In this episode I want to introduce you to a tiny sampling of the army fighting to protect our kids. I met them at the Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation's 2019 Global Summit in Washington D.C. These are moms and dads, survivors and advocates, students and teachers. Some have the opportunity to work full-time for this cause, while others can only give a few hours here and there. In many ways they are just like you and me, doing what they can to make the world a better place for raising today's kids.

I love to try and break the tension with humor. It doesn’t always come naturally for me, but when we can laugh instead of fume, tough situations can be diffused and relationships can be strengthened. This episode covers the benefits of humor, ideas for incorporating humor in your family (including ideas for April Fool's jokes!), and some Dry Bar Comedy tailored just for you!

It can be very difficult to lift your kids if you’re feeling low. Unfortunately emotional and mental health challenges are on the rise in our digital world. Aimee Rust, LCPC is here to compassionately guide us through struggles with depression, anxiety, overwhelm, terminal illness, postpartum depression, the stigma of mental health problems, and more. And if you’re like me, then by the end of this episode all you'll want to do is curl up on a couch in Aimee’s office and tell her all your problems.

Everybody experiences grief, whether it's from the death of a loved one or other life changes. Grief affects everyone differently so in this episode my friend Michelle (a hospice social worker) and I talk about what to expect in grief, how to support someone who is grieving, how to grieve in a healthy way, how to help our kids when we--or they--are grieving, how to process regret, how to deal with mass grief from things like school shootings, and so much more.

What if I gathered some of the best and brightest people in the movement against pornography and asked what them what parents need to know? Well, I can't take credit for gathering my guests today (that goes to the Utah Coalition Against Pornography) but I did collect their thoughts. Listen in as experts and advocates share the most important thing you need to know.

In this episode my sister-in-law, Rachael Homer, is joining me to talk about some of her very personal experiences of raising a son with autism, while fostering a daughter with cerebral palsy. She will share some of what she has done to help her family members with special needs reach their potential. So many of the things she shares can apply to ANY child with ANY needs! Listen in and you’ll see what I mean.

Have you ever known someone who despite the overwhelming odds against them, has overcome incredible trauma to lead a healthy, happy life? Every once in a while I meet someone like this and I am always in awe. So what's the best recipe for helping your child be resilient in the midst of whatever they face? Research says, it's you!

As we help our kids carefully consume media and other messages, recognize how amazing their bodies are, learn to be the authority on their bodies, and model for them what a healthy body image looks like, we will be helping them gain the confidence to love themselves for more than what they look like.