This episode is HEAVY. I’ve been working on myself for a few years, and in doing so I’ve uncovered some traumas and brought to light some hard truths.

In this episode, I open up about my relationship with my parents. It’s an emotional journey, and I don’t make it through without shedding a few tears.

My extremely supportive guest, Stephany Weingartner and I explore the concept of parents as friends. We discuss some difficult situations we experienced growing up, highlighting how complex parent-child relationships can be.

This conversation isn’t easy, but I hope that by being open and vulnerable, I can encourage others to start similar discussions in their own lives and begin the healing they deserve.

In this episode, we cover:

• How the roles and responsibilities of being a parent differ from those of being a friend.
• The challenges of parent-child role confusion and enmeshment that can occur when parents treat their children as friends.
• What happens when parents rely on their children as confidants, or lean on them for emotional support. It can create lasting effects on the child's mental well-being.
• The concept of parentification—when children are made to take on adult-like caregiving or emotional responsibilities for their parents.
• The importance of setting boundaries, maintaining a clear parental role, and protecting children from adult burdens and responsibilities.

Resources & Links:

• Clinical psychologist Maddy Drew says while your child is still young, parents should avoid pursuing a friendship with them.

• Licensed mental health counselor Chautè Thompson explains there is a difference between being friendly with your children, and being friends.

• This article includes the study that illustrates what could happen when children are treated as their parent’s confidant. (Koerner et al 2002)

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Check out my website

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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!

In this episode I’m thrilled to be joined by Dr. Katie Kicinski-Burkhardt, PhD, MPH, CHES®, health educator and researcher.

We got to talk about one of my favorite topics: feminism. Together we addressed common misconceptions about feminism, and discussed the importance of instilling feminist values in our children - boys and girls alike.

Spoiler alert - it’s not easy!

When politics and media have a pervasive role in shaping the personality and character of our little humans, how do we make sure we’re doing all we can to teach values of equality and inclusivity? Tune in to hear what Dr. Kicinski-Burkhardt has to say.

In this episode, we cover:

• What feminism means and dispel common misconceptions.
• The influence government and media have on our personal lives, and what it could mean for future generations.
• What it means to have choiceless choices (my new favorite phrase).
• The importance of a person-centric approach in health care, especially when it comes to women’s health.
• Practical tips for teaching values of equality, empathy, and inclusivity to our children - starting at home with intention and self-awareness.

Resources & Links:

• Dr. Kicinski-Burkhardt referenced this book when speaking about women’s health, and government and media influence on public opinion: How All Politics Become Reproductive Politics: From Welfare Reform to Foreclosure to Trump, by Laura Briggs
• For my fellow research lovers, here is a detailed list of some of the feminist movements, achievements, and other moments in our country's history where women's rights have been impacted.

Connect with Dr. Katie Kicinski-Burkhardt:

• On LinkedIn

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Check out my website

Related Episode:

• 02. Blue v. Pink: Gender stereotypes in playtime

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In this episode I’m joined by Allison Lee, an Asian American mental health therapist and coach.

We discussed the challenges of meeting expectations of our parents, our children, and ourselves. There is significant pressure that comes from being “sandwiched” between caring for aging parents or grandparents, and young children. Throw in family obligations and cultural expectations, and there’s a real recipe for burnout.

So what do we do?!

Allison shared her Repay Cycle with me, a tool all mamas can benefit from when it comes to balancing family obligations while raising children.

At the end of the episode Allison reveals the three things she does to manage her family, motherhood, and her career.

A friendly reminder: Everything you hear in this episode is meant to inform and should not be considered as therapy. If you need professional support, please contact Allison directly.

In this episode, we cover:

• The difficulties of prioritizing family needs versus personal and professional growth.
• Practical strategies for balancing cultural and familial obligations, while staying true to ourselves.
• What is the sandwich generation and the unique challenges we face?
• How to apply The Repay Cycle tool in our lives to prevent burnout, and sustain complex relationships in a way that works for us too.
• The three things all mamas can do to help manage your time, energy, and relationships more effectively.

Connect with Allison:

• View her Mental Health Therapy website
• View her Coaching website: Unshaken Gens™
• Follow on Instagram
• Follow on Facebook

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Check out my website

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

Today I’m discussing a critical yet often overlooked issue: how to fairly divide household chores and childcare. We’ll explore strategies for both partners to share financial responsibilities and maintain their careers, without being boxed in by traditional gender roles.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the mountain of household tasks, or frustrated by unequal distribution of responsibilities, this episode is for you.

Discover why sharing the load improves mental health, strengthens relationships, and enhances overall well-being. Plus, get actionable tips on how to start a conversation with your partner about dividing chores more evenly.

And I reveal my personal kryptonite when it comes to managing my household!

In this episode, we cover:

• Dividing household chores and familial responsibilities based on gender is an outdated concept. There’s no such thing as “women work.”
• Why it’s so hard to break free from the traditional gender roles assigned to tasks like cooking, cleaning, laundry, and childcare.
• How unpaid caregiving affects women's long-term economic well-being. The stats might surprise you.
• Simple, effective strategies to create a more balanced and supportive household dynamic with your partner. And the many benefits it provides!

Resources & Links:

• The study, Gendered Identities: Women and Household Work from the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law libraries provided a lot of information and will make an appearance in a future episode, so stay tuned!
• Here’s the Gallup Poll on roles of men and women in U.S. households
• Unpaid caregiving impacts women’s economic well-being long after the caregiving stops
• This New York Times article dives into why millennial men are not as involved in the home as they thought they would be
• Tools to Help: Apps like Nipto, Chap, and Tody can help you manage household chores and track responsibilities

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Check out my website

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

I’m back with guest Bryanna Rayford as we continue exploring the intricacies of establishing healthy boundaries within family dynamics.

In part two of our discussion, we focus on the benefits of establishing boundaries and provide tips on how to set healthy boundaries with your family members and other caregivers so your children can thrive.

Prioritizing your children’s physical and emotional safety can be difficult when there are outside influences in the picture. Whether you’re struggling with navigating boundaries for you and your children, or just need some validation -- we can relate!

In this episode, we cover:

• Establishing boundaries with family members and setting clear expectations is crucial, even though it may not always be easy or well-received.
• The many benefits of establishing healthy parental boundaries, including improved communication and bolstered trust among family members.
• Tips to uncover your boundaries… How to figure out what your boundaries are and assert your parenting decisions confidently.
• The importance of trusting yourself when defining and enforcing boundaries for the well-being of both you and your child.

Resources & Links:

• Dive into the power of setting boundaries for the benefits and how-tos of establishing and communicating your boundaries to others.
• Looking for tips on how to limit unsolicited advice?

Connect with Bryanna:

• Follow on Instagram

Connect with Christine:

• Follow on Instagram
• Check out my website

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