#213: Hunt, Gather, Parent with Dr. Michaeleen Doucleff

Hunt, Gather, Parent | This episode is brought to you by BiOptimizers and Paleovalley. Having children of your own is sure to make you think about the way you were raised and question if you want to do things the same. It’s also sure to raise lots of questions about how your interactions with your child are impacting their development and your relationships. What we see as commonplace parenting here in the US is quite different than other parts of the world. Helicopter parenting takes away from our kids’ independence and autonomy and often leads to conflict. Luckily, there are ways we can be more conscious to help everyone in the family flourish. Today on The Dhru Purohit Podcast, Dhru talks to Dr. Michaeleen Doucleff. Michaeleen is a correspondent for NPR’s Science Desk. In 2015, she was part of the team that earned a George Foster Peabody award for its coverage of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Prior to joining NPR, Michaeleen was an editor at the journal Cell, where she wrote about the science behind pop culture. She has a doctorate in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree in viticulture and enology from the University of California, Davis. Her new book Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans shares what she’s learned in her own parenting journey as well as through her research on families across the globe. In this episode, we dive into: -Michaeleen’s personal struggles with her daughter Rosy (6:30) -Why the way we parent in the West is strange (14:39) -The importance of autonomy for children (18:20) -The rising rates of anxiety and depression in kids, and how the way we parent in the West is contributing to that (23:07) -How Michaeleen’s daughter Rosy puts herself to sleep at night (28:29) -The greatest gift you can give your child (37:19) -The best way to motivate your kids (41:03) -Why children don’t really need child-centered activities (51:50) -Why we shouldn’t constantly praise our kids (59:08) -The value of a communal approach to raising children (1:04:30) -Michaeleen’s TEAM approach to parenting (1:07:34) -How to make this approach work in a busy family life (1:21:15) For more on Dr. Michaeleen Doucleff you can follow her on Twitter @FoodieScience, and through her website https://michaeleendoucleff.com/. You can contact her directly by email at mdoucleff@npr.org. Get her book, Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans at https://michaeleendoucleff.com/hunt-gather-parent/. This episode is brought to you by BiOptimizers and Paleovalley. If I had to pick one supplement that has made the biggest difference in my overall health, it would be magnesium. I personally started taking magnesium to help with my sleep, especially when I travel, and it’s been a game changer. But I don’t take just any old magnesium, I take BiOptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough. It contains 7 different forms of magnesium, which all have different functions in the body. I haven’t found anything else like it on the market. Right now, BiOptimizers is offering my community a few special bundles, just head over to https://magbreakthrough.com/dhru, with code DHRU10. Not all turmeric supplements are created equal. I love taking Turmeric Complex from Paleovalley. It contains organic whole food turmeric, so you get the synergistic effects of all its compounds. It also contains coconut oil and black pepper which have been shown to improve the absorption of those active compounds by 2,000%, plus it includes other natural anti-inflammatories like organic ginger, rosemary, and cloves. Right now, Paleovalley is offering my listeners 15% off at https://paleovalley.com/dhru. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices