Hello and Welcome
Welcome to the CosmoParenting Substack! CosmoParenting is a continuation of the CosmoActivities line of resources created by the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution.
Beginning in January 2025, you can follow along in weekly podcast, blog, or newsletter form- all of which can be accessed right here. Each week we will be joined by parents, educators, family therapists, and communicators alike to explore what it means to parent.
If you would like to receive notifications of each week’s offerings in your inbox, become a subscriber here! Otherwise, follow us for free access to all podcasts and blogs on your own timeline.
CosmoParenting
We don’t believe that there is one, “correct” way to parent. CosmoParenting is about recognizing that there are many ways to parent; and that each of us create our own way through the stories we live and tell. With CosmoParenting, the purpose is to find a way that works for you and uncover your parenting potential.
In this space, we invite you to see yourself as someone who is curious about and actively participating in creating your own meaning around parenting. And CosmoParenting is for all who “parent,” be that biological and adopted parents, foster parents, bonus and step parents, grandparents, caregivers of any kind, whatever your parenting may look like, this space is inclusive to you.
The important part is noting that we are all in a process of becoming and emerging in the shared act of parenting. So, it is up to you to define parenting for yourself, but that is not to say you have to do it alone. CosmoParenting is designed to support you in this journey of figuring out what it means to parent by enriching your parenting toolbox, offering one short episode and blog each week that provides opportunities to reflect, listen, connect, practice, and engage in conversations.
The journey of parenting is a lifelong one, and we think of it like improvisation- you don’t always know what will happen next, but with the right tools, practices, and language you can feel prepared and confident in meeting unexpected moments, trusting yourself to act in alignment with your hopes for yourself and your family.
Thank you for joining us for CosmoParenting. We are so glad to be on this journey with you.
How This Works
Over the course of 2025, we will be releasing one podcast episode (along with corresponding blog posts and newsletters) on Monday of each week of the year. Throughout these 52 episodes/ blogs we will explore 12 Universal Themes, dedicating 4 episodes to each theme in order to properly explore all the dimensions in the themes and how it can impact the practice of parenting. If you are coming to our page during or after 2025… no worries! These resources will remains available for free right here for you to explore and engage with at your own pace.
Each theme, and therefore, each month, will consist of four distinct episodes: Appreciate, Validate, Animate, and Communicate.
Week one of each month, will be our “Appreciate” episode. In this episode we will introduce the month’s theme and offer questions for reflection, allowing us to appreciate where we are and where we’ve been. Week two will be our “Validate” episode, in which we share stories from parents, with the hope that hearing the first hand experiences of other parents will help you feel seen and validated in your own experiences as a parent. Week three is our “Animate” episode, where we learn some best practices that we can use to put what we have learned into action. Finally, the week episode is “Communicate.” In this last episode of each month, we will explore some prompts to engage your family and support systems in meaningful conversation.
Who We Are
The CosmoParenting Podcast is hosted by Abbie VanMeter, who is joined once a month by Stephanie Higgs, Barbara McKay, and Don Waisanen. You can meet the team below!
Abbie VanMeter
Abbie is the host of the Stories Lived. Stories Told. podcast for the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. She is a critical interpersonal communication scholar-practitioner.
Stephanie Higgs
Stephanie is a gifted educator with 14 years of experience teaching students from Pre-K to 5th grade. She shares resources, ideas, and advice with fellow educators on Instagram.
Dr. Barbara McKay
Barbara is a systemic psychotherapist, supervisor, and teacher. She has served on the Board of trustees for the Association for Family Therapy. Barbara works with social work leaders to enhance their systemic and communication abilities. She is a mother of two adult children and a grandmother of five.
Dr. Don Waisanen
Don is a professor of strategic and leadership communication at the C.U.N.Y. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. his research, teaching, and consulting seek to understand how communication works to promote or hinder democracy. He is a father to three boys.
CosmoParenting is part of our CosmoActivities series of resources, which includes CosmoKidz, CosmoTweenz, and CosmoTeenz. Each set of activities is designed to give the target age group the opportunity to think critically about their role in the creation of social worlds. Check out all our CosmoActivities for free below.
Why Subscribe?
You can subscribe for free to follow along with our year-long project.
