Explore every episode of Imperfect Heroes: Insights Into Parenting
Dive into the complete episode list for Imperfect Heroes: Insights Into Parenting. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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14 Feb 2022
Episode 34: Helpful Homework Hacks with Aimee Buckley
In this episode, DJ talks with 25+ year veteran teacher, Aimee Buckley. Aimee shares how she noticed kids and parents needing extra support at the beginning of the Covid shutdowns and started an online tutoring platform for families to connect with credentialed teachers. She not only shares the great benefits of one-on-one learning and being able to provide the proper visual, auditory or kinesthetic learning but goes on to share some great tips on what parents can do to set up a positive environment for at home learning and homework assignments.
Aimee Buckley is a veteran public school teacher and founder of Study Help Inc - a tutoring platform that connects top-quality teachers with students who are looking for a better understanding and stronger academic skills. For the first 5 years of her career as a teacher, Aimee taught students with emotional issues due to neglect or trauma and eventually moved to teaching students with mild to moderate disabilities in her current position that she has held for 20 years. Most teachers are experts on the content they deliver, Aimee is an expert at teaching.
TIMESTAMPS • [4:50] “When we went virtual, I knew that kids were going to need a lot more help than what we were really able to provide for them.” • [11:59] Aimee shares how to recognize when it is time to get outside tutoring help • [19:52] “ I like to alternate harder and easier. assignments because that way, you start with something - you finish it, then the next one is like, Oh, this is so fast.” • [32:09] Aimee talks about the teacher and parent collaborating to form a great team and help the specific needs of a child…
Are you working in cooperation with your child’s teacher? Tell us how you team up and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
Have you created an at home environment conducive to learning? Tell us about and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
Do you have some homework tips & tricks you can share with other parents? Share with us and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
In this episode, DJ talks with dietician Jessica Setnick about picky eaters. Do you have picky eaters… only eating the same 5 things? Have the battles over eating ever resulted in tears at your dinner time table? Stop what you’re doing and listen to this episode!
Jessica explains that individuals actually taste things differently and that we're undoubtedly creating a bigger dilemma by actually forcing a child to eat something they don't like. She goes on to tell us about her own approach in how to not berate, shame or punish our children for their discriminating eating habits. And she shares some insightful tips from getting the children involved in the meal prep process, to speak up and ask for what they want and teaching them good table manners.
Jessica Setnick is your favorite kind of nutrition expert - she knows her stuff but doesn’t take herself too seriously and brings a fresh, smart perspective to our relationships with food. In her quest to create a world where no one is ashamed of their eating quirks, Jessica blends her personal story of step-mom to picky eaters with twenty plus years working in the eating disorder field to cook up strategies that all of us can try. Her latest workbook is called Food Fairy Tales: Change the Stories You Tell About Food and Eat Happily Ever After.
TIMESTAMPS
• [3:09] Jessica explains how her two worlds of being a dietician and parent of picky eaters collided… • [8:17] “ First of all, I got them involved in the kitchen. I picked activities when we made…” • [13:29] Jessica talks about her awakening as a food preparer for picky eaters that their non-acceptance of her food did not mean they were not accepting her… • [38:13] “Food is a mood altering chemical, and we don't allow that enough in our conversations…”
Do you have a picky eater? Share some of your tips on getting them to try new things and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
In this episode, DJ talks with Joi Fisher-Griffith who was adopted at three months old to a wonderful family who she has very close ties to. Growing up as an adopted child taught Joi a lot through constructive conversations with other adoptees, adoptive, and birth parents. This background inspired Joi to not only give her best in exploring the topics of children and adoption but gave her the unwavering audacity to spark conversations on the topic, provide direction and give hope to adoptees, adoptive and foster families.
Tune in as we hear how she went about finding the answers to her own questions about being adopted, how long it took her, the effects of those questions, the feelings she had growing up an adoptee and as an adult raising children of her own.
Author and entrepreneur Joi R. Fisher-Griffin is an experienced educator, a passionate adoption advocate, and a patron of the arts. After going through her own struggles as an adoptee, Joi wrote her memoir, Finding Joi: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Love. She shared her story so that she could help others who sit in silence about their struggles, and she continues to find ways to be open about adoption, not only with adults but with young people, too. She is the author of two best-selling children’s adoption books Choosing Joi: An Adoptee’s Journey and Finding Belonging and Singing with Joi: There Are Lots of Different Ways to Be a Family. Joi’s books are designed to bring awareness to adoption-sensitive topics and language.
TIMESTAMPS • [3:50] “ My story is about really using my voice as an adult adoptee to help younger adoptees…” • [7:22] Joi talks about using Ancestry DNA to start finding family members… • [13:43] Joi talks about meeting her birth mother who is a church pastor… • [16:50] “Now I'd like to introduce you all to my daughter, Joy Fisher. And she calls me up. She calls up my adoptive parents. She thanks them for giving me the life that they gave me and all that they've done… It was beautiful.”
Did you know as a child that you were an adoptee and what kind of questions or feelings did that bring up for you? Tell us about it and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
With balanced energy and the right replenishment, introverts can thrive just like anybody else! Are you an extroverted parent raising an introverted child? Tune into this episode to hear our special guest, Dr. Michael Alcee, explain that introversion does not always equal antisocial or socially anxious and is actually more about overstimulation by too much external stimuli. Listen in as he explains how to recognize what stimulates and gives your child energy, what over stimulates them pushing them past their threshold and knowing when it is time for your child to regroup and recharge.
Michael Alcée, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Tarrytown, NY and Mental Health Educator at Manhattan School of Music. He specializes in the psychology of artists and everyday creativity and the professional development of therapists. His contributions have appeared in The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, The New York Post, NPR, Salon.com, and on the TEDx stage. His forthcoming book from Norton entitled Therapeutic Improvisation: How to Stop Winging It and Own It as a Therapist will be out in May 2022.
TIMESTAMPS • [4:52] “ Yeah, I think first off, it's really helpful to remember that introversion isn't necessarily shyness, although shyness can be there.” • [12:51] Dr. Alcee talks about how to recognize where/what energizes your child and what overstimulates and drains them. • [19:41] “Our greatest technology is being able to go inward and to reflect and to be compassionate with ourselves…” • [21:49] Michael speaks of the importance of being witnessed, seen, validated and being connected to what is real and in the moment.
Are you raising an introverted child? Do you recognize when it is time for them to regroup and recharge? How do you help them do that? Tell us about it and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
In this episode, DJ talks with author and motivational speaker, Paul Henderson, about overcoming emotions and past experiences associated with difficult beginnings and how we will become better parents when we stop allowing our past or what we deem as lack of opportunity to dictate our future. Listen in as he explains that mindset will keep you in anguish and victimhood or help you flourish and thrive… depending on how you choose to see your circumstances.
Paul A. Henderson is a Dean of Students, sports chaplain, author, and motivational speaker. He is a former track and field athlete at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Paul blogs at Fatherhood on the Fly, where his slogan is, “We’re learning, we’re growing, and we’re getting better one day at a time.” He uses a combination of encouragement and humor from daily experiences with his boys to inspire dads from different backgrounds to embrace the journey of fatherhood and all that comes with it.
Slave No More: Conquering the Master Within, Paul’s first book, was released January 4, 2022.
Paul is married to Kierra, and they have four sons, PJ, Joey, David, and Noah.
TIMESTAMPS • [11:36] “It starts with a decision, a decision to say, you know, what, I'm not going to be “enslaved to my past” or I'm not going to continue to allow myself to be a victim of my past. Yes, My past is my past.” • [14:35] Paul speaks about not letting not letting one negative “play” to define you… what sets you apart is how you respond to it. • [16:46] Paul explains that you have to surround yourself with the people who are where you want to be… • [31:06] Paul describes what he feels makes a successful parent…
Did you have difficult beginnings that you’ve had to overcome and change your mindset about in order to succeed in life and parenthood? Tell us about it and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
Our children absorb, internalize and regurgitate our behaviors and actions. If you’re so busy trying to stay perfect and inside the lines with your parenting techniques, what do you think that creates in your children?
Stay tuned for this episode! DJ speaks with parenting book author, radio host & nationally syndicated humor columnist, Lisa Sugarman, about finding humor and positivity in parenting perfectly imperfect children and about skills you can utilize when you screw up, have a loss or disappointment. Listen in to hear how to embrace the imperfection, laugh at yourself and ultimately make humor and positivity the great equalizer.
Lisa Sugarman is a parenting author, a nationally syndicated humor columnist, a radio show host, and the mom of two grown daughters. She writes the syndicated opinion column “It Is What It Is” and is the author of How to Raise Perfectly Imperfect Kids And Be Ok With It, Untying Parent Anxiety, and LIFE: It Is What It Is, available on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, and everywhere books are sold. She is also the co-host of the weekly radio show LIFE Unfiltered on Northshore 104.9FM and a regular contributor on Healthline Parenthood, GrownAndFlown, TODAY Parents, Thrive Global, Care.com, LittleThings, and More Content Now. Lisa lives with her husband and two daughters just north of Boston.
TIMESTAMPS • [7:39] Lisa speaks about finding positivity in things that can be tough or challenging. • [9:16] “We really are just so focused on staying inside the lines, if that's how we are, all of that stuff trickles down to our kids and they absorb that and they internalize that and they kind of regurgitate that in their own life.” • [12:”40] Lisa talks about having a choice in the way we frame and handle things… • [20:47] “ I think that what it all boils down to is acknowledging and accepting that everybody's truth, or everybody's head space, or heart space is their own, and is very unique. And if it's real in your head, if it's real in your heart, it's real to you.”
How do you find and emulate positivity & humor in parenting your perfectly imperfect child? Tell us about it and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
Whether you are a young or more mature parent, no one is perfect. We all make mistakes. We overschedule. We are away at work too long. We have our own emotional triggers. We feel guilty about and try to make up for our own shortcomings by buying too much for our children... And we often feel like less than our efforts. STAY TUNED for this episode! DJ sat down with mom and The No BS Mama podcast host, Megan Eddinger. Megan and DJ share some great parenting stories and even greater advice on how to cut yourself some slack as a parent, quit comparing yourself to other parents (Comparison is the thief of joy. -Theodore Roosevelt)... and learn to embrace being an imperfect hero raising perfectly imperfect children.
Megan is a 35- year-old, married to her high school sweetheart, podcast host and mother of 3 who became a mom just 2 weeks after her 18th birthday… and had her last baby at just 23 years old. She was thrown into motherhood before she really had a chance to figure out who she was. Megan’s goal with her “The No BS Mama” podcast is to normalize all the parts of motherhood that no one tells you about so that other moms don’t feel so alone in their own journeys.
TIMESTAMPS • [3:48] Megan talks about becoming a mom at 18-years-old… and mom of 3 by the age of 23… • [7:30] Megan talks about mom guilt and how most moms have their own fair share of that feeling… • [10:35] Megan shares that she is a “pick your battles” kind of mom • [18:06] “it's so easy nowadays, with social media and everything, to fall into that trap, that comparison trap.”
How do you cut yourself slack and keep your sense of humor when self-perceived parenting snafus occur? Tell us about it and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
In this episode, DJ talked with Bailey Olsen about the difference between punishment and discipline… a teaching opportunity for you, the parent, to teach your children about controlling their own actions. Tune in to hear DJ & Bailey offer experienced advice and tools you can use to set parental goals to methodically practice controlling your own actions when disciplining so you can be the best version of you for your children… and how to give yourself some grace when you feel like you’re falling short.
Bailey is a second and third grade elementary school teacher and just like our beloved host (who she happens to be related to), Bailey has a passion for teaching children. When Bailey isn’t performing her favorite job of them all, wife and mother, she serves as gymnastic coach which has been a passion since she was a young girl.
TIMESTAMPS • [23:25] “You don't need to define the whole day by the worst 10 minutes. That can also go in life. You can't define somebody's life by their worst year or so are their worst behaviors. When there are so many other positive things that you can concentrate on. We need to give ourselves that grace.” • [31:07] DJ talks about recognizing your own emotions first when your child does something that upsets you… • [34:45]”Is this going to hurt my child and my relationship or is it going to benefit us in the long run.” • [37:27] Bailey talks about being conscious of her children’s screen time because she notices behavioral differences when they’ve had too much.
How do you reward and discipline your child(ren). Tell us about it and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
April is Autism Awareness month! Do you know and love a child with autism? Stay tuned! In this episode, DJ hosted Rose Griffin, a speech language pathologist, behavior analyst and the Autism Outreach Podcast host to talk about the resources available to parents as well as tips and tools you can utilize to work together with your autistic child to learn both academically and socially.
Listen in as they discuss steps to take after an autism diagnosis, how to assist your child through networking and support groups for parents; what to do if you are noticing struggles which may be having an adverse impact on their educational performance; how finding an advocate is helpful to navigate all the needs that may arise; and how your autistic child may benefit from speech therapy to help them find their voice.
Rosemarie Griffin, MA, CCC/SLP BCBA, is an ASHA certified Speech-Language Pathologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She divides her time between a public school and her own private practice, ABA SPEECH. She is the founder of ABA SPEECH. ABA SPEECH offers therapy services, courses, consultations and products geared towards helping autistic students find their voice. Rose is also the host of the Autism Outreach Podcast, a weekly show all about autism and communication. She is a sought after speaker who enjoys connecting with audiences at the local, state and national level. Rose is passionate about the mission of ABA SPEECH, which is to help all students become more independent communicators.
TIMESTAMPS • [2:38] Rose explains how & why she became a speech therapist and when she started working with autistic learners. • [5:07] “The CDC just came out recently with a statistic that it is one in 44 people who are diagnosed as autistic.” • [13:22] Rose shares several websites that offer great resources for parents of children with autism. • [16:45] “An autism diagnosis doesn't automatically mean that the student is going to receive services. So just because a learner has autism, doesn't mean that they would qualify for services and educational environment, it just really has to be a team decision, you have to do the evaluation, you have to see where they're struggling,”
Do you have an autistic child? What resources have you found to support you and your child? Share them with us and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
For more information on the Imperfect Heroes podcast, visit: https://www.imperfectheroespodcast.com/
Do you think a 2 or 3 year old is too young for science? Actually, they aren’t! In this episode, DJ talks with Dr. Stephanie Ryan, who specializes in understanding how children learn different topics, especially math and science. Stephanie explains that children as young as two and three are ready to begin learning the skills that will give them a head start in understanding how to learn STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics). STEM is a teaching philosophy that integrates all four disciplines together into a single, cross-disciplinary program which empowers students to thrive as well as increase problem-solving and technology skills.
If we approach science with a fun attitude, we give our children an outlook that will help them solve many of the problems and the challenges of our world.
Dr. Stephanie Ryan, Ph.D. is a chemist, a boy mom, and a social media influencer who enjoys using her background to create educational products and content. Although an academic at heart, Stephanie is passionate about learning through play. She can be found helping young kids explore the fascinating world around them. Over the years, she has taught science to all age groups, both in and out of the classroom, helping toddlers learn about their world and college students define theirs.
TIMESTAMPS • [3:40] “I've always been really interested in this intersection of math and science. And once I became a parent, I started to get really interested in it at the level of small children as well.” • [8:47] Dr. Ryan explains that it is ok to not know everything and to look things up with your child so you can learn together. • [10:56] “If you know they're wrong, give them an experience to help them get it right later…” • [28:11] Stephanie explains that if your child is obsessed with one thing like bears for instance, that there are all types of activities, content & sequencing you can teach them around the subject of bears…
In this episode, DJ speaks with travel expert, Dawn Barclay about traveling with children who are anxious, inflexible or neuro-diverse. She shares strategies to prepare your child before traveling and tips to try and avoid the chaos. Listen in as Dawn shares advice from her Summer 2022 book release about how to find autism friendly venues and ways to create familiarity and similarity when you and your child are in a strange new place.
Dawn M. Barclay is an award-winning author who has spent a career working in different aspects of the travel industry. Starting as an agent with her parents’ firms, Barclay Travel Ltd and Barclay International Group Short-Term Apartment Rentals, she then branched out into travel trade reporting with senior or contributing editor positions at Travel Agent Magazine, Travel Life,Travel Market Report, and most recently, Insider Travel Report. She is a mother of two and resides in New York’s scenic Hudson Valley. She also writes fiction as D.M. Barr and holds leadership roles in several writer organizations.
TIMESTAMPS • [4:24] “Imagine being a young child going to the airport for the first time and having to wait in a long line for security, seeing adults around you acting oddly, people and packing their bags and removing articles of clothing before they end their belongings go through strange looking machines. All that combined with terrible lighting, lots of people and noise would create anxiety and a potential for meltdown in any child.” • [5:35] Dawn speaks about neurodiverse children being sensitive to different input while traveling, like fluorescent lights, noise and more. • [11:11] Dawn shares some advice about things you can plan for ahead of time to create a sense of familiarity to try and comfort your child when in a strange new place. • [15:23] “Bring noise canceling headphones, so that the child can just eliminate a lot of that exterior sound that might be upsetting to them.”
Do you have tips to share for traveling with an inflexible, anxious or neuro-diverse child? Tell us about it and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
In this episode, DJ speaks with Laurel Makowem, a certified financial education instructor, about money… our beliefs around it, the words we speak aloud when in its presence and how all that shapes our children’s beliefs and actions around the currency that makes the world go round. Tune in to hear them discuss several thought provoking questions to ask yourself about your money beliefs and tips to move past your financial literacy shortcomings to teach your child to be financially independent and responsible adults.
Laurel Makowem is a Certified Financial Education Instructor and founder of Mothers Teaching Money, a business and movement helping mothers raise financially confident, responsible and independent adults, regardless of their own financial knowledge or situation. Her mission is to normalize financial conversations and demystify financial literacy through the Millionaire Mindset Money System, a comprehensive holistic financial education system. She provides fun online courses, workshops and products for children 5+ and has specially designed products to financially empower teen girls
TIMESTAMPS • [5:39] Lauren discusses how our views and what we speak about money is what our children are picking up on. • [8:09] “It doesn't really matter how many skills we learn about money. If our mindset is not abundant, we're not going to do abandon things with the money.” • [12:25] Laurel talks about abundance in money, love and success and thinking abundantly… trusting there will be more than enough… and setting your child up that framework to think abundantly. • [16:41]”If your little child is hearing you say, I'm so bad with money, that's where they get a belief, rather say, mom's learning to be really good with money.”
What do you think your actions or beliefs are teaching your child(ren) about money? Tell us about it and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
In this episode, DJ speaks with Elizabeth Andreyeveskiy, fellow podcaster and mom of 4 who has made it her mission to help stressed moms manage their emotions so they can stop being snappy and respond with patience and calm. Listen in as they discuss strategies to avoid your own emotional outbursts and how to purposefully manage your own emotions when interacting with your children so you stay calm and grounded.
Elizabeth Andreyeveskiy is a Mom of 3 boys and 1 girl who has been married for 13 years and resides in Twin Cities, MN. Elizabeth became a stress coach for moms after struggling implementing gentle parenting because she was internally feeling burnout, overwhelmed and stressed. Now, through her website, coaching and her Emotionally Healthy Legacy podcast, Elizabeth teaches moms to prioritize their needs and ways to relax the nervous system as well as in the moment emotion regulation strategies to avoid emotional explosions.
TIMESTAMPS • [3:11] Elizabeth talks about her own wellness journey that led her to her current mission of helping stressed moms manage their emotions so they can stop being snappy and respond with patience and calm. • [4:46] “ Respectful parenting, positive parenting is 1000 times harder when you are exhausted, overwhelmed, burned out, mentally struggling…” • [7:42] Elizabeth explains the different sections of our brain that help us respond positively with our critical thinking brain vs. when we are exhausted and stressed out, responding with the emotional part of our brain. • [10:18] Elizabeth shares a tip on recognizing when your body is tense or you are overwhelmed or overstimulated… recognizing it so when you start to feel these emotions rise up, that you don’t act on them and say or do hurtful things.
Do you practice any strategies for your own emotional regulation when interacting with your child(ren)? Tell us about it and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
Do you have a child with BIG emotions and BIG dramatic responses… One who becomes outwardly upset or uncontrollable when things aren’t going their way? Or do you have a child who is ultra sensitive to criticism and disappointing people, still feeling things strongly but turning their emotions inward? Stay tuned for this episode! DJ speaks with Clinical Psychologist and Parenting Specialist, Rachel Bailey about how to support a child who is anxious, what you can do when they're melting down and more! Rachel shares some terrific advice on how to help your children (and yourself) work through these BIG emotions and find productive ways to process them.
Rachel Bailey is a Parenting Specialist who has been serving families for over a decade. Besides being a mother of two, she also has a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology, a certification in Positive Discipline, and has provided services as an ADHD Coach, in-home mentor, and therapist. Through her podcast, programs, and services Rachel teaches parents hands-on tools for raising resilient, confident children and bringing flexibility, peace, and connection to families.
TIMESTAMPS • [4:18] Rachel talks about some kids just feeling things strongly… and that is not a bad thing. • [8:44] “The first thing we do is start to understand what's going on because most of us judge the behavior…” • [12:29] “When you see a child who's angry when you see a child who's being bossy, what is happening is they're actually in fight or flight.” • [18:48] Rachel speaks of proactively teaching kids coping skills.
Tell us about it and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
In this episode, DJ speaks with Delphine Rule… teacher, administrator, advocate, person with a disability and a parent of children with learning disabilities. Listen in as Delphine talks about her passion in supporting families and educators to help everyone get past the labels and limiting beliefs when you have a child who is neurodiverse. Stay tuned to hear them discuss getting past the diagnosis grieving process and the hurdles so you can work on implementing strategies and therapies and access the resources available to you.
Delphine is a mother of 3, a person with Dyslexia and a school board administrator. Early on she was diagnosed with Dyslexia and has overcome many obstacles to accomplish her goals. Delphine now owns Access2Education and works as an educational consultant and advocate for families with children with neurodiversity. She began this work after struggling to find support and assistance when her own two older children were diagnosed with learning disabilities. Her knowledge as a person with a disability, an administrator, an educator and most importantly a mother to 2 children with learning needs allows for understanding on many angles. Using her personal and professional knowledge Delphine helps families find their road to success for their children.
TIMESTAMPS • [2:24] Delphine, a teacher and administrator, shares her own personal story of having dyslexia and 2 children with learning disabilities… • [10:46] “I think there is a part of us as parents who, quite honestly, we feel like the label of ADHD, of learning disability… is a frightening thing.“ • [21:24] “They arrive to you in this little package and you have this vision in your head of what it's going to be… and it's going to be all the sunshine and roses and it isn't.” • [27:41] Delphine shares the importance of finding your support team to ensure the success of your child.
Tell us about it and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
In this episode, DJ talks with Kathy Derr, mom of five who lost her oldest son to an inoperable brain tumor at the age of 7. The financial and emotional struggles she and her family went through during his treatment led her to found a non-profit called “A Kid Again” so other struggling families could find support in each other and experience year-round fun adventures for both the sick child and their siblings who are unintentionally sacrificing their parent’s time and attention and extracurricular activities.
Kathy Derr is the proud mom to five children and four grandchildren. Kathy’s eldest son, Christopher had an inoperable brain tumor and passed away. During Christopher’s fight with cancer, Kathy learned all too well what life is like for a family with a child that has a life threatening condition. This drove her to start “A Kid Again,” a non-profit organization that serves families of children with down syndrome or life threatening conditions by providing cost free, year round adventures for the entire immediate family.
TIMESTAMPS • [3:25] Kathy explains what her nonprofit “A Kid Again” does to serve struggling families. • [16:35] “You never know who knows somebody else who has a child that qualifies. And where our next chapter is going to be is pretty heavily driven by the amount of families we have enrolled in that area.” • [25:03] Kathy discusses not having to go through this alone… and to find the support you need to get you through what you are going through. • [26:00] “And we say, please do come because you are the hope that other parents see…”
Tell us about it and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
In this episode, DJ talks with Bailey Olsen about how to inspire our children to be curious about the world around them, encourage them to ask questions, form their own opinions and think independently. Listen in as they discuss some of the ways they’ve inspired children’s curiosity by creating fun fact finding missions and how Bailey has used a list of free activities to connect with her children and create random teaching moments to make the kids curiouser and curiouser.
Bailey is a second and third grade elementary school teacher and just like our beloved host (who she happens to be related to), Bailey has a passion for teaching children. When Bailey isn’t performing her favorite job of them all, wife and mother, she serves as gymnastic coach which has been a passion since she was a young girl.
TIMESTAMPS • [7:34] Bailey discusses helping her kids remain curious by encouraging them to research the big questions they have to find out the answers. • [27:14] “Finding out things about other people is a great way for them to not only build on their curiosity, but on their understanding of the world then expanding their horizons, not just living in such a narrow scope of life…” • [31:13] Bailey talks about really connecting with her own children on their level so they trust her enough to ask questions when they are curious about things. • [38:05] Bailey shares that she has created a list of things to do with her children that don’t cost money but still help her connect with them.
In this episode, DJ talks with Amber Wilfahrt, a busy mom, wife, entrepreneur and podcaster about being realistic when we are trying to perfectly juggle it all, taking time to plan meals, activities and more to avoid decision fatigue, creating space for selfcare, being perfectly imperfect, grateful and enjoying all the moments. Listen in as they discuss letting go of perfectionism and being okay with making mistakes to live your best “raw mom life.”
Amber is a mom to 3 girls, wife, and entrepreneur of 13 years. Her passion is to help moms put themselves first without the mom guilt by forming habits in their every day routines. Amber lives on faith, gratitude, sunshine, and coffee.
TIMESTAMPS • [3:46] Amber discusses trying to be a perfect mom with a successful business or career and having a great marriage all the time is not realistic or attainable… “do the best you can give yourself a lot of grace and, and laugh a lot.” • [8:55] “That's what we do. As moms, we just persevere. We just keep on doing it no matter how afraid we are.” • [14:37] Amber talks about planning ahead and forming habits to avoid decision fatigue. • [22:17] Amber talks about self care and figuring out what fills your cup.
Tell us about it and tag us on Facebook or Instagram @littleheartsacademy!
In this episode, DJ talks with special guest, Timothy Stuetz, a prolific children’s book author, about teaching values, inspiring courage, and bringing curiosity to the lives of our children through fairy tales. Listen in as they discuss ways to incorporate fairy tales to spark your child’s imagination and empower them to achieve their full mental, physical, emotional and heart-filled potential!
Timothy Stuetz is one of the most prolific children’s authors of all time, having just completed his 86thFairy Tale Of The Heart featuring Bliss Beary Bear. He is the creator of The Magical Miracle of You—A Self-Empowerment Course for Children and Families. He also created the Power Animal Frolics—A Yoga/T’ai Chi/Qigong COURSE for children where they exercise along with 7 Power Animals in Disney Quality Costumes.
FREE WORKSHOP ALERT! I am hosting a FREE 10-day challenge to find your calm, loving voice as you encourage your children to complete tasks and routines, and listen to you more quickly with less drama.
There will be a total of 5 live events with new information and the chance to ask questions and share. Let's find joy in parenting, together!
TIMESTAMPS • [6:35] Timothy explains why his books have beautiful cover illustrations but no pictures inside the books. • [7:15] “And that develops their neural networks and their creativity in ways far beyond what looking at a picture book would do.” • [16:27] “ So I've stayed away from all the children's books, just so that I know that what's coming into me is original.” • [29:57] Timothy shares that his fairy tales are a mixture of fantasy and reality, adventure, science fiction, poetry, heroes & heroines and proven principles of child development.
In this episode, DJ talks with Portia Clare, an author who wrote a children’s book to help children deal with the confusion and grief associated with the loss of a pet. Listen in as DJ & Portia discuss creating memory boxes for your lost pet, questions to ask to create a safe space for your child to express themselves and involving your little one in activities which will encourage them to discuss their feelings about their loss.
Portia Yvette Clare has been privileged to serve in developing the minds and character of children for over thirty years. A graduate of Duke University and Regent University, she maintains her love of learning and earnestly desires to empower the children who have been entrusted to her care. Simply put, Portia teaches because she values children. Her love of children and family compel her to write stories that will help them to recognize their importance, appreciate their value, and navigate through difficult life experiences. Creative writing has always brought her joy and writing children’s books has been her passion since childhood.
FREE WORKSHOP ALERT! I am hosting a FREE 10-day challenge to find your calm, loving voice as you encourage your children to complete tasks and routines, and listen to you more quickly with less drama.
There will be a total of 5 live events with new information and the chance to ask questions and share. Let's find joy in parenting, together!
TIMESTAMPS • [6:23] Portia discusses a memory box that can be made by a child or by a family to help to collect all of those wonderful memorabilia from your beloved family pet. • [8:25] Portia encourages asking questions and involving them in activities which will encourage them to discuss their feelings about their lost pet. • [12:52] “Everyone grieves differently, children and adults, and it will take as long as it takes.” • [30:20] “It behooves us to make sure that we are giving them an environment where they're safe and where they're cared for and where parents can go to work and be at ease and think...”
SIGN UP for our FREE 10 Day Challenge! This challenge is designed to help parents learn tools and techniques to stop being reactive and yelling at their kids to build enduring relationships with strong boundaries in peace and kindness.
In this episode, DJ talks with Danielle Ingenito who is an expert in healing after toxic relationships and she helps women turn their pain into power. Tune in to hear about not projecting your pain, fears and concerns on your children and instead, how to help them be prepared, not scared. By the end of the episode, you will understand how overprotecting your children will not allow them to develop the critical skills they will need as they grow and become adults and you will recognize the fine line between giving your kids the space and freedom they need to become independent problem solvers.
Danielle Ingenito is the creator of the Let it Go Method which is a step-by-step process of helping women awaken their true self-worth & let go of the constant feeling of needing validation from other people. She is a Certified Life Coach and has helped thousands of women take their power back in her challenges and transformational programs.
FREE WORKSHOP ALERT!
I am hosting a FREE 10-day challenge to find your calm, loving voice as you encourage your children to complete tasks and routines, and listen to you more quickly with less drama.
There will be a total of 5 live events with new information and the chance to ask questions and share. Let's find joy in parenting, together!
TIMESTAMPS • [5:39] Danielle shares that a lot of times after leaving a toxic relationship that we want to retreat to our comfort zone… • [7:27] Danielle shares that she really works with women and not projecting their fears, anger, etc. onto their children. • [18:48] “Everything I went through made me stronger.” • [31:18] “We don't talk about birds and bees… we talk about sex specifically - the real language. We don't talk around topics anymore… because it's out there… they're gonna see it on social media. So I explain it to them, instead of avoiding it.”
SIGN UP for our FREE 10 Day Challenge! This challenge is designed to help parents learn tools and techniques to stop being reactive and yelling at their kids to build enduring relationships with strong boundaries in peace and kindness.
In this episode, DJ talks with Nikole Thompson about how the media and social platforms are really having a negative effect on our kids. Listen in as they discuss how much screen time is appropriate, the violence, death, anger, pornography, sex and more that our kids are being exposed to at much earlier ages and how you as a parent can research, monitor and encourage healthier activities. Tune in as they discuss everything from appropriate music to appropriate movies or television programs and how you can make changes to be more aware and present… and set your child(ren) up to succeed.
Nikole Thompson is a speaker, writer, and ministry leader, alongside her husband, Anthony. They are the directors of Celebrate Recovery at Covenant Community Church in Madisonville, KY, where they reside. Having nine grown children, and 12 grandchildren, so far biblical marriage and parenting is not just something she speaks about, but something she lives. Passionate about sharing the gospel, it was 6 years ago they stepped out in faith, and launched Prisoner2preacher - their very own nonprofit. 50 Shades of Truth is Nikole’s personal testimony of walking away from a rebellious lifestyle, and now chasing after God.
FREE WORKSHOP ALERT!
I am hosting a FREE 10-day challenge to find your calm, loving voice as you encourage your children to complete tasks and routines, and listen to you more quickly with less drama.
There will be a total of 5 live events with new information and the chance to ask questions and share. Let's find joy in parenting, together!
SIGN UP for our FREE 10 Day Challenge! This challenge is designed to help parents learn tools and techniques to stop being reactive and yelling at their kids to build enduring relationships with strong boundaries in peace and kindness.
TIMESTAMPS • [13:41] Nikole shares how/why she began monitoring her children’s screen time and how consistency made it successful. • [18:26] Nikki shares how she feels our children are being influenced by the current culture. • [21:53] “That's what I'm hoping to share with your listeners that you have the authority in your home, you're the parent, you have to take it back for the sake of your child...” • [27:56] “They have just taken all of the restraints off and unless you are extremely intentional about guarding what comes on your screen, like that song says it takes a moment to make a memory but a lifetime to forget it, It is so hard to forget it once you've seen it.
Sometimes the best way to connect with your child is when you join in the childish fun yourself. In this episode, DJ talks with James Heppner, a Results Coach and Podcast Host, about letting perfection go (because you don’t have to have it all figured out at this point) and how taking the time to relate to your child(ren) and expanding on your own point of view can make all the difference in the world. Listen in to hear them talk about the beauty of being a child, letting your own inner child resurface, being playful, developing curiosity and the rewards you will reap when you take the time to learn from your child(ren).
James Heppner likes to think of himself as an artist of experience. His passion is to create transformational experiences for himself and others as a way to explore what it means to truly live fully alive. James is a Results Coach and founder of “Weekly Wins and Losses” podcast and weekly global community cop. He helps people in their journey to embrace all of life, both wins and losses equally. James helps you firmly establish the mental and physical courage needed to do difficult things, while guiding you to activate your ability to leverage the good news that lies at the heart of both a win and a loss.
FREE WORKSHOP ALERT!
I am hosting a FREE 10-day challenge to find your calm, loving voice as you encourage your children to complete tasks and routines, and listen to you more quickly with less drama.
There will be a total of 5 live events with new information and the chance to ask questions and share. Let's find joy in parenting, together!
SIGN UP for our FREE 10 Day Challenge! This challenge is designed to help parents learn tools and techniques to stop being reactive and yelling at their kids to build enduring relationships with strong boundaries in peace and kindness.
TIMESTAMPS • [6:30] “Instead of us just teaching the child something, how about we let the child and us we teach each other simultaneously because they're wise, we're wise.” • [14:21] “It triggered me back to a remembrance of what true communication is, which is empathy…” • [16:43] James shares “ You don't have to be perfect. You don't have it all figured out.” • [41:36] “You know, the good news. I get to choose if I'm going to focus on what's wrong.”
In this episode, DJ talks with Rabbi Manis Friedman about raising healthy children beyond the basic necessities, our own parenting fears and insecurities of raising them and how to find your parenting authority and confidence. Listen in as they discuss not judging, doing away with labels, giving yourself credit where it is deserved and how to remain an enthusiastic parent along the way.
Rabbi Manis Friedman is a world renowned author, lecturer, counselor and philosopher. He was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia in 1946, immigrated with his family to the United States in 1950, and received his rabbinic ordination from the Rabbinical College of Canada in 1969. Rabbi Friedman has been featured in over 200 international print articles and interviewed on more than 50 television and radio talk shows, including CNN, A&E Reviews, PBS, BBC Worldwide, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Seventeen, Guideposts, Insight, and Publisher’s Weekly.
FREE WORKSHOP ALERT!
I am hosting a FREE 10-day challenge to find your calm, loving voice as you encourage your children to complete tasks and routines, and listen to you more quickly with less drama.
There will be a total of 5 live events with new information and the chance to ask questions and share. Let's find joy in parenting, together!
TIMESTAMPS • [11:13] “There are many ways in which we can make our children healthy. Just basic necessities, like you mentioned, stability, security, safety.” • [12:10] “There's no rulebook that comes with the birth of a child that says, Do not machine wash, and I'd like you to figure that out on our own.” • [18:19] Rabbi Friedman explains confidence is what gives parents authority. • [26:11] “We're so concerned about our children's psychological health, that it makes us crazy.”
In this episode, DJ talks with Natalie Silverstein, an author and passionate advocate for family and youth service. Stay tuned as they discuss how service comes into play in our families, in creating a positive attitude in our kids, and how it promotes the desire to make a difference. Listen in as they discuss raising grateful, grounded, empathetic and compassionate kids by broadening their horizons through volunteering and serving others in your community.
Natalie Silverstein is an author, volunteer and passionate advocate for family and youth service. Her first book, Simple Acts: The Busy Family’s Guide to Giving Back, was published in 2019 and was named as one of the Top Books for parents who want to raise kind kids by the HuffPost. Her second book, The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making a Difference, is launching on July 12th. After a successful career in healthcare, Natalie became the New York coordinator of Doing Good Together, a national nonprofit with the mission of helping parents raise kids who care and contribute. She lives in New York City with her husband and three teenagers.
TIMESTAMPS • [6:21] “I understood instinctively, as most parents do, that serving others working in our community, volunteering with them was probably one of the most important things that I could do to raise grateful, grounded, empathetic, compassionate kids…” • [9:44] Natalie discusses how it became her purpose, her mission to help parents and their kids to find their purpose… to find some meaning in their lives through service to others. • [14:40] “It's not about giving money. It's about giving your time.” • [22:08] “I want everyone to realize you have time, you absolutely have time in your calendar, you have time for everything else, right?”
Many parents are looking for a way for their children to learn about self control, respect, and to be physically active. In this episode, DJ talks with Tim B., a martial arts coach and podcast host, about the benefits and best time to start martial arts with your kids, finding the right gym and how to be an involved parent by showing up and taking an active role in their accomplishments and growth.
Tim is the founder and co-host of the FIGHT IN SIGHT podcast, which covers the world of mixed martial arts. Each week his podcast interviews individuals from around the world of combat sports including UFC athletes, coaches, judges, nutritionists, body language experts, and even criminal defense lawyers! Their positive and humorous, but educational take on the fight game is one they have been proud to be bringing to their viewers and listeners for the past year and a half.
TIMESTAMPS • [8:17] “It’s so important to get people active… to get kids out of the house, away from their computer screens… away from their tablets, or their video games and get them out, get them doing something.” • [9:27] “Self confidence is the ability to have some sort of confidence in yourself… in your physical self and in your abilities to defend yourself.” • [16:23] Tim shares how to find the right gym for your child and what to look for… • [20:56] “And when you're talking about your children going through these things, this is something that they're going to remember for the rest of their lives…”
In this episode, DJ talks with her niece, Bailey Olsen, about growing up in a large family… the craziness, the goofiness and sometimes scariness of it all. Listen in as they share stories of growing up amongst many siblings, raising their own children, disagreements, frustration, aging, love, laughter and the sheer joy of being a parent and part of a large family full of big and unique personalities.
Bailey is a second and third grade elementary school teacher and just like our beloved host (who she happens to be related to), Bailey has a passion for teaching children. When Bailey isn’t performing her favorite job of them all, wife and mother, she serves as gymnastic coach which has been a passion since she was a young girl.
TIMESTAMPS • [15:30] Bailey shares some of her earliest memories of childhood. • [19:07] DJ recalls that metamorphosis that occurred when her own dad went from being a father to a grandfather. • [33:06] DJ shares a funny & scary experience of riding in a large plastic pool on top of a car… • [51:11] DJ encourages listeners to think back to and write down some of your own childhood stories… and share them with your children.
In this episode, DJ talks with best-selling author and fellow podcaster, Linda Bjork, about the hard times, the joyful times and how your overall attitude about parenting can make all the difference. Listen in as they discuss the worry, fear, sacrificing, protecting and paying attention to the way you show up for parenting. And the best news… We all have different approaches and there is more than one right way to do things as a parent!
Linda Bjork is a personal development expert, advocate for hope and healing, best selling author, speaker, host of "Linda's Corner" podcast, and founder of Hope for Healing non-profit charity. Some of her books include “Crushed: A Journey Through Depression,” and Amazon best seller “You Got This! An action plan to calm fear, anxiety, worry, and stress.” Linda’s personal mission is to empower people to become their best selves.
TIMESTAMPS • [7:12]”It is okay to be imperfect, because we are.” • [11:35] “We have different approaches. And the cool thing is, there's more than one right way to do things.” • [16:08] Linda talks about treating our kids with respect and the way we’d want to be treated. • [18:12] Linda talks about becoming more self-aware and waking up from being on auto-pilot and that “whenever we're trying to take care of another person, it matters with how we are feeling ourselves.”
In this episode, DJ talks with Dr. Corey Gilbert, an author, speaker and podcaster about what we can do as parents to teach our children the important values and ethics that they are going to need to survive in the world as adults. Listen in as they discuss being an active parent, paying attention to what they consume on social media and helping your kids see their true value and place in the world.
Dr. Corey Gilbert is the CEO and Founder of the HealingLives Center, an acclaimed author, podcaster and sought-after speaker. Every day he works passionately to support and coach individuals of all walks of life as they overcome their pain, understand who they are, and even see value in their suffering.
TIMESTAMPS • [6:44] Dr. Gilbert discusses the issue of absent fathers and that we should equip and encourage dads… • [8:42] “Your kids are watching every move you make, even if they aren't consciously watching it. They're unconsciously learning…” • [19:09] Corey encourages parents to be more active in their kid’s lives, to pay attention to what they are consuming on social media and to “think through what you really want in terms of measuring stick for the goals of who your kids become?” • [14:03] “We've misused and abused and devalued that's what the internet does.”
Do you think there are questions in faith that we just shouldn't ask… or should we be able to ask questions? My guest in this episode is Jay Aedo and he has written a “what if” story from the Bible… a familiar story with a twist. His book, The Conscious Bible Stories: Cain and Abel, examines the possibility and what it might have looked like if Cain was unable to kill Abel and they work things out and move forward. Listen in as we discuss having open ended conversations with our children and how allowing them to come up with their own conclusions to things really sets them up for success.
Jay Aedo is an international entrepreneur, teacher of practical philosophy and children’s book author. Born and raised in southern California, Jay often felt the weight of the different belief systems his parents, teachers and religious leaders followed. As a writer and community leader, he encourages his young readers to look beyond the antiquated programs of the stories that have repeated for centuries. For the first time in the history of children’s books, an author tells biblical stories from a super-conscious perspective.
TIMESTAMPS • [6:20] Jay shares how his bible story with a twist is meant to represent a new story for humanity as to the potential of what we could be. • [11:08] “You know, I feel like it's more like these conversations, these open ended conversations where we allow kids to come up with their own conclusions to things really sets them up for success to where they're, they're looking with confidence within themselves to find the answers.” • [18:15] “I feel it's very healthy to ask, what if? What if this? What if that? Isn't that where our natural curiosity stems from?” • [23:37] “Because of our self consciousness, and our insecurities, and our self doubt and our fear, we've translated these stories to be more fearful stories as to who we're supposed to be.”
In this episode, DJ talks with pediatric sleep consultant, Becca Campbell about that precious commodity and foundation our children need to ensure health and wellness and being well rested… sleep! Tune in to hear how this mom gets her two elementary aged daughters to sleep 11 hours every single night! Curious about how she makes that happen? She has helped 1000s of families resolve exhausting sleep habits and she can help you too by listening to this episode.
Becca Campbell, M.A.T., is a certified pediatric sleep consultant and the CEO and founder of Little Z’s Sleep (www.littlezsleep.com) and The Sleep Sorority. She has guided tens of thousands of families through the exhausting world of newborn, baby, and toddler sleep and is trusted by pediatric clinics and medical specialists across the country. Becca is also the host of the #3 globally-ranked pediatric podcast, Little Z's Sleep Podcast, and her expertise has been featured in outlets like Parents magazine, NBC news, yahoo!Life, and Toddler Purgatory. As a CEO, wife, and mother of two, she understands the importance of restful, restorative sleep, so she’s dedicated to helping families make sleep a thing.
TIMESTAMPS • [4:56] Becca discusses how sleep is the foundation of health and wellbeing. • [7:54] “When you sleep, your appetite is regulated. When you sleep, your hormones, your emotions are regulated… sleep touches every part of your life.” • [14:08] Becca talks about consolidated sleep and the importance of getting through all the sleep cycles so our bodies can get the actual rest and the reprieve it needs for the brain to function properly. • [15:43] “75% of a child’s growth hormones that their body is going to be secreting are going to happen at nighttime.”
Is there something in school like music, art, woodshop, cheerleading or sports, that keeps your kids wanting to learn more? In this episode, DJ talks with Mark Taylor, a percussionist and instructor from the UK, about the classes and teachers that get kids excited about learning, and those that create an environment for them to grow, thrive, and be themselves. Listen in as they discuss how creativity is going to give rise to the skills, the understanding and the knowledge that we all need in the future for a sustainable, happy and tolerant planet.
Mark has been a professional percussionist for 25 years and has had the opportunity of performing with some of the UK’s finest orchestras and theater companies. Finding his passion and ‘voice’ through music gave Mark the desire to share this understanding through his drum and percussion teaching which he provides in schools and in his private practice.
TIMESTAMPS • [6:41] “It's the young people who are at the heart of everything that we're doing.” • [12:47] “I think the more we can take this sort of natural learning, understanding that we all know, as parents, and take that into a slightly more formal setting,” • [27:41] “We have to put our focus on what the child needs… how much information, how much support, how much general kind of extra things you put in play to give them what they need.” • [44:29] “The more you can give them the environment where they can step into who they really are and how they can help others, then that's going to change and that kind of positive reinforcement is going to be great for them…”
In this episode, DJ talks with a Forbes ranked CEO, mother and author, Sherrie Barch, about experiencing the loss of a loved one and the terminology to use with smaller children about death and the grieving process. Listen in as they discuss the different vantage points for each family member when someone dies and how her book “Heaven's Bell” was written to help with difficult but healthy conversation starters so everyone can move forward in love, memory and compassion.
Sherrie Barch is the CEO of two Forbes’ ranked top executive search firms and a leadership consulting company. As a mom, she describes herself as a part-time pancreas for her two youngest sons who were both diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes within the same year. Sherrie’s passion for storytelling and making room for serious and “heavy” conversations was a strong motivation for her to write her children’s book Heaven’s Bell based on a story of the same name she penned several years prior. One of her goals for Heaven’s Bell is to create and inspire a safe space for families to have a conversation about death and dying in a natural and productive way.
TIMESTAMPS • [5:11] “As parents, we're kind of being forced to maybe create some space for difficult conversations.” • [8:13] “My family kind of shielded us from death. So they didn't take us to the funeral because it was so sad…” • [14:00] “ And it's not about covering up death and dying or making it a less serious topic. That's not it. Because where the conversation goes, is to be able to create some of those healthy conversations.” • [18:01] “When a family is experiencing a death, everybody in the family also has a different vantage point, whether you're a sister or a parent, or younger sister, older brother…”
In this episode, DJ talks with parent, grandparent, retired educator and children’s author, Barbara Ann Mojica, about the importance of learning our history so we can have a sense of where we've come from, who we are and how we fit into the world. Listen in as Barbara shares suggestions for parents to introduce history to their children at a very young age and how she has made history come alive using the whimsical Little Miss History character to narrate her book series that makes learning history a truly fun filled adventure.
Barbara Ann Mojica is an author, educator, and parent who provides tools to inspire, entertain and educate youth. Barbara Ann Mojica, M.A. S.A.S., S.D.A is a historian and retired educator. Her education career spans more than forty years serving as a teacher, special educator, principal, and school district administrator. Barbara feels that history is the key to solving today’s problems. Using the whimsical Little Miss History character to narrate her book series, she makes learning history a fun-filled adventure. Barbara firmly believes, "If you don't know your history, you don't know what you're talking about."
TIMESTAMPS • [6:47] “I tell children that the moment you're born, you become a character in history.” • [7:14] “History is an evolution. It's ongoing. So everything in the world has a history, we have a history…” • [11:19] Barbara discusses the connections and context of things “because children always want to have the answers to those magic questions.” • [17:02] Barbara introduces facts and events in her books that people may not have been aware of.
In this episode, DJ speaks with Dr. Danny Brassell about getting your children to read more, read better and actually love reading! Listen in as Dr. Danny explains why “Captain Underpants is the gateway drug to Shakespeare.” And stay tuned as he shares some of his proven techniques to incorporate reading outside of the classroom every day and how to flip the script to take it from teaching kids the misery of reading to sharing the wonder of reading.
A highly-sought after speaker, trainer and coach known as “Jim Carrey with a Ph.D.,” Dr. Danny Brassell has spoken to over 3,500 audiences worldwide and authored 16 books, including his latest, Leadership Begins with Motivation. He helps entrepreneurs, executives and small business owners boost their business and impact by improving their communication skills.
TIMESTAMPS • [7:17] “In 67 days, just over two months, I guarantee we’ll get your kid to read more, read better, and most importantly, to love reading…” • [10:03] “Wait a sec, are you telling me if I can get my kid to read for 10 minutes a day outside of school, I can take them from an F to a C?” • [11:32] Dr. Danny shares a technique he used on his own children about embracing TV and technology but charging an “admission” of a book to read before allowing the children to engage with the technology. • [13:54] Danny shares that turning on the closed captioning on your television set helps children tremendously with reading - especially if there are not a lot of books in the house.
Does your child have difficulty focusing or paying attention? Are they hyperactive? And do you wonder if they may have ADHD? Today, we are talking to Dr. Walt Karniski, an ADHD expert and author for some answers. Listen in as he explains where ADHD comes from and helps us understand that the diagnosis doesn't mean that your kid is doomed. If you've ever wondered whether you or your child has ADHD, this episode will address some of those common questions.
Walt Karniski is a Developmental Pediatrician. He trained at Boston Children’s Hospital, affiliated with Harvard Medical Center. He was the Director of the Division of Developmental Pediatrics at the University of South Florida, in Tampa, Florida for 15 years. He then opened a private practice and for 20 years, evaluated and treated children with ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, Learning Disabilities and other developmental difficulties.
TIMESTAMPS • [14:08] “The first question that I asked in my book is, is medication effective? Does it work? And there's actually three ways that we know that medication works and works extremely well.” • [17:11] Dr. Karniski shares why there is compelling evidence that medication works. • [19:54] “Many other people have been diagnosed with ADHD and they found ways to To make it a productive part of their lives…” • [26:54] Dr. Karniski explains, “as young as three years of age, we can distinguish that a child is having difficulty with hyperactivity, impulsivity, short attention span, distractibility…”
In this episode, Bailey Olsen is back to talk about what to do when the kids have lost their minds from being overstimulated and the tantrums or outbursts that ensue. Listen in as she and DJ discuss your own behavior while the meltdown is happening, how to handle your child’s big emotions during the occurrence, how to prepare for the next incident and a few things you can do after the fact to turn the situation into a learning moment for your little one.
Bailey is a second and third grade elementary school teacher and just like our beloved host (who she happens to be related to), Bailey has a passion for teaching children. When Bailey isn’t performing her favorite job of them all, wife and mother, she serves as gymnastic coach which has been a passion since she was a young girl.
TIMESTAMPS • [7:30] “I'm so much more calm. I get upset less. I am better at defusing these meltdowns…” • [10:58] “It is just staying calm myself, and looking at the positives. What are some alternatives?” • [23:14] DJ discusses the frustration that occurs when your young child really wants something but doesn’t have the vocabulary to express it. • [25:45] Bailey suggests, as a sensory release when a child is angry, to have them stomp their feet as hard as they can…
In this episode DJ and her guest, cognitive psychologist and brain training researcher Dr. Amy Moore, discuss things parents and teachers can do to help a child with ADHD and OCD. Listen in as they talk about differences in the brains of neurodiverse kids, the signs to look for and the variety of approaches from medication, nutrition and the importance of sleep to cognitive physical activity or brain training to help prevent inappropriate attention skills, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation.
Dr. Amy Moore is a cognitive psychologist and director of research at LearningRx in Colorado Springs, CO at the headquarters of the largest network of cognitive training centers in the world. She specializes in cognitive rehabilitation training and cognition assessment for ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders, brain injury, learning disabilities, and age-related cognitive decline.
TIMESTAMPS • [5:06] Dr. Moore shares the impact cognitive training can have in the classroom? • [7:34] “The sense of feeling defeated, impacts their motivation, impacts their desire to even try. Right. I mean, it can be devastating.” • [11:42] Amy shares things parents and teachers can do to help their child with ADHD. • [39:23]Dr. Moore discusses the commonalities between ADHD and OCD.
In this episode DJ and her guest, multi award winning children's author, Wanda Luthman, talk about the importance of gratitude, how we can make it a part of our family culture, and about teaching our children to have grateful hearts. Tune in to hear how studies have shown that living in gratitude has a profound effect on our emotional and spiritual well being, how it strengthens relationships and the effects it can have on our physical well being too.
Wanda Luthman is an international multi-award-winning author. She’s been a Christian since she was 3 years old, was baptized at 12 years old, and attended a Christian College in the Midwest double majoring in Psychology and Sociology. She has practiced in the field of counseling for over 20 years. But, she felt she really “met” God in her late 40’s when her Pastor taught her contemplative listening which is a Christian form of meditation. Since then, she’s been on a mission to share God’s love with everyone she meets.
TIMESTAMPS • [11:14] Wanda explains when & why she started paying attention to what happened each day that she could be grateful for. • [16:52] Wanda tells DJ how we can help build thoughtfulness into children by encouraging them to think about other people and do something kind for them. • [18:22] “If you don't stop and pay attention to it, you wind up taking it for granted.” • [23:05] “When you look back, you can see… Wow! That really was instrumental in bringing me to who I am today.”
In this solo episode, DJ is sharing some things that are very personal to her about the trinity of holidays that occur between now and December 31st. Tune in to hear her thoughts about why they come in the order they do; how Thanksgiving, gratitude and being humble go hand in hand; how Christmas is about letting Christ into our hearts, being kinder, more caring and more understanding; and about how we typically see opportunities when the New Year approaches to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.
TIMESTAMPS • [1:57] DJ discusses the importance of being humble. • [8:59] “People who are humble are more compassionate, more caring, and less likely to be aggressive.” • [11:11] DJ shares the significance of humility in our lives. • [17:06] “You can be successful or you can make a difference.”
In this episode DJ chats with Lindsay Miller, The Stress Nanny, who offers great advice on managing our own stress, as well as helping our children gain the skills and the tools to manage their stress. Listen in as they discuss tips to accept the chaos and embrace the calm when you start each day, appreciating the time you have, showing empathy, finding time for self care and uncovering opportunities to be creative.
Lindsay Miller is a kids mindfulness coach, mindfulness educator and host of The Stress Nanny Podcast. She is known for her suitcase tricks and playful laugh. When she's not playing catch with her daughter or rollerblading on local trails with her husband, you can find her using her 20+ years of child development study and mindfulness certification to dream up new ways to get kids excited about deep breathing. Having been featured on numerous podcasts, platforms and publications, Lindsay’s words of wisdom are high impact and leave a lasting impression wherever she goes.
TIMESTAMPS • [5:25] DJ & Lindsay consider how we handle the stress in our lives will have a lot to do with how our kids manage stress, too. • [15:53] “When we can embrace both the imperfection of the moment and simultaneously accept it as a moment in our parenting journey, we have so much momentum.” • [26:29] Lindsay discusses the importance of noticing the signs that your kids are reaching their limit. • [37:32] The Stress Nanny shares how we can help our kids develop self-awareness and empathy.
In this episode DJ sat down with previous trial lawyer, now peacemaker and award-winning author, Doug Noll to discuss raising emotionally healthy and competent kids. Listen in as they discuss how human beings are more emotional than rational, that keeping your own emotions in check will help your child feel safe and secure and how you can be a successful emotional coach for your child.
Douglas E. Noll, JD, MA left a successful career as a trial lawyer to become a peacemaker. His calling is to serve humanity, and he executes his calling at many levels. He is an award-winning author, teacher, trainer, and a highly experienced mediator. Doug’s work carries him from international work to helping people resolve deep interpersonal and ideological conflicts to training life inmates to be peacemakers and mediators in maximum-security prisons.
TIMESTAMPS • [6:01] Doug talks about one of his passions is getting parents to stop invalidating their children's emotions, which in his view, is the most insidious and pervasive form of emotional abuse that exists. • [10:36] “Most of us were brought up to believe that human beings, what separates us from other animals is rationality or ability to reason. That is simply not true. It's a myth.” • [17:45] “They got there because the parents have the correct skills to teach them emotional competency, by reflecting back their emotions, and by modeling in the adult relationship.” • [24:51] Doug shares that you have a choice to raise emotionally healthy kids or you can raise emotionally unhealthy kids… It's a simple choice and is a skill you can master in four to six weeks.
You work hard to make Christmas magical for your children… But what makes Christmas magical for you? In this episode DJ spoke with mom of 2 and Couples and Family Counseling Masters Student, Regan Mitton. Tune in to hear them discuss keeping your stress at bay, assumptions and expectations in check and how dropping the traditions that don’t work for your family, being intentional about the customs and events you do include in your holidays and making your yes’s and no’s meaningful will help keep the magic in Christmas for you!
Regan Mitton is in her final year of getting her masters degree in Couples and Family counseling. She took a hiatus this current semester to give birth to her second child. She is now the mom of 2 beautiful and energetic girls, one 4 years old and her newborn. Her husband is a police officer who also volunteers his time working with teenagers in the community. Regan has worked on several topics concerning moms and stress.
TIMESTAMPS • [6:18] “Even when we didn't believe in all of the Christmas things anymore, they still made it feel really magical.” • [10:37] Regan explains: “So you have this expectation of how Christmas time is gonna go, how the putting up the tree is gonna go. And then those expectations aren't met, and we're sad, we're disappointed.” • [12:44] Regan discusses being intentional with our money & time spent at the holidays. • [24:19] Regan shares how she recognizes overstimulation and overwhelm in herself and how she manages it.
In this podcast episode, DJ invited Natalie Silverstein back on the show to discuss the many opportunities for giving and service around the holidays. Tune in as they discuss the hope we all have to raise grateful, grounded, compassionate and empathetic children and how to do that through modeling a life of service, being aware of others, as well as keeping our eyes, ears, hearts and minds open to the needs of others… not just during the holidays but throughout the year.
Natalie Silverstein is an author, volunteer and passionate advocate for family and youth service. Her first book, Simple Acts: The Busy Family’s Guide to Giving Back, was published in 2019 and was named as one of the Top Books for parents who want to raise kind kids by the HuffPost. Her second book, The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making a Difference, launched in July of 2022. After a successful career in healthcare, Natalie became the New York coordinator of Doing Good Together, a national nonprofit with the mission of helping parents raise kids who care and contribute. She lives in New York City with her husband and three teenagers.
TIMESTAMPS • [8:54] DJ & Natalie discuss the many opportunities for service around the holidays… and that people are in the mood in November and December but how the need isn't only a two month need. • [18:31] Natalie talks about the importance of making the holidays special for other people. • [32:08] Natalie explains: “Don't forget that there are gifts, lots of them, actually, that give back.” • [37:27] DJ poses the profound question: “What do you want to GIVE for Christmas?”
In this podcast episode, DJ invited Bailey Olsen back on the show to discuss the holiday activities & traditions that meant a lot to them in adolescence. Listen in as they talk about the things they do now with their children and grandchildren and offer up some unique ideas for you to make Christmas meaningful for your family.
Bailey is a second and third grade elementary school teacher and just like our beloved host (who she happens to be related to), Bailey has a passion for teaching children. When Bailey isn’t performing her favorite job of them all, wife and mother, she serves as gymnastic coach which has been a passion since she was a young girl.
TIMESTAMPS • [3:07] DJ & Bailey discuss their most unforgettable Christmas memories. • [10:44] DJ articulates why it’s important to be aware of family members who might be alone on Christmas. • [15:05] Bailey talks about the camaraderie of being with your siblings during the holidays. • [38:56] Bailey shares some of the traditions that get people into the spirit of Christmas.
In this episode, DJ and special guest, Marc Paisant, mental health podcast host & father to 2 daughters, discuss the influence fathers have on their daughters with anxiety, depression, food addictions, low self esteem and how to build relationships that will make all the difference. Listen in as they talk about moving forward as a society by having men who understand and are committed to standing in the most important role they will ever have in their lives - fatherhood.
Marc Paisant is the creator and host of the Relatively Normal podcast. In his show, he shares his experiences with ADHD, anxiety and depression. He shows that no one is alone and there is always someone willing to listen and assist when it comes to coping and managing all kinds of stress. He is an advocate for therapy and counseling and talks about his years of therapy that he has used to manage his mental health.
TIMESTAMPS • [5:48] Marc discusses child rearing and how childhood trauma can lead to issues in adulthood. • [13:08] “Parenting is tough. I mean, let's be honest. Like, it's, it's fun. But you know, you're raising little children to become the next generation of adults.” • [21:48] “When we fail, we learn more from that failure than we do from an easy success.” • [29:37] Marc shares why he believes the roles of fathers are changing & evolving.
In this episode, DJ and special guest Susan Schwartz, PhD, sat down to discuss the power of fathers, the impact they have when present and the effect it can have on their children’s lives when they are absent. Listen in as they talk about empowering fathers to understand how inherently important they truly are and the psychological effects, discomfort and problems that can arise when they aren’t there for their kids.
Susan E. Schwartz, Ph.D. trained in Zurich, Switzerland as a Jungian analyst is also a clinical psychologist and member of the International Association of Analytical Psychology. She presents to numerous Jungian conferences and teaching programs in the USA and worldwide.
Susan has articles in several journals and chapters in books on Jungian analytical psychology. Her current book is translated into several languages and was published by Routledge in 2020. It is entitled The Absent Father Effect on Daughters, Father Desire, Father Wounds. Another book will be published by Routledge in 2023 entitled The Fragility of Self in the ‘As-If’ Personality: Imposter Syndrome and Illusions in the Mirror. Her Jungian analytical practice is in Paradise Valley, Arizona, USA.
TIMESTAMPS • [5:55] Dr. Schwartz discusses what happens to a child psychologically when a father is absent. • [12:57] DJ & Susan discuss what a father can do to build on the relationship with his children. • [24:55] “Be very aware of what is acceptable and what is not.” • [29:48] Susan discusses what is missing from the absent father syndrome.
Are you a working mom? Do you suffer from mom guilt? And is that guilt you’re feeling affecting your relationships with your family? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this episode is a MUST listen! Tune in as DJ and Dr. Susan Landers discuss the challenges of being a working mother; the unbelievable pressure faced by today’s parents including when to cut off work, how to stop worrying and how to turn on family time… and ultimately YOU time!
Dr. Susan Landers is a neonatologist who worked full-time in the NICU for over thirty years and raised three children to young adulthood. She achieved many academic and professional accomplishments, and she encountered challenges along the way, both in her career and in her mothering. She loves to tell stories that reassure younger mothers to know that they, too, can be a “good enough mother” especially if they work full-time. She supports mothers with her social media posts, free resources, and her blog. She also cautions physicians and nurses - who might be experiencing serious burnout – about the ways in which it affects their lives and their relationships, and the many ways to treat and recover from burnout. Her new book is “So Many Babies: My Life Balancing a Busy Medical Career and Motherhood.”
TIMESTAMPS • [11:03] Susan shares the challenges of being a working mother. • [11:24] “None of us is perfect. We all try to do the very best that we can. We make lots of mistakes. If we're lucky, we have a spouse or a partner who will help us…” • [22:37] DJ discusses building a relationship with your spouse based on equality • [36:50] “Some of them are in after school activities three, four or five days a week. That's too much. And it's not only too much for the child, it's too much for the parents…”
Do you struggle with critical, negative voices in your head? Are you self-loathing and people pleasing or are you self-loving and empowered? In this podcast episode, DJ & special guest from down under Amanda Kate, discuss how to take care of yourself as a parent and how loving and putting yourself first can help you find new levels of health, vitality and abundance… a life you’d want your kids to live!
