Become A Calm Mama

Screen time battles usually come down to one thing: you don't have a plan, so you're making the same exhausting decision over and over, in the moment, while your kid is asking (again).
The fix is to decide your rules in advance - which devices, what content, when, and for how long - based on what your kid actually needs rather than an arbitrary time limit. Then, use the Limit Setting Formula to communicate the plan: tell your kid what they can have, and the condition they need to meet to get it. Hold the limit, even through the meltdown that follows.
Between the frustration that you're dealing with constant requests and decisions, confusion, and conflicting information, it’s no wonder you’re overwhelmed. There’s a lot of mental and emotional stuff going on - and it’s just one small piece of parenting.
Today, I’m sharing best practices and how to create a tech plan for your own family.
You’ll Learn:
The 4 tech decisions you need to make
When to allow screens (and why school days are the easiest thing to make a blanket rule)
A simple, logical way to determine how much screen time your kid gets
What to do when your kid melts down or won't turn it off
How to create your family’s tech and screen time plan

Read the full blog post here.
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Related Episodes:
Episode 129: Screen Free Mindset
Episode 67: Screen Time Strategies

Free Resources:
Common Sense Media
Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Toolkit!
In this free guide you’ll discover:
✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)
✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)
✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)
✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)
Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit here
Connect With Darlynn:
Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips
Rate and review the podcast on Itunes

Bedtime routines usually fall apart for one of two reasons: There's no real structure, or there is a routine but it collapses the moment your kid pushes back.
Commands and threats might get short-term compliance, but they don't actually teach anything. The fix is the Limit Setting Formula: tell your kid what they can have or do, and under what condition. Then hold it (even through the meltdown that follows).
And when bedtime runs long because of a meltdown or stalling, follow up the next day with restitution or a natural consequence for the time and energy it cost you.
If your family is struggling with bedtime, it doesn’t mean that anything is wrong with you or your kid. It means that you're missing a parenting skill or need some more information. Some of parenting is intuitive, but there are also a lot of skills that you have to build along the way.
You’ll Learn:
The 2 totally solvable problems that are making bedtime chaotic
Why commands and threats backfire at bedtime (and what to do instead)
How to use the Limit Setting Formula to set a bedtime limit
What to do (and not do) right after you state the limit
How to follow up the next day with consequences and restitution

In this episode, I’ll show you how to build a bedtime routine that actually feels doable and how to use clear limits and consequences when bedtime goes sideways. Over time, your child will internalize this new routine, so you can stop repeating, reminding, and yelling every night.
Read the full show notes here.
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Related Episodes:
Episode 65: Sleep Struggles: Helping Kids Master Self-Soothing Skills
Episode 5: Rethinking Consequences
Episode 4: Setting Limits That Work

Free Resources:
Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Toolkit!
In this free guide you’ll discover:
✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)
✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)
✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)
✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)
Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit here
Connect With Darlynn:
Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips
Rate and review the podcast on Itunes

The three most important things you can do when you want easier mornings with kids are to create a to-do list, be honest about how much time you need to get it all done, and build out a simple timeline for your family to follow each day.
Today on the podcast, I’m talking about the part of the day that trips up almost every family - the morning. I’ll walk you through my morning routine roadmap, a simple 3-step system to help you build mornings that actually get your kids out the door on time without stress.
You’ll Learn:
My simple 3-step system for smoother mornings with kids
How to create your own morning routine roadmap
Why being on time isn’t the most important thing
A sample morning routine and timeline
5 tips for less stressful school mornings

If you want less chaotic, more organized mornings, you’re in the right place!
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Resources:
Free Guide: Easy Mornings with Kids
Episode 192: The 5 Things: Easy Routines for Kids
Episode 191: Eyeballs: A Simple Parenting Tool for Instant Connection
Episode 190: Make Mornings Better with the Gentle Handoff

Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Toolkit!
In this free guide you’ll discover:
✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)
✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)
✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)
✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)
Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit here
Connect With Darlynn:
Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips
Rate and review the podcast on Itunes

Before you jump into back-to-school schedules, rules, and to-do lists, I want you to set your goals and intentions for this school year. Because focusing on your mindset is what actually determines how this year will feel and how it all will go.
In this episode, you'll learn:
The back-to-school step you might be missing that makes a huge difference in how your year goes
Why mindset needs to come before logistics
Examples of thoughts you can use to feel the way you want to feel
The types of goals every family should set at the start of a new year

If you don't decide on purpose how you want this school year to feel, the year will just happen to you. Instead of steering the ship, you’ll be reacting. But taking this 20 minutes with me to get clear on what you actually want will pay off all year long.
Read the full show notes here.
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Free Resources:
Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Toolkit!
In this free guide you’ll discover:
✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)
✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)
✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)
✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)
Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit here
Connect With Darlynn:
Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips
Rate and review the podcast on Itunes

The truth is, meltdowns, mood swings, sibling squabbles, and up-and-down social feelings are all completely normal during the first week of school. Back to school is a transition, and it isn’t always a smooth one.
The week starts out pretty great. Your kid is excited, they have a good first day, and then within a few days they start falling apart over a granola bar or refusing to get in the car or suddenly saying they hate their teacher.
And you're thinking, “Wait, what happened? Weren't we doing okay? What has changed?”
Nothing has gone wrong. This is just what the first week of school looks like.
You’ll Learn:
5 things to expect during the first week of school
2 tools to help you get through back-to-school mornings and meltdowns
Why I don’t want you to deliver consequences in the morning
How to get through the back-to-school transition without losing your mind

I'm walking you through what to expect, the top five challenges families face during back-to-school, and two tools that will help you get through the mornings and the meltdowns.
Read the full show notes here.
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Related Episodes:
Episode 2.12: The CALM Break | Stop Yelling With This 4-Step Parenting Tool
Episode 190: Make Mornings Better with the Gentle Handoff
Episode 191: Eyeballs: A Simple Parenting Tool for Instant Connection

Free Resource:
Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Toolkit!
In this free guide you’ll discover:
✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you’ve started (This one thing will get you calm.)
✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)
✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)
✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)
Download the Stop Yelling Toolkit here
Connect With Darlynn:
Book a complimentary session with Darlynn
Learn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.com
Follow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tips
Rate and review the podcast on Itunes