Gotta Love Family Podcast

Mary Ann Johnson

Kids & Family Parenting

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5 of 96

5-11-2025 Do you Yell? Become a Student Learning to Be Calm
Recently, while rereading an article I had written in 2011, I read a note I received from a mom who wondered how I had stopped being a yeller. Here’s what she asked: “I wanted to thank you again for a great class. I wondered if you could tell me more about the yelling you used to do. I grew up in that type of household, and swore I would never be like that… but guess what, I do? I’d love to hear how you mastered that part of your life. I didn’t do it when I only had 1 or 2 children and they were little. But the more children that came and the older they got, the more I slipped into it. Do you mind sharing what helped you?” Join me as I share what helped me and helped her. The topic never goes out of date. We all struggle. Let's learn to be calm!
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9:07
Learning Play - The Circus
A couple of weeks ago, I introduced 'learning play' in an article called Learning Play - Cows. It tells how valuable immersive learning is for all ages and helps you begin by learning about cows. Join me today as I share what we did to immerse ourselves in the world of the circus and the tremendous fun we had learning all about clowns, circus food, how to walk a tightrope, and how to juggle. I am sure it will help you decide to have a family activity that will be rewardingly fun and help build wonderful memories.
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6:58
4-27-25 Effective Family systems – Tips for success
This week, as I walked with my friends Livia and Alysia, the conversation turned to their teens and the issues surrounding accomplishing things at home. At one point, Livia mentioned the need for successful systems. I told them how interesting the conversation was because I was working on my article for today, and it was about creating systems that work. Life can be so serendipitous. : ) When I began speaking and teaching, I met a woman who became a friend and mentor, Kim Flynn. She was a systems specialist and helped me and other women find time to build businesses and successfully raise a family by using simple and workable systems. At the time, Kim had owned five successful businesses while raising her family. I spent plenty of time in Kim’s home and with her children. I saw firsthand how well she did the very thing she taught others to do. During the time spent in Kim’s home, I noticed that she not only had simple and successful systems, but she had gotten her family to enroll in the systems and, for the most part, they used them successfully. I took notes. Join me and I will share them with you.
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11:19
4-13-25 Introducing 'LearningPlay' - Cows
When I first began writing and publishing articles, it was in 2010. My grands, the ones I still live with, were all under five. As their grandma, I wanted to find ways to play and connect. I'm not a board game person! Tea parties and dress up are not on my list of fun things! The truth is, I like learning. I always have. I thought a lot about how I could ‘play’ with my grands and make it work for all of us. What I came up with was learning for fun. I’ve been moving articles from my old site to this new home for nine years, come May 2025. Why has it taken so long? Well, I always have new experiences and lessons to share. And I had over 600 articles on the old site. That’s a lot of rewriting. : ) There are still fun things on that old site, especially when it comes to learning with kids and making it fun. So, over the summer, I'm going to share many of the cool lessons I taught my grands and the tools I used to do it. LET’S BEGIN WITH COWS
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9:28
4-6-25 An Example That Will Bless Our Children
Your love of learning and growing is a legacy you leave for your children. But how can you find the time to read, study, or write while raising a family? It can be a challenge, but I know it can be done becuase I am doing it now, amid the chaos of a four-generation home, caregiving, and a busy life. This is something we can all do. Join me as I share an example of the importance of giving your children an example of learning and growth. This can be done by anyone, no matter your circumstances. Let me show you how!
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9:07