Archives for 2012

Episode 171 Gibson Household Case Study: Week of Family Sickness in Review

Join me as we discuss:

A tough week for Trey dealing with family sickness from the 2 year old to his wife Corrie.

What did Trey do that was good during this time?

Where did Trey drop the ball?

SHOW NOTES

Having sick babies just flat out sucks. Watching a 2 year old baby girl cough and every time cry from the pain of it is a hard thing for an involved Daddy to watch. That was our house this week. Starting at Anna and moving to Grant and Cora was difficult.

But then the more difficult happened. My wife go sick as well. My wife Corrie is one tough cookie, but she still asked for me to come home Tuesday afternoon and led to me staying home all week while she kicked a nasty and quite persistent high-grade fever and sore throat straight from the pit of hades.

I realized that I had a unique opportunity to see some really good and really bad things occur over the weekend. I handled some things with the finesse of a well greased machine, and other things I derped up in a way that would make fail-poster worthiness…ok….maybe not that bad.

Today we are going to talk about those and what I will do differently the next time.

Episode 18 The Real Family Guys Podcast: New Cohost=Legit!

Join me as we discuss:

The new Real Family Guys Podcast Legit cohost Jeff Emery! BOOM BABY!

Who is this new guy and what’s the skinny on him?

Who would Jeff take with him into a zombie apocalypse?

SHOW NOTES

Since the very sad leaving of my good friend Paul RFGP was has a void to fill. A few months ago I had my friend Jeff Emery on the show to discuss raising kiddos that have incurable diseases and also parenting through divorce. At that time he noted that he really like the format of what FPN and RFGP is doing and would have “loved to do something like this.”

Though at that time RFGP was set with hosts, I filed it away as interesting. When Paul first let me know that we would be recording our last RFGP I experience a genuine sense of loss, but I remembered filing away Jeff’s comments. With very little deliberation, I contacted Jeff and asked if he would be interested.

As excited as he was, he very wisely asked for a bit of time to think about it and after a few days he agreed to be the new cohost of RFGP. And thus begins the newest chapter in The Real Family Guys Podcast.

Today we get to know Jeff as he tells us a bit about himself, where he’s from, and his passion for working with families to help them take parenting to the next level. We also ask Jeff the hard questions like:

Tell me about some crazy experience you’ve had.
Who made a difference in your life and why?
Have you ever had a wardrobe malfunction?
In the event of a zombie apocalypse, top 5 people you would want with you?

Episode 170: Lessons from Sandy: Kids and Disasters

Join me as we discuss:

Both what to do with kids and disasters if directly affected (e.g. Hurricane Sandy).

What do those not affected by Sandy absolutely NEED to learn from those affected.

7 things that your kid will likely need from you if you are dealing with a natural disaster.

What are the 6 survival needs that a person needs to address and be ready with?

SHOW NOTES

In the advent of Hurricane Sandy, we have seen some incredibly destructive forces that have wreaked havoc on the United States east coast. It brings to mind that no matter how secure we may feel in this moment, we are not assured that tough things will not happen to us.

So when things go bad, what do we need to do for our kids. How do we respond so that they can accept the current situation without loosing it.

Let your kids know that it is going to be okay.
Be ready to comfort more than you ever have.
Do not meltdown. It’s okay to be sad and cry, but don’t blow.
Establish routines ASAP.
Teach them to notice the helpers around them.
Help your fellow man.
Do not lose your principle when things get tough.

Also, what can we that are not directly affected do? Bad things are inevitable and going to happen to us. So what would you do if the store shelves were empty and what are the six basic thing we need to survive? Being prepared when things are good is the best policy.

Food
Water
Shelter
Energy
Security
Sanitation and Health

Episode 169: Talk Isn’t So Cheap as a Parent

Join me as we discuss:

The power of talking to your kid: how it’s more than just a feel-goody experience.

How ever basic interaction with your kid produces BETTER RESULTS than actually going to school.

Studies to back all this up.

