We’re back for part 2! I’m joined again by Mandy Kraska, an experienced educator, as we dive deeper into how personality traits influence our parenting styles.

Mandy kicks things off by sharing how her personality translates into her role as teacher. It looks something like: high expectations and personalized support, with some tough love mixed in.

I share a cringe-worthy story about managing my son’s daily homework assignments, which quickly became a high-stress situation. Thankfully, I’m not alone!

What’s the right approach -- helicopter, gentle parenting, laissez faire? Mandy and I get into the weeds on how our personality tendencies and challenges shape our approaches when it comes to helping our kids (or choosing to step back).

In this episode, we cover:

• How high expectations and personalized support outside of the classroom translates for students who speak a language other than English.
• The challenges of homework time, perfectionism, and learning to let go. Getting overly involved in our children’s homework has only caused stress for us and them.
• Focusing on real-world skills both at home and in the classroom emphasizes the larger goal we have as parents - helping our children grow into capable and well-rounded adults.
• When research shows that stepping in too much can hinder children’s independence, how do we find the right balance?
• There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but achieving the right mix of hands-on support and encouraging independence is key.

Resources & Links:

• Here’s the study that discusses how kids can benefit when parents take a step back.

Connect with Mandy:

• Follow on Instagram

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Check out my website

Be sure to subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

This episode is all about personality types and how they impact our parenting styles, both positively and negatively.

I’m joined by Mandy Kraska, a seasoned educator, who brings a unique perspective to the conversation. Join us for an honest conversation about our own personality traits and the ongoing struggle to find balance between routine and spontaneity.

Spoiler: I earned the nickname "All Business" in my early 20s, so you can guess what type of personality I bring to the table!

And in the best guest moment I’ve experienced so far—Mandy shares why she always employs the Boy Scouts motto: Be Prepared.

We had so much to cover that we couldn’t fit it all into one episode. Stay tuned for part 2, coming soon!

In this episode, we cover:

• The intricate relationship between personality types and parenting styles.
• How understanding your personality type creates self-awareness, helping to manage both internal and external conflicts.
• The self-imposed stress to create "perfect" experiences for our children, and recognizing when to let go to avoid burnout.
• Setting realistic expectations, and finding a balance between structured routines and spontaneity.
• Managing the heavy mental load and overstimulation that comes with parenting and always being “on.”

Resources & Links:

• Learn more about the four personality types and see where you fall.

Connect with Mandy:

• Follow on Instagram

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Check out my website

Be sure to subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

This episode is all about the highs and lows of traveling with children. I’m joined by my dear friend Melanie Pellegrino as we dish on the recent vacation our families took together.

As two women who LOVE to travel, adding families into the mix has certainly brought a new layer of stress and planning to our adventures.

Join us as we dig into why traveling is such an important part of our lives, and what we’re doing to pass that love of adventure onto our children.

We cover everything from the challenges of packing for the entire family, to dealing with decision fatigue and disruptions to our kids’ routines. We also discuss the lifelong benefits children (and the whole family!) gain from traveling.

In this episode, we cover:

• The joys and struggles of traveling with our children.
• How to overcome challenges of traveling with young kiddos, including the stress of packing, decision fatigue, and routine disruptions.
• Post-COVID world - our little ones were poorly prepped for public outings.
• Memories are forever, and so are the developmental benefits children gain from exposure to new environments.

Resources & Links:

• Explore the transformative impacts of family vacations by age group.
• Dr. Robin Hancock shares how travel positively impacts children’s developmental growth in this article that stresses the importance of traveling with children.
• Did you know it’s possible to increase your child’s IQ through travel? Decades of neuroscientific research sheds light on brain development and function.

Connect with Melanie:

• Follow on Instagram

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Check out my website

Be sure to subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!