Amanda Kate is a Kinesiologist, Mentor, Mother and more. Author of 'Divine. Messy. Human. A Spiritual Guide to Prioritizing Internal Truth over External Influence', she released the book with the information, tips and practices that have helped her move from self-loathing to self-acceptance, self-love and self-empowerment. A recovering people-pleaser and self-flagellator, she walks the path straddling the Divine and Messy daily. Always growing, developing and learning new ways of being to, hopefully, one day leave the Earth better than she found it.
TIMESTAMPS • [16:55] Amanda Kate shares what happens when we suppress our emotions. • [23:24] “When we’re in a victim state, it’s the emotion behind the question that is wrong.” • [28:39] Amanda explains: “Tuning into our intuition is like going to the gym.” • [43:51] Amanda discusses the energetic system of checks and balances and paying attention to what we are putting our energy into.
In this podcast episode, DJ invited speech pathologist, Lenora Edwards, on the show to discuss speech and language, when that develops and how we can help our children communicate effectively. Listen in as they discuss how children start hearing and reacting to lingual sounds in vitro and how they process and express themselves… from the way they pronounce the words, how they are able to process what they hear, and then express what they are thinking.
Lenora Edwards is an ASHA Board Certified Speech Language Pathologist working with Better Speech. Since obtaining her CC’s in 2010, she has worked with individuals of all ages from little ones who are learning to understand and express themselves to adults who want to improve their speaking skills and become a more fluent and effective communicator. Lenora loves teaching and educating others. Better Speech is an online speech therapy company that has been remote since long before the pandemic. They are experts at helping people communicate in the most efficient and affordable way possible!
TIMESTAMPS • [7:05] “That's how they start to shape this entire environment that they're in. So it's so important. If you're ever in doubt, keep talking to your children.” • [18:51] Lenora explains when you might want to start seeing a speech pathologist. • [33:32] Lenora discusses giving your child the opportunity to correct you. • [37:08] Lenora shares how online speech therapy actually works well in our remote and online world… offering close-ups so one can really see the form the mouth is taking when pronouncing sounds and words.
Experts approximate that 5% of the population have narcissistic personality disorder (NPS)... this is just one of 10 classified personality disorders. Our special guest, Angela Myer, understands the underlying causes of narcissism and has helped many work through it. Tune in to hear how you can make life more manageable living with someone who has NPS and what we can do as parents to help our children learn how to cope and navigate a life that includes a person with the disorder.
Angela Myer is a clinical certified hypnotherapist, NLP practitioner, author, motivational speaker, and wellness coach. She specializes in empowering people all over the globe. For over 20 years, she has worked with people of all ages, backgrounds, religions, and professions. Angela has been voted the best hypnotherapist within her areas for the past twelve consecutive years. She has received several awards and has supported people with various addictions, traumas, mental health issues, fears and phobias, and general life situations.
TIMESTAMPS • [6:53] “Why are we not teaching people the polarity of other human beings?” • [13:09] Angela explains: “If you notice the child has an anxious attachment style, that’s one to be aware of and a disorganized attachment style.” • [19:25] Angela shares the signs that parents should look for in hypnotherapists. • [33:19] Angela talks about how you can validate what your child is going through without making it bigger.
In this podcast episode, DJ invited speaker, author and certified parent instructor Eddie White on the show to share his knowledge and expertise about a dad's role in raising strong daughters. Pretty much anyone can be a parent, but it takes something else to be a leader in your family and Eddie knows the recipe. Listen in as he offers sage advice on how to get in front of the curve to raise and empower functional and independent adults.
Eddie White is a speaker, author and educator devoted to helping parents lead their family by leveraging decades of leadership experience, reflective insights as a father. He is a certified parent instructor and holds a master’s in Adult Education. He and his wife Vambie shared their parenting journey about raising their two daughters to be empowered young women in his self-published book titled StartPoint: Parenting in “the White House.”
TIMESTAMPS • [4:37] Eddie discusses the role of fathers in raising empowered daughters and sons. • [11:26] “It’s in those first few years that your child will define themselves as either a victim or a victor, as needy or capable.” • [31:22] Eddie shares we should be mindful when teaching our children about relationships. • [36:14] “When they learned that lesson, something happens, go back, and then dig into it, talk about it, have them understand it so that they don't repeat something that's potentially unhealthy later on in their life.”
In this podcast episode, Michaell Magrutsche joins DJ to discuss his neurodiversity, how he processes information, how he expresses himself, and how as a child, this greatly affected him and his ability to fit in educationally. His message is one of finding the genius in everyone and how they can grow and find fulfillment through that. Tune in to hear DJ & Michael discuss this and how recognizing and using that genius can help children learn and connect to the other pieces of education.
Michaell Magrutsche is a multidisciplinary artist, awareness/creativity, educator, speaker, and author. He works on raising the awareness of our limitless human potential and its wisdom. He is an advocate for helping understand neurodiversity. Michaell’s dyslexia and dysgraphia forced him to develop an awareness of seeing the world purely from a human perspective. Creating art completed his awareness of what it is to be human. You can connect with Michaell through MICHAELLM.com
TIMESTAMPS • [7:58] “The creation of art was my savior. And I've become conscious because before 30, it was just survival. I did just what I had to do to survive…” • 15:55] “In humans, there is no perfection. It's just imperfection.” • [22:54] DJ explains: “Every child is gifted as a genius at something… it's that process of creation that helps us with the process of learning. And when we connect the two is when we really see kids thrive.” • [36:11] Michaell discusses balance being the key to get the most human potential out of anyone.
In this podcast episode, yoga instructor and author, Sarah Finnis, joins DJ on the show to discuss using yoga poses in imaginative ways to help children learn and connect. Listen in as they discuss using alternative movements to help children calm down, be more aware of and understand their body and how you can incorporate the proven effective practice of yoga in your child’s daily routine to teach self awareness and to educate them about the world they live in.
Sarah is a holistic fitness / yoga instructor with a background in early childhood and art education. She is a new children's book author and illustrator to her new book, "Iris' Magical Yoga Adventure". She has a great passion for animals and being involved in the community.
TIMESTAMPS • [3:43] Sarah discusses her book and how she uses yoga poses to help children learn and connect with landmarks. • [14:15] “Just focusing on breathing together, even if you're sitting back to back and paying attention to your breath moving up and down, just becoming more in sync and mirroring each other.” • [19:38] Sarah explains how yoga helps our little ones understand their body. • [26:41] Sarah believes you can connect yoga to learning any subject.
Mom Essentials podcast host and creator of The Parent Toolbox, Angie Weber, is amazing at helping parents find tools appropriate for the children living in our homes. Listen in as DJ and Angie discuss how to help break generational parenting cycles… You know the ones we mean… where you hear your mom coming out of your mouth. And how we can fill our own tool boxes with methods and techniques to be more effective and responsive with our children’s overall health and well-being.
Angie Weber is the creator of The Parent Toolbox and host of the podcast Mom Essentials. Angie helps parents build their own toolboxes with new strategies and approaches to be more proactive with their kids' health; physically, emotionally, and mentally. By using therapeutic techniques and helping reduce toxins in our homes, she knows we can better equip our kids for the future. As a mom to twins, she believes as we change conversations, we can change generations.
TIMESTAMPS • [7:43] Angie discusses that what worked for our parents is not necessarily what will work for us. • [15:49] Angie explains how she helps parents have a different conversation around emotions and start again.., becoming aware and starting to implement safe and healthy resources for their kids to see. • [35:11] “When you take away the opportunities of your kids to fail, you’re taking away their opportunities to grow and learn.” • [38:45] DJ shares: “When they get overly sensitive and don’t have problem solving skills, they wind up being more of a target.”
In this episode, DJ invited a Mom of 10 children and creator of Mama Systems, Laura Hernandez, on the show to discuss the importance of implementing systems in your household to create order and peace. Listen in as they talk about the different ways you can bring calm to the chaos by delegating to others, creating a “team” mentality at home, giving the kids responsibilities and holding them accountable, and making time for self care.
Laura Hernandez is the owner of Mama Systems and the mother of ten children. In just five years, she and her husband have added six children to their family - three biological and three through adoption. Four of the children attend public school, and they home-school five children. Laura leads a busy life, managing 20+ appointments a week for their four special needs children. Laura is passionate and dedicated to helping women bring more peace to their homes by designing customized systems that help a family run more smoothly... Reducing a mother's daily workload is her specialty!
TIMESTAMPS • [12:55] DJ & Laura discuss how to get kids to help with the chaos. • [17:34] “Teaching your kids to be dependable is an investment.” • [21:52] Lauren shares the importance of delegating to others. • [28:30] Lauren talks about why she gets up 30-45 minutes earlier than everyone else in the household… to welcome the day better.
🕐𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝟭: Participants will be encouraged to focus on self-care and self-kindness. 🕑𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝟮: Dedicated to showing kindness to family members. 🕒𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝟯: All about spreading kindness in the neighborhood. 🕓𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝟰: Focuses on showing kindness in the community. 🕔𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝟱: Will provide a chance for families to work together to show kindness to others and create a plan to continue the fun.
At the end of the challenge, participants will have gained a deeper understanding of the power of kindness and the positive impact it can have on themselves and those around them.
In this episode, DJ invited her niece, Bailey Olsen, on the show to discuss the connection between faith and family. Tune in to hear why they believe your child would benefit from being raised in faith, the role prayer has on our children learning about God and how teaching our children to believe in something bigger than themselves will help them have a more substantial perspective on life.
Bailey is a second and third grade elementary school teacher and just like our beloved host (who she happens to be related to), Bailey has a passion for teaching children. When Bailey isn’t performing her favorite job of them all, wife and mother, she serves as gymnastic coach which has been a passion since she was a young girl.
TIMESTAMPS • [12:14] DJ asks the question: “How does prayer play a role in our kids learning about God and learning about where they stand in faith?” • [13:37] Bailey states: “Believing in something bigger than yourself, I think that it just helps kids have a bigger perspective of life. • [24:56] Bailey discusses teaching our kids to pray and to help them recognize things that are bigger than them. • [40:42] “Spirit speaks to each of us in very different ways that are very personal.”
In this vitally important episode, DJ invited Operation Underground Railroad representative, Tyson Wright, on the show to discuss human trafficking, and more specifically child exploitation and child sex trafficking. Listen in as they broach these sensitive topics that will arm you with knowledge of how predators utilize the internet to communicate with our youth and educate you on resources to become familiar with… as well as prevention and intervention methods so you can take the steps to protect your own children. Share this episode to help raise awareness and spread the word to other parents and caregivers in your community.
Tyson Wright is the Education Program Manager at Operation Underground Railroad. Tyson started as a volunteer for O.U.R. in 2015 and found a passion for supporting the organization and educating the community. He began working as an employee in February 2021 in the Outreach Department and has supported the department's growth and expansion from volunteer management to include education and prevention efforts. In his current team he oversees the development of prevention and education programs. Tyson has certifications in Trauma and Resilience, and Human Trafficking Prevention and Intervention. He is on the board of the Washington County Children's Justice Center and enjoys volunteering in his community.
TIMESTAMPS • [3:46] Tyson explains what Operation Underground Railroad is and how it got started… Their focus or mission is to end human trafficking. • [7:19] “40% of all human trafficking has a familial connection to it… in that it's a family member who either initially sold them into the trafficking situation. • [17:14] Tyson discusses how to empower our children through educating them. • [36:42] Tyson shares the most important conversations that need to happen between a child and a parent to prevent online exploitation.
We all know there's more to parenting than simply bearing a child... and the most effective parents are the ones who actually lead. But what does that mean and how is it achieved? In this episode, DJ talked with Susan Husa, a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, about leading as a parent and emulating love in the most personal and kind way. Listen as they discuss how encouraging curiosity, bringing in compassion and initiating parameters and boundaries within your family will create a collaborative environment that keeps everyone safe and on the same page.
Susan Husa has been helping leaders for over 30 years, just get to the heart of the matter. And this means getting very clear about what one wants to affect positive outcomes. She is a certified professional co active coach, and Susan just has a heart for helping people come through the challenges of life. She has a tremendous amount of compassion for people. And she claims her faith has been the foundation of what she has built her life on. Her hope is that everyone is able to see themselves as a leader, being fully responsible for their conduct as they develop leaders within their own family. Susan says leadership is an external expression influenced by an internal state of mind.
TIMESTAMPS • [9:43] “Curiosity is what brings us into compassion and empathy to self and others.” • [14:53] Susan shares: “We have this picture of what that perfect parent is… we have an idea of how we thought we would be a parent or how things ought to be.” • [27:22] Susan discusses the importance of creating boundaries within your family. • [37:43] Susan talks about how leadership is all about emulating love in the most personal and loving and kind way.
In this episode, DJ invited author Steven Crane on the show to discuss his journey to living a life of gratitude and how he flipped the script on occurrences he originally considered to be negative experiences to actually holding a bounty of unseen blessings. Listen in as they discuss the power of gratitude and appreciation in cultivating a positive mindset, and how employing this new mindset will help you achieve stronger relationships and greater success.
Steven Crane is the author of the novel Staring at the Ceiling and more than a million words of advertising copy throughout his professional writing career. His other full-time jobs are husband and father, with other titles situationally including coach, volunteer, foster parent, mentor, and amateur pancake chef. Steven lives in Marietta, GA, with his wife Carie and their two sons. Search “I Can Appreciate That” (@ICATstory) on Facebook to join his Community of Gratitude and connect with Appreciators worldwide.
TIMESTAMPS • [8:39] “Really the gift in all of that is finding a way to connect with other people where eventually your experience has the potential and the power to help other people who are having that experience.” • [22:59] “Either. Everything is completely random, and nothing matters. Or there's some master plan that you're part of that we're all exactly where we're supposed to be.” • [32:05] “There's a lot to be learned in thriving through struggle.” • [37:31] “What I do for a living is I LIVE… and work becomes a part of what I do. It's not who I am. It's not solely what defines me.”
In this episode, DJ invited financial professional Debra Essling on the show to help educate you, our listeners, on family money matters. Listen in as DJ and Debra discuss the importance of creating an emergency fund, break down how compound interest works and why the credit card companies make it hard for you to pay off balances, why creating a budget and envelope system will help you stay on task and ultimately how to help you grow and protect your money.
Debra Essling lives in the Chicago area with her husband. They have two grown children and are very active with their church and in the community. Debra’s passion is helping people de-stress when it comes to their money, and to educate them on tips and tricks that the financial industry does not want them to learn about!
TIMESTAMPS • [4:44] Debra shares the best tool and resource to help you grow your emergency fund is education! • [11:06] DJ and Debra discuss the importance of having an emergency fund. • [17:01] “It is easy to use a credit card, but they are very dangerous… the banks scheme against our max to get the most money out of us that they can and the one thing they want you to do is use their credit card and not pay off the balance.” • [34:54] “When you say yes to something, you’re saying no to something else.”
In this episode, DJ invited podcast host and author, Jerry Dugan, on the show to discuss the “rut” we all get stuck in with the day in, day out life of marriage and children. Listen in as they talk about doing all the ”right” things but still not feeling fulfilled or impactful and how you can turn that around by implementing some practical tools and advice to live a more fulfilled life and find success in the areas of faith, family, fitness, finances and future possibilities.
Jerry Dugan is the CEO and Senior Consultant of BtR Impact, LLC, a consulting and training company focused on helping leaders define success on their terms so they can live fulfilled, meaningful lives with impact and not lose their faith, their families, or their health. Since 2015, Jerry has been the host and producer of Beyond the Rut podcast, a show that shares encouraging stories and practical advice to help pull listeners out of their ruts and into lives worth living. It's not enough to get out of a rut. He wants you to live beyond the rut.
TIMESTAMPS • [13:33] Jerry discusses having positive parent-to-child communication and creating an open environment for your children to speak to you about difficult topics. • [20:25] DJ shares: “I think what we've done over the last few decades has been devaluing the role that fathers play in a child's life, boys and girls. And we need to get that turned around.” • [24:56] “Nobody has ever been a perfect parent.” • [41:35] Jerry shares his belief: “We’ve got to help them navigate the world they're going to encounter…”
In this episode DJ invited special guest Tymika Chambliss-Williams on the show to discuss parenting and how it is NOT a one-size-fits-all approach. Listen in as they discuss parenting each child individually, teaching our children temperance, forgiveness and to have a relationship with God… how to handle conflict, how to nurture and encourage an active imagination and ultimately how we, as parents, need to maintain our own purpose so we’re prepared when the kids grow up and leave the nest!
Tymika Chambliss-Williams is a breast cancer survivor, filmmaker, and playwright originally from New Orleans. Tymika is the President and Creative Director of Vibranium Media Group, a content creation company that inspires and entertains audiences. With her passion for storytelling and commitment to creating meaningful content, Tymika continues to be a trailblazer in the creative industry.
TIMESTAMPS • [8:28] “If we don't tailor our parenting to them individually, then we do them a disservice.” • [29:44] Tymika asks us to consider a world where our imaginations are free? • [36:04] “We are the first people to teach them about forgiveness and temperance and happiness. We are the first people that teach them the fundamentals of life. And if we fail, in teaching them… you're either raising someone's dream or someone's nightmare.” • [43:42] “A successful parent is just someone who shows up, they show up, they're present.”
In this podcast episode, DJ invited mastermind of education Evelyn Shaw Corley on the show to discuss the types of education available for our children and to help you better understand what questions you should be asking. Listen in to hear them break down the instruction and development options we have - public, private, charter, home school or a combination of - and how each child has different abilities and challenges that may or may not be a good fit for the traditional classroom.
Evelyn Shaw Corley is a visionary leader in the world of international education. She is an advocate for diversity, mental health, and equity in education. As a School Leader, blogger, international speaker, and published author, Evelyn is Meta's recipient of the 2022 Changemaker Award. Currently, she serves as Founder and CEO for Thrive International Academy.
TIMESTAMPS • [20:07] DJ & Evelyn discuss summer being the perfect time to find out if homeschooling is something you can do. • [32:04] Evelyn explains what parents need to look for before they make a decision on a program for their child. • [34:02] “I am not a fan of on demand, tutoring and on demand homeschooling, I am a fan of that personal touch of doing meet and greets where we can make sure that personalities, mesh and that that relationship can be nourished.” • [40:11] “Teachers are hanging on for dear life right now.”
In this podcast episode, DJ and Dr. Kate Lund are discussing the topic that many of us dread… what to do when our child is the bully. But fear not! Dr. Kate is sharing her insights and expertise on how to address this delicate situation with sensitivity. Stay tuned as they delve into the topic of resilience, and how to help our kids stand up for themselves and to hear her explain how with the right tools and guidance, we can all negotiate this tricky terrain with a bit of laughter and a whole lot of love.
Dr. Kate Lund is a licensed clinical psychologist, peak performance coach, best-selling author and Tedx Speaker. With a specialized training in medical psychology, she uses a strength and evidenced-based approach to help parents and children build resilience so they can thrive in school, sports, and life. During Kate's childhood she faced and eventually overcame a difficult childhood illness, so she learned at an early age to believe in the possibility that exists on the other side of challenges.
TIMESTAMPS • [3:53] Dr. Kate Lund explains how her own experience of being bullied as a child is a part of her resilience. • [18:16] Dr. Lund and DJ discuss how parents and teachers can be more aware of the bullying that’s happening in the classroom. • [26:26] Dr. Kates shares what parents can do when they get information that their child has behaved inappropriately. • [37:40] Dr. Kate talks about the the importance of understanding the experience of our kids.
Not all kids are active, fit and have the opportunity to run and play. That’s heartbreaking enough, let alone hearing about children who want to participate in sports but feel left out because they can't find the right activewear in their size. That's where business owner Pam Luk comes in. Listen to this episode to hear DJ and Pam talk about this in depth and why Pam took matters into her own hands and created Ember & Ace, a clothing brand that makes plus size athletic wear for kids.
Pam Luk is the founder of Ember & Ace, an athletic wear brand for plus size kids. Growing up playing sports, Pam learned firsthand the importance of finding active wear that fits. Not finding it is one of the main reasons kids quit sports. The first, Ember & Ace five-piece collection will be available online in early 2023.
TIMESTAMPS • [9:32] Pam Luk shares how to talk about your body in front of your kids. • [15:20] Pam states: “We've tried to oversimplify it to calories in calories out, just eat perfectly and move your body and your body is gonna get smaller. And it's just, it's more complex than that.” • [25:43] “It's also good from the time they're very young, to help them understand their body is going to be changing for the rest of their life.” • [30:52] Pam discusses the rise in mental health challenges with kids and reminds adults to be mindful about what they say and how they react to children.
We understand and recognize that nobody's perfect. Nobody ever has been, nobody ever will be. That’s why we chose “Imperfect Heroes” as the name of our podcast. And today, we are celebrating our 100th episode by taking a look back over the last two years and highlighting a few of DJ’s favorite answers to a question she asks all of her guests: How would you describe a successful parent? Listen in as we throw it waaayyy back and gain some great insights on parenting from these amazing guests!
Links to the previous episodes mentioned in our 100th episode:
Dr. Gilbert’s Book is: I CAN’T SAY THAT! GOINGBEYOND “THE TALK!” (2019) Equipping Your Children to Make Choices About Sexuality and Gender from a Biblical Sexual Ethic”. https://drcoreygilbert.com/books/
TIMESTAMPS • [5:41] Dr. Ted Bennion: “I would say a successful parent is the one who parented today, with love.” • [7:40] “With love… you may have screwed up yesterday, you may mess up tomorrow. But today, you're going to do the very best!” • [20:01] Natalie Silverstein: “Successful parenting ultimately means that we raise kind, compassionate, grateful and grounded people who care about others.” • [32:51] Deanna Maxwell: “Somebody that is will
According to the World Health Organization, suicide is now the second leading cause of death for children ages 10 to 14. We hope you will listen to this episode as a DJ talks with special guest, Dr. Nghi Dang about his personal experience of losing a young family member to suicide and as he highlights the importance of paying attention to the mental health of everyone. His grieving was the genesis to become an advocate for mental health and for the creation of The Adventures of Max and Friends book series for children which is meant to provide children with the tools to communicate their emotions effectively.
Dr. Nghi Dang was born in Vietnam but grew up in Southern California. His family moved to the states when he was 7 years old. As an immigrant, he shared the same struggles as many other immigrants with adjusting to a new norm and dealing with bullying, discrimination, and constantly having to self-validate while fighting off depression. Having been in practice for over 10 years as a Family Physician, Dr. Dang realized that his struggles are shared by many of his patients. As the pandemic progressed, he saw more and more visits related to mental health in the clinic for both adults and children. He was motivated to do something to help educate children and help start a dialogue between parents and children about mental health. He figured the best way to help educate is through storytelling.
TIMESTAMPS • [6:07] DJ asks: “What to do when your child says they want to hurt themselves.” • [15:06] DJ & Dr. Dang discuss what parents can do to help their kids become more self confident. • [21:00] Dr. Dang discusses how to help your kids deal with failure and encourage problem solving skills early. • [30:28] “Take care of yourself before you take care of your kids.”
Our guest in this episode is Catherine Lamb. She is an expert at helping others conquer Impostor Syndrome which can show up as doubts about your abilities to care for your child, feelings of inadequacy when compared to other parents, and can keep you in constant fear of making mistakes. Listen in as we discuss how, if not dealt with, Impostor Syndrome will have adverse effects on your self-confidence, will increase stress and anxiety, and will cause missed opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Catherine Lamb is a speaker at Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 companies. She has an international client base. She uses her specialist knowledge and expertise to help parents manage Impostor Syndrome and prevent it from damaging their careers when they return to work. Having set up new businesses in Central and Eastern Europe, and hiring and leading large teams, Catherine drew on this experience to run a successful recruitment business for over 10 years. During this time, she worked with many new parents who needed support with their careers as they returned to work. She built on her expertise with the Henley Business School coaching certificate. Catherine is now a specialist in Impostor Syndrome and how to successfully manage it when experiencing major change in our lives.
TIMESTAMPS • [7:46] DJ asks Catherine: “How do you get yourself out of the habit of beating yourself up when things go awry?” • [8:59] “Nobody has taught us how to be a parent… there's no manual telling you how to do it… and we've all got children that are quite individual in their needs as well.” • [9:58] “Perfectionism is an addiction to process, not just avoiding mistakes.” • [18:23] Catherine shares: “I think it's societal expectation around women - that we are nurturing and giving… And it's selfish of us to think about our needs. And I think sometimes we don't think about our needs, but we hope other people will. “
Get ready to embrace the beautiful mess of building a business and raising kids! In this episode, DJ invited mindset coach and author Bridget Hom on the show to discuss the possibilities of launching a business while conquering the daily challenges of parenting. Whether you're an entrepreneur seeking guidance, or a parent desperately trying to figure out how to fit 36 hours into a 24 hour day, this episode was made for you! Tune in to hear Bridget explain that it is possible to pursue your dreams, put your kids first and still be an incredible parent.
Bridget Hom is one of the top Mindset coaches. She founded the Law of Deservability and trains individuals to master emotional intelligence and take action in their business and relationships. Her recently launched book "Stuck on Ready" offers a real and down-to-earth approach to help you break free from fear, lack of motivation, and doing sales from the “business-in-the-box” mentality. This book helps new entrepreneurs to not feel alone, inspires current entrepreneurs to level up, and successful entrepreneurs to adopt new and innovative ways of bringing their businesses and relationships to life.
TIMESTAMPS • [7:08] Bridget discusses how to honor your role of mother and still make money and be successful while doing it. • [13:20] “When you go out of alignment… which alignment is the greatest form of energy we have... It doesn't honor your roles.” • [28:38] “Right now, as a culture, we're vacillating between survival and being entertained, right? And where we want to sit is in the intentionality.” • [34:03] “The boring times are okay… that's where we find that creativity. You need those times of silence… of pause… so that we can re engage with our sense of being again.”
Want to nurture your child's sense of wonder? In this episode DJ and special guest, Debora Hollick dive into the captivating world of WOW, Wonder, Openness and Wisdom. Stay tuned as they explore the concept of WOW and why children are natural experts in seeing the WOW. Listen in to hear how we as parents can stay open to the inspiring moments that surround us, extract wisdom from those experiences and discover unexpected sources of knowledge that can truly amaze us.
Debora J. Hollick is an Executive Director/Owner, and a powerhouse in the field of personal and team performance optimization. With her expertise as an International Speaker, 4x International #1 Best-Selling Author, Award-Winning Productivity Facilitator, and Sales Trainer, she helps businesses and professionals smash through confusion, solve chaos, and stop cussing, while achieving remarkable results.
TIMESTAMPS • [11:11] DJ & Debora discuss how teaching children has changed dramatically. • [17:37] “What's wrong with letting the kids teach us? What's wrong with letting them shine?” • [26:22] DJ shares: “if you're preparing yourself to see the wonders, they are there." • [36:25] “We can think about something that's awful or think about something that's wonderful. And guess which one feels better?”
In this episode, DJ invited author Fiona Valentine on the show to discuss her unique perspective of parenting a special needs child, embracing unconventional education solutions, finding patience in any setbacks and celebrating baby steps. Stay tuned as Fiona sheds light on the ever-changing nature of autism and the balancing act required to create a harmonious and joyful family life to ensure the needs of all the children are met (including those without autism).
Fiona is an Australian artist, founder of Business School for Artists and author of Tiny Wings. She loves talking about creativity, finding work you love (and how as a parent of a neuro diverse child you can work towards that for your kids). When her daughter was young, hope for the future got buried under advocating and trying to find a diagnosis. Her hope is that sharing their story will help families who are in the thick of parenting - especially if special needs are part of their life. Her book Tiny Wings is written for girls with autism and the people who love them.
TIMESTAMPS • [5:55] It's such a journey of discovery… There are so many variations. What is the specific set of challenges and abilities that your child has? And how can you develop them? • [9:10] Fiona shares her daughter's first signs of special needs and how she became interested in reading. • [13:53] DJ & Fiona discuss the challenges of communicating with teachers, potentially homeschooling your special needs child and looking for a cooperative school. • [36:28] “We love stories… They have helped us. So we're going to contribute our story and hope that it's helpful for someone else.”
Whether you are seasoned at co-parenting or you're just trying to keep your sanity intact, you're in for a treat! Our special guest in this episode is Leslie Holthoff. She is a certified divorce coach and author who has mastered the art of co-parenting and has some really fantastic insights to share inside this episode. Tune in to hear about the intricacies of joint shared custody, the effects that it has on children and to hear Leslie share her wisdom, her experiences, and maybe a laugh or two along the way.
Leslie is a Doctoral student studying perspectives of joint shared custody through the eyes of adults who have aged out of the two-home system. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Old Dominion University and a Master of Public Administration from Walden University. She is also a CDC Certified Divorce Coach, CDC Transition and Recovery Coach, member of ICF, real estate investor & agent, author, wife, and mother of two adult sons.
TIMESTAMPS • [8:25] “When a divorce is imminent… What kind of co-parent do you want to be? Who do you want to be a year from now and three years from now?” • [18:26] Leslie’s thoughts on a child dealing with two different parenting styles after a divorce: “by having these two different experiences… it allows them to adapt.” • [24:01] “I hate that the best, most important thing about co-parenting is communication…because that's really the thing you don't want to do after divorce... But it's effective, and it works.” • [31:39] DJ shares: “What works for one couple or family, may not work at all for another. And neither one is right, neither one is wrong. It just is. And so you make the best you can out of that situation.”
The greatest gift you can give your kids is a stable loving home that serves as their fortress of security and confidence so they can learn the best practices of life. In this episode, DJ invited life coach, Veronica Williams on the show to talk about safeguarding our most precious treasure, a loving family and a rock solid marriage. Tune in to gain tools to conquer tomorrow's challenges as they share problem solving strategies, kindness generators, and how to become the masters of forgiveness.
Veronica Williams co-founded the veteran-owned Alliance Seminars Coaching faith-based organization. She leverages her life experiences to provide coaching services, motivational speaking, and certified workshops. Alliance Seminars Coaching shares strategies and skills to strengthen personal and professional relationships through collaboration. She is dedicated to equipping today’s women for tomorrow’s challenges. She empowers single and married women through workshops, retreats, conferences, and roundtables. She connects with others through her life journey of overcoming various life encounters.
TIMESTAMPS • [23:58] DJ & Veronica discuss the importance of making compromises and being spontaneous. • [27:49] “I think the killer in a marriage is when we think our spouses are telepathic…” • [28:33] Veronica shares the importance of setting boundaries and limits. • [30:57] Veronica and DJ talk about forgiveness… teaching kids how to forgive and showing forgiveness in your marriage.
In this episode, special guest Dr. Bill Senyard and DJ are focusing on a topic called attunement. Join in as they explore the significance of attuning with your children and cultivating meaningful experiences that foster love and connection. Stay tuned to discover some practical strategies that will enable you to strengthen the bond with your loved ones and provide them with the reassurance and affection they need.
Dr. Bill Senyard is an author, speaker and pastor of 30 years. He is a husband, parent of three and grandparent of two—so far. His podcast, the Gospel Rant, is #43 in Feedspot’s top 100 Christian podcasts. His passion is to proclaim God’s love for the unlovable. He has created helpful Biblical programs and tools for Christian parents of teenagers, those who struggle to forgive, addicts, and those of us who wonder if God still loves us. He is the creator of the on-line FREE program for frustrated Christian parents of teens and tweens Good Enough Parent (www.goodenoughparent.online).
TIMESTAMPS • [3:09] Dr. Senyard shares the definition of attunement. • [6:18] DJ & Bill discuss the importance of skin to skin contact and eye contact in the first year of life. • [12:13] Bill states: “The child will end up being more secure, happier, exploring the world, they'll feel safe, they'll make friends better, they'll be kinder…” • [26:56] DJ shares: “We're so worried about our kids being bullied, that we're unable to look at the possibility that my child is a bully.”
For more information on the Imperfect Heroes podcast, visit: https://www.imperfectheroespodcast.com/
Connect with Us! DJ Stutz - Website: https://www.littleheartsacademyusa.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleheartsacademy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleheartsacademy/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOpphCRklDJiFXdS76U0LSQ DJ Stutz Booking Link: https://bookme.name/Imperfectheroespodcast
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Dr. Bill Senyard - Website: https://gospel-app.com/ Podcast: https://www.gospelrant.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/thekissesofgod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gospelapp/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gospelappministries YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drbillsenyard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-bill-senyard-8279879/
In this episode, DJ invited Brownies for Breakfast author Lynne Bowman (a.k.a. The Glam Gran) to the show to discuss our eating habits, buying and eating food that is grown locally and the importance of sharing meals around a table with your children. Listen in as they discuss the current grab-and-go American diet, why it matters what we eat, the value of eating in season foods and how being conscious of what we put in our bodies will allow us all to feel and look better.
Lynne Bowman has been featured at women's expos throughout the country, teaming with actress Deidre Hall to write and publish Deidre Hall's Kitchen Closeup (2010) and Deidre Hall's How Does She Do It? (2012). She’s won national awards as a creative director for Silicon Valley companies, was Creative Director at E&J Gallo Winery, Advertising Manager at RedKen Laboratories, and freelanced for agencies in San Jose, Los Angeles, and New York. She has also worked as an actress, makeup artist, screenwriter, illustrator, legal journalist and television Weather Person. Lynne has three grown children, two absolutely perfect grandchildren, and is president of The Pescadero Community Foundation. She and her husband have a small farm on the coast of Northern California.
TIMESTAMPS • [7:13] Lynne shares the most important thing your kids will learn if you sit around a table to eat together regularly. • [21:14] “Food is not just food, food is love, and sacrament, and communication and all these things that you learn at the table when you're sharing your food.” • [24:29] Lynne shares: “I'm all about health habits… Why it matters, what we eat… we have not been eating to make our bodies stronger and healthier.” • [29:55] Lynne & DJ discuss the value of eating in season foods that are locally sourced and how they have a much higher quality nutrition profile than foods that are shipped from other countries.
In this podcast episode, DJ is talking about something really important to her - parents and potty mouths, and how words shape our world. Is there any harm in swearing around your kids? Should you be dropping F-bombs in earshot? Listen in as DJ explores the fascinating world of language, what swearing reveals about our language, brains and ourselves… and most importantly, the impact it has on our children!
TIMESTAMPS • [6:49] DJ talks about how outbursts of anger are often met with an equal or greater reaction from others. • [8:40] DJ shares what swearing reveals about our language, our brains and ourselves. • [13:21] DJ discusses a study that was performed that found a connection between early exposure to language, and physical aggression. • [21:14] “What kind of swear words are you using and is it going to help a situation?”
In this podcast episode, DJ invited respiratory therapist, Carol Rudd, to the show to discuss her expertise and the power of choice. Listen in to hear about Carol’s profound understanding of the human respiratory system and why she has dedicated her life to make breathing easier for children and adults alike. And stay tuned to learn that when we or our children are confronted with challenging life circumstances (shortness of breath), instead of panicking, there is always a choice.
Carol, a licensed massage therapist, a qigong instructor and respiratory therapist offering FIT2Breathe for those struggling to breathe with COPD. As an asymptomatic and Respiratory Therapist, Carol has experienced the worry and fear that comes with shortness of breath. For 41 years she has worked to make breathing easier for others. Carol loves it when someone learns that no matter the situation, they always have choice!
TIMESTAMPS • [4:17] Carol on empowering kids to take responsibility for themselves: “It's all about making sure that everyone knows that they have choice, but with choice also comes responsibility.” • [10:33] DJ & Carol discuss the anxiety that seems to plague a lot of children these days. • [27:36] “We all need that encouragement, support and choice… even when we're in chaos ourselves, we have to detach ourselves from that and say, Okay, this is what my child needs. This is what I need.” • [30:38] Carol discusses how shaming is not a solution and that by giving our children choices and allowing them to make them… that's honoring and respecting them as a human being.
In this episode, DJ invited stress busting guru Adam Hart to the show to have a conversation about the ins and outs of how stress affects our relationships with our partners and our kids. Stay tuned to hear Adam’s witty wisdom, top notch expertise about the power of nervous system regulation and energetic attraction and about his secret stash of tricks to help us out so we can turn stress MISmanagement into stress management.
Adam Hart is an International Speaker & best selling author whose mission is to help busy parents transform their quality of life and develop deeply connected relationships with their partners and children. Focusing on nervous system regulation, energetic attraction and natural holistic wellness practices, Adam leads his clients to living the best version of themselves possible. To learn more about Adam and to get a copy of his 6 step Unleash Your Energy Roadmap, visit clearimpact.io
TIMESTAMPS • [4:02] DJ & Adam discuss how stress can be induced by sugar, social media, alcohol, drugs, shopping, gambling, etc, which perpetuates the stress even more. • [12:01] Adam shares how to regulate your stress response. • [12:28] “The basics of human nervous system optimization is all around regulation… regulating my response to something that's happening to me in my life at this moment.” • [16:21] Adam shares several examples of how to get your body into a calm and regulated state including barefoot meditation and breathwork.
In this episode DJ and special guest, Dr. Piper Gibson dive into the topic of tic disorders. If you're a parent looking to decode your child’s mysterious fidgeting and squiggling, this episode is your front row ticket to unraveling the truth. Stay tuned to hear how food and diet play a starring role in many tic disorders, how to properly advocate for your child medically and educationally and the questions you need to ask when talking with doctors or specialists about your child’s twitches and tics.
Piper Gibson is a Doctor of Functional Medicine, Doctor of Advanced Holistic Nutrition, Traditional Naturopathic Doctor, and is a Board Certified Doctor of Natural Medicine. Piper helps scared, frustrated, and overwhelmed parents get access to the tools and education they need so they can start reducing their child's tic disorder symptoms naturally.
TIMESTAMPS • [11:23] Dr. Gibson shares the four triggers she looks at when it comes to tic disorders: What's going on in your environment? What do you clean your house with? What are you cooking on? What are you storing your food in? • [14:38] ”One of the best ways to figure out what is going on is to use functional lab testing.” • [27:29] DJ & Piper talk about our food sources, how the nutritional value has changed and the genetic modifications now made to our foods. • [35:35] Piper discusses helping parents change their perspective and why she wrote a book about common misconceptions, real conversations and natural approaches to tic disorders.
In this episode, DJ invited music teacher and podcast host Bryson Tarbet to the show to share the science backed wonders of music education. By the end of this interview, you will understand why music is a physical thing that physically changes us… whether you’re 2 or 92! So stay tuned! DJ and Bryson are discussing everything from musical mental health perks and conquering restless energy with rhythms and harmonies to why we learn and retain more when it's connected to music.
Bryson Tarbet is a PreK-6th grade general music teacher just outside of Columbus, Ohio. He received his Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education from Ohio Wesleyan University his Master of Music in Music Education with a Kodály emphasis from Capital University. Bryson started That Music Teacher, LLC with the goal of sharing different perspectives on issues pertaining to the lives of music educators across the country. He also hosts That Music Podcast, a podcast for elementary music teachers and is the educator behind the Elementary Music Summit.
TIMESTAMPS • [6:03] “Music is not just for music sake, but the research and anecdotal evidence of how music can support a child's learning and adult's learning is massive.” • [12:19] DJ & Bryson discuss how music helps students understand what's coming next and removes some of the anxiety in the situation. • [18:30] “ Allowing them to have that lateral level of thinking… It's helping them increase their musical skills… it's also giving them interpersonal skills that allow them to apply those to other aspects of their education.” • [27:11] Bryson shares: “It truly is magical to see how music has a physical effect on the way that our brains are wired.”
In this enlightening episode, DJ invited transition coach Adele Barnard to the show to discuss managing life's transitions. Listen in as they explore the deep end of life’s transformative waters including handling kids transitions and dealing with the energy vampires that lurk in the shadows. Stay tuned to gain clarity and learn Adele’s secret sauce of shifting from mind tornadoes to heart serenity, all while finding wisdom in the whirlwind.
Adele Bernard is a transition coach who helps people move through life transitions. From having a baby, marriage, divorce, changing jobs, retirement, death, moving houses and more, she helps clients orchestrate their transitions by arming them with the tools they need to move from chaos in the mind to listening to their heart… where they are able to find clarity in the light with discernment.
TIMESTAMPS • [9:35] “If we're feeling fear, we're in the future… If we're feeling depression or sad, we're in the past. We're not present.” • [10:13] DJ & Adele discuss setting boundaries for ourselves and for our kids. • [21:46] Adele on tapping: “Tapping is just another tool like brain gym, yoga or meditation, adding more tools to the tool belt. It adds to recreating pathways in the brain.” • [38:25] “Kids being born now, they don't come in with the baggage we did. They're pure light. They don't have the baggage. But they will put it on, like a backpack to help you get through your stuff.”
In this episode, DJ invited Dr. Elizabeth Arleo to the show to talk about her book “First Eat Your Frog and Other Pearls for Professional Working Mothers.” Listen in to hear about the art of setting priorities and learning to give ourselves that much needed dose of grace. Stay tuned as they explore the secrets to reclaiming your time, finding joy in parenting, achieving that elusive work life harmony and to be reminded that it is perfectly okay to let a few balls drop.
Dr. Elizabeth Kagan Arleo is a Board-Certified radiologist specializing in Breast and Body Imaging. Her book, FIRST, EAT YOUR FROG is a meticulously referenced book presenting eight lessons (or "pearls") learned by a successful woman in medicine; including improved work-life integration; more easeful relationships with work colleagues and family; better time management in both spheres; and core tenets for thriving as a professional working mother.
TIMESTAMPS • [4:28] “There has never been a perfect parent, and there is never going to be a perfect one.” • [11:04] Dr. Arleo on thinking of time in 168 hours a week instead of 24 hour chunks: “The math is you still have over 60 hours after work and sleep for your priorities, whatever they may be for your family and friends, or your community… it helps in figuring out what our priorities are, and knowing there's time for that.” • [18:03] “If it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to start with a larger one. Meaning that's to take care of the most important thing as early as possible in the day or week, or whatever time period you're dealing with.” • [25:03] Dr. Arleo emphasizes: “Stop over apologizing, particularly for professional working mothers, but applicable to all genders.”
In this podcast episode, DJ invited author, publisher and educator, Terrie Sizemore to the show to discuss her new book, The Little Book of Big Ideas, Activities, Crafts, and Celebrations. We hope you’ll stay tuned as we have the privilege of delving into the world of early childhood development, exploring the magic of books and how they expand a child's knowledge, understanding and vocabulary.
Terrie is not just an esteemed guest. She's also the publisher of DJ’s upcoming book titled Roman is Bigger, which is sure to captivate young hearts and minds. It’s a heartwarming story that delves into a young boy's journey of self expression and understanding.
TIMESTAMPS • [6:46] Terrie talks about her passion of making children's literature and education actually fun for the kids, and how we can make it fun for them to learn. • [9:38] Terrie and DJ discuss the power of books and learning. • [28:25] “All of my books… they're meant to either bless the person individually, or help parents and children have time together.” • [34:30] Terrie on spending time with and investing in your child’s education: “Anywhere you live, there are museums, there are the libraries, there's everything to help put all of that education together.“
In this episode, DJ invited Maureen Michele, M.D. to the show to discuss her own personal journey of parenting a chronically ill child. Maureen is not only an MD, she is an accomplished general pediatrician, allergist, immunologist, and now life coach. Stay tuned to hear how Maureen learned to cope, make time for self-care, find positivity and how that led her to become a coaching expert, helping parents of chronically ill children navigate their own mental health and well-being.
Maureen Michele, MD is an award-winning leader, life coach, and physician. As a general pediatrician and allergist/immunologist, she has spent her career caring for patients with a variety of acute and chronic health problems. She is a military veteran and has enjoyed using her story-telling talent to teach young physicians the art of medicine. She is an accomplished life coach who helps parents of chronically ill children regain control of their lives and thrive at fulfillment. Maureen is the mother of three amazing children and has first-hand experience with being a parent of a child with long-term health issues.
TIMESTAMPS • [5:15] Maureen shares her personal journey of becoming a pediatrician and caring for her daughter with cancer then type 1 diabetes, highlighting the challenges of balancing career and family. • [14:51] Dr. Michele discusses how parents of chronically ill children must prioritize self-care to avoid burnout and maintain hope for their child's future. • [23:41] “It takes a little bit of courage sometimes for a parent of a chronically ill kid to actually ask for help… Get the courage and ask for it because you cannot do this alone.” • [37:23] “Make sure that your child is well aware of what their strengths are… and there is a lot of science behind gratitude and self love, because it builds confidence.”
In this podcast episode, DJ welcomes guest Robyn Mckeefrey, the author of the book "Mommy Went To The Hospital To Bring Home A New Baby." Listen in as they discuss various aspects of preparing older siblings for the arrival of a new baby and share insights and tips for parents. And stay tuned to hear Robyn talk about the significance of open communication and setting realistic expectations, the importance of involving older siblings in age-appropriate ways, addressing their concerns and ultimately creating special moments together.
Robyn is a Registered Nurse with many years of maternal-child healthcare experience, a mom and grandmother. Drawing upon her education, professional experience and personal life lessons, Robyn wrote the book titled "Mommy Went to the Hospital to Bring Home a New Baby". This book is uniquely told from a child's perspective to assist families and young siblings prepare for the arrival of a new baby.
TIMESTAMPS • [8:00] Robyn shares her personal experience as a mother of two daughters, drawing on her education and personal life to write a book about the challenges and joys of welcoming a new baby into the family. • [12:30] DJ recounts her experiences with her own siblings, from feeling jealous of their attention as a toddler to taking on responsibilities as they grew older. • [16:52] Robyn talks about starting conversations with siblings about having another child, depending on their age and the depth of the conversation. • [23:45] Robyn mentions that older siblings may try to take on more than they can handle when caring for a new baby, and it's important to praise their initiative and dedicate alone time for them.
In this podcast episode, DJ offers up some creative ways to deal with your kids' arguments. Let's face it, stopping those fights from happening altogether is a tall order! So, join in as DJ talks about why having disagreements can actually be a good thing. Listen in as she shares how we parents should keep our cool and show our kiddos how to work out conflicts calmly. And, stay tuned as she spills the beans on a set tools for your kids to use when they're in a tiff, how important it is not to pick sides and to trust that your kids can work things out while sticking to your family values.
TIMESTAMPS • [4:34] DJ discusses how parents should pay attention to how their children treat their dolls or younger siblings, as it often reflects how they see their parents behaving. • [7:09] DJ advises parents to be mindful of how they speak about others, even when their kids are not present, as it can influence their children's behavior and attitudes towards others. • [18:42] DJ encourages parents to help their children come up with solutions to problems by asking open-ended questions and providing a supportive environment. • [26:16] DJ discusses the importance of practicing good waiting skills with toddlers and preschoolers, using role-playing and fun activities to make it a positive experience… to help them practice self-regulation.
In this podcast episode, Jena Ponti Jauchius, a landscape architect and nature play expert, joins DJ to discuss her approach to designing children's outdoor play and learning environments. Listen in as Jena talks about the importance of sensory-rich natural play and learning experiences to help them connect with nature and themselves. And stay tuned as Jena explains the seven sensory systems that go beyond the classic five senses and how they can be stimulated through outdoor play, engaging in water play, and evolving the play space as children's needs and interests change.
Jena Ponti Jauchius is an internationally-recognized landscape architect and nature play expert with over two decades designing nature-based play, learning, and therapeutic environments for children of all abilities and (neuro)diversities. She also teaches early childhood professionals, educators, and parents how to create sensory-rich natural play and learning spaces to grow their children's minds, bodies, and spirits.
