Sometimes when trying to protect our children, we are hindering their resilience. We're going to say that one more time. Sometimes when we try to protect our children we are ACTUALLY hindering their resilience. Now if you're clutching your pearls, just wait. Charisse is going to explain it to you. Our children are more capable than we sometimes give them credit for. In this episode Charisse shares what she has experienced as an educator and how we as parents can help them grow versus fixing them. Make sure you've listened to our episode on emotional regulation and dive right in!

Hearing the word No can be difficult to hear as an adult. Now, imagine a child hearing the word No. It can send even the most calm toddler into a fit of rage. Today, Charisse chats about how hearing the word no doesn't have to be a negative thing for your child. She discusses how saying no to your child and helping them to understand WHY you are saying no, can help them learn to cope when things dont go their way.

Children only know what they know. Take, for instance, that time you made them turn the TV off and they said you're mean! Then, when they were at the dinner table they told you that making them eat broccoli is mean. Now that you think about it, at school the other day, they told a classmate that the other kid in their play group was mean because they had a toy that your child wanted to play with right then and there. Here's the thing, chances are they don't actually think ANY of it was mean in the way that we as adults can process what mean actually means. However our little ones do not have the brain development that we do, and when they are yelling, or using hurtful language it can be hard to remember that! That's where today's episode comes in. Charisse has tips on how to regulate your little ones when they need help communicating what's going on with the. Plus, she shares gems on how to recenter ourselves when we are getting frustrated and need some support to keep on the gentle parenting journey.

You remember that moment before you had children when you pictured the group pictures in the matching outfits? Or the take your kid to work day? Or that moment where they would do all the cute things together? And now you're here with your seven year old screaming and hitting a punching bag because they feel like it and you're wondering what's wrong with them? Why are they like this? Now, you bought the child the punching bag to do exactly this, but you know YOU wouldn't do this. So why would this tiny version of you do it? And that's the problem. Children are NOT tiny adults. They're tiny humans. Too often we forget that children are still in fact children and we get frustrated with them for simply doing what children do. Today Charisse breaks down how to recognize when we as parents aren't giving our children space to be children, and what to do when they need help with regulation.

Welcome back friends! Charisse is a back with a couple questions from you all, our listeners! First Frenchy in New Jersey is dealing with a teenager who really REALLY wants to wear makeup, but it's a hard no for her. Here's a hint, we're going to reference one of our Pillars of Peaceful Parenting. Then, Charisse answers a listener in Detroit's question of how exactly to Gentle Parent in hostile territory. It's not as cut and dry as you might think!

Charisse has been fielding all the questions lately about her absence and we hear you! Like all parents, she had to juggle all the things a spouse out of town, children in three different parts of the city, and coordinating with a babysitter and look, things did not go as planned. One of Charisse's little heavens did the babysitter DIRTY yall, like ran her out of the house with tears in her eyes dirty. And Charisse felt like the worst parent, the worst educator, and questioned this whole gentle parenting thing. But the truth of it is, there was a reason why her child was acting this way AND gentle parenting was not the cause. Sometimes we all need a moment to process what is going on. As adults, it is much easier than it is as tiny humans because we understand self regulation. Listen in as Charisse shares what processing looked like for her in this moment, what you can do as a parent when you feel like you're at the end of your rope, and how you can help your children learn how to process their very big feelings in a productive manner.

One question Charisse always gets is How do I get my child to listen? It seems to be a common theme amongst parents. Even our friends over at The Mama's Den have had that problem. One has to ask, is listening really the problem? There is a question that Charisse really hears when a parent asks her how to get their little ones to listen and it has nothing to do with listening and everything to do with respect.

Welcome back friends! We are on the third installment of the PEACEFUL Parenting method, and this week we're back this week with letters U L! We've heard you've needed all the parenting tips and Charisse is ready to help! One common issue that keeps coming up is that I just don't know where to start! For the final two letters in the series Charisse breaks down why Understanding is so fundamental in parenting and how it ties into compassion. Plus, pillar L for Listening. Listening is probably what Charisse gets asked about the most but as she explains, what parents think is listening isn't just listening.

As kids, we never understood the importance of doing chores. Most of us just thought it was free labor for our parents, which at the time seemed unfair. Now, as adults and even more importantly as parents, we now see the value even if our kids don't. The struggle to find the balance in teaching our children how to take care of themselves, but also not cause a full on meltdown, can be a frustrating task. Not to worry! This week, Charisse gives you her thoughts on how and when is a good time to start implementing chores into your littles daily routine, without it being a combatant battle day in and out. Like we've said before, parenting can be hard and if we don't stick together these tiny humans can make us all seem a bit crazy at times. Happy parenting my friends!

For those of us who have siblings, we all know there are days that we wish we were an only child. It's hard enough being a kid and trying to navigate social situations with strangers, but imagine having another person you have to live with and see everyday. What makes things even more challenging is that person also takes up time, attention and resources from you. Having a sibling can be frustrating but rewarding, and sometimes as parents we have this idea of what kind of relationship we want for our kids, and just like the unpredictability of life, sibling relationships can develop in the craziest ways. Charisse gives you the low down on how to create your Parent Package so you can plant the seeds for your kiddos so they can began to build a healthy relationship with their siblings on their terms.

Let's face it parents, having kids can be an adventure. Things like making sure these tiny humans stay healthy is a full time job. Screen time is one of those things in parenting that can be the thin line between having a good night and having a night where you might need a lil more wine in that glass. That's why Charisse gives you the lowdown on how you can help change the culture and feelings around technology with your littles ones. She gives you some tips and hacks to help make the relationship balanced between you, your child and technology.

Kids plus travel equals chaos. When you have kids the days of getting up and just leaving for vacation are long gone, now preparing fro a vacation with kids can consist of making sure every uses the restroom before you leave the house or making sure that each child has head phones for their tablet otherwise its the theme song to Paw Patrol all the way to granny's house. However you travel this summer Charisse will give you some tips how to prepare your littles for traveling with the family.

Summer is officially here! Now that schools out and you don't have to worry about whose project needs to be done at the last minute you can relax, right?? Yes and no. This week, Charisse chats about how you can use some time to prepare and transition the kids for a more relaxing, but still productive summer. Allowing some time between the last day of school and summer activities is a chance for the whole family to reflect on the school year but it also allows time for YOU and your children to decompress mentally. While camp may not be for everyone, Charisse gives you tips on how to select what summer activities may or may not work for your child.

CONTENT WARNING! This episode talks about heavy topics that include bullying, slurs, and sexual harassment. Hard conversations are apart of life and if you're lucky you don't have to have one with your kids until YOU are ready. Unfortunately, in todays world you can't always monitor what your kids are exposed to these days. Today Charisse talks about how to have a conversation with your child about the many things that are happening in todays society. Teaching your child how to be an advocate for themselves and others can be one of the most beneficial things you can teach them. We know its gonna be tough but we're here for you!

Being a mom is hard, plain and simple, but imagine being a new mom with little to no experience. This week, Charisse discusses how preparing for your special day can set you up for success once the baby is here. Leaning on the loved ones around you can help you get through those difficult times as a new mom. Charisse also chats about how building a Mommy Network can be a lifesaver, especially when you feel alone and as though no one gets what you are going through. Knowing your limits as a mom will allow you to be a better spouse, friend and most importantly a better mom!

School is back and that means homework is back too! Just like our kids, homework is something that we as parents dread each year as our kids move up in grade. The Homework being given gets progressively more difficult. Anyone try to do this new math these kids keep bringing home? Homework and studying can be very stressful but lucky for us, this week Charisse drops some very helpful tips and hacks to make this new year with new homework roadblocks a lil less daunting. Happy Parenting My Friends!

Whoever said patience is a virtue never had kids. Keeping our cool while your little one is having a full meltdown in the middle of the aisle at the grocery store, isn't the time to be virtuous. Sometimes, the best way to combat that spicy child of yours is to not react to the screaming and crying by being the example of calm and peace that your child can rely on to guide them through the latest emotional outburst. Like Bruce Lee once said You must be like water Happy Parenting!

We all have needs, but trying to figure out what our tiny humans need at any given time can be one of the most frustrating things about being a parent. We get it! Its hard to get to the heart of the matter when our kid is having a full blown tantrum in the middle of Target. But, there's a path to making sure that your little gets what they NEED in that moment but also so you get what YOU need in that moment too. This week on the podcast, Charisse gives you the tools to be able to address their needs as well as yours using NonViolent Communication or NVC. How we communicate with our kids can be the difference between discourse and peace. Happy Parenting!

Here we go people, it happens every year. Its ...Back to School Time! This time of year for us parents can be full of mixed emotions. Some of us are sending our littles to school for the very first time and some of us are just happy that someone else is going to keep an eye on them for a couple of hours. Either way, this time of year is always an adventure as you make sure your children have what they need to be successful. This week, Charisse discusses how you can make the transition back to school an easy one, not just for your kids but for you too. Happy Parenting!

When we say parenthood is a hard and thankless job with no raises in sight, we know you feel us. But nobody actually thinks of being a parent as an actual JOB. What if you did and you are the CEO of your very own small company? Let that sink in. What if you outsourced the work and, instead of dragging yourself through paperwork, aka doing the dishes, taking out the trash, and the bane of any parents job, doing laundry you just decided to delegate that task to someone else? This week, Charisse talks about how the job of parenthood can work for you if you change your perspective on how to take on the most important job in the world. Don't worry we know theres no clocking out but we in this together! Happy Parenting!