We talk all the time here at FPN on how talking and relationship with our kids is vitally important. Today we bring in the science on the matter and discuss how research has shown that when talking is compared to better academic results than the tasks that get performed at school.

When we talk to our kids, we produce more affluent kiddos as well.

What’s fascinating about this is that when our kids are more affluent, they are more likely to create more assertive kids. These are the kids who are capable of arguing with the teacher that is just flat-out wrong. That’s the type of kid I want.

I want my kid to know that it’s okay if teachers don’t have all the answers or are wrong and that it’s okay to disagree with them. But do it in respect.

SHOW NOTES

Episode 168: A Year of FPN in Review – Past, Present, Future

Join me as we discuss:

A year of The Family Podcast Network in review to review the past, present, and future.

A review of The Real Family Guys Podcast.

The future of both FPN and RFGP.

Major announcement of our new host of The Real Family Guys Podcast.

When I initially was looking at what I wanted to do this week, I was on the backend of negotiations with a good friend of mine about stepping up as the new co-host of The Real Family Guys Podcast when it hit me.

The Family Podcast Network had hit its one-year anniversary! HOW FLIPPIN’ COOL!!! So I got to thinking backwards to where I began. It all started as a small little website called Lets Talk About Parenting with a .wordpress.com domain name. I wanted to test it out and see if I liked blogging. As much as I did, I was drawn to audio and speaking.

Thus began the conception of FPN.

A year later, here I am with a professional setup eons away from recording on my iPhone. I have a huge audience that consistently blows me away.

But, a good business owner cannot ever be content to stay where they are. So I’m looking to the future today as well. Join us as we discuss the past, present, and the future of The Family Podcast Network and The Real Family Guys Podcast.

ALSO, I’m so pumped to reveal the new co-host for RFGP since Pauls exit. There could not have been a better fit and everything slotted together in a way that was fantastic coincidence, or providence. Whichever you prefer to believe.

SHOW NOTES

Talk About Parenting – my first site built and the conception of The Family Podcast Network.

Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion – one of the primary books that helped launch FPN.

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Episode 167 Ellie Hirsch: Mommy Masters

Ellie’s Music is Magical CD Cover Art

Join me as we discuss:

A fantastic interview with Ellie Hirsch at Mommy Masters.

What is a Mommy Master, and how you can become one! Yes, it is possible.

What kind of tools does Ellie offer you that helps you do this!

The value of music in teaching kids and how Ellie has harnessed this into a CD.

The other day I heard a man discussing how he is a “Garden Master”. Quite literally you can take tests to become a master in many tasks. You know, like Jedi Master, Grand Master of the Universe, that kind of stuff. 😀

I have a masters degree in psychology and many consider themselves Call of Duty masters.

But one of the things that I don’t hear people say enough is: I am a Mommy (or Daddy) master.

What is the reason for that? People will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to be considered masters in business, nursing, and even communications, but do not take the time to become masters in parenting their own kids.

When I checked out Ellie’s site, Mommy Masters, I was intrigued and found that she is one of a select few that believe in honing the skills of parenting past being “good” into being “great” and I think that is what qualifies being a master in parenting.

Ellie shows herself being a Mommy Master.

SHOW NOTES

Mommy Masters Website – Ellies site that helps parents create flourishing family environments.

Click Here to Buy Ellies CD Music is Magical

Mommy Masters on Facebook

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Episode 166: Music Helps Your Kid Learn

Join me as we discuss:

How the Gibson family regularly uses music in their home for learning, as well as poppin’-and-lockin’.

Real articles that prove that this is not some wives-tale crap.

5 things music can do for your kid that you want it to do!

Music seems to be a universal thing. Cultures from all across the world have created music in one form or fashion so there seems to be some level of need. Today we talk science to discuss how this idea is not a load of classical crap, but physiological in nature.

The article shows that music, memory, and emotions all create brain activity in the same part of the brain! So when music is used, it can have a feedback connection that will link the memory with the music. Soooo flippin’ cool.

So what are 5 things music can do for us as parents:

Relax and lower stress levels of our kiddos.
Lower metabolism and heart rate to help learn.
Pull kids out of tired states.
Stimulate the brain to solve complex problems.
Help kids remember values like “don’t bite your friends!”

Also, we cover the age-old question: “my kids music is high-energy and chaotic. Should I let them listen to it and will it hurt them?”

SHOW NOTES

Article on Music, Memory, and Emotions

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Episode 17 The Real Family Guys Podcast: Farewell to Mr. Paul McGuire

Join me as we discuss:

A brief segment of apologizing to kiddos and how Trey’s morning this morning necessitates an apology when they he gets home.

A very sad farewell from Paul as this will be his last Real Family Guys Podcast.

Pauls reason for leaving.

Today is an episode that is sweet mixed with sour. We begin by discussing how Trey’s morning did not go so well, and how it has left Trey needing to apologize to, not only his kids, but also his wife. We talk about the power of apologies and how they are actually quite necessary.

We also cover the need to say “I’m sorry” to your spouse, and how it can be very beneficial to say that in front of the kiddos.

And more seriously, Paul announces that this will be his last Real Family Guys Podcast to help him stay laser targeted on his website, The Affluent Student. Paul gives his goodbyes to the listeners and reminds folks where they can find him.

SHOW NOTES

The Affluent Student- Pauls awesome site.

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Episode 165: If You’re Not Happy, You’re Doing it Wrong!

Join me as we discuss:

How if you are not happy, you are doing it wrong.

How I’m not talking about faking happiness, instantaneous happy-happy turn-arounds or floofy la-la crap about unicorns and bunnies.

How our happiness is our OWN responsibility, not our kids/spouse/etc.

A few ways to generate happiness from our lives.

Lets be honest. Many of us are not happy as parents. Not saying that we don’t experience some levels of happiness from time to time, but keeping that constant happiness can be a struggle. Typically, we grew up with parents that we’re happy even when we so desperately wanted them to be.

Before we know it, we are looking our kids in the eyes wondering why they “make me so angry.” You see, the mistakes of our parents come to revisit us as adults without even realizing it.

Emotions are like personal hygiene. It is not the responsibility of anyone else to keep me smelling good. That is why I wake up, shower, brush my teeth, put on deodorant, and maybe a little spritz of cologne. We all know and acknowledge that is the responsibility of the individual.

But for some reason, we often have trouble accepting this in regards to emotions.

No one can make you feel anything. Happy, sad, angry, numb.

These are all reactions or triggers to things that happen and I am responsible for how I act (or more likely react).

So how do we work on being happier? Here are a few that we talk about in today’s show:

Stop negative talking. I mean STOP IT!
Find the good in all situations. Yes, even the seemingly crappy ones.
Be optimistic that, though things are challenging, they will get better.

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Episode 164: Kids and Weight

Join me as we discuss:

The definition of overweight and obese and how your kiddo, and you, might fit the obese category without knowing it.

What I think are the main causes of our obesity in America.

What I think are the real solutions to our kiddo’s, and our, obesity issues.

There is no doubt that there is a rising occurrence of obesity in our culture, and even amongst our kiddos. Many parents have tried themselves to loose weight by cutting back on their foods, cutting out sodas, and exercising heavily. Now, I agree that these are crucial pieces of the weight-loss elements.

With that said,

I also think that there is a major piece of the puzzle missing that isn’t about cutting calories or increasing your output.

I think the quality of our food has gone to crap. With the onset of mono-cropping we are yanking all of the nutrients out of our soils. With fewer minerals to pull from the soil, there is less in the veggie we are consuming.

Or indirectly, there is less mineral content in the plants that cows are eating and then, subsequently, there is less mineral content in us. We now have to consume more to fill that nutritional goal. Combine that with the onset of highly processed foods. There is little we can do calorically or with exercise that makes a significant difference.

So what do I think we can do. Here is my list:

Grow your own food.
Go organic when possible (even though American “organic” isn’t fully organic).
Buy local. Farmers markets are great places to find great good garden-grown produce that hasn’t been shellacked with crap.

SHOW NOTES

Trey’s Tin Hat Segment

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