StrollerCoaster: A Parenting Podcast

Is it too early to teach manners when kids are just learning to ask for what they want? Is there a point where it’s too late to teach manners and the habits are already ingrained?  And WHY do manners matter? Today Lynn talks with Zack Bush, best-selling children's book author, father of three, and co-writer of The Little Book of Good Manners. Then we’ll hear from writer, director, producer, and parent Laura Mullin, whose work on manners with her daughter resulted in triumph, relief, and a deep understanding as to why it counts.

How can you feel lonely when you have your baby with you all the time? It’s not only possible, it’s common. People just don’t talk about it, but we will! And don’t worry, we’re not going to tell you to just go and find a playgroup. We go much deeper than that for an incredibly satisfying conversation with expert Dr. Juli Fraga, and then we laugh and nod in understanding as we hear brilliant storyteller and mom, Nell Frizzell, tell us about her loneliness journey. There may even be a Sylvester Stallone reference!

If you ask any parent out there, raising confident kids is a number one priority, but when you think about it, it’s really hard to quantify how to give confidence to children. Is it about encouragement? Independence? Striking a balance between the two? It’s complicated but don’t worry, we have answers for you. Today we sit down with parent, TED speaker and Harvard Business Review contributor Suzanne Brown about the little things we can do to instill confidence in our kids. Then we hear an amazing story from Lori Crowley, the mother of Child-Entrepreneur and Shark Tank guest Cassie Crowley. Lori will tell the story of how Cassie got into designing her product, their journey to Shark Tank and how Cassie’s confidence and motivation brought them to where they are today.

What does it even mean to bond with your child? What do you do if you can tell it’s not happening? Lynn bonds (see what we did there?) with nationally recognized experts Dr. Gabrielle Mauren and Dr. Michelle Wiersgalla through their conversation on building relationships with our kids. Then we learn even more when we hear from mom Jen Malia who went from a strained relationship with her son to a meaningful connection. Lastly, we’ll whisk you away for a relaxing time out!

The Rabbit is feeling pretty confident that he can beat the turtle in a race... UNLESS he were to get distracted by his phone right in the middle of the race! Our 9-year old director leads his cast of amazing improv actors as they perform a one-of-a-kind version of the classic children's story 'The Tortoise & The Hare'. It's full of musical surprises, cool sound effects and unexpected twists and turns! It's "story time" like you've never heard it before! Perfect for kids! And parents too!

In our selfie culture, it’s crucial that we teach our kids to care about each other and to connect with other people. How do we do that, and how can kids become empowered with assertive kindness and not be pushovers? Are people just born kind, or do we learn it? Lynn explores all of this and more by speaking with Leon Logothetis - TV host, speaker and author, best known for his series “The Kindness Diaries” (now streaming on Discovery Plus.) Then, we hear a powerful story from Cassandra Ridder Cooper, about how she called on her community to better teach kindness to their kids. This one will leave you smiling, inspired, and hopeful about the future for our little ones!

There’s tons of mom blogs and websites for moms, but what’s happening in Fatherhood? What have been the hardest changes (besides diapers)? What didn’t Dads expect? First, Lynn hears the latest from Brian Anderson, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Fathering Together, and his community of dads. Then, we hear a funny, real, and heartwarming story from Glen Henry, founder of Beleaf In Fatherhood, on how his world turned upside down when he became a stay-at-home Dad. Make sure to stay until the end when we wrap it all up with a relaxing moment of calm for you!

There you are being your fabulous parenting self when your child suddenly gets furious. Or frustrated. Or surprisingly quiet. What are they feeling and why? Is there a way to quickly decode and translate so they feel understood and we feel sane? Turns out, there are several techniques you can try! First, Lynn talks with child development expert and education journalist, Deborah Farmer Kris to learn ways to better help you AND your child understand their emotions. Then we hear from psychologist and mom Rebecca Shrag Hershberg who got creative with her son’s tantrums and saw clear results. Deborah is the author of the “All The Time” picture book series. The books mentioned in this episode are “I Love You All The Time” and “You Have Feelings All the Time.”  Learn more at www.parenthood365.org Rebecca’s book is called: “The Tantrum Survival Guide: Tune In to Your Toddler's Mind (and Your Own) to Calm the Craziness and Make Family Fun Again.”

Are the holidays stressing you out more than a trip to the store with 3 toddlers? In just 20 minutes, we'll take you away from the madness and into the magic. In this special holiday episode of StrollerCoaster we're gifting you tips from Rosemarie Truglio, a childhood development specialist at Sesame Workshop, on how to talk to your kids about the true meaning of the season without breaking the bank. Then you'll hear from journalist Vanessa McGrady about the time her daughter asked that dreaded question: "Is Santa real?" Her response will have you really believing in the magic of the holidays. So put down the wrapping paper and tape, and tune into StrollerCoaster: The Holiday Episode. Rosemarie has been shaping the creative storytelling of Sesame Street for 25 years. Vanessa is the author of Rock Needs River: A Memoir about a Very Open Adoption. It is available at any online or retail bookstore, and you can learn more at rockneedsriver.com.

Welcome to Season 3! From climate change to extreme weather, how do we talk to our kids about important issues that seem scary to us as parents? Julian Lennon - humanitarian, philanthropist, musician and children’s book author, sits down with Lynn to talk about his work to make the planet a better place. He shares an incredible story about the connection he has to his father, John Lennon, and offers some great insights into how we can inspire curiosity and responsibility for the planet in our kids.  Then, we learn to raise little environmentalists with smart ideas from Katie Moore the Deputy Vice President of Animal Rescue at IFAW -The International Fund for Animal Welfare. She has awesome advice for teaching our kids how to protect the animals around them, no matter how small! Check out Munchkin’s special collection of Julian Lennon’s children’s books and WildLove products: https://www.munchkin.com/julian-lennon-white-feather-flier-bundle-blue.html  More on IFAW’s annual World WildLife Day art contest: https://www.ifaw.org/campaigns/wwd-art-contest

StrollerCoaster is back for another landmark season, bringing you new interviews with cutting edge experts and inspiring stories from real parents across the country! Our host Lynn Smith investigates your burning parenting questions with empathy, laughs, and a ton of heart. The wild ride of parenting continues in Season 3 of StrollerCoaster. Brought to you by Munchkin, the most loved baby brand in the world.

We’ve gotten so many fresh ideas about parenting from making this very podcast, we couldn’t help but burst about it. Today Lynn and Justin share their real-life stories about what they’ve tried at home and how things turned out. The suspense!

Lynn and Justin open up the StrollerMail bag to hear from you! It’s a great conversation with stories, laughs and real advice all for the StrollerCoaster community. Plus author, home designer and HGTV superstar Jasmine Roth joins us with some great tips to make your home more reflective of YOU.  More from Special Guest, Jasmine Roth: https://www.jasmine-roth.com/

Ever yelled at your kid? Raised your voice? Felt terrible about it after? You are not alone. The question is: Can we avoid yelling in the first place? The answer is yes. Lynn will talk with national award-winning educator Dr. Chae, and then we’ll hear a profound story from Best-Selling author Rachel Macy Stafford about why - and how - she stopped yelling quickly and for good. We’ll have a StrollerMail after-party, and then wrap it up with a relaxing time out for you. More from Expert, Dr. Chawanna Chambers (AKA Dr. Chae): https://www.drchaeed.com/ More from Parent of the Day, Rachel Macy Stafford: https://www.handsfreemama.com/

When you have a second child, are you giving your kids a lifelong best friend or instant rival? In this episode, we get into all the benefits and issues that can arise between siblings. We sit down with Dr. Siggie Cohen to talk about her work exploring the relationships between siblings as well as her life at home as the parent of three boys. Then we’ll hear a story from Deborah Goldstein about how her relationship with her sister changed over the years. More from Expert, Dr. Siggie Cohen: https://drsiggie.com/ More from Parent of the Day, Deborah Goldstein: https://twitter.com/psandcs

"Can we get a dog? Can we get a dog? Can we get a dog?” It’s a chant that many parents hear, but how important is having a pet to your child’s life? We talk to Dr. Marc Bekoff, who shares what you need to know as you prepare the family for a new pet. Then we hear a story from Jo Simmons, who adopted a therapy dog that completely changed her son Ben’s life. Plus, a special giveaway! More from Expert, Marc Bekoff: https://marcbekoff.com/ More from Dogs for Good, from Parent of the Day Jo Simmons: https://www.dogsforgood.org/

You can’t know how your spouse is going to parent until you’re parents. Surprise! Today we get to the heart of the matter. Lynn talks with best-selling author and founder of Positive Parenting Solutions Amy McCready. We’ll hear from Kate Stahl whose work on her marriage is having fantastic results on the whole family. Then Lynn talks with one and only fitness motivator Shaun T, and we’ll wrap it all up with a relaxing time out for you. More from Expert, Amy McCready: https://amymccready.com/ More from Parent of the Day, Kate Stahl: https://www.mymomalwayssays.com/ More from Special Guest, Shaun T: https://shauntfitness.com/

When you get down, do you bounce back? Resilience is a crucial skill for life! So what can we parents do to raise resilient kids? First Lynn has a riveting convo with Christina Hillsberg, a former CIA Intelligence Analyst and author of “License to Parent: How My Career as a Spy Helped Me Raise Resourceful, Self-Sufficient Kids”. Then we’ll hear from Jacqueline Chen about her son whose resilience motivates everyone around him. Next up, Lynn has an incredible conversation with Ginger Zee, best selling author and Chief Meteorologist for ABC News. Finally, we wrap it all up with a relaxing time out for you. More from Expert, Christina Hillsberg: https://www.christinahillsberg.com/ More about CP Soccer from Parent of the Day, Jacqueline Chen: https://www.cpsoccer.us/ More from Special Guest, Ginger Zee: https://www.ginger-zee.com/

Is it healthy to be a parent to your children as well as their best friend? Is it even possible? It seems like modern parenting attempts to straddle this line but what are the facts behind the fad? We talk to Dr. Nicole Beurkens, a clinical psychologist, nutritionist, and special education teacher, about finding the right dynamic between parent and child. Then we hear the story of Aaronica Cole, a mother of three who firmly believes that being friends with your kids is the best way to parent. More from Expert, Dr. Nicole Beurkens: https://www.drbeurkens.com/ More from Parent of the Day, Aaronica Cole: https://aaronicabcole.com/

When kids want something in the store should you buy it for them? Do you give them an allowance? Why? On this episode Lynn talks with mother of two, financial planner, and author of “Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands: How To Teach Young Kids About Finance”, Liz Frazier Peck, so we can figure out how and when we should talk to our kids about money. We’ll also hear the incredible story of how mom Sharita Humphrey broke the cycle of financial struggle for her children when she went from homeless to being named one of Forbes’ 5-Fast Growing Businesses. We’ll commiserate with a round of StrollerMail, and then top it off with a peaceful Time-Out for you. More from Expert, Liz Frazier Peck: https://lizfrazier.com/ More from Parent of the Day, Sharita Humphrey: https://sharitamhumphrey.com/