Episodes

  • Chill, Parent! The Pause Button Practice for Calmer Mornings

    Chill, Parent! The Pause Button Practice for Calmer Mornings
    Feb 2 2026
    Hey there, friend. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here. You know, it's Sunday morning, that weird in-between time where the weekend's winding down and the week's already knocking on the door. If you've got kids, that probably means the house is a little louder than usual, everyone's got opinions about what's for breakfast, and you're wondering how you're going to survive Monday without losing your mind. Sound familiar? Well, you're in exactly the right place.

    Today, we're talking about something I call the Pause Button Practice. Because here's the thing about parenting: the hardest moments aren't usually the big dramatic ones. They're the small ones. Your kid spills juice. Someone's running late. Everyone's talking at once. And suddenly, you feel that little spark of frustration building. That's where this practice comes in.

    So let's start by just getting comfortable. Whether you're sitting, standing, or hiding in the bathroom—hey, no judgment—take a second to feel your feet. Even if you're in socks, feel the ground beneath you. Feel that solid, steady support. That's real. That's here. That's not Monday morning yet.

    Now, here's where we hit pause. I want you to take a breath in through your nose for a count of four. Feel the air moving. Cool and steady. Then out through your mouth for a count of six. Just one. Feel that? That slight pause between the rush of everything else and this moment right now? That pause is your superpower.

    Here's what I want you to do this week: Before you react to chaos, take that breath. In for four. Out for six. Just once. Kids pick up on calm like sponges pick up spills. When they see you pause instead of react, something shifts. They learn that feelings aren't emergencies. Problems aren't disasters. Challenges are just moments that need a breath first.

    Practice this three times today. Pick three small moments. Maybe it's before coffee. Maybe it's before responding to a question. Just pause. Breathe. Then move forward.

    Your kids are watching you more than they're listening to you. When you stay calm, you're teaching them calmness isn't something you're born with. It's something you practice.

    Thank you so much for joining me today on Mindful Parenting: Daily Tips for Raising Calm Kids. Please subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's practice. You've got this, parent. I mean it.

    For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

    This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
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    3 mins
  • Calm the Chaos: A Mindful Moment to Regulate and Respond

    Calm the Chaos: A Mindful Moment to Regulate and Respond
    Feb 1 2026
    Welcome back, friend. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here on this Saturday morning. If you're like me, you might be facing that peculiar Saturday chaos where everyone's home, energy levels are bouncing off the walls, and you're wondering if it's too early for coffee. Or maybe it's the quiet before the storm, and you're trying to hold onto peace. Either way, you've carved out these few minutes for yourself and your family, and that matters more than you know.

    Let's begin by just arriving here, together. Wherever you are right now—whether you're sitting, standing in the kitchen, or stealing a moment in the car—just notice what you're touching. Feel the ground beneath you or the seat supporting you. There's something grounding about that physical reminder that you're held, even when parenting feels like you're juggling in a hurricane.

    Now, let's breathe together. Take a slow breath in through your nose for a count of four. Hold it for a moment. And release through your mouth like you're gently blowing out birthday candles. Do that again. In for four. Hold. Out slowly. You're already shifting your nervous system just by doing this. Your kids are sensing this shift too, even if they don't know why.

    Here's what I want you to try today, and it's something I call the Pause and Name practice. You know those moments when your kid melts down over the wrong cereal, and you feel that familiar heat rising in your chest? That's your cue. Pause. Don't react yet. Just notice what you're feeling without judgment. Are you frustrated? Tired? Maybe underneath it, you're worried they're going to have a bad day. Name it silently. "I'm feeling frustrated right now." That's it. The magic isn't in fixing anything immediately. It's in creating space between what's happening and how you respond. When you do that, your child learns they can do the same thing.

    This practice teaches your kids that feelings are weather patterns, not emergencies. They come, they move through, and they go. And you're the calm anchor in that storm.

    So today, pick one moment when things start to escalate. Maybe it's bedtime or the breakfast table. Just pause, breathe the way we did together, and name what you're feeling. Notice how differently your child responds when you're regulated instead of reactive.

    Thank you so much for joining me on Mindful Parenting: Daily Tips for Raising Calm Kids. If this resonated with you, please subscribe wherever you're listening. You're building something beautiful here—a calmer home, one mindful moment at a time.

