Supermom is Getting Tired

Ep. 121  Creating Calm: 5-day Declutter Challenge   This week's podcast is going to be a little different because the answer to today’s question is being answered all week long.  I’ve teamed up with organizing expert Tracy Hoth of  Simply Square Away, to offer you Creating Calm: a 5-day declutter challenge.   We are going live inside the Supermom is Getting Tired facebook group to help you take co...

Sad about letting go of little kids Question of the Day: "How do I get over that feeling of loss for my little kids? I miss them being small, loving and playful, always wanting me to be with them. I had so much fun when they were little, playing outside, doing crafts, even just hanging out at home watching movies.  Now that I have a teen and tween, I feel like they don't want or need me around. Th...

Episode #119 When your kid hates their body   Question of the Day: I get a lot of questions from moms about what to say when kids make negative comments about their body or start showing signs of disordered eating. These are not my area of expertise so today I brought in an expert. Kyira Wackett is a licensed mental health therapist, facilitator and creator. She lives in Portland, OR with her husb...

Do you feel like you've lost yourself through parenting? Like even if you had time to yourself, you wouldn't know what to do with it to make you feel happy? Episode #118 Today I have a special treat. An interview with an amazing former client who came to me because she didn't know what she needed to be happy. After 12 years of parenting kids and part time work, she felt like she had lost herself t...

Episode #117: Motivating an apathetic teen   Question of the Day: Dear Torie  My son is so apathetic. He is super smart and very capable, but he doesn’t seem to care about doing well in school. I feel like I’m failing because he isn’t living up to his potential. Any suggestions for motivating an apathetic teenager?  Pilar   Parent Educator Answer: The good news is, nobody lives up to their potenti...

Episode 116 - Fed up with continuous disappointment Dear Torie,  I AM. SO. DONE. with frickin’ COVID.  I don’t want to be one of those people who complains on social media so I thought I’d complain here so you can make something productive come out of it.  In the big picture of things we are lucky. No one in our family has died or become seriously ill because of COVID. But the continuous disappoin...

We are living in some strange and unpredictable times. It poses questions that are hard to answer: Will schools go online? Should I cancel my trip? Am I going back to the office or working from home again? How do I celebrate my child's birthday when her friends are too scared to gather in one room? Our kids are looking to us for answers but we don't always have them because we are still relying on...

Episode #115 - How do I help my anxious, indecisive child? Question of the Day: Dear Torie, My 12 year old daughter gets really worked up when it’s time to make decisions.  Right now I am watching her work herself up into a state over whether she should, or should not, return a gift she got for Christmas. Her anxiety shows up in little ways (should she go to a sleepover or not, what food to order...

Episode #114 - Last on My List Question of the Day: Dear Torie, There are things I want to do that are important to me, but I can’t seem to follow through on them. For example, I want to exercise more regularly. I know that it makes me a better mom. When I’ve been exercising my mind is clearer, I’m in a better mood, and I make better choices.  I will bend over backwards to make sure my daughter ne...

Episode #113 - I need my teen to be happy Question of the Day:  Dear Torie, My daughter is cutting herself. The knowledge of this is ripping my heart out. The only thing I ever wanted is for my kids to be happy and clearly she is not.  My head spins in circles all day wondering what I did wrong, worrying about whether her therapist is truly helping, whether I’m doing enough, blaming her Dad, stupi...

Episode #112 - My kid’s begging and pleading is wearing me down. Question of the Day My 8 year old has an unhealthy relationship with screen time and video games. He’s a great kid, very active, competitive, a math whiz and knows it. He is constantly trying to get access to video games but especially when it’s my busiest time of day. In the morning and evening, I am busy with my special needs daugh...

Episode #111 - What's the difference between intuition, instincts, and anxiety? Also, How to get your reluctant teen to see a therapist. Question of the Day:  Dear Torie, I think my teen has anxiety but she doesn’t know it. She’s afraid to learn to drive. She gets herself all worked up about going out with friends to dances or parties. She thinks it’s her intuition telling her that something bad i...

Hello! I tried to record my podcast this week but I have a cold and my voice could not sustain a recording without multiple coughing fits. I am sorry to fall out of rhythm of my podcast coming out every 2 weeks but I will have to delay this one. I am excited to answer the questions "How to get a resistant teen to go to therapy?" and  "How can I tell the difference between anxiety, gut instincts an...

Episode #110 - Feeling Guilty Being Away from my Kid   Question of the Day: "I’m sick of feeling guilty all the time. When I’m at work, I feel guilty for not being at home. When I’m at home, I feel guilty for not working. My four year old has started crying and clinging to my leg when I try to leave and it’s breaking my heart. I’m exhausted and secretly dream about taking a weekend to myself like...

Dear Torie,  How is my son supposed to choose a major?  He is applying to colleges, some of which won’t let him change his mind if he applies under a certain major. He’s stressing out which is making me stress out! How the heck is he supposed to know what he wants to do for the rest of his life when he has had so few life experiences? It seems ridiculous to ask this of a 17 year old and I feel uns...

Episode #108 - Use Your Anger to Get What You Want   Dear Torie,  So….my pre-teen just pointed out that every time I have to drive him somewhere, I act annoyed. (which annoyed me). My teenager piggy backed on that saying I’m ALWAYS mad and yelling at her to pick up her things and do her chores. (which irritated me). My partner joined in saying he can’t remember the last time he and I had fun toget...

Episode #107 - I can’t get anything done!  Question of the Day:  I am thrilled that school is back in session —really I am—but I am gobsmacked at how little time I have for myself. I’ve been holding my breath waiting for all my kids to be in school at the same time so I could finally get a moment of peace. Now that it’s here, I feel trapped and overwhelmed by the schedule and everything on my to-d...

Episode #106  Sick of feeling crappy all the time Question of the Day: Dear Torie School has started and I’m excited for my kids to be out of the house and in the classroom. As I was walking toward the school at the end of the day to pick them up, I saw a class out on the playground. These kids were running, playing, laughing, and having a great time. Some of their masks were on, some half on/half...

Episode #105 Question of the Day:   Dear Torie,  I feel bad for not playing with my kids. They are super cute 5 and 8 year olds who happily live in the moment. I would love to be more like them. When they ask me to play, I TRY to say yes, but either I start cleaning up or I turn it into a lesson.  The other day, they wanted me to swim in the pool with them. I WANT to be the kind of mom who can hav...

Episode #104 Preparing your teen to leave the nest Question of the Day:  Dear Torie,  My first born is a rising senior. We are heading into a BIG year with college applications, tours, SAT tests, in person school and extracurricular activities. There’s a lot to think about and a lot to process. This time next year he’ll be moving out to live on his own for the first time. I want to make sure he is...

Episode #103 Question of the Day: Dear Torie, I don’t like my daughter’s friends. I thought about writing and telling you all the reasons WHY I don’t like them to justify my opinion but I think it just boils down to the simple fact that I don’t like them. I think her current group of friends are lazy, boring, and impolite.  My daughter (age 15) seems to act like whoever she is with. I want her to...

Dear Torie, Everything is opening back up again and I am excited but a bit overwhelmed. I’ve got 3 kids: ages 8, 10, and 13 and all of sudden, there are so many choices! Summer camps, Science camps, Sports camps, Swim Teams, Youth Groups at church, invitations from friends to birthday parties, backyard BBQ’s, camping trips, etc. My head is spinning! I’ve asked my kids to choose but they don’t seem...

Episode #101 - Finding your soul's calling after motherhood   Question of the Day:  "My oldest child is going off to college in the fall. I've got two more teens following soon, and I'm a wreck. I have LOVED being a mom. I'm excited for them but so sad for me. I feel like I found my calling in motherhood. How do you find purpose after raising kids?"   To help me answer this question, I've asked th...

Episode #100!! So exciting! Thank you for accompanying me on this journey. Special Episode: Instead of answering a listener question, I thought I’d walk you through some of my parenting a-ha moments that shifted my energy. I’m going to tell you 7 stories of my personal transformations that I’m sure you will resonate with. I’m also going to tell you the results of some informal surveying I’ve been...

Episode #99 - Socially Uncomfortable Teen Question of The Day: “I see my 15 year old being anxious anytime she has to interact with anyone in person! It’s as though she's lost her confidence to talk to someone face to face.” “I have two teens, a 15 and a nineteen year old. One of the things that worries me is my 15 year old girl has become so introverted. She says she doesn’t like people and doesn...