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.

 
 
 
 

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Jenny Lisk

Jenny Lisk is the founder of the Widowed Parent Institute. She is an award-winning author and widowed mom who is dedicated to helping widowed parents increase their family's well-being. Jenny’s books, Future Widow and Widowed Parents Unite, and her show, The Widowed Parent Podcast, guide the journey of solo parenting after loss.

https://jennylisk.com/
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