PODCAST · kids
My New Life
by Lovevery
The early years of a child's life are the most important for their long-term development. Sometimes, the abundance of information out there can feel overwhelming and difficult to navigate. My New Life is here to support parents and help make sense of the science behind early learning.I'm Jessica Rolph, mother of three and CEO of Lovevery. With the help of experts from around the world, we break down all the child development science into usable nuggets of knowledge that you can put to the test in your own home.
Episodes
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How phonics can support children with dyslexia
As you may know, Lovevery now offers The Reading Skills Set. It's a phonics-based program that makes reading fun, motivating your child to read through play. It covers skills from pre-K through Second grade. In this episode, My New Life host Jessica Rolph talks with Sprout Labs CEO Carla Small...
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Teaching toddlers to read
This bonus episode features an interview with Spencer Russell, the dad behind Toddlers Can Read. Spencer struggled to learn to read as a kid, so when it came time to choose a career, he set out to help others avoid the same experience and took a job with Teach for America, continuing as a...
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Montessori math
Math is all around us. When it comes to teaching it, the challenge lies not in creating the opportunities, but in recognizing them. Counting grapes while they disappear is a fun one! Around the age of 4, a child's mathematical knowledge takes a big leap forward. They go from counting and...
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Montessori handwriting
The Montessori method is rooted in the idea that children can—and should—be empowered to do things on their own. On this episode of My New Life, we consider handwriting through a Montessori lens. But how much independence can we truly expect from a child who is forming words on paper for the…
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Montessori literacy
Even if your 3-year-old can recite their ABCs like a pro, they'll need to learn that spoken words are made up of individual sounds to succeed at reading. Hands-on activities that build this kind of phonemic awareness — and reinforce the connection between letter sounds and letter shapes — are the...
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Executive function: Empathy
Empathy can be a puzzling concept for a young child. They often need adults to model it for them. When reading stories or playing with the wooden peg people together, ask your child: "How do you think that person is feeling right now? How can you tell? How would you feel in his place?" Encourage...
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Executive function: Flexible thinking
Have you ever played "hot/cold" with your child? It's good for a laugh, particularly when a child can't find something in plain sight. But it's also great at teaching young children flexible thinking, or the ability to adapt to change. As they are searching for the lost item, they are listening…
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Executive function: Managing frustration
Success in life — that looks different for everyone. But skills like persistence, managing frustration and emotional regulation tend to scaffold that success, no matter what the end result looks like. These skills are all part of what scientists call executive function, something we're focusing…
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Executive function: Thinking ahead
Executive functioning skills are important, because they help us achieve our goals. Children with strong executive functioning skills have the focus, patience, flexibility and resilience to succeed in—and out—of school. While children continue to develop these skills into adolescence, research...
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When parenting feels unequal
Our guest today is a mother of four children, ages 5 to 17. She knows well how the demands of parenting can run you into the ground. She made the choice to step off the "struggle bus of overwhelm" — as she calls it — but it was a move that took time, and conscious effort. The secret? Establishing...
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Helping children deal with change
Why can change be so unsettling for our toddlers? I mean, change up the snack crackers and you may have a major crisis on your hands. On this episode of My New Life, Jessical Rolph hosts Lael Stone, author of "Raising Resilient and Compassionate Children". Never is our resilience put to the test...
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Managing expectations as a mother
For the most part, limits provide a framework that helps everyone move through the day more fluidly, and with less friction. But on this episode of My New Life, we discuss limiting beliefs — beliefs that interfere with our own wellbeing and that of our family. A big one is the notion that we can...
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Expert in neurodiversity Dr. Billy on emotional regulation
We welcome Dr. Billy Garvey to this episode of My New Life. He runs a clinic in Melbourne, Australia, that helps parents focus on their children's strengths, and move through some of their challenges. The clinic has a 3-year waitlist and after listening to this episode, you'll understand why: Dr....
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Helping siblings with boundaries
Bickering, fighting, jealousy, constant comparison and competition — sibling rivalry can be exhausting. Here to help us reduce the conflict between our children is parent educator, Kristin Mariella. Her approach is to hold the limits, while welcoming the waves of emotion. You can find more from...
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Behavior is a smoke alarm
There are lots of parenting experts talking about choosing connection over discipline, but today's guest on My New Life has a fresh take on limit-setting: She compares bad behavior to a smoke alarm going off. Punishment is like taking a hose and pointing it at the alarm. If the pressure is great...
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What you should know about men's and women's fertility
When it comes to starting or growing a family, many of us come face-to-face with a painful reality: Infertility. Even if you had an easy time conceiving, it doesn't guarantee subsequent pregnancies will be just as easy. Problems in men's bodies are the cause of around half of all infertility.…
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When and how to stop breastfeeding
Host Jessica Rolph breastfed all three of her children, but weaning the last has been an emotional experience. It's hard to say how many mothers breastfeed beyond that first year or two, but often those mothers feel judged for choosing to continue. Lyndsey Hookway joins us to help demystify...
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Transitioning from crib to bed
Switching your child from a crib to bed can be a big milestone! Most sleep experts recommend waiting until your child is around three years old. Jessica Rolph, your host, is joined by Dana Obleman to discuss what factors might go into that timing. Dana is an Infant and Child Sleep Consultant and...
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Co-parenting after a separation
Navigating the ups and downs of divorce looks different in each situation, but there are some universal ways to make it easier on our children. These start with better communication — rules around communicating that put your child first. Here to help us establish some of these best practices is…
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Talking about death
Birthing is a topic we all want to weigh in on, but death? Not so much. We tend to avoid the subject, and when it comes to talking to our child about death, choosing the right words is hard. Of course, there's no "right" way to talk about death except to lead with honesty and love. Jessica Rolph,...
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Pacifiers: In or out?
Pacifiers are so convenient… until they're not. At some point, there can be concerns about developing teeth and interference with speech, and weaning a child off a pacifier can be challenging. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and speech and language...
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Coping with separation anxiety
The stress of separation is real — it can be upsetting for both you and your child. Whether it be a child sobbing for you to stay when the babysitter shows up or clinging to your leg at drop-off, it's easy to feel like you're doing it all wrong when these raw emotions take over. My New Life's...
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Preventing screen-time meltdowns
Screens are hard to avoid in today's world, and when our children do have access, turning them off can bring on some big emotions! Have you ever wondered why they have these oversized reactions? Or how to avoid them? My New Life host Jessica Rolph is joined by Dr. Martha Deiros Collado, a...
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When potty training gets messy
Is your child refusing to sit on the toilet? Or waiting until the pull-up is on to go poop? You're not alone. For a lot of parents, the potty learning process is more drawn out than we anticipate. For some, it takes months or even years. In previous episodes, you heard some common potty-training...
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Get your baby talking with The Speech Sisters
This week we are revisiting our most-downloaded episode from Dec. 1, 2021, as we prepare for our upcoming season: Transitions. In the new season of the podcast, we will take a look at transitions from diapers to potty, crib to bed, saying goodby to pacifiers, and lots more. Language milestones…
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Simplifying: Why children benefit
The first years of a baby's life can feel anything but simple. While their needs are few, namely love, food, sleep, and play, parents often feel pressure to provide the absolute best on these fronts. The best food. The best sleep. The best play. We are told that to accomplish this by doing more:...
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Supporting a positive sibling relationship
Sibling rivalry is normal. The kids usually move on quickly, but it often leaves us adults unhinged. What can we do to help diffuse those tense moments, and maybe even build some mutual respect? In the spring we shared an episode about bringing home a new baby sibling. In today's episode, we are...
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How to boost your baby's biome
We hear a lot about the first 3 years of a baby's life — how critical those years are to brain development. But today's guest, the author of The Baby and the Biome, would argue that the same window is just as critical for our gut. Probiotics may have a role in keeping that system healthy. But are...
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Screens: What the research tells us
Screens are so effective at distraction, but equally effective at causing parents angst! In today's interview, Jessica Rolph is joined by Lovevery expert, Dr. Zach Stuckelman, to get to the bottom of the research on screens and young brains. They examine which content is better than others, and...
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Ready for more? Why birth spacing matters
Usually when we consider having another baby, personal preferences factor heavily into decisions around timing — things like budget or sibling dynamics. But it's rare to consider the health impacts, and it's even less common to discuss birth spacing with your doctor. Jessica Rolph, your host,...
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Normal fears vs. anxiety with Dr. Lockhart
With everything we have to worry about in today's world, it's easy to lose sight of how our children can have their own big worries too. Things like getting nails clipped, night-time noises, strangers, doctors, even entering a pool can feel overwhelming to our children. How do we help them push...
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Tips for teaching kindness
Young children are naturally egocentric. This is a normal part of their development, as they must first make sense of the world around them through their own eyes, before they can see it through someone else's. In fact, until they approach preschool age, they have little reason to believe that...
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Montessori made simple with Simone Davies
Independence, freedom, order, beauty. These are all elements of the Montessori play space, and who doesn't want these things for their child? However, sometimes adopting a Montessori approach can feel like a high bar. Jessica Rolph, your host, is joined by Simone Davies, author of The Montessori...
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Learning through play: Is free or guided play better?
Play has so much to teach us, children and parents alike. Sometimes parents can get a little too involved in their child's play, particularly with the extra cool toys. When does our guidance become interference? And what amount of direction is appropriate? Dave Neale joins Jessica Rolph on this...
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Nutrition for pregnancy and postpartum
Any pregnant mom will tell you: Their body goes through a major transformation! And with each passing month, nutritional needs change. We hear lots about omega-3s, but did you know that protein and choline play critical roles in the baby's development in utero? Host Jessica Rolph speaks with...
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Does Mozart really work?
The so-called "Mozart effect" first entered the public conscience in the early 90s. The theory states that listening to classical music while pregnant, will make your baby smarter. We talk a lot about how babies become smarter on My New Life, so host Jessica Rolph figured she better dig into this...
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Little liars: What to do about lying
Children, like adults, lie and they can learn to do so from the young age of 2 years old, according to the researchers. In this episode, Jessica Rolph is joined by Dr. Kang Lee, a University of Toronto professor who has been examining lying and what it tells us about human cognition for over two...
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Discussing intellectual disability and neurodiversity with children
Jessica Rolph is joined by Dr. Kate Barret and Dr. Terry Jo Bichell to bring listeners the story behind "Uncle Rob's Pizza Party," a Lovevery book about a toddler's relationship with a man with Angelman Syndrome. Lovevery's Senior Advisor of Equity and Inclusion, Nicole Stamp, guides the...
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Choline & your baby's developing brain
Choline is a nutrient proven to have a lasting link to a baby's brain development when taken in pregnancy, but many prenatal vitamins don't have much choline. The recommended amount is 450 mg/day, and studies show only 10 percent of all pregnant women get enough. A recent study at Cornell...
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Tune in, Talk more & Take turns
Parent-child interaction is crucial to brain development. An important part of that interaction is what is said while we're engaging with our child — not just the words we use, but the frequency of those words and the way in which they are offered up. Jessica Rolph welcomes Dr. Dana Suskind to...
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New additions: Bringing home a sibling
Share the news of a baby brother or sister with a toddler, and it's likely to be met with enthusiasm. But at some point after the baby arrives, jealousy and resentment can get in the way, and that can manifest in all sorts of new behaviors. Jessica Rolph welcomes Gabrielle Felman, an early...
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Mindfulness for parents
So many parents find themselves flying through the day, constantly running through a mental to-do list. It seems there is always room to squeeze in more. To be focused on one moment in time feels next to impossible, but there are ways to get present, even with with all this mental clutter.…
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Calm is contagious
Parenting is full of trying moments. One way that parents express their frustration is by yelling — we've all been there! Feeling overwhelmed is usually at the root of it, but being around a parent who regularly raises their voice isn't optimal for a child. Learning strategies to reduce yelling...
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A glimpse inside the Waldorf philosophy
Waldorf education has become increasingly popular in recent decades. Supporters champion the creativity and independent thinking that it fosters, but some critics say it fails to prepare children for the "real" world, where things like competition and technology cannot be avoided. Jessica Rolph...
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Dr. Becky on the importance of empathy
Do you find yourself constantly having to nudge your toddler to stay on schedule and tick all the boxes? Let's get a move on, we'll be late! No seriously, it's bedtime! Little wonder that we parents lose sight of our playful side in all the hustling. Today's guest on the podcast has a remarkable...
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Sensory play & what it does for your child's brain
Some children make a lot of noise as they move through their day. They tend to like big movements: bear hugs, wrestling, getting messy. Others are quieter. They can sometimes be bothered by subtle things: tags, temperature, too much light. These children might retreat if their senses get...
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Kindergarten ready: You may be closer than you think
The human brain has about 100 billion nerve cells, all of which are present at birth, but have few links between them. Those links are formed by experiences children have. The idea that the right inputs can strengthen a brain's architecture informs much of the product design at Lovevery. But...
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Setting our kids up for success
We all have big dreams for our little people, and there are so many ways to define success: finding purpose in life and work, reaching goals (whatever those might be), surrounding yourself with loved ones, to name just a few. Psychologists have pointed to a variety of practices that can help our...
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A more accessible Montessori
Many new parents struggle with decisions around learning outside of the home. When is the right age? Is daycare or preschool the answer? If extended family isn't available or other help isn't affordable, should parents keep their children at home while also juggling work or all the many other...
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Understanding RIE parenting
Feeding, diapering, dressing, soothing. At times, it feels like we're merely surviving those early months. When in overdrive, pausing to observe doesn't always come naturally, but looking and listening before responding to your baby or toddler can lead to some surprising discoveries about your...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The early years of a child's life are the most important for their long-term development. Sometimes, the abundance of information out there can feel overwhelming and difficult to navigate. My New Life is here to support parents and help make sense of the science behind early learning.I'm Jessica Rolph, mother of three and CEO of Lovevery. With the help of experts from around the world, we break down all the child development science into usable nuggets of knowledge that you can put to the test in your own home.
HOSTED BY
Lovevery
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does My New Life have?
My New Life currently has 92 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is My New Life about?
The early years of a child's life are the most important for their long-term development. Sometimes, the abundance of information out there can feel overwhelming and difficult to navigate. My New Life is here to support parents and help make sense of the science behind early learning.I'm Jessica...
How often does My New Life release new episodes?
My New Life has 92 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to My New Life?
You can listen to My New Life on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts My New Life?
My New Life is created and hosted by Lovevery.
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