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Have you ever wished you could be calmer in the face of tough parenting decisions – and feel more confident with your choices?

If so,  you’ll love today’s interview with Todd and Cathy Adams, the husband-and-wife team behind Zen Parenting Radio. In the interview, we talk about:

* How to pay attention to your gut and parent in the moment

* Quieting the noise around you and becoming more self-aware so you can follow your instincts and sense of what’s right, rather than worrying about what “other people think.”

You’ll definitely want to check out Cathy’s book, The Self-Aware Parent, and B.U. Inc, a workshop for kids taught by both Cathy and Todd which teaches kids to build their emotional intelligence and self-awareness and acceptance.

Listen now!

I’m also excited to have Shana Draugelis of Ain’t No Mom Jeans back on the show this week to talk about spring style! We discuss how to incorporate spring pieces into your look when there’s still snow on the ground (ugh) and how to dress for spring break – including trips to Disney World.

Here are links to some of the pieces Shana and I talked about on the show:

* Shana loves hair accessories from ASOS like the enamel barrette (left) or pretty floral bun holder (right) pictured above.

* She’s also a big fan of saltwater sandals!

This episode of The Home Hour Podcast is brought to you by Amazon Prime. Remember to click through to order Prime now, before the price goes up in April! (It’s still going to be an awesome deal – but you might as well save yourself $20 by signing up now.)

Amazon links are affiliates – if you click through and make a purchase, I’ll receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show and this site!

As always, thanks for listening! If you liked this show, I’d LOVE for you to subscribe or leave a rating or review on iTunes. Here’s how to do it:

* Visit the podcast page here and click “View in iTunes.”

* From there you’ll see an option to subscribe, and all new episodes will download to your computer or device automatically. You’ll also see a tab in iTunes called Ratings and Reviews. 

One last thing: would you like to be part of The Home Hour Podcast? Now you can record your question or comment right here in your browser, using the microphone on your computer or device. Just follow the directions below and leave your message, and it might become part of a future show.

I’d love to hear what you thought of today’s show. Do you feel more confident in your parenting decisions? And, I have to know – will you mix florals and plaids on Shana’s encouragement?

What lights you up?

Is it drawing? Dancing? Coming up with business ideas? Working with kids? Cooking for your family?

If you haven’t yet tapped into the thing you really want to be doing most in this world – or know what it is, but are afraid to claim it out loud, you’re going to love my conversation with my friend, fellow writer and coach Toni McLellan.

You’ll really relate to my discussion with Toni if:

You’re the person who has started twelve different blogs but hasn’t been able to commit to any of them…(Toni’s got a story about this!)

* if you’re always having good ideas…but you aren’t sure they’re the right good ideas for you.

* If you’re trying to build a life and/or career you love.

* if you’re curious about coaching (either working with one or working as one) and want the real scoop.

* Check out Toni’s regular events and workshops, and be sure to sign up for her free weekly newsletter – it’s awesome.

And, I’m excited to announce that this week I’m introducing another expert co-host, Kate Hanley of MsMindBody.com! Kate will be coming on the show regularly to talk about wellness, stress relief, and other mind-body topics.

Today we’re talking about a big issue this time of year: how to boost immunity so we (adults and kids alike) don’t get every bug that goes around. 

Here are links to some of the resources Kate and I talked about this week:

* Kefir grains! Kate and I discussed these probiotic starters you can grow at home to help boost immunity via your digestive system. Kate buys her Yemoos.com, but if you’d rather shop at Amazon, here’s an option for Kefir grains. Kate also uses Stevia to sweeten.

* Child Life Berry Flavored Vitamin D Drops – Vitamin D is an essential immunity booster and so many of us are deficient, particularly this time of year. Kate says her kids “line up like baby birds” for these berry-flavored drops.

* Definitely check out Kate’s site MsMindBody.com, as well as her video coaching program, The Daily Unwind.

Click here to open Episode 23 of The Home Hour Podcast in a new window. You can also find the show on iTunes, or you can scroll to the bottom to play the episode right here in your browser (and to find out h...

Eating and sleeping. They’re both necessary to life, and for most of us grownups they seem to come naturally.

So why does having kids seem to make both of these very simple human functions so much more complicated?

Today’s episode of The Home Hour Podcast covers both these topics – and gives solutions for making them simpler for your family.

My interview today is with Jenny Rosenstrach of Dinner, A Love Story. Jenny has recorded every dinner she’s made in a notebook since 1998 (!!) and the two of us discussed everything from the importance of planning (and how to do it), to keeping meals simple, to dealing with picky eaters.

I am also excited to announce that this is the first week our own Sarah Powers will be coming on the show as my co-host in a regularly recurring segment about motherhood and our lives as moms. 

This week Sarah and I talk about a topic that’s on almost every mom’s mind: SLEEP. Specifically, how to get more of it, and how to encourage our kids to sleep more (without freaking out if they aren’t perfect sleepers.)

I know you’re going to love listening to this week’s show while you get dinner on the table, drive carpool or fold that basket of laundry.

Click here to open Episode 22 of The Home Hour Podcast in a new window. You can also find the show on iTunes, or you can scroll to the bottom to play the episode right here in your browser (and to find out how YOU can be part of a future episode!)

 

Here are links to some of the books and articles that Jenny Rosenstrach and I talked about today:

Amazon links in this post are affiliates. That means if you click through and make a purchase, I’ll receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

* Dinner, A Love Story: It all begins at the family table  – Jenny’s book, released in 2012

* Dinner: The Playbook: A 30-Day Plan For Mastering The Art Of The Family Meal Jenny’s next book, a manual for making dinner happen, focused on practical tips and strategies. It will be released in August, and is available for pre-order now.

* That Chicken – a recipe Jenny and I discussed during the show that relates to the strategy of taking one step toward getting dinner on the table in the morning – even if it’s just thinking about what you’ll make – to avoid that 5 PM “Oh no, what we are gonna eat?” stress.

* Making Dinner vs. Making Dinner Happen – another great post of Jenny’s that illustrates how getting dinner on the table is almost always more than a 30-minute process (no matter what those magazine articles say.)

* What to Cook Tonight – a page on Jenny’s blog that details some typical types of nights – pantry nearly empty night? Late soccer practice night?

Our kids are living in a distraction-heavy, rushed world.

And as parents, it’s not always easy to find the balance between creating a soft place to land and also helping them cope with the realities of life today.

Today’s guest on The Home Hour Podcast is Kristen Race, Ph.D., a brain scientist, educator, and author of the new book Mindful Parenting. Race offers parents research-tested mindfulness strategies that can help kids and parents learn how to cope with distractions, reduce anxiety and stress, and create happier, more peaceful homes. If you worry about the effects today’s world has on your kids,  you’ll definitely want to listen to our conversation on the podcast today.

If you love our discussion, you can find out more about Dr. Race’s work at her blog or find her on Facebook.

I’m also excited to announce that Shana Draugelis of Ain’t No Mom Jeans makes her first appearance on The Home Hour Podcast this week.

Shana will be coming on the show regularly to talk about fashion and style, particularly those topics that busy moms struggle with, like how to find clothes that look good on a post-baby body.

In future episodes, we’ll be discussing everything from finding the right pair of jeans for you to dressing for Disney World, but in our first show together we addressed a broader topic: does fashion matter? And if it does, how do you find and define your own personal style?

I think you’re really going to love what Shana has to say – and her awesome tips for helping to find your own sense of style. We’d also love to hear your style-related questions, so feel free to leave them in the comments or leave us a voice message and you might become part of a future show!

Click here to open this week’s show in a new window. You can also find the show on iTunes, or you can scroll to the bottom to play the episode right here in your browser.

As always, thanks for listening! If you liked this show, I’d LOVE for you to subscribe or leave a rating or review on iTunes. Here’s how to do it: 

If you’re an iTunes user, visit the podcast page here and click “View in iTunes.”

From there you’ll see an option to subscribe, and all new episodes will download to your computer or device automatically. You’ll also see a tab in iTunes called Ratings and Reviews.

After you listen to this week’s episode please let me know what you think.

Are boys and girls different?

As a mom of four boys and one girl, I know I don’t exactly have a balanced sample to work with. But in my limited experience, yes – or at the very least, parenting boys and girls is very different indeed. We could argue about whether that’s due to biological or societal/cultural reasons, but the end result is the same.

Jennifer Fink of BuildingBoys.net is also a mom of four and an award-winning journalist who is devoted to making schools, homes, and the world in general a friendlier place for boys to live, learn, play and grow. In our discussion we talked about everything from how current education trends can fail boys, to why and how boys and girls develop at different rates physically, mentally and emotionally, to how parents can create more boy-friendly homes.

Click here to open the show in a new window. You can also find the show on iTunes, or you can scroll to the bottom to play the episode right here in your browser.

Some things Jennifer and I discussed in this episode:

* Why school can be tough on boys.

* How important is early reading, anyway?

* The article about dads supervising sleepovers that made my jaw drop

* The story behind this picture:

Learn more about Building Boys and Jennifer Fink:

* Building Boys website

* Building Boys Facebook Page

* Follow Jennifer on Twitter

As always, thanks for listening! If you liked this show, I’d LOVE for you to subscribe or leave a rating or review on iTunes. Here’s how to do it: 

If you’re an iTunes user, visit the podcast page here and click “View in iTunes.”

From there you’ll see an option to subscribe, and all new episodes will download to your computer or device automatically. You’ll also see a tab in iTunes called Ratings and Reviews.

Would you like to be part of The Home Hour? 

Over in the right-hand sidebar, you’ll see a little button that says “Leave a message!” If you click that a box will pop up that allows you to record your question or comment. Send it, and I might include your question and my response on a future episode! If you don’t see the button, just visit this page to record your message.(Make sure that after recording you enter your name and email address and click “send” or I won’t get it.)

I’d love to hear what you thought about our conversation. In your opinion, do we live in a boy-friendly world? What are you doing to help your boys succeed?

Notice anything different up there?

Yep. The Kitchen Hour Podcast has a new look. Well, and a new name. It’s now The Home Hour Podcast, which I think does a better job of reflecting the show: a diverse combination of interviews and other content all related to home and family, from food to parenting to motherhood.

Plus, I realized that not everybody was listening to my podcast while making dinner! And if you want to listen to the show while you’re folding laundry or walking on the treadmill, who am I to say different?

I talk more about the change in the show, but for now, let’s get to today’s guest! I was thrilled to talk with my friend, author and blogger Kyran Pittman about grocery shopping, parenting, blending motherhood with writing, vintage cookery and more.

Click here to play the show in a new window, or you can find it on iTunes. (Note: It may take a few days for the new show title/cover art to show up in iTunes!) You can also scroll to the bottom to play the episode right here in your browser.

Here are links to some things that came up during our talk:

* Steno Pad Recipes – Kyran and I discussed a project she’s working on, recreating her late mother-in-law Millie’s recipes that Kyran found written on a steno pad after Millie passed away. (I really have to try the recipe for buttermilk fudge.)

* We also discussed Kyran’s recent post about surrendering to the supermarket, and her obsession with genealogy.

* Kyran’s book: Planting Dandelions: Field Notes from a Semi-Domesticated Life*

Find Kyran online:

* Blog: Planting Dandelions

* Kyran’s author page on Facebook

* Follow Kyran on Twitter

Would you like to be part of The Home Hour? 

Over in the right-hand sidebar, you’ll see a little button that says “Leave a message!” If you click that a box will pop up that allows you to record your question or comment. Send it, and I might include your question and my response on a future episode! If you don’t see the button, just visit this page to record your message.(Make sure that after recording you enter your name and email address and click “send” or I won’t get it.)

I’d love to hear your questions on anything from meal planning to mom style and everything in between!

And if you just want to say hello, that would be fun, too.

As always, thanks for listening! If you liked this show, I’d LOVE for you to subscribe or leave a rating or review on iTunes. Here’s how to do it:

If you’re an iTunes user, visit the podcast page here and click “View in iTunes.”

From there you’ll see an option to subscribe, and all new episodes will download to your computer or device automatically. You’ll also see a tab in iTunes called Ratings a...

This week’s episode of The Kitchen Hour Podcast felt just like talking to an old friend. That’s because, well, it consists mostly of me talking to an old friend. Stephanie Precourt has been blogging at Adventures in Babywearing since 2005, and is the Content Manager for Listen To Your Mother, a nationally-produced series of live staged readings which will be coming to 32 cities this year.

Scroll down and hit “play” or listen in iTunes.

Or, you can check out links to some of the things Steph and I talked about during the show:

* Listen To Your Mother audition season is happening now! If you have something to say about your experience of motherhood – or your experience being mothered by somebody else!  – check out this blog post for more information about what happens at auditions, what the show is all about, and how to find your local city’s audition dates and details.

* Speaking of LTYM, here’s a recording of the production I appeared in (that’s me on top!)

* Find Stephanie on Instagram and Twitter.

I also shared some details about what’s going on in my kitchen this week:

* Here’s the super-simple bread recipe I mentioned. The resulting loaf is beautiful, though the bread itself is a bit dense and not as flavorful as some. It’s a great “beginner” recipe though as it’s incredibly easy, only uses a few ingredients and doesn’t require kneading. The resulting bread smells wonderful, looks absolutely beautiful, and tastes great warm with butter and jam. And since it’s the first yeast bread I’ve ever made by myself without screwing it up, I can wholeheartedly recommend it.

* Here’s the post I wrote about my women’s group cookbook from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan circa 1978, which includes the pasty recipe I followed this week as well as dishes like “Squirrel for Two” and “Sweet Pickled Beaver.”

As always, thanks for listening! If you liked this show, I’d LOVE for you to subscribe or leave a rating or review on iTunes. Here’s how to do it: If you’re an iTunes user, visit the podcast page here and click “View in iTunes.”

From there you’ll see an option to subscribe, and all new episodes will download to your computer automatically. You’ll also see a tab in iTunes called Ratings and Reviews. If you’d prefer to listen on your iPhone or iPod, download the Podcasts app and search – it’s easy to subscribe right in the app!

Have you ever thought about what it might be like to live “hands free” – setting aside some of the digital distractions and outwardly-imposed priorities to focus on what really matters? Today’s podcast guest, Rachel Macy Stafford, decided to do just that when she felt that her rushed life as a “go-to” volunteer mom with a packed social circle just didn’t match up with the kind of life she wanted to be experiencing with her two young daughters.

I absolutely loved talking with Rachel – she’s warm, compassionate, and full of insights about how to let go of the endless pressure to achieve something “out there,” and turn some of that attention toward the people and experiences right in front of you – those that really matter.

In our interview, Rachel and I talk about using technology without letting it take over your life, how to carefully choose opportunities that really support your values, and her brand-new book Hands Free Mama: A Guide to Putting Down The Phone, Burning The To-Do List, and Letting Go of Perfection to Grasp What Really Matters!

A few of the links Rachel and I discussed:

* The Important Thing about Yelling, one of Rachel’s recent essays on HuffPo

* The Day I Stopped Saying “Hurry Up” – one of her most shared posts

* Life is a Verb, by Patty Digh. Rachel highly recommends this book and credits it with helping her find clarity and to commit to a hands-free lifestyle.

In addition to reading her book, you can join Rachel on her journey to let go of distraction, perfection, and societal pressure to grasp what really matters by visiting www.handsfreemama.com or “The Hands Free Revolution” on Facebook.

Scroll down and hit “play” or listen in iTunes!

