Shirlee Smith, the Queen of Common Sense, says she is tired, really tired, of American society permitting kids to run the household. Shirlee believes adults ought to be in charge. As simple as this seems, it’s controversial and it leads to spirited thinking and dialogue when she’s on podcast, radio, television or leading her parent development sessions and at her public speaking engagements. Shirlee’s comedy is controversial. She just stirs it up when ever she talks parenting.
She’s motivated every time our uptight society says she can’t; she likes to prove that she can. As a single parent with five children and on welfare, she was recruited by UCLA for their High Potential Program – she graduated with the honor of Departmental Scholar in Sociology. As an opinion columnist, she received numerous first place Journalism Awards from the Greater Los Angeles Press Club. Shirlee is recipient of the U.S Congressional Angels in Adoption Award.
Even more, She is a former appointee to the Los Angeles County Commission for Children and Families, she served as a chair the County Adoptions Commission, she has received Congressional Recognition: Women in Business, and she is the recipient of the KCET/Union Bank Local Hero award. Shirlee hosted and produced the award-winning cable TV show, “Talk About Parenting With Shirlee Smith”. She is the author of “They’re You’re Kids, Not Your Friends” and the Spanish version, “Son Tus Hijos, No Tus Amigos”.