16. Empowering Independence in our Kids This Summer—Without the Executive Function Overload: with Blanca Velazquez-Martin, MA, LPC and Founder of Whole Child Home

Why is summer parenting burnout so common, and why does more free time for children sometimes backfire? Shouldn't summer be an easy season? Often, summer brings a lot with it: changes in routine, shifting expectations, and new demands that can be challenging for a child's still-developing executive function skills—and, at times, for our own as well. It is sometimes dubbed a season of "executive function overload" for this reason. What does this really mean, and how can we support our children through it? We chatted with Parent Coach Blanca Velazquez-Martin, Founder of Whole Child Home and Whole Child Therapy, licensed professional counselor, and certified Positive Discipline educator. A mother herself, she brings wisdom, expertise, and lived experience. Lean in with a coffee or beverage of choice and enjoy this thoughtful conversation to help you approach summer break with awareness, care and intention. Connect with Blanca:Blanca offers personalized parent consultations, school events and workshops for parent and educator communities, as well as online courses covering Starting School and Montessori Parenting. You can also follow her on Instagram @whole.child.home. Show Notes:We are two moms who met on Instagram years ago and quickly bonded over our love of the Montessori philosophy applied to parenting and over nerdy child development research. We decided to take the leap by finally taking our chats out of our DMs and inviting you to listen along as we chat about all things motherhood.Gloria is a former 1st grade public school teacher turned SAHM and now Montessori homeschooling mom to her 6 and 4.5 year old. She mentors parents on Montessori homeschooling online and has created multiple masterclasses for parents and educators on how to teach children to read at a foundational level. You can find more about her mentorship program by ⁠⁠clicking here⁠ ⁠and more about her masterclasses and other printables she has created for homeschoolers by ⁠⁠clicking here⁠. ⁠You can find her on Instagram ⁠@MontessoriMamaLife⁠Jenna is a mom of three, communications strategist and child development writer. With a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a specialization in sociology, she began her career in newsrooms and nonprofits before discovering her true calling in education. She partners with Montessori school teams to strengthen their outreach, refine family communications, and foster deeper connections between parents and educators. You can follow her musings on Instagram ⁠@holdingspacemontessori. ⁠