Less Drama More Mama

Latest Episodes:

When Worry About Your Child’s Future Shapes Your Parenting – 425 Sep 29, 2026

Show notes

Your child talks back, lies about something small, or ignores your directions.

You wonder: If this is happening now, what will they be like five years from now?

In this week’s episode, I’m talking about why worry about your child’s future can make their current behavior feel so urgent, how that worry shapes your reactions, and how to respond to what’s actually happening.

For full show notes and information, visit https://lessdramamoremama.com/425

The post When Worry About Your Child’s Future Shapes Your Parenting – 425 appeared first on Less Drama More Mama.

Calm Parenting Doesn’t Mean Tolerating Bad Behavior – 424 Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

Your child is yelling because you said no, talking to you disrespectfully, or following you around trying to change an answer you’ve already given.

You’re trying to stay calm, but part of you is thinking, How much of this am I supposed to put up with?

"Expanding your window of tolerance" can sound like learning to become more patient with behavior you don’t want to allow.

So what are you actually learning to tolerate?

Tune in to today’s episode to find out.

For full show notes and information, visit https://lessdramamoremama.com/424

The post Calm Parenting Doesn’t Mean Tolerating Bad Behavior – 424 appeared first on Less Drama More Mama.

Self-Reflection Questions for Moms – 423 Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

“Why am I always so tired?”

“Why are my kids so disrespectful?”

“Why is parenting so hard?”

These can sound like self-reflection questions, but the assumptions built into them can keep leading you back to the same answers.

This week, I’m bringing back one of the earliest episodes of the podcast because its central idea still holds true:

The questions you ask shape what you notice and the answers you find.

In this episode, I explain how to recognize questions that leave you feeling defeated and replace them with questions that help you understand yourself, consider new possibilities, and decide what you want to do next.

For full show notes and information, visit https://lessdramamoremama.com/423

The post Self-Reflection Questions for Moms – 423 appeared first on Less Drama More Mama.

After-School Meltdowns: How to Help Your Kids Without Having One Too – 422 Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Your child’s teacher says they had a great day, but once they get home, the smallest thing sends them over the edge. After-school meltdowns can make it seem as though your child saved their worst behavior for you, but there may be more contributing to the reaction.

In this episode, I’m looking at the demands your child manages at school, the transition home, and what happens during the afternoon. I’m also sharing how to stay grounded when your child is overwhelmed, hold boundaries without arguing, and recognize when the pattern deserves more attention.

For full show notes and information, visit https://lessdramamoremama.com/422

The post After-School Meltdowns: How to Help Your Kids Without Having One Too – 422 appeared first on Less Drama More Mama.

When Kids Keep Asking to Go to the School Nurse – 421 Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

The school nurse’s number flashes on your phone again.

Your child has a stomachache, a headache, or another symptom that feels serious enough to make them want to leave school.

They’ve been medically checked, and everything appears to be normal.

The nurse says they’re okay. Your child insists they’re not.

Now you’re caught between two concerns: What if you overlook something important? What if picking them up reinforces school avoidance by teaching them that leaving is the only way to feel better?

There’s another possibility besides “They’re sick” or “They’re trying to get out of class.”

Your child’s body could be responding to something their mind hasn’t recognized or put into words.

For full show notes and information, visit https://lessdramamoremama.com/421

The post When Kids Keep Asking to Go to the School Nurse – 421 appeared first on Less Drama More Mama.

Homework Help (replay) – 420 Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

When your child is struggling with homework, it’s hard to know how much you should get involved.

If you step in, are you helping or taking over?

If you back off, are you teaching responsibility or letting your child fall behind?

The answer isn’t always obvious, especially when missing assignments and low grades start making you anxious.

This week, I’m bringing back an older episode called "Homework Help."

If homework and grades are already creating tension in your home, this episode will help you think differently about what may be going on and what your role should be.

For full show notes and information, visit https://lessdramamoremama.com/420

The post Homework Help (replay) – 420 appeared first on Less Drama More Mama.

Take Back Your Parental Authority – 419 Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

My daughter thanked me at dinner the other night for "not letting" her drop out of college.
She's an adult, so I couldn't have stopped her if I'd tried.🤷🏻‍♀️
What I did instead is why she thanked me.
Like me, you may be working hard to parent differently from the way you were raised. You don't want your kids to feel afraid, dismissed, or powerless. You want a close relationship built on trust.
Somewhere along the way, being the one in charge can start to feel like the opposite of being close. You worry that every limit you hold could damage the relationship you're working so hard to build.
How do you lead your kids without controlling them? How does that change as they grow?

For full show notes and information, visit https://lessdramamoremama.com/419

The post Take Back Your Parental Authority – 419 appeared first on Less Drama More Mama.

Adjusting to a New School Year (replay) – 418 Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

Your child finds out they aren’t in class with any of their friends. They say their teacher is too strict. They come home crying and tell you they have no one to sit with at lunch.

Your mind immediately jumps to:

“This shouldn't be happening.”

“They're going to be miserable.”

“I need to do something.”

While some situations require you to step in, a difficult first day or week of school doesn’t always mean something has gone wrong.

A new school year is a transition, and kids need time to adjust to unfamiliar teachers, classmates, expectations, and routines.

Today, I’m bringing back an earlier episode about how you can support your child through that adjustment without allowing your own worries to take over.

For full show notes and information, visit https://lessdramamoremama.com/418

The post Adjusting to a New School Year (replay) – 418 appeared first on Less Drama More Mama.

Helping Your Child Adjust to Being Home After Sleepaway Camp – 417 Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

You’ve been looking forward to having your child home from sleepaway camp.

Then they walk through the door exhausted, disappear into their room, complain that there’s nothing to do, or get annoyed the first time you remind them to put something away.

It’s easy to wonder: Did they miss me? Are they happy to be home? Did camp change them in ways I don’t like?

The transition from camp to home is bigger than it may appear. Your child is returning from a completely different world, and they may need time to figure out how the person they became at camp fits back into family life.

In this episode, I’m sharing three adjustments kids make after sleepaway camp and how you can give your child room to bring their growing confidence, competence, and independence home with them.

For full show notes and information, visit https://lessdramamoremama.com/417

The post Helping Your Child Adjust to Being Home After Sleepaway Camp – 417 appeared first on Less Drama More Mama.

Lessons from Grief Camp (replay) – 416 Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

I’m currently in Georgia for my eighth summer as a grief specialist at Experience Camps, a nonprofit that provides free, one-week camps for kids who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver.

While I’m there, I’m replaying Episode 158, “Lessons from Grief Camp,” which first aired on August 17, 2021.

Even if your family isn't dealing with grief, the lessons in this episode apply to every parent. They're about what makes kids more likely to talk about their difficult emotions with you and how you can create the conditions that help them open up.

For full show notes and information, visit https://lessdramamoremama.com/416

The post Lessons from Grief Camp (replay) – 416 appeared first on Less Drama More Mama.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected