Let’s talk money! You might hear that and get excited, or you might hear that and start to groan. Money can be a source of both security and anxiety. Which is it for you? Have you ever had a time when an unexpected expense pops up? You know the kind—big birthday gifts, replacing those heavy (and expensive!) winter coats, or a once and a lifetime opportunity to do something you’ve always wanted to do. How did you handle those expenses? Did your budget last? OK, how about this question: do you have a budget?

If your mind is already swirling, take a pause and rest assured that my guest this week is about to make your money madness so much better. Today, I am talking with Jen Hemphill, host of the “Her Money Matters” podcast. I love Jen’s podcast, and it has really helped me keep an eye on my finances without driving me crazy in the process. She has tons of tips and resources to get us through those unexpected expenses. I am excited that she gets to share with you today!

Also in this episode:

• Jen shares her own experiences as a Solo Parent as a Military Wife.
• The inspiration behind the “Her Money Matters” Podcast.
• Tips and tricks for the coupon-leery
• Budget mistakes we all tend to make.
• Tackling unexpected expenses with practical, monthly steps.
• Planning for life with a single income.
• Focus on what you can control

Resources

Get caught up on the “Her Money Matters” Podcast and seek out Coaching and Community:

http://jenhemphill.com

Hello and welcome to another special and encouraging episode of Solo Parent Life. Today, my very informative guest is Melissa DaSilva, an LGTBQ+ community activist, and therapist. Melissa’s mission is to support parents and children as they navigate LGBTQ+ issues, and educate the public in the middle of a rapidly changing world. We know more about gender identity and sexuality than we ever have before. So how can we as single parents educate our children and teach them to respect everyone regardless of gender and sexual orientation?

I am thankful that Melissa took the time to educate me in my limited experience with the LGTBQ+ community, and I know that each one of you will take away something encouraging and inspiring from our talk. As parents, we have the exciting privilege of teaching our children respect and love. Let’s let that love grow today!   

Also in this episode:

• Learning the letters of the LGBTQ+ community.
• Navigating gender issues early in life.
• Kids accept transition better than we think!
• Melissa’s best advice for parents seeking to teach about LGBTQ+ issues.
• How do we have good conversations about sexuality?
• Talk through the difference between what you know in the mind and the heart.
• Join in with a local group like P Flag!

Links:

Pride Connections Podcast: https://prideconnections.com/podcast/

Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @PrideConnections

Welcome, everyone! I am so excited to share with you today the pearls of wisdom from fellow podcaster Dr. Robert Puff. Dr. Puff runs the show over at The Happiness Podcast, where he shows you just how easy it is to be happy. This is a show I listen to, and it certainly feeds my positivity as I navigate single parenting.

Robert believes that everyone can be happy, and there are easy, practical steps that we can take as single parents to make that happen. Today’s show is filled to the brim with easy ways to start taking care of ourselves. When our cup runs over, we can better teach and grow our children to mirror that positivity. Single parenting definitely isn’t easy, and I am thankful for Robert’s unique insight into a happier life. I certainly cherish his words, and I know they will make your day just a little bit brighter.

More in this episode:

• Getting a happy life is like staying in shape—you have to work at it.
• We have to model healthy behavior for our kids.
• Treating ourselves well when life changes.
• Starting your day with a healthy mindset.
• The power of the “Pause.”
• Learning to ask yourself: “What can I learn from this?”
• The skills the bring into parenting through our community.
• Channeling awareness with your current situation so you can increase the quality of your time.
• Practical tips for “filling your cup” straight from Dr. Puff.

To connect with Dr. Robert Puff and Listen to his Podcast http://www.happinesspodcast.org/

Today, I am delighted to sit down with Elizabeth Salin, MFT and Ruth Jaeger, LCSW two therapists in my local community that have worked for many years with families in transition. They created a program for parents going through a divorce that teaches mindfulness skills to help reduce stress, anxiety and self-critical thoughts.

I am so amazed by the support and love that Liz and Ruth provide and the wealth of knowledge between them about families going through a divorce is incredible.  I can’t wait for you to hear all the wisdom these ladies have to share with you today. Enjoy!

• Liz’s experience working with kids and families. 
• Ruth’s passion for supporting families through mindfulness. 
• Exploring the ways that a Mindfulness practice can fortify your relationship between you and your children. 
• What is R.A.I.N? Can it help you during the inevitable overwhelming moments? 
• Tools you can use to practice mindfulness, both formal and informal.
• Self-care you can begin today. 
• Offering a place of support for parents so they don’t feel alone, but empowered. 

Our Featured Poem today is “Love After Love” by Derek Walcott:

The time will come
when, with elation
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror
and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.

Check out Regaining Balance for Parents for mindfulness resources.

http://www.regainingbalanceforparents.com/

Hello, everyone! This week, I wanted to pause a moment to speak to you all directly about this wonderful (and sometimes exhausting) summer season. Summertime is filled with so many wonderful opportunities for our kiddos, including the ubiquitous summer camp. Camps are fabulous: they help our children socialize, they encourage them to spend time outside, and they provide a creative outlet to fill the long summer hours. But when our kids have been “on” all day, inevitably they are going to melt down. We’re talking tantrums, tears, and too many biting words. So what do we do when the meltdowns happen? How can we support our kids in love without losing our sanity?

It turns out that it is all about connection. Dealing with meltdowns is not easy, but it would be harder to try to stifle those feelings. Anticipate that this summer, your post-camp kiddos will quite possibly be a big, hot mess. Here is your opportunity to slow your life down during the tantrums to be there and listen. Let your kids express some of that exhaustion and frustration. I promise it will be well worth your time and busted eardrums!

Show Highlights:

• Summer camps and the inevitable end-of-camp meltdown.
• Normalizing the melt-down moments.
• A summer camp case study with Sofia.
• Creating space for our kids to express themselves.
• Anticipating the meltdowns as school begins and camp ends.

Interested in joining a listening group or parent coaching? Feel free to reach out to me!

soloparentlife@gmail.com