Importance of What We Read to Children, Depictions of Fathers, and Positivity | Ashley Finley #40 

We all know that it is important to read to children from a young age; however, what we read is also important. It is understandable for parents today to be worried about making sure that children are aware of potentially negative outcomes within the world, but we must also arm children with resiliency and a strong awareness of the good in the world. This week, our guest is Ashley Finley. Ashley is an author of children's literature and owner of JJ Carson Press. Her two books, Jade's Secret Ingredients and No Limits, teach young children to be inquisitive, to be reflective, and to be courageous--but it also reminds children that they have the loving guidance of their parents. If you're looking for books for your young children, you simply cannot do much better than these. In this episode, we talk about Ashley's background in social work, the importance of positive depictions of fatherhood, and why even young children should spend time learning how to reflect properly for their own mental wellbeing. We spend a little bit of time in nostalgia for Uncle Phil, played by the late, great James Avery from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I also try to sell parenting to Ashley as a heroic call to action, but she is far too humble to take me up on it at full face value. Make sure you subscribe to the channel, hit the like button, and leave a kind comment. We want to bring the Neutral Ground message of civil discourse in front of as many people as possible. 

// EPISODE LINKS //

Ashley's Works (Affiliate): https://amzn.to/3JpZgxW

JJ Carson Press: https://www.jjcarsonpress.com/

// EPISODE OUTLINE //

00:00 Opening

00:23 Opening words

02:41 Beginning of conversation

03:29 How did you become an author and owner of a press?

08:02 Broadening our understanding of social work

13:06 Versatility in the label of social worker

14:30 Why write a book on the unconditional love of a father?

16:51 Uncle Phil (the great James Avery) and Fresh Prince nostalgia

18:55 How important was it for you to show disagreements and problems?

21:40 These are not just messages for children, are they?

23:06 Can parenting be looked upon as a heroic calling?

26:36 Why are negative depictions of fathers so prevalent in society today?

29:42 I talk about my classroom experiment with social media and mood control

32:02 We talk about choosing positivity

36:03 We talk about Jade's Secret Ingredients and the power of reflection

38:46 Extending the conversation of mental health awareness

42:41 I am ashamed of my confession that I suffer from "future tired"

45:20 What led you to the ingredient of reflection?

49:47 What are your future goals for JJ Carson Press and your book?

51:46 Where can people learn more about you and your works?

52:37 Final thoughts

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#education #fatherhood #freshprince #neutralgroundpodcast #literature