Hi, I'm Lauren, one of the hosts behind the Table Talk for Mom's podcast.

Every mom needs a group of women standing behind her and that's what we're here for.

Listen to Table Talk for Mom's on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You're listening to 3 in 30 takeaways for Mom's episode 166, using stories as a parenting tool.

Welcome to 3 in 30, a podcast for Mom's who want to create more meaning and motherhood.

Each 30-minute episode will feature three doable takeaways for you to try at home with your family this week.

I'm your host Rachel Nielsen. Thank you so much for being here.

I have loved writing stories all my life. I even remember that one of my favorite Christmas

Presences at Kid was a little Becoming Author Kit, where it supplied special paper for me to write a story and draw the pictures,

then send the pages to a company that would bind it as a real hardcover book. It was magic when my book arrived back to me in the mail.

I felt like a real published children's book author.

Today on the podcast, I get to interview an actual real children's book author who has a unique message for us about how we as parents can use stories as a tool to get to know our kids better and to teach and guide them.

She's not talking about using pre-published children's books written by other people.

She's talking about using our own made up stories, whether or not we would consider ourselves to be writers.

Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan writes fiction and nonfiction for many magazines including highlights for children, muse, cricket, and spider.

She also writes books for the educational market from pre-K to second to high reading level middle schoolers.

She's a mom of three kids ages 15, 13, and 11, and I can't wait for you to hear from her today about how she has used stories within her parenting.

Before I share my conversation with her, I just want to remind you about this month's podcast sponsor BetterHelp.

The world's largest provider of therapy done 100% online.

Personal therapy is an incredible tool to become a better parent because as you develop your own emotional resilience, you are better equipped to teach your kids how to build theirs.

Through my years of counseling, I have learned tools that make me much less likely to use my temper at my kids or to worry excessively about my kids in situations I have no control over.

I've also been so grateful to have a confidential place to talk through many of my parenting struggles with my therapist who has tons of expertise in human development and is able to help me with advice and strategies to help my kids.

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