Hi, Fam!

Phew! They say writing a book is not for the faint of heart and I now fully understand why 87% of people who want to write a book - don't ever write one. But with gratitude to my children who played independently for enough hours for me to actually both write and illustrate this book (yep, those doodles are mine), I have now escaped that statistic and my book baby has been born!!! 🎉 Reclaim Play...

So you're feeling overwhelmed, snapping at the kids, or you're just not enjoying parenting... how do you reset? Here are the 6 mindsets that keep me going when my cortisol levels are spiked so I can still show up with "hi vibes" for my family. When you upgrade your self-talk, you develop the abilty to avoid a lot of optional stress and suffering.  This episode is practical and encouraging for pare...

What should parents do when their child is scared, afraid, and fearful? How we respond can make the difference between encouraging mental, emotional fragility and strength.  Here's a 5-step, countercultural approach to childhood fears that will help you help your child become resilient, gritty, and courageous.  ______ Did you enjoy this episode? Please consider leaving this podcast a review! ★★★★★...

Have you noticed that the growing trend of "family last" culture? This episode holds a heartfelt hope: that each of us can consciously pivot towards a "family first" culture.  When we place family at the forefront, we're not just fostering stronger relationships, we're also shaping future generations. It is - literally - how we change the world. Raising children with a strong emotional foundation,...

Learn the difference in whining between babies, kids, tweens, and teens and how our response as parents should change and evolve: a four-step process to respond to any whiny communication! ____________ Want to get your child playing independently and peacefully for 3 hours a day without screens, bribes, or buying a thing?  Take our FREE Masterclass! (reclaimplay.com/haven) >  

There's a massive focus today on defining, projecting, and expressing one's personal identity - also known as finding your "authentic self" and discovering "who you really are". Subsequently,  there's been a big shift in the advice parents are receiving in recent years. Basically, the way we answer the question, "How to live a good life?", has changed dramatically and greatly impacts how we raise...

If your child doesn't find porn, porn will find them... unless you get there first. The average age for a child to begin to consume pornography is now 12 years old. Let's talk about how to protect our children from porn consumption.  Have young kids at home? Now is the time to educate yourself and empower your children with  real conversations, tools, and scripts...  In this episode: What's so all...

Stroll down memory lane with me as I share the story behind why I created my online membership for parents over 6 years ago. 🎂 It's changed my life and the lives of thousands of other parents from over 100 countries around the world - just like you. If you've ever felt isolated or judged 😔 in your parenting journey, this one's for you, my friend. In this episode, I'm opening up about how I longe...

It's true that our children need a lot of warmth, love, nurturing, attunement, attention, and connection. And yes, children thrive when they're given appropriate freedoms within boundaries and a limited amount of acceptable choices. But they also need something else, something I'll outline in today's podcast.  👉 Create more joy, magic, togetherness, and connection in your day-to-day family life t...

With today's meteoric rise of anxiety and depression, it's crucial that we, as parents, know how to help our children master the emotional rollercoasters that life throws at us. In this episode, I offer some ancient wisdom all parents in the modern world need: "Feelings Follow Actions". If you're in a funk, give this a try!  👉 Create more joy, magic, togetherness, and connection in your day-to-da...

There are fragile substances, like glass: that break under pressure. There are non-fragile substances, like steel: that don't break under pressure. Then there are anti-fragile substances, like your immune system, or muscle tissue: that get stronger under pressure. People need a bit of pressure and stress to become stronger... but the modern message today will tell you (and your kids): people are f...

Why are today's new generation opting out of having children at a rapid pace? Will our own children not want children? Should we care? How might this influence our well-being and sense of confidence as parents? Let's talk about the birth rate drop and what it means for us parents.  _________________ "I love this show!" 👉 If that sounds like you please rate and review the show! This helps us suppo...

Family togetherness is disintegrating. Family culture is a lost art. Family leadership is a lost skill. Feeling a sense of belonging is a lost way of life. Let's explore the 3 reasons why that's happening and what you can do to build an unbreakable family.   _________________ "I love this show!" 👉 If that sounds like you please rate and review the show! This helps us support more people - just li...

You're not imagining it: there's an epidemic of narcissism. Like other epidemics, it's not easy to identify the precise cause of this one. In this episode, we're delving into the difference between destructive and healthy narcissism, the failure of the self-esteem movement, and the practical steps we can take as parents to raise resilient kids who are destined for meaningful relationships.  ______...

Modern parenting trends dictate that we, as parents, must be authentic and help our children to "discover" their authentic selves. But what is "authentic"?  The problem with this focus is that by staring at what you don't like about yourself, you're left feeling clueless about how to move forward.  You might never discover some "true authentic self" no matter how many therapy sessions, journals, o...

Growth: The new purpose for marriage and reason for divorce.  You're about to hear me pushback on a popular trend that isn't helpful to our families. Before I begin I want you to know that there are many reasons that marriages end: legitimate reasons. Maybe you're considering it or maybe you've already got divorced, or are in the process. Maybe your divorce happened because you were deeply unhappy...

Society seems to be in a war between the offensive and the offended; between those who attack with facts and logic and those who follow heart and soul; between those who think and those who feel.  Just like many things in our life, the pendulum often swings from one extreme to the other and often, in a generational way. Many of us grew up in homes with a very different approach to emotions and fee...

Society is going to tell you that parenting is brutal and marriage is a bore (or worse). It will warn you about the sleepless nights, the stretch marks, and the cheerios in your hair. It will tell you that family life is exhausting, expensive, and full of sacrifice.  But do you ever get the feeling that 'there must be a better way?' Like there is something missing? Well, that's what we're going to...

Too many parents are burning out – doing everything for everyone else in their families and feeling completely drained by the end of each day. It doesn't have to be this way! The truth is, what children need most are parents who feel good in their own skin, are well-cared for, and have great energy to tackle the day. The last thing they need are parents who feel resentful towards them for their ow...

Anger Management Tips for Parents: How to Handle Anger in Parenting  I've always been drawn to peaceful parenting, conscious parenting, gentle parenting - however, I have a temper! I get triggered. And most parents struggle with anger and yelling. The following parenting tips will help you minimize your triggers so you can love parenting and parent from love. Don't stay stuck with the feeling that...

Feeling hatred toward your child is a symptom of a different problem. This is a controversial and taboo topic, but it's not that uncommon for parents to sometimes feel disgusted and think or say "Go away!" "Leave me alone." "I don't like you." "I don't want you." "I don't love you." "I hate you!" towards their kids. So what's causing that very uncomfortable sensation and feeling? Don't stay stuck...

Over the years I've been sharing things I'm learning about Parenting. Things I read in books, things I experiment on in my own lab (my family), and I've been sharing what has really resonated with me and what's worked for me.   But I must make a confession and expose the hypocrisy, the many contradictions and paradoxes that occur within me within my own mind, my family, my parenting practice, and...

So many of my clients and community members are stay-at-home parents; parents who aren't currently working or are working very minimally. A common struggle is a loss of identity or feeling like your value and your worth isn't recognized by others, or feeling like you've lost your confidence now that you "just stay at home with the kids".    In this episode I'm going to share how you can boost your...

Every so often I'll get a note from a parent who's feeling guilty that they have to work so much and can't be home with their little kids.   So often these parents write to me saying they feel bad that the kids don't see them as much as they could, or they feel bad that they're distracted and that their attention is going elsewhere other than just their children.    I feel really passionate about...

Are you pregnant? If so, congratulations! And if you'd like your partner to be an amazing support to you during your birth (and who wouldn't, right?) then this episode is for you.    [03:37] 1. Communicate well and often [04:58] 2. Create a to-do list [05:41] 3. Education [08:28] 4. Explain what is supportive [09:23] 5. Ensure they know it's not personal [09:47] 6. Give them tools [10:20] 7. Pract...