Child(ish) Reads: Podcast Playlist Summer ’23

It’s the last week of school in Fulton County and we are very excited to take our annual June blog break. We hope you are looking forward to a fun summer as well. So while you are making your to-do lists and packing your sunscreen, load these new podcast episodes up on your phone and give them a listen.

Yes, these are all parenting episodes, but all of my other listening has been #Scandoval and plant care. I’m in it deep, guys…

Minimalist Moms, EP278: Rethinking Intelligence: Challenging Misconceptions and Embracing Our Potential with Dr. Rina Bliss

I picked this one first because it goes back to our posts about potential (here and here). In our Thirty Million Words review, we brought up how every child is born with a certain amount of “potential”. This isn’t necessarily academic achievement but physical and mental capacity. Our brains are all differently wired, we have different combinations of genes, and we all have completely different life experiences. There is nothing we can do to increase our brain potential; however, there are millions of things we can do to decrease it.

OT is one way that professionals can identify the things that are subtracting from our potential (like limited fine and gross motor skills, sensory aversions, etc) and find ways build us back up. Other things that detract from this are: limited life experiences, not enough sleep, an unbalanced diet, negative self-talk, and more.

I love this perspective because it doesn’t group people into binary categories of smart and not smart. It’s the realization that you are parenting a whole person, and “reaching your potential” is not pushing them to be the most intelligent person in the world.

*Small disclaimer: This podcast starts with an ad about a Christian Devotional book. It was a little confusing before I realized it was an ad. Skip if you want.

Childproof: Are Routines For Me or My Kids?

This is a new weekly podcast from Betches that started this month. The hosts consider themselves Alt-Parents, or parents who are doing things alternative to how they were raised. I’ve linked the first episode, but they have a couple more you can test out. They are super casual, relatable, and very Millennial.

Good Inside with Dr. Becky, EP103: Reparenting with the In-Laws

I like this episode because in true Dr. Becky fashion, she guides us through a real-life MIL situation and how to diplomatically navigate it so that you don’t villainize your kid’s grandparents.

A sentiment that stuck with me, “Just because you are doing all of this reflection and re-parenting, doesn’t mean that everyone else around you is necessarily on board.” Yes, wanting to do things differently than how you were raised is a huge, affirming step. Unfortunately, it isn’t without potential conflict from the people who actually raised you and who you may or may not rely on for childcare. I’ve definitely had these encounters with my in-laws, especially when it comes to my daughters being told that they need to “be good”. It’s a slippery slope, but this is a good start to calming those waters.

Raising Good Humans, S3 Ep. 16: Analyzing Succession’s Parent-Child and Sibling Relationships

Love, love, love this episode. Troy and I binged Succession on HBO last summer and the tension and cringe is just insanity. This episode analyzes a few of the parent-child relationships in the show this season, especially the coercive attachment between the kids and their father, Logan Roy.

TBR

In the same listening vein, I’ve also finished up Spare and Beautiful Country on Audible. Both are memoirs, and quite a lot of listening time is spent in the childhood years. Spare is obviously Prince Harry growing up as a royal. Beautiful Country is about a Chinese girl growing up poor and undocumented in New York City. I think listening to memoirs can be much more powerful than just reading them, so I usually listen when I’m taking a walk or folding laundry.

Next on my audiobook list is Live Learn Love Well from Peloton instructor Emma Lovewell, and Advanced Parenting by Kelly Fradin. Both have a ton of podcast episodes about their books as well.

Happy Listening!