The Happy Human Life

"My child will punch and kick during a meltdown and it feels like I can't give them any support. What can I do to help them when they get this way?" In this episode, we talk about CALMY RIDING THE WAVE. When your kid is in meltdown mode and throwing punches and kicks, we need to do our best to maintain our cool at all costs. It’s not just about keeping everyone safe, but also about modeling calm b...

“It’s been hard for me and my partner to get on the same page with the kids. We have different ideas on boundaries and discipline, and it's been causing a lot of tension between us. What can we do?” In this episode, we dig into the tip of: LEADING WITH VALIDATION. Understanding and acknowledging each other’s feelings and beliefs will always be the first step in finding common ground. Before we can...

Struggle getting your kids to listen when it's time to get ready for bed? We hear you! It’s been a near-nightly struggle for us over the past 12 years with our four kids. So… our big tip… LEVERAGE PLAY. Transforming the bedtime routine into a fun and engaging experience will capture our kids' interest, but more importantly, their cooperation. As a quick example… our toddler loves to pretend that h...

If you struggle getting your kids to listen and follow through with even the simplest tasks, then this episode is for you! It can be SO frustrating to feel like you're being ignored or to be met with constant whining, so in this episode, we discuss strategies to motivate your kids to listen without resorting to threats or nagging. We start by emphasizing the importance of LEADING WITH CONNECTION ....

Have you ever wondered how to handle situations where family members label foods as "good" or "bad" in front of your children? In this episode, we dig into the following question from our community: "My mother-in-law is always labeling foods as good or bad in front of our daughter. She came home yesterday telling me that Grammy said, 'All I eat is junk food.' How do we handle this?" Here’s our tip...

Are you struggling with disciplining your children? Do you often find yourself using threats or removal of privileges as a quick fix to stop unwanted behavior? You're not alone! In this episode, we dive deep into the common parenting problem: "Should I be using removal punishment with my kids, or are there better ways?" We all know how challenging parenting is, and it's easy to feel like you're ru...

Are you struggling to manage screen time in your household? Wondering how much is too much for your kids? In this episode, we explore the often asked question, "How much screen time is appropriate for my kids?" and we share our personal experiences and tips on finding the right balance. The American Academy of Pediatrics provides guidelines and limitations, but like many parents, we often find tha...

“I’ve heard about helicopter versus free range parenting and I’m having a hard time finding a balance. How much freedom should we give our kids?” In this episode, we dig into the world of parenting styles as we discuss helicopter vs. free-range parenting. If you're struggling to find the right balance of freedom and guidance for your children, this one's for you! We start off with a quick overview...

In this episode, we dive into a topic that every parent grapples with: kids testing boundaries. We discuss the challenging moments when our kids push limits and how we should respond to them. Is constant kindness and support realistic? Should empathy and understanding be unconditional? We all face those tough parenting moments when our kids are confrontational or are just getting under our skin an...

In this "burning question" episode, we remind ourselves that our young children are still in the process of developing a slew of skills, so even though they don’t always follow directions immediately, we need to approach these situations with patience and empathy. We discuss the importance of first connecting with your child, spending a few minutes in their world before expecting them to engage in...

In this "burning question" episode we talk about how we can ease sibling rivalry and dial up the sharing. We dig into why being a bit possessive is totally normal and how to gently steer our kids toward more sharing. We encourage cooperative play (think fun stuff like building forts and playing board games) to build the skills of turn-taking, teamwork, compromise, and flexibility. Also, we share h...

In this "burning question" episode we dig into the common (yet challenging) area of preschooler behavior. If you're struggling with your 3-year-old's emotional rollercoaster, just know… you're not alone! It's totally normal to feel overwhelmed when our little ones are pushing, hitting, or roaring, but our first major takeaway… Let’s forget the idea that your kid needs “fixing”... and instead… let'...

In this "burning question" episode, we share strategies to nurture your kids' self-esteem. We discuss how we need to first validate their feelings while promoting a growth mindset that encourages effort and perseverance. From specific praise to modeling confidence and resilience, we share our practical tips that’ll help your child develop a more positive self-image like engaging in confidence-boos...

In this "burning question" episode, we discuss common triggers that lead to sibling conflicts and offer practical strategies to support your kids (and yourself) during these challenging moments. It's important that we reframe these conflicts as opportunities for learning rather than viewing our kids as being "mean". Understanding that they're still developing conflict resolution skills can help us...

After listening to this episode, you’ll better understand how to guide your family through smooth transitions using the following three tips: Tip #1: Establish Predictable Routines Tip #2: Communicate and Explain Tip #3: Involve Your Kids in the Decision-Making ✨Looking for more support? Come grow with us in The Happy Human Collective , our education and support community. ✅ Come explore&nb...

In this video we dig into a common concern among parents who grew up in homes where yelling was the norm and offer practical strategies to break the cycle of yelling. By acknowledging how we were raised and understanding the triggers that set us off, we can begin to move beyond our default emotional reactions and better show up as the calm and supportive parents that we want to be. We offer strate...

In this "burning question" episode, we talk about the underlying causes behind our kids’ angry expressions, emphasizing that it's not about defiance but rather a lack of developed communication skills and immature brains (specifically the frontal lobes). We discuss how to initiate a mindset shift, which is crucial for maintaining your composure during these kinds of heated moments, and dig into th...

In this “burning question” episode, we discuss effective strategies to prevent our kids from lying by first understanding their motivations for lying and fostering honesty by creating a safe and supportive environment. When we can discover why our kids are lying, we can address the root causes behind their behavior. If we can create a nurturing home environment where we explicitly show that honest...

Let’s all better understand how to begin parenting as a team while recognizing our shared family goals and values as well as meeting each others’ needs. The three actionable tips that we share in this episode are: Tip #1: Schedule Team Chats Tip #2: Define and Divide Responsibilities Tip #3: Prioritize Each Others’ Self-care Needs Get your “Happy Human Freebies” at happyhumanlife.org Looking to be...

7. Stop Yelling and Find Your Calm We’ll dig into 3 Actionable Tips that’ll help us all better manage our emotions so we can show up as the calm and regulated parents that we want to be. Tip #1: Discover Joyful Movement Tip #2: Practice Mindfulness and Mind-body awareness Tip #3: Develop Time Management Strategies Get your “Happy Human Freebies” at   happyhumanlife.org Looking to be a part of...

After listening to this episode, we’ll all better understand the techniques we can use to support our family’s mental health using the following three actionable tips: Tip #1: Model and Nurture Emotional Regulation (12:17) Tip #2: Establish Routine and Predictability (29:00) Tip #3: Foster Growth Mindset and Resilience (38:15) Get your “Happy Human Freebies” at happyhumanlife.org Looking to be a p...

After listening to this episode, we’ll all better understand what it means to create a positive home environment. We’ll discuss how we can cultivate a supportive and nurturing space for all family members using the following three actionable tips: Tip #1: Develop mutual respect through modeling (9:58) Tip #2: Build a family community by establishing values (21:06) Tip #3: Nurture positive connecti...

After listening to this episode, we’ll all better understand how to replace punishment with connection so we can engage in emotionally intelligent discipline using these three actionable tips: Tip #1: Foster connection by Teaming Up with Your Child (18:23) Tip #2: Discover the problem by Playing Detective (26:16) Tip #3: Problem Solve by Co-creating Solutions (33:38) Get your “Happy Human Freebies...

After listening to this episode, we’ll all better understand our kids' tantrums, emotional outbursts, and meltdowns, and be better able to manage them by putting into practice the following three actionable tips:    Tip #1: Connect through validation (7:20) Tip #2: Empower them with choice (13:16) Tip #3: Be proactive using five-minute play (19:20) Get your “Happy Human Freebies” at happ...

After listening to this episode, we’ll all better understand what we can do to better manage our stress and overwhelm by putting into practice the following three actionable tips: Tip #1: Reduce demands by learning on your support system (10:13)  Tip #2: Balance responsibilities by establishing boundaries (22:17) Tip #3: Experience self-care by finding joy in everyday activities (30:21) Get y...