Changing the Course with Atara Twersky is for parents who desire kids who thrive in all kinds of circumstances.
Episodes
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
Rhonda Moskowitz, an expert recently featured in the NY Times, Style section, is our amazing guest on today's podcast. Technology is fantastic and has so many upsides both at home and in the classroom, but when devices overtake our lives, our home, and our children suffer. Rhonda explains the pitfalls of devices, how children do better with a pen in hand rather than a keyboard and how the endless hours on phones or computers negatively affect their brains. Rhonda further explains that there is an actual phenomenon called "Persuasive Design" which makes it nearly impossible to stop watching once we begin so that when children' say "I can't stop" they actually cannot! If you want to find out the best way to handle device and what to do to replace them listen to this episode with expert, Rhonda Moskowitz.
Visit Grace at The Baby Spot
Visit Atara at Curlee Girlee
Wednesday Nov 06, 2019
Wednesday Nov 06, 2019
Naturallycurly.com is a name recognized by curly girls everywhere- on this week's episode, we interviewed one of the founders of Naturallycurly.com, Michelle Breyer. Michelle began her career as a broadcast journalist but her hair got in the way, literally! Michelle knew she needed to create a community for curly women to discuss, debate and decide on best hair products, best styling techniques and best hair care for curly girlies. Along the way she realized that her work in this area was making a difference. She gave up her day job to focus on Naturallycurly.com. Today this website is an important resource for women with curls. Listen for some great tips whether you are just beginning to embrace your curls or deciding to go sliver. This show is MUST-LISTEN for curlee girlees and their moms and dads everywhere!
Tuesday Oct 29, 2019
Tuesday Oct 29, 2019
Dave Dahl- founder of Dave’s Killer Bread: If you love healthy, whole-grain breads, his name is synonymous with the best bread known to mankind. But Dave’s story is more really one of transformation. Dave was homeless, then in prison with little hope of a promising future and yet somehow he turned his life around and in doing so, he found peace balance and purpose in his life.
Dave’s Killer bread not only makes delicious bread that will feed your family in a natural healthful way but the company’s mission of employing ex-felons teaches us all a lesson of second chances.
As parents, we constantly need to remind ourselves and our children that mistakes are not fatal and that they cannot define who we are. We have the ability to turn things around and do the right thing and with proper guidance, we can learn to read, follow instructions, make better friends and eventually build multi-million dollar companies. Dave Dahl is living proof. Listen to his words carefully and you will hear a story of positive change that everyone can learn from.
Follow Grace at The Baby Spot
Follow Atara at Curlee Girlee
Buy Atara's Books!
Tuesday Oct 22, 2019
Tuesday Oct 22, 2019
A CNN HERO Rabbi G began a non profit organization, Kids Kicking Cancer, after watching his very young daughter die of cancer over 30 years ago. Rather than fall into a hole of despair, Rabbi G decided to channel his grief toward helping other children and their families. His powerful mantra- POWER PEACE PURPOSE and the term he coined and trademarked BREATH BRAKE really speaks volumes for children with cancer. Rabbi G has taken his program globally and you can find him in remote parts of Africa and in small villages in Asia helping children to regain their power in the face of their illness. Very remarkably, Rabbi G has been able to use his powerful techniques for children and adults everywhere with and without illness and he has been invited to teach his program to corporate executives both in the U.S. as well as across the globe. Empowering parents and their children to regain their sense of self and empower them after trauma and illness has shown children everywhere that these techniques really DO work. Children can feel helpless and disempowered many times during the course of their daily activities in the classroom, in the playground and even in the home. Rabbi G is bringing his program to schools everywhere so that ALL children can reap the benefits. You don't want to miss our conversation and you will be laughing and crying during this poignant interview.
Visit Atara at Curlee Girlee
Visit Grace at The Baby Spot
Tuesday Oct 15, 2019
Tuesday Oct 15, 2019
Breaking a sweat: it seems easy and something everyone wants to do at least once a day but is not. As Nadia Murdock tells us on our podcast Breaking a sweat is not easy when you have a child and a job, finding time to have 5 minutes alone is a challenge; carving out a half hour to stay in shape can at times seem impossible.
We caught up with Nadia Murdock from Nadia Murdock Fit who details her way to fitness, eating and staying healthy, and finding balance in our lives by training our minds and changing our bodies! We all need more of it and we all need good roles models - count Nadia among the best!
Tuesday Oct 08, 2019
Tuesday Oct 08, 2019
In this week's episode, we are talking to Taralee O'Malley-Hurff about the important and not very well known topic of PANDAS. Today October 9 is PANDAS Awareness Day and we believe this topic is important for EVERY parent to know about. Your child may come down with a fever, chills and be diagnosed with Strept throat. You go to the doctor, give them antibiotics and you think it is all over. Hopefully, it is, but not always. Taralee's O'Malley Hurff has become a reluctant advocate for PANDAS when her young daughter began exhibiting severe obsessive-compulsive disorder following a strep infection. At first, she thought it was just "odd" behavior that would resolve itself, but as symptoms continued Taralee became frantic to find answers. She did and in the process, she shed light on this condition that often, traditional medical doctors, are unable to diagnose. It is a real disease and it is SCARY but knowledge is power and understanding what to look for and how to treat PANDAS can go a long way toward ultimate remission.
Taralee is a champion for families suffering with this diagnosis. In a quiet, thoughtful way, she tells her story and through her words, our audience will be informed as to this condition so they can help their child should the need arise. This episode is a MUST listen for every parent!
Wednesday Oct 02, 2019
Wednesday Oct 02, 2019
Dr. Ross Greene "On collaborative parenting: How to Reduce Stress and bring Harmony to your Home" on CG's Crackin' the Kid Code Podcast #104
The Kids We Lose documentary creator and author of The Explosive Child has a life changing approach for your child. Dr. Ross Greene found that rewarding good behavior and punishing bad behavior with your child does not work! Parents have expectations that some children have difficulty making. The conflict between many children and parents is that expectations are not being met and a child in conflict is feeling frustrated and exploding, causing more conflict. Dr. Greene has an innovative and supportive way of helping parents and children with conflict resolution. It’s time for parents to ask children to not only be the source of finding a solution of a problem but most importantly, have ownership of the solution. Atara and Grace speak to Dr. Ross Greene to give parents the top tips they need to defuse heated arguments and to help your child understand conflict resolution.
Wednesday Sep 25, 2019
Wednesday Sep 25, 2019
Author Gabrielle Hartley "Better Apart | Can one really divorce gracefully?!" on Crackin' the Kid Code Podcast #103
Gabrielle Hartley is an attorney, mediator, speaker and author. She is known for a unique, non-toxic approach to divorce that she developed over two decades in practice. Gabrielle keeps 99% of her cases out of the courtroom and at the negotiating table as she effectively supports her clients to create a healthy, uplifted post-divorce life for them. Gabrielle served as court attorney for Judge Jeffrey Sunshine in NYC matrimonial court and is a member of the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation. She currently resides in Northampton, MA with her husband and three sons. Find out more at GabrielleHartley.com.
Visit Grace At The Baby Spot
Visit Atara At Curlee Girlee
Buy Curlee Girlee and pre-order Curlee Girlee’s Got Talent
Wednesday Sep 18, 2019
Wednesday Sep 18, 2019
Lyss Stern founder of DIVA MOMS "Learn To Be a Diva Mom in a Good Way!" on CG's Crackin' the Kid Code Podcast #102
Diva Moms founder Lyss Stern is empowering Moms! We talk curls, confidence, kindness and how to raise confident kids while being DIVALYSSIOUS!!
Owning your Motherhood never looked so good with our special guest Lyss Stern! Lyss is the founder of Diva Moms, the marketing company started by Lyss to bring a wide community of Moms to top marketers. She started this company organically and has become an authority of modern-day parenting.
Lyss started Diva Moms when she was a kindergarten teacher! After becoming pregnant with her first baby, she went to a new Mothers luncheon and a lightbulb went off. There has to be MORE for Moms. Lyss had a PR background and coupled with being around and working with parents and children set the forefront for Diva Moms.
Visit Grace At The Baby Spot
Visit Atara At Curlee Girlee
Buy Curlee Girlee and pre-order Curlee Girlee’s Got Talent
Wednesday Sep 11, 2019
Wednesday Sep 11, 2019
Dr. Sarah Weinberger "On Parenting, Body Image and More!" CG's Crackin' the Kid Code Podcast #101
Dr. Sarah Weinberger - Why HOW we look can negatively impact how we feel- and what to do to ensure this STOPS! Dr. Sarah on parenting, body image, changing our inner narrative and more!
Debuting Our Podcast and Choosing Our First Guest was Fun and Easy
Debuting our podcast, Curlee Girlee's Crackin' the Kid Code was one of the most exciting experiences that Grace and I have shared. Friends first and then business partners, Grace and I teamed up to navigate the world of parenting in a fun and informative way. Honing in on current and timely issues, Interviewing amazing expert guests and sharing our mom point of views will hopefully bring our podcast to the forefront of many conversations; we hope to be a catalyst of positive and lasting change. Selecting our interview with Dr. Sarah Weinberger as our first Episode was a natural fit. Dr. Sarah is a mom, just like we are and an expert in a field that we have come to know well. We hope you enjoy this show as much as we enjoyed producing it!
Moms have busy lives. We are the consummate multi-taskers. We juggle our careers, manage our children’s activities, shop for dinner, prepare dinner, buy clothes, help with homework, plan trips; the list goes on and on and it often feels never-ending. Sometimes as busy mothers, we can get so caught up in helping everyone around us we forget about who we are. Often women struggle with deep-rooted insecurities in connection with their appearances. An often overlooked, under-researched part of women’s struggle with self-image is their hair. Women with naturally curly hair face an even greater societal pressure to fit in and conform to society’s current ideal of straight hair. We were delighted to have Dr. Sarah Weinburger on the show to shed some light and wisdom on body positivity for both children and parents.
I first met Dr. Sarah in the playground, but I really got to know her after she contacted me when my first children's book Curlee Girlee debuted. Curlee Girlee takes the character, Curlee Girlee, on an adventure that challenges a young girl's sense of self and turns her struggle into a realization that being who you are and loving yourself and all your unique features, sets the path to self love and empowerment. What I didn't know from writing my book, but what Dr. Sarah informed me, was that Curlee Girlee's struggle and her ultimate revelations, make her a champion for not just young girls but for women of all ages. In fact, Dr. Sarah, who is a psychologist, with a particular focus on women's health; including body self-image, began using the Curlee Girlee book as a tool in her college classroom.
In the age of social media, women's challenges become even more complex and navigating the pressures of being a woman in a globally connected world has even greater consequences. Dr. Sarah encourages everyone to find positive ways to address ourselves and our children and be mindful of how our view of ourselves and our body image challenges can affect our daughters' self-esteem.
Atara and Grace want to Ensure Positive Body Image
Together Grace and I are each parenting to 2 daughters (and one son). Ensuring that our children are brought up with positive role models is of paramount importance. Finding these role models can often be a struggle, especially when you as a mom are struggling yourself. As a woman, imparting confidence to your child, begins first and foremost with feeling confident yourself. Children intuitively sense their parent's insecurities; being able to empower ourselves will go a long way to empower our children and ensuring they become the confident adults they are meant to be. Dr. Sarah offers her expertise on how body image, in particular hair, can become a defining feature for a women and how, hair, from a cultural perspective, can be a tool of power or insecurity.
At just four years old, Dr. Sarah’s second daughter, who is another curlee girlee, is already very preoccupied with her curls. Dr. Sarah and I both agree that empowering children, at a very young age, to love their hair and all their uniqueness, will change their inner dialogue so that they can grow up to be the confident young adults able to navigate the world feeling empowered and unstoppable.
Grace added that very young girls, in first and second grade, are already using body shaming. Grace explained that in her family they work on being a curl-confident and a body-positive household. Dr. Sarah says hair is emblematic. Why are we fitting into a certain mold? From a clinical perspective, children as young as four or five years old are already having preconceived notions of what a perfect look or body type should be. We need to change those notions and begin a new dialogue.
According to Dr. Sarah’s extensive research in this area, one very important way to instill positive body image is to ensure that we as parents do not enages is ANY negative self-talk. This can be challenging when watching what you eat, or trying on clothes that you make feel uncomfortable, but it is important to ensure that your child does not pick up on your self-doubt. Dr. Sarah insists that simply providing positive affirmations to your child is not enough; if your child sees you obsess about food, agonize at the dinner table, stress about weight loss, or even look in the mirror one too many times, they will internalize those feelings and make them their own. Dr. Sarah cautions parents to avoid any and all negative body talk. This also includes not talking about friends and family as well as those in the media. This does not mean that one does not care about their appearance; rather we must be mindful of how we phrase things and model appropriate body cues so that your home becomes a home that truly embraces diversity of all kinds.
No Negative Self Talk
Grace and I would love to see a world where people view one another through lenses, that take into account the whole person, rather than allowing a cultural perspective or the media trend to define what beauty is. We all have the power to change the standard of beauty to reflect a myriad of charactersitcs and a diverse array of features. I always like to say that change happens slowly but then suddenly. As long as we remain both persistent and consistent, we, as a society, can be the catalyst of sustainable change.
Dr. Sarah and I both love the incredible and impactful video called “Dove’s Real Beauty Sketches”, in which women describe themselves as well one another to a forensic sketch artist Gil Zamora. Gil then produced two sketches based on these separate descriptions. The difference in the two sketches was so vast, confirming that how we see ourselves is often much harsher than how others describe and see us. Dr. Sarah challenges all of us to change how we greet one another. Rather than focusing on how someone looks as in “ you look so beautiful today”, tell your mom, or your daughter, or your best friend, how wonderful seeing them makes you feel. Shed the “you look so great!” and supplant it with “It’s so great to see you!”
Dr. Sarah is a champion for women and young girls everywhere. Her expertise in the field of hair and body image makes her an important advocate for change and someone to keep on our watch list!
Visit Grace At The Baby Spot
Visit Atara At Curlee Girlee
Buy Curlee Girlee and pre-order Curlee Girlee’s Got Talent
Visit Grace At The Baby Spot
Visit Atara At Curlee Girlee
Buy Curlee Girlee and pre-order Curlee Girlee’s Got Talent