The Parenting Mentor

Welcome to the parenting mentor sessions with Sue Groner. If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably comes with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, this is a great place to start. Listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about specific challenges they're facing with their children, aged anywhere between 2 and 22. Listen along and gain perspective and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy.

When You’re the Lead Dad in a Mom’s World with Paul S (ENCORE) 07/27/2023

When You’re the Lead Dad in a Mom’s World with Paul S (ENCORE) Paul S is the lead dad to his three daughters. What is that exactly, you ask? He’s the main parent that takes on most or all of the daily responsibilities for the kids. He loves his role with his kids but finds that navigating the social dynamics within the mom community as a Dad is complicated. He finds it rather difficult to break through the “playground mom mafia”. He’s wondering what he can do to get lead moms to engage when it comes to birthday parties, playdates and chatting on the playground. Listen along for some strategies to encourage your partner to take on more lead responsibilities and why it’s okay and important to embrace lead dads in your mom community. This week on The Parenting Mentor: What exactly is a lead dad? Practicing transparency and openness around the topic of lead dads. Using humor to create bonds on the playground for both the lead moms and dads. Creating open and direct communication around this modern parenting style The power of moms letting go of control and allowing space for a partner to take on more responsibilities. “I think part of the challenge is that the mom has to genuinely give up control” -Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit theparentingmentor.com for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, Parenting with Sanity and Joy: 101 Simple Strategies, which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google Podcasts /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/27577491

When your child won’t listen to the word NO with Jes L (ENCORE) 07/13/2023

When your child won’t listen to the word NO with Jes L (ENCORE) Jes L is a mother to two girls, 11 years old and a 15 months old. While her first daughter was fairly easy as a baby, Jes is finding the experience with her second daughter to be entirely different - she is intense and refuses to listen to the word “NO”. Jes and her husband have told her numerous times not to do things like stick her finger in the electric socket yet she is determined to defy them. The word “no” is optional in Jes’s daughter’s eyes and she goes into tantrum - mode when she hears it too many times. She also loves to play on the edge by attempting to turn on the oven or open and close drawers (sometimes on her finger). Jes comes to us for the next steps on how to turn this around. Today we talk about the word “no” and how we can actually switch out the word to something like “danger” or “pain”. We also talk about how you can help your child learn to do something in a safe way by practicing them together - like opening and closing a drawer. We talk about the importance of validating your child’s feelings, and expressing to them that you understand that hearing the word “no” is hard. It’s also about connecting with your child in a tone that makes them feel seen and heard. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tangible tips and tools for dealing with your kid’s resistance to “NO”. Tips for validating using a non-judgemental tone and communication and why this creates empathy and understanding. Changing up your language and practicing patience when approaching your child. The power of allowing your kids to learn for themselves to an extent. Giving them a reminder of the consequence without having to constantly say “Don’t do that”. Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit theparentingmentor.com for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, Parenting with Sanity and Joy: 101 Simple Strategies, which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google Podcasts /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/27424707

When Your Child Doesn't Want To Use the Potty with Tina V (ENCORE) 07/06/2023

When Your Child Doesn't Want To Use the Potty with Tina V (ENCORE) Tina V has two boys, 3 years old and 1 year old. She has been struggling with potty training her 3 year old who is resistant to the process. She has tried bribing him with toys and chocolate and although this worked for a bit, he eventually stopped responding to these offers. Tina has even set up a special potty training box for him in the bathroom that includes pull ups, underwear, wipes and books to help him independently overcome this issue. However, none of this has worked. Tina turns to me for the answers on how to move past this as quickly as possible especially with the pressure from his school. Today we talk about how to deal with your child not being ready to go to the potty. We talk about why it might actually be best to take everything away and accept that he’s just not ready. The truth is your child will eventually use the potty at some point, it’s just not now. My advice allows both parents and children to let go of stress, embrace trust and practice patience. “Just say “I know someday you are going to use the potty and it will be fine but right now let’s stop worrying about it. When you are ready, you let me know. You are a great kid, don’t worry about this.” - Sue Groner This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tangible tips and tools for dealing with your child’s resistance to the potty. Tips for validating using a non-judgemental tone and communication and why this creates empathy and understanding. Practicing patience and acceptance when your child is not ready for something. Dealing with schools and third parties that place demands on your child’s timeline. Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit theparentingmentor.com for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, Parenting with Sanity and Joy: 101 Simple Strategies, which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google Podcasts /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/27391449

Communicating age differences to your kids with Jenn H (ENCORE) 06/29/2023

Communicating age differences to your kids with Jenn H (ENCORE) Jenn’s children are only 380 days apart. However her three-year old son wants to do what his four-year old sister is doing, like go to preschool. And at the same time, her older daughter wants to be treated more like a baby. Jenn is struggling with how to communicate age differences to her children while also giving them what they need. Today we talk about using specific tactics and tools to teach your children about age and the concept of getting older. We dive into communication tips to reach your kids while also supporting their needs. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Strategies for empowering and fun visual games to teach your kids about getting older. Specific conversation tips using real life examples. Tips for changing the language around your child’s needs for cuddles and getting to the root of their needs. Changing your perspective on the potty training stress and other “milestones” and why it’s essential to not give in to the noise. “It’s not, well you can't go to preschool unless you use the potty. It’s more like, when you’re ready that’s also a sign that you’re ready for preschool” - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/27328953

When your kids are constantly fighting with Lindsey R (ENCORE) 06/08/2023

When your kids are constantly fighting with Lindsey R (ENCORE) Lindsay is a mother to two boys (3 years old and 5 years old) and they are constantly at each other’s throats. The fighting is driving Lindsay nuts. The older one has learned the word “retaliate” and that seems to be his action when frustrated by his brother. And this has started to show itself in school as well. If you’re wondering how best to deal with your child’s lack of frustration tolerance when it comes to their sibling or friends, listen in for some strategies that are not only helpful but respectful of your child’s feelings. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tips for effective and encouraging communication that get to the issue instead of just saying “you can’t”. How to include your child in the problem solving process. How to use yourself as an example when teaching calm techniques. Specific tools for allowing your child to express and normalize their feelings and understand sharing as a concept. "I think it's important for him to know that he’s allowed to have the feelings. To feel frustrated. And to feel angry. It’s okay because those are totally normal feelings and it’s not bad to have those but it's about how they are expressed that can be not so good." - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/27075510

When micromanaging may be hurting your teen's future with Jen B (ENCORE) 06/01/2023

When micromanaging may be hurting your teen's future with Jen B (ENCORE) Jen B is a mother to a 16 year old high-performing perfectionist daughter who is completing her junior year of high school. Jen is a self described micromanager who worries that her daughter doesn't have the coping mechanisms and resilience she’s going to need for college. Jen knows she needs to back off and trust her daughter but she’s finding it so hard to do. When her daughter comes to her for answers or frequently texts her, Jen struggles to set the boundaries that will help her daughter become more self-reliant. On today’s episode we talk about how to start to let go of control as a parent and create more trust between you and your teen. We talk about how to practice validation, honest conversations and how to show up with love and support without controlling the situation. We talk about setting boundaries and allowing your teen to learn their lessons alone without constant protection. We talk about how to utilize code words so you can keep each other accountable. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tips for validating communication around your teen’s stresses and why this creates empathy and understanding. Specific tools for creating boundaries and room for your teen to grow without your constant protection and rules. Communication tips around handling the next steps in your relationship with your teen when you’re working on letting go of control. Specific tools to encourage your teen to start solving problems and learning lessons on their own. Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/27007689

When your child hates to lose with Ruthie S 05/25/2023

When your child hates to lose with Ruthie S Ruthie’s 4 year old son is fiercely competitive. He wants to be first at everything. He races his mom and even if he loses he insists that he is the winner. She is not a fan of the “no, you’re not” “yes, I am” battle. While Ruthie wants to embrace her son’s competitive nature, acknowledging that it will serve him well, she needs some help handling his need to always win. If you’re struggling with a child who can’t deal with losing at anything, listen along for strategies and perspective to help your child feel better about not always being the winner. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tangible tips and games to teach your child about the concept of winning and losing. Alter the “winning” goal by adjusting racing against others to racing against yourself. Changing your perspective and giving your child something fair to win at while utilizing empowering language. Helping your child understand and develop empathy for those that don’t win. “It may not be that he necessarily needs to race and beat you. It may be just this act of seeing how fast he can run. And you can do it outside. You can set up a starting or finish and let him do these dashes. Time him, how long is it going to take him to run around the house. How many times can he do it, how fast can he do it today and in a week if he keeps practicing. Throwing in that concept how the practice is going to make him better and faster.” - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/26950416

When your child is starting a brand new school with Nicole C 05/20/2023

When your child is starting a brand new school with Nicole C Nicole’s 5 year old is heading to kindergarten this fall. She’s concerned about her son making this transition from the super nurturing preschool he has been at since he was 1.5 years old. If your child is going to be heading to a new camp this summer or new school in the fall, listen along for some strategies to help your child work through those jitters and to help you be ok with your child’s discomfort. “It's so important for us to allow our kids to be uncomfortable because that is very normal. They’re going to feel it whether we want them to or not. And the more opportunities they have to learn how to get through those feelings, the better." This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tangible tips for familiarizing your child with their new environment and classmates in advance. Accepting and getting comfortable with your child’s inevitable discomfort in life. Letting go of a perfectionist mindset and giving your child permission to feel their feelings. Looking back with your child and celebrating them as they move through this new chapter. Empowering language and exercises for handling new social situations. Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/26886942

When your child has selective blindness with Tahra D 04/27/2023

When your child has selective blindness with Tahra D Tahra’s 10 year old daughter has what her mom likes to call “selective blindness”. She can never seem to find the things her mom asks her for. Tahra finds this so frustrating and is hoping for some guidance on the best way to handle this. We talk about how this is part of the bigger issue of helping out as part of the family unit. If you are struggling to get your children to be more active helpers at home, listen along for some strategies to empower and activate your kids. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tools and games to motivate your children to help out at home. Empowering conversations to activate your child’s sense of responsibility. Creating opportunities for your child to earn more freedom and independence while developing life skills. Practicing supportive communication versus blaming to create a sense of teamwork and empathy between you and your child. “You could say I get that AND there are certain things that I don't want to try that hard at either because I don’t really care AND I need to anyways. And you need to anyway. Cause you’re part of this family and I can't do it all myself. And I need you. I need you to help. I need you to step up and I know you're really capable of it.” - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/26667654

When your child won’t stop throwing food with Sarah S 04/20/2023

When your child won’t stop throwing food with Sarah S Sarah’s 2 and a half year old daughter won’t stop throwing food at meal time. Sarah is finding that she is escalating the situation because she ends up yelling and then dealing with a crying toddler. If you’re struggling with a defiant toddler and you're constantly cleaning up food from the floor, listen in for some strategies to set boundaries while allowing your child some control. This week on The Parenting Mentor: General statements and empowering language that will define boundaries and reinforce rules around meal time. Focusing on your one goal with your child and being okay with letting go of perfection. Empowering language that reminds your child that you are on their team and it’s not a fight. Tangible strategies to teach your kids about concepts like hunger and incorporating games for them to express themselves without making a mess of the food. “She knows if I choose not to eat I may be uncomfortable. If I choose to throw food I’m not going to eat. So giving her the power. And you’re not angry, you’re not yelling. When she throws the food, you’re like oh I can see you don’t want to eat now, honey. It’s not like “OK I'M TAKING THE FOOD AWAY” There’s nothing punitive. It’s just the way it is.” - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/26532480

When your child refuses to listen to you with Nicholle H 04/07/2023

When one child feels pushed around by their sibling with Hillary H 03/30/2023

When one child feels pushed around by their sibling with Hillary H Hillary is a mom of two daughters and her youngest is starting to complain about her sister's bossyness. As the older child she tends to jump in at every turn to take over. She’s there to let her know how to do everything and tends to reinforce what mom said. Hillary would love to learn how to help her younger child have more opportunities to lead and help her first born back off a bit. Listen along for some strategies for teaching your children respectful communication with each other and to avoid feeling pushed around. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Empowering communication tools and language to offer your child to give them a sense of personal power and voice. Tools to foster your child’s opinions and voice. Tangible tools to help your child practice and learn new behaviors such as not interrupting others. Creating opportunities for your child to take the lead. “I also think that having a conversation with Louisa about having her not agree to everything is important. So rather than you being the one to step in and telling Frankie to stop doing everything she’s doing, that it's okay to help Louisa learn how to do it herself.” - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/26386470

When your child gets in trouble for being the class clown with Lori O 03/03/2023

When your child gets in trouble for being the class clown with Lori O Lori’s 11 year old son has always been a fun-loving class clown who likes to mess around in class. Now that he is in middle school his teachers find his behavior to be disrespectful. Since this only happens in school, Lori is wondering what strategies she might be able to suggest to her son so he can better judge when his humor and interruptions are okay and when they are not. If you have a child who’s having trouble controlling inappropriate behaviors this podcast may help. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Effective tips and tangible tools for your child to express their humor and thoughts without creating disruptions at school. Supportive brainstorming exercises and scenario role playing to teach your child the lesson of when and where. Changing your perspective to focus on your kid’s gifts and having empathy for their experience rather than having judgment. “First thing I would do is, I wouldn’t worry too much. Like oh my god this is going to affect his whole life? The only thing that’s going to affect his life is that he has the ability to make people laugh and that’s a great thing.” Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/26114184

When your child wants to be the dictator with Priyanka M 01/27/2023

When your child wants to be the dictator with Priyanka M Priyanka M is a mother to a 6 year old son who is smart, confident and comfortable taking over most situations. He often acts as a “dictator” when it comes to playing with other kids. Priyanka is wondering how to help her son develop more social and emotional intelligence and learn how to better connect with other kids. She wants to teach him how to be productive and happy working with others but not stifle his curiosity, intellect and leadership skills. Listen along to learn some strategies to help your kid learn how to, as the report card says “work well with others”. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tips for effective and encouraging communication that will grow your kid’s social skills while also making them feel supported. At-home, tangible role play tips for teaching your child to work well with others in the classroom. Changing your perspective to focus on your kid’s successes and having empathy for their experience. Relating to kids through storytelling to make them feel validated. “Anytime that you get frustrated or why is he acting like this, he’s so smart and he understands this and dadada - your mantra needs to be my son is 6. My son has been in the world for only 6 years and look what he’s capable of already” - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/25744560

When you’re struggling with sibling rivalry issues with Nikki B 01/20/2023

When your child doesn’t want to get out of holiday mode with Jamie M 01/05/2023

When your child doesn’t want to get out of holiday mode with Jamie M Jamie M is a mom to her 2 year old son who is coming off of a few weeks of lots of chocolate, tv and mom-ing. Jamie is stressing on how to get back to what she considers normal for her son post holidays. If you have also let your rules go by the wayside this holiday season, listen along for some strategies to smooth this transition and even create new structure in your household in 2023. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tips for effective and encouraging communication that will get your kids in the conversation about holiday transitions, work life, and balance allowing them to feel even more a part of the family. How to gradually enforce your 2023 rules while creating a balance in your home such as taking breaks to spend time together in between working. Techniques such as trading in a card for one chocolate a day to make the process a bit smoother and more tangible. Changing your perspective and having empathy around your child’s experience. “The beginning of the New Year becomes so stressful for everyone because they feel like they need to make strict changes or do things cold turkey. I feel like we need to ease into it. It's a healthy, more relaxed way to approach change.”- Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/25516500

When you’re the Lead Dad in a Mom’s World with Paul S 12/01/2022

When you’re the Lead Dad in a Mom’s World with Paul S Paul S is the lead dad to his three daughters. What is that exactly, you ask? He’s the main parent that takes on most or all of the daily responsibilities for the kids. He loves his role with his kids but finds that navigating the social dynamics within the mom community as a Dad is complicated. He finds it rather difficult to break through the “playground mom mafia”. He’s wondering what he can do to get lead moms to engage when it comes to birthday parties, playdates and chatting on the playground. Listen along for some strategies to encourage your partner to take on more lead responsibilities and why it’s okay and important to embrace lead dads in your mom community. This week on The Parenting Mentor: What exactly is a lead dad? Practicing transparency and openness around the topic of lead dads. Using humor to create bonds on the playground for both the lead moms and dads. Creating open and direct communication around this modern parenting style The power of moms letting go of control and allowing space for a partner to take on more responsibilities. “I think part of the challenge is that the mom has to genuinely give up control” -Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/25170081

When your kids are constantly fighting with Lindsay R 11/17/2022

When your kids are constantly fighting with Lindsay R Lindsay is a mother to two boys (3 years old and 5 years old) and they are constantly at each other’s throats. The fighting is driving Lindsay nuts. The older one has learned the word “retaliate” and that seems to be his action when frustrated by his brother. And this has started to show itself in school as well. If you’re wondering how best to deal with your child’s lack of frustration tolerance when it comes to their sibling or friends, listen in for some strategies that are not only helpful but respectful of your child’s feelings. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tips for effective and encouraging communication that get to the issue instead of just saying “you can’t”. How to include your child in the problem solving process. How to use yourself as an example when teaching calm techniques. Specific tools for allowing your child to express and normalize their feelings and understand sharing as a concept. "I think it's important for him to know that he’s allowed to have the feelings. To feel frustrated. And to feel angry. It’s okay because those are totally normal feelings and it’s not bad to have those but it's about how they are expressed that can be not so good." - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/25051509

When your child doesn’t listen to you with Nneka H 11/10/2022

Communicating age differences to your kids with Jenn H 10/27/2022

Communicating age differences to your kids with Jenn H Jenn’s children are only 380 days apart. However her three-year old son wants to do what his four-year old sister is doing, like go to preschool. And at the same time, her older daughter wants to be treated more like a baby. Jenn is struggling with how to communicate age differences to her children while also giving them what they need. Today we talk about using specific tactics and tools to teach your children about age and the concept of getting older. We dive into communication tips to reach your kids while also supporting their needs. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Strategies for empowering and fun visual games to teach your kids about getting older. Specific conversation tips using real life examples. Tips for changing the language around your child’s needs for cuddles and getting to the root of their needs. Changing your perspective on the potty training stress and other “milestones” and why it’s essential to not give in to the noise. “It’s not, well you can't go to preschool unless you use the potty. It’s more like, when you’re ready that’s also a sign that you’re ready for preschool” - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/24813621

When you want school mornings to be more relaxed with Tara H 10/20/2022

When you want school mornings to be more relaxed with Tara H Tara is struggling with getting her 5-year old daughter to school on time. Ideally, Tara wants her daughter to be able to settle in before school starts, which means being a few minutes early. However, her daughter prefers to flounder and drag her feet creating stress, frustration and yelling in the home. She isn’t focused on all the tasks that Tara thinks need to happen before getting in the car. Today we talk about how to focus on your goal of getting the kids to school on time and what that might mean. We discuss breaking down tasks for our kids so they don’t get overwhelmed with the commands. We dive into teaching kids powerful life skills like time management and problem solving. If you’re also having stressful mornings, this is a great episode for you. Gain some perspective and strategies to help your child manage their mornings. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tangible tips and tools for teaching kids about time management. Tips for empowering and fun games to teach your kids to get ready in the morning. Specific conversation tips for positive and effective communication and raising independent children. Tips for getting on your kid’s team and why this creates respect and stronger communication. “What you’re in fact doing is teaching her really amazing life skills. Helping her to figure these things out on her own is an important life skill. So it’s not about having her teeth brushed. It’s not about having her shoes tied. It’s about the process of learning to do those things in a relaxed, timely way.” - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/24743121

When your child doesn’t want to eat with Colin H 09/22/2022

When your kid doesn’t want to go back to camp with Lauren B Part 2 08/18/2022

When your kid doesn’t want to go back to camp with Lauren B Part 2 Lauren B is back again this week to chat about how to convince her 11 year old to go back to camp. She’s calling in from an airbnb where she’s been taking care of her son during a flu outbreak at his 4-week summer camp. Now that his sickness has passed he’s refusingo go back. On today’s episode we talk about some strategies around turning a negative feeling and experience into a positive one without conflict. We talk about why honing in on goals is important for kids to feel empowered. We discuss the importance of creating a dynamic where your kid feels like you’re on the same team. We talk about recognizing the differences between you and your kids and engaging with them in a way that works best for them. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tips for language and strategies for empowerment and turning a negative into a positive. Tips for understanding where your child is emotionally and supporting them. Language to create a bond and feeling of team support. “They are different than we are. They are completely different human beings and we need to engage them in a way that works for them. And that makes them feel good. And then when we do, and when we really understand who they are and what they need, you don’t have to struggle and worry.” - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/24083634

When You Want to Empower Your Kids In the Midst of Life's Realities with Lauren B Part 1 08/11/2022

When You Want to Empower Your Kids In the Midst of Life's Realities with Lauren B Part 1 Lauren B is mother to 11 and 14 year old sons. Recently, the summer camp that the kids are in, faced a flu outbreak. Her older son shared with Lauren how he feels haunted by the pandemic and all of the stresses and fears they went through. This hit Lauren as she began to question how to give her boys an optimistic outlook on life when there is so much going on in the world that’s not positive. The topic started weighing on her. She doesn't want to be a Pollyanna but doesn’t want to hide life’s realities from her sons either. On today’s episode we talk about how to tactfully engage in real life conversations with your kids. We talk about how important it is for kids to develop coping mechanisms and resilience while we validate their feelings with intentional language. We discuss raising children who want to be engaged in the issues and not just feel fear. How do we activate our children and give them a sense of control towards making a change? This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tips for language and strategies for validation, honesty and empowerment. Tips for understanding where your child is emotionally and how much you want to share. Language for helping your kid feel empowered in the world and not helpless. “I think the message is yes, this is hard. Validating that feeling 100%. Because it is. And yeah it stinks when your friends are coming and going and you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop. And yet you get through it.”- Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/24021996

When your kid is having trouble remembering school tasks with Randi Z 06/23/2022

When your kid is having trouble remembering school tasks with Randi Z Randi Z is a mother to a 10 and a half year old boy who has been struggling with remembering certain tasks required by his teacher. Randi recently learned that her son’s homework hasn’t been accounted for over the past few weeks because he has been forgetting to get his homework signed off at home. Randi wonders what are the appropriate expectations around accountability and how best to handle them. She worries about what this means for her son’s future and where SHE slipped up in the equation. On today’s episode we dive into our perspective and strategies around raising a self-reliant kid. We discuss how it’s not your responsibility as a parent to remember your kid’s tasks but there are ways that you can help them help themselves. By joining forces as a team and tackling issues together, your kid not only feels supported but they get to practice the life long skill of problem solving. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tips for validating and non-judgemental communication that reminds your child that you support them and you’re on their team. Specific tools for helping your kid become more self-reliant and responsible. Why punishment isn’t the answer and why you should focus on empathy and patience for the learning process. Tips for supportive and productive communication with teachers regarding their concerns. “He’s only going to be in 5th grade. That’s the first message to keep reminding yourself. The second message is you’re going to help him throughout the year learn a life skill. And those take time. And they take a little effort. And they take trial and error. The more relaxed you go into this whole thing the better, for you and for him. It shouldn't be a conflict thing.” - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/23512418

When your child doesn’t want to play alone with Danielle C 06/09/2022

When your child doesn’t want to play alone with Danielle C Danielle C is a mother to a 4 year old daughter who doesn’t play well by herself. Her daughter is an only child who requires a lot of attention and entertainment, making Danielle worried that her daughter will always need someone to do things with. Danielle is struggling to get her own work and household chores accomplished. Her daughter often interrupts, asking her to play even when Danielle tells her “Mommy needs five more minutes”. On today’s episode we talk about what to do when you are becoming your child’s entertainment committee. We dive into how you can slowly guide your child to enjoy doing things alone through tools like the “fun bowl”. We also talk about how to use a timer and set certain rules when it comes to Mommy’s work time. We explain how to include your child in helping with chores. We discuss why it’s okay for kids to be bored. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tips for setting rules and boundaries with your child around Mommy’s work time. Specific tools for introducing your child to fun activities that they can do independently. How to talk about “alone time” with your child and help them understand the benefits. Tips for getting chores done with your child! “It’s not necessarily: let your child be bored. It’s- it’s okay for them to be bored. So if they say they’re bored- it’s like “Oh. Okay” They are telling you some information. They’re not saying you need to be my entertainment committee.” - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/23370977

When Your Child Doesn’t Want to Follow Your Plan with Ari K 06/02/2022

When Your Child Doesn’t Want to Follow Your Plan with Ari K Ari is a mother to a 6 year boy who is not a fan of following schedules that are set up for him. While he is on the spectrum, getting kids to follow orders is a frequent complaint from many parents. As Ari finds herself in daily battles with her son, she wonders, how does she find the balance between flexibility and discipline? And how does she get her son to school on time without a fight? On today’s podcast we discuss strategies to help manage your child’s time and your expectations. We talk about the importance of creating a plan and not just including your child in the process, but letting them lead. The more you allow your child to lead, the more involved and respected they will feel, allowing everyone to be more relaxed and happy. We talk about how to work together with your child to build a morning routine plan in order to get to school on time. We talk about why I’m not a fan of rigid discipling and why I opt for a more supportive process that creates space for developing life skills. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tips for validating and non-judgemental communication that reminds your child that you support them and you’re on their team. Specific tools for allowing your child to better understand time management. Tips on including your kid into the schedule planning so they may lead and learn. The difference between strict disciplining and allowing your child to live, learn and solve problems along the way. “A plan is really important for all kids. They want to know what to expect and it sounds like your son especially wants to be part of making the plan. And the more that you can get him involved in creating that plan and really being part of it, the more buy in you’re going to have” - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/23296829

When Your Child Hits, Kicks and Slaps Others with Sara H 05/26/2022

When Your Child Hits, Kicks and Slaps Others with Sara H Sara H is a mother to a 4 year old girl who struggles with emotional regulation. When her daughter is angry or frustrated she goes straight to hitting, kicking and slapping others. With a new baby on the way, Sara is worried that her child doesn’t have coping mechanisms to turn to, in order to regulate her emotions. On today’s podcast we discuss specific strategies that will help your child manage difficult feelings in a more positive way. We talk about how to create an emotional connection with your child by reflecting their experience back to them. We talk about how using a general global statement such as “people don’t hit people” is a non-judgemental rule to offer them. We talk about the power of showing up with love and trying not to “fix” things. We talk about the importance of showing your kid how YOU handle difficult emotions so they can learn by example. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tips for validating and non-judgemental communication that reflect back your child’s experience and why this creates empathy and connection. Specific tools for allowing your child to feel and express their emotions in a healthy and non-destructive way. Normalizing the experience of difficult emotions and showing your child how you cope with it in your own life. Specific tools to encourage love and empathy while allowing your child to develop their own problem solving tools. “I’m not going to fix what you’re doing. I’m not going to fix why you’re angry or why you’re frustrated. But I’m going to allow you to feel that way and I’m going to give you love for it. If we fix it, then, we’re not really helping them to develop that emotional intelligence. We’re not helping them to develop their coping mechanisms and problem solving skills.” - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/23220398

When micromanaging may be hurting your teen’s future with Jen B 05/12/2022

When micromanaging may be hurting your teen’s future with Jen B Jen B is a mother to a 16 year old high-performing perfectionist daughter who is completing her junior year of high school. Jen is a self-described micromanager who worries that her daughter doesn't have the coping mechanisms and resilience she’s going to need for college. Jen knows she needs to back off and trust her daughter but she’s finding it so hard to do. When her daughter comes to her for answers or frequently texts her, Jen struggles to set the boundaries that will help her daughter become more self-reliant. On today’s episode we talk about how to let go of control as a parent and create more trust between you and your teen. We talk about how to practice validation, honest conversations and how to show up with love and support without controlling the situation. We talk about setting boundaries and allowing your teen to learn their lessons alone without constant protection. We talk about how to utilize code words so you can keep each other accountable. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tips for validating communication around your teen’s stresses and why this creates empathy and understanding. Specific tools for creating boundaries and room for your teen to grow without your constant protection and rules. Communication tips around handling the next steps in your relationship with your teen when you’re working on letting go of control. Specific tools to encourage your teen to start solving problems and learning lessons on their own. “When she says ‘what should I do?’ You can say: 'Well what do YOU think? What would make YOU feel good?' And just know in your head that what makes you feel good may not make her feel good. We can talk until we are blue in the face to our teens about meditation and breathing- but until they are ready, they’re not going to do it.” - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/23012948

When your child resists trying new activities with Lindsay M 05/12/2022

When your child resists trying new activities with Lindsay M Lindsay M is a mom who is feeling pressure to “keep up with the Joneses” when it comes to signing her 7 year old son up for extracurricular activities. She wants to encourage him to try new activities that she feels would be good for him even if he might not be interested - such as piano lessons. She is worried about constant arguments with her son who may refuse to go or may quit activities that she signs him up for. Lindsay comes to me for insight on when to push her son to do things she thinks will be good for him. She also needs some guidance and tips to get him to do the things he has to do like going on errands with mom. On today’s episode we talk about how and when to push your kids. We talk about different tactics you can use when teaching them the power of practicing. We also talk about how to reframe the word “quitting” by changing the way we think and talk about it. We dive into when commitment really matters and approaching conversations around the financial investment that comes with activities. We discuss what is often forgotten- the importance of downtime. This week on The Parenting Mentor: Tips for validating and non-judgemental communication around quitting and commitment towards activities. Specific tools for teaching your kid about the power of practice in order to grow.Reframing the word “quitting” as a parent. How to allow your kid to discover their passion over time. And how to be okay with their evolution as well as the moments of rest in between. “Parents so often want their kids to have a passion when they’re young. And it can take a long time and a lot of exploration before that passion is found.” - Sue Groner Meet the Parenting Mentor If you want to reduce the everyday stress and anxiety that inevitably come with parenting and learn to be a happier and more relaxed parent, then this is the place for you. Here, you can listen in on real sessions with parents who open up about the specific challenges they face with children from 2 to 22. Listen along and gain perspectives and strategies to help you parent with sanity and joy. Visit for notes on this show, more episodes, and all the ways to subscribe, and don’t forget to pick up my book, , which includes my Nine Golden Rules of Parenting. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts! I I I iHeart Radio I I /episode/index/show/theparentingmentor/id/23082536

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