Sunshine Parenting

In Episode 49, I’m chatting with Michelle Kinder, Executive Director of the Momentous Institute in Dallas, Texas. Michelle has worked in the field of children’s mental health for more than 20 years and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts and the University of Texas with a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology. Michelle is a fellow of the OpEd Project and has articles featured in TIME, Washington Post, Dallas Morning News, Mindful Magazine, Huffington Post, PBS’ Next Avenue and Scary Mommy.  She is a nationally recognized speaker on trauma, parenting, social emotional health and emotionally intelligent leadership.  Michelle is a member of the Stagen Leadership Academy, the North Texas Chapter of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and the Leadership Dallas Alumni Association. Michelle grew up in Guatemala and is fluent in Spanish. She lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, Patrick, and their two daughters, Maya and Sophia. In our interview, Michelle and I talk about the Changing the Odds conference (September 27-28, 2018 in Dallas, Texas), children’s social-emotional health and well-being, and the resources available for parents through The Momentous Institute. Social Emotional Health is the capacity to understand and manage emotions, reactions, and relationships. Three Things Kids Need for Social Emotional Health We talk about what Michelle believes are the three most important things we need to address in order to ensure children’s social emotional health: * Safe relationships. * Capacity to self-regulate their emotions. * Inspiring them for contribution over achievement. Quotes from Michelle “The materials that we put out really are meant to shift every single adult on the planet into a head space where they can really see and feel and understand children and give them the experience that they are seen and felt and understood and capable and cherished.” “We always tell parents and caregivers and teachers, if you do not know what to do, if you’re in a situation with a kid and we all are at some point where it’s like, ‘Holy cow, There’s a possession taking place right now!’ Start with just regulating your own nervous system. Just get your own self in check.” “There’s such a hyper-focus on individual achievement and that’s an empty place for most of the population. There’s a very small percentage of people who are filled because they achieve individually. They might be proud, but they’re not filled up by that. So we spend a lot of time talking to children about a contribution being the inspiration and that that will fuel achievement, that none of us are in it for ourselves.” “We’re in it to be part of a community, safe relationships, helping kids learn how to self-regulate and then inspiring them for contribution over personal achievement.” “In our education system and in our parenting, we’re all a little overly captured by fear.” “Energetically we show up differently when we are guided by love instead of fear.” Links Momentous Institute

Something I always talk about is the parent child relationship. It is so important, especially at this age.  Reid Broudy Reid Broudy is a rising senior who attends Wildwood School in Los Angeles. Reid has been coming to Gold Arrow Camp since 2014 and recently completed the Junior Counselor program. His camp nickname is REX. Some of Reid’s extracurricular activities include serving as student body president, running his own club called Teens Make a Change, and being on the Common Sense Media Teen Council. Common Sense Media is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in a world of media and technology.  CSM provides accurate information and tools, as well as an independent forum, so that families can have a choice and a voice about the media they consume. Find out more at www.commonsensemedia.org. CSM’s Los Angeles Teen Council is designed to empower young people to become leaders and role models in the community by learning and speaking about issues of digital citizenship and literacy, and by modeling responsible media use. Reid, along with the other board members, travel to different events throughout Los Angeles and talk to Middle School Parents about today’s technology. They also answer questions and give tech/parenting advice while reflecting on their own middle school digital footprint. Reid’s passion for technology has also expanded into building websites for different clients. Reid hopes to create a safer environment online and return back to camp soon! Quotes from Reid “Something I always talk about is the parent child relationship. It is so important, especially at this age.” “Find a connection or passion that you and your child share that doesn’t involve screen time.” “My dad and I have gotten really close because we like to go hiking every weekend.” “Especially going into middle school or high school, you want to start with a trustworthy relationship.” “What is really important for parents, I think, is to check how much you use social media.” “If you go on any kid’s wall and look at their photos and their posts, everything just seems a little perfect.” “When you see a friend’s photo, and it looks like they’re having a great time, and you’re on the coach at home not there, you just get down on yourself.” “We really need to realize it’s fake. It’s not a perfect world.” “Have these conversations with your kid. It is really, really important.” Reid’s Contact Information Email: reidbroudy@gmail.com Instagram: @reidbroudy Links https://www.commonsensemedia.org/parent-concerns

