Family Confidential: Secrets of Successful Parenting with Annie Fox, M.Ed.

When the headlines scream about a bad mother, famous or not, we can't seem to get enough. Those most intent on sucking the marrow out of these kinds of stories are mothers. In this podcast I talk with Ayelet Waldman, author of The New York Times bestseller "Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities and Occasional Moments of Grace" (Doubleday 2009). From her perspective as a mother of four, a wife, a writer, and an ardent feminist, Ayelet talks with passion and fearlessness about being a mom in the 21st century. About Ayelet Waldman Ayelet Waldman is writer whose books include The New York Times bestseller "Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities and Occasional Moments of Grace." Her other books include: "Love and Other Impossible Pursuits", "Daughter's Keeper" and the Mommy-Track Mysteries. Her personal essays have been published in a wide variety of newspapers and magazines including the NY Times, Vogue and Parenting. Her radio commentaries have appeared on NPR's "All Things Considered." The film version of "Love and Other Impossible Pursuits", with Natalie Portman in the lead role, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2009. More info at: AyeletWaldman.com Subscribe to Family Confidential on iTunes: http://bit.ly/famconf Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

For as long as there have been fairy tales there have been evil stepmothers. Fairy tale nightmares aside, what's it really like to marry a man with children? And why do stepmoms often have such a hard time finding a comfortable and respected place in their families? In this podcast I talk with Wednesday Martin, author of "Stepmonster: A New Look at Why Stepmothers Think, Feel and Act The Way We Do" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2009). About Wednesday Martin, Ph.D. Wednesday Martin holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature from Yale. She was a regular contributor to the New York Post's parenting page for several years, and her work has appeared in a number of national magazines. Martin, a stepmother for ten years, lives with her husband and their two sons. More info at: www.wednesdaymartin.com Subscribe to Family Confidential on iTunes: http://bit.ly/famconf Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

All kids need parents to advocate for them. Special needs kids need especially loud and pushy parents to go to bat for them at school and help them get what they require to succeed. In this podcast I talk with Robert Rummel-Hudson, author of "Schuyler's Monster - A Father's Journey with his wordless Daughter. (St. Martin's Griffin 2009). In this totally engaging memoir, Rob tells the story of a family struggling to find the answers to a child's dilemma, while chronicling of their unique relationships, formed without traditional language against the expectations of a doubting world. About Robert Rummel-Hudson Robert has been writing online since 1995. During that time, his work has been recognized by the Diarist Awards and has been featured in articles in the Austin Chronicle, the Irish Times, the New Haven Register, the Dallas Morning News, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. He has been featured on American Public Radio's Weekend America, WFAA's Good Morning Texas and KERA's Think with Krys Boyd. The Rummel-Hudson family was the subject of a feature story by Fox 26 Houston's Greg Groogan. Robert was the featured keynote speaker at the 2009 Texas Speech Language Hearing Association Convention in Austin. You can reach Rob at robert@rummelhudson.com More info at: schuylersmonster.com Subscribe to Family Confidential on iTunes: http://bit.ly/famconf Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

We live in a thin-obsessed culture and it's making us eternally unhappy with our bodies and ourselves. As parents we are as affected as our kids by the daily barrage of images and media messages that sell us an unrealistic ideal of female (and male) beauty. As a result millions of Americans deal with body image issues. In this podcast I talk with Carol Normandi and Laurelee Roark, co-authors of "Over It: A Teen's Guide to Getting Beyond Obsessions with Food and Weight" (New World Library 2001). Carol and Laurelee talk from their own experience recovering from eating disorders and about what parents can do to offset the negative influence of media on their kids' self-esteem. About Carol Normandi and Laurelee Roark Carol Normandi, M.S., MFT and Laurelee Roark, MA, CCHT are co-founders of Beyond Hunger, a nonprofit organization in San Rafael, CA that provides support groups, workshops and education for individuals with eating disorders and body image disturbances. They are the authors of "It's Not About Food: End Your Obsession with Food and Weight", a book for adult women with eating disorders, and "Over It: A Teen's Guide to Getting Beyond Obsessions with Food and Weight". More info at: beyondhunger.org Subscribe to Family Confidential on iTunes: http://bit.ly/famconf Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

Parents give and children take. That's the natural order of things. But sometimes it all gets flipped on its head when aging parents become unable to care for themselves and adult children become caregivers. In this podcast I talk with B. Lynn Goodwin, author of "You Want Me To Do What? – Journaling for Caregivers" (Tate Publishing 2008). Lynn takes her experience as an English teacher, writer and former caregiver and provides the safe space, the compassion, and the inspiration for caregivers to process their stress and celebrate what is right. About B. Lynn Goodwin B. Lynn Goodwin is a teacher, editor, freelance writer, former caregiver, and the author of "You Want Me To Do What? – Journaling for Caregivers" (Tate Publishing). She is published in Voices of Caregivers; Hip Mama; the Oakland Tribune; the Contra Costa Times; the Danville Weekly; Staying Sane When You're Dieting; Small Press Review; Dramatics Magazine; Career, Caregiving, and Self-Care NCDA Monograph (forthcoming); 24/7—a caregiving anthology (forthcoming); and numerous e-zines. She facilitates journaling workshops for caregivers and publishes Writer Advice, www.writeradvice.com You can reach Lynn at Lgood67334@comcast.net More info at: writeradvice.com Opening Music: Ignorant Meadow by Curt Siffert - www.curtsiffert.com Subscribe to Family Confidential on iTunes: http://bit.ly/famconf Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

At one time or another most parents have told their kids: "Don't just go along with the crowd. Think for yourself." We value knowing what's right for ourselves regardless of what other's may think. Yet, where do these lessons of being your own person come from? They're certainly not being learned in most classrooms or lunchrooms? Are we teaching them at home by modeling authenticity in our own lives so that our kids get the message? In this podcast I talk with Mike Robbins, author of "Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken – Transform your Life with the Power of Authenticity" (Jossey-Bass/Wiley, 2009). Mike's book is an honest look at the profound changes you can initiate in your life and in your relationships (family and otherwise) when you give yourself permission to be who you are. About Mike Robbins Mike Robbins is an expert in teamwork, communication, and the power of appreciation and authenticity. He delivers keynote addresses, leads customized seminars, and works one-on-one in a way that empowers people and organizations to work together effectively and be more successful. In addition to "Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken", Mike is the author of "Focus on the Good Stuff: The Power of Appreciation" http://focusonthegoodstuff.com. Prior to his speaking, writing, and coaching career, Mike played professional baseball for three seasons with the Kansas City Royals. He is also on the board of Challenge Day http://challengeday.org, a powerful youth organization that focuses on peace, healing, and personal development for teens. More info at: http://Mike-Robbins.com Subscribe to Family Confidential on iTunes: http://bit.ly/famconf Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

Kids make lots of mistakes. And they can usually count on parents to remind them when they're not measuring up. But sometimes, the only thing that isn't measuring up is Mom or Dad's notion of the way their child ought to be. In this podcast I talk with Joan Ryan, author of "The Water Giver – The story of a mother, a son, and their second chance" (Simon and Schuster 2009). Joan's book is the gripping story of her son's near-fatal accident and an examination of how the tragic event gave her a new start as the nurturing, accepting mother she always wanted to be. About Joan Ryan Joan Ryan is an award-winning journalist and author. Her newspaper work spans 25 years. A pioneer in sports journalism, Joan was one of the first female sports columnists in the country. Her sports columns and features earned 13 Associated Press Sports Editors Awards, among other honors. Her first book, "Little Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure Skaters", was a controversial, ground-breaking expose that Sports Illustrated named one of the Top 100 Sports Books of All Time. Joan is a founding board member of Team-Up for Youth, a non-profit organization that taps into the power of sports to help low-income youth learn and grow. She is a frequent commentator and speaker on, among other topics, children's and family issues, girls' and women's sports, juvenile justice and education. More info at: JoanRyanInk.com Subscribe to Family Confidential on iTunes: http://bit.ly/famconf Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

Who's Leading This Family? A family needs to be a team if it's going to run smoothly. And every team needs a clear leader. Does your family have one? Is the person calling the shots one parent, both parents, or one of the kids? In this podcast I talk with Jamie Woolf, author of Mom-in-Chief: How Wisdom from the Workplace Can Save Your Family from Chaos. (Josey-Bass 2009) Jamie's book along with her workshops and conference appearances for Working Mother Magazine, lays out her "best practices" to enjoy more success at home and at work. She does by providing valuable insights along with in-the-trenches-strategies for taking the skills working moms learn at the office and using them become the parent leader your kids need. About Jamie Woolf, M.S. Jamie Woolf is a veteran leadership consultant and contributor to Working Mother magazine. Based on her work inside dozens of organizations, She founded The Parent Leader to help mothers and fathers gain the self-awareness and leadership skills to transform their daily parenting challenges into desired results and co-founded Pinehurst Consulting, an organization development and training consulting firm. She serves on the Advisory Board of Working Mother Media. More info at: MomInChief.com Subscribe to Family Confidential on iTunes: http://bit.ly/famconf Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.

As parents, we all want our kids to succeed, and we want them to grow up up to be self-confident. But sometimes what we say we want is at odds with some of our parenting choices. Especially when it comes to doing what's really necessary to help our children grow toward independence and self-reliance. In this podcast I talk with Joe Bruzzese, M.A. Author of "A Parents' Guide to the Middle School Years" (Ten Speed Press 2009). Joe's book and his ongoing work as a parent coach offer practical advice for building confidence in your child. About Joe Bruzzese, M.A. For nearly 20 years Joe Bruzzese has guided children and parents through the challenges of the middle school years and the transition to adolescence. His background as a teacher, coach and parent forms the ideal trio of experiences for coaching parents and kids toward confident and connected relationships at home and in school. As a leading parent coach and author, Joe frequently addresses parent groups at conferences, parent-sponsored events and as part of the work-life balance programs many organizations strive to support in the workplace. Joe's background in education includes a Master's degree from Azusa Pacific University, in addition to his former tenure as a teacher in the middle school grades. Joe brings years of educational theory and practical experience to his work with families. In addition to the coaching services and seminars he facilitates at Thinking Forward, Joe instructs teachers in the Graduate School of Education, at Azusa Pacific University and UC Santa Barbara. More info at: ThinkingForwardTV.com Subscribe to Family Confidential on iTunes: http://bit.ly/famconf Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.