    For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

    This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
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    3 mins
  • Pause and Breathe: Cultivating Calm Amidst the Chaos of Parenting

    Pause and Breathe: Cultivating Calm Amidst the Chaos of Parenting
    Jan 30 2026
    Hey there, friend. I'm Julia, and I'm so glad you're here. It's Thursday morning, and if you're anything like the parents I talk to, there's probably a low hum of tension already running through your day. Maybe someone spilled juice, maybe the homework battle's brewing, or maybe you just woke up knowing it's going to be one of those days. Whatever it is, you're here, and that's exactly right.

    Let's take a moment together to actually feel grounded before the day picks up speed.

    Go ahead and find a comfortable seat wherever you are. You don't need to look peaceful or sit perfectly still. Just find a place where your body feels supported. Close your eyes if that feels good, or soften your gaze downward. We're just going to notice our breath for a moment, the way you might notice the smell of fresh bread cooling on a windowsill. Not trying to change it, just acknowledging it's there.

    Breathe in slowly through your nose, and as you do, imagine you're breathing in calm, steady energy. Hold it for just a beat. Now exhale through your mouth with intention, like you're releasing tension with your breath. Do that three more times. In through the nose. Out through the mouth. Each breath getting a little easier.

    Here's what happens when our kids see us frazzled: they absorb that energy like little sponges. So right now, we're not just calming ourselves. We're modeling something profound. We're showing our kids that it's possible to pause, to reset, to choose peace even when chaos is knocking on the door.

    When your child has a meltdown today, or when you feel frustration rising in your chest, try this. Stop for five seconds. Just five. Feel your feet on the ground. Take one intentional breath. That's it. You're not fixing anything yet. You're not even responding. You're just creating a tiny space between the trigger and your reaction. That space is where wisdom lives.

    Your calm is contagious. It's the most powerful parenting tool you have.

    Thank you so much for spending this time with me on Mindful Parenting: Daily Tips for Raising Calm Kids. If this resonated with you, please subscribe and leave a review. I'd love to walk through more of these moments with you. You're doing an amazing job, truly. I'll see you tomorrow.

    For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

    This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
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    2 mins
  • The Pause Portal: Cultivating Calm in the Chaos of Parenting

    The Pause Portal: Cultivating Calm in the Chaos of Parenting
    Jan 28 2026
    Welcome back, friend. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here with me today. Whether you've got a toddler negotiating breakfast or a teenager navigating their own storm, Tuesday mornings like this one can feel like you're trying to hold water in your hands, right? Everything keeps slipping. So today, we're going to practice something I call the Pause Portal, and it's going to change how you show up for your kids and yourself.

    Let's start by finding a comfortable seat, maybe somewhere you won't be interrupted for just a few minutes. Your kitchen table works. The car works. Even the bathroom works, and honestly, we don't judge here. Take a breath in through your nose, deep and slow, like you're smelling fresh bread cooling on a windowsill. Hold it for just a moment. Now exhale through your mouth, releasing whatever tension you've been carrying.

    Here's the thing about raising calm kids: they're mirrors. They reflect our nervous system back to us. So when you feel frazzled, they feel frazzled. This practice is for all of us.

    I want you to imagine a doorway in your mind. This is your Pause Portal. Every time today when you feel that familiar frustration building, that moment before you react, you're going to step through this doorway. It takes just fifteen seconds. Picture yourself walking through it slowly. On the other side is a version of you who's grounded, whose hands are steady, whose voice is calm. That's the parent you want to be.

    Now, while you're in that portal, place one hand on your heart and one on your belly. Feel your heartbeat. Notice your breath moving in and out like the gentle tide. This is your reset button. Your kids might be yelling, the house might be chaos, but inside this portal, you're tethered to something solid. You're tethered to you.

    Do this three times slowly right now. Feel the shift. That warm, steady sensation? That's your nervous system coming back home.

    Here's your mission today: the next time tension rises with your child, pause. Step through your portal. Hand on heart. Three breaths. Then respond instead of react. Your kids need this from you. They need to see that feelings can move through us without sweeping us away.

    This simple practice, done with intention, rewires how your entire family relates to stress. And that's the real magic.

    Thank you so much for joining me on Mindful Parenting: Daily Tips for Raising Calm Kids. Please subscribe so you never miss a moment of this journey together. You've got this, and I'm rooting for you.

    For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

    This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
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    3 mins
  • Pause, Breathe, and Parent Calmly: A Mindful Approach to Handling Chaos

    Pause, Breathe, and Parent Calmly: A Mindful Approach to Handling Chaos
    Jan 26 2026
    Hey there, and welcome back. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here with me today. Sunday mornings can feel like you're running a small circus before breakfast is even done, right? The kids are bouncing off walls, you're trying to remember if anyone has clean socks, and somehow it's already chaos before ten a.m. So today, I want to give you something that actually works when the house feels like it's spinning.

    Let's start by just settling in. Wherever you are right now, find a comfortable seat. Nothing fancy, nothing perfect. This is for you. Take a moment to notice your feet on the ground, your body in this chair or spot. Feel the weight of you, holding you up. That's real. That's your anchor.

    Now, let's breathe together, because everything starts there. Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four, and as you do, imagine you're breathing in something calm. For me, it's the smell of fresh bread. For you, it might be ocean air or pine trees or your kid's hair after they've been playing outside. Whatever it is, let it fill you. Now exhale slowly for a count of six. Longer exhale. That's the magic here, by the way. The longer exhale activates your nervous system's calm switch. Let's do that three more times at your own pace.

    Here's the practice I want to teach you today, and it's my favorite for parents because you can do it anywhere, even in the car during carpool. I call it the Pause and Name. When you feel that tension rising, when your kid spills juice on the white carpet or talks back for the hundredth time, pause. Just pause. Notice what you're feeling without judgment. Is it frustration? Overwhelm? Disappointment? Name it silently. Not as something shameful, but as a weather pattern moving through you. Clouds passing. Then, before you respond, take one conscious breath. One. That tiny space between feeling and reacting is where you find your best parenting self.

    The beauty of this practice is that it ripples outward. When your kids see you pause and breathe instead of react, they start learning how to do it too. Calm is contagious.

    So this week, catch yourself three times a day. Notice the pause. Name what you're feeling. Breathe. Watch what shifts.

    Thank you so much for spending this time with me on Mindful Parenting: Daily Tips for Raising Calm Kids. If this resonated with you, please subscribe so you don't miss our next practice. You've got this, and I'm cheering for you.

    For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

    This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
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    3 mins
  • The Pause Practice: A Superpower for Calmer Parenting

    The Pause Practice: A Superpower for Calmer Parenting
    Jan 25 2026
    Hey there, and welcome back. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here on this Saturday morning. Take a breath with me, would you? There's something about the weekend that can feel either like a gift or like standing in the middle of a toy explosion while someone's asking you what's for dinner. Maybe both.

    Today, I'm guessing your kids are either already awake, about to wake up, or you're stealing these few quiet minutes before the day truly begins. So let's ground ourselves together, because the calmer you are, the calmer they'll be. It's like that old airplane oxygen mask thing, except with way less drama.

    Find a comfortable seat wherever you are right now. Your shoulders can drop away from your ears. You're safe. Everything else can wait for the next five minutes. Let's start by just noticing your breath. Not changing it, not forcing it, just noticing it like you're watching clouds drift across a sky. Inhale through your nose, and as you exhale, feel your body settling into the chair, into this moment. Again. Slow breath in, letting the exhale be just a tiny bit longer than the inhale. This longer exhale? It actually calms your nervous system. Your body recognizes it as safety.

    Now, here's the practice I want to share with you today. It's called the Pause Practice, and honestly, it's a game changer for parents. Throughout your day, you're going to pause three times. Just three. When your child is pushing a button, when you feel that frustration rising like heat in your chest, pause. Take one conscious breath. Feel your feet on the ground. Notice one thing you can see, one thing you can hear, one thing you can physically feel. That's it. This tiny reset prevents you from reacting on autopilot and actually lets you parent from the person you want to be.

    Your kids don't need a perfect parent. They need a present one. They need to see you pause, breathe, and choose calm. That's the superpower you're modeling.

    So today, set a little intention. Three pauses. Before breakfast, before bedtime, and somewhere in the messy middle. Each pause is a small gift you're giving your family and yourself.

    Thank you so much for joining me on Mindful Parenting: Daily Tips for Raising Calm Kids. Please subscribe so you don't miss our next practice. You've got this.

    For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

    This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
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    3 mins
  • Three Breaths: The Calm Anchor for Mindful Parenting

    Three Breaths: The Calm Anchor for Mindful Parenting
    Jan 21 2026
    Hey there, I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here with me today. Whether you're stealing five minutes before the school run or taking a breath between back-to-back meltdowns, welcome. On a Tuesday morning like this one in late January, I know you might be running on fumes. The holidays feel like a distant memory, routines are still wobbly, and your kids are probably climbing the walls. So today, we're going to practice something I call the Calm Anchor, and I promise it'll help you find your footing when everything feels chaotic.

    Let's start by finding a comfortable seat, even if it's on the kitchen floor with your coffee. Take a moment to arrive here, with yourself, right now. Notice what you're sitting on, the temperature of the air, the sounds happening around you. You don't have to change anything or fix anything. You're just here, observing, like you're watching clouds drift across a sky.

    Now, let's anchor into your breath. Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four, feeling your belly expand like you're filling a balloon. Hold it there for just a beat. Then exhale through your mouth for a count of six, longer than the inhale, like you're gently deflating that balloon. Do that again. In for four, hold, and out for six. Beautiful. One more time at your own pace.

    Here's the magic part, and this is what you'll use with your kids. Your nervous system is like a tuning fork. When you're calm, you vibrate at a frequency of peace. When you're stressed, that frequency shifts, and guess what happens? Your kids tune in to that frequency too. They're like tiny emotional radars. So the Calm Anchor is this: before you respond to chaos, give yourself three conscious breaths. That's it. In for four, hold, out for six. Three times. In those eighteen seconds, you're resetting your entire nervous system, and suddenly you're the calm presence your child needs, not the reactive one.

    Practice this tonight before dinner. Before bedtime. Before the inevitable moment when someone spills juice or refuses their shoes. Just three breaths. Notice how differently you show up.

    This is the real work of mindful parenting. You're not trying to raise perfect kids. You're modeling how to be present, how to pause, how to come back to center. Your calm teaches more than any lecture ever could.

    Thank you so much for joining me on Mindful Parenting: Daily Tips for Raising Calm Kids. Please do subscribe so you never miss a practice. You've got this, friend. I'll see you tomorrow.

    For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

    This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
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    3 mins
  • Mindful Parenting: Pausing to Choose Calm Over Chaos in the Everyday

    Mindful Parenting: Pausing to Choose Calm Over Chaos in the Everyday
    Jan 19 2026
    Welcome back, friend. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here with me today. If you're tuning in on a Sunday morning, you might already be feeling that familiar buzz of anticipation before the week kicks into gear. The kids are probably running around, there's laundry waiting, and your nervous system is already bracing for Monday. So let's take these next few minutes together, just you and me, to build some calm into your parenting foundation before the chaos begins.

    Find yourself in a comfortable spot, somewhere you won't be interrupted for just a few breaths. You don't need anything fancy. If you're sitting in your car before school drop-off, that counts. If you're on your bathroom floor with the door locked, I see you. Settle your body down, and let's start by noticing what's actually happening right now. Not what should be happening, just what is.

    Take a slow breath in through your nose for a count of four. Hold it gently for four. Now exhale like you're releasing the steam from a warm cup of tea, slowly through your mouth for six counts. Do that one more time. In for four, hold for four, out for six. You're already shifting something in your nervous system. Can you feel it?

    Here's what I want you to know about calm kids: they're not born that way, they're caught that way. When you regulate yourself, your children feel it in the same way plants feel the shift from winter to spring. It's not something they need to understand; it's something they absorb.

    So for the next few minutes, let's practice what I call the Pause Between. This is the space between trigger and reaction, and it's where your power lives as a parent. Imagine your child just knocked over their juice at dinner, or said something sassy that made your blood pressure spike. In that millisecond before you respond, imagine there's a golden thread connecting you to your breath. The moment you notice frustration rising, that thread is your escape hatch. You gently tug it. You breathe. You pause. And in that pause, you get to choose.

    When your child sees you take that breath instead of react with anger, their nervous system learns something profound: emotions are safe. They can be felt and released. They don't need to control us.

    This week, every time you feel that familiar tension with your child, try it. One conscious breath. One golden thread. You're not trying to be perfect. You're just trying to be present.

    Thank you for spending these moments with me on Mindful Parenting: Daily Tips for Raising Calm Kids. Your commitment to showing up, even in small ways, is already changing your family's life. Please subscribe so we can practice together again tomorrow. You've got this.

    For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

    This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
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    3 mins