"The magic of motherhood is in who you are, not what you do". Just one snippet of the sage, empowering advice from today's guest, Alli Worthington, author of "Remaining You While Raising Them". Ever felt like you've given the essence of yourself away, wondering where your zest for life went after you became a mom? As you pour yourself out to meet the needs of your family, what about your own desires and longings? What's your own mothering style? Just as no two humans are alike, no two mothers are exactly alike either. Alli's messages will encourage and help you to find your way back to who you are as you nurture your dear children. If you're a dad, do the mom in your life a big favour and tune in. Finding your way to emotional health is one of the surest ways to help set your kids up for an emotionally healthy future.

Ever find yourself wanting to have a good talk wtih your teen or tween and either getting nothing or an unexpected earful? How can we connect without seeoming pushy or fake? Do we avoid the deep emotions or dive in headfirst? If these questions are nagging and you feel you are just not able to connect with your child - this episode will provide some great advice. Ned Johnson co-wrote The Self-Driven Child with William Stixrud. After the success of that book they tackled some of the tougher communication problems described above in What Do You Say? Today we get to pick Ned's brain on some of the key messages he has for parents on how we can best communicate with our teens and tweens (and anyone else for that matter). It's a tricky balance sometimes  - being interested, but not pushy; being empathic, but not an anxious presence; wanting to give advice, but not be dogmatic; being logical, but not neglecting to respect the emotions....parenting is hard! This episode will help.

We got so much positive feedback on this episode and so many new listeners since it first aired in February 2021, that we felt it would be great to replay  - either to listen to again or for the first time. Enjoy! Are you feeling stuck, overwhelmed or disconnected in your marriage? Worried about how this is impacting the kids? Do you wonder if maybe splitting up is better than continuing on? Then this is an episode you won't want to miss. Toni and Carey Niewuhof reflect together on how marriage can become empty, and offer practical advice on how to turn it around. As a family law mediator and former divorce attorney Toni shares her insights in her new book "Before You Split". This honest and open conversation will instil hope - no matter where your marriage is at.

When we talked with Jennifer Kolari previously on the podcast (episode 35) we got such great feedback - and no wonder! Jennifer provides such rich advice on how we can really truly connect on a meaningful level with our kids, and our partners. We are wired for relationship and born to connect. Jennifer opens the box and unpacks how our brains really do this and what to do when connections are broken. Check this episode out if you long for deeper connections with everyone in your circle.

Rob's wife Rose takes her place behind the mic as the better half in our episode today! Whether you're a mom, a dad or a partner, you know how the things you've said 'yes' to may bump up against what you're trying to accomplish at home. Ever felt guilty about that? Ever wondered how to manage outside responsibiities and family-related ones, and still care for your own needs? Rose is filled with wisdom about living well, involving others, setting boundaries and living them out, and loving her family so well. Join us, and if the spirit moves you, let Rob and I know what you feel is holding you back in your home life.

We want you to hear this episode - so we are playing it again in case you missed it the first time. It is powerful. "Most things that seem complicated are actually just hard." This is a central idea that grounds Dr. Anita Phillips' work as a trauma therapist and life coach. Marriage is a primary relationship where the impacts of trauma - often trauma that occurred prior to the relationship - show up. And when it does, labelling behaviours and laying blame may come easily for the other partner., However, untangling the deeper causes for the behaviour is hard work. Dr. Anita shares a very compelling analogy using seeds and plants to illustrate the process of getting back to the root of behaviours that are causing stress. There's probably no human alive who is untouched by the impacts of trauma in their circle of loved ones. That's why we bill this episode as one not to miss, and we're grateful to Dr. Anita for sharing her wealth of wisdom.    

Sports are part of our society and so it's no wonder that parents wonder whether they should put their kids into sports. And if so, when and what sport? These are all great questions that we explore today with Dr Katie Misener. Katie's research is devoted to sports and their benefits - not just for kids but also for parents and our communities. It turns out that getting kids involved in sports is good not just for their physical health, but also their mental health, and more. If you are a parent with kids in sports or thinking about it - you'll love this episode.

Wouldn't it be great if you had a parenting mentor at your side during those difficult parenting moments? Sometimes we are faced with conundrums - do I intervene, or let my kids figure it our on their own? When do I shift from manager to consultant role? What about sibling rivalry? How can we be real with uncomfortable emotions in front of our kids? What if one parent wants to parent differently? Well parenting expert Sue Groner helps us out today! Sue is the author of Parenting with Sanity And Joy: 101 Simple Strategies and she is a mom herself who shares honestly from her experience, backed up by research and time-tested parenting strategies that work. If you are well into the parenting journey or just starting out, this episode is for you.

Ever wondered about why it's sometimes hard to sync up your intentions for your relationships, and the ways you actually show up? Childhood trauma isn't necessarily what you think it is - we tend to think of the death of a parent or being involved in a life-threatening incident or being sexually abused when we talk about the lasting impacts of trauma (and rightfully so), but sometimes the sources of trauma are not obviously recognized. Trauma expert Dr. Kathleen Murphy joins us for an in-depth exploration of the ways developmental or complex trauma experienced before adulthood may manifest in words and behaviours in our couple relationships and parenting. If you've been treated abusively in your past, you may want to invite a friend to listen along with you and be there, for support. What Dr. Murphy shares is so honest, insightful and powerful, you won't want to miss this conversation, whether it applies to you personally or someone close to you.

The world of teenagers is vastly different from the high-school world we experienced. This generation is digitally-native, more diverse and open to talking about mental health. This might leave your head spinning - what was taboo just a few years ago is now normal. Yet many teenagers are struggling with their mental health and the adults in their lives (teachers and parents) can sometimes find it hard to connect and support them. Today we talk to clinical psychologst and teen mental health expert Deborah Offner. She speaks extensisvely with teens, parents and teachers - mainly in the school setting - and is therefore able to give us the "inside scoop" on connecting with and understanding teenagers. She shares her insight with us today - so that you can parent your teenagers better.