The Art of Parenting

Is your phone stealing attention away from your most important relationships? Listen in and discover the real impact with Joey Odom.

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I don't know about you, but sometimes my phone or other people’s phones get in the way of my relationships. Joey discovered this early on and created a product to help us have a better relationship with those who matter most, including our phones.

• The power of intentional presence

• Navigating technology’s impact on our family life

• Challenges of modern parenting with digital technology

• How Aro’s gamified tools work to make phone-free time a habit

• Practical Family Device policies

“Parenting is a willingness to wade into the gray waters of nuance.”

“You can get so many things wrong and make up for all of them with your full undivided presence. You can get so many things right and   blow it all for a lack of your undivided presence.”

“My relationship with my phone was getting in the way of my most important relationships.”

“We didn’t need statistics to tell us all the damage our phones are doing.”

“We grow levels of false dependence on our phones that we begin to believe that we need them more than we do.”

“There's a lot of shame that can be associated when it comes to our phones or feeling like we're falling short.”

“Doing something exclusively on your own is really hard, but when you're doing it with others and it becomes the norm within that group, it becomes so much easier.”

“Human relationships come in front of phone relationships.”

“Our kids are going to mimic what we model.”

- Joey Odom

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Do you know how to prepare for a safer childbirth experience? Listen in and hear from Gina Mundy on what you need to know.

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I never realized we needed attorneys for childbirth, yet today I speak with Gina Mundy, an attorney who specializes in childbirth cases and has defended countless families due to birth traumas. 

• When do you need and the role of a childbirth attorney

• The critical role of birth doulas for safer childbirth

• Proactive steps for a safer childbirth experience

• Understanding all of the childbirth interventions suggested

• Choosing to have a Home or hospital birth

"Birth doulas help families bring babies safely into this world."

"Babies are made to handle natural contractions."

"Breaking mom's bag of water and interventions doctors recommend are huge decisions."

"When a mom, and you're in labor, you have to understand you are in a different state of mind."

"Every labor is different."

- Gina Mundy

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Did you know, your child’s gut microbiome impacts their behavior and immunity? Listen in and get expert answers from Dr. Elisa Song.

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Your child’s microbiome is essential to having healthy kids, happy kids. Learn from integrative pediatrician Elisa Song as she shares evidence-based choices we can make for our children’s future. 

• Understanding the impact your child’s Microbiome has on long term health 

• The potential long-term effects of antibiotics in early childhood

• Five simple steps to having microbiome magic

• Mindful choices you can make to reduce processed foods in your home

• Understanding what is healthy stress for children

• The vagus nerve explained and how to engage it

“Parenting is being able to go inward and listen to the inner voice and trust it.” 

“Just like we take care of our external world's ecosystem, we must take care of our microbiome's ecosystem.”

“80% of your child's immune system is in their gut.”

“Use antibiotics only when it's necessary. Be judicious, to not overuse antibiotics.”

“One of the factors that predicted success in adulthood was the ability to self-regulate.”

“Stress is simply your physiologic response getting ready for something to happen.There's a certain amount of stress that actually makes us more productive, makes us more efficient.”

“No matter where your child is on their health journey…It's never too late to move towards a path of thriving.”

- Dr. Elisa Song

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Are you ready to spark a love for math in your child? Listen in as my guest, Shalinee Sharma, reveals her top tips.

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The Mathematical Mind is something we all possess, yet there are many myths about having a math mind or not. Today my guest shares the beauty that can be found in math and how to guide our children to enjoy and succeed in math.

• Unlocking the "Mathematical Mind"

• Shalinee's four tips for Math confidence

• Simple ways to bring math into daily routines

• Why visual and hands-on approaches make math meaningful & engaging.

• How to make math a game for young kids

• The importance of letting go of the "math kid" myth

“Parenting connects us to the purpose of life.”

“As a parent, you're the guide of your child to help them to do their duty.”

“All children can succeed in Math.”

“Math ability is intrinsic. We all have it.”

“When you hit a roadblock in learning, it's a signal to try harder.”

“Put the myth of the math kid on a shelf and ask for help.”

“There is no humiliation in math. Math is beautiful, it’s fun.”

- Shalinee Sharma

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What’s the key to thriving preschool success? Listen in as my guest, Amber Jayne, reveals it all.

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We all know how crucial children's early years of development are for their lifelong joy and success. Today we talk about how to determine what is the best environment for children to thrive. 

• How to identify a high-quality preschool using the four senses rule

• Balancing parenthood and business

• The role of love and nurturing in early childhood development

• How traditional education doesn’t fit every child

• The impact of technology on children's development

“Your parenting style is yours to embrace”

“Always internally check your parenting style because we have the answers always within us.”

“When you walk into a home daycare, a child care center, or preschool, follow your senses.”

“We need to have our children ready for kindergarten. We need to have them build their confidence.”

“If you’re missing the foundation of love, respect, and trust, your child is going to have a hard time wherever they go.”

“If you can't homeschool, just advocate for your child.”

“We’re learning to be a mom just as our children are learning to grow up.”

- Ms. Amber Jayne

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Is 'Mommy Brain' real or just a myth? Listen in and discover the science behind it with my guest, Jodi Pawluski!

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So often the ‘Mommy Brain’ gets a bad wrap, but did you know everything happens for a reason!? Today I’m talking with a neuroscientist to understand the science of the mommy brain better.  

• The brain changes that occur in mothers during parenthood

• Societal and environmental pressures that disproportionately affect mothers

• Effects of perinatal mental illness on both mothers and their offspring

• Oxytocin and bonding without breastfeeding

• Why parenting skill is built through experience

• Changes in brain structure and function when learning to care for a child.

“Parenting is accepting the diversity and working to find what works for you and your child within your household.”

“Motherhood itself has a special list of pressures and to-do's.”

“Your brain can only do so much.”

“Acknowledge all the amazing things that occur in our brains during pregnancy and the postpartum period and not see it as a deficit.”

“Your brain is functioning when it has the capacity and the environment to function well when you're pregnant or postpartum.”

“Pregnant women are much better at memory for parenting-related things.”

“Becoming a parent can increase the chances of mental health struggles.”

“Our brain is really valuable in our transition to parenthood and we need to acknowledge that.”

- Jodi Pawluski

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Can yoga help children manage big feelings and emotions? Listen in as my guest, Lauren Chaitoff shares her insights.

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Yoga has always been my go-to for relaxing and feeling in tune with my physical body. Today, I’m talking with a yoga instructor who is focused on bringing this ancient practice to children. 

• Ways to introduce yoga to children

• How yoga can help both parents and children manage emotions

• Building emotional awareness in children

• The four pillars of Yogi Bean

• Morning and evening yoga rituals for parents and children

• How to add a bit of yoga to your daily life

“Parenting is similar to the breath, a lot of expansion and contraction.”

“When you change how you breathe, you can change how you feel.”

“Having good posture is important for the mind and body connection.”

“When your goal is to get children to sit quietly and still you need to let them move a little bit.”

“Making children aware of their feelings is a lifelong tool to help them cope with bigger feelings.”

“Everything is a phase.”

- Lauren Chaitoff

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Is there really such a thing as the perfect parent? Listen in and discover the power of being an imperfect parent with Kate Hamilton.

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I truly believe we all strive to be the best parent possible, yet when we strive for perfection is when we get ourselves in trouble. The notion of perfection is unattainable so let’s embrace being an Imperfect Parent instead. 

• Understanding generational behaviors helps us break unhelpful cycles

• Parenting as a partnership

• Mistakes are valuable learning opportunities for both parents and children.

• How to handle unsolicited advice

• The “8-Year Rule” for tough conversations

• Creating an open family environment

“There’s not one formula that works in parenting.”

“Parenting is believing in our ability to parent.”

“It's totally okay to fail, it's okay to make a mistake but it's not okay to stop, it's not okay not to learn.”

“Consequences are important to teach our kids but there are times in life when everybody needs a little bit of grace.”

“Imperfection is good and normal.”

“We know our children better than the experts do and we need to trust that we know our children.”

- Kate Hamilton

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Could your understanding of postpartum mental health be missing a crucial piece? Listen in as my guest, Aaisha Alvi shares the realities of postpartum psychosis.

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A Mom Like That is a memoir of a woman’s journey into perinatal and postpartum mood disorders. She shares her honest and harrowing experiences with a healthcare system that does not yet take these issues seriously. A must listen to all.

• What are perinatal mood disorders

• Aaisha's personal experience with Postpartum Psychosis

• What is the biological basis of Postpartum Psychosis

• What urged Aaisha to write the book 'A Mom Like That'

• The lack of awareness among healthcare providers regarding postpartum psychosis

“Parenting with a mindset that always tries to bring out the best our children will have to offer the world.”

“Postpartum psychosis is one of the most severe psychiatric illnesses a woman can ever experience in her lifetime.”

“When it comes to postpartum psychosis, nobody knows why it occurs.”

“When you have a miscarriage, you don't have a baby to take care of, but you still have biological elements that trigger postpartum.”

“When you lose touch with reality, there is a risk to yourself and your child.”

“Nobody needs to suffer due to shame or stigma.”

- Aaisha Alvi

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What does it take to truly heal after a challenging birth? Listen in and find out in this powerful conversation with Jennifer Summerfeldt.

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Our birth experience, how we came to the world, and how, if able, we give birth to our own have a lasting impact on our overall well-being.

• Midwifery and alternative birth options

• Overcoming the fear induced by mainstream pregnancy advice

• Understand different birth paradigms

• Choosing birth based on values

• The emergence of free birth

• The difference between a disappointing birth experience and birth trauma

• How birth trauma impacts both the body and mind

• How the nervous system reacts during traumatic events like childbirth

• Identifying postpartum challenges

“Parenting is about learning how to listen to that guiding principle that resides in all of us as a human being.”

“It's important that you understand what that birth paradigm includes, that they're motivated by fear, litigation, and money, and to manage and control and take charge of your experience.”

“When you hire a professional or registered midwife, most often you have the option to give birth at home, in a birthing center or a hospital.”

“Any choice out of fear is usually a bad recipe.”

“You can have a disappointing birth experience that is not traumatic.”

“It's not about controlling the outside world. It's about knowing that there's a way for us to ride the waves of life, to ride the stressors of life and it doesn't have to be traumatic.”

“Rest in the role of motherhood.”

- Jennifer Summerfeldt

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