliant: What Science Tells Us About Raising Successful Children. 

Key Takeaways:

[1:12] How can a parent contribute to the building of communication skills?

[2:30] Remember to pause and create space for your baby to respond.

[3:24] Kathy talks about infant-directed speech.

[5:30] The back-and-forth conversation with a baby might be more important than we thought.

[6:30] Technology sometimes gets in the way of opportunities to communicate with our babies. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Becoming Brilliant: What Science Tells Us About Raising Successful Children

Math is all around us. When it comes to teaching it, the challenge lies not in creating the opportunities, but in recognizing them. Counting grapes while they disappear is a fun one! Around the age of 4, a child’s mathematical knowledge takes a big leap forward. They go from counting and recognizing numbers, to understanding 1:1 correspondence and being able to complete simple addition.

As parents, we can support them in this leap by providing things to count, line up, and compare. Lovevery’s Montessori Math Bars & Number Tiles for months 43-45 are a great place to start. On this episode, My New Life Host Jessica Rolph is joined by the principal investigator for Boston College’s Thinking and Learning Lab, which studies cognitive development with a primary focus on mathematical knowledge: Dr. Elida Laski. Dr. Laski is also on the editorial board of the Journal of Montessori Research.

Takeaways:

1. By supporting early math, we’re activating the same pathways in the brain that will support literacy. For example, knowing that the symbol 3 refers to three objects is the same thing a child has to do in early reading when they look at an arbitrary combination of lines that represent a B and know that it makes the sound buh. 

2. Beyond learning the numbers, exposing children to early visual repeating patterns like red, blue, red, blue, also builds a foundation for later math learning. 

3. There’s research that shows that labeling the count set after you’ve counted with your child can make a big difference. So don’t just count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and assume your child knows that represents five. Go the extra step, and say: “So we have five pegs.” This concept is demonstrated in the Lovevery wooden counting box.

4. The Lovevery Montessori math bars not only show that numbers represent a larger quantity as you move up the count sequence, but also visually show how much more. You can reinforce this in the day-to-day, by asking your child: How many more floors do we have to go to get to number 6?

5. Rather than leaning on tools like flashcards, Elida recommends more authentic math activities, where you’re: counting real things; comparing who has more crackers, who has fewer; and placing things in order so that you can see their relation to the count sequence. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com
Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram

As co-founder of the organic baby food company Happy Family, host Jessica Rolph has invested a lot of energy trying to get the right nutrients into her kids. One of her children’s favorite first foods was sardines, and fast forward a few years, Jessica was surprised to see a post on the hugely popular Solid Starts recommending sardines as a first food.

Solid Starts promotes baby-led weaning, or finger-foods first. CEO Jenny Best joins Jessica on today’s episode to share her perspective on when to start your baby on solid foods and how best to do it.

Key Takeaways:

[1:40] What is baby-led weaning?

[2:24] Jenny talks about the advantages of the baby-led weaning approach.

[7:35] Giving children a front seat in their feeding experience.

[9:16] Challenges that come with baby-led weaning.

[13:47] How did Jenny first expose her twins to solids?

[14:51] Jenny examines fears around allergens.

[18:08] How should we think about the ingestion of food in those first few months of feeding?

[22:23] Jenny shares the recommended ages for starting baby-led weaning and starting solid foods in general.

[25:29] Jessica revisits some of the highlights of her conversation with Jenny Best.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Solid Starts

There is a lot of advice out there for parents. Not only are parenting books multiplying in number, they are increasing in volume. And there is certainly no shortage of online resources. Instagram now has so many parenting experts you can get an almost endless scroll of advice.

The abundance of information can be helpful on the one hand. But it can also lead us to think we are not doing enough, making it is easy to slip into over-parenting. This hands-on approach is sometimes referred to as intensive parenting, and its benefits (to both parent and child) are up for debate.

For a closer look at intensive parenting and how we can recognize it in ourselves, Jessica Rolph speaks with Developmental Psychologist Dr. Holly Schiffrin. She discusses all-important parenting skills like how to stand back and allow your child to experience natural consequences.

Key Takeaways:

[1:20] Holly co-authored a study called Insight into the Parenthood Paradox: Mental Health Outcomes Of Intensive Mothering. What was her objective in studying this style of parenting?

[4:55] Is motherhood supposed to be joyful at every turn?

[5:18] The study compared moms working in the home versus moms who also work outside the home.

[6:16] Parents who stay at home with their kids often go without the kind of recognition customary in paying jobs.

[6:53] The research suggests that mothers who rated particularly high on the idea of essentialism, that mothers are the essential parent, were less satisfied with their lives.

[8:00] Holly discusses the outcomes she’s observed in the children of intensive parents.

[9:56] What is the difference between intentional and intensive parenting?

[11:02] Has the pandemic made parents more or less intensive?

[12:35] What are the factors driving this intensive parenting approach?

[15:20] Holly talks about parental unhappiness.

[16:15] How does parenting in America compare to parenting in other cultures?

[17:15] Holly offers advice for parents of babies and toddlers.

[20:25] Jessica shares the highlights of her conversation with Dr. Holly Schiffrin.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

We hear a lot about the first 3 years of a baby’s life — how critical those years are to brain development. But today’s guest, the author of The Baby and the Biome, would argue that the same window is just as critical for our gut. Probiotics may have a role in keeping that system healthy. But are probiotics helpful to babies? And what about when you’re pregnant? Jessica Rolph, your host, welcomes Meenal Lele, founder of Lil’ Mixins.

Highlights:

[1:39] When do babies pick up their first dose of bacteria? 

[2:54] How does birth affect this bacterial environment? How does the introduction of bacteria differ between a C-section and a vaginal birth?

[4:56]  What can people who have C-sections do to replicate the bacteria that’s introduced during a vaginal birth?

[5:58] Should parents bathe their babies right away, or is there any benefit to letting them go unbathed for those first few days? 

[7:18] What are significant sources of good bacteria for your baby to build their microbiome in those first weeks? 

[9:18] What kind of probiotics does Meenal recommend for mixing into formula? How do you work those into breast milk?

[11:11] When our babies start to eat solid foods, should we supplement with probiotics? 

[12:51] What are other benefits of probiotics and supplementation?

[14:22] What would Meenal do if she had a baby now, knowing everything she knows?

[17:18] Why have human microbiomes lost microbial diversity?

[21:52] Jessica shares her top takeaways from the conversation with Meenal.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram.

Talk to any toddler for more than a couple of minutes, and you will be easily reminded of how thirsty they are for knowledge and information. While humans are continuously learning, we are born with something of an empty canvas and it’s the early experiences that we encounter as babies that form the brain architecture to support that learning.

At a birthing class, Jessica Rolph was introduced to a book that helped her put the science of early learning into action with her own baby and ultimately inspired her to create Lovevery. This book was written by Dr. William H. Staso, the guest on today’s episode.

Will is a psychologist who focuses on the assessment of autism in children under 3 years old. In 1999, he published “Neural Foundations: What Stimulation Your Baby Needs to Become Smart,” a book about the experiences that form the early architecture of the brain. In it, he shares multiple ideas for learning activities and ways to engage with your baby.

Key Takeaways:

[2:55] Dr. Will Staso explains what happens on a neurological level during the first 3 years of life.

[4:52] The importance of a baby’s environment to when it comes to wiring neurons.

[6:41] What parents can do to promote language acquisition.

[8:58] Will explains ways to stimulate your baby’s brain in place of flashing, noisy toys.

[10:06] Will talks about experienced-based activities.

[11:36] What does the perfect learning environment for a baby look like?

[14:10] The role of the adult and how to interact with your baby.

[15:55] Discovery learning requires non-restrictive parenting.

[17:49] Awareness of location and quantities prepare your child for letters and numbers later on.

[18:25] Learning sequences and making predictions.

[19:52] Nature or nurture?

[20:35] What does smartness really look like?

[21:45] Why is one brain more efficient than another?

[21:59] Will sums up his advice to parents.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

“Neural Foundations: What Stimulation Your Baby Needs to Become Smart” Dr. William H. Staso. To get a free copy of the book, please DM Jessica Rolph on Instagram. 

This week, we are revisiting a listener favorite from June 17, 2020, as we prepare the lineup for our upcoming season: Perspectives. Starting April 21, you’ll hear perspectives from experts on sleep, eating, and parenting philosophies, among other topics, so you can make informed choices for your family.

Talk to any toddler for more than a couple of minutes, and you will be easily reminded of how thirsty they are for knowledge and information. While humans are continuously learning, we are born with something of an empty canvas, and it’s the early experiences that we encounter as babies that form the brain architecture to support that learning.

At a birthing class, Jessica Rolph was introduced to a book that helped her put the science of early learning into action with her own baby and ultimately inspired her to create Lovevery. This book was written by Dr. William H. Staso, the guest on today’s episode.

Will is a psychologist who focuses on the assessment of autism in children under 3 years old. In 1999, he published “Neural Foundations: What Stimulation Your Baby Needs to Become Smart,” a book about the experiences that form the early architecture of the brain. In it, he shares multiple ideas for learning activities and ways to engage with your baby.

Key Takeaways:

[2:55] Dr. Will Staso explains what happens on a neurological level during the first 3 years of life.

[4:52] The importance of a baby’s environment to when it comes to wiring neurons.

[6:41] What parents can do to promote language acquisition.

[8:58] Will explains ways to stimulate your baby’s brain in place of flashing, noisy toys.

[10:06] Will talks about experienced-based activities.

[11:36] What does the perfect learning environment for a baby look like?

[14:10] The role of the adult and how to interact with your baby.

[15:55] Discovery learning requires non-restrictive parenting.

[17:49] Awareness of location and quantities prepare your child for letters and numbers later on.

[18:25] Learning sequences and making predictions.

[19:52] Nature or nurture?

[20:35] What does smartness really look like?

[21:45] Why is one brain more efficient than another?

[21:59] Will sums up his advice to parents.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

It’s remarkable how choosing your words carefully can mean the difference between a moment of connection or disconnect. Today’s guests are experts at effective communication with young children. Joanna Faber and Julie King are co-authors of the book, How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7, and they have just released a second book: How To Talk When Kids Won’t Listen: Whining, Fighting, Meltdowns, Defiance and & Other Challenges of Childhood.

Joanna and Julie share helpful tools to communicate with young children thoughtfully, avoiding orders and threats.

Key Takeaways:

[2:04] How do you get your kids to listen to you?

[5:13] Joanna shares a few examples of how to be playful when communicating with your child.

[6:03] Julie explains how it can help to give in fantasy what you can’t give in reality.

[9:15] How can we phrase our instructions so that children want to follow through?

[10:08] Do Julie and Joanna recommend giving children time-outs?

[13:30] What to do when your kid is hitting a younger sibling?

[15:31] Learn the distinction between punishment and expressing your feelings strongly.

[16:32] How can you help your toddler make amends and feel better?

[18:22] What are some strategies for whining?

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7, by Joanna Faber and Julie King

How To Talk When Kids Won’t Listen: Whining, Fighting, Meltdowns, Defiance and & Other Challenges of Childhood, by Joanna Faber and Julie King

Screens are hard to avoid in today’s world, and when our children do have access, turning them off can bring on some big emotions! Have you ever wondered why they have these oversized reactions? Or how to avoid them?

My New Life host Jessica Rolph is joined by  Dr. Martha Deiros Collado, a psychologist specializing in family therapy who has her own podcast called Talking Sense, and an Instagram presence at @dr.martha.psychologist. Listen to today’s episode for simple tips to bring more harmony to the conclusion of screen time. 

Highlights:

[1:03] Does Dr. Martha use screens with her three-year-old?

[2:11] Which shows does Dr. Martha consider appropriate for her daughter? 

[3:29] A listener asks for help managing her 3 year old’s big reactions every time she turns off the screen.

[4:19] What is a parent to do about these meltdowns?

[7:41] What is actually happening in the child’s brain while they are engaged with a screen?

[11:22] Is there any evidence that the type of programming can affect children’s behavior? 

[13:55] Does sticking to a schedule or having some kind of routine around screens help with limit setting?

[16:02] Another parent shares a questions about timing exposure to screens.

[18:23] Should parents use screen time as a reward? And what about withholding screens as a punishment?

[23:55] What are some best practices around modeling moderation for our children?

[27:18] Jessica shares takeaways from her conversation with Dr. Martha.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

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Montessori parents can give the impression that they do it all: organized home, tidy bedrooms, carefully ordered trays and activities. Sometimes it seems like Montessori sets the bar really high — so high that it feels unattainable for a busy parent. 

My New Life host Jessica Rolph speaks with Kylie D’Alton, an Australian mom that has gone a long way toward making Montessori principles more accessible. Kylie is the author of the popular blog How We Montessori, and in today’s episode, she shares valuable tips on how to bring Montessori into our homes in ways that don't involve accumulating more stuff.

Key Takeaways:

[1:06] Thinking like a Montessori parent.

[2:50] The benefits of observing and allowing children to experience something for themselves over correcting or teaching.

[4:51] Kylie explains how she introduces the real before the abstract and the benefits to your toddler’s development.

[6:35] What sort of things does Kylie involve her toddler in?

[10:25] How did Kylie take the Montessori approach to potty training? 

[13:26] Kylie shares some of her favorite memories of Montessori learning at home.

[14:43] Jessica reviews the highlights of her conversation with Kylie.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

How We Montessori

Babies are born wondering. They have to piece together the world around them by gathering information, and they do this by observing, experimenting, and asking questions. In this way, children are like little scientists. If you have a toddler in the house, there’s no shortage of questions in your daily conversations. But is it a two-way street? How many questions are you asking your toddler?

Jessica Rolph welcomes Dr. Sarah Lytle to today’s episode. She is the Director of Outreach and Education at the Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS) at the University of Washington. She says parents have a critical role to play in promoting early learning and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). And this starts with asking questions of your toddler.

