Recently, we saw Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR head Kristin Cabot’s viral reel on the big screen. The media, news outlets, and social platforms have been buzzing with discussions about this incident, with many expressing that his actions were highly inappropriate for someone in his position.
We often think of mistakes as the end of something. But what if we looked at mistakes differently? Now let me be clear: I do not favor what Andy Byron did. It was certainly unacceptable.
But if we keep revisiting the same incident, don’t you think we risk becoming the kind of people who are more invested in dissecting someone else’s life than reflecting on our own.
This raises an important question: should mistakes be treated as full stops, or should life move on?
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"Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
— Viktor E. Frankl
That moment when your child says that thing, givesthat look, or tests that boundary for what feels like the hundredth time—and suddenly, you feel a storm brewing inside. Your patience is wearing thin, and your instincts scream for control, correction, or confrontation.
But then… you pause. You breathe. You choose peace.
In this episode, we will be talking about why do kids push our buttons, and what choosing peace looks like.
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Email: mothersgurukulpodcast@gmail.com
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When we ask our child do you want me to listen to you or give you advice; when we are not reaching out to our parental toolbox, we are not avoiding parenting. The goal is to parent with presence. Because in that quiet presence, we build something much stronger than solutions.
We build trust.
We build connection.
We build emotionally secure children who know they can always turn to us—toolbox or no toolbox. Don’t get me wrong—I know that toolbox. I’ve used it many times myself.
It’s filled with love. With good intentions. With experience and wisdom.
But here’s what I’ve come to realize over time… we don’tneed to carry it around on our shoulder like a backpack 24/7.
We can set it down sometimes. Let’s normalize not knowing what to say right away. Let’s normalize just listening.
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Modern Parenting isn't a cake walk. Whether it’s a toddler throwing a tantrum in the candy aisle or a teenager’s emotional outburst after a heated disagreement, there are moments when every parent feels the urge to react strongly.
The urge to escalate comes from a natural place — frustration, fear, or a desire for control. But escalation — yelling or reacting emotionally — rarely leads to a constructive outcome. In fact, it often makes things worse. Yelling doesn't help in parenting, at least not in the long term. While it might grab a child's attention in the moment, it often leads to – fear instead of understanding, emotional distance, poor behavior, or even escalation.
So, when such tough parenting moment arise, how to not lose our calm? In today’s episode, we will talk about how to handle hard moments with grace and strength.
Related topics:
Transformational Vocabulary
https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/pfHz6jp9zTb
Power of Pause
https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/yR6ZjZpaATb
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In this special replay of one of our top three most-loved episodes, we will revisit a heartfelt conversation recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic—on a Mother's Day that looked very different for all of us. Despite the circumstances, the message resonated with many of you—it struck a chord.
We explored how to celebrate a virtual Mother's Day, finding meaningful ways to connect and show love even when physical presence wasn’t possible. While the pandemic may be behind us, the reality is we’re not always near our moms on this special day. That’s why this topic remains just as meaningful today.
Whether it’s distance, time, or life’s circumstances, this episode is a gentle reminder that celebrating moms goes beyond location. It’s about intention, love, and making every moment count—wherever we are.
Tune in to be inspired with thoughtful ideas and reflections that still hold their charm today.
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A few days ago, I came across a term – Hurried child syndrome. Have you heard about it? Psychologist Dr. David Elkind first discussed this term in his book The Hurried Child.
As parents, we have a list of words or phrases we should and shouldn’t use. Good job, well done, bravo, you can do it, and give your best are a few from the list. Along with this, there is one more word that parents use all the time – “Hurry up.” Do you agree? What are your thoughts about these words? I feel “hurry up” is more of a command than just two words.
In this episode, we will talk about HSC, how do we know if the child is experiencing HSC, if saying hurry up to your child good or bad and what are the few to avoid saying it.
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Blog: www.mothersgurukul.com
As humans, we don’t like to pause. We want to keep moving. Where every moment is filled with action, deadlines, and constant stimuli, the idea of pausing may seem counterproductive. We feel that pause will slow down our speed. But the truth is pausing can be one of the most powerful tools in your life, helping us reconnect with our self, make better decisions, and live more intentionally.
Pausing is not about doing less; it’s about doing more of what truly matters with greater presence and intention. It is about deepening your connection to yourself and the world around you. Let’s talk about it in this episode.
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In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world, having a growth mindset and resilience can help kids navigate challenges, develop a love for learning, and build emotional strength to handle setbacks. But what makes it so hard for them to incorporate this trait?
As my mother Teresa said, “ To keep the lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.” Similarly, developing a growth mindset and resilience is an ongoing process that requires patience and consistency.
In this episode, we will discuss why kids find it hard to develop this trait and how parents can help them. We will also talk about the 7 C’s of resilience. This episode will be filled with some thought-provoking questions and tips. Let's dive in!
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If I ask you how you are feeling, Or Did you feel the same way throughout the day? I am sure the answer will be no. And that’s true. We do not feel the same emotion or feeling the entire day. Our days are filled with multiple incidents that contribute to how we feel from within.
How can we blame our circumstances if we are the driver of our emotions? For this let me as you- how often you pay attention to our emotions and acknowledge them?
Here is the good news, we can control our emotions to not let them go out of control. And that is what we call emotional literacy. It help us recognize, label, understand, and act upon our feelings or emotions. We will be discussing more about it in this episode.
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Blog: www.mothersgurukul.com
Parenting has always been my niche, and I wanted to use this experience backed up with professional knowledge. I am not saying I alone can bring the change, but with some tools and strategies, I can help them navigate their journey and find abalance in their actions.
However, to answer parents' doubts or concerns, it was important to understand how kidsthink and make the parents aware of it. I am thrilled to share that I have completed both certifications and embarked on a new journey as a parent and kids life coach. I have already conducted a couple of one-on-one & group sessions, and the response was fulfilling.
In this episode, I will answer frequently asked questions about parents' and kids' life coaching.
Feel free to reach out to me:
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Facebook: MothersGurukul
Linkedln: Alpana Deo
Blog: www.mothersgurukul.com
Someday I will find my Prince, but my Daddy will always be my King.” So true, so cute, and so very innocent. Isn’t? I found this beautiful quote while exploring the greeting cards section in my local store. Father's Day in the United States is the third Sunday of June. It celebrates the contribution fathers and father figures make to their children's lives. Today, at Mother’s Gurukul podcast, let’s celebrate Father’s Day!!
I was curious to know more about Father’s Day, and I found something interesting. ‘A woman called Sonora Smart Dodd was an influential figure in the establishment of Father’s Day. She is also recognized as the mother of Father’s Day. Her father was a civil war veteran who raised six children by himself after the death of their mother. This was uncommon at that time, as many widowers placed their children in the care of others or quickly married again. Sonora was inspired by the work of Anna Jarvis, who had pushed forMother’s Day celebrations. Sonora felt that her father deserved recognition for what he had done. The first time Father’s Day was held in June was in 1910. President Nixon officially recognized Father’s Day as a holiday in 1972.’
You can follow me at: Instagram: @alpanabapat , @alpana_voiceovers Twitter: @alpana_deo Facebook: @MothersGurukul Blog: www.mothersgurukul.com
Have you ever heard parents teaching their children to lie? Or able to control their reaction or response when they find out about the lie their child has said? Picturize a face of a child with a mouth covered with ice cream, and they are trying to wipe it off while telling us that they haven’t eaten anything. I am sure it must have brought a smile to your face. Children typically begin lying in preschool ages during 3-4 ages. Something that starts humorously take the form of big lies. May be because they think this is an easy way to save themselves. Or they must have seen their elders doing it. Or perhaps some other reasons. So, let’s talk about why they lie and how we can control that.
How to encourage them to tell the truth?
1. When teaching kids about behavior, role modeling
2. Help them not take help of lying for their actions.
3. Praise them for taking ownership if they have done anything wrong.
4. We don’t have to overreact.
You can follow me at: Instagram: @alpanabapat , @alpana_voiceovers Twitter: @alpana_deo Facebook: @MothersGurukul Blog: www.mothersgurukul.com
While I was compiling my thoughts about today’s episode, once again, I had the same thoughts. If you have been following Mother’s Gurukul Podcast, you must have listened to it. And if you are new here, feel free to check out that episode.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7vyV2MYSk17qhzSLLU10bw?si=T2Ez-BWaREyg4cU0Ic9Duw
So today, instead of talking about this day, I decided to share a short poem I came across today. The last four lines stole my heart. I picked this poem because it describes not just a woman's compassion, pure heart, and tolerance but also talks about her beauty in a different way. I hope you will also enjoy it as much as I did reading and narrating it.
