Breaking the Cycle of Anxious Parenting - SE2EP9 Karen Gibson
In today's episode, we are delighted to have Karen Gibson as our guest.
Karen is a renowned author, parent coach, and founder of Letting Go with Aloha and Brain Builders.
With over 25 years of experience working with students and parents, Karen has developed invaluable insights into the art of parenting. Through her books, online courses, and mentoring, she helps parents navigate the complexities of raising adolescents and empowers them to practice compassion and trust in their children's journey.
Karen's passion for helping parents and children extends beyond her coaching, as she is actively involved in hosting and co-hosting various parenting and healing summits. Join us as we dive into Karen's wealth of knowledge and learn practical strategies to foster a healthy parent-child relationship in the digital age.
Links:
YouTube channel: Letting Go with Aloha
Instagram: Lettinggowithaloha
TikTok: Letting Go with Aloha
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-gibson-5201381/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.k.gibson
Private Facebook Group: Letting Go With Aloha
This Episode is brought to you by Skill Samurai – Coding & STEM Academy www.skillsamurai.com.au
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome to the Parenting in the Digital Age podcast. Many parents are concerned that their child might be falling behind. Others are just looking for ways to help their children thrive, not just in the classroom, but socially and well into their future careers. Each episode, we explore the challenges facing parents in the modern world, from behavior, education, and nutrition to device and gaming addiction. We interview a range of leaders in the area of childhood development to help you successfully navigate parenting in the digital age. Here is your host, Jamie Buttigieg.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Hello, parents, and welcome to Parenting in a Digital Age where we explore the challenges and opportunities of raising kids in a world filled with technology. In today's episode, we are delighted to have Karen Gibson as our guest. Karen is a renowned author, parent, coach, and founder of Letting Go with Aloha and Brain Builders. With over 25 years of experience working with students and parents, Karen has developed invaluable insights into the art of parenting. Through her books, online courses and mentoring, she's helped parents navigate the complexities of rating raising adolescents and empowers them to practice compassion and trust in their children's journey. Karen's passion for helping parents and children extends beyond her coaching as she's actively involved in hosting and co-hosting various parenting and healing summits. So join us live as we deep dive into Karen's wealth of knowledge and learn practical strategies to foster a healthy parent-child relationship in the digital age. Quite a, uh, an intro. Karen, welcome to the show. Please share with our listeners in your own words what you do and what you are passionate about.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Well, thank you Jamie, for having me here. I think my, my mission is to revolutionize parenting. I think, um, a lot of, uh, either inner child trauma or maybe just following what, how our parents raised us makes us realize today that that is not a mentally healthy way to raise our children, which is why there's an increase in mental health issues. Uh, confidence has decreased and stress has increased, where kids as young as five our stressed out because they're not following the shoulds or society's just unrealistic expectations.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, that's, uh, that's pretty crazy. And when we see that often the, uh, you know, sort of kids and, um, you know, students, uh, lacking resilience, uh, you know, and that, that impacts their confidence and their self-esteem In one of your books, uh, mum Mama's gotta Let Go. Um, you discussed letting go without losing your sanity Can, oh, there it is, right there. There we go. For those who are watching the video version of the podcast, <laugh>, um, uh, Karen, can you share a few maybe practical tips for parents who are struggling with this aspect of parenting? Talk through that.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Well, I've made every parenting mistake in the book. I know my daughters always say, you would've raised us totally different as an educator. I think I did put that unrealistic stress that they needed to get good grades, because that would be a sign that I was successful. So I think a lot of parents live through their children, and they really believe that their children's behavior and decisions dictate whether they are a successful parent. Now we're realizing we need to encourage children to fail. We need to role model the behaviors that we want our children to learn. And if we feel that mistakes are to be avoided, and then we need to fix or prevent our children from making mistakes, guess what? They will learn that mistakes and failures are to be avoided and just something you don't do. And that is what's causing I think, a lot of stress on both parts. Yeah,
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. That, that's an then there's lots of unpack there. You said some profound things, but you know, the, the notion of parents, um, you know, really wanting the kids to get grades, um, I, I guess that that's true, isn't it? It's, it's almost to to to replicate or to show our success as parents, as opposed to, uh, wanting the best for their child, isn't it?