For this episode of the Podcast, I talked with five 17-year-old Junior Counselors who’ve been going to camp for a long time: Will (10th year); Jackson (7th year); Caroline (7th year); Blake (6th year); and Quinn (3rd year). Below are some quotes from our talk. How have you changed or grown because of your time at camp? Will: “When I’m at camp, I realize that being yourself is the best thing to be.” “The best friends to have are people that accept you for who you are.” “Camp has made me a kinder person.” Jackson: “When I first came to camp, when music was playing, I’d be the one just sitting down, not participating in the dancing, but as I’ve come back every year, I started participating more and more. Now whenever there’s music playing, I’m up dancing and having a great time.” “I feel like camp definitely helped me just be able to be myself all the time.” Caroline: “I think that camp has provided me with a new perspective on life. It helps me go back home and know that I shouldn’t care about what others think and that I should always be proud of who I am.” Blake: “Camp has a really, really positive atmosphere.” “When I first came to Camp, I had pretty big anxiety about introducing myself to other people. As I went through the years at camp, I became more and more comfortable with saying who I am, what I do, what I love. And now as a six year camper, I’m perfectly comfortable introducing myself to my cabin mates.” “At camp I know I’ll be able to have that positive atmosphere and just the acceptance that you don’t always get in the real world.” Quinn: “But after coming here again and again, I became more and more confident about myself and my abilities and what I can do.” How is camp life different from what you experience out in the world? What are some of the pressures you feel like you’re under when you’re not at camp that you kind of get away from when you’re here? Will: “I think at school there are a lot of pressures for just fitting in and kind of being the cool kid at school.” “At camp you can be whoever you want to be.” Jackson: “Aside from just friends and just classmates or whatever, parents and coaches can also be like pushing you too hard, so when you come to camp it’s just a great stress relief from all of those pressures.” Caroline: “I think that at home we are all so focused on the future and where life is going to bring us in high school, colleges and applications and stuff.” “At camp we can live more in the moment and learn to take life for what it is and to really appreciate what you have in the moment.” “I think what camp has provided me is that I can fully appreciate every day for what it is and not be like everyone else surrounding me.” Blake: “At home I get a lot of pressure from both my parents but also myself to get good grades, because that’s something that’s always been important to me. But at camp, I really feel a release from that because I’m able to just do the activities and focus on what I’m doing now. I can really be in the now.” “Camp really is a stress reliever. It does like all sorts of great things for me. Like I just love every part of it because it’s like a vacation — a better vacation than I could even have with my family going to some exotic place.” Quinn: “Camp is a way for me to start off fresh.” What words of advice do you have for parents who are nervous about their kids not being able to do camp? Will: “I think like camp in general is a great experience for kids to have.

Camp is a place where we can be very positive and very intentional about teaching kindness and why it matters. -Tom Rosenberg In Episode 46, I chat with Tom Rosenberg, CEO of the American Camp Association about summer camp, accreditation, and #CampKindnessDay (July 24, 2018). Tom’s Bio Tom Rosenberg has a distinguished career in the camp profession and a long resume of service to ACA. He most recently served as the executive director of Camp Judaea in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Prior to Camp Judaea, Tom spent more than two decades with Blue Star Camps in North Carolina, most of those years as a director. Tom is a past national treasurer and board member of the ACA as well as a past board president and treasurer of ACA Southeastern. A founding board member of the North Carolina Youth Camp Association, Tom was awarded the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural Camp Industry Leadership Award as well as the American Camp Association’s National Honor Award and ACA Southeastern’s Distinguished Service Award. With an educational focus in business, Tom graduated with distinction from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California with an MBA and from the AB Freeman School of Business at Tulane University with a BS in Management. He is also a graduate of ACA’s Camp Director Institute. Tom melds his experience in the camp profession with business expertise, inspirational vision, successful fundraising experience, professional agility, organizational skills, and strategic focus — attributes that are essential to achieving success as ACA’s President/CEO. We are indeed fortunate to have such a thoughtful, dedicated, and experienced leader who is willing to take his commitment to camp, youth development, and ACA to a greater level. Tom, his wife Pam Sugarman, and their son Daniel live in Atlanta, Georgia. Topics We Discussed American Camp Association (ACA) Find a Camp (ACA’s searchable database) Parent Blog (ACA) Accreditation (ACA Standards) #CampKindnessDay Partnering with Kindness Evolution to promote #CampKindnessDay. Empathy and kindness need to be taught Practicing Kindness at Home “Camp is a place where we can be very positive and very intentional about teaching kindness and why it matters.” “Camp is a place where we put those phones aside, we leave them home, literally – 91% of ACA camps do not allow technology to enter their campers’ life while they are at camp. So at camp we have an opportunity to learn to live and work and play and communicate with other kids and young adults from different perspectives from our own.” The Importance of Story Telling “I hope that on #CampKindnessDay … campers will share stories of how they’ve learned to be kind.” “Showing appreciation for other people, and helping them feel valued and part of the community – that’s kindness. But that’s also the way we lead.” “When kids are in an environment where they feel appreciated and included, then they’re willing to take positive risks and try new things that they’ve never tried before.” Links, Resources, & Related Posts

It’s much more than getting you into college. It’s more about asking questions that we don’t ask kids early enough and if we did, it might help them navigate some of the tough parts of being a teen or tween in the US today. -Ana Homayoun In Episode 45, I talk with Ana Homayoun, a nationally recognized counselor and consultant specializing in strategies for junior high and high school students. I invited Ana on the podcast because I found her book Social Media Wellness: Helping Tweens and Teens Thrive in an Unbalanced Digital World (Corwin Teaching Essentials) to be an extremely timely and helpful book for parents, teachers, and others who work with youth.  Ana’s Bio When Ana Homayoun was a senior in college, she had a professor ask her what qualities she wanted in a career. “I want to write, I want to travel, and I want to help people,” she said without missing the beat. Fifteen years later, she does all of the above. Ana Homayoun is an author, educator, and coach who helps teens and young adults grow into resilient, thoughtful, and engaged young people. She is the founder of the Silicon Valley-based Green Ivy Educational Consulting, and travels around the world speaking at schools and conferences. Her work has been featured in the NYTimes, Chicago Tribune, SF Chronicle, ABC News, and USA Today, among others, and she is a frequent guest on NPR. Her first book, That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week quickly became a classic for those who deal with disorganization and distractions. Her second book, The Myth of the Perfect Girl highlights the modern day dilemmas of today’s teen girls and young adult women, and was heralded by one college student as being the book “that discusses what everyone is dealing with but no one is talking about.” Her latest book, Social Media Wellness, caused her to spend far more hours than she would like to admit using Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. Green Ivy Consulting For nearly two decades, Ana Homayoun’s work has focused on helping teenagers and young adults develop their own blueprints for success. Her prescriptive solutions promote better executive functioning skills, effectively address the culture of teen perfectionism, and provide practical real-life advice on how to promote social media wellness in an always-on digital world. Her authentic wisdom and sensible perspective is real, relevant, and adored by parents, educators and teens around the world. Ana works with middle school and high school students on organization, time management, and finding purpose. She and her team help students figure out their own goals and the daily habits they need to practice in order to achieve those goals. She helps make the college admissions process an empowering rather than a stressful experience. I’m looking forward to my son (starting his senior year in August) working with Ana and her team at Green Ivy on his college application process. They help students organize the process so that they do 2-4 hours of work on applications per week (2-3 tasks), maximize sleep, wellness, and free time, and are done with applications by early December. Sounds great to me! Ana’s Books That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week: Helping Disorganized and Distracted Boys Succeed in School and Life

So many times as parents we get caught in our ego about what level my kid should be or how good they are, what team they’re on, and ‘if they’re on this team, it must mean I’m a good parent.’ It has nothing to do with your parenting skills! -Kirsten Jones In this episode of the podcast, I’m talking with Kirsten Jones, co-host (with Susie Walton) of the #RaisingAthletes Podcast. Kirsten is a former college and professional volleyball player. In addition to providing life coaching to athletes and parent, Kirsten is also raising three athletes of her own, including a son who plans to play college basketball. We talk about some of the biggest challenges for parents raising athletes including parental expectations based on early athletic achievements, keeping sports in perspective, intrinsic motivation, the “sweet spot” for sports participation, and what to do when your kid wants to quit their sport.   Quotes from Kirsten “If your kid gets chosen for the ‘B’ team and they’re ten, ask them some good questions. A lot of times, we decide whether that means success or failure for them…Parents project out their kid’s whole life plan based on whether they made the ‘A’ team at ten!” “The self talk that we’re doing is so powerful.” “We sometimes as parents have decided for them who we want them to become. And then things start not aligning. Or they don’t make the team.” “Really it’s not about sports. It’s about how we show up in life.” “It’s really about helping them create the life of their dreams.” “That’s how she got to be so good, because she had zero ego about asking for help.” “So many times as parents we get caught in our ego about what level my kid should be or how good they are, what team they’re on, and ‘if they’re on this team, it must mean I’m a good parent.’ It has nothing to do with your parenting skills!” “We all need a break. You need to go hard. Your sleeping and your recovery are as important, if not more important, than when you’re in work mode.” “I think 80% of the game is the mental part.” “Be creative. Be curious.” Here’s the video Kirsten talked about, of the little girl attempting to jump on the stool and persevering despite falls and setbacks: Resources/Related Kirsten Jones, Inc. (website) #Raising Athletes Podcast: “Why Your Athlete Should go to a Sleepaway Camp This Summer.” (This is my interview with Kirsten on the #RaisingAthletes Podcast!) Jessica Lahey’s Website (mentioned in this episode) Ep. 43: The Gift of Failure with Jessica Lahey Is Your Child’s Sport Their Passion or Yours? Ep.

In Episode 43, I talk with Jessica Lahey, author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. Jessica is a teacher, writer, and mom. She writes about education, parenting, and child welfare for The Atlantic, and Vermont Public Radio. She is a member of the Amazon Studios Thought Leader Board and wrote the educational curriculum for Amazon Kids’ The Stinky and Dirty Show. Jessica earned a B.A. in Comparative Literature from the University of Massachusetts and a J.D. with a concentration in juvenile and education law from the University of North Carolina School of Law. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and two sons and teaches high school English and writing in Vermont. Related/Resources Jessica Lahey’s Website Ready for Adulthood Checklist In Episode 43, I talk with Jessica Lahey, author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. Jessica is a teacher, writer, and mom. She writes about education, parenting, and child welfare for The Atlantic, and Vermont Public Radio. She is a member of the Amazon Studios Thought Leader Board and wrote the educational curriculum for Amazon Kids’ The Stinky and Dirty Show. Jessica earned a B.A. in Comparative Literature from the University of Massachusetts and a J.D. with a concentration in juvenile and education law from the University of North Carolina School of Law. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and two sons and teaches high school English and writing in Vermont. Related/Resources Jessica Lahey’s Website Ready for Adulthood Checklist

“Don’t use the power of your voice, use your feet” -Maria Horner In Episode 42, Maria Horner is back with the final installment of her Jedi Mom Tricks. This is Part 3, the final installment of our series! Listen here if you missed Jedi Mom Tricks (Part 1) and (Part 2)! These Jedi Mom Tricks are important lessons Maria has learned as a parent and as a summer camp director for the past three decades. She passes these tricks along to her summer staff each year during counselor training at Catalina Island Camps. Maria Horner with husband Tom, son Nick, and their dog, Boo. Jedi Mom Tricks (Part 3) Jedi Mom Trick #9: Recognize the importance of the words we choose – being intentional about what we say, our tone and our delivery. Jedi Mom Trick #10: Answer questions with questions as an empowerment tool. Jedi Mom Trick #11: Use your feet, instead of your volume. Jedi Mom Trick #12: Tap into the subtle power to influence behaviors. I asked Maria to share another one of her favorite parenting resources, and one that she recommended is the book Crucial Conversations, noting that safe environments within a relationship are critical for effective communication. Resources / Related Ep. 22: Jedi Mom Tricks, Part 1 Ep. 33: Jedi Mom Tricks, Part 2 Silver Boxes: The Gift of Encouragement Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High “Don’t use the power of your voice, use your feet” -Maria Horner In Episode 42, Maria Horner is back with the final installment of her Jedi Mom Tricks. This is Part 3, the final installment of our series! Listen here if you missed Jedi Mom Tricks (Part 1) and (Part 2)! These Jedi Mom Tricks are important lessons Maria has learned as a parent and as a summer camp director for the past three decades. She passes these tricks along to her summer staff each year during counselor training at Catalina Island Camps. Maria Horner with husband Tom, son Nick, and their dog, Boo. Jedi Mom Tricks (Part 3) Jedi Mom Trick #9: Recognize the importance of the words we choose – being intentional about what we say, our tone and our delivery. Jedi Mom Trick #10: Answer questions with questions as an empowerment tool. Jedi Mom Trick #11: Use your feet, instead of your volume. Jedi Mom Trick #12: Tap into the subtle power to influence behaviors. I asked Maria to share another one of her favorite parenting resources, and one that she recommended is the book

Part of helping kids learn to deal with discomfort is learning how to be uncomfortable ourselves. -Christine Carter, Ph.D. In Episode 41, I’m talking with my friend and favorite happiness guru, Christine Carter, Ph.D. I have been a fan of Christine’s research, writing, and speaking since 2011, when I recruited her to start doing staff trainings at my camp. Christine was my first podcast guest back in Episode 1 and has been instrumental in helping me stay up-to-date on the research about trends affecting the well-being of children, teens, and adults. Christine is the author of The Sweet Spot: How to Achieve More by Doing Less (2017) and Raising Happiness: 10 Simple Steps for More Joyful Kids and Happier Parents (2011). She is a sociologist and Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, where she draws on scientific research to help people lead their most courageous, joyful, meaningful, and authentic lives. The working title of the book she is currently researching and writing, about what teens need for their well-being, is How to Make or Break an American Teenager (2019). In this episode, we talk about her research so far on raising “iGen” kids (born 1995 or later). We talk about the mental health challenges teens are facing, how we all need to learn to be uncomfortable, and how she manages screen time with her teens. Quotes “We have become a nation built on comfort.” “This generation is really, really different. One quarter of them have made a plan to kill themselves… This is the most anxious, most depressed generation we’ve ever seen…We are on the verge of a very serious mental health crisis.” “It’s so counterintuitive for most parents, right? We want to protect them. We don’t want them to feel uncomfortable. We don’t want them to be in pain. We don’t want them to fail. We don’t want them to be disappointed.” “It’s not just that our kids need to learn to deal with discomfort in many forms, it’s that we need to learn to deal with their discomfort.” “There’s so much that’s so good about the technological innovations…We haven’t adapted properly to all the new technology.” “This is why camp is so important. It’s actually an adaption. It’s a hold-over from before… Now it’s a way to cope with the massive amount of information and stuff.” “It’s shaping them developmentally.” “This is the first generation of kids that really feels entitled to a life free from pain. And so if they’re uncomfortable in any way, or disappointed, it’s somebody else’s fault.” Links iGen, by Jean Twenge Circle by Disney Related

