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Family play therapist and childhood mental health expert Carley Aroldi hosts "Good Enough Parenting," the podcast where not so perfect parents tune in to be reminded that our kids are gonna be ok, even if we don't always know what we're doing! Listen in for tips on using brain-based play therapy techniques to create more calm, connection and cooperation in your family life.
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This time of year is filled with celebrations, excitement and STRESS. If you're raising young kids, it can feel like a never ending marathon of to dos and temper tantrums. Lack of sleep, too much sugar and disruptions in schedules can lead to big emotional hangovers in kids. Today I share how to do less and be more this holiday season. From delegating to boundary setting to remembering the sacred, tune in to find out how you can have a happier holiday season without burning out. To get Carle...
Ever find yourself wishing you could raise kids who think beyond themselves, show emotional resilience, and eat their veggies without a bribe? Well tune in and buckle up. This week on the Good Enough Parenting podcast, I sat down with Sarah Robertson-Barnes, sustainability writer, educator, and host of Sustainable in the Suburbs — and she’s here to remind us that parenting with the planet in mind doesn’t have to mean going full homestead (or giving up take out). We talked about the smal...
Hiring a nanny sounds simple—until you realize you’re basically trying to find a magical Mary Poppins who can keep your kids alive and make healthy snacks and not judge the state of your laundry room and somehow feel like part of the family without actually being family. No pressure, right? Enter the magnificent Sarah Davis, founder of Olive You Nanny. On this week’s Good Enough Parenting episode, I sat down with Sarah to talk about the art (and heart) of finding the right caregiver for...
Before I had kids, I was sure I’d never use screens to entertain my kids at restaurants, I’d never threaten consequences without follow through. And I’d never change the core of who I was just because these little beings entered my life. Oh, the confidence of those pre-parenting days. Fast forward to today, and sometimes my reality looks more like threatening to cut my daughter’s hair when she won’t shower or accidentally letting my son stay up all night on video games because I fell asleep o...
It’s officially late July, which means we’re deep in the season of sticky popsicles, sunscreen battles, and the kind of sibling squabbles that make you rethink that “no screens before noon” rule. In this week’s episode, we’re pressing pause on the chaos to do a little mid-summer check-in. Is summer feeling more magical mischief or creepy cult vibes? (Looking at you, Midsommar’s Florence Pugh.) Either way, now’s a great time to ask: What’s actually working for your family right now?What habits...
How did you pick your kid’s name? It’s my favorite question to ask families as soon as I meet them. It tells me about: Partnership Dynamics “Oh we got in a big fight over that one! But my wife had the final say like she always does…” Family History “My grandmother had died a few weeks before she was born so we named her after her” And MOST importantly it tells me The vision they had for their kid even before they were born “I wanted a strong, masculine son so I went with Ale...
You know that moment when your kid comes home from a full day of school and sports—covered in mystery smudges and smelling like a locker room—and then acts personally offended when you suggest a shower? Yeah, me too. If your kid melts like the Wicked Witch the moment they hear the water running, you’re not alone. This week on Good Enough Parenting, I’m joined by Sabrina Yavil, mom of 3 boys, former beauty executive and founder of Gryme, a personal care brand created just for kids. We ta...
February is rough. The winter blues are real, the kids are bouncing off the walls, and if your family has managed to dodge the flu, norovirus, and pink eye this season—tell me your secret! This past weekend, my husband and I got a much-needed break while the grandparents took over. And while I love that my kids get this time with them, it also meant one thing: a weekend filled with sugar and screens. So today, we’re diving into the ever-evolving world of screens. What’s too much? What actuall...
Happy New Year! We made it to 2025. And if the first few weeks are any indication, it looks like we might be in for a bit of a bumpy ride. Which is why I open this month’s “Good Enough Parenting” episode with the reminder that tapping into things that bring us joy is not a luxury as parents – it’s a necessity for your family’s well-being. Whether it’s catching a movie, meeting up with a friend or simply savoring a quiet coffee, prioritizing things that fill your cup isn’t selfish; it’s essent...
This month, we’re diving into the sacredness of multi-generational family time. After returning from a vacation with 20 relatives—ranging from babies to grandparents—I’m reflecting on why these connections matter so much for our kids and for us as parents. We’ll talk about how spending time with multiple generations helps kids develop empathy, responsibility, and self-worth (yes, even when they complain). Plus, I share why parenting wasn’t meant to be a solo act and how leaning on a larger co...
In this episode, we’re taking a classic fire safety rule—Stop, Drop, and Roll—and turning it into your new secret weapon for navigating those fiery parenting moments. Remember how often the fire department visited your elementary school to drill this into our heads? Turns out, that advice is just as helpful for when your kid is melting down over the color of their cup as it is for actual flames. I share a recent moment where I found myself at the edge of a parenting meltdown (yes, even therap...
Fear Isn’t the Enemy 👾 We often think we need to protect our children from things that scare them, but in reality it's better to help them face it. “Fairy Tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children that dragons can be killed.” ~GK Chesteron Kids know that scary sh*t is out there. But their biggest fear is not the monster under the bed or the bully on the playground. The biggest fear many childr...
I try not to stay too tuned into the daily news cycle (because going into an anxiety spiral every time my phone dings with a news alert is not my favorite way to spend the day) but it’s hard to ignore just how bananas things feel right now. This is especially true in our economy - inflation, tariffs, layoffs, budget cuts—it’s enough to make any adult anxious. But guess what? Our kids feel it too. If we’re feeling unsettled as adults, imagine how it feels for our kids, who only cat...
It’s the end of June, my kids are out of school and the lazy days of summer are laid out before us. I used to pack our summers with outings and activities because it was hard being home all together. But as my kids have gotten older and more independent and I’ve learned the value of doing less as a parent, I now look forward to quiet days where the biggest question on our mind is what’s for lunch. So in summer I pause. I move slow. I play. I appreciate. I enJOY. Which...
Our culture has a bit of an obsession with “having.” We’re always looking for the next new thing (app, supplement, couch cover!) we can “have” that might make a change for us. There is a fun assessment I play with kids in my practice. I tell them they have a key to a magic room and when they open the door they will find something that makes them happier than they could imagine – but the trick is you can’t buy it with money. Then I ask them to draw it on a special piece of paper. I...
You know those fun timelines of your child’s development that you get at the pediatrician’s office or see in books like “What to Expect in the First Year?” They paint such a succinct, rosy picture of what your baby will be doing at 6 months (eating solids!), 12 months (first steps!), 2 years (welcome to the world of tantrums!) They’re not a bad way of preparing for the years ahead, but unfortunately they give the impression that growth is this straightforward process where you move from...
Traveling with kids can suck. Traffic, airport delays, an endless chorus of “are we there yet” can make any parent question whether spending a small fortune on a family trip is really worth it. But getting our families out of their at home comfort zone has endless benefits. Not only do we see what life is like outside of our little bubbles, but we also create lasting memories and return from trips with a fresh perspective on our OWN family life. Travelin...
The summer season is officially upon us! Which means it’s time to wrestle your toddler to the ground so you can apply some ghost-whitening sunblock while your six year old screams “I hear the ice cream truck! Can we get one?” at 10am. Are you already counting the days until Labor Day? Fear not! There are ways we can find more sweetness and less stress this summer with our families. On today’s “Good Enough Parenting” podcast, I’ll share with you my favori...
If only there was a way we could connect with our kids, foster their social/emotional skills, develop their executive functioning while also having fun as a family. Oh wait! The answer has been hiding inside our cluttered closet the whole time…. Games! Structured games are an incredible way to help kids learn to manage their emotions (who hasn’t wanted to punch the candy land board when you get pulled back to gingerbread land mere steps away from the can...
A few years ago, I got a call around 3:00 on Mother’s Day. A dear friend asked me if I would be able to meet her for a drink before dinner. Hell yes. We had both had less than ideal days that were meant to celebrate us but instead were filled with cranky kids and unmet expectations. We needed to commiserate. And at the risk of sounding like a terrible mother I’m going to be honest – our cocktail hour was the best part of my day. We laughed, we cried and we went back to our families restored a...
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