The three most important things you can do when you want easier mornings with kids are to create a to-do list, be honest about how much time you need to get it all done, and build out a simple timeline for your family to follow each day.

Today on the podcast, I’m talking about the part of the day that trips up almost every family - the morning. I’ll walk you through my morning routine roadmap, a simple 3-step system to help you build mornings that actually get your kids out the door on time without stress.

• My simple 3-step system for smoother mornings with kids
• How to create your own morning routine roadmap
• Why being on time isn’t the most important thing
• A sample morning routine and timeline
• 5 tips for less stressful school mornings

If you want less chaotic, more organized mornings, you’re in the right place!

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• Free Guide: Easy Mornings with Kids
• Episode 192: The 5 Things: Easy Routines for Kids
• Episode 191: Eyeballs: A Simple Parenting Tool for Instant Connection
• Episode 190: Make Mornings Better with the Gentle Handoff

In this free guide you’ll discover:

✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)

✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)

✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)

✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)

Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit here

• Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
• Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
• Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips
• Rate and review the podcast on Itunes

Before you jump into back-to-school schedules, rules, and to-do lists, I want you to set your goals and intentions for this school year. Because focusing on your mindset is what actually determines how this year will feel and how it all will go.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The back-to-school step you might be missing that makes a huge difference in how your year goes
• Why mindset needs to come before logistics
• Examples of thoughts you can use to feel the way you want to feel
• The types of goals every family should set at the start of a new year

If you don't decide on purpose how you want this school year to feel, the year will just happen to you. Instead of steering the ship, you’ll be reacting. But taking this 20 minutes with me to get clear on what you actually want will pay off all year long.

Read the full show notes here.

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Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Toolkit!

In this free guide you’ll discover:

✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)

✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)

✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)

✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)

Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit here

• Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
• Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
• Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips
• Rate and review the podcast on Itunes

The truth is, meltdowns, mood swings, sibling squabbles, and up-and-down social feelings are all completely normal during the first week of school. Back to school is a transition, and it isn’t always a smooth one.

The week starts out pretty great. Your kid is excited, they have a good first day, and then within a few days they start falling apart over a granola bar or refusing to get in the car or suddenly saying they hate their teacher.

And you're thinking, “Wait, what happened? Weren't we doing okay? What has changed?”

Nothing has gone wrong. This is just what the first week of school looks like.

You’ll Learn:

• 5 things to expect during the first week of school
• 2 tools to help you get through back-to-school mornings and meltdowns
• Why I don’t want you to deliver consequences in the morning
• How to get through the back-to-school transition without losing your mind

I'm walking you through what to expect, the top five challenges families face during back-to-school, and two tools that will help you get through the mornings and the meltdowns.

Read the full show notes here.

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• Episode 2.12: The CALM Break | Stop Yelling With This 4-Step Parenting Tool
• Episode 190: Make Mornings Better with the Gentle Handoff
• Episode 191: Eyeballs: A Simple Parenting Tool for Instant Connection

Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Toolkit!

In this free guide you’ll discover:

✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)

✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)

✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)

✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)

Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit here

• Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
• Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
• Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips
• Rate and review the podcast on Itunes

The way to make the end of summer joyful instead of stressful is simple: stop trying to force your back-to-school routines into place early.

Let go of the pressure to fix bedtimes, screens, and wake-ups this week, and spend these last days actually enjoying your kids instead. School itself will rebuild the routine for you within the first few days. You don't have to do it in advance.

You'll Learn:

• Why you might be craving routine at this point in the summer
• What back-to-school and jet lag have in common
• Why forcing school routines early isn't worth it
• How to savor the last days of summer
• My favorite back-to-school tradition

If your kids are heading back to school in the next week or two, there's a good chance you're counting backwards from the first day, feeling the instinct to get it all organized: earlier bedtimes, less screen time, earlier wake-ups, chores back on the list.

