12: When Parenting is Hard with MommaCusses

12/05/22 • 48 min

Parenting has its moments. Some are good, some are bad, some fill you with heart-melting fuzziness, and some make you ask, “What in the world was I thinking?” We all have visions of our parenting ideal, but real life gives us way too many opportunities to turn into the kind of mom we don’t even recognize. To sum it up, parenting is hard! If you are that parent who needs encouragement today, join us for today’s episode–and I welcome you to join us even if you are not a parent. You might learn something valuable, too!

I’m joined by Momma Cusses, aka Gwenna Laithland. She got her start as a writer at the age of 18 and soon branched out into content marketing and has worked with museums, professional sports teams, accounting firms, and universities to help refine their content. She started Momma Cusses in 2020 in hopes of normalizing modern motherhood and giving moms a place to connect and feel less alone.

Show Highlights:

Gwenna’s story: her history of parenting in reactive mode as a young mom who came out of an abusive relationship–and the realization that hit her about what she was doing to her daughter
Why there is not a magic answer or therapy tool for those reactive parenting moments when you lose your mind
The difference in responsive vs. reactive parenting
Gwenna’s advice about handling endless questions from your kids
How our past personal issues determine the behaviors that send us into “Reactive Parent Mode”
Why gentle parenting is NOT about how you parent but about how you regulate yourself
Why “gentle childing” should NOT be what you want for your child
How to do “offline work” with your child when emotions are not elevated
How to gain a new perspective on parenting under stress
Why there is immense value in a parent who can say, “I’m sorry”
Why we should stop demonizing screen time and teach our 21st-century kids to use devices responsibly
Why it’s healthy to realize that you do not have to accept every “invitation” from your child
How to find the “middle ground” when you are reparenting yourself while parenting your child