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"Juneteenth (June + nineteenth), also termed Jubilee Day, Freedom Day, or Emancipation Day is the observance of June 19, 1865 — the day that enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas learned that they were free. This now official U.S. federal holiday has a rich, deep history. " - Tonya Abari

This is a special day! It is about recognition, restoration and celebration. Take time to celebrate with your children by reading one of these books, recommended by the awesome Tonya Abari and :

💜Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper

💙The Juneteenth Story by Alliah L. Agostini (Author) and Sawyer Cloud (Illustrator)

💛Opal Lee And What It Means to Be Free: The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth by Alice Faye Duncan (Author) and Ketura A. Bobo (Illustrator)

🧡Juneteenth Jamboree by Carol Boston Weatherford (Author) and Yvonne Buchanan (Illustrator)

❤️All Different Now: Juneteenth, The First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson (Author) and E.B. Lewis (Illustrator)

💚Free at Last: A Juneteenth Poem by Sojourner Kincaid Rolle (Author) and Alex Bostic (Illustrator)

📚The 1619 Project: Born on the Water by Nikole-Hannah Jones and Renée Watson (Authors) and Nikkolas Smith (Illustrator)



Juneteenth is a federal holiday that celebrates the emancipation of enslaved African American people in the United States. Additionally, Juneteenth is a day to reflect on the atrocities and inequalities that African Americans have faced throughout history and in the present day. Although President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the new law was not widely enforced throughout the entire United States. In Texas, it took two and a half years for many enslaved people to learn they had been freed. On June 19, 1865, Union Army General Gordon Granger and his federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas. He told the enslaved people that they were now free, and he shared the news that the Civil War was over. It is a day of celebration and hope. And, it is also a day to pay honor and respect to the many people who suffered greatly under slavery.

🌱🌞Summer is finally here! The solstice also brings a change in routines. While some sweet lazy days, adventure opportunities, and extra time with siblings can be a bonus, it also means screen time might ramp up. Here are some Positive Discipline tips to (mostly) avoid power struggles, save your sanity, and keep your kiddo’s brain from getting short circuited.

Get curious:
Using connection and curiosity, sit down with your child (or go for a walk!) and ask them what they are excited about for the summer. Ask them what their expectations are for screen time and listen to their answers. What about video games? Messaging with friends? After giving them a chance to share THEIR point of view, then you can share yours. What are your expectations? Goals? What is your “why”? Remind them that you love them and you are excited to spend the summer together and help them continue to grow a healthy brain and body.

Make agreements:
Ask them to start the first draft of the agreement for what screen time will look like this summer. Get specific, get it in writing, and keep going back and forth until the whole family is on board. Use the family meeting space if needed to check in with the draft and come to a mutually respectful agreement, then establish it as part of the routine.

Let routines be the boss:
When they beg, want more time, or ask when they can watch their show, simply ask “when is your screen time?” Stay consistent and firm. As tempting as it is, avoid using screen time for rewards and punishment. Instead, focus on solutions and follow through.

When things go sideways, remember they are practicing and growing new skills. It takes a lot of executive functioning to handle technology (it's powerful!).

Expect progress, not perfection, and approach it from a brain development based lens.

Each child is different for how it affects them and how responsible they are; use this summer as an opportunity to bring awareness and create healthy screen habits that feel right for your family.

DM me with your questions!

What are your summer plans?
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🌱KEEP IT SIMPLE. With two days until summer I am using this as a jumping off point for all three kids, going through it separately due to the age difference. Kind + Firm = we are making agreements, getting clear and having fun. (Routines, bedtime, screens and contributions all were one collaborative convo.)

➡️DM me and I’ll send you pictures of how this develops, including what the routine and agreements look like. Ooh- update- my husband just walked in as I’m typing this and added “wheel of choice when bored.” So I updated the picture and now we are calling it the “summer menu” which is not a list, just options if they need screen free ideas on non camp days. The calendars - free, printable- have already been so helpful to orient them around the few camps and family trips….
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KEEP IT SIMPLE. With two days until summer I am using this as a jumping off point for all three kids, separately due to the age difference. Kind + Firm = we are making agreements, getting clear and having fun. DM me and I’ll send you pictures of how this develops. Ooh- update- my husband just walked in as I’m typing this and added “wheel of choice when bored.” So I updated the picture!

This is my jam! I would love to come to your preschool or elementary school community to give a parent ed talk. Whether it is an intro to Positive Discipline or a more specialized topic (siblings, anxiety, growth mindset, undoing entitlement, etc.) I am your gal! In person for Seattle schools or on zoom anywhere in the world:) Literally just today I got this email:

"Julietta!! What an amazing evening we had with you last week! We were so blown away by your presentation and ability to connect with each person in the room. We have already heard so many rave reviews from parents. One mom this morning said she just "felt seen". How cool! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise with our families. We feel so lucky to be connected with you 🙂"

That could be YOU! Comment below or DM me for more information or to hop on a call to plan! Or email me: [email protected]

(PS-- I have parents come up to me YEARS later saying they will "always remember" a particular story or tool I shared that changed their life. Truly. Your community deserves this!)

Modeling is everything. My dear friend dropped off flowers and this simple note and I had it out for a week. Then on Saturday, without any prompting, my newly nine year-old wrote this thank you to her sister. If we want kids to write thank yous, we need to write thank yous! If we want kids to be empathetic we need to show empathy. If we want kids to read we need read. If we want kids to do hard things, we need to do hard things. if we want kids to be persistent, we need to show persistence. Send me a DM or comment below- would love to know what you or your village is modeling - or wish you could model- for your child. I’d love to help. 🌹