Laurel Handfield is an author who has written over 50 children's stories.

As a young black girl growing up in America in the 70s and 80s, Laurel struggled with self-esteem

because all of the quote-unquote pretty girls on television and in magazines were blonde

and had white skin and blue eyes, and they look different from her which created a sense

of insecurity and loneliness in her life.

And while images are diversifying, there's still a long way to go in our society in representation.

And so on this conversation, Laurel shares a little bit of her own story as a grow growing

up and struggling with that insecurity and how we as parents can help our children work

through the insecurities that they face with presence and love and intentionality in

the conversations and the actions that we portray.

Let's jump into today's conversation.

I want to begin by thanking Kozy Earth for sponsoring today's episode.

It has only taken 10 years of marriage for Jesse and I to finally realize that we needed

to start investing in high quality pieces to make our home cozy.

And not only is it worth it for the sake of peace at home, but also for intimacy between

the two of us.

So Kozy Earth gifted us an incredible bamboo sheet set and has been my favorite sheet

set yet.

And we have honestly spent so much money trying to find the right ones that don't instantly

get holes in them or shrink down after one wash.

And the Kozy Earth sheet set is so much softer than cotton.

And one of my favorite parts about it is that it is temperature regulating.

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