Podcast
The Whinypaluza Podcast
Hosted by Rebecca Greene · EN
Parenthood is an adventure! The joys, the frustration, the laughter, and the tears- we all find unique and universal challenges as parents. When one issue resolves, another is waiting in the wings. Our jobs as parents are truly never done. It really is the toughest job you will ever love. The Whinypaluza Podcast is all about inspiring adventures in parenting! Rebecca Greene, LCSW-R and Top 100 Mommy Blogger puts her experience and education in psychology and social work to the test while she shares insightful thoughts on marriage, stay-at-home life, and keeping three energetic kids safe and happy. On the show, you will hear from bloggers, parenting experts, marriage experts and more as they shed light on tips and tricks to make life with your family better than ever! Find solutions to questions you have and questions you never thought to ask. Whether you are a parenting novice or parenting pro, you are sure to find a valuable source of information and support in the Whinypaluza community. Follow Rebecca Greene Blog: https://www.whinypaluza.com/ Book: http://bit.ly/WhinypaluzaBook Book 2: https://bit.ly/whinybook2 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whinypaluzaparentingandmarriage Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becgreene5/
61episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Episode 571: What Every College Parent and Student Needs to Know
Yesterday00:47:01Tap to summarizeSending a child to college changes parenting overnight. Parents want to stay involved, but college students need room to advocate for themselves, make decisions, handle conflict, and ask for help.In this episode of The Whinypaluza Podcast, Rebecca Greene welcomes her special friend Kate Burrow, a higher education professional with more than 20 years of experience working with college students. Kate also helped Rebecca navigate Max’s first year of college, making this conversation especially personal.Kate offers honest, practical advice about college move-in day, homesickness, academic expectations, roommate problems, campus resources, career exploration, internships, and the difficult transition from managing a child’s life to supporting a young adult.Listeners will learn:✓ Why students who struggled in high school may be better prepared to persist in college.✓ How parents can support their college students without immediately stepping in and taking over.✓ What to say when a student calls home and says, “I hate it here.”✓ Why “optional” tutoring, study sessions, and review classes should rarely be treated as optional.✓ How communication, practical life skills, and asking for help can determine whether a college student struggles or thrives.Kate also reminds parents that an uncomfortable experience is not necessarily an unsafe one. College students need the confidence to handle hard moments, use available resources, communicate with roommates, and solve problems while knowing that their families remain firmly in their corner.Listen to The Whinypaluza Podcast on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-whinypaluza-podcast/id1534167756Please like, follow, and share the podcast with another parent preparing for the college years.About Kate BurrowKate Burrow holds a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration and has more than 20 years of experience working with college students at colleges and universities across the country. She has taught numerous career and major exploration courses, as well as college success courses designed to help students navigate academic and personal transitions.Kate has also earned a certificate in Leadership Coaching and is currently learning to become a Proactive Conversations conflict management communication facilitator.She is a wife, a mother of two, and enjoys reading, attending theater events, and arts and crafts.
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Episode 570: Summertime Mom Mode
3d ago00:24:46Tap to summarizeSummer can be joyful, chaotic, and surprisingly difficult for working moms. The children are home, schedules constantly change, the house is rarely quiet, and getting through a simple workday can feel nearly impossible.In this Whinypaluza Wednesday episode, host Rebecca Greene and her husband, Seth Greene, share an honest and funny conversation about “summertime mom mode.” Rebecca explains why doing less during the summer does not mean you are failing. It may mean you are choosing connection, sunshine, friendship, and memories over an impossible standard of productivity.Rebecca and Seth discuss making time for outdoor breaks, planning vacations and social activities, trying summer hobbies, protecting personal time, and giving yourself permission to serve an easy dinner and leave the laundry for a rainy day.In this episode:✓ Why being less productive during the summer does not make you lazy.✓ How working parents can create small opportunities to enjoy the season.✓ Why you should schedule the activities you keep talking about doing.✓ How lowering expectations around meals, chores, and the perfect house creates room for connection.✓ Why moms may need more personal time when family demands increase.Listen to The Whinypaluza Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-whinypaluza-podcast/id1534167756Remember to like, follow, and share this episode with another mom who is deep in summertime mom mode.
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Episode 569: Raising Digitally Healthy Kids
1w ago01:09:21Tap to summarizeTechnology is changing faster than most parents can keep up, and our children are growing up in a world unlike anything previous generations experienced.In this powerful episode of Whinypaluza, Rebecca Greene welcomes Teodora Pavkovic, Director of Wellbeing and Parent Advocacy at Qustodio, for an honest conversation about raising children in today's digital world.Together they explore the realities of screen time, social media, gaming, online bullying, sleep disruption, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence in children's lives. Rather than focusing on fear or guilt, Teodora explains why curiosity, communication, and connection remain a parent's greatest tools.If you've ever wondered whether your child is spending too much time online, how to respond to cyberbullying, or why AI is becoming a trusted companion for many teenagers, this conversation will leave you informed, encouraged, and better prepared.In this episode you'll learn:✔ Why healthy technology use looks different for every child✔ The warning signs that technology may be affecting emotional wellbeing✔ How to respond when your child experiences online bullying✔ Why conversations work better than knee-jerk reactions✔ Practical ways to create healthy digital boundaries at home✔ How late-night screen use affects sleep, emotions, and decision making✔ Why more teens are turning to artificial intelligence for advice and companionship✔ How parents can stay involved without constant conflict✔ Ways to build digital resilience instead of relying only on restrictions✔ Simple conversations every family should be having about technologyTechnology is part of our children's future, but strong family relationships can remain the foundation that guides them through it.Teodora Pavkovic is the Director of Wellbeing and Parent Advocacy at Qustodio, a global leader in digital safety and family wellbeing tools. With a background in psychology, child development, and parent advocacy, Teodora helps families better understand how technology, social media, gaming, and artificial intelligence are shaping children's emotional health, relationships, and development. She is passionate about helping parents raise digitally healthy kids while protecting the family connections that matter most.Connect with Teodora🌐 https://www.qustodio.comLearn more about Qustodio's family safety resources, parental controls, and digital wellbeing tools.If this episode helped you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another parent navigating today's digital world.🎧 Follow Whinypaluza everywhere:https://linktr.ee/whinypaluzamom
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Episode 568: Confidence in Parents and Children
1w ago00:32:04Tap to summarizeConfidence is not something parents can simply talk their children into having. It grows through action, practice, mistakes, hard moments, and the willingness to try again.In this honest and practical Whinypaluza Wednesday conversation, Rebecca Greene and Seth Greene explore how parents can strengthen their own confidence while helping their children do the same. Rebecca shares why avoiding difficult situations can make fear grow, while taking action, even when nervous or uncertain, shows both parents and children what they are capable of.They also discuss the hidden damage caused by constant criticism, comparison, overthinking, and taking other people’s behavior personally. Rebecca reminds parents that their voices often become their children’s inner voices. When parents recognize effort, normalize mistakes, and model resilience, children learn to trust themselves.Confidence does not require the absence of fear. It comes from feeling the fear, doing the hard thing, and discovering that you can handle more than you thought.In This Episode✓ Why building a child’s confidence often begins with the parent.✓ Why children need opportunities to do difficult things without being rescued.✓ How avoidance allows fear and anxiety to grow.✓ Why noticing what children do well is more powerful than constantly correcting them.✓ How recovering quickly from disappointment builds resilience.A Powerful Reminder for ParentsChildren are always watching how the adults around them respond to uncertainty, mistakes, fear, and disappointment. Parents do not need to be perfectly confident. They need to demonstrate what it looks like to move forward despite feeling uncomfortable.Let children try. Let them struggle appropriately. Let them make decisions, learn from the outcome, and discover their own abilities. The goal is not to remove every hard experience. The goal is to help children believe they can handle hard experiences.Listen, follow, and share this episode with a parent who may need the reminder that confidence is built one brave decision at a time.https://linktr.ee/whinypaluzamom
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Episode 567: Show Up for Yourself So You Can Show Up for Your Children
2w ago00:47:28Tap to summarizeWhat if becoming a better parent has less to do with changing your child and more to do with healing yourself?In this powerful conversation, Rebecca sits down with Janet Philbin to explore conscious parenting, emotional healing, and why the relationship you have with yourself shapes every relationship you have with your children. Janet shares practical ways parents can pause rather than react, set healthy boundaries without punishment, and begin to break generational patterns with compassion rather than guilt.Key TakeawaysWhy conscious parenting starts with the parent, not the childHow unresolved emotional wounds affect everyday parentingThe difference between reacting and respondingWhy naturally occurring consequences work better than punishmentSimple ways to practice self-compassion and emotional regulationFinal ThoughtsParenting isn't about being perfect. It's about becoming more aware, more connected, and more compassionate with yourself so you can show up differently for the people you love most.Connect with Janet PhilbinWebsite: https://janetphilbin.comBook: Show Up for YourselfInstagram: @janetphilbinFacebook: Janet PhilbinListen to more episodes of Whinypaluza:https://linktr.ee/whinypaluzamom
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Episode 566: To the Mom who Overthinks
2w ago00:33:10Tap to summarizeDo you ever replay conversations, imagine worst case scenarios, or worry about things that haven't happened yet?You're not alone.In this Whinypaluza Wednesday episode, Rebecca Greene and Seth Greene explore why so many moms struggle with overthinking and share practical strategies to quiet anxious thoughts, reduce stress, and stop mental spirals before they take over.Rebecca explains why our brains naturally focus on problems, how overthinking impacts our mental health and parenting, and what you can do to replace worry with confidence, action, and peace of mind. You'll walk away with simple tools like journaling, scheduling "worry time," challenging negative thoughts, and building the confidence to handle whatever life brings.If you're looking for parenting encouragement, anxiety management tips, emotional wellness strategies, and practical ways to stop overthinking, this episode is packed with actionable advice you can use today.Key Takeaways✔ Why overthinking feels productive but isn't✔ How to stop assuming the worst✔ Practical ways to interrupt anxious thought patterns✔ The power of taking action instead of worrying✔ How building your confidence helps both you and your children🎧 Listen now: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-whinypaluza-podcast/id1534167756❤️ If this episode encouraged you, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with another parent who could use this reminder. Every share helps us reach more families.Follow Rebecca: https://linktr.ee/whinypaluzamom
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Episode 565: What Every Parent Should Know About Sleep
3w ago00:35:22Tap to summarizeWhat if your child's meltdowns, anxiety, trouble focusing, or bedtime battles aren't just a phase? Sleep expert Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown explains why quality sleep may be the missing piece many families overlook.Rebecca sits down with Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown, MD, FAASM how healthy sleep affects every aspect of a child's emotional, physical, and mental well-being. Together, they discuss bedtime routines, screen time, nutrition, sleep disorders, co-sleeping, ADHD, anxiety, and practical strategies parents can begin using tonight.Whether you have a toddler who won't stay in bed or a teenager glued to a phone at bedtime, this conversation is filled with realistic advice that can help your entire family sleep better.Key Takeaways• Sleep problems often show up as behavior problems.• Consistent bedtime routines help children regulate emotions and improve sleep quality.• Parents should look beyond bedtime and consider nutrition, exercise, screen time, and possible medical sleep disorders.Final ThoughtsBetter sleep isn't just about getting through the night. It's one of the greatest gifts parents can give themselves and their children. Small changes today can create healthier, happier families tomorrow.Follow Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown, MD, FAASMWebsite: https://www.therestfulsleepplace.com/SocialsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/restfulsleepmdYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrFunkeBrownLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drfunkebrown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restfulsleepmd/Follow Rebecca and🎧 Listen: https://linktr.ee/whinypaluzamom
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Episode 564: Decision Fatigue
3w ago00:25:36Tap to summarizeDo you ever get to the end of the day feeling mentally exhausted, even if nothing "big" happened?From meals and schedules to work, parenting, shopping, and family logistics, the constant stream of decisions can leave moms completely drained. Rebecca and Seth Greene dive into the invisible mental load behind decision fatigue and share practical ways to simplify life without striving for perfection.Decision fatigue affects almost every parent, especially moms who carry the invisible mental load of running a household. Rebecca shares her own struggle with constantly making decisions and explains how changing her mindset has reduced stress and helped her enjoy life more. Together, Rebecca and Seth discuss why "good enough" is often better than perfect, how delegation works only when it's met with appreciation, and why building routines can dramatically reduce daily overwhelm.Key TakeawaysDecision fatigue is real and often comes from carrying the invisible mental load.Stop chasing the perfect decision. Aim for a good enough decision.Delegating only works when you positively reinforce the people helping you.Create routines that eliminate unnecessary daily decisions.Once you've made a thoughtful decision, choose to be happy with it instead of second-guessing yourself.Every decision doesn't have to be perfect. Sometimes the greatest gift you can give yourself is simply making a choice, moving forward, and trusting that you'll adjust if needed. Progress creates peace far faster than perfection ever will.Listen here:https://linktr.ee/whinypaluzamom
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Episode 563: The Parenting Shift Every Anxious Child Needs
4w ago00:52:39Tap to summarizeEvery parent has wondered:Is this just a phase... or is my child struggling?When anxiety, meltdowns, OCD, or big emotions show up, it's easy to mistake them for bad behavior. But what if your child isn't trying to give you a hard time... they're having a hard time?Clinical psychologist Dr. Kendra Read joins Rebecca Greene to explain what anxiety really looks like in children and teens, why reassurance isn't always the answer, and the simple parenting shifts that help kids build confidence instead of fear.Parents want to fix their children's struggles, but sometimes our best intentions accidentally keep anxiety growing.Dr. Kendra Read shares practical, evidence-based strategies that help parents respond differently to anxiety, OCD, emotional outbursts, and everyday stress. From validating emotions without reinforcing fear to understanding meltdowns and recognizing when it's time to seek additional support, this conversation offers hope, clarity, and actionable tools every family can use.3 Key TakeawaysAnxiety is not bad behavior. Children often need understanding before correction.Validation and confidence work together. Let your child know you understand their feelings while also believing they can handle hard things.Praise bravery, not perfection. Small courageous steps build resilience that lasts a lifetime.Parenting doesn't come with an instruction manual, and none of us gets it right every time. The good news is that children are incredibly resilient, and small changes in how we respond can make a lasting difference. This episode will leave you feeling more confident, more hopeful, and better equipped to support your child through life's biggest emotions.🎧 Listen here:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-whinypaluza-podcast/id1534167756Follow Rebecca on her platforms: https://linktr.ee/whinypaluzamom
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Episode 562: What We Did Wrong On My Birthday
Jul 800:27:50Tap to summarizeRebecca thought turning 50 would be unforgettable... but not for the reasons she expected.Instead of the perfect birthday, she ended up with disappointment, miscommunication, decision fatigue, and a whole lot of lessons. In this honest Whinypaluza Wednesday conversation, Rebecca and Seth share exactly what went wrong and how better communication could have changed everything.Milestone birthdays often come with big expectations, but sometimes the greatest gift is the lesson that comes afterward.Rebecca and Seth openly unpack the mistakes they made leading up to her 50th birthday, from unclear expectations and financial stress to poor communication and not having a backup plan. Together, they reflect on why even healthy relationships require direct conversations about needs, expectations, and celebrating life's important moments.If you've ever been disappointed because someone couldn't read your mind, this episode is for you.3 Key TakeawaysYou can't expect people to meet expectations you never communicate.Decision fatigue can make it difficult to know what you truly want, but avoiding the conversation only creates more disappointment.Milestone celebrations deserve intentional planning, flexibility, and sometimes a backup plan when life doesn't cooperate.Birthdays aren't really about the gifts or even the party. They're about feeling seen, loved, and celebrated. Rebecca reminds us that clear communication is one of the greatest gifts we can give the people we love, and ourselves.Follow Rebecca: https://linktr.ee/whinypaluzamom
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