ResponseABLE Parenting

In this episode I talk about the difference between control and trust. And how we have been so conditioned to control the process, control the outcome, control our children's behavior. Because left to their own devices things haven't gone well in the past. But the more we control, the less time they have to practice, to fill up their own control bucket, to show us through their actions how capable...

Hear from the Founder of Good For You Girls (a toxic-free skincare line that supports kids through puberty and beyond). Our discussion ranges from the challenging food and product options for our tweens/teens as well as how to have empowered conversations about the hormonal changes they are experiencing. Kimberly shares wonderful ways to stay connected, alert, curious, and how to move through this...

*Trigger warning at minute marker 7:30 I share a story of my stillbirth.* In this episode I share a very vulnerable and tender moment I had with my strong willed kid. He did something impulsively that pushed on all my buttons. And instead of having a corrective conversation we ended up having one of the most honest and connective moments. I was able to recognize that my desire to control his behav...

The phrase "feel your feelings" has become this negative trope used to make parents, who are really trying to do things differently, feel weak and shameful about their choices.  I hear all the time "Oh you're one of THOSE parents who allow feelings…" As if thats a BAD THING!?  In this week's episode I talk about how allowing both yourself and your child to feel your feelings (yes even the "bad" on...

In this episode we explore a phrase my therapist told me back in 2020. "You need to change in order for ME to feel better."  I feel like this phrase helped me see every situation differently. I began to understand my responsibility in each relationship. What I brought to the dynamic that was either healthy or not.  And I was able to really start a journey of self-discovery and accountability to sh...

In this episode I share 3 major reasons why yelling is so effective. I share why it works so well with our kids and why it's likely a tool you've been using in your parenting. I also dive into the effects and why this habit of ours deserves to be reevaluated and overhauled.  I share 3 effective strategies to implement INSTEAD of yelling and how you can take baby steps in the direction of getting r...

In this episode I share why I dislike the umbrella term "connection over correction" and why I think it's doing parents who are really trying a disservice.  I share what it looks like to use connection as a tool and how to connect to yourself so that you can connect to your children. I hope you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that you are trying and not failing after listening to this episode...

"When I'm in a relationship with his behaviors there is less for me to see and love and adore and protect. But when I put that down, it opens my eyes to all the things that make him special, unique that I love and want to protect in him!" - Amanda Doyle, We Can Do Hard Things This quote hit me hard. It reminded me of the years I had invested into removing unwanted behavior and how I was exclusivel...

I made a post a few weeks ago about my son negotiating with me in the pool for more pool time. I walked through the scenario and shared THE WIN of how he held his end of the agreement EVEN THOUGH he had an impulse to jump back in.  Since that post I've received 100s of messages from mostly men talking about how I should have solved that problem with physical violence against my son. They got dark....

Teaching our kids the ways of the world from value based boundaries vs. consequences and yelling is NOT easy. In fact, it's way harder. But it is worth every bit of effort.  In this episode I share a personal story of watching my son understand the boundaries and how he put it into practice while playing a game with his brother.  My hope in sharing this is to give you a beacon of hope. This is a m...

Hey mama, do you have a strong willed kid? Are you curious if they're defiant, have a behavioral disorder, or are just here on this planet to make your life miserable?! I get it, I've been parenting a strong willed child for 7+ years now and I know the roller coaster that it is.  In this episode I break down the 5 key markers I've noticed with strong-willed kids. I have a feeling you'll recognize...

I am so excited to share this interview with you. Rachel Marie Martin is an author, entrepreneur, speaker and mom to SEVEN yes you heard me SEVEN children!! She shares her story of how she felt lost in motherhood, a pivotal moment in her life where she chose to prioritize herself and how she's been able to move through life even when people questioned her because she trusted that spark.  I invite...

