My brain literally lit up with realizations during this interview, and I realized WHY I procrastinate and better yet, the simple solution to stop doing it.
Learn from parenting expert Jacqueline Green why silly may be the new serious, why “ok” MUST be the new great, and how simplified parenting is the new measure of success.
Calling all Type A mamas…
Calling all overwhelmed mamas…
Calling all mamas who would (and do) do anything for their kids…
You need this wisdom.
It comes from the trenches of a failed marriage, a battle with depression, and Jacqueline’s realization that “doing it all” wasn’t just her goal—it was her downfall. And it wasn’t serving her kids.
Give a listen to find out:
- Why we should all be shooting for Bs
- If we don’t want our pilots checking the plane’s tires, why we need to be more like pilots
- How your parenting screw-up can become your personal win for the day
- One of the most important things we can do for our kids, and why the kitchen is a great place for it to happen
Follow Jacqueline at Great Parenting Simplified and watch for awesome challenges like the “pause button” challenge, for those moments when you’re about to blow.
Can’t view the video? Click to watch “Parenting During the Pandemic” on YouTube.
No time to watch the whole video? Here are the notes!
“Mooooom, I’m hungry!!”
How many times do your kids ask for snacks each day? Wouldn’t it be a relief if they were empowered to prepare their own snacks, instead of coming to you and whining about how hungry they are?
Download and print:
Parenting During a Pandemic Video Time Stamps
- 0:48: Today I have Jacqueline Green with me on the Healthy Parenting Connector. Jacqueline specializes in helping professional moms with school-aged kids, but many of her tips apply to stressed-out moms with children of any age!
- 1:25: Jacqueline shares her story and how she became passionate about helping moms.
I had to learn how to find peace no matter what was going on around me. -Jacqueline Green
Parenting During a Pandemic
- 3:20: Life has changed dramatically for many families since the beginning of the COVID lockdown in March 2020. Jacqueline has observed that moms who were already taking good care of themselves and creating balance in their families are faring better than moms who were already burned out and put their needs last.
- 7:22: Jacqueline has 3 tips to help families have more “at least okay” days.
Keeping Expectations…Low?
- 7:39: Our own expectations of ourselves can be a determining factor in whether or not we’re able to thrive under stress. When our expectations are too high, we see ourselves as a failure and give up trying. If you’re a procrastinator, listen in here for some great insight!
- 9:23: Even ultra-performers can have unrealistic and unmet expectations for themselves. Jacqueline encourages people to aim for Bs so that you’re consistently meeting or exceeding your expectations. This is motivating and encouraging!
- 10:07: Jacqueline makes a case for why an optimal learner should be getting Bs in school. This is a huge shift in the way we think about grades!
- 10:40: My to-do list is never done and always frustrating. Aiming lower is a way to train your brain to see yourself as an achiever, rather than a failure. Which mindset do you think makes you achieve more in the end?
- 11:01: We usually come into parenthood with high expectations. We’re used to succeeding more often, but when all the various pressures of work, home chores, and parenting all collide…we suddenly feel debilitated by our expectations.
- 11:32: Shifting expectations lower will develop grit and self-motivation in your kids.
Seek Parenting Support
- 11:39: Tip #2 is to get good at seeking stellar support. You’ll be the best mom you can be when you’re well supported. This includes mental support and it can mean virtual support.
Celebrating Parenting Wins
- 13:59: Jacqueline’s third tip is to celebrate your wins. Sometimes you might need to be creative, but make sure you find a few wins to celebrate each day! We encourage you to view some everyday tasks as successes!
Celebrating even the tiniest wins is a momentum builder. -Jacqueline Green
- 15:41: We know it’s important for our kids to have a growth mindset, we can model that for them. Use phrases like “Next time could you…” to show the belief that the future can change.
- 16:07: Many times as moms, we’re not good at seeking support from our co-parent or spouse. Men tend to be good at celebrating wins. Jacqueline has some tips for getting your husband more invested and involved as support.
Kids don’t need plastic knives. They need real skills.
Teach safe technique, focus, and confidence in the all-time fav lesson from our kids cooking class! (ages 2-12)
Focus on Life Skills
- 18:42: It’s so important for kids to learn valuable life skills both for their own sake and for your sanity. They can become a part of your support system if they can help make dinner or do their own laundry.
- 19:38: During the pandemic, families have been home much more than usual. Both Jacqueline and I have seen many families focusing on some life skills that get pushed to the side during “normal” life.
- 20:31: Food is a powerful way to connect with our kids. Do you have specific recipes that you remember cooking with a grandparent or parent? Food connects us and links us through generations.
- 22:20: At Kids Cook Real Food™™ our three Cs are connection, confidence, and creativity. There are two things that happen almost every time I tell someone that I teach a cooking class for kids.
- 23:31: Jacqueline shares a bit of the challenges her own mother faced and how she did the best she could, but the lack of support and high expectations affected the family.
Start smaller and celebrate your wins instead of being mad at yourself because you know you could do a better job. You could, but you could also do a much worse job. -Jacqueline Green
- 26:04: Sometimes a win is saying “Man, I messed up, but I’m going to go apologize to my kids.”
- 26:26: Our tendency to be self-sacrificing can lead us down the wrong road. If you find yourself losing it with your kids a lot, you need some tools or support to reduce stress.
- 27:18: We talk about how some of Jacqueline’s strategies translate to stay-at-home or part-time working moms. Lowering expectations is still a game-changer. The more you’re with your kids, the stronger they can feel the weight of your expectations on them.
“Mooooom, I’m hungry!!”
How many times do your kids ask for snacks each day? Wouldn’t it be a relief if they were empowered to prepare their own snacks, instead of coming to you and whining about how hungry they are?
Download and print:
- 30:27: Aiming for Bs means your kids are more confident to go out there and follow their dreams.
- 30:51: There’s a difference between rejuvenating self-care and passive self-care. Learn what rejuvenates you and prioritize that.
- 31:11: Endlessly consuming parenting information leads to further overwhelm. Try consuming less content and take time to apply what you already know.
- 33:05: We leave you with one thing to stat today! Write down 5 wins every single day!
“I just want my kids to eat what I make!”
This free 5-day challenge was made for you.
Spend just 30 minutes a day learning practical strategies that reduce mealtime battles and help kids build confidence with food.
Resources we Mention for Parenting During the Pandemic
- Follow Jacqueline at Great Parenting Simplified and watch for awesome challenges like the “pause button” challenge, for those moments when you’re about to blow.
- Follow Jacqueline on her social media accounts here: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
- Basics of stress mastery: part 1 and part 2
Jacqueline Green, is the founder of the international Great Parenting Simplified movement (the organization is now a nonprofit cooperative!). She’s also the author of the upcoming book, Strong Enough to Stay; Work it Out or Leave Happy. She’s been a parenting coach, educator, and popular speaker for 20 years, specializing in helping stressed out, professional women who have school-aged kids. Since 2010, Jacqueline has also interviewed over 150 of the world’s top parenting-related educators.
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