Simple Families

We all talk to ourselves. For better or worse, our “chatter” or self-talk can have a profound impact on our moods, relationships, and confidence. It’s easy to operate on auto-pilot and let these thoughts come and go. But in my conversation with Ethan Kross today, he gives us tools to pump the brakes and shift our self-talk so that it works for us rather than against us. Ethan’s is the author of th...

A few times a year, I invite a member of the Simple Families to share their story on the podcast. Today, we are on a journey to simplicity with Meredith Bay-Tyack. Meredith has been a long-time member of the community, but she opening admits that she’s very much a work in progress. Meredith applies simplicity to most aspects of family life. She loves to shop second-hand and strives to be low waste...

In today’s world, we are faced with distractions at every turn. It can be hard to focus on the things that matter. In Joshua Becker’s new book, he explains that distractions make us feel restless, tired, and unfulfilled. In our conversation today we discuss distractions, envy, and raising kids to live a more intentional life. Links in Episode: Find Joshua on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter Becomi...

Niro Feliciano set out to write the book on happiness…then she realized happiness wasn’t even the goal. Today, she joins me to discuss what contentment means and how we can ditch the metrics t0 move towards it. She’s a cognitive psychotherapist, mom of 4, and a brand-new author. Links from this Episode Niro’s Website This Book Won’t Make You Happy: Eight Keys to Finding True Contentment All Things...

Entrepreneurship and motherhood can seem like an overwhelming combination, but for Nell Shapiro & Stephanie Merks, it has brought them additional joy and purpose. The founders of Kibou are joining me to talk about turning their idea of a minimalistic mom-bag into a business and how they survived, even thrived, during the pandemic. Links from this Episode Kibou Website Kibou on Instagram Kibou on F...

Procrastination has been on my mind lately, so I invited an expert, Dr. Tim Pychyl, to dissect and explain the many examples I could list in my life where I find myself delaying tasks that feel important. I was fascinated to learn that not all my delays are considered procrastination, how mindfulness relates to procrastinating, and what my 6-year old daughter thinks about this topic. Listen to hea...

Welcome back to Part II of Analog Curious (if you missed Part I, catch it here). In this episode, I continue to explore my analog curiosity and provide some useful ways I have been able to decrease the impact of screen time and social media use. One thing is for sure, I’m a work in progress. I’d love to hear more about your journey! Want to get on the waitlist for the new (simpler) Simple Families...

If you follow me on social media, you may have noticed that I’ve been on a bit of a digital detox. Or what I’m calling, being “analog curious”. This means I want to know what life feels like relying on technology less. In the past two years, technology has barged its way into all aspects of our lives. And for a while, this hasn’t been sitting well with me. It feels like a double edged sword. Durin...

Let’s redefine what “bad behavior” in childhood really means. So often, we view challenging behavior as a sign of our own shortcomings as parents, but our episode today explains that most difficult behaviors are actually a neurological response to stress, fear and/or discomfort. What if we could figure out how to manage the behavior by learning more about the way the nervous system operates? Today...

If you (or your loved ones) are living with clutter; trying to make space for connection over content; or moving to a smaller home or retirement community, then you’ll love hearing from my friend, Matt Paxton. Matt is an Emmy-nominated hoarding expert and in today’s episode he’s sharing more about his new book, Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff, and his journey to life with less. Links to get in t...

Mothers all over the world have faced similar challenges across generations. Today, I’m chatting with Ana Tajder. Ana is the host of Thank you, Mama a podcast where she interviews woman from around the world about the lessons they learned from their mothers. Today, I’ll be interviewing her about her own mom, who was an awarded Yugoslavian Actress/artist. Ana Tajder was born in Zagreb, Coatia and h...

Today we are talking about accommodating, especially accommodating anxious behaviors in our kids. Sometimes accommodating is also known as enabling. This happens when an anxious person asks another person in their life to do something specific that relieves their anxiety. Like when your kid is fearful about going to bed and you lay with them until they fall asleep; when they are nervous about goin...

Parenthood rarely turns out as we expect. In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Rachel Nielson, the host of the podcast 3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms.  Rachel is a mother, teacher, and writer. In this episode she’s sharing her journey to motherhood. Get in Touch with Rachel: Her Podcast Her Website Instagram The post Idealizations appeared first on Simple Families.

In honor of Valentine’s Day and the Re-Launch of my Partners in Parenthood program, I have my partner, David, on the podcast today. We are talking about the highs and lows of parenthood and about how we have grown together in the process. The post Partnership appeared first on Simple Families.

In today’s episode, Kanesha Baynard opens up about her experience and expertise with the topic of multigenerational family living. This type of living arrangement has become increasingly more common in recent years with the pandemic and child care challenges.  Find Kanesha on her website + instagram + twitter.    The post Multigenerational Families appeared first on Simple Families.

Many of you listening are moving towards a more intentional approach to parenting, so I know you will enjoy this episode. Mr. Chazz Lewis is one of few male voices in the movement towards more respectful parenting. I’m thrilled that he let me pick his brain on topics like mistakes, cooperation, the parent-child relationship, and breaking cycles.   Find Chazz online: Instagram TikTok Podcast Patreo...

In today’s episode I’m joined by Laura Fenton. Laura is a writer, editor, and the author of The Little Book of Living Small. She and I are chatting about the ways that small living has impacted our lives and what it looks like in practice. Find Laura on Instagram Laura’s Book, The Little Book of Living Small The post Living Small(er) appeared first on Simple Families.

As the world has grown busier, many of us have moved towards short-form content to get the knowledge and information we desire. Rather than reading a book or listening to a podcast, we want that same information in a tweet, a TikTok, or an Instagram square. That can feel like a firehose of information. But could that move toward short-form content being doing more harm than good? That’s our topic...

In 10, 20, or even 50 years from now, early parenthood may feel like a blur with a few major bookends that stand out in our memories. What will those bookends be for your family? Do you have control over the bookends? Want to join us in The Mental Unload? It starts January 6th, 2021.

Are messiness and minimalism compatible? In fact, we messy people probably need minimalism the most–because we can’t handle having a lot of ‘stuff’. My guest today is Rachelle Crawford. Rachelle and I have bonded over our natural tendencies towards messiness. Rachelle is sharing her journey and introducing us to her new book, Messy Minimalism. Get in touch with Rachelle: On Instagram Rachelle’s We...

On the podcast I often feature the voices of parents and professionals who support children. As support people, our vantage point is unique. But what about the viewpoint from those with lived experience? Today, I’m speaking with lived experience educator Sonny Jane. Sonny (whose pronouns are they/them) is a queer, agender, physically disabled, autistic ADHDer and provides lived experience educatio...

It’s that magical time of the year…you probably started to feel it back in October when the decorations hit the stores. The pressure to shop early and the FOMO has never been stronger. There’s a good chance you have kids that are excited for the holiday season due to the anticipation of the gifts that are to come. If that sounds like your kids, you aren’t alone. Today, we are talking about staying...

I’m thrilled to welcome our first Mother-Daughter duo to the podcast today. Quyionah Wingfield and her daughter Serenity are entrepreneurs. They’ve written books, launched online dance classes, and now their first family game app. All their ventures have a common theme–building family connection. You can find Qui and Serenity here: Cool Moms Dance Too Website Cool Moms Dance Too on Instagram Gen C...

Do your kids have too many toys? When it comes to toys, there is no perfect number. But in today’s episode we are talking about why children don’t need a lot of toys. Having an abundance of toys is not only unnecessary but could be harmful. Want to join Tame The Toys? Use the code NOV21 for 20% off through the end of November.

What do I do if I think something is “wrong” with my kid? How do I know if my kid is developing okay? I hear these questions a lot. Today I’m talking about how to choose a professional and how to know what the best step is to find the support your child needs. The post Diagnosis appeared first on Simple Families.