In this episode of the Kind Cotton podcast, Kaitlin reflects on the profound responsibility of parenting and the desire to raise children who thrive in community with empathy, love, and kindness. She sits down with Caley Kukla, an experienced educator and founder of Play with Purpose, to explore the intricacies of nurturing connection and compassion in parenting.

Caley Kukla brings her expertise in special education and early childhood education to the conversation, drawing from her 13 years of experience working with families in various capacities. As an international parent educator, Caley shares valuable insights and practical tools for fostering meaningful connections with children while leading with empathy and kindness.

Connect with Caley at https://www.caleykukla.com/

Quotes
"The amount at which I think about being a 'good parent' is wild. We are raising this tiny human who is going to go out into the world one day on their own, and all we want is for them to remain in community with us."

"How do we continue to develop connection to also lead with empathy, love, and kindness?"

"I hope that it gives any parent, caregiver, educator out there some tools that can equip them with leading."

"Kindness is a verb. Kindness is the actions we take to acknowledge our own humanity, our own needs, and meet those, and then extend that humanity out to others."

"Parenting isn't a list of strategies. It's a relationship. We're building a relationship with our child and we're getting to know a person as they're getting to know themselves."

"We share more in our humaneness than our differences. And it doesn't mean not to weigh or watch differences by any stretch, but the shared humanity just surpasses."

"Ultimately, I can't control my child. I can only control myself."

"Awareness is step one. What if that awareness isn't enough? What if he becomes aware of it and he's like, 'This is more fun, I like it'?"

Connect with us on social media:
Kind Cotton Instagram
Kind Cotton TikTok

Full Transcript: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2247/9287/files/Kindness_is_Podcast_with_Kaley_2024-04-12_13_18_GMT-4_-_Transcript.docx?v=1713624301