Mama Opportunities

Birthday parties are a lot to plan! Who, what, when? In this episode, I offer thoughts that I've had over the years of planning parties. mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

Do you have any birthday traditions that you do each year to celebrate a child's birthday? How can we make birthday traditions a practice that communicates to our children that they are seen and valued? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

How do we help our children create margin in their lives? How can we model it? How do we talk about it? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

How do you celebrate your birthday? Has that changed throughout your motherhood journey? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

How can we encourage our children by pointing out the good qualities that we see in them? How can we influence what they hear when the tapes play in their heads? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

Most people tend to think of intelligence as something a person has or does not have. In this episode, I share developmental psychologist Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences that he put forth in his 1983 book called Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. I think this information is another useful tool in our Mama "toolbox" which we have to encourage our...

How can we be kind to ourselves? What does that look like in a Mama's life? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

Is there something that frustrates you on a daily basis? What if you made a change for a season to tone down or eliminate that "bee in your bonnet"? Is there a small physical change you need to make in order to pursue a greater goal you have for your kids? Article I mentioned: 41 Positive Quotes About Change and Growth mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill...

I love Labor Day! It feels like a little gift of a day at the final end of summer. How will you spend Labor Day? To focus your thoughts...think about this: what do you need this year? In this episode, I give some ideas and examples of ways to spend this day. mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfec...

What comes to mind when you think of meal planning? How can we take some mental load off of us and develop a framework that is sustainable? Questions for Reflection: How often do you want to meal plan? What framework can you set up as a template for meal planning? Can you chose a main protein for each night which will limit the endless recipe options? How will you organize your recipes? My favorit...

This is a time of year where many of us (and/or our kids) are beginning new things. I created this episode to examine what one thing would we like to prepare or do to make a time of transition easier? And is there any practice that we would like to incorporate into our daily life as we desire to grow and change? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an Am...

In this episode, I give three of my favorite phrases that we use at our house related to school. The beginning of school is so exciting! And it is full of transitions. So we want to be aware that emotions may come out sideways, so that we can be calm and present to our child's needs. mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "The...

As Moms, we have a heavy mental load. How do you lighten your mental load? What systems or decisions have you put in place to make room in your brain? What could you put in place to lighten your mental load? The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a...

In this episode my hope is to share my experience with cell phones and my kids without offering too many opinions but to describe our experience as a starting point as you consider cell phones and your kids. Gabb Phones & Watches Bark Monitoring The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems by Tracy Hogg and Melinda Bla...

Have you ever started a home project only to leave it unfinished? Have you had the satisfaction of a job well done? Have you felt the weight of project overload? In this episode, I explore the benefits and pitfalls of home projects. mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million way...

Article with Age-Appropriate Chores for ages 2-18, link here List of How Chores can help Children from the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, link here Book I mentioned: How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ...

Are you intimidated of middle school students? Does parenting that age child excite or scare you? In this episode I describe this unique stage of a child's development and discuss some challenges for middle schoolers and us parents. Books I mention:  How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through Seve...

What are some difficult summer realities you are experiencing? How can we reframe the frustrations as opportunities for growth in ourselves and our kids? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

If you are parenting with a husband, it is a great benefit! How can we let our guys "be themselves" in parenting? Sometimes that means getting out of the way. mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

How can we give our kids knowledge so that they can make healthy decisions about the food they eat? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

Kids love souvenirs! How we make the experience meaningful? What life lessons can begin to be understood and lived out as our children use their decision making skills and agency to choose something to purchase? Book I mentioned:  Feeding the Mouth That Bites You mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a p...

How can we make the packing for a vacation part of the fun?  How can we teach our kids that even fun things like vacations take some preparation?  How can we see the vacation packing as a team effort where everyone helps to accomplish the goal of leaving (hopefully happily!) for vacation? Introduction 0:00 What Kind of Packer are you? 0:47 Packing With Your Kids 2:45 Packing Mistakes 4:56 The 4 da...

How can we make the planning for a vacation part of the fun? Even though we as Moms still have to do many tasks of life while on vacation, how can we choose a couple of little things to make vacation feel special? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one....

What routines would you like to help your family implement this summer? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

What plans and feels does the mention of summer bring to mind? What will be accessible to your children this summer? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one." Lightkeepers Girls Box Set Lightkeepers Boys Box Set