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  • Two weeks into summer vacation and you are already burned out? Maintain your mental health and mindful parenting skills with actionable tips shared in this episode. Stef discusses the unique ways families navigate summer and share practical tips for maintaining a mindfulness routine.

    For Stef, as a Type-A mom, planning and avoiding the dreaded "Mom, I'm bored!" can be overwhelming, she has worked hard to combine gratitude practices and summer activities for a more balanced experience.

    Discover the power of non-negotiable mental health practices, creating downtime for the whole family, and teaching valuable life skills.

    Download the summer planning sheet and get ready to prioritize self-care while embracing the joy of summer.

    Referenced in this episode:

    Oh Crap! by Jamie Glowacki

    Feed the Meter system coined by Dr. Harvey Karp

    Download the summer planning sheet

    Write an end-of-the-season review wherever you listen to this!

    Spotify

    Apple

    Amazon

    Join the Gratitude Circle here, and let's anchor ourselves in connection.

    Find ALL the Parenting with Gratitude™ practices in one place - right here.

    Are you ready to parent with more patience, empathy, and compassion? Parenting with Gratitude™ is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can all listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant, offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    Other podcast bonuses include interviews with expert guests, sleep consultants, and other mindful parenting guides, and easy and fun gratitude practices that fit your modern parenting lifestyle.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • Isolation and loneliness plague modern motherhood, but there is a solution. Join Stef Tousignant, a seasoned mom of two and former professional nanny, in this episode of "Parent Differently with Gratitude" as she unveils the transformative power of connection and gratitude.

    Discover practical strategies to break free from isolation, forge meaningful bonds, and overcome parenting challenges. Explore how nurturing gratitude in yourself and your children can create a vibrant support community. Say goodbye to loneliness and embrace the joy of a connected motherhood.

    Referenced in this Episode:

    Dr. Laurie Santos, cognitive scientist and host of The Happiness Lab

    Join the Gratitude Circle here, and let's anchor ourselves in connection.

    Find ALL the Parenting with Gratitude™ practices in one place - right here.

    Episode 16: Reframing Parent-Child Interactions Using the ARC Model

    Are you ready to parent with more patience, empathy, and compassion? Parenting with Gratitude™ is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can all listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant, offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    Other podcast bonuses include interviews with expert guests, sleep consultants, and other mindful parenting guides, and easy and fun gratitude practices that fit your modern parenting lifestyle.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

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  • In this episode, we dive into the concept of ‘equanimity’ and explore how it can transform our experience of motherhood. Equanimity, often described as emotional groundedness or acting non-reactively, allows us to find balance amidst the chaos and challenges we face as moms. It's not about suppressing emotions or achieving a constant state of zen; instead, it's about developing resilience and a healthy relationship with stress.

    Using the analogy of weather, we discuss the different states of overwhelm that many moms can relate to, from feeling stuck and overwhelmed by sensory overload or intense emotions to the anxiety that arises from uncertainty. As mothers, our stress baseline tends to be high due to the constant unpredictability of parenting, and it's crucial to find strategies to lower our stress arousal to better handle peak stressful events.

    Equanimity allows us to respond to challenging situations instead of reacting, resisting or running away. By developing a sense of grace and offering ourselves acceptance, we learn to acknowledge the realities of motherhood without self-judgment. The chaos and self-doubt that often accompany parenting are not our faults, and by embracing equanimity, we can find peace within the storm.

    Join us as we explore the power of equanimity and mindfulness in transforming our relationship with stress and embracing the present moment. Remember, amidst motherhood's messy, overwhelming, and sometimes frustrating moments, you are a GoodAF Mom.


    Referenced in this episode:

    The Stress Prescription by Elissa Epel, PhD

    Join the Gratitude Circle here, and let's anchor ourselves in connection.

    Find ALL the Parenting with Gratitude™ practices in one place - right here.

    Are you ready to parent with more patience, empathy, and compassion? Parenting with Gratitude™ is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can all listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    Other podcast bonuses include interviews with expert guests, sleep consultants, and other mindful parenting guides, and easy and fun gratitude practices that fit your modern parenting lifestyle.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • Today we look at thoughts like “Am I failing them!?” and others with Dr.Laura Froyen, a development psychologist and a podcaster herself: check out The Balanced Parent here.

    Habitual thinking, Obsessive Thoughts, Intrusive Thoughts. We suffer from all types of different thinking patterns as humans. And when you are under the stress of parenthood, these patterns can swing more to the negative than they may have in the past.

    Dr. Laura and I get into the neurology of and developmental reasons for these thinking patterns and offer practical tools for gaining perspective, using mindfulness to establish distance or ‘objectification’–space to look and assess.

    Sometimes thoughts can seem true - maybe like: our kid's behavior reflects how “good” or “bad” of a parent we may be. We talk about temperament, personality, and our innocent search for worthiness within our children’s growth and development.

    Find out more about Dr.Laura Froyen on her website, laurafroyen.com, and she will send you a free self-compassion exercise to try with your family.

    Referenced in the show:

    The Gardener and the Carpenter by Alison Gopnik

    The Scientist in the Crib by Alison Gopnik

    How to spot the signs of Postpartum Anxiety on HelloPostpartum.com

    The Love & Kindness Bodyscan - Episode 19

    Join the Gratitude Circle here, and let's anchor ourselves in connection.

    Find ALL the Parenting with Gratitude™ practices in one place - here.

    Are you ready to parent with more patience, empathy, and compassion? Parenting with Gratitude™ is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can all listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    Other podcast bonuses include interviews with expert guests, sleep consultants, and other mindful parenting guides, and easy and fun gratitude practices that fit your modern parenting lifestyle.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • In this episode, we discuss the difficulties of establishing a daily gratitude practice and why it is important to be intrinsically motivated. Stef explains the concept of the Intention-Action Gap, which refers to the disconnect between intentions and actions when trying to establish a new behavior.

    She also suggests looking over old gratitude lists as a way to recommit to the practice and to find intrinsic motivation. By rediscovering past moments of gratitude, listeners can reignite their motivation to practice gratitude and enjoy its many benefits. Listeners are also encouraged to believe in themselves and their ability to benefit from a daily gratitude practice.

    Here’s the Parenting with Gratitude™ Equation:

    Intention + Attention + Action + Repetition = Results you can See and Feel

    Referenced in this episode:

    Join the Gratitude Circle here, and let's anchor ourselves in connection.

    Find ALL the Parenting with Gratitude™ practices in one place - here.

    Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

    The Intention Action Gap

    Science also supports being part of a community that can assist in maintaining motivation.

    Try out the practice of Savoring.

    Are you ready to parent with more patience, empathy, and compassion? Parenting with Gratitude™ is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can all listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    Other podcast bonuses include interviews with expert guests, sleep consultants, and other mindful parenting guides, and easy and fun gratitude practices that fit your modern parenting lifestyle.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • Can we find happiness by looking within and choosing ourselves first? Stef shares her personal experience of how focusing on gratitude helped her to notice the good around her and how she is using her Parenting with Gratitude™ formula to inspire moms to start a daily gratitude practice.

    Stef, who has a professional nannying career of over 20 years, also shares her struggles with reactive parenting and how she realized she didn't want to be a perfect parent. She encourages parents to choose a third option, a middle way of parenting differently. The podcast is based on behavioral science, positive psychology, and mindfulness techniques, and Stef shares practical tips for achieving emotional well-being and physical health.

    References in this Episode:

    Join the Gratitude Circle here, and let's anchor ourselves in connection.

    Studies show the more we feel positive emotions, the better - for our emotional well-being and physical health.

    Start a daily gratitude practice because it’s time to rewire our brains.

    The Parenting with Gratitude™ Equation: Intention + Attention + Action + Repetition = Results you can see and feel.

    Avni Patel Thompson is a wonderful mom and start-up founder of Milo.

    A third zone of opportunity, or what Buddhists call “The Middle Way”

    Are you ready to parent with more patience, empathy, and compassion? Parenting with Gratitude™ is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can all listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    Other podcast bonuses include interviews with expert guests, sleep consultants, and other mindful parenting guides, and easy and fun gratitude practices that fit your modern parenting lifestyle.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • The Crossover event of the season - LOL, just kidding - but this episode is something new! My guest Christy Thomas and I swap our never-been-told secret motherhood stories of “Enough is enough.” Christy also shares her mindfulness journey and how she builds empathy into her days as a military wife and mom of three. If you want to hear my "Enough is enough" story, you will need to go to Christy’s podcast and look for the episode that came out on May 5th, 2023!

    Christy Thomas is a Positive Discipline Educator, life coach, podcaster (Keep Calm Mother On), and teacher. Christy has also been the anchor to her family of three kids and her military community during her husband's 20+ years of duty with the submarine force in the US Navy. She's navigated ten moves, public school teaching in three states and homeschooling in seven. Christy coaches on mindfulness, meditation, and compassionate confidence. She knows you are the right parent for your kids and wants to help you believe it with every breath you take.

    Other things:

    Join the Mother’s Day Challenge with TableTopics and boost your well-being in time for the big day! Buy your gratitude pack here.

    Take the Gratitude Quiz to see where you rank - can you boost your gratitude? Take it again in a few weeks.

    Join the Gratitude Circle here, and let's anchor ourselves in connection.

    Are you ready to parent with more patience, empathy, and compassion? Parenting with Gratitude™ is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can all listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant, offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    Other podcast bonuses include interviews with expert guests, sleep consultants, and other mindful parenting guides, and easy and fun gratitude practices that fit your modern parenting lifestyle.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • Let’s talk about the importance of parenting with joy and gratitude. Positive emotions like joy and delight can be integral to our healing and well-being as mothers. I acknowledge that it can be difficult to add more joy to our daily lives, but I encourage you to bring gratitude to any moment of joy and watch what happens.

    We also discuss the challenges of navigating tough situations with joy and how to adopt the goal of imperfect parenting. The episode concludes by discussing the scarcity mindset and the need to make time for play.

    “The truth is that play seems to be one of the most advanced methods nature has invented to allow a complex brain to create itself,” says Dr. Stuart Brown in his book Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul

    References in this Episode:

    Join the Mother’s Day Challenge with TableTopics and boost your well-being in time for the big day! Buy your gratitude pack here.

    Take the Gratitude Quiz to see where you rank - can you boost your gratitude? Take it again in a few weeks.

    Join the Gratitude Circle here, and let's anchor ourselves in connection.

    Episode 23: from 1/3/23 called Burnout and the Benefits of Gratitude

    Episode 37: from 4/11/23 called Off the Hook: Practice

    Are you ready to parent with more patience, empathy, and compassion? Parenting with Gratitude™ is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can all listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    Other podcast bonuses include interviews with expert guests, sleep consultants, and other mindful parenting guides, and easy and fun gratitude practices that fit your modern parenting lifestyle.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • Discover how intentional parenting, a growing trend, can sometimes backfire and lead to self-doubt. In this episode, we'll explore a new approach to parenting with intention that emphasizes self-growth and fulfillment.

    Is striving for perfection as a mother worth sacrificing your own happiness? Join host Stef to find out and learn how to prioritize what matters most for you and your family. Don't miss this insightful discussion on the challenges and rewards of intentional living!

    References in this Episode:

    Jack Kornfield’s baby blessing: “You now have a live-in Zen Master - they are here to help you grow.”

    Dan Harris and the Toilet Bowl Vortex, which is featured in his TED talk - here.

    Join the Gratitude Circle here, and let's anchor ourselves in connection.

    Are you ready to parent with more patience, empathy, and compassion? Parenting with Gratitude™ is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can all listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant, offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    Other podcast bonuses include interviews with expert guests, sleep consultants, and other mindful parenting guides, and easy and fun gratitude practices that fit your modern parenting lifestyle.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • The “Intensive Parenting” style, also called helicopter or overly involved parenting, has become part of our cultural norms. While many aspects of this type of parenting are good for children, it has largely negative effects on parents' mental health.

    Primary caregivers, mostly women, bear the burden of child-rearing. The practice leaves out other factors that influence a child's development, such as culture, media, peers, school, genetics, and extended families. In this episode, Stef shares how she copes with the heavy load of “intensive” parenting and offers a pretty awesome new way to deal with the cultural norms that expect the world from mothers.

    Referenced in this Episode:

    Study: In the Best Interests of Children? The Paradox of Intensive Parenting and Children’s Health - Mara A. Yerkes, Marit Hopman, F. Marijn Stok & John De Wit (2021) Critical Public Health, 31:3, 349-360, DOI: 10.1080/09581596.2019.1690632

    Impact of media use on children and youth. Paediatr Child Health. 2003 May;8(5):301-17. doi: 10.1093/pch/8.5.301. PMID: 20020034; PMCID: PMC2792691.

    Stop Pretending Intensive Parenting Doesn’t Work by Nate G. Hilger from the Atlantic

    Definition of Intensive Parenting from Parenting Culture Studies by Lee, Faircloth, et al. (2014)

    Join the Gratitude Circle here, and let's anchor ourselves in connection.

    Are you ready to parent with more patience, empathy, and compassion? Parenting with Gratitude™ is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can all listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    Other podcast bonuses include interviews with expert guests, sleep consultants, and other mindful parenting guides, and easy and fun gratitude practices that fit your modern parenting lifestyle.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • Let's explore the self-centered nature of a wellness journey and the discomfort that can arise when prioritizing ourselves. While self-love is important, it's not the only ingredient in the recipe for a fulfilling motherhood.

    Connection with others is also necessary, and science shows it's one of the easiest ways to feel better in a demanding world. We will examine Maslow's pyramid of human needs and determine just how building a foundation of self-love and authenticity can make it easier to connect with others.

    Ultimately, self-love isn't selfish; it makes us better at loving others.

    Referenced in this episode:

    The balance of self-love and the "Self Positivity Bias." Dan Harris' killer TED Talk - "The benefits of not being a jerk to yourself." Science shows social connection is an easy way to affect our mood state.

    Join the Gratitude Circle here, and let's anchor ourselves in connection.

    Are you ready to parent with more patience, empathy, and compassion? Parenting with Gratitude™ is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can all listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    Other podcast bonuses include interviews with expert guests, sleep consultants, and other mindful parenting guides, and easy and fun gratitude practices that fit your modern parenting lifestyle.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • There are instances where the criticism of the self-help industry's methods becomes excessive. In this episode, I discuss the tendency to overcorrect in the realm of self-care, offer suggestions for integrating mindfulness into our paths to healing, and explore why meditation may be effective for some parents but not for everyone. These topics are covered to provide a more balanced perspective on the role of self-care in personal growth.

    There are many ways to learn mindfulness that we have discussed on this podcast - you can try Episode 29, called ‘Hello Moment’ where I talk about Practical Mindfulness, or Episode 16, where I explain how gratitude can lead you to the ‘Juicy Pause.’ Take a listen, and I hope you keep an open mind and try these practices.

    Referenced in this episode:

    “What does it take to really treat ourselves with care?” (NPR)

    Join the 90-Day Gratitude Challenge here and start training your brain to notice the good - today.

    Are you ready to parent with more patience, empathy, and compassion? Parenting with Gratitude™ is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book, “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can all listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    Other podcast bonuses include interviews with expert guests, sleep consultants, other mindful parenting guides, and easy and fun gratitude practices that fit your modern lifestyle.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • Pain, Guilt, Pride, and Courage – when we acknowledge it all – the good, the bad, and the ugly of parenting, we begin to lay the building block of self-love or what I call self-mothering. We do not ignore our children's flaws and mistakes; we love them unconditionally, and we can offer that to ourselves as well.

    In this episode, we will explore the importance of acknowledging negative thoughts and feelings and focus on identifying a particular habitual thought that contributes to our negative experiences as parents.

    Positive emotions like joy, love, and excitement are the key to The Broaden and Build Cycle, which can help to catapult us from feelings of helplessness to ones of abundance.

    If you want to skip to just the GoodAF Mom Pe Talk, it starts at minute 12:33.

    Referenced in this episode:

    Barabara Friedrikson’s Broaden and Build Theory

    Episode 13, where I talk more about it

    The study showed that a mom’s mood affected her family twice more than any other caregiver.

    Join the 90-Day Gratitude Challenge here and start training your brain to notice the good - today.

    Are you ready to parent with more patience, empathy, and compassion? Parenting with Gratitude™ is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can all listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant, offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    Other podcast bonuses include interviews with expert guests, sleep consultants, other mindful parenting guides, and easy and fun gratitude practices that fit your modern lifestyle.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • Why are we so hyper-focused on parenting annoyances like butt wiping and nose cleaning and forget the fun games we play and snuggles we share? Surprisingly, the crusty noses of toddlerhood inspire self-development in this science-packed episode, featuring the Negativity Bias as its star.

    The Negativity Bias is our brain’s automatic habit of looking for and evaluating threats, prioritizing this hyper-focus over other types of thinking. Learn how to use gratitude to help you notice and readjust your perspective so you can learn the art of savoring: intentionally stepping outside an experience to observe and enjoy it in a deeper, richer way.

    Join the 90-Day Gratitude Challenge here and start training your brain to notice the good - today.

    Referenced in this episode:

    Professor Robert Emmons – author of Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier says: “When times are good, people take prosperity for granted and begin to believe that they are invulnerable.”

    James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, says: “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

    Dr. Bruce Berry, co-author of the book What Happened to You? says: “The brain organizes from bottom to top, with the lower parts of the brain (brain stem/diencephalon aka “survival brain”) developing earliest, the cortical areas (thinking brain) much later,” and “The majority of brain organization takes place in the first four years. Our brain functions from the bottom up - the instincts first and then the sorting and reasoning after.“

    The Center for Brain Health at the University of Texas, Dallas, neuroplasticity definition: “The brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.”

    And the science behind savoring:

    Replaying experiences increased positive emotions with effect felt four weeks after - Lubrymoski (2006)

    Savoring helps to thwart hedonic adaptation - Jose et al. (2012)

    The science behind why we are actually happier after experiences versus buying stuff - Van Boven & Golvich (2003)

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book, “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can ALL listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant, offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    Parenting with gratitude is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • Are you curious about how gratitude can improve your parenting? Tune in to this podcast episode, where we explore this topic with insights from the ChatGPT AI search device. Discover how mistakes and wins can be valuable choices for learning opportunities in parenting. As you choose to parent differently, you step into unfamiliar territory and let go of old habits and models. Learn to look inside yourself and prioritize self-reflection over perfectionism to become a more grateful and effective parent.

    Referenced in this episode: Episode 31, where I become a fish murderer.

    Join the 90-Day Gratitude Challenge here and start training your brain to notice the good - today.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book, “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can ALL listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant, offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    Parenting with gratitude is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • Are you struggling to implement new parenting techniques despite your desire for change? In this episode, we delve into the Intention Action Gap and explore why bridging the gap between wanting change and taking action can be challenging. Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to overcome this obstacle.

    I introduce the “Parenting with Gratitude Equation”: Intention + Attention + Action + Repetition = Results you can see and feel. Following this equation can transform your parenting style and journey from a "Bad Mom" to a "Happy Human."

    I believe gratitude is the most effective tool for parents to shift their mindset in a short amount of time. Don't miss out on this episode - share it with a friend and start your journey toward positive change today!

    Also Referenced in this Episode:

    The Opposite of Toxic Positivity by Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, from The Atlantic

    Dr. Laurie Santos, cognitive scientist and host of The Happiness Lab

    The G.I.Joe Fallacy

    Read The Decision Lab’s article on the Intention Action Gap here.

    2015 study examined why some people act on their dreams to become entrepreneurs while others only think and dream.

    2005 study on why some people complete their fitness goals and others do not.


    Join the 90-Day Gratitude Challenge here and start training your brain to notice the good - today.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book, “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can ALL listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant, offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    Parenting with gratitude is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did five years ago.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • Are you struggling to add new routines that support your mental health as a mother? Are you feeling ashamed about not being able to stick with new habits? Discover how to add gratitude to your routine with guest Emily Silva of SoulsAdventures.com. Emily and I discuss simple ways to make new routines stick.

    In this episode, Emily answers the common question: "Why can’t I start a gratitude practice at night?" She offers simple steps to help you add a new step to your routine and stick with it. Plus, she shares tips for defining your Inner Glow and adding gratitude to your life in a more relaxed way.

    As Emily says, "Gratitude is a muscle that helps you to stay in the present moment." This episode goes deep into actionable steps that will help to improve your mental health and wellness.

    You can find Emily on Instagram @soulsadventures and her books (listed below) on her website as well as on Amazon:

    Moonlight Gratitude - new audiobook version available on Audible!

    Moonlight Gratitude: A Journal

    Find Your Glow, Feed Your Soul

    Sunrise Gratitude

    You can also join her in-person “Gratitude Circle” every month in San Diego - find out more here.

