The Heartful Parent Podcast

Work-life balance is one of the biggest challenges in parenting. On this episode of The Heartful Parent Podcast, Wendy S. Meadows joins me to dig into what to do when you are overwhelmed, burned out, and you are stuck, feeling frustrated, and so tired day in and day out. 

Wendy brings not only her expertise as a mom and best-selling author into this conversation, she is a certified Life Coach, Family Law Mediator, and Parent Coordinator. Her background in family law paved the way for this new path, where she uses her combined experience to offer highly relatable and spot-on insight into your biggest challenges as a parent.

Wendy shares her personal and professional journey, the idea behind her book Sparkle and GRIT, and how being mindful of the sparkles can put you on the path to wake up and find the balance you need. 

Wendy and I are in total agreement that the journey of parenting is not meant to be navigated alone. Connect with Wendy on Instagram (@wendy_s_meadows or @sparkle_and_grit), LinkedIn, or on her website wendysmeadows.com. 

I would love to tell you more about all the support I offer through The Heartful Parent Academy. Use code PODCAST to get your first month for $7! Visit my website: theheartfulparent.com or send me an email christy@theheartfulparent.com. 

Sign up for HERE to get resources from me delivered right to your inbox! You really are not meant to do this alone!

Resources:

Sparkle & Grit by Wendy S. Meadows

Journal Page Freebie from Wendy

wendysmeadows.com

@wendy_s_meadows

@sparkle_and_grit

LinkedIn

My friend and colleague, Lihi Netzer joins me on the podcast today. Lihi is a fellow Positive Discipline Educator and Parent Coach. She focuses her work on pre-teens and teens struggling with social emotional challenges. Today, Lihi is here for a different reason. 

Lihi lives in Tel Aviv, Israel and she is sharing her personal account of living and parenting through the events that happened in Israel on October 6 & 7, 2023. Lihi not only shares her story, but also talks about parenting her own 10 & 13 year olds during a very scary time. All of this through the lens of her expertise as a Parent Coach and a Life Coach for teens and pre-teens. 

Lihi’s story and perspective are inspiring. She talks about strength versus resilience. She speaks about how to secure the connection with your kids before the hard conversations can even begin. And she gets very raw and real about what it was like during and after the attacks, as a person, as a parent, and as someone who supports other parents and teens.

The T.A.L.K. S.C.A.R.E.D.© Framework I shared on Episode 35 of the podcast can be a starting point for talking to your own kids. But, please reach out if you need support. You can find me on my website, theheartfulparent.com or send me an email christy@theheartfulparent.com.

Resources:

T.A.L.K. S.C.A.R.E.D.© Framework

When the world is scary, how do we parent? You might find yourself thinking, I want to talk to my kids about [insert scary or unsettling world thing], but I don’t know how. Maybe you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, scared, or triggered yourself. 

This episode is all about the Heartful Parenting Practice of using T.A.L.K. S.C.A.R.E.D.© This is a universal framework that you can use to talk to your kids when you don’t know how to talk to them about difficult things. This helpful acronym is an approach in helping your kids have the space to feel, understand, ask questions, and feel a little safer in the face of something scary. 

Get the download to start using T.A.L.K. S.C.A.R.E.D.© with current world events, or any other difficult things happening in your own community. 

Hint: the “D” in the acronym stands for Don’t Parent Alone, so if you need support, reach out to me christy@theheartfulparent.com. 

You can also sign up for my newsletter where you get resources delivered right to your inbox. Sign up HERE.

Resources:

T.A.L.K. S.C.A.R.E.D.© download

My friend and colleague Jo Langford joins me on The Heartful Parent Podcast today! Jo is a dad, a Master’s-level therapist, an author, and a sex educator for tweens, teens and parents. He is here today to tell us all about his new editions of his Spare Me the Talk book series. 

If you know a 12-22 year old, then you need to hear all about these books.. The books (along with Jo’s other work) focus on the “messes” that happen when you smash together adolescence, sexuality, technology and the world we live in. Jo sets out to give factual and relevant information in easily digestible chunks to the kids who are at this intersection in their lives. And I have to say, I love it! 

Jo and I dig into not only what he has put into the new additions of his books, but also why these additional topics are so important. We talk about how much the world has changed in the last 10 years and why it's so hard to be a parent and a kid now.

You can find out more about Jo’s work to promote healthy, positive and safe sexual and social behavior can be found at his website: beheroes.net. 

Please share this episode with at least one parent who has a 12-22 year old–– I’m a firm believer in the importance of finding the help and support you need on your parenting journey. And I would love to see you in The Heartful Parent Academy. You can get your first month for only $7! Sign up HERE and use coupon code PODCAST.

Resources:

Spare Me The Talk (Girls) by Jo Langford, M.A. 

Spare Me The Talk (Boys) by Jo Langford, M.A.

The Pride Guide by Jo Langford

beheroes.net

The Heartful Parent Academy

I’m getting raw and real with you again today. I’m sharing a story that while, yes, it’s a first world problem, it was also an opportunity for self-reflection. It was brought about by an extremely disappointing weekend.  And disappointment is something our kids feel too, even when we don’t totally agree with them.

Often, it is necessary to make space for feeling all the feelings, for us and our kids. In my case, it was uncomfortable, but quite necessary, to just let it play out–to give myself space to feel my feelings.. It can be equally uncomfortable to watch our kids deal with tough emotions, but it is necessary for them to have the space to feel their feelings and let them play out too. 

So my invitation for you today is to join me in some self-reflection. When unpleasant feelings or emotions come up for us, how do we handle it? And when they come up for our kiddos, how do we handle it and/or help them handle it? 

Are you in a place where you could use some support as you navigate parenting, partnering, and your professional life? Sign up to get resources from me delivered right to your inbox! 

And since I strongly believe we should not do this alone, please share any episode of The Heartful Parent Podcast with two people you know. We can spread the word on Heartful Parenting and support each other in the process.

Resources:

Permission to Feel by Dr. Mark Brackett

Anna Dearmon Kornick, Time Management Coach, is back for Part 2. (If you missed Part 1, go back and listen to Episode 31: Getting to the Heart of Time Management.) Anna is a wife and mom who helps busy professionals and business owners master time management so they can stop feeling overwhelmed and start spending time on what matters most. 

Now that we have our boulders, rocks, and pebbles identified, it's time to take action. Anna gives us practical tips and actionable takeaways to actually schedule our days and weeks in a way that prioritizes the work that actually needs to get done and gives us some of our time back for the important things. 

Anna covers time blocking, task batching, theme days, and Pebble Power Hour as a few strategies you can start using right away. And she assures us that if you’ve ever done laundry, you can implement these strategies. 

If you would like more from Anna, check out her podcast “It’s About Time” and get your hands on a copy of her book Time Management Essentials. 

Resources: 

Time Management Essentials by Anna Dearmon Kornick

timemanagementessentials.com

annadkornick.com

It’s About Time Podcast

Cube Timer

The start of school, the fall, is a time for getting back into routines, hitting that reset button, and setting some goals. But, at least for me, the to-do list is longer than the day. So Time Management Coach, Anna Dearmon Kornick is here to help us master our time and stop feeling overwhelmed. 

Anna is a wife and a mom who helps busy professionals and business owners with time management. She also has her own podcast–It's About Time–where she shares time management tips, productivity strategies and real-life advice to help her listeners make the most of their time

This is part one of a two part interview. In part one, Anna gives us the foundation of how to shift our philosophy about how we manage our time and addresses the biggest mistakes we’re probably making when it comes to our time. She also helps us identify and categorize things on our calendar and provides tips on how to wipe the slate clean and start over. 

Come back for Part 2, for the specific strategies that will build on the foundation from today’s episode.

Resources: 

Time Management Essentials by Anna Dearmon Kornick

timemanagementessentials.com

annadkornick.com

It’s About Time Podcast

Cube Timer  

You might have fond memories of sleepovers as a child, I know I do! It seems that now, sleepovers are much more controversial, and with good reason. I’m not here to tell you if you should or shouldn’t let your child have a sleepover. Today on The Heartful Parent Podcast, I will help you weigh the benefits and the risks so you can make the decision that is right for you, your family, and your kiddo. 

Then if you decide that the benefits outweigh the risks for your family, I’m giving you practical tips that can help you and your child be prepared. There are 3 key steps to implement if sleepovers will be a part of your child’s experience:

1. Prepare your child.
2. The conversation you should have with the other family/families involved.
3. What to do (and not do) when you pick your child up & how to have a post-sleepover conversation with your kiddo.

I’m giving tips for all 3 steps. Brain and body safety is the goal, so let’s work together to make sure you have the tools you need. 

If this conversation leaves you needing or wanting more, I would love to hear from you or have you join me in The Heartful Parent Academy. The Academy has all newly-developed content to support you in your parenting journey and the membership (which requires no long-term commitment) dives deeper into the Heartful Parenting Practices I touch on in the Podcast. Get more information at theheartfulparent.com/heartful-parent-academy.

Resources: 

Recommended Reading –– books on many parenting topics

Are You Trapping Your Child in a Lie? –– blog article on post-playdate conversations

Dr. Samantha Radford joins me on The Heartful Parent Podcast today. She is here to help us use a combination of scientific research with wellness and self-care to promote non-toxic living in our homes. As the owner of Evidence-Based Mommy, she focuses her work on helping families thrive in an attainable way. 

Dr. Radford and I dig into the places (and things) in our lives where our babies and kids might be exposed to toxic chemicals. She also explains why some of the things to watch out for are more dangerous to kids than adults. And she gives some great practical tips on how to make a shift towards cleaner living if you are on a budget and the all-organic-all-the-time idea is not a good fit for your family. 

You can find out more about all of Dr. Radford’s work and her offerings for families, mothers, and breastfeeding moms on her website  evidence-basedmommy.com. And make sure you check out her podcast, Evidence-based Mommy. (Sunscreen episode linked below.) And finally, her FREE download From Sunscreen to Cleaning Products packed full of even more information on how to incorporate some non-toxic living components into your life. 

If you need some parenting support ––The Heartful Parent Collective could be a great place to start. Email me: christy@theheartfulparent.com, sign up for my newsletter, or learn more on my website: theheartfulparent.com.

Resources: 

Dirty Dozen

Clean 15

Non-toxic sunscreens for babies and kids––Sunscreen episode from Dr. Radford’s podcast 

evidence-basedmommy.com Dr. Samatha Radford's website 

Breastfeeding Beyond Babyhood Event -- April 2024

Sunscreen to Cleaning Products download

Today on The Heartful Parent Podcast we’re diving into a thought-provoking topic––food, eating, & how we’re feeding our children. Julie Zivah is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Parenting Educator who aims to coach clients toward meaningful relationships with their bodies, people, and nourishment. She is here and invites you to start thinking critically about feeding your children and figure out what really works for you.

Julie gives us counterbalance to food rules and restrictions which is a value based framework called responsive feeding. It is rooted in 5 values: autonomy, relationships, competence, intrinsic motivation, and the whole child. Not only does Julie explain these values she extends three invitations (plus a bonus) on how to get you started on a path to responsive feeding. 

Julie has some great resources which you can find at her website zivahcoaching.com. And she extends an invitation for you to sign up for her FREE office hours (starting in September) where you can join her and other parents to ask feeding or parenting questions in a supportive environment. She would also love to hear from you –– julie@zivahcoaching.com. 

Resources:

Ellyn Satter’s Division of Responsibility in Feeding 

Dr. Jo Cormack - Child Feeding Specialist

Dr. Katja Rowell - The Feeding Doctor

Q&A with the author of Love Me, Feed Me

Naureen Hunani - Pediatric Dietitian

We all love to share and it has become second nature to post that cute or funny picture of our kiddos, but it is time to pump the breaks and think twice. Today on The Heartful Parent Podcast, I welcome Fareedah Shaheed, an award-winning Internet Safety Expert, who is here to talk to us about the aspects of cyber security that parents need to be thinking about. 

Fareedah’s background is in cyber security and threat intelligence, but her best advice comes from her own experiences in the online gaming world and noticing how what she sees people post on social media can threaten their family’s safety (even if you only have a handful of followers).

Fareedah and I dig into identifying the risks of posting certain types of photos or information online, the importance of modeling the type of behavior you want to see, and being intentional about not only what you are taking a picture of, but what else can be seen or gathered from the background of the photos you are posting. 

There are 13 specific photos you should not post, which Fareedah shares in her FREE download. These photos fall into three main groups:

• any photo that exposes your child in any way (diaper, bathing suit, bathtub, etc.)
• vacation or location information specific photos
• photos with specific personal/private information (birth announcement, school report card, etc.)

Get the list of photos and many other free resources at Fareedah’s FREE Resource Library. Connect with her at her website: cyberfareedah.com and find her on Instagram (@cyberfareedah) and YouTube youtube.com/CyberFareedah

Resources: 

Fareedah Shaheed’s website: cyberfareedah.com

FREE Resource Library

Instagram: @cyberfareedah

Fareedah’s YouTube Channel

This is a continuation of the conversation from Episode 25: Heartful Parenting Practice: STOP Saying “Stranger Danger”. This week, I have author and professor Dr. Paul Renfro with me to share thought-provoking evidence in the harm of the phrase “Stranger Danger”. Dr. Renfro wrote the book Stranger Danger: Family Values, Childhood, and the American Carceral State which speaks to the history and notion of this phrase that we were taught (and possibly continue to teach our own children) in the interest of safety. 

We dig into the details about how the phrase came about and why it is harmful to the practicality of keeping our kids safe. Dr. Renfro and I discuss perception versus reality in terms of how few strangers actually harm our children. In addition to the threat to children being much closer to home, the phrase Stranger Danger has also marginalized people of color and the LGBTQ population by perpetuating the idea that people in these groups are more likely to mean harm to children, which is 100% factually inaccurate. 

Listen and share this episode of the podcast to help spread the message that there are better ways to promote safety with our children. The Heartful Parent Academy can give you a comprehensive approach to parenting from a place of love and connection. I would love to see you join us there! b

Resources:

 Stranger Danger: Family Values, Childhood, and the American Carceral State by Paul Renfro

Let Grow Organization

Free-Range Kids: How Parents and Teachers Can Let Go and Let Grow by Lenore Skenazy

“Stranger Danger!” –– We all learned it and you may have taught it to your kids in the interest of keeping them safe, but it doesn’t! The danger of abduction or kidnapping is actually very low (come back next week for more on that with Dr. Paul Renfro). In the meantime, I’m sharing with you why the phrase “Stranger Danger” needs to be completely eliminated from our lexicon and what we should be teaching our kids instead to be safe.

This includes 3 important points: 

• Kids do not view strangers the same way adults do
• It is actually dangerous for kids to be afraid of all strangers
• 93% of child sexual abuse occurs at the hands of someone you know; not a stranger

We do need our kids to be savvy and smart to be safe, not afraid! There are tools to help and I’m sharing what to teach instead of Stranger Danger. 

This Heartful Parenting Practice is one of many valuable tools in The Heartful Parent Academy. There are 13 core modules to give you the tools you need on your parenting journey. The membership (which requires no long-term commitment) also comes with all the course work, community support, and additional support from me. Get more information at theheartfulparent.com/heartful-parent-academy. 

Resources: 

Stranger Danger: Family Values, Childhood, and the American Carceral State by Paul Renfro

Today I have the pleasure of talking with Parent & Enneagram Coach, Valerie Tih on The Heartful Parent Podcast! She is the founder of JoyFULL Coaching and she frames her work around helping parents who feel frustrated by the gap between who they want to be as a parent and the day-to-day reality of parenting. Valerie transforms outdated parenting paradigms into research-based Positive Discipline frameworks based on the latest brain science, the Enneagram, and best practices.

Valerie and I have a lot of overlap with our work with Positive Discipline, but today we are talking about how your Enneagram number can begin to bridge how you show up in hard moments with the parent you want to be. Enneagram does more than tell you about your personality; when used properly, it can shed a lot of light on your strengths AND your “blindspots”. In this episode, Valerie explains all this and gives practical tips (and an acronym!) to help us become more calm and confident in our parenting. 

