Chasing Fireflies: Conversations

Creating family legacy moments that encourage children to communicate with confidence and view their world with a sense of wonder.

Write, "Publish" & Celebrate Family Moments 02/23/2020

Write, "Publish" & Celebrate Family Moments Let’s say you’re not a writer. But there are stories about your youth, parents and grandparents you want to share with your offspring. Could you create a small booklet of important family stories? Yes you could, and we will tell you how on our next Chasing Fireflies featuring author Dean Merrill. /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/13260596

Holiday Family Storytelling 12/06/2019

Holiday Family Storytelling Are there any cousin conversations coming up during this festive Christmas season? Could we remind you of the benefits to your children and grandchildren of using those occasions to collect a few more family heritage stories? Here is an example of how that type of conversation might sound. /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/12302390

Stories Cousins Tell... 11/24/2019

Stories Cousins Tell... What difference does it make if we keep the bond tight with extended family members? For many of us, our cousins and nieces and nephews, uncles and aunts and grandparents are spread across the country. Is it even practical to try to stay close? We tackle those questions in a Chasing Fireflies podcast called Stories Cousins Tell: Holiday Family Storytelling Ideas The holiday season is upon us, a time to reconnect with grandparents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles and the cousins. Why not take the occasion to use the audio record app on your smartphone and capture some family stories for future generations? Here are a few conversation starters you might ask the relatives: 1. How many stories do we know about how the couples in our extended family met? 2. Who remembers a special family reunion? 3. What are the top three values we share as an extended family and where did they come from? 4. How many generations are we from a family elder who immigrated to this country? 5. What have individual members of our extended family contributed to our understanding of how to live the best life? /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/12151637

Bonnie Fite: The Twelve New Days of Christmas 10/12/2019

Bonnie Fite: The Twelve New Days of Christmas We all know the whimsical holiday song that begins “on the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree.” We’ve never pictured French hens and maids a’ milking as ideal Christmas gifts. But the song always adds to the holiday cheer. Now we like it even more because Bonnie Johnson Fite has rewritten the lyrics to reflect the actual reason for the season. On this Chasing Fireflies Podcast you will hear the story of her beautiful children’s book The Twelve New Days of Christmas. " /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/11615945

Lynette Meintjes: Author of The Wise Men Journey 10/08/2019

Lynette Meintjes: Author of The Wise Men Journey When you’re a parent or grandparent, there is nothing quite like the look of Christmas morning amazement in your children’s eyes. But what if we could distribute a little of that intense anticipation and joy across the rest of December? That’s where we are headed on the next Chasing Fireflies Podcast. /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/11556587

Don Marsh: Do I Have to Practice Piano? 09/21/2019

Don Marsh: Do I Have to Practice Piano? Do I Have to Practice Piano Today? How do we strike a balance between a strong push in the back, knowing they will love the rewards, while also making their musical experience enjoyable? A legend in the field weighs in on this Chasing Fireflies podcast. /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/11339501

Raising Confident Communicators: Part 1 09/21/2019

Raising Confident Communicators: Part 1 Join Chasing Fireflies Podcast contributor Gil Moegerle for Part 1 of Raising Confident Communicators. As Gil explains, helping our children develop conversational skills is the first step toward building the communication skills required of adults, relationally and professionally. And, while talking might come naturally to our kids, effectively connecting with others requires some coaching. We can help. /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/11335739

A Lit-Comm Experience: Be a Friend! 07/27/2019

A Lit-Comm Experience: Be a Friend! We invite you to join us in "purposeful practice" - activities that create confident communicators. The theme? Be a Friend! /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/10679222

Janet Stevens: A conversation with the award-winning author of Tops & Bottoms! 07/06/2019

Janet Stevens: A conversation with the award-winning author of Tops & Bottoms! Here comes a conversation with a woman who says, as a youngster, she was a poor student and the least gifted among her siblings. we refer Janet Stevens, who became the author and illustrator of best-selling children’s books that have received the Parents Choice Award, the Notable Children's Trade Book award, the Caldecott Honor book citation, among others. How we encourage the child whose gifts blossom late, next on the Chasing Fireflies Podcast. /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/10425047

Andrea Nasfell: Every Other Holiday [Lifetime Christmas Movie] 11/05/2018

Andrea Nasfell: Every Other Holiday [Lifetime Christmas Movie] Do you love those special holiday movies about heart-warming family experiences as much as we do? You know the type presented this time of year by Hallmark or the Lifetime Movie Network. You are about to hear about one such movie airing the day after Thanksgiving that should be on your must-watch list – Every Other Holiday. We talk to its award-winning screenwriter, Andrea Nasfell, on this Chasing Fireflies podcast. /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/7448543

Andrea Nasfell, screenwriter: Tips for Family Storytellers 11/05/2018

Andrea Nasfell, screenwriter: Tips for Family Storytellers Thanksgiving alert. Our newest H2L podcast contains a simple tip for great family storytelling that is one of the best suggestions we’ve heard. It is built around your upcoming Thanksgiving family gathering. Heritage2Legacy.com /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/7447709

David Gyertson: Painful childhood memories? You can still tell stories. 09/21/2018

David Gyertson: Painful childhood memories? You can still tell stories. The Heritage2Legacy Project: Identifying and preserving your family memories. Let’s say you have listened to our podcasts about the importance of capturing and retelling important family stories. And you agree – storytelling helps create a child’s sense of identity and can pass along key family values. But maybe this is a painful subject for you because the story of your childhood contains few positive memories you want to tell your children and grandchildren. What then? Allow Dr. David Gyertson to tell you his story." /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/7072573

Bill Moore: Tales of Family Story Keepers 09/11/2018

Bill Moore: Tales of Family Story Keepers Are you identifying and preserving your family memories? A family's story keeper seems to remember in delightful detail, key moments in their clan's history and they tell cherished tales again and again without losing our interest. On this edition of Chasing Fireflies you will hear the epic tale of one such keeper. /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/7030694

Favorite Family Sayings 08/23/2018

Favorite Family Sayings The Heritage2Legacy Project: Identifying and preserving your family memories. What were your Mom and Dad’s favorite parenting sayings? You know, the ones that sounded like, “Put that stick down or you’ll poke your eye out.” We’ve assembled a few of our favorites for this edition of the H2L podcast. Join us, and stop crossing your eyes or they’ll stay that way. Heritage2Legacy.com /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/6959067

Cherished Family Reunions 05/09/2018

Cherished Family Reunions “The lack of emotional security of our American young people is due, I believe, to their isolation from the larger family unit. No two people – no mere father and mother – as I have often said, are enough to provide emotional security for a child. He needs to feel himself one in a world of kinfolk, persons of variety in age and temperament, and yet allied to himself by an indissoluble bond which he cannot break if he could, for nature has welded him into it before he was born.” – Pearl S. Buck This H2L memory? Cherished Family Reunion Memories. /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/6572329

The Greatest Family Story We Tell Our Kids 03/02/2018

The Greatest Family Story We Tell Our Kids Our new Heritage2Legacy short story is a two-fer. We tell a story in tribute to Billy Graham’s historic ministry. And we suggest one of your family tales deserves the label – greatest of all. Two stories for the price of one (free). /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/6320299

Childhood Career Dreams and First Mentors 02/12/2018

Childhood Career Dreams and First Mentors The Heritage2Legacy Project: Identifying and preserving your family memories. Our newest Heritage2Legacy short story is a tale of a common family experience – childhood fantasies of growing up and becoming…whatever. We describe a children’s book on the subject about superstar Michael Jordan, then illustrate how you could tell related family stories. Childhood dreams coming true, or not, this H2L podcast. /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/6249875

Family Holiday Gatherings, Surprises, & Approved Lying 12/11/2017

Family Holiday Gatherings, Surprises, & Approved Lying The Heritage2Legacy Project: Identifying and preserving your family memories. Tis the season for shimmering Christmas trees and lustrous decorations, colorfully wrapped gifts and joyous family reunions. Our next Heritage2Legacy short story is about several of our reunions, many unapologetically quirky. Join us for Family Holiday Gatherings, Surprises, and Approved Lying. Do you have a Christmas memory that involves a surprise? /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/6031242

Homemade Crusty Bread & Apple Butter 11/07/2017

Homemade Crusty Bread & Apple Butter The Heritage2Legacy Project: Identifying and preserving your family memories. Our next Heritage2Legacy short story takes us back to our small childhood home in Western PA, to cold wintry evenings and to four kids opening the front door to the smell of mother’s baking fresh out of the oven. And there are recipes. Homemade Crusty Bread and Apple Butter, next at H2L. /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/5917641

Family Faith Stories 10/28/2017

Family Faith Stories The Heritage2Legacy Project: Identifying and preserving your family memories. Our new Heritage2Legacy short tale is full of family faith stories – a barren couple who bore four children, a father of littles who lost his job on a Friday and went back to work on Monday. A hearty dose of inspiration - on this H2L podcast. /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/5885449

Favorite Childhood Books and Enchanted Attics 09/02/2017

Favorite Childhood Books and Enchanted Attics The Heritage2Legacy Project: Identifying and preserving your family memories. Our next Heritage2Legacy short story calls out a favorite childhood book and an enchanting childhood experience. Lions and wardrobes and attics, next at Heritage2Legacy.com /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/5700531

My First Favorite Teacher 08/10/2017

My First Favorite Teacher The Heritage2Legacy Project: Identifying and preserving your family memories. In this edition of our Heritage2Legacy cherished family stories series, we encourage you to think of a favorite teacher. This Heritage2Legacy short story calls out a favorite childhood teacher and one particular classroom skill she displayed that became one of our most important lessons learned. My First Favorite Teacher, next at Heritage2Legacy.com. We hope you enjoy this edition of Chasing Fireflies: H2L. Gil Moegerle /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/5627432

Our Wildly Out of Character Family Vacations 07/23/2017

Our Wildly Out of Character Family Vacations The Heritage2Legacy Project: Identifying and preserving your family memories. In this edition of our Heritage2Legacy cherished family stories series, we encourage you to think of your family vacations. By today’s standards, my three siblings and I grew up in a strict, old-school, by-the-book family setting. And we loved it. Our parents were flexible about some things and not so much about others. That was one reason the authoritarian stuff never seemed to be a problem. An example of this flexibility we saw mixed in with the strickness? Our annual family vacation broke all the rules. We hope you enjoy this edition of Chasing Fireflies: H2L. Gil Moegerle /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/5565101

It's Spring - Play Ball! 04/22/2017

It's Spring - Play Ball! The Heritage2Legacy Project: Identifying and preserving your family memories. In this edition of our Heritage2Legacy cherished family stories series, we encourage you to think of a baseball story. Did you play baseball? Did you go to baseball games; to spring training? Who was your favorite team? Check out the page tab, Heritage2Legacy, on our website for all the information you need to join us in creating legacy stories for the next generation. FirefliesBlog.com /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/5288328

Childhood Pets and Family Peccadillos 03/10/2017

Childhood Pets and Family Peccadillos The Heritage2Legacy Project: Identifying and preserving your family memories. In this edition of our Heritage2Legacy cherished family stories series, we encourage you to think of treasured family pets (real & unreal). Check out the page tab, Heritage2Legacy, on our website for all the information you need to join us in creating legacy stories for the next generation in your family. FirefliesBlog.com /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/5156803

A Perfect Wintry PA Day! 01/07/2017

A Perfect Wintry PA Day! The Heritage2Legacy Project: Identifying and preserving your family memories. In this edition of our Heritage2Legacy cherished family stories series, we give you examples Christmas memories. Check out the page tab, Heritage2Legacy, on our website for all the information you need to join us in creating legacy stories for the next generation in your family. FirefliesBlog.com /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/4971455

Christmas Trains, Torments, and Treasures 12/18/2016

Christmas Trains, Torments, and Treasures The Heritage2Legacy Project: Identifying and preserving your family memories. In this edition of our Heritage2Legacy cherished family stories series, we give you examples Christmas memories. Check out the page tab, Heritage2Legacy, on our website for all the information you need to join us in creating legacy stories for the next generation in your family. FirefliesBlog.com /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/4923475

Introducing the Heritage 2 Legacy Project 11/30/2016

Introducing the Heritage 2 Legacy Project We are calling these new tools Heritage2Legacy because stories are a way to influence future generations. Storytelling helps take the family heritage given to you, or which you began, and pushes that heritage forward toward legacy. We wanted to help make it easier for your family to create and preserve these favorite stories. Examples of our new H2L resources include a theme, a featured book prompt, and an example of a print and audio memory based on the theme and/or book. Simply write down or record one simple memory – a moment. You can do it! /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/4872057

Paper Routes & Jelly Donuts 11/27/2016

Paper Routes & Jelly Donuts The Heritage2Legacy Project: Identifying and preserving your family memories. In this edition of our Heritage2Legacy cherished family stories series, we give you examples of two stories your children and grandchildren will love to hear from you. What was your parent's first job and what was yours? Check out the page tab, Heritage2Legacy, on our website for all the information you need to join us in creating legacy stories for the next generation in your family. FirefliesBlog.com /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/4864431

Please Pass the Stuffing 11/17/2016

Please Pass the Stuffing The Heritage2Legacy Project: Identifying and preserving your family memories. For most of us, Thanksgiving is one of those special family legacy moments. And planning our next Thanksgiving is another example of how we all try to take the family heritage given us and try every year to push it forward toward family legacy. Our new Heritage2Legacy project provides you with ideas for capturing and preserving for generations to come these special family moments. Listen as Gil Moegerle attempts to capture for his grandchildren his childhood Thanksgiving. /episode/index/show/firefliesblog/id/4838587

Chasing Fireflies: Conversations

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