You can follow me at: Instagram: @alpanabapat , @alpana_voiceovers Twitter: @alpana_deo Facebook: @MothersGurukul Blog: www.mothersgurukul.com
How beautiful and blessed our life will be if we can bring positivity in our life whenever we want? Good news is - it is doable. We all are capable of bringing this change in our lives. With a slight change in our attitude, we can experience this beautiful and a much-needed change whenever we want and in whatever we do. Things like growth mindset, visualization and self- realization makes the process easy and fulfilling. Let’s talk about it in this episode. How to bring positivity in your life whenever you want?
Change is the deepest dream of the human heart. We’d all like to become someone new.
The first word that comes to mind is resolution whenever we talk about welcoming New Year or saying bye to the past year. Somehow, I never felt any connection or excitement in this word. I do believe in change or exciting things. But this word puts me under pressure.
Then what do I call them? I call it promises. Do you make NY resolutions? Or you are like me? Let me tell you why I do not make new year's resolutions; I promise myself to develop good habits!
5 steps to develop good habits:
First, we have to Define the person we want to become
Then we have to Create the right environment for it.
Now is the time to Start with the two-minute rule: If following the new habit, even for two minutes, seems complicated, it needs to be broken into mini-habits.
Focus on daily success: Every small step towards your new habit is an achievement. Do not ignore them.
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Aggression is often considered as a negative emotion. Sometimes out of aggressive behavior, kids pick verbal, physical, and emotional fights. They are constantly trying to overpower other people in one way or another, as if being aggressive is the only way they know how to be, as if being aggressive gives them a sense of being alive, of feeling real.
But there is something called Positive aggression which can be a good trait when it comes to achieving our goals. It is crucial because it can help people understand that when a person says “no” or “I want”, it does not mean selfishness or being offensive. Instead it is all about standing up for themselves. Negative aggression is unfriendly and unhelpful. On the contrary, positive aggression is friendly and helpful. When we want to achieve our goals, we have to say no to many unwanted distractions or clarify our needs, and what matters to us.
I am sure you would agree that we often end up doing a few things we don’t want to do. For example, we have to go to a place we don’t like to go, or we agree to things we don’t want to. We are doing it to please our friends or to maintain our friendship with them. But, what about our happiness? We hardly think about it. And that’s where we make mistakes.
Why don’t we think about ourselves? Do we believe this as an act of selfishness? May be yes, but what’s wrong with that? Lets talk about it today in this episode.
Self-worth: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/lpdgT1th6tb
You can follow me at:
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Books have always been a part of my life. But, my work at KukuFm has given me enough chances to explore the self-help genre I will talk about a few books I read in the last couple of months. And I feel fortunate to compile them in an audiobook summary format. These audiobooks summaries are in Hindi and Marathi. The Secret: The Science and Art of Self assurance by Rhonda Byrne Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins No Excuses! The Power of Self Discipline By Brian Tracy The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
Links to the audio book summaries:
https://kukufm.com/show/the-power-of-self-discipline
https://kukufm.com/show/the-confidence-code-1
https://kukufm.com/show/awaken-the-giant-within-2
https://kukufm.com/show/the-secret-21
You can follow me at:
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Blog: www.mothersgurukul.com
In order to expect a change, we need to have curiosity. We need to have the urge to learn new things, unfold new concepts and expand our understanding. And this is possible only when we have an attitude which says – “I don’t know but I want to find out.” We have to let go the fear of failure, discomfort, and may be embarrassment. We will talk all about it.
"Curiosity is the entry point to many of life’s greatest sources pf meaning and satisfaction."- Todd Kashda
You can reach out to be through my social media handles: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MothersGurukul Twitter: https://twitter.com/alpana_deo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alpanabapat Blog: www.mothersgurukul.com Email: mothersgurukulpodcast@gmail.com