    Also Referenced in this Episode:

    Savoring for 15 to 30 seconds helps the brain to make new neural pathways - learn more here.

    James Clear empathizes that to introduce a new habit it has to be both easy to adapt and enjoyable - even if that joy comes from the reward you give yourself once it’s over. His book Atomic Habits will change the way you look at your daily routines!

    Itsy Bitsy Baby Yoga - my favorite baby yoga book - can be found here.

    Join the 90-Day Gratitude Challenge here and start training your brain to notice the good - today.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can ALL listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant, offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    Parenting with gratitude is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • The stresses of parenting send you to places where you have no choice but to go. This is why mindfulness is so important to our parenting journeys. So we can notice when we are about to head off in that direction - when we react instead of respond when we go to the habitual response or the yelling when all we want to do is hold our child close.

    "Practical mindfulness" is my term for introducing awareness techniques that mesh with parenting life. There is no extra activity or to-do list item here, just simple reminders offered in creative ways to help you replace old thinking with learning and growing.

    References in this episode include:

    Neuropsychologist, Rick Hanson, Ph.D. and what he calls “Reactive Mode”, check out Dr. Rick Hanson’s book Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence.

    Stop Signs: Episode 21

    Choose a Color Game: Episode 12

    Join the 90-Day Gratitude Challenge here and start training your brain to notice the good - today.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can ALL listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant, offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    Parenting with gratitude is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • Reflect, remember, and reorientate. That’s what New Year, Same Me is about.

    Reflect on what you need, what is working, and what is not. Remembering the statistics of being a human at all. Reorientating our mindsets to focus on what we can control and not on what we can not.

    We talk about Niel Pasricha’s book The Happiness Equation in this Part 2 episode, go listen to Part 1 if you haven’t yet. The themes we touch on include: working for the weekend and conserving mental energy.

    I also suggest a LOT of great ideas when it comes to burnout and the typical stressors that when ‘too’ much or not ‘enough’ can take you down like meal prep, laundry, exercise, alone time, birthdays, and holidays, etc. We get into it and get really practical in this episode. Enjoy!

    References:

    Gary Vee and existential gratitude video here. Reddit Mom went viral recently when she was seeking help with gentle parenting burnout. Every Plate - full disclosure, my link does send me free meals when you sign up but you get $105 to try the kit. Yoga Nidra Meditations Yasmin Johnston of Mindful Sleep, listen to her on Episode 10 Taking Cara Babies Toddler Sleep Courses The average adult makes 35,000 decisions a day according to research

    Join the 90-Day Gratitude Challenge here and start training your brain to notice the good - today.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can ALL listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant, offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    Parenting with gratitude is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com

  • Have you listened to a GoodAF Mom Pep Talk yet? If not, you are in for a surprise - these episodes are not just a moment of cheerleading but take a deeper look into the conversations we hold with ourselves. Today we meet our “Loving Anchor” or the voice of our future leaning, the authentic self typically drowned out by the louder and more urgent Inner Critic.

    We also tackle the question - is enjoying your negative thinking cycle normal? And what can we do to strengthen our Loving Achor using acceptance, attention, and love?

    References on this episode include:

    Jack Kornfield’s book No Time Like the Present

    Tara Brach, whose quote, “We can love ourselves into healing,” which I heard in one of her Dharma Talks, you can find for free on Youtube here.

    And the mice from the MIT Habit Study helped us look at how we can both accept and override the Inner Critic encoded into every human’s genes.

    Join the 90-Day Gratitude Challenge here and start training your brain to notice the good - today.

    Follow along for more gratitude and parenting advice:

    👉Instagram

    👉TikTok

    👉Youtube

    Buy my bedtime book: “The Middle of the Night Book “here.

    Subscribe and share so you can ALL listen as a parenting expert and author, Stef Tousignant, offers you a sneak peek into her journey to normalize imperfect parenting and discover the gifts a committed gratitude practice can bring to modern family life.

    Parenting with gratitude is not the end goal - it's the method. 🎟 It's the means to achieving the goal of parenting differently.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you were raised.

    🎧 Listen to this podcast if you want to parent differently than you did 5 years ago.

    The kids of my good friend Alison Mountford of Ends and Stems, a family meal planning and food waste expert, provided our fantastic and giggly intro. More about her here: https://endsandstems.com