One of my biggest fears as a parent is that I will pass down hurts, wounds, fears, and thought & behavioral patterns that have not served me well. That through my own unconsciousness and wounding that I will hurt my child in the same way that I was hurt. That they will worry about their worth. That they will struggle with not feeling good enough. That they will feel pressure to be anything other than the imperfect beings they are.

And that is what we are going to focus on in this week's episode! I am so excited to introduce you to Sonnet and Veronica of Raising Children You Like and Conscious Mommy (two of my favorite Instagram accounts!). They are two friends who became mamas and started their motherhood journey together. Their mission is to help parents deepen their connection with their children by understanding their underlying needs and healing their old wounds in the process. And that's what they are going to bring in this conversation.
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To get more support and resources, follow Raising Children You like (@raisingchildrenyoulike) and Conscious Mommy (@consciousmommy) on Instagram.

Last November, I released an episode about how to move from the feeling of overwhelm to simplicity with intention and grace with Allie Casazza. And I heard from so many of you how much it resonated and helped you (I love it when that happens!). Thank you for sharing your experiences with me and how decluttering helped you find some clarity and peacefulness in your homes.

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BUT a LOT of you expressed the need for specific support around decluttering with KIDS! One of the big questions that came up from that episode is how to declutter our kid's toys so that they too can find the simplicity they need to get deep into their play. And so, for this week's episode, I'm bringing back Allie (if you missed her episode on How to Move from Overwhelm to Simplicity with Intention & Grace, listen HERE).

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She has a new book coming out designed specifically for KIDS (plus if you pre-order it comes with a free course, that her kids teach to your kids!! Love kids teaching kids!) and is going to share some of her secrets with us today! (Pre order here!)

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To get more support, follow Allie through her social media and website:

Instagram: @allie_thatsme​

Facebook: www.facebook.com/alliecasazzablog​

Website: alliecasazza.com​

Listen to her podcast: The Purpose Show

It's my 100th episode in The Balanced Parent Podcast! I can't believe it has already been this long and I want to extend my sincerest gratitude for tuning in, for sending in your feedback, for sharing your takeaways with me, and for welcoming me into your homes and hearts each week. I am on a mission to bring more presence, ease, & connection to parenting, and I couldn't think of a better community to be doing this important work with. Thank you so much for your dedication to this work; I honestly believe that together we are changing the world, one child at a time.
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Okay so, we are now in the second week of my 30 Days of Play Challenge and one of the goals of the challenge is rediscovering and reconnecting with play for OURSELVES. You see, as we grow older, the weight of expectations and responsibilities of adulting and parenting put so much pressure on us and we get the overwhelming message from our culture that it's time to "grow up" and leave childish things behind. And while yes, we are the grown ups and no one is coming to save us, we are also human beings, equally deserving of time, rest, and yes, even fun! But figuring out how to have simple pleasures in our lives just as we did when we were children, is so NOT simple. There are parts of us that resist it, that see it as frivolous, unproductive and therefore unnecessary, and those parts need a bit of time, attention, and healing, before we can play with ease.
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Which is why this week we are focusing on how we can use play for our own inner work and healing. For this week's episode, I am joined by Amanda Evans. She is a Parent Coach, Speaker and Intuitive Energy/Play-based Healer who is passionate about supporting children and families to be their happiest and healthiest selves! Her own healing journey taught her so much about the extraordinary healing powers of play, love and connection and helped her develop her "stay and play method" to supporting both children and parents alike. She is dedicated to helping people take their health and happiness into their own hands, believing in their own magic and the power to heal from within.
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To give you more support, follow Amanda on Instagram @mind_body_soul_miracles and visit her website www.mindbodysoulmiracles.com.
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If you want to catch up with the challenge, you can still do so here: laurafroyen.com/playchallenge. And once you've signed up for the play challenge, don't forget to check the private podcast feed this year!

Nowadays, play does not only happen through the use of toys and that as we move forward in time, our kids adapt more and more with technology. Hence, play also happens through the use of phones and other gadgets. Sophie will be helping us know how to use technology mindfully.

For more information, visit www.sophiebrickman.com.

No matter what the last year has looked like for you, I want you all to know that I am so proud of you for all the efforts you've made into finding more connection, joy, and balance in your life. You have showed up here and in your homes with love, commitment, and grace and it absolutely shows! And I want you to know how truly honored and grateful I am for trusting me to be a part of your journey. 💕  Okay, are you all set up with our Annual 30 Days of Play Challenge? We began on January 2nd but there is still PLENTY of time to join us! If you haven't signed up yet, don't worry, you're not behind, you can just jump right in today. There really is no "behind" for our kids or for us as parents. There is only starting where we are, in the here and now, and moving forward with intention at the pace that is right for us!

If you are participating in my Play Challenge, then you know that I asked you all to fill out a survey to get a starting point for the challenge. And one of the things I learned from your answers that the majority of you are hoping to learn how to actually enjoy playing with your kids AND want to connect with them on a deeper level. So that's what this week's podcast episode covers!

As we settle into this space between the winter holidays and the New Years, I want to invite you all to slow down and drop into the present moment with yourself. Let's just take a minute to check in. How are you doing? No really, how have you been.

I don't know about you, but I've been feeling a bit harried, overwhelmed, and honestly, burnt out. I always have this big push in December as I prepare for our annual 30 Days of Play Challenge, the winter holidays, and everything else, and this year has been no different. And with the added layer of another Covid Christmas... It's a lot. But one thing I have been doing that has made it all a bit easier is to take short, simple, self-compassion breaks. I would love to invite you try it with me, right now!

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Place your hand over your heart and repeat these words (aloud if you're comfortable):

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May I be safe & protected.

May I be happy in body, mind, & spirit.

May I live in comfort & ease.

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That's it! Repeat these words (or similar phrases with the same energy of self kindness and grace) as often as you need to. A mindfulness practice does not need to be big or complicated to reap loads of benefits! LET ME KNOW IF YOU TRY IT!

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And if you're looking for another way to invite more mindful presence, and connect with your kids at the same time, I would love to have you join us in our play challenge this year. I know you're likely thinking "Laura, what does mindfulness & kids play have to do with each other??" The answer is, EVERYTHING when you approach it in the way we do in my Annual 30 Days of Play Challenge.

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In the challenge you will learn how to drop into a mindful, nonjudgmental and presence-filled state with your child and it has the potential to not only improve your own and your child's wellbeing, but that of your relationship too. Plus, folks who do this challenge see a dramatic increase in their children's ability to play independently, which is 100% my number 1 secret for taking good care of myself and staying balanced as a parent. As we know, to a child "love" is spelled "T-I-M-E"(Zig Zigler) and this challenge helps you figure out how to get the time that everyone needs to feel balanced & connected

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As we discuss in this week's episode of The Balanced Parent podcast with guest Monica Berg, our relationships with time and how we spend it is of vital importance to our feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment in parenting.
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To get more resources, follow Monica on social media and check her website.
Instagram: @monicarberg74​
Twitter: @monicaberg74​
Facebook: @monicaberg74
Website: rethinklife.today​
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A key part of being a conscious, attuned parent is deeply understanding your UNIQUE child and adjusting your approach in a way that works for THEM. This is where understanding more about your child's temperament and personality can be SUPER helpful! And for that reason, I am bringing in one of my friends and colleagues, Sandra Etherington. She is a mom of two beautiful kids and is the owner of Family Personalities and the co-host of the Family Personalities Podcast, a fun and sometimes cheesy podcast, that uses personality type to help change the way you see your family. Sandra uses her experience and training in Myers-Briggs personality type, to work one on one with families, helping them parent more effectively and compassionately based on their children's unique wiring and needs.

I hope that through this episode we can better understand our children's needs and find ease in parenting.

To get more support, follow Sandra on Instagram @familypersonalities and visit her website www.familypersonalities.com.

For this episode, I am so excited to be joined by Ryan Haddon. She is a certified Life and Spiritual coach, Clinical Hypnotherapist, and certified meditation teacher with over 16 years of experience with clients around the world. We will be diving into how you can use parenting as an opportunity to grow and heal through crafting healthy, well-differentiated relationships.
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To get more resources for this topic, follow Ryan on Instagram @ and visit her website.
Instagram: @ryan.haddon​

Website: https://ryanhaddon.com

In this episode, I am joined by my friend and colleague Sonia Lewis. She is a California native, wife and mother, former high school history teacher, turned entrepreneur. She is the visionary and founder behind ASCRIBE Educational Consulting, where they lift and center equity, humanity, and belonging. Long story short, Sonia is an Anti-Racism Impact Strategist, ready to face challenging topic without blame and shame.
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To learn more about this topic, follow Sonia on social media and visit her website:
Instagram: @ASCRIBEsuccess​
Facebook: ASCRIBE Educational Consulting​
Twitter: @AscribeEd​
Website: www.ascribesuccess.com

I have an amazing guest for this episode. She is Jennifer Anderson of the amazing Instagram account @kids.eat.in.color. She is a registered dietitian, a mom of two very exciting boys and a cheerleader to hundreds of thousands of parents feeding kids through the Kids Eat in Color social media movement. She helps parents let go of mealtime battles, reduce their stress, and get their kids on the path to eating better.

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Find more resources on how to end your food battles with kids by following Jennifer on social media and visiting her website.

Instagram: @kids.eat.in.color

Website: kidseatincolor.com/links/ 

In this week's episodes on The Balanced Parent Podcast, we are going to talk about getting into a healthy mindset with two of the biggest issues parents face: Discipline and Food!

For the first episode, I’m bringing in a friend and a colleague, Wendy Snyder of the Fresh Start Family Podcast. She is a Positive Parenting educator, family coach and advocate. She is also certified in Redirecting Children's Behavior & The Joy of Parenting Program.

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To know more about logical consequences, follow Wendy on social media and visit her website.

Instagram: @freshstartwendy

Facebook: Fresh Start Family

Website: www.freshstartfamilyonline.com

For this episode, I am happy to be joined by Kiran Trace. She is a human development expert and spiritual teacher with 15 years of clinical experience in childhood development and early childhood education. She has built education, leadership, and developmental skill programs for children in high-risk populations and respite programs for adults and children with mild to severe developmental disabilities for organizations such as Boys & Girls Club, Outward Bound, Bay Area Parks & Recreation, and the Association of Neighborhood Houses. Today her work focuses on helping parents give fulfilling lives to their children.
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To know more about parenting, follow Kiran on social media and visit her website.

Instagram: @kirantrace

YouTube: www.youtube.com/kirantrace

Website: kirantrace.com

I have a secret: I have been really struggling with STUFF lately. I am not sure if it's because of pandemic stress, or simply a need to feel safe and secure, but for the past year and a half I have been holding on to a LOT (both physical stuff AND emotional stuff). And I don't think I'm alone in this? Have you been holding on to stuff too? Are you feeling overwhelmed and a bit lost on how to let go and clear the way for a new mindset? If so, hit replay and just type: ME TOO!

Shame lives in the shadows and "ME TOO" is one of the most powerful phrases we can say and hear. It can help us feel seen, heard, known, and not so alone. It capitalizes on the concept from Compassion-Based Mindfulness called "Common Humanity" and it is a vital part of beginning to validate our normal, imperfect human experience. In the spirit of holding to the light that we often wish to hide, I am going to be open and vulnerable with you this week and it is going to be a little different from what we usually do. 

For this episode, I am going to be the one who's getting coached by my good friend and amazing colleague about the transformational process of decluttering. Allie Casazza, Decluttering Queen, is on a mission to eradicate the "hot mess mom" stereotype by empowering other women. She has built a massive audience and a multimillion-dollar online business based on her proven, family-oriented approach to minimalism. She is the author of Declutter Like A Mother and the host of The Purpose Show, a chart-topping podcast, and the creator of multiple online programs and courses. Her platforms continue to grow every day as more women discover her life-changing approach to creating an abundant life.

She will be helping me get out of feeling overwhelmed and create more space in my life, my home, and my family. Listen in as she brilliantly coaches me through mindset blocks & shifts I never even knew I needed. Be prepared, I do get emotional in this (it's that deep!) and I hope that my vulnerability in this episode inspires you to a deeper level of honesty and vulnerability with yourself.

To get more support, follow Allie through her social media and website:  

Instagram: @allie_thatsme

Facebook: www.facebook.com/alliecasazzablog

Website: alliecasazza.com

Listen to her podcast: The Purpose Show

The topic for this episode is a problem we all likely face, and with the mixed research coming out on the effect of social media on teens, it's particularly important. With the ever-changing beauty standards and the influx of social media, our perception and definition of beauty are heavily focused outward as opposed to inward. And no matter how well you meet society's standards of beauty, this can have a truly damaging effect on a person's self-concept and worth. I don't know about you, but I want my kids to know that their worth as a person is not in any way tied to their physical appearance or their performance, but rather to the simple fact of their humanity. How to get there is what we discuss in this episode.

To join me in this conversation, I’m so excited to bring with you Abbie Sprünger. She has authored multiple books for young adults and families, and works alongside her husband, Micah, as a caretaker of Wesley Gardens Retreat. She is a proud mother of three beautiful girls. As the survivor of eating disorders and exercise addictions, she drew from her personal journey of healing to positively impact new generations of girls everywhere.
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If you wish to get a copy of her book “What Is Beautiful?”, you can purchase it HERE.

I'm guessing you are all busy with the upcoming holidays. And as parents, sometimes the preparations and pressures of this time of year can pull up in a million different directions and away from what truly matters to us. And so for this week, I have a podcast episode to help us do a quick "check in" ourselves to make sure that we are aligned with our goals and intentions. This is super important for the holidays as we interact with people who maybe aren't in our daily lives and our boundaries get a bit challenged (Check out this reel for some quick boundary setting phrases you can memorize, and don't forget about one of my very early episodes on setting boundaries! Finally, if you're in my BalancingU membership the Intentional Holidays Workshop is a great one for this time of year! If you're not in the membership, now's the time to join during my Birthday Sale!)

And in this episode, my friend and colleague, Cher Kretz, will join me to help us in this conversation. She is a wife, a mother of 3 girls, and a Family and Kids coach and school counselor. She has counseled kids ages pre-kindergarten to graduation and ran parenting classes for over 15 years. Her podcast, Parenting 2.0 The Focused Mindset, helps families use a solution focused approach to help get through any challenges they face.

To get more resources for this topic, make sure to follow Cher on social media, visit her website, and subscribe to her YouTube Channel!

Instagram: @cher.thefocusedmindset

Facebook Group: Solution Focused Families

Website: www.thefocusedmindset.com

YouTube: Cher The Focused Mindset

Podcast: www.thefocusedmindset.com/podcast

Our different responsibilities and even the demands of our jobs can take a toll on our marriage. To help us understand how we can deepen our connection and have a more fulfilling relationship as busy parents living through a pandemic, I have invited Kimberly Beam Holmes to dive deep into what it takes to have a long-lasting, fulfilling relationship. She is the CEO of the Marriage Helper and is currently working on her Ph.D. in psychology.

To get more support from Kimberly, visit her websites itstartswithattraction.com and MarriageHelper.com. And do follow her on Instagram @kimberlybeamholmes.

Asking for help can be so hard, for grown-ups and kids alike! Knowing when and how to ask for help and where to find support is an important skill that is developed with time and practice, that most of us are still learning. How wonderful would it be if our kids could learn this while they are young and the stakes are low? So, for this episode, I wanted to give you a resource on how to help children learn the important skill of figuring out when they need support and ask for it. Nyasha Chikowore is a clinical psychologist and a licensed clinical professional counselor who provides classroom and school-wide prevention activities related to mental health, with an emphasis on destigmatizing asking for any type of help. She is currently working on her doctorate in clinical psychology.
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To get more resources on this topic, check out linktr.ee/nyashamc and follow Nyasha on Instagram @nyashamc.

I am so excited for this episode because I have been talking about this topic in my community. Actually, this is the center of what I have been teaching which is conscious and respectful parenting. And so, I have brought a new friend and colleague to help us dive deep into what exactly conscious parenting is.   To help me in this conversation, I would love to introduce Sidu Arroyo-Boulter. She is a licensed professional counselor associate specializing in relational issues, anxiety, and parenting. She has pursued additional education in perinatal mental health to support new families. Additionally, she offers parenting support through her online community Instagram (@conscious.parents).

To know more about conscious parenting, check out Sidu's website and follow her on social media. 

Website: newseedcounseling.com

Instagram: @conscious.parents

Facebook: www.facebook.com/theconsciousparents

When we think of "creativity", we immediately think of art, paintings, and drawings. But it actually goes way beyond that and creativity is a crucial skill we need as parents for ourselves & our own experience, and for our kids as they grow. Embracing creativity means encouraging our children's (and our own!) curiosity and using everyday situations to stimulate new ideas, find new ways to see old problems, see things with a beginner's mind, and find innovative solutions.

So, even if you don't see yourself as a "creative" person, I invite you to listen to this week's episode with an open mind as we delve into the incredible ways creativity can support you as a balanced, conscious parent. And I have a really wonderful guest with me for this week's episode. Her name is Sierra Casher and she is going to help us talk about cultivating creativity in our kids and ourselves. Sierra and I first connected in a Clubhouse room and I just loved everything she has to say about creativity, embracing JOY, worthiness, and how cultivating creativity can bring more fulfillment and peace. Sierra is a woman who fearlessly embodies creativity while inspiring others to do the same. She's a wife, a mother of two vibrant kiddos and an artist who paints pictures both with her inspiring stories and on canvas with her magic paintbrush.

If  you want to have more support on how to be creative, follow Sierra on Instagram.

I've been getting a lot of questions from my community about how to handle kids' challenging behaviors and where to get support. And a lot of the stories I hear about this kids send my “ADHD” alarm bell ringing. Kids with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can look like they are simply misbehaving or being defiant when in reality they have something getting in the way of them being able to meet expectations.

“Kids do well when they can.” - Dr. Ross Greene

Now, if you are a parent who has a child with ADHD, I know that it can be tough and that you might be feeling worried that something is wrong with your kiddo or that you’re failing them somehow. And I also know many parents maybe suspect something is going on for their kid but are worried about them being diagnosed, labeled, and pidgeon-holed. I get that so much! I’ve had similar concerns for my own daughter when I was seeking to understand her struggles when she was younger.

Navigating the world of diagnoses, therapies, and schooling accommodations can be confusing and lonely. And so, for this week's episode I wanted to help you understand how your child's brain works, help you see how this diagnosis can empower you as a parent, and can help your child get the support they need to do well in all their settings!  And to help me with this conversation, I like to introduce you to a crew of amazing parenting and child development experts, Mallory Yee, Laurie Long, and Katie Syverson. Through their work in private practice, they saw a great need for parents to more easily access research-backed parenting tips and tools, particularly those parents raising kids with ADHD, anxiety, learning disorders, and speech/language delays.

To get more support, follow Diana on social media,  Facebook: www.facebook.com/childhoodcollectiveInstagram: @thechildhoodcollective

Clubhouse: @thechildhoodco

Or follow their website www.thechildhoodcollective.com They also have an online course, Creating Calm, for parents raising kids with ADHD ages 4-11 years.

CHECK IT OUT HERE

I truly believe, from the bottom of my heart, that one of the most effective ways we as parents can change the world is through our children and our parenting. That conscious, respectful parenting is in itself a radical act of activism in a world that is unjust. And that anti-racist activism is an integral part of this work that we are all doing as we raise our kids differently than how we were parented. I know that you too seek to raise a generation of children who know who they are and what matters to them, who deeply understand justice and seek it in all their spaces, who are fierce advocates not only for themselves but for others, who are more proactive in their kindness, and who intercedes when harm is done.

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This is why I'm so thrilled to have Dr. Traci Baxley of Social Justice Parenting as a guest for this week's episode on The Balanced Parent Podcast. She is a professor, consultant, parenting coach, speaker, mother to five children, and the author of a new book that comes out TODAY: Social Justice Parenting. As an educator for over 30 years with degrees in child development, elementary education, and curriculum and instruction, she specializes in diversity and inclusion, anti-bias curriculum, and social justice education.

To learn more, follow Dr. Traci on social media and visit her website:
Website: socialjusticeparenting.com/home​
Instagram: www.instagram.com/socialjusticeparenting​
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tracibaxley​
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Dr. Traci's book, SOCIAL JUSTICE PARENTING: How to Raise Compassionate, Anti-Racist, Justice-Minded Kids in an Unjust World launches today! This book tackles not only the basics of respectful, connected, empathic parenting, but also what a social justice approach to parenting looks like and what it requires of us (because they are wrapped up in one another!). It also digs deep into specific, practical applications, giving you concrete parenting tools to put the philosophy into practice with your kids immediately!.
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GRAB YOUR COPY HERE!

Parenthood can be really tough. There's so much to think about like house chores, taking care of our kids, keeping our cool, and even managing our careers. It's a LOT. And when we are bombarded with so much stress and fatigue juggling all of these responsibilities (especially after the last 18 months!), we may start to really feel like we are failing, not doing any one thing well, and have this lingering feeling of dissatisfaction.

I know I've been there at various points in my parenting journey, and this past year has brought this on for so many of us and I really want to support you in this, especially as the holiday season approaches (yes, you read that right! It's coming faster than we think!). And so, for this week's episode, I have invited a colleague who is the host of the Mom Training Podcast, Diana Ballard. She is passionate about helping women balance their responsibilities, find fulfillment, and thrive as moms. Now, this episode may be addressed to moms but this can help dads, too! Diana will guide us in creating your own experience according to what works for you so that you can feel fulfillment in your parenthood.

REMINDER: Don't forget that your chance to learn LIVE with me ALL ABOUT SIBLINGS is coming up quick! Head here for all the details: www.laurafroyen.com/sibling

To get more support in your parenting journey, follow Diana on social media,

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Dianaballardlive

Instagram: www.instagram.com/dianaballardlive

YouTube: Mom Training Channel

or join her Facebook community Dancing Through Motherhood and visit her website www.dianaballard.com

I hope you learn a lot from the Challenging Behavior Series for the past two weeks. If you have any questions about this topic, please let me know! I would love to hear your thoughts, concerns, and your experiences.

Okay so, since last week's episode I have been getting quite a lot of questions from parents asking how they can approach sibling conflicts. SO many of you are wondering how to navigate bickering, hitting, jealousy, etc. And so, for this week's episode, I will be teaching you how to get out of the middle of your kids disagreements and start coaching THEM on solving their own problems.

If you want to have MORE support, I am so excited to announce an opportunity to learn all about Sibling Relationships with me LIVE! My dear friend and colleague Anna Seewald of The Authentic Parenting Podcast and I are collaborating to bring to you a comprehensive two-part workshop designed to help you navigate the murky, sometimes turbulent waters of Sibling Relationships.

DETAILS:

October 21st & November 4th @ 11:00 AM Central

Replay available for those who can't attend live

10% discount for my BalancingU members (email me if you want to join before you register to get that discount!)

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

You can fill out this survey here to make sure that your needs and questions are addressed in the workshop:

https://forms.gle/m3EmSqTJiXY23dcVA

I really hoped you enjoyed last week's episode, which was the first installment of a two-part series on "challenging behaviors". We really dug into the "why" behind these behaviors and how to help kiddos through these hard times. Now, I know that sometimes my episodes are a bit conceptual, or theoretical, and that can make it hard to really know what this all looks like in practice. This is why I love it when one of my BalancingU Membership folks agrees to talk through some common challenges on the podcast with us (free coaching is a perk of the membership, learn more here!)

And so, for the second installment of the Challenging Behavior Series, I have invited a member of my Balancing U Community to share her experience on this topic. Now, this mother has five kiddos with different personalities. Two boys are internal processors who are calmer in general but are still aggravated when upset. Another one is a verbal processor who is impulsive both physically and verbally. There is a lot going on in this family and this wonderful mother handles it with so much love and grace! In this live coaching session, we will be tackling how to have boundaries and reframing them so that we can address challenging behaviors with compassion and patience. With practice and our help, our children will be able to stop themselves from hitting, kicking, and throwing.   And to help you even more, download my free cheat sheet on how to build self-regulation through play!

GIVE IT TO ME!

Sometimes kids can be so tricky, right? We don't know exactly what will set them off, and then what do to when they are in the midst of their big feelings and the challenging behaviors that can go with them. Things like defiance, aggression, and destructiveness. It can be a lot and it's no wonder we can get super triggered by it all. It's so hard to keep our heads on straight and remind ourselves that these are little humans that we love that are simply having a hard time. As a parent of a kiddo who has had some super challenging times, I promise, I get it and I want you to know you're not alone in it. AND there are some pretty simple things you can do to help.

Which is why I am so excited for the next two weeks on The Balanced Parent Podcast because we will have a two-episode series on Challenging Behaviors. We are going to talk about behavior, what it tells us about our kids, and what they need from us in moments when they are dysregulated.

For the first episode, Lauren Spigelmyer will help us understand how to use brain science to understand our kids' challenging behaviors. Lauren is a parenting and education consultant and runs The Behavior Hub. It is an organization that works with schools and families to address the needs of students with challenging behaviors through a holistic whole-body approach.

If you wish to get more support on how to handle challenging behaviors, please check out Lauren's website thebehaviorhub.com where you can find quite a few online courses on this topic. You may also contact her via the website for coaching support, follow her Facebook page The Behavior Hub and join her Facebook Group Raising and Teaching Respectful Children. And as a bonus, Lauren is going to giveaway a few phone backgrounds on the five needs area discussed in the episode.

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

Okay, so my first-born daughter is almost nine years old. And I know that just a few short years from now, I will be dealing with a teenager. This is something that I have been thinking about a LOT lately! I don't want to be caught off guard or unprepared for the teen years, and I know that what I'm doing now as a parent is laying the groundwork for a smooth transition for both of us as individuals, AND for our relationship.

And I and guessing I'm not alone in all of this! I know you all are likely curious about how to deal with soon-to-be teenagers OR understanding your teen (if you have one now). So for this episode, I'm bringing in a friend and colleague, Deborah Ann Davis. She is a speaker, coach, educator, and the author of "How To Keep Your Daughter From Slamming the Door." She will help us survive the teenage years without the drama, even if you don't have a daughter.

To learn more about dealing with teenagers, follow Deborah on her social media and website:
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Facebook: Deborah Ann Davis​

Facebook Mom Group: The Mom Meet-Up: Raising Confident Girls​

Instagram: @awesomemomtribe​

YouTube: Deborah Ann Davis

Website: www.deborahanndavis.com​
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And if you like to checkout her book "How To Keep Your Daughter From Slamming the Door", you can find it here:

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GET MY COPY!

As parents, most of us share the same goal: to provide them the unconditional love & support that we missed (sometimes) growing up. As I transitioned into motherhood I wanted so badly for my daughter to know how deeply she was loved, that I was there for her, that I was sensitively attuned to her needs and would be there to meet them. But in the process, I, like so many of you, found that I was really struggling. In my effort to be everything to my daughter, I had abandoned myself.
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Things really came to a head after the birth of my second child. I started to feel there was not enough time for me, the woman I was, anymore. I had so many pulls on my time and attention. There just wasn't ENOUGH of me to go around AND I worried I wasn't ever going to be ENOUGH for my children. I was stuck in scarcity. It was around this time in my life where I started my business (yes, this podcast is part of a business dedicated to supporting both your family & mine! 💕), and I was learning about money mindset and "abundance" mindsets. And I just knew that what I was learning applied to my life as a parent: That I was stuck in scarcity and if I wanted more joy, presence, & connection, that I needed to shift into abundance. That was 6 years ago, and at the time it felt like NOBODY in the parenting world was talking about abundance mindset as it applies to parenthood (at least that I could find).

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So I wrote this article: https://www.laurafroyen.com/blog/scarcity and started applying the principles in it.

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I wanted to share this powerful mindset shift with you, so I sat down with my friend and colleague Ilana Beigel, who will help us understand how we can embrace an abundance mindset as a parent. And that, there's plenty of time for our children to learn and be resilient. She is a mom of three, a yoga teacher, a speech pathologist, and a mindful parenting coach. Ilana helps moms integrate mindfulness practices into their lives so that they can create effective communication and ultimately peace and fulfillment in their hearts and homes.

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If you are a part of my monthly membership, BalancingU, Ilana did a deep dive training on Abundance for us! You can access the replay of that in the course platform. If you are NOT part of the membership, but would like to be, CLICK HERE to check it out!

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You can find Ilana on Instagram @ilanabeigel, Facebook, and at www.ilanab.com.

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast

Do you ever feel so overwhelmed by your responsibilities as a parent that you feel like you are carrying a huge burden, all on your own? Like no one sees all you do, and that no one else in the family is doing as much as you? Well, you aren't alone.  Most of the parents I coach who are parenting with a partner struggle with communicating with their partners on navigating parenting and responsibilities at home.

And the reason for this is complex and simple at the same time. Our homes & experiences growing up informed our (often unspoken) expectations for the division of labor and load in our families of creation. Whether we unconsciously absorbed what we saw modeled in our family of origin OR we actively decided we wanted something different for our new family, what we learned & witnessed makes a difference in how we show up with our partners. And because you and your partner grew up in different families with different experiences, OF COURSE your expectations will be different too! But the big problem is, most of us don't actually COMMUNICATE about these differences in approach or expectation in a way that is healthy & connecting.

And that's what we are going to talk about in this week's episode on The Balanced Parent Podcast. To help me in this conversation on expectations around parenting and how couples can go about feeling more like a team, I'm bringing in a new friend and colleague, Dr. Jennie Rosier. She is the host of her podcast Love Matters and the author of the book "The Who Does More War." As an expert in romantic and parent-child relationships, Rosier focuses much of her research, speaking, and writing endeavors on helping others create more realistic expectations while enhancing the communication skills needed to maintain these bonds with empathy, respect, and attachment.

To find more resources about this topic, follow Dr. Jennie on her social media and website.

Facebook: The Relationships, Love, Happiness Project

Instagram: @RelationshipsLoveHappiness

Website: www.RelationshipsLoveHappiness.com

I also want to give you my free Partners in Parenting Workbook (if you haven't downloaded it yet). It's a tool I use with my private clients to help them navigate their parenting styles. DOWNLOAD IT HERE.

If you want even MORE support, I have an entire course dedicated to getting more aligned and connected with your parenting partner! You can learn more about The Partners in Parenting Course HERE!

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast

For this week's episode on The Balanced Parent Podcast, we  are going to GEEEK OUT on the amazing stuff going on in your kids BRAIN. If you have been following me, you would probably know I love this topic. I love to talk about brains and understanding what's going on inside our kids' brains and I truly believe it can help us understand their behavior, tap into compassion, and meet them where they are!

So, we will be geeking out on this episode, and to help me in this conversation, I have invited Dr. Sarah Allen. She is a mother and a pediatric neuropsychologist. She specializes in making neuroscience translatable in our lives, and so, Dr. Allen aims to help kids and parents find their strengths and who they are so that they can live as healthy, happy, and self-aware adults.

If you want to understand how our kids' brains work, head over to Dr. Allen's website at www.brainbehaviorbridge.com. You can also find her on:

Facebook: Brain Behavior Bridge

Instagram: @dr.sarahlallen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-levin-allen-ph-d-cbis-75a9b668/

And if you're looking for more support, send her an email at drallen@brainbehaviorbridge.com. She would love to hear from you.

And I just have a perfect game for you that you can play with your kids to help them hard-wire these self-regulation skills into their brains! With practice, they will be more able to stop themselves when they get the impulse to hit, kick, throw, smash, etc. and YOU will be able to relax a bit more! 

GET IT HERE: laurafroyen.com/selfreg

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast

I know that for most couples, as they are navigating a divorce and separation, one of their biggest worries is the effect it will have on their children. Most modern research on divorce is showing that the negative effects on children can usually be attributed to the negative conflict in the years leading up to the divorce, rather than the divorce itself, and can actually be minimal when the couple divorces and then co-parents in a "healthy" way (see last week's episode for how!).

We actually have very few accounts from the child's perspective on the effects of divorce and how to make it easier on kids. As parents committed to honoring children's emotions & experience, doesn't it just make sense then that we would seek to understand divorce from a child's perspective? So when an author reached out to me with a book filled with first-hand accounts of adults who reflect on their parent's divorce & guidance to parents navigating these waters, I knew I had to share them with you!

And so for the second episode of the Divorce Series, we are going to focus on the child' experience. And to have this conversation, I'm bringing in a colleague, expert, and a former analyst, Kimberly Ewertz. After experiencing divorce, she witnessed the devastating effect it had on her child. She got support and with the help of a therapist realized that some of what she had been doing in an attempt to protect her son was actually making things worse. She very bravely details these mistakes and how she went about repairing with her son, and her insights and suggestions actually apply to ALL parent-child relationships!

To learn more about a child's perspective on divorce, get Kim's book Family Redefined: Childhood Reflections on the Impact of Divorce. It's available on Amazon.com and her website www.familyredefinedbook.com. Her book has been nominated for several prestigious awards and won first place in the Midwest Book Awards for the non-fiction Family/Parenting category. And to be updated on Kim's work, follow her on Facebook @FamilyRedefinedBook.

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast

One of the things that we focus on a lot here at The Balanced Parent is conscious communication. Often that comes up in the context of couples, but the skills I teach are just as important for families that are in the midst of separation or divorce or are looking for support in navigating co-parenting with a former partner.

This stage is difficult. It brings in fear, depression, and anxiety towards what will happen to us in the future. If you are experiencing this right now, I want you to know that you aren't alone & there is help & support available. And so for two weeks, we will have a Divorce Series wherein you will get resources on how to navigate through this stage especially 1) how to consciously co-parent with a former spouse, and 2) how to understand our children's feelings and give them the support that they need.
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​Even if you aren't currently in the midst of these life changes and transitions, these episodes are filled with golden nuggets on setting healthy emotional boundaries with ourselves and others. I highly recommend you give them a listen, there is something there for everyone!

And so for the first episode in this Divorce series, I’m bringing in one of my favorite Instagram and TikTok accounts, Ashley Wood of @theconsciouscoparent. She is a coach who specializes in working with mothers of young children who are overwhelmed and worried about the emotional and financial drain of divorce and feel hopeless about the idea of co-parenting. She also has a great podcast called Split: The After Ever After Podcast. She helps moms who have difficulty leaving relationships to overcome and navigate divorce. And in this episode, she will give us tips and advice on how to consciously co-parent with our former spouse.

If you are in need of more support as you navigate through divorce, you can find more resources from Ashley here: linktr.ee/theconsciouscoparent. Her Instagram account is @theconsciouscoparent so do follow her as well.

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast

How do we raise responsible adults? I know that for many of you, with your eye on the "long game" that this is one of you goals. You want to raise kind, good humans who know how to take care of themselves and those they love. Who know how to work hard, solve problems with creativity, & have successful lives. And "responsibility" often is a big part of that!

And so, in this episode, we are joined by Deana and Kira of the Future Focused Parenting, the groundbreaking parenting philosophy that starts with the end in mind, encouraging families to make intentional parenting choices. As a child educator and a doula, Deana helps families prepare for the transition of becoming parents and everything that comes afterward. Together with Kira, a parent coach, they co-host the Raising Adults Podcast and discuss topics related to parenting with a long-range view and prepare families to thrive in their parenting journey.

Deana and Kira will help us answer those questions so that we can learn to raise responsible adults not just in doing house chores but also in decision-making.

If you want to get connected with Deana and Kira, follow them on Instagram @futurefocusedparenting and visit their website www.futurefocusedparenting.com. They are also on Facebook. So be sure to follow their page @futurefocusedparenting.

Get their 12-month Character Trait Freebie where each month you will get information on different character trait like emotional intelligence, wisdom, kindness, activities that you can do with your kids, and books to teach about these character traits. SIGN UP HERE!

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast

I don't know about you, but before I became a mom I had no idea how heavy the load would be. Not just the day-to-day tasks of feeding and caring for a family, but all the unseen, unspoken, invisible labor that is a part of modern motherhood. The planning, the home organization, the lists, the mental maps, the appointments... EVERYTHING seems to fall on us at times.

If you ever felt this way, I want to send you compassion and grace for what you are going through. As a mom, I know how it feels and I don't want that for you anymore than I want it for myself. Over the past few years, my husband and I have been slowing chipping away at the inequities in our marriage that were kind of just there by default. In this episode, I hope to get you started on that process for yourself too, so I invited a colleague, Dr. Morgan Cutlip of @mylovethinks to help us break this all down and actually do something about it. She is a relationship coach, speaker, and online course creator and has a Ph.D. Degree in Philosophy. She is a wife and mom of two spirited kids. Working with her father, Dr. John Van Epp, she shares the mission of helping parents feel empowered, stay in love, and ease the burden that surrounds parenthood.

And if you want to get more personal advice to ease your mental load and find practical ways to approach your relationship, follow Dr. Morgan on Instagram. Her handle is @mylovethinks.

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast

I am so excited for this week on The Balanced Parent Podcast because we will be having a unique "combo" episode! The first part is a replay of a Facebook Live I did where I discussed some "subconscious" reasons we choose our partners. And then a community member reached out with some awesome follow-up questions that really took things to the next level, so I asked if we could record our conversation so that you all could listen in!
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And if you are looking for a way to be more connected and aligned with your partner, here are some of my resources that would help you (it's FREE to download!):

Partners in Parenting Workbook: www.laurafroyen.com/partners

Random Acts of Connection Game: www.laurafroyen.com/random-acts-of-connection​
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You may also check my website www.laurafroyen.com for more resources. I also have a Partners in Parenting course so go check that out!

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast

For this week, I have invited Rosalia Rivera of Consent Parenting to talk more about bodies, particularly: consent, body safety, and boundaries. She is a consent educator, abuse prevention specialist, and sexual literacy and child's rights advocate. She is a speaker and host of the fabulous AboutCONSENT™ podcast for survivors. As a founder of CONSENTparenting™, Rosalia is on a mission to help all parents educate their children about body safety and consent so that they can empower their families to prevent abuse.

I know that this can be an uncomfortable and scary topic to even think about, but it is so important. I know your child's safety is so important to you and I want to equip you with the skills and tools you need to keep your kids safe. We will be providing you information & solutions so that you can protect your children.

To get more resources on this topic, follow Rosalia's social media handles and visit her website:

Website: www.consentparenting.com

Instagram: @consentparenting

Facebook: www.facebook.com/consentparenting

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast

For this week's episode on The Balanced Parent Podcast, we will be tackling a topic that I am very passionate about, and I know many of us struggle with: Our relationships with our bodies. Particularly for anyone who menstruates, getting comfortable with our bodies, how they change as the years go by, our cycles & hormones, can bring a layer of stress to our daily lives that can make peaceful parenting just that much harder. And our kids are watching and learning from us all the time, including how we think about, feel about, & take care of our bodies. I have been working hard the past few years to shift my mindset and beliefs toward my body, not just for me, but also for my children. I want my girls to develop a sense of confidence, wonder, & joy in their bodies, and I know that starts with me.

And so this week on the podcast we will be talking about our health, cycles, hormones, and how we can raise a generation of children who have healthy relationships with their bodies. To help me in this conversation, I am thrilled to introduce a world-renowned expert on this topic, Dr. Aviva Romm. (totally #fangirling over here!) She is a Yale-trained MD who aims to redefine women's health by bridging traditional wisdom and modern medicine. She is also mother to four grown and a grandmother of two (9 and 6).

Okay so if this topic interests you and you want to know more, visit her website and follow her on social media:

Website: www.avivaromm.com​
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AvivaRommMD​
Instagram: @dr.avivaromm

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast

We are now down to the last episode of the Feature on Fathers Series. I hope that through this series, Dads will feel heard and seen because you are. You are loved and you matter. If you feel that you are struggling in your parenting and in your relationship with others or with yourself, please don't hesitate to reach out and ask for help! I want you all to know that there's no shame in that. It is my mission to help parents find peace and balance in their parenting and in their relationships. I would be glad to help you even more.

And so, for the last episode of this series, we will be talking about lying. Although this topic does not focus specifically on fatherhood, it helps us handle something that might be triggering for us but is developmentally appropriate & important for our children. To help us with this topic, I have invited a great guest, Vivek Patel, who is a father and the genius behind @meaningfulideas handle on Instagram. He is also the host of a beautiful podcast called Gentle Parents Unite where he helps parents have a closer and gentle relationship with their kids.

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast

Happy Belated Father's Day to all those who identify as Dads! We see you, doing the hard work of becoming a present, compassionate father and we think you are just amazing! Partners, if you're the one who listens to this podcast but you know a dad who is heeding this challenging call to grow up alongside their kids, please share this with them!! We really couldn't do this without you!

To help you (Dads) even more, I'm so happy to be inviting a new colleague and friend, Babatunji Fagbongbe for the third episode of the Feature on Fathers Series. Baba is the founder of The Present Dads community. This community came about when he realized he did not have much time with his family while working in a corporate job. And so, he committed himself to find a balance between being a father and the provider of his family. The Present Dads' goal is to help fathers spend more time with their families while also doing what they love in their careers. Yes Dads, you too really can have it all, just like us moms! *wink wink* (Ok, that was a bit "tongue in cheek" but I had to poke a bit of fun at #thepatriarchy 😂 ... We moms hear this all the time, that we can "have it all" but really what we get is burnt out trying to be all things to all people. THAT is not what we are about here, so I hope this conversation will help you figure out how to nurture your family and yourself without getting burnt out -  there is an important message for ALL caregivers in this episode!).

If you want to be part of this community, follow The Present Dads Facebook Page and visit his website www.thepresentdads.com. Baba also welcomes any of you who want to reach out and ask for resources on how to be a present father. You can DM on his Instagram @babatunjif.

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast

How was the episode last week? If you are a dad, did it resonate with you? If you are parenting with a dad, what takeaways did you get to apply into your relationship? Let me know! I would love to hear your comments. And for this week, we will be listening to the second installment of the Feature on Fathers Series. Dads, just like Moms, are human beings with fears and uncertainty in life.

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In this episode, I want you to know that you do not have to live in fear. We are here to support you and guide you every step of the way. And so to help us understand what Dads undergo and the fears that bind them, I have invited a new friend and colleague to talk about parenting as a Dad. His name is Ryan Roy. He is an accountability coach, a husband, and a father of two boys, ages nine and three. He is committed to being a better father and helps parents take action in making the changes they want in their lives.

Ryan is heavily involved with his community and has created The FBI Dads (Fathers Being Involved) Program. For fathers and those who identify as one who wants to be involved in this, visit his website www.fbidads.com and join his Facebook community, FBI Dads (Fathers Being Involved).

If you want to spend more time with your kids but you don't know how, get the "Dad's Daily 4". This is a free workbook for busy dads who have trouble finding extra time for their kiddos.  DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

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He is also on Instagram @fbidads and Twitter @FBI_Dads. So, go ahead and follow him!

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast

So we just ended our month-long series for Motherhood and now, I want to give you another series that will focus on fatherhood & feature some amazing dads! The parenting world is filled with the voices and perspectives of mothers and while I love having space where our voices are prioritized, I also think it can contribute to the idea of the mom being the "default" parent or the one who is responsible for doing the research and learning associated with parenting. But what the research actually shows is that dads play a unique and important role in kids' lives and that kids in families with both a mom and a dad do BETTER when their dad is actively involved in the day-to-day tasks of parenting.

And for the first episode, I'm bringing in a friend and colleague, Eli Weinstein. He is a dad, a coach, and the host of The Dude Therapist Podcast which aims to give men and women alike a safe space for them to grow. He will help us learn and be aware that Dads' mental health is also important.

Follow him on Instagram @eliweinstein_lcsw and visit his website www.elivation.org. To learn more on what he does and his services, check out linktr.ee/elivation.

Don't forget to tune in to his podcast. There's a lot of good information in there about mental health and parenting. LISTEN HERE!

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast

We are down to the last installment of the Motherhood Series. I hope you have felt seen and held during this month. If you have some takeaways, please do share it with me by replying to this email. I would love to hear from you!

To end this series we have a live coaching call with one of my Balancing U Community members. She is a first-time mom to a baby born in August last year, and she will share with us her vulnerable journey to motherhood during a pandemic. I hope you will hold a kind and compassionate, loving space as you listen to her story. The transition to motherhood is a very tender time, and even if you made that transition years ago, I am confident that there will be peace & companionship in this episode for you. And if things resonate with you in this podcast, I hope you know that you're not alone, and that you'll reach out and let me know.

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast

 We are going to have another amazing episode this week for the Motherhood Series on The Balanced Parent Podcast! I’m so excited and if you will notice from the introduction, I had a little fangirling moment because the guest that I interviewed for this episode is a TikTok sensation whom I love and adore.

So, join me and Ida who is a single mom to a beautiful girl. She does so much amazing content on Instagram (@toeverymom) on how to be kind to yourself and how to hold healthy boundaries with others.

To get more content on this topic, subscribe to Ida's YouTube Channel To Every Mom and follow her on Tiktok @toeverymom. She also has a new children's book series coming out, so we will get to hear about that too!

Find show notes for this episode here: www.laurafroyen.com/podcast