Hi, Fam!

So many of us have been pushing through, waiting and hoping for things to return to some sort of "normal". But with a second wave sweeping through the world it seems like it may never get back to normal. And now with the school year approaching and continued restrictions wherever we go, there's no end to the opportunities to feel anxious, fearful, and overwhelmed.

In this episode I want to help you recommit, reenergize, and reinvigorate yourself, bolstering your resolve with 3 simple mindset shifts.

[05:58] If you're feeling frustrated, cooped up, judged, irritated, etc., you're not alone.

[08:13] How can we view everything through a more compassionate lens?

[09:21] I believe there's a better way to handle differences of opinion.

[17:11] Mindset #1: The benefit of the doubt.

[22:03] Mindset #2: Believe in yourself

[26:51] Mindset #3: Be the you that you want to be.

Rather than approaching things with anxiety, judgement, shame, and guilt, we can use these mindsets to come at things with love, grace, compassion, integrity, and make a positive impact on the world. Let's be the people who increase calmness, peace, and reason. People who promote a sense of togetherness instead of tearing us apart.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I'd love to hear about your biggest takeaway. Take a selfie of you listening or a screenshot of the show, post it to instagram stories, and tag me @parentingjunkie or feel free to DM me on instagram, I try to reply to as many as I can!Are you subscribed to my podcast? Subscribe here so that fresh episodes are delivered directly to you.

Those shiny 5-star ratings and sweet reviews have me all gushy, thank you. But more importantly, they help other parents discover the Parenting Junkie Show and spread the word about Loving parenting and Parenting from Love. If you have a moment to spare, those reviews mean the world to me, you can leave one here.

Want to connect to like-minded parenting junkies? Join our (free & awesome) FB community Love Parenting with Avital.

Resources:

• Not sure if you should let your kids go back to school? Thinking about homeschooling? Attend my free workshop to help you gain clarity on what's best for you and your family!
• Want to homeschool, but feel overwhelmed? My course Focus Time will help!

Does social media stress you out? Research indicates that it can cause anxiety and even depression. I've heard countless people say they felt great after taking a break from it. Why is that?

In this episode I want to offer a breakdown of the recent social media landscape; how it may be harming us, what we can do to keep our sanity.

[04:56] Links between social media and anxiety and depression.

[10:37] Social media seems to be getting darker and the cons are beginning to outweigh the pros.

[14:23] A large part of it stems from anonymity, and losing face-to-face interactions.

[18:49] There's a major lack of accountability.

[22:52] There's a lack of discourse and an inflation of terminology.

[24:22] The main factor contributing to anxiety is catastrophizing.

[25:30] We're also losing our individuality.

[26:28] There's a major lack of diversity of thought.

[35:38] It's brought back public shaming (which we did away with in the 1800's)

[36:33] Can we start interacting online like we do with people offline?

[40:50] Social media is heavily influencing us and ultimately enslaving us.

Social media is a tool, and all tools can be used for good or evil. It can be a tool that unites us, helps us keep up with friends and family and develop bonds and connections with people we otherwise wouldn't have the pleasure of meeting.

But it can also be a major source of anxiety and depression, and can derail the relationships with people in our "real life". So let's re-evaluate our social media habits and make changes where necessary.

If we can start giving people the benefit of the doubt and treat each other with respect and dignity (like we would if we were interacting in person), we may see a shift in our interactions online.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I'd love to hear about your biggest takeaway. Take a selfie of you listening or a screenshot of the show, post it to instagram stories, and tag me @parentingjunkie or feel free to DM me on instagram, I try to reply to as many as I can!Are you subscribed to my podcast? Subscribe here so that fresh episodes are delivered directly to you.

Those shiny 5-star ratings and sweet reviews have me all gushy, thank you. But more importantly, they help other parents discover the Parenting Junkie Show and spread the word about Loving parenting and Parenting from Love. If you have a moment to spare, those reviews mean the world to me, you can leave one here.

Want to connect to like-minded parenting junkies? Join our (free & awesome) FB community Love Parenting with Avital.

Join me in a conversation with my friend Kate Northrup, "Do Less" author, as we talk about time-management, work-life balance, and vulnerability.

Sometimes we feel we have to hide some part of our parenting because we're afraid of people's judgments. We fear sharing our whole, vulnerable self because disagreement is often met with hostile, dogmatic, judgmental comments.

One of the things I've worked hard to cultivate is friendships with others where it is ok, desired even, to say your honest (respectful!) opinions. And I think this conversation about vaccinations with Kate exemplifies that type of supportive friendship.

[03:18] How entrepreneurship and parenthood converge.

[04:34] The origin of "Do Less".

[09:02] We have to advocate for ourselves to get our needs met.

[12:41] Let's give our children "trust to show up for themselves".

[15:17] "Less preparation, more presence" -Adrienne Maree Brown

[17:21] Do less, so that what we do is high quality.

[19:48] Avoid "keeping score" and tallying the hours spent being mom, working, etc.

[21:47] Looking outside of ourselves for what we "should" be doing can be dangerous.

[25:44] Let's talk about vaccinations...

[32:16] How Kate handled pushback on her vaccine stance.

[38:36] We shouldn't have to walk on eggshells or be afraid of saying the "wrong thing".

[42:42] You can't "go there" with everyone, but often if we take the lead and try, we'll be pleasantly surprised.

[43:22] How Kate "does it all".

[52:35] Stop beating yourself up!

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I'd love to hear about your biggest takeaway. Take a selfie of you listening or a screenshot of the show, post it to instagram stories, and tag me @parentingjunkie or feel free to DM me on instagram, I try to reply to as many as I can!Are you subscribed to my podcast? Subscribe here so that fresh episodes are delivered directly to you.

Those shiny 5-star ratings and sweet reviews have me all gushy, thank you. But more importantly, they help other parents discover the Parenting Junkie Show and spread the word about Loving parenting and Parenting from Love. If you have a moment to spare, those reviews mean the world to me, you can leave one here.

Want to connect to like-minded parenting junkies? Join our (free & awesome) FB community Love Parenting with Avital.

Resources:

• Kate's book Money, A Love Story
• Kate's book Do Less
• Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown
• Kate's website
• Find Kate on Instagram @katenorthrup

Do you feel tired or burned out in your parenting? Do you feel like you're "on" all the time and never get a break? Do you think your child's happiness and entertainment falls squarely on your shoulders? In this episode I want to address an issue I see a lot; overparenting.

[03:01] What is overparenting?

[07:24] A big indicator of overparenting: Burnout

[08:08] Overparenting is not good for the parents

[10:45] Don't take on other people's roles

[12:34] Overparenting is not good for children.

[15:34] Overparenting makes children weak, timid, and fragile.

[16:53] It's not your job to keep your children happy.

[20:09] It's not your job to constantly entertain your children.

[24:00] Get comfortable with discomfort.

If you find yourself in the overparenting camp, start sitting back a little more. Let some of those things go, and stop taking on roles you weren't meant to take on.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I'd love to hear about your biggest takeaway. Take a selfie of you listening or a screenshot of the show, post it to instagram stories, and tag me @parentingjunkie or feel free to DM me on instagram, I try to reply to as many as I can!Are you subscribed to my podcast? Subscribe here so that fresh episodes are delivered directly to you.

Those shiny 5-star ratings and sweet reviews have me all gushy, thank you. But more importantly, they help other parents discover the Parenting Junkie Show and spread the word about Loving parenting and Parenting from Love. If you have a moment to spare, those reviews mean the world to me, you can leave one here.

Want to connect to like-minded parenting junkies? Join our (free & awesome) FB community Love Parenting with Avital.

There's a mindset that has permeated our culture and it's causing a lot of damage. It ruins our homes and families, our relationships, and even entire communities. Which mindset? Blaming. Let's discuss.

[03:32] The blaming mindset is rampant in our culture.

[08:41] How does blaming help?

[09:49] How a blaming mindset affects our homes.

[10:29] Blame triggers defensiveness.

[11:53] Blaming over-simplifies a problem.

[14:13] Blame makes people deflect.

[16:34] Instead, let's develop a solution mindset.

[20:19] Say "We don't blame in this family."

[21:17] Empathize

When we empathize with people and focus on finding solutions together, we'll find that there's opportunity for growth and learning, and it'll strengthen relationships instead of tear them apart.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I'd love to hear about your biggest takeaway. Take a selfie of you listening or a screenshot of the show, post it to instagram stories, and tag me @parentingjunkie or feel free to DM me on instagram, I try to reply to as many as I can!Are you subscribed to my podcast? Subscribe here so that fresh episodes are delivered directly to you.

Those shiny 5-star ratings and sweet reviews have me all gushy, thank you. But more importantly, they help other parents discover the Parenting Junkie Show and spread the word about Loving parenting and Parenting from Love. If you have a moment to spare, those reviews mean the world to me, you can leave one here.

Want to connect to like-minded parenting junkies? Join our (free & awesome) FB community Love Parenting with Avital.

Resources:

• Need help figuring out how to homeschool? Take all the guesswork and trial and error out with our homeschooling course, Focus Time.

Many people have been struggling with feelings of powerlessness and negativity. But what if I told you that you possess the ability to empower yourself and create positivity in your life? That's exactly what I'll be discussing in this episode.

[03:50] Our thoughts and words are powerful.

[06:48] Culture has "watered down" certain words and concepts.

[10:54] When we use exaggerated words, it sets us up for failure.

[13:28] It's making us fragile.

[18:41] Let's disempower our negative experiences.

[21:42] Challenges make us stronger, not weaker.

[23:10] Let's be more discerning and selective with the words we're using.

[24:09] We can choose how to interpret our challenges and circumstances.

Let's reflect on the words we've been using lately. Are they exaggerations? If so, they're weakening us and holding us back. Let's commit to flipping that script and interpreting things in a way that strengthens us and finds the good in our lives.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I'd love to hear about your biggest takeaway. Take a selfie of you listening or a screenshot of the show, post it to instagram stories, and tag me @parentingjunkie or feel free to DM me on instagram, I try to reply to as many as I can!Are you subscribed to my podcast? Subscribe here so that fresh episodes are delivered directly to you.

Those shiny 5-star ratings and sweet reviews have me all gushy, thank you. But more importantly, they help other parents discover the Parenting Junkie Show and spread the word about Loving parenting and Parenting from Love. If you have a moment to spare, those reviews mean the world to me, you can leave one here.

Want to connect to like-minded parenting junkies? Join our (free & awesome) FB community Love Parenting with Avital.

Resources:

• Book "The Coddling of the American Mind"

We all want to be better communicators, right? I know I do. Like most things in life, improving our communication is a process and it takes intentional work to help us break old habits and create new ones. Join me as I discuss some specific toxic patterns that we all need to break and what we can do instead.

[04:13] Communication skills are so important to be a healthy adult.

[06:14] We often fall into old habits and patterns. To change that we have to work on learning new skills and break the old patterns...

[08:56] Interrupting

[10:38] "Shoulding" over everyone.

[11:36] Generalizing (always, never, etc).

[12:42] Yelling

[14:29] Threats and ultimatums.

[16:40] Pointing & physical intimidation.

[18:48] Criticizing & name calling

[19:46] Shaming

[20:51] Stonewalling

If you start working on these areas and push past the awkward early stages, you WILL see progress in your relationships. Don't give up!

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I'd love to hear about your biggest takeaway. Take a selfie of you listening or a screenshot of the show, post it to instagram stories, and tag me @parentingjunkie or feel free to DM me on instagram, I try to reply to as many as I can!Are you subscribed to my podcast? Subscribe here so that fresh episodes are delivered directly to you.

Those shiny 5-star ratings and sweet reviews have me all gushy, thank you. But more importantly, they help other parents discover the Parenting Junkie Show and spread the word about Loving parenting and Parenting from Love. If you have a moment to spare, those reviews mean the world to me, you can leave one here.

Want to connect to like-minded parenting junkies? Join our (free & awesome) FB community Love Parenting with Avital.

Resources:

• Develop 10 powerful tools of communicating artfully with your partner with this free ebook.

There's a mindset that keeps parents stuck and suffering, and really holds us back. We have a lot more control in our lives than we sometimes believe, and it can take some gentle nudging (or tough love, for some of us) to help us see things for what they are.

Changing our mindset in this one area can make a big difference in our lives and empower us as parents and leaders of our family.

[04:20] We often CAN do the things we say we can't do...we've really just chosen NOT to do them.

[09:29] Saying "I can't" breeds desperation, anxiety, and depression.

[11:05] We have nearly endless choices over the majority of things in our lives (80%).

[12:58] Why do we choose not to? Sometimes we just don't want to.

[14:10] Sometimes we aren't willing to pay the price.

[16:40] Sometimes it's just not a priority for us.

[17:08] We need to take ownership of our choices.

[19:04] Reframing our choices is empowering and can help us through difficult circumstances.

So instead of saying "I can't", which is true only 20% of the time, own your choice: Say you don't want to, you aren't willing to pay the price, or you're prioritizing other things. Then when you need to, remind yourself of the choices you're making, and why you're making them.

Need help setting up your family for homeschooling success? Check out our course, Focus Time.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I'd love to hear about your biggest takeaway. Take a selfie of you listening or a screenshot of the show, post it to instagram stories, and tag me @parentingjunkie or feel free to DM me on instagram, I try to reply to as many as I can!Are you subscribed to my podcast? Subscribe here so that fresh episodes are delivered directly to you.

