Have you ever yelled at your kids and then felt guilty about it later? We’ve all done it. Our kid repeatedly does the same thing we asked them not to do over and over, so we snap. We see our kids’ eyes bulge and swell with tears. We see the fear. They cower and run away.

 Even though we might feel guilty, they’ve stopped doing what we ask them to do. So maybe yelling does work, we think. But, then our toddlers are back to throwing their toys the next day. And because we don’t know what else to do, we yell. 

But, in this blog, you are going to learn how printable checklists can actually help you reduce yelling. When you have the right strategies and tools at your hand, you won’t need to resort to yelling and the next time your kids irk you to no end. You can say goodbye to screaming at your kids because you’ll know exactly what to do.

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Sure, yelling works in the moment, but it isn’t a long term solution. Why? 

When we yell, what skills are we actually teaching our kids? None. 
What we are teaching them instead is to get what you want, you need to instill fear in the other person’s eyes. Learning this can eventually lead our kids to value fighting and anger to get what they want and can lead to depression and anxiety in our kids. 

Another reason why yelling doesn’t work is when a toddler hears a parent screaming in long, angry systems, their brain starts to become dysregulated and they can’t make sense of what Mom or Dad is saying. They are too young to process what is going on and they are overwhelmed by emotion. That and their lack of impulse control is why they are back to doing the same thing we asked them not to. 

Finally, when we constantly yell, we are equating love to fear. For our kids, if they simultaneously fear and love their parents, they might search for that in a partner. And do we want them to marry someone they also fear? Absolutely not.

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But why do we, as parents, still yell even if we know it doesn’t work and we feel guilty about it later? 

For some, it’s because that’s what our parents did, and we don’t know any better. 
For others, parenting is exhausting. At the end of the day, when we want something to stop, we just use what works right there and now and that could be yelling. 

We don’t have a well-stocked toolkit and guide that teaches us what to do instead. Parents aren’t given a class on how to not yell at their kids. If they want to do that, they have to a.) Already know that yelling doesn’t work and b.) Seek out research themselves.  No one at the hospital tells them this stuff. 

Let’s stop blaming parents for the lack of information and resources involving parenthood. 

 When we are in a tense situation where our brains are overwhelmed from the day, our kids are melting down and overwhelmed themselves too, it’s hard to think. 

So we yell…

And the cycle repeats itself.  

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So what do we do instead of always falling back on yelling and punishments? 

We need to have research-based and proven strategies that work in our toolkit. We need to teach kids skills for what to do when they get angry and want to throw or how to handle feelings of frustration and being told no. 
Because, sure, we can provide consequences and yell all we want, but don’t we want to teach our kids not to do the things they are doing that require yelling and consequences? 

I call these Green Light Strategies. These are strategies that are setting our kids up for success, helping them build the skills to handle emotions, and shifting our parenting from playing defense to playing offense. Green Light Strategies will actually save you time.

I have 70+ of these strategies in my toolkit that I can pull out at any time for all types of hard parenting situations. 

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But how do I remember all of them? I use the Printable Checklist Framework. That is choosing from a list of strategies that have been proven to work and then applying them to your family. 

Through trial and error, consistency, and repetition, you test these strategies out for a couple of weeks. If they work, you write them down on a checklist, print out the checklist, and put the checklist in an accessible location. 

When you have a hard parenting moment, you then reference the list and run down the checklist until something works:

• You child won’t eat. 
  
• Your child hits or throws. 
  
• Your child always says no. 
  
• Your child throws a tantrum. 
  
• Your child won’t go to bed. 
  
• Your child is scared/anxious. 
  
• Your child won’t play independently
  

 
The Printable Checklist Framework works because it makes you feel confident and calm that you have a whole list of strategies right in front of you that work! 

You are no longer searching the depths of your brain to figure out what to do, only to cave and resort to yelling because you become so frazzled. 

Instead, you have a checklist of protocols like any confident person in their profession (pilots, nurses, teachers, doctors). 

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But you might be asking what are these strategies and how do I find them? You can spend hours searching Instagram or reading blogs and listening to podcasts, but I have a guide that has them all in one place. 

Introducing Now What? Mindful Checklists for Life’s Hard Parenting Moments.

There are 10 Modules. Each module has a variety of strategies with descriptions, videos, scripts, deep dives, and action steps covering all parenting moments that have left you wondering Now What?

You are ready to have strategies in your toolkit that you can access anytime when you are struggling to think of what to do next when you have a hard parenting moment: 

*Module 1: My Child Won’t Listen (Greenlight Behavior). Now What? 

*Module 2:  My Child Is Whining (Yellow Light Behavior). Now What?

*Module 3: My Child is Hitting, Kicking, Biting, Throwing (Redlight Behavior). Now What? 

*Module 4: My Child Won’t Go to Bed. Now What? 

*Module 5: My Child is in the Middle of a Tantrum. Now What? 

*Module 6: My Child Won’t Eat. Now What? 

*Module 7: My Child is Scared/Anxious. Now What? 

*Module 8:  My Child Prefers One Parent. Now What? 

*Module 9: My Child Gives Up Easily. Now What? 

*Module 10: My Child Won’t Play Independently. Now What? 

*Bonus Module: Some Thoughts on Screen Time  

You’ll be able to implement the Printable Checklist Framework and be on your way to never yelling again (let’s be real, we’re human. It will never be 100% never yelling). 

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You deserve to have the tools to help you reduce yelling at your kids. You deserve to have a system that helps you stay calm and confident. You deserve to get back your time and energy. Print away! 

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Are you a new mom runner who wants to give running a stab? You have the cutest Hoka shoes. You purchased a matching running top and bottom? You bought a brand new running watch. You are all ready to go. There’s just one problem…

What do you do with your kid? 

How do you get a nice, solid run in while having a kid in tow who doesn’t scream and dispute your steady flow? 

As a mom who has been running with her son for over three years, I have quite a bit of experience with how to run with a kid. I’ve developed some foolproof ways to get kids to enjoy going on a run with you. 

After doing your best to prepare your kid for the run ahead, I have 5 ways newbie mom runners can take their kids along for a run. 

But first…

The Best Jogging Strollers…
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Lauren Barrett Writes is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.  ​
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To get my son excited about the run ahead, I implement a scavenger hunt. I’ll say something like this ahead of time…

“Ohh, I’m excited. We are going on a run. You’re going to be in a stroller. What are we going to find on our run? Can you think of some things?” 

Then, we will rattle off all the things we might see…

• Mailboxes
• Dogs
• Birds
• Flowers
• Airplanes

I’m all about simplicity, so this is all I do, but if you want to get fancy, you can print off or doodle a list with pictures of all the things your kids can find. Then, they can check them off as they find them on the run. 

While I’m running, I’ll check in from time to time to see what my son has found. I make sure I exhibit exuberance and toll out praise [link] for each item he finds to keep him interested and engaged. 

“Ohhh! You found a mailbox. That’s so cool! Way to go.” 

Kids love to feel important and that they have a job.  Doing a scavenger hunt makes them feel like a vital member of your run. 

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I like to start and end a lot of my runs at playgrounds. It gives my child an incentive to complete the run with me. 

I use First/Then statements to set up the playground.

“First, we will run. Then, we will go to the playground.” 

I keep reminding my son about the playground during the run to get him excited. “Ohh, I just remembered that after the run we will then go to the playground. I’m so excited!” 

You don’t always have to end at the playground. My son loves creek play, so we run on a lot of trails that afterwards lead to time playing in the dirt, sand, or water.

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Set your child up for success with a little grab bag of toys. My son likes to take his toy cars for rides. 

But colorful doodling tablets, aqua doodles, and any other doodle type thing makes for a great toy to have along for the ride.

