Episode 18: Choosing Homeschooling or Schooling for Your Child
In this week’s episode I go solo for the first time since episode 1 and share my journey of homeschooling and sending my own child to school.
I discuss when and how I decided to homeschool my children, some traumatic incidences we have experienced when sending my eldest child to school and the approach we use for homeschooling.
I chat about how my eldest son has started back at school, after over 2 years of homeschooling, and how my youngest son is still homeschooled.
I also share how we chose my eldest child’s schools and what we were looking for in order for him to experience the best support to meet his needs.
As parents, we really do need a village, of our own choosing, to truly thrive and ensure everyone’s needs are met. No matter what we choose for each of our children, it is so important to remove the judgment we feel towards ourselves and others because it is a hard journey, and we are all doing the best we can in any given moment.
Where You Can Find Me:
Website: https://spiritedhearts.net/
Instagram: @spirited_hearts
ABOUT STEPH:
Steph is the founder of Spirited Hearts™ with Steph Fleeton; Spirited Hearts™ Natural Learning Haven, Mamas Sacred Circle® and this beautiful podcast.
She is a Holistic Childhood Mentor, Early Childhood Educator, Parent Support Counsellor, Aware Parenting Instructor and Circle Facilitator.
Steph is a Mum to 2 boys; the eldest is in school and the younger is homeschooled.
She has always had a passion for psychology and counselling. However, it wasn’t until she had my first son in 2013 that she realised her niche passion was in assisting parents and children to live their best lives. She delved deeply into Aware Parenting, Unconditional Parenting, Conscious Parenting and Playful Parenting and the philosophies and practices resonated deeply.
Steph first started her Family Day Care in Canberra at the beginning of 2015, alongside her husband. Now, based in QLD and an Independent Natural Learning Haven for children aged 1-8 years old. Providing community and a sense of belonging for homeschooled children over 5 years old, and a natural learning, play-based environment for younger children to learn about themselves and the world. With a strong focus on meeting each individual child’s needs in an emotional supportive and caring environment, with many adventures and investigations into life along the way.
Episode 17: The Power of Saying "Yes" and Bringing More Dance into Our Life
In this week’s episode I have a beautiful conversation with Kate Dillon who is a Women’s Circle Facilitator, and offers Kahuna and Lomi Lomi massage and relaxation, Embodied dance circles and is trainng in Shakti Yoga.
Kate shares her journey through early parenting and the need to turn inwards to support herself and her children.
She discusses how the power of saying “yes” has really helped her to meet her needs and desires.
We also explore bringing more dance into your life, having family dance parties and how Kate created her Embodied Dance Circles for women.
And we chat about finding the sacred in the mundane and being in alignment with our own wisdom.
Where to Find Kate:
Website: www.katedillon.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LivingAnEmbodiedJourney
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate_dillon_doula/
Resources Mentioned:
Red Hot and Holy by Sera Beak
ABOUT KATE:
Kate Dillon is a Women’s Embodied Circle Facilitator and a massage therapist. Kate’s deep belief in the wisdom of the body to hold story, create life, birth life and intrinsically reach for the nourishing is the foundation of her calling to deeply support women to come home to their body. Through Embodied Dance Circles, Kate facilitates the meeting of women’s physiology with mystery in an artfully guided journey of reconnection to the body and its innate wisdom. Kate offers Ka Hana & Lomi Lomi Massage, which, with its long flowing rhythmic strokes, helps release tension from the muscles, soothes the body and assists the receiver to enter into a state of relaxation and peace. Kate is currently immersed in a 9 moth Shakti Yoga Teacher Training, diving into the feminine mystery of Body and is excited to see what will birth after its completion! Located in southern Canberra, Kate lives with her 2 children, dog, chickens & ducks, and loves offering people the opportunity to come home to their body through massage and the medicine of Circle.
Episode 16: Overcome Bedtime Battles and Help Your Child Sleep Better
I was so delighted to sit down with Aware Parenting Instructor, Hand-in-Hand Parenting Instructor and host of the Parenting with PLAY Podcast, Helena Mooney for this episode, and chat about a topic that many parents struggle with - BEDTIME!
We discuss the importance of shifting the current bedtime paradigm of quiet and calmness, to instead meeting our child's needs and wherever they are at, whether that be holding space for upset feelings, or using play, wrestling and rowdiness at bedtime.
Helena explains why we need to throw "bedtime routines" out the window and why these "routines" are setting us up for failure.
Helena shares some playful games to help children with brushing their teeth, power-reversal games for bedtime and joining our children in being loud and noisy at bedtime, and why that will work in our favour as parents, while also having the added bonus of helping our child sleep better at night.
We both also chat about how sleep in a form of separation, which can lead to feelings of anxiety in children, and why these feelings can still occur if we co-sleep with our child.
There is so much wisdom, knowledge and fun in this episode. This episode is one that will benefit every parent, because we've all been there on the battleground that is bedtime.
Where to Find Helena:
Website - Parenting with PLAY
Facebook - Parenting with PLAY with Helena Mooney
Instagram - @helenamooney_parentingwithplay
Podcast - Parenting with PLAY Podcast
Resources Mentioned:
ABOUT HELENA:
I'm a certified Parenting by Connection Instructor, an Aware Parenting Instructor, Doula, Maternity Services Advocate and Mum to 2 children. Which basically means, I love working with mums, just like you, to have the best experience possible - when pregnant, giving birth and being a parent. Because I too have struggled - to know what to do, to be the parent I want to be, to not shout so much(!) - and I have been so fortunate to receive incredible support and to discover an approach that has had a profound impact on mine & my family's lives. And I want to pass this on to you. We're not designed to do it all. And we're not supposed to do it all on our own. So I'm really pleased you're here and I look forward to helping you: through my free blogs, videos & podcasts, my online courses and 1:1 consultations.
Episode 15: Healing from Trauma & Stress When Your Child Has a Medical Condition with Steph Fleeton & Marion Rose
This week’s episode is a little different because I am the interviewee, and I have asked Marion Rose to be the interviewer.
Why? Because a few years ago, Marion invited me on her podcast to discuss how Aware Parenting can help children heal from the stress and trauma associated with medical conditions and medical procedures. At the time I was 2 years in with my youngest son’s severe, rare and life threatening medical condition.
This episode is a continuation of that journey, and the process and healing my youngest son and I have made to this point in time.
I share when and how we received my son’s shocking diagnosis, the countless hospital and pathology visits.
The fear, anxiety, stress and trauma we both experienced.
The social isolation and withdrawal from the world we needed to take as a precaution.
I then discuss our healing journey, the different things we have done to release the stress and trauma so it does not become all consuming.
You also get to find out my responses to my Spirited Heart Questions, as asked by Marion.
This episode may detail my journey through parenting a child with a medical condition, at the same time, if you are a parent who has a child experiencing a medical condition or medical procedures, this episode is also dedicated to you: to your strength in the darkest of times even when you feel like to have nothing else to give, to the isolation and aloneness to might feel, to the overwhelm and all encompassing fear that is always lurking beneath the surface. I see, hear and honour all of what you and your child are going through. I hope this episode can offer you some comfort, and know you are not alone.
Where You Can Find Me:
Website: https://spiritedhearts.net/
Instagram: @spirited_hearts
Resources Mentioned:
Connected and Cooperative by Aletha Solter
Attachment Play by Aletha Solter
Playful Parenting by Lawrence Cohen
Marion Rose's website
ABOUT STEPH:
Steph is the founder of Spirited Hearts™ with Steph Fleeton, Spirited Hearts™ Natural Learning Haven, Mamas Sacred Circle® and this beautiful podcast.
She is a Holistic Childhood Mentor, Early Childhood Educator, Parent Support Counsellor, Aware Parenting Instructor and Circle Facilitator.
Steph is a Mum to 2 boys; the eldest is in school and the younger is homeschooled.
She has always had a passion for psychology and counselling. However, it wasn’t until she had her first son in 2013 that she realised her niche passion was in assisting parents and children to live their best lives. She delved deeply into Aware Parenting, Unconditional Parenting and Playful Parenting and the philosophies and practices resonated deeply.
Steph first started her Family Day Care in Canberra at the beginning of 2015, alongside her husband. Now, based in QLD and an Independent Natural Learning Haven for children aged 1-10 years old. Providing community and a sense of belonging for homeschooled children over 5 years old, and a natural learning, play-based environment for younger children to learn about themselves and the world. With a strong focus on meeting each individual child’s needs in an emotional supportive and caring environment. We offer something truly unique for each individual child and their family at our Natural Learning Haven. With a background in psychology, counselling and a passion for child development, we are trauma-informed, and have assisted families and children in working through past experiences that have caused stress, anxiety and overwhelming feeling.
Episode 14: Fatherhood and Embodying Healthy Masculinity with Asher Andrews
In this week's episode I chat with Men's Mentor, Breathwork and Embodiment Coach and Father, Asher Andrews.
Asher discusses his journey as a Chef, to where he is today, working with men and fathers to move through past woundings and embody healthy masculinity.
We have powerful conversation about how parents need to do the inner work, so they don't pass down old patternings to their children, how children mirror back to us what we need to work on, and how we can help this generation of boys.
Asher explains that we are at a magical time in history, where we have the capacity to create healthy change in parenting, our communities and the world.
Asher also shares his passion for Breathwork, and how he integrates it in the work he does with men.
Where to Find Asher:
Website: asherandrews.com
Instagram: Ash Andrews Health
Facebook: Ash Andrews
Resources Mentioned:
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
ABOUT ASHER:
Asher Andrews is a Men's Mentor & Breathwork and Embodiment Coach, facilitating workshops, group programs, one on one coaching and wilderness immersion experiences. Asher believes that the more men out their 'doing the work', asking for support, laying down their egos, and embodying their 'healthy masculinity' there are, that the more beautiful this world will be, the more joy we can all experience, the more aligned lives we can all lead and the more abundant future there is for our children.
As a Men's Coach, Asher, is here to support and meet you (your husbands, brothers, sons, fathers, lovers) where you're at and walk with you as you explore where you desire to go and what you desire to experience. It's not very 'manly' to ask for help, there is fear in appearing vulnerable or weak. However, speaking from his own experience, and in witnessing other men in their journey's, in doing this you will experience the most power and strength possible and begin to see your connected sense of purpose and leadership radiating out, into your family, your relationships and your community. Some of the greatest transformation Asher has had in his life has come when he has chosen to step out and into the uncomfortable.