In this episode, I make the case that even if you put in all that effort, it won't actually work - and it'll turn your last week of summer stressful instead of enjoyable. I'll walk you through what's actually worth doing before school starts, what to let go of, and why savoring this week matters more than prepping for it.

Read the full show notes here.

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Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Toolkit!

In this free guide you’ll discover:

✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)

✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)

✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)

✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)

Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit here

• Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
• Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
• Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips
• Rate and review the podcast on Itunes

Is connected parenting accidentally leading moms to burnout?

I think a lot of us have been doing something exhausting in the name of good parenting, including myself. Today, I'm showing you the big shift that stops connection from turning into exhausting, all-day emotional labor.

You’ll Learn:

• What intensive parenting is (and why it’s not required for connection)
• My thoughts on the “Beta Mom” movement
• Why you don’t have to solve every feeling
• The most important gift you can give your kid

The exhaustion that you’re feeling doesn’t mean that you’re not doing a good job. It might just be a sign that you’re doing more emotional labor that is actually required.

Read the full show notes here.

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• Episode 82: Simplify Your Life
• Season 2, Episode 16: The Connection Tool

Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Toolkit!

In this free guide you’ll discover:

✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)

✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)

✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)

✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)

Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit here

• Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
• Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
• Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips
• Rate and review the podcast on Itunes

Summer doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be good enough.

If your kid is melting down, bored, complaining, or grumpy this summer, that doesn't mean you're doing something wrong.

Today I'm talking about mom guilt - specifically the kind that shows up in the summer - and challenging the idea that you need to fix it all. I'll show you how to take the pressure off yourself and embrace the "good enough" summer.

You’ll Learn:

• Why summer isn’t actually easier than the rest of the year
• Where summer mom guilt comes from
• Why doing less is actually good for your kids
• How to have a “good enough” summer

Read the full show notes here.

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• Check out our curated Calm Summer Mama podcast playlist on Spotify
• Get the Stress-Free Summer Toolkit
• Episode 2.22: Creating Good Summer Vibes | A Calm Parenting Guide
• Episode 77: Summer Sibling Squabbles
• Episode 128: Encouraging Boredom
• Episode 13: Dealing with a Grumpy Mood

Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Toolkit!

In this free guide you’ll discover:

✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)

✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)

✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)

✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)

Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit here

• Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
• Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
• Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips
• Rate and review the podcast on Itunes

In hard and stressful seasons, it can feel difficult to find the time to take care of yourself. But that's actually the best thing that you can do.

Today, I’ve invited therapist and author Cyndi Horwitz on the podcast to talk about something I’m very passionate about: Healing and supporting women when they’re going through difficult times. We’re talking about how to get out of the trap of self-abandonment and take excellent care of yourself so that you can manage mom stress and show up even in hard seasons.

You’ll Learn:

• Why you can’t plow through pain
• What self-abandonment looks like & why we do it
• How to start coming back to yourself
• The practice that helps you feel held and cared for
• Simple exercises to ease anxiety and fear

This conversation is an invitation to tap into the belief that you are okay in this moment.

We’re always breathing. Tap into it.

We’re always moving. Do it intentionally.

We’re always having conversations in our heads. Invite yourself to a lovelier one.

Click here to read the full show notes.

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• The 6-part “How To Heal” series, beginning with episode 161: Radical Self Love

Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Toolkit!

In this free guide you’ll discover:

✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)

✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)

✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)

✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)

Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit here

• Pre-order the book, Held by the Tide: A Journey of Hope and Healing Through Breath, Movement, and Love
• Follow her on Instagram @healing.in.practice and TikTok @cyndi.horwitz
• Visit her website: www.cyndihorwitz.com

• Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
• Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
• Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips
• Rate and review the podcast on Itunes

Mom guilt is real. And it's stopping you from being the calm parent you want to be. In this episode, guest Mary Skinner helps you understand why you feel guilty, where it comes from, and how to stop blaming yourself.

We’re also getting into our own journeys of learning how to drop guilt, set better boundaries, and become the leaders of our families. There are so many little nuggets of wisdom in this episode that I can’t wait for you to hear.

You'll Learn:

• Problems with gentle parenting
• Where mom guilt comes from
• How to stop feeling so much mom guilt
• Why boundaries are so important (and how to get better at them)
• A simple mantra to help you drop self-judgment and guilt

Mary Skinner is a holistic birth and postpartum doula, founder of the Lotus Doula Tribe, mother of three children, yoga instructor, and all-around amazing mom and person. I hope you love our conversation!

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Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Toolkit!

In this free guide you’ll discover:

✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)

✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)

✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)

✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)

Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit here

• Episode 176: This One’s For the Working Moms
• Episode 133: Your Kid’s Happiness Isn’t Your Job
• Episode 69: The Problem with Modern Motherhood
• Episode 56: Being a “Good” Mom Doesn’t Prevent Pain

• Learn more about Mary Skinner and her work at https://lotusdoulatribe.com/
• Follow her on Instagram @LotusDoulaTribe
• Like her on Facebook

• Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
• Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
• Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips
• Rate and review the podcast on Itunes

When mom guilt takes over, it's hard to feel like the calm mama you want to be. In this episode, guest Jessica Tomich Sorci shares why moms feel bad about themselves, along with mindful parenting tools to break the cycle. Learn how self-compassion isn't selfish; it's the foundation for confident parenting and real emotional connection with your kids.

You’ll Learn:

• How to have a better relationship with yourself as a human, a woman, and a mom
• What being an empty-nester looks like for me right now
• What I like to say to myself when I’m feeling anxious
• Ways to love all the parts of you - even the challenging ones
• What surprised me about my Mom Parts assessment

Jessica Tomich Sorci is a licensed marriage and family therapist, as well as a specialist in Internal Family Systems (IFS). Her focus is on maternal mental health. She’s here today talking about her new book, When Good Moms Feel Bad: An Empowering Guide to Transforming Guilt, Anxiety and Anger Into Compassion, Confidence and Connectedness, which she wrote along with Rebecca Gushuri.

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• Episode 183: Internal Family Systems (IFS, part 1)
• Episode 184: Finding Your SELF (IFS, part 2)
• Episode 185: Being What Your Kids Needs (IFS, part 3)
• Episode 197: Freedom From the Good Mom Myth with Dr. Angele Close
• Episode 198: Letting Go of Mom Shame with Dr. Angele Close

Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Toolkit!

In this free guide you’ll discover:

✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)

✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)

✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)

✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)

Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit here

• Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
• Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
• Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips
• Rate and review the podcast on Itunes

• Take the Mini Mom Parts quiz (and listen to the full podcast episode to hear Darlynn’s results!)
• Get the book - When Good Moms Feel Bad: An Empowering Guide to Transforming Guilt, Anxiety and Anger Into Compassion, Confidence and Connectedness
• Follow Jessica on IG @jessicatomichsorci
• Learn more on her website: https://www.jessicatomichsorci.com/for-moms

Today I'm getting into a topic that I hear about constantly from parents - lying. Is lying normal? What does it mean? And most importantly, what do we actually do about it?

There are a bunch of reasons that kids lie. When you understand why it's happening, it becomes much easier for you to respond in a calm way - without getting really angry, blowing up, shutting them down, or criticizing.

You'll Learn:

• Why kids lie (and yes, it's totally normal)
• What to do when your kid lies (with lots of scripts and examples)
• How to combine compassion and consequences
• 5 ways to encourage honesty in your family

Read the full blog post here.

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• Episode 2.15: 3 Essential Beliefs Kids for Emotional Health
• Episode 2.16: The Connection Tool
• Episode 2.20: Preventing Meltdowns | Teaching Kids Self Control Long-Term (How to have a coaching conversation)

Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Toolkit!

In this free guide you’ll discover:

✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)

✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)

✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)

✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)

Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit here

• Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
• Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
• Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips
• Rate and review the podcast on Itunes