The Uplift Kids Podcast

Amanda, Michelle, and Jon continue their discussion of Bruce Tift's Already Free ahead of the book club for members on Monday, June 2nd. Listen to get practical insights about how to stay with your embodied immediacy during intense parenting situations so you can respond with clarity.

In this episode we introduce the basic concepts in the book Already Free by Bruce Tift, which is our first book for the Uplift book club. Listen for practical insights to help kids know they are already free and whole — and could also use some improvement. :) This book and conversation is perfect for exploring your own patterns and helping kids navigate theirs. Join our book club discussion — for Uplift members — on Monday, June 2nd at 10am PT / 11am MT / 12pm CT / 1pm ET

We've wrapped up two year's worth of episodes related to the lessons in our lesson library! We hope they've been helpful for prepping to do the lessons in your home. At this point we'll be doing a few new things with the Uplift Kids podcast, including a book club for Uplift Kids members. Join us as we explore the first book — Already Free by Bruce Tift. Stay tuned via our podcast and weekly Sunday morning emails for details about how to participate in the book club!We'll also be doing interviews on this podcast as well as returning to explore specific parenting-related questions. Thanks for listening! And, as always, we'd love to hear from you if you have any feedback or insights for us.

When we break the cycle of shame, we can express ourselves more freely and better connect with the people we love.Note that there are many definitions and approaches to shame. In this lesson, we follow leading psychologists, including university professor Brené Brown, who says that shame is the “intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging.”

At Uplift Kids, we take an expansive approach to spirituality and values, and our approach to Easter is no different. Whether you tell the traditional Easter story or focus on the more metaphorical and universal aspects of the holiday, our Easter lesson can help you make the most of the holiday's many layers. Listen for insights you can use at home, and use our Easter lesson for pragmatic resources for this holiday.https://upliftkids.org/lessons/easter/

In this episode, Michelle Larson interviews a longtime friend named Heidi about her experiences using Uplift Kids. If you're looking for ideas about how to have conversations about life's most important topics, this episode can help you see and enjoy new possibilities.

Do your kids ever feel overwhelmed by failure? How can you help them view the experience as an essential part of the learning process? In this discussion, Amanda Suarez, school psychologist, talks about how to help kids deal with failure.Members can see the full lesson at:UpliftKids.org/lessons/failure

How do you help kids understand the physiological and emotional components of addiction? How do you help them understand the different effects that different substances can have on the body? In this episode, Michelle Larson, marriage and family therapy associate, and Amanda Suarez, school psychologist, share their direct insights about how to best help kids with this tricky topic. See our full lesson for members: https://upliftkids.org/lessons/addiction/

How do you have healthy, positive conversations with your kids about sex? We explore that question in this episode. See our full lesson on the topic (for members):https://upliftkids.org/lessons/sexuality-conversation/

James Ure has done almost all 100+ of our main Uplift lessons and has fabulous insights about how families can use the program — or just have makeshift conversations about the topics that matter most — at home. He's also the co-director of Uplift family camp alongside Elizabeth Seeley, who have also started a teen camp together. Use the code Uplift100 for $100 off the teen camp at TheMojoVillage.com. (Uplift doesn't get any financial compensation for this — we're just trying to spread the word about causes we care about!) Listen to this episode to hear how you can have regular conversations about important topics from someone with rich experience on the topic.

Elizabeth Seeley, co-director of Uplift Kids family camp, talks about her unique approach to doing Uplift lessons at home — an approach that starts with chocolate tasting and ends with open conversation. Hear ideas about how to do Uplift lessons, as well as Elizabeth's thoughts about family camp and a new project she's involved with for teens looking to explore an expansive approach to spirituality.

Kids can feel deep grief when they lose something, when they move, when a friendship ends, or when someone close to them passes away. How can you help them navigate these feelings? In this episode, school psychologist Amanda Suarez, marriage and family therapy associate Michelle Larsen, and curriculum creator Jon Ogden talk about the ways to help kids navigate these big feelings.

Need strategies to help your kids work through difficult situations with a coping skills toolbox. Hear practices that have worked with the kids Amanda Suarez works with as a school psychologist and that Michelle Larsen works with as a therapist. Members can see the full lesson at: https://upliftkids.org/lessons/coping-skills-toolbox/

In this episode, Uplift Cofounder Jon Ogden is joined by Jordan Harmon, a dialectical behavioral therapist who leads workshops for parents. Jordan attended our recent 3-day parenting retreat in Oregon where he told a story about how certain insights he gleaned from his work as a therapist helped his son manage his angry outbursts. Hear Jordan tell this powerful story, which can help you with similar issues at home.If you're interested, you can also join Jordan's online parenting workshops by filling out this form: https://tinyurl.com/27t93akv

We just wrapped up our second parenting retreat at Scholls Valley Lodge, just outside of Portland, Oregon, and learned so much from the wonderful parents who attended. In this episode we discuss one small part of the experience, which focused on spiritual practices that families can try at home.

Kids (and grownups!) sometimes get fixated on certain tasks, or they get distracted by open awareness — both of which can relate to the spectrum of autistic tendencies and ADHD. In this conversation, we explore how to help kids who lean in either direction (or a combination of the two).

How can you help kids find something they care about, something they're good at, something that's needed, and something they can get paid for? It takes balance and persistent but gentle guidance. This episode explores how to do it well so that kids join an ongoing and ever-changing human conversation.

How do you help your kid build a sense of determination to achieve their lifelong dreams and goals? How do you help them see when they might want to ease off and take a break? This week we explore the polarity of bearing down and easing up, in line with our member lesson on grit. Use the lesson to explore the concept in your home: https://upliftkids.org/lessons/grit

How do you help kids find the inner courage to act on their values without spilling over into recklessness? How do you help them practice caution without spilling over into paralysis? In this episode, Amanda, Michelle, and Jon give practical insights about striking a blend between courage and caution — helping kids and parents find wisdom.

At Uplift Kids, we talk about learning how to align with our inner compass and helping kids do the same. But how do we balance our inner authority with useful insight from external authority — from people who are experts in their field or who have lived long lives and have something to share from it? This conversation pairs with our lesson on listening to your inner compass: https://upliftkids.org/lessons/inner-compass

"Actions may speak louder than words," writes the psychology professor Angela Duckworth, "but actions and words *together* send the clearest message of all." Uplift Kids helps families helps families strike a balance of warmth and structure — a balance that parenting researchers says is critical to familial wellbeing. In this episode, we explore why talking about values at home matters and different ways you can do it.

In this episode, Amanda, Michelle, and Jon share ways to approach the holidays that can transcend and include a variety of beliefs and approaches. If you find yourself wondering how to make Christmas work when so many people disagree about beliefs, get some ideas here and in our Christmas mini-lesson: https://upliftkids.org/lessons/christmas/

Setting aside time to reflect on the year creates space for gratitude, celebration, and growth. This episode helps listeners prepare for our new year-in-review lesson in our lesson library, which gives families simple activities to remember the successes and failures of the year. https://upliftkids.org/lessons/looking-back

The ancient philosophy of Stoicism urges us to focus on what we can control and to not worry about what we cannot control. It's an insight that has tremendous value in therapy, counseling, and at home. Listen to this episode to see how to put this insight to use.

"Rituals play very important functions in human societies," writes Dimitris Xygalatas, author of Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts Make Life Worth Living. "They help individuals through their anxieties, connect to one another. They help people find meaning in their lives.” In this episode we explore how rituals can help kids feel a sense of stability and connection.

How do you navigate potential disagreement with family members during Thanksgiving? How do you create an atmosphere of gratitude? We explore these questions and also demonstrate how you can use sentence stems during the Thanksgiving meal — found in our Thanksgiving mini-lesson: https://upliftkids.org/lessons/thanksgiving/

Regardless of belief or disbelief, having regular time to express intentions, gratitude, and awe can deepen wellbeing. In this episode, Amanda, Michelle, and Jon explore different ways to approach prayer and meditation, including attuning to your wisest self, and how the essence of prayer can be helpful for spiritual health — again, regardless of belief or disbelief.

When we don't place limits on our abilities, we're able to grow through challenges. Hear how having a growth mindset can help kids learn at school. See the lesson: https://upliftkids.org/lessons/growth-mindset

We recently held a 3-day parenting workshop in Scholls Valley, Oregon with 20 parents including ourselves. The experience was marvelous and transformative, so we'll be offering another workshop at the same place from Friday, Jan 31st to Sunday, Feb 2nd. See details and apply: https://upliftkids.org/parenting We'd love have you join! (Note that we recorded this episode in person after the workshop, and we apologize for the subpar audio.)

Connecting with grandparents can be good for the wellbeing of kids, parents, and grandparents alike — so long as that connection isn't centered around difference and judgment. This episode explores examples of relationships with grandparents that work well and why these relationships matter. See the lesson for members, which contains questions and prompts that can help grandkids connect with their grandparents: https://upliftkids.org/lessons/grandparents/

What do you do if your kid doesn't have a clear sense for what does and doesn't count as appropriate language? In this podcast episode we talk about firsthand experiences with helping kids make sense of rules that can feel confusing.

When we deal with lonely feelings and prioritize time with family, friends, and community we live happier and healthier lives. This episode gives suggestions for grownups and kids alike when it comes to dealing with feelings of loneliness.

When we know about proper boundaries, we feel safe and empowered. If we know our no, we can know our yes. See the lesson (for members): https://upliftkids.org/lessons/consent/

"Conversational competence might be the single most overlooked skill we fail to teach," writes high school teacher Paul Barnwell. How do we help kids of all ages learn the art of conversation? In this episode, Amanda, Michelle, and Jon discuss a range of ideas. See the lesson (for members): https://upliftkids.org/lessons/conversations/

It can be helpful to name our personality traits, as long as we don't limit ourselves to them. In this episode, Amanda, Michelle, and Jon talk about different approaches to personality tests, including how to help kids not limit themselves to a set of perceptions and respect a range of differences. Exploring personality types can be fun! Use our lesson (for members) to get started: https://upliftkids.org/lessons/personalities/

How do you help your kids learn good manners? In this episode, Amanda Suarez (school psychologist) and Michelle Larson (marriage and family therapy associate) spell out ways to help kids and grownups alike learn and practice social skills. See the full lesson for members: https://upliftkids.org/lessons/social-skills/

How do you help kids navigate puberty wisely? In this episode, Michelle (marriage and family therapy associate), Amanda (school psychologist), and Jon (curriculum creator) talk about how to talk about puberty with kids.

“Education is not the filling of a pail," wrote the poet William Butler Yeats "but the lighting of a fire." How do you help kids find a love of learning that can serve them throughout their whole lives? How do you this while helping kids build the discipline they'll need to overcome difficult challenges with learning? School psychologist Amanda Suarez and marriage family therapy associate Michelle Larsen give insights about these questions, interviewed by Jon Ogden, writer and curriculum creator. See the full lesson for members: https://upliftkids.org/lessons/education/

Crushes are part of growing up. With practice we can handle these feelings with kindness and respect for oneself and others. Members can see the full lesson at: https://upliftkids.org/lessons/crushes

Caring for our bodies supports physical, mental, and spiritual health. Get activities, curated videos, checklists, and more in our member lesson on hygiene: https://upliftkids.org/lessons/hygiene/

Nature is a powerful way to restore wellbeing and reconnect — to family and to something bigger than family. In this episode, the team at Uplift Kids discusses how to make nature practice a regular part of life with kids.

Today we're talking about the intersection of psychology and spirituality — sometimes known as transpersonal psychology. Hear direct insights from Amanda Suarez, school psychologist, and Michelle, a marriage and family therapy associate, about how spirituality informs their work in helping people find meaning, purpose, and awe.

When we sing or chant together, we reduce stress and feel connected. In this discussion, Michelle, Amanda, and Jon talk about the benefits of singing together in the home and in community. See the full lesson: https://upliftkids.org/lessons/singing/

Uplift Family Camp 2024 was a success! A fun and transformational mix of games, water play, activities (sound bath, crafts, storytelling), singing, and heartfelt discussions. Here is some of what participants had to say:  "Beautifully planned and executed. So grateful for this new family tradition." "Loved the circles and group sessions. Amazing food!" "Loved this so much! Would love to come back." “The first thing my kids said when they got in the car to head home was, ‘Can we do this again next year?'” To get on the waitlist for next year, visit upliftkids.org/family-camp *Our apologies — We recorded this episode in person right after camp ended and the audio isn't as clear as we hoped it would be.

It can be difficult to help kids know what's true and what's not true — especially when it comes to information online. In this episode Amanda, Michelle, and Jon talk about how our personal attitude and disposition can make a big difference to finding the truth.

Jonathan Haidt's The Anxious Generation has sparked an international conversation about screen time. In this episode, we talk about the topic as it relates to connection and disconnection, considering both aspects together. Listen to hear ideas about how to navigate this tricky topic.

What do you do when your kid says, "I'm bored!" — and how does boredom relate to spirituality? In this episode, the Uplift team explores the best ways to navigate feelings of boredom at home. If you're a member, check out the full lesson at: UpliftKids.org/lessons/boredom If you're not a member, start a free two-week trial: https://upliftkids.org/join/membership

Finding the balance between structure and flexibility in the morning routine helps everyone feel prepared for whatever comes their way. In this episode, Amanda, Jon, and Michelle share their own struggles to make mornings work as well as small ways they find connection. https://upliftkids.org/lessons/mornings/

Wisdom is when we can discern what is the best way forward, especially as it relates to two good things. It's easy to tell your kid to be kind. But what about being kind *and* honest? Wisdom is when we can discern what's appropriate in any given moment.

In this followup episode to last week's conversation about spiritual parenting, the Uplift team discusses specific ways to implement spiritual parenting at home. See the guide at UpliftKids.org/Resources

Spiritual parenting is the practice of helping your kids connect with awe, love, and purpose. This episode explores why it matters and how to implement it at home. See the full guide here.