Podcast

S8 E195 | Mindfulness for Busy Moms: How to Parent with Presence in Under 3 Minutes

This week on Sense by Meg Faure, we explore how to find calm in the chaos of parenting. Meg is joined by Dr. Sandy Zanella, a lifestyle medicine physician and mindfulness coach, for a deeply practical and soothing conversation. Dr. Zanella shares simple, actionable tools to help parents move from a state of stress and reactivity to one of presence and connection.

Key discussion points include:

  • What is Mindfulness?: A simple explanation of being in the present moment without judgment, and how it applies to the realities of parenting.
  • From Red Brain to Green Brain: Learn the science behind toddler tantrums (and our own reactive moments!) and a practical technique to calm your nervous system before you react.
  • “Sprinkling Mindfulness”: Discover how to integrate mindfulness into your day in just 2-5 minutes, without adding another chore to your list.
  • The 5 Senses Game: A powerful, playful grounding exercise to help calm anxious children, especially during moments of separation anxiety.
  • Putting Your Phone Down: A crucial discussion on how parental screen time steals moments of connection and what you can do to reclaim that presence.

This episode is full of light bulb moments and calming strategies to help you show up with more connection and less chaos.

Episode References and Links:

  • Dr. Sandy’s Instagram: @dr.sandyzanella @mymindfulmomlife
  • Kids’ YouTube Channel: Happy Minds Lab
  • Mentioned Apps: Calm, Insight Timer, Glorify
  • 📱 Parent Sense App – Your all-in-one baby care app for routines, nutrition, and expert advice. Download it here.

 

 

Guests on this show

About Our Guest:

Dr. Sandy Zanella is a lifestyle medicine physician, mindfulness coach, and yoga teacher. She is passionate about helping mothers and children integrate mindfulness into their daily lives to reduce stress and enhance connection. Through her “sprinkling mindfulness” approach, she provides bite-sized, practical tools for busy families. Her 10-year-old daughter, Stella, is a certified kids’ yoga teacher and runs the “Happy Minds Lab” YouTube channel. You can find Dr. Zanella on Instagram at @mymindfulmomlife.

 

Episode References and Links:

CONNECT WITH MEG FAURE
Web: megfaure.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MegFaureOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megfaure.sense/

Parent Sense mobile application:
Web: https://parentsense.app/
Download via Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tech.bitcube.parentsense Download via iOS: https://apps.apple.com/za/app/parent-sense-baby-tracker/id1502973851

I hope you enjoyed this episode of SENSE BY Meg Faure! If you want to support or follow the podcast, here’s how:

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Meg faure

Meg Faure

Hi, I’m Meg Faure. I am an Occupational Therapist and the founder of Parent Sense. My ‘why’ is to support parents like you and help you to make the most of your parenting journey. Over the last 25 years, I’ve worked with thousands of babies, and I’ve come to understand that what works for fussy babies works just as well for all babies, worldwide.