
Today’s episode is all about parenting and I’m really excited to share it with you! I’m here with Dr. Jen Forristal, a naturopathic doctor whose main focus is on pediatric mental health. She’s also the founder and CEO of the Umbrella Project, a positive coping curriculum used by thousands of parents, students, and educators. Dr. Jen and I talked about parenting “under the umbrella” in a past podcast episode, but today we delve further into the subject with her newest book.
The idea is that no matter how much we try to shelter them, our children will face adversity in life. And when the rain comes the best thing we can do for them is make sure they have a sturdy “umbrella” of protection. The concept is to keep the big ideas in mind as we parent to make sure that what we’re doing in the moment with our kids is actually achieving the long-term goal of helping them be resilient.
There’s so much to unpack in today’s episode with a lot of practical tips that cover everything from toddler tantrums, to bedtime, to the teenage years. Dr. Jen is such a wealth of information and I hope you’ll join us for today’s episode!
Episode Highlights With Dr. Jen Forristal
- What the umbrella effect is and how it relates to parenting
- Steps we can take with our kids to help teach a growth mindset and coping skills for learning from challenges
- Why to make a “sucks but normal” category in life
- The importance of modeling in parenting
- How to help teach your kids coping skills
- What curious empathy is and why she considers it the most profound parenting shift for parents
- How she approaches bedtime routine and sleep in her home
- What to do about tantrums and why it starts at birth
- Her “regulate or be regulated” approach
Resources We Mention
- The Umbrella Effect: Your Guide to Raising Strong, Adaptable Kids in a Stressful World by Dr. Jen Forristal
- The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
- French Kids Eat Everything: How Our Family Moved to France, Cured Picky Eating, Banned Snacking, and Discovered 10 Simple Rules for Raising Happy, Healthy Eaters by Karen Le Billon
- 471: Dr. Jen Forristal on Umbrella Parenting and Raising Children With Strong Coping Skills
More From Wellness Mama
- 579: My First Principles Parenting Approach and What Works for Me
- 545: Mariah Sage on Enjoying Parenting and Releasing Mom Guilt Through Simple Shifts
- 544: Amy McCready on 5 Hard Truths About Parenting (& Steps to a Calmer Home Life)
- 344: Get Your Kids to Listen Without Nagging, Yelling, or Losing Control With Amy From Positive Parenting Solutions
- 688: Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess and Raising Resilient Kids With Dr. Caroline Leaf
- 495: Madiha Saeed on The Holistic Rx for Kids: Parenting Healthy Brains and Bodies in a Changing World
- 414: Ancestral Parenting, Biological Norms, Wild Food, and Foraging With Arthur Haines
- 390: How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kids for Success With Julie Lythcott-Haims
- 268: Tildet Varon on Positive Parenting & Effective Family Communication
- 663: Mental Health, Time Management and Learning Together With Our Kids With Sara Olsher
- My Parenting Rule to Foster Independence (& Save My Sanity)
- Dear Parents, We Owe it To Our Kids to Stop Picky Eating
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