We’re lonely!

It’s hurting us!

And we’re not very good at connecting with other humans.

Heather MacFadyen is here to help. Author and podcaster of Don’t Mom Alone, she’s all about building connection to help moms do their jobs better.

“Loneliness can be when you’re with others but not feeling truly known,” she said in this encouraging interview. We talk about the 3 kinds of relationships moms need to nurture, how to shed the unattainable standards society is trying to place on us, and how to antidote loneliness in the most practical of ways.

We hit on anger, lies and truths, podcast clubs and more.

If you’ve ever felt the vulnerability of making a new friend or wish you were brave enough to take the risk and make a coffee date or go for a walk with a new friend…you need this interview.

Grab Heather’s book at your local library or bookshop and be sure to subscribe to the Don’t Mom Alone podcast (along with of course The Healthy Parenting Handbook)!

Resources We Mention for Building Mom Friendships

• Heather's books: Don't Mom Alone (Amazon/Bookshop.org) and Right Where You Belong (Amazon/Bookshop.org)
• Subscribe to Heather's podcast, Don't Mom Alone
• Mel Robbins podcast episode: Why Making Friends as an Adult Feels Impossible
• The Science of Friendship with Dr. Marisa G. Franco
• People Fuel by John Townsend
• Good and Angry by Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller 
• Emotional Regulation for Moms with Emily Hamblin
• Visit Heather on her website HeatherMacFadyen.com or on social media: Instagram, Facebook

Shop Wholestix and eat your organ meats here!

Get 4 #LifeSkillsNow videos at kidscookrealfood.com/skills

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Kids Cook Real Food
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at kidscookrealfood.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

If you’ve ever felt that homeschooling can slip into a checklist of math pages and grammar drills, you’ll love this conversation. Pam Barnhill, a veteran homeschooling mom of over 15 years, reminds us what education can truly be: a chance to connect deeply with our kids and nurture a lifelong love of learning.

Resources We Mention for Homeschool Routines 

• Get Pam’s free Advent Morning Time Plans
• Check out her books: Gather; Better Together (Amazon/Bookshop.org); Plan Your Year (Amazon/Bookshop.org); The Confident Homeschooler 
• Is homeschooling right for me? 
• What is a morning basket
• Nurturing Young Skeptics
• Get on the wailist for Teens Cook Real Food
• Visit Pam on her website Homeschool Better Together, and follow her on social media: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube

Shop Wholestix and eat your organ meats here!

Get 4 #LifeSkillsNow videos at kidscookrealfood.com/skills

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Kids Cook Real Food
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at kidscookrealfood.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

The very morning I did this interview, my husband was complaining about how badly he felt because of a certain number...and when I heard Heidi's final "practical" challenge to parents, I knew we had to do it. This interview was a HUGE paradigm shift for me, and you will alternately want to turn it off as it gets challenging and find yourself cheering out loud!

Heidi Schauster, MS, RDN, CEDRD-S is an expert on eating disorders and talks with me today about how we as parents can foster a healthy relationship with food for our kids. We cover risk factors for eating disorders, mindful eating, how to handle treats at school and elsewhere, what "rules" parents should (and should not!) have for food in the home, the quickest way to make your child into a binge eater, how we should talk about weight and body image with our kids, and so much more.

This is a MUST WATCH interview because our entire culture is disordered in how to think and talk about body image, so we have a LOT of work to do to make positive change! 

Heidi and I continued to talk after I ended the recording and I kept catching myself using the wrong language about food. She said, "This is great - you're creating new neural pathways right in front of my eyes!" 

Resources We Mentioned for Healthy Relationships with Food:

• Heidi's books: Nourish: How to Heal Your Relationship with Food, Body, and Self (Amazon/Bookshop.org) and Nurture: How to Raise Kids Who Love Food, Their Bodies, and Themselves (Amazon/Bookshop.org)
• More on Ellyn Satter's division of responsibility in feeding
• Health at Every Size
• The No More Picky Eating Challenge
• What happened when the 8-year-old sneaked Halloween candy?
• Visit Heidi's website here or follow her on the socials: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook

Shop Wholestix and eat your organ meats here!

Get 4 #LifeSkillsNow videos at kidscookrealfood.com/skills

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Kids Cook Real Food
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at kidscookrealfood.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

The holidays can be the most wonderful time of the year ... or the most overwhelming. Between the excitement, the sugar, the schedule changes, and the constant stimulation, even the calmest kids can start to unravel. And let’s be honest, parents can too!

In this episode, I sat down with JoAnn Crohn, a former school teacher who’s now on a mission to help overwhelmed moms rediscover joy and raise healthier, happier families. She has a gentle, realistic way of helping moms shift from chaos to calm, especially during high-stress seasons like the holidays. You might recognize JoAnn, as she's been a camp leader in all four seasons of #LifeSkillsNow!

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• How JoAnn helps overwhelmed moms find joy and balance again
• Why self-care isn’t selfish, it’s essential to being an effective parent
• What holiday overstimulation does to kids (and how to help them recover)
• Simple ways to validate your child’s emotions without giving in to every whim
• How to prepare kids for the changes and disappointments that come with the holidays
• Why calm-down strategies work best when practiced before the meltdowns
• The easiest ways to bring your kids into holiday traditions so everyone feels connected

You’ll walk away with practical tools and a fresh mindset to make this holiday season feel more joyful and a lot less stressful.

Resources We Mention for Helping Kids Manage Holiday Emotions

• Register for the Happy Holidays, Happier Kids Challenge that starts November 9!
• My interview with Tina Payne Bryson, and her book The Whole-Brain Child (Amazon/Bookshop.org)
• My Reasons I Think the Grinch Was a Highly Sensitive Person
• My favorite Christmas cookie ever: Kifli
• Visit JoAnn Crohn on her website No Guilt Mom, or follow her on social media: Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Facebook

Shop Wholestix and eat your organ meats here!

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Kids Cook Real Food
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at kidscookrealfood.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Our digestion happens every day and REALLY can impact how we feel, think, and treat others!

So let’s talk all about poop. :)

My guest today is brimming over with practical tips about assessing your digestive output (aka poo) and solving issues in gut health based on what you see.

Genevieve is a wealth of knowledge on gut health and poop and so generous with her time and practical tips. If you’re a fan of healthy living without being too complicated or spending too much money, this is the interview for you!

Resources We Mention for Gut Health for Families

• Purchase The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth (Amazon/Bookshop.org)
• If you’re expecting, check out the Mama Natural Birth Course
• Chickpea Pizza Crust that is a favorite in our house.
• Morning sunlight for busy moms
• Quick Change Tastebuds, Gut Health, and Picky Eating with Elissa Arnheim
• Products Genevieve Recommends: Mama Natural probiotics, Northwest Wild Foods berry powders, Garden of Life Turmeric gummies, Eden foods canned beans, Psyllium husk powder, Standard Process Betafood, Betaine HCl tablets, Digestive bitters, Mother Earth Minerals magnesium
• Visit Genevieve on her website MamaNatural.com, or on social media: Instagram, YouTube, Facebook

Shop Wholestix and eat your organ meats here!

Get 4 #LifeSkillsNow videos at kidscookrealfood.com/skills

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Kids Cook Real Food
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at kidscookrealfood.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Let’s talk toddlers.

If you’ve ever thought, “What on earth is happening in that tiny human’s brain?”—this episode is for you.

Here’s a taste of what we explored:

• Why “all behavior is communication” might be the most important parenting mantra you’ll ever adopt
• What really happens when you distract your toddler—and how to do it well
• The surprising power dynamic at play in your home (hint: it’s not what you think)
• How setting boundaries doesn’t stifle toddlers; it sets them free
• What it looks like to parent through a lens of development, not discipline
• Why your toddler’s big feelings are not your job to fix
• The secret sauce for turning chaos into connection (and it might just be curiosity)

Devon helped me see toddlerhood not as a survival zone, but a golden window to build trust, independence, and yes – life skills. And if we get it right, this season can be magical.

You’ll leave this episode feeling a little more confident, a little less alone, and with a few new tools to navigate your toddler’s big emotions (and your own).

Resources We Mention for Understanding Toddler Behavior

• Find Devon’s book Transforming Toddlerhood on Amazon or Bookshop.org
• Grab the one-page “cheat sheets” for each podcast episode of the Healthy Parenting Handbook
• Diagnosing the Root Cause of Meltdowns & How to Calm Tantrums with Dr. Tina Payne Bryson
• Why Teaching Children to Cook Before Age 5 is Vital for Parenting
• The Top 5 Reasons for Toddler Tantrums
• Teaching Social and Emotional Learning Skills During Mealtimes
• Join the No More Picky Eating Challenge for free!
• Connect with Devon on her website Transforming Toddlerhood or on social: Instagr

Shop Wholestix and eat your organ meats here!

Get 4 #LifeSkillsNow videos at kidscookrealfood.com/skills

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Kids Cook Real Food
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at kidscookrealfood.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Did you know we’ve lost 80% of the nutrients in vegetables in the last 100 years?

As farming has become big agriculture focused on scale, transportation, and profit, human health has suffered along with soil health.

Farmer Lee Jones has become one of regenerative farming’s most enthusiastic promoters, and to hear him wax poetic about butternut squash and the way Brussels sprouts grow is like a sports announcer commentating on the game-winning score!

In this highly entertaining episode (I can see why Rachael Ray offered him a show through her production company!), you’ll get to hear about:

• the unique microclimate along Lake Erie
• the changes in farming and grocery stores in the last 75 years
• how the Jones family has turned many failures into better health for all of us at the Chef’s Garden
• what regenerative farming is, and how even small home gardeners can tap into this traditional, lost wisdom!
• why so many farmers are trapped and hurting the soil
• how the whole mess got started (and who’s behind it)
• how to harness the energy from the sun to create nutrient-rich soil, and how the Chef’s Garden research facility makes old-fashioned farming high tech (without losing the good parts)
• what’s ice spinach???
• how the on-farm chef has figured out the art of using all the parts of the plant, the vegetable version of “nose to tail” cooking

It’s rare to have so much fun on an interview AND learn so much. Farmer Lee Jones does not disappoint!

Resources We Mention for Regenerative Farming Methods

• Purchase The Chef’s Garden: A Modern Guide to Common and Unusual Vegetables–with Recipes on Amazon or Bookshop.org
• Watch The Chef’s Garden on Amazon or on A&E!
• A Beginner’s Guide to Regenerative Agriculture
• Growing Food in Containers Using Permaculture
• Visit Farmer Lee on his website or on social media: Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, TikTok

Shop Wholestix and eat your organ meats here!

Get 4 #LifeSkillsNow videos at kidscookrealfood.com/skills

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Kids Cook Real Food
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at kidscookrealfood.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

It shouldn’t be controversial to make your own healthcare decisions!!

Informed consent has become a buzz word for no good reason.

When it comes to informed consent, I personally follow 2 rules:

1. Ask all the questions.
2. Don’t make quick decisions.

I hesitate.

About everything.

If I don’t feel 100% peaceful about something, I don’t do it. You’ll hear my shocking realization about where that response may have been birthed in this interview as I figure it out myself while talking with Alexandra.

Hesitancy.

There’s another word that should be positive or neutral unless you’re a military 

Alexandra is the real deal, so knowledgeable and so generous with her knowledge. You’ll hear her talk about a course she has on her website to help you develop the skill of researching product inserts, and not only is it free, but you DON’T even have to put in your email address!

Huge thanks to Alexandra for all her research and for sharing it with us. Visit her at justtheinserts.com.

Resources We Mention about Informed Consent for Parents

• Is medical trauma affecting your health?
• What is medical gaslighting, and what can you do about it?
• Understanding direct primary care, a patient-centered approach
• Visit Alexandra’s website, Just the Inserts and look into the free course (with audio available in English and Spanish) here.
• Grab her book Well Considered at the Just the Inserts shop or read the first chapter for free
• Follow Alexandra on social media: @justtheinserts or @justthealternatives on Instagram, or @justtheinserts on X.

Shop Wholestix and eat your organ meats here!

Get 4 #LifeSkillsNow videos at kidscookrealfood.com/skills

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Kids Cook Real Food
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at kidscookrealfood.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Do you know any mom who ISN’T feeling a little overwhelmed by all the tasks she’s juggling, who’s NEVER thought, “My house isn’t clean/organized/gorgeous enough,” or who doesn’t think she has a lot of improvement to make on homemaking?

I thought so.

My guest today, Mystie Winckler, speaks to moms who are overwhelmed or paralyzed by perfectionism, who know their lives will never look like their favorite Instagram influencers, and who are tempted to just give up at home.

(Me! Raises hand…)

In case you’re looking for just the perfect system that will help you out of that, or if you’re hoping Mystie has a cleaning checklist you can try – because surely the next one you try will work even though others haven’t – you’ll be sorely disappointed.

Mystie starts somewhere else, and I believe her method is easier and more difficult at the same time.

For a positive conversation and a lot of encouragement for your home, tune in to this week’s episode!!

Resources We Mention for Beating Perfectionism in Homemaking

• Check out Mystie’s books: Simplified Organization, The Convivial Homeschool, How to Use a Planner without Wasting Time, and Rejoicing in Repetition
• 3 Reasons Giving Kids Responsibility is a Gift
• Teaching Your Kids Chores and Life Skills Is NOT Taking Advantage of Them
• 5 Tips for Teaching Kids to Cook
• Macro vs. Micro-Organizing: What’s the Difference? 
• Try the Bust Out of Burnout Bingo Challenge (with prizes!)
• Visit Mystie’s website Simply Convivial 

Shop Wholestix and eat your organ meats here!

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Kids Cook Real Food
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at kidscookrealfood.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

You get to sit in on what turned into a college class in food history and nutrition label reading!

This interview is high-energy, high impact, and will fill both your academic brain and your mama heart.

Becky Wells of Hippie Moms is passionate about helping other mamas understand their food and build a healthy foundation for their families, and she cuts through all the marketing confusion and teaches us how to Just. Eat. Food.

I thought this interview might be more for the rookies to healthy living among us, but let's just say that I learned multiple new facts that I'm implementing immediately, so this is 100% for everyone, wherever you are on your journey!

You can look forward to:

• Understanding the 6 major milestones in the evolution of food and how we got to this complicated modern food landscape
• What first baby steps should be to reverse the problems we see in our health
• Label reading 101: What’s important in the ingredients
• Label reading 201: What words mean absolutely nothing and why to skip the numeric data on the Nutrition Facts
• Label reading 301: Organic and non-GMO certification
• Label reading 401: Hot tip on an “ingredient” to avoid and how to make the nuanced decisions about how important various commitments are in the grocery store
• How to explain to our kids the importance of listening to our bodies, understanding the connection between food and how we feel, and how to assess food marketing

I love Becky’s approach and her dedication to making this easier for moms, and I’m so honored by her time today. I know you’ll learn a lot and can’t wait to hear more about you and your kids making food with “just ingredients” and what baby steps you choose to take!!

Resources We Mention on the Evolution of Food

• Grab your kids to watch this video on reading nutrition labels
• Check out this episode on how organic food is labeled and might be deceiving you
• Following the dirty dozen and clean fifteen
• What’s the problem with polyunsaturated oils?
• Becky’s website
• The Hippie Moms Podcast
• Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube

Shop Wholestix and eat your organ meats here!

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Kids Cook Real Food
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at kidscookrealfood.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!