Failing Motherhood

One of my kids just received a diagnosis. It was 10 years in the making because school was not seeing any of the symptoms we saw at home until now. In light of this milestone for our family, I’m sharing a personal reflection of my own parenting. As parenting is often filled with confusion, overwhelm, guilt and regret… here are things I do NOT regret. IN THIS EPISODE I SHARED: A vulnerable audit of...

What’s wrong with sharing pictures on Facebook so grandparents can see the kids? As parents in 2024, we’re in uncharted waters trying to navigate our own internet use, let alone our kids’. My guest today, Sarah Adams, is an online safety advocate and expert, exploring the state of parental public oversharing, child exploitation and minor security on social media. While diving into the harsh realit...

T minus 2 days until a candy avalanche is at our doorsteps! Thankfully, my guest today, Nicole Cruz, RD is here to take some weight off our shoulders. Nicole is the founder of Nourish Together, a shame-free approach to family nutrition. As a Registered Dietitian and mom of three, Nicole supports parents in raising confident eaters who can eat a variety, listen to their body cues, and not obsess ov...

Are you in the midst of the chaotic beautiful hard journey that is raising a gifted child at your house?  Can you know "for sure" if your child is gifted? My guest today, Erin Vanek has spent well over a decade supporting gifted students with a Master's in Education and an endorsement in gifted education. She's also the founder of The Gifted Perspective, offering workshops, pri...

One could say with motherhood, you know what you’re signing up for - but you certainly have no idea how it will feel .  As a Child of Divorce and Child Protection Worker with a background in Psychology and Social Service Work, Jamie Scrimgeour thought she knew what she was signing up for as a childless bachelorette when she decided to marry a man with three kids and an ex. But as I am sure you can...

When other kids at the park instantly listen to their parents, it can make even the most well-intentioned parent feel self-conscious (and a little jealous) . Isn’t that the goal? A child who listens without hesitation? Let’s talk about it. IN THIS EPISODE I SHARED: The longterm ramifications of putting obedience on a pedestal What to focus on and aim for instead A question to ask yourself to refle...

" You can't have ADHD! You have a master's degree!" ... and other misconceptions about ADHD.  Whether you've been diagnosed, related to the memes, or have a child that's been diagnosed... this episode is for you! Patricia Sung, Adult ADHD coach and host of Motherhood in ADHD, is here to share her journey into diagnosis, understanding her unique brain, and empowering o...

In today's quick episode, I break down a key facet to behavior modification I've been supporting a lot of clients with lately!  It’s not a surefire guarantee toward cupcakes, rainbows and butterflies - but it is necessary shift in your communication that doesn’t contribute to a crash and burn affect. IN THIS EPISODE I SHARED: 2 Examples of effective behavior modification outside of paren...

My guest today, Holly Murphy, is accomplished in their profession, a devoted parent in love with their kids, a vibrant personality, AND they’re open about how if they knew what they knew NOW back THEN, they would not become a parent.  You might not agree with Holly, but I know they’re not the only one.  If there’s one thing we are on Failing Motherhood- it’s honest - and that’s why stories like Ho...

It's that time of year, when your strong-willed child keeps it together all day at school then lets it all fall apart with you the second they get in the car. I packed this episode full of perspective, mindset shifts, tangible strategies and preventative measures to equip you with the "game face" you need to tackle this transition. IN THIS EPISODE I SHARED: How to meet them where th...

A special gift for you this week, courtesy of our friends at Moms Talk Autism. Not only did they join me for last week’s episode, but they interviewed me on their show and were kind enough to share it with our audience so I could share it here. My work specializes in helping families who are struggling with Neurodivergent traits in their child but don’t have a diagnosis yet or whose child does not...

Today I’m sitting down with Brittney and Shannon, two out of the four moms from Moms Talk Autism, a podcast where good friends share their journeys figuring out in real time how to best support their kids and themselves, discussing school, family balance, siblings, grief, therapies, social issues, behaviors, delays, diagnosis advocacy, marriage, and more. Our conversation highlights their individu...

