Most of the moms I work with know how they want to parent differently.

They've read books, gone to therapy, or tried coaching. They can tell you exactly how they wish they'd handled the shoe standoff or the bedtime battle.

And they still yell.

Knowing what to do lives in the thinking brain, but reacting starts in the body, often before the thinking brain has a chance to weigh in.

I'm away at a somatic retreat this week, so I'm replaying the episode where I first talked about this on the podcast. With the holidays coming, it felt like the right time to revisit it.

If you've been wondering why you keep reacting when you know better, this episode will help it make sense.

• What's happening in your body in the seconds before you yell
• What somatic work is, and how it complements mindset work
• A simple framework for noticing your body's reaction, regulating your nervous system, and responding on purpose

• This episode originally aired as Episode 355 – You Changed Your Mindset, So Why Are You Losing Your Mind?
• Join the Damn Good Mama wait list HERE.
• Download my free Nervous System Reset Guide for Moms HERE.
• Leave a review of the show in Apple Podcasts
• Buy and leave a review for the Less Drama More Mama book HERE.
• Subscribe to get email updates on Less Drama More Mama webinars, workshops, and special offers HERE.
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For the past few years, I've taught nervous system tools to moms from my quiet home office.

This fall, I put them to the test when I spent three months back at the school where I used to work as a counselor.

I didn't handle every moment perfectly, but I could feel how much more capacity I had to stay calm and respond thoughtfully than I did the last time I worked there, five years ago.

In this week's podcast episode, I share what I noticed, what helped, and why the experience made me even more certain about working with moms.

• What happened when I used nervous system tools in a loud, demanding environment
• What my students learned from watching me close my eyes in the middle of a lesson
• Why logic and reassurance usually don't get through to an upset child, and what to do first

• Episode 427 - Are You Making Self-Control Harder for Your Child? (Self-Control Series, Part 1)
  Episode 428 - How to Help Kids Think Before They Speak (Self-Control Series, Part 2)
  Episode 429 - How to Help Kids Keep Their Hands to Themselves (Self-Control Series, Part 3)
• Join the Damn Good Mama wait list HERE.
• Download my free Nervous System Reset Guide for Moms HERE.
• Leave a review of the show in Apple Podcasts
• Buy and leave a review for the Less Drama More Mama book HERE.
• Subscribe to get email updates on Less Drama More Mama webinars, workshops, and special offers HERE.
• Follow Less Drama More Mama on Facebook and Instagram.

"Keep your hands to yourself."

You've probably said it more times than you can count, and your child can likely repeat the rule right back to you.

So why do they still push, grab, and hit?

Knowing the expectation and following it in the moment are two very different skills.

This is the final episode in my three-part series on self-control. I'm talking about physical self-control, which includes helping kids keep their hands off other people and their things, respect personal space, stay in control of their bodies when feelings get big, and understand consent.

You'll hear how to practice these skills at home, what to do when your child is hitting or pushing, what this looks like with tweens and teens, and how your own history shapes the way you react when your kids get physical.

This episode is packed with real stories and strategies you can start using this week.

• Why knowing the expectation isn't enough, and what helps your child choose a better option in the moment
• What the research says about hitting a pillow to "get the anger out"
• How everyday moments of consent at home prepare your child for dating and relationships later
• Why your child's physical behavior can bring up fear in you, and how to respond to what's happening

• Episode 427 - Are You Making Self-Control Harder for Your Child? (Self-Control Series, Part 1)
• Episode 428 - How to Help Kids Think Before They Speak (Self-Control Series, Part 2)
• Read about the 2024 Ohio State review of 154 studies on anger HERE.
• Join the Damn Good Mama wait list HERE.
• Download my free Nervous System Reset Guide for Moms HERE.
• Buy and leave a review for the Less Drama More Mama book HERE.
• Subscribe to get email updates on Less Drama More Mama webinars, workshops, and special offers HERE.
• Follow Less Drama More Mama on Facebook and Instagram.
• Leave a review of the show in Apple Podcasts