The Art of Parenting - TopPodcast.com

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

The Art of Parenting — Kids & Family
The Art of Parenting

The Art of Parenting provides parents and caregivers support and encouragement as we nurture and guide the next generation.

Do you struggle with your child’s demanding or frustrating behaviors? Do you find yourself spread way too thin trying to figure out this whole “parenting puzzle” (such as tantrums, hitting or biting, wanting a better relationship with your child, sibling rivalry, potty training, co-sleeping, etc.)?

The Art of Parenting podcast, with your host Jeanne-Marie Paynel, is intended to help you decipher children’s needs and learn how to better provide for them. I’ll be sharing simple tips and tricks that will make a huge difference in your home while giving you the support and encouragement you deserve to enhance and enrich your parenting experience.

Each week I’ll be helping you find clarity and solutions to your toughest parenting problems through Q&A sessions and inspirational conversations with world-renowned experts in a variety of fields. Topics range from Montessori and RIE parenting methods to positive discipline, respectful and conscious parenting, minimalism and more!

Parenting was never meant to be done alone and The Art of Parenting is here to debunk the general consensus that it has to be hard.

Latest Episodes:

151: Turning Little Stones. With Caroline Allen May 23, 2024

Show notes

Are you burnt out working as a childcare provider? Listen in as my guest, Caroline Allen shares her insights on how to keep the joy and wonder alive.

Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

I can relate to Caroline's words. When I started in a Montessori environment as a second career, some days were hard, yet that sense of wonder kept me going.

What We Talked About:

How Caroline transformed her daycare settings into the first not-for-profit Montessori children's center in the UK
Observing children's behaviors and interests to foster their natural curiosity and learning
The importance of staying passionate and fresh in childcare and education.
Practical tips for caregivers and educators to avoid burnout and stay motivated.
The concept of leaving a lasting legacy for children

Things to Remember

"We don't know our children inside out and never will. They're unique little beings that will always do things that fascinate us."

"Try to retain that sense of wonder by looking at our children with fresh eyes and seeing them differently."

"Adults are very quick to put an interpretation on what their children are doing."

"Allow the wonders of the world to connect with your children."

"Taking care of your child's emotional, social, and physical development is the key to raising young adults."

"We don't need to know everything about our little ones; we just need to work with whatever they're presenting to us in their journey into childhood and young adulthood."

"We need to have parts of every single day where we are present to our children and give them the focus they deserve."

-Caroline Allen

Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

150: Feeding Matters. With Jaclyn Pederson May 16, 2024

Show notes

Is your child's picky eating a sign of something more? Listen in to discover support and insights with my guest, Jaclyn Pederson.

Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

Feeding matters; parents often complain about their child's picky eating habits. We start to wonder if we're doing something wrong, if our child is a picky eater, or if there's more to this ordeal. Today, my guest sheds light on a little-known eating disorder that is way more prevalent than we imagine.

What We Talked About:

Understanding Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD) and how it differs from picky eating.
The Four Domains in Pediatric Feeding Disorder
How should you proceed if you suspect our child has PFD?
Early awareness of PFD and its impact on long-term health outcomes
Why is almost no one talking about PFD, even though it is more common than autism or cerebral palsy?
The challenges and complexities of treating PFD and how you can help your child.
Can lip and tongue ties be the culprits in the feeding journey?
The significance of establishing a supportive team including healthcare professionals

Things to Remember

"Parenting is finding beauty in the highest of highs and the lowest of lows."

"Feeding skills is something that a parent can help a child with. It is a learned task."

"Children are picky, and it's a very common thing that happens in toddler development."

"It's definitely important for parents to always offer nutritious foods."

"Take it slow and let your child lead the way. They control what goes in their body."

"At the end of the day, you and your child are trying to establish a successful feeding."

-Jaclyn Pederson

Click here for the show notes and extra resources

149: Prioritizing Motherhood. With Erica Komisar May 09, 2024

Show notes

Do you strongly feel that staying home would be best for your child? Listen in to find out why your hunch is correct and critical.

Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

We know in our mama's heart that staying home with our children is important because they need us to. Today, my guest confirmed this instinct we have as mothers and why it is critical to do so.

What We Talked About:

Understanding why the first three years are critical for our child's long-term mental health
Why are daycare centers not equipped to support our children's attachment needs
What is "consistency of care," and why is it essential in the early years?
What are other critical stages for our children's mental health?
The important revolution that needs to happen for the health of families

Things to Remember

"There is no parenting without presence."

"Without guilt, our conscience isn't working."

"The foundation of resilience is that feeling of security in the first three years."

"Mothers are very attuned to babies' distress."

"If you are present for your children in the first three years, you're encouraging a tremendous amount of neural connections to be formed."

"Your babies are not resilient; your babies are incredibly vulnerable, and they need you."

-Erica Komisar

"There are many who hold, as I do, that the most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six. For that is the time when man's intelligence itself, his greatest implement, is being formed. But not only his intelligence; the full totality of his psychic powers." - Dr. Maria Montessori

Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

148: Transformed by Birth. With Britta Bushnell May 02, 2024

Show notes

Are you curious about the magic of daily rituals? Listen in and learn from my guest, Britta Bushnell, how they can transform your life.

Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

I've always been fascinated by the transformative process of birth, and why I became a birth doula. Today, I'm excited to be speaking with Britta, a seasoned childbirth educator to explore how birth is truly the first and most crucial initiation into parenthood.

What We Talked About:

The importance of childbirth as an initiation into parenthood.
Mythology and storytelling as meaning-making practices for adults and kids.
Incorporating rituals into family life to help you live and share your values.
How perfectionism can both hinder and help in our parenting
Practical tips for crafting seamless transitions between work and parenting

Things to Remember

"Parenting is a messy, creative, unknowable magical thing that creates a being on the other side."

"Parenthood is like a yoga practice, that idea of coming to the mat every day and knowing that some days are better and some days are worse, yet you still show up and do your best."

"What causes us the most suffering is the resistance to what is happening."

"Parenthood teaches us an openness to the unbidden."

"Perfectionism is a strategy, and as a strategy, it most often gets in our way."

"Infants respond well to rhythm and predictability in their lives."

"To find ways to be tender with ourselves and to forgive ourselves. That is the true antidote to perfectionism's toxins."

"Children help to create the fabric of the values of the family."

-Britta Bushnell

Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

147: The Confident Teen Blueprint. With Karleen Savage Apr 25, 2024

Show notes

Do you want to foster confidence in your teen better? Listen in and discover how you can start today at home.

Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

Helping our teenagers feel confident is critical to their well-being and future success, starting at home. Karleen shares her personal and professional experience as a conflict resolution expert. Listen in to acquire the tools to nurture the confidence your teens need to thrive in life.

We Talked About:

What five universal skills do experts use to resolve conflicts, and how can you use them at home?
What unwanted baggage gets in the way of building your teen's self-confidence and resiliency?
How conflict resolution skills can enhance parenting, especially with teens.
Curiosity, attitude, and masterful listening are significant tools in resolving family conflicts.
Real-life examples and practical strategies for applying conflict resolution techniques in parenting situations.

Things to Remember

"Even when you get it right, even when you have it right, you can still get it wrong."

"Curiosity is not just asking questions."

"Master listening in a conflict situation means you're filling in the gaps."

"Anytime you're in a conflict, the most important part is connecting with that person."

"When you want to build confidence in your children, allow them into the solution to bring them back in and give them a space for it."

"Sometimes situations are for our children to sort through."

"You're absolutely meant to be the parent for your child."

-Karleen Savage

Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

146: Childhood Unplugged. With Katherine Martinko Apr 18, 2024

Show notes

Is your child's screen time stealing precious moments? Listen in as my guest, Katherine Martinko, shares how to unplug and reclaim childhood. Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

What We Talked About:

Katherine's desire to write her book "Childhood Unplugged."'
The effects of excessive screen time have on our children's development and mental health
Navigating digital media use and fostering offline activities
Setting boundaries around screen time and social media use.
Modeling appropriate use of our digital devices to shape healthy screen habits for our children.
Alternative communication methods and developing human communication skills

Things to Remember

"Parenting is about conveying the principles that you believe to be the most important in life to your children and setting them off in the world on the right foot and watching them succeed."

"The benefits of having a smartphone simply do not outweigh the cons."

"Handling a smartphone is on par with handling a car. Kids need that level of responsibility and emotional maturity to do it."

"When you give kids responsibilities around the house, they have less time to hang out in their bedrooms, scroll on their phones, or play video games."

"We're too caught up with the idea that just because this technology is new and exciting, it is, therefore, good, but we're losing a lot in the process."

"It is up to us as parents to protect our children from the negative effects of this highly addictive substance the same way that we would limit our children's access to drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes."

"We promote better independence in children if you're not surveilling them."

-Katherine Martinko

"Technology is taking us to a place where children are forgetting to play. We need to rescue childhood." - Mariana Carazo

Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

145: A Race Against Blindness. With Stephen Johnston Apr 11, 2024

Show notes

How far would you go to save your child's vision? Listen in as Stephen Johnston shares his mission to fight blindness for his son and thousands of others. Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

It's hard to imagine losing one sight, and even more heartbreaking to discover that your child is. My guest today is a father on a mission to find a cure not only for his child but all persons affected by the onset of blindness.

What We Talked About:

The Precursor of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome
How Steve's parenting approach changed after his son's diagnosis
Steve's journey in creating a nonprofit organization, "A Race Against Blindness"
The importance of mental toughness and perseverance
How Steve and his family found strength and resilience in the face of adversity

Things to Remember

"Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Anything can happen at any given time." "Everybody can make a difference. It doesn't matter how many or how few resources anyone has. Everybody can make a difference."

"Start doing things that might prepare your children for challenges."

"Make sure you have a support network for you and the kids, and you'll be able to get through whatever it is."

"Challenges are coming for all of us at some point or another, and the more we prepare ourselves to face those head-on as they happen, the better off we are."

-Stephen Johnston

Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

144: Rise Above the Story. With Karena Kilcoyne Apr 04, 2024

Show notes

Do you have difficulty overcoming past trauma to start living the life you desire? Tune in to listen to Karena's transformative insights.

Click here for the show notes and extra resources. The negative stories we tell ourselves can be quite damaging to our well-being. My guest today shares how to move beyond so we can rise above the story to live a fulfilling life.

What We Talked About:

Why Karena felt compelled to share her story in her book
Her 3-step process to healing from trauma
Why, as parents, it's crucial to have self-awareness
How to break free from negative self-talk
The unwanted ripple effects of trauma
How to find joy even in difficult times

Things to Remember

"Parenting is taking responsibility to cultivate a self-awareness around our past trauma."

"What our brain does in the face of trauma is that it tries to keep us safe by writing these stories that keep us in a little box."

"We have the power to heal. We're just afraid to do it."

"There is more for us than just the pain we carry around."

"We are all here to experience joy and happiness."

"The powerful notion of honoring your emotions and feeling them in real time goes a long way toward mental and emotional well-being."

– Karena Kilcoyne

"Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are." – Brené Brown.

Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

143 The Impacts of Tech on Our Lives. With Forest Bronzan Mar 28, 2024

Show notes

Do you struggle with digital consumption, whether you or your children in your home? Listen in and learn what we now know about how technology impacts our children. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. I'm concerned about technology's effects on our children's developing brains. Today, I spoke with Forest Bronzan, a father leading global initiatives, so we can better understand how technology impacts our lives and our children.

What We Talked About:

How technology is changing and impacting the way we raise our children.
The challenges we face in navigating social media
How parents can have open conversations with their children about technology use.
Teaching children critical thinking skills to help them evaluate the information they encounter online.
Setting healthy boundaries around technology use at home.
What is your DORA Score?

Things to Remember

"Parenting is being nimble to navigate an ever-changing world, and in many cases, that's technology."

"Start early, have conversations at an early age with your children on what your family values are but also with your community."

"The biggest challenge is that high schoolers aren't aware of the negative influences on the internet."

"Parents need to pay closer attention to how their children learn about the world."

"We need to look at ourselves... We need to model the behavior ourselves."

"There's a lot of challenges and a lot that we don't know yet about the effectiveness of learning apps."

"There hasn't been a single study showing a positive benefit of social media before high school."

"Try to put the phone down as much as possible during those first few years and spend time with your child."

"Time goes by so fast. You don't want to miss those magical years checking a notification."

- Forest Bronzan

Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

142 The Breakthrough Years. With Ellen Galinsky Mar 21, 2024

Show notes

What if the teenage years weren't something to fear but a breakthrough opportunity for growth? Listen in as my guest, Ellen Galinsky, unveils a fresh approach. Click here for the show notes and extra resources. Adolescence is a transformative and extremely important time in human development. In her latest book, The Breakthrough Years, Ellen Galinsky shares what the research and adolescents need us to understand.

What We Talked About:

What adolescents want us to know about them
What exactly are executive function skills, and why are they so crucial to children's development
What can parents do to help their children develop executive function skills?
Why turning conflicts into opportunities for learning is critical for all
Agreeing and setting clear expectations with your children and leaving room for mistakes

Things to Remember

"Parents grow and change in parenthood just like children grow and change."

"Executive function skills are the building blocks for setting goals, perspective-taking, communicating, collaborating, and problem-solving. They are fundamental to life."

"Don't fix it for the child; instead, help them learn the skills to fix it for themselves."

"We need to make mistakes. Making mistakes isn't a mistake. It's the way we learn."

"We learn by trial and error, particularly in teenage years."

"The most important thing we can do as parents is to help our children find their passion."

"Adolescents are learning to be brave."

"We need to help them be creators. Not Consumers."

"Young people who do best in the world have something they care about beyond themselves."

- Ellen Galinsky

Click here for the show notes and extra resources.

Related Podcasts