Podcasts about toddlerhood

Toddlerhood is a big and beautiful period of self-discovery. Kids are picking up new cognitive and motor skills and learning language a mile a minute. But there are some behaviors in this age range that can be confusing, frustrating or spirit-breaking for parents, like tantrums, hitting, stealing toys and more. This episode, Life Kit reporter Andee Tagle helps you decode your toddler's behavior and address it more strategically.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Toddlerhood is a big and beautiful period of self-discovery. Kids are picking up new cognitive and motor skills and learning language a mile a minute. But there are some behaviors in this age range that can be confusing, frustrating or spirit-breaking for parents, like tantrums, hitting, stealing toys and more. This episode, Life Kit reporter Andee Tagle helps you decode your toddler's behavior and address it more strategically.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You can listen wherever you get your podcasts, OR— BRAND NEW: we've included a fully edited transcript of our interview at the bottom of this post.In this episode of The Peaceful Parenting Podcast, I have a conversation with Devon Kuntzman, an ICF-certified coach and author of the new book Transforming Toddlerhood. We cover why toddlers are so misunderstood, and how to work with our toddlers by better understanding their needs and development. Tune in to learn better ways to work through car seat struggles, diaper changes, tooth brushing, throwing things, and more!**If you'd like an ad-free version of the podcast, consider becoming a supporter on Substack! > > If you already ARE a supporter, the ad-free version is waiting for you in the Substack app or you can enter the private feed URL in the podcast player of your choice.Know someone who might appreciate this post? Share it with them!We talk about:* 7:10 Why do toddlers have such a bad reputation?!* 10:00 Contractionary needs of toddlers* 11:00 What hard toddler behaviours are totally normal?* 13:00 Nuance around “limit setting” and power struggles* 19:30 Having unrealistic expectations for our toddlers* 24:00 Understanding crying* 29:00 Toddlers need for movement and bodily autonomy* 30:00 Car seat struggles* 31:15 Refusing diaper changes* 32:00 Tooth brushing* 35:00 Throwing things* 38:00 The problems with Time OutsResources mentioned in this episode:* Yoto Player-Screen Free Audio Book Player* The Peaceful Parenting Membership* Transforming Toddlerhood: How to Handle Tantrums, End Power Strugglers, and Raise Resilient Kids --- Without Losing your Mind * Devon's website xx Sarah and CoreyYour peaceful parenting team- click here for a free short consult or a coaching sessionVisit our website for free resources, podcast, coaching, membership and more!>> Please support us!!! Please consider becoming a supporter to help support our free content, including The Peaceful Parenting Podcast, our free parenting support Facebook group, and our weekly parenting emails, "Weekend Reflections" and "Weekend Support" - plus our Flourish With Your Complex Child Summit (coming back in November for the 3rd year!) All of this free support for you takes a lot of time and energy from me and my team. If it has been helpful or meaningful for you, your support would help us to continue to provide support for free, for you and for others.In addition to knowing you are supporting our mission to support parents and children, you get the podcast ad free and access to a monthly ‘ask me anything' session.Our sponsors:YOTO is a screen free audio book player that lets your kids listen to audiobooks, music, podcasts and more without screens, and without being connected to the internet. No one listening or watching and they can't go where you don't want them to go and they aren't watching screens. BUT they are being entertained or kept company with audio that you can buy from YOTO or create yourself on one of their blank cards. Check them out HEREInterview transcript:Welcome back to another episode of the Peaceful Parenting Podcast. Today's guest is Devon Kuntzman, who is an expert on all things toddler. We discussed why toddlers get a bad rap—why they can be really challenging—and what's going on with them developmentally. Devon has so much insight into how to understand your toddler better, and therefore how to make life with them easier by knowing how to support them.We also talked about mysterious toddler behavior, and I asked her the questions I get most from you—what to do in tricky situations like car seats, teeth brushing, diapers, and more. You are going to finish this episode with a deeper understanding of your toddler and a deeper appreciation of these wondrous and sometimes challenging little beings.Even if you don't have a toddler anymore, you might find it interesting—as I did—to understand in hindsight exactly why they acted the way they did. And if you don't have a toddler anymore but you do know someone with a toddler—that's ages one through four—send this podcast on over to them. I'm sure they're going to find it really, really helpful. Devon is just wonderful.Okay, let's meet Devon.Sarah: Hey Devon, welcome to the podcast.Devon: Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here.Sarah: Me too. I'm so excited to talk about your new book that's coming out. But before we dive into that, can you tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do?Devon: Yes. So, I am Devon Kuntzman, and I'm an ICF certified coach, toddler expert, and the founder of Transforming Toddlerhood. I'm also a mama to a toddler and now an author with a book coming out October 21st called Transforming Toddlerhood as well.I really started Transforming Toddlerhood in 2018 to dispel the myth that toddlerhood is terrible. Yes, toddlerhood is very, very challenging developmentally for so many reasons, but it's also a critical developmental period. If we just go into it white-knuckling it, bracing ourselves for the worst, we actually start to miss the magic of this developmental period and the opportunity to set our kids up for success in the long run.The first five years of life set the foundation for brain development and social-emotional development for years to come.Sarah: I love that. And actually, I love the toddler stage. I know a lot of people find it really challenging, and I can see why, but also, as you said, it is really magical. They're such interesting little creatures, and I just love that stage.So, your book is coming out October 21st, and we would encourage anyone listening to pre-order it. I was so excited to read your book because, when I was reading it, I was thinking, “You know what this is? It's like a perfect peaceful parenting primer, except everything is focused on this age group.”There are a lot of great peaceful parenting books out there, but they don't focus on this age group. And this age group is so specific. I don't know if that's what you were intending to write when you wrote it. If you weren't intending to, I think that's what you did.Devon: Yes. The reason I wrote this book is because we have so many parenting books out there—amazing books that talk about peaceful parenting, respectful parenting, and all of these things. But none of them are truly tailored to the toddler years.At the same time, I have parents DMing me every day asking me so many different questions, and I can see the desperation of these parents. They're searching on Instagram, they're Googling, they're trying to find the answers to these very real, challenging problems in their lives. And there wasn't just one place to go to get all of these answers.That's why I wrote Transforming Toddlerhood. It's an all-in-one, comprehensive, easy-to-read guide that truly covers just about every challenge you might have throughout toddlerhood. Whether it's healthy, developmentally appropriate discipline, being on a different page from your parenting partner, your child whining, struggling with parental preference, or introducing a new sibling—I really cover everything in this book.I wanted parents to have a place they could go to get quick answers that were trusted, so they didn't have to search everywhere for them.Sarah: Yeah, you absolutely did it. You succeeded at your goal. I get lots of questions about toddlers too—in my coaching and in my communities—and every single one of the questions that I get was in the book. That was great.So, I encourage people to go out and get it. I'm actually going to order a copy for my husband's cousin and his wife. They have a little girl who's about 15 or 16 months now, so it'll be perfect for them.Devon: Perfect.Sarah: So, toddlers—as you mentioned before—have a bad rap, right? You know, the “terrible twos,” the “horrible threes,” or whatever people call them. Why do you think that is? And maybe tell us a little bit about what's going on developmentally. I think those two answers are probably connected.Devon: I am so excited to answer this question, because this is a question I always ask everyone who comes on my annual summit. And I'm so excited to get to answer it myself.I really feel that toddlerhood is so challenging for parents because it's the first time your child is realizing that they're a separate entity from you. And at the same time, you're realizing your child is a separate entity from you as well.The whole point of toddlerhood is for your child to become their own separate individual. And the way they do that is through behaviors that delineate a line between your toddler and yourself. They're going to say “no.” They're going to push back. They're going to have their own agenda.We start seeing this even as early as nine months old, with a child who doesn't want to get their diaper changed. Or you have a 12-month-old—you ask them to come over, they laugh and run the other direction. Or you have a 14-month-old who thinks you're moving too slowly, or doesn't like what you're doing, and then they hit you on the head.It's really the first time we move out of a purely caregiving role into what I like to call a really active parenting role, where we have to decide how we're going to respond to these behaviors.I think the bigger challenge is that we're looking at these behaviors through a logical lens with fully mature brains. So, we label these behaviors as bad or wrong. But really, all the behaviors that drive us crazy are developmentally appropriate behaviors for toddlers.Because of that mismatch—between our expectations of what we think is typical and what our toddlers are actually doing—it creates a lot of frustration. It creates fear spiraling: “Are they always going to be this way? Is my child going to grow up to be a bully?” X, Y, Z. All of that makes parenting this age group really, really challenging.Sarah: Yeah, I was just talking to someone this morning who has a 2-year-old and a new baby—which, of course, as you know, exacerbates the challenges of toddlers when you're adding to your family.I have noticed anecdotally that people tend to think two or three are the hardest years, and it almost always comes back to when they had their next child. If they had them two years apart, they found two harder. If they had them three years apart, they found three harder.This mom was just telling me about some struggles, and I said, “Yeah, your daughter is at that stage where she has her own ideas about things she would like to do or have. And it's combined with a lack of logic, perspective, and brain development.” It's like a perfect storm: “I know what I want, but I don't have any experience in life or brain development to be able to express it in a different way.”Devon: Yes, exactly. And another challenge that's really happening in toddlerhood—which comes through in their behavior—is this idea of contradictory needs.As I was saying, your toddler is trying to become their own person. They want to be independent. They're developmentally driven to have a sense of control, feel capable, and exert their will. But at the same time, they're highly reliant on the adults in their life to meet their social and physical needs.So even though these developmental needs are so strong, they still need you—that safe and secure base—to help meet their emotional and physical needs. Toddlers are constantly trying to balance these opposing needs, and that really comes out in contradictory, challenging behavior that can drive us crazy.Sarah: Yeah, I love that. I remember that so well—that “I want to do it by myself. No, I want you to do it for me.” The contradictory needs. That's such a beautiful way to put it.Devon: Yeah.Sarah: What is something you hear all the time that you find yourself saying, “Oh, that's totally normal for toddlers”? What's something parents don't know is normal, but you find yourself reassuring them that it is?Devon: Yes. Basically, the behaviors we as adults really don't like, that we think are inappropriate. Yes, in our logical, fully mature adult brains, hitting, biting, throwing, kicking, screaming, crying—all of these things—feel wrong.But if you think about it, babies' only way of communicating is to cry. Then, as toddlers start to grow, they go through a lot of physical development. They start communicating through their behaviors.For example, if you have a toddler throwing food from their high chair at 15 or 18 months old, they might be experimenting with cause and effect: “If I drop this food, what happens? Does the dog pick it up? How do my parents respond?” They're experimenting and exploring, which is very appropriate.Or take hitting and biting. Toddlers, especially one- and two-year-olds, cannot say, “I don't like this. I'm feeling frustrated.” So instead, they hit you or bite you.I just want parents to know: behavior is not good or bad. We have to step away from that dichotomous lens. Behavior is communication. Once we understand that, we can ask: “What skill does my child need to learn to be successful here?” instead of “What punishment do I need to give to make them listen or to teach them a lesson?”Sarah: Yes—or not only, “What skill?” but also, “What support does my child need to meet my expectation?” Right? Because sometimes the skill's not going to come for a long time with a toddler. But the support is something you can give them.Devon: I love that. This comes up a lot—the idea of “My toddler's not listening to me.” We set the limit, and then we expect our toddlers to just fall in line, follow through, and listen.But the truth is, we need to ask: “What support does my toddler need to meet this limit I'm setting?” We often think saying the limit is the end of our job, but it's actually the beginning.Setting the limit is step one. Then we have to help our kids follow through on that limit—especially the younger they are or the more unmet needs they have in that moment. If they're tired, hungry, overstimulated—then they're going to need even more help to follow through.Sarah: Yes. And I'm going to jump ahead in my list of questions. I was going to ask you about power struggles later, but I want to ask now since you just mentioned limits.I find parents sometimes get too hung up on limits—not that limits aren't important, because they are—but they often get too attached to their own sense of what the limit should be.I love that when you were writing about power struggles, you suggested starting with the question: “What's the goal here?” I'd love for you to talk about power struggles and limits through that lens. Because, as I mentioned this morning to a parent of a 2-year-old, there's so much a 2-year-old has no control over in their life. We want to think about how we can be flexible about the rest.So maybe just talk about your lens of power struggles a little bit, starting with that “What's the goal here?” I love that.Devon: Oh my gosh, I have so much to say on this subject.When we ask ourselves, “What's the goal here?” the main thing to consider is: are we trying to win? Because if you're battling your toddler to win, then you've probably lost sight of the bigger picture—which is: How do you want to show up as a parent? What relationship are you trying to create? What support are you trying to give your child? What skills do they need to learn?When we get caught up in trying to win, we're in our stress response. The more committed we get to winning, the more tightly we get locked in the power struggle. And then everyone's just on their own emotional roller coaster.The reality is, it takes two people to be in a power struggle. And if you're waiting for your toddler to suddenly say, “Oh, just kidding, I'll do what you want,” you'll be waiting a long time. Toddlers are developmentally driven to exert their will and be their own person. They're likely to double down.And toddlers can be really persistent. So we have to zoom out and think about the bigger picture. Instead of being so attached to one way of doing something, we can pivot in an empowered way.That might mean moving forward and letting your toddler follow you. Maybe it's giving them a choice between two things within your boundaries. Maybe it's saying, “When you brush your teeth (or pick up this toy), then we can go outside (or read a book).”There are so many different tools we can use to pivot out of power struggles. Because quite frankly, we're the adults. We have to be the leaders and guides in these moments. Our toddlers aren't going to suddenly say, “Oh, just kidding, sorry.”Sarah: Yes. And the other thing I've been thinking about a lot lately is, if we're not modeling flexibility, how are our kids going to learn it? If we can't be flexible as parents, then how will our kids learn to be flexible?So often parents say, “My kid is so rigid, they're not flexible at all.” And then you listen to the parent a little, and it sounds like they're also being pretty rigid with their child.I think finding those graceful sidesteps—what you're talking about—is so important. It's not about someone winning and someone losing, but about how we can still get to the goal we're trying to reach.Devon: Exactly. And this is a very Montessori-aligned thought: we as parents have to create the container, the foundation. But within those boundaries, there are a million ways something can happen and get done.So, we can give our child freedom within the boundaries. Of course they still need our guidance, but the key is to avoid backing out in a way that says, “Fine, you win.” Instead, we ask: how can we give them a sense of control within our boundaries? That way their developmental need for autonomy is met, while we're still in charge overall.Sarah: Okay. Going back to expectations—one thing I read in your book really struck me. You cited research showing that half of parents believe kids are capable of self-control and milestones earlier than they actually are.I find that too—parents' expectations are often way too high for the age their child is, or for where they are developmentally.So, how do you know if your expectations are out of whack? And what happens—what are the negative things that can happen—when they are?Devon: I always say we typically underestimate our child's physical abilities and overestimate their social-emotional capabilities and impulse control.There's a lot of research and polls showing this is the case. And when we hold unrealistic expectations, we get really frustrated, because we think our toddler is being “bad,” doing something they shouldn't be doing developmentally.Then we turn it inward: “I must be doing a bad job. I'm messing up.”The best way to know if your expectations are appropriate is by looking at your child's behavior over time—over several days or a week. What's really happening in those moments? If you see a consistent pattern, you can start to say, “Okay, maybe I'm asking too much of my child.”That doesn't mean you just throw the expectation out the window and say, “Too bad, I'll try again next year.” It means they need more support.So you scaffold the skill. For example, something like getting dressed takes a lot of planning and coordination. It's a skill that needs to be built over time. We need to start transferring those skills to our children—with our support.So when your expectations are too big, you don't throw them out completely. You ask: how can I support my child to get where I need them to be?Sarah: Yeah. I always talk about when there's the gap between your expectations and the reality, a lot of conventional parenting is like, “Okay, well what threat or consequence do I need to close that gap?” But I always think about just like, what support do we need to close the gap between the expectations and reality?And of course, sometimes I think you do—there is a place for throwing expectations out the window. Because sometimes they're so far off that it's better to let go of the expectation than to try to get your kid to do it.Or, you know, I think resources can go up and down. One day your kid might be able to do something, and the next day their resources might be a lot lower and they can't manage. We have to be flexible.Devon: For the parent too. There are going to be days when we're more resourced, and days when we didn't sleep well. Maybe our toddler was up at 2:00 AM and we're tired. There are days when we just feel like there's too much to do and not enough time. Days when we have our own feelings, emotions, and needs that need attention, and there's not a lot of space for that.That's where we really just need to have compassion for ourselves and for our toddlers, and really give each other the benefit of the doubt—knowing that we're doing the best that we can. Then we can start working from that place: right now, we're doing the best we can in this moment. What's the next step to getting where we need to be?I didn't mention this in the book, but something I talk about a lot with my private clients is that oftentimes we want to jump from A to Z. And that's a really big leap, right? We want to leap across the Grand Canyon, when really what we want to do is step across on stepping stones. Move from A to B, B to C, C to D. That's how we eventually get to where we need to be.This is true across the board when we're thinking about expectations, skills, and things of that nature. So when we don't try to do it all at once, we're going to have more realistic expectations and we're going to be less frustrated.Sarah: Yeah.Devon: That makes so much sense.Sarah: I love also that you really, in the book, normalize toddler behavior. You mentioned before, throwing—and at one point, as I was reading your book, I wondered, “I wonder if she's going to talk about play schemas.” And then you had the section on play schemas.So much of what toddlers do, parents just don't know is normal. Like you were talking about throwing food off the highchair. I always remind parents of the trajectory schema—how does the food move through space, or what happens when I drop this, and learning about gravity.Speaking of normalizing, one of the things that I loved in your book was when you talked about avoiding positive dismissiveness. I loved how you addressed that—when parents say that kids are crying for no reason. Can you talk about that a little bit, what to avoid, and what to do instead?Devon: Yeah. I decided to dedicate a chapter to crying because crying is such an important communication tool for kids. Beyond that, research shows that crying is actually beneficial to our bodies. It helps release hormones that make us feel better.So crying serves a lot of purposes. When we look at crying as “fake crying” or “crying for no reason,” it really shortchanges a normal biological process, a normal way of communication for young children. It also dismisses a child's needs.Now, I will tell you, it is hard to hear your child cry. It is so hard. I had a baby that cried for hours on end—I'm talking five-plus hours a day. So I've heard my fair share of crying, probably enough for ten lifetimes.It's really hard for me, even now with my toddler, to hear him cry. But knowing that you're not a bad parent and there's nothing wrong if your child is crying—that this is actually an emotional release—is super helpful.We don't want our kids to shove it down. Instead of saying, “You're fine, you're fine”—which usually comes from a good place, because we just want our kids to feel better—we can say things like, “That must have been hard,” or, “That was unexpected,” or, “Oh, you fell down and scraped your knee. I'm sorry that happened.”This creates emotional connection and helps build emotional resilience.Sarah: I love that. Listeners to this podcast will have heard me talk a lot about emptying the emotional backpack. That's what you're talking about too—crying might not even be about the thing that just happened. It might just be how they're releasing pent-up stresses, tensions, and big feelings they've been carrying around.And the second part of what you're talking about is really empathy, right? It's so hard because we don't always get why something is so upsetting—like you cut the sandwich wrong, or the muffin is broken in half and they want it whole.But I always tell parents, it's appropriate for little kids to have big feelings about small things. That's their life perspective right now. They don't have big adult problems like we do; they just have toddler problems. And to them, those are just as big.Devon: Yeah. And I think it also really stems from this idea of a lack of control. A lot of crying isn't really about the thing that happened—it's just the release of all the pent-up stuff, and that was the last straw.But why that becomes the last straw—like cutting the sandwich wrong or peeling the banana when they didn't want you to—is because toddlers have so little control over their lives. Yet this is the stage where they're craving control so badly, as they're differentiating themselves and becoming their own person.So that little thing, like peeling the banana when they didn't want you to, just reinforces the lack of control they feel—and that's what sends them over the edge.Sarah: That makes so much sense. I just have so much compassion and empathy for toddlers. I think toddlerhood and middle school are the hardest times of childhood.Okay, let's shift into some tips, because I'm going to use you to ask some of the questions I get all the time. These have been the questions on repeat for the last 12 years I've been doing this.Here's what I hear:My kid won't get in the car seat—or they cry when they're in the car seat.They don't want their diapers changed, even if it's really wet or dirty.They don't want me to brush their teeth.They won't stop throwing things.So if you want to lump some of those together, go for it—or take them one at a time. I'd love to hear your advice on those situations.Devon: Absolutely. Most of these have to do with the toddler's developmental drive to experiment and explore—and that happens through movement. Couple that with bodily autonomy: kids know inherently that they are in charge of their bodies.You can't force a child to eat, use the bathroom, or fall asleep. They are 100% in control of their bodies. That idea—that control is an illusion—is really tough for toddler parents to reckon with. But toddlers are great at teaching us this.The faster we accept that control is an illusion, and that instead we are partners who have to work with our children, the better things will go. At the same time, we are the adults, and we are in charge. Sometimes we do have to cross a child's bodily autonomy to keep them safe and healthy.So let's go through the examples.Car seats: Toddlers don't like being restricted—in a high chair, stroller, or car seat. Every toddler will push against this at some point. It can last for a while and come in phases.Giving your child a sense of control helps: let them climb in, let them choose whether you buckle them or they do it, let them clip the chest strap. Play a silly song as a celebration when they're in. Keep special toys in the car that they only get to play with there.Also, start earlier than you think you need to, so you're not rushing. But in the end, sometimes we do have to keep them safe by buckling them in. If we go against their autonomy, we need to talk them through what's happening, support their emotions, and try again next time.Diaper changes: When toddlers start refusing diaper changes, it means they're ready for something new. They want to move from a passive bystander to an active participant in their toileting journey.The first step is to change them standing up in the bathroom. Teach them how to push down their pants, undo the diaper tabs, or lean forward so you can wipe them. Yes, it's harder to clean them up this way, but it gives them control.Tooth brushing: Toddlers want control here too. I recommend three toothbrushes—one for each of their hands and one for you.Sarah: I remember letting my kids brush my teeth with my toothbrush while I brushed theirs.Devon: Exactly! That's perfect. Another tip: start brushing your own teeth in front of them from a young age. Don't put pressure on them; let them get interested in what you're doing.If it's become a big power struggle, change up the environment. We often brush my son's teeth in his bedroom, with his head in my lap—it's actually easier that way. Change of scenery can make a big difference.Sarah: I'll share a tip that worked with my kids—we made up a story about “Mr. Dirt” who lived in their mouths, and every night we brushed him out. They loved hearing about his adventures while we brushed.Devon: I love that. That's playfulness—and playfulness creates connection, which creates cooperation. Play is the language of toddlerhood. The more we can tap into that, the better things go.Sarah: Yes! I'm surprised we got this far without specifically calling out playfulness—it's the number one tool in the toolbox for working with toddlers.Devon: Exactly. Playfulness, role play, brushing a doll's teeth first, or letting your child brush yours—it all helps toddlers feel powerful and understood.Sarah: Okay, the last challenge: throwing things. I talked to a young couple who wanted to make a “no throwing” rule in their house. I told them I didn't think that would work, since it's such a developmental need. How do you manage throwing when it could be unsafe or destructive?Devon: Great question. I talk about this in my book when I explain the recipe for effective discipline: connection, limits, and teaching skills.First, get curious about what's driving the behavior—throwing can mean so many things. Then, set clear limits: it's not okay to throw breakables or throw at people. Finally, teach skills and alternatives.Sometimes you can't expect a two-year-old to regulate in the heat of the moment, so give them safe alternatives: a basket of balled-up socks, or paper they can throw into a laundry basket. This meets the need within your boundaries, while you also work on calming skills in calmer moments.Sarah: That's so helpful. Now, can you talk about why you don't recommend timeouts, and why you prefer time-ins instead?Devon: Yes. Timeouts are usually used as punishment—to teach a lesson or stop a behavior. But that's shortsighted. Behavior is communication, and if we don't understand what it's telling us, it will keep popping up—like a game of whack-a-mole.Also, kids often escalate in timeout, because they're being cut off from their safe base—you. They need you to help them calm down.That's why I recommend time-ins instead. With time-ins, you're still upholding limits and keeping everyone safe, but you're staying with your child, supporting them, and helping them regulate. This builds long-term skills and emotional resilience.Sarah: Love that. Thank you so much for coming on and for writing this book. I really encourage anyone who is a toddler parent—or who knows one—to pre-order your book. It's a fantastic addition to the peaceful parenting world, and so specific to toddler needs and development.Before I let you go, here's the question I ask all my guests: If you could go back in time to your younger parent self, what advice would you give?Devon: Gosh. I waited a long time to have a child, and I had a vision of how I wanted things to go. But I had a child with a lot of extra needs, and the things I thought would happen didn't. So I would tell myself to loosen my expectations, be grateful for the moments I have, and be flexible in how needs get met.Sarah: I love that. Perfect advice for parents of toddlers especially. Thanks so much, Devon.Devon: Thank you! You can find me on Instagram at @transformingtoddlerhood, or on my website, transformingtoddlerhood.com/book for preorder info and bonuses.Sarah: We'll put the link in the show notes. Your book is comprehensive and very readable—even for me, far past the toddler years. Great job, Devon.Devon: Thank you. That was my whole goal.Thanks for reading Reimagine Peaceful Parenting with Sarah Rosensweet Substack! This post is public so feel free to share it.>> Please support us!!! Please consider becoming a supporter to help support our free content, including The Peaceful Parenting Podcast, our free parenting support Facebook group, and our weekly parenting emails, “Weekend Reflections” and “Weekend Support” - plus our Flourish With Your Complex Child Summit (coming back in November for the 3rd year!) All of this free support for you takes a lot of time and energy from me and my team. If it has been helpful or meaningful for you, your support would help us to continue to provide support for free, for you and for others.In addition to knowing you are supporting our mission to support parents and children, you get the podcast ad free and access to a monthly ‘ask me anything' session. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sarahrosensweet.substack.com/subscribe

Celebrating 10k Downloads on Toddler Toolkit: Top Episodes, Advice and Mic Drop Moments!Welcome to a special celebration episode of the Toddler Toolkit podcast! We've hit 10,000 downloads and we're diving into the most downloaded episodes of all time to help you navigate toddlerhood. ✨Join the Toddler Mom Community, and Share your Toddler Wins and Struggles!✨Read the blog and get Notes from the Show! We'll also share the top six mic drop moments from our guests, filled with humor and insights to make your parenting journey smoother. Shout outs to our top listener locations and heartfelt thanks to our amazing listeners. Join us for this special milestone and get ready for some great takeaways!Top Episodes:

In this refreshingly honest and heartening episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, host Ginny Yurich welcomes toddler expert Devon Kuntzman of Transforming Toddlerhood to unravel the chaos—and beauty—of the toddler years. With warmth and insight, Devon helps parents reframe meltdowns not as failures but as essential, biologically driven emotional releases (yes, tantrums are like emotional poops!). Together they explore how nature, connection, and curiosity can soothe both kids and caregivers in even the most exhausting moments. Whether your toddler is yelling “no,” breaking down over a cracked granola bar, or sprinting away at lightning speed, this conversation offers science-backed strategies, empathy, and a powerful reminder: this season is short, but it's shaping both you and your child. Learn why Devon says parenting toddlers is really about learning to let go, how to create emotional safety without giving up your boundaries, and why the outdoors might be your best parenting hack. Preorder her upcoming book Transforming Toddlerhood here and follow her on Instagram at @transformingtoddlerhood. Listen in and exhale. You're not alone—and you're not doing it wrong. A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:  Active Skin Repair: Visit ⁠www.ActiveSkinRepair.com⁠  to learn more about Active Skin Repair and their commitment to 1% for the planet and use code: 1000hours to save 20% on all Active Skin Repair products Select Quote: Head to ⁠www.selectquote.com/1000hours⁠ to learn more.  BetterHelp: Visit  ⁠www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS⁠  today to get 10% off your first month. Fay Nutrition: Visit ⁠www.FayNutrition.com/1000HOURS⁠  to see if you qualify for a dietitian for $0 CRU: Visit ⁠give.cru.org/hour⁠ to sign up for a $24 monthly gift, and receive a free copy of Until The Streetlights Come On Quince - Visit ⁠www.quince.com/outside⁠ and get free shipping and 365 day returns NIV Application Bible - visit ⁠www.NIVapplicationbible.com ⁠if you're looking to grow in your understanding of Scripture and make it real in your daily life. Cozy Earth - Upgrade your summer sleep at ⁠www.cozyearth.com⁠ and use code OUTSIDE for 40% off their best-selling sheets, loungewear, and more. Lagoon - Go to⁠ LagoonSleep.com/OUTSIDE ⁠and take their awesome 2 minute sleep quiz to find your match.Use the code OUTSIDE for 15% off your first purchase Brave Books - Right now, you can get 20% off your first purchase at⁠ www.BRAVEBooks.com/1000hours⁠ with the code 1000HOURS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Looking 4 Healing Radio with Dr. Angelina Farella – Each developmental stage is miraculous to watch. In my office, I use the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) to help parents understand where their child's development should be, and also guide us as partners in their care to help them reach their goals if they are behind. Physical growth is amazing in the first year. They double their birth weight in...

Looking 4 Healing Radio with Dr. Angelina Farella – Each developmental stage is miraculous to watch. In my office, I use the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) to help parents understand where their child's development should be, and also guide us as partners in their care to help them reach their goals if they are behind. Physical growth is amazing in the first year. They double their birth weight in...

Send us a textNext of Kin The Podcast is back with season 3! I'm your host Emma, a British Expat, Mumpreneur and toddler Mum, living in Dubai, UAE, and this podcast follows along my own journey raising my daughter and starting my first business.Today I am joined by Louise Hurley from @parentprospercoaching - a certified parenting coach, former teacher, and mum of two, based in Dubai. Louise specialises in helping parents in the UAE build calmer, more connected relationships with their toddlers.In this episode, we're diving into the realities of toddlerhood, especially for expat families raising young children in Dubai and across the UAE. Louise shares her journey from confident educator to overwhelmed mum, and how she turned things around using parenting strategies rooted in child development research.We discuss:Why toddlerhood is such an emotionally intense phase (for both parents and children!)Saying 'no' when you really want to avoid a meltdownWhy your child's behaviour is linked to how they feel, not just what they “know”How to build confidence in shy childrenHow to support the more sensitive and strong-willed toddlersTantrums, meltdowns, big emotions... whatever you want to call it, it's intense for parents and kids, how should we navigate these?If you're looking for toddler parenting support in Dubai or the wider UAE, this episode is a must-listen.Links:Parent Prosper Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parentprospercoaching/Parent Prosper Website: https://www.parentprospercoaching.me/Support the showWebsite: https://nextofkin.aeInstagram: @nextofkin.aeMy Personal Instagram: @emmacoulter.instaTiktok: @nextofkin.aeEmail: podcast@nextofkin.aePlease subscribe and share the show to help us grow, and if you are enjoying the podcast and would like to support you can now 'buy me a tea': https://www.buymeacoffee.com/nextofkinpodcast

Looking 4 Healing Radio with Dr. Angelina Farella – Each developmental milestone is one step closer to the child developing into their full potential and becoming who they are. The observations that I, as a pediatrician, make are discussed and explored with the new parents. I believe that my job as a pediatrician is to guide these parents, as well as partner with them in the expectations of what is...

Looking 4 Healing Radio with Dr. Angelina Farella – Each developmental milestone is one step closer to the child developing into their full potential and becoming who they are. The observations that I, as a pediatrician, make are discussed and explored with the new parents. I believe that my job as a pediatrician is to guide these parents, as well as partner with them in the expectations of what is...

You're listening to Voices of Your Village, and today I got to hang out with Dr. Cathryn to chat about some of my favorite humans. We got to dive into toddlers. Dr. Cathryn has over 35 years of experience as a pediatrician and mother of four, and the founder of Healthiest Baby with 1.2 million followers over on Instagram.  Dr. Cathryn has dedicated her career to raising emotionally strong and happy kids. She's the author of three parenting books and the host of Toddlers Made Easy Podcast where she shares big hearted insights and strategies to simplify parenting. Dr. Cathryn has chosen to specialize in toddlers because this crucial, informative period is often misunderstood. Her mission is to demystify toddlerhood for parents everywhere, providing the tools and knowledge to navigate these years calmly and confidently. Check out her book. Toddlers Made Easy to dive deeper into this and in the breakdown with Rach, I shared about a resource that is totally free. Head on over to seed quiz.com to take our free questionnaire and learn more about your child's unique nervous system. Bonus points for learning more about yours too. All right, folks, let's dive in. Connect with Dr. Cathryn Tobin: Instagram: @healthiest_baby Website: https://www.healthiest-baby.com/ Order the book: Toddlers Made Easy  Podcast: Toddlers Made Easy Podcast  Connect with us: Instagram: @seed.and.sew  Podcast page: Voices of Your Village Seed and Sew's NEW Regulation Questionnaire: Take the Quiz Order Tiny Humans, Big Emotions now!  Website: seedandsew.org Music by: Ruby Adams and  Bensound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Baby Banter, host Nicole Pates, a paediatric physio and mom, is joined by moms Mon and Helen and their 2-year-old boys, Geo and Seb. The podcast offers a heartfelt reflection on their journey over the past two years, from early concerns to current developmental milestones. Special guest Catherine Monaco, an educational and developmental psychologist, provides expert advice on toddler development, covering topics like separation anxiety, frustration management, role-playing, and behavioral challenges. Nicole introduces helpful tools like the Toddler Play Academy and discusses practical strategies for engaging with and supporting young children. The episode is a valuable resource for parents navigating the complexities of raising toddlers, filled with humour, personal stories, and professional insights.Want more child development support?Check out the ⁠Toddler Play Academy⁠ – an online program filled with fun play ideas, expert-led masterclasses, and direct access to a team of paediatric professionals. From motor development and communication to emotional regulation, you'll find everything you need to support your child's growth. See the show notes for a special discount!Links:• ⁠Follow Nicole Pates on Instagram⁠• ⁠Baby Play Academy⁠• ⁠Toddler Play Academy⁠• ⁠The Ultimate Guide to Tummy Time⁠• ⁠Head Preference & Head Flattening Webinar⁠• ⁠Positioning and Play Ideas for Babies with Hip Dysplasia⁠

Toddlerhood comes with lots of surprises, and some can be a little scary.  Have you ever noticed your little one zoning out or holding their breath and that made you pause and question, “Is that normal?” You're not alone. Toddler spells can be alarming for parents, and it can be hard to tell the difference between a harmless toddler spell and a seizure.   In this episode, we're joined by two pediatric neurologists, Dr. Marissa Vawter-Lee and Dr. Barbara Hallinan, to break down toddler spells vs. seizures. We talk about common toddler spells—like breath-holding or staring spells— what they look like, and what to do in the moment. We also cover how to tell a spell from a seizure, including signs and symptoms of seizures and what you should and shouldn't do if your child is having a seizure. 

Do you think about what's happening inside your child's belly and with their gut health?Madeline Lauf joins me today to talk about children's gut health, improving children's microbiomes and so much more! Madeline Lauf is the founder and CEO of Begin Health, a company focused on children's digestive health through prebiotic supplements. Check out all of her products and follow her on Instagram too! Toddlerhood doesn't have to be as hard as it feels.I invite you to look at my Transforming the Toddler Years course. Let's turn the daily tantrums into teachable moments that align with your core values as you raise whole kids.April 24, 2025Episode 240Picky Eaters and Gut Health with Madeline LaufAbout Your Host:Cara Tyrrell, M.Ed is mom to three girls, a Vermont based Early Childhood Educator and the founder of Core4Parenting. She is the passionate mastermind behind the Collaborative Parenting Methodology™, a birth-to-five, soul and science based framework that empowers toddler parents and educators  to turn tantrums into teachable moments. Through keynotes, teacher training, and her top-ranking podcast, Transforming the Toddler Years, she's teaching the 5 Executive Functioning Skills kids need to navigate our ever-changing world.Ready to raise world-ready kids who change the world? Visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.caratyrrell.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to begin your Collaborative Parenting journey!

Toddlerhood is often described as a rollercoaster, which, as a mother to two myself, I can see why. Riding those emotional highs and lows can be a lot, but luckily, if you're also riding the waves, you're not alone. From epic meltdowns over the “wrong” snack to power struggles over everything from bedtime to toothbrushing, it's a season filled with big feelings (from both the kids and the parents!). That's why we're excited about this episode of Chick Chat. I'm chatting with Laura Amies, also known as Nanny Amies, all about surviving toddlerhood. Who is Laura Amies? Laura Amies – aka Nanny Amies – has worked with hundreds of children across her 20-year career, both in nurseries and as a private nanny, and was the TV expert "toddler tamer" for Channel Five's 'Toddlers Behaving (Very) Badly'. Laura has been supporting parents for the past 20 years. Offering a heartfelt approach to childcare and development within nurseries, schools, playgroups, family homes, and hotels worldwide. When it comes to children's behavior, she believes there's really nothing that she hasn't seen. What Did We Discuss? In this episode, Laura and I chick-chat about all things toddlerhood. She shares what's really behind common toddler behaviors, how to support your child through big emotions, and the best strategies to not just survive but thrive through raising your toddler. Whether you're in the thick of tantrums or just gearing up for this stage, this conversation will leave you feeling more informed, confident, and supported. Here are several of the questions that we covered in our conversation: Can you please share with us the most common challenges parents face during toddlerhood? How can parents best navigate these challenges? What are some common mistakes parents make when dealing with toddler tantrums, and how can they handle these situations more effectively? We've all heard people describe toddlerhood as the "terrible twos," the “threenager” stage and even the “fournados.” What are your thoughts when you hear these terms, and do you believe they are truly as terrible as people say? Emotional regulation is a huge milestone for children. How can we parents help our toddlers navigate big emotions like frustration, anger, or sadness?  What do you see as the most pivotal moments of toddler development?  What advice would you give to a first-time parent who's about to experience the challenges of toddlerhood? Toddlerhood doesn't have to feel like a battlefield. As Laura reminded us, these challenging moments are opportunities for connection, learning, and growth — for our children and for us as parents. With the right tools, realistic expectations, and a little perspective, you can feel more in control and less overwhelmed. If you're navigating the toddler trenches right now, I hope this episode reassures you that what you're experiencing is normal and that you're not alone. Laura's wisdom is a gift, and I'm so grateful she shared her practical, heartfelt strategies with us. Be sure to share this episode with a fellow parent who could use a little extra support during this season. We're all in this together! Laura's Resources Website: lauranannyamies.co.uk Instagram: @nannyamies TikTok: @nannyamies Facebook: @nannyamies Book: The Toddler Survival Guide Thank you for listening to our podcast. Cheers to surviving toddlerhood! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tablets and iPads are finding younger and younger owners according to Common Sense Media. Why, though, are we giving toddlers tablets?

On this week's episode of Sense by Meg Faure, we journey to France to uncover the joys and challenges of raising twins abroad. Clarise, a South African mom raising 19-month-old twin boys in France, shares her unique experiences and invaluable insights.Twin Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Clarise's journey began with a spontaneous twin pregnancy—a surprise discovery during her first ultrasound. She shares her experience of navigating a planned C-section, a common practice for twin births in France, and highlights key differences between the French and South African healthcare systems. With longer paternity leave and a supportive hospital environment, she reflects on how these factors shaped her postpartum experience. Clarise also dives into the realities of tandem breastfeeding, syncing feeds and wake windows, and her approach to weaning.Embracing French Parenting Practices French parenting is known for its emphasis on natural approaches and fostering early independence. Clarise offers a fascinating look into childcare norms in France, including minimal screen time, child-led play, and creating a safe yet stimulating environment for exploration. She also discusses how the French crèche system introduces a wide variety of foods early on, encouraging adventurous eating habits from a young age.The Unique Twin Bond One of the greatest joys of parenting twins is watching their bond develop. Clarisse shares heartwarming anecdotes about her boys' early interactions, how they learn from and support each other, and the balance between nurturing their connection while encouraging their individuality. She highlights the importance of fostering independence and confidence in each child while celebrating the special twin relationship.Why You Should Listen This episode is a must-listen for parents of twins—or anyone curious about raising children in a different cultural setting. Clarise's story offers practical takeaways and real-life insights on:✅ Navigating a twin pregnancy and birth abroad ✅ Establishing routines and syncing sleep schedules ✅ Tandem breastfeeding and weaning strategies ✅ Encouraging the twin bond while fostering individuality ✅ Minimizing screen time and promoting independent play ✅ Creating a safe and enriching environment for toddlersJoin us for this heartwarming and informative conversation about twin parenting in France—because raising two is a unique adventure worth exploring!

In Season 2 Episode 35 of our Montessori Babies Podcast, I dove into 5 main points to focus on with your baby to make everyone's transition into toddlerhood all the easier!

Welcome to Baby Banter, the podcast dedicated to exploring the joys and challenges of play and child development! Hosted by Nicole Pates, a passionate paediatric physiotherapist and mum of two, this show is your friendly guide through the beautiful yet sometimes overwhelming journey of parenthood. Join us as we follow the heartfelt journeys of our lovely mums, Monique and Helen, and their adorable boys, Gio and Seb, whom we've been supporting since they were just four weeks old. Each episode is filled with relatable stories and expert insights, making it the perfect resource for new mums seeking connection and reassurance. In this episode, we dive into part two of our conversation with Monique and Helen, as we reflect on the highs and lows of motherhood with toddlers now around 20 to 21 months old. We'll chat about the everyday experiences that come with this stage, share our feelings about the ups and downs of parenting, and discuss how we're preparing for the festive season. Whether you're navigating toddlerhood alongside us or just looking for some relatable parenting stories, this episode is sure to resonate. So grab a cuppa, settle in, and let's enjoy this lovely chat together! Want to take your toddler's development to the next level? Check out the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toddler Play Academy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! This online program is packed with indoor and outdoor play ideas, expert-led masterclasses, and a focus on essential skills like communication, motor development, and emotional regulation. Plus, get direct access to a team of paediatric experts ready to support you every step of the way. Let's turn playtime into playtime! Check out the show notes for a special discount. Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Nicole Pates on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Baby Play Academy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toddler Play Academy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Ultimate Guide to Tummy Time⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Head Preference & Head Flattening Webinar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Positioning and Play ideas for babies with hip dysplasia in braces⁠

In Season 2 Episode 34 of our Montessori Babies Podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Blanca from @wholechildhome all about reframing toddlerhood to make both your experience and your toddler's experience easier and more peaceful! She is a psychotherapist and internationally certified positive discipline educator who specializes in supporting socioemotional development in early childhood through evidence-based approaches. This week we discussed:What makes "terrible 2's" and "threenagers"?How do we work with our toddlers to support their development during this phaseTricky situations we may find ourselves in....How to support your own parental growth during this phaseAnd more!Blanca's Resources and Programs: Website:  www.wholechildhome.comInstagram: @whole.child.homeLinkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com › velazquez-martinbPrep your Toddler for School course: how you support your toddler's transition to school  can be more than making “ a quick drop off”. This is a course designed specifically to help you support your young child's transition into school between the ages of 18 months and 3 years. https://wholechildhome.thinkific.com/courses/ToddlerSchoolPrepBlog Post: “Why the ‘terrible twos' are actually terribly important'”Parenting consultations with Blanca: Get research-informed and Montessori-aligned support to welcome the big emotions, sudden shifts in your child's behavior, tricky feeding or toilet learning stretches, or simply to learn how to nurture healthy emotional development at home. Let's take all the social media and book content you're flooded with and transform it into strategies that fit your child, your family, and the stage you're in.https://www.wholechildhome.com/consults

Laughter is the best medicine--especially when dealing with the minor daily disasters toddlers create! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/779/29

Welcome to Baby Banter, your go-to podcast for navigating the exciting world of toddlerhood! Join paediatric physiotherapist Nicole Pates as she dives deep into the world of play, development, and parenting alongside fellow mum and OT expert Staci Grant. From gross and fine motor skills to understanding and managing toddler emotions, we've got you covered. Get practical advice, expert insights, and real-life stories from two incredible families as they navigate this incredible stage. Let's turn those toddler tantrums into teachable moments together! Want to take your toddler's development to the next level? Check out the Toddler Play Academy⁠⁠! This online program is packed with indoor and outdoor play ideas, expert-led masterclasses, and a focus on essential skills like communication, motor development, and emotional regulation. Plus, get direct access to a team of paediatric experts ready to support you every step of the way. Let's turn playtime into playtime! Check out the show notes for a special discount. Links: ⁠Follow Nicole Pates on Instagram⁠  ⁠Baby Play Academy⁠ ⁠Toddler Play Academy⁠ ⁠The Ultimate Guide to Tummy Time⁠ ⁠Head Preference & Head Flattening Webinar⁠ ⁠Positioning and Play ideas for babies with hip dysplasia in braces

Wondering when your baby becomes a toddler? Confused by all the different guidelines? Join me in this episode as I discuss the transition between babyhood and toddlerhood. I encourage parents and caregivers to observe your child with your heart and be mindful of where they are at. I also shed light on a few signs to watch for! Struggling to understand your toddler? Want to strengthen your connection with your toddler but don't know where to start? Book a complimentary connection call with me and we can discuss how we get you on track and transform the toddler years together. July 16, 2024 Episode 159 When Does Babyhood End and Toddlerhood Begin? How to Know and Accept the Transition About Your Host: Cara Tyrrell, M.Ed is mom to three girls, a Vermont based Early Childhood Educator and the founder of Core4Parenting. She is the passionate mastermind behind the Collaborative Parenting Methodology™, a birth-to-five, soul and science based framework that empowers toddler parents and educators  to turn tantrums into teachable moments. Through keynotes, teacher training, and her top-ranking podcast, Transforming the Toddler Years, she's teaching the 5 Executive Functioning Skills kids need to navigate our ever-changing world. Ready to raise world-ready kids who change the world? Visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.caratyrrell.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠to begin your Collaborative Parenting journey!

In Season 2 Episode 33 of our Montessori Babies Podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Dr. Liraz all about boosting brain development in the early years! She is a neuroscientist and Mama who has a love for all things Montessori.This week we discussed:brain boosting from birth - 6 yearsbrain development beyond childhoodtangible tools to boost brain development everydayhow to support your own brain as a new MamaAnd more!Dr. Liraz's website: https://littleneurons.com2nd Live International Montessori SeminarSeptember 7, 2024 - 9:00 AM - Noon CDT - Live on ZoomDon't miss this upcoming high quality, hands-on International Montessori seminar! The amazing panel of speakers are ready to help you and your child take Montessori education to the next level. Come learn from the experts, win FREE Montessori prizes, and make new friends! Learn and earn $1000 worth of prizes in our raffle, including personalized coaching, educational books, innovative toys, and so much more!Connect with like-minded educators and parents passionate about Montessori education during our breakout sessions. **EARLY BIRD SPECIAL: **Enter LVLUP20 for a 20% discount at checkout.*SPACES ARE LIMITED!! *REGISTER NOW and receive a FREE GIFT here:

In Season 2 Episode 32 of our Montessori Babies Podcast, I dove into some ideas to nurture your inner child while parenting your sweet baby!This week we discussed:Montessori principles that can support both you and babySetting up your home to allow for inner child workCreative ways to address your inner child while parentingGiving yourself grace and courtesyAnd more!✨ If you would like to grab one of the 12 spots in my 8 week Virtual Montessori Mommies Group (held this Fall - September to October, 2024)... Sign up for the waitlist here!✨

Toddlerhood is the first big push for independence and with that often comes defiance. How do we support independence while also setting healthy boundaries? One mom asks for some guidance on dealing with her toddler's defiance, while another asks about how to deal with her toddler's aggression in the form of pinching. Listen to learn how to deal with these two common toddler behaviors!Our Sponsors:* Check out Done and use my code PODCAST for a great deal: www.donefirst.com* Check out undefined and use my code PARENTING for a great deal: undefined* Check out undefined and use my code PARENTING for a great deal: undefinedSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/parenting-beyond-discipline/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Season 2 Episode 31 of our Montessori Babies Podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Sandra Copping, a seasoned Montessorian from the UK!This week we discussed understanding the Montessori philosophy and what that looks like when you apply it both inside and outside of the home!You can find Sandra's Facebook page below!Montessori with Miss Sandra Facebook Page---------

We are back and with a few, cute tweaks! Babysodes for now, Babysodes forever! Every episode from here on out will be a Babysode with ya fave Mom&Dad. This week Kaila and Jimmy discuss playdats! Do we like them, do we hate them, would we rather host or be the guest? Are there any other factors involved? Magic Mind is an energy supplement that Kaila recently tried and is now drinking instead of coffee! The ingredients are simple, real and primarily adaptogens. To try it for yourself visit https://www.magicmind.com/parent and use the code 'Parent20' for for 56% off a subscription or 20% off a single purchase.Don't forget! Rating, reviewing, and subscribing to Parent Tell is one of the best ways to show your love and support!Follow Parent Tell on InstagramSend Kaila an email with your Babysode topic suggestions at parenttellpod@gmail.com

In this enlightening podcast episode, parenting experts Devon and Marcela delve into the complexities of toddler behavior, offering practical advice and transformative strategies for managing challenges with calm and understanding. Join The Transforming Toddlerhood Conference for Free

Janni Ayala & Rachel Anastacia (and Cali) discuss the beautiful struggles of toddlerhood...if you know, you know. There are so many new experiences to look forward to as you enter this new stage of your child's life-talking, playing, dancing, singing...but also-temper tantrums, big emotions, sleep regressions, and lots of "no's". Toddlers are just little people experiencing the world for the first time, and we as their parents are here to navigate them, and most importantly, love and care for them. Tune in to listen to our stories as mother's to toddlers, because we are doing this for the first time too....and the struggle is real! We hope you enjoy listening! Love you

In Season 2 Episode 30 of our Montessori Babies Podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ingrid Rhodes, a certified Educational Psychologist, Montessorian, Positive Discipline Educator, Author, and fellow new Mama!This week we discussed:Social media insights and motherhoodThe realities of self care in new motherhoodSeeking external supportChecking in with your partnerAnd more!You can find Ingrid's resources below!Website:   https://www.vita-education.co.uk/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/vitaeducation/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/infovitaeducation/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingrid-rhodes-60387223b/ ---------

In Season 2 Episode 29 of our Montessori Babies Podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing an AMI trained Montessori Guide and new Mama, Becky Myers-Pollock!This week we discussed:How the Montessori approach can support new motherhoodWhat you actually need for babyHow to do Montessori in a smaller homeHome vs. Classroom environmentsAnd more!You can find Becky's resources below!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bec_montessori Montessori At Home Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/montessoriactivities/---------

In Season 2 Episode 28 of our Montessori Babies Podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Pamela Green from Ananda Montessori!This week we discussed:The prenatal lifeWays to prepare for birthWriting your own storyTips for the newborn phaseand much more!You can find Pamela's resources below!Website: https://www.anandamontessori.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamelagreent30/?hl=enLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-green-81bb5375/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anandamontessorichildrenshouse---------

Bienvenidos and welcome to SEASON 3! Los extrañamos 

In Season 2 Episode 27 of our Montessori Babies podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ilene Steinberg from !This week we discussed:Montessori and Hygiene Including baby in hygiene Lice prevention tips for parentsand more!You can find Ilene's resources below!Website: https://www.centerforlicecontrol.com/Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/centerforlicecontrolsalon/Shop/Contact: Ilene's Amazon Store Contact her salon---------

Between 1 ½ and 2 ½ years, toddlers go through a period of rapid development across various domains. Not only are they growing bigger and stronger physically, they are also growing in their cognitive abilities, emotional and social development, self-care skills, language and communication, behavioral abilities, and sensory and artistic development.They're going through a lot of really big and really fun changes! They're also going through a lot of changes that aren't so fun and are much more challenging for us parents. Let's navigate the world of toddlerhood together and examine these changes while discussing some simple solutions we can begin implementing now to facilitate our toddlers' growth without the meltdowns!Join Heather as she helps break down these stages and milestones, provides helpful tips for handling the more challenging developments, and shares anecdotes from her own twin toddlers' toddlerhood so you know you aren't alone!Don't forget to grab the My Mom Journey Journal 2024 to start your new year off right with realistic intentions, helpful reflection, and some must-needed self-care!Ready to get your toddler to listen in 2 seconds?Heather has her M.Ed, and a proud Twin Mama of busy toddlers. You might've tried advice tailored for one child, but that's not our journey, right? With a decade of teaching experience under her belt, she's seen it all – from toddlers to teenagers in the classroom. Now, as a parent to toddlers, she's experiencing the flip side of the coin. She's discovered a toolbox to help parents with everything toddler times two!Let's unlock the secrets to understanding toddler behavior, preventing meltdowns, and raising intuitive, resilient children who listen in 2 seconds.Grab the 3 Steps to Less Meltdowns GuideTake the Meltdown Mastery: The Listening and Skilled Toddler Mini-CourseJoin the Toddler Mom CommunityFollow me on Instagram @twinmom_roadmapWatch the YouTube channelCheck out the blog

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...     2:02 - Distinguishing between the different interventions for how to respond to biting with a young child versus an older toddler.   5:55 - Babies don't often bite out of angry, but for many other reasons including exploratory and sensory seeking behaviors.   7:53 - When a baby bites another kid and the child has a big reaction, our baby may bite more because they are exploring the response this may illicit.   9:20 - The less attention we give this behavior the more likely we can see a reduction to the biting.   12:04 - If your child is prone to biting other kids, you may have to be their "buddy guard" for a while to try to catch it in the moment before they lose interest in biting.     ✨We want to hear from you! Go to https://drsarahbren.com/question to send us a question or a topic you want to hear us answer on Securely Attached - Beyond the Sessions! ✨

Today With Christie Rocha: Today on The Inner Edit, we revisit an amazing episode we had almost a year ago, with the brilliant Michelle Tangeman. Connect with Christie! Website Like Us: Facebook | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