Get more from Valerie by following her on Instagram @joyfullcoaching, Facebook - JoyFULL Coaching, and LinkedIn - Valerie Tih. And go to her website joyfullcoaching.ca to access a FREE download and learn more about her courses. Use coupon code HEARTFELT to get 20% off Valerie’s Enneagram Discovery Package, which you can purchase HERE.

I would also love to help you bring more love, joy, and connection to your parenting, partnering, and professional lives. Sign up to get resources from me delivered right to your inbox! And I hope you’ll consider joining my community The Heartful Parent Academy. There is no long term commitment to join and check out all the great content I have developed for you!

Teaching our children about consent can be one of the “awwww…I know!” conversations with our kids, but it doesn’t have to be! Today, Consent Educator and founder of Comprehensive Consent, Sarah Casper joins me on The Heartful Parent Podcast to share her story of how she got into the work of teaching consent (trust me, it’s a totally unexpected reason!). And Sarah shares how she uses social-emotional learning theory and practices to equip young people (and their adults) with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate body boundaries and create healthy relationships.

Sarah emphasizes the use of generalizable skills that aren’t about sex, but about navigating your body, and your boundaries, in a way that is safe and respectful. She talks about how these basic skills and conversations will lay the groundwork for teaching consent in a low stakes environment so it becomes natural for our kids and teens when the stakes become higher. Sarah also shares how to use a “game of scenarios” that can help tweens and teens have conversations with us and develop their critical thinking without making them feel that they are getting talked at. 

Connect with Sarah on Instagram @comprehnsiveconsent and find information about workshops and programs at her website comprehensiveconsent.com

If you would like more information about teaching consent, navigating body boundaries, or just need some parenting support ––The Heartful Parent Collective could be a great place to start. Email me: christy@theheartfulparent.com, sign up for my newsletter, or learn more on my website: theheartfulparent.com.

Casey O’Roarty, Positive Discipline Lead Trainer and Coach joins me on The Heartful Parent Podcast today, and I’m thrilled to have her here! Casey’s work encourages parents of teenagers to discover the purpose of their journey, while also providing them with tools and a shift of mindset that allows them to deepen their relationships with themselves and their families.

Casey and I agree that our purpose is to foster open, heartful connection with our teens and young adult children. Casey and I dig into what to do, as parents, when our teens or young adult children are making choices we don’t like, are unsafe or dangerous, or have consequences they didn’t anticipate. It truly isn’t about preventing them from making such choices (it’s not possible!), but how to make sure they come to us when they do and help them think critically and problem-solve in these situations. 

Casey gives tips on how to “stay deep” in curiosity, what questions to ask and not to ask. She also guides us to come from a place of neutral and how to practice this skill before we need it. 

To learn more about Casey and the work she does follow her on Instagram: @joyful_courage or Facebook and also find more about her classes and coaching opportunities on her website besproutable.com/teens

The Heartful Parent Collective also has so many ways to provide support. The Heartful Parent Academy has all newly-developed content to support you in your parenting journey and the membership (which requires no long-term commitment) comes with course work, community support, and additional support from me. Get more information at theheartfulparent.com/heartful-parent-academy.

Resources:

Joyful Courage: Calming the Drama and Taking Control of Your Parenting Journey

I’m getting real with you today on The Heartful Parent Podcast! I’m sharing a personal story about a [very recent] time I didn’t use the techniques of Positive Discipline––instead I let my anger get the best of me. Instead, I spoke to my daughter from a place of fear, frustration, and disbelief; I let the imperfect human side of me win out over the so-called “parent expert” side of me.

BUT, it’s not all bad! My relationship with my kid and my ability to *tolerate* myself were both repaired fairly quickly, which is why I’m sharing this story with you today. I’m digging into the 3 reasons why the repair happened quickly and successfully, and that part does go back to the elements of Positive Discipline that have laid a strong foundation within my parenting and my family.

If you would like to learn more about how you can begin to implement Positive Discipline into your own parenting, we would love to see you in The Heartful Parent Academy! We dig deep into so many useful tools including the 4Rs of Recovery that I mention in today’s episode.

Learn more HERE. 

If you need support, reach out! I would love to hear from you! christy@theheartfulparent.com

Emily Cherkin, M.Ed. joins me on The Heartful Parent Podcast for a thought-provoking conversation about how we, as parents, may be worrying about the wrong thing(s)! Emily is former teacher who is now The Screentime Consultant, and her work focuses on understanding the challenges we face parenting through a digital age.

Emily and I dig into the difference between scary versus dangerous, and why this matters. We also talk about guidelines around when kids should get a phone and what we should really consider before we give them one. Parental controls and monitoring are one tool to keep kids safe online, but really, learning to be safe in the real world paves the way for the skills kids need to be safe online. Emily and I share what this type of “functionality” looks like in kids and teens before they can really navigate using technology to communicate and socialize. 

 As with all components of Heartful Parenting, no matter the age kids are when they become encompassed with technology as a way of life, we have to build trust and nurture our relationships to really make a difference for our kids. Emily and I talk about the connections that need to be made in order to tackle the anxiety and challenges that kids and teens are facing in today’s digital world.

 Learn more about being Tech-Intentional™️ on Emily’s website thescreentimeconsultant.com and connect with her by signing up for her mailing list or following her on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or subscribing to her YouTube channel.

Note: I would love to provide you resources and support for parenting, partnering, and your professional life through the Heartful Parent Collective. Sign up to get resources from me delivered right to your inbox! You are not meant to do this alone

It is Pride Month! So Sexuality and Parenting Educator, Amy Lang is joining me on The Heartful Parent Podcast to talk about all we should know to support (and celebrate) our LGBTQ youth. Amy Lang, MA uses a lively, engaging and down-to-earth style to help parents become comfortable and confident talking with their kids. Amy’s books, online solutions center, and podcast, show parents they really can become their kids' go-to birds and bees source.

Amy has knowledge on a wide range of parenting topics, but today we are focusing on the idea of supporting LGBTQ youth. We dig into why it is an important piece of safety for kids and teens and safe parenting. And we cover what conversations we need to have with our kids, no matter if they identify along the LGBTQ spectrum or not. Amy shares how we support ALL kids, and it starts with believing them, asking questions, and holding their confidence.

This episode can get the conversation started, but if you need more you can find resources, solutions, and ways to work with Amy at birdsandbeesandkids.com. Her podcast Just Say This! answers all types of questions, so you can listen for answers or even ask a question of your own.

The Heartful Parent Collective also has so many ways to provide support. The Heartful Parent Academy has all newly-developed content to support you in your parenting journey and the membership (which requires no long-term commitment) comes with course work, community support, and additional support from me. Get more information at theheartfulparent.com/heartful-parent-academy

Resources:

The Gender Unicorn graphic

You Know, Sex by Corey Silverberg (graphic novel style)

The Every Body Book by Rachel Simon & Noah Gringi 

Just Say This! - Amy’s Podcast 

Founder and CEO of Radiant Mourning, Maureen Kures joins me on The Heartful Parenting Podcast today. Maureen is on a mission to guide families to decide, document, and discuss their final chapter plans long before it is needed in order to bring a sense of peace to those who live on. As an End-of-Life Planning Facilitator and Doula, Maureen has witnessed the devastation that can occur when families haven’t’ had candid conversations with those who matter most. She knows it can be different with planning.  

Because many of us are now part of the sandwich generation–caring for children and aging parents at the same time–Maureen and I dig into what the conversations should be and how to have them––both with aging parents and with children who may experience death as part of your family. All of this comes from a place of honoring those we love and their wishes. We also want to give our children a healthy outlook on all that surrounds end-of-life and give them the opportunity to ask questions and talk openly about a difficult subject.

You can get the conversation started with help from Maureen’s free starter guide, Does Speaking of Dying Scare You to Death? which you can download at startthetalknow.com. And you can learn more about End-of-Life planning and connect with Maureen as an End-of-Life Doula at both www.radiantmourning.com and www.gentlepassagedoulacollective.com.

If you need some parenting support ––The Heartful Parent Collective could be a great place to start. Email me: christy@theheartfulparent.com, sign up for my newsletter, or learn more on my website: theheartfulparent.com.