Parenting

Parenting tips, advice, kid’s activities and how to manage a family.

Podcast Episode 209: How to Connect with Your Son: Small Changes to Make with Tosha Schore
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Podcast Episode 209: How to Connect with Your Son: Small Changes to Make with Tosha Schore

Are you struggling to connect with your son? It can become harder as they start into those tween years to be able to keep a strong connection. In this podcast, we share 3 small changes you can make to form a stronger bond with your son.

Podcast Episode 207: Building a Strong Parent-Teen Relationship with Sheryl Gould 
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Podcast Episode 207: Building a Strong Parent-Teen Relationship with Sheryl Gould 

If dealing with angsty teens are stretching your nerves thin, then this is the episode for you! Parenting expert Sheryl Gould shares how you can build a strong parent-teen relationship and ditch the frustration.

Podcast Episode 206: Raising Resilient Kids: Fostering Exploration and Happiness with Stephanie Malia Krauss
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Podcast Episode 206: Raising Resilient Kids: Fostering Exploration and Happiness with Stephanie Malia Krauss

Do you feel like you struggle to help your kids find their own interests? Are you worried that your kids aren’t learning how to be resilient? Or maybe you want to start providing more opportunities for your kids to explore new things…eitherway, this episode is for you!

Podcast Episode 205: Want to Stop Yelling? Here’s how!
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Podcast Episode 205: Want to Stop Yelling? Here’s how!

If you’ve found yourself in a situation where you’re yelling and just can’t seem to stop, then you’re in the right place. We’re going to share why we yell and what you can do to stop, and make a real change. in the process.

Podcast Episode 204: Yoga, Parenthood, and the Power of Mindfulness with Sarah Ezrin 
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Podcast Episode 204: Yoga, Parenthood, and the Power of Mindfulness with Sarah Ezrin 

Ever wanted to learn more about mindful parenting? And ever wondered how that relates to all things yoga and parenting overall? Join us as we share practical tips for moms and dads to navigate the emotional challenges of parenthood.

Podcast Episode 202: Overcoming Digital Parenting Dilemmas with Devorah Heitner
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Podcast Episode 202: Overcoming Digital Parenting Dilemmas with Devorah Heitner

Do you love posting those first-day-of-school pics? How about using those family friendly tracking apps? Ever wonder when it might all be too much? We’re going to give real advice on how to find those boundaries for your kids as they are growing up in a very public and digital age.

Podcast Episode 200: 6 Invisible Tasks that Add to Your Mental Load
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Podcast Episode 200: 6 Invisible Tasks that Add to Your Mental Load

Does it feel like the mental load of motherhood breaking you? If you’ve ever felt close to a breaking point, you’re not alone! Motherhood often dictates the role of being our children’s counselor in relationships and emotions, absorbing their feelings and challenges. We’re shedding light on six hidden tasks that might be adding to your mental load and pushing you to the edge.

Podcast Episode 199: 5 Tips to Prioritize Self-Care & Raise Good Humans with Hunter Clarke-Fields
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Podcast Episode 199: 5 Tips to Prioritize Self-Care & Raise Good Humans with Hunter Clarke-Fields

We have so much going on as busy moms…how are we supposed to prioritize self-care as a mom? It’s so hard to find the time, but we have 5 easy tips on how to do it, and in the process, raise some pretty good humans as well!

Podcast Episode 198: What to Do When Your Family Hates Leftovers with Tiffani Thiessen
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Podcast Episode 198: What to Do When Your Family Hates Leftovers with Tiffani Thiessen

Do you hate the idea of cooking dinner? Most of all trying to figure out what to do with leftovers? We have got the solution to your leftovers dilemma. Tiffani Thiessen joins us to share all the ins and outs of her new cookbook that revitalizes your dinner menu without costing you an arm and a leg!

Toddler Hitting Sibling
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Toddler Hitting Sibling

Not more than 2 seconds after they hop in the car, the screaming begins.

“No, that’s not what happened Erik. My lunch is at 11:35am, not 11:30.”

I brace myself.

“NO SISSY! YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT”

And then, WHAP!

He reaches his little arm across the space in the bucket seats between them and hits her.

“Erik, DON’T HIT ME!!!”

That’s when I intervene.

I don’t know how school bus drivers do it. How do you discipline 30 kids when you’re trying to keep safe and focus on not veering your large yellow, monstrosity off the road

I’m in a Toyota Highlander with only two children and I’m ready to lose my mind.

Yelling At Child Doing Homework
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Yelling At Child Doing Homework

“Noooo… I can’t do it. I don’t have the time!!”

Have you heard this from your child when she sits down to do homework? My gosh, it wrecks me.

I can feel her overwhelm and so relate to it.

I know what it feels like to have so much to do and what seems like no time to do it.

So, I jump in and try to help.

“It’s ok sweetie, let’s write down all the things you have to do to get it out of your head.”

“NO!” she pouts back, “That won’t help. I don’t know any of this and I have to get started now.”

What do you do with that? You see the problem, you know the steps to take to fix it and yet your child pushes you away like you couldn’t possibly know what she’s talking about or what she’s dealing with.

How To Get A Child To Clean Up After Themselves
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How To Get A Child To Clean Up After Themselves

Ever walk in your house and become immediately overwhelmed with the stuff lying around?

Its bad enough when you have a kitchen junk counter stacked with 3 layers deep with kid’s artwork, random books and those gadgets for your door that you don’t want to throw away but you don’t really know how to install.

But then is all the stuff your kids leave laying in the living room or crammed onto the top of the family room game shelf.

What To Say To Your Child When Friends Are Mean
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What To Say To Your Child When Friends Are Mean

Mean kids. They’re everywhere.

Let’s face it. These kids who tease aren’t horrible human beings (although our mama bear senses want to say they are), they just lack social skills.

So if we want our kids to avoid these mean kids and seek out positive relationships, we as parents, need to teach them social skills.

Podcast Episode 053: How to Calm Down When You’re Stressed
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Podcast Episode 053: How to Calm Down When You’re Stressed

We all get into arguments with our kids that make us feel stressed and anxious. But how do we get out of that and move on to a solution with our kids? We give easy calm down strategies for your and your kids. You both will be able to cool down in no time flat!
These tips are perfect for parents and kids!

3 Simple Ways to Make Homework Fun

3 Simple Ways to Make Homework Fun

I’m going to be blunt.

Right now, your child’s homework time just plain sucks.

It does.

You dread it every night. “Hey, have you done your math homework yet?

“NO! I can’t do my homework. I don’t want to do it yet. Can’t I watch TV? I’ll do it after dinner.”

So much back and forth and back and forth. It’s become too much.

The question is, how do you make your child want to do homework?

How do you make homework less boring?

Podcast Episode 119: Finding your Authentic Self with Ryan Haddon
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Podcast Episode 119: Finding your Authentic Self with Ryan Haddon

It can be hard finding your authentic self when we put so much energy into our family every day. It becomes so difficult to untangle where your identity ends and your identity as a parent begins (news flash- they are different)! We’re going to share 3 things you can do to have healthy boundaries with our kids and family and help you find your authentic self.

Podcast Episode 028: Why Don’t Our Kids Listen Anymore?
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Podcast Episode 028: Why Don’t Our Kids Listen Anymore?

Every day feels like a fight. Whether you ask your kids to pick up their shoes off the floor, to go get dressed for school, or simply to come join the family for dinner. It often feels like our kids simply don’t listen to us! But if we did just 3 simple things, we would see much different results.

Tween Mood Swings
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Tween Mood Swings

You walk in the door from school. Your nine-year-old comes in after you.

Everything seems fine. She’s happy. All is well and good.

Then, you remind her that the dishwasher needs unloading.

Boom. It’s like something inside her detonates.

“Noooo… I don’t have time to do that. That’s so unfair. I can’t believe you’re making me do this!:

She glares at you, stomps over to the kitchen sink and starts crying.

WHA-ATT just happened? She was happy. I didn’t blame her. I just had a simple request.

Podcast Episode 61: How Logical Consequences are More Effective Than Punishments at Home
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Podcast Episode 61: How Logical Consequences are More Effective Than Punishments at Home

Too often, we fall into the trap of punishing our kids in the heat of the moment after something’s happened. But that hardly ever works. Here, we’ll discuss the difference between logical consequences and punishments, as well as how to make effective logical consequences that will have a positive impact on your discipline at home.

Podcast Episode #146: How to Parent Like a Spy with Christina Hillsberg
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Podcast Episode #146: How to Parent Like a Spy with Christina Hillsberg

Have you ever thought that being a parent should carry some training? How about spy training? I mean, who doesn’t want to learn how to parent like a spy? Meet Christina Hillsberg, former CIA agent and author who shares how her training as a spy has influenced her parenting with her 5 kids.

Middle School Organization Checklist
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Middle School Organization Checklist

It’s 6pm on a Thursday and I get a frantic text from a friend. Her daughter goes to the same school as mine.

“Hey, does your daughter have the math test from 2 months ago? The teacher is letting Celina retake it but she can’t find it.”

“Yeah, hold on, let me ask her.”

My daughter does have the test – which she doesn’t hand over right away because she wants to know exactly why she needs it, what it will be used for… third degree basically.
Satisfied with all my answers,she opens her binder to the math section, pulls out the test and hands it to me.
“Thanks,” my friend texts back, “I don’t know what Celina did with it.”

Podcast Episode 116: Six Coping Skills That Will Change Your Kids Lives
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Podcast Episode 116: Six Coping Skills That Will Change Your Kids Lives

Do you wonder how to teach good coping skills to your kids? We talk with Janine Halloran, LMHC, about everything parents should and shouldn’t do when learning and teaching good coping skills to kids.

Could this be why you’re so frustrated as a mom?
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Could this be why you’re so frustrated as a mom?

Do you feel like you’re too nice?

One of my students called me out for that my first year of teaching.

In her very astute, wise little fifth grade voice she told me, “Mrs. Crohn, you are too nice”

But wait… don’t you want to be nice? Isn’t that something to aim for?

Kind yes. But nice…nice is taking on the full responsibility of other people’s feelings and adapting your behavior to make others happy.

That’s what I was doing when an 11-year-old called me out.

Creating A Bare Bones Budget When You’re Not Making Much Money
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Creating A Bare Bones Budget When You’re Not Making Much Money

In the midst of this strange season of social distancing and change, money may well be a scary topic for you. Maybe you’re like my family and you’re working through a big loss of income due to the pandemic? Maybe overwhelm and anxiety define your money situation in this season of uncertainty? Maybe you’ve decided to keep your head down and eyes closed, playing the “if I don’t look at it, then it can’t be real game” that our kids played when they were little?

Homework Helper Middle School
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Homework Helper Middle School

Dread your middle schooler’s homework every night? These tips for middle school parents will guide you in effective homework strategies.

There I was, sitting in my son’s 7th grade Parent-Teacher conferences, listening to the Literature teacher tell me the same thing I have heard for the past few years at every single conference…

“Your son is very bright, well-behaved, an absolutely pleasure in class. However, he doesn’t seem to get his homework done. And our first test of the year didn’t go very well for him.”