Help Kids Surf the Urge + Delay Gratification

We're excited to announce that we're working on three books centered in wisdom: a book for parents, a book for kids, and a book for littles. Each of these books explores the concept of polarities, and they make for a great supplement and introduction to our lesson library. We hope to release these books by late fall, and as a result we will be taking a break from podcasting until then. Stay tuned!Visit UpliftKids.org to become a member!

In this episode, we talk about our latest no-prep moment for members, which centers on the concept of polarities. Polarities are the foundation of wise living, and naming them is the way toward finding what's most appropriate at any given moment. The earlier kids learn these skills, the better they're able to avoid getting stuck in unhealthy patterns.See our no-prep moments: UpliftKids.org/no-prep-moments

Learning how to delay gratification is perhaps more urgent than ever in a culture that gives us immediate dopamine hits on demand. As kids develop the capacity to notice their impulses and feelings without immediately acting on them, they'll develop the capacity for long-term joy and inner peace.Listen to Amanda Suarez, school psychologist, and Michelle Larsen, marriage and family therapist associate, talk about ways to help kids surf the urge.

Kids need to feel that they're cared for and loved to develop in a healthy way. This doesn't mean that they get to do whatever they want in the home (they can't harm their siblings, for instance), but it does mean that they feel that they can have conflict without calling into question their basic worth.Hear this episode to understand how to nurture a field of love at home — which is the foundation of the Uplift "no-prep moment" program.

One of the most frequent comments that Uplift Kids Co-founder Michelle Larson hears in her work as a therapist is “I wish I’d learned these skills years ago, when I was a kid!”Our new no-prep program for 2026 gives you weekly moments to explore timeless skills together. Whether you’re learning how to manage big emotions, think kind thoughts, find good friends, or find your purpose, these skills are essential at any age. With this program, you’ll support each other in the journey while reducing stress in the home — and have fun along the way.In this episode, we explain what we're doing and why it's worth implementing at home in 2026.

It's only by accepting what is, as it is, that we have a hope to transform into the people we most want to become. In this conversation, Amanda and Michelle tell stories from their experience in school counseling and therapy that spell out how parents can bring acceptance into the heart of the home.Sign up now for our new no-prep program in 2026! We will be making our first price increase in 2026, so you can get a year at the current price by signing up now.

"Patch a few words together," writes Mary Oliver in her poem "Praying," "and don't try to make them elaborate. This isn't a contest, but the doorway into thanks." Listen to hear why prayer and silence matter, regardless of belief or disbelief, and how you can find what works for you in your home. See the full lesson: UpliftKids.org/lessons/prayer

“Actions may speak louder than words," writes the researcher Angela Duckworth, "but actions and words together send the clearest message of all.” In this episode, Michelle Larson, marriage and family therapist associate, and Amanda Suarez, school psychologist, talk about why it's so essential for families to explore values together. When we talk about what's most important to us, we make it easier to live aligned with those values.

 One of the values that we have at Uplift Kids is helping families be intentional together, and this can look many, many different ways. Without *some* intentional time, there can be drifting apart and a lack of meaning. So we wanted to talk about ways to be intentional.One of the sources that we've pulled from in this episode is a book called The Intentional Family by a family therapist named William Doherty. Doherty talks about the need to balance rigidity and flexibility.This approach — an approach that might be called a "wisdom approach" — is something that we explore and hold to consistently at Uplift Kids. It's a "both-and" approach rather than an "either-or" approach. And so the idea here is that we want to find a way to have a bit of structure and flexibility, meaning *some* time together.In this episode we explore ways to make intentional time together.

While kids typically don't need to (or want to) talk about political policies, there are things parents can do to help them talk about differences in healthy and productive ways. In this episode, Amanda Suarez (school psychologist) and Michelle Larson (marriage and family therapist associate) give practical ideas to help kids listen and speak about what matters to them.