KJ Dell'Antonia on How to Be a Happier Parent
“You don’t have to be happy. You’re just looking for ways to make your day-to-day life more pleasant. So the goal is happi-er.”
— KJ Dell'Antonia
I had such a great discussion with KJ Dell’Antonia for this episode. KJ is the former editor of the New York Times’ Motherlode blog, and the author of “How to Be a Happier Parent.” I mean, who wouldn’t want to try to be happier in their role as a parent? And to my widowed parent listeners, especially: I figure we can use all the hints and tips we can get, now that we are doing this parenting job by ourselves.
Some topics KJ and I discuss include:
Why she decided to write this book;
Some of her favorite mantras for parenting;
Why family dinner is important, and what can be difficult about it;
Why ‘discipline’ is one of the least-liked parenting jobs, and how to think differently about it;
Chores, how to think about them, and tips for parents;
Why you’ll be a happier parent if you embrace “fair doesn’t mean equal;” and
Her new novel, “The Chicken Sisters,” in which one of the protagonists is a widowed parent of teens.
I hope you enjoy my discussion with KJ Dell’Antonia.
Links & resources for this episode
KJ Dell’Antonia’s website
How to Be a Happier Parent, by KJ Dell’Antonia
The Chicken Sisters, by KJ Dell’Antonia
Plain Bad Heroines, by Emily M. Danforth
The Other Bennet Sister, by Janice Hadlow
More links for listeners
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