How not having a present father impacted my life

How not having a present father impacted my life

Author: Cindy Hovington, Ph.D. June 16, 2025 Duration: 25:45
Send us Fan Mail In today's solo episode, I share a little more of my personal story with the hopes of helping you feel validated, less alone or even empowered. Father's Day (or even Mother's Day) can be difficult when you have a parent that is alive yet you have no idea where they are because they left your family decades ago. They knew you existed and they chose to leave you. I share a little more about my childhood and about how that impacted me later when I became a pare...

Parenting is often described as a series of reactions, but what if the real work happens in the quiet moments before the reaction? Reflective Parenting by Curious Neuron moves beyond simple tips to examine the internal landscape of a parent's mind. Hosted by Dr. Cindy Hovington, a neuroscientist and mother of three, this podcast digs into the core idea that overwhelm isn't about one bad moment, but the gradual accumulation of unchecked stress. Each episode is a journey into understanding the 'why' behind our feelings-why a child's behavior can trigger such intensity, and why that flash of insight often comes too late. Dr. Hovington uses her scientific background not to offer rigid prescriptions, but to provide a framework for self-awareness. You'll hear her personal reflections alongside conversations with clinicians and other experts, making complex neuroscience accessible and immediately relevant to daily family life. The goal is to build a space for curiosity about your own triggers and patterns. This isn't about achieving perfect calm, but about recognizing your own emotional signals sooner, creating a buffer between feeling stressed and reacting from that place. Tune into this podcast for a thoughtful, evidence-informed companion on the path to becoming a more present and regulated parent, one reflective moment at a time. It’s a resource for anyone who wants to parent from a place of understanding, rather than from sheer exhaustion.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Reflective Parenting by Curious Neuron
Podcast Episodes
I wish I were a more playful parent [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:51
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Reflective Parenting Podcast, host Cindy Hovington delves into the transformative power of playfulness in parenting. Drawing from personal experiences and expert insights, Cindy ex…
What Happens When You Let Kids Just Be Kids? (And Why It Matters) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:33
Send us Fan Mail with Amy Chiu In today’s fast-paced world, it can be tough to slow down and truly let kids be kids. We often get caught up in schedules, expectations, and the pressure to “make learning happen.” But what…
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Duration: 59:31
Send us Fan Mail with Daisy Dowling Balancing work and parenting feels impossible sometimes, doesn’t it? Between deadlines, meetings, and the constant demands at home, many working parents feel overwhelmed, guilty, and s…
2 min reflection for days you feel like you are failing at parenting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:21
Send us Fan Mail Hi dear friends, From the number of you that downloaded our last grounding meditation, it seems like you enjoyed it! I decided to created another one for you, this time it is to help you on a day when yo…
5 min moment of pause to help parents regulate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:12
Send us Fan Mail The next time you experience a chaotic moment and need to pause, listen to this 5 min audio to help you regulate. Let me know if you want more of these and please share it with a friend who needs this! S…