Less Drama More Mama

When I was a little girl, my mother told me, "Mommies don't get sick." And I believed her. Little did I know, my mother did get sick, but she just kept going no matter how miserable she felt. Can you relate? If you've ever felt guilty for slowing down to take care of yourself, this episode is for you. https://lessdramamoremama.com/179

Do you expect your kids to follow rules that you're not willing to follow yourself? Do you sometimes have a "do as I say, not as I do" attitude? Yeah, me too. 😕 In this episode, I shine a light on some areas where I've engage in hypocritical parenting and where you might be, too. Then, I encourage you to choose one of those areas and commit to being an example of the kind of person you want your...

How do you want to feel a year from now, at the end of 2022? Why do you imagine you'd feel that way? What will be different? In this episode, I'll share the key to getting what you want sooner, so you don't have to wait a whole year to feel the way you want. https://lessdramamoremama.com/177

It's that time of year when people are thinking about New Year's resolutions and how they want next year to be different. But before you start looking to the future and where you want to go, it's important to look at the past year and see how far you've come. Not many moms take the time to do this. They spend their energy focused on what isn't working and what they still have left to do to achieve...

If you want to do better in the new year -- to stop yelling so much, be more present with your kids, and get more done in less time and with less stress, you need a plan and you need support. Many moms have a practice for maintaining or improving their physical health. They understand the importance of taking care of their bodies and strengthening their muscles so they can stay in physical shape a...

Do you know the Saboteurs who live in the survival region of your brain? They're the ones who lie to you and tell you something's wrong with you and/or your kids. They keep you from doing what you say you want to do, like sticking to your limits and staying calm. They convince you that you can't handle life's challenges, and you shouldn't bother trying. In this episode, I'll introduce you to the t...

The New Year is often a time when people set goals related to their physical fitness. But what about their mental fitness? Is there even such a thing? The answer is YES! In this episode, I share what mental fitness is, why it's vital for living a better life, and how to strengthen your mental muscles in 2022. https://lessdramamoremama.com/174

Every parent – whether they realize it or not – has ideas about the kinds of adults they hope their kids will become. And although we can't control the choices our kids make as they get older, we can certainly try to influence them. In this episode, I share how to identify which values to teach your kids, different ways of teaching them, and the most challenging (but probably the most important) s...

Knowing and understanding your personal values is the first step in passing them along to your kids. In this episode, I walk you through a series of five questions to help you get clear about your values and turn them into action. When your actions align with your values, you'll feel grounded, centered, and connected to yourself, because you'll be living with a sense of meaning and purpose based o...

As moms, we often think we're supposed to have all the answers. We're supposed to tell our kids what to do because we know better as adults. But what if that's not true? What if, instead, we're supposed to ask our kids great questions to help them figure out their own answers? Join me for this episode, where I give examples of great questions you can ask your kids...starting today! https://lessdra...

It has long been believed that college is the best option after high school to prepare kids and set them up for career success and financial security. Now, the rising cost of college tuition is forcing many families to reconsider this belief and question whether a four-year degree makes sense for their teens. My guest on this episode is Education Coach and Consultant, Stephanie Haynes. She provide...

Courage isn't the ability to do something without fear. It's the ability to do something despite fear. Courageous people feel fear, but they don't let it stop them from taking action. As moms, we experience a lot of fear that holds us back from doing what we know is effective. When we can accept that fear is just part of our job description and doesn't necessarily signal danger, we can feel it and...

I believe that kids have a better chance of school success when parents and teachers work together as a team. After all, kids probably spend more of their waking hours involved with school than they spend at home, so it's important to build positive relationships with the people who are with them all of those hours every day. Several years ago, and then again this year, I asked my teacher friends...

While it's normal for every child to struggle socially from time to time, it can be difficult when it's your own kids who feels left out. You might feel compelled to protect them and take immediate action by calling the school or the offending child's parents. You might be quick to assume your kids are at fault, and ask how they brought on the problem themselves. As always, the best course of acti...

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, an estimated 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experienced mental illness in 2019 (pre-pandemic!) and approximately 48 million adults in the U.S. are diagnosed annually with anxiety disorders. The most common treatment for anxiety focuses on uncovering unhealthy thought patterns and understanding how they relate to feelings and behavior. Sound familiar...

Conflict with your kids is inevitable. But the way you handle conflict either helps or hinders your relationships with them. In this episode, I introduce the concept of the Conflict Escalator to help you become more aware of what actions (and reactions) make a conflict better or worse, and whether you're contributing to, or contaminating, your relationships. https://lessdramamoremama.com/165

There are two types of responses to the circumstances in your life: proactive and reactive. When you're proactive, you make decisions ahead of time to solve potential problems before they occur, leaving you feeling calm and in control. When you're reactive, feelings of fear and powerlessness often bring about the very outcome you're hoping to avoid. While reactive parenting is common and sometimes...

The late philosopher and psychiatrist Alfred Adler believed that " a misbehaving child is a discouraged child ." In so many subtle ways, and without realizing it, we discourage our kids all the time. In this episode, I talk about the ways we unknowingly discourage our kids and offer some tips for encouraging them more. https://lessdramamoremama.com/163

Does your child struggle to do homework? Do you get into regular battles over it and question how much to get involved? In this episode, I offer my thoughts to get you in a calm and empowered frame of mind when it comes to your child's homework, so you know exactly how to help. https://lessdramamoremama.com/162  

Do you wish your kids' grandparents acted differently? When you think about them, do you feel frustrated, resentful, hurt, or guilty? If you answered "yes," this episode is for you. Learn the secret to improve your relationships with your parents or in-laws, take back your power, and feel more at peace. https://lessdramamoremama.com/161

You have every intention of sticking to your limits, staying calm, and helping your kids through their difficult emotions. But in the heat of the moment, you find yourself giving into their demands, yelling, punishing them, or trying to fix their feelings. While counseling families with children ages six and under, today's guest sought to get to the root of what prevents moms from being the parent...

You've got questions, I've got answers. In this Back-to-School episode, I'm answering questions submitted by moms when I asked, "What would be the most useful podcast for you right now about back-to-school issues?" Tune in to hear their concerns and questions, and how I addressed each one. If you have a question you'd like answered in a future episode, email me at pam@lessdramamoremama.com https:/...

I recently spent an unforgettable week working as a clinician at a grief camp for kids. While I'm sure I helped the campers learn and grow in many ways, they taught and inspired me a great deal, too. In this episode, I share my biggest takeaway from being at grief camp this summer and how it applies to you. https://lessdramamoremama.com/158

The start of the school year isn't how we imagined it would be last May when COVID cases were declining and vaccines became available to kids over 12. It's natural and normal to feel disappointed when your expectations aren't met or your plans change, but how good are you at actually allowing yourself to feel disappointed? In this episode, I talk about why it's important to allow disappointment an...

Sometimes, families run like well-oiled machines. And other times, they don't operate as effectively. With summer schedules ending and school fast approaching, many families are all out of whack. In this episode, I share how you can do a 'reset' and get yours running smoothly again. https://lessdramamoremama.com/156