Speaker 3 (04:17):
It is, and I think, um, there's two types of parents, one who, you know, they were a success in school. They were academic achiever, so they want their children to follow that path. And then the other, uh, parent is the parent that did not like school, did not do well in school. So they feel that their children have to excel because they don't want their child to follow their path. But there really is no correct journey. I think all of us are meant to trust the process. And I myself, have a difficult time practicing what I preach. I think sometimes when children, you know, go through their challenges, it is so difficult to trust the process.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yeah, you're right, Karen. And, uh, you know, I've got four kids and, and my son who's 18, uh, struggled a lot at school. And, uh, that was, you know, a bit heartbreaking for a parent, um, as a father, particularly who, you know, I think I'm a high achiever, but, uh, the reality was when I finally let go of that notion, um, you know, the, the, the way school is taught just wasn't a great fit. And, uh, you know, max is in a great place. He's 18 years old now. He's still discovering his path. I don't think you'll find it in the short term. Uh, but, uh, you know, one of those things that I sort of look back and reflect on my own life and career, that it's okay to change your mind. It's okay to have multiple careers. Uh, it's okay to have, you know, to get it wrong a few times and, and parents need to let go a little bit. Um, yeah. So I totally resonate with what you're saying. Uh, can you explain the concept of healing ones in a child? So, you know, why is it important for parents to undertake this process?
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Well, I think many of us don't realize that we hold a lot of trauma from our childhood, and many of us don't even realize it. So the decisions, the limiting beliefs, just your behaviors stem from possibly something that happened to you when you were a kindergarten. For me, I had, I was never chosen, you know, for a pe I was just, that ruined my gpa. So I felt that my children needed to work on that. And if they weren't accepted in my eyes, it was almost like forecasting their future, um, fail failure, right. And then I learned many, many years later, I have a 21 year old and soon to be 28 year old, that we need to let our kids know, like you said, it's okay to change our minds. It's okay, um, you know, to just not be okay, because heartbreaks will happen, jobs will be lost. Um, deaths will happen. We lost my dad in 2016, my mom from Alzheimer's in 2021. And if you prevent your children from experiencing pain, you do a disservice to them.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Yeah. That's, uh, there's no true statement. I think as parents, uh, we have to kind of, we should, um, try to fail publicly, almost. Like, that might sound like an odd thing to say, but often as a parent in the past, I found myself, you know, hiding my failures from my kids because I didn't want them to see that, you know, and, and maybe that's not the right approach. Uh, I realized, you know, getting older in life, you know, another example, um, of what you just spoke about. Um, I'm also a grandfather. And every Thursday and my, my, uh, beautiful 18 month old granddaughter Zoe, we take her to the park. And, um, what was really interesting is, is that, uh, there were all these parents, uh, there were maybe 20 or so young, you know, young kids, preschool, and, uh, these parents are following around their kids saying, be careful.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Don't do that. Be careful. Don't do that. Stop that, get down from there. Be careful. And, and sort of, maybe we had done this a few times, but being grandparents, but we're kind of just, you know, letting it go and, you know, being there, but, uh, not using the same language necessarily. So, uh, uh, I don't know. Tell us a bit, maybe this is a nice dovetail to that online course. Uh, in my pre-show reading, you've got an online course that's called Breaking the Cycle of Anxious Parenting, you know, so what, maybe talk through that. What are some of the takeaways that parents can implement in their daily lives?
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Oh, letting go is difficult. And I've had to hold my breath and stop, stop myself from saying, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Because what you do is damage your self-esteem. So each time you say, you better not do that, they think, oh, that means you don't trust me as a child, you really believe that your parents don't trust you every time you make sure that they do the right thing. So, breaking the cycle of anxious parenting, it could also be breaking the cycle of anxious. Um, you know, like for educators, for, um, caregivers, even in relationships, we all need to let go. You know, if as a, as a boss you have to let go and not hover, do the helicopter parenting, well, what if you're doing the helicopter, um, business leadership where you cannot trust that your workers will do the right thing?
Speaker 3 (09:11):
I mean, no one wants, um, micromanaging, right? And so when it comes from a parent, it can destroy their self-esteem. It can make them feel that they are not prepared for adulthood because they're constantly going to look for your approval. And that is a scary way to live, right? That means after you're gone, and this is the inner child, the inner child will be telling them, wait a minute, what would your mom say? What would your dad say? Are you doing the right thing? And then you question every decision, you know, that you need to make as an adult.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Yeah. Uh, it's interesting you say that. Uh, in terms of being a, a boss or, uh, you know, being a leader at work, one thing that, um, I learned, uh, as a young leader is your team is always more capable than you allow them to be. And, and I really think that applies to parenting. You know, our kids are actually more capable than we allow them to be as parents. Don't you think?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Oh, I totally agree with that. I, I work with a lot of parents who are, you know, younger or they have young children, and they always say, oh, but you know what, what if they get hurt? What if there's self-esteem? And I, but they will be disappointed, so why not allow them? And I love how you said that, Jamie, to role model it, role model your own mistakes. And before I used to be embarrassed, you know, I'm an educator, and if I got caught making a mistake in a fourth grade assignment, I would feel like, oh my gosh, how embarrassing. I'm incompetent now. I tell my my students, you know what that means, what it means, I'm human. Let's make more mistakes. And they look at me like, what? No, I'm gonna get in trouble. And I tell them that I'm trying to teach parents as well as students to embrace those mistakes, because we don't learn. We will not learn if we don't fail and make mistakes.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Yeah. Yeah. That's, uh, re really re really well said. Now, you also wrote a book, and you, you might flash that up if you've got it. Uh, 100 parenting Tips, uh, yeah, the, the other one inspired by the Pandemic. Yes. Okay. That's, uh, that, that's a great title, by the way. In what ways do you think the pandemic changed parenting? Uh, maybe what's, what, what are some lessons that, you know, parents can take away from this, uh, you know, or experience moving forward?
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Well, I think, I love the, the title of your podcast, parenting in the Digital Age. I think we were forced, parents were forced to do distance learning. I was against it. I was going to quit tutoring and pursue letting go with Aloha, you know, as a parent coach. And parents were deathly afraid. They were worried about, you know, how do we navigate technology? How do we take a picture of the assignment and log on and watch a video? And sometimes the video wouldn't appear sometimes, and then they would personally take responsibility instead of allowing their children to figure it out. I mean, kids, like you said, they're so tech savvy. They are problem solvers. And if we let them figure it out. And so these tips, I realized they were inspired by the pandemic, but it could be everything from, um, you know, learning their love language or their learning style in, and even what is your parenting style? You know, how do you, um, trust your child? How do you leave a legacy? You know, as, as well as, you know, making sure that they learn, uh, a bit of like financial responsibility or learning about the world, um, you know, geography wise. But we don't teach a lot of life skills in school. So that means it's up to the parents or else you'll leave it to society or the media or TikTok or social, you know, social media, which is not always, uh, beneficial.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
No, no, definitely not. So, uh, we talk a bit about resilience and growth mindset. So how can, you know, in your experience, how can parents foster a growth mindset in their kids?
Speaker 3 (13:09):
I think the one thing we can do is meet them where they're at. Accept your child where they're at. If they're, you know, two years below, uh, grade level, what does that even mean? I think a lot of us feel like, oh my gosh, my child is two years below, or they're 18 assignments, um, behind your child will catch up. Someone said, have you ever seen an 18 year old in diapers? Have you ever seen someone who is 20 something who did not know how to feed themselves or walk? And I thought, that is a really good analogy. You know, they might be, um, you know, why, why do we need to fit and meet society's expectations? You know, that the parenting, what every parent needs to know, and you have to take this pacifier away a certain age. You have to make sure that they walk, they say these certain words. And I remember, you know, as a special ed teacher, I thought every time my child did something, oh my gosh, she has this, well, maybe she has this. And we really prejudge <laugh>, and we're so self-critical as well as, uh, we wonder what's wrong with our child. So I think we meet our child where they're at and trust them, boost their self-esteem. Just having confidence alone will be the best gift a child can have.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
Yeah, absolutely. And I love that word, trust. So, so how, how can parents then balance, trust, um, in their children's journey with the need to guide and also protect them in this rapidly changing world?
Speaker 3 (14:44):
It is a fine line. I think you do need to guide them. I think when they're younger, you do have to monitor their screen and what they're watching, because if you don't have those parental guidance controls, anything could be happening. They could watch very inappropriate things. But if you're training or guiding your children and teaching them values and letting them know that, you know, you're giving them some freedom, but that they need to, you know, earn privileges or learn natural consequences, which is very difficult for parents, right? If your child doesn't wake up, um, you know, if you don't have, don't wake them up. If they get up at 2:00 PM and they miss school, they miss school. That's a hard one. I suffer. I really suffered with that one. And you really believe that you need to remind them, did you do your homework? Are you ready for that job interview? Did you make sure that you enrolled your, your, you know, your grandchild right to preschool? And you think, wait a minute, the question is, is this your journey? Or is it your child's journey to, you know, to do, because you don't wanna handhold them throughout their life, cuz when you're gone, and I think that's what the role of a parent is, to prepare them when you're no longer there.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Yeah. Well, well, well, you know, um, I love that notion of, uh, natural consequences. Um, as I said, my son's 18 and he was, uh, this was quite a few months ago now, but he was looking for a job. He, uh, came home. He was quite excited. Dad, I've got another interview, and it was for the next day. I said, fine, I'll take you to, uh, to the interview, make sure he set your clock, uh, get up in the mor and he didn't get up. You know, you, you, you, you made me remember, this is quite a funny story. Yes. And he didn't get up and, and I didn't get him up. And he woke up around lunchtime, two hours after the interview was scheduled to take place, he came downstairs and he made lunch, and he sat in front of the television. And two hours later he realized, he said, I've forgotten my interview. And, uh, you know, half of me felt like a, a a bad parent, you know, like I should have got him up and made him getting a get in a suit and tie and, you know, giving him some counsel on the way to the interview. Uh, but, uh, the, the other part of me said, uh, no, you, you've gotta, um, you've gotta take some responsibility. And, and that's one thing I think parents need to teach their kids a little more. Uh, I don't know. Uh, that's certainly my view.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Wow. I think you deserve a run of applause. I think it's really difficult because I have, I know parents who make their adult children's appointments, they do their taxes, they really do a little too much. They might say their, their children is, you know, they're too busy or I just wanna just help them. But you're really handicapping them, right? You're, you're impairing that process of how will they know? I bet your son will know in the future, you know, or when and when the lesson is not learned, then it will repeat. You know, I I really believe that you will continue to be given opportunities to make mistakes. And it is not our job, especially when a child is approaching 18, I think even 17, it's, it's really difficult because they're in that Mm, they're still in high school. They're not fully, fully adult. But why not? I, I had someone who, who was a military mom, five year old, she had to make her breakfast, make her lunch, go to school, because the mom had to leave at 6:00 AM And I thought, oh my gosh. But that five year old was so independent, who, who would've thought, you know,
Speaker 2 (18:20):
Our kids, I'll say it again. Our kids are more capable than we allowed them to be. I was watching something on Netflix, I, I can't remember what it was called, but it was this wonderfully cute Japanese show where they give the child, now this is the child who's just learned to walk, can just speak the language. And, um, they give him some instructions, and then they have this film, a hidden film crew, and let this kid go out into the public, navigate traffic, uh, navigate, um, you know, all the sorts of hazards that we'd be like, you know, could you imagine, uh, parents in the western world, uh, you know, hovering over their kids saying, you know, don't cross the road. Hold my hair, let me pick you up. Let me do this. You know? And the whole show was about in building independence in kids at a, you know, as young as two.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
And I found the whole thing fascinating. But, uh, you know, I, I don't think our job is necessarily to protect you. Look, don't get me wrong when I say this. I don't wanna come across as sounding like a, like a horrible parent. Our job is to let kids fall. Yes. Our job is to let kids fall. And, uh, of course we wanna protect kids. That's what we want. But if we keep protecting 'em, they'll never learn anything in life. And, uh, uh, anyway, I I just saying that I wholeheartedly agree with, uh, your, uh, your methods and certainly your teachings in your book. And, uh, uh, you've got a, you you've said a lot of wonderful things that I hope parents, uh, will take away from this. So here, here's another question. So we're a, we're a podcast about helping kids thrive in a digital age. Uh, so how has the digital age and, you know, technology affected the parent-child relationship in your view?
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Oh, I think it's, um, it can be dangerous because it is an addiction. There is a cell phone addiction. Uh, I came across a parent who said, I can't get into my, my child's phone because I don't have the password. And I thought, you know, the child is a minor. I understand though, you wanna, um, you know, have them respect or respect your privacy. But to me, if you are not paying for the phone and you are, um, you know, under your parents' plan, your parent has the right, because you have no idea right now, there's like illegal activity going on. Inappropriate photos can be sent through Instagram, through Snapchat, and that's what parents are finding. So I think that is something that we did not have. We didn't have the internet. Well, I didn't have the internet. I didn't even have cor, you know, we had cordless phones, which is a huge thing because then you didn't have your parents right there <laugh> when we, but now children can be globally interacting with who knows who.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
You don't know the age of this person. They might say they're 15, but they're actually 57, you know? So I think the education that parents need to, you know, this is where trusting the process, I think when it comes to technology, it, it, there is a fine line because so many kids have been abducted. I mean, not to have, you know, I want, like you said, you don't wanna be paranoid, but you wanna be, this is one area that I think you usually to be cautious. Um, also, uh, a lot of kids just Google it when I, when I, uh, tutor, you know, sorry. And they're like, uh, you know, Alexa, can you no <laugh>, no Alexa, no, uh, letting the computer read for you. You know, you can just click it. No. And so I think it makes it extra challenging for parents to, uh, you know, those natural consequences. They could have their whole paper rich. And especially with chat ai, you know, my older daughter was saying, people can get medical degrees, people can write a whole thesis. People can do everything through artificial intelligence. That is, that is scary. So the dig digital age has, uh, provided, um, a lot of extra challenges that I think past generations. We, we were, you know, we were saved from that.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Yeah, definitely. And I think it's caused a whole bunch of, a bunch more friction, you know, between parents and kids that, you know, there, there was, I mean, I remember there was always friction between my father and I wasn't over cell phones and technology and how long I spent on the internet, but it was probably how long I spent going out and, and other things. But, uh, uh, I think the, uh, the amount of friction and, and, uh, uh, you know, arguments within the family has increased because, uh, because I think the, the, the, the addictive nature of the technology caused the change in the children's behavior in their brain chemistry. Um, and I think that's a, that's a challenge. You know, I don't know any thoughts on how parents can navigate that? I mean, I probably ask everyone on this podcast the same thing, and there's no right or wrong answer. There's no textbook on this, and this is, I guess why I keep asking the question. Um, you know, uh, my daughter in particular, she's, uh, 16 and she's glued to the phone. And, and I can't say I'm, I, I can't say I'm successfully navigating as a, as a, as a father and as a parent, uh, what advice do you have for, uh, someone like me with a, with a teenage daughter?
Speaker 3 (23:21):
I think for teenagers, they do have to turn their phones at night. I know there will be major, major friction, but otherwise, I mean, if they have that notification, someone texts them, or there's a TikTok notification Instagram, they'll wake up at two in the morning for fear of like, you know, missing out, right? So learning how emotions work, I believe if emotional regulation, what's taught, you'd have less meltdowns, because they will learn not to believe every thought that enters their head. I mean, we believe it. Oh my gosh, my child is destined to be, you know, a loser of failure because of, and you just believe this negative narrative. But if children were taught and their brains aren't fully developed right, until like mid twenties, and depending on trauma or experiences, it might, you know, you might have that, um, like you said, that the inner child, it, it's real.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
Because if you allow past experiences to dictate, it could be a friendship breakup, then you have a loss of trust. Someone who's 12 can have a heartbreak, and that can affect their life as an adult. But if you teach them, and that's what breaking the cycle of anxious parenting, there is a whole module on, you know, transforming or overcoming fears. Why does fear happen? Uh, love languages, learning style, and even emotions like how do we positive, how do we interact in, um, you know, like positive communication? Because I, myself, I, oh my gosh, those teen years are tough. And no matter what age you will have friction and know that it's okay, you know, it's okay to have conflict, but how do you resolve, you know, resolution is really important. Asking for forgiveness. My parents never taught me that that was a huge lesson. But if children learn how to apologize and to also accept our apologies as parents, far less conflict and you'll increase peace while decreasing stress in, in my
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Belief. Yeah, that's, uh, uh, very wise words there, Karen. And, and one of the, the things that, um, you know, I realize as a father and as a parent, you know, the, this access to technology and it, and it is important for those parents who haven't gotten control of that, or, you know, who are struggling with, um, you know, kids wanting to take their phones to bed and so on and so forth. You know, just you, you've just gotta think about the amount of online comparison and online bullying that that Oh yes, does occur. And, um, this is, you know, one of the biggest catalysts in my view that, you know, for causing kids to be, uh, anxious and losing self-esteem and, um, you know, not wanting to attend school because, you know, once upon a time when you and I were in the schoolyard, you know, we might walk past each other.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Uh, there might be a, an exchange of words if we, if one was bullying the other, but I don't ever have to see you twice a day. And I'd go home and I'd be pretty safe. But now, uh, with the advent of, you know, this, uh, the cell phones technology and, and having it always near us and having these notifi like notifications on my daughter's phone, they don't stop. I mean, I turn mine off so I don't have distraction, but, you know, um, that, uh, that bullying follows with them perpetually. And, uh, you know, that's, that's having a massive, uh, negative impact on many, many kids around the world.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Oh, I just, uh, came across a study, I think out of 150,000, um, you know, students or kids, they've, uh, learn, learned that, I mean, your brain, you know, your brain does not shut off. So that means you're not able to use your, your mind effectively. You won't be able to focus, you will have more anxiety. And it does, um, affect even attending school because depression is real, anxiety's real, and you might have a sore stomach to the point where you feel like you cannot handle even attending school, you know? Um, and it's all because of the notifications of, um, even, even mothers rights. Like, oh my gosh, their child is getting 10 scholarships. Their child, you know, showed appreciation and, and got them a watch, or, um, surprised them with a trip. I remember seeing that, you know, my child is treating me to a trip to Europe, and I thought, well, I'd be happy with just, um, <laugh>. You know, you just, but you automatically go to comparison mode. So look at teenagers, I mean, their comparison mode is why don't I have a, why don't I have a, a boyfriend girlfriend? Um, I don't know how it is, um, in Australia, but on your birthday, right? Where's my balloon? You know, people are, you know, carrying roses and balloons and gifts, and the child who doesn't have many friends feels worthless because they believe external. Um, whether it's Right praise or gifts or that birth acknowledgement, it hurts.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Yeah. Yeah, it absolutely does. And, and it, and you said something at the beginning of this call, um, it, it's something they can carry with them for their life. There's just that one incident is something that will, they'll carry with them for a lifetime. So, uh, uh, you know, we have a job, uh, to let our par let our kids fail, but we also do have a duty and a, and a responsibility to protect them, especially in this digital age. And one thing we all admit, it's, uh, it's not easy as parents. So, uh, uh, hopefully these, uh, podcasts, these discussions do go some way to helping parents, uh, navigate the, uh, challenges and opportunities, uh, we find in digital age. Now, Karen, let's, uh, lighten up the tone a bit. Uh, one question we'd love to ask all of our guests as we conclude our podcast is, if you could go back in a time machine to your 10 year old self and speak to young Karen, what's one piece of advice you'd give to young Karen?
Speaker 3 (29:03):
Oh, gosh. I would say, don't worry. Everything's gonna be okay. And you are good enough. You are good enough exactly the way you are. You don't have to earn those straight A's to, to be worthy of, um, you know, feeling good. I think I might put too much pressure on grades and achievements, and I wish I didn't study enough. You know, a lot of people I wish I, um, studied more. I, I wish I played more. If I would say play more and enjoy <laugh>, enjoy your time as a 10 year old.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Absolutely simple sage advice there, Karen. And, uh, where can our listeners find you online? How can they find your books and, uh, get in contact with you if they, uh, if they want to?
Speaker 3 (29:47):
Well, on my website, letting go with Aloha, you can get a hold of my, um, online course, breaking the Cycle of Anxious Parenting, uh, Instagram, Karen Casey Gibson. I also have, um, TikTok, which is letting Go with Aloha. And, um, I have a YouTube channel, which is letting Go with Aloha. So I have like over 50 meditations. I've interviewed over 100, gosh, I think 118. Um, just people from all, all walks of life, not just professionals, but parents, grandparents. And so I think that, um, yeah, my mission is definitely to, to help parents. So if there's any parent out there who just feels lost, feel free to, to reach me either on Instagram or, or in Facebook. Facebook is also Karen Gibson.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
That's a wonderful mission. Karen, thank you for your generosity today. I know there are tons of tidbits that parents can take out of that and, uh, really, uh, implementing their own lives to make such a huge difference. So thanks for your generosity today, and I hope we cross paths again soon. Cheers.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
Definitely. Thank you so much, Jamie. I really enjoyed this.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
You're welcome. Bye for now.
Speaker 3 (30:52):
Bye.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
If you enjoyed the show, please connect with Jamie on LinkedIn or Instagram. You'll find links in the podcast description. Parenting in the Digital Age is sponsored by Skills Samurai Coding and STEM Academy For Kids . Skills Samurai offers afterschool coding classes and holiday programs to help kids thrive academically and socially while preparing them for the careers of the future. Visit skillsamurai.com.au.