In Part 3 of our Calm Summer Series, Nina sits down with Jess Gannaway, mum of two and founder of The Colour Club Studios in Belmont, WA. 

Together they explore how arts and crafts can help kids build autonomy, agency, and confidence, and how parents can gently lean into creativity over perfection - even if they don’t see themselves as “crafty”.

You’ll Learn:

• Why creativity supports children’s emotional wellbeing
• How arts and crafts can challenge perfectionism in kids (and parents)
• Simple ways to set up low-pressure craft spaces at home
• How to use recycling, “tinker boxes”, and crafty carts to keep things easy
• Practical prompts to help children move into more self-directed play

Why This Episode Matters

School holidays can bring pressure to entertain, perform, and keep everything tidy. This conversation offers a softer, more sustainable path: embracing creativity over perfection, focusing on the process rather than the product, and setting up craft in a way that feels realistic and contained for the whole family.

One Small Shift

Create one simple “crafty cart” or tinker box using items from your recycling (cardboard, packaging, ribbons) plus basics like scissors, glue, tape and a few favourite materials. Make it easy to access, low-stakes, and let your child lead.

About the Calm Summer Series

This three-part mini-series was created to help you feel calmer, lighter, and more prepared for the school holidays.

Across the series, Nina explores what it really takes to navigate the holidays with more calm and connection - from juggling work and family life, to embracing imperfect moments, to caring for yourself alongside your children.

• Part 1: Juggling Work and Play - with Sarah Thomson
• Part 2: Making School Holidays Feel Easier
• Part 3: Embracing Creativity Over Perfection - with Jess Gannaway

Take the next step
The Calm School Holiday Blueprint is now available as a self-paced recording for just $37. Inside, you'll learn practical strategies to reduce the mental load, manage sibling conflict, create realistic routines, and enjoy the holidays without feeling like you have to entertain your kids every minute.

Purchase the Calm School Holiday Blueprint here: https://www.mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au/school-holidays-masterclass

And don't forget - if you’re in Perth, explore The Colour Club Studios’ term classes and school holiday workshops for your kids. They look amazing!

Links and Resources 

• Check out upcoming programs and classes on The Colour Club Studios website.
• Follow The Colour Club Studios on Instagram
• Craft tools and ideas discussed: 
  • crafty pod/pop-up craft space, IKEA tray tables, sticker books and basic supplies from Daiso, Officeworks and Kmart
• Listen to the other episodes in the series:
  • Episode 30. Calm Summer Series Part 1: Juggling Work and Play, with Sarah Thomsom
  • Episode 31. Calm Summer Series Part 2: Making holiday feel easier

Let’s Connect

• Follow Nina on Instagram
• Website: mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au
• Email: [email protected]

About the Hosts

Nina Visic is a mindful parenting coach and mum of three, helping parents move from overwhelmed and reactive to calm and connected. Through her podcast and coaching, she shares practical, gentle tools that fit real family life, encouraging parents to embrace small shifts, curiosity, and imperfection along the way.

Jess Gannaway is a mum of two and the founder of The Colour Club Studios in Belmont, WA. With a background in design and a passion for challenging perfectionism, she creates warm, low-pressure spaces where children can explore, experiment, and grow through process-led arts and crafts — without needing perfect outcomes.

In this episode of Your Calm Parenting Path, Nina gently unpacks why school holidays can feel both beautiful and overwhelming - and shares three simple shifts to help you feel more grounded as summer begins. 

If you’re craving less chaos and more ease, Calm Summer Series Part 2: Making Holidays Feel Easier will give you practical, compassionate support.

You'll Learn

• What makes the school holidays so mentally and emotionally demanding
• How to ease guilt and overwhelm as summer begins
• Ways to build more breathing room into your days
• A simple connection practice to help kids settle
• How to get a little extra support for the holidays (hint: it may involve a certain calm school holidays masterclass…)

Why This Episode Matters

School holidays often stir up guilt, exhaustion, overstimulation and the pressure to “do it all”. 

This episode helps you release that weight and find a softer, more spacious way to move through summer - one rooted in presence, connection and realistic expectations. 

If you want the holidays to feel calmer, this is your invitation.

Small Shift for Big Impact 

Write down the three shifts - kindness to yourself, breathing room, and connection first - and think about how you can ease these into your school holiday journey this summer.

Take the Next Step

If you’d love deeper support in shaping a calmer, more intentional summer, you can now purchase Nina’s Calm School Holiday Blueprint for $37. 

This practical masterclass is designed to help you navigate the school holidays with more calm, connection and realistic expectations - without feeling like you have to “do it all.”

👉 https://www.mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au/school-holidays-masterclass

 About the Calm Summer Series

This three-part mini-series was created to help you feel calmer, lighter, and more prepared for the school holidays.

Across the series, Nina explores what it really takes to navigate the holidays with more calm and connection - from juggling work and family life, to embracing imperfect moments, to caring for yourself alongside your children.

• Part 1: Juggling Work and Play - with Sarah Thomson
• Part 2: Making School Holidays Feel Easier
• Part 3: Embracing Creativity Over Perfection - with Jess Gannaway

Links and Resources

• Grab The Calm School Holiday Blueprint
  
  
• Listen to the other episodes in the series:
  • Episode 30. Calm Summer Series Part 1: Juggling Work and Play, with Sarah Thomson
  • Episode 32. Calm Summer Series Part 3: Embracing Creativity over perfection, with Jess Gannoway

Let’s Connect

Want more support? Follow Nina on Instagram, or sign up for tips and updates at mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au.

Have a question or parenting challenge you'd like addressed on the podcast? Send a DM or an email.

• Follow Nina on Instagram
• Website: mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au
• Email: [email protected]

About the Host

Nina Visic is a mindful parenting coach, speaker, and mum of three who supports overwhelmed parents to move from reactivity to calm, confident connection. 

Drawing on mindfulness, emotional regulation, and practical tools, she helps families create more peace and presence in everyday life.

As someone who has navigated many summers with young children at home while running a business, Nina deeply understands the pressure holidays can bring - the noise, the mess, the mental load, and the longing to enjoy it all without burning out. Her work is grounded in compassion and real-life experience, making her guidance accessible and reassuring.

Through her coaching, workshops and podcast Your Calm Parenting Path, Nina’s mission is to help parents feel supported, understood, and empowered as they raise their children with kindness and intention… especially during high-pressure seasons like the school holidays.

Welcome to Part 1 of the Calm Summer Series - a three-part journey to help you feel calmer, lighter, and more prepared for the school holidays.

In Part 1, Nina is joined by digital business coach Sarah Thomson, founder of Online Social Butterfly, to explore how parents can juggle work and family during the holidays without losing their calm.

Together, they share honest stories, practical tips, and gentle reminders that calm and connection don’t come from doing it all - they come from focusing on what truly matters.

If you’ve ever tried to work while the kids ask for snacks or felt torn between business and family, this episode will feel like a breath of fresh air.

You’ll Learn:

• How to plan around your real capacity to avoid burnout
• Ways to blend structure and flexibility when routines disappear
• Simple boundaries that help kids respect your work time
• Practical ways to share the load — from swaps to saying yes to help
• One small shift that creates a big impact for working parents

Why This Episode Matters

As the school holidays approach, many parents find themselves stretched thin - trying to be a present, patient parent and keep up with work or business demands.

This episode is your gentle reminder that balance doesn’t mean doing everything at once. It means giving yourself permission to slow down, plan with compassion, and let some things go.

It’s the first step in creating a calmer, more connected summer - one that feels good for you and your kids.

Small shift for big impact

Take a mindful moment each morning to set the tone for the day. Over breakfast, invite your kids into a short “morning check-in” - share what’s ahead:
🕘 “Mum’s working from 9 to 11.”
🎨 “After that, we’ll go to the park.”
🎮 “Nintendo time after lunch.”
For younger kids, make it visual. When everyone knows what’s coming, there’s less chaos and more calm.

About the Calm Summer Series

This three-part mini-series was created to help you feel calmer, lighter, and more prepared for the school holidays.

Across the series, Nina explores what it really takes to navigate the holidays with more calm and connection - from juggling work and family life, to embracing imperfect moments, to caring for yourself alongside your children.

• Part 1: Juggling Work and Play - with Sarah Thomson
• Part 2: Making School Holidays Feel Easier
• Part 3: Embracing Creativity Over Perfection - with Jess Gannaway

Take the next step

The school holidays can feel like a lot - especially when you’re trying to balance work, family life, routines, expectations, and your own wellbeing all at once.

The Calm School Holiday Blueprint was designed to help you approach the holidays with more intention, flexibility, and calm. You’ll walk away with practical ideas and supportive strategies that help reduce overwhelm and create more connection at home.

The on-demand workshop is available now for $37.

You can learn more and purchase here:
https://www.mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au/school-holidays-masterclass

Links and Resources 

• Check out Sarah Thomson's website — Online Social Butterfly
• Follow Sarah on social media:
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
• Listen to Sarah's Podcast - The Digital Queens Podcast
• Grab The Calm School Holidays Masterclass
• Listen to the rest of the Calm Summer Series
  • Episode 31. Calm Summer Series Part 2: Making holiday feel easier
  • Episode 32. Calm Summer Series Part 3: Embracing Creativity over perfection, with Jess Gannoway

Let’s Connect

• Follow Nina on Instagram
• Website: mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au
• Email: [email protected]

About the Hosts

Nina Visic

Nina is a mindful parenting coach and host of Your Calm Parenting Path. She helps parents create homes filled with more calm, connection, and confidence through mindfulness and practical, heart-led tools. In this episode, she reminds us that it’s possible to stay productive without losing sight of what truly matters - presence, patience, and family.

Sarah Thomson
Sarah is the founder of Online Social Butterfly, a digital business coach and mentor who helps women build flexible, heart-centred businesses that align with their families and values. Drawing on two decades of marketing experience and her own journey of raising two boys while growing her business, Sarah teaches that success doesn’t have to come at the cost of calm.

What happens when you knowthe mindful parenting strategies - but you’re simply too tired to use them? This episode is for the days when your tank is empty. 

We explore what parental burnout really looks like, how to recognise it, and how to gently support yourself when mindfulness feels out of reach.

This follow-up to Episode 27 with Michelle Marks offers three low-effort ways to reconnect with your child, even in your most depleted moments.

You'll Learn

• What parental burnout really feels like (and why it’s often missed)
• Three gentle strategies for staying connected with your child when you're overwhelmed
• How to ask for help without guilt—and why it’s not a favour
• Ways to honour your limits and model emotional awareness with your kids

Why This Episode Matters

Parenting through exhaustion can leave you feeling like you’re failing. But often, the issue isn’t your mindset - it’s your capacity. 

This episode helps shift the lens from self-blame to self-compassion and reminds you that you are not alone. You don’t need to be superhuman. 

You need softness, support, and space to breathe.

Take Home Action 

Pick just one small shift this week: name a limit out loud, ask for help like it’s essential, or try a 10-second reset. Whatever you choose, let it be gentle.

Take the Next Step

If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to help you navigate this season. Book a free 20-minute Clarity Call to chat through your challenges and receive personalised support. You’ll find the link in the show notes below. 

Links and Resources

• Book a free 20-minute Clarity Call 
• Listen to Episode 27. Are you feeling the invisible weights of motherhood?

Let’s Connect

Want more support? Follow Nina on Instagram, or sign up for tips and updates at mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au.

Have a question or parenting challenge you'd like addressed on the podcast? Send a DM or an email.

• Follow Nina on Instagram
• Website: mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au
• Email: [email protected]

About the Host

Nina Visic is a mindful parenting coach, and host of 'Your Calm Parenting Path.' She helps parents move from overwhelm and reactivity to calm, confident connection with their children - without needing to be perfect. 

Through her coaching, podcast, and practical tools, Nina shares a gentle, grounded approach to parenting that blends mindfulness with everyday realities. As a mum herself, Nina deeply understands the emotional load parents carry - especially when they’re exhausted. 

This episode draws on her own experiences and asking for support, while offering practical, compassionate ways to reconnect with your child.

Her mission is to empower parents to create more ease in their home, more presence in their relationships, and more space to breathe - one small shift at a time.

When the house fills with shouting, accusations, and cries of “It’s mine!”, it can feel like you’re trapped in the middle of your children’s chaos. In this episode of Your Calm Parenting Path, Nina explores how to respond mindfully when sibling fights erupt - without taking sides, losing your cool, or spending every afternoon playing referee. You’ll discover simple, effective ways to guide your kids toward cooperation, empathy, and connection instead of competition and resentment.

You’ll Learn

• Why sibling fights happen, even in loving homes
• How to pause, breathe, and respond instead of react
• Five common traps parents fall into - and what to try instead
• A three-step mindful process for when conflict turns physical
• How to nurture individuality and teamwork between siblings

Why This Episode Matters

Sibling rivalry isn’t a parenting failure - it’s a natural part of growing up and learning how to share space, love, and attention. When you stop being the referee and start being a calm coach, you model empathy and problem-solving. These small, mindful shifts build long-term skills for your children: managing big feelings, resolving conflict, and repairing relationships with compassion. Instead of aiming for perfect harmony, you’ll learn how to create a family rhythm built on respect and emotional safety.

Take-Home Action

Next time your children start another round of sibling fights, pause before stepping in.
Say, “It looks like you’re having a hard time together. One at a time, tell me what’s going on.”
Listen to each child and reflect what you hear.
If things escalate, remember the mindful three-step tool: Describe – Limit – Separate.
You’re not fixing every fight - you’re guiding your kids toward calm communication.

Take the Next Step

Join me for The Calm Summer Blueprint - a one-hour live masterclass on 3 December designed to help parents handle sibling fights and daily routines with confidence and ease.
You’ll walk away with strategies to keep the peace, regulate your own emotions, and actually enjoy the holidays.
🎟 Early-bird pricing and bonuses are available now — register here
.

Links and Resources Mentioned

• Siblings Without Rivalry by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish (note, this is an affiliate link)
• Podcast Episodes:
• Ep12. Are You Really Listening to Your Child? Part 1: Why Kids Stop Talking
• Ep13. Are You Really Listening to Your Child? Part 2: How to Be a Better Listener
• Register for The Calm Summer Blueprint Masterclass
• Follow Nina on Instagram

About the Host

 Nina Visic is a mindful parenting coach, speaker, and mum of three energetic boys. Through her business Mindful Parenting Lifestyle and her podcast Your Calm Parenting Path, she helps parents go from overwhelmed and reactive to calm, confident, and connected. 

Drawing on mindfulness and Parent Effectiveness Training, Nina offers practical tools to help families manage sibling fights, reduce stress, and build stronger connections. She believes mindful parenting isn’t about perfection - it’s about presence, compassion, and small shifts that make a big impact. 

Parenting can be heavy - especially when you’re navigating burnout, neurodivergence, or the constant mental load of holding everything together.

In this episode of Your Calm Parenting Path, Nina sits down with Michelle Marks, a neurodivergent parent raising neurodivergent children, to talk about the unseen emotional toll of motherhood and how mindfulness can help you reconnect with calm, even when life feels overwhelming.

Together, they explore the realities of burnout, recognising its sneaky signs, and building self-awareness through gentle mindfulness practices that restore energy and compassion - for both you and your child.

You’ll Learn:

• How to recognise the early signs of burnout and overwhelm
• What mindfulness really looks like for a busy, neurodivergent parent
• How to manage anxiety and emotional overload with simple grounding tools
• Why it’s okay to take up space, slow down, and prioritise rest
• Practical ways to help you and your child find calm in the chaos

Why This Episode Matters

The invisible weights of motherhood can be exhausting - emotional labour, sensory overload, and the pressure to “get it right” take a silent toll. Too often, parents accept exhaustion as normal.

This conversation shines a light on those unseen struggles and offers hope through mindfulness - not as another task to master, but as a way of being kinder to yourself. It’s a reminder that your worth isn’t measured by productivity and that caring for yourself is part of caring for your family.

Take Home Action

This week, notice when you compare your parenting to someone else’s — another mum at school, a post online, or even your own expectations.

When that comparison appears, pause and remember Michelle’s reflection:
 “Stop measuring yourself against people who aren’t carrying the same weights as you.”

Take a breath and gently affirm: “I’m doing enough. I am enough.”
Every family, every child, and every nervous system is different — and that’s exactly as it should be.

Take the Next Step

If you’re ready to lighten the invisible weights of motherhood, book a free 20-minute Clarity Call with Nina. Together, you’ll uncover one or two simple strategies to bring more calm and connection back into your days.

Links and Resources

• Nina’s free resource: 5-Day Mindfulness Challenge
• Connect with Michelle: Instagram or YouTube

Let’s Connect

• Instagram: @mindfulparentinglifestyle
• Website: mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au
• Email: [email protected]

About the Hosts

Nina Visic is a mindful parenting coach, speaker, and founder of Mindful Parenting Lifestyle. A mum herself, she understands the invisible weights parents carry - the constant juggling of emotions, expectations, and exhaustion that can leave you feeling stretched thin.

Her mission is to show parents that calm, compassionate parenting isn’t about perfection - it’s about presence, repair, and remembering you’re not alone.

Michelle Marks is a neurodivergent parent, business owner, and creative who speaks openly about burnout, mental health, and parenting children with higher support needs. After experiencing chronic burnout herself, Michelle now shares her story to help other parents feel seen, supported, and reminded that they are doing enough - exactly as they are.

In today’s episode, Nina is joined by Nicola McAlister - child development consultant, trainer, and founder of The Regulated Child UK. With over 30 years' experience in education and foster care, Nicola shares how to move from reactive parenting to responsive, attuned support using her simple 5-step self-regulation model.

They dive into practical ways to reframe 'bad behaviour', reduce stress for both you and your child, and co-regulate through everyday routines like getting dressed, managing transitions, or even surviving the school run!

You’ll Learn:

• Why traditional “rewards and consequences” systems often don’t work
• The power of seeing behaviour as a signal, not a problem
• A 5-step framework to support your child’s self-regulation
• Scripts and language you can start using straight away
• How to shift from firefighting behaviour to preventing it
• Why your regulation matters most when things feel hard

Nicola's 5-Step Self-Regulation Framework: 

1. Goal - Get specific about what your child needs to do. Break down big routines (like bedtime) into smaller, manageable tasks.
2. Predict - Talk about what might be tricky or stressful before it happens. Help your child anticipate and name challenges.
3. Plan - Collaborate on a plan together. Ask open questions like “What might help?” so your child feels invested and supported.
4. Do - Support your child in the moment with co-regulation. Stay nearby, offer reminders, or use visuals if needed.
5. Review -Afterward, reflect together (without shame). Celebrate what worked or adjust the plan with curiosity and care.

Why This Episode Matters

So often, we react to behaviour without understanding the need underneath. This conversation offers a gentler, more effective approach - one that’s rooted in connection, development, and real-world parenting. If you’ve ever wondered why your child is acting out - or how to support them differently - this episode is a must-listen.

Take Home Action

Pause before reacting. Ask yourself, “How regulated am I right now?”

Your child can only borrow your calm if you’ve got some to give. Start there.

Take the Next Step

To learn more about Nicola’s work or explore her coaching and training programs, visit her website.

Looking for more support on your own mindful parenting journey? Nina offers 1:1 coaching, digital resources, and group programs to help you respond (not react), create calmer routines, and feel more confident in your parenting even on the tough days. Find out more here.

Links and Resources 

• Free download: The Regulated Child Self-Regulation Scripts
• Follow Nicola on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn
• Episode Referenced
  • Episode 11. Tired of Doing It All? What Needs to Change? With Eva Rado

Let’s Connect

• Follow Nina on Instagram
• Website: mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au
• Email: [email protected]

Big feelings like anger, frustration and resentment are part of parenting - but what do you do with them? In this episode of Your Calm Parenting Path, we’re exploring how to navigate your own emotional storms without stuffing them down or spiralling out.

We’ll talk about why it’s okay to feel what you feel, what happens when those feelings get stuck, and what it really means to move through the tough stuff with gentleness and mindfulness.

