In this episode, Dr. Nicole Saphier and parenting expert Holly Swenson explore the growing mental health crisis impacting children and adults—especially during the holiday season. They discuss the warning signs of emotional distress in kids, the powerful role social media plays in anxiety and depression, and why parental awareness has never been more critical. Holly shares insights from her work on conscious parenting, explaining how self-care, setting emotional boundaries, and creating calm at home can help families thrive. Plus, they reveal why boredom may actually be the secret to boosting creativity and resilience in today’s overwhelmed children. Wellness Unmasked is part of the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Podcast Network - new episodes debut every Tuesday & Friday.
Follow Clay & Buck on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/clayandbuck
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to Wellness on MASS. I'm doctor Nicole Sapphire and
today's show is a great one because we are in
the thick of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season,
which can be a wonderful time for many. It is
a time for joy and family and togetherness and celebrations
and rooting ourselves in our faith or whatever it is
that we believe in. But the holiday season can be tough.
(00:22):
It can be tough on a lot of people, some
people who are dealing with loneliness. It can be stressful
for kids, it can be stressful for adults, and it's
really important that we take the time to acknowledge what
we're all dealing with. And I am very excited that
we have author Holly Swenson. She has a new book
called Stop, Drop, Grow and Glow, forming deeper and more
(00:43):
joyful connections with yourself and your children. She's also a
registered nurse and a mother of four, so she obviously
knows a little bit what she's talking about and I'm
very excited to have her on today. Thanks for joining
Wellness on Masshi, Nicole, thank you for having me. Absolutely
so I have been talking about, you know, mental health
obviously mental health crisis that we find ourselves in this country,
(01:04):
not only just kids, but adults too. This isn't new news.
In fact, we've been talking about this for the last
five to ten years. It's only just rapidly gotten worse
throughout COVID. But I'm always so cautious to talk about it,
even more as we enter the holiday seasons because, as
you know, the holidays it can be a warm, wonderful
(01:25):
time for people, but it can also be tough for others.
Talk to us a little bit about it. Yeah, you're
so right.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
I mean, the holidays are a joyful time for many,
but it's important to point out this time of year
isn't joyful for all children.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
I mean, you know, as much.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
As we would like it to be, there are a
lot of realities in today's world that unfortunately our children
are living with. There's a lot of anxiety, a lot
of depression, and children are incredibly sensitive and so if
there are things going on at home in the.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
School socially, it can really play.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Out and not a good way for our children. And
so I think just having awareness, having conversation about this,
bringing this to the our front for our adults, our parents,
it's really important so that they can keep a pulse
on what's going on with their children, especially this time
of year.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
So for you know, talking to parents, because a lot
of parents they always like to say, my kid's doing
just fine. You know, not everyone is as in tune.
Especially as we have a rise in digital media social media,
kids are spending more time there and less face to
face time with their peers, teachers, and even their parents.
So what are some warning signs for parents to be
(02:27):
checking in on their kids to make sure that they're
doing okay right?
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Well, you know, I think what you want to watch
watch out for. Well, first of all, it's really important
to note that children often act out versus verbalize their feelings,
so you might you know, you might also see regression
in some of our younger children, So milestones that they've hit,
they might be reverting back to things that they had
already previously mastered, so they can become more clingy, more dependent,
(02:54):
and you know, and I think it's also important to
just look out for things like changes and appetite or sleep.
They might be oversleeping, trouble sleeping. They might be suffering
from headaches or stomachaches. They might even be having increased
irritability or mood swings. So those are some basics to
really keep an eye out for, you know. And I
think it's also important to really try to have good
(03:14):
you know, I think good making time to really have
that person in person contact with your children. So a
lot of children are also really dependent on their screens
and making time to you know, have family games. Making
sure you're really connecting meal times, that sort of thing
is going to also help to buffer any of this
going on this time of year.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Yeah, it's interesting you mentioned meal times because I was
you know, I've been talking a lot about social media
use and kids, and one of the things that we're
starting to see is there's a push for a ban
on kids, or to restrict it to certain ages. Australia
is getting ready to do a ban. I think it's
for age sixteen. For me, I think that's a great
idea to be restricting kids from social media. I think
(03:56):
kids are going to be kids. I mean, my kids
know more about VPNs than I do. They want to
get on social media. They're going to get on social media.
And so while I do think there is a role
for government in terms of strict age verification, making sure
that big Tech's being held liable for some of their
malicious targeting campaigns of kids. I also think a lot
of it comes from the home as well. Parents are
(04:17):
the best examples for their kids. Parents are on social
media and on their phones just as much, maybe even
more than their kids are. So if they're exhibiting that behavior,
the kids are going to as well. The phone should
not be out at the dinner table. I personally don't
think phones should be going upstairs with kids, and I
don't know why people put pads and phones in their kids'
hands in the car. All of this really just does
(04:38):
away from that social interaction and these important times when
you're supposed to be talking and checking in with your kids.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
You're so right, and you know, we have four children
on our own, so you know, I'm walking this path
with everyone else out there who's raising children. And because
those are two areas that were really strict on in
our house to have no phones at the dinner table
and no phones in the bedroom, and I think that's
a great place to start. It is doing damage to
our children, and that is also a big part of
why we're seeing an uptick in anxiety and depression and
(05:08):
the other thing. I think that's important here to mention
for our families who live in colder that you may
watch out for. So, yes, the social peace, but also
the reality with the weather, the seasonal effective disorders.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
I don't know. Yes, I love this. You won't stop
that and say I love thing you're talking about this,
Keep going.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Well, I live in Montana and so we live with
this if we have cold, dark days, I mean we're
the sun is starting to set around four thirty here,
and so for any of our families living in colder climates,
also just keep this in your periphery because like for
our family, we end up giving our boys vitamin D
to help buffer because a lot of people are low
(05:47):
with invitamin D and this can impact the way you're feeling.
So I also want to just plant that seed for
any families who are living in colder, darker places this
time of year.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Yeah, and full disclosure, you're registered nurse, so you're obviously
well and tuned on this. I'm a medical doctor. I
think we could talk about this, you know, until we're
blue in the face. But seasonal effective disorder, it is
absolutely real, and it is physiologic and it's not just
in your head. There's physiological changes that happened from more
decreased exposure to the sun, specifically our lack of vitamin D.
(06:17):
Here in my household where the exact same way. We
try to get that natural sunlight as much as possible.
I literally make my kids go out in the cold
when the sun is out, roll up their sleeves, just
that fifteen minutes of sun on the skin being absorbed
is important. Taking the supplements great things. We actually always
plan a suddy vacation in January, just knowing that that's
(06:39):
like the epicenter of the darkness for us, because I
know that my family needs that desperately. So I think
keeping that in mind is really important. It's great that
you brought that up.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
More.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Coming up on Wellness Unmasked with doctor Nicole Sapphire. You
wrote a book. Tell me about your book.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Yeah, So, I wrote a book called Stop, Drop, Grow,
and Glow. And this book is really rooted in conscious parenting,
so helping people to wake up more fully in their lives.
I think for so many parents, especially, they carry stuff
with them when they step into parenthood that maybe they
haven't processed, and it's really keeping them from living in
the present with their children, or it's impacting the relationships.
And so I wanted to create something that would help
(07:21):
people awaken more fully, really cultivate more self awareness of
how they're showing up, how their actions are impacting their children,
even their significant other. And so my book really builds
on itself. And so it's you know, stop, drop and glow.
It's the framework is where the magic happens. And so
it's it asks you to go deeper, I think than
a lot of parenting books and look at you know,
(07:43):
really hold that mirror up to yourself and see how
you're doing, how you're feeling. I think it's important to
nurture the individual, but also to take care of the parents.
So I think those those two parts of who you
are as a mother or father need to be tended
to separately. Another big part of my book is self
care that I really you know, for me, being a
mother of four, I have found partnering with self care
(08:05):
on a daily basis is really a necessity. It's not
a luxury. So that's something I really drive hard, drive
home hard in my book as well, but it really
is it's a ground up. It's also asking people to release,
any drama, trauma, any personal pass lived experiences that are
keeping them from living in the now and leaning on
habits that are really going to help them expand transform
in their lives. So things like mindfulness, diet, exercise, promoting
(08:28):
really healthy sleep, high giene so that you know you
can function. If you're not sleeping, you're not going to
feel good. And also thanking your children for all they've
taught you. As much as we teach our children, our
children are teaching us just as much, if not more,
every single day.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
You know, I think it's so important that you talk
about self care. You know, I kind of say to myself,
but I also say to my patients that you're no
good for anyone else if you're not taking care of yourself. So,
as mothers, we intrinsically want to take care of everyone.
But if we're not focusing and really carving out that
time for ourselves, then we're running ourselves dry and we're
not going to be able to be there for other people.
(09:02):
So self care is not vanity, it's not being selfish,
it's taking care of ourselves is actually taking care of
those around us. You just have to change that mindset
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Absolutely and it's not easy to do because I think
a lot of us grew up with that programming that
it is a selfish act. And what I've found is
when I don't take care of myself, I'm not as
effective at taking care of my family, my children, even
the work I do. But when I make time every day,
even if it's five minutes, even if you don't have
a lot of extra time learning to get quiet learning
how you know. Like for me, one of the things
that I've really partnered with is doing meditation and prayer
(09:34):
every morning before my family gets up, and that has
been tremendously beneficial because when I receive my children, I
am operating from a grounded, more mindful, more loving space
and it sets the tone for my day. So it
can be, you know, show up differently for each each person,
but for me, it's been very beneficial.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
You know, in the morning is when I do my workout.
One because I'm terrible at working out in the evening
because I really crash towards the evening and I'm an
early person. But it's the same thing. I get my
work out done, I feel accomplished, my blood is flowing,
my endorphins are going I'm setting the precedent for the day,
and when I get to my children, I am already
feeling good for the day. And it's not just like
(10:14):
dragging myself out of bed and saying, okay, kids, now
when we've got breakfast and get our bags ready and everything,
just to get everyone out the door. I think it's
really important for parents to take that time in the
morning to kind of set the tone for their day
before they enter the beautiful chaos that is the life
of motherhood. Absolutely heading into the holidays, you know, we're
(10:34):
a couple weeks away, what are some tips for parents,
like what concrete steps, what can they be doing right
now to check in with themselves, checking in with their
kids a little bit more and getting through this crazy
time beer.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Yeah, well, I think a great place to start is
really just doing like a body scan of like how
are you doing? You know, and you might even feel
like physical tightness in your body somewhere, but you know,
maybe you get headaches. Maybe you start to start noticing
what your body is telling you and start connecting that
mind with the heart center that's going to help tremendously
start noticing in your own body what you need and
(11:06):
you know, if you're if you're somebody that doesn't give
much to yourself, maybe invite a little bit of that,
you know, as much as you're giving to other people.
Start penciling yourself in maybe twenty minutes a day just
to start feeling a shift in your life. So you
can start small. But what you're going to find is
the more you start noticing, the more you start showing
up for yourself, the better you're going to feel, the
(11:27):
better able you're going to be able to care for
those around you, and for your children, I think, really
notice how they're doing. I mean, this time of year
is joyful, but it can also be stressful. A lot
of child's children are over stimulated, over sugared, and so
notice when your kids need some quiet.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
You know, you can go, go, go, you can do
the events, you can.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Do the holiday parties, but also make time every day
to get quiet with your children and maybe help them
unwind in a way that's not stimulated. So making time,
you know, maybe it's the end of the day where
you curl up with a book, or you make a
cup of camel meal tea or you you know, you
know you have a quiet space in your home where
they can just like unplug and unwind.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
So I think just getting more aware of what you need.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
And noticing what your children might need, because children don't
always even know what it is they need, but you,
as a parent might be able to see that, hey,
they need they need a little bit of a breather,
and I'm going to help them find that calm if
that's what's needed.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
I think that's so important, finding those moments of calm,
especially with the hustle and bustle of the holidays. We
as a family, we've been trying to do board games
on the nights where we don't really have anything. TVs
are off, phones are away playing some board games. You know,
sometimes my kids will tell me I'm bored, why can't
I do Why can't I watch a movie? And I'm like,
it is not my role to entertain you. You have
(12:41):
a lot of things you could find in this house
you can do, or you can just lay there and contemplate. Like,
kids are never too lot to just sit and meditate
and think, so as parents, it is not our role
in life to entertain them. We don't have to fill
each moment of their schedule. But if you're not going
to have them doing activities like any extracurricular You can't
(13:01):
just then give them a digital device to fill that space.
Let them be in that space. I think that's so
important for these younger generations.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Boredom is where creativity stems, and we really have lost
connection with that. So I am totally on board with
what you're saying. I think boredom is really an underutilized
practice to partner with. And I will also share last
night we pulled out cards and we played cards for
half an hour. We were giggling as a family. And
it doesn't take much but just making time whether it's
a board game, card game, even you know, throwing the
(13:31):
ball with your kid. It doesn't take much, but making
time every day to go there with them. It's so
meaningful and it's going to help them find more presence
in their life.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Well, Holly, thank you so much. I think this will
benefit a lot of people. Where can people find your book?
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Yes, you can find my book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble,
anywhere you buy your books. It's also available on Audible
and anywhere you buy your audiobooks.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
I love it. Thanks so much for joining Wellness in
mass Thank you very much. This was a great conversation
with Holly. I think we all know that we're in
the midst of a mental health crisis here in the
United States. It started over a decade ago, it only
got worse throughout COVID parents. We have to stop blaming
everyone around us for what's going on with their kids. Yes, COVID, yes,
the schools, yes, digital content, social media, all of it,
(14:15):
but it all really comes down to what's happening in
the home. Be an example for your kids. Make sure
you're checking in with them. They're only young once. Prioritize
your time with them, that face to face interaction. It's
the best thing you can do. And by the way,
just like we are saying, take care of yourself, because
if you're not taking care of yourself, you're not going
to be good for anyone else around you. That's it
(14:36):
for today. I'm doctor Nicole Staffire. Thanks for listening to
Wellness and Mass on iHeartRadio. You can also find us
on Have a Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts,
and we'll see you next time.
Welcome to Wellness on MASS. I'm doctor Nicole Sapphire and
today's show is a great one because we are in
the thick of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season,
which can be a wonderful time for many. It is
a time for joy and family and togetherness and celebrations
and rooting ourselves in our faith or whatever it is
that we believe in. But the holiday season can be tough.
(00:22):
It can be tough on a lot of people, some
people who are dealing with loneliness. It can be stressful
for kids, it can be stressful for adults, and it's
really important that we take the time to acknowledge what
we're all dealing with. And I am very excited that
we have author Holly Swenson. She has a new book
called Stop, Drop, Grow and Glow, forming deeper and more
(00:43):
joyful connections with yourself and your children. She's also a
registered nurse and a mother of four, so she obviously
knows a little bit what she's talking about and I'm
very excited to have her on today. Thanks for joining
Wellness on Masshi, Nicole, thank you for having me. Absolutely
so I have been talking about, you know, mental health
obviously mental health crisis that we find ourselves in this country,
(01:04):
not only just kids, but adults too. This isn't new news.
In fact, we've been talking about this for the last
five to ten years. It's only just rapidly gotten worse
throughout COVID. But I'm always so cautious to talk about it,
even more as we enter the holiday seasons because, as
you know, the holidays it can be a warm, wonderful
(01:25):
time for people, but it can also be tough for others.
Talk to us a little bit about it. Yeah, you're
so right.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
I mean, the holidays are a joyful time for many,
but it's important to point out this time of year
isn't joyful for all children.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
I mean, you know, as much.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
As we would like it to be, there are a
lot of realities in today's world that unfortunately our children
are living with. There's a lot of anxiety, a lot
of depression, and children are incredibly sensitive and so if
there are things going on at home in the.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
School socially, it can really play.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Out and not a good way for our children. And
so I think just having awareness, having conversation about this,
bringing this to the our front for our adults, our parents,
it's really important so that they can keep a pulse
on what's going on with their children, especially this time
of year.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
So for you know, talking to parents, because a lot
of parents they always like to say, my kid's doing
just fine. You know, not everyone is as in tune.
Especially as we have a rise in digital media social media,
kids are spending more time there and less face to
face time with their peers, teachers, and even their parents.
So what are some warning signs for parents to be
(02:27):
checking in on their kids to make sure that they're
doing okay right?
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Well, you know, I think what you want to watch
watch out for. Well, first of all, it's really important
to note that children often act out versus verbalize their feelings,
so you might you know, you might also see regression
in some of our younger children, So milestones that they've hit,
they might be reverting back to things that they had
already previously mastered, so they can become more clingy, more dependent,
(02:54):
and you know, and I think it's also important to
just look out for things like changes and appetite or sleep.
They might be oversleeping, trouble sleeping. They might be suffering
from headaches or stomachaches. They might even be having increased
irritability or mood swings. So those are some basics to
really keep an eye out for, you know. And I
think it's also important to really try to have good
(03:14):
you know, I think good making time to really have
that person in person contact with your children. So a
lot of children are also really dependent on their screens
and making time to you know, have family games. Making
sure you're really connecting meal times, that sort of thing
is going to also help to buffer any of this
going on this time of year.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Yeah, it's interesting you mentioned meal times because I was
you know, I've been talking a lot about social media
use and kids, and one of the things that we're
starting to see is there's a push for a ban
on kids, or to restrict it to certain ages. Australia
is getting ready to do a ban. I think it's
for age sixteen. For me, I think that's a great
idea to be restricting kids from social media. I think
(03:56):
kids are going to be kids. I mean, my kids
know more about VPNs than I do. They want to
get on social media. They're going to get on social media.
And so while I do think there is a role
for government in terms of strict age verification, making sure
that big Tech's being held liable for some of their
malicious targeting campaigns of kids. I also think a lot
of it comes from the home as well. Parents are
(04:17):
the best examples for their kids. Parents are on social
media and on their phones just as much, maybe even
more than their kids are. So if they're exhibiting that behavior,
the kids are going to as well. The phone should
not be out at the dinner table. I personally don't
think phones should be going upstairs with kids, and I
don't know why people put pads and phones in their kids'
hands in the car. All of this really just does
(04:38):
away from that social interaction and these important times when
you're supposed to be talking and checking in with your kids.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
You're so right, and you know, we have four children
on our own, so you know, I'm walking this path
with everyone else out there who's raising children. And because
those are two areas that were really strict on in
our house to have no phones at the dinner table
and no phones in the bedroom, and I think that's
a great place to start. It is doing damage to
our children, and that is also a big part of
why we're seeing an uptick in anxiety and depression and
(05:08):
the other thing. I think that's important here to mention
for our families who live in colder that you may
watch out for. So, yes, the social peace, but also
the reality with the weather, the seasonal effective disorders.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
I don't know. Yes, I love this. You won't stop
that and say I love thing you're talking about this,
Keep going.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Well, I live in Montana and so we live with
this if we have cold, dark days, I mean we're
the sun is starting to set around four thirty here,
and so for any of our families living in colder climates,
also just keep this in your periphery because like for
our family, we end up giving our boys vitamin D
to help buffer because a lot of people are low
(05:47):
with invitamin D and this can impact the way you're feeling.
So I also want to just plant that seed for
any families who are living in colder, darker places this
time of year.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Yeah, and full disclosure, you're registered nurse, so you're obviously
well and tuned on this. I'm a medical doctor. I
think we could talk about this, you know, until we're
blue in the face. But seasonal effective disorder, it is
absolutely real, and it is physiologic and it's not just
in your head. There's physiological changes that happened from more
decreased exposure to the sun, specifically our lack of vitamin D.
(06:17):
Here in my household where the exact same way. We
try to get that natural sunlight as much as possible.
I literally make my kids go out in the cold
when the sun is out, roll up their sleeves, just
that fifteen minutes of sun on the skin being absorbed
is important. Taking the supplements great things. We actually always
plan a suddy vacation in January, just knowing that that's
(06:39):
like the epicenter of the darkness for us, because I
know that my family needs that desperately. So I think
keeping that in mind is really important. It's great that
you brought that up.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
More.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Coming up on Wellness Unmasked with doctor Nicole Sapphire. You
wrote a book. Tell me about your book.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Yeah, So, I wrote a book called Stop, Drop, Grow,
and Glow. And this book is really rooted in conscious parenting,
so helping people to wake up more fully in their lives.
I think for so many parents, especially, they carry stuff
with them when they step into parenthood that maybe they
haven't processed, and it's really keeping them from living in
the present with their children, or it's impacting the relationships.
And so I wanted to create something that would help
(07:21):
people awaken more fully, really cultivate more self awareness of
how they're showing up, how their actions are impacting their children,
even their significant other. And so my book really builds
on itself. And so it's you know, stop, drop and glow.
It's the framework is where the magic happens. And so
it's it asks you to go deeper, I think than
a lot of parenting books and look at you know,
(07:43):
really hold that mirror up to yourself and see how
you're doing, how you're feeling. I think it's important to
nurture the individual, but also to take care of the parents.
So I think those those two parts of who you
are as a mother or father need to be tended
to separately. Another big part of my book is self
care that I really you know, for me, being a
mother of four, I have found partnering with self care
(08:05):
on a daily basis is really a necessity. It's not
a luxury. So that's something I really drive hard, drive
home hard in my book as well, but it really
is it's a ground up. It's also asking people to release,
any drama, trauma, any personal pass lived experiences that are
keeping them from living in the now and leaning on
habits that are really going to help them expand transform
in their lives. So things like mindfulness, diet, exercise, promoting
(08:28):
really healthy sleep, high giene so that you know you
can function. If you're not sleeping, you're not going to
feel good. And also thanking your children for all they've
taught you. As much as we teach our children, our
children are teaching us just as much, if not more,
every single day.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
You know, I think it's so important that you talk
about self care. You know, I kind of say to myself,
but I also say to my patients that you're no
good for anyone else if you're not taking care of yourself. So,
as mothers, we intrinsically want to take care of everyone.
But if we're not focusing and really carving out that
time for ourselves, then we're running ourselves dry and we're
not going to be able to be there for other people.
(09:02):
So self care is not vanity, it's not being selfish,
it's taking care of ourselves is actually taking care of
those around us. You just have to change that mindset
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Absolutely and it's not easy to do because I think
a lot of us grew up with that programming that
it is a selfish act. And what I've found is
when I don't take care of myself, I'm not as
effective at taking care of my family, my children, even
the work I do. But when I make time every day,
even if it's five minutes, even if you don't have
a lot of extra time learning to get quiet learning
how you know. Like for me, one of the things
that I've really partnered with is doing meditation and prayer
(09:34):
every morning before my family gets up, and that has
been tremendously beneficial because when I receive my children, I
am operating from a grounded, more mindful, more loving space
and it sets the tone for my day. So it
can be, you know, show up differently for each each person,
but for me, it's been very beneficial.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
You know, in the morning is when I do my workout.
One because I'm terrible at working out in the evening
because I really crash towards the evening and I'm an
early person. But it's the same thing. I get my
work out done, I feel accomplished, my blood is flowing,
my endorphins are going I'm setting the precedent for the day,
and when I get to my children, I am already
feeling good for the day. And it's not just like
(10:14):
dragging myself out of bed and saying, okay, kids, now
when we've got breakfast and get our bags ready and everything,
just to get everyone out the door. I think it's
really important for parents to take that time in the
morning to kind of set the tone for their day
before they enter the beautiful chaos that is the life
of motherhood. Absolutely heading into the holidays, you know, we're
(10:34):
a couple weeks away, what are some tips for parents,
like what concrete steps, what can they be doing right
now to check in with themselves, checking in with their
kids a little bit more and getting through this crazy
time beer.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Yeah, well, I think a great place to start is
really just doing like a body scan of like how
are you doing? You know, and you might even feel
like physical tightness in your body somewhere, but you know,
maybe you get headaches. Maybe you start to start noticing
what your body is telling you and start connecting that
mind with the heart center that's going to help tremendously
start noticing in your own body what you need and
(11:06):
you know, if you're if you're somebody that doesn't give
much to yourself, maybe invite a little bit of that,
you know, as much as you're giving to other people.
Start penciling yourself in maybe twenty minutes a day just
to start feeling a shift in your life. So you
can start small. But what you're going to find is
the more you start noticing, the more you start showing
up for yourself, the better you're going to feel, the
(11:27):
better able you're going to be able to care for
those around you, and for your children, I think, really
notice how they're doing. I mean, this time of year
is joyful, but it can also be stressful. A lot
of child's children are over stimulated, over sugared, and so
notice when your kids need some quiet.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
You know, you can go, go, go, you can do
the events, you can.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Do the holiday parties, but also make time every day
to get quiet with your children and maybe help them
unwind in a way that's not stimulated. So making time,
you know, maybe it's the end of the day where
you curl up with a book, or you make a
cup of camel meal tea or you you know, you
know you have a quiet space in your home where
they can just like unplug and unwind.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
So I think just getting more aware of what you need.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
And noticing what your children might need, because children don't
always even know what it is they need, but you,
as a parent might be able to see that, hey,
they need they need a little bit of a breather,
and I'm going to help them find that calm if
that's what's needed.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
I think that's so important, finding those moments of calm,
especially with the hustle and bustle of the holidays. We
as a family, we've been trying to do board games
on the nights where we don't really have anything. TVs
are off, phones are away playing some board games. You know,
sometimes my kids will tell me I'm bored, why can't
I do Why can't I watch a movie? And I'm like,
it is not my role to entertain you. You have
(12:41):
a lot of things you could find in this house
you can do, or you can just lay there and contemplate. Like,
kids are never too lot to just sit and meditate
and think, so as parents, it is not our role
in life to entertain them. We don't have to fill
each moment of their schedule. But if you're not going
to have them doing activities like any extracurricular You can't
(13:01):
just then give them a digital device to fill that space.
Let them be in that space. I think that's so
important for these younger generations.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Boredom is where creativity stems, and we really have lost
connection with that. So I am totally on board with
what you're saying. I think boredom is really an underutilized
practice to partner with. And I will also share last
night we pulled out cards and we played cards for
half an hour. We were giggling as a family. And
it doesn't take much but just making time whether it's
a board game, card game, even you know, throwing the
(13:31):
ball with your kid. It doesn't take much, but making
time every day to go there with them. It's so
meaningful and it's going to help them find more presence
in their life.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Well, Holly, thank you so much. I think this will
benefit a lot of people. Where can people find your book?
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Yes, you can find my book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble,
anywhere you buy your books. It's also available on Audible
and anywhere you buy your audiobooks.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
I love it. Thanks so much for joining Wellness in
mass Thank you very much. This was a great conversation
with Holly. I think we all know that we're in
the midst of a mental health crisis here in the
United States. It started over a decade ago, it only
got worse throughout COVID parents. We have to stop blaming
everyone around us for what's going on with their kids. Yes, COVID, yes,
the schools, yes, digital content, social media, all of it,
(14:15):
but it all really comes down to what's happening in
the home. Be an example for your kids. Make sure
you're checking in with them. They're only young once. Prioritize
your time with them, that face to face interaction. It's
the best thing you can do. And by the way,
just like we are saying, take care of yourself, because
if you're not taking care of yourself, you're not going
to be good for anyone else around you. That's it
(14:36):
for today. I'm doctor Nicole Staffire. Thanks for listening to
Wellness and Mass on iHeartRadio. You can also find us
on Have a Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts,
and we'll see you next time.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show News
Hosts And Creators
Clay Travis
Buck Sexton
Show Links
WebsiteNewsletterPopular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com