Laurie Duersch, a book editor and two-time brain tumor survivor, joins host Christopher Robbins to discuss her new picture book The Book Machine, which celebrates children's innate creativity and imagination. The episode explores how boredom fuels creativity, why parents should embrace "failure" as learning, and how to cultivate creative confidence in children by allowing experimentation, praising effort over results, and creating safe spaces for messy exploration. Duersch emphasizes that science and art are complementary forces, both rooted in curiosity, and that children naturally arrive equipped with storytelling abilities that adults must nurture rather than suppress.  Episode Highlights  00:02:15: Laurie introduces her background as a professional book editor, mother of two, and two-time brain surgery survivor who understands resilience and wonder.  00:04:30: The concept that children are born with a "book machine" inside them—an innate ability to create and share stories before they can even write.  00:06:45: How Laurie discovered the book idea by watching her toddler play with boxes and books while she resisted the urge to scroll on her phone, demonstrating the power of boredom and presence.  00:10:20: The connection between science and art as complementary teammates, both rooted in curiosity, rather than opposing forces of logic versus imagination.  00:14:00: Practical strategies for nurturing creative confidence: allowing experimentation and "failure," praising effort and ideas over results, creating messy creative spaces, encouraging questions, and listening to children's stories.  Key Takeaways  Boredom is essential for creativity—constant entertainment and screens prevent the mind from generating original ideas and discovering solutions independently.  Reframe "failure" as learning and discovery; children don't truly fail until they stop trying, and resilience builds through experimentation and disappointment.  Parents should prioritize listening to children's stories and creating safe, permission-filled environments where imperfection and messiness are acceptable parts of the creative process.  Quotable Moments  "They just are built to want to share and explore. And to me, I just think it is so important that we encourage that." "You never actually fail until you stop trying."  "Our kids just want to be heard. They just want to be listened to. And who better than from their parents who just love them and want the best for them."

Author Deborah Williams about creating meaningful bedtime routines that prioritize security over perfection. Williams shares insights from her book, ”Nighty Night Dinos.”

Christopher Robbins hosts a conversation with Zev Labinger, a visual artist, musician, and ecologist, about the newly published book ”Hear Them Sing: Songs and Calls from North American Birds.” The episode explores the intersection of art and science, examining how drawing and observation deepen understanding of the natural world, and discusses the transformative power of bird books in inspiring children to appreciate and explore nature.

Phyllis Harris, author-illustrator of the wordless picture book Claude, joins host Christopher Robbins to discuss how inspiration strikes during life’s mundane moments—bike rides, driving, mowing—when the mind is free from digital distractions. Harris reveals that her debut picture book was inspired by Claude Monet’s paintings and her own dog, Brinkley’s, interruptions while she works, ultimately teaching readers that perfectionism stifles creativity and ”glorious accidents” often produce the best art. The conversation celebrates wordless picture books as confidence-builders for reluctant readers and emphasizes that creative play trumps perfectionist precision.

Finding Hope After Suicide Loss with Author Lisa Sugarman

In this episode of the Helping Families Be Happy podcast, host Christopher Robbins welcomes author Tracy C. Gold to discuss her picture books "Call Your Mother" and "Call Your Father." Tracy shares insights from writing these books, which celebrate the importance of staying connected with parents across generations. The conversation explores how to avoid stereotypes about parental roles, emphasizing that fathers are equally capable of nurturing, comforting, and caring for children. Christopher and Tracy discuss the reality of modern parenting, including how different children have different communication styles—some call frequently, others prefer texting or memes—and how grandparents play vital roles in family support systems. The episode highlights the privilege of maintaining parent-child connections throughout life and the bittersweet reality of watching children grow and leave home. Episode Highlights 00:00:45: Introduction of Tracy C. Gold, author of children's books including "Call Your Father" and "Call Your Mother," which inspire connections between families and nature. 00:03:15: Tracy explains the origin of "Call Your Mother" from a family joke where her grandfather would tell her father to call his mother, sparking the book series idea. 00:05:30: Discussion of intentionally avoiding stereotypes in the books—showing fathers performing all childcare duties including newborn care, potty training, and emotional support. 00:08:45: Christopher shares his personal experience with nine children, noting that communication styles vary greatly—some call daily, others text memes or never contact him. 00:12:00: Tracy emphasizes that the books celebrate fathers comforting children through failure, handling bathroom emergencies, and addressing bullying—roles traditionally attributed to mothers. 00:14:30: Discussion of intentionally not showing a partner in the books to avoid depicting one parent as idle and to represent diverse family structures (single parents, military families, same-sex couples). 00:17:45: Tracy reveals her favorite humorous moments are the "potty pages" that get big laughs from children during readings. 00:19:30: Christopher reflects on the 36-year parenting journey with his wife Michelle, emphasizing equal partnership in all household and childcare responsibilities. Key Takeaways Fathers are equally capable of all aspects of childcare and emotional support—challenge stereotypes by expecting and allowing dads to nurture, comfort, and guide children through life's challenges. Connection with parents takes many forms; not all children call frequently, but texting, memes, and group chats are equally valid ways to maintain relationships and stay connected. Parental partnership requires intentional effort and shared responsibility across all tasks—cooking, cleaning, diaper changing, and emotional support should not fall disproportionately on one parent. Grandparents are valuable family assets who can provide essential childcare support and intergenerational connection when parents allow their involvement. Representation in children's literature matters; books should reflect diverse family structures and show parents of all types succeeding in their roles. Quotable Moments "I really wanted to show that dads can do everything that moms can do, except for some biological things, perhaps, and that we should support them to do that." "Change the diaper. Yeah. Do the vacuuming. I don't know if a woman can find anything more sexy than a man vacuuming the floor." "You've succeeded as a parent when they're able to" [leave home]. "I have succeeded if you put down these books and you call your mom, your dad, or anybody who's served that role for you in your life." "One step at a time, calling your parents. Every day you can make the world a happier place."

Exploring New York City’s iconic Central Park through Cristina Ergunay’s new picture book, Central Park: Adventures Through the Seasons.

Children’s book author Cathy Goldberg Fishman discusses her new book, A Walk in the Forest, which celebrates trees from around the world and their cultural significance.

New York Times bestselling author Richard Eyre about his latest book, ”The Grandparenting Blueprint.” Richard, a father of nine with 34 grandchildren, shares his insights on modern grandparenting and the importance of teaching life lessons to grandchildren.

We sit down with Andrew Dutton, a middle school digital media teacher, photographer, and sneaker enthusiast with over 400,000 Instagram followers. Andrew shares his journey from childhood basketball player captivated by athletic footwear to becoming a recognized sneaker photographer and collector