I’ve known about proper breathing technique and oral posture for over five years now and I’m STILL doing it wrong if I don’t focus on it!

Seriously. Breathing.

If you’ve ever thought about your breathing - and most of us don’t because it’s so automatic - you might notice that you feel differently when you breathe differently. Breath drives a LOT of functions, from our mental health (think fast breathing when you’re anxious) to our behavior, sleep, cardiovascular and digestive health, and more.

Shirley Gutkowski thought she wanted to be an orthodontist, but a few careers in oral health later, she’s found something she’s really passionate about.

She says people simply don’t talk about breathing enough, and she’s on a mission to change that through education.

I’m so grateful for the time she spent with me on this interview, and my brain is bursting with ramifications in my own family after what I learned!

If you’re breathing…and you have children who breathe…this podcast is for you.

Get the free knife skills class at kidscookrealfood.com/HPHknife!

Resources We Mention for Proper Breathing Technique

• More than a Kissing Spot: Your New Baby's Face
• The Purple Guide: Developing Your Clinical Dental Hygiene Career
• Find Shirley online
• Follow her on social media: Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram
• More about mouthtaping 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!

How about some stats to make you sad? Kids are on screens an average of 7 hours a day…and we spend 85% of our parenting energy on what our kids are doing wrong.

Aw, man!

It stinks to start with the negative.

In fact, that will train our brains to see more negative things, which is why I did it.

Do you feel more down after reading that? More worried? More hopeless about our kids' generation?

The GOOD news is that there’s another way.

I’m beyond honored to host Ralphie Jacobs of Simply on Purpose today to remind us that not only CAN we look for the positive, but we must - because it works, and it’s actually easier than yelling angrily at our kids!

You’ll come away from this interview feeling so encouraged and ready to parent differently, with 85% of your energy (or more!) focused on the positive!

Get ready to learn:

• how to create positive momentum in your child’s day
• why asking a kid or teen, “Why did you do that?” becomes a parenting trap (that you DON’T want to fall into!)
• what comes first in parenting - the words or the feelings
• a much better way to say, “If you don’t clean your room, you don’t get to come to the movie,” that’s actually EASIER to enforce!
• why fear-based behavior is bad for everyone in the long run
• an incredibly powerful way to guard your connection with your child - and raise kids who, like Ralphie’s, want to call home and come home to be with parents <3
• what is MORE important than your child’s good behavior
• why holding to your boundaries IS showing love, and how to do that without yelling or threatening
• the only way to help kids make better choices is to…
• fascinating (and simple) ideas to get kids on board with chores (yes, chores!!!)
• allllll about “looking for the good” – the why and how and benefits

This is as uplifting as it is practical, mamas and papas out there!

Be sure to grab Ralphie’s free email course here!

Thanks to today's sponsor, Paleovalley. Go to kidscookrealfood.com/meatsticks to check out their delicious protein snacks!

Resources We Mention for Looking for Good

• Ralphie's Positive Consequences webinar 
• Looking for more positive parenting tips? Check out this interview with Amy McCready as well
• Why should kids do chores anyway?
• Ralphie's reward system is called the family economy
• Why you should make your own salad dressing
• Help your kids

• 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!

Depression and anxiety are plaguing our children, and stress is often a root cause...what can we do about it?

Whether we actually live stressful lives or simply stress ourselves out (or social media plays a role in over-stimulating our amygdala and fight or flight response), there's no doubt in my mind that Americans are experiencing stress, and are not all that great at dealing with it.

And it's showing in our children!

Past guest, Dr. Kelly Brogan, said, "Children are our sentinels," when something is wrong. With 1/3 of teens reporting anxiety and 9-13% clinically depressed, it's time to listen up. But what can we do to help our kids be more resistant to depression and anxiety?

This week's guest, nutritionist Jess Sherman, has a great answer, and it's all about increasing their RESILIENCY.

In this interview, we'll talk about:

• Why even great schools aren't able to fully tap into kids' brilliance and potential
• Removing roadblocks to resilience (including food!)
• Why self-regulation is critical to resilience, and some factors that interfere with kids being able to self-regulate
• Foods that parents need to be aware of for best school performance
• How to get kids on board with healthy food

If you love what Jess has to say join the workshop we're doing together about picky eating and stress!

Thanks to today's sponsor, Chef Junior, the only real food cookbook written by kids, for kids! Find it at kidscookrealfood.com/chefjr.

Resources for Reducing Stress in Kids

• Join our workshop on picky eating and stress
• Jess's book: Raising Resilience
• Check out all of Jess's courses here
• Find Jess online
• Follow her on Facebook or Instagram @askjesssherman

• 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!

Imagine if your child was kicked out of daycare for behavior issues, in spite of the fact that you’re making intentional choices as parents.

Devastating!

But what if the problem wasn’t caused by your child OR your parenting choices?

Brandon and Whitney Cawood’s story will break your heart and then give you hope because they found what was hurting their son and were able to remove it from his life - and he’s a different kid now.

They wanted to share what they learned with the world and poured their talents into a 2.5-year project going live on January 14, 2025.

Look up their film To Dye For: The Documentary immediately on Amazon or Apple TV (and other streaming service, we hope)!

You’ll love this interview with such humble, curious parents, and I can’t wait to watch the documentary. They share some juicy behind-the-scenes stories and a lot of information about synthetic food dyes, the central focus of their family’s story and their film.

What started as a tiny ray of hope in the Cawood’s lives has become a beacon for hundreds of thousands of families, and their impact is soon to get even bigger!

If you’ve ever wondered if you should pay attention to ingredients like Red 40 and Blue 1, this is the interview for you!

Resources We Mention for Avoiding Food Dyes

• Find To Dye For: The Documentary
• Follow them on Instagram
• The ToDye For resource page
• The OEHHA report mentioned
• Sign up for the Cawood's email list to get the list of food dyes to look out for
• Here's an older post I wrote about avoiding artificial food dyes
• Dr. Elisa Song and I also talked about artificial colors and flavors

• 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!

Want to hear from a naturopath from down under?

Jess Donovan, with her lovely Aussie accent, shares all sorts of goodness with us today on the Healthy Parenting Handbook, like:

• favorite immunity-boosting foods to recommend to busy families
• the best way to get probiotics integrated into your family
• common nutrient deficiencies in kids (and what you can do to seek the best balance)
• food allergy management, whether the allergy is IN your family or just around you
• how mom’s health may be related to her kids’

And so much more!

Jess hosts an online masterclass where you’ll discover 3 PROVEN ways to TRANSFORM your Kids GUT HEALTH to improve their behavior, fussy eating, immunity, and allergies. Grab your FREE spot here!

Thanks to today's sponsor, Chef Junior, the only real food cookbook written by kids, for kids! Find it at kidscookrealfood.com/chefjr.

Resources We Mention for Balancing Nutrition

• Find Jess Donovan online here
• Jess's free book on gut health
• Jess has put together a list of her favorite foods to boost immunity - grab your copy here
• Sauerkraut recipe
• Fermentation ebook
• Kimchi recipe
• Water Kefir recipe
• Probiotics for kids: MaryRuth's liquid probiotic, JustThrive
• Guide to finding a fish oil supplement
• Einkorn pasta
• US Wellness Meats
• Chia pudding for omega 3s
• Gluten and Dairy-Free Guide for Rookies
• My interview about epigenetics 
• The Jamie Oliver video we talked about

• 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!

Have you seen the dad who cleans on Instagram?

I don’t know if Tyler Moore, aka Tidy Dad, enjoys that people probably know him that way, but I think it’s accurate!

I’ve followed Tyler since the summer of 2022 - but who in the world remembers WHEN they started following someone on Instagram? You’ll hear why that summer was important in Tyler’s career during the interview, and also some little-known tales of how and why he got started online. (I was surprised!)

In this joyful and open conversation, you’ll hear:

• why Tyler “declutters” differently than the guru books
• how the Moore family pushes against “the norm” with how and where they choose to live
• how Tyler’s own parents helped lay some foundations for tidy-ness (but also ultimately caused his life to feel very UN-tidy)
• some of the practical cleaning advice that Insta-followers go gaga for
• what the philosophy of “just enough” really means and how it looks in real life
• peeks and glimpses into Tidy Dad’s new book, Tidy Up Your Life - super fun!
• what Tyler says to his girls when they don’t really feel like helping with chores

I really do love watching Tidy Dad clean; it’s kind of ridiculous. You’ll love listening to him and feeling his optimism even more!

Be sure to pre-order the book ASAP to help him hit the bestseller lists in January!!

Don't forget to sign up for the free knife skills class at kidscookrealfood.com/HPHknife!

Resources We Mention for Organizing Your Life

• Pre-order Tyler's book: Tidy Up Your Life on Amazon and on Bookshop
• Here are my top reasons why kids should do chores
• More on kitchen zones
• Ways to organize a kid-friendly kitchen
• Organization for families with Clutterbug
• Find Tyler on his website
• Follow him on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest
• The "notice and do" technique is from Sam Kelly

• 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!

Ever been asked a question in person, and you replay the conversation over and over, a dozen times, rephrasing your answer?

I did that recently, not just rephrasing but adding and rethinking and adding some more.

The question was, “How do you raise such nice boys??”

I decided it would make a pretty decent podcast episode, exploring my meanderings through intentional parenting and how we’ve built a family culture.

Does this advice (If you can call it that) apply to girls too? You betcha. In fact, it’s pretty universal.

I look forward to hearing what you think about:

• the way we chose to parent our newborns and toddlers
• what I think about my husband
• whether boys can be gentle
• the impact of mirror neurons on our kids' brains
• the effect healthy food may or may not have on “nice boys”
• our “people over screens” rules and how we’ve pulled back and released technology over the years
• choice within boundaries, and agency while working as a team on high expectations
• and maybe most importantly - is it ever too late?

This episode is sponsored by Chef Junior, the cookbook for kids by kids - including my oldest son! Find out more at kidscookrealfood.com/chefjr.

Resources We Mention for Raising Nice Boys

• Avoiding "hangry" meltdowns
• How we are managing our screens
• Some benefits of family dinners
• The book I mentioned: Hold On to Your Kids

• 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 world keeps getting more and more fast-paced, and our brains and bodies aren’t really keeping up.

As moms, can we possibly create a home that is a peaceful space, a safe place from which our kids can explore?

My guest today is Jennifer Pepito, author of Habits for a Sacred Home, and we talk about just that, including:

• Why moms are naturally fearful (and what we can do about it)
• What exactly IS a “sacred home” and how do we begin creating one
• Creating order in chaotic times through basic rules of life
• The joy and benefit of passing on life skills to our kids (and some practical tips to make it happen)
• The role of cooking in developing a community of shared values within (and without) the home
• The key to better outcomes and more responsible children
• Why rules don’t work when done incorrectly
• The first step to creating a sacred home is so simple, it takes only about 10 seconds per day, per child

Jennifer is so grounded and yet practical, balanced in her approach and yet challenging.

Resources We Mention for Creating a Peaceful Home

• Jennifer’s books: Habits for a Sacred Home (Amazon, Bookshop), Mothering by the Book (Amazon, Bookshop)
• There are many benefits to gathering together around the dinner table
• Restoration at Home Community
• Find Jennifer online
• Follow her on social media: Instagram, Facebook
• Jennifer’s podcast: Restoration Home

• 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!

Ever felt like your kids or teens want to do the opposite of what you recommend?

Dr. Mandy Patterson and I are both moms of teens, and we talk today about the perils of parenting and how we work around the resistance. She has some great tips for finding a way “in” to what your kids care about when it comes to health and behavior.

Since this is a parenting podcast, I’m guessing most of you have at least somewhat figured out “fertility” as it pertains to having babies - but that’s not all it’s about! Your fertility health really is a marker of your overall health and wellness, and if you can keep your hormones balanced, you’ll feel much better overall.

We get dirty on my late-night eating habit (sigh) and some best practices for women, especially in the morning.

Then we dive into how and WHY to help our tween and teen girls care for their own fertility right from the start, and the epidemic of PCOS.

Resources We Mention for Hormone Health for Teens

• Here are the lists of the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15.
• Find the best forms of magnesium for kids here
• Helping teens thrive in spite of screens
• Why you might not want to put your teens on hormonal birth control
• LARQ water bottle filter
• My review of Berkey filters
• GRAYL water bottle filter
• Find Dr. Mandy online
• Follow her on social media: Instagram, Facebook
• Gutsy Fertility Podcast

• 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!

I see a lot on social media about the “mental load” that women especially carry.

Meal planning, grocery shopping, cleaning the house, getting kids where they belong on time, making sure they have proper snacks and meals if they won’t be home for dinner, homework, emails from everywhere…

It’s a LOT.

And a lot of the mental load we home managers carry has to do with FOOD.

We gotta keep that family nourished!

I’m pleased to share a bit of advice on one time-tested way to reduce your own mental load – by sharing it.

In my own home, I admit that the mental load still falls mainly on me, but since I’m doing less of the physical work, it all feels lighter. Eventually, I think others in the family will think, “What IS for dinner tomorrow? Did someone plan dinner?” but I’m still working on that part.

The secret to sharing it is good training, and in this episode, I’ll teach you how to pass on some cooking skills to the young people in your household so that your load is lighter – and honestly, their load over the long run of life is lighter too, because they won’t have to “figure it out” through trial and error once they’re mired in adulthood.

Prepping for the holidays? Get our special BOGO deal on the Holiday Baking Challenge here!

Resources We Mention for Mental Load

• Check out Kids Cook Real Food™ today!
• You can watch our free knife skills class here
• Bonding through creating can help heal trauma
• Here are some tips for helping a child heal from a concussion

• 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!