We’re craving those few people who know us and love us no matter what. -Shasta Nelson   In Episode 40, I talk with Shasta Nelson, M.Div. Shasta is a leading expert on friendship. Her spirited and soulful voice for strong female relationships can be found in her books Frientimacy: How to Deepen Friendships for Lifelong Health and Happiness and Friendships Don’t Just Happen! The Guide to Creating a Meaningful Circle of GirlFriends. She is Founder of GirlFriendCircles.com, her tribe of women committed to creating more friendship in this world and teaches monthly friendship skill building classes at The Friendship University. She also writes at ShastasFriendshipBlog.com and in the Huffington Post, speaks across the country, and is a frequent contributor to the media appearing on TV shows such as Katie Couric and The Today Show, and in countless magazines and newspapers including The New York Times, Good Housekeeping, Health, and Forbes. A few quotes from Shasta: “Most of us are lonely because we don’t feel known by a few, and so it’s not for lack of interaction, it’s for lack of intimacy. Loneliness doesn’t just mean not having people. It means not having the right people in the right way.” “What we’re looking for is really feeling like they notice us, they saw something in us, they acknowledge us, they recognize us, and that’s really what all of us are walking through this world looking for. And to have a few people that can do that on a consistent basis is so, so, so important.” Want to join Shasta for one of her trainings? The Frientimacy Weekend at 1440: https://1440.org/programs/frientimacy/ Find Shasta on social media: Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest or Girl Friend Circles Blog. Shasta’s Frientimacy Triangle Want to learn more about your own frientimacy? Shasta has a quiz that scores people in each of the 3 areas of friendship so they know which area they might need to work on more.

In Episode 39, Sara Kuljis (of Yosemite Sierra Summer Camp and Emerald Cove Day Camp) and I continue our conversations and advice for parents new to the overnight camp experience. In Episode 37, we talked about how to prepare yourself and your camper for overnight summer camp. In this episode, we talk about preventing homesickness before camp starts as well as handling your child’s homesickness once they are at camp! Prefer to watch our video chat instead of listening to the podcast? Resources/Related: Episode 10: Homesick and Happy with Michael Thompson, Ph.D. 10 Messages for a Homesick Camper Homesickness Help Secondary Homesickness: When Your Camper Doesn’t Want to go Back to Camp Why Kids Need to Get Uncomfortable In Episode 39, Sara Kuljis (of Yosemite Sierra Summer Camp and Emerald Cove Day Camp) and I continue our conversations and advice for parents new to the overnight camp experience. In Episode 37, we talked about how to prepare yourself and your camper for overnight summer camp. In this episode, we talk about preventing homesickness before camp starts as well as handling your child’s homesickness once they are at camp! Prefer to watch our video chat instead of listening to the podcast? Resources/Related: Episode 10: Homesick and Happy with Michael Thompson, Ph.D. 10 Messages for a Homesick Camper Homesickness Help Secondary Homesickness: When Your Camper Doesn’t Want to go Back to Camp Why Kids Need to Get Uncomfortable

A lot of what I teach is helping parents understand their children as people. The best way to be happy in your parenting is to recognize that your child is a person and to respect them and expect that respect in return. -Karen Lock Kolp In Episode 38, I have a fun chat with Karen Lock Kolp, M.Ed. of the We Turned Out Okay website and podcast. Karen is an early childhood development expert and parent coach. On her website and podcast, Karen helps worried and hovering parents by bring reassuring, helpful advice and conversations. In this episode, we talked about many things, including: • The similarities between parenting toddlers and teens (and how much we both like teenagers). • How some kids need “a longer runway.” • Calming down your family’s evening routine Links We Turned out Okay (Karen Lock Kolp’s Website) Download Karen’s “Calming the Weeknight Chaos” Helping Your Fearful Kid Try New Things I was also guest on Karen’s We Turned Out Okay Podcast! Our topic was Give Your Child the Magic of Summer Camp! We had so much fun chatting in both of our podcasts and plan to record more episodes in the future! A lot of what I teach is helping parents understand their children as people. The best way to be happy in your parenting is to recognize that your child is a person and to respect them and expect that respect in return. -Karen Lock Kolp In Episode 38, I have a fun chat with Karen Lock Kolp, M.Ed. of the We Turned Out Okay website and podcast. Karen is an early childhood development expert and parent coach. On her website and podcast, Karen helps worried and hovering parents by bring reassuring, helpful advice and conversations. In this episode, we talked about many things, including: • The similarities between parenting toddlers and teens (and how much we both like teenagers). • How some kids need “a longer runway.” • Calming down your family’s evening routine Links We Turned out Okay (Karen Lock Kolp’s Website) Download Karen’s “Calming the Weeknight Chaos” Helping Your Fearful Kid Try New Things I was also guest on Karen’s

You can watch us on video if you’d prefer to see our video chat instead of listening to the podcast: In Episode 37, Sara Kuljis (of Yosemite Sierra Summer Camp and Emerald Cove Day Camp), and I share tips and ideas for parents sending kids to overnight camp for the first time. Camp Preparation Topics we Cover  Forms: What parents need to do now, including reading through camp information and filling out all your camp forms thoroughly and completely. Why camp staff need the forms well in advance of your child’s arrival. Importance of letting camp directors know any special circumstances that might impact your child’s stay. Medications: Why it’s never a good idea to make any changes in prescription medication right before camp. Importance of sending all medications in their original prescription containers. Thoughts on whether to continue vitamins. Encouraging Your Child to Reach Out to Camp Staff: Talking about and role playing with your child how they can talk with trusted adults (counselors, directors) at camp. Packing for Camp: Importance of camper being involved in the packing process so they know where everything is! Packing as a life skill and way to build responsibility. Make sure you know what items are not allowed at camp (so that those don’t go to camp). How to pack (rolling outfits, using ziplock bags, and other methods). Not to bring expensive clothing items or ones that require special laundering. Bringing a comfort item, photo album, journal, and/or books. Sending Letters: Send a letter ahead of time so your camper has one at first mail call! Let friends and relatives know your camper’s address at camp and any mail policies Planning for Downtime before and after Camp: Allow some margins in your family’s schedule so your child can be well-rested before camp. Familiarize Yourself with your Camp’s Online Services: Find out where to get news, photos, texts, etc. Opt in to anything that isn’t going to automatically come to you! The Gift of Letting Your Child go to Summer Camp: Why letting your child go to camp is a great way to set your child up for future independent experiences. Sara’s and my next camp-related episode (Episode 39, which will be released on June 1) is about preventing and handling homesickness! Subscribe to the Sunshine Parenting podcast so you won’t miss an episode! Related: Ep. 10: Homesick and Happy with Michael Thompson, Ph.D. Countdown to Camp 5 Essential Summer Camp Packing Tips

“It soon hit me that all of the best parenting classes in the world are not going to work if you – the mother – are feeling stressed out, unsupported, overwhelmed or aren’t taking care of yourself properly. When some parts of your life are not running smoothly, it has a knock on effect on everything else.” -Kelly Pietrangeli In Episode 36, I talk with Kelly Pietrangeli, founder and “Mama Motivator” of the Project Me for Busy Mothers website and author of the brand new book by the same name. We talked about so many things, including how important it is for mom’s to take care of ourselves. Kelly created the Project Me Life Wheel as a tool to help herself – and now other moms – regularly assess and work on different areas of life, tackling one issue at a time rather than overwhelming ourselves with all the issues at once. This episode is a great reminder that by taking care of ourselves, we become much better parents! Here’s the review I wrote for Amazon about Project Me for Busy Mothers: I’ve been a fan of Kelly Pietrangeli’s website and weekly email newsletter for several years. She call herself the “Mama Motivator,” and that is an accurate description. Her colorful book, Project Me for Busy Mothers, offers simple, actionable strategies for moms to address and improve one area of life at a time. Plus, it makes your day more cheerful just seeing the book in front of you! Ranging from health to relationships to productivity and much more, Kelly offers excellent strategies for taking on our most important project – ourselves! Reading Kelly’s book is like a personal strategic planning session. By sharing her own story, and helping us focus on just one area at a time, Kelly makes Project Me a fun, do-able project for busy moms! If you’re in the throes of child-rearing – or getting ready to figure out what to do with an empty nest – pick up Project Me and start some life planning. Order Project Me for Busy Mothers: A Practical Guide to Finding a Happier Balance. “It soon hit me that all of the best parenting classes in the world are not going to work if you – the mother – are feeling stressed out, unsupported, overwhelmed or aren’t taking care of yourself properly. When some parts of your life are not running smoothly, it has a knock on effect on everything else.” -Kelly Pietrangeli In Episode 36, I talk with Kelly Pietrangeli, founder and “Mama Motivator” of the Project Me for Busy Mothers website and author of the brand new book by the same name. We talked about so many things, including how important it is for mom’s to take care of ourselves. Kelly created the Project Me Life Wheel as a tool to help herself – and now other moms – regularly assess and work on different areas of life, tackling one issue at a time rather than overwhelming ourselves with all the issues at once. This episode is a great reminder that by taking c...

“It seems like we have a lot more patience as a family for each other.” “We noticed that he started sleeping better. His personality shifted. He wasn’t nervous all the time. He was just that kid that was always active, always moving, always really nervous, and when we removed that piece from the equation, we didn’t know if it was technology removal or if he’s just more relaxed, but we were sticking to it!” -Jill Stribling In Episode 35 I’m talking with educator and mom Jill Stribling about her decision to unplug her 10-year-old son, and adjust her whole family’s tech habits. We talk about the personality changes she’s noticed, including his increased concern for others, great conversational skills, and sense of humor. We also talk about how family life has changed and why she believes she made the right decision for her son by not having him use screens anymore. Jill Stribling has a B.A. in Child Development and Psychology and a Master’s degree in Education and specialty in Literacy and Language Arts from California State University and more than 20 years of experience in education.  After several years teaching in public schools in Los Angeles, CA, she was recruited by the American School of Madrid in 2001, where she taught Kindergaten and First Grade and took on several leadership roles (i.e. Grade Level Chair, Accreditation Committee Leader, etc.). With her educational and professional experience firmly in place, she developed a methodology for making language learning fun, and began her entrepreneurial journey in 2008 with literally one student in her living room.  Shortly afterwards, she had a total of 70 students, and actually had to expand her business. English for Fun is an educational group with an English Enrichment Program for children and adults, an Urban Camp Program, an American Early Childhood Center and a Training Center for educators. Today, she owns schools in Madrid and Pozuelo de Alarcon, and this year alone more than 3,000 students will benefit from the English for Fun method! Related/discussed in this episode: Ep. 19: Being a Tech Positive Parent with Devorah Heitner Simon Sinek video Jill talks about: Learn more about how screen time affects your children at Mom Loves Best. “It seems like we have a lot more patience as a family for each other.” “We noticed that he started sleeping better. His personality shifted. He wasn’t nervous all the time. He was just that kid that was always active, always moving, always really nervous, and when we removed that piece from the equation, we didn’t know if it was technology removal or if he’s just more relaxed, but we were sticking to it!” -Jill Stribling In Episode 35 I’m talking with educator and mom Jill Stribling about her decision to unplug her 10-year-old son, and adjust her whole family’s tech habits. We talk about the personality changes she’s noticed, including his increased concern for others, great conversational skills, and sense of humor. We also talk about how family life has changed and why she believes she made the r...