A quick note about giving kids screens while in a stroller, I’m a big proponent that a kid needs to learn to be bored and not entertained 24/7. Time in the stroller is a good way for them to learn about the world around them instead of being distracted.

BUT….

If screens keep your kid quiet and help you get in your run, and your run makes you a better person and mom then by all means USE.THE.SCREENS.GUILTFREE. It won’t ruin them. 

Looking to wean your kids from screens, start here

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Not a fast runner or a long distance runner? Take a bike along with you and go to a flat trail. Run while your kid bikes. I’ve done this before. 

I’ll run a teeny bit ahead of him, turn around to meet him again, and repeat. 

This doesn’t work if you want to go more than 2-3 miles. Your child, especially a younger one, will wear out. But, I have done this practice, and it does work.

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It’s easy to want to bribe your child into getting into the stroller, but I advise against this. You can read why here. 

Beth of Days With Grey offers this advice on her Instagram. 

1. Stick with your plan → you are going to go on your run. 
2. Validate your kid’s feelings if they don’t want to go with you. → “I understand you don’t want to run right now, but this is important to me.”
3. Offer your kid a choice with something that is a yes for you and win for him. → “Grab a lollipop or your chips, and I’ll meet you in the garage to hop in the stroller.”

Beth says this, which I love, “Do what you enjoy with your kids by your side. It may look different, but we can make it work by giving choices.” 

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Running (or exercising) will look different with your kids, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. We just need to adapt and be a little bit flexible. 

And as always, go back to your greenlight strategies to get your kids more likely to agree (or at least not whine so much) about going for a run with you. 

Learn how to implement these strategies with my parenting guide Now What? Mindful Checklists for Life’s Hard Parenting Moments. Try it for free here. 

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Were you a runner before you had kids? Or maybe you are a new mom looking to get into running? 

Either one you are in the right place. 

As a competitive runner before I had kids, it was shocking how much running changed for me once I had my son and became a mom for the first time. 

I had to let go of the idea that running was going to look the same as it once did, at least for this season of my life. 

But, I also knew that running is important to me. It grounds me. It’s my stress reliever. It’s my free therapy. It’s my time to think and decompress. It’s my exercise. Running makes me a better mom and an overall better human. 

So, with all that being true, I knew that I had to continue running. For the sake of my physical and mental health. 

But, how do you get started with running as a new mom when life looks so much different now? 

I have 8 tips to help you out. 

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The hardest part to committing to get back into running is the starting process. So I say pick a day to start and just start. 

Mark this day on your calendar with a big X. Put it in your planner. Set a reminder on your phone. Tell your family. 

And then just make like Nike and just do it. 

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But start small. If you try to go out and run the same amount of time and distance that you used to, you’ll get burnt out and are more likely to fail.

When I say start small, I literally mean start small. Like go out and run for 1 minute. That’s it. You’ll be able to cross it off. You’ll be able to say that you did it and accomplished something. 

Anyone can run for a minute. This small win will make you more likely to go out and do it again because you know that you can. 

So, the next day go out and do 2 minutes. The next day, 3 minutes and so on. Just adding one minute more a day won’t seem so daunting. 

Also, don’t run every day. It will be too much at first. I recommend 3-4 times a week. Even now, I only do 5 days a week. 

You did it! 

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Try to run at the same time each day, so your kids and family know what to expect - whether you’re running with them in a stroller, leaving them behind with a spouse, or having them tag along with you on a bike. 

A routine will also help you. If you mark it on your calendar everyday and schedule things around it since running will be a non negotiable and rigid, you’ll be more likely to get it done.   

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You may be wondering how stretching will help you get started running, but it will. Here’s why…if you stretch after you run, you won’t be so sore the next day. If you aren’t so sore the next day, you will want to run again. 

So stretch before and after. Trust me. Your body will thank you.

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Talk to your kids about how you are going on a run beforehand. Be upfront and honest with them, especially if they are at the toddler age, but even when they are still babies to help them understand from a young age and to get yourself in the habit of feeling good about going on a run. 

“Running is very good for my mind. It helps me be calmer, not yell, and think better. It’s kind of how you feel better after watching your favorite show or playing your favorite game.” 

Stick to the script and then just go. 

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In the same vein as our tip up above, you are going to be honest with why you are going on a run. Then, you are just going to leave. You aren’t going to ask for your children’s permission to go on a run. “Can Mommy go on a run?” N.O.P.E.

If you already set up this run with the family, you’re not going to stick around to placate protests and whines telling you to stay. Or to soothe a baby that might be crying for you (unless he’s hungry and needs you). 

You’ve already done your job. Your job is to prepare your kids, show empathy for their feelings, and validate them. Your job is not to fix how they will feel or react to your going on a run. 

When you come back, thank your child for playing independently while you did something very important to you. 

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Kids like stories. They can relate to them. Tell a story about a Mommy who went on a run and then had all these magical powers because she went. She could play so much. She laughed a lot. She had SO MUCH energy. She was unstoppable.   ​

Having trouble finding time to go on a run? Try Fair Play. Fair Play is a system that helps partners with kids divide up the household responsibilities in a way that is fair. It allows space for each partner to find time to engage in self-care and exercise. 

Everyone in the relationship deserves and needs this card. Work with your partner to carve out your times. 

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With these tips, you, new mom runners, can get started on your running journey. Pretty soon you’ll be running (and drinking) at all the brewery run clubs in your area and making all kinds of running friends. 

Who knows you may even sign up for a race! 

Want more actionable tips to deal with life’s hard parenting moments? Try Now What? Mindful Checklists for Life’s Hard Parenting Moments.

Try before you buy for free today.

Exciting news! I wrote, copyrighted and published a parenting guide, Now What? Mindful Checklists for Life's Hard Parenting Moments, and it is available.
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This is my latest passion project that I’ve been working on for almost a year.

• A 180 page PDF parenting guide to life’s hard moments with your kids.
• Helps you build a checklist of what strategies work for you and your family, so you can access them anytime.
• Now What? recognizes that every kid is different and not every strategy works all the time.
• Here's a sneak peak of what you will find in Now What? Mindful Checklists for Life's Hard Parenting Moments
  *Module 1: My Child Won’t Listen (Greenlight Behavior). Now What?
  *Module 2: My Child Is Whining (Yellow Light Behavior). Now What?
  *Module 3: My Child is Hitting, Kicking, Biting, Throwing (Redlight Behavior). Now What?
  *Module 4: My Child Won’t Go to Bed. Now What?
  *Module 5: My Child is in the Middle of a Tantrum. Now What?
  *Module 6: My Child Won’t Eat. Now What?
  *Module 7: My Child is Scared/Anxious. Now What?
  *Module 8: My Child Prefers One Parent. Now What?
  *Module 9: My Child Gives Up Easily. Now What?
  *Module 10: My Child Won’t Play Independently. Now What?
  *Bonus Module: Some Thoughts on Screen Time
  

• 10 Modules with strategies
• Videos for each strategy
• Descriptions of each strategy
• Scripts
• Action steps
• Printable Checklists
• Links to expert sources

Parents, grandparents, caregivers, teachers of kids ages 1-7, but the ideal age is parents with kids ages 1-4 years old.
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But I strongly recommend parents with babies ages birth to 1 to get it in order to get a head start.

$49.99. 

I remember when I first had Henry, and it was sometimes hard to remember what to do when emotions were high.

• Crying
• Overwhelmed
• Frustrated
• Loud noises
• Lack of sleep

So I wrote down the strategies that worked and the next time I had a similar moment, I would run down the list until I found what worked.

That’s what I want for you!

1. To choose from 70+ strategies in an user friendly PDF guide
2. Test and try what works
3. Write it down and print it out
4. Access it anytime that you have a hard moment.

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1. I'm pretty busy. Will I have time to do this course?
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Of course! I've designed this handbook for busy parents in mind because I'm a busy mom myself. You can take each module at a time. The strategies are short. The videos are short. Use the strategy for a few days. If it works, write it down. Bam you're on your way to success. Also remember these strategies will actually save you time.

2. What if not all the strategies work?

They won't! And that's not because you're doing anything wrong. All kids are different. All moms are different. All families are different. Not every strategy will work 100% of the time. THE PURPOSE IS TO MAKE A CHECKLIST OF WHAT WORKS FOR YOU BY CHOOSING FROM OVER THE 70 STRATEGIES I OFFER. Some of the strategies in the modules I have used and now I don't. Some of the strategies I have used, stopped using, and now use again. Some of the strategies I have used consistently. Try them out, give them a chance, and if they don't work, don't add them to your list. Maybe you can revisit them later. Maybe you won't.

3. Okay, but how much time will I have to actually spend doing the course?

The course is self-paced, with about 30 minutes worth of content per module So, I’d say, schedule about 3-4 max. A small price to pay to build save you time in the long run and to build confident, calm families.

4. What ages is this for?

Ages 1-7. BUT I highly recommend buying even if you have a kid under 1, so you can be prepared. And hey, some of these strategies even work for tweens and teens.

5. Why should I be a member of the Insider's Scoop?
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You get weekly emails that explore aspects of parenting. You can ask questions. You'll be part of a small community and won't get lost in the shuffle.

Here are what other parents and teachers are saying about Now What? Parenting Guide:

"Module 4- the Sleep module I learned the most from- I feel the strategies in this module were on point and give guidance on what the parent needs to do to set up a successful sleep environment. It did not focus on what the child needs to do. Because we can't control a child's behavior, only our own. so the focus needs to be on what WE can do rather than on how we can control others."

"I really learned a lot from the module discussing green light choice. As a mom and a teacher these strategies would be used several times throughout the day!"

" From toddlers to lower elementary students would gain a lot from this guide."

"Early childhood centers and elementary teachers would benefit from this guide."

"As an early childhood provider I found this course informative and useful. I would recommend this course to my colleagues as well as fellow parents."

"The guide was so easy to follow."

"I actually enjoyed all of the modules and gained valuable information."

"The Checklist format was useful, and focusing on the idea that some will work for your child and some won't, so choose those you want to use, and try them for two weeks. Also the idea of having it written down somewhere to help in the moment they are needed is great."

I was pleasantly surprised with Minneapolis in the state of 10,000 lakes. Minneapolis sure did have a lot of lakes itself. 

I tagged along for my husband's on-sight work trip to Minneapolis from a Monday to a Thursday. While most of his days were full of meetings and networking with his coworkers, I had ample time to take full advantage of the city and explore on my own. Here's what I did and what I liked...

After checking into the hotel and unpacking, we ventured into the indoor shopping plaza with an outdoor feel located attached to our hotel for some lunch. 

Lunch was Sotti, a Mediterranean style fast-food restaurant and it was delicious for being fast foodish. 

We spent the remaining hours before dinner relaxing and getting ready. 

A shuttle picked us up around 6:00 to take us to Birch's on the Lake, a gastropub and brewery specializing in seafood and New American fare, located just right out of the city on Long Lake. 

Dinner here was really the highlight of the day. My husband's company had arranged for an all-inclusive, already paid for four course meal with an open bar. 

Appetizers and drinks started the cocktail hour portion of the night and then we were led into the dining area for a seated family style meal of salads, fried chicken, ribs, risotti, mashed potatoes, and an option of cheesecake or chocolate cake for dessert. After dinner, we drank some more on the patio outside and watched the sun set over the lake. 

Dinner at Birch's was really quite the event and highly recommend putting this restaurant on your list of places to dine in Minneapolis. 

I went to bed as soon as I arrived back to the hotel, for I was really stuffed.

I woke up early to make the most of my day entirely alone and up to my discretion. 

Breakfast was at People's Organic, located in the attached mall. I got the steel cut oats, and it was all right. 

After a quick trip to Target to get some supplies for the day, I headed a few blocks away to catch the metro. 

*A quick note about the metro. It was pretty easy to navigate. I purchased a ticket for $2 to be able to ride unlimitedly for two hours, but I never had to show my ticket. On the way to my destination, there were no problems. On the way back, I felt uncomfortable, not necessarily unsafe per say, but highly uncomfortable. A lot of what I assume were homeless or drug addicts were onboard with some questionable behavior, including one guy leering at me. Being the only woman onboard, I was ready to get off. But overall, the metro is a cheap and easy way to get around.* 

I took the metro to Minnehaha Park. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I took a walk to Minnehaha Falls, rented a quad bike from Wheel Fun Rentals and rode it around the park for an hour, and finally ended my time at the park by eating lunch hand drinking a beer at Sea Salt Eatery, located inside the park. 

After a quick pitstop back to the hotel, I changed into my bathing suit and headed by Uber to Lake Harriet where I ordered ice cream from Pickles and sunbathed on one of the lake's two beaches.

My last adventure for the day was dinner and beer at Pryes Brewing Company located near the Mississippi River in the Warehouse District. I ordered the Riverside beer and the goat cheese pizza, both which were delicious and refreshing. 

After a jammed packed day, which I mostly spent entirely alone, I went to bed early. 

I woke early again to do a run near the Mississippi River by Mill Ruins Park and across the Stone Arch Bridge. I had an avocado, egg, and tomato toast for breakfast at Dunn Brothers Coffee. 

Afterwards, I rented a bike from Nice Ride. Nice Rides are located all throughout the city. All you do is download the app, scan the barcode on the bike, grab and go, and return to any location throughout town. I rode the bike all along the path by the river and it was a really enjoyable ride. I had the bike for about an hour, and the entire trip cost me $8.25. 

I had a quick shower and then wandered down to Target Field for a Twins day game at 12:10. James was able to meet me at 1, and we had another MLB ballfield down. I had delicious street tacos for lunch at the ballpark. The game was pretty uneventful, but we liked the stadium. 

After the game, James had more work events to attend to, so I made my way to Caribou Coffee to read and have a few snacks. 

For dinner that night, plus ones were able to attend dinner. We had an outside dinner at Owamni by the Sioux Chef, a restaurant specializing in Indigenous cuisine. The restaurant was located near where I ran and biked earlier in the day and featured views of the river. The food was beyond good. Again, we had an open bar and a multi-course meal of bison meatballs, gazpacho soup, and some type of potato and trout dishes. 5 stars for me. 

We hung out by the hotel bar afterwards and then called it a night. 

We were technically checking at 11, but we had the whole day until our flight. I started out with an early run and then a bagel breakfast at People's Organic again. 

We showered, packed up our luggage and Ubered to the Mall of America in Bloomington, near the airport. If you aren't into shopping, the Mall of America is still a sight to see. There's a whole mini theme park plus an aquarium, comedy club, escape room, Crayola Factory, and many more novelty exhibits and shops. We ended up eating lunch at Crave, and then I got two of the best cookies I've ever had at Baking Betty's. They were goat cheese and jam and a sea salt nutella. You can order online, and I'm thinking of doing that. 

We headed to the airport, thus ending our trip to Minneapolis. 

I really enjoyed Minneapolis. The city is easy to get around, whether you are taking public transportation, renting a bike, or walking. The weather was pretty nice in the summer. The food was good. And there was plenty to do. 

If I had more time, I would have visited Lake of the Isles and rented a kayak with Paddle Share, a unique concept of simply reserving a kayak and then grabbing it from a locker. I also would have loved to explore more of northern Minnesota and visited one of its bigger lakes. 

Overall, Minneapolis gets an A.