Most of us believe we have to be everything for our kids. If the other parent isn't showing up fully, we tell ourselves it's on us to fill every gap and make up for what's missing. And we burn out trying. In this coaching conversation, Mary Louise, a mom of three, brings Michelle that exact exhaustion. What unfolds is a gentle unraveling of the belief undern ... Show More
Aug 11
Your Kid Doesn't Need Two Houses That Agree, They Need One That's Safe
We've all been told the same thing. Kids need consistency above everything else. The same rules, the same bedtime, the same consequences in every home they live in. So when the other parent won't get on the same page, we panic. We send the articles. We lecture. We build the case. ... Show More
23m 54s
Aug 4
Rewards Are Punishments in Disguise
For years, I thought I was doing everything right. I had left the yelling behind. I praised my girls constantly; I made star charts. I was a trained teacher and a school counselor, and I believed with my whole heart that catching kids being good was the kind, positive way to pare ... Show More
10m 16s
Jul 28
Play Instead of Punishment
When your child is being hard, what is the first tool you reach for? A countdown. A consequence. A lecture. A raised voice. Almost every one of those is a version of the same instinct: when my child gets hard, I get harder. It makes complete sense, because that is exactly what we ... Show More
18m 38s
Apr 2025
S10|16 - Intuitive Parenting
Over the last 4+ years of this podcast I have spoken about connection-based parenting, what’s blocking us, and how to move through those blocks. I have noticed my perspective and beliefs change towards my kids, and about parenting, and I feel very differently than I used to. I wa ... Show More
31m 48s
Jun 2025
The Follow-Up: Unlearning and Re-parenting Together
This episode is personal. My husband and I sit down for an open, honest, and vulnerable conversation about what it means to reparent ourselves while raising our son. It’s a raw look at how childhood experiences—good and bad—shape us as adults, and how we can consciously break har ... Show More
17m 6s
Jun 2024
How To Validate Your Kids' Feelings
Do you struggle with how to valiate feelings and hold boundaries for your kids? If so, you're not alone! It can be challenging to know the difference between saying "no" and still validating how your kids feel. In this podcast, you'll learn how to validate feelings, scripts for v ... Show More
24m 33s
Jun 2022
Dealing with Disrespectful Teens
<p>In this episode, I answer the following parent question: Nothing we do makes our daughter happy. Why can’t she just accept a comment, advice, suggestion without complaining and pushing back? How can I make her listen and accept what she is being told without an argument? </p>
... Show More
12m 3s