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

• #AmWriting podcast

• Plain Bad Heroines, by Emily M. Danforth

• The Other Bennet Sister, by Janice Hadlow

More links for listeners

• Download: Kids & Grief: What You Need to Know

• Article: I’m a Widowed Mom: Here Are My 3 Tips for COVID-19 Widows

• Book: Widowed Parents Unite: 52 Tips to Get Through the First Year, from One Widowed Parent to Another

Thank you sponsors & partners:

Help Texts - Grief support text messaging service. Tips and support delivered all year long, personalized based on your loss. Listeners get $10 off: https://helptexts.com/jennylisk

BetterHelp - Talk with a licensed, professional therapist online. Get 10% off your first month: betterhelp.com/widowedparent

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