Whatever age our kids are seems important, but there is nothing more crucial than 0-3 years old. Birthto3.org Executive Director Minalee Saks talked about their life changing program. Todd and Laura talked about how they wished they knew about this years ago.

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Jacqueline Kramer, the author of Buddha Mom, joins Todd & Laura Tues at 11am on Parenting Unplugged Radio. This extraordinary woman also started a non-profit  dedicated to supporting home based spiritual practice through information sharing and community building at hearthfoundation.net

What do you tell your kids when one of his friend’s parents suffers a serious illness or even death? Do you ever hide it from them? You may be trying to protect your child, but are you? Does your child struggle with transitions? Ours did, but this morning, he showed us that’s all past him now. Todd and Laura are recording a show with a live appearance at Haggis McBaggis in Portland from 12:30-2pm on Tuesday. Come join us and ask questions of Glenda Montgomery from positiveparentingpdx.com

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Community always brings out the best in all of us but today Todd and Laura wound up on the opposite side of the river, when Laura talked about a study involving men and women and how they affect their children. This past week Todd and Laura also experienced how being a teacher to children can allow them to be a teacher to you.

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Karen Wells joined Laura to chat about community, intuition and trust when parenting. It takes a lot to leave the sick kids home with the dad but maybe sometimes that’s the best choice for you. How do you balance the juggling act that is different parenting styles? Plus tips on handling pneumonia.

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This made me laugh, cry a bit and have some fun time with Todd. Hope you enjoy the read.

WHY GOD MADE MOMS

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She’s the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born..

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men’s bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We’re related..
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people’s mom like me.

What kind of a little girl was your mom?
1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don’t know because I wasn’t there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that mom didn’t have her thinking cap on.

Who’s the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn’t want to be boss, but she has to because dad’s such a goof ball.
2. Mom.. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What’s the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power ’cause that’s who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don’t do spare time..
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she’s already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I’d diet, maybe blue..

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I’d get rid of that.
2. I’d make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

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Laura talked about the Community Parenting “Train the Trainers” program she just finished running in Ontario, Oregon. The Mistaken Goal Chart, Positive Discipline and Natural Learning Rhythms never get old!  The Village Moment Movement continues to gain popularity.  And a discussion Todd and Laura weren’t expecting: Do mothers forget the early parenting bad times and only the fathers remember them? Todd says yes, and the moms agree!

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When was the first time you gave something to someone else because you felt like it? When was the last time you gave someone something because you were moved to do so? When was the last time you did so with no strings attached?

Sounds like you may be a generous person and I bet you have probably donated over the years to numerous organizations, not because you had to or because of a tax break, but because you were moved to do it. By performing that simple acting you have just experienced what the Buddhists call Dana: The practice of cultivating generosity characterized by unattached and unconditional giving, which has the effect of purifying and transforming the mind of the giver, leading to being reborn in happy states and material wealth.

What would you think of a company that has opened their eyes and arms to the provisions of Dana? Some have called us crazy but we believe in the good that is in all of us. Laura and I love hosting Parenting Unplugged Radio and delivering what we feel is helpful information via our experts, authors and parents. We want to do this for as long as we can.

I will be honest. This is a for-profit business that we hope, with the inclusion of some great new shows focused on single parents and fatherhood, will change the world. It will take us more than 7 days and it will take more than the change we have in our pockets, but with your support we can do this. That is why it is with great trepidation, but also great trust and faith in those that follow and enjoy the show, we are asking you to practice the art of Dana if you are so moved.

Has a Parenting Unplugged Radio show bestowed new knowledge, new insight, new awareness of how your relationship is developing with your children? Has it opened your eyes to a new way of being with your kids that in turn has created a sense of family or community? What is that worth to you? $1, $5, $100. In your mind, it is worth something. Whatever that amount is, give it freely.

Originally, Laura and I thought the only route to sustain the show was via advertising on the show. But we don’t want to interrupt a vital moment of learning with an announcement about a sale at Barney’s. We did not want to place ads on our website, but we have added Google ads with the hope that will generate some income. Our product comes first as do you. We hope that with the continued growth and success of this show, we will be able to create an even larger resource for you, your family and your friends.

We know that this new approach to making our company financially stable is not going to sit well with everyone, but sometimes you have to step out of the shadows of history and do things your own way. If you want to change the world, sometimes you have to start with a step, the other direction. Maybe it’s time we all walk this way.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all of your support, whether monetary or by downloading our shows and telling friends.

Happy Parenting,
Todd and Laura

How many dads out there are jacked up for soccer season? Maybe your kid is too old for you to be coaching him or her, but still do you remember the time when you coached them or you went to the games to see a bunch of kids bruise each others shins? Good times! About 15 moms and dads were at the park across the street from our house, I was one of them, and we all went through a training class. I thought this whole coaching thing was going to be easy. I made it through T-ball unscathed, so how can soccer be difficult.

First of all, we really don’t teach them soccer, we teach them games. The idea is to include every child so they aren’t left standing on the sidelines not doing anything. I get the point, but I have to honest, there is a side of me that doesn’t get it. I was an athletic kid and always played sports. If I wasn’t good, I worked harder at it. Should we really reward kids for not working hard? I mean in some sense we are saying, “Don’t worry sweetheart, just sit there and you will get just as many chances as everyone else. We’ll make sure the coach makes it fun.” Okay, so I am coaching Kindergarten aged kids, so really it should be about fun, but as they progress to 2nd, third and fourth grade, shouldn’t we be telling them, if you want to play work at it. Here’s what you can do to get better, now it is up to you.

I have never seen the other side, because that wasn’t my way and I am sure I have my baggage because I worked so hard at sports, but it also instill a work ethic in me. Are we short changing our children because sometimes we are too soft on them?