Mindful Mama: Raising Kind, Confident Kids Without Losing Your Cool | Parenting Strategies For Big Emotions & More

When my kids were little, I really wanted to get them in the habit of giving back and doing service projects. However, I discovered that it can be challenging to find age-appropriate volunteer opportunities for little kids. Today, I am joined by Sarah Aadland. As a program director for Doing Good Together, Sarah creates and curates tools to help families and organizations raise kids who care and contribute. We talk about how to find projects to do with little kids, how families can volunteer together, how we can focus on service, and create great big hearted, generous kids.*New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel!If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor.Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show!3 Takeaways:  We can build acts of kindness into our everyday family lives. Look for opportunities that support the things that your family is interested in. Serving together creates the next generation of philanthropists and kind people in the world.  As a program director for Doing Good Together, Sarah creates and curates tools to help families and organizations raise kids who care and contribute.Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses!ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches smart, thoughtful parents on how to create calm and cooperation in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide. Be a part of the tribe—we’re over 25 thousand strong! Join the Mindful Parenting membership.Take your learning further! Get my Top 2 Best Tools to Stop Yelling AND the Mindful Parenting Roadmap for FREE at: mindfulmamamentor.com/stopyelling/Find more podcasts, blog posts, free resources, and how to work with Hunter at MindfulMamaMentor.com.Be sure to check out these deals from this week’s sponsors: Get fifteen percent off your order today by going to GetLumineux.com and use code hunter. To learn more about all Outschool has to offer and to save fifteen dollars off your child’s first class go to Outschool.com and use code hunter. Go to GreenChef.com and use code hunter130 to get $130 off, plus free shipping! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How often do we find ourselves not really paying attention to what we’re doing? We may be going through the motions, but we’re thinking about something else, not being fully present to what we’re doing. Today, I have a fascinating conversation with Dr. Amishi Jha, professor of psychology at the University of Miami and author of Peak Mind, about the impact a wandering mind has on our ability to live life fully and how we can use mindfulness to refocus our attention.*New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel!If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor.Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show!3 Takeaways: Mind-wandering is attention that is not present, in the here and the now. Greater mind wandering increases feelings of negativity. Mindfulness practice strengthens the systems of attention. Dr. Amishi Jha is a professor of psychology at the University of Miami. Her work has been featured at NATO, the World Economic Forum, and The Pentagon. She is the author of PEAK MIND.Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses!ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches smart, thoughtful parents on how to create calm and cooperation in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide. Be a part of the tribe—we’re over 25 thousand strong! Join the Mindful Parenting membership.Take your learning further! Get my Top 2 Best Tools to Stop Yelling AND the Mindful Parenting Roadmap for FREE at: mindfulmamamentor.com/stopyelling/Find more podcasts, blog posts, free resources, and how to work with Hunter at MindfulMamaMentor.com.Be sure to check out these deals from this week’s sponsors: Redefine learning with play and get 50% off your first month plus FREE shipping on ANY crate line with code HUNTER at kiwico.com. Make your first good decision of the new year, and join over 10 million people using Chime. Get started at chime.com/hunter. Just go to WeAreRasa.com and use my special promo code: HUNTER20 for 20% off your first purchase. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you find that all too often you’re having to bark orders to get things done? What if there was a better, more playful way to get your kids to cooperate? Today, I talk with Dr. Lawrence J. Cohen, psychologist and author of Playful Parenting and The Opposite of Worry, about the importance of play in childhood and how we can tap into our child’s innate desire to play to build connection.*New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel!If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor.Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show!3 Takeaways: Be honest about your emotions with the volume turned down. After feeling big emotions, share with your child what you did to work through them.  Children need connection and confidence, and they need to know they have a safe home base. Lawrence J. Cohen, PhD is a psychologist and author. His books Playful Parenting and The Opposite of Worry have been translated into 18 languages. He is also the co-author of The Art of Roughhousing, Best Friends Worst Enemies, and Mom They're Teasing Me.Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses!ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches smart, thoughtful parents on how to create calm and cooperation in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide. Be a part of the tribe—we’re over 25 thousand strong! Join the Mindful Parenting membership.Take your learning further! Get my Top 2 Best Tools to Stop Yelling AND the Mindful Parenting Roadmap for FREE at: mindfulmamamentor.com/stopyelling/Find more podcasts, blog posts, free resources, and how to work with Hunter at MindfulMamaMentor.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To celebrate, we made a special "Best Of" episode with the top 5 Mindful Mama convos of 2021.  Listen to learn about: How To Be Less Reactive How to Communicate More Skillfully With Your Kids Unconditional Parenting  The Science of Self Care How to Help Kids With Self-Regulation *New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel!If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor.Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show!Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses!ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches smart, thoughtful parents on how to create calm and cooperation in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide. Be a part of the tribe—we’re over 25 thousand strong! Join the Mindful Parenting membership.Take your learning further! Get my Top 2 Best Tools to Stop Yelling AND the Mindful Parenting Roadmap for FREE at: mindfulmamamentor.com/stopyelling/Find more podcasts, blog posts, free resources, and how to work with Hunter at MindfulMamaMentor.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can we have success without others? Today, I talk to Parker Palmer, Founder and Senior Partner Emeritus of the Center for Courage & Renewal, is a writer, teacher, and activist who focuses on issues in education, community, leadership, spirituality, and social change. We discuss filling human need and the importance of community.*New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel!If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor.Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show!3 Takeaways: We are interdependent and have a responsibility to one another. We have to trust our own inner light and our own sense of inner guidance. We need to be able to be vulnerable in safe spaces. Parker J. Palmer, Founder and Senior Partner Emeritus of the Center for Courage & Renewal, is a writer, teacher, and activist who focuses on issues in education, community, leadership, spirituality, and social change. He is the author of ten books, including several award-winning titles, that have sold nearly a million copies and been translated into ten languages. The most recent is “On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, and Getting Old.”Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses!ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches smart, thoughtful parents on how to create calm and cooperation in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide. Be a part of the tribe—we’re over 25 thousand strong! Join the Mindful Parenting membership.Take your learning further! Get my Top 2 Best Tools to Stop Yelling AND the Mindful Parenting Roadmap for FREE at: mindfulmamamentor.com/stopyelling/Find more podcasts, blog posts, free resources, and how to work with Hunter at MindfulMamaMentor.com.Be sure to check out these deals from this week’s sponsors:Go to WeAreRasa.com and use my special promo code: HUNTER20 for 20% OFF your first purchase. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, I talk to Ex-NFL kicker Sean Conley. Sean shares his story of how he was able to re-center his life after suffering career-ending injuries from overtraining. He began practicing yoga as part of his rehabilitation, and soon embraced yoga’s mindfulness, meditation, and philosophy.*New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel!If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor.Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show!3 Takeaways: Being truly present allows us to see things more clearly. Yoga and mindfulness benefit both body and mind. Yoga is a tool that can be used to manage our mental energy. Ex-NFL kicker Sean Conley (Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets) suffered career-ending injuries from overtraining. He began practicing yoga as part of his rehabilitation, and soon embraced yoga’s mindfulness, meditation, and philosophy as a new life direction. Now a yoga teacher himself, he owns Amazing Yoga in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with his wife. His new book is The Point After: How One Resilient Kicker Learned There Was More to Life Than the NFL (Lyons Press, 2020). Learn more at seanconley.netGet Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses!ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches smart, thoughtful parents on how to create calm and cooperation in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide. Be a part of the tribe—we’re over 25 thousand strong! Join the Mindful Parenting membership.Take your learning further! Get my Top 2 Best Tools to Stop Yelling AND the Mindful Parenting Roadmap for FREE at: mindfulmamamentor.com/stopyelling/Find more podcasts, blog posts, free resources, and how to work with Hunter at MindfulMamaMentor.com.Be sure to check out these deals from this week’s sponsors: Head to beamorganics.com/HUNTER for 40% off the first 3 months of any Beam subscription PLUS a free mug and frother, or 20% off any one-time purchase. Head over to Evite.com/hunter to choose from thousands of design options to create and send invitations for free. It’s okay to have questions about COVID-19 vaccines just make sure you get answers from a reliable source, like your child’s doctor or nurse. You can visit the CDC website CDC.gov for additional information you can trust about how COVID-19 vaccines can protect your entire family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the U.S. we firmly believe in freedom and independence, but is our current parenting culture one that teaches our children how to be free, independent people? I had a fascinating conversation with Sara Zaske, author of Achtung Baby: An American Mom on the German Art of Raising Self-Reliant Children, about her experience living in Germany for more than six years with her family. We talk about the importance of self-reliance for kids including physical freedom and intellectual freedom, and how we can best prepare our kids to handle the responsibilities that come along with these freedoms.*New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel!If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor.Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show!3 Takeaways: Find like-minded parents and form a safe group of kids for your child to explore their independence with. It’s when we don't prepare our kids how to deal with dangerous situations that disaster happens. Kids need to learn to tune into themselves and say, “Am I okay here?” Sara Zaske is a writer who lived in Germany for more than six years with her family, an experience that inspired Achtung Baby: An American Mom on the German Art of Raising Self-Reliant Children.Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses!ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches smart, thoughtful parents on how to create calm and cooperation in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide. Be a part of the tribe—we’re over 25 thousand strong! Join the Mindful Parenting membership.Take your learning further! Get my Top 2 Best Tools to Stop Yelling AND the Mindful Parenting Roadmap for FREE at: mindfulmamamentor.com/stopyelling/Find more podcasts, blog posts, free resources, and how to work with Hunter at MindfulMamaMentor.com.Be sure to check out these deals from this week’s sponsors: Take your FREE in-depth hair consultation and get 15% off your first order today! Go to Prose.com/hunter. Go to GreenChef.com/hunter10 and use code hunter10 to get 10 Free Meals including free shipping! Visit ThriveCausmetics.com/Hunter for 15% off your first order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is a great way to build confidence in your kids? Affirmations! Today, I talk to Sandy Zanella, a mom of 2, a physician by training, and a kids yoga teacher. She is also the author and creator of “Happy Yogis,” a colorful pose by pose book inspired by her kids. In our conversation, we discuss the benefits of affirmations (for both you AND your kids) and easy ways to start practicing them with your family.*New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel!If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor.Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show!3 Takeaways: Affirmations benefit both kids and adults. We can turn neutral things into positive things, or even negative things into positive things. The best way to start is to model, do it yourself and have them come when they're ready. Sandy Zanella is a mom of 2, a physician by training, and a kids yoga teacher. She is the author and creator of “Happy Yogis”. A colorful pose by pose book inspired by her kids. She wants to encourage children to love and accept themselves as they are and dreams of helping families thrive and find joy together. As a hobby, she is a content creator and loves sharing about her motherhood journey and how to integrate yoga and mindfulness throughout the day with children.Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses!ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches smart, thoughtful parents on how to create calm and cooperation in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide. Be a part of the tribe—we’re over 25 thousand strong! Join the Mindful Parenting membership.Take your learning further! Get my Top 2 Best Tools to Stop Yelling AND the Mindful Parenting Roadmap for FREE at: mindfulmamamentor.com/stopyelling/Find more podcasts, blog posts, free resources, and how to work with Hunter at MindfulMamaMentor.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot of us have heard things like, “first born children are leaders” or “Youngest children are more relaxed” but is there any truth to character traits being associated with birth order. Today, I talk to Yvonne Nass, Certified Parent Educator and family counselor, about the truth behind these claims and why it matters.If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor.Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show!3 Takeaways: A child’s perceptions of the world are based on family values, the family atmosphere, the sex of the child, and birth order. Birth order has a great influence on child development. Understanding birth order tendencies allows us to accept the differences and honor them.  Yvonne Nass is a Delaware Certified Parent Educator and a Certified Adlerian Family Counselor; a self employed parent education consultant, teaching classes, facilitating workshops and seeing families individually. She has developed and taught parent education curriculum to a diverse group of parents and caregivers for 40 years. Yvonne is a mother of 3, stepmother of 5, grandmother to 12 and now has guardianship of a great grandson who attends a Montessori School.Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses!ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches smart, thoughtful parents on how to create calm and cooperation in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide. Be a part of the tribe—we’re over 25 thousand strong! Join the Mindful Parenting membership.Take your learning further! Get my Top 2 Best Tools to Stop Yelling AND the Mindful Parenting Roadmap for FREE at: mindfulmamamentor.com/stopyelling/Find more podcasts, blog posts, free resources, and how to work with Hunter at MindfulMamaMentor.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the goal of parenting? If you could magically snap your fingers and have a happy, healthy, emotionally well-adjusted 30-year-old, would you? Would you fast forward life, just to get the outcome you are hoping for? This is the question posed by today’s guest Jill Stoddard. Jill is director of The Center for Stress and Anxiety Management, an award-winning teacher, TEDx speaker, author, and co-host of the Psychologists Off the Clock podcast. In our conversation, we dive into the problem with the outcome-driven definition of success and how we can find successful moments in each day.*New!* Watch video clips from this episode on the Mindful Mama Youtube channel!If you enjoyed this episode, and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @mindfulmamamentor.Have you left a review yet? All you have to do is go to Apple Podcasts or  Stitcher (or wherever you listen), and thanks for your support of the show!3 Takeaways: Say yes to the stuff that lights you up.  Sometimes emotions are a call to action. Growth and energy don’t come from staying in our comfort zone. Jill Stoddard is director of The Center for Stress and Anxiety Management. She is an award-winning teacher, TEDx speaker, author, and co-host of the Psychologists Off the Clock podcast.Get Hunter's book, Raising Good Humans now! Click here to order and get book bonuses!ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is a mindful mama mentor. She coaches smart, thoughtful parents on how to create calm and cooperation in their daily lives. Hunter has over 20 years of experience in mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide. Be a part of the tribe—we’re over 25 thousand strong! Join the Mindful Parenting membership.Take your learning further! Get my Top 2 Best Tools to Stop Yelling AND the Mindful Parenting Roadmap for FREE at: mindfulmamamentor.com/stopyelling/Find more podcasts, blog posts, free resources, and how to work with Hunter at MindfulMamaMentor.com.Be sure to check out this deal from this week’s sponsor:Get 10% off your first order with promo code MINDFUL at OSEAmalibu.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices