Zen Pop

Latest Episodes:

Grieving The Loss Of A Pet Aug 26, 2014

Show notes

We lost our "Zen Bunny" Greeley last week and it was a shock to our family. How do we deal with the grieving process, and how do we help our children deal with their sadness? As parents we need to allow our children to grieve, and respect that it's an individual process. We also discuss how to handle "disrespect" from our children - are they trying to be mean, or are they trying to communicate something? If we can do our best to not be offended and communicate in a productive way, it will keep our relationships healthy. Have you seen the movie "Boyhood"? It's a special movie and we give a quick review of this incredible film. We also answer a listener's question about how to deal with energy vampires. Other resources https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiDztHS3Wos Donate to Red Door Shelter If you think there are times when we put too much educational pressure on our children, then check this out! Be U, Inc and Field School PTA are sponsoring a FREE screening of Race to Nowhere, The Dark Side of America's Achievement Culture on Sept. 11th @ 7:00 PM Click the link below to reserve your seat.http://cathycassaniadams.com/events/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uem73imvn9Y Click the following links to purchase Cathy's books The Self-Aware Parent Part 1 & and Part 2 Click here to find her blog, and click here to find her Chicago Parent column. Todd has a few spots opening for his Men's Group. Email me @ comments@zenparentingradio.com Tree of Life Chiropractic Care have some interesting workshops planned. An outline can be found here. If you shop Amazon by going through our website first (there is an amazon link on the bottom right hand of our home page), a portion of your sale will help fund our Be U program. Thanks for supporting us! Check out our new website & be sure to sign up to get all new podcast sent direct to your inbox @ ZPR. We would love to hear any comments from the show by sending us an email @ comments@zenparentingradio.com You can be sure to hear more by liking our Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/ZenParenting How important is a good smile? Just ask our new partner John J Kelly DDS. They are located on the northwest side of Chicago and will meet all of your family's dental needs. Painting or remodeling? Don't forget about our parnter Avid Co. Looking for a Vitamix blender? Don't forget to use our coupon code 06-007296 for free shipping.

Stop Teaching Our Kids To Kill Aug 19, 2014

Show notes

We discuss the newly revised version of "Stop Teaching Our Kids To Kill" a book written by Lt. Dave Grossman and Gloria DeGateano, Founder and CEO of the Parent Coaching Institute. Originally published in 1999, the book is updated and includes even more indisputable research that demonstrates the affects of violence on the child and adolescent brain. We also talk about the "Ignore No More" app created by a mom who wanted her son to respond to her texts/calls, and also Cathy's blog titled , "Want Change, Then Rethink". We also discuss why mini-breakdowns are the key to a healthy marriage (or any other relationship!). Other resources: If you think there are times when we put too much educational pressure on our children, then check this out! Be U, Inc and Field School PTA are sponsoring a FREE screening of Race to Nowhere, The Dark Side of America's Achievement Culture on Sept. 11th @ 7:00 PM Click the link below to reserve your seat.http://cathycassaniadams.com/events/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uem73imvn9Y Click the following links to purchase Cathy's books The Self-Aware Parent Part 1 & and Part 2 Click here to find her blog, and click here to find her Chicago Parent column. Todd has a few spots opening for his Men's Group. Email me @ comments@zenparentingradio.com Tree of Life Chiropractic Care have some interesting workshops planned. An outline can be found here. If you shop Amazon by going through our website first (there is an amazon link on the bottom right hand of our home page), a portion of your sale will help fund our Be U program. Thanks for supporting us! Check out our new website & be sure to sign up to get all new podcast sent direct to your inbox @ ZPR. We would love to hear any comments from the show by sending us an email @ comments@zenparentingradio.com You can be sure to hear more by liking our Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/ZenParenting How important is a good smile? Just ask our new partner John J Kelly DDS. They are located on the northwest side of Chicago and will meet all of your family's dental needs. Painting or remodeling? Don't forget about our parnter Avid Co. Looking for a Vitamix blender? Don't forget to use our coupon code 06-007296 for free shipping.

Robin Williams, Mental Illness, and Back To School Anxiety Aug 12, 2014

Show notes

Robin Williams' death prompts a discussion about mental illness and depression. We play some clips from his most meaningful roles as well as some of his stand-up. Mental illness carries a stigma that makes asking for help difficult. We support a group called NAMI (National Association of Mental Illness) and we discuss the importance of removing the stigma from mental illness. A few other clips discussed in the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3yqXeLJ0Kg&list=PLZPBiTEeqgyqoiyay3UOAQoEwJO3r3tEI ****Warning- the clip below has explicit language https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi-JlvBCl3A We also discuss Cathy's blog about back to school anxiety - she suggests feeling it rather than avoiding it - this helps you process your feelings so you can be more available to your children. Other resources: Click the following links to purchase Cathy's books The Self-Aware Parent Part 1 & and Part 2 Click here to find her blog, and click here to find her Chicago Parent column. Todd has a few spots opening for his Men's Group. Email me @ comments@zenparentingradio.com Tree of Life Chiropractic Care have some interesting workshops planned. An outline can be found here. If you shop Amazon by going through our website first (there is an amazon link on the bottom right hand of our home page), a portion of your sale will help fund our Be U program. Thanks for supporting us! Check out our new website & be sure to sign up to get all new podcast sent direct to your inbox @ ZPR. We would love to hear any comments from the show by sending us an email @ comments@zenparentingradio.com You can be sure to hear more by liking our Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/ZenParenting How important is a good smile? Just ask our new partner John J Kelly DDS. They are located on the northwest side of Chicago and will meet all of your family's dental needs. Painting or remodeling? Don't forget about our parnter Avid Co. Looking for a Vitamix blender? Don't forget to use our coupon code 06-007296 for free shipping.

We choose what’s familiar and what it means to be a “sex-positive” parent Aug 05, 2014

Show notes

Sometimes we make decisions based on old patterns from childhood, even though they are unnecessary or unhelpful today. The first step toward understanding why we make certain decisions is to become more self aware and introspective. It also necessitates listening to other viewpoints and being conscious of our own defensiveness. Our children, spouse, and friends can all act as mirrors - allow them to help you see yourself better. For example, when Todd was younger he always asked friends to come over/join his family get-togethers because it reduced the possibility of family chaos (everyone was on their best behavior). But as a father in a calmer household, he still feels a "need" to have others around rather than just be present with his family. This "need" is based in an old pattern, an outdated method of protection that is no longer necessary. But it takes self awareness to recognize this - what are your outdated patterns? We also discuss an amazing blog written by Lea Grover called "This Is What Sex-Positive Parenting Really Looks Like" . We open up about how best to treat the topic of sexuality with your children. It starts by finding a sense of comfort with the topic, and deciding what values you would like to impart. Other resources: Come see us @ Green Fair on the Fox in Batavia, IL on Saturday, August 9th from 9:00-3:00 @ Peg Bond Center 151 N Island Ave Click the following links to purchase Cathy's books The Self-Aware Parent Part 1 & and Part 2 Click here to find her blog, and click here to find her Chicago Parent column. Todd has a few spots opening for his Men's Group. Email me @ comments@zenparentingradio.com Tree of Life Chiropractic Care have some interesting workshops planned. An outline can be found here. If you shop Amazon by going through our website first (there is an amazon link on the bottom right hand of our home page), a portion of your sale will help fund our Be U program. Thanks for supporting us! Check out our new website & be sure to sign up to get all new podcast sent direct to your inbox @ ZPR. We would love to hear any comments from the show by sending us an email @ comments@zenparentingradio.com You can be sure to hear more by liking our Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/ZenParenting How important is a good smile? Just ask our new partner John J Kelly DDS. They are located on the northwest side of Chicago and will meet all of your family's dental needs. Painting or remodeling? Don't forget about our parnter Avid Co. Looking for a Vitamix blender? Don't forget to use our coupon code 06-007296 for free shipping.

