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Is your job description to be a nutritional expert, life coach, physical fitness trainer, organization tutor, study skills tutor, dentist, nurse... and to do it all while exhibiting the patience of a Buddhist monk? …while looking like a Forever 21/Abercrombie model? ...and while having mind-blowing sex all the time... and… and...? I Am The Worst Parent Ever is for parents (and parents-to-be) who are exhausted, over-stressed, and under-inebriated, yet still utterly happy. If you are doing the ...
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After multiple freak-outs in the barber’s chair, Nicole’s “Mom Monster” was tired of yelling at her boy. She tried something new: she took off her monster fangs for a minute and took a fresh look at her son from another angle, paying him a different kind of attention. What she found was empathy for a little boy who couldn’t help that he would freak…
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After multiple freak-outs in the barber’s chair, Nicole’s “Mom Monster” was tired of yelling at her boy. She tried something new: she took off her monster fangs for a minute and took a fresh look at her son from another angle, paying him a different kind of attention. What she found was empathy for a little boy who couldn’t help that he would freak…
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School does SO much for Nicole’s kids. They have figured out how to socialize and love learning. Starting preschool even helped one kid with potty training. When did school become more than the three R’s? We have added so many responsibilities to the school day over the last century (physical ed, computers, foreign languages, science, college prep,…
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School does SO much for Nicole’s kids. They have figured out how to socialize and love learning. Starting preschool even helped one kid with potty training. When did school become more than the three R’s? We have added so many responsibilities to the school day over the last century (physical ed, computers, foreign languages, science, college prep,…
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The older you are, the wiser you get. Right? Maybe. Or maybe not. When Nicole shared 32 lessons she learned in her first 32 years, it seemed to trigger some “grown ups.” Apparently a 32-year-old talking about life lessons incited her not-yet-fans to say, "You are so young. What could you know and who are you to teach me anything?" On the heels of h…
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The older you are, the wiser you get. Right? Maybe. Or maybe not. When Nicole shared 32 lessons she learned in her first 32 years, it seemed to trigger some “grown ups.” Apparently a 32-year-old talking about life lessons incited her not-yet-fans to say, "You are so young. What could you know and who are you to teach me anything?" On the heels of h…
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Laughter may be the best tool a Positive Psychologist like Robert gets to use. He spends his days helping parents laugh more to create the welcoming family environment where kids feel comfortable being themselves. He helps teens interrupt their spiraling worry with a silly memory to “change the channel.” Nicole admits that she probably needs laught…
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Laughter may be the best tool a Positive Psychologist like Robert gets to use. He spends his days helping parents laugh more to create the welcoming family environment where kids feel comfortable being themselves. He helps teens interrupt their spiraling worry with a silly memory to “change the channel.” Nicole admits that she probably needs laught…
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Nicole is NOT “the fun one” in her house and she’s only half embarrassed to admit it. Robert may not think of himself as the more jovial parent in his home, but he can tell you that his #dadjokes make his kids groan. In most (definitely not all) households, dads get the pleasure and benefit of being the family’s joy-maker. So why are moms so seriou…
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Nicole is NOT “the fun one” in her house and she’s only half embarrassed to admit it. Robert may not think of himself as the more jovial parent in his home, but he can tell you that his #dadjokes make his kids groan. In most (definitely not all) households, dads get the pleasure and benefit of being the family’s joy-maker. So why are moms so seriou…
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Where do you see your kids grow up? More often than not, it’s in the rear view of your messy, smelly, overly-kidified dad- or mom-mobile. And, what is it that you see? So much time flippin' past. So much growth happening on the daily. They go from car seat to booster overnight and, soon enough, you’ll be handing your daughter the keys. Milestones p…
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Where do you see your kids grow up? More often than not, it’s in the rear view of your messy, smelly, overly-kidified dad- or mom-mobile. And, what is it that you see? So much time flippin' past. So much growth happening on the daily. They go from car seat to booster overnight and, soon enough, you’ll be handing your daughter the keys. Milestones p…
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Perfectionism -- Is it really your fault? Maybe you’re a perfectionist because you just have too many demands to handle. You don’t do enough to take care of yourself. Who could? You just don’t have the time to achieve “balance.” Nicole admits that she could do more to balance out her perfectionism, like taking up mindfulness or learning to meditate…
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Perfectionism -- Is it really your fault? Maybe you’re a perfectionist because you just have too many demands to handle. You don’t do enough to take care of yourself. Who could? You just don’t have the time to achieve “balance.” Nicole admits that she could do more to balance out her perfectionism, like taking up mindfulness or learning to meditate…
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Are you listening? Hello? Is this thing EVEN on?! No one feels like they are being heard and, be it adult to adult, adult to child, or even spouse to spouse, we struggle just as much to listen to what others say. Do we really have a “communication problem” plaguing society today? On this episode of 'I am the Worst Parent Ever' podcast, Nicole conte…
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Are you listening? Hello? Is this thing EVEN on?! No one feels like they are being heard and, be it adult to adult, adult to child, or even spouse to spouse, we struggle just as much to listen to what others say. Do we really have a “communication problem” plaguing society today? On this episode of 'I am the Worst Parent Ever' podcast, Nicole conte…
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What do you say to the child that loves to dance, but is visibly exhausted by the end of a long week of practice? What do you say to the child that wants to do nothing but sit on the couch and watch TV or play on their iPad? Does running from activity to activity make them fussy and standoffish? Will they have enough physical and brain power to com…
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What do you say to the child that loves to dance, but is visibly exhausted by the end of a long week of practice? What do you say to the child that wants to do nothing but sit on the couch and watch TV or play on their iPad? Does running from activity to activity make them fussy and standoffish? Will they have enough physical and brain power to com…
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We spend our days chasing it, running from it, and fearing it. Perfection. We are driven to be flawless (how dare we attempt anything less?!) in how we present ourselves, how we treat others, how we raise our kids, and how we perform at work. Ahh Perfection! The Holy Grail of parenting, marriage, and self. It’s a crock! Perfection is a fudgin' fall…
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We spend our days chasing it, running from it, and fearing it. Perfection. We are driven to be flawless (how dare we attempt anything less?!) in how we present ourselves, how we treat others, how we raise our kids, and how we perform at work. Ahh Perfection! The Holy Grail of parenting, marriage, and self. It’s a crock! Perfection is a fudgin' fall…
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Marshall Swift’s simple declaration stopped me in my tracks. It was one of those slow-motion moments that hit extra-hard because I was feeling lower than low. "You should talk more. You have great ideas" was the knockout statement that I (Robert) received from my professor during my training in psychology. I admit that I was blindsided by this educ…
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Marshall Swift’s simple declaration stopped me in my tracks. It was one of those slow-motion moments that hit extra-hard because I was feeling lower than low. "You should talk more. You have great ideas" was the knockout statement that I (Robert) received from my professor during my training in psychology. I admit that I was blindsided by this educ…
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You’ll never hear Nicole raise her voice to her kids… at least not when they’re out shopping at Publix! Does she yell at home sometimes? Sure, but not out in public. If we can’t keep our composure across different settings, why do we expect our kids to be as good at home as they are at school? Their teacher says, “She’s so helpful.” We pick them up…
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You’ll never hear Nicole raise her voice to her kids… at least not when they’re out shopping at Publix! Does she yell at home sometimes? Sure, but not out in public. If we can’t keep our composure across different settings, why do we expect our kids to be as good at home as they are at school? Their teacher says, “She’s so helpful.” We pick them up…
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Moms aren’t the only ones teaching our kids to be sassy. Dads can lay on the sarcasm pretty thick. Well, maybe not all dads, but quite a few. Robert suggests that sarcasm is just "negativity and joking come out sideways." So does that make it wrong to use in front of our children? Nicole's husband is very sarcastic, inspiring her to write an articl…
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Moms aren’t the only ones teaching our kids to be sassy. Dads can lay on the sarcasm pretty thick. Well, maybe not all dads, but quite a few. Robert suggests that sarcasm is just "negativity and joking come out sideways." So does that make it wrong to use in front of our children? Nicole's husband is very sarcastic, inspiring her to write an articl…
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Are you responsible for the house, the errands, the kids, the finances, the laundry, the cooking, the cleaning? If you hear one more person brag about their daily morning yoga and meditation and lemon water, do you want to mail them 500 lemons out of spite? “I have no time” IS Nicole's anthem. When she makes her plea for time, it bugs the crap out …
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Are you responsible for the house, the errands, the kids, the finances, the laundry, the cooking, the cleaning? If you hear one more person brag about their daily morning yoga and meditation and lemon water, do you want to mail them 500 lemons out of spite? “I have no time” IS Nicole's anthem. When she makes her plea for time, it bugs the crap out …
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Why is it SO HARD to say you’re sorry? Nicole admits that she’s miserly with her apologies towards those she loves, specifically her children and her husband. However, she goes almost overboard with asking forgiveness from friends and acquaintances, even strangers. Sometimes it takes all of her energy to dole out a “sorry" but it flows freely from …
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Why is it SO HARD to say you’re sorry? Nicole admits that she’s miserly with her apologies towards those she loves, specifically her children and her husband. However, she goes almost overboard with asking forgiveness from friends and acquaintances, even strangers. Sometimes it takes all of her energy to dole out a “sorry" but it flows freely from …
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How much of the news should your kids see? How do you explain topics like terrorism, mass shootings, politics, healthcare, and mental health to your kids? Not to mention religion and sex! Your answer probably depends upon your core beliefs and the age and intellectual development of your child. When you are ready to draw the curtain back on the out…
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How much of the news should your kids see? How do you explain topics like terrorism, mass shootings, politics, healthcare, and mental health to your kids? Not to mention religion and sex! Your answer probably depends upon your core beliefs and the age and intellectual development of your child. When you are ready to draw the curtain back on the out…
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If it takes a village to raise a child (it does), where the heck do you find this tribe? Nicole quoted from Scary Mommy: “I can’t be all things to my children all the time…. They need a village of elders who can… provide nuggets of wisdom in ways that my husband and I can’t.” As parents, it’s hard to venture out of our “silos” to make new friends. …
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If it takes a village to raise a child (it does), where the heck do you find this tribe? Nicole quoted from Scary Mommy: “I can’t be all things to my children all the time…. They need a village of elders who can… provide nuggets of wisdom in ways that my husband and I can’t.” As parents, it’s hard to venture out of our “silos” to make new friends. …
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How do you deal with grief in front of your children? Or do you hide it away? Do you purposefully hide your pain and sadness, tuck your pain away? Or do you let it all out for your young (or not-so-young) children to see and process along with you? Is one method the right one? Does it depend on the age and development of your children? Or is it rig…
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How do you deal with grief in front of your children? Or do you hide it away? Do you purposefully hide your pain and sadness, tuck your pain away? Or do you let it all out for your young (or not-so-young) children to see and process along with you? Is one method the right one? Does it depend on the age and development of your children? Or is it rig…
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What keeps parents, especially moms, from claiming their parenting or marriage mistakes? It’s probably because you can't scroll through social media without witnessing someone shaming a mom. Moms think that they will be crucified for speaking about their missteps, knocking them out of the running for the Good Mom and Wife Club. We read about Bad Mo…
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What keeps parents, especially moms, from claiming their parenting or marriage mistakes? It’s probably because you can't scroll through social media without witnessing someone shaming a mom. Moms think that they will be crucified for speaking about their missteps, knocking them out of the running for the Good Mom and Wife Club. We read about Bad Mo…
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Nicole doesn’t watch the news. She says she doesn’t need the negativity: “on the day to day, I make anxiety out of nothing.” Nicole admits that she’s a worrier and is not very "balanced” as she deals with life's inconveniences and personal concerns. She rarely makes time for self-care and she just found something new to fret about: the worry that h…
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Nicole doesn’t watch the news. She says she doesn’t need the negativity: “on the day to day, I make anxiety out of nothing.” Nicole admits that she’s a worrier and is not very "balanced” as she deals with life's inconveniences and personal concerns. She rarely makes time for self-care and she just found something new to fret about: the worry that h…
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Do you feel like you didn’t get anything done today? Do you score yourself against your to-do list and then mentally beat the crap out of yourself when you don’t get it ALL done? So many parents are plagued with self-doubt. Where does our self-doubt come from? Do you keep close tabs on yourself? The way you “score” yourself on GTD (getting-things-d…
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Do you feel like you didn’t get anything done today? Do you score yourself against your to-do list and then mentally beat the crap out of yourself when you don’t get it ALL done? So many parents are plagued with self-doubt. Where does our self-doubt come from? Do you keep close tabs on yourself? The way you “score” yourself on GTD (getting-things-d…
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Who emptied the dishwasher last? Who did the laundry today? Who woke and fed the kids? Was it all YOU? From the moment you brought your newborn home, did you hang up an invisible tally card? And have you marked that card every day, practically from the moment you wake up till the moment you go to bed? If you know how much YOU did yesterday for the …
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Who emptied the dishwasher last? Who did the laundry today? Who woke and fed the kids? Was it all YOU? From the moment you brought your newborn home, did you hang up an invisible tally card? And have you marked that card every day, practically from the moment you wake up till the moment you go to bed? If you know how much YOU did yesterday for the …
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Why do we base our success as a parent on our child's academic success, their social adeptness, how popular they are, and how good an athlete they are? Is your child developing their own talents at their own pace in a manner that is comfortable for them or are they merely the way you quantify how well you are doing as a parent? Any score less than …
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Why do we base our success as a parent on our child's academic success, their social adeptness, how popular they are, and how good an athlete they are? Is your child developing their own talents at their own pace in a manner that is comfortable for them or are they merely the way you quantify how well you are doing as a parent? Any score less than …
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How far off-plan can your day get before you lose your sh**? Nicole likes to have a plan. No, scratch that, Nicole NEEDS everything to fall in line and go according to HER PLAN. So when it doesn’t, like the morning when her dog decided to poop in the pool, the day threatens to go about as far off-course as she ever imagined it going. And Nicole edg…
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How far off-plan can your day get before you lose your sh**? Nicole likes to have a plan. No, scratch that, Nicole NEEDS everything to fall in line and go according to HER PLAN. So when it doesn’t, like the morning when her dog decided to poop in the pool, the day threatens to go about as far off-course as she ever imagined it going. And Nicole edg…
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You feel like you should be loving and compassionate all the time, morning to night. But let’s be honest. Sometimes your kids get under your skin and that frustration slips out sideways. You can try to turn it into a joke as it comes out of your mouth, but … you find yourself “labeling.” We do it all the time: My spouse is so selfish. My co-worker …
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You feel like you should be loving and compassionate all the time, morning to night. But let’s be honest. Sometimes your kids get under your skin and that frustration slips out sideways. You can try to turn it into a joke as it comes out of your mouth, but … you find yourself “labeling.” We do it all the time: My spouse is so selfish. My co-worker …
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