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    Kids & Family

    Reflective Parenting Podcast by Curious Neuron

    You don’t snap at your kids because you’re a bad parent. You snap because your stress builds faster than your awareness, and no one ever taught you how to handle that.

    I’m Dr. Cindy Hovington, a mom of three with a doctorate in neuroscience and founder of Curious Neuron. I created The Reflective Parenting Podcast for parents who care deeply, know a lot, and still find themselves overwhelmed in the real moments.

    This is not a podcast where I tell you how to be a perfect parent. I’m in it with you.

    Each week, I invite you into my own reflections:

    • what I’m learning from scientific articles and books,
    • what I’m noticing in my nervous system and emotions,
    • and what real parents and experts teach me in conversation.

    Together, we get curious about why we snap, shut down, or over-function in conflict, and what’s actually happening in our brain and body when we do. We talk about stress, shame, repair, boundaries, playfulness, and the quiet moments no one sees—so you can start to recognize your patterns and gently shift them.

    By listening, you’ll learn to:

    • notice your stress and body signals earlier,
    • understand the lenses and stories that intensify hard moments,
    • regulate your nervous system when parenting feels like “too much”,
    • and handle conflict with more calm, clarity, and repair.
    • But more than that, you’ll have a companion in the work.

    I’ll share where I struggle, what I’m practicing, and how I’m trying to grow, so you don’t feel like the only parent who finds this hard.

    If you’re ready to move away from “perfect” parenting and toward reflective parenting—where every tough moment becomes data, not failure—pull up a chair. 

    Let’s learn, feel, and grow together.

    Find out which book I will be covering next month:

    https://curiousneuron.com/podcast/ 

    Join the private group on Facebook:

    www.facebook.com/groups/reflectiveparentingpodcast/

    Start training your emotional awareness for FREE:

    https://tremendous-hustler-7333.kit.com/84371dc0b2

    Purchase my course The Emotionally Aware Parent.

    https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

    Follow us on Instagram @drcindyhovington or Facebook @curiousneuronparenting

    Advertise

    Copyright: © 2024 Curious Neuron | Science of Parental Well-Being

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    Latest Episodes:
    The New Parent Journey: Essential Tools for Achieving Balance, Connection & Wellbeing Jun 02, 2025
    Show notes

    Send us Fan Mail

    with Erica Diamond

    Those early days of parenthood can feel like survival mode—your routines are gone, your identity feels blurry, and the overwhelm is constant. Between sleepless nights, mental overload, and trying to “do it all,” it’s easy to lose yourself.

    In this episode, Dr. Cindy Hovington is joined by Erica Diamond—certified life & career coach and creator of the List Your Goals Journal—to explore how small, but meaningful shifts in your day-to-day life can help you feel less reactive, more grounded, more present, and more connected to yourself and your child as a parent.

    They talk about the mindset traps many new parents fall into, why setting boundaries matters more than ever, and how simple, everyday tools can help you create a more balanced and connected environment—for you and your child.

    This isn’t about a total life overhaul—it’s about small, daily, actionable steps that lead to significant shifts overtime.


    🔑 What You’ll Hear:

    • Erica’s 4-step approach to transformation for new parents
    • Common mindset traps in early parenthood—and how to shift them
    • Tips to start reclaiming your time (even when it feels like you have none)
    • Small daily practices (10 - 15 minutes) that help you feel more grounded and support your mental health.
    • The emotional weight of saying “yes” too often—and how to say “no” and set boundaries.
    • Why social connection isn’t a “nicety”—it’s a necessity
    • The importance of prioritizing self-compassion in early parenting


    📚 Mentioned in This Episode:

    📖 The List Your Goals Journal

    → 100 list-making prompts specifically crafted to help you reach your goals.


    💬 Enjoying the podcast?

    📲 Know a parent who could benefit from this episode? SHARE it with them!

    As a thank-you, email us the word “SHARED” within 7 days of this episode, and we’ll send you a free tool loved by our exclusive Reflective Parent Club members.

    Support the show

    • Join the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-club
    1. Watch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19s
    • Grab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

    Parenting in the digital world: the conversations families may not be having (but should) May 26, 2025
    Show notes

    Send us Fan Mail

    We often focus on limiting and banning our kids’ screen time—but what if the most effective digital parenting conversations require a completely different approach, one that starts with curiousity, not control?
    In this episode, Dr. Cindy Hovington is joined by bestselling author Jessica Joelle Alexander to explore how we can reframe and shift from control to curiosity & learning in the digital world—together with our children.
    Jessica, author of the global best-seller The Danish Way of Parenting and her latest book, The Danish Way Every Day shares what she’s learned from living in Denmark—one of the happiest countries in the world—and how its unique approach to parenting (including its unique culture of togetherness and hygge) reframes everything from screen time to emotional connection.
    Drawing from her books and her Raising Digital Citizens Conversation Cards, she reveals the powerful conversations we aren’t having—but should be—to support digital well-being for you and your children and deeper family connection.
    🔑 What You’ll Hear:
    • What Jessica learned from Danish parenting —and what that means for screen time for your kids
    • How curiousity & reframing can help nurture better convesations & stronger connections for your family - even in the digital world
    • How the right conversations can reveal your own blindspots around the digital world.
    • How a "balancing versus banning" approach works
    • Learning about digital safety, consent, critical thinking and more - as a team
    • How you might be modeling your child’s digital habits without realizing it
    📚 Mentioned in This Episode:

    • Raising Digital Citizens Kit/Cards
    • Book: The Danish Way of Parenting
    • Book: The Danish Way Every Day

    Support the show

    • Join the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-club
    1. Watch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19s
    • Grab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

    5 min moment of pause to help parents regulate May 21, 2025
    Show notes

    Send us Fan Mail

    The next time you experience a chaotic moment and need to pause, listen to this 5 min audio to help you regulate.

    Let me know if you want more of these and please share it with a friend who needs this!

    Support the show

    • Join the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-club
    1. Watch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19s
    • Grab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

    Struggling with work-life balance? Try the design your own life approach instead! May 19, 2025
    Show notes

    Send us Fan Mail

    Hi friends! I have been hearing so many parents tell me that they feel overwhelmed trying to figure out how to balance work and family life. I know this can be stressful so I thought of a different way for us to approach this problem.

    What if we asked ourselves "How do I want to design my life?". What do I need more of in my life? What do I need less of?

    Let's try taking this more proactive approach to our lives rather than we keep saying we are aiming for "work-life" (whatever that means!).

    I hope you enjoy today's episode! Make sure you subscribe to the podcast!

    Support the show

    • Join the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-club
    1. Watch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19s
    • Grab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

    Mother's Day Reflection: Am I addressing my needs? May 11, 2025
    Show notes

    Send us Fan Mail

    Happy Mother's Day!

    I wanted to post today on Mother's Day because of the conversations I have been having with moms all week.

    It helped me realize that so many of us are powering through motherhood not addressing our needs or communicating them to those around us.

    Take 20 min out of your day today to listen to this quick solo episode and remind yourself how important your needs are!

    Support the show

    • Join the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-club
    1. Watch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19s
    • Grab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

    Should I hug my child or ignore them during a tantrum? May 05, 2025
    Show notes

    Send us Fan Mail

    In this episode of the Reflective Parenting Podcast, I chat with Albiona Rakipi who is a parent coach. I love her work and it is well-aligned with the research I read around co-regulation and teaching kids how to regulate emotions.

    If you are a parent that often questions what to do DURING a tantrum, then this episode is for you. You will learn her simple method that makes it easy to know what to do and what to say to your toddler.
    You will also learn about the importance of co-regulation!

    Learn more from Albiona:

    The Parenting Reframe: https://www.theparentingreframe.com
    https://www.instagram.com/theparentingreframe/

    https://albiona.substack.com/podcast


    Watch this episode on YouTube:

    https://youtu.be/ioh03sCbQ88

    Read a research study on tantrums:

    Read a short blog post on our website about tantrums:

    https://curiousneuron.com/2025/05/04/how-warmth-not-harsh-discipline-helps-toddlers-behave-better/

    Do maternal power assertive discipline and warmth interact to influence toddlers' emotional reactivity and noncompliance?

    Support the show

    • Join the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-club
    1. Watch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19s
    • Grab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

    Am I a helicopter parent? The science of overparenting. Apr 28, 2025
    Show notes

    Send us Fan Mail

    In today’s episode, we dive into the science of overparenting and explore what research says about its impact on children’s mental health. I break down a recent meta-analysis that shows how overparenting is linked to higher levels of depression, anxiety, and emotional struggles in kids and young adults. We also explore Self-Determination Theory—the idea that kids need autonomy, competence, and connection to thrive—and how overparenting can unintentionally block these critical needs.

    I’ll help you reflect on what overparenting might look like at home, with real-life examples for younger and older kids. Tune in to find out if you might be leaning into helicopter parenting and how you can support your child’s independence, resilience, and confidence instead.

    Sources:

    Overparenting and offspring depression, anxiety, and internalizing symptoms: A meta-analysis

    Read the blog on curiousneuron.com

    https://curiousneuron.com/2025/04/25/are-you-overparenting-what-the-science-says-about-its-impact-on-kids-mental-health/

    Watch on YouTube:

    https://youtu.be/vnNUmfN-J_g

    Support the show

    • Join the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-club
    1. Watch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19s
    • Grab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

    Why boredom is important for your child's development with Susie Allison Apr 21, 2025
    Show notes

    Send us Fan Mail

    Boredom is not a problem to solve but an essential skill children must develop for emotional regulation and creative thinking. When parents constantly entertain their children or rescue them from boredom, they unintentionally prevent crucial developmental growth. In today's replay episode (this is the second most downloaded episode of our podcast!) I chat with Susie Allison, founder of Busy Toddler with over 2 MILLION followers.
    • Boredom is where creativity, problem-solving, and intrinsic motivation are born
    • Children as young as babies can practice independent play when parents allow them space
    • "Boredom busters" should be avoided - instead, honor the emotion but don't rush to fix it
    • Screen time should be a predictable, scheduled tool for parents, not a boredom solution for kids
    • Play shouldn't always involve adults - independent, unstructured play is where deep learning happens
    • Start small with independent play - use a visual timer for young children to understand timeframes
    • Creating the right environment with fewer, more intentional toys helps children engage independently
    • Neurodivergent children may need different approaches to handling boredom
    • Child-led play means letting children determine how they use toys without adult interference
    • Expensive toys aren't necessarily better - simple household items often make the best play materials
    Try the Reflective Parent Club for free for seven days to build emotion regulation skills and join our supportive community. Visit CuriousNeuron.com to access resources and learn more about supporting your child's emotional development.
    Learn more from Susie on Instagram

    https://busytoddler.com/

    Read a study about boredom

    Support the show

    • Join the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-club
    1. Watch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19s
    • Grab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

    Why meaningful friendships are important for parental well-being with Dr. Miriam Kirmayer Apr 14, 2025
    Show notes

    Send us Fan Mail

    Dr. Miriam Kirmayer, clinical psychologist and friendship expert, joins Cindy to discuss the profound impact of friendships on our psychological well-being and how we can cultivate meaningful connections despite the challenges of parenthood.

    Here is what we discussed:
    • Social connections are one of the most powerful predictors of health, happiness, and longevity
    • The "over-under" phenomenon: we overestimate the effort relationships take and underestimate their benefits
    • Loneliness during parenthood is normal and serves as a signal of our need for connection
    • Even brief interactions (10 minutes) with friends can significantly impact our overall happiness
    • Different friendships serve different purposes – identify which ones provide restoration versus maintenance
    • Self-reflection helps determine which relationships align with your values and current needs
    • Vulnerability and imperfection create stronger connections than projecting a perfect image
    • Friendship skills are actually a constellation of different abilities that develop throughout life
    • Workplace connections are powerful drivers of wellbeing, productivity, and organizational success
    • When we prioritize our friendships, we model for our children that relationships are worth investing in
    Watch this on YouTube and share this episode:

    https://youtu.be/QNsB7iFxC5c


    Learn more from Dr. Kirmayer:

    https://www.miriamkirmayer.com/

    https://www.instagram.com/miriamkirmayer/


    Learn more about psychological well-being:
    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8989714/pdf/nihms-1737166.pdf

    Support the show

    • Join the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-club
    1. Watch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19s
    • Grab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

    When you discipline your child are you also doing this one important thing? Apr 07, 2025
    Show notes

    Send us Fan Mail

    The one mistake many parents make when disciplining their children is forgetting to teach the underlying skills needed for emotional regulation. Focusing only on consequences without addressing skill development leaves children unable to manage emotions like disappointment and frustration.
    • The purpose of discipline should be education, not just punishment
    • Children need to learn how to regulate emotions like disappointment before they can behave appropriately
    • Co-regulation requires parents to first recognize and manage their own emotional state
    • When children are dysregulated, they need connection before correction
    • Creating "scaffolding" helps build skills gradually through small, manageable challenges
    • Waiting until both parent and child are regulated before teaching new skills
    • Skills like patience, emotional expression, and frustration tolerance must be explicitly taught
    • Disciplining without teaching skills creates a cycle of continued misbehavior
    • Reflection helps parents see past the behavior to the emotional need underneath

    Watch this on YouTube!

    https://youtu.be/SQKD_D7jglY

    Join the Reflective Parent Club for weekly coaching calls and support in developing emotion regulation skills. Visit curiousneuron.com for articles, resources, and a free 7-day trial of the club.

    Support the show

    • Join the Reflective Parent Book Club for only $9.99 for the year: https://reflectiveparentclub.circle.so/checkout/reflective-parenting-book-club
    1. Watch my Tedx Talk on YouTube called The Over-Educated, Emotionally Underprepared Parent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYJFY_9K9E&t=19s
    • Grab my course for $99, The Emotionally Aware Parent: https://curiousneuron.com/reflective-parent-club/

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