Domestic abuse: Is the NFL sending the right message? Jul 29, 2014

Show notes

The NFL and Comissioner Roger Goodell handed down a punishment to NFL player Ray Rice for allegedly knocking out his fiance in an Atlantic City Casino. Some players have been suspended for 5 games for memorabilia violations, others 4 games for violating the league's drug policy. Ray Rice received a suspension of ..... wait for it ..... 2 games! We discuss the inconsistencies of this decision and why this sends the wrong message to players and society. Two other resources supplied by one of our listeners can be found @ http://www.ncadv.org/need-help/what-is-domestic-violence and http://www.injuryclaimcoach.com/domestic-violence-help.html We also role play a conversation Cathy and I overheard during breakfast - a little girl wanted to share a story with her grandma, but Grandma was in "teaching" mode and missed a big opportunity for connection. We discuss how to listen and communicate with your children so you can both feel heard and appreciated. The Aspire App for victims of domestic abuse as presented by Dr. Phil. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qooHj4QLh3s Other resources: Come see us @ Green Fair on the Fox in Batavia, IL on Saturday, August 9th from 9:00-3:00 @ Peg Bond Center 151 N Island Ave Click the following links to purchase Cathy's books The Self-Aware Parent Part 1 & and Part 2 Click here to find her blog, and click here to find her Chicago Parent column. Todd has a few spots opening for his Men's Group. Email me @ comments@zenparentingradio.com Tree of Life Chiropractic Care have some interesting workshops planned. An outline can be found here. If you shop Amazon by going through our website first (there is an amazon link on the bottom right hand of our home page), a portion of your sale will help fund our Be U program. Thanks for supporting us! Check out our new website & be sure to sign up to get all new podcast sent direct to your inbox @ ZPR. We would love to hear any comments from the show by sending us an email @ comments@zenparentingradio.com You can be sure to hear more by liking our Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/ZenParenting How important is a good smile? Just ask our new partner John J Kelly DDS. They are located on the northwest side of Chicago and will meet all of your family's dental needs. Painting or remodeling? Don't forget about our parnter Avid Co.

The Meaning of Life Jul 22, 2014

Show notes

Is there a difference between a happy life and a meaningful life? We explore the subtle differences and why this understanding can change your life. We discuss a blog by Jed Diamond (Founder of the health program "Men Alive") titled How the Science of a Meaningful Life Can Help Us Live Joyfully and Well: Happy people satisfy their wants and needs, but that seems largely irrelevant to a meaningful life. Happiness involves being focused on the present, whereas meaningfulness involves thinking more about the past, present, and future—and the relationship between them. Meaningfulness is derived from giving to other people; happiness comes from what they give to you. Meaningful lives involve stress and challenges. Self-expression is important to meaning but not happiness. In a recent New York Magazine article they summarize a study that concludes Men Would Rather Give Themselves Electric Shocks Than Sit Alone With Their Thoughts. We discuss why we're so uncomfortable with our minds. In this week's Hit 'N Run Topic we discuss the new development regarding Archie's Comic Digest. Other resources: Come see us @ Green Fair on the Fox in Batavia, IL on Saturday, August 9th from 9:00-3:00 @ Peg Bond Center 151 N Island Ave Click the following links to purchase Cathy's books The Self-Aware Parent Part 1 & and Part 2 Click here to find her blog, and click here to find her Chicago Parent column. Todd has a few spots opening for his Men's Group. Email me @ comments@zenparentingradio.com Tree of Life Chiropractic Care have some interesting workshops planned. An outline can be found here. If you shop Amazon by going through our website first (there is an amazon link on the bottom right hand of our home page), a portion of your sale will help fund our Be U program. Thanks for supporting us! Check out our new website & be sure to sign up to get all new podcast sent direct to your inbox @ ZPR. We would love to hear any comments from the show by sending us an email @ comments@zenparentingradio.com You can be sure to hear more by liking our Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/ZenParenting How important is a good smile? Just ask our new partner John J Kelly DDS. They are located on the northwest side of Chicago and will meet all of your family's dental needs. Painting or remodeling? Don't forget about our parnter Avid Co.

Do You Need to Be Right, or Can We Agree to Disagree? Jul 15, 2014

Show notes

The topic of contraception and women's rights can be so emotionally charged, it often leads to to yelling and judgment. But our listener, Charles, left us a respectful and informative message sharing his viewpoint. Can we disagree but still listen to each other in a respectful manner? It takes awareness and compassion, but it's always possible. We also talk about listening with an "Empty Cup": Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era, received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring.The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!""Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?" Sometimes we think it's easier to complain about the perceived "shortcomings" of our loved ones rather than deal with the problem. In the long run, this can be the tougher way to go - communication breaks down and resentment builds up. We share some of our personal stories of discussing the difficult stuff, big or small (i.e. Todd makes an annoying sound when biting his nails) Other resources: Come see us @ Green Fair on the Fox in Batavia, IL on Saturday, August 9th from 9:00-3:00 @ Peg Bond Center 151 N Island Ave Click the following links to purchase Cathy's books The Self-Aware Parent Part 1 & and Part 2 Click here to find her blog, and click here to find her Chicago Parent column. Todd has a few spots opening for his Men's Group. Email me @ comments@zenparentingradio.com Tree of Life Chiropractic Care have some interesting workshops planned. An outline can be found here. If you shop Amazon by going through our website first (there is an amazon link on the bottom right hand of our home page), a portion of your sale will help fund our Be U program. Thanks for supporting us! Check out our new website & be sure to sign up to get all new podcast sent direct to your inbox @ ZPR. We would love to hear any comments from the show by sending us an email @ comments@zenparentingradio.com You can be sure to hear more by liking our Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/ZenParenting How important is a good smile? Just ask our new partner John J Kelly DDS. They are located on the northwest side of Chicago and will meet all of your family's dental needs. Painting or remodeling? Don't forget about our parnter Avid Co.

It was a normal Friday, until it wasn’t – the diagnosis of Kawasaki Disease Jul 11, 2014

Show notes

Have you ever heard of Kawasaki Disease? Chris and Monisha Lozier's daughter Mae was a healthy and happy 4 year old until she got swollen glands and a fever. They found themselves living in a hospital for the next 9 days and eventually discovered their daughter had Kawasaki Disease. This is is an immune disease in which the medium-sized blood vessels throughout the body become inflamed. It's cause is unknown, and it's largely seen in children under five years of age. It affects many organ systems, and it's rarest and most serious effects are on the heart - it can cause fatal coronary artery aneurysms in untreated children. Chris and Monisha takes us through their experience with Mae and how they eventually arrived at this diagnosis. They talk about advocating for your child in a hospital, misdiagnoses, and the blessings that can arise from such a challenging experience. No worries listeners, the story ends well (Mae just received a completely clear heart scan, she's doing great!), but it is an important and interesting story that will keep us better informed. We hope you enjoy. Other resources: Come see us @ Green Fair on the Fox in Batavia, IL on Saturday, August 9th from 9:00-3:00 @ Peg Bond Center 151 N Island Ave Click the following links to purchase Cathy's books The Self-Aware Parent Part 1 & and Part 2 Click here to find her blog, and click here to find her Chicago Parent column. Todd has a few spots opening for his Men's Group. Email me @ comments@zenparentingradio.com Tree of Life Chiropractic Care have some interesting workshops planned. An outline can be found here. If you shop Amazon by going through our website first (there is an amazon link on the bottom right hand of our home page), a portion of your sale will help fund our Be U program. Thanks for supporting us! Check out our new website & be sure to sign up to get all new podcast sent direct to your inbox @ ZPR. We would love to hear any comments from the show by sending us an email @ comments@zenparentingradio.com You can be sure to hear more by liking our Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/ZenParenting How important is a good smile? Just ask our new partner John J Kelly DDS. They are located on the northwest side of Chicago and will meet all of your family's dental needs. Painting or remodeling? Don't forget about our parnter Avid Co.

Finding Contentment and the Benefits of Empathy Jul 08, 2014

Show notes

We discuss a blog by Gayle Allen and Deborah Farmer Kris called “Why It’s Important To Teach Empathy To Boys”. They define empathy as the ability to sense other people’s emotions coupled with the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling. How does this relate to parenting? We discuss three benefits of raising an empathetic child: It breeds courage- this will help your child stand up for those in need of help. It breeds happiness- it gives our children the ability to have stronger interpersonal connections, and are more eager to collaborate, effectively negotiate, demonstrate compassion, and offer support. It breeds thoughtful problem solving. Empathic problem solvers put themselves in others’ shoes in a way that allows them to design solutions to problems that will help us evolve. We follow up on our talk from last week’s podcast about the Hobby Lobby Supreme Court decision. Todd also shares a few “tricks” or “reminders” to reduce the possibility of forgetting your child in the back of a car during the warm summer months. Cathy also shares 3 things that content people do: Differentiating between feelings, thoughts, and me Practice what you want instead of talking about what you want Live in present time We also refer to a previous podcast titled, "She was cut from her soccer team (what she did next might surprise you)" which is a wonderful example of how our children are here to teach us. Do you know any parents that are polite and gentle with you while at the same time are nasty and cruel towards their children? We ask the question- why is this okay? We refer to this podcast - “Speaking down to children and lessons from “Frozen” Finally we answer a listener’s question about how to get started on a more conscious path. Other resources: Come see us @ Green Fair on the Fox in Batavia, IL on Saturday, August 9th from 9:00-3:00 @ Peg Bond Center 151 N Island Ave Click the following links to purchase Cathy's books The Self-Aware Parent Part 1 & and Part 2 Click here to find her blog, and click here to find her Chicago Parent column. Todd has a few spots opening for his Men's Group. Email me @ comments@zenparentingradio.com Tree of Life Chiropractic Care have some interesting workshops planned. An outline can be found here. If you shop Amazon by going through our website first (there is an amazon link on the bottom right hand of our home page), a portion of your sale will help fund our Be U program. Thanks for supporting us! Check out our new website & be sure to sign up to get all new podcast sent direct to your inbox @ ZPR. We would love to hear any comments from the show by sending us an email @ comments@zenparentingradio.com You can be sure to hear more by liking our Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/ZenParenting How important is a good smile? Just ask our new partner John J Kelly DDS. They are located on the northwest side of Chicago and will meet all of your family's dental needs. Painting or remodeling? Don't forget about our parnter Avid Co.

Hobby Lobby, corporations and women’s rights Jul 01, 2014

Show notes

We discuss Hobby Lobby and the supreme court decision affecting contraception and women's rights. Cathy gets all riled up, so watch out! We also remind you to put that bathing suit on and get in the pool - your children are watching you! Cathy explains what it means to be an empath, and we also answer a listener question about bossiness and bullying. At the end we have a conversation with The Joyful Mother Sigrid Kjeldsen. We discuss a blog called "Moms, Put on that swimsuit" Many moms out there have self-image issues and are unconsciously passing them down to their children. We are not meant to look like the women on the magazine covers and yet we cover up our bodies because we don't look like them. The message that is being conveyed is we don't love our bodies. We need to show our kids our whole selves so they can embrace their whole selves. Dads- you're not off the hook - Todd challenges the dads to "show up" in a different way - by being vulnerable. An emapth is a person that is hypersensitive to the emotions and energy of people and animals, and they have the ability to physically feel what others are feeling. Cathy is an empath and this has its share of challenges - we discuss how it impacts her and our relationship. We chat with Sigrid Kjeldsen from "The Joyful Mother" . Sigrid speaks our language and is on a mission to support moms. One of her resources is the "Mommy Meltdown Cure" which is an 8-week self-study on-line coaching program. To find out more, click here. We are bringing "Race To Nowhere" to Field School in Elmhurst. This documentary exposes the negative affect of constantly pushing our children to "succeed". The showing is Septemebr 11th and it's FREE. Click here to reserve your seat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uem73imvn9Y Other resources Click the following links to purchase Cathy's books The Self-Aware Parent Part 1 & and Part 2 Click here to find her blog, and click here to find her Chicago Parent column. Todd has a few spots opening for his Men's Group. Email me @ comments@zenparentingradio.com Tree of Life Chiropractic Care have some interesting workshops planned. An outline can be found here. If you shop Amazon by going through our website first (there is an amazon link on the bottom right hand of our home page), a portion of your sale will help fund our Be U program. Thanks for supporting us! Check out our new website & be sure to sign up to get all new podcast sent direct to your inbox @ ZPR. We would love to hear any comments from the show by sending us an email @ comments@zenparentingradio.com You can be sure to hear more by liking our Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/ZenParenting How important is a good smile? Just ask our new partner John J Kelly DDS. They are located on the northwest side of Chicago and will meet all of your family's dental needs. Painting or remodeling? Don't forget about our parnter Avid Co.

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