Back to school is upon us! If you have a stage 5 clinger like I do, this can be a hard moment for both them and you. This morning I had to fight back some tears as well and put on a sturdy face so I could support my son on his first day in a new school and new grade.  In this episode I share how to help your children feel more safety inside during this transition. I also share a few rituals that h...

In this episode I piggyback off of Episode 47 which talks about our low self worth loops as parents. This episode talks about that inner feeling, that inner knowing that you have to shed an old belief system in order to truly step into the parent that you want to be.  FREE GUIDES! Make sure you grab my Free Guide to Managing Meltdowns: https://responseableparenting.ck.page/meltdown 4 steps to get...

I am so excited to share this episode with you! I do a deep dive into what my community looks like! I share the 5 stages inside the community and what you could expect from each stage. I share that no matter where you start, there is no shame, no expectations of how fast you grow or how you "perform" inside this community. The community group is my baby :) I have designed this space to give you en...

I have said many times that threats, bribes, consequences and punishments don't work very well. And I get A LOT of feedback (nice way to say nasty comments 😉) in my feed about how these are necessary to teach our kids how to be "real world ready." And how else are they going to learn how to act appropriately if they don't have punishments when they act out of turn? This episode addresses just tha...

I share a vulnerable moment in time for me in this episode. My oldest son and I are not jiving and the frustration is level 10 what seems like most of the day…and most days. I can do all the work in the world and sometimes it's a simple visual that helps me in moments of conflict, chaos and challenge.  We often find ourselves facing two paths in parenting. One is so incredibly easy to take because...

I love this episode not just for the really simple visual to help calm us down in a moment of mom rage but because the visual was brought to me by my late son Jackson. In this episode I walk you through a grounding visual that will help settle you in the heat of the moment and remind you of what your goal is on this responsive parenting journey.  FREE GUIDES! Make sure you grab my Free Guide to Ma...

In this episode you get to hear from Play Therapist Kimberly Bartlett. We talk about effective play strategies to really engage your kids in a different way. She shares simple and actionable tips that will help you in the most challenging moments with your kids.  Kimberly Bartlett is a dedicated professional in the field of play therapy, holding the titles of Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™...

I am so excited for you to hear from Katelynn. Katelynn is a mom to a very strong-willed 3.5 year old. When she and I first started coaching her daughter was having several meltdowns a day that lasted for a minimum of an hour and sometimes stretched closer to 2. Katelynn felt like she was failing, she was overwhelmed with all the advice she was seeing on her feed and just needed relief.  She looke...

In this episode, I break down my progression of low self-worth loops that began in childhood and share how that has affected my parenting. This is not a bashing session on my parents, rather it's a deeper understanding of how we, as kids, can start to internally code these really repetitive interactions with our parents. When there is shame, constant correction, lectures, etc. it's very easy to in...

In this episode, I give you a framework to follow when you find yourself stuck in a power struggle with your kids. This isn't a rigid script to follow, rather a framework to assist you in some of the most frustrating moments in parenting.  When our wants collide with our child's wants - we end up feeling resistance. WE understand that feeling and we might have some coping strategies, but more ofte...

I'm the assistant coach on my son's little league team this season. And I'm noticing the proclivity of parents (myself included at times) to demand excellence. I link this back to when I was young and noticed that my brother's naturally high achieving abilities never got lectured. But I was lectured ALLLL the time. So I started achieving more, and more, and more and yet the lectures never stopped....

I am really excited about this episode! I share a brief overview of the nervous system and why we feel the way we feel in triggering moments. I also break down how to start reading your body's cues so you can utilize grounding tools to regulate your nervous system and show up the way you want vs. reacting from a dysregulated state.  You'll get several practical in the moment strategies to use to c...

My son's new favorite phrase "You're mean!!" Part of me wants to prove that they are right! But deep down I know that is not a connective response. In this episode I'm talking about the reactions that happen from our kids after we set a boundary. More often than not, they are going to negotiate to get that boundary to change - and when it doesn't they're going to react from a defensive state. I of...