Mastermind Parenting Podcast

If you’re looking for support in figuring out the “now what” after diagnosis, you’ve gotta know Yetta Myrick. Yetta has been in the trenches, supporting her son for 21 years, who was diagnosed early with Autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability.When it came to finding stellar support for her child with cognitive and developmental challenges, Yetta had no quit!This often felt like an uphill battle in a confusing and uncaring system. She is an Erin Brockovitch level Mama Bear -  inspiring like an instant bestie who has your back. If you’ve felt overwhelmed trying to make sense of a diagnosis and on a quest to curate an excellent care team for your kiddo…don’t miss this convo.In this episode, you’ll learn:How a fierce love and determination to do right for her son helped Yetta become a resource for other families that have been touched by neurodiveristy.Why it’s so important for the home environment to reinforce the support your child gets from their other caregivers.How frustrating it can be to find

Teenage-hood. It’s a loaded topic. It’s a loaded time. Just you wait til this one’s a teenager.Payback’s a bitch - you were a nightmare as a teenager!We turned out fine but the risks are too risky for kids today. Ya’ll have been asking me for teenager resources for forever. The teen years have always been tough. Changing schools, changing bodies, racing hormones. But today’s teenagers face more. The world has become more complicated. #FACTS. Recently, I talked to Coach Kevin Baker, and I think you’ll hear immediately why I invited him on the pod. Kevin is super committed to helping stuck in a rut or struggling teenagers.  Listen as we break down this topic and how we can help our kids rather than accidentally stressing them out more. In this episode, you’ll learn:Why the freedom to make choices - good AND bad - is so important to your teenager’s development.How to hold expectations for your kiddos, and how to know when it’s more important to let them go and just be

Do some days seem like a never-ending emotional rollercoaster living with your strong-willed and/or highly sensitive one? Like no matter what you say or do, they just can’t seem to get it together? On days like these, you might be fighting like hell to stay calm on the outside, but inside your heart is racing and your stomach is tied up in knots. And these days seem way longer than a mere 24 hours. By bedtime, no wonder you finally blow a gasket…you’re like a human tea kettle and that steam must be released, right?My guest this week can help. Michelle Grosser is a coach, mom, and neuroscience expert. She knows a ton about what stress does to our brains and bodies. She’s helped so many moms address their triggers, calm their nervous systems and find the peace they so desperately want in their families and lives.We hit it off instantly. You’re going to learn so much about how to manage overwhelm and avoid burnout.Listen as we discuss tangible real-life methods for emotional rollercoaster days with you

As a mom, figuring out when to give my kids a phone has been one of the hardest topics to tackle.While there have been conveniences once they got a phone, like being able to know where they are at all times and reach them if I need to, the cons have far outweighed the pros in my family. A phone is the default way lots of kids stay in touch, organize activities, and learn about the world. But it can also suck them into the online world, and make it harder for them to engage in reality.So this week, I sat down with my youngest kid, Cory, and talked about this hot topic: What age to give a kid a phoneWhat type of phoneSocial Media accessHow a parent should handle all the common arguments kids often giveAt 18, Cory is old enough to see both the pros and cons and can vividly remember how his first smartphone changed his life. I had so much fun getting his perspective on this question and even putting him in the hot seat - weighing in on how he’d handle it with a badgering teen, claiming that EVERYON

My conversations with Michaeleen Doucleff are so much fun that sometimes I forget to hit record!Usually it doesn’t even matter what we talk about, but this time it’s extra good. You know those times when your kid is acting like a little contrarian. You say up, they say down. You say yes, they say no. And around and around and around.Michaeleen has come up with an amazingly simple sentence that shifts this dynamic like magic.It will turn them not just into collaborators but actual co-creators.Listen as Michaeleen and I discuss oh so many things. I love my time with her so much and I think you will too!In this episode, you’ll learn:How to encourage your child to contribute ideas and collaborate in planning activities.The messages about our values that we send when we choose recreation for our kids.Why things that keep kids engaged aren’t always as fun as they might seem.And much more! As always, thanks for listening. Head over to Facebook, where you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Communit

When you’re in the trenches raising kids, it can feel like the busiest, hardest season of life. Now, imagine trying to start and run a business at the same time? I think my son, Cory, would say that’s low key insane. He’d also hate me claiming to know what he’d say and attempting to use his lingo…whatevs:). And just like it rarely feels like a perfect time to get pregnant but you go for it anyway, same same when it comes to starting a business. Turns out the pack leadership skills that work so well for raising a family are also really good for helping you nurture an entrepreneurial business! In this week’s podcast episode, listen to my conversation with fellow mom of three, podcaster and author, Melissa Llarena, as we dive into all things parenting and business ownering. If you’ve been putting your dreams on hold, listen now.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why it’s so important for busy moms to own and celebrate their own accomplishments.How to identify what lights you up, and

When people join the Mastermind Parenting community, they come seeking answers about the way their children behave. What they usually don’t realize is that they’re not just struggling with “bad” behaviors. They need a space where they can unlearn generations of bad advice, and retrain their thinking around the rewards and challenges of parenting sensitive kids. This week we’re talking about a mom who is just starting that process. I’ll share the experiences that are resonating with her, and how her family dynamic is being rewritten through the honesty and empathy she’s receiving in community with other moms.In this episode, you’ll learn:What the label “strong-willed” means for a kiddo, for what they need in a parent, and how it will serve them as they grow into the world.That we have to start with ourselves as we cultivate empathy and patience.How easy it is to get stuck in outdated, counterproductive thinking about what it means to parent a sensitive child.The huge impact on a family when mom gives herself p

Can we just be real for a minute, and admit that parenting is hard? Kids are wild and wonderful, but their behavior can sometimes be really confusing. That’s never more true than when a kiddo is a delight around one parent, but mean and antagonistic around the other. That’s the situation one of my Mastermind moms faced when she joined us. It’s been a process, for sure, but this week she shared with us how much things have improved. And it started with joining a safe, supportive community where she had permission to get to know herself better.In this episode, you’ll learn:How much “quick fix” thinking can interfere with making positive change in your family dynamic.Why we so often need to look inward to figure out what’s motivating challenging behavior in our children.How important it is as a parent to know, embrace, and honor your own needs.And much more! As always, thanks for listening. Head over to Facebook, where you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community. We post tips and tools and do

Y’all know that Michaeleen Doucleff is my favorite. Her book, Hunt, Gather, Parent, has become a must-read for my Mastermind parents. Since we first connected we’ve spent hours, on and off the mic, vibing and swapping parenting stories. One story I’ve been dying to get more detail about is the decision Michaeleen made to start a whole school out of her house! It’s a remarkable tale of agency, confidence, and a mama knowing what’s best for her kiddo. I guarantee you’ll find it fascinating.In this episode, you’ll learn:What makes a mom and journalist with no teaching experience decide to build a learning experience for her daughter.Why the way schools teach is so much more important than what they teach.How a school that doesn’t match your kids' needs can be so bad for their interest in learning.The mindset that makes it possible to trust ourselves with something as important as providing the education our kids need.And much more! As always, thanks for listening. Head over to Facebook, where you can join m

When people find out I’m a parenting coach, they’ll often say they should probably take a parenting class. Now, you know I believe in the value of coaching. But there are lots of everyday opportunities to connect with our kids and teach them how to navigate the world. Stories you read together for fun can be a great source of wisdom if you just know what to look for and reinforce. I call this the “spinach in the spaghetti sauce” method of teaching kids life lessons, and I’ve got a fun example to show you just how effective it can be. In this episode, you’ll learn:How books and stories can help us guide our kids, even when they’re not intentionally teaching lessons.Why we parents put so much pressure on ourselves to teach kids all the lessons, when they’re learning so much from the behavior we model.How to appreciate and activate the educational tools we already have at our disposal.And much more! As always, thanks for listening. Head over to Facebook, where you can join my free group Mastermind Pare

Mother’s Day is so loaded for so many reasons. Now that it’s in the rearview for another year, this is a great time to share some more of my most embarrassing/inspiring mothering mistakes. Embarrassing because they seem painfully obvious in hindsight. Inspiring because they’re a loving reminder from me to you that no parent is perfect. We all want to do better for our kiddos than our parents did for us. The way to do that isn’t to obsess over never messing up, or keep our mistakes secret. It’s to own our falibility and let our kids see us as whole, complicated, loving human beings.In this episode, you’ll learn:Some of the oops moments that have shaped my kiddos and our relationship over the years.Why I’m happy to let them roast me a little when we’re reminiscing about times I’ve made a mess of things.How love and humor can grow out of being honest with yourself, your family, and the world about your parenting screw ups. And much more! As always, thanks for listening. Head over to Facebook, where you

When kids don't do simple things for themselves, it's easy to future trip and freak out. But what if you knew that they'd be okay and it will all turn out just fine? What if you could have that reassurance? Would it change how you show up now when you're feeling fed up about them not knowing how to make a hair appointment, make a sandwich, or do their own laundry? If you could drop the panic, what would you do instead? How could you course correct when you want your kids to learn basic "life-ing" skills?In this episode, you’ll learn:How to take a breath and get perspective instead of panicking when your kid needs help to complete a basic “grownup” task.To keep a sense of humor around the things your kids have (and haven’t) learned to do for themselves.Why blaming ourselves for doing too much can drive a wedge between us and the kid whose independence we want to support. And much more! As always, thanks for listening. Head over to Facebook, where you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community.

Raising our kids to understand and share our values is a central part of being a parent. But so often when we send them out into the world, they come back using words or acting in ways that conflict with the things we’ve tried to teach them. Recently, a Mastermind mom shared that her six-year-old came home from playing at a neighbor’s house and called something “gay” like it meant “bad.” This resonated extra strongly with me. All three of my own kids, when they were younger, heard the exact same thing on the playground. As tough as it can be to hear that, it’s also an amazing opportunity to help strengthen your relationships with your kids while also reinforcing the values that your family holds dear. In this episode, you’ll learn:How to instill your family’s values without resorting to “because I said so.”Why it’s worth pausing to inform yourself when your kiddo is asking why.The lifelong closeness you can nurture when you’re not afraid to have tough conversations with your kids.And much more! As a

When our kids are talking down about themselves, of course our first instinct is to push back. But even though we say “you’re so beautiful,” or “you’re so smart,” or “you’ll get better if you practice,” the message we send is “I’m not listening and understanding your experience.” If you want to know the secret to tackling your kiddo’s insecurities without undermining their agency and self-determination, this ep is for you! I just coached one of my fabulous Mastermind moms through this, and I know you’ll be inspired by how she stepped up for her child.In this episode, you’ll learn:The tools you can use to reorient your child’s perspective when they’re feeling bad about themselves. Why it’s so much more important to listen than to argue with a kid who’s struggling with their self-worth.How insecurities that are papered over with praise can turn into meanness.And much more! As always, thanks for listening. Head over to Facebook, where you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community. We post t

If you’re a parent with a kiddo who’s constantly angry and acting out, a diagnosis of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) can seem like an explanation for a lot of disruptive behavior. But what if that defiance and opposition are actually caused by other sensitivity? I’ve worked with so many parents who struggle to understand why their strong-willed kid is lashing out. An ODD diagnosis can seem like an answer, but the label doesn’t come with the tools to actually help their sensitive little human cope with their big feelings. Let’s talk about why I think ODD is a symptom, not a cause, and how to approach your struggling kiddo with the empathy they need to become a success story.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why I’m convinced the behavior we label as oppositional and defiant is really our kids asking for help the only way they know how. All the other sensitivities and specialness that an ODD label can cause us to overlook.What strong-willed kids are looking for when they use external conflict to compensat

Housework. Homemaking. Chores. Whatever you call it, it’s hard work to maintain a safe, clean house, and it’s made so much harder by the expectations around that work. So many moms, whether they’re employed outside the home or not, find themselves in charge of a lot more of those household tasks than their kids or their partners. If we’re going to change those expectations we have to change the way we talk with our kids about the labor that’s so often invisible to them. Coach and author Lori Sugarman-Li has written an amazing kid’s book that will help you have those conversations, and turn housework into a full-family collaboration. In this episode, you’ll learn:The mindset shift that will help you see the value of including your kiddos in household upkeep. The kind of communication and compromise that will help your family express gratitude for your household and take pride in the work of maintaining it.How the health and well-being of women around the world are made worse by the invisible labor th

Kimberly Samson is the author of F*Ck This, a candid and hilarious collection of essays about the journey through midlife. She’s also one of my oldest friends, who has witnessed a ton of my formative moments as a person and a parent. In this conversation, Kimby shares what motivated her to write a book about the midlife experience and what she’s learned by living through it. She also lifts the curtain on some of my best (and not so best) moments as a mom. It’s a whole new perspective how I’ve grown as a parent of a strong-willed child, and how my mishaps have given me the tools to help others.In this episode, you’ll learn:The pivotal role my sensitive child played in my transformation as a mother, and my ambition to help keep other parents from repeating my missteps.Why it’s okay for parents to talk to each other about their children more than anything else.That unconditional love and basic human annoyance aren’t mutually exclusive.How amazing my friend Kimby is!And much more!  As always, thanks for

Every parent has some version of this story. Your kid crosses a line that’s important to you. You exchange angry words, but eventually you talk it out and repair your rapport. Now you’re stuck with conflicting feelings. You don’t want to cause further disruption to your relationship with your child, but you also know their behavior isn’t likely to change without some consequence. This time, I’m sharing the experience of a Masterminder who was caught in this exact dilemma. We’ll discuss the difficult but necessary steps you can take to honor your values, communicate their importance to your children, and help them be better prepared for adulthood in the process.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why sometimes the way to step up for your kiddos means imposing consequences that neither of you is happy about.The long-term benefit of short-term discomfort, for your relationship with your kids and their relationship with the world.How vitally important followthrough is in your role as pack leader.And much more! As

Therapy can be a big help for some people. But for stressed-out parents, healing our old wounds and stepping up for our kiddos often requires a different approach. One of my Masterminders, Dr. Shawn Hondorp, has experienced this disconnect from the inside. Shawn is an experienced clinical psychologist who isn’t satisfied with the tools and techniques of the traditional diagnostic therapy methods. She’s developing a new approach to improving mental health.Shawn’s practices reject pathology and easy labels. Instead, they help you identify your old patterns of thoughts and feelings, understand why they were woven, and put them to work in ways that help rather than hinder your growth. I’m honored that working with me has helped her find the courage to share this new vision of what therapy can accomplish, and I can’t wait for you to learn about it!In this episode, you’ll learn:How a focus on efficiency and accomplishment can actually cost us - and our kiddos - more time and energy in the long run.The real reason w

Last week’s conversation about ADHD got my brain firing about what a diagnosis can and can’t do for the parents of a highly sensitive child. Getting that label can be a starting point, but our mental health system doesn’t train medical professionals - or support struggling parents - to understand what those kiddos need to adapt and thrive. Membership Coordinator (and Mastermind Co-parent) Lindsey joins me on the mic this week, to share a success story from a new Masterminder. From there we talk about why diagnosis is just the start, medication isn’t a sure fix, and what leading your pack through a tough day with a strong-willed kiddo actually looks like.In this episode, you’ll learn:How a disjointed mental health system often leaves parents with more questions than answers.The important role of your intuition in deciding what works best for your family.Why a diagnosis can be helpful, and why it’s only one piece of a puzzle when it comes to helping your child navigate the world.The difference between understan