Radically (a)Parent

Join host Stacey Lindgren for a conversation with Emily, who went through back to back miscarriages prior to the birth of her daughter. Topics covered include giving birth in a foreign country, working from the road while pregnant and traveling partners. Emily says: "Then I took a really long break and I tried to get back to where I could put myself in that emotionally vulnerable place to hope again."    Miscarriage Resources   Still Birthday: Resources regarding pregnancy loss for both parents and birth professionals.  Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep: Provides photography services for stillbirth and infant loss. Faces of Loss: A place to share your story and connect with others who have survived loss. Compassionate Friends: An organization that provides in person support groups for bereaved parents. Loss Doulas International: Certifies doulas to support during miscarriage or stillbirth and afterwards. Midwives Coping With Loss and Grief: A book for midwives about miscarriage, stillbirth and infant death. Still Standing Magazine: A resource for parents. Mending Invisible Wings: A creative workbook for those working through pregnancy loss. Also recommended for birth professionals dealing with vicarious grief. SHARE Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support: Offers support groups and resources for families surviving a loss. The Miss Foundation: Counseling, advocacy, research and education for grieving families.

Join host Stacey Lindgren for a conversation with Michael and Rigel, who are non-traditional parents in a number of ways. Topics covered include discussions of polyamory (multiple loving and romantic relationships), sex positive culture, atheism, stay-at-home fathers and living authentically to one's self.   Michael says: "All those things that are non-traditional are just me trying to be the most radical person I can be. What I am attempting to be is a human being who is living my life as authentically and creatively as possible. That means that I question a lot of the assumptions. It's part of the grand human experiment to create a new human being."     During our conversation, we touch on the following ideas, organizations and movements: Burning Man - The Burning Man event and its affiliated communities are guided by ten principles. Because of the variety of goals fostered by participatory attendees, known as "Burners", Burning Man does not have a single focus. Features of the event are subject to the participants and include community, artwork, absurdity, decommodification and revelry.  Sex-positive movement - Having or promoting an open, tolerant, or progressive attitude towards sex and sexuality. Polyamory - The philosophy or state of being in love or romantically involved with more than one person at the same time.  

Join host Stacey Lindgren for a conversation with Mary Murphy, who lost her son Dylan at 6 years old to a tick bourne illness.  In our conversation, Mary discusses her stages of loss, the lessons she's learned along the way, parenting after loss and the experience of continuing to be a mother to Dylan - even after his death. Mary says: Somehow, as parents we go on. ‘Other’ parents, those that have not experienced the death of a child state emphatically “I couldn’t do it. You are so strong”. And of course, we cringe at those words, wondering ourselves how we continue to live on this planet without our beloved children. If you continue - day after day, to rise from your bed, get dressed and move through your day. When you may least expect it – you will feel it again. First it is a twinge of happiness. A soft breeze against the face that actually feels peaceful. Later, you can laugh at a joke – truly laugh and wonder ‘am I feeling, just a little happy?’ Then one day, it is there! - Unabridged joy! The long lost emotion that we thought was buried with our child. It is the miracle of our human spirit.   Below are some organizations that Mary mentions during our conversation: Bereaved Parents of the USA - Bereaved Parents of the USA (BPUSA) is a national non-profit self-help group that offers support, understanding, compassion and hope to bereaved parents grandparents or siblings struggling to rebuild their lives after the death of their children, grandchildren or siblings.  National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children, Inc. - NOPM  provides support and assistance to all survivors of homicide victims while working to create a world free of murder. This organization's goal is to provide on-going emotional support, education, prevention, advocacy, and awareness.   Mary also has allowed us to share some of her writings about her experience as a bereaved parent.  What I Wish the World Would Know - This piece was an address presented by Mary at Emerson Unitarian Universalist Chapel on the first anniversary of Dylan’s death – August 1992. This is read by Mary on the podcast. Who Am I Now That My Child Has Died? - This piece was written for a candlelight memorial service in 1998.    

Join host Stacey Lindgren for a conversation with Rachel Katz Maeroff, whose daughter was born with a congenital amputation resulting in only one hand. Rachel has a beautiful perspective on parenting and has great advice for parents with children with noticeable differences. It is also sometimes easier to shy away from people that are different out of awkwardness or out of fear of having an uncomfortable conversation. Rachel talks us through how other both adults and children who might be curious about visible differences could better talk to parents and children, like Rachel and her daughter, about  difference. Below are some resources that Rachel mentions during our conversation: Camp No Limits - This organization educates, empowers and supports individuals with limb difference.  Born Just Right - This organization builds creative solutions that help kids with disabilities live a more enjoyable life.   Rachel also talks about her work with children with Autism. This is the organization that she work for currently: Autistically Inclined  

An introduction to the new weekly podcast, Radically (a)Parent. Parenthood is something that many of us experience, yet there are parts of it which often go unacknowledged, or feel taboo. The topics we explore in this podcast are not the typically discussed parenting themes, these are the tougher conversations. This project aims to illuminate these perceived dark and complicated places - bringing parenting stories out of the shadows and providing helpful resources for those experiencing parenting challenges, as well as those wanting to better understand these lesser discussed and understood experiences.