I Sleep Great: A Non-Parent's Guide to Parenting

In the sixth episode of I Sleep Great: A Non-Parent's Guide to Parenting, Ben sits down with Jen Vaida to discuss adverse childhood experiences, how no human is an island, and what you can do to get involved and create a better world for children. Jen is a mother and the Chief Program Officer at Nurture the Next, who works tirelessly to create a future for children and families filled with promise and prosperity.

Show Notes

In the sixth episode of I Sleep Great: A Non-Parent's Guide to Parenting, Ben sits down with Jen Vaida to discuss adverse childhood experiences, how no human is an island, and what you can do to get involved and create a better world for children. Jen is a mother and the Chief Program Officer at Nurture the Next, who works tirelessly to create a future for children and families filled with promise and prosperity.


(0:50) - Introduction to Jen and Nurture the Next
(3:05) - Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
(7:20) - Nurturing Parenting program at Nurture the Next
(8:10) - Every child has a different experience
(10:25) - The impact of ACEs
(14:50) - How to get involved in Nurture the Next; Description of the programs offered
(17:50) - Importance of "serve and return" with children
(19:45) - Living through learning; Jen’s experience as a parent
(23:45) - Parenting a child with disabilities
(27:30) - Struggling to maintain a sense of perfection as a parent
(29:00) - Humor as a coping mechanism
(32:15) - No human is an island
(34:00) - Why you need to help; What you can do; How to get involved with Nurture the Next
(42:30) - The experiences of non-parents versus parents during Covid
(45:25) - Raising your voice and how to deal with the aftereffects
(46:45) - Key Takeaways

What is I Sleep Great: A Non-Parent's Guide to Parenting?

I Sleep Great: A Non-Parent's Guide to Parenting is a new podcast hosted by Ben Oddo and produced in partnership with Nurture the Next. Through educational and entertaining interviews, we are going to focus on some of the more challenging moments of parenthood, like stress management, nutrition, and play. Our hope is to empower better parenting, and ultimately healthier, safer homes for more resilient children.

We'll be releasing episodes on nurturethenext.org or wherever you get podcasts. Also make sure to follow us on social media @nurturethenext. Parenting is hard and we're here to help.