Key Takeaways:

[1:26] What does STEM learning look like for toddlers?

[2:42] Early math skills are a strong predictor of later school achievement. Does Sarah’s research support that finding? 

[3:49] How do you make math part of the every-day with your toddler?

[5:06] Guided play versus instructing.

[7:52] The power of narration for preverbal children, as well as for toddlers.

[9:06] Sarah gives examples of how parents can shift from a narrative style to an inquisitive one: Why do you suppose birds live in trees?

[11:50] Sarah explains the scientific concepts children are learning while playing with water. She models some questions parents can ask their children while they are splashing around.

[14:35] We tend to associate technology with screens, but what kind of technology learning is Sarah promoting at I-LABS that is screen-free? 

[15:55] What kind of tools can support spatial awareness?

[17:53] Sarah offers her advice for parents around block play and suggests how parents can really get engaged and help their children discover the joy of learning through blocks.

[19:09] Women continue to be under-represented in STEM fields. Sarah explains how to encourage little girls to have positive experiences in STEM from an early age.

[20:46] What did Sarah’s parents do to get her excited about science? 

[21:32] What other activities can we do with our toddlers that really bring math, science and engineering to the forefront? 

[23:49] Jessica summarizes the key takeaways from their conversation.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Learn more about I-LABS

Even if your 3-year-old can recite their ABCs like a pro, they’ll need to learn that spoken words are made up of individual sounds to succeed at reading. Hands-on activities that build this kind of phonemic awareness — and reinforce the connection between letter sounds and letter shapes — are the best way to teach them what they need to know. 

As with all kinds of hands-on learning, Montessori is a great place to start! Did you know that in Montessori classrooms, children learn to spell before they learn to read? Word building with the moveable alphabet is at the heart of this process. In this first episode in the Montessori series, My New Life Host Jessica Rolph is joined by Laura Saylor, co-author of Powerful Literacy in the Montessori Classroom.

Takeaways:

1. The reading journey starts with building your child’s phonemic awareness. In other words, playing with sounds. Begin recognizing initial sounds, and then move to the sounds at the end and middle of words. “I spy with my little eye something that ends with the sound dd.”

2. Rather than memorizing the ABCs, Montessori teachers will often start with letter sounds. Once the sounds are mastered, they will move to the names of the letters.

3. In the Montessori world, children learn to spell before they learn to read. Word building with the moveable alphabet is at the heart of this process. Try focusing on one sound at a time, creating a variety of 3-letter words with the short U, for example: sun, gum, bun. Lovevery has a moveable alphabet game that capitalizes on a 4 year old’s enthusiasm for little objects by rewarding them with a tiny object representing the word they spell.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com 

Powerful Literacy in the Montessori Classroom
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We parents are a proud bunch. It’s natural to shower our children with compliments when they achieve something. But when babies become toddlers, “Good job” often evolves to “You’re so smart” or “What an amazing artist you are”. Too much of this kind of feedback as our child get older, may not help them persist in the face of challenges.

Psychotherapist Susan Bordon of Kinspace joins host Jessica Rolph on today’s episode to discuss ways to encourage intrinsic motivation. With a little bit of grit, kids are more motivated to try new things even when it’s hard, and make efforts to pitch in without bribes or rewards.

Key Takeaways:

[1:41] What’s wrong with telling your toddler: “You're so smart”?

[3:35] Susan talks about a recent research done by Carol Dweck, a psychologist at Stanford, who studied the effects of praise on grade-schoolers.

[5:25] How does this research apply to babies and toddlers?

[7:35] Why do parents praise children?

[9:20] What does it look like to be a parent who encourages intrinsic motivation?

[11:36] Praising the effort, rather than the outcome, takes practice.

[13:40] Susan talks about how and why not to interfere when a baby or a toddler is trying to achieve a challenging task.

[16:03] How the Montessori approach to demonstrating fits into the equation.

[17:54] Words that can help build self confidence in our children.

[19:35] How to introduce the concept of sharing to children.

[21:10] How early should parents adopt these practices to encourage intrinsic motivation in their children?

[23:40] Jessica reviews the highlights of her conversation with Susan.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Kinspace

Navigating the ups and downs of divorce looks different in each situation, but there are some universal ways to make it easier on our children. These start with better communication — rules around communicating that put your child first.

Here to help us establish some of these best practices is Dr. Tamara Afifi, a professor in Interpersonal Health Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her TedX Talk The impact of divorce on children has been viewed some 700,000 times. 

Highlights:

[1:29] What are the most common issues that you see with families confronting divorce? 

[2:34] What kind of communication is not positive for children?

[3:59] How does divorce affect children in the short-term?  

[5:06] What can divorced parents do to support their children’s resiliency over time?

[6:25] What are some best practices for divorced parents?

[9:47] A listener shares a question about maintaining consistency when it comes to childcare.

[11:45] How does divorce impact young children differently? 

[13:18]  We are closer to our children than in previous generations. How has this changed the way that children experience divorce? 

[14:30] How can we differentiate between a divorce-related behavior and something else that might need to get addressed? 

[16:07] Tammy zooms the lens out and offers some perspective.

[18:58] Jessica shares her top takeaways.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

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We all have big dreams for our little people, and there are so many ways to define success: finding purpose in life and work, reaching goals (whatever those might be), surrounding yourself with loved ones, to name just a few. Psychologists have pointed to a variety of practices that can help our kids achieve these things. Spending time with your child is a major one; others include letting your child make decisions and prioritizing kindness.

Jessica Rolph welcomes Esther Wojcicki to today’s episode to talk about raising successful children, her area of expertise. Her daughters, Susan, Janet, and Anne, are some of the most powerful women in Silicon Valley. They are respectively, the CEO of YouTube, a professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, and the Founder and CEO of the genetic testing company 23andMe. Esther, also known as the Godmother of Silicon Valley, is the author of How to Raise Successful People: Simple Lessons for Radical Results.

Key Takeaways:

[2:17] Did Esther set out to raise CEOs?

[3:24] Esther explains the acronym TRICK: Trust, Respect, Independence, Collaboration, and Kindness.

[5:19] What does trust look like in our modern-day society?

[8:00] Perhaps we shouldn’t be so worried all the time.

[8:50] Esther explains why allowing babies to self-soothe can be a demonstration of trust.

[12:02] How can parents of toddlers show respect? Just listen!

[14:15] Don’t do anything for your children that they can do for themselves.

[15:12] Esther speaks about collaboration in the home.

[17:30] The profound impact of kindness.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Visit Raise Successful People 

So many parents find themselves flying through the day, constantly running through a mental to-do list. It seems there is always room to squeeze in more. To be focused on one moment in time feels next to impossible, but there are ways to get present, even with with all this mental clutter.

Jessica Rolph welcomes Hunter Clarke-Fields to today’s episode. She’s the Mindful Mama Mentor, author of Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids, parenting coach, and host of the podcast Mindful Mama.

Key Takeaways:

[1:51] How did Hunter become the Mindful Mama?

[4:28] Hunter shares two important steps that are backed by research to stop yelling.

[11:09] Why does taking breaths actually help? What is the science behind it?

[13:30] How can parents bring themselves back to the present moment?

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Mindful Mama Mentoring

When it comes to starting or growing a family, many of us come face-to-face with a painful reality: Infertility. Even if you had an easy time conceiving, it doesn’t guarantee subsequent pregnancies will be just as easy. 

Problems in men’s bodies are the cause of around half of all infertility. Does that statistic shock you? That could be because women of child-bearing age are bombarded with marketing for expensive fertility supplements and treatments, while men remain largely in the dark about their reproductive health. Women’s lifestyle choices—what they eat, drink, and use on their bodies—are scrutinized and judged. Yet sperm is influenced by the same lifestyle factors.

Here to educate us on fertility for both men and women, is Leslie Schrock, top-selling author of the modern guide to pregnancy “Bumpin’”. She has now written a second book called “Fertility Rules”. Learn more about Leslie’s books @leslieschrock. 

Takeaways:

1. Men are just as likely as women to have health complications that contribute to infertility. The good news: There is a lot that men can do to improve their sperm supply because they regenerate it so frequently.
   
   

2. The first step, says Leslie, is to book a preconception appointment. Have an honest conversation with your doctor about any medications or supplements you may be taking. Some people think that supplementing with testosterone will make a man more fertile, but it actually drops a man’s semen parameters.
   
   

3. Leslie recommends only two supplements for women and men trying to conceive: CoQ10 and a prenatal vitamin with folic acid. She cautions women away from products that claim to regenerate your egg supply, which is not medically possible. Focus instead on ​​optimizing your overall health.
   
   

4. It takes an average of three IVF cycles for a couple to have a baby. But fertility treatments rarely start there. Leslie spoke about kits for at-home insemination as well as timed intercourse as a first step you can try at home.
   
   

5. While breastfeeding shouldn’t be relied upon for birth control, if you’re breastfeeding and trying to conceive, your body is not going to put its best foot forward to facilitate a second pregnancy. This is because the priority is feeding the human relying on your milk supply.
   
   

6. When supporting those who are experiencing infertility, Leslie reminds us to listen. There is no greater gift.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com 

Find Leslie Schrock @leslieschrock

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Host Jessica Rolph welcomes Certified Pediatric Sleep Specialist Lauren Heffernan to the second episode of our new season, Perspectives. In this season, you’ll hear curated perspectives on topics like sleep, feeding, and parenting philosophies, so you can make informed choices for your family.

It is rare to find a new parent who doesn’t wish for more hours of sleep; long nights seem to be part of the bargain. When those long nights start dragging on, it can feel like sleep training is the only way out. Lauren proposes a different approach. She is the founder of Isla Grace: Attachment-Focused Sleep. She prefers to avoid separation and the cry-it-out method of sleep training.

Key Takeaways:

[1:31] Lauren speaks about her own experience sleep training.

[3:56] She explains how that experience informs her practice as a sleep consultant.

[6:35] Supporting your babies’ emotions when you are sleep deprived is challenging.

[8:20] Why it’s difficult for parents to sit with those big emotions from their child.

[9:26] Lauren answers a question from a listener: My baby only falls asleep when I breastfeed him and wakes up throughout the night for more breastfeeding; how can I stop this without the cry-it-out approach?

[12:48] What happens when night weaning gets derailed.

[13:38] Bed-sharing and how to practice it safely.

[16:08] Lauren explains “bridging” between crib and toddler bed.

[17:04] How to reframe inconsistent napping.

[19:45] If you are getting extremely frustrated and exhausted, try a shifting pattern or ask for someone to support you.

[21:06] Lauren’s bottom-line advice to sleep-deprived parents.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Isla Grace: Attachment Focused Sleep

Independence, freedom, order, beauty. These are all elements of the Montessori play space, and who doesn’t want these things for their child? However, sometimes adopting a Montessori approach can feel like a high bar.

Jessica Rolph, your host, is joined by Simone Davies, author of The Montessori Baby and The Montessori Toddler. She can also be found online at The Montessori Notebook, where she gives tips, answers questions, and provides workshops to parents.

Simone would argue that it doesn’t have to be all or nothing when it comes to embracing Montessori at home; there are many small ways to incorporate Montessori, practices that not only reduce clutter but also bring more ease into our daily routines with our toddlers. 

Key Takeaways:

[2:06] Does Montessori’s focus on real experiences get in the way of a child’s natural inclination towards fantasy and imagination? 

[4:05] How does Montessori reconcile this focus on the “real” with a child’s enthusiasm for dress up and fantasy play? 

[5:18] What are the differences between Montessori at school and Montessori at home? 

[6:31] How long should caregivers allow children to be immersed in self-driven tasks? 

[7:44] What does it mean to be a Montessori parent? Who is Montessori for?

[8:42] What does freedom within limits look like in a Montessori home setting?

[9:28] Is there a Montessori view on discipline? 

[11:14] What does “Follow the child” entail?

[13:20] What are some ways to create a “Yes space”? 

[14:49] How can parents support their child’s freedom of expression and movement in a small home? 

[16:02] Simone talks about how having a beautifully prepared environment can feel out of reach for some people.

[17:26] What is the best way to implement toy rotation?

[19:40] What are some ways that families can incorporate Montessori at home without spending any money? 

[22:10] Jessica shares the highlights of an inspiring conversation with Simone Davies.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

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Have you ever played “hot/cold” with your child? It’s good for a laugh, particularly when a child can’t find something in plain sight. But it’s also great at teaching young children flexible thinking, or the ability to adapt to change. As they are searching for the lost item, they are listening to directions and staying flexible when they have to change course.

In this series on executive function, we’ve been looking at ways to help our children build these skills, which include working memory, impulse control and cognitive flexibility. These mental tasks take practice and must be learned and relearned. All the while, you’re laying the foundation for school-age success. Joining Host Jessica Rolph to explain the neuroscience behind flexible thinking is Dr. Stuart Marcovitch, a professor in the Department of Psychology at UNC Greensboro.

Takeaways:

1. While routines help children know what to expect, you can start mixing up the routine a bit at age 4. It gives your child an opportunity to practice flexible thinking. Maybe you brush teeth and then take a bath, instead of the other way around.
   
   

2. Games like the Lovevery Reach for the Stars Matching Cards — where you sort by shape, and then code switch to sort the same cards by color — are great for building flexible thinking.
   
   

3. Offering children choices is another cognitive flexibility technique, because it allows them to consider various alternatives simultaneously. Stuart recommends offering choices while cooking with your child: Do you want to cut the carrots into rounds or slice them into sticks?

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com 

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Parent-child interaction is crucial to brain development. An important part of that interaction is what is said while we’re engaging with our child — not just the words we use, but the frequency of those words and the way in which they are offered up.

Jessica Rolph welcomes Dr. Dana Suskind to today’s episode to talk about the reasons why a language-rich environment is so important and to best achieve one. Dr. Suskind is the author of Thirty Million Words: Building a Child's Brain and she is releasing a new book in April called Parent Nation: Unlocking Every Child's Potential, Fulfilling Society's Promise.

Key Takeaways:

[1:36] Dana talks about her path from surgeon to public health advocate. 

[3:03] How nurturing words contribute to the development of an infant’s brain.

[4:15] An overview of the Thirty Million Words study, the impetus behind Dana’s first book.

[6:45] How can parents help develop a nurturing experience while talking to their infants? Dana and her team developed 3 Ts: Tune in, Talk more, and Take turns.

[9:05] How can parents prioritize language in the face of so much streaming?

[10:25] Cooing and goofy exchanges with your baby have a critical role to play as catalysts. Dana explains why.

[12:23] The distinction between overheard speech and speech directed to the child.

[13:16] Dana talks about Parent Nation, a book that pictures a society that puts children and families at the center, that values the important work that parents and caregivers do every day.

[16:08] Most of this country believes in the power of family, parents, and caregivers, but they don’t look at one another as allies or as a collective whole. Dana and her team want to change that.

Mentioned in this episode:

ParentNation.org

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

For practical tips on how to create a language-rich environment for your baby and toddler, tune into My New Life episodes: 

​​Get your baby talking with The Speech Sisters

Baby talk: Learning your baby’s language with communication and play with Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek

Opinions vary wildly when it comes to managing tantrums. From waiting out the storm, to taking a hard line. Whatever you do, be consistent! With so much advice, it’s easy to understand why parents panic when the tears start flying. 

Jessica Rolph, your host, welcomes Positive Discipline Coach Jody Malterre, a master at bringing calm to every situation. Jody is a Montessori teacher trainer at Westminster College with over 30 years experience in Montessori education. She also sits on the board of the Positive Discipline Association. 

Key Takeaways:

[1:39] What is Positive Parenting?

[3:02] Why do toddlers have tantrums?

[5:05] Why empathy works wonders — for children and adults. 

[6:50] Other strategies to help your toddler move beyond the tantrum.

[9:52] How do you give your toddler a sense agency in their world?

[14:30] Jody shares tips for toddlers who stall with bedtime.

[16:00] Why routine and tools like bedtime cards work so well.

[18:08] Jody talks more broadly about positive discipline and how to shift into a positive discipline mindset.

[19:45] Jessica shares the highlights of a valuable conversation with Jody.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Listen to Peaceful Parenting: Dealing with Tantrums 

The Lovevery Helper Play Kit with Routine Cards

Lovevery’s Senior Advisor of Equity and Inclusion, Nicole Stamp, guides the conversation. This episode challenges some of the norms around how we discuss neurodiversity, particularly with our children.

Key Takeaways:

[2:15] Jessica explains why Uncle Rob’s Pizza Party has a special place in her heart.

[3:05] Jessica and Kate share how this book came to fruition.

[5:36] The sisters look back at their childhood growing up together with Rob and share interactions with other children around Rob’s condition, and why a book like this would have been helpful.

[7:13] Jessica and Kate talk about the process of actually creating the book.

[9:19] Jessica talks about the photoshoot for the book, which became her favorite day ever at work. 

[10:47] Terry Jo shares her experience with Angelman syndrome.

[12:03] Terry Jo talks about the relationship between her son Lou, diagnosed with Angelman, and his nephew, Elio.

[15:52] Terry Jo shares what is important for a family to know If a child is showing any traits that could be markers of Angelman syndrome or any other cognitive diagnoses.

[17:51] Kate, from her background in occupational therapy, shares her advice for families who think that maybe their child is exhibiting behaviors that might be associated with some kind of diagnosis.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Angelman.org

Cure Angelman

Combined Brain

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Parenting is full of trying moments. One way that parents express their frustration is by yelling — we’ve all been there! Feeling overwhelmed is usually at the root of it, but being around a parent who regularly raises their voice isn’t optimal for a child. Learning strategies to reduce yelling takes time, but it’s worth the hard work.

Jessica Rolph, your host, welcomes Brandi Jordan to today’s episode, she is the founder of The Cradle Company and host of the podcast Dear Doula. Brandi shares her strategies to bring more calm into the home.

Key Takeaways:

[1:40] Why “calm is contagious” is a favorite phrase of Brandi’s.

[3:22] What is Brandi’s advice for us when baby needs our attention and we are far from calm?

[4:50] What about when a toddler is in meltdown mode? Can calm really prevail?

[7:10] What to do when your children aren’t listening.

[10:39] Brandi speaks to the importance of being honest with ourselves about how we were parented.

[13:22] Brandi explains why she is a big advocate of asking for support.

[15:30] What are some silver linings emerging from the pandemic, according to Brandi?

[17:33] How does Brandi find calm when chaos erupts in her own home?

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Play has so much to teach us, children and parents alike. Sometimes parents can get a little too involved in their child’s play, particularly with the extra cool toys. When does our guidance become interference? And what amount of direction is appropriate?

Dave Neale joins Jessica Rolph to help us strike the right balance. Dave is a researcher in the psychology of play at the Centre for Research on Play in Education, Development and Learning at the University of Cambridge.

Key Takeaways:

[1:13] Dave explains the ‘sweet spot’ when a parent can provide support while not being too involved in the child’s play.

[3:20] Playing and its link with structured learning.

[5:30] How to find the balance between helping children achieve the goal of a game or letting them just explore the materials.

[8:18] Play with your children, engagement and becoming an entertained play partner are the most important factors.

[9:23] The effects of a parent who is not sufficiently involved.

[12:23] What is Dave’s favorite activity to do with 0-12 months old babies?

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Learn more about Dave Neale

Centre for Research on Play in Education, Development & Learning (PEDAL)

While many parents despair when in the face of these little lies, evidence suggests it is proof that executive functioning skills are developing in a child’s brain. Kang says to use these moments as teachable ones, but resist the urge to fall back on the “Never Cry Wolf” story. You’ll find out why at the end of this episode!

Key Takeaways:

[2:37] What is the difference between lying and storytelling?

[3:50] How does a child’s fantasy world factor into the storytelling? 

[5:49] How should you respond when you trap your child in a lie? 

[8:28] Is it a good idea to call our children out on their lies at all? 

[12:05] How does the situation differ when a child is lying to get their needs met?

[15:48] When do children start to use white lies in social settings? 

[18:10] Are white lies OK? How can we help children differentiate between the various types of lying? 

[20:04] How do parents encourage truth-telling with a 3-5 year old? 

[24:21] Jessica shares key takeaways from her honest conversation with Dr. Kang Lee.

Mentioned in this episode: 

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

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Dr. Kang Lee and his associates are conducting a social integrity study exploring children’s decision-making and rule adherence. Children will read stories and do activities in two 1-hour sessions, online via Zoom. Families will receive a certificate and a $25 Amazon gift card for participation. Use this link to learn more and participate: kangleelab.com/participate

Play has so much to teach us, children and parents alike. Sometimes parents can get a little too involved in their child’s play, particularly with the extra cool toys. When does our guidance become interference? And what amount of direction is appropriate?

Dave Neale joins Jessica Rolph on this episode to help us strike the right balance. Dave is a researcher in the psychology of play at the Centre for Research on Play in Education, Development and Learning at the University of Cambridge.

Key Takeaways:

[1:13] Dave explains the ‘sweet spot’ when a parent can provide support while not being too involved in the child’s play.

[3:20] Playing and its link with structured learning.

[5:30] How to find the balance between helping children achieve the goal of a game or letting them just explore the materials.

[8:18] Play with your children, engagement and becoming an entertained play partner are the most important factors.

[9:23] The effects of a parent who is not sufficiently involved.

[12:23] What is Dave’s favorite activity to do with 0-12 months old babies?

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Learn more about Dave Neale

Centre for Research on Play in Education, Development & Learning (PEDAL)

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The human brain has about 100 billion nerve cells, all of which are present at birth, but have few links between them. Those links are formed by experiences children have. The idea that the right inputs can strengthen a brain’s architecture informs much of the product design at Lovevery. But there’s lots of debate around how early we should start laying the foundation for academic learning.

Jessica Rolph, your host, welcomes Sarah Chesworth to today’s episode of The Perspective Series, to help us navigate Kindergarten prep in the baby and toddler years. Sarah is a former Kindergarten teacher and early childhood educator.

Key Takeaways:

[1:43] How does Sarah explain the debate between academic and play-based learning for 2 and 3 year olds?

[2:46] Should we be exposing our 2, 3, or 4 year olds to any academic skills?

[3:25] What are some categories of concepts that Sarah feels like children need to have to be ready for Kindergarten?

[4:48] What are some ways that math and spatial understanding can show up in play?

[6:29] Sarah talks about the distinction between healthy brain development in early childhood and the role that academics play.

[9:23] What early number skills might Sarah look for in children entering Kindergarten?

[10:48] What are some ways that parents can build empathy skills?

[12:04] Sarah speaks about the development of fine motor skills.

[13:00 ] Sarah describes the space she created for her daughter and the ways that she’s incorporated play and academics.

[15:01] Sarah extends her advice to parents: Listen, read, play, sing, and snuggle.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Learn more about Sarah Chesworth

Any pregnant mom will tell you: Their body goes through a major transformation! And with each passing month, nutritional needs change. We hear lots about omega-3s, but did you know that protein and choline play critical roles in the baby’s development in utero? Host Jessica Rolph speaks with Registered Dietitian Ryann Kipping, founder of The Prenatal Nutritionist.

Key Takeaways:

[1:40] What is the role of protein in a pregnant person’s diet?

[5:05] In what ways should our diet shift post-pregnancy? 

[9:54] What nutrients are particularly important during the last stage of pregnancy? 

[12:35] What risks come with not gaining enough weight during pregnancy?

[15:07] What is better for preconception: Folic acid or folate?

[18:02] What are Ryann’s tips around supplementation during pregnancy?

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Dr. Brewer's Pregnancy Diet

The Prenatal Nutritionist

Follow The Prenatal Nutritionist on Instagram

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram.

There are lots of parenting experts talking about choosing connection over discipline, but today’s guest on My New Life has a fresh take on limit-setting: She compares bad behavior to a smoke alarm going off. Punishment is like taking a hose and pointing it at the alarm. If the pressure is great enough, the alarm will stop. But we still don’t know why it went off in the first place. We need to find the fire!

Obstetric Social Worker and Parent Educator Genevieve Muir joins Host Jessica Rolph to provide tips on finding the origin of these emotional flare ups. You can find Gen @connectedparentingau. 

Takeaways:

1. Gen reminds us that you need to name it to tame it. There’s no modifying challenging behavior without figuring out the root cause.
   
   

2. No matter what the behavior, children are never choosing to get it wrong. If they’re acting out, chances are good they need more connection with you. They are seeking that connection 24 hours a day, and they will seek it any way they can.
   
   

3. If your child’s not okay, they probably don’t want us to fix it or solve it or make it better. They actually just want us to acknowledge their struggle: “You’re really not happy about the Nutella, huh?” It’s as simple as that. Or, for an older child, you can dig a bit deeper: “I can see you’re really struggling with this Nutella and I’m wondering if you’re a little bit nervous about going to a new camp today? That can feel scary.”
   
   

4. Gen likes the phrase “I won’t let you hit” rather than something like “in this family, we don’t hit”. Not only does it clearly communicate to the child that they have crossed a boundary, it reminds you that your role is now to step in and keep everybody safe. She says setting boundaries with toddlers is most effective with a calm, but very much in control, physical presence.
   
   

5. Remember, one-on-one time can go a long way toward diffusing sibling conflict. Rivalries generally stem from a child feeling like they aren’t getting enough of your attention. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com 

Find Gen Muir @connectedparentingau

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram

Welcome to My New Life. I'm your host, Jessica Rolph. When we founded Lovevery, my co-founder Rod Morris and I believed that young children and their parents do best when they feel supported. My New Life is a podcast for parents in search of community and deeper insights into how our babies are developing.

The first season is aimed at parents of infants. I’ve interviewed experts in child development and neuroscience, as well as inspiring moms with real-life struggles.

My goal is to give you information that you can put into action, so you can spend the time that you do have in a really meaningful way. Look for fresh episodes to drop every other Wednesday.

Thank you for being here. Together, we will make the most of this new life.

Executive function is a hot topic in brain research. Impulse control is one of a suite of skills associated with executive function. 

Jessica Rolph is accompanied by an expert in this field, Dr. Melissa Clearfield, a professor of psychology at Whitman College. In this episode, Melissa shares her research on executive function in babies, along with some grounding advice for parents on connecting with their babies. That connection, she explains, is the foundation for the relationships that your baby will have later on in life.

Key Takeaways: 

[1:46] Melissa defines executive function and its link to success later in life.

[3:08] Signs of executive function in the baby’s first year of life.

[4:21] Melissa shares interventions that can boost executive function.

[6:25] The importance of parents giving baby their undivided attention.

[8:17] Electronic toys and babies.

[9:40] Simple toys promote learning, exploration and cognitive development.

[10:06] When is it beneficial to offer your child multiple levels of stimulation?

[12:13] How to model good executive function for children.

[13:50] The attachment style that you have with your infant sets the stage for that child’s attachment style later in life in their romantic partnership.

[14:50] Play for Success.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Learn more about Dr. Melissa Clearfield

A recent study at Cornell University looked at the benefits of doubling the recommended choline consumption. It showed a link between sustained attention in 7-year-olds and 930 mg of choline during pregnancy. There is also some research backing the possible benefits of giving choline supplements to breastfeeding mothers and toddlers. Host Jessica Rolph is honored to be joined by study authors Dr. Barbara Strupp and Dr. Richard Canfield.

Key Takeaways:

[1:58] What did Dr. Strupp and Dr. Canfield’s human study discover?

[5:44] Choline has been proven (in animal studies) to improve not only attention but also some other benefits.

[9:30] What should pregnant women be doing with this information? 

[12:06] Dr. Canfield talks about the different ways to get adequate levels of choline as a pregnant woman.

[13:45] Is there any indication that supplementing to the adequate intake, or even above that amount, is helpful for breastfeeding moms? 

[16:00] Dr. Strupp talks about indications that supplementing during childhood can make a difference in future brain health.

[17:59] How do Dr. Canfield and Dr. Strupp approach choline consumption in their adult lives?

[20:48] Jessica shares the highlights of her conversation with the Cornell researchers.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up on lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram.

Jessica Rolph is joined by Veronica Fernandez, who talks about how she takes advice from various parenting approaches and incorporates the best from each. Veronica discusses philosophies such as Montessori, RIE, and attachment parenting. She also shares with us ways to introduce bilingualism to babies and the benefits of it. 

Dr. Veronica Fernandez is a new mom, with a Ph.D. in Developmental and Child Psychology, with a focus on bilingual education. 

Key Takeaways:

[1:35] Veronica shares her journey from preschool to Ph.D.

[3:38] How to incorporate different philosophies in parenting your baby. 

[5:23] Veronica shares how she used the Montessori philosophy to create a prepared environment for her newborn baby.

[6:19] The essence of the Montessori approach.

[8:33] The Montessori approach characterizes by giving children the chance of manipulating materials such as glass.

[9:38] The RIE Method is about respectful parenting.

[13:45] Being in physical proximity to a child is always beneficial. 

[14:11] What does not resonate with Veronica about Attachment parenting?

[17:19] When the focus is on playing and interaction, the opportunities for teaching will show up spontaneously.

[18:56] Be present and playful in your interactions with children

[19:13] Introducing a second language to babies

[20:05] Children learn more by exposure than to intentional teaching. 

[21:58] The benefits of bilingualism.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Toddlers love words. This enthusiasm helps them grow their spoken words from just a few at age one, to 1,000 or even 2,000 by age three. Given how receptive young children are to new sounds and ways to use them, it is not surprising that toddlers can pick up second languages easily. Research also suggests that brain connections multiply when babies are exposed to new languages. Parents have caught on, and demand for bilingual products and preschools is at an all-time high.

While experts agree on the benefits of exposing kids to multiple languages, the best means of doing so is up for debate. On today’s episode, Host Jessica Rolph is joined by Dr. Veronica Fernandez, a developmental and child psychologist, with tips on how to best approach bilingualism in the home.

Key Takeaways:

[1:35] Veronica talks about the benefits of raising a bilingual child and shares the reasons why she is choosing to raise her daughter, Isla, with two languages.

[3:02] How can parents who only speak one language at home best lay a strong foundation for bilingualism at home?

[5:05] Veronica discusses the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches to bilingualism.

[6:57] Veronica speaks about the challenges of raising Isla as bilingual.

[8:00] How important is immersion? Do kids benefit from occasional exposure to a second language, or do they need to have some component of an immersive experience?

[8:50] Veronica debunks some myths about bilingualism, including the unfounded concern that learning another language may cause your child to have a speech delay.

[11:13] What if your child is using two languages within one sentence?

[12:25] What about those talking books and toys that switch from one language to another? How effective are they?

[14:21] Toddlers generally experience a language explosion around 18 months to 2 years; should parents expect the same of a bilingual baby?

[15:07] Should a parent drop a language if a child has a perceived delay?

[16:01] Is there an optimal age to introduce a second language?

[16:48] Veronica offers a few tools to teach the target language.

[18:01] If a child is reluctant to speak the second language, what can be done to encourage them?

[19:35] Veronica shares tips for parents who are monolingual and want to introduce their babies to another language, as well as for bilingual parents who are also on the journey to bilingualism with their children.

[21:40] Jessica reviews the highlights of her conversation with Veronica.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Parenting is a time of so much change for you and your baby, a little reliable information can go a long way towards making this new life, a good life. 

Jessica Rolph is your host and she is joined by Rachel Coley in this episode of My New Life, a Lovevery podcast, to discuss the common anxiety parents share about their children reaching milestones and comparing to other children’s progress. Does it help? Does it really matter?

Rachel Coley is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist and the mom behind a super informative website called CanDo Kiddo. Rachel prefers to focus on what she calls “mini-milestones”, which are all the tiny steps a baby takes to reach their objective. Tune in to learn what to do if your baby doesn’t like tummy time, how baby containers are getting in the way of natural development, and why the floor is the best place for your baby to be. 

Key Takeaways:

[2:51] Technology is shaping what kind of toys we are putting in front of our babies.

[4:22] Why do babies need to be on the floor?

[6:25] Is swaddling beneficial for a baby?

[7:14] Tummy time is the baby’s first opportunity to interact with gravity.

[11:15] Thinking about tummy time as a position for play is really helpful.

[13:54] Milestone anxiety vs staying curious about mini-milestones.

[15:30] How parents can help babies build the strength necessary to roll over.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

CanDo Kiddo

Many new parents struggle with decisions around learning outside of the home. When is the right age? Is daycare or preschool the answer? If extended family isn’t available or other help isn’t affordable, should parents keep their children at home while also juggling work or all the many other responsibilities? Then there’s the decision regarding what learning philosophy to follow.

Jessica Rolph, your host, welcomes Nikki Johnson to today’s episode. Nikki struggled with these decisions and landed on a homeschooling arrangement that aligns with Montessori. In addition to homeschooling her four year old, Marley, Nikki is an attorney and entrepreneur; she is also behind the Instagram account cultured_montessorian. Nikki and Jessica examine Montessori through a modern lens, from screen time to clutter.

Key Takeaways:

[1:40] What went into Nikki’s decision to start homeschooling her child?

[2:40] What made Montessori a good fit for Nikki’s daughter?

[3:48] Has Nikki seen any evidence of greater equity and inclusivity moving forward in the Montessori community?

[5:08] Nikki talks about the ways Montessori benefits children of color specifically.

[6:54] How does Nikki carve out time from her clearly very busy schedule as an entrepreneur, lawyer, and teacher to her daughter?

[10:27] Where does Nikki come down on screen time for Marley and how does this fit in or not fit in with Montessori?

[12:51] Are there any other ways that Nikki has interpreted Montessori through this more modern lens?

[14:59] Nikki’s daughter has a sensory processing disorder; she shares how she has tailored her learning to support that difference.

[17:10] Nikki shares how she approached decluttering and keeping her home environment more minimalist.

[19:01] What is the rhythm of a typical day for Nikki?

[21:35] Nikki spent time living in a homeless shelter as a child. How does that experience inform the home life that she has created for Marley?

[23:28] Nikki encourages families to do Montessori in whatever way works for them.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Check out Nikki’s Instagram @cultured_montessorian

Child nutrition and early brain development are profoundly linked. What goes into our babies, is essential to their brain growth. But that’s not to say achieving those optimal inputs is easy! The picky-eater routine can wear down even the most steadfast parent, and If we’re not careful, mealtime can become a battleground.

Jessica Rolph, your host, is accompanied today by Specialist Pediatric Dietitian Dr. Bahee Van de Bor. Learn valuable tips for parents challenged with keeping their strong-willed babies healthy.

Key Takeaways:

[1:48] Did you know a child may need up to 10 encounters with a new food before trying it?

[3:04] What approaches to feeding help nurture an adventurous eater?

[5:35] What are some common reasons why toddlers become picky eaters?

[9:54] Dr. Bahee shares her perspective on disguising veggies (for example, hiding foods like cauliflower or broccoli in other foods).

[12:07] Is it recommended that parents insist on their children trying new flavors, even when they reject it?

[13:11] How to avoid creating pressure around mealtime.

[14:43] Dr. Bahee gives a few strategies to try with children who only want sweets.

[16:05] Can snacking have a negative impact on the child’s health?

[17:39] How should parents approach their children’s variation in appetite?

[18:11] Dr. Bahee expands on how to transform a picky eater into a more expansive eater.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

You can learn more about Dr. Bahee at UK-KIDS-NUTRITION.com

Dr. Bahee’s free download: 5 ways to help your child try new foods

Most parents would not describe living with a toddler during Covid as peaceful, but there are ways to invite more calm into your home and limit the shouting. Host Jessica Rolph welcomes Psychologist Dr. Laura Markham to today’s episode. In her work as a coach with thousands of parents all over the world, Dr. Laura describes her approach as “peaceful parenting”. Who doesn’t want more of that? Learn why responding to tantrums with empathy can be a game changer.  

Dr. Laura is the author of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How To Stop Yelling and Start Connecting, Peaceful Parent, Happy Siblings: How To Stop the Fighting and Raise Friends for Life, and now her latest book, The Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids Workbook: Using mindfulness and connection to raise resilient, joyful children and rediscover your love of parenting.

Key Takeaways:

[1:35] How to be a peaceful parent during tantrums.

[4:32] Teach your toddler that big feelings are not dangerous; show them they are safe.

[5:45] How to let go of your concerns about being judged by others when your child is having a tantrum.

[8:25] What does a peaceful parent do when a toddler hits?

[12:12] When your child gets aggressive, demonstrate how to express feelings in a more acceptable way.

[12:47] Dr. Laura explains why rough housing leads to the release of oxytocin.

[14:46] Best practices for sharing peaceful parenting concepts with a spouse or other caregiver.

[17:27] Why empathy is a cornerstone for peaceful parenting.

[19:10] Why it’s important to acknowledge your child’s behavior as developmentally normal and realize this too shall pass.

[20:11] Jessica revisits the highlights of her conversation with Dr. Laura.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Learn more about Dr. Laura at AhaParenting.com

Is your child refusing to sit on the toilet? Or waiting until the pull-up is on to go poop? You’re not alone. For a lot of parents, the potty learning process is more drawn out than we anticipate. For some, it takes months or even years.

In previous episodes, you heard some common potty-training scenarios. We shared the advice of the author of Oh Crap Potty Training and Nicole Kavanaugh’s Montessori approach. In today’s episode, Host Jessica Rolph welcomes Quiara Smith, an occupational therapist specializing in pediatric pelvic floor health, to help with the trickier cases when it comes to learning potty etiquette.

Highlights:

[1:42] What scenarios are most common in Quiara’s practice? 

[2:28]  What are Quiara’s recommendations for a child who is withholding poop until nap time or night? 

[3:25] What if the child’s sensory system is overwhelmed?

[4:55] Is there anything that parents can do to create a more favorable environment in the bathroom for their child? 

[6:46] A specific potty challenge scenario from one of Lovevery's listeners.

[8:42] How firmly should parents hold boundaries around the use of diapers to poop? 

[9:46] A listener asks a question about how we can help a toddler to differentiate between a diaper and pull-ups/training pants.

[12:26] How can parents help their children to transition from the potty to the toilet? Listen to a parent whose child has been rejecting the regular toilet for almost a year.

[15:24] What to do when your child uses the potty at school, but not at home? Or visa versa.

[17:33] What can parents do when their child is withholding to the point of constipation?

[20:09] What is the average time frame for learning to use the potty? Is there a point at which parents should seek outside help?

[21:40] What do parents do if their child is potty trained and then experiences a regression? 

[22:36] Quiara shares tips to continue potty training while traveling.

[24:09] Quiara’s final advice. 

[25:37] Jessica gives her takeaways from the conversation with Quiara Smith.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram.

Listen to Perspectives on Toileting with the Author of 'Oh Crap! Potty Training' and A Montessori Perspective on Toilet Learning.

Find additional tips on potty training on the Lovevery blog at lovevery.com.

Empathy can be a puzzling concept for a young child. They often need adults to model it for them. When reading stories or playing with the wooden peg people together, ask your child: “How do you think that person is feeling right now? How can you tell? How would you feel in his place?” Encourage your child to notice the clues in their environment and use them to draw conclusions. 

In this final episode in the executive function series, Senior Director of Programs at Zero to Three Rebecca Parlakian joins Host Jessica Rolph to look at how empathy fits into the critical thinking skills coming online for your 4 year old.

Takeaways:

1. Empathy is caught not taught. We are teaching our child what empathy is when we model it, but also when we empathize with them.
   
   

2. Empathizing with our child doesn’t mean that we’re agreeing with them or doing exactly what they want us to do. Rather, it involves acknowledging that what we’re asking them to do is hard for them.
   
   

3. In order for a child to recognize that what they did was wrong, they have to accept some degree of shame. That’s asking a lot of a 4 year old. Rebecca recommends shifting 100% of the attention to the child who has been hurt, and only later (in private), asking your child questions like: How did you know she didn’t like it?
   
   

4. Rebecca has 3 suggestions for building empathy in the day-to-day with your child:

   1. Try to imagine how your baby is interpreting a situation and put that into words. For example: “It’s so frustrating when you can’t reach your pacifier!”
      
      

   2. Suggest ways that your child can show empathy. Something like: “Your cousin fell and hurt his knee. Would you like to help me get the ice pack for him?”
      
      

   3. Explore empathy in pretend play. So if we’re playing veterinarian, we can say: “The doggy has to have a shot, but look, he’s feeling a little scared…”

5. Finally, Rebecca suggests using the Imagine-if cards in the Examiner Play Kit as a way to build empathy. For example: “Let’s imagine you’re at preschool. What if a friend is feeling sad about saying goodbye to their mom or dad? What could you do to help them?”

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com 

Zero to Three

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram

Sleep, or the lack of it, is probably the most discussed topic among parents of newborns. And while sleepless nights are widely accepted as just part of the bargain of bringing a new life into the world, we are not always prepared for the sleepless nights to drag into years. Night wakings, bedtime routines that seem to go on and on, skipped naps, sleep regressions, musical beds, and crib to bed transitions — it is truly exhausting!

In today’s episode, host Jessica Rolph is joined by Lauren Lappen, a certified sleep consultant and co-founder of Wee Sleep Solutions, who offers practical advice on toddler sleep.

Key Takeaways:

[1:38] How do you get a toddler to bed and keep them there?

[2:45] The benefits of using routine cards during bedtime.

[4:04] Lauren’s tips on how to avoid a battle of wills with your toddler.

[5:10] How to respond when your toddler wakes in the middle of the night, asking for you.

[6:35] Why “musical beds” aren’t ideal for anyone; toddlers like to wake up in the same bed where they fell asleep.

[9:18] What if the wakings are a function of your child being unwell?

[10:26] Lauren talks about the signs a baby is ready to move to a toddler bed, and gives suggestions for types of beds to use.

[13:55] Considering easy access to the potty.

[17:22] Suggestions for specific situations, like if you’ve got a new baby coming and you need to make room, or if your child is a climber and might exit the crib.

[20:16] How critical are night feedings to toddlers?

[22:38] How to wean a toddler from that night feeding.

[24:23] What to do about pacifiers. Do they stay or do they go?

[27:06] Jessica gives some highlights of her conversation with Lauren.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Maple syrup, beet sugar, molasses, honey… there are so many alternatives to refined sugar. But despite a parent’s best efforts, it’s hard to avoid the processed stuff all together. And is that really the best approach anyhow? How much sugar restriction is too much? Can it backfire? Jessica Rolph welcomes Registered Dietitian Jennifer Anderson to the show. She is the mom behind Kids Eat In Color. Her specialty is forming healthy eating habits in the home.

Key Takeaways:

[1:54] The government released the first-ever dietary guidelines for infants and toddlers recommending no added sugar for children under age 2. Does this mean you should be making your kid’s first birthday cake with beet sugar?

[4:36] Jennifer gives suggestions to parents who have mostly avoided sugar for their baby, and want to introduce sugar after two.

[6:38] Jennifer talks about how overly restricting sugar for children can backfire.

[8:54] Consider this alternative to: No dessert until you finish your veggies!

[13:22] How do we encourage our kids to love veggies?

[15:22] Jennifer and Jessica discuss intuitive eating.

[18:27] Jennifer reviews the top questions she hears from parents who struggle to feed their toddlers.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Kids Eat In Color

Get your Free Child-Feeding Guide at Kids Eat In Color

Baby’s first words — few milestones are met with more emotion from the adults in the room! But what constitutes a first word and when should parents be expecting to hear them? Join Host Jessica Rolph and Speech Language Pathologist Gopika Kamdar for a look at some common indicators of language development.

On the table for discussion is research from the ’90s suggesting the volume of words spoken to infants is paramount to speech and language development, as compared with more recent research that emphasizes the importance of serve-and-return, the turn-taking that comes naturally to adults. So which is it? As with most topics we cover, we think you’ll find the answers reassuring.

Key Takeaways:

[1:26] Gopika talks about the benefits of narration and serve-and-return as approaches to promote language development.

[4:07] Gopika explains the difference between receptive language and expressive language.

[5:11] When do most children say their first words?

[6:52] When should we worry? When do you start to see a need for intervention?

[9:06] What are some language milestones for a 24-month-old?

[11:28] What are markers of a speech delay if a child isn’t meeting the average ranges?

[13:51] Myth or truth: Does pacifier use cause speech delays?

[16:07] Jessica shares her top three takeaways.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

We all know how important it is to read to our children, but trying to build a baby’s math skills can feel like a challenging task, especially if we don’t have a positive association with math ourselves. 

The good news is, baby is encountering math everywhere, and nurturing a love of numbers is not as hard as commonly thought. After all, we are all born loving numbers!

In this episode, Jessica Rolph speaks with Gillian Starkey, a professor in neuroscience with an emphasis on children’s developing math skills. She shares some pointers that are going to score big with you and your baby, and might even make math into something you both look forward to.

Key Takeaways:

[1:22] What constitutes math for babies?

[2:45] Gillian shares why it is important to build basic math skills at home with our babies.

[3:51] What do babies know about math when they are born?

[4:49] Activities that you can do with your baby (0-12 months old) to build math skills.

[8:00] How do children’s understanding of numbers and what they represent evolve as they get older?

[9:01] Gillian explains how to engage toddlers in everyday math. 

[10:03] Baking is one great way to introduce mathematical concepts to toddlers.

[10:33] Shapes and patterns can be used to strengthen math skills.

[11:40] Gillian gives tips on how to deal with our own math anxiety.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Learn more about Gillian Starkey

Why can change be so unsettling for our toddlers? I mean, change up the snack crackers and you may have a major crisis on your hands. On this episode of My New Life, Jessical Rolph hosts Lael Stone, author of “Raising Resilient and Compassionate Children”. Never is our resilience put to the test more so than in the face of change.

If you and your family are changing things up — be it a new home, new caregiver, or a new school, Lael will help you navigate what can be tricky terrain with your child. In addition to her work as a parent educator, she is a mother of three. You can find Lael @laelstone.

Takeaways:

1. A great way to ease children into a big change (or even a smaller transition) is to create pictures and talk through what’s going to happen, who’s going to be there, and how it’s going to look. For those children that thrive on information, this dispels some of the anxiety around uncertainty.
   
   

2. Make an effort to view change through the lens of your child. Even something like a visit to a new playground can feel scary. Meet their concerns with empathy and compassion rather than attempting to fix the situation, or justify why it’s no big deal.
   
   

3. Children process what’s going on around them through play. Help your child to explore changes by creating a similar scenario with their favorite toys. It’s a great time to ask questions like: How do you think Teddy is feeling about moving to a new home?
   
   

4. Change often makes children feel powerless. Try a power reversal game to restore some sense of power. This is a game where your child gets to be faster or stronger or know more than you do!

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com 

Find Lael Stone @laelstone

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Few topics will spark debate among parents more readily than screen time. It’s so controversial! Screens are everywhere. And avoiding them can feel like the domain of super-human parents. Learn some tips to cut down on screens from Dr. Screen-Free Mom: Meghan Owenz. She runs a website, Screen-Free Parenting, with over 27,000 active participants. She is also an Assistant Teaching Professor at Penn State University.

Key Takeaways:

[1:46] What does screen-free look like for Meghan’s family?

[2:24] Meghan shares alternatives for keeping kids engaged and busy.

[3:23] Use her S.P.O.I.L. system to cut down on screen time.

[4:38] How can independent play be achieved so parents can have a break too?

[6:37] Rotate favorite toys in and out of special baskets so that they feel fresh. 

[8:18] Does screen-free mean more stuff? There are ways around it: Something as simple as a scarf can offer miles of road-trip diversion.

[9:37] What does the science tell us about the effects of screen time on kids? 

[11:17] Meghan shares research findings on attention.

[12:13] Meghan talks about how language is impacted by screens.

[14:00] What about connecting with grandparents or friends over Zoom or FaceTime? 

[16:13] How does Meghan help parents wean their children from screens?

[18:08] What does becoming screen-free look like?

[19:38] How can a parent enforce a screen-free approach? She provides advice around changing rules with a toddler, as well as older children.

[22:45] Jessica provides a recap of an eye-opening conversation with Dr. Meghan Owenz.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Screen-Free Parenting

Language milestones are a hot topic. When should my baby be speaking? And how many words? So much is tied up in our ability to communicate with our little people. On today’s episode of My New Life, we call in the experts to get your baby talking! 

While the timeline for those treasured first words varies from child to child, there are some time-tested tricks to help the process along. Spoiler: Don’t be afraid to sing to your child. Jessica Rolph, your host, is accompanied by speech language experts Bridget Hillsberg and Brooke Dwyer, aka The Speech Sisters.

Key Takeaways:

[1:54] How much is nature vs nurture when it comes to a child developing language?

[3:13] Bridget and Brooke talk about their babies’ language development.

[4:47] The Speech Sisters’ number one tip for parents: imitate.

[6:05] What’s the difference between baby talk and imitating? 

[8:01] Another tip for parents: Act it out.

[9:25] Listening, labeling, and demonstrating play an important role in encouraging language development.

[12:37] What constitutes saying the first word versus babbling? If you know what they mean when they say it, does that count as a word? 

[13:23] How much should a child be talking? What’s typical? And when should we worry?

[16:04] Bridget and Brooke share stories about children who received early intervention to assist in their language development.

[18:25] Can a child learn language through screens?

[21:17] How much of a child’s language development stems from parent intervention versus screens or some other outside service?

[23:15] Parents have a tremendous impact on their children’s language acquisition. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Learn more about Bridget and Brooke on SpeechSisters.com

Speech Sisters on Instagram

Few milestones in a baby’s life are more memorable than their first steps. It feels like a major accomplishment — for baby and parent! But what comes after those first steps varies greatly from child to child, something Dr. Giselle Tadros constantly reminds her patients. She’s a pediatric physical therapist, founder of In-Home Pediatric Physical Therapy, and the guest on today’s episode of My New Life.

Giselle discusses how long it takes most babies to switch from crawling to walking as their primary mode of locomotion. Got lots of gear to help your kid with that transition? If so, you’re in good company. But you may be surprised to learn that baby walkers are not legal in many countries outside of the US!

Key Takeaways:

[1:40] What is the most common reason a parent of a toddler goes to a physical therapist for help?

[2:42] What does Giselle consider late for walking? When should a parent seek help? 

[3:52] What can parents do to help their children develop the core strength needed to be physically active toddlers? 

[6:10] What do jumpers do for children?

[7:27] Giselle explains why she promotes baby wearing.

[8:35] What are signs of core weakness in a child?

[10:03] Why some children need support with balance.

[10:43] How long does it take for a child to become good at walking? 

[12:04] What are some ways to encourage muscle development in toddlers in a natural way so that they become really active kids?

[13:35] What are some ways to replicate outdoor play inside? 

[14:40] Giselle talks about what she likes to see in an 18-month-old toddler in terms of gross motor skills.

[15:25] Giselle discusses the milestones of a typical two year old, from a gross motor development perspective.

[17:46] Jessica reviews the highlights of her conversation with Dr. Giselle Tadros.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

In-Home Pediatric Physical Therapy

#inhomepediatricpt on Instagram

Jessica Rolph is joined by Jamie Glowacki, author of the book: Oh Crap! Potty Training: Everything Modern Parents Need to Know to Do It Once and Do It Right. And don’t we all want to “do it once and do it right”? Despite our best intentions, this is one transition that rarely goes smoothly. But a few ground rules can make a world of difference. Tune in for a little parent training on how to do toilet training.

Key Takeaways:

[1:25] Jamie’s top do’s and don’ts in potty training.

[3:57] Jamie talks about the importance of parents making the decision about when to start potty training.

[7:11] Is there any advantage to starting potty training earlier than 3 years old?

[8:42] Jamie shares what to expect on the road to regular toilet use.

[12:54] A discussion about the tension around poop and how we should be reacting to this bodily function.

[15:30] The ergonomics of pooping — and why you should care!

[16:47] Advice to those parents whose children hold poop until they are in their diapers.

[20:15] Jamie’s policy on rewards and praise while potty training. Spoiler alert: Don’t go there.

[22:53] Jamie shares a piece of final advice to listeners: Potty training is not a measurement of your parenting.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Jamie Glowacki’s digital home

For the most part, limits provide a framework that helps everyone move through the day more fluidly, and with less friction. But on this episode of My New Life, we discuss limiting beliefs — beliefs that interfere with our own wellbeing and that of our family. 

A big one is the notion that we can “have it all”. For parents who work outside the home, this can compound the pressure we already feel to be in more than one place at a time. And for parents who work inside the home, the line between family and professional needs gets easily blurred. Leaving everyone wondering: Am I a good enough fill-in-the-blank… parent? employee? boss?

Psychologist and motherhood coach Yara Heary knows this dance all too well, and she’s here to help us explore how these limiting beliefs show up for us, because being aware of these thoughts is the first step toward changing them. You can find Yara @lifeafterbirthpsychology. 

Takeaways:

1. Host Jessica Rolph shared one of her own limiting beliefs: I’m not a present enough parent. Yara encouraged her to look at the standard to which she’s measuring her worth as a mother. Where did that standard come from? What is enough? This goes for any of the limiting beliefs we have.
   
   

2. Yara ascribes to the notion that you can have it all, but not all at the same time. There are seasons when one or another role is going to take priority. Give yourself permission to settle into the current role, knowing that there will come a time when you can switch hats.
   
   

3. When caring for young children, it can often feel like you haven’t “achieved” much. But that comes down to what we perceive as meaningful. If you write down all that you’ve ticked off in a day, it may be easier to re-evaluate those tasks as meaningful, valuable care-taking.
   
   

4. If you’re working outside the home and finding the separation painful, focus on 10 minutes of special time with your child each day. This is a time where the phone is out of reach and you’re following your child’s lead. If your child has trouble saying goodbye when you leave for work, talk about this special ritual you will have, when it will happen and what it will look like. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com 

Find Yara Heary @lifeafterbirthpsychology

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram

Key Takeaways:

[1:45] Does playing Mozart while pregnant make our babies smarter? 

[2:47] What can we extrapolate from evidence of new neurons generated in chicks and rats exposed to music in utero? 

[4:33] What about other sounds? When does a baby start to hear sounds outside the belly?

[5:24] Does does talking and singing to the baby in the womb make a difference?

[7:06] Where does Dr. Dardarian come down on regularly reading to a baby in utero? 

[8:36] What about repetitive prenatal reading of a single story? Can that have an impact? 

[9:52] Is there danger in exposing your unborn child to loud of music or other loud sounds?

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram

Learn more about Axia Women’s Health

Follow Axia Women's Health on Instagram

Have a few parenting regrets from 2020? You are not alone. But does rehashing all that make you a better parent? Dr. Leesha Ellis-Cox would argue that mom guilt is a disservice to you and your children. If you could use a pep talk as we launch ourselves into a new year, this is the episode for you!

Dr. Leesha is a psychiatrist, mother to 3 children, and the author of "Ditch the Mommy Guilt: A Blueprint for the Modern Mommy".

This holiday season is different. For many of you, it is family traditions that make this time of year significant and memorable. But in 2020, reuniting with extended family is not possible for everyone. It feels sad and lonely. Jessica Rolph is joined today by Dr. Zelana Montminy to help propel us into the holidays with a little more cheer.

Dr. Zelana is a renowned behavioral scientist and positive psychologist, delivering a fresh perspective rooted in science. She is the author of 21 Days to Resilience: How to Transcend the Daily Grind, Deal with the Tough Stuff, and Discover Your Strongest Self.

Key Takeaways:

[1:17] Dr. Zelana defines resilience.

[3:07] Zelana shares the top things resilient people do to get through hard times.

[4:50] How can we cultivate gratitude in our children?

[5:18] Modeling resilience for our toddlers.

[9:02] Strategies to help our children when they feel frustrated without solving their struggle for them.

[11:14] Helping your child deal with discomfort.

[14:19] How best to deal with judgement from parents and in-laws who might not agree with your parenting style.

[17:50] Zelana talks about the impact of the pandemic on babies and toddlers in the longer term.

[21:11] Consider ways to create meaningful memories this holiday season that cost nothing.

[22:30] Zelana shares one pandemic practice that will serve her in the long term.

[25:39] Jessica offers 3 takeaways from her conversation with Dr. Zelana.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

21 Days to Resilience: How to Transcend the Daily Grind, Deal with the Tough Stuff, and Discover Your Strongest Self, Dr. Zelana Montminy

With preschools and daycares in transition and case counts fluctuating, COVID has given parents plenty to worry about. One prominent concern among parents stems from a lack of socialization. None of us are socializing much, but given all the information out there suggesting socialization with other children is important, parents are particularly worried about their children not interacting with peers.

In this episode, we look at how toddlers socialize and how we, as adults, can help them build those skills at home. Jessica Rolph, your host, is joined by Nekole Eaton, a Pediatric Occupational Therapist specializing in child development. You can find her at Kids OT Help on YouTube, where she has built an audience of almost 90,000 subscribers.

Key Takeaways:

[1:22] What kind of socialization most benefits children at a young age?

[3:50] How can parents simulate foundational socialization with their children at home? 

[5:02] What can parents do to impart the lessons that come from disagreements when the playgrounds are closed? 

[6:11] Is it the same to Zoom a grandparent as it is to watch a show or to play a game? 

[8:48] Children can effectively learn basic social skills through caregivers, parents, grandparents, and aunts.

[9:56] Nekole shares how she is socializing her son.

[12:01] On some days, just holding it together during these challenging times is enough.

[14:40] Jessica summarizes the takeaways from her conversation with Nekole. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Kids OT Help on YouTube

Babies' understanding of language comes well before their ability to speak. This also can be the case with their motor skills. Most babies will wave bye-bye before they can say the words. These are a few of the reasons signing works well for babies. It gives them another means of communicating. Plus research shows that babies who learn basic sign language develop pathways for communication sooner than they would otherwise. 

Jessica Rolph welcomes Joy Jackson (@lyric_laughter_learning) to today’s episode. She has been using sign language with her daughter from the time she was 4 months old. Joy shares why she chose to teach her sign language and how this has enhanced her communication skills.

Key Takeaways:

[1:16] Joy explains why she taught herself sign language in order to share it with her daughter.

[4:12] Joy started teaching Lyric sign language at 4 months old. When did Lyric start using signs?

[5:19] Is there any benefit to teaching sign language to verbal children?

[6:08] What are some common misconceptions about sign language and teaching babies sign language?

[8:15] Joy talks about the difference between baby sign language and ASL.

[9:29] If a parent is just going to use six or seven signs, what are some particularly useful ones?

[10:42] How many signs did Joy’s baby have when she was 1 year old? What can parents expect?

[11:50] Is a baby who can sign considered bilingual?

[13:02] How and why to teach emotion signs.

[14:25] Some great reasons to invest the time necessary to teach our babies and young children sign language.

[16:43] Jessica’s takeaways of today’s show.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Joy’s Instagram: @lyric_laughter_learning

Sibling rivalry is normal. The kids usually move on quickly, but it often leaves us adults unhinged. What can we do to help diffuse those tense moments, and maybe even build some mutual respect?

In the spring we shared an episode about bringing home a new baby sibling. In today’s episode, we are following up with Lovevery expert Gabrielle Felman on sibling dynamics. We look at how to handle jealousy, possessiveness, fighting, as well as best practices around intervening, modeling resolutions, and incorporating one-on-one time. Gabrielle is an Early Childhood Development Expert based in New York.

Highlights:

[1:46] When you are praising one of your children, is it necessary to compliment the other?

[5:39] What is the best way to approach having special time with each of your children? How do you manage the other child’s emotions?

[7:14] When do parents need to step in when it looks like a fight is brewing?

[9:59] How can you help your children work together to come to a resolution?

[14:25] How should parents handle children’s possessiveness over things?

[17:04] What’s the best way to explain fairness and inequality?

[19:01] What to do when your younger child wants a later bedtime like their sibling.

[20:41] What is one thing that parents can do to foster better sibling relationships?

[21:35] Jessica shares her takeaways from the conversation with Gabrielle.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram.

Laundry, diapering, feeding, laundry... this is the work of a new parent, and much of it can feel rather tedious. Unfortunately, boredom can sometimes slip into darker feelings of disconnection.  

In this episode, Jessica Rolph is accompanied by Erica Komisar, who suggests that one way to stay engaged is to take an interest in your baby’s brain development. Erica Komisar is a psychoanalyst and parent coach based out of New York City. 

Key Takeaways:

[1:26] Erica Komisar talks about her clinical work with patients who are experiencing boredom.

[3:05] Interest in child development as a possible solution for a parent’s boredom.

[4:45] Erica explains how to ignite a sense of wonder around your baby’s development.

[6:35] Recognizing the immense value of nurturing your baby.

[7:14] Possible cues of postpartum depression.

[8:30] Skin-to-skin contact lays the foundation for emotional security.

[9:16] Breast feeding, in light of the skin-to-skin contact, has neurological benefits. If you are bottle feeding, consider taking off your shirt.

[12:18] Advice to mothers who have been separated from their babies.

[14:05] Tips to spark the connection between you and your baby.

[14:59] Mirroring your baby is about reflecting how your baby feels; as a result, your baby feels understood.

[16:53] The perils of idealizing parenthood.

[19:11] Does COVID-19 bring more risk of depression?

[20:45] When is the best time to seek professional health?

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Don’t dismiss a new mom’s boredom. It could be a sign of something more serious. The Washington Post, Erica Komisar 

Usually when we consider having another baby, personal preferences factor heavily into decisions around timing — things like budget or sibling dynamics. But it’s rare to consider the health impacts, and it’s even less common to discuss birth spacing with your doctor.

Jessica Rolph, your host, welcomes Dr. Alison Gemmill to today’s episode. Alison is an Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins, in the Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health. She shares the biological benefits and risks associated with the timing of your pregnancies, with the goal of helping listeners make informed decisions about when to grow their families.

Key Takeaways:

[1:35] What does the research tell us about the optimum time between pregnancies?

[2:27] What are the benefits of waiting 18 months between pregnancies?

[3:22] What should parents be doing about spacing between a miscarriage? 

[3:58] What about waiting more than five years?

[5:38] What risks are at play in the case of an older mom?

[8:51] What does research show in regard to the connection between autism and birth intervals less than 18 months?

[10:11] What is Dr. Gemmill’s theory on how much the baby takes from the mother’s nutritional reserve and for how long it takes to build that backup?

[11:33] Jessica shares her top three takeaways from her with Dr. Gemmill.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram

Pregnant with your second? Listen to My New Life Episode 22: “New additions: Bringing home a sibling” with Gabrielle Felman, and you’ll find more insights on sibling dynamics on the Lovevery app. Details at Lovevery.com

Share the news of a baby brother or sister with a toddler, and it’s likely to be met with enthusiasm. But at some point after the baby arrives, jealousy and resentment can get in the way, and that can manifest in all sorts of new behaviors.

Jessica Rolph welcomes Gabrielle Felman, an early childhood development specialist and clinical social worker. She shares loads of practical, real-life tips and insights for how to best prepare for and navigate this transition.

Key Takeaways:

[1:40] What is the best way to prepare your toddler to be a big brother or sister?

[4:55] When is the right time to talk to a toddler about the birth of a sibling?

[5:46] When do you first tell your toddler that they’re going to be a big brother or big sister?

[7:33] What about using a baby doll to prepare?

[9:32] Is there an optimal age for a child to become a sibling to a newborn?

[10:28] What behavior should parents be expecting from the older child when the new baby gets added to the mix? What’s typical?

[15:38] Is there a way to derail the sense of rivalry or jealousy from the very beginning between siblings?

[19:34] Gabrielle shares her perspective about granting space to the older sibling and taking a laid-back approach to holding, cuddling, even being excited about the baby.

[20:56] What to do when the older sibling is smothering the baby sibling with love. How do you give that baby some space?

[22:54] How can parents involve the toddler in caring for the newborn?

[24:29] What if your toddler wants you to pick them up when you’re holding the baby or feeding the baby?

[25:43] What to do when your older child isn’t interested in the baby at all?

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Books recommended by Gabrielle:

The New Small Person, Lauren Child

King Baby, Kate Beaton

Little Miss, Big Sis, Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Snuggle the Baby, Sara Gillingham

With everything we have to worry about in today’s world, it’s easy to lose sight of how our children can have their own big worries too. Things like getting nails clipped, night-time noises, strangers, doctors, even entering a pool can feel overwhelming to our children.

How do we help them push through their fears? Which are normal, and which are extreme? And how do we validate their feelings without making their fears worse? Jessica Rolph, your host, welcomes Pediatric Psychologist Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart to today’s episode. She is an expert in childhood anxiety and helps parents distinguish between appropriate behavior and something that requires more attention.

Key Takeaways: 

[1:48] What should parents do and not do when it comes to soothing their children’s fears?

[3:11] What’s the optimal way to handle fear? 

[4:22] How to tackle repetitive fears?

[6:08] When does separation anxiety become a concern? 

[8:17] Where do parents draw the line between encouraging, strongly encouraging, or even making their child try something new, while also respecting their fears?

[10:35] How can we help a child push through their fear?

[13:15] Do we push through the first time they face a fear, or can gradual exposure begin the second or third time? 

[15:07] What is a normal level of apprehension towards strangers for toddlers and what is extreme? 

[18:30] How do parents avoid over-pathologizing their children?

[21:17] Where can parents get help with their questions about anxiety? 

[22:03] Dr. Lockhart suggests parents be aware of what we are consuming.

[23:33] Jessica shares the highlights of her conversation with Dr. Lockhart.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram.

Connect with Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart on Instagram

With opportunities for social interaction outside the family in short supply, many parents are stepping in as their child’s primary playmate. Is one way of playing better than another? In this episode with Dr. Shimi Kang, host Jessica Rolph explores the benefits of unstructured play and looks at how play prepares us for adulthood. 

Dr. Kang is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and best selling author. She is the author of The Dolphin Parent: A guide to Raise Healthy, Happy and Self-Motivated Kids, and her newest book The Tech Solution: Creating Healthy Habits for Kids Growing Up in a Digital World.

Key Takeaways:

[1:35] How did Shimi’s upbringing inform her work around play?

[3:17] Why is play such an important piece of childhood from a research perspective?

[6:10] We are hardwired to play.

[6:36] Shimi discusses a fascinating study that involves rats — play is crucial to their survival.

[7:50] How does play help children adapt to stress and emotionally process new experiences?

[9:18] Shimi explains the difference between free play and guided play. Why might parents want to emphasize one approach over the other? 

[11:19] Why toddlers benefit from unstructured activities.

[13:04] How can we tell if our toddlers are over-stimulated or overwhelmed?

[14:45] How much should parents get down on the floor with their children, or should parents play the role of observer?

[15:48] Do children need their parents to help scaffold pretend play?

[17:26] Tips for parents who want to give their children more freedom to play.

[18:55] The challenges of being mindful of technology and how it is impacting parents’ relationships with their children.

[21:03] Jessica shares her takeaways from the conversation.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Learn more about Dr. Shimi Kang

The Dolphin Parent: A guide to Raise Healthy, Happy and Self-Motivated Kids, Dr. Shimi Kang

The Tech Solution: Creating Healthy Habits for Kids Growing Up in a Digital World, Dr. Shimi Kang

Pacifiers are so convenient… until they’re not. At some point, there can be concerns about developing teeth and interference with speech, and weaning a child off a pacifier can be challenging.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and speech and language therapists recommend starting that weaning process between 6 to 12 months, and weaning entirely before a child’s third birthday. 

To guide us through that transition, My New Life host Jessica Rolph welcomes Dr. Amy Conrad to today’s episode. Dr. Amy is a mother to a 10-month-old, a Lovevery customer, and the host of the Ask Doctor Amy podcast.

Highlights:

[1:19] Dr. Amy talks about the pros and cons of pacifier use.

[3:42] What red flags should parents be looking for with regard to pacifier use?

[5:52] Dr. Amy shares her thoughts about the paci fairy approach.

[7:25] If a child is using a pacifier all through the day and at night, is it advisable to wean them from the pacifier during awake times, and then eventually extend that to nap-time and finally bedtime? 

[8:38] Can we revert to pacifiers when a child gets sick or during a trip?

[9:30] What about gradually shortening the tips of the pacifier? 

[10:40] How much of a concern is tooth decay, and how and when should we wean our child from the bottle?

[11:08] What are some signs that your baby is ready for a drinking cup? 

[12:31] How and when to use sippy cups, open cups, and bottles? 

[13:52] Jessica shares her takeaways from the conversation with Dr. Amy.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Receive weekly emails about your child’s development, and stay in the know about new play essentials, promos, and more by signing up at Lovevery.com

Follow Lovevery and Jessica Rolph on Instagram.

This week we are revisiting our most-downloaded episode from Dec. 1, 2021, as we prepare for our upcoming season: Transitions. In the new season of the podcast, we will take a look at transitions from diapers to potty, crib to bed, saying goodby to pacifiers, and lots more.

Language milestones are a hot topic. When should my baby be speaking? And how many words? So much is tied up in our ability to communicate with our little people. On today’s episode of My New Life, we call in the experts to get your baby talking! 

While the timeline for those treasured first words varies from child to child, there are some time-tested tricks to help the process along. Spoiler: Don’t be afraid to sing to your child. Jessica Rolph, your host, is accompanied by speech language experts Bridget Hillsberg and Brooke Dwyer, aka the Speech Sisters.

Key Takeaways:

[1:54] How much is nature vs nurture when it comes to a child developing language?

[3:13] Bridget and Brooke talk about their babies’ language development.

[4:47] The Speech Sisters’ number one tip for parents: imitate.

[6:05] What’s the difference between baby talk and imitating? 

[8:01] Another tip for parents: Act it out.

[9:25] Listening, labeling, and demonstrating play an important role in encouraging language development.

[12:37] What constitutes saying the first word versus babbling? If you know what they mean when they say it, does that count as a word? 

[13:23] How much should a child be talking? What’s typical? And when should we worry?

[16:04] Bridget and Brooke share stories about children who received early intervention to assist in their language development.

[18:25] Can a child learn language through screens?

[21:17] How much of a child’s language development stems from parent intervention versus screens or some other outside service?

[23:15] Parents have a tremendous impact on their children’s language acquisition. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Speech Sisters on Instagram

Find more about Bridget and Brooke on SpeechSisters.com

This bonus episode features an interview with Spencer Russell, the dad behind Toddlers Can Read. Spencer struggled to learn to read as a kid, so when it came time to choose a career, he set out to help others avoid the same experience and took a job with Teach for America, continuing as a kindergarten and first-grade teacher in Houston, Texas. 

When he started teaching, Spencer's students were scoring well below average on national standardized tests. But by the time he stepped away from the profession, 60% of his students advanced 1.5 years in their reading skills, and over half scored at or above the 82nd percentile, earning him national recognition. After becoming a parent, Spencer focused on his son, teaching him letter sounds at 18 months.

By 2 years old, his son was reading on his own! Which is the genesis of Spencer’s program, Toddlers Can Read. So effective are his tips for teaching reading, his social channels have over half-a-billion views. We at Lovevery teamed up with Spencer to create the best at-home reading program in the world, The Reading Skills Set.

Takeaways:

1. Make it a game: Children often learn literacy skills early when it feels like play. Teaching them to read sooner gives them more time to master these foundational skills.
2. Start simple: Begin with just three sounds and review them for a few seconds, multiple times a day. As your child grows, you can gradually extend the length of your practice sessions.
3. Turn learning into fun: Spencer suggests making the process playful. For example, have your child say the sound correctly before throwing a ball at the letter, making it an interactive game. 
4. Teach blending: Once your child grasps individual sounds, help them blend the sounds into words. Practice orally or using paper. For instance, review how “iii” and “nnn” makes “in” — slowly and patiently.
5. Feeling motivated? Here are 4 signs your child is ready to read:

1. They have strong oral language skills and can pronounce most sounds.
2. They show a good memory.
3. They can focus on sound games.
4. You feel confident in supporting their reading journey!

Spencer’s literacy materials can be found at ToddlersRead.com, including a free Beginning Reading Workshop aimed at empowering parents to teach their toddlers to read. Plus, get access to a limited-time, webinar-only discount on the new Reading Skill Set by Lovevery. 

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ToddlersRead.com

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Screens are so effective at distraction, but equally effective at causing parents angst! In today’s interview, Jessica Rolph is joined by Lovevery expert, Dr. Zach Stuckelman, to get to the bottom of the research on screens and young brains. 

They examine which content is better than others, and whether those learning apps are really teaching our kids anything. They also explore the value of video chatting and looking at family pictures or videos together on a phone.

Highlights:

[2:01] Are screens bad? How much is too much?

[5:18] Zach breaks down the age bands for screens to help parents navigate what to do when.

[7:08] How do we pick the best screen content for our children? What is the difference between something like Little Bear, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and Powerpuff Girls? 

[10:14] Is video chatting with family members different than “regular screen time”?

[11:18] How about screen time on a long trip with an 18-month-old?

[12:40] Is it ok to let children look at pictures of their family and videos of themselves playing?

[13:47] What kind of time limits should parents enforce?

[14:50] What to do when an older sibling gets access to a screen and the younger child is below the ideal age range?

[17:12] Jessica shares her takeaways from the conversation.

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You’ll find tips on how to scale back on screen time in Jessica’s interview with Meghan Owenz from September of 2020. 

Executive functioning skills are important, because they help us achieve our goals. Children with strong executive functioning skills have the focus, patience, flexibility and resilience to succeed in—and out—of school. 

While children continue to develop these skills into adolescence, research shows they surge at 4 years old. And they can be really fun to practice! In this episode, My New Life Host Jessica Rolph welcomes Whitman Professor of Psychology Dr. Melissa Clearfield a second time.

She first appeared on the show 3 years ago to discuss her research demonstrating differences in executive function in infants. This time, the focus is on executive function in older children, specifically a child’s ability to think ahead, a component of working memory.

Takeaways:

1. The three pillars of executive function are: impulse control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. The Lovevery Reach for the Stars Matching Cards — where you sort by shape, and then code switch to sort the same cards by color — are a great way to practice cognitive flexibility.
   
   

2. Executive function stems from attention, being able to focus on the right things and block out distractors. This is challenging at ages 3, 4 and 5 because of a child’s still-developing impulse control. Working on that selective, sustained focus is primary at this stage, and is best achieved through play with an adult.

3. The concept of time is still very vague before the age of 5. “We’re leaving in 15 minutes” has little meaning. Sequencing, however, is something they can do! “We have three things to do. Can we get them all done before your sister gets home?” The Lovevery countdown timer helps reinforce this skill visually.

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Whether it is cleaning up the toys, setting the table, or sorting laundry, involving your toddler with chores around the house is almost always an exercise in patience. And it most certainly is not going to produce impeccable results, but results are not the goal here. Developing a habit  of helpfulness and a sense of autonomy is what we parents are after.

Jessica Rolph welcomes Behavioral Specialist and Parent Coach Jeanna Twomey to today’s episode to explain how to best get your toddler involved in the dirty work. Tune in to hear strategies that will leave your child feeling like an important contributor to the household. Jeanna provides personalized support to parents through text, phone and video. She can be found at JeannaTwomeyParenting.com.

Key Takeaways:

[1:29] Why should we go to the trouble of getting our toddlers to help around the house?

[2:57] Why Jessica likes the terms “contribution” and “responsibility” more than “chores”.

[3:43] When is a good age to introduce the concept of contribution?

[4:27] Self-help skills are a great place to start.

[4:59] What can you do if your toddler refuses to help?

[7:08] Constructive ways to respond to your child’s efforts.

[9:01] Helpful ways to respond to mistakes.

[10:55] Jeanna gives specific examples of some good contributions to practice with your toddler.

[12:38] Jeanne shares her perspective on sticker charts.

[14:26] What are some motivating alternatives to rewards?

[16:03] Jeanna extends her advice to parents who feel like chores are just another box to check in an already overwhelming to-do list.

[18:18] Jessica sums up the conversation with her take aways.

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Waldorf education has become increasingly popular in recent decades. Supporters champion the creativity and independent thinking that it fosters, but some critics say it fails to prepare children for the “real” world, where things like competition and technology cannot be avoided.

Jessica Rolph welcomes Dr. Natasha Beck to today’s episode. She holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and has a Master’s in Public Health. Mom to three children and pregnant with her fourth, Dr. Beck is known to her social following as Dr. Organic Mommy, and much of her parenting is built around the principles of Waldorf.

Key Takeaways:

[1:33] Why did Natasha choose a Waldorf school for her first child?

[2:18] Natasha shares some of her favorite Waldorf teaching methods.

[4:07] What are Waldorf children not doing, in contrast to other preschoolers?

[5:38] Natasha explains how writing and reading instruction works in Waldorf schools.

[8:16] Ways in which Waldorf teachers create a language-rich environment without defaulting to storybooks.

[10:34] How can we bring some of the Waldorf philosophy and creativity into our homes?

[12:26] In Waldorf, screen time is a huge no-no. So no movies, no devices, or any other screens are allowed at school or at home. What’s the rationale behind that guideline?

[14:25] At what age does Natasha recommend introducing some media?

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Dr. Organic Mommy

Host Jessica Rolph welcomes Rebecca Parlakian to this episode to talk about the power of touch between infants and parents. 

Few moments are more tender in those first weeks of life than when your baby reaches out and takes your finger while in your arms. It’s the all-important language of touch at work! Social connection is not the only connection at work in that moment; there are neural connections forming as your baby makes contact with that finger. In today’s episode, Jessica and Rebecca examine the importance of touch for both baby and parent.

Rebecca Parlakian is a senior director program at Zero to Three, a national nonprofit organization that focuses on the healthy development of infants, toddlers, and families. Much of her work at Zero to Three is connected to the work of Dr. Andrew Meltzoff at the University of Washington Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences. 

Key Takeaways:

[1:27] Rebecca talks about Dr. Meltzoff’s research, and how physical touch helps to develop a baby’s sense of self and other.

[3:03] When do babies know that they have hands?

[3:58] How important is skin-to-skin contact between a parent and a baby?

[5:32] Rebecca discusses how parents can incorporate touch after the hospital — with infants and toddlers.

[6:12] What is Rebecca’s opinion of the research that indicates babies don't get the same benefit by being hugged by a friendly stranger as they do by a loved one? 

[7:32] Is there any research that supports skin-to-skin contact after the hospital? 

[9:09] What role can massage play in enhancing that bond between a parent and a child? 

[11:10] The nine elements of temperament.

[12:34] Some children love to get their hands messy and other children have an aversion to touching things. What causes this range in sensory preferences?

[13:40] The characteristics of sensory-aversive and sensory-seeking children.

[15:02] Why is sensory play important for a child’s development

[16:25] Why is mouthing natural and important?

[18:03] Is sucking a thumb or finger positive for a baby’s development?

[20:01] What is the earliest memory of touch?

[21:15] Jessica shares the highlights of her conversation with Rebecca.

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ZERO TO THREE

Host Jessica Rolph breastfed all three of her children, but weaning the last has been an emotional experience. It’s hard to say how many mothers breastfeed beyond that first year or two, but often those mothers feel judged for choosing to continue.

Lyndsey Hookway joins us to help demystify “extended” breastfeeding and offer tips on weaning for those who are ready. She is an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant for The Maternity Collective, based out of the UK.

Highlights:

[1:14] Why do we refer to breastfeeding beyond age 2 as “extended”?

[3:15] Jessica shares her personal experience feeding her daughter, even though it’s clearly not a nutritional experience anymore.

[5:14] What are some of the benefits to the nursing mother?

[7:02] Can breast milk lose some of its nutritional value over time? As volume decreases, why does the child still want to suck? 

[8:30] If a mother wants to continue breastfeeding her toddler when a newborn arrives, is there any reason why she shouldn’t nurse both children simultaneously? What does the science say about this? 

[11:20] Tender breasts are common with pregnancy and often initiate a natural weaning process.

[13:11] Is there an optimum period to wean your child?

[16:13] Lyndsey talks about hormonal fluctuations that can cause sadness after weaning, as well as temporary difficulty sleeping.

[18:09] How to handle a toddler who keeps asking to be breastfed at night?

[21:03] What is step one for a mother who wants to start the weaning process?

[23:21] Lyndsey shares some additional tips for weaning during the day.

[26:10] What to do if you’re feeling anxious about the weaning process. 

[28:54] Jessica shares takeaways from her conversation with Lyndsey Hookway.

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Brought to you by Lovevery.com 

Find Lyndsey @Lyndsey_Hookway

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Listen to Perspectives on feeding: Baby-led weaning with Jenny Best

Children’s questions about physical differences often catch us off guard. Parents worry about getting the response wrong, making the situation tense. But TV host and co-founder of ByUs Box, Nicole Stamp, says there’s a better approach.

On today’s episode with host Jessica Rolph, Nicole offers ways of thinking about these encounters from an equity perspective, ensuring everyone comes away from the interaction having had a positive experience. Equally important is the practice of building conversations about inclusion into the every day. After all, these are the conversations — which continue throughout a child’s life — that help our kids to make sense of the world.

Key Takeaways:

[1:45] We teach children to categorize from a young age by encouraging them to distinguish patterns, colors, and shapes. How does this categorization connect to the research on how toddlers are categorizing people?

[5:15] If a 2 or 3 year old walks up to somebody with a mobility device full of questions, how should a parent respond?

[6:20] Nicole explains the difference between diversity and equity.

[7:15] What does inclusion really mean?

[8:55] How can you guide a conversation with a child interested in another child with a physical difference?

[11:45] What kind of proactive steps can parents take to reinforce equity and inclusion?

[17:12] Nicole explains why being “color blind” does not help create the equitable society that we strive for.

[21:30] If a parent avoids conversations about race or other differences among people, their child is picking up on that message in non-verbal ways.

[23:33] Jessica shares her takeaways from a powerful conversation.

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ByUs Box

As you may know, Lovevery now offers The Reading Skills Set. It’s a phonics-based program that makes reading fun, motivating your child to read through play. It covers skills from pre-K through Second grade.

In this episode, My New Life host Jessica Rolph talks with Sprout Labs CEO Carla Small about the neuroscience behind dyslexia, and why it has nothing to do with reversing letters. Carla and Dr. Nadine Gaab created EarlyBird, an early literacy assessment used in school districts nationwide. 

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Brought to you by Lovevery.com 

SproutLabs.com

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Jessica Rolph welcomes Sami Carrick to this episode to talk about that magical moment of connection with our baby: story time. And all those who have read a book to an infant know that it doesn’t always go as planned! We know how important it is to read to our babies, but what should we do if they are crawling out of our laps, crazily flipping pages, or just plain not interested in what’s on the page?

Sami shares how teaching literacy can take lots of forms. She is a certified reading specialist and the mom behind Literacy for Littles.

Key Takeaways:

[1:30] Reading to a newborn: Sami explains how this might look.

[2:34] Position your newborn baby so they can see your facial expressions while you are reading.

[3:04] Consider incorporating a book at nap time and bedtime to help create predictability for your baby.

[3:31] When to introduce sensory books to babies.

[4:26] Tips to engage your baby in reading when they don’t seem to be able to stop moving or are uninterested.

[6:28] Sami shares practical tips to help a child learn how to turn the pages.

[8:01] The benefits of adding rubber bands to the pages.

[8:48] How to incorporate reading in the daily routine outside of bedtime.

[10:24] The importance of using a dramatic, animated voice while reading to your baby.

[11:50] Tips for parents to teach literacy early on.

[13:54] Sami explains why learning letter sounds is more important than being able to recite the ABCs.

[16:22] The benefits of incorporating sign language into a child’s day.

Mentioned in this episode:

Literacy for Littles

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Birthing is a topic we all want to weigh in on, but death? Not so much. We tend to avoid the subject, and when it comes to talking to our child about death, choosing the right words is hard. Of course, there’s no “right” way to talk about death except to lead with honesty and love.

Jessica Rolph, your host, welcomes Michele Benyo to the show. She is the founder of Good Grief Parenting. Michele came to this work in the wake of losing her child 20 years ago and helping his sibling through the grief. Today, Jessica and Michele discuss how parents can support their children through the death of a pet or loved one.

Highlights:

[1:26] What do parents need to know about how children grieve?

[3:13] How can parents help a grieving child?

[4:30] Michele gives examples of some mistakes parents make when discussing death with children.

[6:53] How can parents begin to use direct language to talk about death with their children?

[9:19] How does grief manifest through play?

[11:41] A question from the Lovevery community: “How do you answer: Are Grandma and Grandpa going to die? Followed by, Are you and Daddy going to die?”

[13:52] When do children start to understand death?

[15:27] How can we prepare our children for the death of someone who is close to death?

[17:10] Another question from a listener: “How do I incorporate family members who died into my son’s life at 7 months old? How do I explain to him that they’re no longer here, but they love him very much?”

[20:11] Ways to approach the death of a pet.

[22:47] How should we prepare children for a funeral?

[25:08] Jessica shares her takeaways from the conversation with Michele Benyo.

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Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Good Grief Parenting

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This week, we are revisiting a listener favorite from September, 2020, as we prepare the lineup for our upcoming season: Perspectives. Starting April 21, you’ll hear perspectives from experts on sleep, eating, and parenting philosophies, among other topics, so you can make informed choices for your family.

Few topics will spark debate among parents more readily than screen time. It’s so controversial! Screens are everywhere. And avoiding them can feel like the domain of super-human parents. Learn some tips to cut down on screens from Dr. Screen-Free Mom: Meghan Owenz. She runs a website, Screen-Free Parenting, with over 27,000 active participants. She is also an Assistant Teaching Professor at Penn State University.

Key Takeaways:

[1:46] What does screen-free look like for Meghan’s family?

[2:24] Meghan shares her alternatives for keeping kids engaged and busy.

[3:23] Use her S.P.O.I.L. system to cut down on screen time.

[4:38] How can independent play be achieved so parents can have a break too?

[6:37] Rotate favorite toys in and out of special baskets so that they feel fresh.

[8:18] Does screen-free mean more stuff? There are ways around it: Something as simple as a scarf can offer miles of road-trip diversion.

[9:37] What does the science tell us about the effects of screen time on kids?

[11:17] Meghan shares research findings on attention.

[12:13] Meghan talks about how language is impacted by screens.

[14:00] What about connecting with grandparents or friends over Zoom or FaceTime?

[16:13] How does Meghan help parents wean their children from screens?

[18:08] What does becoming screen-free look like?

[19:38] How can a parent enforce a screen-free approach? She provides advice around changing rules with a toddler, as well as older children.

[22:45] Jessica provides a recap of an eye-opening conversation with Dr. Meghan Owenz.

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Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Screen-Free Parenting

Empathy — the ability to imagine how others might be feeling — is a cornerstone of kindness, and Jessica Rolph, your host, is joined by  Monica Guthrie-Purchase to help us support our children in building that skill. Monica is a Start Early Education Coordinator. She is also the mother of two adult sons and grandmother to one granddaughter.

Key Takeaways:

[2:01] What is the first step to building kindness?

[2:45] How can parents model empathy?

[5:10] When do children start showing that they have empathy? 

[6:43] How can parents help their children build perspective?

[9:34] The benefits of teaching your child that a person isn’t bad, only their behavior.

[11:18] Should parents encourage their child to make an apology? 

[14:24] Monica shares some practical activities to teach empathy.

[16:28] How can books help children build kindness and empathy?

[17:23] Thinking of others can become part of the daily routine at home.

[20:46] Jessica shares her top takeaways from the conversation with Monica Guthrie-Purchase.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

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Kindness Starts With You, Jacquelyn Stagg

Key Takeaways:

[1:57] How does Montessori toilet learning differ from the more traditional potty training?

[3:34] How early did Nicole start this process with her kids?

[4:49] Nicole explains how the Montessori approach works.

[7:14] What kind of timeframe should a parent expect?

[9:10] Nicole talks about the benefits of the Montessori way and the cons of doing it in a more focused manner, with bribes and rewards.

[11:47] Why are we so squeamish when it comes to poop?

[14:48] Nicole describes what the Montessori potty learning environment can look like.

[16:03] Are cloth diapers an essential part of the equation? Nicole says no.

[17:07] Nicole gives her recommendations for pottying in public.

[19:56] Tips on nighttime and nap-time toilet training.

Mentioned in this episode: 

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Everyone Poops, by Taro Gomi

Natural is a loaded word when it comes to parenting. While it feels good to make choices that stem from nature, following an all-natural course and all the rules that come with it, can lead to stress. There are a lot of conflicting messages out there when it comes to what is healthy for our children: Is it ok to delay vaccines? Is it ok to use formula? What happens if your birth doesn’t go as planned?

Jessica Rolph is joined by Pediatrician Dr. Mona Amin on today’s episode to discuss alternate vaccination schedules, natural birth, cesarean deliveries, early nutrition, and even the nature vs. nurture debate. Tune in to hear the of straightforward medical advice that has made Dr. Mona’s podcast PedsDocTalk hugely popular.

Key Takeaways:

[1:49] Dr. Mona’s advice about babies, vaccines, and alternate schedules.

[6:55] Dr. Mona addresses parents who are concerned that there is a link between autism and vaccinations.

[8:16] What about the concern that babies on their first pediatric appointments are just too young to get so many vaccines?

[10:08] Dr. Mona shares aspects of her personal birthing experience and what she learned from it.

[13:34] There’s evidence that babies born by cesarean miss out on this transfer of essential bacteria from their mother. Is there anything that can be done about that?

[17:01] Dr. Mona provides her perspective on the homemade vs. packaged baby food debate.

[21:09] Dr. Mona talks about the age-old nature/nurture question. What is more important, genetics or the environment?

[23:25] Learn why owning your parenting decisions is so crucial.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

Listen to Dr. Mona’s podcast PedsDocTalk 

We’ve all been there: Witnessing the big emotions that roll in from the left field and feeling ill prepared for the storm that follows. It can be the wrong utensil, the wrong lovey, or just the wrong side of the bed. Toddlers are excellent at showing emotions but not yet skilled at expressing them, that is why they need our help naming and understanding their feelings.

Jessica Rolph, your host, is joined by Chazz Lewis, popularly known as Mr. Chazz, on today’s episode. Mr. Chazz walks us through how to co-regulate and offers tips on how to best communicate what the child is feeling in these dysregulated situations. He is an educational specialist who oversees 9 preschools.

Key Takeaways:

[1:44] What is the concept of co-regulation?

[4:45] Mr. Chazz gives some insight into what this co-regulation moment looks like.

[7:54] A story about a frustrated 3-year-old girl who was not heard beautifully illustrates this process.

[17:46] Should parents ask for children to apologize or even force an apology?

[22:06] What does shame specifically look like?

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Learn more about Mr. Chazz

Find more guidance from Mr. Chazz at Patreon

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The stress of separation is real — it can be upsetting for both you and your child. Whether it be a child sobbing for you to stay when the babysitter shows up or clinging to your leg at drop-off, it’s easy to feel like you’re doing it all wrong when these raw emotions take over.

My New Life’s Jessica Rolph welcomes Family Psychologist Ashleigh Warner to help parents navigate this tricky terrain. Ashleigh reassures us that these feelings are normal, and shares ways to make separations easier on everyone involved.

Highlights:

[1:45] What is causing our babies and toddlers to get so upset when we leave the room? 

[3:02] Ashleigh talks about Dr. Gordon Neufeld’s model of attachment.

[5:15] Ashleigh explains why it is completely normal for a child to struggle at drop-off.

[6:37] What happens if there are a few caregivers, who might even change day by day? 

[7:30] How to handle attachment in a daycare setting for a baby? 

[9:03] Is sneaking out recommended? How should parents handle separation?

[11:21] What can caretakers do to make separation less traumatic?

[14:45] What is the role of distraction? Are distractions recommended?

[15:58] How long is it okay for a child to be crying and upset over a separation? 

[17:34] Is it ok to go back for your child if the crying is more than you can handle?

[21:05] Should caregivers be practicing a few things at home before a big transition like starting daycare or preschool?

[22:30] What are ways that caregivers can build trust in their children that they will always return?

[23:30] Jessica presents the question of a listener. She’s a Navy mom who is gone a lot, and finds it painful when her child expresses a preference for Daddy. What advice does Ashleigh have for this mom? 

[25:02] How can a parent ease the transition when returning to work?

[26:38] Jessica shares her takeaways from her conversation with Ashleigh Warner.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com

@raisinghumanskind

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Feeding, diapering, dressing, soothing. At times, it feels like we’re merely surviving those early months. When in overdrive, pausing to observe doesn’t always come naturally, but looking and listening before responding to your baby or toddler can lead to some surprising discoveries about your child, and yourself! Something called RIE parenting is founded on that principle. RIE was created in 1978 by a woman named Magda Gerber. The basis of Magda’s RIE philosophy is respect for the child, and it asks us to examine our power in caring for these little beings.

Jessica  Rolph, your host, welcomes Hannah Olavarria to today’s episode, she has been trained in the foundations of RIE and is half of the parenting duo behind Upbringing, along with her twin sister, Kelty. Hannah shares how she has been incorporating RIE into their parenting and coaching for years.

Key Takeaways:

[1:58] What does RIE represent?

[2:49] What is Hannah’s experience with RIE as a mother?

[5:03] What does the RIE method for parents of babies really look like?

[8:23] Hannah talks about the RIE way to speak to a baby.

[11:55] Some RIE practitioners object to tummy time and Hannah gives her perspective on this.

[15:20] What does a typical “Yes space” look like?

[18:13] Hannah breaks down Upbringing’s 10 Freedoms, starting with the Freedom to Struggle.

[19:15] Hannah explains what the Freedom to Choose looks like for a baby and a toddler.

[23:07] There is no one parenting philosophy that fits all parents. 

Mentioned in this episode:

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Upbringing

Upbringing on Instagram

We welcome Dr. Billy Garvey to this episode of My New Life. He runs a clinic in Melbourne, Australia, that helps parents focus on their children’s strengths, and move through some of their challenges. 

The clinic has a 3-year waitlist and after listening to this episode, you’ll understand why: Dr. Billy is really good at helping caregivers and children connect in those moments when stronger limits are needed. He works with a lot of neurodiverse children, and brings that adaptive lens to our conversation. Dr. Billy is @drbillygarvey and has his own podcast, Pop Culture Parenting. 

Takeaways:

1. When your child is elevated — hitting or lashing out — it’s not the time to build skills. Our role in that moment is to show them they are safe. Rather than instructing them to “settle down,” take that moment to be a calming presence for your child.
   
   

2. You might be thinking: I can’t believe that set them off! But Dr. Billy reminds us that the same sensitivity that feeds the emotional dysregulation also makes them really receptive to positive feedback — so focus on their strengths and harnessing those. Look for opportunities to praise them when they are interacting positively with a sibling or doing what they’ve been asked.
   
   

3. Struggling to get out the door in the morning? See if you can chunk the larger request into smaller ones. For example, start with a specific 2-step direction (put on your socks and shoes) and, once that is mastered, you can move onto more steps.
   
   

4. If your child is repeating a behavior that you’d like to see less of, be sure to give them an alternative rather than simply asking them to stop. If the behavior involves another child, create some distance, whenever possible. They need time to cool off.

Mentioned in this episode:

Brought to you by Lovevery.com 

Find Dr. Billy Garvey @drbillygarvey

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