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“I think it’s harder to be a teenager today than it was when we were younger.”

A Parent Wrote... "My 6 year old son tries to turn consequences into pity parties for himself and I’m so torn on what to do. He’s an only child, but very close with his (younger) cousins. They’re at our home a lot, they’re more like siblings. They typically play together quite well, but… My son has always had a hard time keeping his hands to himself, sometimes really bad stuff like punching, hair pulling or pinching. When he gets physical with one of his cousins (usually play related disputes) we take the cousin away from the game and say “we won’t let you hurt your cousin”. He then proceeds to get really upset, cry, scream, etc.. and then immediately goes into “I need a hug! I need a hug!”. Now, I understand that he’s upset and is looking for help regulating, but I’m soothing/caring for the “hurt” friend at that point. His consequence is that we have left the game/his general area because he couldn’t keep his hands to himself, and he now wants me to comfort/snuggle him through his consequence (defeating the consequence all together). While a big part of me wants to sit with him and comfort him, it really feels like manipulation, too. It feels like he doesn’t want to be in trouble and that he wants to make the situation all about him. I feel like he shouldn’t get to hurt someone and then get a hug. Any thoughts?" In this podcast episode, I break down the divisive language this parent is using to talk about her son - and discuss what they can do differently for less hitting and kicking! Welcome to Season 2 episode 3 of the Recreate Parenting Podcast. Six year old manipulating mama?

A Parent Wrote... "I have a feisty 5 year old little daughter . She has always been somewhat of handful lol she’s very sassy , a little hardheaded and really blunt & nonchalant about mostly everything. We have rules in my house that I reiterate daily (literally) I’m big on manners so I expect yes ma’am , no ma’am , please , thank you , excuse me etc. I expect for her to do what I ask without a lot of huffing and puffing (essentially I don’t ask her to do much) small things like keep her toys tidy , clean up messes she makes , take care of her hair her teeth (I do this for her but she hates it and I constantly explain to her hygiene is important ) I expect her to respect others , to not be a bully , be kind use kind words and overall you know just try and be a good person. We have these conversations DAILY cause I want to instill these things in her. My daughter confuses me because she does things like this: last night she got into my phone and took over a 100 pictures with her middle finger up and her tongue out thinking she was cute. This morning I asked her: I said why did you take these photos she said “idk” I said well are we allowed to be doing these kind of things she said “no” I asked her if she knew it was wrong and she said “yes”. Even though I preach these things to her she STILL does these behaviors and she verbalizes that it is wrong but seems as though she does not care. I’m at a loss here. People will think my kid has no home training when In actuality she does she just does not care or acts like she doesn’t idk. What should I do." In this podcast episode, I try very hard to have compassion........but honestly? Mama, this one is on you. Let's talk about NOT talking! Welcome to Season 2 episode 2 of the Recreate Parenting Podcast. Feisty Five Year Old

A question from a concerned parent...  How do you handle it when your child intentionally ruins their food? My 4 year old specifically asked for teriyaki noodles for dinner. She's eaten them before and she loves them. This time, she intentionally poured her drink in her noodles. She only apologized once she was caught and then asked for more noodles because she didn't want hers anymore. How would you discipline your child in this situation? I want her to learn from this that we don't waste food. Would you ONLY offer them their ruined noodles for the rest of the night (when they say they're hungry or want different noodles)? Or would you make them more? What a very, very rich paragraph to talk about. In this podcast episode, I dive into what a 4 year old does intentionally, making kids apologize, the adult baggage of "waste," and how to be on their team so you both have better relationships with each other, and with food. Here you gooooo 4 year old intentionally ruining food

Oh my absolute DARLIN's - if I got measure success by the amount of art I get to make with other people - this week was WILDLY successful.  I started an online art group for teen-ish aged folks, and it was a wildly wonderful experience. Turns out - video chat is the perfect vehicle for this kind of thing, because participants could truly show up in the way that made them most comfortable. I absolutely loved getting to do process art with these kids and teens, and I'm looking forward to each future session. In any case - beginning this group this week had me feeling some kinda way, and I was thinking about how much stuff grown-ups have to unlearn to unleash their creativity. So here you have it -- 7 Things Adults Have to Let go of to be More Creative!

Hey there, creative mamas! 🌟 Life as a mom and a creative spirit is a wild ride, isn't it? Juggling art projects, story times, and endless snacks can sometimes leave us feeling like our own passions are on the back burner. But fear not – there's a secret weapon many of us are under utilizing: journaling. Let's chat about how this simple practice can be a game-changer for both your mom game and your creative mojo. The Creative Mama Conundrum We get it. Being a mom is like being the ringmaster of a chaotic circus, and sometimes it feels like your creative dreams are stuck in the audience. Journaling is like your backstage pass to reclaiming center stage, allowing you to express yourself while still acing the mom act. Scribble Your Feelings Away Ever find yourself on the edge of mom burnout? Same here. Journaling is like a cup of tea for your soul. Pour out your thoughts, fears, and victories on paper. It's a judgment-free zone, and the act of writing is like a hug for your emotions. Doodling Dreams and Sparking Ideas Your journal is a judgment-free zone for your creativity too. Sketch out those wild ideas, jot down snippets of inspiration, or just doodle your heart out. The pages are your canvas, waiting for the magic only you can create.

I work with a lot of wonderful people. Between my hard-working and conscientious clients, the folks who show up weekly to be creative in my Play with Purpose Group, and the thousands of parents I speak to at conferences and webinars -- I am surrounded by a huge number of incredibly engaged, thoughtful parents. This post was born out of parenting success stories, and thinking about some of those wonderful people I've had the pleasure of meeting -- so without further ado, here are 5 Things I Hope for You As always - if you want to do this kind of work in a guided and supported way, make sure to check out the Play with Purpose Membership Group . Use the code "BecauseILikeYou" for a free month!

Things are on fire. Often literally. There are hurting people hurting people all over the world. You're exhausted, you have so much going on. And yet - your kids still need you to play. How do you play when it feels like the world is falling apart? Great question - and one I get asked frequently. The short answer is don't be fake. There are still ways to play even if you can't fake cheerfulness. Great news - it's good for your kids, and for you too. Listen and watch episode 6 of the Recreate Parenting podcast below. If you need more help in the playfulness department, check out the free Recreate Parenting group here! How to be a playful parent when the world is falling apart listen here: