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Exploring the transformative power of pragmatic hope and gratitude, this post delves into making modern parenthood a more fulfilling and manageable journey with simple practices you can add to your existing routine.
As the holiday spirit fills our homes, it's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of festive preparations, particularly when our attention tends to center on creating magical moments for our kids. However, amid the merry mayhem, it's the perfect time to add activities that not only nurture family connection, but also cultivate gratitude.
Discover the importance of slowing down in November to embrace gratitude with family. Explore simple ideas and activities to make this season more meaningful. #TakeBackNovember
Uncover why modern motherhood can differ from expectations and how shifting societal narratives empower you to raise the next generation.
Discover how gratitude can revive unstructured play, reduce stress, and create safer, closer-knit communities for your kids.
Gratitude serves as a foundation for nurturing connections with other parents and broadening our perspective. It empowers us to embrace our parenting mishaps as integral parts of our journeys, ensuring they do not overshadow our achievements.
Discover how mindfulness can help you streamline the chaos. Unlock the power of energy management, to achieve some sort of balance.
Celebrate World Gratitude Day by expressing appreciation to those who support your family. Discover why this annual tradition in September offers a perfect opportunity to thank the everyday heroes in our lives and explore kid-approved ways to infuse gratitude into your September routines!
Equanimity, a word not often heard in everyday conversation, is simply learning the skills of emotional groundedness and non-reactivity. Cultivating equanimity can be a transformative practice in the whirlwind of motherhood and its overwhelming moments.
Looking to experts makes sense, but have you ever felt worse after trying a few hacks and tricks? Me too. This is why…
OK, so there’s some debate about where your toddler should sleep, right? Well, this post breaks it all down, and hopefully, it will help you find the sweet spot for your family!
Motherhood can be isolating and full of self-doubt. This is an open letter to read when you feel at a loss and need a plan to go on.
OK, just how do Post-Concert Amnesia and Motherhood relate and how can we be more present for big moments in life? I’m sure you can guess…
Break free from the grip of Mom Guilt and embrace a journey of self-compassion and gratitude. Practical actions to shift your mindset, widen your perspective, and nurture a positive parenting experience. Lets release guilt, embrace imperfections, and reclaim control of our emotions!
Embrace the Fun: Including Yourself in Summer Planning for Type-A Moms: Planned to the gills, and we are burned out in week 2 - did you forget to include a few FUN things for yourself last year, Mama? I know I did. Let’s avoid summer burnout together this year starting with this free planning sheet.
Unleash your inner goodAF mom with this no-BS guide to cracking the gratitude code.: practical tips and scientific insights tailored for Type A moms. Overcome motivation hurdles and enhance your motherhood journey.
Exploring the impact of thoughts on parental self-worth, gain insights into parenting outcomes and children's behavior in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Laura Froyen.
Can we find happiness by looking within and choosing ourselves first? I share my experience of how focusing on gratitude helped me notice the good and how I use my Parenting with Gratitude™ formula to inspire my daily gratitude practice.
Parenting with Gratitude™: For moms seeking a path to finding inner goodness, embracing imperfection, and feeling GoodAF, a guide to discovering inner motivations, adjusting mindset, and cultivating daily gratitude practices.
Intensive Parenting, also known as helicopter parenting, is widely accepted in the US but is causing burnout among primary caregivers, particularly moms. We must lighten the load by embracing Imperfect Parenting and avoiding gender stereotypes. We can raise healthy, happy, and well-adjusted children by supporting each other without sacrificing our well-being.
The cultural expectations of parenting and the impact of Intensive Parenting on Parents' Mental Health — plus a practice to help you get through!
I rewrote the lyrics to “That I would be good” by Alanis Morisette for you, Mama. I won’t sing it for you because that would not be good…
Meditation is not mandatory but it can be a simple form of self-reflection that can lead to customized self-care. Notice your emotions and moods, allowing you to attend to your needs before burnout or stress hits. By cultivating mindfulness, you can discover the choices available to you and find insights.
Since I wanted to add more gratitude into my life once it started to kick in, I devised fun ways to practice it on the go - because sometimes I can't get to my morning list. The Pick-a-Color practice is a favorite in my house because my kids just like to watch me suffer. Lol jk — but really, I think it’s because they dont believe I can do it - but I can! And you can too.
What if I told you that your toddler’s crusty nose could be a great source of happiness and well-being? You would probably say gross, Stef.
Learn how to parent with gratitude by following the simple equation of Intention + Attention + Action + Repetition = Results. Start with setting a GoodAF Mom Intention, such as being a happier and kinder person.
Recently I decided to ask the ChatGPT AI machine the question: How does Gratitude Improve Parenting? I know from personal experience that gratitude has improved my relationship with my kids, self, and partner — but I wanted to hear what the research AI had to say.
You'll want to read this if you're looking to improve your mindfulness practice. After 20 years of supporting parents, I share why "practical" mindfulness is the only way to approach it. Learn how to shift your awareness and become more present in your life by noticing what you tend to put on cruise control.
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As the holiday spirit fills our homes, it's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of festive preparations, particularly when our attention tends to center on creating magical moments for our kids. However, amid the merry mayhem, it's the perfect time to add activities that not only nurture family connection, but also cultivate gratitude.
Celebrate World Gratitude Day by expressing appreciation to those who support your family. Discover why this annual tradition in September offers a perfect opportunity to thank the everyday heroes in our lives and explore kid-approved ways to infuse gratitude into your September routines!
Can we find happiness by looking within and choosing ourselves first? I share my experience of how focusing on gratitude helped me notice the good and how I use my Parenting with Gratitude™ formula to inspire my daily gratitude practice.
The cultural expectations of parenting and the impact of Intensive Parenting on Parents' Mental Health — plus a practice to help you get through!
What if I told you that your toddler’s crusty nose could be a great source of happiness and well-being? You would probably say gross, Stef.
Learn how to parent with gratitude by following the simple equation of Intention + Attention + Action + Repetition = Results. Start with setting a GoodAF Mom Intention, such as being a happier and kinder person.
Recently I decided to ask the ChatGPT AI machine the question: How does Gratitude Improve Parenting? I know from personal experience that gratitude has improved my relationship with my kids, self, and partner — but I wanted to hear what the research AI had to say.
A fresh take on motherhood can follow these steps reflecting, remembering, and reorientating, which will lead to new growth.
I love it. It’s such a simple formula — but of course, instead of a Hot Girl Walk, I go on Hot Mom Walks. My Hot Mom Walks are filled with gratitude, and also self-confidence boosting hip swings, but also I like to reflect on my goals for my self-growth…
According to psychologists, burnout is a physiological and psychological state we can reach when the following things go off the rails: Sleep, Healthy Choices (whatever that means to you), Resources, and Support. A state means it’s temporary - which is a good thing, right? That’s our first step out of the tunnel. Perspective to see that even though everything is a mess and so heavy and demanding, it is temporary can help.
Inside each one of these blog posts, I do hope you find something that resonates with you and helps you to feel like a GoodAF mom - because you are! Let’s get into parenting with gratitude.
These are the building blocks of what I call ‘Parenting with Gratitude’. We don’t need to clean the slate, only amplify what is already here and true, rescue our minds from habitual thoughts and reactions and connect with the humans around us.
It’s when we look outside ourselves for affirmation or confirmation that’s when we get into trouble. What can we do to quiet the comparing mind?
Sure, sometimes you’re just not grateful. Let’s be honest, we have all been on the receiving end of a gift we weren’t totally excited about. Maybe one that is a little bit ridiculous, like a complicated puzzle for a 2-year-old, but we want to be nice, so we fawn gratefulness - but are we grateful?
Not everyone is going to agree on what is optimal for how often to practice gratitude (even the scientists are split) but I have a clear reason why every day should be your goal.
This will sound weird, but Beyoncé helped me deal with my resentment. Specifically, the resentment around my partner not helping - after we had our first baby, sure, but even later once we had two, and they were much older. The resentment and indignation had built up - and bitterness had taken over my mind and thoughts.
You won’t want to miss this post because it will explain why gratitude is going to change your relationship with motherhood.
I am obsessed with gratitude because it has changed how I view the world. I grew up in New England, so I celebrated the negative. But that all changed…
Your intention to parent differently stems from a deep well of courage. Did you know that?
Let’s train your brain to notice the good with a free Gratitude Mantra every week - download the wallpaper to your phone, no email address required.
Betting on a mindset shift to combat family trauma can feel like “not enough” but if you have faith you can use your intention to parent differently as the catalyst for so much change.
The negativity bias gets in the way of parenting differently, but gratitude can help with that!
We do not know when it will end or how, so while we are here, we must cherish the moments that enrich and fulfill and do everything we can to protect those we love.
Yes, we can have the intention to be better parents, but if that means we are unhappy parents then maybe it’s time for a system breakdown.
So if it’s not a trip to the nail salon then just what is self-care? And can I do it for free?
Parenting with gratitude is a practice. Use these activities to stay on track and train that brain!
Feeling resistant to a gratitude practice? Go outside every day and it will come to you more naturally.
Gratitude does not make you a lazy parent and it is certainly not blind positivity.
Often when I find myself struggling as a parent to stay mindful and present I revisit it to remind myself just how simple mindfulness can be.