Many families associate Thanksgiving with a time to promote practices of gratitude. During this week’s episode, Jacqueline and Robin share what they are grateful for and how incorporating gratitude practices in daily parenting can deepen connections within the family and positively impact your children’s mental health and relationships with others. Listeners will find this episode engaging and funny but also leave with a few ideas for bringing fun activities into the home year-round. Children have told us that these activities are fun, and they often feel happy when doing them, especially ones that involve helping others.

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Get ready, sports fans. This episode is going to bring you lots to think about. Jacqueline and Robin had the pleasure of interviewing Marc Anderson, a sought-after Mental Game Coach and Licensed Clinical Social Worker with an extensive history working with athletes and in schools. Marc’s passion for teaching young people to reach their potential and partnering with families to promote sportsmanship, confidence, and teamwork is unmatched. During this episode, Marc shares ways parents can teach their athletes to enjoy the game, learn to make mistakes, and take risks even when failure may be inevitable. Marc also shares the importance of not comparing athletes to one another and setting realistic goals that will lead to growth and engagement in the game. Signs of burnout and disconnect will also be reviewed.

Marc Anderson is a licensed clinical social worker and mental game coach currently based in the western suburbs of Chicago.  He has over 25 years of clinical experience and specializes with adolescents, young adults, and athletes on a broad spectrum of mental health and sports performance issues. His philosophy is athlete-centered; empowering athletes to conquer the mental challenges that are hindering their peak potential. Marc's clinical expertise, combined with his extensive experience as a high school coach and collegiate athlete, allows him to equip athletes with mental strategies and skills to maximize their mental edge and improve their performance in competition while maintaining balance in their lives.

Marc Anderson earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Beloit College (1987) and a masters degree in social work from George Williams College, Aurora University (1994).  Marc studied and received his mental coaching certification training under Dr. Patrick Cohn at Peak Performance Sports (2005). In addition, Marc is a certified lead the leader facilitator through the Jeff Janssen Sports Leadership Center (2018).

For more information: Mental Performance Sports

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(This episode was recorded in June 2023)

Research in 2019 suggests that Infertility impacts 10% of women between the ages of 15-44 in the United States. We believe this number is higher today. Jacqueline and Robin were joined by Erin this week to learn firsthand what it is like to experience and go through the process of Infertility. Erin, a former Track and Field star, shares her story about the journey in the world of Infertility and what it has been like to grow her family. She always knew that she wanted to be a mom. However, she did not realize what the journey would entail. Erin gets real with listeners and not only shares the joys but also the challenges and emotional turmoil she experienced. Erin hopes that by sharing her story, she will be helping other families, as well as those supporting families dealing with infertility issues. Listeners will also learn some tips and resources that are available for families. Join in for this difficult topic, but also plan to have a few laughs along the way.

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During this episode, listeners will follow along to Level 5, reviewing the previous four levels while learning how it all comes together to develop the Family Plan. Families have found the Successful Growth Model to be critical in developing their family plan, noting that the clarity of expectations and goals leads to greater consistency and follow-through. For years, Jacqueline and Robin have been working with families to promote greater connections within the family, as well as partnering with families to support their children dealing with emotional, medical, and/or behavioral concerns. The family plan has been proven to promote the overall health of the family, as well as fostering resiliency and strengthening the emotional functioning of children. As families move towards this plan, they begin to react intentionally out of goals, working towards regulating emotions and coping during times of distress. This plan not only helps families during difficult times but also to raise engagement and closeness within the family unit.

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Jacqueline and Robin share why Level 4 is one of their favorite levels of the Successful Growth Model. During their conversation, they explain why increasing awareness of emotions, as well as learning to regulate and respond to our own emotions, can improve our relationships with our children. Our responses become more intentional, opening opportunities for dialogue and Successful Parenting. Tune in to learn why the Successful Growth model relies so heavily on level 4 and strategies to increase emotional awareness and regulation.

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Take a dive into Level 3 and learn how communication styles and choice of words can impact our connections with our children. When you reflect on the phrases, questions, or comments you or family members often say in front of your children, what message is being delivered? During Level 3, Jacqueline and Robin share key strategies to improve effective communication and insight into how our words impact our children in many ways. Grab a copy of the Successful Parenting Workbook and follow along, as Level 3 includes powerful tips for more purposeful communication. One parent shared, “When I shifted my wording and was more mindful of my timing, my child started to open up and share more about their feelings.” Minor changes can make lasting impacts and significant differences.

Families often tell Jacqueline and Robin that Level 2 of the Successful Growth Model has been a critical element to the success of creating their family plan. During Level 2, families are encouraged to form goals based on their unique family values. Jacqueline and Robin believe that parents are the experts of their children. During this episode, listeners are asked to reflect on their backgrounds and views of parenting, as well as different parenting styles and approaches. They recognize and empathize that families sometimes encounter obstacles in meeting their parenting goals. Listeners will gain knowledge and an understanding of strategies to proactively plan and work through obstacles and stressors as they arise. Join in to continue the path of creating your very own Successful Parenting Plan.

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Jacqueline and Robin are excited to take listeners on a deep dive into their five-level plan, beginning with level one. Listeners, grab a copy of our workbook and join us as we start with an understanding of our purpose and intentions behind writing the Successful Parenting Workbook. The discussion includes samples and, as always, real-life examples to help bring some of these ideas to practical daily tips and ideas. Listeners will also catch a glimpse at some key strategies and obstacles to developing closer connections within the family home. During October, Jacqueline and Robin will highlight a different level of their plan, wrapping up with creating a Successful Parenting Plan.

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Lemon Lime Adventures- Out of the Box Parenting Made Simple

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Join us for this week's episode, with guest expert Kate Schneider, as she joins Jacqueline and Robin to discuss ways parents can foster athleticism in their children from early on. Parents will gain insights into helping their children to engage in the world of play and sport, while teaching sportsmanship skills, such as cooperation, confidence, and problem-solving. Kathleen will share strategies for parents to instill the competitive drive by using key mindfulness techniques that may be a game-changer for children and adolescents. Parents who have children of all ages, from infants through college level, will find this episode informative. Kate will dive into the power of the mindset and its impact on performance, allowing parents and athletes to find a path to more gratifying play and engagement.

Kate Schneider

Pure Sports Mindset: Mindfulness & Sport https://purehealthcenter.com/sports-mindset-coaching-for-teen-athletes/

Kate Kelley Schneider holds her Master's in Clinical Counseling from Argosy University. Kate primarily works with adult men and women looking to make changes in their lives and unsure where to begin. She specializes in addiction, trauma, anxiety, and depression and has been trained in evidence-based strategies like Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) to facilitate change. Kate is positive and practical in her therapy, bringing a mind-and-body approach that promotes patience and rejects judgment.

While working on her studies, Kate ran the Boston and Chicago marathons, started a nonprofit, and added another shelter pup to her family. She did her clinical work at Gateway Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation Center, where she pioneered their music therapy program and remains passionate about providing hope for those in recovery.

Kate has been focusing on the student-athlete and COVID's effects on their mental health. She enjoys educating parents, students, and teachers about improving self-care to find balance and achieve goals. Kate offers seminars and workshops on Sleep, Body Movement, Nutrition, & Mindfulness.

Pure Sports Mindset: 25 Mindfulness Techniques for Coaches to get their Athletes in Flow and their Teams in Tune

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