The Nested Parent

In this month’s episode, I had the pleasure of talking with Katie Yancich, a mom of 2 and Director at the Primrose School of Learning in Leesburg, VA, about making daycare transitions easier. Katie has spent over 15 years in Early Childhood Education, and she loves working with children, families, and teachers to make sure that everyone is in a learning environment where they can grow and be successful. Since becoming a parent herself, Katie has learned firsthand (and truly understands now) what parents are looking for when it comes to quality programs for their children - not only ones that will be supportive of their learning experiences today, but for the future, too.

It’s important to remember this is a new experience, and it may be challenging at first. Patience and open communication are key here, as well as consistency with the entire process as everyone adjusts. If transitioning to daycare is ahead for you, I know the knowledge and support shared here will definitely equip you in creating a successful and seamless daycare experience for your family!

In this episode about making daycare transitions easier, we cover:

• The age range of kids typically entering the classrooms within the Primrose School of Learning + why the consistency piece is so important during this transition
• Important questions for parents to consider asking when they’re touring daycares and schools + the best times to actually tour facilities
• Ways to make it as smooth as possible for babies and children to transition to daycare + how to work through possible transition challenges
• What the communication process looks like between families and the staff at Primrose + working with parents to find their ideal communication method
• Fostering a strong connection by building rapport from the beginning with the child’s teacher and the parents/family
• The value of the community that really helps parents and families interact and gain support from one another within Primrose
• Creating consistency for kids between home and daycare regarding their feeding, sleeping, and overall environment 

In this month’s episode, I was excited to talk with Ryan Jordan, founder and CEO of Educated Nannies and Educated Newborn Care Specialists. Ryan and I connected through our certification in positive discipline, and she comes from an education background. Ryan became a nanny on a part-time basis when she was teaching, and eventually, it evolved into her full-time gig. After seeing a need for educated, play-based nannies, she created her own company, Educated Nannies, in 2013. Educated Nannies is now nationwide, and while it has been a true labor of love for Ryan over the last decade, she has such a passion for the nannies and families she gets to support!

Whether you’re showing regular appreciation and gratitude for your nanny, giving them quality ‘time off’, or even, clearly communicating how they can best help your family when working together, the little things (like genuine kindness and respect), go a long way in forming a strong connection. If you’ve been considering working with a nanny, this episode is packed full of tips and value to help you navigate doing so, and ultimately, make the best possible decision for you and your family!

In this episode about forming a strong connection with your child’s nanny, we cover:

• Ryan’s journey from school teacher to full-time nanny, which ultimately led her to launching her own company, Educated Nannies 
• Important traits Ryan is looking for when partnering with/bringing a nanny into her company
• When you should consider bringing on a nanny + how to start the process of doing so
• Ways for parents to help foster the bond between their children + nanny when starting a new nanny relationship 
• Being as transparent as possible upfront when you begin working with a nanny
• Key factors that lead to increased longevity for nanny and family relationships
• How nannies can continue ongoing communication that is most helpful for parents when taking care of their children
• Some important considerations (that can easily be overlooked) to keep in mind when you’re starting a new nanny relationship

In this month’s episode, I was excited to talk with local Loudoun County pediatric and perinatal chiropractor, Dr. Emilie Quinn. Emilie had her own personal experience with chiropractic care while growing up, which led her to pursue a career as a chiropractor. After battling very debilitating symptoms from long-term birth control use, she then made the decision to help women who are on similar journeys, specifically in the perinatal period. Emilie now has a passion for providing quality chiropractic care for not just moms and babies, but the entire family. As she continues to provide a well-rounded, holistic approach for her patients, she knows this is the work she was destined to do.

It’s important to remember that you must look at the bigger picture when it comes to your health, because everything is connected. The ripple effects of chiropractic care are pretty remarkable, so if you’re looking to get started with a chiropractor for you and/or your family, you won’t want to miss all of the value shared in this episode!

In this episode about the ripple effects of chiropractic care, we cover:

• Emilie’s personal experience with chiropractic care and long-term birth control use, which eventually led to her decision to pursue a career as a pediatric and perinatal chiropractor
• The ‘tunnel vision’ approach vs. more of a holistic approach in healthcare, and why this can lead to missing important pieces of the puzzle with people’s health issues
• What the initial chiropractic visit looks like for kids, adults, and families + providing supportive and healing care for the entire family
• Various treatment options for moms to find pain relief during and after pregnancy + ways to improve lower back pain during postpartum
• Reasons why many babies and children need (and benefit from) chiropractic care + typical adjustments that support pediatric patients
• Evaluating your specific treatment and improvement after your initial visits + a specific progress visit later on 
• How developing a deeper relationship with your chiropractor can be incredibly beneficial for your long-term care

In this month’s episode, I talked with my friend, Sarah Oliver, a fellow pediatric sleep consultant. Sarah and I connected through a group specifically for sleep consultants, the Sleep Sorority, and it’s been so valuable being able to learn from and support each other’s businesses since then. After working with plenty of families who need sleep support over the last few years, we’ve learned how important the discovery call really is. This is the specific call that occurs between families and sleep consultants when they’re contemplating working together. The discovery call is the best time to see if the potential client and consultant really connect, discuss various types of sleep support, understand that everyone needs to be on board with the process moving forward, and more.

If you’ve ever wondered how to navigate and get the most out of the discovery call with a sleep consultant, you won’t want to miss this episode!

In this episode, how to make the most out of your discovery call from two pediatric sleep consultants, we cover:

• The importance of connecting with your ideal client as a sleep consultant + how Sarah specifically connects with her people
• The best types of questions to put on the intake form before the discovery call with a potential client
• Making sure parents/family members are on the same page about getting sleep support + will support the process once it actually begins
• Different sleep techniques and ways to support families and their children on their sleep journeys
• What in-home sleep support can look like versus virtual sleep support
• Various levels of support and packages + how communication can look when working together
• The benefits to addressing concerns earlier on when working together, versus waiting until later
• What a discovery call should NOT look like  

In this month’s episode, I had the honor of talking with Carrie Thayer, a licensed marriage and family therapist. We’re right in the middle of the holiday season, and while this can be a magical time of year, it can also bring up a LOT of guilt - especially for moms. Carrie and I thought this would be the perfect time to talk about combating mom guilt, because it’s a very real thing that many moms experience, and need help with. While mom guilt isn’t something that will totally go away, it is important to recognize it, and identify where it’s coming from in the first place.

Combating mom guilt isn’t something you have to do alone; finding the right support on your motherhood journey is key, no matter what season of life you’re in. If this is something you’ve ever struggled with as a mom, you won’t want to miss all of the valuable knowledge Carrie has to share in this episode!

In this episode about combating mom guilt during the holiday season, we cover:

• Carrie’s story of choosing to pursue the field of psychology + her decision to exclusively work with women and mothers
• What mom guilt is and how Carrie is supporting her patients by first identifying it, and then working through it
• The ‘thought dialogue’ that happens when you experience mom guilt
• What a positive relationship with social media can look like for moms + how to know if you need to make a change or pivot with your social media
• Simple & tangible tips so you can actually enjoy the season as a mom
• What it can look like to mentally check in with yourself during the holiday season
• What to do when you’re having more guilt AFTER the holiday season
• The powerful work Carrie is doing surrounding moms and their self-talk with Wired Wellbeing
• How becoming a mom has impacted Carrie and the work she does