Parenting Forward

149: Goodbye Jul 04, 2022

I'm taking a break from podcasting so I can focus on myself, family, and working on my next book.

Thank you for your support through the years, and goodbye for now!

Links (affiliates included):

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership – https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Parenting Forward, the Book – https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

You Are Revolutionary – https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

*** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

148: Should You Send Your Child to VBS? w/ Cindy Wang Brandt Jun 20, 2022

Summer is a busy season when you’re in the church. There are lots of family activities going on, childcare to work out, and, of course, VBS.

Because we’re nearing VBS season, I thought it’d be a good time to talk about whether or not you should send your kids to VBS. Even more so, I want to discuss the bigger question of how we can protect our kids from toxic religion. We must learn how to equip our kids to navigate the world of faith and thought beyond our homes and what that may look like in our day-to-day lives.

So, in this episode, I’m going to share all of my thoughts on VBS. Tune in to hear an overview of what exactly VBS is, its purpose and goals, and whether or not I think you should send your kids to it.

Show Highlights:

A summary of VBS.
The evangelical aspects of VBS.
Why I find VBS to be predatory.
The genuine and positive aspects of VBS.
The nuanced aspects of whether or not you should send your kids to VBS.
How to prepare your kids if they are going to VBS.
How to soothe your own inner child when your kids start getting involved in church activities.
How to help your kids spot religious red flags.
How to be a good resource to your kids.

Links (affiliates included):

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

147: The Evangelical College Experience w/ Scott Okamoto Jun 06, 2022

If you’ve got a child nearing college or already there, this episode is for you.

We’re going to take a critical look at evangelical colleges and universities and analyze the experience they provide our kids. Having attended the evangelical college Wheaton, I have firsthand experience to bring to the table that we’ll discuss throughout today’s show.

Joining me is the host of the Chapel Probation podcast, Scott Okamoto. He grew up in a conservative Christian family but began deconstructing when he went away to college. Eventually, he became a professor at an evangelical university and started to clarify his progressive Christian beliefs. This led to him stepping away and becoming a stay-at-home dad.

Tune in to hear my conversation with Scott on the evangelical college experience from each of our unique perspectives.

Show Highlights:

Scott’s background with evangelicalism.
Why he stepped down from his job at APU and became a stay-at-home dad.
What inspired him to start his podcast.
Where I was at in my faith while attending Wheaton.
The paradox of the evangelical college experience.
The challenges deconstruction brings to parenting.
Why we must love our kids well and then trust them to make the right decisions.
Advice for parents thinking about sending their kids to an evangelical college.
Advice for students attending an evangelical college right now.

Links (affiliates included):

Scott Okamoto Website: https://www.rscottokamoto.com

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1Little

You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

146: Taming Your Parenting Triggers w/ Jen Lumanlan May 23, 2022

Ever been triggered by your child’s behavior? It can feel uncontrollable. No matter how hard we try to hold ourselves back when our child behaves a certain way, it immediately puts us into triggered mode.

Jen Lumanlan addressed this in her talk at my recent Parenting is Revolutionary conference. Jen holds an MS in Psychology (Child Development) and is the host of the Your Parenting Mojo podcast. She is an amazing reference guide for parents of young kids and shares great parenting advice based on scientific research and the principles of respectful parenting.

In this episode, I’m sharing a snippet of Jen’s talk from the conference. She shares a little more about her background and experience with parenting triggers and teaches us how to tame these emotions when they come up. This topic is extremely important for parents at this time so tune in to learn from Jen.

Show Highlights:

Where triggered feelings come from.
The window of tolerance.
Big T trauma and little T trauma.
The many different fronts we have to heal on to tame our parenting triggers.
How to get more of your daily needs met.
How to widen your window of tolerance.
Physical habits you can implement to remind yourself to pause.
Why it’s important to share our authentic feelings with our children.
The different triggers that come with having toddlers, adolescents, and teenagers.
What it means to feel flooded.

Links (affiliates included):

Jen’s website - https://www.parentingmojo.com/

Parenting is Revolutionary Conference Recordings: https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2022-sessions

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1Little

You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

145: Is it Religious Trauma or Childhood Trauma? w/ Corey Wayne May 09, 2022

The Parenting is Revolutionary Conference is over! It was an incredible time connecting with other parents and parenting influencers in the online space. I myself learned so much and, though I’m exhausted, I feel so fulfilled by the experience.

Throughout many of the sessions of the conference, childhood trauma was discussed. A question popped up over and over in my mind: if our parents had had the resources we have today and access to information on mental health and validating emotions, would we have all had better childhoods?

I brought my partner in crime Corey Wayne onto the show this week to discuss this. Corey helps me build and maintain the Parenting Forward Conferences and I truly could not do the work that I do without him. Tune in to hear us analyze our own childhoods and more on religious trauma vs. childhood trauma.

Show Highlights:

How parenting styles are a generational thing.
Some background on Corey’s childhood.
How he discovered his wounds were mainly childhood trauma, not religious trauma.
How Corey has mended his relationship with some of his family members.
How ending generational trauma is like a wave.
How the concept of “breaking toxic cycles” has become combative rather than a means of building community.
Why self-compassion is such an important part of healing your inner child.
How to balance grief about your past and gratitude that it made you who you are.
Some resources Corey loves.

Links (affiliates included):

Parenting is Revolutionary Conference Recordings: https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2022-sessions

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

144: Give Your Kids a Better Script w/ Matthew Paul Turner Apr 18, 2022

One of my favorite people, Hillary McBride, recently posted this on Twitter: “Spiritual trauma is someone handing you an inner critic and telling you it’s the voice of God.”

I love that quote because it paints the picture of religious trauma so well. Trauma doesn’t always have to involve one disastrous event; it can be the result of the script we were given in childhood that stuck with us.

Matthew Paul Turner is a children’s author who does amazing work towards reversing that harmful script. He is trying to put a better story into the hearts and minds of children, specifically using the language and vocabulary of God.

Matthew is joining us on this episode of Parenting Forward to discuss some of his best-selling books. We also talk about how parents can give their kids a better script. If we don’t want our children to have to rewrite their scripts or “recover from God” in adulthood, we must be proactive about introducing them to God the right way now.

Show Highlights:

The script I was given as a child about God.
The damage that harmful script does to children’s brains.
The gossip chain that develops in fundamental communities.
Why it’s so hard for us deconstructed believers to accept compliments or love ourselves.
How our body holds trauma.
Why Matthew didn’t write evangelical books.
How children's books can benefit adults too.
What it was like for Matthew to write his most recent book, I Am God’s Dream, right after coming out.
How I Am God’s Dream teaches kids to be happy with their bodies.
The importance of genuine apologies.

Links (affiliates included):

Matthew Paul Turner - https://matthewpaulturner.com

Parenting is Revolutionary Conference: https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Register with the discount code: PFPOD for 20% off!

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

143: Parenting is Revolutionary w/ Cindy Wang Brandt Mar 28, 2022

Parenting is revolutionary because it not only changes your perspective as a parent but it also impacts your perspective of your kids. Parenting is not just for parents but for anyone who wants to see a better world, not only for the children but for all of us that co-exist. Parenting is revolutionary because it changes us. It evolves us and it demands that we become better people.

In this episode, we talk about the five reasons why parenting is revolutionary. One essential thing to note is how parenting teaches us to manage our triggers because the things our kids do that tend to push our buttons aren’t necessarily our kids’ fault. Instead, they are triggering something inside of us that needs healing, perhaps a past traumatic experience or simply the everyday trauma of living in an unkind world. Just the mere resurfacing of what needs to be healed inside of us is revolutionary!

Show Highlights:

Learning and unlearning relationship habits
Re-parenting our inner child
Preventing childhood adverse effects
Managing your triggers
Drawing better boundaries between your issues and your children's behavior
Being parents to our society’s children
If only adults could just play more…
What to expect from the Parenting is Revolutionary Conference

Links (affiliates included):

Parenting is Revolutionary Conference: https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Register with the discount code: PFPOD for 20% off!!

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1Little

You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.

142: The Dirty Rotten Church Kids w/ Adrian & Josh Mar 14, 2022

Since the pandemic, the world of Christian faith deconstruction exploded into this wonderful kaleidoscope of podcasters and influencers, including the Dirty Rotten Church Kids, Adrian and Josh, who both left their faith but continued to forge and nurture a solid friendship beyond the walls of the church.

Once you leave the church that has become a foundational and formative part of your identity, it leaves you with that sense that you no longer have a community or you don't have anyone to talk to. If you’re like many people who want to keep their relationships because they can't stand the thought of being lonely, you may end up keeping your friends from toxic pasts who don’t really love you for who you are. Because if they did, then it wouldn’t matter to them if you left your faith or stopped believing in certain things.

In this episode, Adrian and Josh talk about life after church, leaving the religious baggage, and how they approach parenting in a way that’s totally different from how their parents had raised them.

Show Highlights:

The birth of the Dirty Rotten Church Kids podcast
How they managed to maintain their friendship outside of the church
The biggest parenting issues they’re facing
Learning to love ourselves and finding our values
Not everything has to have eternal consequences
Being open to your kids about your own baggage
Cutting the cords with people you don’t resonate with
A chosen family that’s involved in your kids’ upbringing

Links (affiliates included):

My appearance on the DRCK Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/security-and-clarity-w-cindy-wang-brandt/id1487820978?i=1000498263787

DRCK on my Parenting Conference, alongside Your Favorite Heretics and Jo Luehmann - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/parenting-after-deconstruction

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1Little

You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.

141: The Complicated Reproductive Choice w/ Katey Zeh Feb 28, 2022

The stigma of having an abortion is still rampant, especially among highly conservative people of faith. This led to Katey Zeh’s passion for navigating how to bridge these two worlds. It is important to provide care and compassion to those who decide to go through abortion because, at its core, abortion is still part of the human experience.

Statistically, most people who have abortions are already parents. And oftentimes, it is a parenting decision they need to make to care for their living children. A lot of times, these are people who have caregiving responsibilities. Regardless of whether people should have access to it, it's just important to recognize that most people who have abortions are parents.

On the other hand, some people choose not to ever have kids. And unless they know that they won't be stigmatized, harassed, and pressured by society, only then is that choice made out of enthusiastic consent.

In this episode, Katey Zeh talks about her new book, A Complicated Choice. Katey is an author, speaker, and strategist. She is the Chief Executive Officer of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, and she talks frequently about the intersection of faith and activism.

Show Highlights:

How Katey got involved in advocating for abortion
The role of crisis pregnancy centers
The disconnect between doctrines and the way we experience human life
The need to flex our compassion muscles
Abortion out of a parenting decision
Making sense of the experience through having that space to process and having access to their needs
Minimizing the grief that comes from abortion
Acknowledging abortion as a human experience

Links (affiliates included):

A Complicated Choice: https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9781506473499/A-Complicated-Choice

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership:

https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team: https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book:

https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

You Are Revolutionary:

https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

140: Sex Positive Parenting w/ Melissa Pintor Carnagey Feb 14, 2022

Growing up in a religious and Asian household, I had very little sex education, if any, and it was mainly about purity culture. And it has only been in the past two years that I've actually delved into demolishing such sex-negativity. Last month, I ran a webinar on sex-positive parenting with Melissa Pintor Carnagey and I got to check off some of the toxic ideas of purity culture and reframe them with what I've learned from Melissa and other wonderful sex educators. And so today, I wanted to share it with our wider podcast audience. It's so important that we're opening up these conversations about sex with our kids to help them make informed choices.

Melissa is the founder of Sex-Positive Families, which provides resources to give children holistic, comprehensive, and shame-free sexuality education so they can live informed, empowered, and safer lives. She is an expert in sexual health education and a mother of three. She currently runs a fantastic online course called Growing Into You which provides gender-inclusive puberty education for kids ages 8-12.

Show Highlights:

Deciding for yourself what sex means and giving other people the agency to decide for themselves
Early ongoing sexual health education provides more context as kids grow
Virginity as a construct is self-negative.
Reframing the language suggesting self-negative ideas
Self-pleasure as a human right and being able to reclaim your own body
Reframing fear-based narratives around pornography
Redefining porn and having a more nuanced conversation about porn
Discerning how porn affects us
Seeking age-congruent and age-relevant resources
Sexuality is not synonymous with sex
Co-parenting with a sex-negative parent
Recognizing boundaries and safer ways to learn about sex
How to talk to kids about sex when they’re not interested
How to help teens decide when to have sex
A mindset shift from preventing things we can't control to preparing our young people for safer and more satisfying experiences

Links (affiliates included):

Growing Into You (Gender-Inclusive Puberty Education for Ages 8-12) - https://sex-positive-families.mykajabi.com/?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fsex-positive-families.mykajabi.com%2Fa%2F2147492303%2F27YazHpV

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

139: Relational Healing w/ Tanner Wallace Jan 31, 2022

For years now, I have been on a journey of healing from religious trauma. My inspiration through it all has been to become a better person for both myself and all of the people around me, including my children. Because of this pursuit, I’ve always been on the lookout for people who help others resolve their childhood and religious trauma (which I’ve now come to realize is complex trauma).

So, today, I am extremely excited to bring on a guest who does just that. Dr. Tanner Wallace is the host of the Relational Healing podcast. She is also a mentor and a community builder for those with childhood trauma. Through her history of childhood trauma and extensive professional training, Dr. Tanner has developed groundbreaking new ways of healing from trauma.

In this episode, we get into some of the science of trauma and talk about all things regarding being trauma-informed. Specifically, we get into why religious trauma can be so particularly damaging and how to heal and move forward from it. Tune in to learn some amazing insights and healing tips from Dr. Tanner Wallace.

Show Highlights:

Dr. Tanner’s story.
Why becoming trauma-informed is the key to healing.
Why religious trauma is complex trauma.
How complex trauma forces us to develop multiple personalities.
Why some wounds develop into trauma while others don’t.
Why we need to develop a secure attachment with ourselves.
How religious trauma makes us doubt our own authority.
Why just physically leaving the church won’t heal our religious trauma.
How to figure out what needs to be dropped completely from your religious past and what just needs to be adapted.
Why shame is so particularly damaging and traumatic.
Practices for developing secure internal and external attachments.
Connecting all of this to parenting.

Links (affiliates included):

Dr. Tanner Wallace’s IG - https://www.instagram.com/drtannerwallace/?hl=en

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1Little

You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

138: Surviving a High ACE Score w/ Carol Scott Jan 17, 2022

As many of you know, I've been investing a lot recently in my new community. It’s called Parenting After Religious Trauma and, in it, we explore the impact of childhood trauma and specifically religious trauma. We discuss the impact that it has on the rest of our adult lives and parenting.

This all comes back to one of my core beliefs, the thesis of my book Parenting Forward: if we change the way we parent, we can change the world. As time goes on, I only become more and more convinced of this truth. It becomes more and more evident that so much of what happens in our childhood determines the kind of person, neighbor, friend, partner, parent, and citizen that we become.

So today, I have Dr. Carol Scott on the show to talk all about this. Dr. Carol is a TEDx speaker and author of two books. Her expertise is in childhood trauma and how that impacts relationships which she believes is the foundation of success in so many areas of our lives. Tune in to join in on our incredible conversation.

Show Highlights:

Dr. Carol’s journey of realizing the impact her childhood trauma had on her adult life.
Why 5-7 years old is a critical time for setting social and relational patterns.
How trust issues can develop when we’re infants.
The difference between unlearning and rewiring our brain patterns.
Why healing has to start with admitting that what you experienced in childhood was not okay.
How to intentionally nurture our kids’ development and emotions without being paranoid about harming them.
Why our priority should be making our kids feel seen.
How being trauma-informed helps us having better relationships in adulthood.
How to figure out your needs and ask for them to be met.

Links (affiliates included):

Dr. Carol’s email: carol@lcarolscott.com

Dr. Carol’s socials: https://www.facebook.com/Dr.L.CarolScott/

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1Little

You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

137: Raising Spirited & Sensitive Kids w/ Hannah and Kelty at Upbringing Jan 10, 2022

Many of us begin our parenting journey not really knowing what we’re doing. We tell ourselves we’ll be fine just winging it and then quickly realize we will not be fine at all.

This is especially true when it comes to discipline. We know a one-size-fits-all approach to discipline won’t work but aren’t sure how to give our kids the freedom to be exactly who they are.

This is exactly what twin sisters Hannah and Kelty experienced and now help other parents navigate. Hannah and Kelty are the founders of Upbringing, and, above all else, moms. They began Upbringing three years ago to advocate for consent-based, shame-free styles of parenting. As a part of their movement, they teach parents how to use powers beyond control in their daily discipline.

In this episode, we talk about all of this. Hannah and Kelty teach us how to honor our children and their uniqueness, especially when it comes to helping them through their big feelings and challenging behaviors. Tune in to learn more!

Show Highlights:

How Upbringing came to be.
Why we should talk about kids on a spectrum of diversity that’s related to their sensitivity and spiritedness.
What sensitivity and spiritedness mean.
Why we need to accept our kids exactly as they are.
How to simultaneously self-regulate and teach your children how to regulate themselves.
How to navigate your resentment towards your kids’ freedom.
How to teach your kids to be fully themselves in a world with social constructs.
Why your most important job as a parent is to teach your kids self-awareness.
Why we need to redefine safety as former people-pleasers.
What consent-based parenting is and how to practice it.
Why parenting isn’t about perfection but repairing connecting.

