Staying Whole in a Fractured World: The Real Reason I Started Parenting Creative

Becoming a rock star at 7 (or 47) w/ Charity Marsh

Parenting, Creativity, and Community: Dr. Charity Marsh on GRR, Queer Family Structures, and Raising Kids in the Arts In this episode of Parenting Creative, I talk with Dr. Charity Marsh—community-engaged researcher, multidisciplinary artist, parent, and professor of Creative Technologies and Design at the University of Regina. We explore: * How creative practice sustains parents through crisis * The intersection of queerness, parenting, and chosen family * Charity’s work with GRR (formerly Girls Rock Regina) and its shift toward gender inclusivity * Raising children in grassroots arts communities * How art-making with children invites vulnerability, joy, and innovation * The powerful impact of community radio during the pandemic * Family structures beyond binaries and embracing new language for kinship Charity shares her journey as a queer, solo parent raising two creative kids, her reflections on systemic sexism in music culture, and how she models creativity as resistance and resilience. * Imagine This Music - Radio w/ Kids reflection [https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/t7870rrozdscmsco53cfx/MarshRuddy_video.mp4?rlkey=5zep4dtyx91turbdmrpya7elf&st=sinfdkcu&dl=0] * Releasing Perfectionism w/ Amber Goodwyn - Parenting Creative [https://parentingcreative.com/episode/releasing-perfectionism-with-amber-goodwyn] * Nichole Huck: A Journalist's Perspective on Parenting and Creativity - Parenting Creative [https://parentingcreative.com/episode/nichole-huck-an-introverted-uber-drivers-worst-nightmare] * Welcome to GRR! [https://www.girlsrockregina.com/] To check out Charity's documentary I'm Gonna Play Loud: Girls Rock Regina and the Ripple Effect, email Charity at charity.marsh@uregina.ca [charity.marsh@uregina.ca] for access.

Staying Whole in a Fractured World: The Real Reason I Started Parenting Creative

> What started as a podcast about juggling art and parenting has become something deeper: a gathering place for creative parents seeking wholeness, meaning, and connection in uncertain times. > In this solo episode, host Nikko Snyder shares the real story behind Parenting Creative—how it began, how it’s changed, and why creative practice isn’t just about self-expression, but survival. > Whether you’re an artist, a parent, or just someone trying to stay awake in a world that makes it hard, this episode is for you. 💡 IN THIS EPISODE: * The story behind the creation of Parenting Creative * Why “balance” is the wrong goal for creative parents * Parenting and creating through climate anxiety, social injustice, and digital overwhelm * How creative practice helps resist burnout, reclaim rest, and build meaningful connection * An invitation to help shape the next chapter of Parenting Creative 🌀 MENTIONED PRACTICES: * Rest as resistance * Reflection as clarity * Creative expression as processing * Interdependence and shared learning * Joy, grief, nourishment, and the art of staying human 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Read the evolving vision for Parenting Creative: In a world that feels unmoored, you're searching for something to hold onto. Something steady. Solid. Whole. Parenting Creative is a gathering place for caregivers, meaning-makers, and anyone seeking steadiness in disorienting times. We explore practices that anchor us: creative expression, joy, interdependence, nourishment, rest, and reflection. This isn't about finding balance. It's about accountability and belonging—to ourselves, our kids, and each other—in defiance of a world that wants us fragmented. We don’t have easy answers. But we offer questions worth asking, practices worth returning to, and stories worth sharing. -- And let me know: * What resonates? * What’s missing? DM me or send a voice note. I want your voice in this. 🌱 SUPPORT THE PODCAST: If this episode moved you: * Leave a review on Apple or Spotify * Share it with your creative circle * Follow on Instagram: @parentingcreative [https://www.instagram.com/parentingcreative] * Or join the free email newsletter for deeper connection + bonus episodes All links in the show notes. Thanks for being here.

Breaking cycles & following your North star w/ Melissa Pintor Carnagey

On this episode, host Nikko Snyder talks to entrepreneur, sex educator, and author Melissa Pintor Carnagey. Based in Austin, Texas, Melissa is the parent of three young people ages 11, 15, and 26. They're also the founder of Sex Positive Families, which delivers inclusive, sex positive, shame-free sex education to families worldwide through their newsletter and online workshops. Melissa has also written two books, including Sex Positive Talks to Help with Kids: A Guide to Raising Sexually Healthy, Informed, Empowered Young People; and the hot off the presses puberty book for kids 11 to 14 called Growing Into You: An inclusive, shame busting, get real guide to your changing body and mind. In our conversation we talk about starting your parenting journey as a teenager, tapping into your childhood passions to guide your adult dreams, the journey to becoming a published author, honouring your truth enough to risk leaving a bad situation to start your own business, disrupting the system by living your best life, breaking cycles, and giving ourselves self-compassion and forgiveness for the mistakes we inevitably make in this wild experiment called parenting. There's a bonus episode of Parenting Creative with even more of our conversation. You can get that by signing up for our free email newsletter. In addition to bonus content, I use the newsletter to share guest announcements, sneak peeks, glimpses behind the scenes, and deeper reflections on every episode.

Giving yourself permission to be w/ Kris Alvarez (part 2)

In this conversation (part 2 of 2), Kris Alvarez shares her journey as a theatre artist and parent, exploring the integration of creativity into family life. She discusses her upbringing as a child of immigrants, how she navigates the complexities of aging parents, and making theatre with non-performers (including her own parents). Kris emphasizes the significance of both suffering and joy in personal growth, the importance of intergenerational relationships, and the need to tolerate each other's learning and mistakes. And don't miss the first part of our conversation, where we talk about about real, serious play and navigating the serious mental illness of a child. * Mann Art Gallery - Prince Albert SK [https://www.mannartgallery.ca/] * Home | Common Ground Arts Society [https://commongroundarts.ca/] * Curtain Razors [https://www.curtainrazors.ca/] * Kris Alvarez on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/krispalvarez/] You can support Parenting Creative by leaving us a five-star review, signing up [https://link.whc.ca/ngs/1642628/ihBN7XhPyNwhqv8bpNFC] for our free email newsletter, or sending us a tip. Support Parenting Creative [https://parentingcreative.com/support] takeaways * Kris emphasizes the importance of being authentic and present in life. * She integrates her family into her art, creating a unique blend of personal and professional. * The immigrant experience shapes her perspective on creativity and family dynamics. * Aging parents bring both joy and challenges, requiring a balance of care and understanding. * Kris believes in the power of art to foster community and connection. * She rejects compartmentalization, advocating for a more integrated approach to life and creativity. * Suffering can lead to growth and a deeper understanding of oneself and others. * Kris's upbringing instilled a sense of playfulness and affection that she shares with her audience. * She aims to create spaces where people can embrace their creativity and connect with others. * Kris's journey reflects the complexities of parenting, art, and intergenerational relationships. Chapters 00:00 The Essence of Being: Embracing Authenticity 01:51 Creative Parenting: Integrating Art and Family 03:18 The Immigrant Experience: Family, Culture, and Creativity 12:01 Compartmentalization vs. Integration 19:03 Suffering and Growth: The Silver Linings of Life 24:03 Creating Space for Learning: Tolerance and Understanding 30:03 The Journey of Integration: Embracing Wholeness keywords creativity, parenting, immigrant experience, intergenerational relationships, art integration, personal growth, community building, family dynamics, aging, aging parents, authenticity

A child's mental health journey (Kris Alvarez Part 1)

If you or a young person in your life is struggling with mental health, know that you are not alone and that help is out there. If you are in crisis, you can call 9-8-8, ANYTIME, 24/7. Part one of a two-part conversation with theatre artist, community magic maker and parent of two young adults, Kris Alvarez. In part one, host Nikko Snyder talks to Kris about fighting for the space to play - and not the pretend or performed play that a lot of adults do with kids, but the real serious play that has zero agenda apart from simple shits and giggles. They also talk about the fundamental importance of kindness, the gift of mentorship, and paying that forward. And they talk about navigating the serious mental illness of a child, processing that journey by making art, and how the experience can blow your capacity for unconditional love wide open. And that's just part one! Don't miss the next episode where Kris talks about creating theatre with non-performers (including her own parents), being the child of immigrants, the integration of art into all aspects of life, and the importance of great snacks. Parenting Creative explores the places where creative life and parenting collide, and all the magic and mess that ensues. Through deep, honest conversations with diverse artist-parents who are walking the walk, we explore both the struggles and the real, practical ways to make creativity and parenthood work—on your own terms, in ways that sustain and inspire you for the long haul. And we do it in community—because neither parenting nor creative life can thrive in isolation. Subscribe [https://link.whc.ca/ngs/1642628/bzUVDT08L0zpQ3Bd8Rf2] to our free email newsletter for sneak peeks and guest announcements, behind the scenes stories and deeper reflections on each episode. Follow Parenting Creative on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/parentingcreative] and Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/parentingcreative.bsky.social], and visit our website at parentingcreative.com [https://parentingcreative.com/]. You can also support the podcast by leaving a tip at the following link or by sending an e-transfer to info@parentingcreative.com. Support Parenting Creative [https://parentingcreative.com/support] Takeaways * Kris emphasizes the importance of being human in front of others to allow them to embrace their humanity too. * Play is a vital part of Kris's artistic and parenting practice. * Kris fights for the space to really play, which she believes is often overlooked by adults. * Creating safe spaces for storytelling is central to Kris's art practice. * Kris's parenting journey has evolved as her children have grown into young adults. * Mental health challenges have deepened Kris's capacity to love unconditionally. * Kris's art reflects her personal experiences and the complexities of her identity. * The importance of kindness in teaching and creating art is paramount for Kris. * Kris believes in the power of vulnerability and modeling it for her children. * Kris's project 'I do my best crying in the car' explores the emotional landscape of parenting and mental health. Keywords parenting, creativity, mental health, art, community, kindness, play, immigrant experience, unconditional love, storytelling