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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14:27
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!
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43:07
Encore! How to Have a Happy Mother's Day
In honor of Mother's Day, we are revisiting one of our most popular episodes "How to Have a Happy Mother's Day" because who couldn't use a littler reminder that the day is actually supposed to feel good for YOU ❤️A few years ago, I got a call around 3:00 on Mother’s Day. A dear friend asked me if I would be able to meet her for a drink before dinner. Hell yes. We had both had less than ideal days that were meant to celebrate us but instead were filled with cranky kids and unmet expectations. We needed to commiserate.And at the risk of sounding like a terrible mother I’m going to be honest – our cocktail hour was the best part of my day. We laughed, we cried and we went back to our families restored and reconnected.It reminded me of what my dear friend and mentor Carrie Contey has always said about Mother’s Day – ask for what you want.For some women, spending Mother’s day with their children or their own mother or mother-in-law is perfect. For others, not so much. It can be a vulnerable day, especially if you have lost your mother, have a tricky relationship with her, or if motherhood is not living up to your expectations at the moment.So now is the time to ask for what you want from this day. Does being with your children and having them make you breakfast in bed sound ideal? Do it. Do you want to binge Netflix shows you never get to watch because you’re asleep in your kid’s bed at 8pm? See if your partner (or babysitter) can bring your kids to Kung Fu Panda 4 while you order a pizza with your favorite toppings. Do you want to journal and cry about missing your mom? Just as valid.I want a mix – a little time with my family and a little time to myself. So you’ll probably find me eating home made pancakes in the morning followed by a matinee viewing of a movie SOLO and maybe even a cocktail with a friend afterward. And I’m going to ask for this now – so my partner knows what is going to fill my cup on a day meant to celebrate me. No surprises, no disappointments.What do you want your Mother’s Day to look like? Despite what Hallmark tells us, there’s no wrong way to do it. As long as you do it your way, 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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How To Talk To Your Kids About Money
I try not to stay too tuned into the daily news cycle (because going into an anxiety spiral every time my phone dings with a news alert is not my favorite way to spend the day) but it’s hard to ignore just how bananas things feel right now. This is especially true in our economy - inflation, tariffs, layoffs, budget cuts—it’s enough to make any adult anxious. But guess what? Our kids feel it too. If we’re feeling unsettled as adults, imagine how it feels for our kids, who only catch snippets of grown-up conversations and headlines they don’t understand.So in this month’s episode of “Good Enough Parenting” I wanted to take a deep dive into how to talk to your kids about money in a way that builds emotional resilience, teaches lifelong financial literacy, and helps them feel safe—especially in unpredictable times.I’ll walk you through:💰 Why your relationship with money is the biggest influence on your child’s💡 How to give age-appropriate explanations about money, saving, and values💵 Simple ways to set up allowance systems that actually teach financial skills😬 The power of letting kids make mistakes with money (better to learn at five than fifty!)🌈 How to shift the vibe in your house from scarcity to noticing everyday abundancePlus, I share a resource that completely changed my own relationship with money: a free 3-day workshop called Good with Money by my mentor Kate Northrup—coming April 17! If you’ve ever felt your stomach drop when opening your credit card bill SIGN UP HERE NOW! Times are tricky. The future feels uncertain. Helping our kids remember what really matters in our lives may not shift the markets, but it will bring more peace (and maybe even prosperity!) to your home. And that’s good enough. Resources Mentioned: 📚 Money: A Love Story by Kate Northrup 🎉 Free Workshop: Good with Money - Starts April 17 SIGN UP HERE!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.
Netherlands