Less Drama More Mama

<p>Today’s episode is the final one in the Mental Health Awareness Month podcast collaboration I organized with a few other parenting and mental health podcast hosts. We each chose one episode from our own show to share on the others’ podcasts throughout the month.</p> <p>This episode comes from Dawn Friedman’s podcast, Tell Me It Will Be Okay.</p> <p>Dawn has worked with kids and families for more than 30 years as a preschool teacher, clinical counselor, parent educator, and parent herself. Her work focuses mostly on supporting parents of anxious kids.</p> <p>In this episode, Dawn talks about something she calls “judicious giving up,” which is about stepping back from the urge to immediately fix a parenting problem and getting curious about what’s actually going on underneath it.</p> <p>Sometimes the bedtime struggle isn’t really about bedtime.<br /> The school refusal isn’t really about school.<br /> The behavior isn’t always the whole story.</p> <p>Dawn also talks about how parenting struggles can bring up our own fears, expectations, identities, and beliefs about who we think we’re supposed to be as parents.</p> <p>At the end of the episode, I share some of my own thoughts about nervous system patterns, emotional reactions, and why insight alone usually isn’t enough to change the way we respond.</p> <p>For full show notes and information, visit https://lessdramamoremama.com/407</p> <p>The post <a href="https://lessdramamoremama.com/parenting-problems-arent-what-they-seem-dawn-friedman/">Parenting Problems Aren’t Always What They Seem with Dawn Friedman – 407</a> appeared first on <a href="https://lessdramamoremama.com">Less Drama More Mama</a>.</p>

<p>"I don't want to go."<br /> "Can I just stay home?"<br /> "I don't even care about that anyway."</p> <p>When your anxious child says these things, it can feel kinder (and easier) to let them skip the party, stay home from school, or avoid taking the bus.</p> <p>But short-term relief often creates bigger anxiety in the long run.</p> <p>For Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm sharing an episode from Cynthia Coufal's podcast, The Teen Anxiety Maze. Cynthia is a school counselor and teen anxiety coach who has spent more than 25 years helping kids understand and manage anxiety while building confidence and independence.</p> <p>In this episode, Cynthia breaks down the connection between avoidance and anxiety, why some kids convince themselves they don't care about things they deeply want, and the powerful shift from “I have to” to “I choose to.”</p> <p>At the end of the episode, I share a few of my own thoughts about what stood out to me and how it connects to the work I do with moms.</p> <p>This episode is packed with practical examples and an important perspective on discomfort, resilience, and what helps anxious kids (and moms) grow.</p> <p>For full show notes and information, visit https://lessdramamoremama.com/406</p> <p>The post <a href="https://lessdramamoremama.com/helping-anxious-kids-do-hard-things-cynthia-coufal/">Helping Anxious Kids Do Hard Things with Cynthia Coufal – 406</a> appeared first on <a href="https://lessdramamoremama.com">Less Drama More Mama</a>.</p>

<p>Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, I put together a small podcast collaboration with a few other hosts who talk about parenting, anxiety, and emotional health.</p> <p>Each week, I’m sharing one of their episodes here on the podcast, followed by a few of my own thoughts on what stood out to me and how it applies to you.</p> <p>Today’s episode comes from Leah Davidson’s podcast, Building Resilience.</p> <p>Leah is a speech-language pathologist and nervous system resilience coach who works primarily with women in midlife. In this episode, she talks about parenting older kids without over-functioning.</p> <p>As kids get older, our relationships with them change. You may go from being very involved in their day-to-day lives to feeling more on the outside, observing instead of guiding. And even though your intention hasn’t changed, the way your efforts are received can start to shift.</p> <p>If you’ve been feeling unsure about when to step in, when to stay quiet, or how to stay connected without taking things personally, this episode will give you a helpful framework.</p> <p>For full show notes and information, visit https://lessdramamoremama.com/405</p> <p>The post <a href="https://lessdramamoremama.com/when-your-kids-dont-need-you-the-same-way-anymore-leah-davidson/">When Your Kids Don’t Need You the Same Way Anymore with Leah Davidson – 405</a> appeared first on <a href="https://lessdramamoremama.com">Less Drama More Mama</a>.</p>

<p>You've probably heard the phrase, "If you don't ask, you don't get."</p> <p>And yet, asking for what you want can feel surprisingly hard.</p> <p>You hint. You wait. You hope someone notices. And when they don't, you end up feeling frustrated, unseen, or resentful.</p> <p>When you don't ask, you don't just miss out on what you want. You limit how much support you allow yourself to have.</p> <p>This comes up a lot around Mother’s Day, when so many moms hope to feel seen and appreciated but end up feeling let down.</p> <p>In this episode, I'm breaking down why so many moms struggle to ask for what they want — and what to do about it.</p> <p>For full show notes and information, visit https://lessdramamoremama.com/404</p> <p>The post <a href="https://lessdramamoremama.com/asking-for-what-you-want/">Asking For What You Want – 404</a> appeared first on <a href="https://lessdramamoremama.com">Less Drama More Mama</a>.</p>

<p>Divorce is often talked about as a legal process or a decision between two adults.</p> <p>This week’s episode shifts the focus to your child’s emotional health.</p> <p>My guest, Erica Komisar, is a clinical social worker, psychoanalyst, and parenting expert who has spent decades helping families through divorce.</p> <p>She says that divorce itself isn't what harms children most.<br /> It’s the instability, conflict, and disruptions to attachment that surround it.</p> <p>We talk about what supports kids through separation, why certain stages are more vulnerable, and how to focus less on what feels “fair” to the parents and more on what is right for the child.</p> <p>If you’re going through a divorce, or considering one, this conversation will help you think more clearly about what your child needs from you.</p> <p>For full show notes and information, visit https://lessdramamoremama.com/403</p> <p>The post <a href="https://lessdramamoremama.com/how-to-protect-your-kids-through-divorce-with-erica-komisar/">How to Protect Your Kids Through Divorce with Erica Komisar – 403</a> appeared first on <a href="https://lessdramamoremama.com">Less Drama More Mama</a>.</p>