Mindful Mama: Raising Kind, Confident Kids Without Losing Your Cool | Parenting Strategies For Big Emotions & More

Top 5 Mindful Mama episodes of 2020. Learn about: - The best way to respond when your child won't listen - How to handle academics during remote learning - How to break free of perfectionism - How to keep ourselves replenished to handle whatever life throws at us - The biggest error parents make in discipline If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it a...

What do you say to yourself when you mess up with your kids? If you are like many of us, you berate yourself. My guest, Kristin Neff, has done research that shows that our harsh self-criticism does NOT work. It doesn’t help us grow and become better parents. In fact, it does the opposite. So what does work? Self-compassion. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to...

Clutter causes stress, costs you money, and eats away your time. Will this new year be the year that you clear away the clutter and create a simpler, more joyful environment? I talk to Katy Wells of The Maximized Minimalist podcast about how we can declutter for the new year. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Tak...

2020 has been an incredibly difficult year with the global pandemic, multiple crises, the election, remote learning, and more. We’ve all had to deal with multiple disappointments and anxieties. Today I talk to Anna Seewald about 10 ways to cope with this difficult time. We end this episode with a guided Ideal Future meditation to help bring hope and positivity into your vision. If you enjoyed this...

We have a lot of stress in our lives and we want to do well for our children. But sometimes, the more we push to get it right, the more off-course we get. My podcast guest this week reminds us that it’s okay to drop some balls sometimes. We don’t have to be perfect. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screen...

Simpler, more natural living is really appealing to thoughtful parents in our world of more tech and more stuff. It can give us a sense of rest and ease. But how do we get there from our busy lives? My guest, Rachel Rainbolt helps us move from overwhelmed to calm, from fearful to trusting. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest...

What is it like when your child tells you they are trans? This happened to Paria Hassouri when her then son, came out as a girl at 13 years old. Find out what it’s like parenting a transgender teen. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stor...

What messages does our kids' education send? What are the lived results—does it keep their spark of curiosity alive? Like many of us, especially this year, you may be totally frustrated with your kid’s education system. In this episode, I talk to Akilah Richards about her story of disenchantment and the perhaps-not-so-radical step of moving to self-directed learning. If you enjoyed this episode, a...

Talking about racial and lifestyle differences can be hard and uncomfortable. Yet it’s our job to raise the next generation to respect and learn from people who look or believe differently than we do. Carolyn Helsel and Y. Joy Harris-Smith offer practical ways to build compassion and empathy in our children. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it an...

Sometimes truths about parenting go against the grain—against what we assume is natural or normal. Ashley Merryman loves to find research that debunks conventionally held truths. Learn about the problem with praise, and what are some of the best ways to respond to kids. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a sc...

Parenting can be mentally and physically depleting—especially for moms. The greater the challenges and vulnerabilities we’re experiencing, the greater the resources we need to meet these challenges. Today, I talk to Dr. Rick Hanson about this and how mindfulness can be a primary resource that helps us develop other resources in ourselves. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some wa...

How can we connect to ourselves authentically—while parenting? Ora Nadrich talks to us about how to follow a journey of self-awareness while developing more presence for our children. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t have to be difficult. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your devic...

Sometimes it seems like the world is going to hell in a handbasket. Modern life is overwhelming. In this episode, I talk to Devon, meditation teacher, and Craig, meditation coach and therapist, about six guiding life principles, inspired by the wisdom of mindfulness—that will help you guide your way. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know y...

Have you ever missed out because of procrastination or that thought, “I can never do _____.” Self-sabotage is a universal behavior, even for those of us who are high achievers in some areas. In this episode, I talk to neuropsychologist Dr. Judy Ho about why we do this, and how to stop. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest tak...

When I was a young mom, I was scared, overwhelmed, and I felt alone. Now, over 13 years after the birth of my first child, I have some messages for that younger self. These are messages that we all need to hear as parents. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post i...

The global pandemic is creating inordinate amounts of stress for both parents and kids. Kids, unfortunately, show that stress with behavior problems because their fight-flight-or-freeze system is on overdrive and they don’t know how to handle it. Today I talk to Tammy, a Mindful Parenting Member whose 6-year old daughter has been yelling at her. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in...

We are moving into a school year that looks very different from every year before, with many kids learning completely virtually or even homeschooling. So what’s the best way to learn at home? What do we need to pay attention to and what can we let go? In this episode, I bring together two education experts, Lauren Spigelmeyer & Kimberlynn Lavelle, who will walk us through this new learning-at-home...

We are living in stressful times with this global pandemic (to say the least!) and kids are feeling it too. How do we help kids cope with stress, anxiety - even anger? In this episode, I talk to Janine Halloran, author of the bestselling Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, about strategies for kids to deal with all that life throws at them. If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way...

Mindful Parenting Member Liliana’s oldest child has been difficult and was recently diagnosed with ADHD, while her younger son is relatively easy. Comparisons between them have been popping up in her brain leading to some major guilt. Plus, how to set boundaries on sweets and cartoons? If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest tak...

What is the biggest mistake parents make about discipline? We don’t realize or forget that yelling and threats make kids less able to learn. Tina Payne Bryson helps us hold boundaries with empathy and gives powerful tools to chill ourselves out so we can be more responsive. Join the Mindful Parenting Free Training here. Losing your cool? Kids not listening? Help has arrived. Join hundreds of other...

Have you ever wondered if you are parenting the “right” way? Our podcast guest Jen Lumanlan did and decided that she would go to the research to figure out how to parent her child. She discovered what was worth paying attention to and what wasn’t, and it allowed her to let go of some core tenets of parenting. Takeaways:  When we understand why our children resist things, then we can discover solut...

Do you know that you are not to blame for your triggers and harmful reactions? Mark Wolynn, author of It Didn’t Start With You, explains how traumas and harmful patterns pass on from one generation to the next. We also talk about the power of mindfulness and other modalities to help us heal these hurts for good. Takeaways: By rejecting our parents, we share or repeat their life patterns. Trauma st...

Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses! The most important quality I want for my kids during these difficult times is probably what you want: resilience. Our kids need the capacity to overcome hard times because we cannot (and would not want to) protect them from every single one of life’s difficulties. In this episode, I talk to author and psychologis...

Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses! None of us knew how hard it was going to be as a parent; we mess up constantly. When we respond to ourselves with harsh criticism and judgment, we leave ourselves feeling helpless and incapable. Even though it can feel strange, the practice of self-compassion is essential to becoming a more mindful parent. My gue...

Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses! So many of us are concerned about what will happen (or not happen) with school this fall. Is it safe? What will the schedule be like? The only thing certain is that it will be different. Perhaps we need to broaden our definition of what it means to do school. Perhaps learning could travel outdoors? I talk to Mega...