TIMESTAMPS • [7:30] DJ & Jena discuss how the senses are essential for children to navigate their environments and thrive, with activities like swinging, crawling, and running stimulating the vestibular system and helping develop good body confidence. • [10:59] DJ & Jena advise starting with what children love to do indoors and translating it to an outdoor setting, to make the experience suitable for their nervous system. • [19:04] Jena shares the importance of taking risks in childhood for mental, emotional, social, and physical growth. • [30:36] Jena suggests tailoring the sensory experience to individual children's needs, including those with neurodiversity.
In this podcast episode, DJ talks with Dr. Catherine Read, who shares her experience with homeschooling using the Waldorf curriculum. Listen in as Catherine discusses her journey from being a former public school teacher to homeschooling her two daughters for 15 years and hear why homeschooling can be a viable option for those who feel it's right for their children. Stay tuned as they also discuss various approaches, such as hybrid programs and online support, the importance of art, nature, and direct experience in the Waldorf curriculum.
Catherine Read holds a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from UCLA and is a Visiting Scientist at Rutgers University and an Associate at Ithaca College. She is the editor, with P. Zukow-Goldring, of Evolving Explanations of Development (Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association Press, 1997). She homeschooled her two daughters from kindergarten through the eleventh grade using the Waldorf curriculum.
TIMESTAMPS • [6:29] Catherine discusses her book, "Teaching Your Children at Home with the Waldorf Curriculum," and that it offers specific examples and chapters on different topics, aiming to inspire parents to tailor their children's education to their needs at different ages. • [17:58] “Children learn science through direct experience and creative expression in nature.” • [19:49] DJ shares the importance of incorporating movement and play into learning, even in traditional classroom settings. • [25:26] Catherine describes various groups and activities that homeschooling families can participate in, such as sports leagues, choir, community service, and volunteer work.
In this podcast, DJ invited resilience tutor Lynne Kendall on the show to discuss helping children understand themselves, their emotions, thinking, and energy to handle life's challenges. Listen in as Lynne introduces the PACE framework (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Engaging) for effective family communication, emphasizing shifting focus from feelings to thinking for highly emotional children. And stay tuned as she underscores the role of the nervous system in regulating emotions and energy, advocating language that promotes a thinking space and energy level management to empower children in becoming self-aware and resilient.
The Resilience Tutor program was created by Lynne Kendall, a teacher with qualifications in both education and psychology as well as twenty years’ experience working in the field. Lynne has developed a comprehensive suite of learning resources to support teachers, families and young people on their path to resilience. Lynne is constantly inspired by the concept that young people can learn to be their own teachers through self-mastery and by developing a love of learning. It was this vision that led to the development of a resilience teaching framework and a suite of complementary books and journals. Together, these elements personalize the education process and support young people on their journey to greater resilience.
TIMESTAMPS • [8:46] Lynne explains how children's brains are different, even in identical twins, and how this affects their ability to understand and empathize with others. • [12:39] Lynne discusses the importance of asking open-ended questions to children, such as "What experience did you have today?" instead of "What did you learn in school?" to encourage them to share their thoughts and feelings. • [24:32] Dj & Lynne talk about using language to help children develop emotional intelligence. • [28:52] Lynne explains that highly emotional children have an overloaded nervous system, which can be regulated through music and thinking words.
In this podcast episode, TV Journalist and mother, Meredith DePaolo discusses the challenges of managing screen time for her children. Listen in as she shares her journey in creating the "Carrots and Cake" app to help parents strike a balance between learning apps and free time on devices; allowing parents to set rules and engage their children in productive discussions about screen time. And stay tuned as she and DJ discuss the importance of consistency in parenting, having regular family meetings, the significance of modeling good behavior and maintaining open lines of communication with children regarding technology use.
Meredith DePaolo is a TV journalist, Yale grad, and mother of two little girls who felt like she was losing her mind during the lockdown and distance learning over her kids' screen time habits. So they teamed up with teachers, scientists, and child psychologists to create Carrots&Cake, an app focused on improving the quality of kids’ screen time. The app prioritizes educational apps and gets kids to Learn First and Play Later. It puts parents in charge of technology while still giving kids agency. Their balanced limits help combat some of the biggest negative side effects associated with screen time: tantrums, anxiety, depression, obesity, sleeplessness, lowered self confidence.
TIMESTAMPS • [6:37] DJ discusses how excessive screen time is affecting children's social and cognitive development, including an increase in autism diagnoses. • [11:27] Meredith talks about setting screen time limits and promoting physical activity for kids. • [18:46] Meredith shares how today’s parents are addicted to technology and struggle to disconnect from it, impacting their relationships with their children. • [24:21] Meredith emphasizes the importance of modeling good behavior for children and setting clear rules for screen time.
For more information on the Imperfect Heroes podcast, visit: https://www.imperfectheroespodcast.com/
Connect with Us! DJ Stutz - Website: https://www.littleheartsacademyusa.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleheartsacademy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleheartsacademy/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOpphCRklDJiFXdS76U0LSQ DJ Stutz Booking Link: https://bookme.name/Imperfectheroespodcast Roman Is Bigger book
In this podcast episode, Joe and Mellie Hashey joined DJ to share their journey of embracing imperfections and cultivating a strong family. Listen in as they discuss the challenges during lockdown that prompted a cross-country move and why they developed the "Strong Family Path" podcast which outlines seven pillars for a resilient family. Stay tuned to hear them talk about the importance of daily walks for communication, the role of humor, and instilling gratitude practices and as Mellie details their family's commitment to core values, teaching emotional intelligence, and finding gratitude even in difficult situations, fostering a positive family culture.
The Hashey family was living a normal life. Joe was a high school teacher and business owner. Mell was a former social worker turned stay-at-home mom of three. Then 2020 happened and turned their family upside down. They found themselves giving up their “dream home” and moving 2,000 miles away to a town where they didn’t know anybody. It was the best thing that could have happened for their family. Joe and Mell used their experience to build the Strong Family Co. framework that any family can use to establish values and stress free family leadership.
TIMESTAMPS • [15:33] Mell shares how their family's core values are written down, memorized by the kids, and used as a filter for daily choices and actions. • [21:33] Joe & Melldiscuss the need to teach children emotional intelligence and how to carry different feelings towards the same person at the same time. • [24:51] “Teach children to appreciate the good things in life by recognizing the blessings they have, even on days when things don't go as planned.” • [30:36] Joe emphasizes the importance of having an "Attitude of Gratitude" in life, even in difficult situations, and encourages parents to teach their children this mindset.
In this podcast episode, DJ interviews Tania Lopez from Full Circle Parenting, where she shares her approach to addressing common parenting challenges like tantrums and defiance. Listen in as Tania shares the importance of navigating these challenges with a positive attitude and discusses incorporating playful and intentional methods to teach children about service and kindness. And stay tuned to hear practical ideas for infusing service attitudes into family life, including involving children in everyday activities, promoting gratitude, and fostering creativity.
Tania Lopez helps mums and dads take parenting challenges in their stride. Tania has worked with families for over 20 years and for the last 15 years has worked as a qualified teacher delivering parenting, confidence building and stress management programs. She is also a qualified and experienced counselor and hypnotherapist and brings all of her knowledge and skills to support parents to start bringing some fun and joy into their own and their children's lives. Tania is also passionate about changing the way both parents and children are viewed by society.
TIMESTAMPS • [6:41] Tania emphasizes the importance of modeling service behaviors for children through play and everyday interactions. • [12:29] Tania shares the significance of defining and acknowledging acts of kindness and service to help children understand their impact. \ • [21:03] Tania discusses helping children maintain goodness and recognizing their mistakes without judgment, and encourages intentional service to bring balance into our lives. • [36:32] “Successful parents are those who can be kind and compassionate towards themselves even when they haven't met their own expectations.”
In this podcast episode, DJ invited Jeff Nelligan, author of Four Lessons from My Three Sons, on the show to help you discover the key to resilient parenting and fostering gratitude in children. Listen in as they discuss the inspiration behind his book as well as the importance of instilling qualities like personal conduct, building confidence, confronting adversity, and pursuing ambition in children. Stay tuned as they reflect on the challenges brought by the pandemic, the value of providing children with real-world tasks, fostering independence, and the impact of trials in shaping resilience and growth to raise capable, confident individuals.
Jeff Nelligan is the father of three boys and a well-known commentator in the world of American parenting. His most recent book is the 2nd edition of “Four Lessons from My Three Sons – How You Can Raise Resilient Kids,” which was the subject of feature stories on National Public Radio and in dozens of parenting publications, including: Parents Magazine, Fatherly, YoungTeen Magazine, The Good Men Project, Fatherhood and LetGrow and in which he outlined his parenting techniques and the path of his sons through childhood and adolescence to the U.S. Naval Academy, Williams College, and West Point.
TIMESTAMPS • [5:20] Jeff emphasizes the significance of gratitude in parenting, from the moment the child is born, and how it can help parents cope with challenges like lockdowns and school closures. • [10:57] Jeff highlights the value of having a support system to help individuals overcome challenges and achieve their goals. • [19:07] DJ & Jeff discuss the value of disagreements within families, as they provide opportunities for children to learn negotiation and compromise skills. • [34:31] Jeff shares his passion for preserving family history through old-school methods like binders and scrapbooks.
In this special episode, DJ explores the challenges and stress associated with the holiday season and shares six keys to manage and find joy amidst the chaos. Listen in as she talks about the overwhelming nature of decorating, party planning, cooking, and gift-buying, and as she delves into the impact on both adults and children. And stay tuned for tips on prioritizing and managing time effectively, nurturing family traditions, finding a balance in cooking and party planning, thoughtful gift-giving, and practicing self-care.
TIMESTAMPS • [4:52] DJ discusses the importance of setting priorities and boundaries to manage time effectively. • [9:55] DJ talks about the importance of family traditions and how they help create a sense of belonging and understanding of heritage. • [17:58] “Delegate cooking tasks to others and focus on enjoying the holiday traditions rather than trying to do everything yourself.” • [23:09] DJ advises against overspending and suggests homemade gifts as a more personal and affordable option.
Are you ready to prioritize love and kindness to transform your perspective and foster a more positive and loving environment in your life? This episode holds the key!
In this episode, DJ invited author Paul Zolman on the show to share his remarkable journey from a challenging upbringing marked by abuse to a life focused on spreading love. Listen in to hear Paul tell the story of growing up in a family with 19 children, witnessing his father's struggles and the impact it had on their household. And stay tuned to hear how as an adult, he realized the residual anger he carried and decided to break the cycle… developing the "Roll of Love," a daily practice where he rolls a die to determine which love language he'll focus on that day… emphasizing the importance of teaching children to love to create a lasting impact on future generations.
TIMESTAMPS • [9:00] Paul shares his abusive family history reflects on his upbringing, realizing he was taught to blame others for his problems, rather than taking responsibility. • [14:36] Paul discusses his struggles with understanding love languages, citing Dr. Chapman's book as a source of inspiration but ultimately feeling that the applications provided are not effective for him and shares a game he created to solve it. • [19:39] DJ & Paul talk about using a "Love Jar" to teach children about expressing love and appreciation. • [28:29] Paul found shifting focus from what's wrong to what's right with others led to reduced annoyance and increased positivity.
In this podcast episode, DJ has a lively conversation with the jolly man himself - Santa Claus! Grab your children and listen in as Santa shares insights into life at the North Pole, mentioning a recent heatwave at -40 degrees, and sheds light on the magic behind the flying reindeer, explaining the combination of special breeding and Christmas magic. Be sure to stay tuned! Santa also delves into the activities of the elves during the summer, with some heading to the South Pole for a change of scenery. Father Christmas also addresses various questions from children around the world, explaining that elves attend school in "Santa's Village" and describing Mrs. Claus’ role in logistics and developing the reindeer genetics program.
Santa reassures children that it's hard for them to end up on the naughty list and encourages kindness. The episode touches on various fun aspects, including leaving carrots for the reindeer, the appearance of elves, and Santa's use of a magic key for houses without fireplaces. Santa and everyone up at the North Pole hope you’ll tune in!
TIMESTAMPS • [4:20] Santa tells listeners that all the elves go on holiday to South Pole for the cold weather and penguin jokes. • [15:40] Santa explains that Mrs. Claus is the brains of the operation, working on reindeer genetics and logistics to ensure efficient delivery. • [21:57] DJ is worried about Krampus, an evil creature who punishes naughty children, but Santa Claus reassures her that Krampus is not real. • [36:26] “Look at your children with wonder and pride, as they are doing a hard job growing up in a changing world.“
You might want to watch this one on YouTube (Little Hearts Academy USA) or on Rumble (Imperfect Heroes) so you can see Santa. He is taking questions from kids from around the US, the UK and Spain.
Welcome to season 4 and the first episode in 2024 of the Imperfect Heroes podcast! In this podcast episode, DJ explores challenges and strategies related to New Year resolutions with a focus on a common issue of yelling at our kids. Listen in as DJ discusses the varying approaches people take towards resolutions and as she delves into the impact of yelling at our children… noting the potential negative outcomes and providing practical tips to curb this behavior. Stay tuned as she encourages self-reflection, seeking feedback from our children, teachers, and personal observations to initiate positive change and make the process enjoyable.
TIMESTAMPS • [5:58] DJ discusses her coaching which helps parents and caregivers with parenting goals, including reducing yelling and improving relationships with children. • [8:40] DJ encourages parents to give themselves grace and find ways to reduce yelling frequency and volume to be more effective in disciplining their children. • [13:19] “Yelling at kids can trigger stress response in both parent & child, leading to negative beliefs & low self-esteem.” • [21:57] DJ shares parents' frequent yelling can create a sense of insecurity in children, leading to stress and anxiety.
In this episode, special guest Melinda Mulcahy is sharing the pivotal role of language and curiosity in parenting young children. Listen in as she and DJ discuss the positive impact of tweaking language to align with the brain's understanding, fostering curiosity to enhance a child's life. And stay tuned! Melinda is highlighting the benefits of curiosity, including improved observation, mindfulness, and happiness… and providing practical examples, such as using curiosity to navigate challenging situations and enhance communication with children, ultimately promoting growth and development.
Melinda Mulcahy is one of only a handful of Curiosity Specialists in the world. She helps you understand your greatest superpower - your curiosity - so that you can take control and thrive in negativity, challenge, complexity or uncertainty. She does this by helping individuals and organizations understand exactly how curiosity works and its numerous benefits – because curiosity is so much more than just asking questions. This enables you to capitalize on how you think, take action and get what you want, or something even better.
TIMESTAMPS • [5:09] Melinda discusses the importance of language in personal growth, suggesting that tweaking one's inner dialogue can significantly impact life. • [10:50] Melinda shares that she uses "I wonder" questions to diffuse difficult situations with children and teenagers by showing curiosity and interest in their perspectives. • [15:49] Melinda explains that curiosity downregulates stress hormones and engages the neocortex, improving resilience and brain health. • [28:50] DJ & Melinda talk about their obsession with curiosity, believing it's essential for emotional intelligence, self-regulation, and success.
In this podcast episode, DJ talks with Kaley Metler, a fitness enthusiast and youth sports program organizer from Canada. Listen in as Kaley shares her experiences encouraging kids to engage in outdoor activities, especially during cold weather and as she expresses the importance of community involvement in homeschooling. Stay tuned because Kaley discusses the need for parents to be proactive in fostering outdoor play for their children, even in winter and shares insights into her fitness programs, including activities like skating, tobogganing, and creative games, while highlighting the positive impact on children's physical health, mental well-being and confidence levels.
TIMESTAMPS • [3:40] Kaley talks about the winter activities for homeschoolers in Canada, including skating and tobogganing. • [10:12] DJ & Kaley emphasize building community through outdoor play. • [20:41] Kaley highlights the importance of allowing children to explore and play, making them the best athletes and businessmen/women in the future. • [22:29] DJ & Kaley discuss childhood freedom and safety; and kids finding ways to socialize and have fun despite distance and transportation challenges.
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