Thrive Parenting

You're the kind of parent who teaches their kids to brush and floss their teeth (OK, maybe not everyone has flossing down...) It might sound simple, but it's the simple things that make you an exceptional parent. We've learned a lot about you the past few weeks. You are deliberate, conscientious, hard-working parents. We're so grateful to you.

What should parents do when they disagree about how to parent their teens? On this episode, we talk to Master Coach Natalie Clay about marriage and parenting and all the emotions.

You can find Natalie at https://www.natalieclay.com/ or on Instagram @natalieclaycoaching

Teens need time to sleep and destress in the summer. Still, no one wants to get to the end of the summer and feel like they didn't do anything. Our thoughts on balancing rest, work, learning and play.

khanacademy.org

You know that 3 pound lump of tofu in your head? Well it's constantly changing from moment to moment, day to day, year after year. And that's fantastic news! You can choose a parenting strength and build it (and it's faster than building biceps). Adventures in lawn mowing and more from Hardwiring Happiness by Rick Hanson.

Life isn't meant to be happy all the time. But if you work on it just a little, you'll tip the scales in your own favor. This episode talks about how happiness comes from our thoughts-- not from external circumstances. And since we can control our thoughts, we can access more happiness in our lives in simple ways. This isn't about chasing away negative thoughts or chasing after positive ones-- it's about ending the chase altogether. Books referred to in this episode:

The Happiness Advantage: How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life by Shawn Achor

Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence by Rick Hanson.

Your body is an instrument, not an ornament. Lexie and Lindsay Kite run Beauty Redefined, a nonprofit teaching body resilience. Your body can run and jump and smile and write and sing and serve! You are here to DO things-- not just to look good. When we think less about how we look and more about how we can serve, skills we can learn, what we can DO, we feel empowered. We are here to LIVE not simply as ornaments to be looked at. You'll love this episode for the truths you'll learn and the ideas you can teach your kids. You can learn more at beautyredefined.org or @beauty-redefined. We especially love their Instagram account.

Our ancestors managed to survive by doing three things: avoiding pain, seeking pleasure and conserving energy. While those actions ensured the survival of the species for thousands of years, those instincts are killing us today. It's simply too easy to conserve energy, pleasure lies around every corner (and on our phone and in our refrigerator) and we can avoid pain with drugs, alcohol, overconsumption of media, food, etc. Today we talk about learning to not only survive but thrive with growth-- embracing discomfort, seeking growth and expending massive effort wisely.... 

How can a young father and ex-NFL player feel so discouraged he's ready to take his own life by eating rat poison? Anthony Trucks lost his marriage, watched his business slipping towards bankruptcy and felt like he had no options left. But he turned it all around and became the happiest guy you'll ever meet. He wants YOUR life to feel just as joyful. Anthony talks about the shifts we all make in life, gives concrete parenting advice and shares a few of his American Ninja secrets. You'll love his enthusiasm, humor and humility. You can learn more about Anthony at anthonytrucks.com or on social media @anthonytrucks

Do you know the original purpose of the IQ test? It was NOT for measuring intelligence. The real answer may surprise you. In this episode, we discuss the growth mindset and the fixed mindset, Michelle gives a condensed list of her many faults and much more...

Mindset by Carol Dweck

Grit by Angela Duckworth

What do stories about indestructible glasses, birthday cards and a sack of groceries have in common? Communication. Today we'll talk about how to listen, how to get teens to talk and the best ways to offer corrections.