Episodes
Since bringing in Conscious Parenting to my coaching practice and my personal life, I have seen a powerful positive change in how I relate to my children. This is why today’s interview with Sandra Fazio is personally so wonderful for me. Sandra not only teaches parents how to begin bringing the principles of Conscious Parenting into their homes, but she also loves it out with her own daughter. Sandra, like many parents, thought she had everything planned out to perfection. As we all learn...
Published 03/29/18
It can be difficult to find moments of peace in the middle of our crazy lives. Sometimes, we feel so overwhelmed and out of our depth, and we simply want to step away from it all. Unfortunately, if you are a solo parent, you can’t always pass the kids along to your partner for 10 minutes of quiet. How can you, as a single parent, cultivate some peace and positivity into your daily life? I have an expert guest with me today that is going to give you incredible, easy tools you can use to take...
Published 03/01/18
Busy Solo Parents often wonder how they are going to get food on the table, let alone make something jam-packed with nutrients that everyone will eat. Life is already chaotic enough! I am here to tell you today that making, simple, healthy, and delicious meals are absolutely within your reach! I’ve brought on a guest today who is going to walk us through the process of creating nutritious meals children will love. As an added bonus, she’s a mom herself who has seen her fair share of struggle....
Published 02/15/18
One of the biggest fears many parents face is the fear that we are not preparing our kids for the “Real World.” Life skills are difficult to teach, but they are so important for our children to be successful. The official name for this vital skillset is “Social Emotional Intelligence,” or the ability to navigate social problems with empathy and self-respect. I am excited to begin to dive into this topic with Jennifer Miller today. Jennifer is the founder of Confident Families Confident Kids,...
Published 01/25/18
Parenting your pre-teens and teenagers has its own unique set of challenges. While there might not be any more diapers to change or tantrums to manage, older children still need a specific kind of love and attention. Most of the time, parents end up frustrated! This phase of life can often be isolating for Solo Parents. Without carpool lines and trips to the park, it can be difficult to find a place to commiserate with fellow teen parents. This is exactly the kind of thing that my guest,...
Published 01/18/18
It is a busy time of year, isn’t it? With kids out of school, gifts to buy, and relatives to see, the pace of the holidays feels hectic, even more so for a single parent. There are some seasons of life when you feel all the weight of responsibility on your shoulders. Seasons come and go; some are wonderful, and some more difficult. Today, I wanted to highlight just how important it is we keep this in mind during times that are more hectic or troubling. I think this is something my guest,...
Published 12/21/17
How can we all work together to build a community that supports our children? Our school-aged children spend most of their week at school, so our job as parents is to support and cooperate with the teachers they are spending that time with. Ideally, this process would be as collaborative and compassionate, but sometimes those teacher relationships can be challenging. This is why I am excited to have Dr. Arina Bokas with me today. Her book Building Powerful Learning Environments: From Schools...
Published 12/07/17
Are you feeling a little anxious about The Dating Talk? My kids are still very young, but I am already beginning to think about how to have conversations about healthy relationships. So often we think of words like “consent,” and automatically go to sex. Consent is about more than physical intimacy; it’s also about respect and boundaries. The more our children understand their boundaries and needs, as well as the needs of others, the better they will be when things like sex and dating come up...
Published 11/30/17
What can you do when your child is acting out? There is a lot of information out there about discipline, behavior modification, and diagnosing the root of your child’s behavior. Some of us have come from traditional, disciplinarian homes. Others have problems setting up boundaries. Have you ever taken a moment to reflect that these moments of acting out are a chance for you and your child to grow closer together? Before you lose your cool entirely, give this interview with Lori Petro a...
Published 11/23/17
Have you given much thought to the legacy you want to leave behind? As Solo Parents, we have a great capacity to fill our children with memories of our lives and theirs to empower, inspire, and reassure them during times of hardship or uncertainty. No one understands that better than Melanie Vetter, and that is why I am so excited to start our conversation about legacy today. Melanie’s work with Legacy Letters is incredibly interesting, and the fact that she’s my neighbor makes this...
Published 11/16/17
Is there such a thing as a perfect parent? Absolutely not! Is there such a thing as a thriving parent? YES! As Solo Parents, the pressure feels like its been pushed up to 11 for us. It can be a struggle to make it through the week with everything in one piece, let alone feeling good about those pieces! How can we begin to enjoy the abundance of life? What is the secret to a thriving life filled with contentment? It’s all about your mindset! My guest today is Shawn Fink, the founder of...
Published 11/09/17
We love to sing the praises of self-care on the Solo Parent Life Podcast, but for many parents, actually finding the time and space to practice can be a challenge. If they do manage to find the time, we sometimes feel guilty or unsure that self-care is even worth the time! Are you one of those parents? Then this episode is for you! Have you been practicing self-care, but seem to be missing out on all the benefits? Then listen in too. Today, we sing just a little more to share our self-care...
Published 11/02/17
It’s been a year since I started Solo Parent Life, and I can hardly believe it! Thank you to all of you who have listened and offered feedback and support for me during this exciting journey. Today’s episode is simply a chance for me to pause and reflect on the insights that I have gained doing a year of podcasting. I’ll cover my favorite episodes, favorite guests, and challenging topics that I have used to grow as a parent. You are not alone out there, friend! Thanks for coming along on this...
Published 10/26/17
Now that school is in full swing and the kids are (hopefully!) back in a routine, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to bring out this pre-recorded interview with Michelle Gale. Michelle is a kind and compassionate mother, who is encouraging parents with her own podcast, “Mindful Parenting in a Messy World.” Today, we sit down and chat a little about how to compassionately and mindfully connect to our children in the messy moments of life.  Michelle is going to share with us today her...
Published 10/19/17
I think now is the perfect moment to pause. Pause for a moment, and be thankful for your kids, your support team, and community. From that heart of gratitude, I want to offer comfort and assistance to those who have been in the midst of tragedy. My heart goes out to the victims of the Las Vegas shooting and their families. Locally, we are also experiencing some terrible forest fires that have left many people homeless. As I am reaching out to offer my aid, I am also reaching inward towards my...
Published 10/12/17
Welcome back, everyone! What a gift it is to see our Solo Parent Community grow and grow as we take this crazy journey together. I love that you have all been so honest with me about the triumphs and the struggles that you experience. Lately, I have been hearing from many solo parents that they struggle with feeling like they are never “good enough.” Being a single parent is tough and isolating. Our feelings of inadequacy can affect not just our self-esteem, but how we react towards our kids....
Published 10/05/17
School is back, and things are finally starting to settling in, aren’t they? As school routines, and all the busyness that comes with them, become the norm and not the exception, it is helpful to have a discussion about how we can help our family roll smoothly. Life gets busy during the school year, so how can you manage the chaos in a healthy way? I am excited to share the things that have been lifesavers for my family, with the hope to spread the love to yours! It’s tempting to want to...
Published 09/29/17
Welcome, everyone! It is such a good thing to have a community of support around you, and that is just what Solo Parent Life has become. Community support for a solo parent can mean the difference between giving up and growing strong during what can be a truly difficult season of parenthood. What makes this community even better is that it is inclusive of all types of solo parents, including single dads! I’m thankful that I can bring a single dad’s perspective to you today. My guest is...
Published 09/21/17
Recently, I asked my community for topics that you most wanted me to cover on the show. You have spoken, and I have listened! So many of you in our Solo Parent Community have asked me about how to navigate Co-Parenting. How can we Co-Parent well, while also keeping myself sane? I hear you loud and clear, so today I am excited to bring my experiences and best tips right into your ears. The way I see it, there are two major issues at stake. How can I deal with all the Big Feelings surrounding...
Published 09/14/17
Welcome back to another moment to join together with the Solo Parent Community. We’ve had some exciting times in my household with the addition of our new family dog, Marley! Having a new family member has been such a welcome change and a breath of fresh air. It’s a little bit like self-care for me since having Marley around is such a positive experience. We talk all the time on the show about the importance of taking care of yourself, so it is great to find a new way of putting that into...
Published 09/07/17
Let’s talk money! You might hear that and get excited, or you might hear that and start to groan. Money can be a source of both security and anxiety. Which is it for you? Have you ever had a time when an unexpected expense pops up? You know the kind—big birthday gifts, replacing those heavy (and expensive!) winter coats, or a once and a lifetime opportunity to do something you’ve always wanted to do. How did you handle those expenses? Did your budget last? OK, how about this question: do you...
Published 08/31/17
Hello and welcome to another special and encouraging episode of Solo Parent Life. Today, my very informative guest is Melissa DaSilva, an LGTBQ+ community activist, and therapist. Melissa’s mission is to support parents and children as they navigate LGBTQ+ issues, and educate the public in the middle of a rapidly changing world. We know more about gender identity and sexuality than we ever have before. So how can we as single parents educate our children and teach them to respect everyone...
Published 08/24/17
Welcome, everyone! I am so excited to share with you today the pearls of wisdom from fellow podcaster Dr. Robert Puff. Dr. Puff runs the show over at The Happiness Podcast, where he shows you just how easy it is to be happy. This is a show I listen to, and it certainly feeds my positivity as I navigate single parenting. Robert believes that everyone can be happy, and there are easy, practical steps that we can take as single parents to make that happen. Today’s show is filled to the brim...
Published 08/17/17
Today, I am delighted to sit down with Elizabeth Salin, MFT and Ruth Jaeger, LCSW two therapists in my local community that have worked for many years with families in transition. They created a program for parents going through a divorce that teaches mindfulness skills to help reduce stress, anxiety and self-critical thoughts.
Published 08/10/17