373- “But I’m Bored!”: Rethinking Independent Play with Lizzie Assa, M.Ed.

You’re listening to Voices of Your Village, and today we’re diving into something that might just change your day-to-day parenting rhythm: independent play. If you’ve ever heard, “But I’m boooored…” and felt that mix of annoyance, guilt and overwhelm rise in your chest, this episode is for you. I got to sit down with Lizzie Assa, founder of The Workspace for Children and author of the new book But I’m Bored!: Discover the Power of Independent Play to Raise Confident, Resilient Kids. This is not a “just send them to the playroom” kind of conversation. Lizzie shares what independent play actually looks like at different ages, why it’s a key ingredient in raising confident, creative humans, and how to build it into your life—even if you feel like there’s no time and your kid never plays alone. We talk about quiet time, toy rotation, those tiny treasures your kid insists on keeping, and how to shift the energy around play in your home—without needing to overhaul your life. Alright folks, let’s dive in. Connect with Lizzie: Instagram: @TheWorkspaceForChildren Website:  WorkspaceForChildren.com Order the book: But I'm Bored!: Discover the Power of Independent Play to Raise Confident, Resilient Kids  Connect with us: Instagram and TikTok: @seed.and.sew  Seed and Sew's NEW Regulation Questionnaire: Take the Quiz Order Big Kids, Bigger Feelings now!  Website: seedandsew.org Credits: Host: Alyssa Blask Campbell Co-host: Rachel Lounder Production/Editing: Kristin Mork-McVeigh Graphics: Kayla Kurland-Davis/ Beki Rohrig Music by: Ruby Adams and  Bensound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before we dive in: This episode includes a discussion of childhood mental health struggles and discusses suicidal ideation and self harm. Please take care while listening. You’re listening to Voices of Your Village and today we’re talking about one of the hardest realities of parenting—what it’s like when your child is struggling with their mental health and you can’t fix it. I’m joined by Kristina Kuzmič, author, speaker, and mom, for a powerful conversation about parenting through childhood depression, suicidal ideation, and the quiet moments that often get missed when kids look “fine” on the outside. We talk about the difference between sadness and depression, why so many kids struggle silently, and how our instinct to control—while deeply human—can sometimes push connection further away. Kristina shares what it looked like to shift from trying to fix her son’s pain to becoming a steady, safe presence instead. This episode is about letting go of perfection, building trust through curiosity, and creating a home where kids know they can say, “Something is wrong,” just as easily as they’d say they have a stomachache. If you’ve ever felt scared, helpless, or unsure how to show up when your child is hurting, this conversation is for you. Connect with Kristina: Instagram: @kristinakuzmic Website: https://kristinakuzmic.com/ Order the book: I Can Fix This: And Other Lies I Told Myself While Parenting My Struggling Child Connect with us: Instagram and TikTok: @seed.and.sew  Seed and Sew's NEW Regulation Questionnaire: Take the Quiz Order Big Kids, Bigger Feelings now!  Website: seedandsew.org Credits: Host: Alyssa Blask Campbell Co-host: Rachel Lounder Production/Editing: Kristin Mork-McVeigh Graphics: Kayla Kurland-Davis/ Beki Rohrig Music by: Ruby Adams and  Bensound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to Voices of Your Village, and I'm so grateful to be sharing this conversation with you. If you’re raising bigger kids, those school-age humans navigating a world full of messages about what they should look like, eat, wear, or do with their bodies—this episode is for you.Today, I’m joined by Dr. Whitney Casares, pediatrician, author, and mom of two, to talk about real body confidence—not the “just love yourself!” kind, but the kind rooted in science, self-awareness, and actual conversations we can have with our kids.We dive into the difference between body literacy and body positivity, how to talk to kids about food without shame, and why it matters to meet every body with understanding.This is a conversation about equipping kids with tools and support,  and helping them feel at home in the bodies they live in—  whether they’re dealing with unexpected body changes, hurtful schoolyard comments, or the rising pressure to fit a mold, that, let's be honest, isn't realistic for most of us.Alright folks, let’s dive in. Connect with Dr. Whitney: Instagram: @modernmommydoc, @raising.body.confident.kids Website:  www.raisingbodyconfidentkids.com Order the book: My One-of-a-Kind Body: The Ultimate Guide to Caring for Me Podcast: The Modern Mommy Doc Podcast Connect with us: Instagram and TikTok: @seed.and.sew  Seed and Sew's NEW Regulation Questionnaire: Take the Quiz Order Big Kids, Bigger Feelings now!  Website: seedandsew.org Credits: Host: Alyssa Blask Campbell Co-host: Rachel Lounder Production/Editing: Kristin Mork-McVeigh Graphics: Kayla Kurland-Davis/ Beki Rohrig Music by: Ruby Adams and  Bensound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Voices of Your Village, and today’s episode is one so many of you have asked for: how to navigate the rocky transition back to school after the holidays. And not just for our kids, but for ourselves, too.I’m joined by my friend Laura Petix, also known as The OT Butterfly. She’s a pediatric occupational therapist, a neurodivergent mom raising a neurodivergent kid, and the author of A Kid’s Book About Neurodiversity. This convo is a mix of validation, strategy, and "yep, me too" moments you’re going to want to come back to.We talk about how to actually support regulation in those first weeks back, whether your kid is a sensory seeker or sensory sensitive, and how to lower demands, build in support, and reset your own expectations. We also get into the emotional side of school refusal, those brutal morning meltdowns, and why some kids just need a longer runway to get going again. Plus, Laura shares her brilliant nervous system budget analogy, which I think you're going to love.This one’s for anyone starting the year already feeling tapped out, and trying to figure out how to make re-entry just a little softer.Alright folks, let’s dive in. Connect with Laura: Instagram: @theotbutterfly Website: www.theotbutterfly.com Order the book: A Kids Book About Neurodiversity Podcast: The Sensory W.I.S.E Solutions Podcast Connect with us: Instagram and TikTok: @seed.and.sew  Seed and Sew's NEW Regulation Questionnaire: Take the Quiz Order Big Kids, Bigger Feelings now!  Website: seedandsew.org Credits: Host: Alyssa Blask Campbell Co-host: Rachel Lounder Production/Editing: Kristin Mork-McVeigh Graphics: Kayla Kurland-Davis/ Beki Rohrig Music by: Ruby Adams and  Bensound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Voices of Your Village. And honestly, if you're gonna listen to one episode of this podcast ever, I hope it's this one. This is so key to understanding self-care, to understanding self-regulation, to understanding how your child regulates and what's regulating versus dysregulating for them, for you. You get to hear the beginning of one of my workshops and it's really gonna break down the nervous system and how you can understand yours and the humans around you. And then Rach and I have a discussion at the end in the breakdown all about this jazz. Please share this episode with a friend, share it with your child's teacher in school. Let's help everyone understand how the unique nervous system works because it is a game changer for moving through the world with more intention and less reaction, more response, and overall more regulation or access to it. All right, folks, let's dive in. Connect with us: Instagram and TikTok: @seed.and.sew  Seed and Sew's NEW Regulation Questionnaire: Take the Quiz Order Big Kids, Bigger Feelings now!  Website: seedandsew.org Credits: Host: Alyssa Blask Campbell Co-host: Rachel Lounder Production/Editing: Kristin Mork-McVeigh Graphics: Kayla Kurland-Davis/ Beki Rohrig Music by: Ruby Adams and  Bensound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Voices of Your Village, and today we are rebroadcasting one of my all time favorite episodes. I got to sit down with someone I deeply admire—Dr. Stuart Shanker. His book Self-Reg was a game changer for me when I was teaching infants and toddlers, and honestly, it shaped so much of how I approach emotional development today.In this episode, we talk about what self-regulation really means, how it differs from self-control, and why so many behaviors we label as “bad” are actually stress responses. Stuart shares powerful stories and practical insights—from what’s going on in a newborn’s nervous system to what to do when your teenager melts down over the wrong hoodie.We explore the idea that all behavior is communication, how adults can become “stress detectives,” and why regulating ourselves is the first step in helping kids thrive. This conversation is packed with gems, and I’m so thrilled to share it with you.Alright folks, Let’s dive in. Connect with Dr. Shanker: Instagram: @self_reg Website: https://self-reg.ca/ Order the book: Self-Reg: How to Help Your Child (and You) Break the Stress Cycle and Successfully Engage with Life Connect with us: Instagram and TikTok: @seed.and.sew  Seed and Sew's NEW Regulation Questionnaire: Take the Quiz Order Big Kids, Bigger Feelings now!  