Big Conversations with Little Children

How many times has your child come to you with questions that have left you feeling at a loss for what to say? Thankfully, my guest, Dr. Lauren Starnes, has you covered! In this episode, Dr. Starnes and I talk about how to talk about hard things with our children. We are talking about miscarriage, death of a pet, divorce, and gun violence. Regardless of the topic, she says that we want to get into the practice of giving ourselves a moment to respond. In other words, to pause. This practice lets you gather your thoughts, notice your emotions and center yourself. It’s ok to take a moment so you can be intentional about what you say, versus blurting out something you can’t take back. Dr. Starnes guides us through the process of finding out what your child knows and thinks about what they’re asking about, how they feel, and what you can do for next steps.  It’s inevitable that you kids will come to you with big questions, and this will help you navigate these delicate waters with confidence.  For a copy of Lauren’s handouts on divorce and gun violence from the book “Big Conversations with Little Children”, go to the Parent Toolbox to download them for free. www.parent-toolbox.com About Dr. Lauren Starnes Dr. Lauren Starnes is the senior vice president and chief academic officer at Goddard Systems, LLC., the franchisor of The Goddard School. She is responsible for leading the development of The Goddard School’s nationally acclaimed proprietary education program, driving research-based innovation and implementing new accreditation standards across the franchise system. Lauren has more than 20 years of experience in education, including curriculum development, evaluation and implementation, as well as teaching and consulting in the fields of preschool, special needs and elementary education. Social Media: Website: http://www.goddardschool.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-lauren-starnes/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goddardschool Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goddard_school/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/goddardschool YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/goddardschool Thanks for listening! For more on Robbin, her work and free resources, keep reading!   READY FOR YOUR FAMILY CHECK UP CALL? If you’re feeling burnt out by bad behavior, worn down from constant battles and bickering and you’ve struggled to get the cooperation, respect and obedience you want from your kids, I’ve been there too. It might be time to learn new tools to help you get your kids to listen to you, build teamwork, and grow the harmony in your home. https://parentingforconnection.as.me/Checkupcall   FREE GUIDE FOR PARENTS OF STRONG-WILLED KIDS: “How to Turn a NO into Cooperation” go to www.strongwilledkids.com   Leave a review I appreciate every bit of feedback to make this a value adding part of your day. Ratings and reviews from listeners not only help me improve, but also help others find me in their podcast app. If you have a minute, an honest review on iTunes goes a long way! Thank You!!   About Robbin Robbin is a Certified Parent Coach, author, podcaster and speaker. Robbin’s work focuses on building and strengthening the parent child relationship so that children grow up with resilience, confidence and strong emotional intelligence. She works with parents to help them understand their own emotions and frustrations in parenting, so they can help build their children’s sense of self without losing themselves in the process! Robbin’s award-winning podcast, Parenting our Future, is ranked in the top one percent of all podcasts globally. And she is recognized as one of the “Top Moms in Podcasting” by Podcast Magazine in 2020 & 2022.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices