Before I had kids, I was sure I’d never use screens to entertain my kids at restaurants, I’d never threaten consequences without follow through. And I’d never change the core of who I was just because these little beings entered my life. Oh, the confidence of those pre-parenting days.Fast forward to today, and sometimes my reality looks more like threatening to cut my daughter’s hair when she won’t shower or accidentally letting my son stay up all night on video games because I fell asleep on the couch.It got me thinking: what does modern parenting look like to people who don’t have kids? Are we making it look exhausting? Over-complicated? Maybe even a little unappealing?That’s why, in this week’s episode of Good Enough Parenting, I sat down with my longtime friend Jim—someone who doesn’t have children but has watched plenty of us navigate parenthood. Think of him as a cultural anthropologist, Margaret Mead-style, observing our parenting world from the outside.We talk about: ✨ What surprises him most when he’s around kids ✨ Where parents may be overthinking—or underthinking ✨ How friendships shift once kids enter the picture ✨ What he wishes parents knew about how their choices affect the people around themAnd maybe most importantly, Jim reminds us of who we thought we’d be as parents before family life swept us up.This one’s equal parts funny, eye-opening, and a little humbling. I think you’ll love it.Sometimes we need our kid-free friends to help us remember that we were never meant to be the perfect parent – just good enough. To get Carley’s free video teaching you 4 play therapy techniques you can use TODAY to calm your emotional child and bring joy and freedom back to family life click here!http://www.paceparent.com/play And follow her @CarleyCounsels on FB & IG!
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Mid-Summer Madness or Magic? Let's Reset
It’s officially late July, which means we’re deep in the season of sticky popsicles, sunscreen battles, and the kind of sibling squabbles that make you rethink that “no screens before noon” rule. In this week’s episode, we’re pressing pause on the chaos to do a little mid-summer check-in.Is summer feeling more magical mischief or creepy cult vibes? (Looking at you, Midsommar’s Florence Pugh.) Either way, now’s a great time to ask:What’s actually working for your family right now?What habits need a little tweak (or a full-on overhaul)?What does each person—yes, including you—need for the rest of the season?I’m sharing the small shift that helped calm our chaotic mornings, why “we’ll see” days are going on our calendar, and how one family’s digital detox brought unexpected peace (and fewer remote-control fights). Spoiler: No one’s tossing devices in the ocean… but some might get gently tucked away in a box for a while.Whether your summer has been dreamy, messy, or a bit of both, this episode is your gentle reminder to reflect, recalibrate, and maybe even sneak in a beach read and a bagel run.Take a deep breath. You're doing better than you think. And that’s good enough. To get Carley’s free video teaching you 4 play therapy techniques you can use TODAY to calm your emotional child and bring joy and freedom back to family life click here!http://www.paceparent.com/play And follow her @CarleyCounsels on FB & IG!
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ADHD, Anxiety and Full Spectrum Parenting 🌈
How did you pick your kid’s name? It’s my favorite question to ask families as soon as I meet them. It tells me about:Partnership Dynamics “Oh we got in a big fight over that one! But my wife had the final say like she always does…”Family History “My grandmother had died a few weeks before she was born so we named her after her”And MOST importantly it tells me The vision they had for their kid even before they were born“I wanted a strong, masculine son so I went with Alexander… like The Great”So much wrapped up in a few short syllables. Names are like labels – they can give us feelings of comfort and safety but can also be limiting and confining.And labels don’t allow for the full spectrum of our beingness.On this month’s “Good Enough Parenting” episode, I share where my name came from and explore why we are so drawn to labeling our kids with diagnoses that may or may not suit them. In this episode:How diagnoses like ADHD and anxiety are more of a continuum than a binary 💡What Pride Month can teach us about full-spectrum parenting 🏳️🌈Why your child’s story is still being written (and yours is too) 📖Identity and development are more fluid than we’d like to believe—and that’s both frustrating and freeing. Whether you’re questioning a diagnosis, navigating your kid’s self-expression, or like me, just trying to make it through another school concert season this one’s for you. From sonograms to rainbows to Ritalin, this episode is a reminder that parenting isn’t about finding the right label, but about staying present as our kids unfold – and that’s good enough. 🎧 Hit play, and let’s make peace with not knowing. ——Like what you hear? Follow, rate, and share with a fellow “good enough” parent in your life.To get Carley’s free video teaching you 4 play therapy techniques you can use TODAY to calm your emotional child and bring joy and freedom back to family life click here!http://www.paceparent.com/play And follow her @CarleyCounsels on FB & IG!
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Encore! Sweet Summer
ENCORE EPISODE! The summer season is officially upon us! Which means it’s time to wrestle your toddler to the ground so you can apply some ghost-whitening sunblock while your six year old screams “I hear the ice cream truck! Can we get one?” at 10am. Are you already counting the days until Labor Day? Fear not! There are ways we can find more sweetness and less stress this summer with our families. On today’s “Good Enough Parenting” podcast, I’ll share with you my favorite tips for not just surviving but actually enjoying this season of seemingly endless time together. And the good news is …. It involves a lot of BENIGN NEGLECT(my #1 parenting motto!) We don’t need to be the end all be all for our kids this summer. Let them make their own snacks. Let them be bored. Let them skip the summer worksheets for more sprinkler time. Everyone benefits when we give our kids some space. So sometimes they’ll have a chipwhich for breakfast this summer. You’ll make them a veggie filled smoothie in September. And that’s good enough.To get Carley’s free video teaching you 4 play therapy techniques you can use TODAY to calm your emotional child and bring joy and freedom back to family life click here!http://www.paceparent.com/play And follow her @CarleyCounsels on FB & IG!
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18:30
Showers, Stinky feet, and Saving your sanity
You know that moment when your kid comes home from a full day of school and sports—covered in mystery smudges and smelling like a locker room—and then acts personally offended when you suggest a shower? Yeah, me too. If your kid melts like the Wicked Witch the moment they hear the water running, you’re not alone.This week on Good Enough Parenting, I’m joined by Sabrina Yavil, mom of 3 boys, former beauty executive and founder of Gryme, a personal care brand created just for kids. We talk about why bath time can feel like such a battle, how our kids are actually wired for self-care independence (even when they're filthy), and how simplifying your routine with the right products can save your sanity—and your relationship.The goal? Helping our kids build self-sufficient habits using clean products that actually make bath time easier—for them and for us.✨ Bonus: Sabrina shares what she learned from 20 years in the beauty industry—and why so many kids’ products are secretly full of junk.If you’ve ever bribed your kid to use soap, threatened to cancel dessert over conditioner, or wondered if your kids are actually allergic to water. … this episode is for you.And remember, if bathtime battles get overwhelming this summer, sometimes a dip in a pool or a run through the sprinkler is good enough. To get Carley’s free video teaching you 4 play therapy techniques you can use TODAY to calm your emotional child and bring joy and freedom back to family life click here!http://www.paceparent.com/play And follow her @CarleyCounsels on FB & IG!
Family play therapist and childhood mental health expert Carley Aroldi hosts "Good Enough Parenting," the podcast where not so perfect parents tune in to be reminded that our kids are gonna be ok, even if we don't always know what we're doing! Listen in for tips on using brain-based play therapy techniques to create more calm, connection and cooperation in your family life.
New Zealand