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My New Life

Lovevery

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The early years of a child’s life are the most important for their long-term development. Sometimes, the abundance of information out there can feel overwhelming and difficult to navigate. My New Life is here to support parents and help make sense of the science behind early learning. I’m Jessica Rolph, mother of three and CEO of Lovevery. With the help of experts from around the world, we break down all the child development science into usable nuggets of knowledge that you can put to the t ...
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This bonus episode features an interview with Spencer Russell, the dad behind Toddlers Can Read. Spencer struggled to learn to read as a kid, so when it came time to choose a career, he set out to help others avoid the same experience and took a job with Teach for America, continuing as a kindergarten and first-grade teacher in Houston, Texas. When…
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Math is all around us. When it comes to teaching it, the challenge lies not in creating the opportunities, but in recognizing them. Counting grapes while they disappear is a fun one! Around the age of 4, a child’s mathematical knowledge takes a big leap forward. They go from counting and recognizing numbers, to understanding 1:1 correspondence and …
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The Montessori method is rooted in the idea that children can—and should—be empowered to do things on their own. On this episode of My New Life, we consider handwriting through a Montessori lens. But how much independence can we truly expect from a child who is forming words on paper for the first time? You may be surprised to learn that a toddler …
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Even if your 3-year-old can recite their ABCs like a pro, they’ll need to learn that spoken words are made up of individual sounds to succeed at reading. Hands-on activities that build this kind of phonemic awareness — and reinforce the connection between letter sounds and letter shapes — are the best way to teach them what they need to know. As wi…
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Empathy can be a puzzling concept for a young child. They often need adults to model it for them. When reading stories or playing with the wooden peg people together, ask your child: “How do you think that person is feeling right now? How can you tell? How would you feel in his place?” Encourage your child to notice the clues in their environment a…
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Have you ever played “hot/cold” with your child? It’s good for a laugh, particularly when a child can’t find something in plain sight. But it’s also great at teaching young children flexible thinking, or the ability to adapt to change. As they are searching for the lost item, they are listening to directions and staying flexible when they have to c…
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Success in life — that looks different for everyone. But skills like persistence, managing frustration and emotional regulation tend to scaffold that success, no matter what the end result looks like. These skills are all part of what scientists call executive function, something we’re focusing on this season. We like to talk about executive functi…
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Executive functioning skills are important, because they help us achieve our goals. Children with strong executive functioning skills have the focus, patience, flexibility and resilience to succeed in—and out—of school. While children continue to develop these skills into adolescence, research shows they surge at 4 years old. And they can be really…
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Our guest today is a mother of four children, ages 5 to 17. She knows well how the demands of parenting can run you into the ground. She made the choice to step off the “struggle bus of overwhelm” — as she calls it — but it was a move that took time, and conscious effort. The secret? Establishing clear boundaries. And choosing not to identify with …
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Why can change be so unsettling for our toddlers? I mean, change up the snack crackers and you may have a major crisis on your hands. On this episode of My New Life, Jessical Rolph hosts Lael Stone, author of “Raising Resilient and Compassionate Children”. Never is our resilience put to the test more so than in the face of change. If you and your f…
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For the most part, limits provide a framework that helps everyone move through the day more fluidly, and with less friction. But on this episode of My New Life, we discuss limiting beliefs — beliefs that interfere with our own wellbeing and that of our family. A big one is the notion that we can “have it all”. For parents who work outside the home,…
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We welcome Dr. Billy Garvey to this episode of My New Life. He runs a clinic in Melbourne, Australia, that helps parents focus on their children’s strengths, and move through some of their challenges. The clinic has a 3-year waitlist and after listening to this episode, you’ll understand why: Dr. Billy is really good at helping caregivers and child…
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Bickering, fighting, jealousy, constant comparison and competition — sibling rivalry can be exhausting. Here to help us reduce the conflict between our children is parent educator, Kristin Mariella. Her approach is to hold the limits, while welcoming the waves of emotion. You can find more from Kristin Mariella @respectfulmom. Takeaways: Hold your …
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There are lots of parenting experts talking about choosing connection over discipline, but today’s guest on My New Life has a fresh take on limit-setting: She compares bad behavior to a smoke alarm going off. Punishment is like taking a hose and pointing it at the alarm. If the pressure is great enough, the alarm will stop. But we still don’t know …
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When it comes to starting or growing a family, many of us come face-to-face with a painful reality: Infertility. Even if you had an easy time conceiving, it doesn’t guarantee subsequent pregnancies will be just as easy. Problems in men’s bodies are the cause of around half of all infertility. Does that statistic shock you? That could be because wom…
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Host Jessica Rolph breastfed all three of her children, but weaning the last has been an emotional experience. It’s hard to say how many mothers breastfeed beyond that first year or two, but often those mothers feel judged for choosing to continue. Lyndsey Hookway joins us to help demystify “extended” breastfeeding and offer tips on weaning for tho…
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Switching your child from a crib to bed can be a big milestone! Most sleep experts recommend waiting until your child is around three years old. Jessica Rolph, your host, is joined by Dana Obleman to discuss what factors might go into that timing. Dana is an Infant and Child Sleep Consultant and the creator of The Sleep Sense Program. Highlights: […
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Navigating the ups and downs of divorce looks different in each situation, but there are some universal ways to make it easier on our children. These start with better communication — rules around communicating that put your child first. Here to help us establish some of these best practices is Dr. Tamara Afifi, a professor in Interpersonal Health …
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Birthing is a topic we all want to weigh in on, but death? Not so much. We tend to avoid the subject, and when it comes to talking to our child about death, choosing the right words is hard. Of course, there’s no “right” way to talk about death except to lead with honesty and love. Jessica Rolph, your host, welcomes Michele Benyo to the show. She i…
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Pacifiers are so convenient… until they’re not. At some point, there can be concerns about developing teeth and interference with speech, and weaning a child off a pacifier can be challenging. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and speech and language therapists recommend starting that weaning process b…
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The stress of separation is real — it can be upsetting for both you and your child. Whether it be a child sobbing for you to stay when the babysitter shows up or clinging to your leg at drop-off, it’s easy to feel like you’re doing it all wrong when these raw emotions take over. My New Life’s Jessica Rolph welcomes Family Psychologist Ashleigh Warn…
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Screens are hard to avoid in today’s world, and when our children do have access, turning them off can bring on some big emotions! Have you ever wondered why they have these oversized reactions? Or how to avoid them? My New Life host Jessica Rolph is joined by Dr. Martha Deiros Collado, a psychologist specializing in family therapy who has her own …
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Is your child refusing to sit on the toilet? Or waiting until the pull-up is on to go poop? You’re not alone. For a lot of parents, the potty learning process is more drawn out than we anticipate. For some, it takes months or even years. In previous episodes, you heard some common potty-training scenarios. We shared the advice of the author of Oh C…
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This week we are revisiting our most-downloaded episode from Dec. 1, 2021, as we prepare for our upcoming season: Transitions. In the new season of the podcast, we will take a look at transitions from diapers to potty, crib to bed, saying goodby to pacifiers, and lots more. Language milestones are a hot topic. When should my baby be speaking? And h…
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The first years of a baby’s life can feel anything but simple. While their needs are few, namely love, food, sleep, and play, parents often feel pressure to provide the absolute best on these fronts. The best food. The best sleep. The best play. We are told that to accomplish this by doing more: more playdates, more lessons, more outings, and more …
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Sibling rivalry is normal. The kids usually move on quickly, but it often leaves us adults unhinged. What can we do to help diffuse those tense moments, and maybe even build some mutual respect? In the spring we shared an episode about bringing home a new baby sibling. In today’s episode, we are following up with Lovevery expert Gabrielle Felman on…
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We hear a lot about the first 3 years of a baby’s life — how critical those years are to brain development. But today’s guest, the author of The Baby and the Biome, would argue that the same window is just as critical for our gut. Probiotics may have a role in keeping that system healthy. But are probiotics helpful to babies? And what about when yo…
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Screens are so effective at distraction, but equally effective at causing parents angst! In today’s interview, Jessica Rolph is joined by Lovevery expert, Dr. Zach Stuckelman, to get to the bottom of the research on screens and young brains. They examine which content is better than others, and whether those learning apps are really teaching our ki…
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Usually when we consider having another baby, personal preferences factor heavily into decisions around timing — things like budget or sibling dynamics. But it’s rare to consider the health impacts, and it’s even less common to discuss birth spacing with your doctor. Jessica Rolph, your host, welcomes Dr. Alison Gemmill to today’s episode. Alison i…
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With everything we have to worry about in today’s world, it’s easy to lose sight of how our children can have their own big worries too. Things like getting nails clipped, night-time noises, strangers, doctors, even entering a pool can feel overwhelming to our children. How do we help them push through their fears? Which are normal, and which are e…
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Young children are naturally egocentric. This is a normal part of their development, as they must first make sense of the world around them through their own eyes, before they can see it through someone else’s. In fact, until they approach preschool age, they have little reason to believe that others might have feelings or thoughts different from t…
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Independence, freedom, order, beauty. These are all elements of the Montessori play space, and who doesn’t want these things for their child? However, sometimes adopting a Montessori approach can feel like a high bar. Jessica Rolph, your host, is joined by Simone Davies, author of The Montessori Baby and The Montessori Toddler. She can also be foun…
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Play has so much to teach us, children and parents alike. Sometimes parents can get a little too involved in their child’s play, particularly with the extra cool toys. When does our guidance become interference? And what amount of direction is appropriate? Dave Neale joins Jessica Rolph on this episode to help us strike the right balance. Dave is a…
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Any pregnant mom will tell you: Their body goes through a major transformation! And with each passing month, nutritional needs change. We hear lots about omega-3s, but did you know that protein and choline play critical roles in the baby’s development in utero? Host Jessica Rolph speaks with Registered Dietitian Ryann Kipping, founder of The Prenat…
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The so-called “Mozart effect” first entered the public conscience in the early 90s. The theory states that listening to classical music while pregnant, will make your baby smarter. We talk a lot about how babies become smarter on My New Life, so host Jessica Rolph figured she better dig into this theory. Here to give us a straight answer is Dr. Tho…
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Children, like adults, lie and they can learn to do so from the young age of 2 years old, according to the researchers. In this episode, Jessica Rolph is joined by Dr. Kang Lee, a University of Toronto professor who has been examining lying and what it tells us about human cognition for over two decades. Kang is so dedicated to this field of study,…
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Jessica Rolph is joined by Dr. Kate Barret and Dr. Terry Jo Bichell to bring listeners the story behind “Uncle Rob’s Pizza Party,” a Lovevery book about a toddler’s relationship with a man with Angelman Syndrome. Lovevery’s Senior Advisor of Equity and Inclusion, Nicole Stamp, guides the conversation. This episode challenges some of the norms aroun…
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Choline is a nutrient proven to have a lasting link to a baby’s brain development when taken in pregnancy, but many prenatal vitamins don’t have much choline. The recommended amount is 450 mg/day, and studies show only 10 percent of all pregnant women get enough. A recent study at Cornell University looked at the benefits of doubling the recommende…
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Parent-child interaction is crucial to brain development. An important part of that interaction is what is said while we’re engaging with our child — not just the words we use, but the frequency of those words and the way in which they are offered up. Jessica Rolph welcomes Dr. Dana Suskind to today’s episode to talk about the reasons why a languag…
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Share the news of a baby brother or sister with a toddler, and it’s likely to be met with enthusiasm. But at some point after the baby arrives, jealousy and resentment can get in the way, and that can manifest in all sorts of new behaviors. Jessica Rolph welcomes Gabrielle Felman, an early childhood development specialist and clinical social worker…
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So many parents find themselves flying through the day, constantly running through a mental to-do list. It seems there is always room to squeeze in more. To be focused on one moment in time feels next to impossible, but there are ways to get present, even with with all this mental clutter. Jessica Rolph welcomes Hunter Clarke-Fields to today’s epis…
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Parenting is full of trying moments. One way that parents express their frustration is by yelling — we’ve all been there! Feeling overwhelmed is usually at the root of it, but being around a parent who regularly raises their voice isn’t optimal for a child. Learning strategies to reduce yelling takes time, but it’s worth the hard work. Jessica Rolp…
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Waldorf education has become increasingly popular in recent decades. Supporters champion the creativity and independent thinking that it fosters, but some critics say it fails to prepare children for the “real” world, where things like competition and technology cannot be avoided. Jessica Rolph welcomes Dr. Natasha Beck to today’s episode. She hold…
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Do you find yourself constantly having to nudge your toddler to stay on schedule and tick all the boxes? Let’s get a move on, we’ll be late! No seriously, it’s bedtime! Little wonder that we parents lose sight of our playful side in all the hustling. Today’s guest on the podcast has a remarkable knack for incorporating playfulness in the trickiest …
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Language milestones are a hot topic. When should my baby be speaking? And how many words? So much is tied up in our ability to communicate with our little people. On today’s episode of My New Life, we call in the experts to get your baby talking! While the timeline for those treasured first words varies from child to child, there are some time-test…
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Some children make a lot of noise as they move through their day. They tend to like big movements: bear hugs, wrestling, getting messy. Others are quieter. They can sometimes be bothered by subtle things: tags, temperature, too much light. These children might retreat if their senses get overloaded. Sensory preferences fall on a spectrum. Jessica R…
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The human brain has about 100 billion nerve cells, all of which are present at birth, but have few links between them. Those links are formed by experiences children have. The idea that the right inputs can strengthen a brain’s architecture informs much of the product design at Lovevery. But there’s lots of debate around how early we should start l…
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We all have big dreams for our little people, and there are so many ways to define success: finding purpose in life and work, reaching goals (whatever those might be), surrounding yourself with loved ones, to name just a few. Psychologists have pointed to a variety of practices that can help our kids achieve these things. Spending time with your ch…
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Many new parents struggle with decisions around learning outside of the home. When is the right age? Is daycare or preschool the answer? If extended family isn’t available or other help isn’t affordable, should parents keep their children at home while also juggling work or all the many other responsibilities? Then there’s the decision regarding wh…
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Feeding, diapering, dressing, soothing. At times, it feels like we’re merely surviving those early months. When in overdrive, pausing to observe doesn’t always come naturally, but looking and listening before responding to your baby or toddler can lead to some surprising discoveries about your child, and yourself! Something called RIE parenting is …
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