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The Nurture Network
Parenting today asks a lot of us.
We're raising children in a completely different world than the one we grew up in. We're trying to break cycles, understand big feelings, heal old wounds, navigate endless parenting advice, and somehow stay connected to ourselves in the
process.
If you've ever wondered, "Why is this so hard?" or "Am I doing this right?" you're in the right place.
The Nurture Network is a podcast for thoughtful moms who want to parent with more intention, confidence, and connection. Hosted by Certified Parent Coach Jess Baldenhofer of Mother Nurture Coaching, each episode explores the real challenges of modern parenting—from understanding behavior and setting boundaries to regulating your nervous system, breaking generational patterns, and staying rooted in your values.
This isn't a podcast about being a perfect parent. It's about becoming a more aware one.
Through honest conversations, practical tools, and fresh perspectives, you'll learn how to better understand yourself, better understand your child, and create a parenting approach that feels aligned with who you are and what matters most to your family.
Because parenting isn't just about raising children—it's also an opportunity to grow yourself.
Subscribe and join us inside The Nurture Network.
Learn more at www.mothernurturecoaching.com
Follow Jess on Instagram: @mothernurturecoaching
Subscribe to the Nurture Boost Weekly Substack for parenting insights, encouragement, and free resources.
Disclaimer: The Nurture Network Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. While I'm a Certified Parent Coach, I am not a therapist or medical professional. The ideas and tools shared here are meant to support your parenting journey but are not a substitute for professional mental health, medical, or therapeutic care. If you need personalized support, I encourage you to connect with a qualified licensed professional. You don't have to navigate life's challenges alone, and reaching out for help is often one of the most caring things you can do for yourself and your family.
The Nurture Network
The Hidden Expectations Behind Parenting Frustration
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What if one of the biggest sources of stress in parenting isn't your child's behavior—but the expectations you're carrying?
Every day, we move through motherhood with an invisible list of "shoulds." Our children should know better. We should be more patient. Bedtime should be easier by now. Respectful parenting should be working. These expectations often come from our own childhoods, family pressure, comparison, social media, and a culture that tells mothers they should instinctively know how to raise emotionally healthy children while somehow healing themselves at the same time.
In this episode, Jess explores what she calls the expectation gap—the space between what we imagined parenting would look like and the reality we're living. She shares why expectations themselves aren't the problem, but why unconscious expectations can leave us feeling frustrated, disconnected, and like we're constantly falling short.
Most importantly, you'll discover why the answer isn't to lower your expectations for yourself or your child. It's to become more intentional about them. Because children don't learn through pressure, shame, or fear—they learn through practice, repetition, support, and scaffolding. And maybe, as mothers, we do too.
If you've ever caught yourself thinking, They should know better, or I should be better at this by now, this episode is for you.
Before you go
If this episode met you somewhere real, follow The Nurture Network so the next one finds you too.
Reviews are how other mothers find this work. If you have thirty seconds to leave one, it matters more than you'd think.
And if a mom you love came to mind while you listened, send this her way. That is how this work travels.
Ways to work with me:
If this episode resonated, I'd love to support you.
• Start with a Free Parent Reset Call to talk through what's feeling hard and determine the best next step.
• Learn more about Groundwork: The Foundational Coaching Experience for Aligned Motherhood, my signature coaching experience for mothers who want to parent with more confidence, connection, and intention.
Explore everything at:
www.mothernurturecoaching.com
Follow along on Instagram:
@mothernurturecoaching
You deserve to be nurtured. 🌸
