Let Them Be Kids!! {Episode 64 with Jessica Smartt}
Aloha Friends!
Today I get to welcome back a favorite podcast guest from the past…Jessica Smartt! Jessica was with me on Episode 33, talking about “Making Memories at Christmas time.” (I LOVE that topic! And it might be a good one to bookmark BEFORE the holidays this year!)
This spring, (smack in the middle of the quarantine) Jessica released another book — one that quickly became one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE PARENTING BOOKS (I don’t say that lightly!) Her book is called “LET THEM BE KIDS” (get link below in notes) and I knew that this topic would be perfect for my summer series, which is all about CELEBRATING EVERY STAGE OF RAISING BOYS…FROM THE BABY YEARS…to ALL GROWN UP!
Jessica and I talk about the sweetness of the elementary years…and the many “gifts” of childhood: The gift of innocence, the gift of imagination, the gift of boredom, and the gift of being uncool (a personal favorite!) as well as others. We also talk about the challenges of the elementary years — which, sadly, seem to be mostly about technology 😢 (I know this is on a lot of your minds, too.) I am personally inspired by how Jessica’s family is approaching technology! I hope you’ll share this chat with your friends, and definitely scroll to the bottom to enter to win the Summer Sunscreen bundle at the end of July!
SHOW NOTES:
LET THEM BE KIDS: Adventure, Boredom, Innocence, and other Gifts Children Need. (book*)
MEMORY MAKING MOM (book*)
Jessica’s Website:Smartter Each Day
Jessica on Instagram
The book Jessica mentioned that inspired her to homeschool: Echo in Celebration: A Call to Home-Centered Education.
(And a more recent book by the same author–>) The Core: Teaching Your Child the Foundations of Classical Education
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A BIG THANK YOU to this episode’s SPONSOR, PREP DISH!
If you, like me, have never tried meal planning before, can I just say: Don’t wait to try it!
When you sign up with Prep Dish, you’ll receive an email every week with a done-for-you grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. You’ll do your chopping and mixing ahead of time, leaving you with zero decisions to be made at dinner. Woohoo. (Why did I wait so long to try this!?)
You can get a free 2-week trial by going to PrepDish.com/boymom! Also, take note: Prep Dish has gluten free, Paleo & Keto options!!
*I’m so excited to try this week’s Mediterranean Stuffed Bell Peppers, and the Broccoli and Apple Slaw, as well as the breakfast for this week: Poached Eggs over Sweet Potatoes and Sliced Avodado. YUM!!
Also big thanks to SURFACE Sunscreen, Luke’s surfing sponsor, and my end-of-episode summer sponsor! Surface is offering a DISCOUNT to all Boy Mom listeners (USE CODE: BOY MOM for 20% everything on their site!) and they are offering a give- away BUNDLE of SURFACE Suncare PRODUCTS to one of you at the end of July!
Order your favorite sunscreen from Surface, and also be sure to get some of their new, Aloe Vera infused hand sanitizer, made in the USA! (smells so much better than others I’ve tried.) Find out more about Surface at their site.
Enter to win at the VERY bottom of this post!
You can find the Boy Mom Podcast on all of the podcast platforms…here are just a few of them:
Or you can listen right here! 🙂
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Thanks for reading these show notes! If you found this podcast episode helpful, please share it using social media links below!
I’m grateful for my listeners and readers, and would love to connect. You can subscribe to my blog for a weekly update on anything new I’ve published, say hi on Facebook , or find me on Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.
My book, BOY MOM, was released in August of 2019 (Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers) and is full of practical advice and helpful resources for raising boys. It’s a great study for small groups!
Order it here: Boy Mom: What Your Son Needs Most from You
*I am an Amazon Affiliate and some of the products I share will benefit me if you click through and purchase. Thank you so much!!
ENTER TO WIN A JULY BUNDLE OF SUNCARE PRODUCTS!! Leave a comment below answering the question:
What part of the Elementary years have you loved the most (or look forward to the most if you’re not there yet! :)) Leave a comment below and you’ll be entered to win! (Winner will be picked from all of the podcast notes comments at the end of the month! You’re allowed to enter each week!)
I have boys 7 and 3. I love both stages right now. My 7 year old ask non stop questions. He loves to learn and teach his little brother the things he is learning. I loved this episode so much. I bought Jessica’s book after hearing this episode! I can’t wait to read it!
My boys are still toddlers, but I loved listening to this for the future and letting them be little!!
So glad!! Enjoy enjoy. (and hang in there — it’s not easy! :)) XO
I love this stage! My son Is still Innocent, Curious, Silly, and needs a mama hug everyday.
I love how excited they become when they learn how to read and the world opens up to them!
We are in the elementary years here and when school went virtually due to the pandemic I really got to know my boys as learners. Their individual learning style allows their personalities to shine through. A very eye opening experience for me!
I’m totally new to podcasts.. But as I sat and listened, while my 2 little boys played this morning, you made my heart smile and had a few happy tears too. You’re a blessing to me while I’m on the “mom struggle-bus” 🚎
oh that means so much to me!! Thank you Corrie!! xo
My favorite part of the elementary years were reading time. As a homeschooling family, the library is a fantastic resource. We would fill a large tote bag with lots of books and would spend the afternoon reading together with a snack/treat. I believe that my kids (now 14 and 17) are avid readers because of our reading time.
awesome!! Thank you Yolanda!! Those are some of my favorite memories too. (Though I was terrible at returning books to the library on time! :)) Big hugs to you!
Loved this! My sister told me that our friend, Hope Mayo, was such a good mom and that she let her boys be boys. That has stayed in my memory for years and now I have my own little guy and I have to constantly remind myself to let him be a kid even if that means he’s soaking wet after playing a puddle (or his water cup) or tootin’ around the house having a blast and using his imagination. I definitely want to pick this book up as we prepare to enter preschool years (and soon secondary!). Thanks Monica!