Are you feeling a little anxious about The Dating Talk? My kids are still very young, but I am already beginning to think about how to have conversations about healthy relationships. So often we think of words like “consent,” and automatically go to sex. Consent is about more than physical intimacy; it’s also about respect and boundaries. The more our children understand their boundaries and needs, as well as the needs of others, the better they will be when things like sex and dating come up in their lives.
We often get a little stuck on all the heavy emotions around dating and romance, so I wanted to bring to you a resource to help you navigate tricky moments. My guest today is Mike Domitrz, the author of May I Kiss You? And the founder of The Date Safe Project. Mike has created amazing resources for parents and kids to use together to have healthy conversations about relationships. Most important to Mike is that both adults and kids understand true consent requires more than permission to touch. It’s also about wanting that intimate contact. Consent comes down to communication, and you and I both know how tricky it can be to communicate with pre-teens and teens. Luckily, Mike has for us today some easy ways to have conversations that make the whole thing feel less icky and personal.
Do you want your kids to be able to respond well when their peers start joking about sex? What about sexting and pornography? Mike is going to share with you today the tools and skills your kids will need to know in order to navigate these tricky social situations. In the end, I think these conversations are an avenue to really connect deeply with your older kids. You do not want to miss out on all this information today!
More in this episode:
Resources
Mike’s Online Home
https://www.datesafeproject.org/
Reach out to me to join one of our listening groups!
What can you do when your child is acting out? There is a lot of information out there about discipline, behavior modification, and diagnosing the root of your child’s behavior. Some of us have come from traditional, disciplinarian homes. Others have problems setting up boundaries. Have you ever taken a moment to reflect that these moments of acting out are a chance for you and your child to grow closer together? Before you lose your cool entirely, give this interview with Lori Petro a listen. She truly has some great recommendations and resources for parents who might be struggling with everything relating to discipline.
Lori is the mind behind Teach Through Love, a wealth of online resources for parents, solo or not, that serve to build up communication and enhance emotional intelligence with your kids. When your child is acting out, it is usually in response to an inability to express what they are thinking or feeling. We as parents have a huge opportunity to teach our children how to express themselves and then listen to what they have to say. Lori is going to show us today some ways that we can begin to build trust with our kiddos. We can build emotional intelligence starting with our own responses to behavior. It truly is as simple as learning to listen.
More in this episode:
Resources
Teach Through Love: http://www.teach-through-love.com/
Have you given much thought to the legacy you want to leave behind? As Solo Parents, we have a great capacity to fill our children with memories of our lives and theirs to empower, inspire, and reassure them during times of hardship or uncertainty. No one understands that better than Melanie Vetter, and that is why I am so excited to start our conversation about legacy today. Melanie’s work with Legacy Letters is incredibly interesting, and the fact that she’s my neighbor makes this conversation an extra treat.
Melanie Vetter is a writing instructor and legacy advisor, but really she helps people use their personal stories to build connections, resilience, and personal legacy. Melanie is passionate about the power of our personal stories and is dedicated to teaching and empowering others to celebrate document, and share a purpose-filled life using fun and joyful tools and techniques. She is an attorney, a certified Legacy Advisor, and a Certified Senior Advisor, and holds a certificate in Guided Autobiography Instruction from the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies.
Melanie and I had a chance to chat in-person, which is such a gift, let me tell you! As we enter this season of thankfulness and family, this episode will help you cultivate the gratitude and excitement you need to have these conversations with your family. You’ll be amazed! This is a powerful episode filled with so many incredible resources you do not want to miss.
More in this episode:
Resources:
Melanie’s Website www.wellfleetcircle.com
Contact her at melanie@wellfleetcircle.com
Melanie’s Thanksgiving blog post: http://wellfleetcircle.com/thanksgiving/
Link to sign up for the Free 5 Questions to Ask at the Holiday Table guide http://wellfleetcircle.com/5-questions-ask-holiday-table/.
Melanie’s SMILE Guide for writing thank you notes with ease and joy: http://wellfleetcircle.com/smile-ebook/
Legacy Letters Blogs: http://wellfleetcircle.com/category/legacy-letters/
Legacy Letters Examples: http://wellfleetcircle.com/legacy-letters-and-legacy-books/
Is there such a thing as a perfect parent? Absolutely not! Is there such a thing as a thriving parent? YES! As Solo Parents, the pressure feels like its been pushed up to 11 for us. It can be a struggle to make it through the week with everything in one piece, let alone feeling good about those pieces! How can we begin to enjoy the abundance of life? What is the secret to a thriving life filled with contentment? It’s all about your mindset!
My guest today is Shawn Fink, the founder of Abundant Mama. Shawn’s program and writing are focused on supporting Moms, but her advice applies to everyone. She doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. Instead, she is on a mission to connect moms to one another with programs and tools designed to get you working from the inside out. She wants to show women that they can feel connected to other moms out there in a pursuit of abundance. Find people who are hurting like you are hurting, and then work together to heal and grow!
Shawn’s approach to parenting is compassionate and real. We talk about so many relatable topics, but the takeaway is that it is worthwhile to cultivate a contented life. Trust yourself on your journey, and take it slow. You’ve got this.
More in this episode:
Resources:
Check out Abundant Mama Online and sign up for Shawn’s newest class!
We love to sing the praises of self-care on the Solo Parent Life Podcast, but for many parents, actually finding the time and space to practice can be a challenge. If they do manage to find the time, we sometimes feel guilty or unsure that self-care is even worth the time! Are you one of those parents? Then this episode is for you! Have you been practicing self-care, but seem to be missing out on all the benefits? Then listen in too. Today, we sing just a little more to share our self-care successes!
One of the joys of my podcast journey has been reaching out to local parents in my area. Today, I got a chance to chat with my new friend Deb Blum. Deb is a Parent Coach who loves working with Moms on self-care. Not only is she a dynamic coach, but she is also quite simply a lovely person. I enjoyed my conversation with Deb, because of her generosity and care for others. She is truly a supporter of all Mamas from all walks of life, and I think you will find yourself encouraged after today. There is no right or wrong way to take care of yourself. It is all about being able to listen to what you need at the moment. Give yourself a little grace, and hop on into this uplifting episode!
Also in this episode:
Connect with Deb online