Those shiny 5-star ratings and sweet reviews have me all gushy, thank you. But more importantly, they help other parents discover the Parenting Junkie Show and spread the word about Loving parenting and Parenting from Love. If you have a moment to spare, those reviews mean the world to me, you can leave one here.

Want to connect to like-minded parenting junkies? Join our (free & awesome) FB community Love Parenting with Avital.

Because sending kids to school is often the "default option", I'm often asked "Why do you homeschool?"

I think it's time to start reversing that question and ask "why are you sending your kids to school?" When you really think about what your school provides (or doesn't provide), homeschooling may begin to look much more appealing and not as out-of-reach as you once thought.

Let's discuss.

[05:19] Why do I homeschool?

[08:00] Schools are a service, and we can decide if that service is right for us.

[08:50] Service 1: Babysitting

[09:29] Service 2: Education

[12:08] Service 3: Socialization & community

[14:11] With how much is at stake, the real question should be "why send your child to school?"

[16:06] You don't have to be a trained educator to homeschool.

[18:01] There are other options if babysitting is the main reason you send your kids to school.

[20:00] Many schools push rote memorization, which isn't effective.

[20:32] We can help our kids develop skills they might otherwise learn in school.

[21:01] There are ways to help homeschoolers make friends and build community with others.

[22:41] Schools often use extrinsic motivation, which isn't effective.

[23:44] They learn to compete instead of collaborate in schools.

[25:11] It may require certain sacrifices and lifestyle choices, but it's so worth it.

[26:41] It may not be for everyone, but if you want to do it, you can!

If school really is the best option for you and your family, great! But I want you to at least work through these questions and justify why you're sending them to school. Let's do what's best for our children and family, even if it means going against the default.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I'd love to hear about your biggest takeaway. Take a selfie of you listening or a screenshot of the show, post it to instagram stories, and tag me @parentingjunkie or feel free to DM me on instagram, I try to reply to as many as I can!Are you subscribed to my podcast? Subscribe here so that fresh episodes are delivered directly to you.

Those shiny 5-star ratings and sweet reviews have me all gushy, thank you. But more importantly, they help other parents discover the Parenting Junkie Show and spread the word about Loving parenting and Parenting from Love. If you have a moment to spare, those reviews mean the world to me, you can leave one here.

Want to connect to like-minded parenting junkies? Join our (free & awesome) FB community Love Parenting with Avital.

Resources:

• Check out our new course, Focus Time

Even without a global pandemic, life can be hard. Bad things happen and we all experience difficulties and challenges. It's easy to feel sorry for ourselves and go through life as a victim. But I'm here to tell you that there's so much more waiting for you on the other side of victimhood, and you can decide to leave it behind. Let's discuss how.

[04:07] Society pressures us to sacrifice everything on the altar of parenthood.

[05:36] Feeling your feelings is step 1, and victims get stuck here.

[08:01] It's ok to feel that way. But do you really want to stay there?

[10:31] Humans have the ability to overcome the craziest challenges and hardships, and can come through it stronger.

[12:49] Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

[15:12] If you want to stop feeling like a victim, you have to stop seeing yourself as a victim.

[17:32] Not all stress is bad.

[18:37] We need to mind our own business and focus on things we can control.

[20:36] We need to take control of our thoughts.

[23:32] We have power over our words.

[30:13] Double down on what we can control.

[32:40] Present Play is an amazing resource to help overcome a victim mentality. Join before the doors close for another year!

The choice is ours! We can stay in the suffering and live life as a victim, or decide enough is enough and leave it behind. So much of it is within our control. We are not powerless. We'll find that these simple changes will have a major compounding effect if we continually reframe our situation and choose to stop seeing ourselves as a victim.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I'd love to hear about your biggest takeaway. Take a selfie of you listening or a screenshot of the show, post it to instagram stories, and tag me @parentingjunkie or feel free to DM me on instagram, I try to reply to as many as I can!Are you subscribed to my podcast? Subscribe here so that fresh episodes are delivered directly to you.

Those shiny 5-star ratings and sweet reviews have me all gushy, thank you. But more importantly, they help other parents discover the Parenting Junkie Show and spread the word about Loving parenting and Parenting from Love. If you have a moment to spare, those reviews mean the world to me, you can leave one here.

Want to connect to like-minded parenting junkies? Join our (free & awesome) FB community Love Parenting with Avital.

Resources:

Join Present Play before the doors close on May 1st!