Have you ever been told, "I HATE YOU" by your child? Or even worse "You're not coming to my birthday party!" Parents of strong-willed kids (esp. mom) can become the scapegoat for the anger they harbor, and it can lead to parents hearing things like “ You don’t love me ”. This often causes a spiral into permissiveness to avoid conflict, anxiety, and/or a lot of self-doubt a...

You are gonna be pretty hard-pressed to find more honesty than what is inside this conversation! In today's episode, I have the honor of interviewing Joseph and Sarah , my clients + parents of 6- and 21-year-old daughters.  Together they share the shifts that made it possible to stop triggering their daughter's defense mechanism, get on the same page, and have an approach and home full o...

Parents are inundated with messages from complete strangers on the Internet and in person reiterating "You're going to miss this!" "It goes SO fast!" "The mess can wait!" The problem is... sometimes the mess can't wait, you might NOT miss this stage, or there's so much more to look forward to! Let's stop forcing undue pressure on parents and instea...

Happy Father's Day, dads! My guests today, Kevin + Evan, are two stay-at-home dad comedians trying to let parents know the struggle is normal and we’re doing better than we think.  You might already follow them as they’ve been featured on Good Morning America, Momsplaining with Kristen Bell, & Today and go viral often on TikTok and Instagram for bits like "Dad Press Conferences"...

Ryan Allen, LPCC-S, LPC , is a licensed therapist with a decade of expertise working with young children and their families.  A parent of two young kids, Ryan creates free resources for nearly 1 million parents and child caregivers on both TikTok and IG, providing guidance and support to shift away from traditional punitive approaches towards fostering environments of mutual respect. I intentional...

You're 100% right. They do know better. These are smart kids we're talking about here, nothing gets past them! So, if that's true, why are they still hitting, pushing, screaming, or whathaveyou?  Explaining the rules for the 1,456th time isn't going to solve anything. What will?  Tune in with curiosity. IN THIS EPISODE, I SHARE... The truth behind two incredibly common misconce...

Today you get a true behind the scenes look at what parenting a strong-willed child looks like at someone else's house. Laura and Mike are full-time working parents with 3 kids living in Minneapolis. Just a few months ago, they describe what parenting felt like - powerless, volatile, unpredictable. They felt lost, with no toolkit and no shared understanding. After sharing the barriers they ha...

Failing Motherhood is 4 years old and Wholeheartedly is 5! We’re taking this opportunity to reflect on the last two years and the lessons I’ve learned - some easily, some the hard way. Entrepreneurship is such a similar journey to parenting - you don’t know what you’re getting into exactly, it’s much harder than anticipated, it requires a lot of self-work and growth, and it’s riddled with self-dou...

‌Today’s conversation answers so many questions you’re likely too afraid to ask. My guest today immediately makes uncomfortable topics comfortable, sensitive subjects approachable and speaks from so much experience, get ready to pull up a chair. Kelley Coleman is a feature film development executive turned author and advocate for parent caregivers and individuals with disabilities. Her book Everyt...

This week we’re taking parenting tips from Hello Fresh! In ways you may not have realized, being a parent is sort of like working in customer service. In our case, the customer isn’t always right, but the way we handle conflict may invite our child to ask for our manager! :) Your goal as a parent is to build credibility and trust in your “brand” rather than bad reviews!  As I reveal the two mistak...

For the past 6 months I’ve had the opportunity to work on my relationship with my body- no procedures, no weight loss, no supplements, just selecting and being more mindful of how I’m dressing myself and how it makes me feel. In today’s episode I break down what kicked off the journey, the milestones along the way, and the absolute game-changer that sealed the deal! This episode is for you if you...

Today's episode is a little bit of a different, more special setup. I had a fantastic coaching conversation with a parent of a 3 1/2 year-old about a situation that they were dealing with around an irrational hyperfixation they just could not get over or let go of no matter what they tried! Listen as I dive into this universal experience and offer some more context around these situations and...

Ever feel like you're doing it ALL and it's never ENOUGH? My guest today, Erica Djossa is a registered psychotherapist, sought-after maternal mental health specialist, and the founder of wellness company Momwell. Erica is frequently featured in media publications and her popular Momwell podcast has over a million downloads.  Her book - Releasing the Mother Load: How to Carry Less and Enj...