Parent Confidence Lab

Balancing work, parenting, and personal well-being can leave many parents feeling exhausted and stretched too thin. Sara Sweat joins Hans and Cristina on the Parent Confidence Lab podcast to discuss why healthy boundaries are essential for working parents and how they can be used to protect time, energy, and family connection. Drawing from her experience as a trauma-informed coach and founder of Monarch, Sara explains the difference between boundaries, expectations, standards, and rules while offering practical tools parents can use immediately.

From managing emotional energy and handling tantrums to creating non-negotiable calendar priorities and communicating boundaries effectively, Sara shares actionable strategies that help parents avoid burnout while showing up as their best selves at home and at work.

• What healthy boundaries actually are and why they are often misunderstood
• The difference between boundaries, expectations, standards, and rules
• How to protect your time, energy, and emotional well-being as a working parent
• Why energy management matters more than time management
• How small daily habits can create meaningful emotional and mental deposits
• The power of moving from "furious" to "curious" during parenting challenges
• Why calendars should include personal and family priorities, not just work commitments
• How short, repeatable phrases can help reinforce boundaries during stressful moments
• The role of rituals and visual cues in creating consistent family boundaries
• Why self-care and boundary-setting allow parents to care for others more sustainably

Sara Sweat is a trauma-informed coach, founder of Monarch, and advisor to Avocado Health. With a background spanning healthcare technology, leadership, and counseling, she helps individuals and organizations apply human psychology principles to improve resilience, performance, and well-being. Her work focuses on helping high achievers create sustainable success through healthy boundaries, emotional awareness, and intentional growth.

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sara-sweat
• Website: monarchsup.com

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Episode Summary

Parenting can feel overwhelming, especially during stressful mornings, sibling fights, emotional meltdowns, and the constant pressure to “get it right.” Angie Weber joins Hans and Cristina on the Parent Confidence Lab podcast to share her CALM Approach to Parenting, a practical framework designed to help parents regulate emotions, communicate more effectively, and build stronger family connections. From emotional regulation and family meetings to co-parenting and divorce support, Angie offers honest, actionable advice for parents navigating the chaos of everyday family life.

What You’ll Learn

• The four pillars of Angie’s CALM parenting framework
• Why emotional regulation starts with the parent first
• How giving children choices reduces power struggles
• The difference between consequences and ultimatums
• Why family meetings can improve communication and reduce stress
• How parents can recognize emotional triggers before reacting
• Why giving yourself grace is essential in parenting
• How co-parenting tools can strengthen family relationships after divorce

About Angie Weber

Angie Weber is a parent coach, speaker, CEO of The Parent Toolbox, and director of the Divorce Support Collective. Through her coaching programs, parenting tools, and educational resources, Angie helps parents build calmer homes, stronger emotional connections, and healthier communication habits with their children and partners.

Connect with Angie

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/angieweber
• The Parent Toolbox: theparenttoolbox.info
• Divorce Support Collective

Listen & Subscribe

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• YouTube
• iHeart Radio
• Captivate

Parent Confidence Lab by Avocado Health, your parenting partner in your pocket.

Enjoying the show? Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly parenting insights, episode updates, and expert tips straight to your inbox.

Sign up here: https://avo-little-more-confidence.beehiiv.com/

Most parents leave pediatric appointments with unanswered questions, and most healthcare tech ignores that. Dr. Alex Butler, pediatric hospitalist at Boston Children’s Hospital and founder of Alcott, joins Hans and Cristina to talk about why families are left out of healthcare innovation and what we can do about it. If you’ve ever walked out of a doctor’s visit wishing you’d said more, this one’s for you.

• Why parents are the most underutilized resource in pediatric care
• How to make the most of a 15-minute doctor’s appointment
• What AI tools like Alcott are doing to empower families
• How to trust your gut, even when a doctor pushes back
• Why social media sets unrealistic parenting expectations

Dr. Alex Butler is a pediatric hospitalist at Boston Children’s Hospital and founder of Alcott, a free tool that helps parents prepare for and get more out of every healthcare visit.

• LinkedIn: Alex Butler
• Alcott: alcottai.com

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Amazon Music
• YouTube
• iHeart Radio
• Captivate

Parent Confidence Lab by Avocado Health, your parenting partner in your pocket.

Enjoying the show? Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly parenting insights, episode updates, and expert tips straight to your inbox.

Sign up here: https://avo-little-more-confidence.beehiiv.com/