Become A Calm Mama

None of us is perfect. Not your kids, and not you. We all mess up, lose our cool and act in ways we aren’t proud of. It’s normal to feel guilty after you blow up on your kid, but there is a path back to connection. It starts with learning how to forgive yourself.  You’ll Learn: What to do after you lose it on your kid. The difference between guilt, shame, and remorse Why you have to forgive y...

If you feel worried about messing up your kid, today’s episode is for you. I’m teaching you how practicing attunement will help you build a more connected relationship with your child and create emotional health within them.  You’ll Learn: What attunement is and why it’s important for emotional health 2 simple steps to practice attunement Examples of what it looks like to be attuned to your c...

The recent fires in Los Angeles (not far from where I live) have me thinking a lot about resilience. As I hear more and more stories of families who are displaced, who have lost their homes, I’m overwhelmed by thoughts of the resilience that these individuals, families, and communities will need in order to recover. You’ll Learn: What resilience is and why it’s so important to start practicing at...

There are so many options out there for sports and extracurriculars for kids…and so many questions that come with them. Should you have your kids play sports? When? Should you make them stick with something they hate? The list goes on and on. You’ll Learn: How to create more opportunities for free play (including windows of screen-free time) The difference between structured & free play and th...

If you’re setting goals or resolutions for 2025, this episode is for you! This year, I was asked a question that stopped me in my tracks and shifted my entire approach to goal setting. The end result was goals that made me feel joyful instead of shitty. Now, I’m sharing that question with you. You’ll Learn: My theme for the year Why thinking you need to “fix yourself” will sabotage your goals How...

Many people believe that thinking about regrets is a waste of time or unimportant. But I think it can actually be informative and instructive. Today, I’m sharing some of my parenting regrets as I look back on the decisions I made when my kids were younger. I want to show you how you can use regret in a positive, supportive way. You’ll Learn: Why regret can actually be a good thing Regrets I have f...

Winter break can be hard for us and our kids. What often happens is we sort of just start going into the holiday season and winter break without a plan or being prepared.  You’ll Learn: How to get through winter break without feeling exhausted and sick by the end Ways to support your kids and decrease meltdowns What to do when your kid is disappointed by a change in plans or something not goi...

Recently, I’ve coached a few different moms about allowance and chores. These concepts often go together, but I think about them as two separate pieces. Today, I’ll teach you how to use giving allowance to teach financial literacy to your kids.  You’ll Learn: Why I don’t believe you should pay your kid to do chores Financial lessons all kids should learn The value of giving an allowance How t...

Parents often ask me about how to approach giving their kid a phone for the first time. Today on the podcast, I’m joined by Kristi Bush, founder of Protect Our Kids. We’re talking about strategies to use before you give them the phone, as well as tools for monitoring their use.  You’ll Learn: Examples of kids accessing internet content that they shouldn’t (and how it often happens) Why it’s i...

Today is Thanksgiving in the U.S., so I’m sharing a simple gratitude practice that you can do as a family, along with a guided gratitude meditation. What you focus on is what you create more of. When you focus on things that bring you joy and delight, you’re going to feel better and more positive about your life.  You’ll Learn: Why your kid isn’t wrong for wanting things How to flip the wish...

If you’ve ever wished you could make life less complicated, you’re going to love my guest on today’s podcast. Brenda Yoder is here with me talking about contentment - what it is, how to cultivate it and what is keeping you from feeling satisfied with your life. You’ll Learn: Why there is more discontent in our current society that in past generations How contentment and happiness are different fro...

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective therapeutic models to help people move through negative emotion and create long term change in the way they think, feel and behave in their lives. Today, I’m showing you how you can use the powerful concepts behind Cognitive Behavioral Therapy  in parenting. You’ll Learn: Why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is such a powerful tool H...

The term “accidental neglect” might sound a little harsh, but it also describes what your child experiences when you’re on your phone. You might be disconnecting from your kid without realizing it. Today, I’m talking all about what your child sees and feels when you are on your device and strategies for better phone etiquette around kids. You’ll Learn: Why your kid often bothers or interrupts you...

Today on the podcast, registered psychotherapist, art therapist and author Amelia Knott is helping us discover the art of thriving online and sharing ways to reconnect with yourself, your thoughts and your sense of wellbeing. You’ll Learn:  Common challenges that result from the online space and being constantly connected How to reconcile the good and bad of the internet and social media What...

Just like the rest of the body, your brain needs times of attention, focus and activity as well as times of rest. Today, I’m talking about two different networks within the brain and how to toggle between them. It will help you understand how to get your brain to do more and rest better so you can feel more focused and less overwhelmed.  You’ll Learn: What the Task Positive Network and Defaul...

In this episode I'm talking about what I call the screentime dilemma - basically the overwhelm and frustration you feel around figuring out screens. I’m helping you understand why it feels so hard and why it actually falls outside of your wheelhouse as a parent.  You’ll Learn: Why figuring out screentime is so confusing How screentime is following in the footsteps of driving, smoking and diet...

One of my kids has pretty severe ADHD. When he was younger, it showed up a lot in the form of hyperactivity and impulse control. The challenges have evolved as he’s gotten older. Today, I’m talking about my experience of parenting a kid with ADHD and sharing what I’ve learned along the way. You’ll Learn: Why ADHD is about way more than behaviors What it’s like to experience our modern world with a...

A manifesto is a list of principles to help guide you how you want to live each day. Maybe you’ve made one before and didn’t even realize it. Today I’m sharing my parenting manifesto and showing you how to create one of your own. You’ll Learn: What a manifesto is and why it is so helpful in parenting The commitments behind my parenting manifesto What I would add or change if I wrote mine over agai...

Today on the podcast, I am interviewing Tracey Yokas , the author of Bloodlines: A Memoir of Harm and Healing . She is here to share her experience of navigating a teen mental health crisis with her own daughter, including the struggles and what she learned through the process that helped them both cope and heal.  You’ll Learn: The true cause of eating disorders (it goes much deeper than you...

Today on Become A Calm Mama, you get double the parent coaches! My guest, Eileen Devine, specializes in supporting parents who are raising kids with neurobehavioral conditions.  Signs that your child might be struggling with a neurobehavioral condition Common challenges for kids with neurobehavioral conditions and their parents Eileen’s favorite mantra for difficult moments 3 key factors to f...

Recently, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory saying that parents aren’t ok. There’s a lot that goes into raising emotionally healthy kids, and a huge part of it is your own mental health, including how you handle stress and negative emotions.  In today’s episode, I’m breaking down this 36-page advisory and sharing some of the highlights (or lowlights) of the report in simple terms. Y...

Today I’m talking about Venmo moms, volunteer moms and everything in between.  If you haven’t heard of a “Venmo mom”, it’s a term that’s been going around on TikTok and Instagram lately. Essentially, a Venmo mom is someone who isn't really interested in being a hands-on volunteer with their kid’s school, team, etc. They wanna just send some money to support those programs.  You’ll Learn:...

I’ve just dropped off my youngest son at college. And rather than focus on my home being an empty nest, I like to think of it as my roomier nest.  You’ll Learn: How to find the wisdom in procrastination The different ways feelings show up in our bodies and minds My take on an empty nest What I want out of this next stage I hope that by sharing my story and perspective, you’ll feel less alone...

Over the course of my experience being a mom and coaching hundreds of other moms, I’ve noticed 3 distinct stages of motherhood. No matter what stage you’re in right now, I want you to feel seen and understand more about why you feel the way you feel. In this episode, I’ll explain these stages and give practical advice for surviving the 3 stages of motherhood. You’ll Learn: The 3 stages of motherho...

It’s that time of year, so I’m back with an encore episode sharing my top 5 back to school tips. In this episode, you’ll find strategies (and a few reality checks) for a smooth transition into the new school year.  You’ll Learn: 5 challenges that often arise as school starts - and how to handle them Thoughts to help you (and your kids) through the back-to-school transition What your #1 job is...