What if setting family goals didn’t feel overwhelming—or like one more thing to get right?

In this episode, I’m sharing a gentle, realistic approach to setting family goals for 2026 that offer direction without pressure and intention without perfection. Instead of rigid resolutions or systems that fall apart by February, we talk about how families can choose a shared target—and allow the path there to flex as life unfolds.

You’ll learn:

• Why family goals work best when they function as a compass, not a contract
• How to create goals that support calm, connection, and cooperation
• What to focus on if you want lasting change without power struggles
• How small shifts (not big overhauls) create meaningful momentum

I also walk you through a simple Family Goals Reflection Guide: https://www.etsy.com/listing/4434156021/family-new-years-resolution-goals-pdf-to, you can download in the show notes—designed to help your family reflect on tech, connection, fun, service, wellness, and relationships in a way that feels supportive and doable.

If you’re craving a calmer, more intentional year—this episode is your starting point.

✨Want more?

✨Black Friday Savings: The Calm Cooperation Toolkit & Emotional Resilience Toolkit (BIG SAVINGS):

✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have. Together, we'll make a plan for your best next steps to have more calm & confidence in parenting - while having kids that listen!:)

✨NEW✨ pdfs and short video lessons on Respect, Bedtimes, Power Struggles and More: ON ETSY!

✨ Download the FREE pdf. on getting kids to listen, for strategies that take you out of the "gentle mom - monster mom" cycle, with effective positive parenting strategies.

✨ Sign up for an upcoming LIVE ONLINE workshop with Flora, or purchase a past replay: https://sustainableparenting.com/workshop where you get 30 min. of learning and 30 min. of LIVE Q & A time, with replays sent afterwards.

✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) ...

Screens often show up as gifts—but they come with big questions. In this episode, we talk honestly about kids’ tech, family values, and how to decrease those overwhelming tantrums over tech.

If you’re focused on raising confident kids while keeping tech in its place, this episode will support you. If you have struggled to know where to set boundaries on tech, this will give you those clear guardrails.

By the time you finish listening, you’ll learn:

• Why boredom supports creativity and listening (how to get kids to listen without more rules)
• What’s happening in the brain when games and apps rely on constant rewards
• How kind and firm parenting reduces screen-related power struggles
• Why not all screens are equal—and what to watch out for
• How positive discipline and clear limits protect sleep, mood, and attention

Need SCREEN-FREE ideas? We got you! 👇🏼

https://courses.sustainableparenting.com/products/digital_downloads/screenfreeFun

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✨Black Friday Savings: The Calm Cooperation Toolkit & Emotional Resilience Toolkit (BIG SAVINGS):

✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have. Together, we'll make a plan for your best next steps to have more calm & confidence in parenting - while having kids that listen!:)

✨NEW✨ pdfs and short video lessons on Respect, Bedtimes, Power Struggles and More: ON ETSY!

✨ Download the FREE pdf. on getting kids to listen, for strategies that take you out of the "gentle mom - monster mom" cycle, with effective positive parenting strategies.

✨ Sign up for an upcoming LIVE ONLINE workshop with Flora, or purchase a past replay: https://sustainableparenting.com/workshop where you get 30 min. of learning and 30 min. of LIVE Q & A time, with replays sent afterwards.

✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) ...

Power struggles don’t end because we find the perfect argument; they end because someone helps the room feel safe again. We unpack a practical, science-backed shift from control to connection that brings cooperation faster and with far less effort.

Drawing on HeartMath’s research on heart coherence, Bruce Perry’s state-dependent brain science, and Ross Greene’s collaborative problem solving, we show how a calm presence, a softer voice, and a few validating words can lower defenses and invite real reasoning back online.

You’ll hear real-life wins that make the science feel doable: a preteen upset about missing class for therapy softens with one clean reflection, and a toddler melting down for a same-day shot calms once feelings are named and a plan is promised for later. Along the way, we cut through common myths about validation, explain why arguing fuels arguing, and offer language you can use tonight.

If you’ve been stuck between being too gentle or too harsh, this middle path—kindness plus firmness—will help you parent smarter, not harder, while building your child’s resilience.

If this conversation helped, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help others find sustainable parenting tools.

✨Want more?

✨Black Friday Savings: The Calm Cooperation Toolkit & Emotional Resilience Toolkit (BIG SAVINGS):

✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have. Together, we'll make a plan for your best next steps to have more calm & confidence in parenting - while having kids that listen!:)

✨NEW✨ pdfs and short video lessons on Respect, Bedtimes, Power Struggles and More: ON ETSY!

✨ Download the FREE pdf. on getting kids to listen, for strategies that take you out of the "gentle mom - monster mom" cycle, with effective positive parenting strategies.

✨ Sign up for an upcoming LIVE ONLINE workshop with Flora, or purchase a past replay: https://sustainableparenting.com/workshop where you get 30 min. of learning and 30 min. of LIVE Q & A time, with replays sent afterwards.

✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) ...

This week I’m diving into a spicy truth:
Gentle parenting may be wrecking your holidays.

Not because you weren’t patient enough…
Not because you didn’t validate enough…
But because the version of Gentle Parenting most parents try to use during holidays simply doesn’t work.

In this episode, I break down why your Positive Parenting Strategies fell apart the minute your child got overwhelmed, overstimulated, or embarrassed — and why you ended up walking on eggshells while still dealing with tantrums, arguments, hoarding, sibling fights, or shame-spirals.

I’ll share real stories from recent client sessions, including:

• A child who hoarded toys from cousins and melted down when gently “reasoned with”

You’ll hear how Sustainable Parenting blends Kind and Firm Parenting — boundaries, leadership, AND warmth — so your kids finally relax, cooperate, and feel safe.

If you want Raising Resilient Kids, Raising Confident Kids, and Parenting Without Yelling, this episode will help you discover the missing link that gentle parenting didn’t teach you.

Join me as we rebuild your parenting toolbox with dependable calm… and a plan that actually helps your kids listen — even during the holidays.

✨Want more?

✨Black Friday Savings: The Calm Cooperation Toolkit & Emotional Resilience Toolkit (BIG SAVINGS):

✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have. Together, we'll make a plan for your best next steps to have more calm & confidence in parenting - while having kids that listen!:)

✨NEW✨ pdfs and short video lessons on Respect, Bedtimes, Power Struggles and More: ON ETSY!

✨ Download the FREE pdf. on getting kids to listen, for strategies that take you out of the "gentle mom - monster mom" cycle, with effective positive parenting strategies.

✨ Sign up for an upcoming LIVE ONLINE workshop with Flora, or purchase a past replay: https://sustainableparenting.com/workshop where you get 30 min. of learning and 30 min. of LIVE Q & A time, with replays sent afterwards.

✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) ...

Do you ever find yourself thinking, “Why is she being so difficult?”

If so, you’re in the right place — and you’re definitely not alone.

I’m Flora McCormick, Licensed Professional Counselor and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant- and in this episode I’m sharing a powerful reframe that brings so much relief in those tough moments:

Instead of asking “Why is she acting out?” shift to “What is she having a hard time with?”

This one question changes the whole tone of the interaction and helps kids listen far more easily.

Inside this episode, you’ll hear:

• What defiance really looks and sounds like in ages 3–10

• Why gentle parenting can accidentally slip into permissive parenting

• My simple 3-step “Calm → Connect → Direct” script that works without yelling or endless explaining

• How to validate feelings while still holding firm boundaries

• How to use when/then statements and two-choice follow-throughs to stop power struggles

• The easiest way to avoid lecture loops and over-talking

• Three real-life scenarios (bedtime, leaving the park, sibling fights) with the exact words I use in my own home and with clients

If you’re craving Positive Parenting Strategies that actually work in the heat of the moment — not just in theory — this episode will feel like a breath of fresh air.

You’ll walk away with tools for:

• How to Get Kids to Listen,
• Parenting Without Yelling,
• Gentle Discipline,
• Kind and Firm Parenting,
• Positive Discipline,
• Raising Resilient Kids.

Press play and discover how a simple shift and a simple script can transform the hardest moments into calmer, more connected ones.

✨Want more?

✨Black Friday Savings: The Calm Cooperation Toolkit & Emotional Resilience Toolkit (BIG SAVINGS):

✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have. Together, we'll make a plan for your best next steps to have more calm & confidence in parenting - while having kids that listen!:)

✨NEW✨ pdfs and short video lessons on Respect, Bedtimes, Power Struggles and More: ON ETSY!

✨ Download the FREE pdf. on getting kids to listen, for strategies that take you out of the "gentle mom - monster mom" cycle, with effective positive parenting strategies.

✨ Sign up for an upcoming LIVE ONLINE workshop with Flora, or purchase a past replay: https://sustainableparenting.com/workshop where you get 30 min. of learning and 30 min. of LIVE Q & A time, with replays sent afterwards.

✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) ...

If you’ve been trying so hard to stay calm, validate feelings, and reason with your child — but still end up in power struggles, meltdowns, or 20-minute debates about a broken banana — this episode is your breath of fresh air.

Flora McCormick, LCPC — parenting coach, counselor, and mom of two — reveals the surprising missing piece that makes gentle parenting actually work: learning to talk less.

You’ll hear a real client story of how one mom transformed morning battles simply by saying fewer words — and gain practical Positive Parenting Strategies you can use today to help your kids listen more and argue less.

Inside this episode, you’ll discover:
• Why reasoning and explaining often backfire when kids are upset
• How silence and calm presence soothe the brain faster than words
• What “Kind and Firm Parenting” looks like in real moments of chaos

Parenting doesn’t have to be a 20-minute negotiation.
Tune in to learn how to stop power struggles, calm big feelings, and guide your child with confidence — without yelling or over-explaining.

✨Want more?

✨Black Friday Savings: The Calm Cooperation Toolkit & Emotional Resilience Toolkit (BIG SAVINGS):

✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have. Together, we'll make a plan for your best next steps to have more calm & confidence in parenting - while having kids that listen!:)

✨NEW✨ pdfs and short video lessons on Respect, Bedtimes, Power Struggles and More: ON ETSY!

✨ Download the FREE pdf. on getting kids to listen, for strategies that take you out of the "gentle mom - monster mom" cycle, with effective positive parenting strategies.

✨ Sign up for an upcoming LIVE ONLINE workshop with Flora, or purchase a past replay: https://sustainableparenting.com/workshop where you get 30 min. of learning and 30 min. of LIVE Q & A time, with replays sent afterwards.

✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) ...

"My mom's a parenting coach and yes, it's annoying." Hear this, and more, in today's episode.

Today my special parenting expert guest is... my daughter, Eva! This is a chance for you to hear how we talk through challenges, problem-solve, and think about ways to manage tough situations.

In this episode, we explore how kind and firm parenting works, from the perspective of a 9-year-old.

Eva shares a child’s-eye view of what works, why “Annoying but effective” limits help, and how simple cues beat constant nagging.

• teaching through everyday observations without judgment
• revising consequences that don’t change behavior
• using charts as a neutral "third party bad guy."
• weekly screen-time tracking with visible limits
• chore clarity through shared calendars
• validating all feelings while limiting harmful actions
• reset choices: 1)silent hug or 2) space to calm down, so your child is able to calm down.
• disengaging from yelling while keeping connection open.

I hope you enjoy this very REAL life view at our family communication.

Mentioned Episode:

Episode 37 - How to Help Kids Calm Down Without Time Out

✨Want more?

✨Black Friday Savings: The Calm Cooperation Toolkit & Emotional Resilience Toolkit (BIG SAVINGS):

✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have. Together, we'll make a plan for your best next steps to have more calm & confidence in parenting - while having kids that listen!:)

✨NEW✨ pdfs and short video lessons on Respect, Bedtimes, Power Struggles and More: ON ETSY!

✨ Download the FREE pdf. on getting kids to listen, for strategies that take you out of the "gentle mom - monster mom" cycle, with effective positive parenting strategies.

✨ Sign up for an upcoming LIVE ONLINE workshop with Flora, or purchase a past replay: https://sustainableparenting.com/workshop where you get 30 min. of learning and 30 min. of LIVE Q & A time, with replays sent afterwards.

✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) ...

If you're having bedtime, out-the-door, or morning battles where your partner swoops in mid-meltdown, sending you into a rage, you’re not alone.

In this episode, Flora McCormick, LCPC — parenting coach and host of the Sustainable Parenting Podcast — shares 3 simple Positive Discipline tools that help you end power struggles without yelling, shaming, or giving in.

You’ll learn:
✨ How to use one powerful c-word to get your children to listen more quickly.
✨ How to reset the whole family system that has been right in these tug-o-wars.

✨ How to invite cooperation instead of barking orders that fuel defiance

These tools work whether you’re guiding toddlers or tweens — and they help you and your partner stay on the same team, even in the toughest parenting moments.

Because calm, confident parenting isn’t about perfection. It’s about having the right tools to bring connection and structure back to your home — one day, one conversation at a time.

🎧 Tune in for Positive Parenting Strategies that actually work — helping you raise resilient, respectful kids while creating peace between you and your partner.

✨Want more?

✨Black Friday Savings: The Calm Cooperation Toolkit & Emotional Resilience Toolkit (BIG SAVINGS):

✨Schedule a FREE 20 min clarity call with Sustainable Parenting, so we can answer any questions you may have. Together, we'll make a plan for your best next steps to have more calm & confidence in parenting - while having kids that listen!:)

✨NEW✨ pdfs and short video lessons on Respect, Bedtimes, Power Struggles and More: ON ETSY!

✨ Download the FREE pdf. on getting kids to listen, for strategies that take you out of the "gentle mom - monster mom" cycle, with effective positive parenting strategies.

✨ Sign up for an upcoming LIVE ONLINE workshop with Flora, or purchase a past replay: https://sustainableparenting.com/workshop where you get 30 min. of learning and 30 min. of LIVE Q & A time, with replays sent afterwards.

✨ Buy a 3 session Coaching Bundle (saving you $100) ...