In Season 2 Episode 26 of our Montessori Babies podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing a fellow Montessori Mama, Katherine Cespedes! She had an amazing presentation on what art teaches young children and parents alike!This week we discussed:What art can teach young childrenWhat we can do to best support their artistic journeysResearch on art and child developmentMontessori and art principle comparisonsand much more!You can find the resources that Katherine wanted to share below! https://www.ellenwinner.com/https://www.apa.org/about/division/div10https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/LCW/come-look-with-mehttps://books.google.com/books/about/Studio_Thinking_from_the_Start.html?id=PQduDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&gboemv=1&ovdme=1#v=onepage&q&f=falsehttps://m.imdb.com/title/tt1020938/---------

Welcome back to Analyze Scripts, where a psychiatrist and a therapist analyze what Hollywood gets right and wrong about mental health. Today, we are rereleasing our most popular episode of 2023 - Greta Gerwig's BILLION DOLLAR HIT "Barbie." We analyze the film's smart, timely, and campy explorations of femininity and masculinity. We loved exploring Barbie's evolution through a developmental lens and decided that therapists are basically "weird Barbies" helping our patients grow into their most authentic selves. We loved the sprinkling in of so many dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) principles, and the tender moments depicting evolving mother-daughter relationships. Plus, we could watch Ryan Gosling beach all day. We loved this movie and hope you enjoy this episode! Instagram TikTok Website [00:10] Dr. Katrina Furey: Hi, I'm Dr. Katrina Furey, a psychiatrist. [00:12] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And I'm Portia Pendleton, a licensed clinical social worker. [00:16] Dr. Katrina Furey: And this is Analyze Scripts, a podcast where two shrinks analyze the depiction of mental health in movies and TV shows. [00:23] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Our hope is that you learn some legit info about mental health while feeling like you're chatting with your girlfriends. [00:28] Dr. Katrina Furey: There is so much misinformation out there and it drives us nuts. [00:32] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And if someday we pay off our student loans or land a sponsorship, like. [00:36] Dr. Katrina Furey: With a lay flat airline or a major beauty brand, even better. [00:39] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: So sit back, relax, grab some popcorn. [00:42] Dr. Katrina Furey: And your DSM Five and enjoy. Welcome back to another episode of a podcast hosted by Two Wise Trees. If you didn't catch that reference, we are obviously talking about the new Greta Gerwig film, Barbie. And that was a line in the film at one point, and I just chuckled. Know, we have a podcast now and we're covering it. And we went to the movies all for this. And it was just funny. [01:17] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And we are two trees basically rooted. [01:20] Dr. Katrina Furey: Firmly into the ground. [01:21] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Secure. [01:22] Dr. Katrina Furey: Secure. Stable. Nourishing. With our branches. [01:27] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Fruitful. [01:27] Dr. Katrina Furey: Fruitful. Nice. With our branches just growing and blossoming into the sky where it takes us. I know it could have been a haiku. So anyway, we are really excited to talk about this film today. As it stands right now, we are filming or filming we are recording this episode in late July, and I checked the stats yesterday. Barbie has grossed already over $500 million worldwide. [01:55] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: That's incredible. [01:55] Dr. Katrina Furey: Incredible. Especially because it's like double what Oppenheimer has grossed. We will also be covering that film a little later on. So that makes me really happy. Yeah, I was really excited when we went to the movies, Portia. And it was packed, packed, packed. Mostly women, but some men as well. And it was a matinee. We went at 01:00. And I just was like, see, Hollywood, you can make female driven material and you will still sell tickets. [02:29] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Everyone was so excited. There was a ton of people wearing pink. It was just so fun. And I felt connected to people in theater. [02:38] Dr. Katrina Furey: I know, right? [02:38] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Which I feel like I've never well, I did when I saw the last Harry Potter. [02:44] Dr. Katrina Furey: I was going to say Harry Potter. [02:46] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Everyone was clapping, everyone dressed up. It was emotional. [02:49] Dr. Katrina Furey: It was an experience. Right. And that's like the joy of going to the movies. And I think you had said to me that you hadn't seen a movie since before COVID and probably then two years before that. So long time. But totally, as you were saying that, it reminded me of when I would go see Harry Potter with my friends, like in high school and yeah, it was like a whole event. And this is totally what that felt like. We were a little bummed that there wasn't the Barbie box. [03:17] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Yeah, I think it's because we weren't. [03:20] Dr. Katrina Furey: In a major city. [03:22] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Yeah. Or even just like a big mega theater, because I know some people who went in another part of our state and they did have the box, but it was like a big complex, like. [03:32] Dr. Katrina Furey: Next to a mall, all that stuff. Yeah, well, it was still great. [03:36] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I was bummed. Sorry. [03:38] Dr. Katrina Furey: I did bring a couple of my daughter's Barbie dolls, which was an interesting thing to be carrying around as an adult woman. We went to lunch beforehand and we had them and it was just interesting, I'll put it that way. Content. [03:52] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And it was silly, but we were probably the youngest people at lunch by like 30 years. [03:59] Dr. Katrina Furey: Yes, at a minimum. And I was just curious what they. [04:01] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Were thinking 100%, because I don't think. [04:04] Dr. Katrina Furey: It was on their radar that Barbie was coming up. Although maybe, but I don't think so. And then here I am, just slept around with some Barbie dolls in my purse and we're trying to take pictures of them with our drinks. And I did feel weird. [04:18] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Yeah. [04:18] Dr. Katrina Furey: But you tell me this is what content is and we're really trying, and you held them. [04:24] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I was like, yeah, it's fine. I'm not holding them. [04:26] Dr. Katrina Furey: But they were cute. [04:28] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: That's funny. So, first impact of the movie, what did you immediately think? Leaving it, just feeling wise? [04:36] Dr. Katrina Furey: Oh, my gosh. Well, I mean, I think I was so excited for this movie because I had a feeling it wasn't going to be like Stereotypical Barbie, right. Just because Greta Gerwig was attached. And I had a feeling it was going to be really smart and kind of meta. And that was what I was hoping for, was it would be a commentary on the female experience. And I felt like they totally delivered. I just loved the opening. I loved all of it. But I really loved The Know, where they show all the little girls playing old fashioned dolls and playing mommy and all this stuff. And then all of a sudden there's this big Barbie in her swimsuit and they just start smashing the **** out of these baby dolls. And I just was like, all right, I'm going to like this movie right away. It caught. I just I don't know. I thought it was so campy and funny, but also really know. I cried at the end when Ruth and Stereotypical Barbie were talking and like, wanted to become human, and they were talking all about the complicated human experience. And she said the thing about mothers, stand still so their daughters can see how far they've come. That's when it got me. So I just felt everything and I want to see it again. I already want to see it again. [05:58] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I thought about it a lot after we left. [06:00] Dr. Katrina Furey: Me too. [06:01] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And I felt like all sorts of emotions, which I think was I wasn't expecting that. I thought it would be like touching, maybe, and silly. I thought I'd laugh and maybe cry. But I thought about it for the entire weekend. I do want to see it again and I was just really touched and really moved, thinking of different parts. I think that's also why I want to see it again, because I think I'll pick up on maybe some more things or some moments, some things that I didn't catch. [06:28] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right. Yeah. I mean, I am astounded by the writing and the dialogue and how it is just so I feel like just really spot on in exploring the female know, by going from Barbie world to the real world, then back to Barbie world and just the way it sort of touches on the idea of feminism. And I was really surprised that they did such a good job because I think Barbie is so polarizing and they sort of addressed it in a really direct way, but then also just addressed the complex human experience that comes from being a woman in today's world. And I just thought especially right now in the political climate with the overturning of Roe versus Wade, it's just so great, I guess, to have something in your face on the screen that the masses are consuming. Right. I just really loved, you know, this. [07:27] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Movie has been being worked on for years and so one of the things I thought was kind of funny was the Supreme Court justices all being female and then in real life, Supreme Court Justices making some decisions that would probably not happen in Barbie land. [07:48] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right, exactly. And just it was so the it was just so witty and humorous, but so spot on. And I just am always so impressed, know, writers, directors, actors can really do like I feel like that's really hard, but is like a really smart way of using a mature defense mechanism, humor, to explore really difficult, complex, gritty issues. Right. And so for them to be able to do that also in such a visually appealing, campy, fun way was just really smart. I feel like there will be college classes analyzing this movie. [08:32] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: No, I agree. That's a good so I noticed a little flavor of dialectical behavioral therapy in something that Greta Gerwig had said in an interview that she said about the movie. So I'm going to read it. I'm interested in how life is complicated and messy and that there is nothing that's either or either good or bad, but it's mostly both. It can be all these things at once. And I think that is a what you said before and kind of narrates the human experience. [09:01] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right. [09:01] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: It's like everything we feel, all these emotions, everyone will experience know, excitement. And it's like that was that end scene where she's like, you just have to feel and it's like everything it's so overwhelming, right. [09:16] Dr. Katrina Furey: And also just so overwhelming to see stereotypical Barbie or Margot Robbie's character, right. Main Barbie, see that evolution, right. From feeling just good at the beginning. Like in Barbie. [09:27] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Everything's perfect. [09:28] Dr. Katrina Furey: Everything's perfect. And that's it. That's all, you know, to starting to realize something's off, like when her feet are flat, to becoming human and choosing that life. Right? Whereas initially, she wanted to go back to where things were just all good and everything was perfect. And then eventually she came to see, like, no, actually, I do want that richer experience. So as we were in the movie, I was jotting down some quotes because I'm a reporter, I guess you could say. And so some of these quotes that they said, I think, really speak to what you're saying. Portia when Margot Robbie said something like that felt achy but good. I think she was trying to describe crying and sadness. And at one point, she's and the release, the release of it, and she was I i just started crying. Like, first one tear came, then a whole lot came, I think, as people are trying to talk to her about what it's like to be human and she's really scared of change, I feel like, is everyone or just people with anxiety? [10:26] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I think everyone is. [10:27] Dr. Katrina Furey: I think everyone. And then if you have an anxiety disorder that's probably a little higher or you might feel that a little more deeply, but at some point, someone says to her that's all life is, is change. And she says, that's terrifying. And I was like, whoa. [10:42] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Yeah. [10:42] Dr. Katrina Furey: I was like but I just loved watching her evolution and becoming a human and that whole video montage of women and their children and just women over life. And I guess I was reading that comes from the casting crew. Those are all, like, home movies. How beautiful. [11:03] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I've watched that scene, obviously, I guess, Pirated online, like, multiple times where she's crying. [11:10] Dr. Katrina Furey: I have to emotionally prepare to rewatch it. [11:12] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Yeah. So like you've mentioned before, when Margot Robbie stereotypical Barbie is in Barbie land, at the beginning, it's all very happy, right? Like, Good morning, Barbie. Morning, Barbie. [11:23] Dr. Katrina Furey: Morning, Barbie. [11:24] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Like, you know, everyone's smiling. Everything is working perfectly. The outfits are immaculate and stunning, and I want them all in my you know, you see her kind of getting up for the day, getting ready, going, everything's falling into place. [11:37] Dr. Katrina Furey: I did love that there was, like, no water. There's nothing in her cup. It's just so funny. It's like she is the doll, right? And she's being played with. It's just, like, so funny. [11:45] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: No, that's so true. Because later we right. Like, the milk goes sour, and then when she's in the real world, the water goes all over and she's like. [11:54] Dr. Katrina Furey: Oh, I'm not used to anything coming out of that yet. When she was talking to Will Ferrell as the CEO of Mattel, that was funny. Yeah. But what was your thought from the get go of seeing all the Barbies? [12:04] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: It seemed really joyful and peaceful and like everyone's just saying what they think everyone's saying it in a kind way, but right when we see the scene in the Oval Office when somebody's complimenting someone else, they're not like, saying thank you or oh, no, that's not true. They're just saying, like, yeah, I worked hard, right. [12:29] Dr. Katrina Furey: When the Barbie won the Nobel Priest prize, she was like, I deserve this. I thought that was really interesting, too. There's a lot of diversity in the cast in terms of race, nationality, skin color, body type. Less so with body type, but it was there. I loved midge. I loved how they did pull in these random Barbies from the past that probably none of us have heard of but really did exist. And they were so funny. [12:54] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Like midge, the pregnant Barbie, total tongue in cheek because they're like calling out themselves, which everyone who was on the film, including Will Ferrell, I think he was like, this looks like a great script, but Mattel's never going to let us do this, right? And they did, and it was so like, I think what a huge risk that paid off for Mattel to let them kind of be poked fun at. And ultimately, I think it really landed well for them. Right? [13:22] Dr. Katrina Furey: But I just thought that was totally and so we had like midge, the pregnant Barbie, and they were like, oh, she didn't sell well. [13:30] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Pregnant dolls are just weird. [13:32] Dr. Katrina Furey: And then we had Alan played by. [13:34] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Michael Stera, who just right. [13:36] Dr. Katrina Furey: I guess it was like Ken's friend, who also didn't really sell well. But you see him just like popping in and out here and there and he's so funny. [13:43] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: There was a know, I think, hint maybe of that, like he could have been like a gay character. He also seemingly, at least throughout the film, it was very clear that he was like an ally to the Barbies. So I just thought that was clever. And I also just love his. I love Michael Cera. [14:00] Dr. Katrina Furey: I know. [14:01] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: So funny. [14:01] Dr. Katrina Furey: He's so funny. [14:02] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And then I thought another risk that they kind of called out, but again, it landed in a really good way, was weird Barbie. [14:08] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right? [14:09] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: So, like, weird Barbie had been played with really know, haircut dyed, which I think everyone can relate to Barbie. [14:16] Dr. Katrina Furey: I was surprised there was only one weird Barbie and all these other normal Barbies, but again, I thought that was so funny and how they were able to start telling the story about how these Barbies are like being played with. There is this connection between Barbie land and the children playing with the Barbies in the real world. [14:34] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Yes. And Kate McKinnon's. Hilarious. I love that she's always stuck in splits, which again, you do that with your just I don't know how they got that so right. Of course, because people played with Barbies who wrote the Barbie movie. But that was the stuff that I was just laughing at and then them, like, whispering, like, weird barbie, like, you don't want to be like her, but if you were down, you have to go see her. [14:56] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right? So then they were kind of mean. Right? So in Barbie land, it's all, like, kind of perfect, but very superficial. [15:02] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: But if you're not perfect, then you're like othered. [15:07] Dr. Katrina Furey: And I feel like isn't that the major criticism of Barbie? Right, that she has this unattainable body type and makes little girls feel bad about themselves? Right? Right. And so that sort of is already touching on that in a really smart way. And then when Margot Robbie's Barbie, she loses her high heel feet, they become flat, and she starts falling, and everything's starting to go wrong and she doesn't like it, then she has to go see Weird Barbie. And here I feel like if we really zoom out and think about Margot Robbie's development in this film as being parallel to the psychological development from childhood to adulthood I feel like when she first goes to see Weird Barbie and is presented with the two shoes, the stiletto or the birkenstock, which I thought was hilarious I feel like that is Toddlerhood. It's like one or the other, right? She can't integrate both yet whereas at the very end, when she's fully actualized and a full mature human, she's wearing pink birkenstocks, right? So it's like, even just this silly but concrete way of depicting incorporating both elements into your personality as Weird Barbie is trying to tell her, like, no, you got to pick the birkenstock and go to the real world. I felt like it was like negotiating with a toddler, like, presenting them with a choice, but there's really not a yep. And I was just like, this is perfect. We see her as being in the all good land, having some negative feelings. I died laughing. When they're like, at the dance party, she's like, do you guys ever think about dying? And everyone stops and she's like, oh, just kidding. But she's starting to dance or something. Yeah, it was so perfect. And then she doesn't know what to do with these negative things, so she has to go to Weird Barbie, who's giving her this choice, but it's not really a choice. And then she's on this quest to the real world. And I was just like, oh, my God. This fascinating. [17:05] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: It's also why we can't ignore, right? Like, when things aren't going well, right? Ignore anxiety. You can't ignore poor family dynamics. You can't ignore a mood disorder brewing. Like, you have to kind of go see someone. I am Weird Barbie. You come see me. So are you. And we then sit in it with you. Sitting it with you. We go on this journey with you. It's so beautiful so that you can be well and then make a choice at the end that is authentic to you. Authentic. And then you are like, your best self, which means you experience all emotions. That doesn't mean that you're perfect and you're never sad. [17:47] Dr. Katrina Furey: I know. Or that you never feel anxiety again, or you never feel sadness again. 100%. And even thinking about that portia the journey to the real world, how they have to go in the little car and then on a spaceship in the camper, she goes in all of her Barbie vehicles. I thought that was so cute. But also, if we're staying with this theme, that we are the Weird Barbie. As the Therapist Barbie, you do go on a journey, right, to try to become your most authentic self, your most well self. Which, again, doesn't mean you never have bad days or episodic episodes of difficult feelings and stuff like that. But you do kind of go on this journey. What did you think of Ken in Barbie land initially? [18:36] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: So if the Barbies were one dimensional already in that land, like, the KENS are I don't even know, like zero one dimension, where are they? [18:52] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right? Where do they live? [18:53] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Where do they sleep at night? No one knows. [18:55] Dr. Katrina Furey: No one cares. [18:56] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: No one knows. But I would say that I thought it was so funny how so much of what Barbie said impacted, you know, Ken number. Gosling. [19:05] Dr. Katrina Furey: Really? [19:05] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Really? It seems like, likes, loves I don't know, Barbie. [19:09] Dr. Katrina Furey: It's unclear. Is it genuine, or does he just feel like that's what his role to play? [19:14] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: So she gives him some feedback, right? That's, like, positive. And he's like he lights right up. [19:18] Dr. Katrina Furey: He's like, really? Wow. [19:20] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: His whole day is made. His whole life is made. And then he tries to show off even more for her, which I think is also kind of like a real life thing. Sometimes we get a little over our heads trying to impress someone, like when. [19:32] Dr. Katrina Furey: They'Re at the dance scene, but then all the KENS come in and start dancing, and he feels really threatened. [19:37] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And then the beach scene where he goes into the rock wave, and then all the Barbies come and they help him, and then he's fixed right away. [19:45] Dr. Katrina Furey: Which, again, it's like Barbie land. [19:47] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: You just snap their leg back into place, and they're know. Ken. Ken's were just like I was curious how they were going to fit in or how it was going to become more in depth or important to the story. It felt, like, really silly and just, again, kind of like flat, like no dimension, which I think is what Ken. [20:04] Dr. Katrina Furey: Brings to the table in original Barbie land. Right? He's just the sidekick I loved when I mean Gosh, Ryan Gosling, like, playing this. Like, I think we all love Ryan Gosling all the time, no matter what. [20:15] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: So listen to this. I heard on Hoda and Jenna, I was watching that yesterday, and they were kind of laughing because Ryan Gosling had initially, before the movie came out, gotten a lot of feedback for, like, you're too old to play. Not they were envisioning. [20:32] Dr. Katrina Furey: You're not like the hot guy anymore, right? [20:34] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Who played Austin Butler, who was Elvis Young. That guy. A guy who's in Euphoria who's like the hot guy, either of them. And it was funny because it was the first time that a guy had been called out publicly too old for a role. And how interesting is it in the movie Barbie? There's all these other themes. So anyway, though, they said, I think it landed really well, everyone who had said that was like, I was wrong and I think perfect. [21:07] Dr. Katrina Furey: I also think those young guys I don't think could do it. I feel like you have to have the life experience and be able to wrap your head around it in a different way, to have been able to perform the role the way Ryan Gosling did. Which, again, was like, perfect comedic timing, but, like you said, had all these elements of tenderness and insecurity and codependency that just shine through despite the again, like, how do they put this together. [21:36] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: In such a perfect all he says is, hi, Barbie. But you can just see his urgency for her to pay attention to him and him trying to catch her eye and bolstering his chest, all of that. Yes, I think someone could attempt to do. But Ryan Gosling just nailed it on the head. [21:53] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right? And again, the comedic side, but also the tender, authentic, insecure side at the same just I was so impressed. And he's like, so handsome. So that never hurts to objectify him since women have been objectified for decades and centuries and will continue to be. But that is a really interesting point. I hadn't read about that. [22:15] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: So he kind of goes along with her right, for the ride, which ironically, it was just interesting. If you're thinking he's codependent on her, of course he needs to go because he can't be alone in Barbieland without her. [22:24] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right? And I just have to address the scene where he wants to have a sleepover. He's like, well, boyfriend girlfriend, I should sleep over. And she's like, why? And then he's like, well, I don't know what we would do, actually. It's just so funny. And then I loved when she was like, but this is my dream house every night's girls night, so I'll see you tomorrow. Yeah. And then she goes into her dream house and they're all like, woohoo Barbie. And it's just like you get the sense it's like a sleepover every single night in Barbie land. And isn't there a part of you that would love yeah, right. [22:53] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And she does it in a way that it's like dismissing Ken, but it's kind and it's direct. And there's not all these millions of sorrys. And it's not mean. It's not like, no, I don't want you here. It's just like, I'm with my friends and I'm going to go now because this is my house, really firm. And I think when we see later in the movie. The Barbies are never mean cruel. Putting the KENS down intentionally. And then we see the KENS do that when Kendom comes to be that's a great point. [23:26] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right. She's, like, turning him down in a direct, assertive, but kind not aggressive way. She's just, like, speaking her truth. But he does take it really hard and feels really dismissed and brushed aside. And that comes up later in Kendall. Right. So that's just sort of this interesting dynamic. Right away, I did feel like he was really codependent on her, like he didn't have his own identity outside of her. It was always, like, trying to rise up and be good enough for her or feel like her equal. And I just think that's so funny because Barbie is about Barbie and Ken's just like the I guess there's, like that was in all the marketing. And it's just really funny because we. [24:09] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: All know at least I did, like, a million Barbies. I think I maybe had one. [24:14] Dr. Katrina Furey: Maybe one ever. And I think maybe Ken had a little brother. I don't know. Then there's Alan. Who knew? Who knew? [24:21] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I would love to have Alan now. [24:22] Dr. Katrina Furey: No, me too. [24:23] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And I wonder if there I know there's I'm sure tons of Barbie collectors. I have a lot of Barbies in boxes still. [24:29] Dr. Katrina Furey: You didn't bring them to the movies? [24:30] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Well, it'd be huge. I think I got one every year for Christmas. They're all, like, the anniversary ones. You did not take them out of the box. [24:37] Dr. Katrina Furey: Big dresses. Yes. [24:38] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And so I'm wondering who has the Allen one? Is anyone out there? [24:42] Dr. Katrina Furey: I bet it's worth a lot. Like, right now, I had one of those, too, that I did take out and give to my daughter. [24:48] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Oh, that's nice of you. [24:49] Dr. Katrina Furey: Yeah. [24:49] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: But I'd probably be able to do, like I don't know. [24:53] Dr. Katrina Furey: I guess I'll have to make that decision. Yeah. It was like the Christmas Barbie, I guess, in your defense, the box broke, so it was already open. It's a much easier choice. [25:04] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: But anyway, so when we get to the real world, which is where we all yes. [25:10] Dr. Katrina Furey: Oh, they see the billboard of Miss Universe and Margot Robbie's like, oh, look, the Supreme Court justice is just like all of that stuff was so funny to me. And then when she's, like, looking for somewhere safe to land, and she's like, oh, construction site. That's where I'll find the women. And I was just like, oh, no, here we go. Here we right. [25:29] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Yeah. [25:29] Dr. Katrina Furey: And, like, right away, I wrote it down. They get there, and they're walking down. Where are they? [25:35] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Roller skating. Roller skating. [25:38] Dr. Katrina Furey: And the way they're able to bring in all the little Barbie props are so funny. And they're roller skating, and everyone's know Leering at Barbie, and she feel I feel ill at ease. And Ken goes, I feel admired, but not oggled. I was like, those two sentences speak to the difference of living in the world as a female versus living in the world as a white man, too. [26:04] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And it's not right. It's not most of the time, overt. So I think that's where a lot of people who don't experience this have a harder time understanding, well, they didn't come up to you and slap your behind. It's like but you can feel people oggling you in an icky way. [26:25] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right. [26:26] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And, yes, you could be like, yeah, of course this didn't happen directly to me. It wasn't over. But there's so much covert ickiness out there, and I think that that's what that moment really, for me encapsulated, because Ken just felt right, like, good and finally was yeah, exactly. [26:46] Dr. Katrina Furey: She had started feeling, like, some complicated feelings in Barbie land, and now that just continues. And then there's like, what I'm sure will become the famous lines about the genitals, where she's just like, we have no genitals. [27:00] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: But why did she think to say that? Right? [27:05] Dr. Katrina Furey: Probably to disarm these oggling men, but she knew, push them away. [27:12] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I'm taking leaps here, but as this doll knew right away that that's what was being looked at, leared at, thought of. [27:21] Dr. Katrina Furey: So then eventually, we see Barbie finally ends up at the school where Sasha, played by Ariana Greenblatt, is sort of having lunch with her friends. And leading up to that, we started to see some flashes of Sasha playing with her Barbies over the years. Right. And I think that was what weird barbie was trying to tell her is like, you have to go find this little girl and make it right. This little girl, the reason you're feeling these things is because that's what the child who's playing with you is feeling, and you have to go and make it right and come back to Barbie Lamb, put it all back to how it was. So she comes up to her at school, which I thought, first of all, there's going to be, like, a security guard, a metal detector, hopefully, at school these days, we can imagine this woman dressed like a pink cowgirl, barbie. Just like, walking up to you and Sasha being like, who is this woman with a delusional disorder that she's Barbie. Right? And Barbie just goes off into this monologue and, like, slings it right back at her and I think really delivers all the criticisms of Barbie through the years very quickly, in a succinct way. Right. And then we see, like, react to it and be like, what we didn't fix like I thought we did. I thought we showed women you could be whatever you want. You don't just have to be a mother and a wife, but if you want to do that, that's fine. But you can be a doctor, you can be a lawyer, you can get the Nobel Peace Prize, you can be a teacher, and then you're kind of huh. You're right. Yeah. [28:49] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And then Barbie starts to. Continue to be more and more emotional, right? Starts to cry, leaking, which made me think of, like, the grinch. [28:56] Dr. Katrina Furey: What is um and then she's really upset. And during all of this, Ken is discovering the patriarchy at the school library, gets books on horses, and he sees all these men. He's, like, imitating their arm gestures and stuff like that. And I was like, oh, my God, this is hilarious. But I see where this is going, and this is perfect. And he's just discovering this whole new world where men rule. And he goes in, right, to all these different places of work. I was obviously struck when he's talking to the female doctor and is like, I need to do a surgery. Give me the tools. And she's like, you didn't go to medical school. You can't do that. And he's like, Show me the real doctor. Let me talk to the boss. And she's like, I'm the boss. And he just walks by her. And I was like, security. But oh, my God. Portia I'm sure you can imagine as a female physician, all the times you just get assumed you're not the doctor. And any man walking know, people look at with this reverence and authority automatically just because they're a man. It just spoke to that so perfectly. [30:07] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I bet. [30:07] Dr. Katrina Furey: And then he's like, going into the office building, and I want a high. [30:11] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Paying position of power. [30:14] Dr. Katrina Furey: And the guy's like, well, you don't have an MBA. You don't have a degree. We can't just give you that. And he's like, I thought this is the patriarchy. And he's like, well, yeah, but we just have to do it a little more fly these days. [30:25] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I thought that was funny. [30:26] Dr. Katrina Furey: Oh, my God. And so then eventually we find that Mattel gets word that Barbie escaped, right? And then things are like, up in arms, and it turns out the other main character, America Ferrari's character, who's the mom, Gloria in the film. This is where we meet her. What did you think about her character? [30:45] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I liked it. I didn't know where it was going at first. For some reason, I thought she was like a Barbie creator because she was drawing the sketches. It seems like maybe she was in more like of a secretarial position. And then we find out that she's the one who's connected to stereotypical Barbie memories. And then I loved that it kind of was showing us that scene again, all from her perspective. So now she's in it again. [31:09] Dr. Katrina Furey: I thought that was really sweet, and. [31:11] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: It was sad because of her emotions, but it just spoke to the transitions of motherhood, I would imagine, right? From having a newborn where you're their lifeline continuing all the way up to an adolescent who's kind of pushing back and having more autonomy and pushing you away and rejecting you. [31:29] Dr. Katrina Furey: I know. That was really beautiful. And then we come to find that there's this parallel process going on between her existential crisis, raising an adolescent, and sort of trying to figure out who she is and where does she fit in now, and Barbie's existential crisis and that they're actually the ones that are connected. And it's almost like Barbie's starting to feel all the emotions the mom's feeling, and I guess kind of weird for, like, an adult woman to start playing with Barbies again, but makes sense for, I guess, the plot of the film. [32:02] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Yeah, no, that's true, actually. [32:04] Dr. Katrina Furey: Maybe that's kind of like me bringing Barbies to lunch and not really, but. [32:08] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I think she said that she was cleaning out the basement or something, and she found some and she kept it donated or throw it away. [32:16] Dr. Katrina Furey: Okay. And she's the one who's been drawing, like, Deaths Barbie, right. Like, what did she call it? Irresistible thoughts of death. Cellulite. Barbie depressed thoughts of cellulite. [32:32] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Which was interesting, which we didn't comment on, which was part of Weird Barbie's. [32:36] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right. [32:36] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Like, push. He's like, well, if you choose the birkenstock and you fix this, you won't have cellulite. [32:41] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right. And it's like, okay, fine. Now I'll go which, again, I think is a tongue in cheek sort of reference to Barbie's, like, perfect body and how that's so important to Barbie. Right. [33:00] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: So then Mattel is really upset that Barbie is in the real world. So why do you think that? Is? It because you do you think that Mattel, besides the obvious ways that they're being nefarious, is nefarious with kind of, like, the patriarchy? Did you get that vibe? I did, a little bit, 100%. [33:20] Dr. Katrina Furey: I mean, they're all men, like, on the board, right? The only woman we see is Gloria, who does seem like a secretary. She's kept out of the big, important meetings that only the men can go to. I think when Barbie finally gets there, she's like, where's your boss? Let me meet her. Where is she? I can't wait to meet her. And they're like, well, I'm the boss. And I think they say, like, well, we did have one CEO, I think, like, a long time ago. Right. I loved that scene where she's like, well, who does the money? Me? [33:48] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: This man? [33:48] Dr. Katrina Furey: And all of it is run by men. I, first of all, love Will Ferrell more than anything in the world, so anything he's in, I love it. And I thought he did a really good job. It's really funny, but yeah, they really wanted Barbie back in her box. I feel like that is just, again, not wanting Barbie to be more complicated than they want to see her and. [34:11] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: In control of her. [34:12] Dr. Katrina Furey: They want to be in control of her. And I do think one interesting sort of criticism I've been reading about this movie is, if you think about it right, like, yes, it's doing great in the box office. Lots of themes about feminism and the female experience. Again, still from a white woman's perspective, which I think it's important to acknowledge. And at the same time, Mattel is making so much money from doing this. They have all these other movies in development, like one about polypocket that's going to be directed by Lena Dunham, I. [34:47] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Think, with Lily Collins. [34:48] Dr. Katrina Furey: Yep. And so they have a ton of things in development that I'm sure are going to move ahead now that this was so successful. And there's been some criticisms, like, okay, so Mattel is this huge corporate giant, right? Like, how many female filmmakers have been trying to push forward stories and movies and ideas about the female experience, but no one wanted to listen until there's this big corporate company that's made all this money from a doll who's a stereotypical female, right. Only now we can listen to women and learn about the female experience. I don't know. I just think it's an interesting thing to think about, and I feel like it is a valid criticism. But then you kind of see that tension here. So I kind of agree with you, Portia, that I felt like the film as a whole did a good job addressing the tension about this Uber. Maybe not Uber, but this film really touching on difficult topics about feminism, using Barbie. But again, that's like, the whole point. [35:53] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I think it would have flopped if. [35:55] Dr. Katrina Furey: Was. [35:58] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Shown in a good, positive light in the you know, and I think one of the reasons that it's, like, based on what you're saying is because the movie, in an unironic way, slams Mattel. But I'm curious now. Okay, show me your board, Mattel. [36:16] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right. That's what I mean, right? It's like, is this are you the same board that we're seeing in the how exactly how much is art imitating life? Like, what is Mattel doing behind the scenes? What have they not I don't know. That's not common. Just but again, it raises a lot of interesting questions. [36:39] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I got anxious when she was standing. She was like, happy to go back. [36:43] Dr. Katrina Furey: In the put those little plastic ties. [36:46] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: She goes in the box. And again, those were so funny because that's how your Barbie comes, right? And they start twisting them, and it's getting tighter. See her hands? And she's like, something about this doesn't feel good anymore. [36:57] Dr. Katrina Furey: Good for ghetto. Ghetto good for you. Like staying in touch with your inner. [37:02] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Authentic feelings Barbie and picking up on which is a female experience because of our life experiences. Having that third eye, right? Like being a woman. And something about that table over there is giving me weird vibes. Or having to cover your drink or having your key in your hand when you're walking to your car. It's like she started having zero ever experienced that in Barbieland to pick up on that. And I quickly that's just how I interpreted that scene. [37:34] Dr. Katrina Furey: But I totally agree. And that she had the confidence to listen to that and not I think maybe because she came from Barbie land, where you are just confident and you're not apologizing for your feelings. They just are what they are. She didn't start invalidating herself, which I think a lot of women are socially conditioned to do. Right? Like, you might feel something's off, but then you're like, oh, I'm just being sensitive, or, that can't be. There's something wrong with me, when it's like, no, you're picking up on something accurate in your environment. So then she escapes and hijinks ensue and her and Gloria and Sasha go back to Barbie land and what do they see? Ken has already returned and taken over. The patriarchy is flying high. [38:22] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Horses are everywhere. [38:24] Dr. Katrina Furey: I love that they put TVs in every room of Barbie land with horses on them. And then this is like, oh, no, Barbie land is turned into the real world. Like, all the Barbies are being objectified and wearing really tight clothes and serving the men and brainwashed almost. Right. And it happened so quickly. And we see Barbie and Gloria and Sasha just like, dumbfounded. Right? And what did you think about Kendom? [38:50] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I thought it was really in a silly way, like really know, like the TVs and just like their interest being so stereotypically, like know. Let's also say that there's many men who are wonderful and allies and not objectifying women and so on and so forth. [39:09] Dr. Katrina Furey: Like Alan. [39:10] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Like Alan, but in the real world. But this was just like such a silly way of calling it out. [39:16] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right. [39:17] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I loved the horses being the yes, but like and it wasn't like it could have been Ken's, and that would have been the same thing, right? Like, they replaced the Barbie, so it was like horses. It was like really and the hummers and everything's tricked out and lifted and so big. Yeah. [39:35] Dr. Katrina Furey: And they got a mini fridge full of their snacks and they got the saloon doors. It was just so funny and over the top. But you just see how he just starts to really relate to Barbie in this icky way. And interestingly. I felt like he was still so co dependent on her, but now it was like the roles are reversed. Right. Like before, in original Barbie land, he just wanted her approval to feel good enough, and now he has to put her down to feel good enough. So it's still kind of the same dynamic, just like two different sides of the same coin. [40:05] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And commenting on, I think, right. That idea of, oh, he's mean to. [40:09] Dr. Katrina Furey: You because he likes you. [40:10] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Right. So it's like we even see that when she's faking to go to the beach and have him play the guitar for her and he walks away. [40:18] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right? [40:18] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: He's like, oh, maybe, or you're my what does he call her? You're my part time sometimes there whatever. [40:23] Dr. Katrina Furey: You're my friend. Yes. And then you're like my long term low commitment girlfriend. [40:28] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Low commitment. But he is excited, right? He goes away and he's like sublime. And that does happen even with, I think between both. Men can do it to women, women can do it to men, so on and so forth. Everyone does it to each other. It's like little games. It's like the gamey thing with dating, right? Like, I'm not going to text you for three days, which just it's hard because if someone's playing the game, it's hard to not but I think just no one should play the game. If you really like someone, text them when you get home. I had a great time, let's go out again. If you don't say, I think you. [41:03] Dr. Katrina Furey: Had a great time, but let's stay friends or something. And in that way, in original Barbie land, communication was more direct and innocent. And now things are getting all warped and topsy turvy, and then they decide they have to get all these Barbies back. And I was a little disappointed that it did involve, again, using themselves as sexual objects to kind of distract the KENS to turn them all against each other. I don't know what was your thoughts about that? [41:31] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Definitely was like, icky. I wish there'd been a different right? [41:36] Dr. Katrina Furey: Yeah. [41:37] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Why did they choose that way? Is it commenting on that? That's like currency, right? We talked about white lotus last week, and sex is currency. And that's where in now Kendom, like Barbie, you do have power. And we see that in the real world of but like, I'm wondering if it was intentionally supposed to be cringy, right? [42:00] Dr. Katrina Furey: Like, if it's like yeah, in the real world, that is your only power. Now Barbie is to use your body and your sexual power to distract them in order to have the vote and turn it back to Barbie land. That was the part I was like, oh, I wish they'd been able to get it back some other way. [42:19] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Right. [42:20] Dr. Katrina Furey: But I did love when they're all strumming their little guitars and I don't know the song that they picked. [42:26] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I did. [42:27] Dr. Katrina Furey: I recognize it, but I don't know. [42:29] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: The name of it. [42:29] Dr. Katrina Furey: I don't know who sings it, but it was like, I want to push you around. And it's like aggressive if you think about, like, a man singing that to a woman. Right. [42:40] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: It's not like a romantic song. [42:42] Dr. Katrina Furey: It's aggressive. [42:43] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Don't do that. [42:44] Dr. Katrina Furey: But perfect for Kendom and all the horses. [42:48] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: So all the Barbies seem to be brainwashed and they get pulled out of it through Gloria, right. So Gloria has this monologue that she talks about, which I think resonated with a lot of people. We heard some, like, woohoo in the theater. [43:01] Dr. Katrina Furey: Sure. [43:02] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: So I thought that was nice. I did really like and we kind of made eye contact when she was talking about body image, and I really, really liked that because before right. They were kind of like I think, again, just pointing out not aging and not having cellulite before. And that's why kind of Barbie Land was like, oh, there's old people in the real world. What is you know, the woman then is like, you're beautiful. And she's like, I know. [43:29] Dr. Katrina Furey: I really like woman at the bus stop. [43:31] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: So one of the lines is you have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but you also have to be thin. It's just impossible thinking of every single person, really. Especially, I think, for women, the expectations of your body in the real world is just so hard to live with and so challenging. [43:54] Dr. Katrina Furey: Yeah. [43:55] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And the messages come early from Barbie, right? [43:58] Dr. Katrina Furey: I know. [43:59] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And from TV and everything that's around you and from even parenting. [44:03] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right. [44:03] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Like, a lot of if your parents are making comments about their bodies, even if they would never know their kids, it's all such a message that I think it's right. Like, you can't be too thin, but you can't be too fat and you can't talk about your weight if someone compliments you. [44:18] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right? [44:18] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: No, I'm fat and I'm feeling so bad about myself. You're fishing for those. No, you're fine. I think we could have explored that in a whole movie of its it. [44:30] Dr. Katrina Furey: You know, it was necessary given, like you said, the criticisms about Barbie and her unattainable body type all along. And I was glad they didn't shy away from that. I was also glad in that monologue, which was so moving, that they also drew comparisons to just the female emotional experience. [44:48] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Right. [44:49] Dr. Katrina Furey: Like, that is a female experience. You can't be to this or to that. You have to just be this version of a woman. And it's just an impossible standard. And why can't you just be angry or be sad or be anxious or be happy or be confident? Like you said in original Barbie Land, no one's apologizing and then they start to and I just feel like that so speaks to what it's like to be a woman. And it's annoying. [45:14] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I liked you're supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you're supposed to because of sisterhood. You're supposed to always stand out and always be grateful. It's impossible just going back and forth. But I think too, I just watched the documentary on Amazon. It came out a little while ago about the family that used to have a show, 18 kids and counting, or 20 kids and counting. And it's a lot of kids they talk a lot about, just like in a lot of religious organizations. Right. You have to be careful of your dress code so that you are not tempting men. [45:53] Dr. Katrina Furey: Oh, I think that's even like in public school. [45:55] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Oh, yeah, the straps and the shorts length, all that stuff. And it's just like, it's not our responsibility to make men feel like they don't want to sexual assault someone or keep your thoughts to yourself. We all we all should also they. [46:10] Dr. Katrina Furey: Should also learn how to manage those feelings. Right. It's okay, right? And girls are going to have those feelings about boys or other girls, too. [46:19] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Yeah, you can think, wow, that person is attractive, and move on. And then if you feel bad about that, take that up with your God and be sorry for it. But it's not your fault. It's not that person's fault that you found them attractive. [46:29] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right. [46:30] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Anyway, back to Barbie. [46:33] Dr. Katrina Furey: No, I mean, I feel though I think we touched a little bit about this when we were covering you, which is like, all roads lead back to you because that's such a good show. But when we were talking about stalking and sexual harassment, oftentimes when women finally do seek help, they're often shamed or told, like, well, you kind of asked for it. Or I remember when I was in college, I had, I guess, a stalker. It was kind of weird. And I went to the student police, and their only advice was, when you go to class where that boy is in your class, you should wear really baggy clothes and don't wear makeup. And that was it. That was the advice to keep me safe. It wasn't like, oh, yeah, we should take this one out of your class. We should maybe move him to a different dorm, anything like that. It was like, you need to change your appearance. And so I think that perfectly speaks to what you're saying. [47:26] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And again, it's just not that hard. We talked about consent in American Pie, that episode, and it's just really not that hard of an idea to come around. Someone might be into you at one point, and guess what? They might not be into you in another. And, like, you have to deal with that. [47:43] Dr. Katrina Furey: And I loved that. With Barbie, it finally know as we come to the end of Know, the Barbies vote in Congress because they've distracted the boys and they get Barbie land back. But then at the end, Margot, Robbie's character wants to be human. She wants more than just Barbie. She wants to feel all those human experiences. She doesn't want to leave Gloria and Sasha. And she talks to the creator of Barbie, played by Ree Pearlman, who was just like, it was so sweet to hear her talk about and I loved how she was like, yeah, they had some tax evasion issues, but that's another movie. But just saying, like, are you sure you want to be human? Are you sure? And then it comes out when she tells Ken, I don't love you. I don't like you. You're a great person, but I don't feel that way toward you. And they could have an honest conversation about how he felt kind of rejected and dismissed and stuff like that, which was, I thought, great for a man character to be able to say right. To be honest about that in a direct, also respectful way, rather than the way he was treating her in Kendom, which was, like, icky and passive aggressive. [48:52] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And demeaning and I think really contradicts the kind of general critique of a lot of people that I'm irritated with on the Internet, saying that Barbie is demasculating. And I think the end really does the opposite of that. Right. [49:12] Dr. Katrina Furey: If you have an open mind. Right. [49:15] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Well, to me, it's really clear she's apologizing for him feeling dismissed. So it's like, I see that we were maybe treating you like you felt like you didn't matter and like, you do, and I don't love you. [49:30] Dr. Katrina Furey: That's okay. And both can be true. [49:31] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: But I understand that people have a hard time opening their mind to different things, but just to me, it's like that scene contradicts their criticism of so, like, did you stay for the whole movie? [49:43] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right. And also, I think it depends on your definition of masculinity, which, again, this film isn't only sort of addressing feminism and the female experience, although I feel like that's the main point, which is, you know, Ryan Gosling's depiction of Ken really touches on the themes of masculinity so well. And I feel like at the end, he comes to find that he can be sensitive and have those types of feelings and express them directly to someone who will listen and validate. Right. He doesn't have to be like a macho man like he was in Kendom. He can just be himself. And maybe he doesn't want his job to be beach. Okay? [50:24] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Maybe he wants to ride horses. [50:26] Dr. Katrina Furey: Maybe. And that's what he says. He's like, I just really like the horses. But in that way, I think that is isn't that also part of masculinity? Can't our boys be sensitive and sweet and not feel like you have to lose all of that to be a man in today's society? I feel like that's another issue these days that they did touch on, I thought, in a really thoughtful way. [50:50] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: No, I agree. Yeah. [50:51] Dr. Katrina Furey: And so at the end, Barbie chooses to become human, right. She assumes the name of the original creator of Barbie's daughter, which I thought was sweet. We see her get out of the car in her pink birkenstock, so she is fully, actualized, holding on to good and bad, conflicting all the parts of herself. All the parts of herself. It's so great. And we see her going in to sign in for something. What did you think she was going? [51:17] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: I thought it was a job interview. [51:18] Dr. Katrina Furey: I thought it was a driver's license. [51:20] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Okay. [51:20] Dr. Katrina Furey: It was the gynecologist. And I could not, because she now has a ******, an agency, an autonomy. And I was just like, perfect ending. I just died. [51:32] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And so unexpected that I think laughs you're like, what? I'm so funny. [51:37] Dr. Katrina Furey: So funny, but perfect. She was so happy to be there, right? And again, I just think in today's political climate, great job, Greta Gerwig. [51:46] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And everyone like, I am getting my womanhood taken care. [51:54] Dr. Katrina Furey: Right? So any final thoughts, Portia? As we wrap up this episode a. [52:00] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Little bit, I just wanted to comment on the Depression Barbie commercial. [52:07] Dr. Katrina Furey: How did we forget about depression, Barbie? [52:10] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: So many people on the Internet were like, why did they call me out? So we see. You know, loose terms on the Internet were binging on sweets. It wasn't really binging. It was eating sweets. [52:21] Dr. Katrina Furey: It said an entire family sized starburst. [52:24] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Yep. And then watching reruns of BBC's Pride and Prejudice, and she was like, scrolling. [52:30] Dr. Katrina Furey: Instagram, looking at her estranged BFF's engagement photos. It was so funny. And then they were like, anxiety OCD and panic attack. [52:37] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Barbie sold separately. [52:38] Dr. Katrina Furey: And I was like, that was funny. I loved it. And then Gloria finally at the end pitching to Mattel, like, what about just, like, average, like and then again, there's another beautiful monologue by American Ferrara about just, like, the experience of a woman. And I feel like that is she was, like, describing her own experience in a way. And again, Mattel was smart when at first they were like, oh, I don't know if that's going to go well. And then the finance guy's like, those sales will be huge. And they were like, okay, yeah. And I felt like that just also signified. Like, there's still a lot of room to go. We still have a lot of road to cover. But overall, I really loved it. [53:15] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: It gives you a lot to think about. [53:17] Dr. Katrina Furey: Yes. [53:17] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: And take what you want from it. I think there's a lot of funny themes, and I think it's worth seeing more than once over time. And I'm excited to see it again. I mean, I'm wondering maybe there'll be more tears because I'm already primed, but we'll see. [53:33] Dr. Katrina Furey: It was so good. Well, thank you for joining us for another episode of Analyze Scripts. Please rate review and subscribe and share with your friends if you're enjoying our content. I did carry around two Barbies as a middle aged woman, so please make it worth it. Make it worth it. You can find us on Instagram at Analyze Scripts and on TikTok and Analyze Scripts podcast and on threads at Analyze Scripts podcast. And we will see you next Monday. Yep. [54:02] Portia Pendleton, LCSW: Bye bye. [54:08] Dr. Katrina Furey: This podcast and its contents are a copyright of Analyzed Scripts. All rights reserved. Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited. Unless you want to share it with your friends and rate, review and subscribe, that's fine. All stories and characters discussed are fictional in nature. No identification with actual persons, living or deceased places, buildings, or products is intended or should be inferred. This podcast is for entertainment purposes only. The podcast and its contents do not constitute professional mental health or medical advice. Listeners might consider consulting a mental health provider if they need assistance with any mental health problems or concerns. As always, please call 911 or go directly to your nearest emergency room for any psychiatric emergencies. Thanks for listening and see you next time.

