Season 2 Episode 8: Building a Village: The Hidden Realities of Military Family Life

Season 2 Episode 10: Our Journey Together & Looking Ahead

Feedback Survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSesa2pLKw_XYxWP2TSiL2oMqmGLDE7aCvoQ1ziH2SOdRzturQ/viewform?usp=publish-editor]  Be Our Guest on our Podcast Form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeVznaIvmviKi-Lms9P2WZ51Drn96Ja9JHGpPlaxh-seM4Lzw/viewform?usp=dialog]   Book of the Month: We have 20 books to giveaway! Please fill out our feedback survey to be in raffle to get one of these books:  The Book List:  * How to Talk So Kids will Listen and Listen So Kids will Talk * Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans * Empower Yourself Against Racial and Cultural Stress: Using Skills from the REACH Program to Cope, Heal, and Thrive, by Ryan C.T. DeLapp * Talk to Your Boys: 16 Conversations to Help Tweens and Teens Grow into Confident, Caring Young Men, by Joanna Schroeder and Christopher Pepper * Be Unapologetically Impatient: The Mindset Required to Change the Way We Do Things, by Christina Cipriano * Raising Awe Seekers: How the Science of Wonder Helps Our Kids Thrive, by Deborah Farmer Kris * The Way of Play: Using Little Moments of Big Connection to Raise Calm and Confident Kids, by Tina Payne Bryson and Georgie Wisen-Vincent  * Parents Have Feelings, Too: A Guide to Navigating Your Emotions So You And Your Family Can Thrive, by Hilary Jacobs Hendel and Juli Fraga * How to Carry What Can't be Fixed * Its Okay That You are Not Okay * Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World * Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing * Be a Triangle: How I Went from Being Lost to Getting My Life into Shape * Parenting from the Inside Out

Season 2 Episode 9: It Takes More Than Us- Building a Parenting Village

This episode highlights the power of parenting through connection and community. Featuring WishWell founder Verenice Hernandez-Herrera, we dive into practical ways families can build support systems, strengthen mental health, and foster meaningful connections at home and beyond.  Book of the Month: The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Daniel Siegal and Tina Bryson Resource of the Month: WishWell provides free and low-cost counseling, empowerment coaching, family workshops, and school-based programs to underserved communities across San Diego County. Their services are designed to strengthen mental health, build resilience, and create connection — one family at a time. https://www.wishwellcc.com [https://www.wishwellcc.com]  Free Events from Wishwell: April 16, 2026 - Time, Energy, & Choice - A Peer Mediator Led Workshop - This interactive workshop is led by Olympian High School Advanced Peer Mediators, student leaders from a local high school trained to support teen mental health and connection. Participants will explore how they spend their time, build awareness around their priorities, and practice discernment in choosing who and what they give their energy to. May 21, 2026 -  Olivewood Cooking Demo Workshop -A hands-on Cooking Demo, that explores the connection between cooking and mental health. Designed for kids and teens, this workshop will show how preparing and enjoying meals together can reduce stress, improve mood, and foster a sense of accomplishment. Other resources:  The US Surgeon General's Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents [https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/parents-under-pressure.pdf]

Season 2 Episode 8: Building a Village: The Hidden Realities of Military Family Life

This episode explores the emotional heartbeat of military family life—from long deployments and solo parenting to building a village far from home. Our guests open up about raising young children through repeated separations, navigating reintegration, leaning on ombudsmen and military resources, and finding support in the community. Together we unpack the unspoken realities, the resilience it takes to thrive, and the ways families stay connected, grounded, and whole through every transition. Book of the Month: The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Daniel Siegal and Tina Bryson in English and Spanish Resource of the Month: SAY San Diego offers a vast range of assistance programs in Southern California to help veterans and active military of all ages in their times of need. The Military Family Resource Center (MFRC) serves active duty, transitioning, and veteran military personnel and their families. https://www.saysandiego.org/who-we-serve/military-families/ [https://www.saysandiego.org/who-we-serve/military-families/]

Season 2 Episode 7: Rooted in Love: Stories of a Chosen Family

This episode dives into the realities of fostering and adoption—what it takes to begin, how to navigate challenges, and how to create lasting belonging. Hear one mother’s inspiring journey and gain insights and encouragement for your own path. Book of the Month: The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Daniel Siegal and Tina Bryson in English and Spanish. Resource of the Month: This web page provides information on public and private foster and adoption agency services, a list of training resources for current foster and adoptive parents, and a link to county information about adoption and becoming a foster parent. https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/cs/child_welfare_services.html [https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/cs/child_welfare_services.html]

Season 2 Episode 6: Balancing Family Life Across Generations

In this episode, we explore what it means to care across generations, "The Sandwich Generation," balancing family, distance, and the emotional weight of caregiving. Maryam shares her story of supporting aging parents from afar, reflecting on guilt, resilience, and the power of collective caregiving. Together, we discuss self-compassion, community care, and how we can redefine what it means to truly support one another. Book of the Month:  The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Daniel Siegal and Tina Bryson in English and Spanish Resource of the Month: Naming Your Emotions | Practice | Greater Good in Action [https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/naming_your_emotions]  Other resources:  * More than half of Americans in their 40s are ‘sandwiched’ between an aging parent and their own children [https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/04/08/more-than-half-of-americans-in-their-40s-are-sandwiched-between-an-aging-parent-and-their-own-children/]   * Seven Tips for Talking With Your Kids About Terminal Illness [https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/seven_tips_for_talking_with_your_kids_about_terminal_illness]  * * Eight Tips For Talking With Your Kids About Death [https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/eight_tips_for_talking_with_your_kids_about_death]  * Feeling Supported | Practice | Greater Good in Action [https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/feeling_supported]