Zen Pop

When you are struggling, do you curse it, nurse it , and rehearse it? Or do you disperse it and reverse it? Todd and Cathy discuss all of these possibilities, and which choices lead to greater contentment. They also discuss Lionel Richie songs, new apps, why Cathy wears her earphones when she’s grocery shopping, and how Todd allowed his daughter to make her own choices this past weekend. Other Res...

Todd and Cathy discuss mortality and question why we shy away from talking about something we all share. Todd references a book called Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, and talks about an important conversation he had with his 93 year old grandmother. They also discuss how cancelling on friends through text has become the new normal, and why it’s important to be impeccable with our word and never take...

Cathy and Todd discuss why it’s sometimes important to give your partner “credit” for introducing you to new ideas or experiences. Cathy admits that it was difficult when Todd first started doing yoga and getting interested in her line of work – she was excited for him, but she also felt like she losing a part of her identity. Have you ever introduced a book or class to your partner and they are i...

We talk with Roman Krznaric , author, cultural thinker, and empathy expert. He has been named one of Britain’s leading popular philosophers, and he’s the founder of the Empathy Museum and the Empathy Library. Over half a million people have watched his RSA Animate video The Power of Outrospection (it’s a much watch!). Roman talks to us about the golden rule vs the platinum rule, how to raise empat...

Cathy and Todd discuss empathy and how it relates to connection, self awareness, and parenting. They discuss how empathy is the necessary step, in all situations, toward real and meaningful change. They play a clip from their interview with Roman Krznaric, author and empathy expert, which will air this Friday.  And some great Ron Swanson clips… The Hole Chapter One I walk down the street The...

On today’s show we discuss Bryan Stevenson, Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative , and why he is one of our heroes. We also discuss an episode of NPR’s Invisibilia called   Entanglement – specifically how it’s the explanation for why random people tell Cathy stories, and why she doesn’t like to answer the door for the pizza guy. Intrigued? You should be, this show goes deep! ht...

On today’s show we discuss the documentary Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, and why ideology shapes our culture and our lives. We also discuss positive psychology and mindfulness – we focus on why it’s important to notice strengths as we deal with our challenges. It’s time for our Zen Parenting Radio Virtual Mother’s Day Retreat ! We will uncover true balance and how to practice...

We speak with the Founder of Changing The Game Project John O’Sullivan.  Their mission is to ensure that we return youth sports to our children, and put the ‘play’ back in ‘play ball.’  For every Tiger Woods and Andre Aggassi, there are thousands of others who are in it for the fun (until the adults take the fun out of it.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXw0XGOVQvw Some other topics discus...

Cathy and Todd discuss a New York Times article that makes a case for “free-range parenting”.  Why are we so fearful to let our kids roam free and have their own adventures, and do the statistics reinforce or dispute our fear? Parents have started calling the police when they see a child at the park unaccompanied – is this helpful or harmful to our way of living? They also discuss how to talk and...

You’ve been let down, put down, you’ve failed, and you’ve had your heart broken. Once we reach a certain age, it’s a given that we will have dealt with lots of life’s challenges. But then what do we do? Do we move forward with bitterness, or do we choose to use our experiences for good? We discuss Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook post about “innocent happiness” and “weathering happiness” – one we are...

On today’s show we discuss Interruption Science, the study of the effects of interruptions on job performance. Not only do interruptions challenge our job performance, but they challenge our parenting skills and our ability to feel calm and happy. We also discuss Lean In Together, an organization that demonstrates that when men lean in for equality, they win, and so does everybody else. We answer...

We speak with Dr. John Duffy the author of The Available Parent – Radical Optimism For Raising Teens and Tweens.  He talks to us about how to minimize conflict and maximize satisfaction in your relationship with your child.  We have a tendency today to over-parent, micro-manage, and under-appreciate our adolescents. Dr. John Duffy’s The Available Parent is a revolutionary approach to t...

Cathy and Todd discuss why boys and men can experience emotional isolation and loneliness due to a lack of meaningful relationships with male friends. The inspiration of the discussion comes from a blog written by Mark Greene titled Why Do We Murder The Beautiful Friendship Of Boys .  They also discuss the movie Whiplash and why it’s a perfect example of teaching from a place of fear and ego. They...

Agression.  British theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking believes that the greatest threat facing us today is our inability to “correct our aggression”. We no longer require the amount of aggression that was useful hundreds of years ago, so it’s time to trust that empathy and compassion can be our new change agents. We also discuss The Four Agreements (specifically Agreement #2 –...

We discuss the book  Mindset: The New Psychology of Success – How We Can Learn to Fulfill Our Potential, specifically the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset by Carol Dweck. Understanding the difference will make an impact on how your relate to yourself and your kids, and it will impact how your kids learn. We also discuss how to help kids trust themselves, how we can help kids...

We speak with Author Annie Burnside about her book “From Role to Soul: 15 Shifts on the Awakening Journey”  From her work with many who have awakened, Annie has learned that what it takes for us to finally quit trying to awaken, and simply awaken, is highly individualized. In her own life, she detected the 15 shifts that occurred within her. Yet, as she spoke with others, it becomes in...

Cathy and Todd discuss the Oscars, specifically all of the amazing speeches and shout-outs for social change. They answer a listener’s question about a son that doesn’t want to be involved in extracurricular activities, and another question about how to parent together with different philosophies. They discuss why it’s important to discuss what we really want for our kids (emotional safety and sel...

We discuss Cindy Crawford’s non-photoshopped picture that went viral and how women were normalized by its authenticity. We also discuss how to see situations from a child’s perspective and why it made sense when our youngest daughter ate a sleeve of Hershey kisses – instead of insisting that our kids listen to us, we can make sure we are listening to them. A listener appreciates how his partner te...

Cathy and Todd talk to Tara Mohr, an expert on women’s leadership and well-being. She is the author of Playing Big: Find Your Voice, Your Mission, Your Message , and she’s the creator of the Playing Big leadership program for women. Cathy first heard Tara Mohr at an Emerging Women conference, and she fell in love with her message and book. Listen as Tara talks about why women get blamed for not pl...

Today we discuss our workshop with Dr. Daniel Siegel , Psychiatrist and Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute, where we learned more about mindfulness and how it can change every aspect of our lives AND our children’s lives. We also talk about our contribution to Kids in the House , a video parenting resource where experts address all of your parenting issues. A listener shares how her par...

Todd and Cathy discuss a blog that offers 5 ways to raise kind children. They also talk about “dementia of the pre-occupied”, not a true diagnosis, but a great description of what it feels like when you begin forgetting why you walked into a room or what you planned to say next. They talk about why the teenage brain is different than ours, how to develop trust when communicating with your kids, an...

Do you ever hear (or say) things like this: Life is hard. Being good at school means you will be good at work. Don’t expect too much, then you won’t be disappointed. You can’t do it that way. Do you ever question whether or not these things are really true? This week Todd and Cathy bust open these so-called “facts” to recognize how these negative belief systems slow us down or keep us stuck. They...

We speak with Darius A. Loghmanee, MD Attending Physician, Sleep Medicine; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.  We cover all the bases from infants to adults.  Is a sleep routine good, and if so what’s the best way of going about it.  Dr.  Darius shares with us why it’s not okay to tell your child to “go to sleep” and what...

Todd and Cathy discuss why our actions dictate our priorities (a Gandhi quote), and how investigation into our priorities tells us a lot about what we think and believe. They also discuss Rob Bell’s new podcast (The Robcast) and his teaching about why “good can be the detriment of best”. They discuss the most recent country music mash up, and Todd shares his favorite scene from The is 40 when the...

On today’s show Cathy and Todd talk about why connection is essential if we want our children to listen and cooperate. If we are seeking changes in our children’s behavior, we need to we focus our attention on deepening the relationship and creating daily connection. We have to be willing to make consistent deposits in the emotional bank accounts of our loved ones – then we take withdrawls (disapp...