Thanks for listening! If you liked this show, I’d LOVE for you to subscribe or leave a rating or review on iTunes. Here’s how to do it: If you’re an iTunes user, visit the podcast page here and click “View in iTunes”. From there you’ll see an option to subscribe, and all new episodes will download to your computer automatically. You’ll also see a tab in iTunes called Ratings and Reviews. If you’d prefer to listen on your iPhone or iPod, download the Podcasts app and search for The Kitchen Hour – it’s easy to subscribe right in the app!

These days, it seems like everyone and her sister writes – or used to write – a blog. But in the early to mid-2000s, say the word “blog” to your grandma and you’d probably get a blank stare, and the idea of earning a living by writing about your family life online was still a fantasy.

In this episode of The Kitchen Hour Podcast, blogger, author, and mom of four Rebecca Woolf – who’s been blogging since “the olden days” – and I discuss coming of age and angst in the pre-Facebook days, surprise motherhood, making up the holidays as you go along, professional blogging, and what it means to write and earn a living from your words in today’s very connected world.

Some of the things Rebecca and I discussed:

Her quirkily awesome sense of style, in particular this vintage 1980s pantsuit, which led me to accost her in the hall at a conference and ask where she got it.

above: Rebecca speaking on a panel at the 2013 Mom 2.0 Summit (pictured with the lovely Jessica Ashley) and also, an action shot in her hotel room.

We talked about Rebecca’s 2008 book Rockabye, the phase of life she was in when she wrote it, and how painful and awkward it can be to go back and read things we associate strongly with certain periods of our lives.

The original Elf on a Shelf apparently lived in Rebecca’s childhood home. Who knew? Here he is, still alive but a little rough around the edges.

We covered so much ground, from the punk-rock roots of blogging to bad tattoos, becoming a mom at a young age, rebelling against rebellion, and more. Rebecca was so engaging, warm, and witty – don’t wait to listen to this episode!

To hear the podcast, just click the “play” button at the bottom of the post, or you can subscribe in iTunes.

Find Rebecca Woolf online:

* Girl’s Gone Child

* Rebecca’s Twitter

Thanks for listening! If you liked this show, I’d LOVE for you to subscribe or leave a rating or review on iTunes. Here’s how to do it: If you’re an iTunes user, visit the podcast page here and click “View in iTunes”. From there you’ll see an option to subscribe, and all new episodes will download to your computer automatically.

You’ll also see a tab in iTunes called Ratings and Reviews. If you’d prefer to listen on your iPhone or iPod, download the Podcasts app and search for The Kitchen Hour – it’s easy to subscribe right in the app!

*Amazon links are affiliates. If you click a link and make a purchase, I will earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

 

Since I can remember, the media has been battling it out over whether or not women can “have it all,” and recently, the consensus seems to lean toward “no.”

But what if we just need a new definition of what “having it all” means?

Today I talked with my friend, blogger and video personality Danielle Smith, about just that. We discussed everything from Danielle’s background in television, to how much the Internet has changed the landscape of work and life, to kids and snacking.

And we also discussed our new venture:

The New Having It All Show! Click over to see the show live on Wednesday, December 11 at 1 PM EST, or watch the recording later. You can also see last week’s episode on YouTube. 

To hear the podcast, just click the “play” button at the bottom of the post, or you can subscribe in iTunes.

Here’s how to find out more about Danielle:

* Extraordinary Mommy – Danielle’s blog

* Danielle’s YouTube Channel. 

* Danielle’s Twitter

* Danielle’s G+ 

Thanks for listening! If you liked this show, I’d LOVE for you to subscribe or leave a rating or review on iTunes. Here’s how to do it: If you’re an iTunes user, visit the podcast page here and click “View in iTunes”. From there you’ll see an option to subscribe, and all new episodes will download to your computer automatically. You’ll also see a tab in iTunes called Ratings and Reviews. If you’d prefer to listen on your iPhone or iPod, download the Podcasts app and search for The Kitchen Hour – it’s easy to subscribe right in the app!