Website: seedandsew.org Credits: Host: Alyssa Blask Campbell Co-host: Rachel Lounder Production/Editing: Kristin Mork-McVeigh Graphics: Kayla Kurkland-Davis/ Beki Rohrig Music by: Ruby Adams and  Bensound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Voices of Your Village, and today we’re diving into one of the most requested topics: what to do when rage takes over. I’m joined by parent coach Shelly Robinson to talk about what’s really happening when we lose it on our kids, why it feels so hard to stay calm during everyday routines like getting out the door, and how we can show up with more intention—even when our capacity is low. We also unpack what it looks like to raise multiple kids with completely different nervous systems, and how to co-create routines that actually reduce conflict. If you’re someone who feels like you’re snapping more than you’d like—or you’re navigating sibling tension, sensory mismatches, or that gnawing sense that you’re failing—you’re in the right place.  Alright folks, let’s dive in. Connect with Shelly: Instagram: @raising_yourself Website: shellyrobinson.com Connect with us: Instagram and TikTok: @seed.and.sew  Seed and Sew's NEW Regulation Questionnaire: Take the Quiz Order Big Kids, Bigger Feelings now!  Website: seedandsew.org Credits: Host: Alyssa Blask Campbell Co-host: Rachel Lounder Production/Editing: Kristin Mork-McVeigh Graphics: Kayla Kurkland-Davis/ Beki Rohrig Music by: Ruby Adams and  Bensound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Voices of Your Village, and today I got to chat with Leslie Forde about the unrealistic expectations of modern parenthood.  Leslie’s work is such a gift for those of us trying to do it all—and slowly realizing that “it all” was never sustainable in the first place. We talk about how burnout shows up, why moms in particular are feeling crushed under the weight of impossible schedules, and how to find moments of restoration that are actually doable in real life. We explore what it means to reclaim rest, joy, and self-trust—and why giving ourselves permission to stop striving for perfection isn’t indulgent, it’s necessary. Alright folks, let’s dive in. Connect with Leslie: Instagram: @moms_heirarchy_of_needs Website: https://momshierarchyofneeds.com/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/momshierarchyofneeds/ Order the book: Repair with Self-Care: Your Guide to the Mom's Hierarchy of Needs Connect with us: Instagram and TikTok: @seed.and.sew  Seed and Sew's NEW Regulation Questionnaire: Take the Quiz Order Big Kids, Bigger Feelings now!  Website: seedandsew.org Credits: Host: Alyssa Blask Campbell Co-host: Rachel Lounder Production/Editing: Kristin Mork-McVeigh Graphics: Kayla Kurkland-Davis/ Beki Rohrig Music by: Ruby Adams and  Bensound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Voices of Your Village, and today we’re diving into a question that has so many layers: When does parenting actually begin?In this episode, I’m joined by Kate Littlefield—a therapist, mom of twins, and all-around incredible human, to explore how parenting starts long before birth. We talk about how our own histories, our inner child work, and our nervous systems all shape the way we show up in the caregiving experience. From navigating different needs in a family of unique humans, to figuring out how to parent intentionally in a way that’s true to you, this conversation is about letting go of one-size-fits-all parenting advice and embracing the idea that thoughtful, connected parenting can look different for every family.Alright folks, let’s dive in. Connect with Kate: Instagram: @throughtothrive Website: www.throughtothrive.org Order the books: The First Year: A Workbook for Parents of Newborns, and Prep for Post: A Workbook for Expecting Parents Connect with us: Instagram and TikTok: @seed.and.sew  Seed and Sew's NEW Regulation Questionnaire: Take the Quiz Order Big Kids, Bigger Feelings now!  Website: seedandsew.org Credits: Host: Alyssa Blask Campbell Co-host: Rachel Lounder Production/Editing: Kristin Mork-McVeigh Graphics: Kayla Kurkland-Davis/ Beki Rohrig Music by: Ruby Adams and  Bensound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Voices of Your Village, and today we're bringing you a special rebroadcast of one of our most popular episodes. The village keeps coming back to this one, and for good reason. In this episode, Rachel and I dive into those moments when kids say things that feel rude, hurtful, or even shocking. We unpack why these behaviors often come from a place of dysregulation, what might be going on beneath the surface, and how to respond in a way that builds connection instead of shame. We also talk about what it looks like to model emotional regulation and healthy repair, even when we're triggered ourselves, and why it's okay to be a work in progress. These are themes we go even deeper into in our book Big Kids, Bigger Feelings, which is out now and full of tools to help you navigate these moments with more confidence and compassion. All right, folks, let's dive in. Connect with us: Instagram and TikTok: @seed.and.sew  Seed and Sew's NEW Regulation Questionnaire: Take the Quiz Order Big Kids, Bigger Feelings now!  Website: seedandsew.org Credits: Host: Alyssa Blask Campbell Co-host: Rachel Lounder Production/Editing: Kristin Mork-McVeigh Graphics: Kayla Kurkland-Davis/ Beki Rohrig Music by: Ruby Adams and  Bensound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices