Simple Families

As mothers, we often carry the heavy responsibility of feeding our families. Despite what Pinterest leads us to believe, cooking for a family doesn’t have to be fancy. In today’s podcast episode I am chatting with Erin Odom of The Humbled Homemaker. Erin and I are discussing our favorite methods for simplifying meal planning and cooking for family. We both know firsthand that this season of life w...

We know that the kitchen is the most used room in the house–yet simplifying the kitchen is anything but easy. On the podcast today I am chatting with Melissa Coleman of The Faux Martha. Melissa is a food blogger and she is sharing her story about how the kitchen “broke” for her. She decided she either needed to make big changes or call it quits. Fortunately, she stuck with it and now she’s sharing...

Every parent wants to feed their children nutritious food. That probably means a heaping dose of vegetables, ample proteins, and a well-rounded source of vitamin-rich foods. Even if we know what we should be feeding our children, we don’t always know the magic tricks to actually get our kids to eat those super foods. In today’s episode, sociologist and author Dina Rose Ph. D. explains to us why fe...

In our house, mealtimes are pleasant. My kids eat well and we enjoy each others company. I don’t have it all figured out, but I do have a Ph. D. in Child Development with a research background in child wellness. That means I use a combination of both research-based ideas and intuitive planning to help develop my kids into good-eaters. Not all these things are going to resonate with you and work fo...

I don’t have a regular yoga or meditation practice, although I wish I did. Yet each day I find moments of mindfulness and presence in regular activities. In today’s podcast episode I am speaking with Shawn Fink from The Abundant Mama Project. We are chatting all about how to meditate without meditating–and by that I mean how to find moments of calm within the chaos that can overwhelm motherhood. W...

She’s skinny, ​crafty, active, accomplished in her career, family-focused, and well-dressed (all the time, even at drop off). She’s the perfect mom. She’s the mom that we are secretly striving to be–the one that does it all and has it all. In fact, many of the things we spend our time and energy striving towards are because of her. It’s because we feel like we don’t measure up. Because we feel lik...

Parenthood is notoriously associated with sleep deprivation. Good sleep goes beyond just getting kids to sleep through the night. Do any of these things resonate with you? At the end of a long day you desperately need sleep, but you can’t put your Instagram/Netflix away. You drink coffee to wake you up in the morning and wine to help you go to sleep at night. You wake up in the middle of the night...

Stress and overwhelm are an epidemic in childhood–which means mindfulness for kids has become essential. As adults, many (if not most) of us carry significant amounts of stress and overwhelm on a daily basis. It has become so ingrained into our society and culture that we have normalized it as a part of who we are as individuals. Even if “stressed out and anxious” is normal for you–you need to con...

In today’s episode, I am sharing some simple (yet exciting) changes coming to the podcast and the Simple Families Community. Listen in to hear more, and click here to join the conversation for this month. The post SFP 96: Simple Families in March appeared first on Simple Families.

In today’s episode I am sharing more about what my typical day looks like. Like many women, I am always seeking to find a balance between having a career and spending quality time with my family. I am the primary caregiver for my 1-year-old and 4-year-old, but I also balance working from home as well. My days are full, but I don’t feel overwhelmed and busy. In today’s glimpse, I am sharing the bal...

Traveling with kids can be intimidating and even downright scary. But it’s also rewarding. In today’s episode, I have a special treat. I am chatting with my best friend and travel-with-kids-guru Amanda about adventuring both in and out of the country as  a family. Amanda and her family were recently in Hawaii for the false missile alert. She’s also been hospitalized while traveling on more than on...

In today’s episode, I talk with Carla Hannaford, world-renowned biologist and outdoor advocate, about her studies on the connection between movement and brain development. If you are brand new to learning about brain development, tune into episode 92 for a simple, quick overview before diving into this one. The post SFP 93: The Science Behind Outdoor Play + Movement [with Carla Hannaford PhD] appe...

In today’s world of baby gadgets and excitement around milestones, many babies are skipping the crawling stage and going straight to walking. But is this actually a good thing? In today’s episode, I discuss why crawling is important to development [and also give a preview of what’s to come for episode 93.] The post SFP 92: Why do babies need to crawl? appeared first on Simple Families.

There are so many children’s books out there, how do you choose what to include in your home library? In today’s episode, we talk about why not every classic makes the cut in our family and what I look for in both new and classic storybooks. The post SFP 91: How do you choose children’s books? appeared first on Simple Families.

There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes. Today, Swedish mother Linda Akeson McGurk joins us to talk about raising our kids to be more connected with nature. Linda’s new book is one of my favorites–and her blog, Rain or Shine Mamma, is a worth-while resource as well. I hope you enjoy this episode! The post SFP 90: There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather [with Linda from Rain or Shine Ma...

This week, I am excited to be talking on the podcast with Courtney Carver from Be More With Less. On the blog and podcast, I frequently discuss the “how” of minimalism. But in this episode, Courtney takes us one step further. She explains why simple living is good for your heart, family, and future. I just wrapped up Courtney’s brand new book, Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to S...

We need to respect our children and their desires–but we can also help to steer them to buy more intentionally. In today’s episode we discuss how to get older children on board with simplicity using 3 simple questions.   The post SFP 88: How can I get older kids into simplifying? appeared first on Simple Families.

Fitness and nutrition are on the minds of many at the beginning of a New Year. As we transition into motherhood, our bodies change. I know for me personally, the way I view my body changed after babies. But the way I use my body changed also. Fitness in motherhood is about more than just looking good, it’s about being strong. When we are strong it helps us to be the calm, present, engaged parent t...

Is your holiday season feeling busy? In today’s episode we talk about how to find calm this holiday season–including tips to keep it simple. How to combat busyness? How to minimize decorating? How to drop the guilt? How to decrease the sugar? How to create traditions? The post SFP 86: How do you move toward a calm, simple holiday season? appeared first on Simple Families.

In today’s episode I have an interview with Megan Lyons from The Lyon’s Share Wellness (Facebook | Instagram). Megan is a health and wellness coach based in Dallas, Texas and provides services worldwide. In our chat today, we talk all about sugar. She answered several of my questions such as: Is there such thing as a sweet tooth? How can we create holiday traditions that revolve around something o...

Potty training regression is discouraging and frustrating. In today’s episode we discuss how to handle a situation when a child suddenly starts having accidents after they’ve been successfully potty trained. Suggested Book: Oh Crap! The post SFP 84: How should I handle potty training regression? appeared first on Simple Families.

Early risers can leave moms and dads feeling exhausted and irritable. In today’s episode we talk about how we can survive this common stage, especially with little ones who still require some supervision. Suggested: Ok to Wake Clock + Visual Timer The post SFP 83: How can I handle an early riser? appeared first on Simple Families.

Dealing with a child that whines and complains a lot is draining. In today’s episode we talk about how we can help model the kind of attitudes we want to see in our children, along with how to validate their feelings without encouraging the unwanted behavior. The post SFP 82: How do you handle whining/complaining? appeared first on Simple Families.

Starting solids with your baby can be intimidating, especially when you add in the worry of choking. In today’s episode we talk about baby led weaning and how you can tell if your baby is just gagging (and why that’s totally normal) versus choking. The post SFP 81: I am terrified that my kid will choke, what should I do? appeared first on Simple Families.

Most babies go through a stage with separation anxiety. Even though it’s a normal development stage, it can be hard on both mom and baby. In today’s episode, we discuss how to handle a clingy baby and still get the things we need to do done. The post SFP 80: How should I handle a clingy baby? appeared first on Simple Families.