In Season 2 Episode 25 of our Montessori Babies podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Sarah Tso from Real Life Monti Mama on what it was like going from 1 to 2 Montessori children!This week we discussed:Ways to prep for 2 children before 2nd baby is bornHow to encourage a relationshipFamily dynamic changesPrepared Montessori Home for 2 childrenand much more!You can find Sarah's resources below!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reallifemontimama---------

In Season 2 Episode 24 of our Montessori Babies podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Gloria Lane from Montessori Mama Life!This week we discussed:Teaching 1st grade at public schoolDiscovering Montessori at homeHomeschooling Montessori style LOTS of Montessori tips for the homeand much more!You can find Gloria's resources below!Website: https://montessorimamalife.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montessorimamalife---------

In Season 2 Episode 23 of our Montessori Babies podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Emma, The Montessori Twin Mama!This week we discussed:The reality of raising twin babiesHow Montessori can support your journeyThe uniqueness of each childFloor beds with twinsand more!You can find Emma aka The Montessori Twin Mama's resources below!Website: https://themontessoritwinmama.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themontessoritwinmama/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGco6QTBX_m2a4ZhxLXwEgw---------

In Season 2 Episode 22 of our Montessori Babies podcast, I we are talking all about some of the non-Montessori things I do with my baby.This week we discussed:The unique Montessori journey of each person3 Non-Montessori things I do with my sonEmpowering you as your child's advocatePromos and gifts coming upand more!

In Season 2 Episode 21 of our Montessori Babies podcast, I we are talking all about some fun Fall ideas and controversies when implementing Montessori at home!This week we discussed:Montessori Fall baby activitiesThe uniqueness of Fall sensoryThe Halloween Controversy DIY Art Ideasand more!

Picky eating is a very common phase children go through, but what happens when it goes past what's “normal” and persists past toodlerhood? I welcome Jennifer Friedman, Registered Pediatric Dietician and picky eating expert, and founder of @feedingpickyeaters to discuss:How our mindset impacts if a picky eater will try new food How to use child-based play to introduce new foods How to bridge preferences with new food exposure SilveretteJoin me and countless other moms who have experienced the incredible difference Silverette Silver Cups can make. Just place them over your nipples in-between breastfeeding, and let them work their magic. The silver cups protect, soothe, and promote healing, all while letting your skin breathe. Remember to buy only the original and authentic Silverette. Visit their website today at Silveretteusa.com and use promo code PEDSDOCTALK to save 10% off your order!Little SpoonLittle Spoon is a one stop shop for healthy, easy mealtime and snacktime for your baby, toddler and big kid, delivered right to your door. Get the BRAND NEW Lunchers - healthy meals with build it yourself lunches your kid will love, like Easy Cheesy Pizza, Chicken Dunkers or Chicken Nacho Dips. Go to littlespoon.com/pedsdoctalk and enter our code PEDSDOCTALK at checkout to get 30% OFF your first Little Spoon order.Learn more about Jennifer Friedman and Feeding Picky Eaters at jennyfriedmannutrition.com, Instagram and Pinterest @feedingpickyeaters

Welcome to an episode dedicated to the beautiful chaos of parenting toddlers as a single mom. It's a journey filled with laughter, learning, and, of course, its fair share of challenges. Balancing the responsibilities of parenthood while guiding your energetic toddler requires a unique set of strategies. In this episode, we're here to lend a helping hand as we delve into the world of toddler parenting and explore practical and effective tips designed especially for single moms. Tune in as we discuss the joys and hurdles of parenting toddlers on your own.  Links mentioned in the episode:  Click the retreat link you are interested in - Byron Bay Retreat and Sydney Retreat Click HERE to join the free Facebook Group, The Single Mother Survival Guide Support Forum.  Click HERE to receive your free guide on exploring practical and effective parenting tips tailored to single mums navigating the energetic and sometimes tumultuous world of toddlerhood. Click HERE to listen to our episode entitled, Asking for Help.  Join the Thrive Tribe waitlist HERE.  Download the E-book – Thirteen single mothers share their struggles, top tips, and their favourite things about being a single mother – HERE. To contact Julia, email: julia@singlemothersurvivalguide.com. Visit us at Single Mother Survival Guide. And join the email list there too. Or connect with Single Mother Survival Guide on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

LOL, let me start by saying I love the crap out of my child. There, I gave you the classic mom disclaimer before she starts talking smack about what her child has been up to and how wonky motherhood can get during different seasons. Yes, I adore my almost three-year-old, but also, WOWZA... what happened to the sweet, thoughtful, kind, and affectionate two-year-old I had? He turns three next month, and it's like a flip has been switched...it's wild, and I didn't see it coming. Let's chat all about it! If you haven't seen it, watch my latest reel of me reenacting a recent "playtime" moment between us... YAY for toddler life! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mybestmomfriend/support

Toddlers, amirite?! This week, the Whine Mamas get into the good and the naughty of all things toddler town. From gentle parenting to picky eaters, they are sure to provide all the non-solicited advice no one asked for but needed to hear. Wine of the Week: Spier Seaward Chenin Blanc. Honorable mentions: Trader Joe's pancake puffs, velociraptors, toddler beds, sleep walking, screen time, Africa, shark divingInstagram: @whinemamapodcastHosts: @anniegpyle & @j.freyy

In this episode I talk with Kelsey and answer the question, “How do I come to terms with my last baby entering toddlerhood?” She is feeling a sense of loss as her third child leaves the baby stage behind. Instead she wants to be able to feel more joy as her child grows and develops.I tell Kelsey that the emotions she is experiencing are totally normal, especially for women who had difficult or complicated births and recoveries like she did. It's common for there to be a sense of loss because she didn't experience what she expected to in the newborn phase with each of her children.If you have a question you'd like to hear me answer in a future FAQ podcast episode, email it to me with the subject line “Podcast Question” at hello@drjuliehanks.com.Have you ever thought, “I want to ask Dr. Julie Hanks a question”? Well, now's your chance! I want to have you on my podcast! Click here to fill out this form and tell me your question. I might just pick you to be on the podcast and receive a free coaching session. You can also join my group coaching membership where I host three live group coaching sessions per month covering the topics that matter to you the most.Thank you for listening to the Ask Dr. Julie Hanks podcast. Please click here to leave me a review. And make sure you don't miss an episode by following me on Apple Podcast and Spotify.If you have found this information helpful, you can find additional resources on this topic in my membership and my online courses. Connect with me on social media @drjuliehanks and work with me through joining DJH membership at drjuliehanks.com. For therapy in Utah visit wasatchfamilytherapy.com.