Does your family run on flexible rhythms instead of strict bedtime schedules — especially during the holidays?
If so, this episode of The Long Game Parent is your guide to keeping kids calm, connected, and emotionally regulated even when routines are chaotic, events run late, and holiday overstimulation hits hard.
In this episode, Coach Lauryn Gregg breaks down the science of co-regulation, child nervous system development, and why kids don’t actually need perfect schedules — they need predictable caregiving. You’ll learn why emotional attunement matters more than exact nap times, how to prevent meltdowns in overstimulating environments, and how to build secure attachment even when your life doesn’t match traditional parenting advice.
Whether you’re a working parent navigating December deadlines, celebrating late nights with family, traveling, or managing multiple events in a single weekend, you’ll learn actionable strategies to support your child’s emotional capacity — without sacrificing your lifestyle or your child’s well-being.
This episode explores:
If you're looking for holiday parenting strategies, tantrum prevention tools, bedtime flexibility tips, or science-backed co-regulation practices, this episode is packed with the calm, grounded guidance you need.
Perfect for working parents, neurodivergent families, gentle parents, and anyone who wants connection—not control—to lead the way.
Holiday Overload: How Working Parents Can Prevent Meltdowns (Theirs + Their Kids’)
The holiday season can feel magical… and completely overwhelming. In this episode of The Long Game Parent, we explore why working parents experience higher stress, burnout, and emotional overload during the holidays, and how that stress directly affects kids’ behavior, regulation, and ability to enjoy the season.
This episode blends science-backed research, gentle nervous-system tools, and real-life flexible-family strategies for parents who juggle full-time jobs, disrupted school schedules, late nights, overstimulation, travel, and big family expectations.
Listeners will learn:
Perfect for parents searching for holiday stress support, gentle parenting tools, working parent tips, emotional regulation strategies, and realistic ways to prevent holiday meltdowns.
This episode helps you create a calmer, more connected holiday—without perfection, pressure, or rigid routines.
In this episode of The Long Game Parent, Coach Lauryn Gregg explores one of the most counterintuitive — yet transformational — parenting and productivity truths: slowing down actually helps you get more done and parent with more connection, calm, and clarity. If you feel rushed, overwhelmed, overstimulated, or constantly “on,” this episode will show you why strategic timeouts are not a luxury… they’re a requirement for long-term success at home and at work.
You’ll learn:
Why your brain (and your child’s brain) functions better with intentional pauses
The neuroscience behind rest, presence, and reduced overwhelm
How timeouts improve emotional regulation, patience, and communication
How to use micro-pauses, grounding techniques, and slow parenting rituals
Why “fast-paced parenting” leads to more conflict, reactivity, and burnout
Easy practices to reset your nervous system throughout the day
How slowing down helps you show up as the calm, emotionally intelligent leader your family needs
This episode is perfect for working parents, overwhelmed parents, neurodivergent families, and anyone who wants more connection and less chaos. You’ll walk away with real strategies to reclaim margin, reduce overstimulation, and build a home environment grounded in presence—so you can go further, with more ease, by doing less.
This year, you do not need a Black Friday holiday shopping spree if it stresses you out! Here’s how to have a Gift-Free Christmas with kids to celebrate by choosing presence over pressure.
The holidays are marketed as a season of excess, but more and more parents are craving something different: less pressure, less consumerism, less stress, and more connection, presence, and intention. In this episode of The Long Game Parent, certified parent coach Lauryn Gregg explores how families can step out of the cycle of overspending and over-gifting, and instead create a holiday rooted in emotional intelligence, meaningful traditions, and deep family values.
This episode is designed for parents who want to reduce holiday stress, break out of consumer-driven expectations, and build a season that feels calmer, simpler, and more aligned with what truly matters to their family.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why a gift-free or low-gift holiday can reduce stress and increase connection
How to communicate gift-free plans to extended family without conflict
Language and scripts for navigating pushback or guilt around giving fewer gifts
How to support kids emotionally when traditions shift
Ways to create meaningful holiday rituals that don’t rely on presents
How to avoid holiday overstimulation, meltdowns, and pressure to perform
Strategies for handling relatives who don’t respect your boundaries
How to model emotional intelligence, gratitude, and presence for your children
A framework for focusing on experiences instead of material gifts
What to do if you want a slower, calmer, less commercial holiday season
This episode is perfect for:
Parents wanting a simpler, calmer holiday
Families overwhelmed by gift expectations
Parents practicing gentle, respectful, or conscious parenting
Minimalist families
Parents seeking holiday boundary scripts
Families wanting to prioritize connection over consumerism
Parents raising emotionally intelligent, grounded kids
Anyone craving a more intentional, values-aligned holiday season
If you feel pressure every year to buy more, do more, or fit into a holiday script that doesn’t match your family’s needs, this episode will help you create a gift-free or low-gift season that feels lighter, more connected, and more aligned with your long game.
Navigating holiday gatherings with family can feel overwhelming—especially when you’re dealing with political disagreements, clashing parenting philosophies, or relatives who push every emotional button you have. In this episode of The Long Game Parent, certified parent coach Lauryn Gregg dives deep into how to show up with emotional intelligence, protect your peace, and stay anchored in your values during the holiday season.
You’ll learn:
This episode offers both mindset and practical tools for parents who want to protect their peace, nurture their kids’ sense of safety, and build families that stay aligned through the chaos of the holiday season. Whether you’re navigating toxic behavior, passive-aggressive comments, differing discipline styles, or complex political landscapes, you’ll leave with language, strategy, and confidence.
Perfect for:
Parents seeking emotional intelligence tools • Gentle/respectful parents • Conscious parents • Progressive parents • Families navigating political division • Parents wanting healthy boundaries • Parents raising critical thinkers • Holiday stress support • Nervous system-aware parenting • Parents looking to set holiday boundaries with family
If the holidays tend to leave you drained, anxious, or overwhelmed—this episode will help you reclaim your time, your energy, and your long game.
Returning to work after maternity or paternity leave isn’t just a logistical shift — it’s an identity recalibration. Your world has changed, your priorities have evolved, and the workplace doesn’t always catch up as fast as your life did.
In this episode of The Long Game Parent, certified coach Lauryn Gregg gives you the low down on how to hold your boundaries as a new parent after returning to work. You’ll learn why so many parents experience “postpartum work resumption stress,” what the research says about the transition.
We’ll talk about:
- Why 89% of new parents report anxiety about returning to work — and how to ease that pressure
- How to reframe guilt, comparison, and imposter syndrome
- Practical scripts for setting boundaries with managers and teammates
- How to redefine ambition in this new chapter — without losing your edge
- What sustainable leadership looks like when you’re also a parent
This episode is for every working mom, dad, or caregiver navigating the messy, meaningful space between career and care — and wondering how to make both thrive.
🎙️ Subscribe to The Long Game Parent on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Substack for more episodes that help you win at work and home with heart, strategy, and staying power.
Parenting is political — not because you post about it, but because you live it.
In this quick episode, coach Lauryn Gregg reframes everyday parenting as an act of civic engagement and leadership.
Learn one five-minute practice to help your kids notice injustice, connect it to your family’s values, and take small, meaningful action. Because right now, your activism might look less like protests and more like bedtime stories, shared meals, and modeling courage in the everyday moments.
✨ Key themes:
You’ll learn how to talk to your kids about fairness and empathy, how to practice small acts of community care, and why raising kind, critical thinkers is one of the most powerful forms of activism.
Whether you’re a working parent navigating the news cycle, or just trying to raise good humans in complex times, this short episode is your reminder: your parenting choices ripple far beyond your home.
With the end of SNAP benefits putting millions of families and children at risk of hunger, this episode explores how public policy directly shapes family life — and how parents can model compassion, fairness, and advocacy at home.
In this episode of Long Game Parent, we explore why parenting is inherently political and what parents can do to protect their children’s future.
Key Takeaways:
Parenting was never meant to be a solo sport — yet so many of us are trying to do it alone. In this week’s Five Minute Drill from the Long Game Parent, we’re talking about how to start building your village — the people who remind you that you don’t have to carry it all.
You’ll learn one simple, doable practice to begin connecting with support.
Because building your village isn’t just about having backup — it’s about belonging. It’s how we protect our energy, model interdependence for our kids, and remember that strong families grow in community, not isolation.
🎧 Tune in for an episode that will be over before you finish making you coffee but that will help you take one small step toward the support you deserve!
Parenting was never meant to be a solo sport — especially for working parents trying to do it all. In this episode of The Long Game Parent, host and certified parent coach Lauryn Gregg explores what it really means to build your village — the network of people who help you navigate the complex, beautiful, and exhausting seasons of early parenthood.
From the emotional to the logistical, Lauryn breaks down how to create genuine support systems that work in real life — not just in theory. You’ll learn:
Why working parents are more isolated than ever (and what the data shows)
What to do when your family isn’t nearby — or doesn’t show up how you hoped
Ways to find connection through daycare, work, and community spaces
How to ask for help without guilt and communicate your needs clearly
The mindset shifts that help you go from surviving to truly supported
Lauryn also shares real examples from sports and business — showing that even high achievers never play alone.
Whether you’re a new parent, a returning-to-work parent, or a seasoned pro rebuilding your network after big life changes, this episode will help you build a village that supports both your family and your career goals.
Listen now and learn how to build a community that sustains you for the long game — at work, at home, and everywhere in between.
Feeling that knot in your stomach on Sunday night? Or EVERY NIGHT? You’re not alone. In this Five Minute Drill from The Long Game Parent, Lauryn Gregg breaks down what’s really behind the Sunday Scaries— or just that all around never ending wave of anxiety, dread, or restlessness that hits before the something stressful starts—and how to reframe it so you can face that stressor grounded instead of tense.
Learn a simple, actionable practice you can do in under five minutes to quiet your nervous system, reclaim your mindset, and make Sunday nights (or life in general) something you actually look forward to.
You’ll discover:
Why working parents are especially vulnerable to Sunday anxiety
How emotional anticipation drains your energy before Monday even begins
One science-backed ritual to reset your brain and body before the week ahead
This quick episode is your reminder that small, intentional habits make the biggest difference in the long game of parenting and work.
The Sunday Scaries are real—especially for busy working parents trying to balance kids, careers, and their own well-being. In this episode of The Long Game Parent, coach Lauryn Gregg shares how to turn Sunday night anxiety into calm focus with simple, science-based strategies. Learn about regulation, grounding exercises, and how athletes use visualization to prepare for high-stakes moments—and how you can use the same tools for your family and career. Walk away with a practical plan to end the weekend with peace and begin the week with purpose.
What if your child’s tantrum, your teen’s silence, or even your coworker’s missed deadline isn’t just “bad behavior” — but communication? In this Five Minute Drill, we’ll break down a quick, practical way to reframe behavior as a message, not a problem. You’ll learn how to pause, translate what’s underneath the reaction, and respond with connection instead of frustration.
This short practice is designed for busy parents and working professionals who want tools they can actually use in real life. Because whether you’re raising kids or leading teams, the long game is the same: when we treat behavior as communication, we build trust, resilience, and stronger relationships.
🎧 Tune in and try today’s drill — it only takes five minutes, but it can change the way you respond for a lifetime.
Why do kids act out, shut down, or push our buttons at the worst times? What if every tantrum, eye-roll, or meltdown wasn’t bad behavior — but a message?
In this episode of The Long Game Parent, we dive into the powerful truth that all behavior is communication. Drawing from child development research, psychology, and real-life parenting moments, we’ll explore:
Why kids’ behavior is often a reflection of unmet needs or big feelings.
How to decode the signals behind tantrums, conflict, or “defiance.”
Simple strategies to respond with connection instead of control.
Why this principle also applies at work — from tricky colleagues to team dynamics.
When we shift from “how do I stop this?” to “what is this behavior telling me?” we not only build resilience and trust at home, but also sharpen our emotional intelligence in the workplace.
Because the long game of parenting — and leadership — isn’t about fixing behavior. It’s about listening to what it’s really saying.
👉 Press play to learn how to see behavior as communication, not conflict.
#ParentingPodcast #WorkingParents #ParentingTips #EmotionalIntelligence #WorkingMoms
Feeling anxious about raising kids in a scary world? In this Five Minute Drill episode of The Long Game Parent, learn how to create a simple, repeatable safety ritual that calms your child’s nervous system, builds resilience, and even works in the workplace. One small practice, big long-term impact.
Because raising kids in today’s world can feel overwhelming — the headlines, the uncertainty, the constant what-ifs. But here’s the good news: you don’t have to shield your child from every scary thing to help them feel safe. In this Five Minute Drill episode, I’ll walk you through a simple “safety ritual” you can use at home — and even at work — to anchor yourself and your child in calm, security, and resilience.
You’ll learn:
This drill takes just a few minutes, but it has ripple effects that last far longer. Because in parenting — and in life — the long game is built one small, steady practice at a time.
👉 Press play, and then try today’s challenge: create your family’s safety ritual.
Parenting today can feel overwhelming — school shootings on the news, social media pressures, and a world that doesn’t always feel safe. But here’s the truth, backed by science: our kids don’t need us to shield them from every scary headline or be perfect parents. They need something much more powerful — our consistency, repair when things go wrong, and daily moments of connection.
In this episode of The Long Game Parent, Lauryn Gregg shares practical, research-backed strategies for raising resilient kids in uncertain times. You’ll learn:
Whether you’re worried about the world your kids are growing up in, or just want to feel steadier in your parenting and on the job, this episode will leave you with hope, tools, and a clear reminder: you already have what it takes to help your child grow strong in uncertain times.
Listen now for grounded, practical advice every busy parent can use.
If you like this show, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review The Long Game Parent — it helps other parents find the show as we build this team of working parents together!
Is empathy a weakness—or the most underrated superpower we have? In this episode of The Long Game Parent, we unpack why empathy is not a “sin,” but an essential skill for raising resilient kids, building healthy relationships, and navigating today’s polarized world.
Lauryn explores the cultural backlash against empathy—why some voices dismiss it as dangerous or “new-age”—and breaks down the real history of the word, from its 19th-century roots in psychology to its timeless role in human connection. You’ll learn why empathy isn’t about agreement or letting people off the hook, but about seeing others as human without losing your own boundaries.
Together, we’ll explore how empathy protects our families from cycles of outrage, makes for better and more innovative workplaces, helps us lead with emotional intelligence, and strengthens our communities against division.
👉 Tune in if you’ve ever wondered:
Empathy isn’t fragility. It’s resilience. And in a time when outrage is easy, choosing empathy might be the bravest move you can make.
Back-to-school season can feel like chaos: new schedules, earlier mornings, endless forms, and kids adjusting to big transitions. But here’s the good news—routines, rituals, and traditions can turn that chaos into calm.
In this episode of The Long Game Parent, host Lauryn Gregg shares how predictable rhythms not only reduce stress during the school year but also strengthen family connection and resilience.
You’ll learn:
Why routines help kids feel safe and grounded during transitions.
How to design morning and evening rituals that ease stress for the whole family.
Simple traditions that make school nights more meaningful—and less rushed.
Ways to bring grounding routines into your own workday so you show up calmer and more focused.
Back-to-school doesn’t have to mean burnout. With a few intentional rhythms, you can set the tone for a smoother school year—for you and your kids.
Don’t miss a single training session — follow The Long Game Parent!
When life gets busy, it’s easy to feel pulled in a hundred directions. But knowing—and living—your values helps you cut through the noise, show up with clarity, and guide your kids with confidence.
In this episode of The Long Game Parent, we explore why identifying your values is one of the most powerful tools for both parenting and leadership. You’ll learn:
- How to uncover your core values (and why they matter)
- Ways to use values as a compass in parenting and career decisions
- How living your values builds trust with your kids and strengthens your relationships
- Practical exercises to help your you define and practice your values
When your values are clear, your parenting becomes more intentional, your work becomes more meaningful, and your kids learn how to anchor themselves in what matters most.
If you’ve ever felt torn between work demands and family needs, this episode will help you play the long game with clarity and purpose.
If you’ve ever trained for a sport, you know you’re not just preparing for game day—you’re training for endurance, consistency, and adaptability. Parenting and building a career work the same way. They’re not sprints. They’re marathons.
Let’s reframe how working moms and dads can think about success at home and at work. Kids don’t remember every rushed bedtime or late pickup—they remember the patterns of love, safety, and trust. And just like in sports, your career is defined by the reputation you build and the relationships you sustain, not a single meeting or missed milestone.
When you zoom out, guilt shrinks. What matters most is the long game.