This week on the podcast I am joined by Rachael Smith. Rachael is a teacher, life and parent coach and mum to three busy, noisy boys. I was drawn to Rachael as I loved her parent coaching approach that she shares on her Instagram, for the simple reason that Rachael is realistic.

As a mum she understands the reality of parenting - the isolation and loneliness - and is passionate about the need to look after yourself, so that you can look after everyone else.

Rachael adapted the jar of pebbles and sand analogy as a guide for how to prioritise your time. Its a great way to visualise what is important, and not to get bogged down in the stress of day to day.

She also recommends taking a moment to think about what truly brings us joy, and to make a list of these so you don’t let them slip by the wayside and risk losing your identity.

After recording this podcast I took on Rachael’s advice and lost an hour in the evening to gain an hour in the morning. It really helped me recharge the batteries and to get a much needed productive hour to myself, rather than just scrolling endlessly before bed.

Rachael also gives great advice when it comes to communicating to our children which she calls the ‘positive/negative/positive’ approach. Did you know that children hear the word ‘no’ up to 400 times a day? After a while it completely loses all meaning, so it’s important to reinforce the positive parts of their behaviour.

This week a lot of mums and dads have returned to the workplace after months of being at home. The return of work also brings the return of mum guilt. The putting yourself at the bottom of the list and forgetting what self care is about. This episode is the perfect antidote to all of those bad habits that we fall into.

To learn more about Rachael’s coaching techniques check out her Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/rachaelsmithcoaching/

Pamela.

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This series of the For All Mum Kind podcast is sponsored by the Gardiner Family Apothecary . Caring for your sensitive skin with their Elave and Ovelle solutions and proudly made in Ireland since 1934.

You can keep up to date with all of their news, discounts, and exclusive offers across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at Gardiner Family Apothecary.

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Pamela x

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