This episode is here to remind you that you’re not failing - you’re just feeling. And there’s a better way through.

👉 For show notes and resources mentioned in this episode, click here.

About the Host:

Nina Visic is a mindful parenting coach, podcast host, speaker, and mother of three boys. She’s the founder of Mindful Parenting Lifestyle and is deeply passionate about helping overwhelmed parents reconnect with themselves so they can raise their kids with more calm, confidence, and compassion.

As a trained Mindful Parenting Coach and Parent Effectiveness Training instructor, Nina draws on evidence-based strategies, lived experience, and a whole lot of heart. Her work gently empowers parents to let go of perfection, stay regulated in the chaos, and build strong relationships with their children - one small shift at a time.

In this episode, Nina opens up about the realities of parental emotion - the guilt, the shame, the “why am I like this?” moments - and how simple tools like TIPI, RAIN, and grounding mantras can create powerful change. Her message is one of self-kindness, emotional awareness, and real-life support for parents who want to do better without being perfect.

Packing a zero waste lunchbox can feel overwhelming - but it doesn’t have to be. In this inspiring conversation, Nina chats with Julia Clifton, owner of 4MyEarth, about practical ways to simplify family routines, cut down on plastic, and create healthier, more sustainable lunchboxes without the stress.

You’ll Learn:

• The biggest challenges parents face with zero waste lunchboxes
• Simple swaps that reduce single-use plastic and save money
• Why planning ahead makes mornings smoother and more sustainable
• Practical tips for lunches kids will actually enjoy
• How small, consistent shifts can create a big impact for your family and the planet

Why This Episode Matters

Lunchboxes are part of everyday family life, yet they’re often a source of stress - and a surprising contributor to household waste. This episode shows you how reducing waste doesn’t mean adding pressure. Instead, by adopting easy swaps and using tools like Julia's Sustainable Kitchen Planner, you can lighten the load, save money, and raise children who value sustainability.

Take Home Action

Choose just one swap to try this week - whether it’s using a reusable food cover, freezing sandwiches ahead of time, or decanting snacks into reusable bags. Notice how this small change makes your mornings calmer and your lunchbox a little more eco-friendly. 

Take the Next Step

Ready to make your family routines feel lighter and more sustainable? Explore mindful parenting coaching with Nina to learn how small shifts can transform daily stress points into opportunities for connection. Book your free 20-minute Clarity Chat here.

Links and Resources 

• Visit the 4MyEarth website - use code MINDFUL for 15% off full-priced items
• Grab your 4MyEarth Sustainable Kitchen Planner
• Follow Julia and 4MyEarth on Instagram
• Related podcast episodes:
  • Episode 6. Parenting Path in Action: Six Steps for a Happier Morning Routine

Let’s Connect

• Follow Nina on Instagram
• Website: mindfulparentinglifestyle.com.au
• Email: [email protected]

About the Hosts

Nina Visic is a mindful parenting coach, mindfulness coach, and mum to three energetic boys. Through her business Mindful Parenting Lifestyle and her podcast Your Calm Parenting Path, Nina helps parents shift from overwhelm and reactivity to confidence and connection. She believes that small, mindful changes - whether in parenting routines, emotional regulation, or even creating a zero waste lunchbox - can have a big impact on family life and wellbeing.

Julia Clifton is the owner of 4MyEarth, a family-run Australian business making practical reusables to replace single-use plastic. A mum to two almost-adult boys, Julia has built her business around family life with the aim of making sustainable living simple, affordable, and stress-free. Her products, from food covers to reusable snack bags and kitchen planners, are designed to make zero waste lunchboxes an achievable reality for busy families.

What if the voice inside your head wasn’t so harsh? 

In this episode, we explore self-compassion in parenting - what it is, how it differs from self-indulgence, and how it can transform your relationship with yourself and your kids. 

We’ll unpack the difference between guilt and shame, reflect on the Buddha’s parable of the two arrows, and learn how to apply Kristin Neff’s three principles of self-compassion to real-life parenting moments.

Ready to stop beating yourself up and start showing up with more care?
 
 

Listen now and check out the show notes for your journal prompts and next steps.