You may want to stop using parenting strategies that don’t work and make you feel bad (what I call “band aid parenting” strategies). You may promise yourself that you’ll start using more respectful, effective, long-lasting strategies (what I call “long game parenting” strategies). But wanting to change and actually implementing new tools are often two different things. In this episode, I’ll teach you a process of small action steps you can take in order to shift from old habits to new ones. You’ll also learn how this method will allow you to break free of the cycles of negativity that currently seem impossible to change.

It’s that time of the year when we’re all thinking about improvement. When it comes to your family, you likely want to see more respectful, resilient behavior and more connected relationships. But your attempts to make things better may not be leading to long-term results. In this episode, I’ll review the two things that must happen if you want to see long-lasting positive change… and how I’ll be supporting you in realistically incorporating these two changes into your life going forward.

For many of us, our days consist of doing things for other people, and IF there happens to be time left over (there usually isn’t), we might think about what we need. Unfortunately, putting our needs behind everyone else’s doesn’t just affect us; it affects our children. In this episode, you’ll learn why attending to your needs is necessary if you want to see improvement in children’s behavior. You’ll also learn how to identify where to start making SMALL changes… and how to increase the likelihood that you’ll actually take action.

Especially when we’re not in a good place as parents, it’s hard not to take it personally when kids say “I hate you” or “You never give me anything I want!” And when we do take it personally, the situation often goes downhill. In this episode you’ll learn why, in most cases, statements that seem to be about you actually AREN’T about you. You’ll also hear the one question you can ask that will help you take those statements less personally… and why this doesn’t mean condoning disrespect from your children. 

When we’re feeling stressed or frustrated, one of the first things most of us try to do is change what’s happening around us. We think that if our kids would only act differently, if our spouse would only do more, if our mother would stop judging us… then we can feel better. Unfortunately, trying to make others change so that we feel better is usually ineffective, and it’s exhausting! In this episode, we’ll discuss a simple strategy that will help you feel better and more in control, even when people around you aren’t doing what you wish they would.

It’s likely that your children and adolescents are complaining now more than ever… and let’s be honest, it can get pretty annoying. So it makes sense that your instinct is to try to motivate them to think more positively or have a better attitude. But this can take a lot of energy, and the effort usually isn’t necessary. In this episode, you’ll learn why I’m encouraging you to let go of trying to change negative attitudes. Instead, I’ll show you how to work WITH their complaints rather than AGAINST them -- and how using this strategy will motivate better attitudes and strengthen your relationship and your influence.

Although holidays were stressful in past years, they also meant fun traditions, time with family, and (at least some) events to look forward to. Now, after an already-challenging year, this holiday season is going to look very different for most of us. It’s easy to wonder how you’re going to get through this time when things you’ve enjoyed about holidays in the past… aren’t happening. In this episode, you’ll learn a simple strategy (based on two sentences!) that will not only help you feel less stressed this holiday season, but will also bring some joy -- even if that joy looks a little different.

When our children misbehave, we often assume that they are “choosing” to do what they are doing. In reality, their negative behaviors and attitudes are more likely a sign of missing skills than a choice they are making. In this episode, we’ll discuss the science behind why children don’t “choose” negative behaviors or attitudes. You’ll also learn why this doesn’t mean that we excuse negative behavior...and what we can do to effectively address it.

Of course we want our children to have great relationships with their siblings, other family members, friends, and peers. But what happens when our children struggle with these relationships? While we can suggest ways they can act differently, we tend to underestimate the impact that our own relationships have on our children’s relationships. In this episode, we’ll look at the impact that we do have, and you’ll learn simple ways that you can use your relationships to improve theirs.

Many of us spend the majority of our parenting time and energy trying to address the behavior, moods, and attitudes of the same child... But what about the siblings of these “challenging” children who don’t receive as much of our attention or energy because they’re simply “easier”? Should we worry about them? Do they need more? In this episode, you’ll learn how to identify when children may (or may not) benefit from more support... and the two simple things you can do to ensure that these children are getting what they need.