# Joyful Kids with Kira Willey A weekly letter helping you raise (mostly) calm and happy children—one mindful moment at a time. Offering insights, stories, and easy-to-use-right-now tips from a joyful parenting expert, recording artist, and bestselling children’s book author. Page: Feed: --- ## [I don't even say hello. I just start the beat.](https://joyfulkids.substack.com/p/i-dont-even-say-hello-i-just-start) _2026-08-19 · Kira Willey_ Connection vs. Control: What 350 kindergarteners taught me about attention. ## [Back-to-school isn’t about the new backpack](https://joyfulkids.substack.com/p/back-to-school-isnt-about-the-new) _2026-08-05 · Kira Willey_ What your child's nervous system needs this fall. ## [Kindness, grit and other lessons for children from the World Cup](https://joyfulkids.substack.com/p/kindness-grit-and-other-lessons-for) _2026-07-21 · Kira Willey_ Still a soccer mom, still learning from the game ## [Songs You Need This Summer](https://joyfulkids.substack.com/p/songs-you-need-this-summer) _2026-07-16 · Kira Willey_ You’re the DJ in your house. Turns out the right song can do a lot. ## [We Missed Our Flight (One of Our Best Memories)](https://joyfulkids.substack.com/p/we-missed-our-flight-one-of-our-best) _2026-07-09 · Kira Willey_ What actually helps summer road trips with young children go better ## [Scotland, a Stadium, and Songs I Haven't Written Yet](https://joyfulkids.substack.com/p/scotland-a-stadium-and-songs-i-havent) _2026-07-01 · Kira Willey_ What I’ve been up to, and remembering that we don’t need to earn joy ## [A Few Things I Wish More Dads Knew](https://joyfulkids.substack.com/p/a-few-things-i-wish-more-dads-knew) _2026-06-17 · Kira Willey_ A simple framework for building a deeper bond with your child, starting today ## ["It feels like play" + a big ask from me](https://joyfulkids.substack.com/p/it-feels-like-play-a-big-ask-from) _2026-06-07 · Kira Willey_ June is a critical month for The Joyful Child—and you can help. ## [Less Schedule, More Summer](https://joyfulkids.substack.com/p/less-schedule-more-summer) _2026-05-28 · Kira Willey_ A gentler way to think about summer, easy connection practices, and the magic of snack boards ## [Stay updated on your professional world (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/lYDWGSQHxa5a) _2026-05-28 · **Sponsored**_ Keep in touch with people you know, build your career. ## [A Personal Update: What I'm Up To, What's Keeping Me Centered, and What I'm Still Figuring Out](https://joyfulkids.substack.com/p/a-personal-update-what-im-up-to-whats) _2026-05-20 · Kira Willey_ On being online while talking about getting outside, and other things I'm sitting with