Parenting

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

Podcast Episode 295: 3 Ways to Sneak in Exercise: Finding Time When You’re Always Too Busy
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Podcast Episode 295: 3 Ways to Sneak in Exercise: Finding Time When You’re Always Too Busy

Struggling with finding time to exercise? You’re not alone. Discover how to fit exercise into your busy life with three sneaky tips that make finding time to exercise easier than ever. Say goodbye to excuses and hello to a healthier you—finding time to exercise has never been this fun or doable!

Podcast Episode 294: Do Enneagrams Help You Parent Better? Harnessing Enneagram Insights for Resilience and Growth with Beth McCord
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Podcast Episode 294: Do Enneagrams Help You Parent Better? Harnessing Enneagram Insights for Resilience and Growth with Beth McCord

Unlock the power of Enneagram insights in parenting! Discover how enneagram insights can help you understand your stress points, navigate parenting challenges, and become a more present, self-aware parent. Dive into the world of enneagram insights with expert Beth McCord in our latest episode.

Podcast Episode 293: Is Your Kid a Mastermind Manipulator or Just Being a Kid?
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Podcast Episode 293: Is Your Kid a Mastermind Manipulator or Just Being a Kid?

Discover whether your kid is a budding mastermind manipulator or just navigating the world of childhood antics. We dive into the charming yet challenging ways kids test boundaries and reveal their manipulative tactics. Learn how to keep your sanity while understanding that your little “manipulators” are simply figuring things out, one “But why?” at a time.

Podcast Episode 291: 4 Ways You Can Rekindle Your Sexual Spark: Going From Meh to Magic
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Podcast Episode 291: 4 Ways You Can Rekindle Your Sexual Spark: Going From Meh to Magic

Reignite the sexual spark in your long-term relationship with our latest podcast episode, where we explore how mental and emotional connections impact intimacy. Discover how sharing feelings and understanding different perspectives can transform “meh” into magic, reigniting that sexual spark in your relationship. With practical tips and insights, we’ll show you how the sexual spark can be rekindled through connection, support, and love.

Podcast Episode 289: You’re How Old? Tackling the Guilt and Judgment When You Have Kids Later In Life
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Podcast Episode 289: You’re How Old? Tackling the Guilt and Judgment When You Have Kids Later In Life

Explore the joys and challenges of becoming a mom later in life. Discover how having kids at a later age brings unique rewards and creates a supportive community of older parents. Learn why being a mom later in life is reshaping motherhood norms.

Podcast Episode 288: 4 Flawless Strategies for Managing Stress and Revitalizing Your Relationships with Elizabeth Earnshaw, LMFT
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Podcast Episode 288: 4 Flawless Strategies for Managing Stress and Revitalizing Your Relationships with Elizabeth Earnshaw, LMFT

Discover the secrets to managing stress in relationships with tips from renowned therapist Elizabeth Earnshaw. Learn how understanding stress signals can transform your dynamics and make managing stress a breeze. Tune into our podcast for humor, creativity, and practical advice!

Podcast Episode 286: Momlife: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly with Mary Catherine Starr from @MomLife_Comics
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Podcast Episode 286: Momlife: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly with Mary Catherine Starr from @MomLife_Comics

Dive into the wonderful chaos of momlife with our latest blog post! We peel back the layers to reveal the real, raw, and often hilarious truths of momlife—from body image and societal standards to gender roles and double standards. Motherhood is a beautiful, messy journey filled with love, laughter, and an impressive collection of half-eaten snacks. Join us as we embrace the good, the bad, and the ugly of momlife with a sprinkle of humor and honesty.

Podcast Episode 285: Why Does Summer Make You Cringe? How To Successful Manage Summer as a Mom
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Podcast Episode 285: Why Does Summer Make You Cringe? How To Successful Manage Summer as a Mom

Discover hilarious and practical tips to successfully manage summer as a mom! From sunscreen battles to career juggling, learn how to navigate the daily mom hustle with wit and wisdom. Embrace the chaos and find balance in the madness of summer break. Manage summer as a mom like a pro with our essential survival guide!

Podcast Episode 284: How to Get The Happier, Calmer and Connected Family You Want With Emotional Intelligence featuring Stephanie Pinto
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Podcast Episode 284: How to Get The Happier, Calmer and Connected Family You Want With Emotional Intelligence featuring Stephanie Pinto

So, you’ve decided you want a happier, calmer, and more connected family, eh? Well, friend, welcome to the rollercoaster ride known as “parenting with emotional…

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.

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 86: Parenting on the Same Page with Amy McCready
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Podcast Episode 86: Parenting on the Same Page with Amy McCready

It’s hard enough when you are trying to pick a place to go out to eat and no one is on the same page, but when you and your partner or co-parent aren’t on the same page…it can be downright agonizing! We discuss with Amy how parents can identify what the real issue is causing their parenting struggles and how to best get on the same page and become a united front.

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 112: What is Social Justice Parenting?
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Podcast Episode 112: What is Social Justice Parenting?

When it comes to parenting, so many of us want to raise “good kids”. Kids who will be kind to others, who can problem solve, kids who truly understand and act out of compassion, and who understand inclusivity, justice, and equality. But there is often a space between raising “good kids” and raising pro-justice kids. That’s where the concept of Social Justice Parenting comes in.

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.”

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.”