In This Episode:Have you had one of those moments when you said the wrong thing to your child? Perhaps a time when you were angry and didn't communicate effectively? The reality is, sometimes we're just not in the state of mind to communicate in effective ways.Tune in as William Stixrud, PhD, joins Marti & Erin Erickson of Mom Enough to discuss how to talk with your children. He shares the importance of effective communication, how to increase the likelihood that your child will actually...

In This Episode:Join us for this insightful episode of Mom Enough as we discuss the Autism Mentorship Program (AMP). Co-hosts, Dr. Erin Erickson and Dr. Marti Erickson, are joined by Emily Goldberg, founder of AMP, and Uma Oswald, a dedicated mentor within the program. Together, they shed light on the importance of this program in fostering understanding and support for youth with autism.Emily discusses how her own experience as a parent of autistic twin boys sparked the idea for AMP, why a...

In This Episode:Dr. Jed Elison, the Irving B. Harris Professor of Child Development at the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development, has been a guest on Mom Enough in the past, talking about research on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the importance of early identification and intervention. Today he brings stunning research on babies who are missing all or part of their corpus collosum (agenesis of the corpus collosum), the organ in the brain that coordinates function...

In This Episode:How much time do you and your children spend outside in nature? And if your answer is “not much,” what benefits are you missing? Since the 2005 publication of Richard Louv’s groundbreaking book, Last Child in the Woods, the Children & Nature Network (C&NN) – founded by Louv and a few colleagues, including Mom Enough® host Marti Erickson – has worked with partners around the world to make sure all children have access to the benefits nature provides. One key to...

In This Episode: Women are drinking more alcohol than ever before. A quick scroll on social media will produce numerous memes of moms drinking, making light of what can pose a real threat to the health and wellbeing of mothers and their families. With the rise of "mommy wine culture" – and the normalization of drinking during motherhood – it can be a challenge to maintain a healthy relationship with alcohol. In this compelling episode, we are joined by Celeste Yvonne, author of It's Not...

In This Episode:Women are drinking more alcohol than ever before. A quick scroll on social media will produce numerous memes of moms drinking, making light of what can pose a real threat to the health and wellbeing of mothers and their families. With the rise of "mommy wine culture" – and the normalization of drinking during motherhood – it can be a challenge to maintain a healthy relationship with alcohol.In this compelling episode, we are joined by Celeste Yvonne, author of It's Not About...

In This Episode:These days, it seems like everyone is gluten-free. But, who should really be gluten-free? With so much misinformation and sometimes conflicting messages about gluten, it can be difficult to know if someone should avoid gluten. Tune into this enlightening dive into the world of wheat, celiac and nutrition with Dr. Julie Miller Jones, PhD, Certified Nutrition Specialist, and emeritus professor at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN. Ever wondered if you should jump on the...

In This Episode:Dr. Brenna Rudolph is a former teacher, autism specialist and a lecturer in special education at the University of Minnesota. Brenna has spent the last 18 years dedicated to ensuring young children with (or at risk for) delays or disabilities, along with their families, have access to high quality services and support.In this episode of Mom Enough, Brenna joins Marti & Erin to discuss the importance of early childhood screening for all children. As a mother of two young...

In This Episode:In the 3rd and final episode of this series on parent and child mental health, Jane Perry and Kim Gascoigne, therapists and leaders from St. David’s Center, confront the challenges of parenting with severe & persistent mental illness (SPMI), such as bi-polar disorder or  schizophrenia. They discuss the impact of severe mental illness on the parent-infant relationship and the child’s long-term development. Think, for example, of the unpredictability of behavior for many...

In This Episode:Navigating the journey of parenthood is a complex and multifaceted experience, encompassing moments of joy, fulfillment, and love. However, for some parents, this journey can also be marked by the struggles with postpartum depression (PPD) and anxiety.In this 2nd episode of a 3-part series brought to you by St. David’s Center, developmental therapist Laura Talbot highlights common signs of PPD and anxiety and the impact on baby if parent’s symptoms persist. Building on years...

In This Episode:With rapidly advancing technology, internet access has become essential to modern life. However, there is a significant digital gap between those with access to information and communication technology, especially the internet, and those without. This gap affects individuals, communities, and even some countries! Lack of digital equity can interfere with education as students struggle to access information and resources they need to succeed, and healthcare access, especially...

In This Episode: Mental health professional Melissa Williams, Family Place Program Director at the Harman Center for Child and Family Wellbeing in downtown Minneapolis, has seen firsthand the impact of parental mental health on a child’s learning, development and mental health. She has focused on helping parents and children build a secure attachment, a foundation of human development that can put a child on a positive developmental pathway even in the face of challenges, including parental...

