Hi, friends 👋🏽. I’m Stacy Casson, Chief Play Officer at Things to Think About. As a mom of five who also held a full-time job, I used to hold a PhD in creating chaos. Now, I help other busy, overwhelmed parents have peaceful evenings and avoid dramatic mornings. I discovered that by applying organizational principles through play, I could reduce my mental load, stop nagging, and finally move from overwhelm to action. You set the tone for your kids, and I can help you set a calm one. Let’s get started.
Celebrate Your Wins
Pause for a moment:
What’s one thing you accomplished this week—big or small?
- Did you unlock a new level at the gym?
- Finished that tedious paperwork?
- Got out of bed?
Drop your win in the comments or share it with a friend!
My wins: I passed my Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification Exam! Reflecting on your wins helps to energize you when you are drained.
Every week, we explore a Tarot card because Tarot is rich in symbology and helps us to tap into our intuition. Reflecting on the card and noting what comes to mind is a metaphorical form of brainstorming that can provide insights when problem-solving.
Card of the Week: Temperance
“Oh no! Mommy, that cat needs help.” I told my little one that the cat would figure it out. He insisted on “helping” and scared the cat, which left it in a standoff with another cat. Sometimes we have to let things unfold naturally, which is a lesson we learn from the Temperance card. A winged figure pours water from one cup to another and has one foot on land, and one dipped in a pool of water.
The Pattern It Reveals
Our kids love to bring us into their arguments. “Mom! So and so is touching me!” “Am not.” “Are too.” We have to find the harmony and balance in our households. Do you feel it would be easier to turn lead into gold than to have a peaceful morning without drama? Do you tend to make snap judgments, and now everyone has to eat kale, and you find yourself losing the battle to keep everyone healthy? Trying to change everything all at once usually ends up blowing up in our faces. When our kids are arguing, it can trigger our feelings as well, so we jump in to help and, like my kid with the cat, can inadvertently escalate the situation. Now both kids have a common enemy.
The Question Worth Asking
What makes you believe you have to solve everyone’s problems?
One Small Experiment to Try This Week
When your kids try to involve you in their argument, pause and take a few deep, calming breaths. Step in only if there is a safety issue. Try staying silent. If they persist, you can tell them that it sounds like they have a problem to solve. “I’m sure you can figure it out.” Depending on their age, you may need to help them name their feelings. “It sounds like you are both very frustrated.” Let me know what shifts for you when you try this out.
Ready to move from overwhelm to action?
If you read my experiment and rolled your eyes because you feel it would lead to chaos in your home, I get it. I was there too. It felt like the more I tried to help, the worse it got. I needed the headspace to learn Temperance. Let’s learn together. Book a Calm Down Session with me. In this session, you can allow yourself to replenish and resource yourself, so you are prepared for parenting and the work ahead. I will guide you through a brief meditation. From there, we can see how I can help you on your parenting journey. People showed an average drop of 3-4 points in their stress or overwhelm levels. My clients often say that my soothing voice helps them feel calm and restored. Let me help you put on your oxygen mask. For my subscribers, use the coupon code BREATHE2026 and get $10 off your session now through the end of May.
