Mastermind Parenting Podcast

Is it even possible to continue building your relationship after your birdies leave the nest?  Come be a fly on the wall for one of my catch-up calls with my daughter, Avery. We share a hilarious Modern Fam video and recap our winter break family vacation, including an old pattern that made Avery upset and embarrassed. I think you’re going to love our honest conversation about the “un-pretty”...

How exciting is it when you have a conversation that sparks a ton of ideas you want to share? That’s how my daughter Avery and I felt after our chat with Michael DiMartino . Talking about how kids learn through stories got us thinking about how much stories have taught us, both as kids (mostly in her case) and in adulthood (mostly in mine).  Our follow-up conversation takes the focus from the...

Humans have always learned through stories. It can be easy to forget this fun fact when there are toys and backbacks and shoes covering the floor. AND we still want them to learn morals and values and life lessons.  This is where brilliant storytellers like Mike come in. Michael DiMartino’s stories have had a huge impact on my kids, and children around the world. Mike is the co-creator of Ava...

Oh the pressure of December… SMMS S o. M uch. M om. S tuff.  My gift to you this season is two time-tested treats that will help you plan a holiday that’s memorable. ( The good kind of memorable of course: ) First reminder involves:  How to deal with and even shut it down, when judgey relatives are questioning your parenting choices.  Next, I’ll remind you of some of my favorite tip...

Recently, I was a guest on “The Art of Parenting” podcast. The host, Jeanne-Marie, asked some great questions and you might even be surprised by some of my answers. We discussed what it means to have a strong-willed child and why I like to use that phrase.  She asked me about my approach to helping these sw kids.  And of course, we talked about one of my favorite topics to spotlight: Per...

My daughter, Avery, is first-gen Mastermind Parenting, (once removed:) .  The “once removed” was her description -  “the MMP recipe was still being perfected:)”.  She’s grown and flown now, but it’s been fascinating to watch her put Mastermind principles into practice. These days she probably teaches me more than vice versa. Avery is on the pod this week to share some wisdom that I...

Divorce is a reality for lots of families, and it’s a gigantic emotional challenge. As you’re struggling to realign your life, you’re also managing a lot of big feelings. You want to make things as easy as possible for your kiddos, but how can you do that when things get messy? How do you help your kids understand what’s happening? How do you support them as they process the fear, sadness, and unc...

Humans learn through story. It’s been this way for thousands of years.  For realz:). And when you’re raising strong-willed kids, no script or tip has ever had the same impact as saying “Hey, remember in that story when...” I think we need to take a step back from memorizing the words of the latest social media parenting professional and get back to simpler times.  Dare I say, indigenous...

Kids are naturally motivated to feel purposeful. In other words, kids want to feel like they bring value to the pack. It’s primal actually.   You see, bringing value/ helping out/ feeling as if “these people might be lost without the amazing me and my mad sweeping skillz:)”,  are all ways kids feel when they are given purpose.  Purpose can be a tiny thing (clearing their plate...

I’m a fan of good therapy. But I also see so many moms, who are trying to help their strong-willed ones, in the wrong order imo…they look for a therapist first, before changing anything at home.  Well this is what I’m talking about today with our fave author, Michaeleen Doucleff.  In part one of this conversation, we discuss why pack leadership seems so natural for some folks, and so elu...

Big changes mean big feelings, and as my youngest heads off to college, I’ve been deep in them. I’m so glad I got to talk to psychologist and attachment expert Eli Harwood about this. Eli literally calls herself The Attachment Nerd, and she totally gets it. This one was vulnerable and raw and felt like a therapy session for me.  As always, thanks for listening. Head over to Facebook, where yo...

You know those moments, when a little deal feels like a much bigger deal?   And even though you tell yourself Don’t sweat the small stuff or Settle down, Sister… You just can’t help it.   I call these Bratty Little Baby moments , and guess what? We all have them. Big people. Little people.  All the people have Bratty Little Baby moments.  Why you may ask?  Cuz… H...

Have you ever met someone who is doing the thing you wish “younger you” had known?  Recently, I met Esther and wow…Just. Wow.  In many ways she reminded me of “younger me” but better.  Way. Better.  (And with a cool accent to boot:) She’s been a mom on a mission to turn her household around. And she has implemented so much in such a short amount of time - literal lightning spee...

Getting the kids out the door in the morning… I don’t think most parents would describe this simple daily process as simple. But what if it could be?   When I was thinking about what to share with you on the podcast this week, I remembered this resource, and had to share it with you to help simplify the mornings and set your family up for a super successful school year.  If you need...

You listen to parenting podcasts. You read books. You are a student of how to be the best mom for your kids.  You work your tushie off for your kids…maybe even to be the parent you would’ve wanted.  I see you.  And I know you beat yourself up about the hard moments when you just can’t hold it together anymore.  And wouldn’t it be amazing to have a partner that sees all of you?...

If you’re looking for support in figuring out the “now what” after diagnosis, you’ve gotta know Yetta Myrick. Yetta has been in the trenches, supporting her son for 21 years, who was diagnosed early with Autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability. When it came to finding stellar support for her child with cognitive and developmental challenges, Yetta had no quit! This often felt like an uphill batt...

Teenage-hood. It’s a loaded topic. It’s a loaded time.  Just you wait til this one’s a teenager. Payback’s a bitch - you were a nightmare as a teenager! We turned out fine but the risks are too risky for kids today.  Ya’ll have been asking me for teenager resources for forever.  The teen years have always been tough. Changing schools, changing bodies, racing hormones.  But toda...

Do some days seem like a never-ending emotional rollercoaster living with your strong-willed and/or highly sensitive one? Like no matter what you say or do, they just can’t seem to get it together?  On days like these, you might be fighting like hell to stay calm on the outside, but inside your heart is racing and your stomach is tied up in knots.  And these days seem way longer than a m...

As a mom, figuring out when to give my kids a phone has been one of the hardest topics to tackle. While there have been conveniences once they got a phone, like being able to know where they are at all times and reach them if I need to, the cons have far outweighed the pros in my family.  A phone is the default way lots of kids stay in touch, organize activities, and learn about the world. Bu...

My conversations with Michaeleen Doucleff are so much fun that sometimes I forget to hit record! Usually it doesn’t even matter what we talk about, but this time it’s extra good.  You know those times when your kid is acting like a little contrarian. You say up, they say down. You say yes, they say no. And around and around and around. Michaeleen has come up with an amazingly simple sentence...

When you’re in the trenches raising kids, it can feel like the busiest, hardest season of life.  Now, imagine trying to start and run a business at the same time?  I think my son, Cory, would say that’s low key insane.  He’d also hate me claiming to know what he’d say and attempting to use his lingo…whatevs:).  And just like it rarely feels like a perfect time to get pregnant b...

When people join the Mastermind Parenting community, they come seeking answers about the way their children behave. What they usually don’t realize is that they’re not just struggling with “bad” behaviors. They need a space where they can unlearn generations of bad advice, and retrain their thinking around the rewards and challenges of parenting sensitive kids. This week we’re talking about a mom...

Can we just be real for a minute, and admit that parenting is hard? Kids are wild and wonderful, but their behavior can sometimes be really confusing. That’s never more true than when a kiddo is a delight around one parent, but mean and antagonistic around the other. That’s the situation one of my Mastermind moms faced when she joined us. It’s been a process, for sure, but this week she shared wit...

Y’all know that Michaeleen Doucleff is my favorite. Her book, Hunt, Gather, Parent , has become a must-read for my Mastermind parents. Since we first connected we’ve spent hours, on and off the mic, vibing and swapping parenting stories. One story I’ve been dying to get more detail about is the decision Michaeleen made to start a whole school out of her house! It’s a remarkable tale of agency, con...

When people find out I’m a parenting coach, they’ll often say they should probably take a parenting class. Now, you know I believe in the value of coaching. But there are lots of everyday opportunities to connect with our kids and teach them how to navigate the world. Stories you read together for fun can be a great source of wisdom if you just know what to look for and reinforce. I call this the...