In This Episode:With modern life, technology has become an extension of our very being. From smartphones to tablets, these digital tools have now become indispensable appendages, shaping the rhythms of our days and the dynamics of our families. Join us as we navigate the delicate balance between the utility and peril of technology, and explore the expanding role these devices play in our lives and the lives of our children. Guest expert Sara Reichstadt from Kinderberry Hill Child Development...

In This Episode:Novatus (Nova) Marandu is Executive Director of Toa Nafasi, a nonprofit in Tanzania that educates young children with disabilities and ensures that children’s rights are recognized, including the right to protection from violence and abuse. For Nova, this not only is a professional mission, but a personal one fueled by traumatic sexual abuse he experienced from age six at the hands of adult neighbors – something he dares to talk about in public despite the fear and shame that...

If we think about the kind of friend, spouse, care provider, boss or public leader we want, we probably would name empathy as an essential quality. Empathy encompasses seeing through another’s eyes (cognitive empathy), feeling what that person feels (emotional empathy) and taking action that is attuned to that person’s feelings (compassionate empathy). But how does someone become empathic? At what age are children first capable of empathy? And what is the role of parents and other adults in...

If we think about the kind of friend, spouse, care provider, boss or public leader we want, we probably would name empathy as an essential quality. Empathy encompasses seeing through another’s eyes (cognitive empathy), feeling what that person feels (emotional empathy) and taking action that is attuned to that person’s feelings (compassionate empathy). But how does someone become empathic? At what age are children first capable of empathy? And what is the role of parents and other adults in...

Many of us cringe when we think about our early adolescence and the emotional ups and downs of middle school or junior high, as it used to be called. We may recall being teased or bullied or inexplicably dropped by someone we thought was our best friend forever. Or perhaps we recall insensitive or downright cruel things we said or did to others. (Did you ever write nasty comments in a “slam book”? Or get tearful when you saw what someone wrote about you?)   To what extent is the social...

Many of us cringe when we think about our early adolescence and the emotional ups and downs of middle school or junior high, as it used to be called. We may recall being teased or bullied or inexplicably dropped by someone we thought was our best friend forever. Or perhaps we recall insensitive or downright cruel things we said or did to others. (Did you ever write nasty comments in a “slam book”? Or get tearful when you saw what someone wrote about you?) To what extent is the social world of...

Award-winning Minnesota author, Shannon Gibney, joins Marti and Erin Erickson of Mom Enough® for a captivating discussion on her latest book — a speculative memoir of transracial adoption. The Girl I am, Was, and Never Will Be masterfully weaves together the story of Gibney's life as a transracial adoptee with an imagined tale of her life had she not been placed for adoption. The resulting braided story brings to light the unique and often painful challenges of being a transracial adoptee,...

Award-winning Minnesota author, Shannon Gibney, joins Marti and Erin Erickson of Mom Enough® for a captivating discussion on her latest book — a speculative memoir of transracial adoption. The Girl I am, Was, and Never Will Be masterfully weaves together the story of Gibney's life as a transracial adoptee with an imagined tale of her life had she not been placed for adoption. The resulting braided story brings to light the unique and often painful challenges of being a transracial adoptee,...

As a Social Work professor, Oliver Williams has devoted his career to helping men find the strength, compassion and self-control to treat their partners and children kindly and respectfully. With a special focus on African American men, Oliver works with local communities and national and international organizations to reduce domestic violence and support positive fathering.   In this warm and thoughtful conversation with Marti & Erin, Oliver draws on his work and, even more, his...

As a Social Work professor, Oliver Williams has devoted his career to helping men find the strength, compassion and self-control to treat their partners and children kindly and respectfully. With a special focus on African American men, Oliver works with local communities and national and international organizations to reduce domestic violence and support positive fathering.   In this warm and thoughtful conversation with Marti & Erin, Oliver draws on his work and, even more, his...

How do you feel when you get a big hug from a friend you haven’t seen for a while? Or how about a spontaneous kiss on the cheek from your child? Or your spouse holding your hand when you go for a walk? How do you imagine your child experiences the way you touch them, and what do you remember about your own experience of touch when you were a child?   Dr. Michael Banissy, a psychologist and neuroscientist, has spent his career studying different types of touch and the impact on health,...

How do you feel when you get a big hug from a friend you haven’t seen for a while? Or how about a spontaneous kiss on the cheek from your child? Or your spouse holding your hand when you go for a walk? How do you imagine your child experiences the way you touch them, and what do you remember about your own experience of touch when you were a child?   Dr. Michael Banissy, a psychologist and neuroscientist, has spent his career studying different types of touch and the impact on health,...