Asha Dornfest

Must we be “nice” parents?

Posted on April 10, 2019

Years ago, my son and I were on a walk. He complained about being tired from our “hike” (a thirty-minute stroll through a forest-y nature area), so I cocked an eyebrow and told him stories that began with “When I was a kid…”

When I was a kid, my parents didn’t put up with any crap. They never let me get away with whining about the weather or being tired while on a walk. They usually pointed out they were over 30 years older than me and were handling the hardship just fine.

His response: “Wow, they weren’t very nice to you growing up, were they?”

Huh. That’s your takeaway, kid?

Episode 158: Untangling Overparenting with Jessica Lahey [Rebroadcast]

Posted on April 4, 2019

Overparenting can take many forms—the extreme being, say, bribing and cheating your kid’s way into college. And while the college bribery scandal is an over-the-top example, it does bring up the overarching issue of all the ways kids are undermined when parents go overboard smoothing the road for them.

In Episode 158 of the Edit Your Life podcast, Christine and I share fresh commentary on overparenting, then rebroadcast an interview with Jessica Lahey, author of The Gift of Failure. Christine and Jessica talk about letting go of control, how ignoring the grade portal actually encourages learning, and how lovingly stepping back doesn’t have to feel like walking away.

In the Exit Lane of Parenting

Posted on April 2, 2019

They say parenting never ends. I suppose that’s true, but as one who’s approaching the offramp, I can already tell the scenery’s about to change.

Episode 157: Spring Check-In

Posted on March 28, 2019

The change in season brings with it an opportunity to reflect and recalibrate, so this week we’re doing a simple Spring check-in. In Episode 157 of the Edit Your Life podcast, Christine and Asha share a behind-the-scenes look at their family, work, and self-care plans for Spring. Also featured: an unintended special guest, Asha’s dog, Teddy, who barked through most of the episode.

Episode 156: How to Talk to Kids About Race with Amber Coleman-Mortley

Posted on March 21, 2019

Imagine a diverse community in which people embrace their commonalities while respecting and celebrating each others’ differences. This vision is possible once we can talk openly about race with our family and friends.

In Episode 156 of the Edit Your Life podcast, Christine interviews Amber Coleman-Mortley, Director of Social Engagement at iCivics, Inc., about how to talk about race with kids. In this engaging, practical conversation, Amber shares two helpful analogies that illuminate the concepts of privilege and cultural differences, demonstrates how to ask questions based in empathy and respect, and shares how simple it can be to nurture cross-cultural curiosity… the foundation of a more equitable school, neighborhood, and country.