Attorney and mom, Melissa Hogan, wrote the first book of its kind when her son was handed a challenging diagnosis. As she's navigated the health care system and learned how to care for her son and herself in the process, Melissa recognized the need to help all parents prevent and manage medical trauma. In our conversation she talks through some practical and surprising things parents can do with their children--even for routine pediatric doctor and dental visits--that can help allay fears and smooth the process.

Afraid of the Doctor

One of the first major transitions a child has is the first day of school. We talk to two seasoned kindergarten teachers who give us great tips on what's really important for kids to know and practice before they start school, and some helpful advice for parents, too. Kindergarten is about way more than learning letters and numbers. How do you know when your child is ready?

Grocery prices have skyrocketed and the average family struggles to afford feeding their family every week. Mandy is a real-life, regular mom who has figured it out. She's got easy and delicious meal plans with shopping lists and normal ingredients for busy families--even if cooking isn't your thing. We tried some of her recipes and gave them two thumbs UP!!

Plandy Mandy Meal Plans

LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: MOM30

Student debt can be a hot button subject! We wanted to see how it looked from a student's point of view. This episode is our conversation with a student recently out of grad school, with the student loans to prove it. Savannah Cunningham (Bonnie's daughter) taught us a thing or two and offers some on-the-ground tips for families with high school or college students navigating the minefields of student debt.

Many of us have looping tapes playing in our heads with a soundtrack that's largely negative. With a little practice and some small habits, we can arrest these toxic thoughts before they gain a foothold and hijack our relationships, success, and joy. And, we can teach our kiddos early on how to do this, too!

How we tell our stories determines how we see ourselves and the world. How do we frame a failure or diappointment? How do we recount a struggle? But it's not just all about the spin. In this episode, our conversation covers learning how to tell better, truer stories in order to find those glimmers of joy.

Marcus Warner's book: The Four Habits of Joy-Filled People

In this third episode of our Joy series, we look at the difference between living from a fear-based perspective and one based on joy. We walk through some easy-to-practice skills you (and your kids!) can do to learn the power of appreciation and get back on the path to emotional regulation and calm.

Marcus Warner's book: The Four Habits of Joy-Filled People

In this episode, part 2 of our joy series, we're talking about the first habit we can practice to move out of our "fear house" and into our "joy house." When we feel out of control -- like a toddler whose emotions are all over the place-- there are things we can do to quiet our bodies. Being calm isn't simply a matter of will or choice. When someone simply tells us to "calm down," it usually has the opposite effect! If your day seems to be spiraling, practice some of these calming exercises with your kids!