52 Essential Conversations to Inspire Children

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Kids & Family
**52 Essential Conversations to Inspire Children**

Research-backed tips and hacks straight from parents, educators and neuroscientists on raising motivated, confident, and compassionate children. Hosted by Jenny Woo, Harvard educator, mom of three, and creator of the social and emotional skills game used in families, schools, and clinics in 20+ countries. Designed for busy parents: short episodes, knowledgeable guests, and packed insights.

Latest Episodes:

021: Collaboration: How to Raise a Leader and a Follower Nov 28, 2018

Show notes

"How do I groom my child to be a leader?"

"Why can't my child play well with others?"

"How can my students work together for the great good?"

In this episode, Amanda Dunne Acevedo, an arts educator and teacher trainer, breaks down what collaboration means in classrooms and homes. We discuss why it is important to help children see the bigger picture beyond the basics of a Chores chart. We also point out how flexibility, adaptability, and gratitude fit into collaboration.

020: Patience: How to Build Self Control in Children Nov 21, 2018

Show notes

I chat with Joe about his role as a High School teacher and Swim Coach on how he cultivates patience in students and athletes. He shares tips on how to navigate among conflicting emotions related to patience, reward, disappointment, effort, failure, and motivation. He shares an insightful approach he learned from an Austrian Olympic swimmer on how to stay motivated when things get tough.

019: Citizenship: How To Raise World Citizens Nov 14, 2018

Show notes

"How do I raise a child with a worldly view?"

"How do I protect my child from the harsh realities of the world?"

Carolyn and I discuss the deeper meaning behind the word "citizenship." She shares her experience of finding a sense of belongingness as a world traveler and holder of multiple passports. She talks about the process of inquiry she does with her students to understand attitudes, identities, and biases. We discuss the power of stories and share tips on how we can help ourselves and our children build citizenship starting within our neighborhoods.

018: Generosity: How to Build a Shared Mission Nov 07, 2018

Show notes

How do I help my child to notice opportunities to be generous?
How do I embed the spirit of generosity into our everyday lives?

This week, I sit down with Michael to discuss the topic of Generosity. Michael shares his experience as a teacher on how to build a classroom culture that promotes generosity in students. He discusses ways to encourage a class to function as a team. He shares an example of students working together on a mission and stories on how he learned generosity as a child. We discuss how to embed the mindset of generosity into our everyday lives.

017: Implicit Bias: How to Talk about Race with Your Children Oct 30, 2018

Show notes

"How do I talk to my children about race?"

"How do I help my child become aware of gender stereotypes?"

In this episode, I chat with Ivonne Ortega about how and when to talk about race and gender biases with your children. We discuss the concept of implicit bias and what it means in families, schools, and society. Ivonne shares tips on how to equip your child with the language of a critical thinker to talk about racism.

016: Compassion: How to Connect Self-Care with Caring for Others Oct 24, 2018

Show notes

In this episode, I chat with Andy Reimer about the concept of Compassion. We discuss the concept of "suffering with" and how it relates to empathy, generosity, and altruism. How do we become open and even seek out the discomfort of "suffering with" ourselves and others?

Andy shares his thoughts about fostering the willingness to go on a journey with others, but also cautions the importance of being mindful about the stories and biases that we bring with us.

015: Risk Taking: How to Get Outside of the Comfort Zone Oct 17, 2018

Show notes

"How do I encourage my child to try something new?"

"How do I get outside of my own comfort zone as a parent?"

Hear my conversation with Amelia, Harvard-trained childhood educator and former UK nanny, on how parents can empower children to build life skills through responsible risk-taking. We discuss:

How nature-based learning can help children practice impulse control.
How to set boundaries on responsible risk-taking.
How parents can deal with frustrations and fear within themselves in risk-taking.

014: Agency: How Children Discover Purpose and Action Oct 10, 2018

Show notes

"How do I help my child build the inner compass for purpose and action?"

"How do I get my child to be more independent and self-sufficient?"

This week, I chat with Marion Geiger, the Head of School of Capucine Montessori, a French-English Bilingual Wildflower school. We discuss how to foster agency from autonomy in preschoolers to inspired independence in older students. We discuss:

Myth in the notion of agency in children
How trust and boundaries promote agency.
Benefits between long-term gain versus short-term convenience.
Tips on how to "sit on your hands" and "be the railing of the bridge" for your children and students.

013: Kindness: How to Encourage Grace and Courtesy in Children Oct 03, 2018

Show notes

"How do I get my preschooler to stop hitting/biting/pinching others?"

"How do I teach my child to recognize others' feelings?"

In this episode, I interview Amanda Hsu, a Montessori Head of School on the topic of "kindness." She shares an effective anecdote on how she learned about kindness as a child.

She also discusses what parents can do to introduce the concept of inclusivity in relation to kindness.

Lastly, she shares a number of educator-approved books on kindness and feelings.

012: Curiosity: How To Cultivate the Spark for Deep Inquiry Sep 26, 2018

Show notes

"How can I get my kid to stop going through the motions?"

"How do I help my child to be more inquisitive?"

This episode features my conversation with Nora Rodriguez, arts and museum educator who shares two simple yet profound questions she uses to ignite curiosity in young people. She provides tips on how to empower children to use concrete evidence to construct a productive process of inquiry and information gathering.

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