Do you ever feel stressed-out and unable to think clearly as a parent? Do you find yourself losing your desire to connect with your kids and even manage their behaviors? We get it because we've both parented with stressed-out brains, and it's a hard place to be. In this episode, we talk about seven ways to give our brains what they need in order to reduce stress. Our conversation is centered around the Healthy Mind Platter by Dan Siegel and David Rock which outlines seven mental activities for optimizing our brains and well-being: Focus Time Play Time Connecting Time Physical Time Time In Down Time Sleep Time Links Relevant to this episode: Healthy Mind Platter by Dan Siegel and David Rock The Whole Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Dan Siegel and Tina Bryson No-Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Dan Siegel and Tina Bryson The Stress-Proof Brain: Mastering Your Emotional Response to Stress Using Mindfulness and Neuroplasticity by Melanie Greenberg PhD Episode #25: Regulating Through Movement and Play with Robyn Gobbel Episode #10: Why won’t my kids just go play?!?! Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor Mindful Breathing App (look for the breathing timer) How to join 30 Days of Hope in April Order Faith, Hope, & Connection: A 30-Day Devotional for Adoptive and Foster Parents.  Join The Adoption Connection Facebook Group. This post includes affiliate links.