A Podcast About
the Surprising Things
Our Kids Can Teach Us
How to Raise a Parent is all about the surprising life skills our kids can teach us and the importance of staying connected to the innocence of childhood. Join host Mallory Kasdan — a podcaster, children’s book author, and mom of two — as she talks to parents and experts about how we, as grownups, can shift our perspectives and get back to the unadulterated purity we see in our kids.
This season, we’re exploring how children can inspire parents to adopt a kid's-eye view of the world and become more courageous, more creative, and more open to friendship.
Host: Mallory Kasdan
Mallory Kasdan is the host of MILK Podcast: Moms I’d Like to Know. She is also a professional voice actor for television and radio and the author of ELLA, published by Viking Children’s Books. Mallory writes essays about parenting and has produced Arts & Culture pieces for public radio. She lives in Brooklyn with her family, including her son (age 9) and her daughter (age 13).
Put On a Brave Face
In Episode 1, we’re looking at the many ways children can teach us to be more fearless as adults. Whether they’re encouraging us to take a literal leap on a flying trapeze or motivating us to put ourselves out there and follow our dreams, kids seem to possess a unique and unadulterated type of bravery. It’s an inspiring reminder of how much we can gain when we take a risk and conquer our fears.
So where does that pure courageousness go as we age? And how can we reclaim it as adults? To find out, we talked to Corey Wheeland, a marketer, graphic designer, author and mom, and Dr. Cynthia Pury, a professor of psychology at Clemson University.
Episode 1
OUR
GUESTS
Dr. Cynthia Pury
Cynthia Pury is a professor of psychology at Clemson University and an Associate Editor for the Journal of Positive Psychology. Her early research focused on the link between cognition and fear and anxiety. Since 2003, she has focused on courage and other areas of positive psychology.
Corey Wheeland
Corey Wheeland is a writer, graphic designer, marketing professional, and mom to her amazing daughter, Zoey. She is the author of the book Blessed, Beautiful Now, a collection of heartfelt essays documenting her post-divorce search to find her authentic self. She is also the creator of The Nostalgia Diaries blog. Corey’s writing has been featured on Motherly, Today's Parent, Red Tricycle, Holl & Lane, and many other online publications.
Reclaiming a sense of childlike joy might help you see that some things are worth risking, that some goals are worth taking a risk for. If you lose your sense of childlike enjoyment of some stuff, going and doing it again might help you rekindle that.
If she can do this and she’s showing me that she can take that next step, then I can too.
When was the last time you sat down, stashed your phone away, and just daydreamed? Can you remember the pure joy of looking at a blank piece of paper and writing a story as it unfolds in your mind or drawing whatever you want — without caring what anyone thought?
Episode 2 is all about the incredible things we can make and achieve when we reconnect with the creativity that comes so naturally in childhood — the sense of pure possibility that seems to become diluted as we age. That’s why we’re looking to kids for creative guidance, as we tap back into the vibrant imaginations and unrestricted sense of play that fills and fuels childhood. You’ll hear from Danielle Krysa, an artist, author, blogger, graphic designer, and mom, and Tom Sturges, a music executive, author, teacher, and father.
Imagine That
Episode 2
I actually attribute ‘The Jealous Curator’ to Charlie. He was just so inspiring and he was just a little creative genius from the moment that he was born. And I just thought, ‘What am I doing?’ I decided to start a blog and sort of document what I loved — just for myself.
Danielle Krysa is a designer, artist and author. After years in the ad world, Danielle left to launch her contemporary art site, “The Jealous Curator,” in 2009. Since then, she’s written several books: Creative Block, Collage, Your Inner Critic Is A Big Jerk, and A Big Important Art Book - Now with Women, and she’s currently writing a children’s picture book.
Danielle has also spoken at TEDx, Pixar, and Facebook, and was interviewed for Oprah.com and featured in O Magazine. She wears a lot of hats, but her favorite title is “mom,” thanks to her amazing son, Charlie.
Danielle Krysa
That creative spirit is, to me, what makes us different from any other person on the planet. More so than DNA and more so than fingerprints, it's our creativity.
Tom Sturges is a father, music executive, mentor, teacher, and author of multiple bestselling books about parenting and creativity. He is the Executive Vice President and Head of Creative for Universal Music Publishing Group. Tom also created a learning program that develops creativity in children via the writing of lyrics and melodies, and recording the finished songs. His book Every Idea Is a Good Idea has been an integral element of the MBUSD Gate Program for five of the last six years.
Tom also teaches a course called The Music Business Now at UCLA Extension and is the President of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He lives in Manhattan Beach, California.
Tom Sturges
OUR
GUESTS
Have you ever seen your child walk up to a kid they’ve never met before on the playground? Next thing you know, they’re spending the whole day together, constructing elaborate stories and giggling like old friends. Children seem hardwired to create these instant, easy friendships. But for a lot of us grownups, making friends doesn’t come so easily. We know how important it is to have a supportive network of friends, but with busy schedules and responsibilities, we often don't prioritize relationships outside work and family.
In Episode 3, we’re exploring friendship from a kid’s-eye view. In our quest to reconnect with this pure approach to friendship, we talked to two guests with compelling perspectives on the topic: Karen Johnson, a writer and mother of three, and Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD, author, and clinical psychologist.
It’s a Playdate
Episode 3
Another thing that I think kids understand very well is that we make friends by doing fun things together. That's fundamentally how we build the relationships and that takes time. It takes a willingness to play. Too often we adults forget that in our to-do-list, task-oriented focus.
Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD, is an author and clinical psychologist based in Princeton, New Jersey. Her newest book for children is Growing Friendships: A Kid’s Guide to Making and Keeping Friends. She has also written four books for parents: Kid Confidence, Smart Parenting for Smart Kids, The Unwritten Rules of Friendship, and What’s My Child Thinking? and has an audio-video series from The Great Courses called “Raising Emotionally and Socially Healthy Kids.” Eileen and her husband have four children. You can learn more about her work at EileenKennedyMoore.com or DrFriendtastic.com (for kids).
Dr. Eileen
Kennedy-Moore
It's such an interesting process, and I think it really helped me have to go through it as the new girl, as a new mom in my 30s to have a little bit more empathy with my kids and what they were going through.
Karen Johnson is a mom of three who writes about all things parenthood — mostly with humor, sometimes with tears. She is known on social media as The 21st Century SAHM, works as a writer and social media manager for Scary Mommy, and is assistant editor for Sammiches and Psych Meds. Karen is also the author of
I Brushed My Hair Today: A Mom Journal for Mostly Together Moms.
Karen Johnson
OUR
GUESTS
Produced in Partnership with DairyPure®
This paid content was created by Slate Studios in partnership with DairyPure®. No members of Slate’s editorial team were involved during production. Slate Studios is comprised of real-life writers, designers, and producers who dedicate their talents to branded storytelling.
Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. All contents © 2019 The Slate Group LLC. All rights reserved.
This paid podcast is produced by Slate Studios and DairyPure®.
How To Raise A Parent
If she can do this and she’s showing me that she can take that next step, then I can too.
Corey Wheeland is a writer, graphic designer, marketing professional, and mom to her amazing daughter, Zoey. She is the author of the book Blessed, Beautiful Now, a collection of heartfelt essays documenting her post-divorce search to find her authentic self. She is also the creator of The Nostalgia Diaries blog. Corey’s writing has been featured on Motherly, Today's Parent, Red Tricycle, Holl & Lane, and many other online publications.
Corey Wheeland
Reclaiming a sense of childlike joy might help you see that some things are worth risking, that some goals are worth taking a risk for. If you lose your sense of childlike enjoyment of some stuff, going and doing it again might help you rekindle that.
Cynthia Pury is a professor of psychology at Clemson University and an Associate Editor for the Journal of Positive Psychology. Her early research focused on the link between cognition and fear and anxiety. Since 2003, she has focused on courage and other areas of positive psychology.
Dr. Cynthia Pury
OUR
GUESTS
TAP
TAP
TAP
How To Raise A Parent
This paid podcast is produced by Slate Studios and DairyPure®.