This is one of the most fun conversations I’ve had with a guest! Jerry Kolber is an expert in making education FUN! And he’s been doing it in popular shows for National Geographic and Netflix! I’f you’ve seen Brain Games (National Geographic) or BRAINCHILD on Netflix, that’s Jerry! They’re shows you WANT to watch WITH your kids. Jerry is all about making learning fun and he’s at it again with his podcast, Who Smarted? It’s a 3 episode weekly, 15-minute podcast, that makes it perfect for bedtime,...
Aug 30, 2022•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast “I’ve seen way too many kids stressed at school, do something bad and think they were bad, it can stop today. Let’s start building up our kids. I’ll show you how, even when they do the worst thing or act in a horrible way.” ~ Dr. Karin Jakubowski Dr. J, as her students call her, is my guest for this episode. She’s a highly accomplished educator and is helping teachers and parents understand what’s really driving “bad” behavior in our kids. I never wanted to be the mom of “that kid” but I am. I’m...
Aug 23, 2022•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast Only 22% of teens get the amount of sleep they need to be rested which is 8-10 hours. You might be thinking it’s because they are on screens too long but that’s not the case. The main reasons why they aren’t getting enough sleep is because their circadian rhythm shifts in the teen years that makes them naturally want to go to sleep later and wake up earlier (it’s not just YOUR teen!!). My guest, Lisa L. Lewis shares how sleep deprivation impacts teens in their ability to attain, retain, and retr...
Aug 16, 2022•41 min•Ep 162•Transcript available on Metacast I know I'm not alone when I say my family has been on family vacations that have been more stressful than fun. When you have kids that have extra needs like anxiety, ADHD, mental health concerns and/or are on the spectrum, a family holiday can take turns you never expected. I’ve been miserable on holiday, and felt like the whole time away was a waste of time and money. I’m thrilled to be talking to Dawn Barclay who is a travel writer and has written THE book to help parents like many of my liste...
Aug 09, 2022•25 min•Ep 161•Transcript available on Metacast This is the episode where you get to learn about my family and I in an unexpected way, with the help of Master Hand Analyst, Brent Bruning. In part 2 of, The Power in Your Hands, Brent analyses my hands and the hands of my family based only on the lines and patterns he sees! It turns out that we have 4 RADICALLY different sets of hands which sets the stage for all of our different personalities! He has shocking information for me about my husband who is a bit of a study in contradictions! I lear...
Aug 02, 2022•2 hr 43 min•Transcript available on Metacast When I first met Brent Bruning, I had no idea how much it would change my life and how I understand the big role our hands play in telling us who we are. For the best way to take in this episode, please go to my YouTube channel so you can see the visuals Brent shares: https://www.youtube.com/c/ParentingforConnection Did you know that the lines on your hands don’t have anything to do with the way you fold them? In fact, some lines develop in utero before you can even bend your hand. The lines on ...
Jul 26, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep 159•Transcript available on Metacast This episode is dedicated to listeners who are in toxic relationships with a spouse and co-parent. Maybe you aren’t sure if your partner is toxic, or maybe you think it’s just you. Thankfully I have an expert guest on to help you work it all out. Heidi Brocke is a Toxic Relationship Awareness and Healing Specialist, who broke free of a 14 year emotionally abusive relationship. The label and diagnosis of Narcissism is prevalent in today’s zeitgeist and can often be misused, so we’re limiting the ...
Jul 19, 2022•49 min•Ep 158•Transcript available on Metacast Maintaining your relationship while raising a family isn’t easy. Even the best relationships can be impacted. I know first-hand how good it feels to have a partnership with your spouse in parenting and in life, but my husband and I have also struggled. My guest, Kimberly Beam Holmes, is here to help us through these ups and downs (using lots of acronyms! ;)). We talk about the steps that we (unknowingly) went through when we fell in love with our spouses, and how getting back to these basics can...
Jul 12, 2022•52 min•Ep 157•Transcript available on Metacast I didn’t realise that in the summer months injuries DOUBLE, but most of them are preventable! Parents have a natural instinct to keep their kids safe so we make sure to follow instructions, read labels and buy toys we assume are safe. BUT it turns out that not every toy sold is safe for kids and some can cause minor to major injury, including death. My guest, Joan Siff, is an expert in keeping our kids safe when they play and with the toys kids love. Joan and I talk about what to watch out for s...
Jul 05, 2022•42 min•Ep 156•Transcript available on Metacast My guest, Florence Ann Romano, brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our discussion. In this episode, we are talking about keeping your kids safe when they are online, but also how to create safety within a family and community. Our discussion starts with us talking about when it's the right time to give your child a phone or device and how we need to do some work to make sure they stay safe online. Keeping your child safe requires communication and connection. Your kids also need conne...
Jun 28, 2022•37 min•Ep 155•Transcript available on Metacast Unfortunately, this is a topic we can’t stop talking about. The online safety of our children is something that needs to be at the forefront of our parenting. It’s one of the hardest topics to face in parenting because there are so many apps, and new ones all the time. It’s like trying to hit a moving target. The world is so fortunate to have people like my guest Tania Haigh, who is advocating for our children’s safety in the online space. What I love about her message is that she wants kids to ...
Jun 21, 2022•39 min•Ep 154•Transcript available on Metacast The school system is not always going to be working FOR your child, in fact, as my guest shares, your child’s school might cut corners and not tell you. You have rights as parents but you might not even know what they are! We all need someone in our corner like attorney, Catherine Michael, who’s my guest on this episode. She helps parents through school issues where their child has been injured, disciplined and/or have special needs that aren’t being met at the school level. Catherine shares jaw...
Jun 14, 2022•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast We are ALL a hot mess from time to time! There are days we just can’t even and I’m here to tell you that’s PERFECTLY OK! As parents we often struggle with “what is” and we fight against it, beat ourselves up, and say things should be different. What if instead, we could just accept that we just can’t even today? That today is a no makeup, stained shirt and greasy hair day? What I’m talking about is letting go of feeling we have to be perfect (I’ve talked about this so much). Here’s the thing, a ...
Jun 07, 2022•38 min•Ep 152•Transcript available on Metacast Gun violence has been heavy on everyone’s mind with the horrific massacre at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York and just ten days later, the shooting of innocent lives at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. It makes sense that you have feelings about what’s happened and are grieving the loss of life and innocence whether you know the victims or not. As parents, it hits us especially hard when we see innocent children killed. Sending our kids to school brings up anxiety and fear in us, and o...
May 31, 2022•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast From The Cat Came Back, Polly Wolly Doodle, We’re Gonna Shine, to You Can Do It (If You Try), once you hear Fred’s songs, you’ll be singing along all day. Fred Penner has been the soundtrack to so many kids' lives and now those kids (myself included) are raising their kids on his music! His positivity and upbeat music is fun to listen to for those young and old. His songs are about encouragement, love, kindness, feelings and being positive. It was my sincere honour to interview Fred Penner for t...
May 24, 2022•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast From littles, middles and grown & flown, this comedy trio has something for every mom to relate to and laugh about! On this week’s episode, I’m talking to Meredith Masony and Dena Blizzard who make up two thirds of the “My Name is Not Mom” comedy show. You may know them online as @onefunnymother and @that’s_inappropriate (and third member, Tiffany Jenkins @jugglingthejenkins). The moms with millions of followers have joined forces and taken their comedy on the road on North American tour. In...
May 17, 2022•35 min•Ep 149•Transcript available on Metacast If you are looking for a great grad gift, you’ll want to consider my guest’s book: “Career Toolkit, Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You”. Why you ask? Because the way our kids are being taught to prepare for their future is NOT TEACHING THEM THE SKILLS THEY REALLY NEED! My guest, Mark Herschberg (he’s amazing - read his bio below!) and I talk about the skills our kids need to learn in order to have jobs they love, make a great income and have everything they want in life and for ...
May 10, 2022•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast How many of you wish you could talk to a loved one who’s passed on? What would it mean to you to be able to introduce your kids to a favourite relative who they never had a chance to meet? It makes me so sad to have lost my dad only 8 years ago and I wish I could pick up the phone and talk to him. My guest, Heather Smith is the mastermind behind StoryFile which can capture the stories of your loved ones for generations to come! I first saw Heather on 60 minutes when she shared her work with Holo...
May 03, 2022•31 min•Ep 147•Transcript available on Metacast As a mom of two teen boys who both have anxiety, I know how hard it can be to navigate and help them without becoming anxious about it myself! If you have a child with anxiety, first know there is hope! In this episode, psychologist, Melanie McNally and I talk about why kids are more anxious than we seemed to be at their age. We know social media plays a part but we have so much more access to news, 24/7 In this episode, Dr. Melanie and I talk about how can parents tell if their child's anxiety ...
Apr 26, 2022•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast As if it isn’t hard enough to enter adolescence with hormones, growth spurts, hair in new places and ACNE! The first question my guest, Dr. Yug Varma, was WHY!? Why does it happen and why does it coincide with adolescence? Dr. Varma has over 10 years of microbiome research experience and has uncovered a bacteriophage (a type of virus that infects bacteria - literally a bacteria eater) that’s found on clear skin but is absent on acne-infected skin. His product Phyla, introduces the bacteriophage,...
Apr 19, 2022•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Since the onset of the pandemic, 46% of teens identify as having new or worsening mental health conditions. Why? What’s going on? Why are so many kids anxious and what is social anxiety? My guest, Kyle Mitchell, or as he’s better known, Social Anxiety Kyle, is talking about this mental health crisis and what we can do to support our kids who are struggling. The fact is, anxiety is normal, and every single person on the planet has it because it’s part of our survival system! Therefore, we can’t e...
Apr 12, 2022•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Every time I talk to Gary Quesenberry, I learn something new. The safety tips he’s shared with me have stayed with me. I’m so excited about his newest book addition to his safety series, “Spotting Danger Before It Spots Your Teens”. Gary has turned his career in law enforcement into teachings to help you raise your children safely, even if you don’t know what’s lurking around the corner. Gary’s foundation is based on situational awareness: how people should act, reading the environment, identify...
Apr 05, 2022•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast Sleep is the most underrated aspect of wellness. As parents, especially moms, we lose so much sleep in pregnancy, when the babies are born and for many years as our kids grow up. It seems “easy” to forget our needs for sleep and just run on empty because you are so needed and valuable to everyone in your life. Here’s the thing, when you aren’t rested, you aren’t thriving. You DESERVE to live a life filled with joy, fun and connection….and getting enough sleep is KEY to having a great life. In th...
Mar 29, 2022•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast This episode is packed with so much information, it has something for everyone! We are talking about working mom life, parenting, toxic positivity, setting boundaries and how to sit in your power as a woman! Please meet my wonderful guest, Christine Michel Carter, who is the #1 Global Voice for Working Moms. She has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in helping career women navigate the workplace and, when needed, works with them to transition to new flexible opportunities without sacrificing t...
Mar 22, 2022•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Fine…The other F-word! The other four-letter word and this one is keeping us from being happier, calmer and more connected to the people in our lives. When I say “I’m fine” I don’t mean fine at ALL! I just don’t want to say I’m not great, or talk about why I’m not great in that moment. I see “fine” as a bandaid word! It often covers up what’s really going on. When my husband asks me how I’m doing, and I reply with “fine” I expect him to ask me more (oh those unspoken expectations that get us int...
Mar 15, 2022•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Even in today’s day and age, workplaces are still dominated by a culture that favors men as business leaders but research is finding how working moms are best equipped to bring 21st century leadership skills into the workplace. I’m passionate about supporting parents, especially moms in the workplace, see their value and embrace the skills they have that make them such effective leaders. My guest, Jen Murtagh, feels the same way. So much so that she built her company Maturn, to support mothers t...
Mar 08, 2022•41 min•Ep 139•Transcript available on Metacast Nothing brings out your MAMA BEAR instinct like when your child is being mistreated. If your child is being bullied you can’t help but feel a whole host of emotions in defense of your child and against the bully. But what if your child is the Bully? What do you do then? One thing that will help is teaching your children social emotional skills as well as learning boundaries how to set them and how to respect them. Christina Furnival is here to help us navigate the bully and boundary issue with s...
Mar 01, 2022•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast I was so excited to talk to my guest, Dan Sheeks, and learn more about how he teaches teens to achieve early financial freedom. When I look around at the cost of real estate where I live, I wonder how my kids will ever afford their own house. It’s not unusual for a simple home to go for a million dollars. If I think too much about it, it makes me worry…BUT I feel a MILLION times better (see what I did there? ;) after talking to Dan! Dan shares so many practical tips with me and in his book, “Fir...
Feb 22, 2022•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ok mamas, we need to talk seriously about your happiness. If you are like me, becoming a mom kicked my a$$ and it took me years to recover from the massive changes I experienced. Changes in my body, my marriage, how I worked and what I wanted in my life. And here I was thinking I was just inviting a new human into our lives. ;) I felt buried under the expectations of motherhood and I know I’m not alone. My brilliant guest knows all about this! Sarah Olin, the Founder and CEO of LUMO, is on a mis...
Feb 15, 2022•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast You are going to leave this conversation feeling inspired and energized…Just like I did! My guest, Alana Ezderman, came from a high stress career that was impacting her health in detrimental ways. Instead of looking for medication to heal, she dove into healing herSELF which lead her to healing her physical ailments and learning and teaching the principles of Positive Psychology. Simply put, her practice has changed her life and it can change yours too! In this episode, we talk about (so many ju...
Feb 08, 2022•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast