Explore every episode of the podcast Mastermind Parenting Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Want Confident Kids? Growing Resilient Kids with Dr. Kate Lund | 24 Sep 2025 | 00:49:55 | |
Disappointment. Rejection. Failing to meet their goals. It’s so tough to watch our kids struggle when they’re feeling the discomfort of disappointment. I often call myself “a fixer in recovery that QUITE often relapses”. I have a joy agenda for the people I love. Sometimes my own discomfort over their discomfort leads to a relapse. I jump into full on fixer mode and forget that the growth mostly happens because of the messy human moments. Pain and uncertainty are as much a part of the human experience as success and happiness. It’s called the Law of Polarity. Life involves both the good and the bad. What if the real goal of parenting is to help our kiddos build resilience, so they can handle the hard things without losing hope? My guest this time thinks so, and I think she’s onto something huge. Dr. Kate Lund is an expert on how to build resilience in ourselves and our kids. Her experience of growing up in a supportive family helped her deal with a painful chronic illness. Now, she teaches parents how to model resilience and prepare kids to navigate the world with confidence. Something clicked while listening? We’d love to talk with you if you want to dig deeper into your family’s specific situation. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start knowing what works, it might be worth a conversation. https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/ Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-329 About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now in his 20’s, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades. Randi’s Web and Social Links
About Dr. Lund Dr. Kate Lund is a licensed clinical psychologist, resilience expert, author, and host of The Optimized Mind podcast. With specialized training from three Harvard Medical School–affiliated hospitals and more than two decades of clinical practice, she helps parents, athletes, students, and entrepreneurs thrive within their own unique contexts. Dr. Lund is the author of Bounce: Help Your Child Build Resilience and Thrive in School, Sports, and Life, and Step Away: The Keys to Resilient Parenting. Through her writing, speaking, and clinical work, she empowers people to build resilience, manage stress, and unlock their potential. Dr. Lund’s Web and Social Links Website: http://www.katelundspeaks.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_kate_lund/ Step Away e-book: https://www.amazon.com/Step-Away-Keys-Resilient-Parenting-ebook/dp/B0FN8D4KBT Resources Discussed/Links Our 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now... | |||
| Do Your Kids Feel Safe Enough to Build Secure Attachments? (with Kirby Fling) | 27 Aug 2025 | 01:08:40 | |
Every time I learn more about Attachment Theory, it feels so eye-opening. It explains so much about me and my Mastermind moms. I hear it when we talk about how we were raised, how we relate to our parents, and how we’ve tried to fill the spaces we feel in our hearts. Building a secure attachment style is so important for who our kids will become in the future. But many of us are out here trying to figure out our own - let’s say “less than ideal”- attachment issues. How can we do even better for them? My fave sage of attachment and healing, Kirby, is back to help us break it down and build it up. He says the key to security is an environment where kids feel safe to feel and express themselves, and he’s going to help us figure out how to create that space for our kids. You don’t want to miss this one! Something clicked while listening? We’d love to talk with you if you want to dig deeper into your family’s specific situation. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start knowing what works, it might be worth a conversation. https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/ Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-328 About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now in his 20’s, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades. Randi’s Web and Social Links
About Kirby Fling Kirby is the creator of the Two Mind Method, a practical, heart-centered approach to healing attachment wounds and reshaping nervous system patterns. Drawing on years of deep personal research, lived experience, and work with clients, Kirby specializes in helping people build healthier relationships with themselves and others. His work is grounded, accessible, and refreshingly real, offering tools that truly work in the messiness of real life. Kirby brings a unique blend of neurophysiology, trauma awareness, and emotional attunement to the table, empowering people to transform their inner world and their closest connections. Kirby’s Web and Social Links Website: https://TwoMindMethod.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TwoMindMethod Instagram: https://instagram.com/TwoMindMethod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twomindmethod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwoMindMethod Resources Discussed/Links Our 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now available as a 100% online self-study course! https://mastermindparenting.com/minimasters/ Live assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/ | |||
| The Biggest Mistake We Make Around Homework (And what to do instead!) | 01 Apr 2025 | 00:52:44 | |
You want to help your kids succeed in school - that’s a given. School success is a big area of anxiety and worry I often see with parents I coach. Many well-intentioned parents get more and more involved in their kids’ homework - but more involvement often leads to more long term struggles. Becoming the homework helpline might help get your kids’ grades up temporarily. But it also teaches them to rely on you instead of learning how to figure things out for themselves. There’s no opportunity for your kid to develop agency. Without your constant concierge-level concern, the kid finds themselves flailing and potentially feeling like a failure. Obviously, this is the polar opposite of how you want them to feel. Avery is back and joining me this week to share her experiences with my less-than-obsessed attitude toward homework, and how it helped and possibly hindered her too! As always, thanks for listening. Head over to Facebook, where you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community. We post tips and tools and do pop-up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-319 About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now 26, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades. Randi’s Web and Social Links
Resources Discussed/Links Our 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now available as a 100% online self-study course! https://mastermindparenting.com/minimasters/ Live assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/ | |||
| 229: Uncovering the Causes of Contrarian Kids - Jillian's Story | 14 Mar 2023 | 00:47:11 | |
Contrarian Kids are often moody, negative, and can have after school restraint collapse. They may be trying to tell us that they are feeling overwhelmed, and their negative attitude has been a way to get attention. Jillian, a medical professional, was stumped by her contrarian kid and spoke with Lindsay who helped her shift her relationship and her daughter. She realized she was focusing on her daughter being strong-willed without acknowledging that she was being strong-willed too, and that’s why they were constantly butting heads and her daughter would win every time. You may relate to Jillian's story as this conversation between Jillian and Lindsay provides an insightful resource to help those in similar situations. "The reason that the contrarian pattern is in our lives is because there really is something to figure out. We must figure out what is causing my kid to have this blown nervous system so much of the time. Where are they putting so much energy out and using their bandwidth that it's just too much for them?" In this episode, you will learn the following: 1. What is the contrarian kid, and what do they want to tell us? 2. How can we help our contrarian children regulate their nervous system? 3. What is the story of Randi Rubenstein's formerly strong-willed child, and how did their relationship change? And much more! The biggest thing Jillian has learned through this process of learning our N.I.C.E. framework to transform her strong-willed kid is that Jillian herself is a highly sensitive person. This is why I say parenting is the ultimate personal development journey. When we are open to coaching and seeing things differently, we learn so much not only about our kids but about ourselves as well. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 228: The Un-Meltdown Method | 07 Mar 2023 | 00:32:37 | |
How often are we accidentally pouring gasoline on our fiery kids and fanning the flames rather than helping to extinguish the fiery outbursts? Today I have a mom who shares a story about her 10-year-old daughter beginning to spiral on an airplane because she was super thirsty. She modeled for her daughter how to ask for what she needs in a polite way and allowed the flight attendant to help her get her basic need met. This helped to create a team atmosphere with her daughter and avoid a World War Three meltdown. I also share experiences that when I notice other parents struggling, I can provide positive attention to the child instead of judging the parent. "Ask for what you need, let people support you, and appreciate it when they show up for you - it's not a big deal." In this episode, you will learn the following: 1. How often are we making small deals into big deals in our minds? 2. What can we do when we see parents doing it wrong? 3. How can we create positive moments with strangers that can lead to powerful conversations? And much more! As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 227: Navigating Divorce & Parenting with Karen McMahon | 28 Feb 2023 | 01:00:12 | |
"Transform your relationship into a healthy, mindful and conscious home for your children - learn to mend, not end." Karen McMahon is a certified relationship and divorce coach and founder of Journey Beyond Divorce. She has been helping men and women around the world to become calm, clear, and confident as they navigate divorce since 2010. Karen experienced the difficulty of navigating a divorce and parenting when her own marriage ended. She came to understand that the conversation was never about the relationship, but instead, it was the relationship itself. With the support of professionals, Karen realized that she had an equal part in the conflict, and she needed to take responsibility for that. She was able to build her self-confidence, find the resources and support she needed, and ultimately make the best decision for her and her children. Karen emerged from her divorce experience empowered and stronger, and now encourages others to take the same journey. In this episode, you will learn the following: 1. How can you know when it's time to mend or end your marriage? 2. What can you do to ensure you are making an empowered decision about your marriage? 3. How can you learn to navigate a high conflict divorce in an emotionally regulated way? And much more! As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Karen McMahon, Divorce & Relationship Coach Karen’s passion is to help men and women navigate the emotional difficulties of relationships, breakups and divorce. Your work together will open up the possibility that your current relationship challenges can lead to a rewarding voyage of self-discovery and an immensely more pleasing life experience. Karen founded Journey Beyond Divorce in 2010, after discovering that the pain of dissolving her marriage had been the very stimulus for her personal transformation. During her three and a half year tumultuous divorce, Karen’s life began to improve exponentially. With much hard work, she embraced her new life, created healthy friendships, found her true voice, and learned to set suitable boundaries and let go of what she could not control. Learning to live a healthy enlivened life is something that we can share with our children creating thriving relationships with them while helping them grow emotionally strong and healthy. Karen is the mother of two emerging adults, a graduate of the world’s leading coaching institute, Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) and a Certified Member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Karen’s other accomplishments include work as a NYS Lobbyist, Health Advocate, Community Organizer, and Chairperson of a NYS non-profit organization, Director of Sales and Marketing, and successful small business owner. Karen’s Web and Social Links
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| 226: #5 The Enforce Wing in The Framework That Transforms Strong-Willed Kids | 21 Feb 2023 | 00:21:46 | |
Today I introduce you to the “E” in the N.I.C.E. Framework, the final step in this roadmap to teach kids the skills they don't have to manage their nervous systems and to turn around difficult behaviors. “E” stands for Enforce and it’s where we begin navigating the difficult task of balancing firmness and empathy while enforcing consequences sparingly. We want to enforce consequences sparingly, as part of the N.I.C.E. Framework, which involves assessing basic needs, investigating behaviors, and communicating as a firm and loving “pack leader.” Consequences should be discussed out of the moment and should be logical and related. Following through on consequences can be difficult and uncomfortable, but it is a necessary part of disrupting old patterns and teaching children new skills. For more information on the N.I.C.E. Framework, please visit MastermindParenting.com for a self-study course or a twelve-week hybrid group and personalized coaching program. "Disrupting a pattern by following through on a consequence that you discussed ahead of time and now you're actually having to follow through on it pretty much always blows, but you can mentally prepare to lean into the suckage and do the hard things." In this episode, you will learn the following: 1. How can understanding the N.I.C.E. Framework help transform strong-willed kids? 2. What strategies can be used to effectively enforce consequences while still being a "nice" parent? 3. How can the N.I.C.E. Framework help parents learn to communicate with their children in a language they can comprehend? And much more! As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 225: #4 The Communication Wing in The Framework That Transforms Strong-Willed Kids | 14 Feb 2023 | 00:24:03 | |
Today I introduce you to the “C” in the N.I.C.E. Framework, a roadmap to teach kids the skills they don't have to manage their nervous systems and to turn around difficult behaviors. “C” stands for Communication and it’s where we learn to communicate with our children in a language they can comprehend. This N.I.C.E. Framework series teaches parents how to speak to strong-willed kids in order to help them stop living in a dysregulated state. During this episode, I discussed how it is important to communicate with our strong-willed, highly sensitive kids in a language they can understand, utilizing empathy and pack leadership. This style of communication allows us to assess basic needs, investigate behavior, and establish rules and boundaries without arguing or making excuses. It also involves actively listening and mirroring back what our kids say to show we believe them. Finally, if the same problematic behavior continues, we can establish a consequence in the E wing of the N.I.C.E. Framework. (Next episode, stay tuned!) "When you learn how to communicate with our kids in this way, where we see their perspective and we really hear them. When we really listen to them, they feel heard and listened to, and then we can problem solve together." In this episode, you will learn the following: 1. Uncovering why our kids are not doing well and how to effectively communicate with them in a productive way. 2. Understanding the 77% of communication that is nonverbal and the language our kids can truly comprehend. 3. Discovering how to establish rules, boundaries and teach new skills with a combination of empathy and pack leadership. And much more! As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
Resources and Links
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| 224: #3 The Investigation Wing in The Framework That Transforms Strong-Willed Kids | 07 Feb 2023 | 00:24:33 | |
Today I introduce you to the “I” in the NICE framework, a roadmap to teach kids the skills they don't have to manage their nervous systems and to turn around difficult behaviors. “I” stands for Investigation and it’s where we dive deeper to figure out what is causing our children to behave the way they do. This NICE Framework series teaches parents how to speak to strong-willed kids in order to help them stop living in a dysregulated state. Last episode we focused on assessing basic needs like sleep and food. If the behavior continues, we move to the “I,” and we dig deeper and become a detective to uncover the root of the strong-willed behavior. All behavior is a form of communication. A mom had a son who was getting in trouble at school, but it was discovered that he had a dyslexia diagnosis. Through investigating, it was also discovered that he was not getting enough sleep. "Kids do well if they can. As Dr. Ross Green says. I love that quote. It just says it all." In this episode, you will learn the following: 1. What is the secret behind transforming strong-willed child behavior? 2. What is the QTIP tool for dealing with challenging child behavior? 3. How can a parent uncover the root cause of disruptive child behavior? And much more! As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 223: #2 The Needs Wing in The Framework That Transforms Strong-Willed Kids | 31 Jan 2023 | 00:26:22 | |
Today I introduce you to the “N” in the NICE framework, a roadmap to teach kids the skills they don't have to manage their nervous systems and to turn around difficult behaviors. “N” stands for Needs and it’s where we begin to figure out what is causing our children to behave the way they do. This NICE Framework series teaches parents how to speak to strong-willed kids in order to help them stop living in a dysregulated state. We must assess basic needs like sleep, food, and connection before communicating and enforcing boundaries and consequences. A mom came to me after her daughter was using the “I’m scared” excuse to avoid tasks. I use this common challenge and unpack what the root issue is, then recommend looking at basic needs first and found that the connection between mother and daughter was the solution. We must take time to diagnose real problems and look for the solution in basic needs. "Kids are designed to be magical thinkers and to experience a whole lot of joy and to get lost in play. So, if we have a kid that's not doing that, the majority of the time, we know we have a problem. We know we have a problem. It's just a matter of how do we fix the problem? What is the solution?" In this episode, you will learn the following:
And much more! As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 222: #1-The Framework That Transforms Strong-Willed Kids | 24 Jan 2023 | 00:53:10 | |
The NICE framework solves parenting challenges with strong-willed kids. Today on the Mastermind Parenting Podcast, I introduce you to the NICE framework, a roadmap to teach kids the skills they don't have to manage their nervous systems and to turn around difficult behaviors. It emphasizes being patient, present, consistent, calm, kind, and loving while also being a leader. Through this framework, parents can model the behavior they want to see in their kids, while also emphasizing freedom and trust. "If we want to raise nice, polite, kind people, wouldn't they learn how to be those people if we showed up first and foremost as nice people ourselves?" In this episode, you will learn the following:
As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
Resources and Links
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| 221: Lying - Why We Hate It and What To Do About It | 17 Jan 2023 | 00:31:02 | |
Lying and its development in children is natural. Listen today and hear a scenario about an eight-year-old boy who was lying and refusing to take responsibility for his mistakes. Little kids lie as a normal part of their development, typically to avoid getting into trouble or because of what I call their “magical thinking brain.” Older kids lie when it doesn't feel safe to tell the truth, which can be caused by feeling overwhelmed, insecure, or jealous. To handle lying in children, it is important to remember to connect before correcting and to remember that all behavior is communication. "It takes courage to admit when we screw up." In this episode, you will learn the following:
As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
Resources and Links
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| 220: A Good Parent Is... | 12 Jan 2023 | 00:27:10 | |
A struggling parent of a strong-willed child seeks to define good parenting but finds themselves in a dilemma where they must choose between pushing their child too hard or letting them miss out on essential learning experiences. Listen and learn the secrets to raising strong-willed kids and helping them grow into successful, independent adults. This episode of the Mastermind Parenting podcast with Randi Rubenstein is about strong-willed kids. A good parent means striving to be better by learning and growing, and it often takes a difficult, strong-willed kid to push us to take the time to do that. A good parent also understands there is no such thing as perfection, and that strong-willed kids are like a tough personal trainer, pushing us to break the cycle and create the dream family we have always wanted. In this episode, you will learn the following:
As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
Resources and Links
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| What Even Is Pack Leadership? (with Dr. Shawn Hondorp) | 18 Mar 2025 | 01:15:36 | |
You’ve probably heard me talk about pack leadership, and how I believe it’s the holy grail in creating a more peaceful family. Humans learn through stories, and I have SO MANY stories about empowered parents, stronger family connections, and sensitive kiddos who finally feel understood. But sometimes you have to go back to basics, like I did this week with therapist, podcaster, and long-time Masterminder, Dr. Shawn Hondorp. On a recent episode of her show, The Innovative Therapist, she asked a simple question. What is pack leadership? The answer was a discussion about feminism, society, parenting styles, and the expectations we place on ourselves to be super great at raising kids. Whether you’re just starting to ask how you can step up for your family, or you’re a confident pack leader yourself, you’ll get something helpful out of our exploration. Enjoy! As always, thanks for listening. Head over to Facebook, where you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community. We post tips and tools and do pop-up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-318 About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now 26, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades. Randi’s Web and Social Links
About Dr. Shawn Hondorp Dr. Shawn Hondorp is a clinical psychologist whose goal is to create safe learning environments for those who want to explore innovative approaches to healing, one authentic conversation at a time. Learn more about her work, and subscribe to The Innovative Therapist Podcast, at https://drshawnhondorp.com/ Resources Discussed/Links Our 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now available as a 100% online self-study course! https://mastermindparenting.com/minimasters/ Live assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/ | |||
| 219: New Year’s Resolutions: How to Help Our Kids (and Ourselves) When We Want to Quit and Give Up | 03 Jan 2023 | 00:40:21 | |
In this episode I challenge exhausted parents to take a break from setting New Year's resolutions, go ahead and take a nap, you have permission. I also guide you on how to focus on your goals and dreams and embrace the power of visualizing your "B-rated" movie for the upcoming year. Through this episode, I stress the importance of making time for ourselves and taking a break from the hustle. We have to give ourselves permission to take a nap, to blow off New Year's resolutions, and to focus on our own needs and goals. We can incorporate the concept of manifesting and incorporating a growth mindset when setting goals or intentions. We can even make a cheesy B-rated movie in our minds with us as the star and our kids as supporting characters to help us visualize our goals and dreams. "Give yourself permission to have a cheesy B rated movie going on in your brain that you're the star of and allow yourself to daydream and envision the person you want to become this year." In this episode, you will learn the following:
As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 218: Uncovering the Strong-Willed Child with Dr. Sarah Miller | 27 Dec 2022 | 00:56:24 | |
Dr. Sarah Miller and I work together to create a quiz that will help people determine if their child is strong-willed. Through her experience as a pediatrician, she has identified red flags that could signify a medical condition. In addition to traditional screenings, she suggests looking at a child's sleep, mealtimes, transitions, and nutrition. She also emphasizes the importance of recognizing patterns and understanding a child's temperament. Ultimately, she believes it is possible to harness a child's strong will and turn it into a strength. In this episode, you will learn the following:
As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 217: Gratitude - Teaching Your Kids to Appreciate the Holiday Season mixdown | 20 Dec 2022 | 00:46:24 | |
Join us for another coaching workshop all about having a happier holiday season! Discover how to make this holiday season extra special for your family with these simple tips for having happier holidays! You will learn how to make this holiday season extra special for your family with these simple tips for having happier holidays. I chat about how privileges are extras and when they become a problem, they need to be taken away for a bit. A key point is to set expectations on how to show up responsibly and to follow through with consequences when expectations aren't met. We should focus on the importance of gratitude and how it makes for a happier person. Instead of focusing on presents, what kids will remember is the mood their parents are in and how it makes them feel. In this episode, you will learn the following:
As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it!
About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along.
Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 216: Weekend Warm Up: How to Survive and Thrive During the Holidays | 13 Dec 2022 | 00:36:58 | |
Feeling overwhelmed by the holidays? Join us for our two-part coaching workshop all about having a happier holiday season! We'll be talking about setting an intention for the holiday, creating good family memories, and how to stay relaxed and present as a parent. Learn our favorite holiday tool to get through the toughest moments and make your holiday season magical! I always want my kids to have a magical childhood, but sometimes I worry that judgy relatives or my kids' behavior will get in the way. I know that all judgment is self-projection, and so I'm determined to be a relaxed, present, and joy-filled parent this holiday season. I'm also setting an intention of family fun and good memories so that my kids can look back on their childhood with fondness. In this episode, you will learn the following:
As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 215: Healing Family Relationships - A Conversation with Daniel Maté | 06 Dec 2022 | 00:58:01 | |
The amazing Daniel Maté joined me for this week's episode. With his father, Gabor Maté, Daniel has recently authored The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture. In this revolutionary book, they recognize the prevailing understanding of “normal” as false, neglecting the roles that trauma and stress, and the pressures of modern-day living, exert on our bodies and our minds at the expense of good health. Are you struggling to find the best ways to ensure a strong bond between yourself and your parents and/or your children? Daniel Maté has the answer. As an award-winning lyricist and composer for musical theater, Daniel has a unique perspective on strengthening relationships between parents and their children. Join us for a fascinating conversation! "The vulnerable thing for me was in the last workshop we did, something happened between us on stage where I thought an agreement got violated, trust got violated. There was a breakdown in collaboration, basically, and I got triggered." In this episode, you will learn the following:
As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Daniel Maté Daniel Maté is an award-winning lyricist and composer for musical theatre. With his father Gabor Maté, he is the co-author of the recently published The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture, and the forthcoming Hello Again: A Fresh Start for Parents and Their Adult Children, based on the popular workshop of the same name. Daniel runs the world's only "mental chiropractic" service, where he takes walks with people—in person and remotely—and helps them get unstuck by aligning their minds. He lives in Brooklyn, NY Daniel’s Links
About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 214: Sleep and Other Stuff - The Pediatrician’s Perspective with Dr. Sarah Miller | 29 Nov 2022 | 00:30:14 | |
"The sleep state is just as active, if not more so, than the awake state. Your brain is not asleep. It's just active in a different way and helping your body heal, helping your minds formulate thoughts, memories, ideas, and creativity. And it is critical to everything physically, mentally, and emotionally." We’re back with another episode of the Pediatrician's Perspective, where I sit down with Dr. Sarah Miller, the doctor that I'm writing a book with, and I just thought it would be a good idea to bring what we talk about in private to the podcast airwaves and just share our conversation with you. If you're not getting enough sleep, you're not alone. In fact, according to a recent study, nearly one third of Americans are sleep deprived. And, as Dr. Sarah Miller points out, this lack of sleep can have far-reaching consequences. Not only does it make it difficult to focus and be productive, but it can also lead to weight gain, moodiness, and even depression. During our conversation, we reveal strategies to help your kids get better sleep, and get their homework done faster with better results. We also reveal some good tips you can also follow to make sure you get enough sleep too. We both agree that good sleep hygiene and habits are the best health habits you can develop. Many other health challenges stem from our chronic lack of sleep. Here are some steps you can follow to get better health, productivity, creativity.:
As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 213: Surviving Judgey Relatives During the Holidays | 22 Nov 2022 | 00:25:42 | |
Thanksgiving is here, and I'm feeling stressed. I remember what it was like when my kids were little, and we had to go to all the extended family gatherings. It was exhausting trying to keep them entertained and well-behaved. I came up with a plan to make it more bearable. I called it "present engage time." I would spend the first hour or so with them, just focusing on them and making sure they were comfortable. It was a great way to bond with them and create positive memories. I also gamified the annoying things that relatives would do. I would play the "but of course they did" game where I would make a joke out of the annoying things that my relatives would do. It was a great way to relieve some stress and tension that comes with the holidays. In this episode, you will learn the following:
As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 212: Sibling Rivalry & Boundary Setting: A Coaching Call Replay | 15 Nov 2022 | 00:37:37 | |
Do you find yourself struggling to keep up with the demands of parenting? You're not alone. In this week's Mastermind Parenting podcast, I coach a mom dealing with intense sibling rivalry and share my favorite tools for setting boundaries with your kids. Sibling rivalry is a common occurrence in many families. It can be frustrating for parents to deal with, but there are ways to manage it. And establishing boundaries is key to helping your kids feel safe. Today you will be hearing some scenarios from our last Weekend Warm Up call. The Weekend Warm Up is a free coaching call that I do once a month. It's the third Friday of the month, and you simply sign up to get coached by me for free. I started the Weekend Warm Up because I wanted to get to know my podcast listeners. I wanted to have a relationship with them that wasn't just one-sided. During these calls, I coach parents through their parenting challenges or concerns. Today we’re focusing on how to navigate through sibling rivalry and establishing boundaries with your kids, which are some of the issues I help Moms with often. Here are just some of the things I cover during this call:
As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 211: How to Talk to Your Kids About the Birds and the Bees with Amy Lang | 08 Nov 2022 | 00:53:00 | |
How do you have the talk with your kids about sex? What do you say, and how do you say it? In this episode Amy Lang and I discuss how to talk to your kids about sex, including the birds and the bees. We also chat about the importance of using proper terminology for private body parts and the idea that sex is not just for reproduction, but also for pleasure. "If you're explicit about your values when it comes to sexuality, it helps them make decisions." Amy Lang is a sex educator with over 16 years of experience. She is the founder of Birds and Bees and Kids, a company dedicated to helping parents feel comfortable and confident when talking to their kids about bodies and sexuality. Amy is also the author of "Sex Talks with Tweens: What to Say and How to Say It." It's no secret that talking to your kids about sex can be really uncomfortable. But it doesn't have to be this way. Amy Lang has been a sex educator for over 16 years and has helped thousands of parents around the world become comfortable and confident when they have these important conversations. If you're dreading the idea of having the sex talk with your kids, this episode is a must-listen. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Amy Lang Amy Lang, MA has been a sexual health educator for over 25 years. Surprised by her discomfort with just the idea of talking with her young son about his body, she knew she needed help. Amy did a bunch of research to learn how to talk with kids about bodies and sexuality and realized she could help other parents with this important part of parenting. In 2006, she started Birds & Bees & Kids. With her lively, engaging, and down-to-earth style, she helps parents become comfortable and confident talking with their kids. Amy’s books, online solutions center, and podcast show parents how they really can become their kids' go-to birds and bees source. She is still married to her first husband, and they are getting the hang of parenting their recently launched man-child. She lives in Seattle, WA and you can learn more about her work at BirdsAndBeesAndKids.com and BBKPros.com. Links:
About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 210: Your Post-Halloween Candy Plans | 31 Oct 2022 | 00:20:37 | |
I hope you're listening to this today because I want to talk about Halloween and the dreaded candy that you have to deal with after Halloween. I'm going to teach you a philosophy, and some planning strategies that helped me handle Halloween and Halloween candy. And I want you to know you can apply this same method to birthday parties and all the things and situations which are similar. But today we're going to focus on Halloween, and then you can apply it to lots of other areas. So, I hope you're listening to this today, on Halloween, because it's going to be most effective when you set the plan, which is really establishing the boundaries right before Halloween has actually happened. When you try to set a boundary after it's happened or when you're in the thick of it, it's going to be more inclined to become a power struggle. So, listen in! And, if you have any extra Almond Joys, send them my way! As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web/Social Links
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| How and (How Not To) Apologize… Better | 11 Mar 2025 | 00:42:26 | |
Apologizing can feel hard. Maybe even harder than we care to admit to ourselves. It’s vulnerable to look at a situation where you may have hurt someone you love…especially when that someone is your own kid. Owning your mistake in a heartfelt way can potentially repair a fractured relationship. Which is why Avery and I had to talk about a very public apology we listened in on, from a recent episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast. Mel and her daughter Sawyer talked about their new book The Let Them Theory, and had a candid discussion about Mel’s presence in Sawyer’s life when she was growing up. Avery and I both thought their reckoning left out some important steps. We thought walking through it would be a great way to help you learn what makes a genuine, empathetic apology, and how learning to apologize better can deepen the trust in your family. As always, thanks for listening. Head over to Facebook, where you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community. We post tips and tools and do pop-up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-317 About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now 26, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades. Randi’s Web and Social Links
Resources Discussed/Links Our 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now available as a 100% online self-study course! https://mastermindparenting.com/minimasters/ Live assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/ | |||
| 209: Report Card Check-in with Mastermind Moms Aryn & Shuli | 25 Oct 2022 | 01:02:44 | |
I have a fun conversation for you this week. I have been doing these live report card sessions with some of my current moms, and I had scheduled one with Aryn and Shuli. They have been in my program for a while. We use these check-ins to discuss their challenges with parenting and how they've grown since joining the Mastermind program. The format we use to guide our conversation is to first remember where they were before joining, in the muck so-to-speak, frustrated and even feeling ashamed for not being able to make progress or find solutions. Then we get to hear how things are now, what’s worked and helped them find some peace and love in their homes. Finally, we get to dream a bit about what the future will bring! I truly enjoy getting to know these families and seeing the growth they achieve. Hearing the happiness and joy in their voices is so special! Listen in! As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web/Social Links
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| 208: Pediatrician’s Perspective with Dr. Sarah Miller - ADHD, ASD, OCD…Let’s Talk About Labels! | 18 Oct 2022 | 00:52:03 | |
I have something very special for you. I am starting a new segment called the Pediatrician's Perspective, where I sit down with Dr. Sarah Miller. She is the doctor that I'm writing the book with that I've been sort of talking about here and Sarah and I just thought it would be a good idea to bring what we talk about in private to the podcast airwaves and just share our conversation with you. This was totally unscripted. I had a topic that I knew I wanted to talk about with her and I just saved it. It’s a juicy one, and we just have one of our normal conversations and let you, the listeners, be a fly on the wall of this conversation. One of the things that I have found, is that I have actually a decent number of female physicians who take my program, and so I've really gotten to know a lot of female doctors over the last five years or so, and they are some of my favorite, favorite clients because female doctors, they don't mess around. They take a lot of action. They don't have time to mess around. They're tough. They're super coachable. You can level with them. They're just ready to dig in and get results. So, I love female physicians and what I've noticed is that when we're talking, and we're really talking, I hear a whole different side of things. Our hope is that you are going to write in or call in and leave us messages so that we can start to make this a Q and A segment. And if it doesn't turn into that, Sarah and I could talk for years. We have so much that we always have to talk about and there it's always kid related. We're both super passionate about children and families and helping people get along better and feel more peaceful in their bodies and just live healthier lives. So, here's the first segment of the pediatrician's perspective with Dr. Sarah Miller, and I hope you guys like it! As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 207: Weekend Warm Up Free Parenting Coaching Call with Randi | 11 Oct 2022 | 00:45:56 | |
We all know the drill. The new school year starts, and we're determined that THIS will be the year that our kids finally get good sleep habits. We're going to be more organized, we're going to get them to bed on time, no more screen time in bed, etc, etc. But then a month in... what happens? Life happens. The dog has an accident on the floor, there's a big project due at work, your kid's best friend is having a sleepover... and suddenly all our good intentions have gone out the window. In this episode of the Mastermind Parenting Podcast, I coach parents on how to deal with the inevitable backsliding that occurs when trying to maintain good sleep habits for our kids (and ourselves!). She offers practical tips and advice on how to have conversations with our kids about why getting enough sleep is important, how to create a bedtime routine that works for everyone, and what to do when things inevitably go off the rails. Today you will be hearing some questions and scenarios from our last Weekend Warm Up call. The Weekend Warm Up is a free coaching call that I do once a month. It's the third Friday of the month, and you simply sign up to get coached by me for free. I started the Weekend Warm Up because I wanted to get to know my podcast listeners. I wanted to have a relationship with them that wasn't just one-sided. During these calls, I coach parents through their parenting challenges or concerns. Today we’re focusing on children backsliding in their progress, whether it be sleep, responsibilities, or waking up on time. Right now, we often see kids needing some reminders and strategies to help the family get back on track for a successful school year. Here are just some of the things I cover during this call:
As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 206: Not Passing Down Unhealthy Food Mindsets and Eating Disorders with Psychologist Dr. Shawn Hondorp | 04 Oct 2022 | 01:26:49 | |
Shawn Hondorp, PhD, ABPP is a board-certified Clinical Health Psychologist and health behavior expert. She earned her doctorate from Drexel University in Philadelphia and completed her pre-doctoral internship and fellowship in Health Psychology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. She has a top-rated podcast called Motivation Made Easy: Body Respect, True Health where she outlines effective approaches to improve health and well-being by looking at how research and real-world experience collide via conversation and personal stories. She has unique training and experience doing research and patient care in the fields of weight management and eating disorders at top-rated hospitals and universities around the country, including but not limited to Michigan State University, University of Chicago Eating Disorders Program, Drexel University, Penn Center for Eating and Weight Disorders, and Rush University Medical Center. She lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with her husband and two kids and pug named Teddy. Her dream vacation day is hiking along a lake surrounded by mountains holding a warm cup of coffee, followed by a delicious dinner and a soak in a hot tub with an ice-cold IPA. Links:
About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 205: When the Parents Who Were the “Good” Kids Have Strong-Willed Children | 27 Sep 2022 | 00:20:19 | |
I have a little treat for you this week. I am including a coaching clip where I was coaching some parents who have a very strong willed seven-year-old son, and these people are like beautiful people. They adopted this child from another country, and he didn't come to them until he was three years old, and they've just kind of been at a loss. He's dysregulated a lot of the time and they are incredibly patient, loving people. When I started digging into their story early on, I figured out that they were lacking pack leadership. And this is a kid that needs a lot of structure and certainty in his life. So, we must tighten up the family structures in terms of bedtime, in terms of expectations. We've really been walking them through what that looks like in real life and. How you're able to show up and what I call pack leadership, firm and loving communicating with empathy, but also like very intentional in terms of what the family rules are and that violence is not an option. And just giving this child more structure, more certainty. To help him feel calmer in his body, to help him feel more grounded and regulated. And so, both parents said, “I don't really have a lot of memories of ever breaking rules. Like I was just kind of a good kid.” So, here's these two people that grew up and they were good kids and then they found each other and it's a family with, they love each other, and they had so much love to give, they had one child of their own and then they adopted a child that needed a loving family. Now they have this little boy who they're trying to support and they're trying to figure this out. They realized they needed to learn some new tools. So, I think you'll enjoy this coaching clip. Many of you will identify with and just realize that there's really no good kids and there's no bad kids, and all little kids live in their emotional brain, so if you were the “good kid,” I'm going to challenge you a little bit to dig into your story more, so enjoy this coaching clip. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 204: The Kid That Just Won't Stop Playing | 20 Sep 2022 | 00:21:37 | |
This week we are going to be talking about the kid that just won't stop playing. Which sounds sweet… but as we listen to this mom's scenario, we discover it's not so sweet. She asks, “Do I just ignore the behavior that arises when I give a consequence or enforce a boundary? They always get angry and then act out.” Apparently, it was time to leave the house in the morning and after prior warnings such as, “We are leaving in 5 minutes…” when it was time to go her child REFUSED to stop playing with his toy. After telling him twice and being ignored, she removed the toy and said he could play with it when they got home. He started screaming, stamping his feet, slamming doors, calling her names, throwing things.... So, does she then just ignore all that stuff? What do you think? Many of us have been in a similar situation at some point. And during this episode we’re going to unpack what these kiddos may be trying to communicate to us, and how we can understand where they are, and meet them there. It’s not about consequences or punishments to get them to do what you want them to do. Understanding their temperament, and how to communicate is key, and will keep everyone happier. Listen in! As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 203: Are You Living in a Stable Misery Cycle with Dr. Lynyetta Willis | 13 Sep 2022 | 01:02:23 | |
Hi guys, I have Lynyetta Willis with me today. She is a psychologist and family empowerment coach, and she helps frustrated families stop Stable Misery cycles or unhelpful patterns that keep them stuck so they can create more joy in their parenting or partnerships. Her Triggered to Transformed parent coaching program has helped parents all over the world to confidently deal with their triggers so they can pass on the best parts of themselves and enjoy parenting. Dr. Willis believes that in order to create lasting shifts in the culture and consciousness of future generations, organizations, and the world, we must begin by shifting the consciousness of families. Dr. Willis is committed to helping transform the world one family at a time. Listen in to this fascinating and powerful conversation! As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Dr. Lynetta Willis Dr. Lynyetta Willis, psychologist, family empowerment coach, speaker, and award-winning author - helps frustrated families break free from Stable Misery® and unhelpful parenting and partnership patterns, so they can create more harmony at home. Over 20 years of journeying with countless clients led her to design the research-supported Elemental Living® Model and P.A.T.H.S. Relationship Framework. These powerful tools help parents and partners improve communication, minimize overreactions, and transform intergenerational trauma. Dr. Willis’ Harmony in the Home Couples Program and Triggered to Transformed® Group Parenting Program have received rave reviews from couples and parents across the globe in South Africa, Israel, New Zealand, and Australia. A sought-after speaker, media contributor, and author, Dr. Willis’s award-winning book, My Forgotten Self: A Story about a Girl, a Powerful Encounter, and a Universal Message, received high acclaim from individuals such as Dr. Shefali Tsabary, author of The Conscious Parent and “Oprah’s Parenting Expert”; Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith, author and spiritual leader of Agape International Truth Center; and Michal Berg, President and CEO of Spirituality for Kids International, Inc. Dr. Willis lives in Georgia with her husband and their two children. Links:
About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 202: The Kid That Just Won’t Series | 06 Sep 2022 | 00:29:55 | |
This month I'm doing a little series called The Kid That Just Won't. The kid that just won't follow simple requests, like getting their freaking shoes on and getting ready for school. Or sitting down and eating their breakfast. Or coming out of their room, having their teeth brushed, having their hair brushed, having their clothes on their body… the kid that just won't follow simple requests. The kid that won't stop space invading, those kids that are just everywhere you are, just next to you all the time, or right next to their sibling. Just constant space invasion. Or the kid that won't stop destructive behavior. Maybe it's that they're grabbing things away from their sibling or they're just making a mess all the time. Or wherever they are, it's just like Tasmanian Devil chaos. Or the kid that won't listen, you feel like you have to say something repeatedly. And you’re wondering, “When is the time going to come where I can just say something once?” Is that a huge goal? Basically, the kid that won't allow anything to be easy. Do you have one of these kids? A lot of you can probably relate, because most kids behave this way at some point. So, I’m putting together this series to help you with some strategies and ways you can recognize why they may be behaving this way. Ways to nail down the root cause so you can be less frustrated and find peace. And maybe achieve some of those goals! As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 201: When Your Co-Parent is the Problem - Back-to-School Series | 30 Aug 2022 | 00:25:58 | |
Welcome to the last episode of our series about Bullying, Boundaries and Back-to-School. We haven't talked about any back-to-school typical things, like this is how to set up your binders and this is how to make sure your kids do all their summer work. Anyway, this month we have been following through some of these posts by this woman that I've been calling Marie, who has been posting about her strong-willed children. And we feel bad for Marie and many of us identify with aspects of Marie. We want to love Marie up. We want to help Marie and I really want to just say to Marie, you know what, it's not your fault. And I wish I could make it all better. The fixer in me is strong. This last episode of this series, which is called “When Your Co-Parent is the Problem,” which is what Marie really believes. And you'll see in some of her posts why she believes that. The root of the problem is we've got a mom and a dad, and it sounds like there's a lot of tension and a lack of communication between them. And they're setting the tone for the household and the kids, these strong-willed kids who aren't respecting boundaries. Well, it sounds like Dad's not respecting Mom's boundaries. It sounds like there's a lack of boundaries across the board. There's a real breakdown in this family structure. And these kids are just holding up a mirror saying you can focus on our behavior, our misbehavior, but what we're really trying to do is to alert you guys, that this family dynamic isn't working for anyone. So, Mom, you want to do something? You're going to have to start holding people accountable. What might that mean? Listen to this episode as we unpack this situation and provide a few tips to help some of you work through this if it’s a part of your parenting world. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 200: When Consequences & Professional Advice Don't Work - Back-to-School Series | 25 Aug 2022 | 00:29:59 | |
This seems like an appropriate conversation for episode 200. Again, we are talking this month about Bullying, Boundaries, and Back-to-School. And I think that hopefully you understand that my point with back-to-school is way more than making sure your kids have the right school supplies. If you want to prepare your kids for back-to-school, the best thing in the world you could do is dig into boundaries, badgering, behavior, accountability, and getting to the root of the real source of the misbehaviors and the lack of peace in your household. That's the greatest thing you can do, because having structures in place and communicating with your kids, what's okay with you, what's not okay with you when they don't follow the rules. These are the “oops day rules” and this will help your brain remember. Again, we’re unpacking some posts from social media. Our mom who is looking for the perfect consequence that will “work,” that will actually matter to her kids doesn’t understand that’s not what consequences are about. Consequences are about cause and effect, they are about teaching people. Listen in today if you feel boundaries and consequences are eluding you as well, and you may find some tips that can help you find a little less struggle, and more peace in your world. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| The Invisible Trauma of Why You Might be a Lone Wolf with Ruth Cohn | 04 Mar 2025 | 01:22:25 | |
It might feel like terrible news that building our pack leadership involves going back into our own childhoods. It can feel scary to go back to the “belly of the beast”… after all, you survived your childhood. Who on this God’s green earth would actually choose to look back when you’re so focused on changing cycles and moving forward? When the patterns we’re trying to break involve the often invisible trauma of emotional neglect, they can be extra tough to identify. Grownups raised by neglectful parents can feel like their experiences weren’t “bad” enough to count, or that they should just feel lucky because other kids had it way worse. My guest this week is Ruth Cohn, an amazing therapist and author who writes about what she calls “the invisible trauma” of neglect. Why it can be hard to realize that neglect IS traumatic, how it affects the way we live, and how much we tend to blame ourselves for things that aren’t in our control. If you’re a parent who’s trying to do better than the way you were raised, you have to hear her wisdom! As always, thanks for listening. Head over to Facebook, where you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community. We post tips and tools and do pop-up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-316 About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now 26, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades. Randi’s Web and Social Links
About Ruth Cohn: Ruth Cohn, MFT, is a psychotherapist living and practicing in the San Francisco Bay area. She has been specializing in work with survivors of trauma and neglect, their intimate partners, and families since 1988. She is a Certified Sex Therapist, certified in Neurofeedback, EMDR, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and Imago Relationship Therapy. Ruth is also the author of numerous articles on sexuality, trauma, and neglect, and three books: Working With the Developmental Trauma of Childhood Neglect: Using Psychotherapy and Attachment Theory Techniques in Clinical Practice, Coming Home to Passion: Restoring Loving Sexuality in Couples With Histories of Childhood Trauma and Neglect, and Out of My Mind: Late Night Contemplations About Trauma and Neglect. Ruth Cohn’s Web and Social Links
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| 199: The Kid Just Won’t… - Back-to-School Series | 23 Aug 2022 | 00:19:29 | |
Welcome to this episode. We are still going to be continuing with our theme of Bullying, Boundaries, and Back-to-School. The title is The Kid Just Won’t… and I'm going to continue reading some social posts from a mom seeking tips for a strong-willed four-year-old who won't cooperate. We’ve all been there, right? When your child refuses to do what you want them to do. And it tends to escalate, and they become stubborn, and it grows into a big deal when you just want them to pick up some toys. Listen to this episode and learn how to keep your kiddo accountable, while making sure you stay calm and don’t freak out. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 198: When Kids Refuse to STOP - Back-to-School Series | 18 Aug 2022 | 00:35:48 | |
We are going to continue with our lovely theme of bullying and boundaries and all things back to school. I know these are not fun topics. I've been working with some different parents, and I just feel like it seems that when things really seem to go south, most of these parents are kicking themselves, and blaming themselves. And they feel like there were lots of warning signs and they put their heads in the sand. I always have only compassion and never judgment. I know it's an impossible position to be in. And I just feel like with so many of our strong-willed kids, I think there’s a deep-rooted fear that if this is what this looks like at eight or at 10, or if this is how they're behaving towards a sibling, or towards the family members, how are they going to be out in the world? And what's it going to look like when they're 14 and 16 and 19? I think just so many parents of kids that are struggling and not doing well or showing up with aggressive, mean behaviors that would get them punished, these are the kids that quite often fall through the cracks. Because even these kids that, you know, even when it's your kid, like you love them, but quite often they're hard to like. So, it's a really tricky position to be in when you are deep-down worried, wondering what if one day my kid harms themselves or someone else or both. My ultimate goal is to help these kids. Because when you help these kids, guess what happens? They don't show up with bullying behaviors. They start to feel better. And when they start to feel better, they start to do better. Today’s episode is focused on when kids just refuse to stop some of these behaviors and strategies you can employ to help them. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 197: Bullying and Badgering Behavior - Back-to-School Series | 16 Aug 2022 | 00:35:28 | |
Our theme for the rest of the month is Bullies, Boundaries, and Back-to-School and I have something kind of fun in store. I'm going to feature social media posts from my Strong-Willed Kids group, which are parents of strong-willed kids. And there's maybe 5,000 people in this group, and sometimes I'll into the group, and I'll just read posts by the parents. Because I just want to see what people are struggling with currently. I've read scenarios here before, and for the next several episodes I’ll be reading more, unpacking them, and sharing some tips. We’re starting off the series with a huge topic, one we hear a lot about, especially as kids go back to school. Bullying and Badgering. So, in this episode I’m going to feature some posts, help define bullying and badgering, and then I’ll talk about how to approach the behaviors when they show up in our kids. So much of Mastermind Parenting is digging into the core reasons why these behaviors are appearing, understanding why, then using strategies to help encourage different behaviors. It’s important to get to the root first, then we can clean and bandage things appropriately. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 195: Giving Our Teens the Real Skills to Land a Job with Allie Danziger, owner of Ampersand | 02 Aug 2022 | 00:43:03 | |
I have somebody special on the podcast this week. Her name is Allie Danziger, and she has a heartfelt passion for helping ambitious people succeed. In 2009, Allie started one of Texas's top marketing agencies. And let me just say this as y'all will hear in the episode, she was all of 24 years old. She is very hard working, and she loves what she does. Allie also really cares about being an amazing mom and sister and wife and friend and daughter. I find her story to be extremely inspirational and I'm having her on the show because she's really filling a gap for those of us who are worried about our teens and young adults actually being able to make it out in the real world. Allie's newest venture Ampersand was started in 2020 and applies the 10,000 hours of lessons she learned in hiring, managing and mentoring entry level employees and interns, and a career readiness and internship matching platform. She compares it to a dating app, like Bumble. Ampersand takes interns and teaches them basic skills and then matches them with companies through their unique career readiness and internship matching platform. In the last year, Ampersand has trained 7,000 young professionals and placed over 450 internships around the country in a variety of companies and industries. Allie aims to democratize access to internship, placements and internships while simultaneously helping companies of all sizes build a pipeline of talented, driven, and diverse talent. This is a very, very cool company that she has started. And I mean, I could take some lessons, many lessons from this young mom / whipper snapper, who just knows how to get some sh*t done. She's really impressive. I think you guys will love learning from her and hearing what she's got going on. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Allie Danziger Allie has a passion for helping ambitious people succeed. Allie started, and later sold, one of Texas' top marketing agencies, Integrate Agency, where she was lucky enough to work with, and learn from, some of the most talented innovators, designers, thinkers and doers she had ever met; the chance to lead a company that has generated over $15MM in total revenue, employed over 150 people, and helped over 600 clients grow. Allie’s new venture, Ampersand, applies her >10,000 hours of lessons learned in hiring, managing and mentoring so many employees and interns in my 12 years running Integrate. She is now dedicating her time to eliminating the skills gap from higher education to employment, and democratizing access to internship placement and mentorship, while also helping companies run successful internship programs. Gain exclusive access to Ampersand's Career Preparation bootcamp: https://www.ampersandpro.com/careerprep Allie’s Web and Social Links | |||
| 194: The REAL Secret to Improving Behavior [Re-Release] | 19 Jul 2022 | 00:21:57 | |
We are going back to an episode where I really talk about what I think high sensitivity means to me. I read the book The Highly Sensitive Child by Elaine Aron and I've read many articles and I've studied this for a while. The acronym is HSP for highly sensitive person. I know many people are familiar with it these days. I just thought it would be helpful because I refer to HSP quite often. And so if you have heard this term, or maybe you haven't heard this term, and you're curious about it, listen to this short and sweet episode where I talk about it and what I think that it means. I think that many people who have kids that are challenging, who challenge us, who call us to more, who a lot of people say are strong willed. And I think me bringing this to you guys again, is that I want y'all to really think about the questions, “Am I a highly sensitive person? Is my child a highly sensitive person?” This is just all about self-awareness because I think that the main thing that needs to change in our culture is we need to stop thinking that there's something wrong with our kids and that they need to be fixed. Right? You didn't get a difficult child, you got a human one and there's never going to be one human being exactly like another, even identical twins. They are not exactly alike. Like we are humans. We are human four-leaf clovers. I think we have to start thinking about our kids as the little humans that they are, and it's our job to understand them, to understand when they're challenging us, all behaviors, communication, and we have to play investigator and, and, and help them help them do better. Help them feel better. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 193: Anxious Kids and Other Hard Topics with Author and Therapist Christina Furnival | 12 Jul 2022 | 00:52:27 | |
Welcome to this episode with Christina Furnival, a San Diego based wife, mom to two young children, licensed psychotherapist, writer and children's book author. Christina has over a decade of experience in the mental health field and she's helped countless families work through anxiety, depression, behavior challenges, and big life changes. Christina uses her personal and professional experience in her articles and books to support adults and children around the world. Christina's passionate about supporting parents and children to understand themselves better navigate challenges with confidence and live the life that they want. And today she is joining me to talk about her latest book, Fear Not: How to Face Your Fear and Anxiety Head On. We’re covering some topics that can be difficult to talk to your kiddos about and how to have these hard conversations. Christina’s books are wonderful conversation starters, and she provides excellent talking points to help guide you along the way. I just love these books and know you would too. Listen in to our chat and learn how to tackle your own anxiety around these conversations and other areas in your parenting life. Plenty of golden nuggets here, so enjoy! As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Christina Furnival Christina is a mom of two, wife, mental health therapist, writer, public speaker, and children's book author. Like every mama, she is constantly juggling all the things. By day, she stay-at-home parents her pretty spectacular and equally exhausting young kids while attempting to work on her social-emotional children’s book series and to write for her blog Real Life Mama and other highly regarded publications. And by night (well, evening, really) via telehealth, Christina is a practicing licensed mental health therapist. And of course she tries to make time for her marriage, and for herself, but it’s not always easy. Even with her background in mental health, Christina is often overcome by how challenging motherhood and life can be. She is a work in progress, and feels the pains that you do, which is why she cares so deeply about supporting others through all the ups and downs they experience. We all can use a hand every now and again. When not working, Christina can be found singing loudly, crafting inconsistently, cooking and baking, exercising, going to the beach (her happy place), and having wild dance parties with her family in the living room. Christina’s Web and Social Links
About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 192: Our Bodies, Our Business | 05 Jul 2022 | 00:31:38 | |
I just celebrated my daughter's 21st birthday. We're out in San Diego because she is doing some internships here and we decided to relocate to California for a while. So, I've been working from here. And I have been with my daughter a lot lately. She goes to school in Santa Barbara and we went back to Santa Barbara last weekend to celebrate her birthday and have a whole special weekend. We had a lot of time on the road together, and over the weekend we were processing what is happening in our country right now. It was interesting to be around her, and she's also moving into a house in Santa Barbara with several other young, smart women. There were a bunch of different birthday things that they did for her this weekend, and we all celebrated together. So, they're all just beside themselves, understandably with this overturn of Roe v. Wade. I think just so many of us are just in shock and disbelief and grief. And in the coaching world, we’re in what we call the goo, which is anytime we're going through an identity shift, meaning we're not who we were before. I learned to look at this identity shift In terms of comparing the human to the butterfly. When the caterpillar becomes a butterfly, the caterpillar goes into the chrysalis and then eventually it comes out a totally different animal. And when it goes into the chrysalis, it dissolves, and it becomes like caterpillar soup. And then all the cells within that organism restructure and turn into an entirely new organism. And so the caterpillar becomes a butterfly. And anytime we go through an identity shift, which is, who I was before is not who I am or who I'm becoming, we all kind of become person soup. We become person “goo” for a while, and this happens all throughout our lives. So, with this episode I’m unpacking my thoughts and feelings around this transition, and those of others I’ve been talking to, like my daughter, her friends, parents, and others. This is impacting multiple generations. I understand that many of us are grieving, and sometimes anger is a part of the grieving process. But so often I think people just get stuck there. Let's use the anger to mobilize ourselves. Let's use the anger to strategize. Let's use the anger to step out of the privilege that me and many other people have known, which is our bodies, our business. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web and Social Links
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| 191: When Your Kid is Loud and Angry | 28 Jun 2022 | 00:48:52 | |
Here is another conversation that I had with one of the moms in my Mastermind Parenting community. I was doing these live sessions, these live report card sessions, where we were just assessing where you were, where you are, where you're going. It's a big part of the process that involves changing behaviors, right? We can't expect our kids to change their behaviors if we're not changing our behaviors. When you have a kid that presents as “strong-willed,” quite often they may just be feeling misunderstood. They also frequently get misdiagnosed. This mom, she's here with me in the mastermind community, she says she's improved in terms of yelling by 90% now. No one ever signs up and says, “I'm a yeller.” There's so much shame when we yell at our kids and yet we're human. And when you have a child that you don't know how to help do better, quite often, you lose your mind too. And so, then you just have like two people sort of losing their minds and it's just not helpful, right? Like nothing changes. This mom has gone through our beginning program, basic bootcamp. For those of you who've been listening to the podcast for a while, we do have a group enrolling starting in a couple of couple days from when this episode is originally airing. Listen to this episode and learn how this mom’s parenting skills, and her husband’s, have improved so she no longer labels herself a “yeller!” As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web/Social Links
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| 190: Perfectionistic Parenting with Mastermind Moms Liz & Michelle | 21 Jun 2022 | 00:43:42 | |
I have a fun conversation for you this week. I have been doing these live report card sessions with some of my current moms, and I had scheduled one with Michelle and Liz. They have been in my program for a long time. They’re just amazing women and we were doing our session as a Facebook live, and there were a few technical difficulties and so whatever it was fine, Michelle and I ended up being live and then Liz was just kind of chiming in and commenting. But then she left us a follow up message. So you do actually get to hear Liz's voice and you want to hear Liz's voice. Talking about parenting, this is something that is one of those taboo subjects most of us have. Because there's something about talking about it that I think can feel disrespectful to your own parents. And then many of us have this worry that when our kids grow up, they're going to come back and blame us for whatever it is that we're doing now. It's just a loaded topic and conversation. And so, Liz and Michelle are moms that were doing all the learning and they were seeing big results in their household. And yet there was still a little bit of guardedness or just being somewhat reserved at times. And so probably six months ago I started these small accountability groups. And I just kind of wanted to have a conversation where we could really just sort of talk about this friendship that has developed between them and how it has impacted them. I think the common thread that we finally got to is perfectionistic parenting, like wanting to be that perfect parent. Maybe you are the parent who is listening to the parenting podcast and reading the books and trying to use all the tools. And I think about this perfectionistic parenting as a “straight jacket,” right. Because it's just not possible. Striving for this unattainable goal and trying to be perfect is a protective mechanism. And, I learned this from Brené Brown, where she says something like, “Perfectionism is actually a form of procrastination because if you're always waiting for things to be just perfect, if I show up perfect, if I do everything perfect, then nobody can criticize me. Nobody can judge me, nobody can hurt me.” But it really keeps you isolated and it really keeps you alone. I think a lot of us will resonate with this ideal of being the perfect parent and yeah, I hope you guys get as much from this conversation as I did. We talked about anxiety, we talked about perfectionism. We talked about friendship and accountability, and it was a great conversation. So enjoy Liz and Michelle. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web/Social Links
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| 189: This Mom Stopped Yelling by 90% | 14 Jun 2022 | 00:42:27 | |
Today I am going to give you a little preview of what we do inside of our Mastermind with what I call a live report card session. Now I explain why it's really important to do these report card type assessments. And what I want to tell you is anytime you're trying to change a behavior, whether it’s in your parenting or exercise and food, there's a real reason why most of us fall off the wagon, because behavior changes hard. One thing I've studied over the years, along with parenting, is how do people actually change their behaviors? How do we sustain new patterns and not fall back into the old destructive ones that aren't serving us? And so if you listen to this podcast episode, I want you to sort of identify what we're doing here, because you can apply this skillset to all the areas in your life that you're trying to change some patterns. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web/Social Links
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| Similarities Between Strong-Willed Kids and Strong-Willed Horses! | 18 Feb 2025 | 00:50:42 | |
Did you know that the parenting tools you learn on this podcast also work with other strong-willed creatures? I’m chatting with Avery “favorite daughter” Rubenstein this time about pack leadership and what she has learned from “Ben, the strong-willed horse”. I think it’s incredibly helpful to practice the tools you are learning here by applying them to other areas of your life…your work, your adult relationships and even your relationships with animals. You see, pack leadership is about becoming and remembering the person you were meant to be…the kind of person who shows up again and again with curiosity and badassery. I think you’re going to love our banter on this episode as well as Avery’s insights about using MMP tools with animals and understanding her equine therapy clients…many of which are on the Autism spectrum. As always, thanks for listening. Head over to Facebook, where you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community. We post tips and tools and do pop-up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/podcast-315 About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein coaches parents raising strong-willed kids. Randi searched endlessly to find the magical resource that would help her own highly sensitive, strong-willed child. (He’s now 26, healthy and happy-ish:). She’s been passionate about helping other “cycle-breaker” parents like herself for almost two decades. Randi’s Web and Social Links
Resources Discussed/Links Our 12-week Basics Bootcamp program is now available as a 100% online self-study course! https://mastermindparenting.com/minimasters/ Live assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/ | |||
| Setting Limits without Spanking, Time Outs, or Sticker Charts: Part 5 | 10 Jun 2022 | 00:24:43 | |
Parents, learn how to set limits without spanking, time outs, or sticker charts with this 5-part video training series and 3 days of live coaching. Welcome to Part 5 as we wrap up this amazing series! We review the three big topics: Spanking, Time Outs, and Sticker Charts. None of these are ideal strategies for setting boundaries and you’ll learn why. Listen to this episode and you’ll get some tips on what you can do differently. To sign up for series announcements and coaching updates, and to learn more about the special week of live coaching, go to: https://mastermindparenting.com/settinglimits You may be asking yourself, “What should I do when the kids are acting out, fighting, or won’t take “No” for an answer?” You’ve tried time-outs, punishment, and positive or gentle parenting, but it seems like nothing is working.
Learn how to take back control in a way that empowers you and your kids. We know you want to be a strong, loving leader who is respected at home. If you’re struggling to show up for yourself and your family in this way then you will benefit from this 5-part video training and 3-day live coaching experience. In the video training, we’ll cover common discipline strategies parents use, why they aren’t effective, and what to do instead. Randi is excited to be your personal parenting coach for a week! We hope you gain some new tips/tools/ways of looking at balance and baby steps for creating more boundaries. To continue moving the needle forward in creating a happier household go to MastermindParenting.com and check out Randi’s 3 beginning programs and find the one that’s a good fit for you. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web/Social Links
Resources Discussed/Links
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| Setting Limits without Spanking, Time Outs, or Sticker Charts: Part 4 | 09 Jun 2022 | 00:17:59 | |
Parents, learn how to set limits without spanking, time outs, or sticker charts with this 5-part video training series and 3 days of live coaching. Welcome to Part 4 of this strategy-packed series! This might be a little controversial, because so many parents and teachers use sticker charts, but I’m going to explain why they aren’t a good strategy. Using sticker charts inhibits intrinsic motivation and inspires entitlement. Listen in today as I show you why sticker charts should be avoided, and give you some tips on what to do instead. To sign up for series announcements and coaching updates, and to learn more about this special bonus series, go to: https://mastermindparenting.com/settinglimits You may be asking yourself, “What should I do when the kids are acting out, fighting, or won’t take “No” for an answer?” You’ve tried time-outs, punishment, and positive or gentle parenting, but it seems like nothing is working.
Learn how to take back control in a way that empowers you and your kids. We know you want to be a strong, loving leader who is respected at home. If you’re struggling to show up for yourself and your family in this way then you will benefit from this 5-part video training and 3-day live coaching experience. In the video training, we’ll cover common discipline strategies parents use, why they aren’t effective, and what to do instead. Randi is excited to be your personal parenting coach for a week! We hope you gain some new tips/tools/ways of looking at balance and baby steps for creating more boundaries. To continue moving the needle forward in creating a happier household go to MastermindParenting.com and check out Randi’s 3 beginning programs and find the one that’s a good fit for you. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web/Social Links
Resources Discussed/Links
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| Setting Limits without Spanking, Time Outs, or Sticker Charts: Part 3 | 08 Jun 2022 | 00:22:55 | |
Parents, learn how to set limits without spanking, time outs, or sticker charts with this 5-part video training series and 3 days of live coaching. Welcome to Part 3 of this series packed full of great tips! Today we are covering Time Outs. While not as violent and traumatizing as spanking, time outs are still not a desirable approach to setting boundaries with your kids. They can increase lying and rebellion among other things. Listen in as I unpack why you should avoid time outs. To sign up for series announcements and coaching updates, and to learn more about this special bonus series, go to: https://mastermindparenting.com/settinglimits You may be asking yourself, “What should I do when the kids are acting out, fighting, or won’t take “No” for an answer?” You’ve tried time-outs, punishment, and positive or gentle parenting, but it seems like nothing is working.
Learn how to take back control in a way that empowers you and your kids. We know you want to be a strong, loving leader who is respected at home. If you’re struggling to show up for yourself and your family in this way then you will benefit from this 5-part video training and 3-day live coaching experience. In the video training, we’ll cover common discipline strategies parents use, why they aren’t effective, and what to do instead. Randi is excited to be your personal parenting coach for a week! We hope you gain some new tips/tools/ways of looking at balance and baby steps for creating more boundaries. To continue moving the needle forward in creating a happier household go to MastermindParenting.com and check out Randi’s 3 beginning programs and find the one that’s a good fit for you. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure and head over to Facebook and you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community, where we post tips and tools and do pop up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She’s the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi’s Web/Social Links
Resources Discussed/Links
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