Joyful Courage for Parenting Teens

Today's guest is Melissa Benaroya. Melissa is a licensed clinical social worker with 20 years of experience working with children and families. Melissa has a Masters degree in Social Work, is a Credentialed School Counselor and is trained in Positive Discipline. She is also a Certified Gottman Educator offering the Bringing Baby Home Program for families with young children and workshops on Emotion Coaching. Melissa practices as a parenting consultant, coach and speaker to groups and individuals by blending her clinical training with her knowledge of child development and discipline. In 2011 she co-authored the book The Childproof Parent.Melissa lives in Seattle with her husband and two children and keeps her sanity with an active lifestyle of running and Crossfit!“Empathy is the ability to feel and understand what another person may be feeling but ultimately … it means connection … and feeling understood.”What you’ll hear in this episode:·     Learning to use empathy as a first response and a parenting tool·     Empathy as reflecting your child’s feeling back to them versus owning their feelings or relating our own personal experiences·     How using personal experiences in place of empathy can escalate conflict·     How to use empathy to help your child build emotional resilience·     Using empathy effectively to help your child feel heard·     Empathy as a practice and a gradual learning process·     Childhood developmental milestones in empathy·     How to model empathy for your kids·     Using the “Fake It Til You Become It” approach to empathy in your parenting·     Being mindful of your physical self in how you demonstrate and model empathy·     Parenting from the couch as a barrier to empathy·     Echoing, mirroring and repetition as empathy·     The power of validation in feeling heard – when looking on the bright side gets in the way·     Empathy as a transferrable skill. What does Joyful Courage mean to you?It takes courage to take risks and try new things and that’s where joy exists. It’s what parenting requires of us – taking risks and trying new things. Empathy might be taking a risk because it doesn’t feel natural and we are going to have to take lots of risks and try new things throughout our parenting journey. It not only makes us a better parent but it also helps us to grow as an individual and that’s where the joy exists.Resources:The Child-proof Parent Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest ChallengesWhere to find Melissa:Website Child-proof Parenting website Facebook Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join the Joyful CourageTribe in our community Facebook group - Live and Love with Joyful Courage. Raising our children while growing ourselves...:::::Today’s guest is Rachel Macy Stafford, founder of Handsfree Mama, best selling author and special education teacher. We are discussing letting go of distractions so you can focus on what really matters. Join us!“There is no space for perfection in parenting and living boldly. I want to live bravely, boldly, flawed and full of hope.” What you’ll hear in this episode:  Parenting and opportunities to choose to be mindful Avoiding getting caught up in the moment as a practice Making a “presence” pledge to yourself Surrendering and learning to let go of control and expectations of mastery or of a certain outcome Raising future adults and allowing space for practice Self-care and the importance of “do nothing” moments The value of physical self-care Resources:Only Love Today – pre-order until March 7Where to find Rachel:Website l Facebook l Twitter::::::::::FEED 3,000LET'S FEED SOME PEOPLE!!I would love to invite you to join me in making 3,000 snack sacks over the next three months and take them to organizations that serve the hungry!!Not one of us can make all those lunches ourselves - BUT ALL OF US TOGETHER SURE CAN!!So here is the plan, host a gathering at your house and invite other families over. Have each family bring some supplies and together make as many snack sacks as you can!!Click here for the Feed 3,000 Facebook Event LinkClick her to go donate to the Feeding America page.::::::::::Join the Joyful CourageTribe in our community Facebook group - Live and Love with Joyful Courage. Raising our children while growing ourselves...::::::::::Make sure to SUBSCRIBE to the Joyful Courage Podcast on iTunes to get the latest shows STRAIGHT to your device!! AND PLEASE rate and review the Joyful Courage Parenting Podcast on iTunes to help me spread the show to an ever larger audience!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to DAY THREE of the Mindfulness Mini Summit brought to you by Joyful Courage! I am thrilled to be talking today with Molly Knight Forde (Episode 7) meditation teacher and guide at the Awareness School.Listen in to learn: What is a meditation practice? How to create a practice that works for you? And enjoy a 10 minute guided meditation guided by Molly.Happy Meditating!!Click here to check out the newest online offer from Molly!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to DAY TWO of the Mindfulness Mini Summit brought to you by Joyful Courage! I am thrilled to be talking today with Sara Harvey Yao (Episode 68) author of Drop In: Lead With Deeper Presence and Influence.Listen in to learn: Who is meditation for? What are the benefits of meditation? And enjoy a 10 minute guided meditation guided by Sara.Happy Meditating!!Join me tomorrow as I finish up the mini-summit with a conversation with Molly Knight Forde about creating a lasting meditation practice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to DAY ONE of the Mindfulness Mini Summit brought to you by Joyful Courage! I am thrilled to be talking today with Jiovann Carrasco (Episode 43) from the Austin Mindfulness Center.Listen in to learn: What is meditation? What isn't meditation? And enjoy a 10 minute guided meditation Jiovann designed just for parents like YOU!Happy Meditating!!Join me tomorrow as I talk with Sara Harvey Yao about the benefits and possibilities of meditation for parents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s guest is Mary Jo, a coach who focuses on relationships and connections. We are discussing love, romance and intimacy after becoming parents. Join us!“It’s less about the action you take. We look for the action. There’s so many different actions you can take, it doesn’t really matter. The experience is about the connection to your heart. It’s about being connected to what really matters. The actions won’t sustain you or your relationship. Listen to your heart and let that inspire you.”What you’ll hear in this episode:•   Finding time for intimacy •   The importance of intimacy – finding your why •   Intimacy as parenting: part of role modeling healthy relationships •   Creating an invitation to intimacy: first steps •   Masculine and feminine energy – what’s the difference and why they are both in all of us •   Balancing energy to promote your child’s autonomy •   Vulnerability, touch and exploring connection •   Vulnerability as strength •   Relationships take two people, but relating takes one. •   Putting up a screen to filter inputs vs putting up a shield •   Distinguishing sex and intimacy – moving beyond euphemism •   Connecting to “adjust the volume” vs “turning from off to on” – making smooth transitions to intimacy through ongoing mindfulness and connection •   Reminding our partner and ourselves of what we appreciate about each other •   Resolving disconnection through self-celebration and self-care •   How to be curious about identifying and problem solving barriers to intimacy •   Engaging universal parenting skills that we practice with our kids •   The power of “I’ve Missed You” and remembering the intention •   Improving the likelihood of successful connection through celebration and reverence vs. complaint •   Letting go of expectations to leave space for what comes naturally     What does Joyful Courage mean to you?The fun in being courageous is getting on that super big rollercoaster. It’s not just about death defying acts of meeting demons. It’s really fun to be courageous because it brings amazing results. Connecting those two words is so important because it takes courage to be joyful and how amazing is courage when it has joy in it. It means to be inspired.Where to find MaryJo:Maryjolorei.com Boldly embody life Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Surprise!I am excited to be popping in to encourage, inspire and INFORM you about the how and the why to creating a PARENTING VISION.Listen to this short solo show and then move into action!Our parenting vision is our COMPASS and what keeps us moving in our desired direction within our relationships with our children.Click here for the Parenting Vision Guide.Have a beautiful day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s guest is Jason Frelot. Jasen is a community organizer, father, early childhood educator and social justice advocate based in Seattle, WA. Along with directing Columbia City Preschool of Arts and Culture, he is the co-founder of Kids and Race Seattle, which has been featured inParent Map Magazineand on NPRs Seattle Affiliate KUOW; the program has served over 500 people to date and rising every month. His various actions around race and social justice have made front page news in Seattle and have been featured on local news numerous times. He has 15 years of working with children in various capacities.“What we are going for here is real change. What we are going for here is a real conversation that is messy. That means diving deeper into that discomfort.”What you’ll hear in this episode:•   Racial identity and the inherent problems with color blindness •    How we are teaching white children to be racist and brown/black children they don’t have value (even though we don’t mean to) •   How to respond to uncomfortable questions about race and social order •   Silence and it’s role in reinforcing the status quo •   The role of parenting in promoting diversity •   Equality vs equity – what’s the difference? •   Treating everyone the same and how it perpetuates inequity •   Acknowledging the reality of now: the problem with discussing racism as history and other’s people’s problem •   Achievement gaps vs opportunity gaps •   Fear of being labeled racist and how it detracts from race focused conversation. •   Acknowledging racism as a problem in order to address it •   Understanding white privilege – situational power, structural power and individual power. •   The relationship between privilege and struggle – how they can both be present •   Race as an ongoing conversation •   Impacts of opting out of race-focused conversations due to the magnitude of the issue and the responsibility to persevere •   Recognizing your role in the problem and in how to fix it •   The role of media in how our children view the world and the value of other people - what kids see and what they hear: which impacts children more in the conclusions they draw about the world •   Analogy and allegory vs. representation and conversation in media •   Role modeling respect in our relationships •   Consciously exposing children to diversity •   Equipping our teachers to have conversations about race •   How to be the squeaky wheel about promoting diversity •   Silence as violence: choosing to be uncomfortable and vocal to incite change •   Handling pushback and using criticism as an access point to empathy as an allyResources: Culturally responsive teaching and the brain Kids and Race ResourcesWhere to find Jason: Columbia City Preschool of Arts and Culture, a brand new, social justice based program. Now enrolling for this Spring, and the upcoming school year. for more information go to columbiacitypreschool.orgKids and Race: Changing the Narrative. March 11th at Epiphany. Tickets available. Contact for future events and information kidsandrace@gmail.com.Speaking opportunities: kidsandrace@gmail.com The Well Queen Anne:::::::::: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Carrie Anne Killeen is a Conscious Parent coach who specializes in assisting parents in increasing peace, love, joy, grace and ease in the home. After living 20 years with a very critical view of herself and those around her, she realized how much love had been missing from her own childhood. Using her children as her biggest teachers, she learned how to heal her own childhood wounds with love, compassion, forgiveness and inner truth. She is deeply dedicated to creating a more peaceful world for children and parents. Carrie Anne inspires parents to see beyond their children’s behaviors to see the hidden truth and wisdom that lies inside their heart and soul. Carrie Anne is a peaceful, single mom of three amazing and highly soulful daughters. She is currently living her heart’s dream in Massachusetts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Full-time parents Natalie Christensen and Nathan M McTague are the founders of the Center for Emotional Education, with the mission to neurally empower individuals and families through emotional and strategic support. They offer a comprehensive line-up of courses, one-to-one coaching support, and Feeleez - a full set of emotional education tools. Natalie and Nathan have been working for over a decade helping families and individuals feel better, do better, and become the best possible versions of themselves. Their next mini-course – Forget Everything Else: The 5 Do-or-Die Parenting Concepts, starts February 13th.websites:Center for Emotional Education.comNathan M McTague.comFB pages:Your Self-Fulfilling LifeParenting on the Same TeamThe Father FactorFB groups:Teaching Children EmpathyThe Empathy Hotline ::::::::::Join the Joyful CourageTribe in our community Facebook group - Live and Love with Joyful Courage. Raising our children while growing ourselves... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices