The Parenting Lab (Help for the Healing Parent)

60. Family Vacations: Expectations vs. Reality (And How to Actually Enjoy Them)

Family vacations are supposed to be magical… so why do they so often leave us feeling disappointed, overwhelmed, or even a little resentful? In this episode, we’re talking about the gap between expectations vs. reality in family vacations and summer with kids - and why even the most thoughtfully planned trips don’t always feel the way we hoped they would. If you’ve ever found yourself thinking: “I put so much into this… why doesn’t it feel better?” - this episode is for you. You’ll learn: * Why we put so much emotional pressure on vacations, summer, and “making memories” * How family dynamics and nervous system patterns don’t disappear on vacation - they intensify * Why trying to force connection, gratitude, or happiness often backfires * How to shift from controlling the experience to actually enjoying it I also share a personal “vacation failure” story (that maybe you'll relate to...I hope! 😅), and the perspective shift that changed how I approach travel, summer, and time with my family. Most importantly, I’ll give you practical anchors to help you stay grounded and connected - even when things don’t go as planned. Because meaningful memories aren’t created through perfect experiences…they’re created through connection, repair, and being fully present in the moment. If you’re heading into summer, planning a trip, or just trying to enjoy time with your kids without the pressure to make it perfect - this conversation will definitely help you do it differently. ♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney Join The Parenting Lab ⁠Facebook Group⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/8627931200664902]! For free resources, online courses, or to join the mailing list, please visit ⁠theparentinglab.org⁠ [http://theparentinglab.org] Follow on Instagram / TikTok / YouTube  ⁠@TheParentingLabPodcast⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/theparentinglabpodcast/] Email Brittney: podcast@theparentinglab.org

59. Fight. Flight. Freeze. Fawn. What is Your Default Stress Response?

Why do you react so strongly in certain moments - snapping, shutting down, avoiding, or people-pleasing - even when you don’t want to? In this episode of The Parenting Lab, we’re breaking down the 4 default stress responses - fight, flight, freeze, and fawn - and how your nervous system shapes the way you show up in parenting, relationships, and everyday life. If you’ve ever wondered: * Why do I overreact to small things? * Why do I shut down in hard conversations? * Why do I avoid conflict or say yes when I mean no? This episode will help you understand what’s actually happening beneath those patterns. You’ll learn: * What each stress response looks like in real life (not just theory) * How your nervous system stores past experiences and reacts automatically * Why these responses are patterns - not personality traits * How your reactions interact with your child’s or partner’s nervous system * Simple ways to start creating space between reaction and response This isn’t about labeling yourself or “fixing” your behavior. It’s about understanding your patterns with more clarity - so you can begin to show up with more intention, more connection, and more alignment with the parent and partner you want to be. If you’re a parent who’s doing everything “right” on the outside but feels reactive, overwhelmed, or disconnected on the inside - this conversation will give you language, insight, and a new way of seeing yourself. Because awareness isn’t the end goal...It’s the beginning of change. ♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney Join The Parenting Lab ⁠Facebook Group⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/8627931200664902]! For free resources, online courses, or to join the mailing list, please visit ⁠theparentinglab.org⁠ [http://theparentinglab.org] Follow on Instagram / TikTok / YouTube  ⁠@TheParentingLabPodcast⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/theparentinglabpodcast/] Email Brittney: podcast@theparentinglab.org

58. Re-Mothering Yourself: The Healing Work That Changes Your Parenting

🌱 The companion ebook, Re-Mothering Yourself: A Journey Back to Safety, Wholeness & Inner Guidance [https://theparentinglab.org/shop/p/re-mothering-yourself], is available now at theparentinglab.org. Mother’s Day can bring up more than flowers, cards, and appreciation. For many women, it also brings exhaustion, grief, resentment, unmet needs, parenting triggers, and the quiet weight of carrying wounds that never fully healed. In this episode, I'm introducing the concept of re-mothering yourself - the process of learning how to give yourself the care, emotional safety, compassion, and support you may not have consistently received growing up. We talk about how childhood wounds, attachment patterns, nervous system responses, and unmet emotional needs continue to shape the way we show up in parenting, relationships, and motherhood today. If you’ve ever found yourself: * Reacting in ways that don’t match the parent you want to be * Feeling emotionally overwhelmed or triggered by your child’s behavior * Struggling with resentment, guilt, or burnout in motherhood * Trying to break generational cycles while still carrying pain from your own childhood * Wondering why parenting feels so emotionally activating …this episode is for you. We dive into: * What re-mothering actually means * How unmet childhood needs show up in parenting * Why parenting can feel so triggering * The connection between nervous system regulation and motherhood * How to stop looking to your children to heal your wounds * Practical ways to begin healing old emotional patterns * What real generational healing actually looks like This conversation is gentle, honest, and deeply validating for mothers who are trying to parent differently while still healing themselves in the process. I also share a guided reflection exercise to help you connect with the younger parts of yourself that still need care, understanding, and support. If you’re interested in topics like gentle parenting, healing your inner child, motherhood burnout, attachment wounds, nervous system healing, parenting triggers, cycle breaking, emotional regulation, self-compassion, and generational healing - this episode will resonate deeply. I hope that wherever you are in your healing journey, you will find a way to experience Mother's Day in a way that is meaningful. ♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney Join The Parenting Lab ⁠Facebook Group⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/8627931200664902]! For free resources, online courses, or to join the mailing list, please visit ⁠theparentinglab.org⁠ [http://theparentinglab.org] Follow on Instagram / TikTok / YouTube  ⁠@TheParentingLabPodcast⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/theparentinglabpodcast/] Email Brittney: podcast@theparentinglab.org

57. I Have Nothing Left to Give

🧘🏼‍♀️Download Lab 5: Regulated - The Science of Safety & The Nervous System [https://theparentinglab.org/shop/p/lab-5-regulated] What do you do when you have nothing left to give… but people still need you? If you’ve ever felt emotionally depleted, overwhelmed, or like you’re running on empty in parenting, your relationship, or your life - this episode is for you. This week on The Parenting Lab, I’m sharing a more personal, unfiltered conversation about what it really looks like to show up when your capacity is low. Not how to push through. Not how to be more patient. But how to stay connected without abandoning yourself. We explore: * Why “I have nothing left” isn’t actually the full truth * The two default patterns parents fall into (overriding vs. withdrawing) * How your nervous system impacts your parenting capacity * A new definition of “showing up” that’s sustainable and aligned * What it looks like to stay present - even at 20% (or less) Because parenting isn’t about being at your best all the time. It’s about staying in relationship - even when you’re tired, overwhelmed, or stretched thin. If you’re trying to break generational patterns, regulate your nervous system, and parent with more awareness and intention… this episode will meet you exactly where you are. ♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney Join The Parenting Lab ⁠Facebook Group⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/8627931200664902]! For free resources, online courses, or to join the mailing list, please visit ⁠theparentinglab.org⁠ [http://theparentinglab.org] Follow on Instagram / TikTok / YouTube  ⁠@TheParentingLabPodcast⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/theparentinglabpodcast/] Email Brittney: podcast@theparentinglab.org

56. Cycle Responsive Parenting: How Hormones Affect Motherhood | with Shara Jackson Harper

🍃 Click HERE [https://theparentinglab.myflodesk.com/hormones] to download your FREE Cycle Responsive Parenting Guide + Mood Tracker This week, I’m joined by women’s health and hormone expert Shara Jackson Harper to explore a topic so many moms experience - but rarely understand: why parenting can feel easier some weeks and so much harder during others. If you’ve ever wondered why you feel patient, playful, and connected one week… then overstimulated, irritable, exhausted, or reactive the next, this episode may bring the relief and validation you’ve been needing. We’re talking about hormones, the menstrual cycle, nervous system capacity, mood shifts, PMS, overstimulation, emotional regulation, and how all of it impacts motherhood. Inside this conversation, we explore: ✨ How estrogen and progesterone shifts affect mood, patience, energy, and parenting capacity ✨ Why some phases of your cycle make connection feel easier - and others make chaos feel unbearable ✨ Why punishment and reactivity often increase when moms are depleted ✨ How to parent with more awareness, compassion, and regulation through every phase of the month ✨ Practical ways to reduce guilt, prevent burnout, and protect your peace ✨ How to talk to your kids and partner about what you need without shame This episode is for moms who feel inconsistent, overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or confused by how differently they can feel throughout the month. You are not broken. You are not failing. You are cyclical. If you’ve been looking for a more compassionate, science-backed way to understand yourself as a mother, this conversation is for you. ♥ Your Parent Coach, Brittney How to work with Shara: Counseling [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/shara-jackson-harper-spanish-fork-ut/1363625] | Instagram: @GrowthInHerSeasons [https://www.instagram.com/growthinherseasons/] Join The Parenting Lab ⁠Facebook Group⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/8627931200664902]! For free resources, online courses, or to join the mailing list, please visit ⁠theparentinglab.org⁠ [http://theparentinglab.org] Follow on Instagram / TikTok / YouTube  ⁠@TheParentingLabPodcast⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/theparentinglabpodcast/] Email Brittney: podcast@theparentinglab.org