Dam Parenting

In this episode, Eva and Maren guide parents through a powerful journaling exercise using the Brief Parental Self-Efficacy Scale , a tool designed to help parents assess their current strengths and pinpoint areas for growth. This reflective exercise invites parents to take a step back, acknowledge their challenges , and identify where they might need support —ultimately helping them build the conf...

Your child’s first day of school is just as big a deal for you as it is for them. In this episode of Dam Parenting , Eva and Maren welcome back educator Isabel Cruz to take a warm, honest, and direct look at the transition to the Dutch school system. Moving beyond just choosing a school, we dive into the practical "day-one" realities that make or break a smooth start. Isabel shares the teacher-app...

Welcome to Part 2 of our deep dive into the school process for our little ones starting in September . In Part 1 , we talked about how we navigated the school search, dealt with the lottery system , and received our acceptance letters. Now, in this episode, we shift focus to what happens after the acceptance letter—what comes next in preparing for the big school transition. Eva and Maren share the...

Raising a daughter to believe she can achieve anything is a transformative responsibility, but as girls hit their pre-teen years, research shows a sharp decline in confidence and sports participation. In this episode of Dam Parenting , Eva and Maren sit down with Sara from Project Fearless , an Amsterdam and Rotterdam-based organization dedicated to reversing that trend. We take a warm, honest, an...

Why does your child suddenly "flip their lid," and how can you help them find calm? In this edition of the DamGoode Bookclub , Maren and Eva are joined by award-winning librarian and children’s literature expert Elizabeth Goode to dive into the global bestseller The Whole-Brain Child by Dr. Daniel Siegel and Dr. Tina Payne Bryson. We take a warm, honest, and direct look at how understand...

We’re taking a short summer break, but we couldn't leave you without revisiting one of our most-requested conversations. In this "Best of" episode, we’re back with Eowyn Crisfield from On Raising Bilingual Children to tackle the topic that stays at the top of every international parent’s mind: multilingualism. Navigating a household where Dutch isn’t the first language brings unique challenges, fr...

As the holiday season settles in, Eva and Maren are taking a well-deserved break and revisiting one of the most-downloaded conversations in Dam Parenting history: the "Spoiling" episode. In this warm, honest, and direct replay, we tackle the guilt and confusion many international parents feel. Are we "spoiling" our kids with things to compensate for the distance from family, or...

As the summer holidays approach, parents are "taking the show on the road"—but does anyone actually get a rest? In this episode of Dam Parenting , Eva and Maren are joined by resident psychologist Dr. Naomi Gibson to take a warm, honest, and direct look at the reality of family vacations. We move past the glossy travel photos to discuss the logistics of packing stress, the exhaustion of long road...

The big four is approaching! In this episode of DAMChats , Eva and Maren are in full birthday-planning mode as their daughters prepare to turn four. Navigating the toy aisles (or the endless scrolling of online shops) can be overwhelming, so we’ve done the homework for you. We both sat down separately to draft our "shortlists" and are now coming together for a warm, honest, and direct co...

The holidays are approaching, and while the packing is a feat in itself, the actual journey is where the real challenge begins. In this episode of Dam Parenting , we sit down with ⁠ JetSetGabrielle ⁠ to take a warm, honest, and direct look at the art of traveling with kids. Gabrielle pulls back the "Instagram curtain" to reveal the messy reality of family trips and shares the practical strategies...

We all enter parenthood with a vision of how we’ll raise our children, but what happens when exhaustion and reality take over? In this installment of the DamGoode Book Club , our resident librarian and writer, Elizabeth, revisits the influential book The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read . Having first read it during pregnancy, Elizabeth shares how her perspective has shifted now that her daught...

How do you react when your child points out a difference in public? In this workshop-style episode of Dam Parenting , DEI advocate Isabel Cruz joins us to take a warm, honest, and direct look at raising culturally aware children in a diverse world. Living in the Netherlands offers a unique melting pot of cultures, but it also requires us to be intentional about how we discuss race, skin color, and...

What happens to your birth plan when there is already a little one at home? In this installment of our Village Vibes series, we’re joined by Helen, a mom of two from England living in the Netherlands, to share the raw and real story of her second home birth. Helen takes a warm, honest, and direct look at the logistical and emotional puzzle of birthing at home while managing the needs of her firstb...

If you’ve ever felt discouraged by the "language gap" or worried that your child is losing their connection to your home culture, this episode is for you. Eowyn Crisfield returns to Dam Parenting to offer a warm, honest, and direct reminder: multilingualism is a marathon, not a sprint—and it is never too late to start or refocus. We cut through common myths about language delays and assimilation p...

Whether you call it a binky, dummy, or tutje, the pacifier is a beloved tool that helps many babies (and parents) survive the early years. But when is the "right" time to say goodbye? In this episode of DAMChats , Eva and Maren take a warm, honest, and direct look at the emotional and practical reality of weaning off the pacifier. We discuss the undeniable benefits—from soothing stress t...

Being an international parent in the Netherlands means facing a unique set of hurdles, and sometimes you just need to know you’re not the only one struggling with them. In this warm, honest, and direct episode, Eva and Maren dive into the messages and "hot topics" that have been sparking conversations across our community. From the stress of choosing the right school to navigating the of...

Becoming a parent is unpredictable enough without the added stress of the Amsterdam housing market. In this episode of Dam Parenting , Eva and Maren dive deep into a topic that has sparked endless conversation in our community: the housing struggle for international families. From the frustration of bids not being accepted to the heartache of finding a place that actually fits a growing family, we...

Why are Dutch children consistently ranked as some of the happiest in the world? In this first installment of the DamGoode Bookclub , hosts Eva and Maren are joined by award-winning librarian and author Elizabeth Goode to dissect the iconic parenting guide, The Happiest Kids in the World . From the "three R's" (rest, rhythm, and routine) to the famous Dutch teenage independence, we take a warm, ho...

What happens when the "new baby" excitement fades and the long-term reality of motherhood sets in? In this follow-up episode of Dam Parenting , we reconnect with Amsterdam-based postpartum doula Harriet at her own three-month milestone. When we last spoke, Harriet was preparing for her first child; now, she’s in the thick of it. We take a warm, honest, and direct look at the "slump" that often occ...

When life gets overwhelming, self-care is often the first thing to go—and nutrition usually follows. In this episode of Dam Parenting , Eva and Maren sit down with Amélie to take a warm, honest, and direct look at the powerful connection between what we eat and how we feel. As mothers, we often prioritize our children’s plates while neglecting our own, reaching for quick fixes that leave us draine...

⁠ Motherhood is overwhelming for everyone, but for mothers with ADHD, the mental load can feel like a daily battle against executive dysfunction. In this episode of Dam Parenting , we are joined by Emma from ⁠ADHD Potential to explore why so many women are receiving ADHD diagnoses in their 30s and 40s—often triggered by the relentless demands of parenting. We take a warm, honest, and direct look a...

Trigger Warning Pregnancy loss is a deeply personal journey that is far too often navigated in silence. In this installment of our Maternal Mental Health series, Eva and Maren sit down with specialist Ilena Standring to take a warm, honest, and direct look at the emotional toll of miscarriage. We discuss the profound impact of loss on mental health, the complexities of grieving while living abroad...

When our children start school, we focus so much on their backpacks and big feelings that we often forget our own. In this episode of Dam Parenting , we’re joined by relocation counselor and coach Erin, who reached out after listening to ⁠episode 30: School and Languages⁠⁠, to explore the hidden anxiety parents face during major life transitions. Inspired by our recent discussions on the Dutch sch...

Motherhood is often painted as a time of constant connection, but the reality for many is a profound sense of isolation. In this candid episode of Dam Parenting , Eva and Maren sit down with resident psychologist Dr. Naomi Gibson to pull back the curtain on the loneliness so many mothers face but rarely discuss. Whether it's the 3:00 AM feed, the repetitive park visits, or the rainy Dutch days tha...

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses premature birth and the NICU experience. Please listen with care. We all carry a vision of the "perfect birth," but what happens when the reality is a neonatal intensive care unit? In this moving installment of our Village Vibes series, well-known Amsterdam doula Toni steps out of her professional role to share her deeply personal story of her daug...