Ep. 27: What about the forgotten tweens?

06/10/21 • 71 min

When we first become parents there are tons of books and advice for us to follow in the baby years and even the toddler years. As our kids age, however, it seems that all the parenting experts start to fade away. They don't dare touch the older children until perhaps the teenage years. Yet our tweens - that delicate age around 8 to 13 - is crucial to how we will face the teenage years with our children. The challenges that can come with this age can set the stage for how we will approach potentially even more tumultuous times in adolescence, but many parents feel lost at sea as they face these years. This week I had the joy of talking to Sarah Ockwell-Smith who many of you will know for her work in infancy and toddlerhood, but who has filled the much-needed gap for us parents of tweens with her new book Between. From connection with our tweens to anxiety to social activism, we delved into some of the key areas that parents need to be aware of when it comes to parenting tweens. And as always, it comes with the humour and honesty that Sarah brings to everything she does. Sarah Ockwell-Smith: https://sarahockwell-smith.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheBabyExpert Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahockwellsmithauthor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahockwellsmith YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/sarahockwellsmith Between Book: https://www.bookdepository.com/Between-Sarah-Ockwell-Smith/9780349427775 To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

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Ep. 26: Why is male infant circumcision a human rights issue? (Part 2)

Welcome back to part two of my talk with Brian Earp. If you haven't listened yet to last week's episode, I strongly suggest you do because some of what we talk about this week directly follows that conversation. Moving on from the discussion of health risks versus benefits of male infant circumcision, this week we turn towards the social elephant in the room, namely the gendered debate on circumcision as well as more emotional issues such as the defensiveness of parents and the struggles for some men to feel heard on the issue. I hope this conversation may also provide a means for families or individuals struggling to find a way to open up and feel heard. It's up to all of us to listen when people share their story. Brian Earp: https://philosophy.yale.edu/people/brian-earp Brian Earp's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR4umqUbmaDirAig2zD-zBw Resources: Your Whole Baby: https://www.yourwholebaby.org/ Doctors Opposing Circumcision: https://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/ The Intact Network: https://www.intactnetwork.org/ To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

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Ep. 28: Why should breastfeeding grief and trauma matter?

Although not every parent chooses to, many report wanting to breastfeed or chestfeed their child. Our Western society likes to promote this with slogans and ideas that "breast is best", but most of that isn't backed up with the type of support that parents need to make this a reality. From inadequate leave to advice that counters the promotion of breastfeeding to a lack of instrumental and social support for new parents, breast and chestfeeding are an uphill battle, to say the least. Unfortunately this means many parents fail to reach their own goals and this can lead to intense grief about this. Too often, they are told it doesn't matter or just to suck it up, neither of which is supportive or helpful for parents experiencing this grief. This week I was privileged to talk to Dr. Amy Brown about this issue, one she has researched and written on for her book, "Why breastfeeding grief and trauma matter". Whether you were successful in your breast or chestfeeding goals or not, or even if that just wasn't your choice to even embark on, this episode is a critical listen for all of us who engage with new parents. Dr. Amy Brown: https://professoramybrown.co.uk/about-me Twitter: https://twitter.com/Prof_AmyBrown Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prof_amybrown/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breastfeedinguncovered Why Breastfeeding Grief and Trauma Matter: https://www.bookdepository.com/Why-Breastfeeding-Grief-Trauma-Matter-Amy-Brown/9781780666150 To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/