Parenting Forward

Latest Episodes:

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

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

Show notes

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.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

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

Show notes

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.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

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

Show notes

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.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

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

Show notes

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.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

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

Show notes

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.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

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

Show notes

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.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

111: Parenting After Purity Culture Jan 25, 2021

Show notes

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.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

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

Show notes

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.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com