Mama Says Namaste Podcast

If election week doesn't make you anxious enough, we could just pile on COVID, politics in general, protests, or all of 2020 to throw us for a loop. Or, remember back in 2019 or 2000 when we had anxiety and we didn't even have a concept of the craziness this year would bring! This week we tackle those anxious feelings and how to get a handle on them with 4 strategies to combat anxiety, as well as...

Last week we dug into the food battles that can go on at home, from picky eaters to being maxed out and running out of time and food ideas. This week we expanded a bit more to address the sugar overload we know many of you will be getting this week with Halloween, as well as how to navigate eating out with kids in a way that doesn't make you lose your mind or throw money down the drain.  Learn 2 h...

When you think of food and your family, does it stress you out? Maybe it's the food battles with the kids, the lack of planning, or just being lost on what to do? This is the episode for you. We share some tips and tricks, and why hunger and grace is a-okay.  Get the corresponding blog post at www. MamaSaysNamaste.com/podcast-food-for-the-family

Are you trying to keep afloat in a child-centered home? When you think of your family, do you consider them a team, all working together, or everyone beating to the rhythm of their own drum? Can you actually support individualism while establishing yourself as a family team?   We address 3 steps to creating a family team on this episode, and break down expectations to those you can clearly communi...

How do I bond with my child? This is the first in our new monthly 'Ask Us Anything' Episode where we dig into a listener question. Remember that any question we address on the air is eligible to win a family pack of Namaste Personality Snapshots!   This week we address the question of bonding with your children, and dig into how you can connect, the importance of non-verbal cues, and our experienc...

Why did we do a family road trip...and how has it lasted almost four years already?!   As we lay out our new "Ask Us Anything" series, we answer some of the common questions we get about traveling together full time in an RV like we do.   Check out the full podcast episode wherever you listen to podcasts, subscribe, and be sure to share! (and props to our 10-year-old videographer today for our bon...

Jules may be young, but there is a lot of wisdom packed into her! Juliet turns 8 this week, and she has some insights to share. On the Mama Says Namaste podcast this week, we bring our daughter Juliet on as a special guest to talk about what she does when she's mad, sad, or scared, and how she works through it. Here, she shares some of what we talk about. Head over to www. MamaSaysNamaste.com/podc...

Have you bought into the myth that you need life balance, and yet you are feeling a bit more like you're always underwater? Have you really looked at how you are recharging on a weekly and even daily basis, or do you just wait for that vacation? Author Seth Godin says, "Instead of wondering when your next vacation will be, why not create a life you don't want to escape from?" Check out our tips to...

Are you truly listening to others around you, or are you simply hearing sound? There is a difference, and the art of active listening is oftentimes something you have to develop and implement as new habits in order to really become an effective listener.  In this episode, we share 6 critical questions to ask, as well as the ultimate secret to really, truly listening well.  Get the accompanying blo...

Are you eager to talk with your loved ones, but they have the attention span of a kitten, or they have a tunnel focus on one interest? Last week we shared three steps for a connected conversation, and this week we added to this by elaborating on how to make it flow even if you're talking to a small child with a short attention span. We dig into how to elaborate on a tunnel-vision focus for a conve...

How do you talk to your children? Do you talk with them...to them, or at them? Yes, having a connected conversation has some specific protocols - 3, to be exact.  Listen in as we discuss the top three steps to having a truly connected conversation - in your home and beyond.  Get the corresponding blog post here: MamaSaysNamaste.com/podcast-connected-conversation

Feeling a bit frazzled lately? As we embark on the fall and the school year, there are more and more families struggling to figure out how this is going to work, and how in the world they'll get anything accomplished with everyone at home.  It's hard to create a "new normal" when any sense of normalcy has gone out the window, and all plans are written in sand. So this week we share five tips on ke...

Not sure how to get your kids to respect you, and fearful that if you lay down the law, they won't like you? This is the episode for you. Get some tips on how to do a reset for the whole family, where respect goes all around. Tune in at www. MamaSaysNamaste.com/podcast-kid-respect to access the printable and all the extra resources we reference this week! 

Have you heard about the Socratic Method of questioning to learn? It's a fascinating concept we utilize often in our home, and this week I have a special guest to speak on this subject - Samantha Jansky, co-founder of Ascent Academy, where there are no teachers, only Socratic Guides.  Learn more about the Socratic style of learning, how there is no right or wrong, and how you can make some simple...

Peer pressure gets a bad reputation, and rightfully so. Shaming and "should"ing on people doesn't really make for warm fuzzies.  However, sometimes some peer pressure can be just what is needed to spur you on. We share stories about two seven-year-old best friends who used each other for some "productive influence" in their lives.  Get some tips for how to fuel pressure in a positive way - for you...

I swapped my hubby out with my dear friend Sarrah Lombardo, another fulltime traveling mama who had no interest in homeschooling and yet is now in her second year of it.  We share about lessons learned, what has worked, and some insights for those of you unsure about what to do next.  Get all the links we discuss on the podcast at www. MamaSaysNamaste.com/podcast-homeschooling

It's nearing August, and heavy on many parent's minds is what the heck they are going to do with their children this fall. With social distancing, some schools opting for virtual, and lots of unknowns, now is a time that many are re-evaluating what they want school to look like in their homes.  Nathan and Ashley share about their own educational journeys growing up in this week's podcast, and shar...

Why are there so many snakes in our home? If you've been following our family instagram, you've been seeing a LOT of snake pictures and videos. And there have been way too many comments from parents saying there is no way they could do that.  Well, I was NOT a snake person, and never ever wanted that in my home. Yet when my daughter Clara started down this path, I jumped in with her to learn along...

Is your marriage struggling? Are your marriage woes mounting as you've gotten stuck in a rut of reaction and resentment? In this podcast episode, we talk about how quickly we can spiral downward, and share some key steps in course correction that gets you on a path where your whole family thrives. Get the full blog post as well at www. MamaSaysNamaste.com/podcast-marriage-isnt-working

Self-love can be hard to do, yet we can sabotage the process when we're wrapped up in procrastination, justification, comparisons and more. Add in the intricacies of every personality style, and it's easy to see how we can really spiral to a place where we're looking to everyone BUT us for our own self-love. Check out this podcast episode where we talk about how we self-sabotage, as well as some p...

Do you struggle with over commitment and saying no? This podcast episode is for you - on how to not over commit, why you should say no, and what it allows you to say YES to.  Get the full show notes and all the comments here:   https://www.mamasaysnamaste.com/ podcast-over-commitment /

The term "emotional resilience" refers to the ability to adapt to stressful situations or crises. It's that ability to "bounce back" or make it through adversity, and is a critical component of having a growth mindset. So how do you foster emotional resilience in your home, and ensure all emotions are processed in a positive way? How do you build emotional resilience when you're struggling to simp...

After a brutal weekend of riots and more country upheaval, there is a demand to speak up against the violence. Yet, with so many voices, who is listening? Let's dig into the meaning behind "namaste" and how we can work to truly be heard...and to hear. Dig into deeper connection on this week's podcast episode: www. MamaSaysNamaste.com/podcast-namaste

Managing expectations and agendas can be hard, especially when we get stuck if they don't go our way. This week we talk about money and emotions, and how to determine what is REALLY worth holding onto.  Learn more about how to navigate this as a family on this Mama Says Namaste podcast episode: www. MamaSaysNamaste.com/podcast-managing-expectations

Making decisions as a family can always be tricky, especially the bigger the family (and the more opinions) you have to navigate! In this week's podcast episode, Nathan and I share about three big family decisions we've navigated through in our own home, and what tips we can share with you for handling decisions in yours. Get the full show notes and resources at www. MamaSaysNamaste.com/podcast-de...