Zen Parenting Radio

Cathy and Todd discuss their favorite holiday movies, what makes them great, and whether or not they are truly holiday movies. They share clips from the best movies and finish with the top 20 best holiday movies of all time.

Todd and Cathy talk with Michelle Icard, the author of '14 Talks by Age 14' and her new book, '8 Setbacks that Can Make a Child a Success.' They discuss why we try to manage everyone's emotions, the challenges of letting our kids experience failure, and how embracing these challenges can contribute to building their character and enabling them to navigate their own lives.

Todd and Cathy discuss gender norms and explore ways to validate, acknowledge, and challenge them. They also dive into the comedy of Nate Bargatze, highlighting its observational nature that prompts thought and reflection.

Cathy and Todd discuss how to create strong support systems for our kids, allowing them to have new and unique experiences and build relationships that contribute to their self-understanding. Teaching them about boundaries, encouraging them to ask for help, and making sure they know it's totally okay to speak up if something feels off give them the confidence to trust themselves, even when you're not right there with them.

Todd and Cathy dive deep into some quotes about gratitude and explore how to incorporate gratitude into our everyday and ordinary lives. They also answer some listener’s questions and play clips from Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (the best Thanksgiving movie!) and Nate Bargatze’s stand-up.

Cathy and Todd talk with Patrice Lenowitz, Executive Director of The Nurtured Parent, domestic abuse survivor, victims’ rights advocate, activist, and mother of Max, who tragically died of fentanyl poisoning in 2022. Patrice is now on a mission to raise awareness around Fentanyl Poisoning through legislation and education and to help parents understand why and how kids are exposed. She also talks about the importance of supporting our youth when it comes to trauma, anxiety, and depression, to decrease the likelihood of street drug usage to alleviate their pain.

Cathy and Todd discuss entitlement and how to better relate and understand our kids. They talk about the importance of intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation, why it takes kids time to change their behavior, and how to avoid using shame when communicating family values.

Cathy and Todd discuss the loss of Matthew Perry and the significance of Chandler and the TV show "FRIENDS" for our generation. They also share strategies for addressing anxiety with children, focusing on normalizing, accepting, and preventing emotions from becoming overwhelming.

Todd and Cathy discuss empathic listening and how to respond with curiosity and non-judgment when our kids ask difficult questions. Whether it pertains to conflicts abroad or everyday challenges, the capacity to listen to our children is something we can continuously improve over time. Additionally, our ability to understand our partner's communication style and needs can help us avoid conflicts.

Cathy and Todd exchange quotes and mantras that remind them to stay in the moment, alleviate their anxiety, and prompt them to center their thoughts on gratitude. They discuss how they use these phrases and explore why our brains tend to fixate on what's wrong rather than what's already working.  For the full show notes, visit zenparentingradio.com. Timestamps (00:00:00) Introduction and the podcast's motto. (00:00:37) Discussing Cathy's meditation area, post-it notes, and the importance of quotes and mantras. (00:01:30) Mention of Michael Singer's "The Untethered Soul" and its influence. (00:01:50) Introduction to the Zen Parenting in-person event focusing on teens: discussing the complexities and challenges faced by today's teenagers. (00:03:00) Explanation of the event's approach: Opening up conversations and fostering communication with teenagers. (00:04:15) The importance of understanding and accepting children as they are. (00:06:20) Discussion on neurodiversity and the challenges of labeling. (00:09:

In this episode of Zen Parenting Radio, Todd and Cathy have a thoughtful conversation with Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a relationship expert and clinical psychologist. They discuss Dr. Solomon's upcoming book, "Love Every Day," providing listeners with helpful insights into love, relationships, and self-discovery.

Cathy and Todd revisit Stephen Covey's “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” (1989) and discuss how each habit can help us improve our relationships with ourselves and our loved ones. They also explore why a paradigm shift is the key to reducing anxiety and enhancing our understanding of others.  For the full show notes, visit zenparentingradio.com.

Cathy and Todd talk with Jennifer Wallace about her New York Times Bestseller Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic – and What We Can Do About It. They discuss the definition of happiness and why parents feel so pressured to help their kids “succeed”. They also process the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivators, why interdependence changes our perspective, and why “mattering” is the key to family wellbeing.

Cathy and Todd discuss the differences between ADHD in men and women and the reasons why so many adult women are getting diagnosed today. They do a follow up about highly sensitive people (HSP), discuss the #GRWM craze, and share an 80’s commercial that will get stuck in your brain.

Todd and Cathy talk with Dr. Devorah Heitner, the author of "Screenwise" and her NEW book "Growing Up in Public." They discuss the downsides and benefits of tracking your kids, whether it's a good idea to read your kids' texts, how to address the topic of sexting, and whether colleges are scrutinizing your kids' posts. Her book is now available as of September 12th, and it's a must-read!

Todd and Cathy discuss the three different types of perfectionism and why trying to perfect actually backfires and leads to fragility. They discuss why our culture has overvalued the idea of being perfect, the importance of humanizing over humiliating, and they answer a follow-up question about highly sensitive children.

Cathy and Todd discuss the concept of being a highly sensitive person, and they explore how it feels to be a highly sensitive kid. They also address "ASK US ANYTHING" questions from listeners, offering guidance on how to talk to your kids about behavior modification charts in school (when they're not used at home) and providing advice on how to relate to an irritable and uncooperative child. For the full show notes, visit zenparentingradio.com. Time Stamps (00:00:00) Introduction (00:02:00) Zen Parenting Moment: "When I Was Your Age" (00:08:50) Balancing Heart-Centered Parenting with School's Reward-Punishment System (00:16:45) Understanding Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) (00:21:30) Cathy shares her personal experience as a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) (00:24:24) Emotional Sensitivity of HSPs (00:25:03) Our partner of the week Koko Sleep – Bedtime Stories & Meditations For Kids (00:25:03) Sensory Sensitivities in HSPs (00:25:30) Empathy and Intuition in HSPs (00:26:35) Depth of Processing in HSPs (00:28:15

Cathy and Todd discuss Jack Kornfield’s advice for reducing anxiety, and how fear, history, and programming can make it more difficult. They process why back-to-school is particularly challenging for parents, and the simultaneous presence of joy and grief as children grow and transition. They are joined by Millie Hsi, a friend and member of their Team Zen virtual community, who shares her personal experiences and insights on coping with anxiety.

Todd and Cathy welcome Shaun Emerson and Chris Lozier, hosts of the If You’ve Come This Far podcast. They discuss why it can be difficult to discuss men and women’s issues without getting defensive, and why statistics may point toward progress, but reality still feels imbalanced. They debate the effectiveness of frameworks and personality tests in personal growth, and how labels can be freeing but also stunting. They process how knowledge is vital, but transforming our knowledge into practice is what really leads to meaningful change.

Cathy and Todd discuss the many layers of Barbie and why it has become such a phenomenon and lightning rod when it comes to discussing gender differences. They share candidly about seeing each other’s perspectives, how to think critically, and how to bring our 'whole' selves into the viewing experience. They discuss why the movie is an existential crisis, a representation of girlhood and womanhood, and an absolute paradox all at the same time. This is a good podcast to listen to with your partner and/or family!