5 podcast episodes for going back to school (listen to these with your kids!)

Ahhh, the back-to-school season… It’s a time of mixed emotions for kids as they kiss that beautiful summer vacation goodbye and head into new territory. New grades, new teachers, new friends, new classes… All of it can be a little overwhelming. 

And as a parent, you’re feeling it, too. How do you prepare them for what’s coming? How do you help them have the best experience and the best year yet?

Well, we’ve got something that can help! The Modestshoppin Movement podcast is full of great messages your kiddos can use to navigate a new school year and start things off on a high note.

Here are a few episodes you can stream together while you’re waiting in that carpool line!

Knowledge is Not Power

Taking it back to the very first episode of the Modestshoppin Movement podcast, this is a short, sweet, and to-the-point message that sticks with you. Riding solo for the first episode, Jason explains why he and Brigitte felt strongly about sharing stories and life lessons that have helped them along the way, so he starts things off with a healthy dose of controversy brilliant insight. Get ready… Contrary to what you’ve been told all your life, knowledge is NOT power. (Before you take offense to that statement, give this one a listen and you’ll see what he means.)

Want to know the difference between successful people and those who struggle with goals/dreams/to-do lists? Listen to this episode to find out! 

PERSPECTIVE

“Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” 

BOOM. Truth bomb. There’s no escaping the curveballs life throws at you sometimes, but you react to them -- especially how you treat others -- is really all that matters. That’s what Brigitte and Jason want you to understand in this mic drop of an episode, which was recorded right in the middle of the pandemic. (You know… when all of us started losing our minds.)

If you think you’re having a bad day, imagine being in a plane crash or boating accident where you narrowly (and miraculously) escaped with your life. That’s what happened to Brig and Jase’s good friends last year, and that experience has forever changed the way they look at things. Hear how they coped with their trials and how it inspired Brig and Jase to stop sweating the small stuff.

This episode serves as a great reminder to reel it in when you’re tempted to complain about life and the unfair things that happen. If you can learn to focus on seeing the good and looking for blessings instead, you’ll be much better off! Give this one a listen — you won’t be sorry.

9 Ways to Turn a Bad Day into a Good One!

This is the advice you wish you had when you were in junior high… We all have those days when it feels like everything is going wrong and the universe is conspiring against us. (For teenagers, this is, like, an everyday thing.) Well, this episode will arm you with 9 simple tips to turn those bad days into good ones. Brigitte even shares her go-to pick-me-up after a long, hard day that you might want to adopt. (Hint: it may involve cinnamon gummy bears.) Click here to listen to the full episode!

You are who you hang around

All right, time for a hard truth… And sometimes you need someone other than your parents to deliver it, so Jason’s here to do it for you! As parents, wouldn’t it be great if you could hand-pick all your kids’ friends and cut out the ones that are hurting them or dragging them down? Unfortunately, things don’t really work that way. But this episode might get your kids thinking a little more carefully about who they choose to spend their time with.

Mr. Modestshoppin gets right down to it:

“Who do you listen to? Who do you allow yourself to be influenced by? If you are hanging out with people who are negative, you’ll find that you’re not as much fun as you used to be,” he says. 

On the flipside he adds, “Have you ever been hanging out with somebody that always puts you in a better mood? ...They always make your life better? That is because you are who you hang around. You start to reflect that. You start to become that. … You need to surround yourself with those that live the life that you want to live.”

It’s short and sweet, and it gives kids something to think about. Click here to listen!

But I don’t feel like it…

Here’s one that’ll really resonate with your kids as they go back to school… What do you do when you don’t feel like doing anything? Especially when you don’t feel like doing the things you know you should be doing? (Looking at you, homework.)

Brigitte’s secret for this one? Perseverance. 

“Being successful… has very little to do with talent and where you came from and who helped you get there, and everything to do with how much do you want it? Where are you willing to sacrifice and work? And are you willing to not give up?” she said. “The ability for any of us to get what we want is available if we want to put the work in.”

And since starting is the hardest part, Brig and Jase have a few pointers that can help you (and your kids) out. Make sure you listen to the full episode.

Find more pearls of wisdom on the Modestshoppin Movement podcast!

If we’re being honest, you really can’t go wrong with ANY of the Modestshoppin Movement podcast episodes, and this list has just barely scratched the surface. So, after you’ve listened to the ones we just shared, go back and check out the rest of them! Each one offers helpful insights and life lessons that are geared toward helping you lead a happier, healthier, better life. 

And once something resonates with you, share the love with others who could use the same message! Post a screenshot of your favorite episode and tag @modestshoppin on Instagram so we can see what you’re loving most.

Brig and Jase are gearing up for more podcasting soon, but we’re curious… What topics do you want them to cover next? Drop your suggestions in the comments and you might just inspire an upcoming episode!