Links (affiliates included):

Hannah and Kelty’s website, Upbringing - https://www.upbringing.co

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1Little

You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

136: Raising Irresponsible Kids w/ Kay Bruner Dec 13, 2021

Today we are talking about raising irresponsible kids. This sounds completely counterintuitive, of course. We generally feel pressure to raise kids who are responsible. However, I believe that there is a lot of nuance around this trait.

What are we responsible for? To whom are we responsible? Are there things we shouldn’t be responsible for? These are the questions I wish I had considered as I grew up. My responsibility contributed to much of my dysfunction now. Today, I have to unlearn being responsible for other people’s emotions and various other things that I should not be held responsible for.

However, imagine if our kids never believe they are responsible for these kinds of things. What if they are never taught that they are responsible for other people’s emotions? Can we still raise them to be conscious and responsible citizens who care for others?

This is what Kay Bruner and I discuss today. Kay is a therapist and former evangelical who has a lot of experience with over-functioning and codependency. I've asked her to join me in teasing out some of these nuances of what it means to be responsible. Tune in to join us!

Show Highlights:

The “savior complex” I grew up with.
How drawing boundaries made me a better mother and wife.
Kay’s struggles with taking responsibility for others’ emotions.
How this relates to her work as a therapist.
How evangelicalism contributes to this responsibility burden.
Why we need to learn to have confidence in other people.
How to make sure our kids aren’t taking responsibility for our emotions.
Why we shouldn’t teach our kids about loving others until they’re older.
The danger of making our kids be responsible for their siblings.
The importance of accepting all of our emotions.
Why play is so important for both children and adults.

Links (affiliates included):

Kay’s website, go book a Sedona Retreat! - https://kaybruner.com

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

135: Deconstruction with your Partner w/ Danny Cortez Nov 29, 2021

One of the most frequently asked questions I’ve gotten over the years is, “Has your husband deconstructed with you and, if so, how?” Today, I’m finally going to take some time to address this. We’re going to veer off topic from our mental health series and dive into marriage and other partnerships.

Joining me to talk this through is my dear friend Danny Cortez. Danny has been on the podcast before but I had to bring him back this week. He is someone who has intimate insights into this topic of deconstructing with your partner.

I’ve toyed with the idea of having a recommitment marriage ceremony and come to the conclusion that Danny is the pastor I would want to reside over it. He is someone I trust with my deconstruction story. Tune in to experience his gentle presence and hear his wise words on deconstructing with a partner.

Show Highlights:

Danny and his wife’s background.
The importance of understanding we will change throughout our marriage.
Why the goal of deconstructing with your partner is authenticity.
Why we cannot harass our partners to deconstruct with us.
Why beliefs don’t always translate to good character.
How we are all in a never-ending process of deconstruction.
How to deconstruct with your partner when one of you is more articulate.
How to get to the deepest layer of disagreements.
Why it’s so important that both partners are trauma-informed.
How deconstruction feels like being in a new relationship with the same person.

Links (affiliates included):

How to Deconstruct with your Partner - https://cindywangbrandt.com/how-to-deconstruct-with-your-partner/

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1Little

You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

134: Self Help for the Parent w/ Glenn Doyle Nov 15, 2021

The best parenting is not done in the direction of our children. It’s actually done in the direction of our own selves. This is why I think it is so important to talk about mental health and inner work here on the podcast.

It’s also why I’m so passionate about helping parents with their religious trauma. As many of you know, religious trauma is my special flavor of trauma. It’s the thing that would keep me from truly thriving in my life if I weren’t dedicated to healing. This drives my zeal to heal and help all of you heal as well.

On top of this, so much of what our kids learn from us doesn’t come from the active lessons and conscious talks we try to provide. Rather, they pick up on what we do in our mundane moments of life. They’re watching the way we act in our relationships, attitudes, and healing.

Dr. Glenn Doyle is a trained psychologist who has taught me so much about these kinds of things. He teaches about mental health over on Instagram and I have truly learned so much from him. I wanted to bring him onto the show today to discuss these topics and help us learn how to heal from religious trauma as parents.

Show Highlights:

How Glenn got into providing self-help on social media.
How marketing and personal development content can trigger religious trauma.
Why distraction can be a good thing.
The distinction between religious trauma and general trauma.
Why it’s better to be religious trauma proof than nonreligious.
How to manage triggers that escalate conflict.
Why Glenn is so focused on improving his clients’ quality of life.
Why it’s so harmful to be mean to yourself.
How people can experience the same thing in different ways.
Why it’s important to retell our stories and find meaning in them.
How trauma messes with our memories.

Links (affiliates included):

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

133: Race & Inclusion with American Girl w/ Deanna Singh Nov 01, 2021

Our girls deserve to know about this world that they live in. They deserve to know about the things that impact them. This is why I love all that American Girl is doing right now to reach girls in a way that is signifying to them.

Today’s guest, Deanna Singh, partnered with American Girl on a project with this same purpose. This summer, she came out with a book in collaboration with them called A Smart Girl’s Guide to Race and Inclusion. Deanna is also a speaker who does some incredible work around diversity, equity, and inclusion. She hosts virtual summits where she trains individuals and organizations on how to be an ally.

In this episode, Deanna and I discuss this book that she collaborated on with American Girl and many of the diversity and inclusion lessons within it. She also shares some great practical methods for talking to kids about these topics from her extensive experience. Tune in to learn more and start bringing race and inclusion into your family discussions.

Show Highlights:

Why Deanna decided to write a book for middle grades and partnered with American Girl.
Some of her background as a biracial woman.
Why it’s so important to have conversations with our kids about race.
How being a kid and growing up is hard work.
The differences and similarities between talking about race and inclusion with middle schoolers and adults.
How scaffolding and storytelling help when having these kinds of conversations with our kids.
The “inner radio” analogy Deanna uses to teach kids about their internal voice.
Why privilege isn’t a bad thing but must be flipped for good.
How parents can be allies.

Links (affiliates included):

A Smart Girl’s Guide Race & Inclusion - https://www.americangirl.com/shop/p/a-smart-girls-guide-race-and-inclusion-book-hcf40

Parenting After Religious Trauma Membership - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

Help keep the podcast going by joining the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1Little

You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

132: Mild At Heart: Deconstructing Purity Culture in Men w/ Bradley Onishi Oct 11, 2021

Because of a whole host of systemic issues, the parenting space is mostly populated with women. In other words, mothers are the primary parenting influencers. Of course, there are several fantastic dad voices out there. I’m constantly on a mission to seek them out and am always on the lookout for anyone talking about deconstructing toxic masculinity.

Because of this, I was really excited to find out about Bradley Onishi. He hosts a group for people exploring sex, love, and masculinity after purity culture. I love what Bradley does because there are so many more conversations that need to be had on purity culture from different perspectives.

In this episode, we talk about all of this. Bradley helps us understand how to deconstruct purity culture for the boys we are raising. He also answers the question I am constantly getting from all of you parents in the audience: how do I raise my sons without toxic masculinity? Tune in to learn from Bradley’s incredible insights.

Show Highlights:

Bradley’s background with evangelicalism and the church.
Why adolescence is such a vulnerable time and, therefore, a particularly difficult time to get thrown into purity culture.
How purity culture harms both men and women.
Why Bradley feels like his conversion to evangelicalism was an immediate conversion to purity culture as well.
How purity culture leads to toxic masculinity.
Bradley’s perspective of deconstructing from a privileged place.
How to raise straight white boys in a way that is forging forward equity, undoing oppression, and dismantling toxic masculinity systems.
What homosocial enactment is.
Why it’s dangerous to always separate boys and girls in youth ministry.
How to actually let your kids be themselves.
Why it’s so hard to be a child.

Links (affiliates included):

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

131: How to Religious Trauma Proof Your Children Oct 06, 2021

This week, I have a great bonus episode for you. Last week, I hosted a two-day webinar on parenting after religious trauma, a topic that you all know is very dear to my heart. We all had such a great time in the webinar and, afterwards, lots of you asked me about a replay.

As a result, I thought I'd share the content from the webinar with you here on the podcast. This recording comes from day two of the religious trauma webinar, entitled, “How to Religious Trauma Proof Your Kids.”

In the webinar, I shared my religious trauma proof system. I came up with this system after years of listening and learning from my own kids. I also learned countless lessons from the experiences of other parents who have dealt with religious trauma. Tune in to learn more.

Show Highlights:

What it means to religious trauma proof our children.
How to prevent our children from having adverse religious experiences.
Why we shouldn’t keep our kids in a bubble.
The 5 C’s of my religious trauma proof system.
Why it’s important to honor our kids’ consent.
How to introduce our kids to a diverse community.
What treating our kids with compassion can do for them.
Why communication is an important religious trauma proofing tool.
How to coach our kids in communicating.
What co-regulation is.
A vision for our children’s futures if they become religious trauma proof.

Links (affiliates included):

Parenting After Religious Trauma (P.A.R.T.) Membership Community - https://cindy-brandt.mykajabi.com/partmembership

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

130: Mental Health Series - Intersection with Social Injustice w/ Dr. Han Ren Sep 27, 2021

For most of us, mental health feels like a very individualized issue. However, have you ever stopped to think about how your mental health intersects with the world at large and the social injustice you are seeing in it?

Today’s guest has put tons of time and effort into learning about the intersection of mental health and social injustice. She is working on the front lines of expanding what’s happening in the therapy room to the rest of the world we live in. Her name is Dr. Han Ren.

As I shared in previous episodes, I’ve learned so much from therapists on Instagram and Dr. Han Ren is one of them. Not only is she a psychologist and therapist but she’s also a speaker and educator. Her goal is to decolonize mental health.

Today we are talking all about this work that she does. Whether you come from a place of privilege and want to learn how to expand your mindset on your mental health or you come from a place of marginalization and need support and healing, you will benefit greatly from this conversation. Tune in to hear from the vibrant Dr. Han Ren.

Show Highlights:

All about the work Dr. Ren is doing.
The kind of clients she works with.
Why many children of immigrants grow up to be high-achievers and perfectionists.
What pushes these clients to start getting therapy.
How to balance healing your mental health and healing the brokenness in the world.
How systematic injustice disproportionately hurts the mental health of people of color.
The dangers of physical punishment.
How many people of color confuse culture with generational trauma.
Why we should always believe a person of color if they say an act of violence was about race.
How to become a co-conspirator instead of a “savior” when coming from a position of power.
The pushback on these things in the mental health space.

Links (affiliates included):

Dr. Han Ren - https://www.instagram.com/dr.han.ren/

Dr. Joseph Lee - https://mentalhealthiness.com/?fbclid=IwAR0Xu4Qf6ip5c6r8lPODJbsKZw_xBcbBPyJEyNdBaBClkP-Zi02w7oaw1Wc

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

PREORDER You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

129: Mental Health Series - Neurodiversity w/ Joel Schwartz PsyD Sep 13, 2021

Today’s guest is Dr. Joel Schwartz, a licensed clinical psychologist. Joel co-runs Total Spectrum Counseling with his wife, Brittany Boveé Schwartz, in the San Luis Obispo area of California. He specializes in therapy and testing for the misunderstood and demonstrates this through his unique practice: Total Spectrum Counseling is fully staffed by neurodivergent people with lived experiences of the diagnostic process.

I met Joel in the way that I meet most people these days: online. We connected in a larger Facebook group of therapists. Through our various online interactions, we discovered that we were very like-minded. From there, Joel went on to start his own Facebook group, Neurodiversity Affirmative Therapists, where we've had some very deep and rich conversations as well.

After continuing to connect, I knew I had to have Joel on the show to talk about neurodiversity. I've learned so much from him and I know you will too. Tune in to learn all about this very misunderstood topic of neurodiversity from Dr. Joel Schwartz.

Show Highlights:

What neurodiversity means.
How we define “normal” brain function.
How to recognize neurodiversity in your kids.
How Joel learned to accept his own neurodiversity.
Why the lived human experience should come before doctrines.
Gender stereotypes about neurodiversity.
What the double empathy problem is.
Why it’s so important for neurodivergent people to have neurodivergent therapists.
How to parent a neurodivergent child well.
How neurotypical people can make the world a better place for neurodivergent people.
How to parent well as a neurodivergent person.
How to embrace your natural coping methods if you’re neurodivergent and burnt out.

Links (affiliates included):

Joel Schwartz, PsyD - https://totalspectrumcounseling.com/joel.html

Dr. Joseph Lee - https://mentalhealthiness.com/?fbclid=IwAR0Xu4Qf6ip5c6r8lPODJbsKZw_xBcbBPyJEyNdBaBClkP-Zi02w7oaw1Wc

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

PREORDER You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

128: Mental Health Series - Anxiety w/ Dr. Erin Underbrink Aug 30, 2021

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health struggles. At least it is for my family. I grew up in an anxious family, my husband struggles with some anxiety, and, as a result, we have two pretty anxious kids. So, in this episode, we are diving into all things anxiety in childhood and parenting.

Here to discuss this topic with me is my co-host for this series, Dr. Joseph Lee, along with today’s special guest, Dr. Erin Underbrink. Erin is a clinical psychologist who was part of a pediatric treatment group. In our conversation, we talk about how anxiety may present itself in children and the best ways for parents to help them through it. Erin also provides some amazing encouragement for all of us parents who struggle with anxiety right alongside our children.

This is a difficult topic to talk about but that just means it’s extremely important that we discuss it. Tune in to hear our conversation and learn all about anxiety and parenting.

Show Highlights:

What exchanging anxiety means.
Current anxiety trends.
What exposure and response prevention are and why they are so important.
How to help our kids increase their tolerance for anxiety.
The difference between competency and control.
The biggest challenges for anxious parents trying to raise anxious kids.
When to bring your child to therapy.
How to support your child with death anxiety.
The difference between dealing with anxiety as a kid and as an adult.
The problem with trying to fix ourselves.
When anxiety is healthy and when it becomes overreactive.
Encouragement for those struggling with anxiety about the pandemic.

Links (affiliates included):

Dr. Erin Underbink - https://www.instagram.com/drerinunderbrink/

Dr. Joseph Lee - https://mentalhealthiness.com/?fbclid=IwAR0Xu4Qf6ip5c6r8lPODJbsKZw_xBcbBPyJEyNdBaBClkP-Zi02w7oaw1Wc

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1Little

PREORDER You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

127: Mental Health Series Introduction w/ Dr. Joseph Lee Aug 16, 2021

Today I am launching a podcast series on how to care for our children's mental health and flourishing. Although I struggle plenty with mental health myself, I am not a licensed expert in the subject. Therefore, I’m bringing my friend, Joseph Lee, onto the show.

Joseph Lee is a psychiatrist and previous guest from episode 43. In his episode, we talked about how conservative Christian parenting does not align very well with child development and modern parenting best practices. Now, he is going to be joining us for this series as the co-host.

This episode will be an introductory episode on mental health. We're going to talk about parenting and mental health in general. In the following episodes, we will have various experts come in to discuss how parents can help their children with anxiety and neurodiversity. We’ll even have an episode on the intersection of social injustice and mental health.

Even if these are not topics your family is specifically wrestling with, I believe it will be a rich and beneficial series to tune into. Learning about these issues helps us create a kinder world for all the kids who do struggle with mental health. For now, join us for episode one!

Show Highlights:

Joseph’s history with mental health and how his parents addressed it.
How growing up in the conservative Christian church can exacerbate mental health issues.
The stigma around mental health.
The resources that are emerging online for mental health management.
How emotions point to unmet needs.
How to nurture our kids so that they will eventually develop autonomy.
The power of naming our feelings.
Why emotions should be seen as neutral.
Mental health vs. mental illness.
Why therapy is so critical in the stressful world we live in.
When parents should turn to mental health professionals.
Why Joseph doesn’t do biblical counseling.
How the pandemic exposed social inequalities.

Links (affiliates included):

Dr. Joseph Lee - https://mentalhealthiness.com/?fbclid=IwAR0Xu4Qf6ip5c6r8lPODJbsKZw_xBcbBPyJEyNdBaBClkP-Zi02w7oaw1Wc

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

PREORDER You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

126: Little Justice Leaders w/ Shelby Kretz Aug 02, 2021

By now you should know that the goal of this podcast is to help you raise conscious citizens. What you may not know is how to actually do that. Raising conscious citizens sounds like a lot of work. Not only do we have to re-parent ourselves with consciousness but we then have to find the exact right words to say to our kids regarding citizenship and justice.

If this is something you struggle with, I have a fantastic gift for you today. Shelby Kretz, the founder of Little Justice Leaders, is joining us in this episode.

Little Justice Leaders is a subscription box company that acts as a tool and resource for parents and teachers who are doing their best to raise conscious citizens. Every month you can get a box on a different social justice theme with everything you need to introduce that topic to children. Tune in to hear more from Shelby about her company and how to have conversations about current events and other social issues with your kids.

Show Highlights:

How Shelby came to found Little Justice Leaders.
The biggest challenges parents and teachers have when talking to kids about justice issues.
Why parents and teachers need to take the pressure off themselves.
How talking with our kids about social justice makes them more resilient.
How to make justice issues relevant to kids.
The importance of reminding your kids that they’re safe.
How to figure out which topics to bring up with your kids.
How Shelby explains complex social justice issues in an age-appropriate way but without watering them down.
What scaffolding is and how to utilize it.

Links (affiliates included):

Little Justice Leaders - https://littlejusticeleaders.com

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1Little

PREORDER You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

125: Giving Kids an Inner Compass w/ Jon Ogden Jul 12, 2021

A few weeks ago I sent out a newsletter called “Disorganized Religion.” It was a product of my reflection on the idea that many who have decided to leave the church still crave a dedicated time and space to explore the bigger questions of life and existence and to validate their children's innate spiritual questions. They’re happy with their decision to leave the church but miss the neatly packaged aspect of it: church on Sunday, a mid-week Bible study, and Sunday School and youth group for the kids.

In response, one reader suggested a resource called Uplift. I was so intrigued by it that I decided to invite the founder onto the show. Jon Ogden is not only the founder of Uplift but the author of When Mormons Doubt.

After he wrote his book, he still had many other questions around what the ideas within the book would look like week to week and how to raise kids with a spiritual foundation that wasn't tied to any dogma or specific religion.

This led Jon to create Uplift. Today he is joining us to tell us more about this resource and his journey toward shifting his faith.

Show Highlights:

Jon’s experience leaving the Mormon church.
Why everyone is spiritual.
What wisdom literature from all religions can teach us.
The danger of dictating our kids’ spiritual journeys.
What healthy spirituality looks like to Jon.
Why spirituality should be democratic, not dogmatic.
The services and curriculum Uplift offers.
Why it’s important to pay attention to our development stages even in adulthood.
How to honor both our kids’ and our developmental stages.
The power of sharing our family stories.
The healthy balance of order and chaos.

Links (affiliates included):

Disorganized Religion Email - https://mailchi.mp/8429ea9a0ac2/disorganized-religion

Uplift - https://upliftkids.org

Parenting After Deconstruction - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/parenting-after-deconstruction

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1

PREORDER You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

124: Parenting on Tik Tok with Destini Ann Jun 28, 2021

Recently, I’ve been hearing a lot about one certain Tik Toker. Because I hang out in parenting spaces a lot, I hear about cool new voices and parenting influencers pretty quickly.

In this case, my community has been raving about how much they love this Tik Toker. I’ve started seeing her videos all over the place and they’re truly amazing. Her name is Destini Ann.

Destini and I met a couple of weeks ago and when we did I soon realized that she hadn’t been around as long as I’d thought. She blew up on Tik Tok semi-recently after just a couple of her videos went viral. Destini makes videos where she coaches parents and offers them her experience from a nonjudgemental place. Today we are discussing some of those videos together and what her journey of parenting on Tik Tok has been like so far.

Show Highlights:

Why our toddlers hitting us can be triggering.
How to train yourself out of that trigger reaction.
Why acceptance is so important as a parent.
Why Destini uses scripts in her Tik Toks.
The balance between displaying our highlight reel and our real-life moments on social media.
What our kids can teach us about freedom.
How to express our needs to our kids without blaming them.
Destini’s process of moving away from permissive parenting.
How she navigates positive parenting as a black woman.
The importance of providing a safe space for black parents.

Links (affiliates included):

Destini Ann’s Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@destini.ann?lang=en&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1

PREORDER You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

123: Freeing Jesus w/ Diana Butler Bass Jun 14, 2021

We’ve all read those Christian books that are full of flowery statements. The writing is beautiful but it has no substance to it. On top of that, it’s pretty stuffy too. It can seem very academic, old, and quite frankly boring.

Diana Butler Bass, however, is a Christian author whose writing falls right into the sweet spot of not fluffy and not stuffy. I aim for that same sweet spot so she has always been a writing inspiration for me.

Diana is here today to talk about her newest book Freeing Jesus: Rediscovering Jesus as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way, and Presence. I love that subtitle because it describes exactly what the book is all about. Even more than Diana’s other books, I found Freeing Jesus to be deeply personal and relevant to Parenting Forward.

In the book and in today’s episode we discuss how the theological insights of Diana’s childhood reshaped her life and how important that is. Join us to hear more.

Show Highlights:

How to respond when your kids ask hard theological questions.
Diana’s experience with church growing up.
Why Jesus was so open and accepting of children.
What the Pelagianism view of original sin is.
How the story of creation and Adam and Eve may display that view.
How to help our kids make better choices through love.
The various definitions of salvation Diana mentions in her book.
Why she views being saved as coming home.
How writing her book led her to self-forgiveness.

Links (affiliates included):

Freeing Jesus by Diana Butler Bass - https://dianabutlerbass.com/books/freeing-jesus/

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2020-sessions

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1

PREORDER You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

122: LGBTQ Inclusive Youth Ministry w/ Ross Murray May 31, 2021

If you grew up evangelical, the thought of youth ministry is probably very triggering. It may bring back memories of shame and religiosity. Adolescence is a very tender time of our lives and that is exactly when a lot of the toxicity of fundamentalism was solidified. More likely than not, we heard rhetoric like, “Gay is sinful” and, “Love the sinner, hate the sin” all of the time.

Now, imagine what it would be like to have a youth ministry that is LGBTQ inclusive. This is the very thing that today’s guest is invested in and passionate about. Ross Murray is the founder of The Naming Project and the author of Made, Known, Loved: Developing LGBTQ Inclusive Youth Ministry. He is a strong advocate for LGBTQ inclusiveness in churches around the world.

In this episode, Ross and I discuss his background, where his passion for this kind of advocacy arose, what he is doing now to support LGBTQ kids, and how you can be a part of it.

Show Highlights:

Ross’s experience with the church and ministry throughout childhood and young adulthood.
How The Naming Project came to be.
How coming out later in life makes people relive their adolescence.
What Ross’s camps are like.
The connection between kids’ spirituality and sexuality.
How Ross balanaces his religion and his promotion of LGBTQ inclusiveness.
What his book is about.
How they figure out sleeping arrangements at his camps.
Why privacy doesn’t have to mean shameful.
Why youth ministries should stop using cutesy phrases and just say the hard things.

Links (affiliates included):

Made, Known, Loved - https://www.madeknownloved.org

The Naming Project - https://www.thenamingproject.org

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2020-sessions

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1

PREORDER You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

121: Visible Child w/ Robin Einzig May 10, 2021

If we want to address and overcome all of the “isms” in our world, we have to start with the “ism” we have against our children. We can never help our kids understand the danger of racism, ableism, and sexism if we overlook ageism and the effects it has on them.

This can feel extremely overwhelming. Oftentimes we don’t even know the prejudices we have in our own hearts against children. So where do we start in dismantling it in society?

One of my favorite resources for revealing the blind spots we have when it comes to anti-child sentiments in our country is today’s guest, Robin Einzig. Robin works with Visible Child, a child development consulting firm that supports parents, schools, and organizations in achieving their goals and promoting optimal development and an atmosphere of collaboration and respect.

You all know that here at Parenting Forward one of our highest values is giving our children autonomy. Robin aligns perfectly with this value. Tune in to hear our incredible conversation.

Show Highlights:

A new perspective on venting about the hardships of parenthood.
Why it’s important to remember that young kids have nowhere to vent.
Why parents need to be careful about complaining about their kids online.
How we make parenting harder than it needs to be.
Parenting is hard work but that doesn’t mean it’s bad.
What cultural fetishism is and how to avoid it as a parent.
Why we should trust our kids to choose their friends.
How to move closer to a semblance of power equality with our children.
How to break the toxic cycle of religious control.
Why reclaiming your own agency will help your kids.

Links (affiliates included):

Robin Einzig Visible Child - https://www.facebook.com/visiblechildinc

Visible Child: Respectful/Mindful Parenting - https://www.facebook.com/groups/294015847465652

Visible Child: Tweens & Teens - https://www.facebook.com/groups/826189307440925

Robin’s Website: https://visiblechild.com

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2020-sessions

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn1

PREORDER You Are Revolutionary - https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

120: Cultures of Dignity w/ Carey Goldstein Apr 26, 2021

More than anything, parenting is about creating and changing culture. We just happen to do so one child at a time. As we extend love, compassion, and justice towards our children, they are formed into members of society who extend the same to others. They challenge the harmful status quo of the world and, together, we build a better future.

I recently discovered an organization that is fully on board with this concept and working to make it a reality every day. They are called Cultures of Dignity. Today, we have the director of their Owning Up Program, Carey Goldstein, joining us. Carrie is sharing more about what they do over at Cultures of Dignity and how we can be a part of it.

If you want to create cultures of dignity with and for your children, don’t miss this episode!

Show Highlights:

How Cultures of Dignity works with parents, educators, and young people to help them navigate all of the social challenges of young adulthood.
The challenges Carey has encountered in working with youth.
Why they have kids in their editorial council.
When kids are objects, when they’re recipients, and when they’re resources.
How to help your children build socio-emotional skills.
The difference between consuming information and listening.
How to set boundaries without making your child feel misunderstood.
What emotional granularity is and what its ultimate goal is.

Links (affiliates included):

Cultures of Dignity — https://culturesofdignity.com

Tiny Guides (this is my affiliate link, thanks for supporting this podcast!)—

https://store.culturesofdignity.com/all-of-the-tiny-guides/vxy1k

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2020-sessions

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

119: Raising Kids for a Just World w/ Lydia Wylie-Kellermann Apr 12, 2021

I’ve often joked that Parenting Forward is a social justice parenting manual. However, I wish The Sandbox Revolution had existed before I wrote it. That book is even more like a social justice parenting manual.

This week I am talking with its author, Lydia Wylie-Kellermann. She was raised in a family where she was heavily involved in activism and fighting against injustice from a very young age. This taught her to value community and justice work and shaped the woman she became.

In this episode, we talk all about her book and the efforts she is putting in towards social justice. Tune in to learn all about what a difference it can make to raise your kids for a just world.

Show Highlights:

Lydia’s experience being raised by activist parents.
How having a foundation of faith grounded in justice and liberation impacted her life.
What it was like losing her mom at the age of 19.
The 3 sections of her book.
Why she is inspired by parents who are present with their kids.
How to empower our kids to fight for justice.
Why sensitive kids inspire me so much.
The new and continuing challenges Lydia sees in our world since she wrote her book.

Links (affiliates included):

The Sandbox Revolution: Raising Kids for a Just World - https://thesandboxrevolution.com

Geez Magazine - https://geezmagazine.org

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2020-sessions

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

118: Free Mom Hugs for LGBTQ+ Kids w/ Sara Cunningham Mar 29, 2021

I imagine many of my listeners are regulars at pride parades. If that’s you, you’ve probably seen the moms who offer free hugs to LGBTQ kids who may not have a supportive or loving family. There is something so simple and yet so profound about that act of kindness. It communicates a love that is basic to human dignity but often denied to LGBTQ kids.

The idea behind those free hugs comes from today’s guest, Sara Cunningham. She is the founder of the nonprofit, Free Mom Hugs. Sara comes from a faith tradition, so when her own son came out as gay, she really struggled. In this episode, we’re discussing her journey from that point to her current place of acceptance and affirmation of her son.

Show Highlights:

The experiences Sara went through when her son came out.
How she has rebuilt trust with her son.
What drove her to change her perspective on the LGBTQ+ community.
How our culture and legal system have progressed over the years.
What Sara’s mission with Free Mom Hugs is.
What it is like for Sara to work with secular gay rights groups as a woman of faith.
Why love and education are the keys to a better understanding of the LGBTQ+ community.
The best parenting practices of affirmation and love.

Links (affiliates included):

Free Mom Hugs - https://freemomhugs.org

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2020-sessions

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

Additional Resources:

How We Sleep At Night: A Mother’s Memoir by Sara Cunningham: https://www.amazon.com/How-We-Sleep-At-Night/dp/1499725388

PFLAG-National: www.pflag.org

QCF - Queer Christian Fellowship: www.qchristian.org

TRP - The Reformation Project: www.reformation.org

Geeky Justin - on faith, culture, and nuance: www.geekyjustin.com

Canyonwalker Connections: www.canyonwalkerconnections.com

Serendipitydodah - Home of the Real Mama Bears: www.realmamabears.org

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

117: Civics at Home w/ Ashley Berner Mar 15, 2021

What are schools really teaching our kids? Are they educating them on information that is actually relevant to our world right now? Most of our schools just aren’t teaching our kids things like how to vote and make wise decisions about policies. Those topics usually aren’t even brought up. That’s why I am so excited to talk with Ashley Berner this week.

Ashley is the Director of the John Hopkins Institute for Education Policy. In this position, she helps make the connection between what happens in schools to how prepared students are to be active citizens of a democratic society. In this episode, we are discussing the role parents have in preparing our kids for that kind of conscious citizenship. Tune in to hear some amazing insights from Ashley.

Show Highlights:

How Ashley defines civics.
The 4 adult capacities of an informed citizen.
The benefits of watching political speeches and debates with our children and critiquing what we see.
Why we should explain our own views and opposing views to our children.
How to get your kids engaged in civics if you’re not a political family.
The power of explaining the rationale behind our perspectives.
Practical things we can do to give our kids a civics education.
The importance of engaging in and talking about the suffering in the world with your kids.
How to raise your kids to discern between facts and conspiracy theories.

Links (affiliates included):

Some resources for parents:

“Parent Resource: Civics at Home.” Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy, April 22, 2020.

“In a Polarized America, What Can We Do about Civil Disagreement?” Brookings (blog), April 10, 2020.

“Partisanship and American Education.” Flypaper at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute(blog), October 15, 2020.

“An Informed Citizenry.” Johns Hopkins University: The Hub(blog), October 30, 2020.

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2020-sessions

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

116: Cultivating Civic Imagination w/ Sangita Shresthova Mar 01, 2021

Storytelling is a key element of the human spirit. As human beings, we respond to stories with both our emotions and our minds. Specifically, when we hear the stories of those who are different from us, we are forever changed.

In our effort to raise conscious citizens, this should be one of our primary goals. We must be dedicated to providing opportunities for our kids to engage with diverse people groups and to hear their diverse stories. This is one way we can get them engaged in politics--a word that might not mean what you’ve always thought it means.

Dr. Sangita Shresthova is the Director of Research at the University of Southern California. I know her as the author of the book By Any Media Necessary: The New Youth Activism. Sangita has such an interesting story and incredible expertise on this area of raising conscious citizens, especially when it comes to storytelling. Tune in to hear all about her background and perspective on youth’s participation in politics.

Show Highlights:

How Sangita’s childhood led her to observe people and look for human connections.
How she used dance to reconcile all the different parts of her life.
What brought her to the US and to her job at USC.
What her research group, Civic Paths, does.
Young people’s history of getting engaged in politics.
The various and nuanced categories of politics.
How not allowing our kids to have any say in decisions prevents them from being empowered.
How to explain civic participation to our kids so that they can see how it’s all connected.
The political engagement that occurs in pop culture and media.
How youth participation in new cultural trends is affecting their civic life.
How parents can support the intergenerational activism movement.
The importance of listening to and learning from marginalized people’s stories.
Tips for helping your kids become good listeners.

Links (affiliates included):

The Civic Imagination Project - https://www.civicimaginationproject.org/toolkit

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2020-sessions

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

115: To Raise a Conscious Citizen w/ Lauren Duca Feb 22, 2021

Children in America have been largely boxed out from politics. They have missed out on that sense of political agency that our culture affords to adults. It’s not that they don’t care; they aren’t in a state of apathy but are experiencing disconnect.

How can we empower our kids to shift from a passive acceptance of politics to active navigation of it?

Lauren Duca is an award-winning journalist who speaks out on this very topic. She used to work at Teen Vogue and is the author of the book How to Start a Revolution: Young People and the Future of American Politics. Lauren has become a voice for young people--young women in particular. She spoke at my conference last year on the political awakening she had when Trump was elected in 2016. She also taught how we can raise conscious citizens who have political agency. It was an amazing talk that everyone at the conference loved, so I am sharing it with all of you today.

Show Highlights:

What a political awakening is.
The research Lauren did to uncover the political convictions of American youth.
Why a sense of agency is more important than knowledge.
How to create a sense of agency for our kids.
How to go on a media diet.
Becoming an expert on one topic that interests you.
The foundation of forming a political opinion.
Different ways to raise your voice.
How to navigate conversations with those who disagree with you.
How to make democracy a daily habit in your life.

Links (affiliates included):

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2020-sessions

How to Start a Revolution, by Lauren Duca - https://www.amazon.com/How-Start-Revolution-American-Politics-ebook/dp/B07QYP6KVY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

114: My Children’s Book! w/ Lynnor Bontigao Feb 15, 2021

If the pandemic and the Trump-era taught me anything, it’s that we need to be conscious citizens. In fact, we can’t afford to be unconscious. Democracy and the assurance of justice require us to remain woke, vigilant, and engaged in the way our society runs itself. Because of this, parenting includes a responsibility to raise our kids to be conscious citizens, too.

Because I’ve been thinking through this concept of kids and activism so much lately, I decided to put it all down into a book. After talking to all you parents about your children for so long, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to speak directly to the kids. In this episode, I’m talking all about the book with my illustrator, Lynnor Bontigao. This was a collaboration effort, with Lynnor being just as, if not more, important to the content of the story as I was. Tune in to hear the story behind You Are Revolutionary and the process of publishing it.

Show Highlights:

How a passion for advocating for the rights of kids to make an impact on policy and a short poem inspired me to write a children’s book.
Lynnor’s background in drawing.
Her experience working as a programmer for 15 years.
How she became an illustrator through social media.
The process she goes through when drawing for her followers or herself versus the process she goes through when drawing for someone else’s work.
Listening to and nurturing the creative voice inside of us.
Why Lynnor chose to illustrate an Asian kid with freckles for the book cover.
How she balances logic and creativity when she’s drawing.
The joy of working on children’s books.
How we have both been impacted by marginalization and hoped for better representation.

Links (affiliates included):

Preorder YOU ARE REVOLUTIONARY here: https://www.beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506478302/You-Are-Revolutionary

Lynnor’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/lbontigao/

Parenting After Purity Culture Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

113: Parenting Forward with a Rebel Girl w/ Francesca Cavallo Feb 08, 2021

So many of us who grew up in evangelicalism just wanted to be good. We lived in fear of not being good and therefore losing God’s love.

This was even more prominent for those of us who are natural storytellers. Not only do we experience religious trauma but we let it embed deeply into the story of our lives. We allow it to enter deep recesses of our imagination which are so keen to accepting stories.

Francesca Cavallo is one such storyteller. She was on the podcast a while back and, when she was, I immediately recognized that we were kindred spirits. Francesca has been through significant spiritual trauma that has shaped her own story. Through her writing, she is now pioneering a path in children’s publishing that is bold and revolutionary. Tune in to hear a conversation Francesca and I had on her Instagram Live where we talked about Parenting Forward, cultivating healthy spirituality in our children, and how toxic religious teachings have taken their toll on dreamers everywhere.

Show Highlights:

The abusive spiritual environment in which I grew up.
How I came to realize that I wanted to spend my life talking about parenting and religious trauma.
Francesca’s religious experience in childhood and how it shaped her.
How to nurture spirituality in our children without passing on religious trauma.
Why it’s important to talk about big issues with our children and allow them to participate in civil activities.
Spiritual child protection policies we can use when we talk to our kids about spirituality.
The importance of teaching our kids another spiritual language.
How to figure out which spiritual practices speak to your unique child.
Why we should give our kids the choice to have their own ideas about religion.
How to accept and learn from our children’s versions of reality.
What to do if you don’t believe but don’t want to take that option away from your kids.

Links (affiliates included):

Francesca’s website: https://www.undercats.com

Previous episode with Francesca: https://cindywangbrandt.com/podcast/episode-79-stories-from-the-rebel-girl-w-francesca-cavallo/

Parenting After Purity Culture Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

112: Raising Resilient Children w/ Amelia Richardson Dress Feb 01, 2021

Each of us must understand that they will go through hard things in life. However, we must also never fall into despair or overwhelming anxiety. That is where resilience comes in. Being resilient is the ability to believe that we can go through hard things and, though we may be changed by them, still survive.

Today, I brought Amelia Richardson Dress onto the show to talk more about resilience. She is the author of the brand new book, The Hopeful Family: Raising Resilient Children in Uncertain Times. Amelia understands the importance of being resilient and passing that onto our children. If you are a parent needing guidance in this area, you will benefit greatly from what Amelia shares. Tune in!

Show Highlights:

Amelia’s definition of resilience.
The importance of grief and hope within resilience.
Why it is so important to have interfaith interactions.
The practice that was hardest for Amelia to implement and how she grew in it.
How to help our kids learn intentional, real rest.
Life hacks for implementing spiritual practices.
How naming our routines and shifting them when we need to helps us with our spiritual practices.
How to grow our resilience so we can more easily let our kids go through hard things.
Thinking about parenting as hospitality.
How humor can be a spiritual practice.
Why we sometimes have to embrace the dark realities of life.

Links (affiliates included):

Amelia’s website, The Hopeful Family: Raising Resilient Children in Uncertain Times - http://www.ameliadress.com

Parenting After Purity Culture Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

111: Parenting After Purity Culture Jan 25, 2021

Over the summer, I posted a Twitter thread about recovering from purity culture. I wasn’t specifically addressing the parenting audience, but it easily applies and is very important to the parenting conversation. Just like how the sex talk should not be a one-time conversation with our kids, recovery requires ongoing conversations.

So, for our last episode in this January series on sex, sexuality, and purity culture, I wanted to bring back the episode where I expanded upon that Twitter thread.

There are so many prerequisites for recovery before a good, healthy sex talk can happen. These are the very issues I’m delving into today. If you were raised in purity culture or simply want to learn from the perspective of those who were, tune in. You’ll hear a thorough discussion on the fears and confusion from which those of us recovering from purity culture must be healed in order to be the best parents we can be.

Show Highlights:

What boundaries are and how to develop and stick to them.
How to raise kids to know what they like and don’t like.
The importance of enjoying pleasure for its own sake.
The fear tactic of the slippery slope.
Discerning the difference between privacy and secrecy.
Moving beyond literal thinking into nuanced thinking.

Links (affiliates included):

Parenting After Purity Culture Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

110: Six Minute Sex Ed w/ Kim Cavill Jan 18, 2021

Talking openly about sex is very new to me. I openly share about religion and parenting but have little experience sharing about my sex life. It feels very private so it’s hard to be vulnerable in that way. A lot of parents experience this same issue in trying to raise their own kids with healthy sexuality.

This week’s guest, Kim Cavill, struggled through the lack of sex education as a child and is now passionate about keeping other kids from going through what she did. Kim started teaching sexual education for people with disabilities and those who worked with them in Australia. She now hosts the podcast Six Minute Sex Ed. On her podcast, she gives children the information and tools they need to not be as vulnerable to sexual trauma and abuse. Tune in to hear Kim and I discuss sex ed and how to discuss sexuality honestly.

Show Highlights:

Kim’s story and her experience with religious trauma.
How to balance the privacy of our sex lives with the need to make those conversations open and public.
Why there is such a lack of sex ed in the home.
Research from the Kinsey Institute on our sexual identifications and behavior.
Why parents need to think of themselves more as a mentor to their kids than a teacher.
How to work through our own triggers when we talk to our kids about sex.
How to talk about sex-positivity in a sex-negative culture.
Why education isn’t a switch you can turn off and on.
How to stop carrying others’ trauma.
What our kids really want to hear from us about sex.

Links (affiliates included):

Six Minute Sex Ed - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/six-minute-sex-ed/id1443243552

Parenting After Purity Culture Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

109: God is Grey w/ Brenda Marie Davies Jan 11, 2021

All month in January, we’re talking about purity culture. I want to hold various discussions on sex to ramp up the Parenting After Purity Culture conference happening in February.

Today, I’m so excited to be talking to Brena Marie Davies about the topic. Brenda is the founder of the popular YouTube channel, God Is Grey, as well as the author of On Her Knees: Memoir of a Prayerful Jezebel.

Brenda’s book tells the story of her years growing up as a conservative Christian. Of course, with that upbringing came purity culture. In this episode, Brenda shares some of that story. She had done the amazing work of redeeming some of the toxicity from that purity culture upbringing and now helps others understand God. Tune in to hear all about her faith history, how she’s shifted in her faith, and detoxing from purity culture.

Show Highlights:

Brenda’s deconstruction journey.
How her view of God has changed and how that parallels her detox from purity culture.
How purity culture affects our health and wellbeing in every way.
Why the idea of our sexuality needs to be expanded.
Allowing ourselves to experience pleasure and increase our sensualities.
How purity culture still affects Brenda and how she overcomes those narratives that still creep up on her.
How to teach our kids to know how to check in with their bodies.
The danger of the purity culture stigma.
How to talk about sex out of love and a desire for health instead of out of fear.

Links (affiliates included):

Brenda’s website: https://www.godisgrey.com

On Her Knees: Memoir of a Prayerful Jezebel: https://amzn.to/359YljS

Parenting After Purity Culture Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

108: Breaking Free from Purity Culture w/ Linda Kay Klein Jan 04, 2021

All throughout the month of January, we’re going to be revisiting the topic of purity culture in preparation for our upcoming Parenting After Purity Culture conference. We’ll talk about what purity culture is and how it relates to parenting.

We’re also going to bring back some archived episodes on the topic, as well as new interviews with experts whose work centers around the recovery from purity culture and sex-positive parenting. My hope and purpose, as always, is to help you break toxic cycles and move toward health and wholeness for your kids and all kids of the coming generations.

In today’s episode, we’re revisiting an episode with Linda Kay Klein. She is the author of the book Pure: Inside The Evangelical Movement that Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free. Linda is also going to be a featured speaker at the conference, so I can’t wait for you all to hear from her. Tune in to hear all about the damaging effects of purity culture and Linda’s personal experience with it.

Show Highlights:

Linda’s working definition of purity culture.
How purity culture affected every area of her life.
Why offering our children as many choices as possible is so important.
How evangelicalism twisted young women’s identity to be all about sex.
How to set our children up for healthier sexuality by offering actual sex conversations, not just purity conversations.
How to talk about sex without shame.
How purity culture has set young women up to be more vulnerable to sexual predators.
How the message of purity culture was delivered differently and equally to boys and girls.
Advice for those climbing out of the purity culture world but still partially in that space.

Links (affiliates included):

Parenting After Purity Culture Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

107: You Can’t Say You Don’t Like Kids w/ Anna Skates Dec 28, 2020

Many adults believe that kids don’t have much to contribute to society. It’s very common to brush them aside as “not quite people yet.” This is one of the biggest reasons I started this podcast. I want to push against this belief and advocate for the rights of children.

In this episode, I’m talking with a friend who wholeheartedly agrees. Anna Skates has a new endeavor called Otterly, whose mission aligns perfectly with our mission here at Parenting Forward. They also believe that kids have great things to contribute and that they are very important to this world. We are kindred spirits is our desire to advocate for kids to be treated as full human beings, just as they are.

Anna has worked with kids in various capacities. I’ve loved following her journey and have been so moved by her persistence to ensure children are treated with justice. Tune in to hear more about Otterly and how to treat kids as equals.

Show Highlights:

The story behind Anna’s passion to advocate for kids’ flourishing.
How she responds to people who argue that we must treat kids differently than adults.
Why say that you don’t like kids is wrong.
How understanding developmental stages helps us see children as full people.
Who Anna wants to serve with Otterly and how.

Links (affiliates included):

Anna’s Website - https://www.otter.ly

Early Learners Box - https://www.otter.ly/box

Parenting After Purity Culture Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

106: Parenting Decolonized w/ Yolanda Williams Dec 21, 2020

My guest today is Yolanda Williams from Parenting Decolonized. Her mission is to help black parents raise emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually liberated kids. She does this by addressing parenting from a racial perspective, considering the trauma black parents hold within their DNA. She teaches them how that history plays into how they parent today.

Yolanda is also a single mom of a toddler, who may make a guest appearance on the show today. Everything Yolanda does and stands for is totally up our alley here at Parenting Forward. So tune in to hear the amazing message she has to share with all of us.

Show Highlights:

Why Yolanda has branded her work “Parenting Decolonized.”
What it means to raise kids with a liberated mindset.
How Yolanda deals with her own child leaving their conscious home and entering an unconscious world.
What the past summer was like for her and her family.
Why it’s so important to teach our kids emotional resilience and when we should start doing so.
How those of us who aren’t black can help support what Yolanda is doing.
What decolonizing has to do with spirituality.
All about Yolanda’s upcoming parenting conference.

Links (affiliates included):

Parenting After Purity Culture Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Parenting Decolonized website - https://www.parentingdecolonized.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

105: Holidays with Religious Trauma w/ Brian Peck & Laura Anderson Dec 14, 2020

We’re back with another special holiday episode of Parenting Forward! However, instead of doing something festive, we’re going to be talking about religious trauma again. I know that holidays are the worst when we have family issues to deal with. It’s only worse when we have religious family issues. That is why I brought on today’s guests, Brian Peck and Laura Anderson.

Brian and Laura are religious therapists with the Religious Trauma Institute. They have been on the show for multiple episodes in the past and I am so excited to get to bring them back on. In this episode, we are addressing some of the issues people and parents, in particular, have during the holiday season if they are survivors of religious trauma. If you struggle with this yourself or know someone who does, tune in to hear how to navigate the holidays well.

Show Highlights:

Why having a trauma response to religion is an issue especially during the holidays.
How to plan for and respond to being asked to pray.
How to make sure our kids feel free to be their authentic selves.
The religious trauma that can come with Santa.
How to celebrate and talk about Santa in a way that feels safe to you.
Christmas music and how to manage its triggers.
How to reinvent and reclaim holiday traditions for you and your family.

Links (affiliates included):

Parenting After Purity Culture Conference REGISTER FOR FREE - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Parenting After Religious Trauma Series - https://cindywangbrandt.com/podcast/episode-63-parenting-after-religious-trauma-series-part-1-w-brian-peck-laura-anderson/

Religious Trauma Institute – https://www.religioustraumainstitute.com

ReligiousTrama Institute Workshop – www.workshop.religioustramainstitute.com

Religious Trauma Institute Facebook Page –https://www.facebook.com/religioustraumainstitute/

Religious Trauma Institute Instagram –https://www.instagram.com/religioustraumainstitute/

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

104: Bloom Homie, Detoxing Masculinity w/ Eric Eztli Dec 07, 2020

Many of us, particularly those of us who grew up in conservative religious spaces, were taught unhealthy stories about what it meant to be a man. Some of them were generally toxic while some had added religious flavors. While many of us have rejected these teachings in our heads, we still struggle with internalized misogyny and toxic masculinity. This matters because, if we aren’t intentional and conscious about breaking those cycles, we may pass them onto our children.

Eric Eztli is on a mission to reimagine masculinity. He created the Instagram account Bloom Homie with a few friends several years ago. They focus on studying the patriarchal norms of this age and how they impact both men and women.

Eric is also a father who is thinking about all the ways he wants to guide his son in developing his own manhood. In this episode, we’re talking more about Bloom Homie as well as how Eric is helping society reimagine what it means to be a man in 2020.

Show Highlights:

More about Eric and his work at Bloom Homie.
How boys are taught to externalize pain.
How we can all work together to have a healthier approach to pain in our lives.
How Eric combats the toxic masculinity instincts from his childhood.
His obstacles to forming friendships with other boys in childhood.
What it’s been like for him to form intimate relationships with other men.
Expanding the conversation around boundaries to all humans.
Eric’s definition of healthy masculinity.

Links (affiliates included):

Bloom Homie - https://www.instagram.com/bloomhomie/?hl=en

Eric Eztli - https://www.instagram.com/ericeztli/?hl=en

The Macho Paradox by Jackson Katz - https://amzn.to/3fZNpcZ

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

103: How to Teach Kids a Responsible Reading of the Bible w/ Pete Enns Nov 30, 2020

You can tell a lot about people by their reaction to the Bible. That is what makes it so interesting as a sociological phenomenon. There are secular people who are largely ignorant of the Bible. Then there is the large spectrum of ways Christians engage with the Bible, from the literal inerrant folks to the infallible and liberal interpretations.

My guest today understands the varied kind of baggage that the Bible can carry for people. Pete Enns is a Bible scholar, a professor, the author of several amazing books about the Bible, and the host of the popular podcast The Bible for Normal People. I had the amazing honor of being a guest on that show back in August. In this episode, we are discussing how to teach about and discuss the Bible with our kids.

Show Highlights:

Pete’s personal relationship with the Bible.
Whether or not the Bible is appropriate for children.
How children were viewed in Bible times.
Age-appropriate ways to teach the context of Bible stories.
Irresponsible ways of sharing the Bible with children.
What needs to change in regards to our attitude about children.
How understanding that you want to give your children power changes your approach to the Bible.
Why biblical literacy is important even for secular people.
How to raise our kids with resilience to prepare them for those who will contradict the way they learn the Bible.

Links (affiliates included):

My episode on The Bible for Normal People - https://peteenns.com/interview-with-cindy-wang-brandt-raising-children-in-the-faith/

Pete Enns website - https://peteenns.com

Pete’s Bible Curriculum for kids - https://amzn.to/2J0QBbV

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team -https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

102: Unpacking the Privileges of Gentle Parenting w/ Michael Singletary Nov 23, 2020

Voices of hate and bigotry have been amplified in our country. This proves that they exist to be amplified. They won’t be going away anytime soon. That’s why we need the voices of love and gentleness, voices that are beautiful and nurturing, to get louder.

That is what I aim to do with this podcast. I plan to host voices that speak love, truth, and gentleness into this world while being simultaneously strong and soft.

I’m excited to bring on one such voice today. Michael Singletary is the owner of the Instagram account Verde Lobos Project. He is also a dad of two. His goal is to use his page to help people see that they are loved and valued. Tune into this episode to hear more about what Michael does as well as his perspective on gentle parenting.

Show Highlights:

The idea of covenant relationships outside of your biological family.
How Joe lost his identity when he became a parent.
His relationship with whiteness as he talks about gentle parenting.
His Instagram post of one of his kids in a Killmonger costume.
How he has engaged with and counteracted the narrative of toxic masculinity in his parenting.
Why he says many people don’t have access to nature and how he sees nature as a part of his parenting.
Life-giving activities we can try today and implement in our families.
How he taps into his kids’ playful energy.

Links (affiliates included):

Michael Singletary - https://www.instagram.com/verdelobosproject/?hl=en

Nature & Justice Instagram accounts Michael recommends:

she_colorsnature - https://www.instagram.com/she_colorsnature/?hl=en

tcplaneteer - https://www.instagram.com/tcplaneteer/?hl=en

sophia_roe - https://www.instagram.com/sophia_roe/?hl=en

Melanin Base Camp - https://www.instagram.com/melaninbasecamp/?hl=en

greengirlleah - https://www.instagram.com/greengirlleah/?hl=en

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

101: How to Be Assertive During Thanksgiving Nov 16, 2020

Today's episode will be a rapid-fire Q & A. My goal has always been and always will be to make sure I’m doing my very best here on the podcast to serve you and meet your needs. So, in order to do this, I run a poll every once in a while and ask all of you what you want me to address. I did this again recently and got some fantastic questions and suggestions.

Throughout the episode, I’m going to be tackling all of the questions and issues that were raised in response to my poll. Some of the things we’ll be discussing include how to be assertive as an adult with our fundamental families at Thanksgiving. Tune in to hear my insights on navigating the complex realities of relationships within the family and parenting well in a variety of situations.

Show Highlights:

What’s at the core of wanting to be assertive with family.
How to clearly state your boundaries.
How to know when to disengage.
How to create a Christian community with structure but without inflexible hierarchies.
How to stay calm and gentle throughout the holiday season.
How to set your child up to have a strong foundation of faith.
How to parent for an apocalypse.

Links (affiliates included):

Existential Happy Hour with Micah Murry - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/007-surviving-deconstruction-w-cindy-wang-brandt/id1532267287?i=1000494731827

Creating Brace Spaces with Colby Martin - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creating-brave-spaces-with-colby-martin/id1403686245?i=1000449118618

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

100: How to Raise Justice Seeking Kids Nov 09, 2020

I don’t just believe our kids are going to change the world. I believe they have already changed the world. They don’t have to wait to grow up to change the world. They don’t have to achieve anything grandiose to change the world. They have changed the world just by being who they are and having a voice. Therefore, they deserve to have a say in how the world is operating.

I was recently invited by a community to share this truth with their parents. You all know me as an author and a podcaster, but I also have speaking engagements where I’m honored to inspire various communities around the world with the message of Parenting Forward. In this particular community, I spoke on the topic of how to raise justice-seeking kids. Today, I’m sharing that talk with all of you.

Show Highlights:

How to have high hopes for our kids without crushing them with our high parental expectations.
Why we don’t have to teach our kids about injustice.
The most important thing to instill in our kids.
How systemic change really happens.
How we can give our children a voice and dismantle the barriers that have been constructed to squash it.
A broader definition of activism.
How to pave the way for your kids to be revolutionaries.

Links (affiliates included):

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

099: Cultivating Sacred Moments with Kids w/ Traci Smith Nov 02, 2020

The way I think is very big picture. I am an abstract thinker who’s great with ideas, but not so much with concrete practices. Because of this, I try to bring guests onto the show who will compensate for this weakness of mine. While I give you big frameworks and better narratives within which to nurture your kids’ spirituality, I rely on other people’s content and resources when it comes down to what to actually do or say. One of these people is Traci Smith.

Traci provides actionable rituals and practices for families who want to build a foundation of healthy spirituality. She creates resources that help parents incorporate spiritual practices into everyday life. In this episode, we talk about how to cultivate sacred moments for our kids even if you’re not an expert yourself yet. Tune in to learn some practices that you can try today.

Show Highlights:

Traci’s spiritual background and theological transition later in life.
The biggest barriers to cultivating sacred moments for our kids and families.
How to make time for spirituality in your family.
What healthy spirituality looks like and the signs of spiritual deprivation.
How to create moments of connection and sacred moments for our kids when we have religious trauma.
Practices from her book Faithful Families for Advent that we can try.
What it means to become more conscious of what’s happening in our bodies when they are doing so many things.

Links (affiliates included):

Traci Smith’s website: http://www.traci-smith.com

Faithful Families for Advent & Christmas - https://amzn.to/3j4glQB

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

098: Elections and Political Engagement with Kids w/ John Shallman Oct 26, 2020

Those of you who listen to this podcast are people who are very active and engaged in the political process. I tend to be a political junkie myself. However, the 2016 election devastated me and I wasn’t interested in dragging my mental health through that ordeal again. So I haven’t been as engaged this time around.

That being said, I’m still a firm believer in being engaged in responsible citizenship and I know that journey begins at home. That sense of empowerment for the political process has to start when our kids are young. That is why I brought special guest John Shallman onto the podcast.

John is a political campaign strategist. He is also the author of the debut novel, Return From Siberia, a story about politics and family. I was so honored to have John join me for this conversation. Tune in to hear incredible advice from someone with many years of experience in politics and campaigning.

Show Highlights:

How John’s career as a campaign strategist intersects with his novel.
His experience growing up in a tight-knit political community.
How he ended up becoming a consultant.
How to enfranchise children for the political process while also telling them they can’t vote.
Practical tips for how parents and schools can engage children in the political process.
How to explain to kids that not everyone thinks the same way.
How to encourage healthy debate when the national discourse sets a bad example.
How to help our kids consume media and discern fake news.
The balance in raising skeptics who still have a sense of wonder about the world.
How to engage kids in politics in a way that fits their personality.

Links (affiliates included):

Return from Siberia - https://amzn.to/2HhDFNJ

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

097: Don’t Simplify Theology for Kids w/ Katey Hage Oct 19, 2020

Resistance is spiritual. However, what’s spiritual is spiritual too. That’s why I brought on someone whose career vocation it is to invest in the spirituality of children.

Katey Hage is the children’s pastor of Quest Church, a diverse church in Seattle founded by my friend Eugene Cho. Katey and I have vocational passions that intersect. Having grown up in a predominately white Christian church environment, when she first experienced God in diverse communities, something shifted inside of her. She was deeply drawn to the image of the multi-cultural Kingdom of God.

Today, Katey and I are talking all things kids, ministry, and spirituality. Tune in to hear her origin story and how she gives the children she ministers to spiritual agency.

Show Highlights:

What made Katey want to become a children’s pastor.
How she has wrestled with feeling subversive in her role.
How she defines healthy spirituality.
Why spontaneous authentic spirituality is better.
Advice for religious people who want to honor their children’s spiritual agency and quest.
How to raise your kids with healthy spirituality when you have religious triggers.
The most important issues facing children’s ministry today.
How the church can do better at respecting kids and treating them as fully human.
The new curriculum they’re developing at Quest.

Links (affiliates included):

We referenced David’s episode several times: https://cindywangbrandt.com/podcast/episode-94-children-making-theological-meaning-w-david-csinos/

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

096: Activist, You! with Lindz Amer Oct 12, 2020

It’s never too early to talk to kids about equality. From an early age, we should give them the tools and language to see themselves and interact with the actual realities of the people they will encounter in their lives. This is incredibly important work and something that Lindz Amer does so well.

Lindz Amer is the creator of Queer Kid Stuff. They create media for all kids with queer representation. There is abundant queer representation and resources for teens, but it’s very scarce for young children, so I love that Lindz speaks to that demographic. In this episode, we are talking about Queer Kid Stuff as well as their new podcast, Activist, You!

Show Highlights:

How Queer Kid Stuff and Activist, You! overlap and interact with each other.
How Lindz identifies and the work they do.
The lenses we put on to clarify how we see the world as we grow up.
What it means to be an activist.
The interview that was the most impactful for Lindz.
The parenting patterns that have made the kids on Activist, You! who they are.
Why thinking about the long game is the best parenting practice.

Links (affiliates included):

Queer Kid Stuff - http://queerkidstuff.com

Activist, You! - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/activist-you/id1495721988

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

095: Keeping Families Together w/ Heather Askew Oct 05, 2020

A few episodes ago, I hosted a show with Cam Lee, a transracial adoptee and mental health professional. We talked about issues surrounding transracial adoption, white saviorism, and the movement to adopt from orphanages internationally. Heather Askew, one of my listeners, reached out to me and she works with NGOs that are trying to make the shift from orphanages to family based-care. I don't know very much about this. But I feel like for those of us who advocate for the well-being of children, not just in our own communities, but worldwide, it would be good for us to learn more about how we can be better advocates.

Heather Askew grew up in the US and moved to Thailand just over nine years ago to work at an after school program for kids who lived in the slums and the red light district of Chiang Mai, Thailand. But over the years, she and her teammates saw issues that were not being met by their work. They started a new organization that is developing a foster care system in Thailand and helping shift the Thai system from being dependent on orphanages to being more family-based that supports children living with relatives or their biological parents.

Show Highlights:

The misconceptions of orphanages.
Why building more orphanages is not a solution to the social problems vulnerable children face.
Why it’s important to transition children back into their own families.
The differences between family-based care and orphanages.
How Heather is working with churches and Western Christians to change their narratives.

Links (affiliates included):

Jojo’s Sanctuary - https://jojosthailand.org

Faith to Action - https://www.faithtoaction.org

Christian Alliance for Orphans - https://cafo.org

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

094: Children Making Theological Meaning w/ David Csinos Sep 28, 2020

It’s a great moment when we find kindred spirits whose views align closely with our own. It’s just an amazing feeling to know we’re not alone in pushing an idea forward and so wonderful to collaborate with like-minded individuals. When I was writing my book, Parenting Forward, I did a lot of research that led me to many like-minded individuals such as these. One of these people was David Csinos.

David curated a collection of essays on the topic of progressive theology that was a huge part of my research. He has a new book coming out now called Little Theologians: Children, Culture, and the Making of Theological Meaning. The prevailing narrative out there is that children just parrot theology and don’t actively think about God, the universe, or the other transcendent things of life. However, they are actually theological agents of meaning-making. This is what David’s book is all about. Tune in to hear our discussion on this and how to successfully talk to children about theological issues.

Show Highlights:

Why the spiritual blank slate narrative persists.
Why authoritative environments are so harmful to children.
How he leveled the power dynamic and genuinely listened to the kids he interviewed without mining them for ideas that fit his narrative.
Understanding the concrete thinking of children.
The spiritual child protection policies David would instate.
The value of children’s ministers.
What he would do as a VBS curriculum writer.

Links (affiliates included):

Little Theologians: Children, Culture, and the Making of Theological Meaning - https://amzn.to/3hPNEqe

Faith Forward - https://amzn.to/3mAvs7w

Spiritual Child Protection Policies Episode - https://cindywangbrandt.com/podcast/episode-15-7-spiritual-child-protection-policies/

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

093: Decolonizing Parenting w/ Jo Luehmann Sep 21, 2020

In past episodes, I’ve used the term faith deconstruction a lot. Some of you might be sick of hearing it, while others of you might be confused. To get us all on the same page, faith deconstruction implies that we’re tearing down some of the structures of faith we used to have. I really prefer the term faith-shifting because the process isn’t a destructive force, but rather a life-giving path that helps us find our way towards truer versions of ourselves.

For our Parenting Forward community, deconstruction applies beyond faith spaces as well. Anyone who feels that the way they were parented was toxic or problematic is engaging in the same type of work as faith deconstructors. Today on the podcast we have Jo Luehmann, a fellow cycle-breaker and faith deconstructor. In the episode, she teaches us how to dismantle oppressive structures for the flourishing of ourselves and the next generation.

Show Highlights:

The timeline of Jo’s faith evolution and how that intersects with parenting.
What decolonizing is and how it goes hand in hand with faith deconstruction.
How deconstruction heals society.
How to decolonize parenting spaces.
How to better think about the idea of obedience.
The power of really listening to our kids’ words that we interpret as lies.
What healthy spirituality looks like for Jo and her children and how she’s living that out in her parenting.

Links (affiliates included):

Jo on Twitter - https://twitter.com/JoLuehmann

Jo on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joluehmann/

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

092: V is for Voting w/ Kate Farrell Sep 14, 2020

Kids are affected just as much as adults are by the government and the decisions that are being made by our leaders. However, they aren’t given a say in choosing who those leaders will be. They’re going to inherit the world that we are making, so the government needs to represent them, as well. They need to have a voice.

Today’s guest believes in empowering children in this way, as well. She is the author of the brand new children’s book, V is for Voting. This ABC book introduces progressive families to concepts like social justice and civil rights. It reminds readers that every vote counts. Here at Parenting Forward, we are very interested in kids and activism, so this book is a perfect fit. In today’s episode, Kate and I talk about V is for Voting and why she believes it is so important to get into the hands of our kids.

Show Highlights:

How to explain to kids why voting is so important when the world is telling them they’re not important enough to vote.
What stood out to Kate when researching the history of voting rights.
How we can integrate lessons of citizenship to our kids.
Why families who say they aren’t political still need this book.
What Kate would say to kids who want to get involved but feel like they’re shy, ordinary, or not smart enough.
How we can help our kids believe that they deserve to be a part of the conversation about things that happen in their lives.

Links (affiliates included):

V is for Voting - https://amzn.to/3bF1lGX

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

091: We Bare Bears: The Movie w/ Daniel Chong Sep 04, 2020

I am amazed at how our kids are so much more woke than we were at their age or even than we are now. They take things like demanding equality for granted. This is because of children’s media and stories that aren’t afraid to show them the world as it is. One media influencer who does this brilliantly is Daniel Chong.

Daniel Chong is the creator of We Bare Bears, a popular Cartoon Network television series. He is releasing a new TV movie on Monday, Sept. 7 at 6pmET/PT, We Bare Bears: The Movie. Not only are there loveable bears in this movie, but there are also themes of belonging, identity, loyalty, equality, and justice--all things we like to talk about here at Parenting Forward. In this episode, Daniel and I talk about the movie and the challenges he has encountered in getting it out into the world.

Show Highlights:

Daniel’s response to those who say We Bare Bears is too political.
What he wants kids to know about celebrity culture and how to find a sense of identity in the current climate.
How he overcame stereotypes and owned his vocation as a creative.
The positives and negatives of the influx of media for our kids.
How he understands what will resonate with kids.

Links (affiliates included):

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

090: Parenting After Purity Culture Tweet Thread Aug 31, 2020

Recently, I posted a Twitter thread about recovering from purity culture. I wasn’t specifically addressing the parenting audience, but it easily applies and is very important to the parenting conversation. Just like how the sex talk should not be a one-time conversation with our kids, recovery requires ongoing conversations. So, I wanted to expand upon my Twitter thread here on the podcast.

There are so many prerequisites for recovery before a good, healthy sex talk can happen. These are the very issues I’m delving into today. If you were raised in purity culture or simply want to learn from the perspective of those who were, tune in. You’ll hear a thorough discussion on the fears and confusion from which those of us recovering from purity culture must be healed in order to be the best parents we can be.

Show Highlights:

What boundaries are and how to develop and stick to them.
How to raise kids to know what they like and don’t like.
The importance of enjoying pleasure for its own sake.
The fear tactic of the slippery slope.
Discerning the difference between privacy and secrecy.
Moving beyond literal thinking into nuanced thinking.

Links (affiliates included):

Parenting After Purity Culture with Erica Smith - https://cindywangbrandt.com/podcast/episode-76-parenting-after-purity-culture-with-erica-smith/

Boundaries with Kay Bruner - https://cindywangbrandt.com/podcast/episode-3-kay-bruner-boundaries/

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

089: Transracial Adoption Mental Health w/Cam Lee Aug 24, 2020

Transracial adoption is a complicated problem with no simple solution. I’m not a parent of transracial adoption, nor am I a transracial adoptee myself, but I am learning alongside all of you how to be more kind to all those who are or have been involved in it. There is a cultural narrative surrounding transracial adoptions that is ill-conceived and often downright harmful. We need professional help and advice in learning how to navigate this issue.

I brought on Cam Lee to begin a conversation on this topic for all of us. He is a licensed clinical counselor who is himself a transracial adoptee. He specializes in adoption-informed mental health services. In this episode, we discuss the truth about transracial adoption and the mental health problems that come with it.

Show Highlights:

Cam’s own adoption story and how that led him to become a licensed clinician.
The most common mistakes people make when they tell stories of transracial adoptions.
How to dismantle the harm of the system.
How parents who recognize the harmfulness of the adoption system can navigate that conversation with their children.
How Cam works with his clients to heal their racial trauma.
What to do when your children are struggling but aren’t interested in therapy.
How to deal with your adopted child’s body image issues.

Links (affiliates included):

The Girls Who Went Away - https://amzn.to/3h5l98h

Adoptee mental health and suicide: https://www.wearekaan.org/post/adoptee-mental-health-and-suicide-what-s-the-connection

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3784288/

2-Night Workshop Sep 2020

https://therapyredeemed.wordpress.com/2-night/

Suggested Resources (camps, colleagues, adoptee voices, book recs, etc.)

https://therapyredeemed.wordpress.com/shop/

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

088: Mother of 3 Runs for Office w/ Elizabeth Madeira Aug 17, 2020

Awhile back, I read this book, Why We're Polarized by Ezra Klein and it explains why the state of political discourse is so polarized and the answer is actually not the absence of social media. It says that in America, the political system incentivizes polarization, leading to the way that it is today.

My guest today decided to not just get involved in calling representatives but go all the way and run for office. Elizabeth Madeira is a Belmont graduate, teacher, mom of three, and Democratic candidate for Tennessee’s 63rd State House District.

She has been a Spanish teacher in both public and independent schools and has worked as a Sunday School Director for over 10 years. Elizabeth has a master’s degree in Educational Administration and has served as a volunteer in community and faith-based nonprofit organizations.

Show Highlights:

Elizabeth’s political awakening and how it coincided with her faith.
What it means when God and your faith doesn't look exactly like you planned for it to.
Her struggles with infertility.
How Elizabeth decided to run for State House.
Some of the biggest challenges Elizabeth has faced her campaign.
How you can support Elizabeth’s campaign.

Links (affiliates included):

Elizabeth’s Campaign Page - https://elizabethfortn.com

Why We’re Polarized by Ezra Klein - https://amzn.to/30MeHxv

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

087: 9 Year Old CEO of Peyticakes w/ Peyton Brown & Windy Augustine Aug 10, 2020

At Parenting Forward we believe that every child can make a difference no matter the age and because of this narrative, I'm always on the lookout for kids in the world who are creating change.

Peyton Brown and her mother, Windy Augustine, join me on today’s episode. Peyton is the CEO of the company Peyticakes which creates beautiful, bold, empowering t-shirts with messages such as “I Am Change” and “I Am Worthy” targeted at girls. Peyton is a young girl with big dreams and she is determined to make them real no matter what.

Show Highlights:

How Peyton used a vision board to start her business.
Why Peyton “just wants girls.”
How Windy empowers Peyton to go after what she wants in life.
How Peyton’s sheer determination motivates Windy every day.
How Windy balances the challenges of being a single parent with a full-time job while helping her daughter run a business.
Advice Peyton would give any girl with a dream of becoming an entrepreneur.

Links (affiliates included):

Peyticakes: https://peyticakes.com

Lauren Duca’s Session from the Parenting Forward Conference: https://gum.co/shbWS

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

086: Parenting after Losing RHE w/ Dan Evans Aug 03, 2020

So many of us grieved the loss of Rachel Held Evans. She was the best-selling author of several books and a hugely influential figure shaping a generation of discourse around faith. When she died in 2019 at the age of 37, we each had to cope with that grief in our own personal way.

One thing that brings me comfort is knowing that Rachel was loved by a man as good as Dan Evans. Losing your wife and the mother of your children is hard enough, but there is another layer in that Dan’s wife was a public figure. He has to raise his kids with Rachel’s ideas that are out there so publicly. In this episode, Dan and I discuss how he has gone about parenting his kids after losing Rachel.

Show Highlights:

How Dan is making parenting decisions in light of the parenting research Rachel did in her life and what she would have wanted.
The level of risk he is willing to take in parenting his kids.
How the experience of shifting in his faith affects his parenting.
Why he desires for his kids to see people with differing opinions from one another.
Why it’s important to get comfortable with confusion.
How he wishes the world could change to make space for a parent like him.
How he navigates gender roles with one daughter and one son.
Differentiating between making our kids bear the burden of our failures and celebrating the prospect of that possibility.

Links (affiliates included):

Rachel’s books: https://rachelheldevans.com/books

2016 and the Risk of Birth - https://rachelheldevans.com/blog/risk-of-birth-2016

No Drama Discipline - https://amzn.to/32UAKmY

Caring for your baby and young child -https://amzn.to/2ZZ7xVY

Episode 46: Grieving RHE - https://cindywangbrandt.com/podcast/episode-46-grieving-rhe-fox-news-empty-nesting-with-carol-howard-merritt/

Episode 58 with Sarah and Beth - https://cindywangbrandt.com/podcast/episode-58-talking-politics-with-your-kids-pantsuit-politics/

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/3g0LJPn

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

085: Holy Troublemaking & Raising Strong-Willed Children with Daneen Akers Jul 27, 2020

Love and justice will only arise when we unite with those who are different from us. People with diverse backgrounds, faiths, and even beliefs have the power to come together and create something beautiful. However, if we surround ourselves only with those who are identical to us, we will never reach the same heights.

Daneen Akers is a visionary who understands this well. She invited me to be a part of a project that has become one of the things I feel most honored. For this project, she wrote a book for middle schoolers titled Holy Troublemakers and Unconventional Saints. It is a children’s storybook about people from different faiths coming together to work for love and justice in their corners of the world. In this episode, she shares where her idea for this book came from and how she put it all together.

Show Highlights:

Daneen’s process for deciding who to feature in her book.
The profiles that especially resonated with her.
Why it was important to her to use different styles of artists.
The definition of troublemaking that was at the forefront of her mind.
Advice for parents who are raising strong-willed children.

Links (affiliates included):

Find my Holy Troublemaker profile here:

https://www.holytroublemakers.com/cindy

Casper Ter Kuile’s session about rituals can be found here:

https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2020-sessions

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB3

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

084: Black Boys, Black Hair, Black Anger w/ Michael Waters Jul 20, 2020

Many of us feel intimidated to talk to our kids about racism. It’s so much more than someone not liking someone else because of the color of their skin and that can get confusing. However, we don’t need to make it this hard. We just need to provide them with an awareness of the world and how it operates as they grow.

In this episode, Michael Waters helps us understand how to do that. He is an award-winning author, activist, professor, and speaker. He has published a couple of books on race, faith, justice, and family, so he fits right in here. He also has a children’s book coming out soon that answers many of the inquiries our children have about current events. Listen in for great insight on how to communicate with our kids about the changes that need to happen in our world.

Show Highlights:

The conversation with his son that demanded a response and sparked the idea of a children’s book on racism.
How to help our kids understand racial injustice.
What actual change-making needs to look like right now.
How to approach anger and navigate a parenting conversation on it.
The role of faith and interfaith groups in fighting against systemic racism.
Black hair and how it is a metaphor for the slow growth that’s required for justice work.

Links (affiliates included):

Pastor Michael’s website: https://michaelwwaters.com

Guide and coloring sheet download here:https://www.flyawaybooks.com/for-beautiful-black-boys

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2019-sessions

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB3

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

083: Parenting Teens, the Mental Load, & Passing on Faith w/ Kristen Howerton Jul 13, 2020

By and large, evangelical culture defines Christianity by what we don’t do. This gets passed on to our kids until they begin to define themselves not by what they love, but by what they abstain from. In reality, it’s a beautiful thing when we raise our kids by teaching them what we do; what we love and fight for.

Kristen Howerton is a blogger, podcaster, and author who is on a mission to do just that. In her new book, Rage Against the Minivan, she tells her personal parenting story and helps parents understand that there is no “right” way to raise kids. Kristen is also a licensed marriage and family therapist and a mother to 4 children by birth and adoption.

In this episode, we talk about the unique difficulty of parenting teens, why women often bear the mental load in their families, and how moms can authentically pass on their faith.

Show Highlights:

Kristen’s faith evolution experience and how she expressed that publicly.
The lack of resources nowadays for parenting teenagers.
How to love our teenage children as they journey towards adulthood.
Responding to our children by empathizing with the feelings instead of the conviction.
The mental load women take on and how to excavate and stop reinforcing that message.
How Kristen’s spiritual baggage plays into her parenting.

Links (affiliates included):

Kristen Howerton’s website: https://www.kristenhowerton.com

Kristen Howerton’s book, Rage Against the Minivan: https://amzn.to/2ZzyIVY

Mental load: https://www.workingmother.com/this-comic-perfectly-explains-mental-load-working-mothers-bear

New York Times Interview with Jon Stewart - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/06/15/magazine/jon-stewart-interview.html

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2019-sessions

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB3

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

082: Kids & Aunties Sew Masks with Kristina Wong Jul 06, 2020

Masks have become a polarizing political symbol in our society this year. Opinions on them have changed and developed throughout the entirety of COVID-19, but they are still quite divisive. Depending on our backgrounds, experiences, and personal perspectives, we all view this tiny piece of cloth in a different way. That is why I wanted to have a conversation today with my friend and repeat guest, Kristina Wong.

Kristina is the creator of Radical Cram School, a social justice school on YouTube for girls of color. She is also a performance artist and Muslim-elected representative in Koreatown in LA. When the pandemic first hit in America, she began making masks for the homeless and others who were immunocompromised and had no access to masks. This led to countless requests and the eventual creation of the Facebook group, Auntie Sewing Squad.

In today’s episode, we talk about both of our experiences with masks during COVID-19, as well as what we are doing to help. If you are interested in learning more about what it has been like to be an Asian American during this time, listen in to the amazing insights and stories Kristina shares.

Show Highlights:

Our personal experiences with masks and COVID-19 in general.
How Kristina got started sewing masks for the less fortunate.
An explanation of the term “auntie” in Asian culture.
The transformation and current culture of the Auntie Sewing Squad group.
How Kristina has valued the women of color in her sewing squad.
How I have recruited children to help the vulnerable with my mass sewing camp.
How to support the Auntie Sewing Squad.

Links (affiliates included):

Radical Cram School - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI3voZCASp0

Auntie Sewing Squad - https://www.facebook.com/auntiesewing/

Auntie Sewing Squad Donor Link - https://donorbox.org/auntie-sewing-squad?fbclid=IwAR3rixvhPJiuYrux150Ql2ZWPo_0hHPIxpEr5ay81gO4HU_s00LX9EUsWE4

Seamstresses United Navajo & Hopi Nation Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1YPMOKVP3L56J?fbclid=IwAR20RjSKqmIAug3otJoJ-tULKsbF-RSl-7HS096EatiAsH2Qpn5xegHH0HE

SIGN UP TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE NEXT MASK SEWING CAMP - https://mailchi.mp/08c18bd2b620/mask-sewing-camp-with-auntie-sewing-squad

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2019-sessions

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

081: The Science of Parenting with Amy and Jeff Olrick Jun 29, 2020

It’s easy to forget that our kids are people too. They have just as much humanity as we do and yet we place so many limits on them. We have to understand that kids experience the same amount of stress we experience. They just lack the brain development to express it in a way we can understand. In today’s episode, we discuss all of this and more.

Jeff and Amy Olrick are the parents of three boys as well as human rights activists. Jeff is a child psychologist who has a passion for helping parents understand what is happening scientifically to their children’s brains. Jeff and Amy are also the authors of The Six Needs of Every Child: Empowering Parents and Kids Through The Science of Connection.

I get asked often for books that are not fundamentalist, but still speak to Christians and communicate a Christian worldview. That’s exactly the kind of book this is. Tune in to the episode to hear all about it and benefit from Jeff and Amy’s knowledge about the science of parenting.

Show Highlights:

How parents can navigate through the stress of being quarantined with their kids.
Why we need to reframe the questions we ask in our relationships.
The systemic problem with the productivity model in our country.
Why adults actually aren’t fundamentally different from children.
How to become conscious of our attachment patterns from childhood and break the cycle for our own kids.
The importance of giving ourselves grace in parenting.
How Jeff and Amy want to serve and challenge the Christian community with their book.
The six needs of every child.
How Jeff and Amy navigated writing their book while being parents to actual children.

Links (affiliates included):

Jeff and Amy Olrick’s website: https://www.growingconnected.com

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2019-sessions

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

080: Raising Antiracist Kids with Rebekah Gienapp Jun 22, 2020

Today, I brought my friend Rebekah Gienapp on to talk about raising antiracist kids. A lot of you have been asking questions about how to talk to your kids about everything that has been going on and we wanted to answer them for you. Rebekah is a former community organizer from Memphis, Tennessee who wrote the guide Raising Antiracist Kids: An Age by Age Guide for Parents of White Children. She has so much wisdom to share on nurturing brave kids with a love for justice and in this episode, we discuss it all.

As you all know, I am constantly creating antiracist resources and have always been committed to dismantling white supremacy through this podcast and beyond. With the recent death of George Floyd, this is all the more urgent. So many of us are looking for resources to help us process this tragedy and teach us what steps we can take to combat racism. The process won’t be glamorous, but I plan to never stop educating myself. I hope you will persevere through it with me.

Show Highlights:

Rebekah’s upbringing in a majority-black city and experience as a community organizer.
How she got back into the world of social justice when she noticed her son’s mostly white world.
Why we should push back against the belief that our children are too young or innocent to talk about racism and the death of George Floyd.
How to move past our discomfort and overcome white fragility.
What we can learn from Jilian Best’s conversation with her child about race and justice.
How these conversations about race are dividing families and what to do about that.

Links (affiliates included):

Rebekah Gienapp’s website - https://www.rebekahgienapp.com

The video to Jilian Best’s conversation with her child about race - https://www.facebook.com/100012209014313/videos/978240022592956/

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://gumroad.com/parentingforward?sort=page_layout

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB3

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

079: Stories from THE Rebel Girl w/ Francesca Cavallo Jun 15, 2020

It’s so important that we put real-world events into accessible language for our children so they can form their own opinions on them. Too much of mainstream media either hides hard topics from kids altogether or translates them so thoroughly that they are no longer based on facts. Francesca Cavallo is a children’s author who is on a mission to transform this part of our culture.

Francesca is the author of 7 children's books and co-creator of the compilation of 100 tales of extraordinary women. This crowdfunding project raised more than a million dollars in pre-sales and is now a bestseller in homes across the world. Her latest book, Dr. Li and The Crown Wearing Virus, tells the story of the brave doctor who exposed the spread of the coronavirus. In today’s episode, I talk with her about the process of writing this book as well as the other stories for rebel girls that she loves to tell.

Show Highlights:

Francesca’s goal of inspiring children to be who they are through the stories of heroes.
The most impactful historical and modern figures she has met.
Mainstream family entertainment and its journey towards progressivism.
Creating spaces for children to weigh in on real-life issues.
How her book gives children the space to form their own ideas about the Coronavirus and protects them from xenophobia.
Using accessible language so children can reach tough topics on their own.

Links (affiliates included):

Dr. Li and the Crown Wearing Virus - https://bit.ly/progressiveLi

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2019-sessions

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

078: The ABC’s of Diversity w/ Carolyn Helsel & Joy Harris-Smith Jun 08, 2020

Today, I'd like to introduce you to the authors of the upcoming book, The ABC's of Diversity: Helping Kids (And Ourselves!) Embrace Our Differences. Joining me to share some of the ABC's are Carolyn Helsel and Joy Harris-Smith.

As I was reading their book, I was struck by how compassionately Carolyn and Joy set the table to speak for these hard conversations. Their goal is to walk parents and kids through the learning process of living fully in the diversity of who we are as families and as a society. I am excited to share their work and message with you today.

Show Highlights:

Conversations about identity, gender, race, or religion are not easy.
Carolyn and Joy’s work is an attempt to put forth a balanced view about how we move forward in a world that is increasingly globalized and becoming more globalized every day.
Some of the challenges parents and children face when embracing diversity.
Conversations don't move toward action. They are the catalysts. But at some point, you have to move beyond the dinner-table conversation.
How to practice moving from dialogue to informed action.
Carolyn and Joy share some of the ABC's of Diversity from their book, including the unhelpful reactions we typically have talking about or being around people who are different.
How to address white fragility - aka exerting control over the situation as a way of dealing with your anxiety, acknowledging those automatic ABCs, and moving into a more intentional response.
"We don't want people to feel bad about being fragile. We want them to move through and past the fragility."
Helping children educate themselves about social media sources and encouraging them to embrace diversity within social spaces.
We explore the question, "Is it possible to have nuanced conversations that lead to real change?"

Links (affiliates included):

The ABCs of Diversity: Helping Kids (and Ourselves!) Embrace Our Differences - https://amzn.to/2XMifgh

Anti Racism resources for white people -

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BRlF2_zhNe86SGgHa6-VlBO-QgirITwCTugSfKie5Fs/mobilebasic?fbclid=IwAR3JxqkXrlC15fZBsGddsO6feOsVv5WZUYUgYxLQlHZy_fWEVrVxgy_WXFg

Parenting Forward Conference Sessions - https://gumroad.com/parentingforward?sort=page_layout

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB3

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

077: Growing Sustainable Together with Shannon Brescher Shea Jun 01, 2020

Shannon Brescher Shea is a mom who writes about parenting, social justice, and sustainability. This week she joins me on the podcast to talk about her new book, Growing Sustainable Together, and how we can guide our children to cultivate kindness, our bodies, our minds, and Earth together as a family. I hope that as we work to move through the current global pandemic, we will take the giant wake up call from Mother Earth and move into a more sustainable way of living.

Show Highlights:

We discuss green guilt, the pressure to raise kids with self-awareness, and awareness about the world we live in.
What it means to help our kids get closer to the food system.
Introducing children to our food resources is not just about going and buying a tomato from the grocery store. It's about all the people and all of the environmental aspects that made that tomato.
How a close connection to our food system helps our children grow up to be happy and healthy.
Some of the ways families can stay in touch with their local community.
How to listen and engage with children in environmental activism, including modeling social activism for younger children, and then inviting them in, if they're interested.
A reminder to be engaged with your children, your community, and the food system in a sustainable way.

Links (affiliates included):

Barbara Brown Taylor’s session: https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2020-sessions

Shannon’s website: https://welleatyouupweloveyouso.com

Growing Sustainable Together: https://amzn.to/2zu6FOF

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB3

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

076: Parenting After Purity Culture with Erica Smith May 25, 2020

Today we're talking about how to raise children with healthy sexuality. I've hosted a couple of episodes in the past about sex and parenting. I've also done an episode on breaking free from purity culture. In this episode, we're going to combine those two topics and discuss parenting after purity culture. Joining me to explore this topic is expert, Erica Smith. Erica is an award-winning sexuality educator. She has been providing sex education, HIV prevention, and support services to young women, LGBTQ, youth, and families since 2000. I'm excited to share our conversation with you.

Show Highlights:

Why dropping out of purity culture is not at all like dropping an actual class.
Some of the biggest challenges Erica sees in her students and clients as they navigate this messy path out of purity culture.
Advice for parents who are trying to deal with their purity culture and raise kids with sex-positivity.
There can't be any sex-positive parenting without examining your feelings and beliefs about sex.
Confusion is common, and not knowing what to say is normal. Parents need to understand that they're not alone, and being uncomfortable is typical for these conversations.
What to do if your child comes across sexually explicit material online.
We work through a lot of reframing for those of us who grew up in purity culture and evangelicalism; to change our minds about this idea that we have a right to pleasure. Erica offers some best practices for people to successfully execute these reframes.
The beautiful thing about raising kids in sex positivity is that they won't have to do the difficult work of reframing as they grow into adolescence and adulthood.
Overcoming purity culture may mean rejecting a particular set of values, but it doesn't mean entering into a vacuum of ethics.
Recommendations for parents and families to help determine their sexual ethics.

Links (affiliates included):

Erica Smith’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericasmith.sex.ed/?hl=en

Sex Positive Families: https://sexpositivefamilies.com

Cath Hakanson, Sex Ed Rescue: https://transactions.sendowl.com/stores/9866/125275

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB3

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

075: Five Pandemic Parenting Lessons with Cindy Wang Brandt May 18, 2020

Today, I am sharing some of my own stories and reflections to hold witness to this unique moment in history - the COVID-19 crisis. I wanted to provide five pandemic parenting lessons I've learned so far. As we make our way through this crisis, I am sure there will be more lessons to uncover. I hope this episode inspires you, encourages you, and offers you support in some way.

Show Highlights:

The importance of giving transparent information to our kids.
Some ways in which we can raise our kids to not buy into conspiracy theories.
Our children can be a resource for us just as much as we are for them.
How to capitalize on heightened spirituality.
How to have a conversation with our children about privilege, equity. And how our well-being is intricately connected to the well-being of those around us in our neighborhoods, states, and even across the world.
Why we should be raising our children to be storytellers.

Links (affiliates included):

Why did Jesus make the coronavirus? - https://mailchi.mp/21b30be69120/why-did-jesus-make-the-corona-virus?e=[UNIQID]

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB3

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

074: Highlights of the Parenting Forward Conference May 11, 2020

A couple of weeks ago, we wrapped up the Parenting Forward conference. Today, I’m going to air some highlights from the conference so that you can experience some of the best parts of the speakers too.

It may feel hyperbolic to say the conference changed my life, but in many ways, it did. Not only were the conversations I had with the speakers so incredibly life-giving, but the experience of going live with the attendees and engaging with them more intimately reminded me powerfully of how listeners of this podcast are full, powerful human beings with families, jobs, and hobbies.

Please go check out each of the speakers’ work: follow them on Twitter, buy their books, and let’s continue to be in conversation about parenting with healthy spirituality.

Show Highlights:

Barbara Brown Taylor shared six different ideas parents can help to re-enchant the world with our children.
Next up, Casper ter Kuile shared the problem we all are facing as a culture of loneliness, and how we can begin to address it with ritual and belonging.
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg talked about how we find theology and profound spirituality in the act of parenting.
Lauren Duca discussed the different ways that young people have been boxed out of connection to a sense of agency.
Next up, we had Danny Cortez, who talked about parenting and the patriarchy.
Rev. Jacqui Lewis helped parents to tell a better story for their children. Our job is to be story weavers or to midwife a story to help a child midwife a story, to own an account, to change a story, and to be transformed.
Micky Scottbey Jones discussed Enneagram and Parenting. Sometimes Enneagram spaces can feel very white and evangelical, so I appreciated having Micky’s perspective as a certified Enneagram instructor.
Jessica Taft goes through five different assumptions, how to become aware of these assumptions, examine them, and disrupt them.
Rachel Goble and Matthew Paul Turner talked about the ethics of telling children’s stories.
Last, but certainly not least, Science Mike shared with us what it’s like to parent after faith deconstruction.

Links (affiliates included):

Parenting Forward Conference 2020 Sessions - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com/2020-sessions

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB3

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

073: When Our Parents have a Faith Crisis with Diana Butler Bass May 04, 2020

As the world is going through major growing pains, some days, it seems impossible to extricate the pandemic from the conversation about religion and spirituality. If you are a parent going through a rocky ride when it comes to your faith, or maybe you are watching your parents maneuver a faith crisis of their own, this episode is for you.

There is something unique about the way people are handling their faith crisis because of how public and loud it is. And I wonder how that impacts the process of raising kids. To help me explore what to do when parents have a faith crisis, Diana Butler Bass joins me.

Diana Butler Bass is an author, speaker, and independent scholar specializing in American religion and culture. What I appreciate most about her knowledge is how she frames her analysis of pop culture and religious events through the lens of the history of the church and how it has shifted and transformed. Her perspective is so valuable. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Show Highlights:

Diana answers the question, "Are parents of today facing a faith crisis more tumultuous than their parents and their parents' parents?"
People going through a faith crisis right now are doing it in a very public way.
Public sharing has created permission for people to talk about things they hadn't talked about before.
What can we draw from the differences between our faith crisis and that of our parents' experiences?
A reminder for parents: Children have their journey as well. They're going to see things differently than you do. For one, they're not privy to your inner thoughts and your faith unless you communicate it to them.
Children are active faith agents themselves.
The role adults should play when they see children in a youth activist or spiritual capacity.

Links (affiliates included):

Diana Butler Bass - http://dianabutlerbass.com

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB3

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

072: This One is for the Kids with Brad Montague, Anna Skates, & Noah Glenn Apr 27, 2020

Calling all kids! Today's episode is just for you. Check this out: usually, I talk to your parents about how to raise you with healthy spirituality. You know how doctors, nurses, and scientists can help you to stay physically healthy (like help you when you have a sore throat or stomach ache)? Well, there's another way of staying healthy too, and that's through spiritual wellness. Helping your parents and you stay healthy, spirituality, that's my job.

I've invited my friends Brad Montague, Anna Skates, and Noah Glenn to the show. They're really good grownups who wanted to share a bit about themselves, about YouTube, and about how your parents can be better grownups. Plus, they want to remind you that you matter, you're fantastic, and even though the world is big and sometimes scary, there are little things we can all do to make it better. I hope you'll listen!

Show Highlights:

Brad asks you to consider this question: Where's your power?
Things can be challenging. But there are little things we can do every single day to help.
We talk about how the world is big, but you sometimes feel insignificant, like you can't do anything at all. But there are things you can do. What are they?
Know the world can be better, and you'll be the cause. Keep going.
Anna reminds you that you matter just as much as anyone else.
We discuss big feelings too. How to talk about them and what to do. And we share a reminder: you're not alone.
Finally, Noah helps us make some wishes for grownups listening and takes us through a mindfulness practice known as loving-kindness meditation.

Links (affiliates included):

Be a Better Grownup: BeABetterGrownup.com

Anna Skates’ weekly zoom chats: https://www.wearekidco.com

Noah’s Like You Podcast: https://likeyoupodcast.com

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team -https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB9

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

071: How to Find Community in a Post Religious World w/ Casper ter Kuile Apr 20, 2020

One of the biggest concerns I see among parents undergoing faith deconstruction is the desire or need to find a meaningful community. This week, Casper ter Kuile joins me to discuss how parents can find community in a post-religious world. Casper is the co-host of the popular podcast, Harry Potter and the Sacred Text. He's also the author of The Power of Ritual. Casper serves as a consultant to individuals who are exploring and interpreting the changing landscape of community and spiritual life.

If you are asking questions like, "How do I gather with others, so my children have a solid community?" Or "How can I feel a sense of belonging if I no longer hold to my previously held religious convictions?" These are real concerns for many people, as spiritual demographics change drastically within this generation. Casper offers an insightful and helpful perspective on these topics. He's such a dynamic person, and I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Show Highlights:

We discuss the true definition of community and why we crave it so much.
Community is a conveyor of belonging.
Casper offers why it's easier to connect when we're vulnerable.
We talk about the podcasting community and how it is changing how people gather.
The fluidity and freedom in relationships in today’s world is ever-changing.
We can cultivate a sense of commitment and connection in our children's' lives; one way to do that is to be committed and to be there for them.
We are living in a golden age of myth-making where these epic stories of good and evil are being played for us on big screens with ever-increasing frequency. So if we look at that as religious behavior, you know, religion is all around us. We don't call it that.
We talk about rituals and ask, "What ritual would you like to have had in your childhood?"

Links (affiliates included):

Casper’s book, The Power of Ritual - https://amzn.to/2V0T3T8

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB9

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

070: Parenting Decentering Whiteness - Untigering w/ Iris Chen Apr 13, 2020

Throughout the series, Parenting Decentering Whiteness, my special co-host, Leslie Arreola Hillenbrand, and I have been interviewing parenting influencers of color. Parenting spaces are majority white, which is a massive distortion of the actual world in which we live. If we want to raise our children into developing meaningful relationships with those around them, we have to start listening to voices that reflect the actual life experiences of our world.

Today, we are joined by Iris Chen. Iris is a Chinese American known for her work with unlearning and detoxing from tiger parenting, aka untigering. She is a deconstructing tiger mother who is trying to become a gentle and respectful parent. We are so happy to have her with us to talk about her work and her perspective on parenting.

Show Highlights:

Tiger parenting, what it is and the practice of untigering
Iris shares her own experience with tiger parenting and how she began to question what she was doing; and recognized the ways it was hurting her son and hurting their relationship.
How Iris said she leaned on coercion, domination, and oppression over children and how she wants to encourage all of us to change and transform from those patterns and those strategies to anti-oppressive ways of relating with children.
Perspectives on the orientation of undoing or dismantling - is it too negative?
Some gaps that need to be filled in the Asian parenting community and what we wish would be talked about more.
Speaking on ethnic identity, we discuss whether or not there are nonviolent or liberating parenting practices that are particular to the Asian American story.
Whatever our culture is, we don't want to be wasteful. The idea of the shared plate in Asian culture and allowing a child to choose how much to put on their plate; acknowledging there are ways to practice not being wasteful yet also honor our kids' autonomy.

Links (affiliates included):

Iris Chen Untigering - https://untigering.com

Gene Luen Yang - https://amzn.to/39Nb7UK

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB9

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

069: Parenting Decentering Whiteness - Raising Free People w/ Akilah Richards Apr 06, 2020

This week, we continue with the series, Parenting Decentering Whiteness. We are talking about what it means to raise free people with Akilah Richards. And, returning as my co-host is Leslie Arreola Hillenbrand of Latinx Parenting.

Akilah Richards is a writer, unschooling organizer, and host of the Raising Free People podcast. In this episode, she shares why she decided to embark on the unschooling journey, what it means to trust our children, and how our children deserve to always be themselves. We have so much to learn from Akilah and her community. I'm honored to have her as our guest!

Show Highlights:

How to strike a balance when children are all of a sudden put into a situation where they are no longer going to school.
Thoughts on how to become a better listener to our children
What it means to trust our children truly and what it looks like in the context of parenting
We don't need to be the resource. Instead, be good at listening and asking the questions.
Our parents didn't mean respect. They meant obedience. It's easy to see how some of us are continuing those cycles of oppression.
Akilah's shares her experience as a person and family of color in the unschooling space.
We have a brief discussion on whitewashing and how it is in all kinds of forms because whether it's in your home or not when you step out into a classroom, you are also subjected to that in a different format, even when it's with amazing teachers.
The importance of being very deliberate, intentional, and consistent about questioning the narrative and whiteness status quo

Links (affiliates included):

Akilah Richards’s website: https://www.raisingfreepeople.com

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team -https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

068: Parenting Decentering Whiteness - Parenting for Liberation with Trina Greene Brown Mar 30, 2020

This week we discuss Parenting for Liberation and the work Trina Greene Brown is doing within her organization for the Black community. As we continue the series, Parenting Decentering Whiteness, we explore what it means to be a Black parent and raising a Black child in today's world.

Leslie Arreola Hillenbrand, the founder of Latinx Parenting, re-joins me as my co-host. We welcome Trina Greene Brown to the show. Trina is a mother, activist, and founder of Parenting for Liberation. Parenting for Liberation believes in the power of Black parents to conceive, birth, and nurture liberation for the future.

Show Highlights:

How Parenting for Liberation works to challenge notions of what it means to be a Black child
As parents, as children, and as a family, we must ensure we are resilient, bold, proud, and joyful as Black folks.
Parenting for Liberation tries to bring parents together to look at the ways the systems have oppressed us historically, current ongoing oppression, and how can we heal them
Trina discusses the delicate balance between the positive and the negative parts of this her work
It takes many different people in different movements to see how that contributes to the broader movement.
A challenge to those who don't identify as parents of color because we could potentially interrupt the cycles of violence that impact communities of color at the hands and leadership of non-communities of color.
We have a conversation about spanking and why gentle parenting, not spanking your children, is something we strive to do.
We explore why white parents should be talking about the intersection of oppression, slavery, colonization, and its impacts on communities of color and the way we parent.
Parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color

Links (affiliates included):

Trina’s website - https://parentingforliberation.org

Parenting for Liberation: A Guidebook for Raising Black Children -https://amzn.to/2Wx4EKV

Stacey Patton - https://amzn.to/2wu55eg

Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome - https://amzn.to/2J6i8oT

My Grandmother’s Hands - https://amzn.to/2J58rag

We live for the We - https://amzn.to/3bmqqoT

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team -https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

067: Parenting Decentering Whiteness - Latinx Parenting w/ Leslie Arreola Hillenbrand Mar 23, 2020

I am excited to bring you my next series, Parenting Decentering Whiteness. This series features interviews with parenting influencers of color, people challenging authoritarian parenting paradigms while contending with whiteness. Joining me to co-host this special series is Leslie Arreola Hillenbrand, co-founder of Latinx Parenting.

If you are a person of color listening to the series, I hope you'll find resonance and support as you listen in on how some of us are managing, navigating, and being in the arena. If you are a white person, I hope you will learn from our perspectives, help to dismantle white supremacy in parenting spaces, and become more inclusive of voices that are not white. The parenting influencers featured in this series are the people who are helping guide you to shape the next generation.

Show Highlights:

The default narrative and face of what we see is very white, but parenting influencers of color do exist
The best way to combat the fact that white culture is not universal is through the power of story
Leslie's organization Latinx Parenting is an organization that offers nonviolent parenting or parenting with nonviolence
Parenting influences of color contend with whether we create for an audience of people of color or the white audience. And if it's both how to navigate that complexity.
Why we think it's important to talk about parenting decentering whiteness and what it means
A white parenting world is not factual, and it's not true. When we are talking about parenting, truth is so crucial to a child's identity.
What white parents can learn from Latino families

Links (affiliates included):

Latinx Parenting - https://www.latinxparenting.org

Latinx Parenting Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/latinxparenting/

Nikolai Pizarro -https://www.instagram.com/raisingreaders/

Mercedes Samudio - https://www.diversityinparenting.org/our-founder

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team -https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

066: Parenting After Religious Trauma Series Part 4 with Brian Peck & Janelle Stauffer Mar 16, 2020

Today we are going to talk about healing attachment wounds and creating safe communities, as we wrap up the series on Parenting After Religious Trauma. As parents with spiritual trauma wounds, how can we participate and be a part of society without continuing to trigger ourselves? That is just one of the questions we'll answer in this episode.

To help explore this topic, Brian Peck is back as my co-host. And our guest expert is Janelle Stauffer. Janelle is a licensed clinical social worker and a trauma-informed attachment therapist who works with children, parents, and families. She's a fierce advocate for trauma survivors and shares her wealth of knowledge as a university instructor, clinical supervisor, speaker, and clinician. She shines the brightest as a mom to her two amazing humans.

We covered much ground in this series, yet I know there's still more to be said. Thank you for joining me on my healing journey from religious trauma. We can get through everything together.

Show Highlights:

Attachment: what it is and why it matters.
Some conditions or factors that support attachment as a healthy connection, as opposed to an insecure attachment.
Which factors make attachment challenging or difficult.
When a caregiver is the source of fear and trauma, a child cannot come back and regulate themselves, they're stuck in a fear state.
We explore the attachment relationship and the idea of God.
We're all wired for growth unless we have unmet needs, and then we're wired to meet those needs.
Practical strategies parents can implement to create a context for secure or earned attachment to form.
The importance of being mindful when parenting after religious trauma
Secure attachments solve some big conflictual problems that are showing up in our communities. When people are safe, they enter the world with security, the adverse outcomes from conflict decrease significantly.
Why parents should have open communication with kids and allow them an exit strategy.

Links (affiliates included):

Janelle Stauffer, LCSW - http://www.janellestauffer.com

Parenting After Religious Trauma Mini-Course Registration- https://workshop.www.religioustraumainstitute.com/parenting_after_religious_trauma

Religious Trauma Institute - https://www.religioustraumainstitute.com

Religious Trauma Institute Facebook Page -https://www.facebook.com/religioustraumainstitute

Religious Trauma Institute Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/religioustraumainstitute

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team -https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

065: Parenting After Religious Trauma Series Part 3 with Brian Peck & Tori Williams Douglass Mar 09, 2020

In Part 3 of the series, Parenting After Religious Trauma, we debate the use of the term spirituality and discuss why language matters. We also continue our conversation on how we can engage with healthy parenting practices as parents with religious trauma.

My co-host, Brian Peck, is co-founder of Religious Trauma Institute and is a licensed clinical social worker specializing in religious trauma. He brings his expertise to this series as we expound on our reflections as survivors of spiritual trauma. Tori Williams Douglass also returns, she first joined us in Part 2 of the series. Tori is a parent and fellow survivor of religious trauma.

Show Highlights:

We continue our conversation on how to respond to our children's spiritual curiosity, given our spiritual trauma.
Empowering children that you can believe whatever you want, as long as you are treating other people with respect and dignity.
We debate and discuss the term spirituality and how it can be triggering.
We recognize the importance of making space for people to define spirituality the way they wish to describe it.
How to respond when you see your child has a transcendent experience.
Be willing to let your children walk their journey. Our role is to listen, support, accept, and believe what they are going through as their own experience.
Responding to children's spiritual or religious rituals.
The challenge for parents who have religious trauma is to navigate the minefield of triggers.
Tori shares some background about her work, creating anti-racist education.

Links (affiliates included):

White Homework - https://www.patreon.com/toriglass

Parenting After Religious Trauma Mini-Course Registration - https://workshop.www.religioustraumainstitute.com/parenting_after_religious_trauma

Religious Trauma Institute - https://www.religioustraumainstitute.com

Religious Trauma Institute Facebook Page -https://www.facebook.com/religioustraumainstitute/

Religious Trauma Institute Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/religioustraumainstitute/

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team -https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

064: Parenting After Religious Trauma Series Part 2 w/ Brian Peck & Tori Williams Douglass Mar 02, 2020

Today as we continue the series Parenting After Religious Trauma, we discuss some of the common parenting struggles we may have after religious trauma. The focus for this entire series is to address the health and well-being of people who suffer from religious trauma, how to heal, and find wholeness. This series teaches parents to be healthier, break toxic cycles of religiosity, and pass on health and wholeness to their kids. It's a win-win for parents, children, and the world.

Brian Peck, co-founder of Religious Trauma Institute returns as my co-host. Joining us as our special guest is Tori Williams Douglass, an anti-racist educator, writer, and content creator. Tori was raised as an evangelical, left evangelicalism, and is the mother of two children. Together we talk about her experiences parenting after religious trauma, the common responses to adverse religious experience, and how to can engage with healthy parenting practices.

Show Highlights:

Tori’s experiences and upbringing in an evangelical household.
Fear, shame, and powerlessness are common responses to an adverse religious experience.
Ways shame shows up in parenting everyday scenarios.
The ideal situation for parents is to be authentically themselves so their kids can be authentically themselves too.
Tips for navigating intergenerational relationships when you're trying to be the religious cycle breaker.
Loss of Community and Relationships after Religious Trauma: How to find your way through the loneliness.
Ways to respond to children's spiritual curiosity with questions or exploring spiritual practices, given your own spiritual trauma.

Links (affiliates included):

White Homework - https://www.patreon.com/toriglass

Parenting After Religious Trauma Mini-Course Registration - https://workshop.www.religioustraumainstitute.com/parenting_after_religious_trauma

Religious Trauma Institute - https://www.religioustraumainstitute.com

Religious Trauma Institute Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/religioustraumainstitute/

Religious Trauma Institute Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/religioustraumainstitute/

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

063: Parenting After Religious Trauma Series Part 1 w/ Brian Peck & Laura Anderson Feb 24, 2020

How do you know if you're a parent who suffers from religious trauma? If your goal is to raise children with healthy spirituality then, first, you have to acknowledge and address your own spiritual wounds and religious trauma. It is one of the biggest challenges to cultivating healthy spirituality for our children.

This is why I am excited to be launching a brand-new series. The series, Parenting After Religious Trauma, works to provide listeners with information, tools, and resources to unpack and work through religious trauma. I will be collaborating with the Religious Trauma Institute which provides a space for mental health clinicians, advocates, researchers and survivors to expand the conversation about adverse religious experience. Brian Peck, co-founder of Religious Trauma Institute and licensed clinical social worker, will be my co-host for this special series.

Today with the help of Laura Anderson, licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Ph.D. candidate and co-founder of Religious Trauma Institute, we define religious trauma, discuss the symptoms, talk about adverse religious experiences, and more.

Show Highlights:

Religious trauma: How do you know you have it? What are the symptoms?
Trauma is very perceptive. It doesn't have to be that something real is happening. It's the perception that something is dangerous or unsafe.
Why it's so important to think about trauma through the lens of the nervous system.
You have religious trauma if you suffer or if you struggle with responses to something that's happened to you.
We talk about adverse religious experiences and how they span a whole spectrum of different experiences.
Religious Trauma Institute’s goal is to help others understand how to be safe inside of religion as well as to help religious organizations recognize from a harm reduction perspective, how their various beliefs, practices, and structures are harmful.
We discuss how to know when your nervous system is responding to religious trauma.
Some practices to help you get to a place where you feel powerful again.

Links (affiliates included):

Religious Trauma Institute - https://www.religioustraumainstitute.com

Religious Trauma Institute Workshop - www.workshop.religioustramainstitute.com

Religious Trauma Institute Facebook Page -https://www.facebook.com/religioustraumainstitute/

Religious Trauma Institute Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/religioustraumainstitute/

Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team -https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

062: Parenting with Spiritual Triggers & Glimmers with Cindy Wang Brandt Feb 17, 2020

Today on the show I share five spiritual triggers and glimmers that are commonly experienced in parenting, specifically when you have a history of spiritual trauma. Most of us know what triggers are—something that activates an unwelcome response. I recently learned of the term glimmers which is the opposite of triggers. A glimmer is an event that activates a welcome response—a light and airy feeling which brings joy instead of pain.

And while glimmers do sound delightful, they are no more valuable than triggers. Here on the podcast, and within the Parenting Forward community, we validate every emotion—including anger, pain, happiness, and sadness.

I will be sharing five spiritual triggers that are commonly present in parenting scenarios plus five spiritual glimmers that may come up in parenting. I hope you resonate with today’s topic and you will use these examples to help you become self-aware when these events happen in your own parenting.

Trigger Warning Notice: This episode discusses five specific spiritual triggers. If you are working through spiritual trauma or think you may be triggered by this topic, please feel free to skip this episode. For official diagnosis and treatment of trauma or mental health always consult a medical or healthcare professional. I am not a licensed therapist, therefore, the content shared in this podcast comes from my own experiences and reflections.

Show Highlights:

Five spiritual triggers that can come up when parenting including several examples.
Acknowledging we are parenting differently than our parents did, we want different outcomes for our kids, and recognizing sometimes the outcomes can trigger us.
Five different ways I have experienced spiritual glimmers.
One specific glimmer I believe is the most healing to a spiritually traumatized person.

Links (affiliates included):

Parenting Forward on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parentingforward

The Brand New Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

061: Changing the Myth of Motherhood w/ Lyz Lenz & Amy Sullivan Feb 10, 2020

Parenting and progressive faith are not monolithic in any way. There are many different paths of parenting and I am fascinated by the many ways people do it. Author Lyz Lenz and podcast host Amy Sullivan join me to share their views on changing the myth of motherhood, parenting, and progressive faith. Lyz is the author of Belabored: A Vindication of the Rights of Pregnant Women. Amy is an author and co-hosts Impolite Company, a podcast about politics and religion. Both Lyz and Amy share how they parent and what role faith plays in their parenting.

Together we talk about how every topic with our children is one surrounded by faith, what it means to be a mother in America today, and the importance of recognizing we are women outside of being mothers, and we must honor this part of us too. It was such an honor to have both Lyz and Amy as my guests. I hope you enjoy our conversation!

Show Highlights:

The larger conversation is not just about parenting but about how we pass faith onto our children plus some ways Lyz and Amy incorporate faith into their parenting.
Amy’s experience parenting a child as part of an interfaith family and what that looks like for her.
Some trends of how people are changing the way they parent and faith.
How the concept of children being moral beings is a new phenomenon.
Recognizing we are our own beings who have our own lives and some ways in which you can work to strike a balance between motherhood and being your own person.
How Lyz’s book Belabored works to decipher between the mythologies of motherhood and what it means to be a mother in America today.

Links (affiliates included):

Lyz Lenz - https://lyzlenz.com Lyz’s book, Belabored: A Vindication of the Rights of Pregnant Women - https://amzn.to/2O5TJ5T Empty the Pews: Stories of Leaving the Church - https://amzn.to/313NBQW

The Brand New Parenting Forward Conference - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

060: Talking Money with Your Kids Feb 03, 2020

Mark and Lisa Scandrette are the authors of the two books, Free: Spending Your Time and Money on What Matters Most and Belonging and Becoming: Creating a Thriving Family Culture. Through their work and writing, they help parents intentionally approach family life from a place of soulfulness and gratitude.

Today we discuss how to talk about money with your kids. I’ve long wanted to do a show on parenting and money. I am so grateful to Mark and Lisa Scandrette for sharing not only their own family story but tons of rich wisdom on the subject from the workshops they do around the world to help families live more purposeful lives.

Show Highlights:

How to address issues of shame and money in parenting.
How to be mindful of money and how this manifests in one’s values.
Responding to your children if or when they begin to compare one family’s finances with another’s.
Redefining the rich vs. poor conversation with our kids.
A gratitude practice to help you cultivate a mentality of gratitude and abundance.
Prosperity gospel and asking the question, “How is your financial life spiritual?”
Talking about money is vulnerable and why this is okay.
What to do when your children become aware of homelessness and how to respond.

Links (affiliates included):

Mark Scandrette: https://www.markscandrette.com

Free: Spending your time and money on what matters most -https://amzn.to/2RXOoym

Belonging and Becoming: Creating a thriving family culture -https://amzn.to/2U3xelY

The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger -https://amzn.to/3aK2jkh

The Brand New Parenting Forward Conference -https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team -https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

059: Every Kid is a Revolutionary Jan 20, 2020

Today I tackle some of the objections parents may have when we talk about raising kids to be revolutionaries. It all feels like a little much, we want our kids to be healthy and happy and kind, that’s enough, right? Do we really need them to be activists and revolutionaries? Aren’t our kids busy enough with school and extracurriculars? Do we really need to be sending them to protests and marches? What if my kid is shy? Shy kids can’t be revolutionaries, they’re consumed with managing their own anxieties, right? Listen in as I talk about these concerns, hope it addresses some of the questions you may have had as well.

Links (affiliates included): Parenting Forward Conference Recordings - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

 Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

058: Talking Politics with Your Kids - Pantsuit Politics Jan 06, 2020

You know them as Sarah and Beth from Pantsuit Politics, a podcast hosting grace filled political conversations. I have them on the show today to engage more deeply with parenting. How do we talk about politics with our kids? How can we manage family members who have polarizing political opinions? How do we keep up with the relentless news cycle and have a sane family life? We dig deep, which is my favorite way of engaging in conversation. Hope you learn as much from their wisdom as I did!

Links (affiliates included):

Pantsuit Politics Show - http://www.pantsuitpoliticsshow.com

I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening) - https://amzn.to/2Qbfpil

Nurture Shock: New Thinking about Children - https://amzn.to/367JSn6

The New Paper - https://www.producthunt.com/posts/the-new-paper

Parenting Forward Conference Recordings https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

057: Raising Kids with Healthy Body Image Dec 16, 2019

Honored to have Hillary McBride join Parenting Forward today to talk about raising daughters with healthy body image, cultivating critical thinking and media literacy, embodied spirituality, and how fathers can contribute to developing healthy body image for your girls. Hillary is whip smart, kind, and articulate in her area of expertise, you don’t want to miss this one!

Links (affiliates included):

Hillary’s website: https://hillarylmcbride.com

Parenting Forward Conference Recordings - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

 Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

056: How to Parent Through Climate Anxiety Dec 02, 2019

I talk with Karenna Gore, Director of the Center for Earth Ethics from Union Theological Seminary about climate justice, spirituality, and how to parent our children through climate anxiety. She talks beautifully about how the climate justice moment is clarifying our interconnectedness and how to find authentic community in the social movement for life. Lots of recommendations for more resources, see the links below. There’s really some deep wisdom in this episode all, don’t miss it!

Links (affiliates included): Center for Earth Ethics - https://centerforearthethics.org

Karenna Gore on twitter - https://twitter.com/KarennaGore

The Blessing of a Skinned Knee - https://amzn.to/2QUUDnK

How to talk so kids will listen & listen so kids will talk - https://amzn.to/2XO5xgy

The Uninhabitable Earth - https://amzn.to/2DmAUpk

Global Weirding with Katharine Hayhoe - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi6RkdaEqgRVKi3AzidF4ow

Parenting Forward Conference Recordings - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

055: The Room Nobody Wants to be in - Grief Nov 18, 2019

Traci Loux is a mother of 7 children, one of whom died just before he turned 4 years old. She shares the story of this traumatic and tragic loss, how it impacted her family, as well as her faith. Our conversations about grief and parenting are never easy, but yet are honestly some of my favorites because it moves us into the territory of the most meaningful stuff of life. I’m grateful for Tracie for being willing to share this very private heartbreak, it is not something she owes any of us, so I am honored she chose to offer it to us. Hope you enjoy our conversation.

Links (affiliates included):

Tracie’s Healing Breath Studios Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tracieloux/

Parenting Forward Conference Recordings - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

054: Child-Inclusive Intergenerational Worship Nov 04, 2019

Worship and liturgy should be accessible to children and I’m so thankful Rebecca Stevens Walter is doing the work of creating intergenerational liturgies and educating churches to lead the world in child liberation. In this episode, you’ll hear an example of what intergenerational worship looks like. For parents, you’ll find out what Rebecca thinks is the ONE SIGN to look out for that a church is child inclusive.

Links (affiliates included):

FREE training to create your family bumper sticker: https://cindywangbrandt.com/familybumpersticker/#

Rebecca’s website: https://www.rebeccastevenswalter.com

Follow Rebecca on twitter: https://twitter.com/cindy_w_brandt

Parenting Forward Conference Recordings - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

 Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

053: 4 Year Old asks, “Is God Real?” Oct 21, 2019

Today on the show I answer a question by one of you, a member of the Parenting Forward community. I get questions from you all on social media, or in my inbox, and some of them are such good questions that I want to share my response with a broader audience. Today, Doubting Mom asks how to respond to a child who asks, “Is God Real?” If you have a question for me, please feel free to email cindywords@icloud.com and perhaps your question will be featured and answered in a future episode.

Links (affiliates included):

Parenting Forward Conference Recordings - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

 Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

052: Trauma Proofing our Kids with Brian Peck Oct 07, 2019

I feel like releasing this episode for free is cheapening the value that’s packed in here. One of my favorite episodes that helps PARENT FORWARD. Therapist Brian Peck explains what the difference is between abuse and trauma, how we can trauma proof our children, how to give our children language to help them learn the language of their bodies. This is a game changer and will help you cultivate resilience in your nervous system for thriving.

Links (affiliates included):

Room to Thrive: https://www.facebook.com/RoomToThrive/

Sensation vocabulary to help kids & adults develop resilience: https://www.facebook.com/RoomToThrive/photos/a.1798562490421638/2454453484832532/?type=3&theater

Parenting Forward Conference Recordings - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

051: Unraptured with Zack Hunt Sep 23, 2019

Zack Hunt is the author of Unraptured: How End Times Theology Gets It Wrong, and in this episode we talk about growing up as evangelical teens in that subculture where rapture theology took the form of books like Left Behind and all the shenanigans that came from bubble. Of course, we also talk parenting, and how Zack is Parenting Forward with his girls, and we talk about what the healthiest form of teen culture can look like. I love Zack’s energy and humor, and I hope you enjoy our conversation!

Links (affiliates included):

Unraptured by Zack Hunt - https://amzn.to/301NzLd

Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt

Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

***

EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

050: Creating Brave Spaces with Colby Martin Sep 09, 2019

This show is admittedly less about parenting and more about creating community. I am wanting to expand on some of our conversations because I find that many of you struggle with finding authentic community which impacts your parenting and family life. I invited Colby, who started a progressive church in San Diego, to talk with me about what that looks like, and it is much more challenging than what meets the eye. We didn’t have a lot of answers in this episode, but as always, I think it’s worth engaging with honest questions. Colby is truly pastoral and his voice is a balm to troubling times. Links (affiliates included): Unclobber - https://amzn.to/2MWYSht Parenting Forward the Conference!!! - https://www.parentingforwardconference.com Join us at the Parenting Forward Patreon Team - https://www.patreon.com/cindywangbrandt  Parenting Forward, the Book - https://amzn.to/2GB6eDB

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