Beyond the Rhetoric: Podcast Edition

A recent experience at the mall resurfaced something I’ve been struggling with for a while and we need to call on greater societal change to shift the mindset surrounding moms, dads, and the roles we play.

If it’s hypocritical to limit the screen time our kids are allowed to have, what is the more appropriate, most viable alternative? And what does it have to do with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

My seven-year-old recently asked me why grown-ups are allowed to have so much screen time when kids aren’t. Not an easy question and there’s no easy answer.

I reached out to you on social media to see if you'd be interested in an AMA episode of this podcast, so here are all the A's to the Q's you sent my way. 

Is it better to have your kids closer in age, so they can grow up like best buddies? Or is it better to give them a bit more of an age gap, so the situation isn't quite so overwhelming for you as a parent? Let's weigh in on some pros and cons.

Are you living your best life? Are you crushing it with everything that you do? Or are you tired of trying to keep up with everyone else's lives on Instagram? Toxic positivity is bigger, more powerful, and more unrelenting than ever. So, what can we do?

You didn't ask for it, but you're going to get it anyway. Here are some simple lessons I've taken to heart as a new parent these past few years. Do these ring true for you too?

When you've got two young children and two parents, is it better to take a "man-to-man" defense? Or does a "zone defense" approach make more sense? Did you default to the same conclusion our family did?

It's one thing to have "the talk" with your kids about the birds and the bees. Another layer to that is helping them understand the concept of consent. My parents talked to me about neither. I plan on talking to my children about both. And the earlier I start, the better.

When your kids don't quite do what you ask them to do, how do you respond? Are you effectively discouraging them from trying and shooting yourself in the foot in the process? Are you unwittingly nurturing a sense of learned helplessness?

Did your parents hug you when you were a kid? Do you hug your own kids today? Is there a difference between Asian Canadian families and white families? Or is it a generational thing?

There's more to sibling rivalry than slamming doors, screaming matches and throwing things. Have you seen these hidden signs of sibling rivalry? What is the relationship like between your kids?

Has anyone ever told you that your newborn baby is manipulating you? They're only crying because they know it'll get you to pick them up and you're falling into their devious plan for extra snuggles. Should we chalk that up as myth?

Ask just about any mom or dad out there what it is they want the most. Inevitably, we all yearn for a good night's sleep. Ideally a few in a row. In this episode, I share some sleep tips that actually work if you commit to them. 

In this second ever episode of the Beyond the Rhetoric podcast, I share seven tips for encouraging children to read more and to improve their reading skills. They worked for us, so hopefully they'll work for you too. 

First! Well, here we go with the first episode of the Beyond the Rhetoric podcast. We're talking about keeping up with the Joneses in the context of parenthood and "what's best" for our kids.