Welcome to Episode 23 of On the Ground Parenting! Hosts Sandy, Sam, Kelly, and Justin (with a special guest appearance by our engineer, James) dive into the world of indoor and outdoor games. As families prepare for intense periods of togetherness over the holidays, the team explores how to use games to build connection rather than conflict.

The conversation begins with a focus on cooperative board games. Justin explains that for younger children still developing emotional regulation, playing as a team toward a shared mission—like catching a "fox thief"—helps establish a healthy relationship with play before introducing the high stakes of winners and losers. Sandy shares how adding sound effects to classic games like Snakes and Ladders can help a child navigate the "downs" with excitement rather than disappointment.

The hosts also share a list of family favorites ranging from high-energy activities like Happy Salmon to the adult-favored Pictionary (which at Sam’s house involves easels and poster boards). Whether you are engaging in rubber ducky races in the driveway or a spontaneous Talent Show where every performance gets a standing ovation, this episode is packed with ideas to keep the holiday spirit light and connected.

Subscribe for a new podcast every Wednesday! Have a question, suggestion, or want to tax-deductibly sponsor an episode of On The Ground Parenting? Send us a message: https://linktr.ee/onthegroundparenting

A Call for Support:

This episode also serves as a special platform for the Muskoka Family Focus Parent Ed team to request support, either with a direct donation through Canada Helps, or by signing up for our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/OnTheGroundParenting. Donations over $20 are tax-deductible. We need your financial support to ensure we can continue offering free educational programming and keep the podcast running.

Russ shares his unique journey from children's singer to kindergarten teacher, explaining how early musical performances shaped his career. The conversation highlights the profound impact simple songs and joyful experiences have on children's development and long-lasting memories.

Russ opens up about the two women who most inspired his music: his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Crawford, who melted away anxiety on the very first day , and his Aunt Beatrice, who took five or six "wacky cousins" to a cottage for six weeks every summer, knowing she was gifting them memories that would last a lifetime.

The hosts discuss Russ's current role as Santa Sings For You complete with a six-month beard growth, and his work on TikTok, where he connects with thousands of followers, often hearing that he is "healing my childhood right now" for adults and teens. He emphasizes that the magic of Santa is making people feel seen, heard, and accepted.

Subscribe for a new podcast every Wednesday! Have a question, suggestion, or want to tax-deductibly sponsor an episode of On The Ground Parenting? Send us a message: https://linktr.ee/onthegroundparenting

A Call for Support:

This episode also serves as a special platform for the Muskoka Family Focus Parent Ed team to request support, either with a one-time donation or by signing up for our Patreon, https://patreon.com/OnTheGroundParenting. We need your financial support to ensure we can continue offering free educational programming and keep the podcast running. Donations over $20 are tax-deductible.

Join hosts Sandy, Sam, Kelly, and Justin for Episode 21 of On the Ground Parenting as they tackle the holiday season's challenge: navigating gift-giving to minimize "toy clutter" and focus on intentional, meaningful exchanges.

We share experiences with the chaos and joy that holiday gifts bring:

• The Struggle with Noise and Space: A common theme is the "havoc" created by well-meaning relatives who choose noisy, battery-operated, or oversized toys. The stories include Kelly's father-in-law's desire to buy a drum, Sam's experience with a hand-me-down, child-sized accordion, and the frequent disappointment of remote-control cars.
• Prioritizing Thoughtful Exchange: Justin highlights his family's unique strategy of "re-gifting" their own toys to cousins, transforming the clutter challenge into a playful competition to pass along the biggest item. He also notes how his children place higher value on their handmade creations—such as scribbled cards presented "like they are handing you a golden chalice"—than on store-bought items. Sam shares a perfect example of genuine thoughtfulness: her son John's plan to buy his younger, blanket-obsessed brother a larger, fuzzier blanket.

A Call for Support:

This episode also serves as a special platform for the Muskoka Family Focus Parent Ed team to request support, either with a one-time donation or by signing up for our Patreon, https://patreon.com/OnTheGroundParenting. We need your financial support to ensure we can continue offering free educational programming and keep the podcast running. Donations over $20 are tax-deductible.

Welcome back to On the Ground Parenting for Episode 20! Cookie recipes from the show are here on Google Docs to share and make!

Hosts Sandy, Sam, and Kelly continue their holiday discussion, focusing this week on the cherished traditions of holiday baking, cooking, and sharing recipes. They explore how these food-centric activities serve as a powerful way to build connection and meaning during the season.

The conversation highlights the value of gifting through food—items enjoyed in the moment that won't clutter the house or end up in a landfill. The hosts share personal and often humorous stories about their favorite recipes and the memories they evoke:

Parallel Play Baking: Sam shares her unique current family tradition. In their kitchen, everyone makes their own recipe simultaneously, working without interfering with one another. Her son, Ryan, has perfected his chocolate chip cookies but happily passes off the "boring part" (scooping and baking) to Sam.

The Cinnamon Bun Rhythm: Kelly's tradition involves making time-intensive yeasted cinnamon buns on Christmas morning, a ritual that provides rhythm and grounding during the holiday rush.

Renowned Cookies: Sandy fondly remembers two family classics: her grandmother’s famous thin and crisp oatmeal cookies and her mother’s delightful, melt-in-your-mouth whipped shortbread.

The hosts also touch on the fun of cookie swaps and the shared experience of baking—celebrating successes and laughing over failures, such as runny cheesecakes and collapsing gingerbread houses.

A Call for Support:

This episode also serves as a special platform for the Muskoka Family Focus Parent Ed team to request support, either with a one-time donation or by signing up for our Patreon, https://patreon.com/OnTheGroundParenting. We need your financial support to ensure we can continue offering free educational programming and keep the podcast running. Donations over $20 are tax-deductible.

We talk through the idea that the best gifts are not expensive, but those that make the recipient feel seen, heard, and valued. They share creative, budget-friendly ideas that prioritize connection and utility over cost:

• The Gift of Time: Kelly is planning a few evenings with her nieces and nephews to help them make gifts for their parents.
• Secondhand and Practical: Sam shares how her family makes it a game to find useful gifts that truly reflect the recipient's interests. She notes her son was thrilled with his new toothbrush.
• Experiences and Humor: Sandy recounts the funny family memory of her sisters hanging up leotards instead of stockings , while Kelly shares a story about gifting a humorous, DIY Mountain Equipment Co-op membership kit.

Subscribe for a new podcast every Wednesday! Have a question, suggestion, or want to tax-deductibly sponsor an episode of On The Ground Parenting? Send us a message here 👇https://linktr.ee/onthegroundparenting

A Call for Support:

This show serves as a special platform for the Muskoka Family Focus Parent Ed team to request support, either with a one-time donation or by signing up for our Patreon at https://patreon.com/OnTheGroundParenting. We need your financial support to ensure we can continue offering free educational programming and keep this podcast running. Donations over $20 are tax-deductible.

Welcome to Episode 18 of On the Ground Parenting! Hosts Sandy, Sam, and Kelly kick off the holiday season discussion by tackling the mounting pressure and commercialism surrounding Christmas and other seasonal celebrations.

The hosts explore where holiday pressure comes from: often self-imposed or rooted in a parent's own childhood experience. and offer strategies for letting go of traditions that don't serve the family. Sam shares the shift in her neurodivergent family to focusing on rest and giving practical gifts, like her son's thrilling new electric toothbrush and water flosser, which are now a running joke. Kelly introduces her family's tradition of celebrating the Winter Solstice with a simple meal and candlelight, a tradition her adult children prioritize over Christmas gifts.

The conversation centers on reducing parental anxiety by establishing new, meaningful traditions and sharing the workload. The key is to be flexible and adaptable, asking: "Is it rest that we need right now?" and involving children (even teenagers) in deciding what elements of the holiday are important and who is responsible for which tasks.

Welcome to Episode 17 of On the Ground Parenting! This week, hosts Sandy, Sam, and Kelly dive into a topic many parents grapple with: profanity, or "four-letter words". The conversation explores the challenges of kids testing out "bad words", handling public outbursts, and the power of connection when navigating big emotions.

The hosts share personal, often hilarious, stories:

• Sam discusses her older son's enjoyment of profanity and her younger son (turning 15) deciding he's now old enough to swear "at will".
• Kelly recounts her child's first use of a swear word to describe "sh***y gutters".
• Sandy recalls a memorable moment when her daughter excitedly pointed out "little bastards" (bass fish) on a dock.

The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying need behind a child’s language or behavior. The hosts strongly advocate for "Connection Before Correction" , which means staying connected to hear the whole story before shutting down the expression of feelings. The hosts also discuss co-regulating, and Sam shares how she draws strength from trying to remain calm externally to help co-regulate her children.

The episode concludes with reflections on co-regulation and the importance of using humor and calmness to build lifelong relationship skills that extend far beyond parenting.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to sponsor or support the show, or even ask a question of our hosts, visit the Central Hub at [https://linktr.ee/onthegroundparenting] On the Ground Parenting is a production of Muskoka Family Focus Parent Education Program. The podcast is produced, engineered, and published by Red Juice Studio. [https://redjuicestudio.com/]

Welcome to Episode 16, the powerful conclusion of our special series with the acclaimed Adlerian psychologist, Alyson Schafer! This week, hosts Sandy Inkster and Samantha Ennest-Wallis finalize their deep dive into Family Meetings and the principles of Firm and Friendly parenting.

The discussion focuses on key strategies for managing a relationship with a busy, growing child or young adult. Alyson reinforces the need for confidence to ensure consistency, comparing a parent's approach to a mouse running a maze—if the rules keep changing, the child can't learn.

The hosts explore the practical reality of parenting older kids, where a major step is "reorganizing the respect". This means granting wider boundaries and allowing older children the entire week to complete chores that aren't time-sensitive, such as dusting or mowing the lawn. Alyson shares the "Level Three" technique—a family agreement to call out disrespectful "parent speak" or nagging to maintain a culture of mutual respect.

The episode finishes with the profound realization that "it is the long game". Parents must prioritize the relational part over the managerial part of parenting, trusting that their children will learn and that the ultimate "thank you" will be the quality of the lifelong relationship they build.

To see Alyson's videos of her own family meetings—including all the grace and grit—check out this YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZco_5s7VkjR5q5KrHdyJSGQIxj_dD0sK

If you enjoyed this episode and want to sponsor or support the show, or even ask a question of our hosts, visit the Central Hub at linktr.ee/onthegroundparenting.

On the Ground Parenting is a production of Muskoka Family Focus Parent Education Program. The podcast is produced, engineered, and published by Red Juice Studio.