In this open and inspiring episode of Unlocking the Parenting Code: All About Boys, host Kathy welcomes Michelle Oucharek-Deo, a Time Strategist, Author, Speaker, and Counselling Art Therapist from British Columbia, Canada. With three decades of experience supporting families and raising her now 21-year-old son, Michelle shares powerful insights about the joys and challenges of parenting Owen. Through touching stories, practical advice, and lessons learned, Michelle inspires parents to nurture strong connections with their children and foster independence, resilience, and respect.

Key Topics

The Importance of Connection: Michelle shares the transformative impact of being actively involved in her son’s life, from co-leading a garden club during his elementary years to creating a welcoming home for his friends during his teenage years.
Letting Children Learn from Mistakes: A story about Owen failing a piano theory exam illustrates the importance of allowing children to face challenges, learn from their experiences, and help them develop the tools and strategies necessary for future success.
Navigating Major Life Challenges: Michelle recounts how her family drew on years of trust and connection to support Owen after a serious brain injury sustained during a university rugby match. She shares the tools and strategies she used to respect his autonomy while supporting his recovery.
Building a Strong Family Foundation: From fostering a love of nature and creativity to setting clear limits and deep connection, Michelle offers practical tips for raising boys to become capable, compassionate, and self-aware men. Michelle also demonstrates how critical developing a strong, solid base in those early years can be especially when facing challenges later on in life.
Michelle’s Parenting Wisdom
Set limits and say no when necessary, even if it’s hard.
Create space for your child to make mistakes and learn from them.
Teach respect by modeling it and showing that you are more than just “mom.”
Celebrate and embrace the tears, joys, and messiness of life.
Use humor and creativity to navigate parenting challenges.
Build connections through nature, books, and shared experiences.

Guest Bio

Michelle is a Time Strategist, Author, Speaker and Counselling Art Therapist based in British Columbia, Canada. Together with her incredible husband; partner in life and business, they run Van-Art Expression—a creative arts counselling, coaching, and speaking company for the last thirty years. Their family journey has been enriched by having the opportunity to raise their son Owen in a small community with their extended family living close by.

Time has always been a passion for Michelle and it is her mission to help more people reclaim lost time, reduce stress and increase their joy. Over the past four years, her passion for helping people find more time to do the things they love and leave behind time wasting habits is at the root of the 42 Minute Hour Time Strategy System she developed. Her time community, The 42 Minute Club: Time with Intention is a great way to get to know Michelle and learn more about her value-driven approach to running a business and her life.

Michelle is all about practising what she teaches and speaks about. In her intentional time when not working, she is either editing her latest novel, gardening in one of her eleven beds, or improving her painting skills.

Links

Connect with Michelle on her website: Van-Art Expression
Facebook Group: The 42 Minute Club: Time with Intention
The 42 Minute Hour Time Strategy Handbook - Join my Email List
Follow Michelle on social media: Instagram
Stay tuned for her upcoming book about her time strategy system, set to release in September 2025.

Hashtags

#UnlockingTheParentingCode:AllAboutBoys #Van-Art Expression #42MinuteClub #Sonhoodcoaching ##ParentingWisdom #FoundationsMatter #StrongStartStrongFuture

Tune in as Michelle shares her personal story, revealing the challenges her family is facing and how the solid groundwork they laid in the early years of parenting have become a vital anchor in navigating these challenges. Whether you're raising young children or reflecting on your journey as a parent so far, this episode offers confirmation that all the hard work of parenting is more than worth it!

Unlocking the Parenting Code: All About Boys

Welcome to Unlocking the Parenting Code: All About Boys

This season, we’re diving deep into the world of boys—exploring what it takes to raise them to become remarkable young men. Hosted by Kathy Imabayashi, an experienced educator and passionate advocate for boys’ emotional well-being, this podcast offers real-life stories, expert insights, and practical strategies for parents, educators, and caregivers navigating the unique challenges of raising boys.

What to Expect

In Season 2, we’re focusing on boys' emotional worlds—understanding their behavior, building stronger connections, and helping them grow into confident, resilient individuals. Through heartfelt conversations and shared experiences, we’ll uncover the struggles, joys, and breakthroughs of parenting boys.

Each episode offers:

*Stories from parents, teachers, and caregivers that shed light on the complexities of raising boys.

*Strategies to support boys in managing emotions, forming healthy relationships, and building self-esteem.

*Insights that will empower you in understanding how to nurture the boy in your life and set him up for success.

Join Us!

Whether you're raising a toddler, a teen, or anywhere in between, this season is all about celebrating and supporting boys—and the parents who guide them. Tune in for heart-centered conversations, expert advice, and practical tools to unlock the parenting code for boys.Share your parenting story with us here. Visit SonhoodCoaching.com to learn more and subscribe!

About Sonhood Coaching

Sonhood Coaching focuses on the emotional well-being of boys, helping parents nurture their sons to become remarkable men. Through courses, coaching, and resources, we empower families to better understand and support the inner emotional world of boys. Explore SonhoodCoaching.com to learn more about our programs and services.

Looking to transform your relationship with your son? Visit SonhoodCoaching.com for valuable resources and expert support.

Strong Roots, Steady Wings: Laying the Groundwork for Connection