Mindful Mama: Raising Kind, Confident Kids Without Losing Your Cool | Parenting Strategies For Big Emotions & More

We all just want our kids to be happy and healthy, right? How do we protect them and prepare them for the world? How do we make sure that they don’t face troubled teen years that may follow them into adulthood? Aaron Huey, founder of Fire Mountain Residential Treatment Center and host of parenting podcast "Beyond Risk and Back,” shares with us the reasons why kids make “bad choices” and gives us strategies for raising our kids to thrive in the world. ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is the host Mindful Parenting Podcast (Top 0.5% podcast ), global speaker, number 1 bestselling author of “Raising Good Humans” and “Raising Good Humans Every Day,” Mindfulness Meditation teacher and creator of the Mindful Parenting Course and Teacher Training. Find more podcasts, Hunter’s books, blog posts, free resources, and more at ⁠MindfulMamaMentor.com⁠. Discover your Unique-To-You Podcast Playlist at ⁠mindfulmamamentor.com/quiz/⁠ We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: ⁠/mindfulmamamentor.com/mindful-mama-podcast-sponsors/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever thought, "I love my family… but is this all there is?" If so, you're not alone. So many mothers quietly carry feelings of restlessness, longing, and even fantasies of escape—then feel guilty for having them. But according to therapist and author Kristen Mosier, these feelings don't make you ungrateful or a bad parent. They may actually be trying to tell you something important. In this conversation, Hunter talks with licensed marriage and family therapist and author of Restless: How to Stop Living an If-Only Life, Kristen Mosier, about why so many parents feel disconnected from themselves during the parenting years and how we can honor our longings without blowing up our lives. You'll learn: Why feeling restless doesn't mean you're unhappy or ungrateful What "escape ideation" really means (and why it's more common than you think) How intensive parenting and social comparison fuel discontent Why grieving your pre-parent identity matters The difference between restlessness, burnout, and depression Simple ways to bring more novelty, aliveness, and meaning into everyday life How to hold both gratitude for your life and longing for something more This episode is a compassionate reminder that you can deeply love your children and still yearn for more connection, creativity, freedom, or adventure. ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is the host Mindful Parenting Podcast (Top 0.5% podcast ), global speaker, number 1 bestselling author of “Raising Good Humans” and “Raising Good Humans Every Day,” Mindfulness Meditation teacher and creator of the Mindful Parenting Course and Teacher Training. Find more podcasts, Hunter’s books, blog posts, free resources, and more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MindfulMamaMentor.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Discover your Unique-To-You Podcast Playlist at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mindfulmamamentor.com/quiz/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/mindfulmamamentor.com/mindful-mama-podcast-sponsors/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really mean to be "on the same page" as parents? According to therapist and author Martina Nova, it has much less to do with agreeing on every parenting decision—and much more to do with feeling heard, understood, and connected. In this conversation, Hunter Clarke-Fields and Martina explore how our childhood experiences shape the way we parent, why becoming a parent often activates old attachment wounds, and how couples can strengthen their relationship even during the most demanding seasons of family life. They also dive into postpartum mental health, people-pleasing, emotional regulation, and the everyday conversations that create lasting connection. Whether you're parenting alongside a partner, co-parenting after separation, or simply hoping to build a healthier family dynamic, this episode offers practical tools and compassionate insights you can start using today. In this episode, you'll learn: Why parenting often brings unresolved childhood experiences to the surface What being "on the same page" actually means—and why agreement isn't the goal How children learn emotional security by watching conflict and repair Why postpartum mental health affects both parents The subtle ways couples drift apart after becoming parents How people-pleasing creates resentment in parenting and relationships Practical ways to reconnect through intentional conversations Why emotional regulation matters more than perfect parenting How to model healthy communication for your children Small changes that can strengthen your relationship this week If you've ever wondered how to parent as a team while staying connected as partners, this conversation is full of reassuring wisdom and actionable ideas. ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is the host Mindful Parenting Podcast (Top 0.5% podcast ), global speaker, number 1 bestselling author of “Raising Good Humans” and “Raising Good Humans Every Day,” Mindfulness Meditation teacher and creator of the Mindful Parenting Course and Teacher Training. Find more podcasts, Hunter’s books, blog posts, free resources, and more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MindfulMamaMentor.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Discover your Unique-To-You Podcast Playlist at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mindfulmamamentor.com/quiz/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/mindfulmamamentor.com/mindful-mama-podcast-sponsors/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes a child succeed…or wander into an unfulfilled adulthood? New research indicates that the seeds for adult success are often planted in the toddler years, ages 2-5. Dr. Tovah Klein cracks the preschooler code, revealing what you can do to help your toddler grow into a fulfilled child and adult—including how to handle bedtime and sibling fighting. ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is the host Mindful Parenting Podcast (Top 0.5% podcast ), global speaker, number 1 bestselling author of “Raising Good Humans” and “Raising Good Humans Every Day,” Mindfulness Meditation teacher and creator of the Mindful Parenting Course and Teacher Training. Find more podcasts, Hunter’s books, blog posts, free resources, and more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MindfulMamaMentor.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Discover your Unique-To-You Podcast Playlist at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mindfulmamamentor.com/quiz/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/mindfulmamamentor.com/mindful-mama-podcast-sponsors/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most parents don't think of themselves as negotiators—but according to negotiation expert Attia Qureshi, we're negotiating dozens of times every day. Whether you're discussing bedtime, dividing household responsibilities, navigating the mental load, or deciding whose career takes priority, negotiation is happening in the small moments that shape family life. In this conversation, Hunter Clarke-Fields talks with Attia Qureshi, negotiation and influence expert, former MIT lecturer, adjunct professor at the University of Michigan, and co-author of Never Settle. Together, they explore how parents can approach difficult conversations with more mindfulness, clarity, and collaboration. Attia explains why many relationship conflicts aren't really about the surface issue, how people-pleasing and avoidance undermine healthy communication, and why one of the most important negotiations you'll ever have is the one happening inside your own mind. If you've ever struggled with resentment, unequal household labor, or asking for what you need without triggering conflict, this episode offers practical tools you can use immediately. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why negotiation isn't about winning—it's about understanding interests and values• The hidden negotiations couples are having every day• How internal negotiation shapes your relationships• Why avoiding difficult conversations often creates bigger problems later• Practical language for discussing mental load and household responsibilities• How mindfulness helps you stay calm during conflict• Ways to advocate for your needs without becoming adversarial• Communication tools that strengthen connection and cooperation This episode will help you move from frustration and stalemate toward collaboration, understanding, and stronger family relationships. ABOUT HUNTER CLARKE-FIELDS: Hunter Clarke-Fields is the host Mindful Parenting Podcast (Top 0.5% podcast ), global speaker, number 1 bestselling author of “Raising Good Humans” and “Raising Good Humans Every Day,” Mindfulness Meditation teacher and creator of the Mindful Parenting Course and Teacher Training. Find more podcasts, Hunter’s books, blog posts, free resources, and more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MindfulMamaMentor.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Discover your Unique-To-You Podcast Playlist at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mindfulmamamentor.com/quiz/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠/mindfulmamamentor.com/mindful-mama-podcast-sponsors/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices