It’s Back To School Time

by | Sep 14, 2017 | Cooking, Parenting, Tips and Techniques

It is back to school season around the country and while my kids are homeschooled, my friend Kim Calichio volunteered to say some things about the adjustment period that is going on right now.

Kim runs The Connected Chef in New York and loves helping families connect to each other through the medium of food.  As a former sous chef at one of the best restaurants in NYC, Kim understands food at an intuitive level.  Instead of teaching recipes, Kim teaches techniques, because as a mother of two active little boys, she understands that sometimes reading a recipe takes more brain power than we have!

Join Kim in the video below and get some inspiration for making the adjustment to back to school.

Kim Calichio is the owner and visionary behind The Connected Chef.

The Connected Chef works with families to use food as a way to connect with one another.  Our children’s gardening and cooking classes and individual family programs both allow us to work with clients to problem solve the struggles of parenthood and food. The results: Kids who feel empowered to make independent & healthy food choices and develop a natural respect for their environment and community; Parents who are able to take a breath and connect with their kids instead of engaging in the ever present struggle of mealtime.

You can get your Quickstart Guide to Easy, Healthy Meals as a Family from Kim here.

The Only Scheduling Tool I Use

by | Sep 12, 2017 | Parenting, Tips and Techniques

How do you find the time to do all the things you need to get done in a day?

Much less fit in any self care time?

Can it even be done?  Especially in this culture of busy?

Would you believe me if I told you it could be done, and that I manage it, most of the time even though I have four daughters 11 and below, I run three businesses, am married and have several hobbies?

Let’s go back almost 3 years ago.  We had just moved 30 minutes away from the area of Maine we first moved to four years ago, effectively leaving most of our support system, so that we could save about that much time in my husbands daily commute.  Our youngest had just turned a year old, and unlike some of her sisters had gone straight into the “must watch constantly because she might kill herself” mode that meant I was always on guard.

I was working on building a business, anything really to be able to help supplement my hubby’s income while being home with the girls.  I was trying out an MLM for the second time and having about as much luck as the time I had tried one 10 years previously.  The one thing I knew I needed was support.

Through making connections on Facebook (and following instructions from the MLM I was a part of) I found a business coach down the coast in Maine and I started chatting with her.  To make a long story short she was getting ready to have a free virtual week which I joined and then later became one of her clients.

The biggest tool I think I have learned from the amazing Britt Bolnick of In Arms Coaching is that of Sacred Structure.  And it is through the regular use of this tool that I have been able to obtain a fair amount of balance in my schedule for the must do’s, the want to do’s and fun stuff.

The only slight twist I have added to Britt’s amazing concept is that of Grace Time.  Every week there is at least one (if not two) blocks of time that are labeled grace for catching up on all the business or other tasks that didn’t happen at their assigned time.  Because you know, as a mum, it doesn’t always happen the way you thought it should!  That grace time has saved me on more than one week.

What I love about Sacred Structure is you can set it up over and over again, so that it is always reflecting what is most important in your life right now.  We all have different seasons in our life, and what might be the most important right now (for instance healing from this broken ankle) will not necessarily be such a priority in another future season.  Sacred Structure adjusts for this.

Sacred Structure has changed my world.  The first thing I started putting in it was crafting/creative time, and that is still something that needs to happen regularly for my happiness.  Strangely enough that creative time bleeds over and makes everything else I do, whether it is parenting, running my businesses or cooking dinner, easier to accomplish.

What would be the first thing you would add to your schedule that you can’t currently find time to do?  Tell me in the comments below.  And check out Britt’s free Sacred Structure guide right here.  She even has videos for it now!

Chase Young is the founder of The Mommy Rebellion a place for judgment-free parenting.  She’s created a place to get tips, tools and support for what it is truly like to be a mother, stories from the trenches that show you you’re not alone.  Tips that real mothers use.  Tools to give to yourself and to your parenting friends to feel more focused, have more patience and energy, and feel less tired and snappy .  
You can follow Chase here on this blog, sign up for her newsletter here and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

There’s No Perfection in Parenting – Part 3

by | Aug 31, 2017 | Affirmations, Parenting, Tips and Techniques

Today we finish up our 3-part series from Robyn Wiley.

Robyn will be leading us through accepting that There’s no Perfection in Parenting and today she finishes our series with one last powerful tool.

Join Robyn in the video below and if you missed Part 1 and Part 2 just click on them!

Robyn Wiley is Mama Bear to a lovely and spirited 9 year old boy. When she’s not playing outside or watching Pokemon cartoons, she also serves as an Author, Joy & Authenticity Coach, Reiki Master Teacher, Speaker, and Workshop Leader in the realm of Personal and Spiritual Growth.

At the core of Robyn’s work is her desire to help others connect to their most true, Authentic selves so they can experience the greatest amount of Joy, Passion, and Fulfillment in ALL areas of their lives- parenting included!

From many years of feeling very unhappy and disconnected from her own authentic self, Robyn understands the pain of living this way. After receiving massive benefits from working with her first Life Coach and Reiki Master, Robyn realized her calling to share the tools she had learned and to develop her own tools to assist others on their paths to happier and more authentic living.

Among her training and experience, Robyn has completed a B.A. in Philosophy, Reiki Trainings from 2009-2017 to the highest level of Reiki Master of Masters, a Certification in “Assertiveness Coaching” and has Coached dozens of clients from 2014, has designed and led dozens of Personal/Spiritual Development workshops, and has published a Guided Journal called: “My Happy Book: a Guided Journal to Light up your Life.”

Robyn continuously seeks training and experience to support her in being the best person, parent, coach, and teacher she can be, and is currently enrolled in a second Coaching Certification program, the highly reputed Robbins-Madanes Core 100 Program.

To learn more about Robyn and her work, please visit her website at:

There’s No Perfection in Parenting-Part 2

by | Aug 24, 2017 | Journal Writing, Parenting, Tips and Techniques

Today we continue with part 2 of a 3-part series from Robyn Wiley.

Robyn will be leading us through accepting that There’s No Perfection in Parenting and today she leads us through a journal writing exercise to get to the root of our limiting beliefs about parenting.

Join Robyn in the video below and join us next week part 3 and the conclusion of this series!

And if you missed last week’s video you can find it  here.

Robyn Wiley is Mama Bear to a lovely and spirited 9 year old boy. When she’s not playing outside or watching Pokemon cartoons, she also serves as an Author, Joy & Authenticity Coach, Reiki Master Teacher, Speaker, and Workshop Leader in the realm of Personal and Spiritual Growth.

At the core of Robyn’s work is her desire to help others connect to their most true, Authentic selves so they can experience the greatest amount of Joy, Passion, and Fulfillment in ALL areas of their lives- parenting included!

From many years of feeling very unhappy and disconnected from her own authentic self, Robyn understands the pain of living this way. After receiving massive benefits from working with her first Life Coach and Reiki Master, Robyn realized her calling to share the tools she had learned and to develop her own tools to assist others on their paths to happier and more authentic living.

Among her training and experience, Robyn has completed a B.A. in Philosophy, Reiki Trainings from 2009-2017 to the highest level of Reiki Master of Masters, a Certification in “Assertiveness Coaching” and has Coached dozens of clients from 2014, has designed and led dozens of Personal/Spiritual Development workshops, and has published a Guided Journal called: “My Happy Book: a Guided Journal to Light up your Life.”

Robyn continuously seeks training and experience to support her in being the best person, parent, coach, and teacher she can be, and is currently enrolled in a second Coaching Certification program, the highly reputed Robbins-Madanes Core 100 Program.

To learn more about Robyn and her work, please visit her website at:

There is No Perfection in Parenting part 1

by | Aug 17, 2017 | Breathing, Parenting, Tips and Techniques

Today we begin the first of a 3-part series from Robyn Wiley.

Robyn will be leading us through accepting that There’s no Perfection in Parenting and today she starts out the series leading us through a breathing exercise to accept ourselves exactly where we are at.

Join Robyn in the video below and join us next week for part 2.

Robyn Wiley is Mama Bear to a lovely and spirited 9 year old boy. When she’s not playing outside or watching Pokemon cartoons, she also serves as an Author, Joy & Authenticity Coach, Reiki Master Teacher, Speaker, and Workshop Leader in the realm of Personal and Spiritual Growth.

At the core of Robyn’s work is her desire to help others connect to their most true, Authentic selves so they can experience the greatest amount of Joy, Passion, and Fulfillment in ALL areas of their lives- parenting included!

From many years of feeling very unhappy and disconnected from her own authentic self, Robyn understands the pain of living this way. After receiving massive benefits from working with her first Life Coach and Reiki Master, Robyn realized her calling to share the tools she had learned and to develop her own tools to assist others on their paths to happier and more authentic living.

Among her training and experience, Robyn has completed a B.A. in Philosophy, Reiki Trainings from 2009-2017 to the highest level of Reiki Master of Masters, a Certification in “Assertiveness Coaching” and has Coached dozens of clients from 2014, has designed and led dozens of Personal/Spiritual Development workshops, and has published a Guided Journal called: “My Happy Book: a Guided Journal to Light up your Life.”

Robyn continuously seeks training and experience to support her in being the best person, parent, coach, and teacher she can be, and is currently enrolled in a second Coaching Certification program, the highly reputed Robbins-Madanes Core 100 Program.

To learn more about Robyn and her work, please visit her website at:

Can It Really Be Done?

by | Aug 3, 2017 | Grounding, Parenting, Spirituality, Tips and Techniques

This week we conclude our 3-part series on spirituality with Nikki Starcat Shields of Feline Dreamers.  Nikki is going to lead us through ways to make our spiritual practice part of our everyday lives.  Read on to find out how!

We’ve been talking about daily spiritual practice and how it can help support your whirlwind life as a Mom, bringing calm into your center. Now that you understand the value of a practice, and how to overcome your resistance, it’s time to dig in.

 

But, you might say, can it really be done? How can I add one more thing to my daily life, when it’s already overflowing?

 

As I mentioned earlier, I know it can be done because I’ve done it. I’ve had a solid daily spiritual practice for 20 years – all through my kids’ lives. The kids were both homeschooled, and part of that time I was the breadwinner. I’ve practiced through travel, family crises, starting my own business, publishing four books, and stresses of various kinds. Through all the stages of parenting: the terrible twos, the soccer-practice-every-day-and-twice-on-weekends phase, and the angsty teen years.

 

My daily spiritual practice is the foundation that keeps me calm and joyful and allows me to handle life’s inevitable challenges.

 

There’s nothing different about me – other than making the commitment to my daily spiritual practice, and sticking to it. You can do it, too. I know you can.

 

Lack of time is probably the biggest obstacle to your practice. Let’s address that (very valid) concern.

 

As you establish a daily spiritual practice, you’ll find that you actually have more time in your daily life. You’ll become more productive. This time expansion is a result of better focus. You’ll waste less time fretting and succumbing to those cultural pressures to be perfect. Like Dr. Who’s big blue Tardis, your experience of time is “bigger on the inside.”

 

When you make time to get centered, your perceptions shift, and voila! – you get more done and feel better while doing it.

 

Here are some other thoughts on making time for your new practice:

 

  • If your kids are very young, you can include them in your practice. Take a nature walk with your baby in the sling or stroller. I recall my kids joining me as toddlers, sitting on my lap as I drew my Tarot cards each morning. Slightly older kids can listen to a short guided meditation with you as you wind down at the end of the day.
  • Make your daily spiritual practice serve a dual purpose. You need to walk the dog, so take a meditative walk each morning. Make your shower or bath time sacred, with candles and relaxing music. Think outside the box.
  • Get support from your partner or a close friend. They can take over the kid care while you practice. Or you can always do your practice when the little ones are napping or sleeping. Be flexible, yet committed to taking some sort of sacred pause each day.

 

Make your spiritual practice time non-negotiable, and your kids will soon get used to it.

 

As your kids grow, your practice will evolve. This is completely natural. The 30-minute meditation followed by journaling that I do now wouldn’t have been possible ten years ago. My practice then was shorter, yes, but was still a sacred pause that helped me get centered each day.

 

Even as a busy Mom and family CEO, you can craft a daily spiritual practice that fits your life – and supports it fully. Are you ready?

 

Nikki Starcat Shields is a Mom, published author, Reiki healer, and licensed priestess. She blogs at Starcat’s Corner and shares her callings at Feline Dreamers. Want to learn more about how to create a daily spiritual practice that works in your life? Check out her It’s Your Time video.