Mom Enough: A Parenting Podcast

For many of us, pregnancy is a time of excitement, joy and anticipation of who this baby will be. But when anticipation turns to loss through miscarriage, a devastating prenatal diagnosis or stillbirth, grief engulfs mom, dad and other family members. Too often these heartbreaking experiences are suffered in silence – or perhaps dismissed by well-meaning friends who say, “You’ll be able to have another baby.”   Delta Larkey and Alyssa Wright, therapists and owners of The Family Development Center, are devoting their careers to helping families navigate these losses and find strength and healing through rituals that are responsive to each family’s unique needs and strengths. Don’t miss this candid, helpful discussion!   Have you or someone close to you experienced a miscarriage, stillbirth or other pregnancy-related loss? What was that like and what was helpful? What did you learn in this Mom Enough discussion about the range of emotions and challenges families face in these situations? And what can healthcare providers, family members and friends say and do to be helpful and supportive?   For The Family Development Center, click here. For a resource list of loss therapists, groups and organizations, click here. For our show on Faith's Lodge, click here.

Every day there are stories in the news that are frightening or upsetting to both adults and children. The 24/7 news cycle, with constant repetition of these stories, can magnify the emotional impact on people of all ages. But talking with children about disturbing events can be done in a way that protects their emotional health and helps them make sense of troubling events.   Dr. Abi Gewirtz, clinical psychologist and professor in the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development and Department of Family Social Science, joins Marti & Erin for a compelling and practical discussion of how to figure out what your child knows and feels about disturbing events, reinforce your child’s sense of security, buffer their anxiety and, for older children, talk about the complex issues raised by these events.   Think of recent events in the news that are likely to be upsetting or confusing to your children. What do you think your children know or feel about these events? What did you hear in this Mom Enough discussion of talking with children about disturbing events that could help you ease your children’s fears or help them make sense of troubling events in a developmentally appropriate way?   For the U of M's College of Education and Human Development, click here.

Does your child stress out in new situations, lose sleep over upcoming tests or become upset when things don’t go as planned? Childhood anxiety affects many children and often runs in families. But there are helpful steps you can take to ease your child’s anxiety and teach skills your child can use to manage his or her own stress.   If your child’s anxiety is serious enough to interfere with learning, relationships and life enjoyment, a mental health professional can help find the most effective treatment. HealthPartners psychiatrist Dr. Elizabeth Reeve brings her knowledge and experience with childhood anxiety to this lively discussion with Marti & Erin, who share a few stories of how anxiety shows up on their own family tree!   Does someone in your family struggle with anxiety? How does it show up and what has been helpful at home, at school or work and in professional treatment, if used?

It’s amazing to see what children can learn and discover when we turn them loose to dig in the dirt, splash in the water or follow a bug to see where it goes. Yet many of us parents are uncomfortable venturing beyond structured playgrounds or unsure how much direction and protection to provide when we dare to take our children into a less predictable natural setting.   So Anna Sharratt, outdoorswoman and mom of two young children, decided to develop a simple, sustainable approach to bring parents and kids together in New York, Texas, Minnesota and elsewhere across North America. Dubbed “Free Forest School,” Anna’s model has helped thousands of parents and kids reap the benefits of nature play, come rain or shine. In this week’s Mom Enough discussion, learn how you can participate in a Free Forest School group.   The health and education benefits of nature play have been well-documented and widely publicized, yet too many American children still do not have opportunities to explore nature. Why do you think that is so? With your own children, what have you done to give them opportunities for free play and exploration in nature? What has helped or hindered you from making sure your kids (and you) reap the benefits of nature? Will you join a Free Forest School group or start a group in your community?   To learn more about Free Forest School, click here. To find a Free Forest School near you, click here. To contact Free Forest School, click here. For an article about outdoor learning in Sweden, click here.

You’ve heard how important it is to monitor your young child’s development to be sure it’s on track and to get intervention as soon as possible if there are signs of possible problems. But what does that developmental screening and assessment process look like? And what is the role of your child’s pediatrician in monitoring not only your child’s physical health but also things like language development and social emotional behavior?   Pediatrician Sylvia Sekhon represents Help Me Grow in this week’s Mom Enough show to help you understand developmental screening, assessment and intervention services that are available to help your child live and learn as well as possible.   In what ways has your pediatrician monitored your child’s behavior and development in areas beyond physical health? Has your doctor reassured you when you expressed concerns about your child’s development? Or has he or she raised concerns about things you noticed? If there are signs of possible problems, why is it important to get help as early as possible rather than taking a “wait and see” approach?   For Help Me Grow, click here. For Spanish, Somali or Hmong parents, click here + select the language on the top navigation bar For suggestions for finding free or low cost resources within your community, click here. For developmental milestones for birth to five years, click here. Call 1-866-693-4769 to refer a child to Help Me Grow or click here. For a listing of early childhood developmental milestones, click here. For ways to promote cognitive development, click here.  

Substance use is one of today’s major health problems, affecting countless families and creating pain and confusion for children. But many of us are uncertain how to talk with children about a family member’s substance use problem, and that uncertainty too often leads to avoidance and secrecy that only compound the problems.   This week’s Mom Enough guest, Dr. Kristen Burnett, has worked with many children and youth in families dealing with substance use. She joins Marti & Erin in this week’s Mom Enough show for a straightforward, realistic discussion of different types of substance problems, common effects on children living with adults who abuse alcohol or other drugs, how to talk with children of different ages and where to find additional resources.   After the discussion with Dr. Burnett, stay tuned for a brief feature with Kate Rickford from St. David’s Center with tips on how to help your child find better solutions for difficult behavior.   Does someone in your family or close circle of friends have a problem with alcohol or other drugs? Have you talked openly with your child(ren) about that person’s problems? If so, what have you said? What new ideas or insights did you get from this Mom Enough discussion on a family member’s substance use problem?   For the National Association for Children of Alcoholics, click here.

Headlines remind us everyday of how divided we have become in this country and how little we understand of each other’s experience, past and present. But our peace, security and wellbeing (and that of our children) depend on how we learn to understand and respect each other.   As this week’s Mom Enough guests recognize, listening with an open mind and heart is key to cultural competence. That happens best one person, one story, at a time. Don’t miss this heartfelt conversation between Marti and guests Carolyn Smallwood, CEO, and Ashley Saupp, Education Programs Manager, of Way to Grow.   Think of someone in your workplace, school or community who is of a different cultural background than you. What do you know about his or her cultural practices, beliefs, personal history, hopes, challenges and concerns? What steps could you and your family take to build connections with – and learn from and with – that person and his or her family (components of developing cultural competence)?   To learn more about Way to Grow, click here. For the Early Foundations for Lifelong Health resource sheet, click here. For the Supporting Second Language Development resource sheet, click here. For the Way to Grow blog, click here.

As a firefighter and first responder to traffic accidents, Shannon Ryder saw firsthand the tragedies that can result when drivers and passengers don’t follow best practices in traffic safety.   Now, as coordinator of child passenger safety for DPS-OTS, Shannon devotes her career to helping parents understand and apply strategies to protect children at every age, from newborn to teenager. Listen carefully to Shannon’s important conversation with Marti on safety seats and seat belt safety in this week’s episode of Mom Enough.   Think about the age and size of each of your children and what you just learned about safety seats and seat belt safety. What can you do to keep your children as safe as possible in the car? If a child resists (such as Marti’s example of her 13-year-old grandchild), how will you handle it?   For the Child Passenger Safety Fact Sheet, click here. For Buckle Up Kids - MN, click here. To learn more about Minnesota's child passenger safety law, click here. To locate a Minnesota car seat check near you, click here. To watch a video discussing air bag risks & providing recommendations for keeping kids safe, click here. For a guide for child passenger safety seats and seat belts, click here. For the Buckle Up Kids guide to choosing the right child safety restraint, click here.

For low income families, “equal opportunity” is missing in many aspects of their lives, including access to high-speed internet and the devices necessary to use that connection. This gap in access to the Internet and computers is known as the digital divide. In today’s technology-driven world, how does a student do homework without access? How does a parent apply for a job or even learn what jobs are available?   Comcast is bridging that digital divide for thousands of families, including those whose children qualify for free lunch or even attend a school in which many students qualify. Listen to this important conversation with Comcast’s Jill Hornbacher to learn about eligibility, the low monthly cost and the opportunity to purchase a computer for just $150. If you don’t need the help, maybe your PTA, place of worship or community organization could take on a project to help other families take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity.   If a student or parent doesn’t have a computer and internet access, how could that complicate their daily lives? Who do you know who could benefit from this low-cost access and laptop? How can you get the word out through your school or other organizations?   To learn more & apply for Internet Essentials, click here. For the Internet Essentials brochure (English + Spanish), click here. For an Internet Essentials fact sheet, click here. To print an Internet Essentials flyer (English + Spanish), click here.

As a mom, you may feel guilty when you take time for yourself – enjoy some “ME Time”. You may worry that you’re neglecting your children’s needs if you go out with friends, have a date night with your partner, take time to go to a class, take a nap, exercise or even just relax in a hot bath. But, for many reasons, taking time for yourself can help you be a better mother and help your children be healthier, happier people, now and later.   In this week’s Mom Enough show, Marti & Erin talk about how ME Time can reduce stress for you and your children, enable you to be more responsive to your children’s needs and set an example of healthy, balanced living for your children at any age. Marti & Erin also share some of their own simple, practical tips for integrating ME Time into your life, highlighting how even just a few minutes can calm and refresh you.   In what ways do you take care of yourself in the midst of caring for your children and others? What makes it hard for you to make time for self-care? What helpful tips for how and when to integrate ME Time did you hear in this Mom Enough discussion?   For our handout on Why “ME Time” Matters, click here.

As parents, we often feel overwhelmed with all the “shoulds” that come our way. But even small changes in the ways we and our families shop, cook, eat, sleep and play can have a significant impact on our children’s health and development.   Author Lori Brizee brings common sense and simple tips to this week’s Mom Enough discussion, drawing on her practical book, Healthy Choices, Healthy Children: A Guide to Raising Fit, Happy Kids.    In a typical week, how often do you and your family sit down to eat a meal together? How common is it for you and your children to get a good night’s sleep – one that allows you to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to meet the day? And, on a scale of 1 to 5, how healthy and well-balanced was the food your child(ren) ate yesterday? Reflecting on your answers to those questions, identify three small steps you could take in the coming week to improve how your family is doing on these important elements of healthy living for healthy children.   For the Healthy Kids blog, click here.

One of the major developmental tasks in early childhood is self-regulation, which includes settling into reasonably predictable and healthy patterns of eating, sleeping and other routines. Even as older children and adults, we are dysregulated at times, which can disrupt learning, good relationships and other aspects of our lives.   This week’s Mom Enough guests, Robin Campbell and Cheryl Lundsgaard from St. David's Center for Child & Family Development, shed light on what self-regulation means, how we can help our children become self-regulated, and how important it is to discover what works best for each unique member of our family.   What challenges have you encountered with your children’s self-regulation with respect to sleep? Eating? Other routines and activities? What have you learned about each child’s unique style, needs and preferences for establishing healthy, predictable patterns? In this week’s Mom Enough show what ideas did you get about how to address any regulatory issues with your children (or even yourself!)?   For Possible Sensory and Regulatory Differences, click here. For Sensory and Motor Strategies that Support Regulation, click here. For How to Keep Food Fun, click here. For Problem Feeder Warning Signs, click here. For Setting the Stage for Sleep, click here. For Suggestions for Picky Eaters, click here. For Ways to Change Food, click here. For St. David’s Mental Health Services, click here.

When a couple decides to separate or is considering divorce proceedings, it’s a heartache not only for the couple but for many people close to them. And sadly, children often hurt the most.   But this week’s Mom Enough guest, collaborative attorney Ron Ousky, has devoted his career to helping couples find options that minimize harm for everyone involved, especially children. He also knows that beginning divorce proceedings doesn’t always mean completing them; he keeps choices on the table. Marti & Erin have experienced firsthand Ron Ousky’s thoughtful approach and they are eager for you to learn from Ron’s wisdom and from their own family experience. (This important discussion is the second of a special 2-part series.)   What did you hear in this Mom Enough discussion about collaborative divorce that was surprising or thought-provoking? What are some steps couples considering divorce (or other family members or friends) can take to help children stay strong even through something as difficult as divorce?   For the handouts & informational sheets mentioned, click here. For Part 1 of this series with Dr. Bill Doherty, click here. For Ron’s interview about collaborative divorce, click here. To learn more about collaborative divorce, click here.

Even under the best of circumstances, marriage involves hard work, with highs and lows an expected part of the journey. Responsibilities of parenting create added stress even in the best of marriages. But what if your marriage is really not what you want it to be? What if you believe your unhappy marriage is on the brink of failure?   This week’s guest, professor and marriage therapist Dr. Bill Doherty, has information and resources to help couples discern whether their unhappy marriage can be saved and to take steps to do so when possible. This is information that can make a difference for any couple with a troubled relationship – and for the children who so often bear the fallout. (This is the first in a 2-part series.)   Are you concerned about your marriage or do you have a friend or family member in a struggling marriage? How do you think a couple can tell if their marriage can be saved? And what are things parents can do to protect their children from the stress of a shaky or unhappy marriage?   For the Minnesota Couples on the Brink Project, click here. For information on discernment counseling, click here. For DivorceChoice.com, click here.

Like many parents, radio host and author Julie Davidson has been surprised at every turn, from her efforts to become a parent through the antics of toddlers to the trials of adolescence.   She knows the power of authentic stories, both as liberation for the teller and “aha moments” for the listener. She also knows the power of humor to carry a parent through those inevitable “did this really happen?” situations. Sit back and enjoy Julie’s free-wheeling conversation with Marti & Erin!   This week’s Mom Enough guest, Julie Davidson, uses humor to cope with some of the surprises and challenges of conception and parenting. In what difficult or awkward parenting situation has humor helped you? How about writing that vignette and saving it for when your child is grown up and becoming a parent?   For Julie's blog, click here.