174. How to ENJOY Playtime w/ Your Kids Without WISHING You Were Crossing Something Off Your To-Do List Instead

Picture this: You're on the living room floor, making robot sound effects while your kid transforms Bumblebee for the 47th time today. But instead of being present, your brain is screaming about the dishes, that work email you forgot to send, and whether you remembered to put the chicken in the crockpot.

If this hits a little too close to home, you're going to love this episode. I'm sharing the exact moment everything clicked for me - when I stopped seeing playtime as another obligation and started actually enjoying those moments with my son.

What You'll Learn:

• The real reason mom guilt creeps in during playtime (hint: it's not because you're selfish)
• Why your brain won't shut off during kid activities - and how to quiet that mental chatter
• The 3-month Transformer saga that taught me everything about being present vs. productive
• How present parenting actually boosts your productivity instead of killing it
• What to do when your kid ignores you after work (this behavior means something specific)
• One simple question that creates instant connection with moody kids

The Truth About Mom Guilt During Playtime: It's not a character flaw - it's your subconscious sabotage patterns (hyperachiever, overthinker, restless energy) hijacking your focus. Once you learn to spot these patterns and disrupt them in real-time, everything changes. The laundry still gets folded, emails still get answered, but now you also get those sweet connection moments that actually energize you.

👭 Register for a workshop with Sam:

1. The Clarity Reset with Glow Up, Gyrl community! Feeling stuck? Overthinking everything? Join us to learn my simple, strategic 5-step framework that takes you from mental overload to clear, confident action. Register here: https://www.glowupgyrl.com/glow-up-live-events
2. Permission Slips for Ambitious Women hosted at Meraki Beauty in Batavia, NY. In this 90-min strategic journaling workshop, you'll go from daily overwhelm & doing everything for everyone else to peacefully pursuing your true desires (guilt & people-pleasing officially evicted) — without adding more to your already full plate. Guided meditation + strategic journaling + real-time breakthroughs + mimosas!🥂 12 spots only Register here: https://www.samanthapenkoff.com/permissionslipsworkshop

Resources Mentioned:

• Calm Mind Blueprint: https://www.samanthapenkoff.com/calm-mind-pod
• Permission Slips for Ambitious Women: https://www.samanthapenkoff.com/permissionslipsworkshop
• Clarity Reset inside Glow Up Gyrl: https://www.glowupgyrl.com/glow-up-live-events

Ways to work with Samantha:

1:1 coaching: Now accepting applications, 1 spot open. Learn More here: https://www.samanthapenkoff.com/privatecoaching

Connect with Sam on IG: