Is My Kid the Asshole?

Articles

The Parenting Police Are Watching

1 week ago | melindawmoyer.substack.com | Melinda Wenner Moyer

Before I jump into today’s topic, a reminder that my book Hello, Cruel World! comes out in just SIX WEEKS! The Big Idea Club has picked my book as one of its “Must-Reads” for May, and the the Child Mind Institute loved it so much, they invited me to be the featured guest at their annual spring luncheon next month, where I’ll follow in the footsteps of recent past guests Dr. Becky and Emily Oster. If you haven’t already pre-ordered my book, please do.
How to Make Friends as An Adult

1 week ago | melindawmoyer.substack.com | Melinda Wenner Moyer

Over the past year, I’ve been leaning a lot into friendship. When my ex and I decided to separate, my friends were my lifeline, helping me process all my feelings. Friends who lived hundreds of miles away were omnipresent on WhatsApp, checking in, offering their perspectives, letting me vent. My local friends invited me over for meals, helped me with house-related things as I adjusted to home ownership as a single lady, and offered to host my kids for playdates.
Three Things to Keep in Mind About "Adolescence"

2 weeks ago | melindawmoyer.substack.com | Melinda Wenner Moyer

I finished the Netflix show Adolescence on Sunday. I had to watch it in small doses, over the course of two weeks, because it is so intense. As a television show, I found Adolescence outstanding. The acting was phenomenal. The hour-long episodes were filmed in one continuous take, a feat so incredible I can’t even begin to wrap my head around it. The show was powerful, it was poignant, it was terrifying, it was heartbreaking. I enjoyed it and have recommended it to friends.
The One Thing I Always Say When My Kid Is Upset

3 weeks ago | melindawmoyer.substack.com | Melinda Wenner Moyer

There’s so much conflicting advice on what parents should do when their kids are upset. Validate! (But don’t over-validate or coddle.) Stay with your kid to let them know you’re okay with their feelings! (But don’t stay if they really ask you to leave.) Talk about times when you’ve been upset too! (But don’t make your child feel responsible for your well-being.) Share your perspective and ideas! (But don’t problem-solve if they just want to be heard.)So….
The Lies We've Been Told About Motherhood

1 month ago | melindawmoyer.substack.com | Melinda Wenner Moyer

A few weeks ago I finished Nancy Reddy’s marvelous new book, The Good Mother Myth. I honestly can’t say enough good things about it. It is an incredible in-depth exploration of how our society came to adopt so many unrealistic and unfair expectations of mothers. It is part vulnerable, honest memoir and part investigative journalism, revealing the various ways in which our beliefs about motherhood are based on flawed reasoning, bad science, confirmation bias and sexism.
Why Kids Get Grumpy After Screen Time

1 month ago | melindawmoyer.substack.com | Melinda Wenner Moyer

I’m spending the week in a recording studio in Katonah, New York, recording the audiobook for my upcoming book Hello, Cruel World!I recorded the audiobook for my first book, How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t Assholes, too, and I loved it so much. Wish me luck that I don’t lose my voice.
How My Friend Ended Sibling Bickering

1 month ago | melindawmoyer.substack.com | Melinda Wenner Moyer

On Wednesday evening, a good friend reached out to me after having had a fraught dinner with her kids. Her daughters had been bickering throughout the meal — her 11-year-old was constantly correcting her little sister; her 7-year-old was making sucking noises she knew her sister hated; and they repeatedly stuck their tongues out at each other. You’ve probably been there. I know I have.
A Simple Way to Stop Overparenting

1 month ago | melindawmoyer.substack.com | Melinda Wenner Moyer |Adam Grant

A quick note before I dig into today’s topic: I’m super excited that psychologist and bestselling author included my book in his Substack roundup this week, “11 New Books to Brighten Your Spring,” alongside new books by Maggie Smith, Melinda Gates, and Susan Dominus (!!! omg what company!!!).
The Suffocating Weight of Self-Blame

1 month ago | melindawmoyer.substack.com | Melinda Wenner Moyer

When I was a kid, I hated ball sports. Kickball, in particular, was my nemesis. I was always picked last for the team in P.E., and for good reason: When the ball rolled towards me, I would panic and, more often than not, whiff it entirely. As an adult, I can, thankfully, avoid ball sports. But there are other grown-up things I’ve never been good at or enjoyed, including hiking and bicycling.
No Wonder We're Scared of Screen Time

1 month ago | melindawmoyer.substack.com | Melinda Wenner Moyer

Every week, I stumble across at least one new viral media headline warning about the dangers of screen time. Over the past few days, I’ve read that “every hour children spend on screens raises chance of myopia,” as well as that “more than 50 percent of children have their own tablet by age 4” — two headlines that, taken together, do not bode well for the collective eyesight of our children.