Send us a text, we want to hear from you!

New year energy can feel fraudulent when you’re parenting through hospital stays, procedures, and constant logistics. We’re trading perfection for something truer: a simple ritual to release what hurts and a short list of keepers that actually help us breathe, love, and carry on. No grand resolutions, no reinvention—just small, honest choices that hold up under real life.

We start with a plate-smashing ritual—yes, really—to mark what we’re done carrying: self-depletion, people-pleasing, and the belief that unconditional love demands self-abandonment. Then we move to what stays. Laughter on purpose, curated so it finds us even on hard days. Childlike wonder that turns clouds, stars, and tiny flowers into quick routes back to calm. Ten minutes of morning prayer for alignment when the schedule is anything but predictable. Deep breathing to reset a nervous system trained by years of fight-or-flight. A phone in the “peace and presence” basket so feeding, rocking, and bedtime become connection instead of multitasking. And self-advocacy—asking for what we need from care teams and our circle without apology.

Along the way we reframe mistakes with grace. You can name a misstep and still honor your heart. Own it, repair, and try again. That stance—gentle and steady—makes space for gratitude to grow, even in grief. We talk practical tools for caregivers of medically complex kids, from boundary-setting to micro-rest, and how to build a more regulated baseline without pretending life is easy. This is trauma-aware, faith-rooted, and deeply human.

If this conversation gave you breath or language for your own reset, follow and share it with another caregiver who needs hope. Subscribe, leave a review, and email us your “leave behind” and “keepers”—we’d love to hear what goes on your plate and what you’ll carry forward.

We kindly ask that you share this podcast with other families who might benefit from our insights and support. Additionally, please take a brief moment to leave a review on your preferred podcast platform, which helps us to reach as many families as possible who are navigating this challenging journey, so they can find our support circle and access the assistance they rightfully deserve. No one should walk this journey alone.

To get more personal support, connect with us directly at:
https://parentempowermentnetwork.org

Facebook: Parent Empowerment Network
Instagram: ParentEmpowermentNetwork
Join the Parent Empowerment Network Community of Hope
Get your copy of She is Charlotte: A Mother’s Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Journey with Her Child with Medical Complexities by Emily K Whiting on Amazon