Why Being Present Feels So Hard as a Parent (and How to Return to Yourself)

About this episode

Ann Kaplan discusses the challenges of being present as a parent and the importance of returning to one's center amidst life's chaos.

What if the goal of personal growth — and parenting — isn't to stay perfectly centered… but to return again when you drift away? In this episode, Ann explores a simple but powerful idea: the practice of leaving your center and coming back to it again and again . Inspired by a spiritual chant about returning to the "land of your soul," she connects this concept to meditation, parenting, and the way we navigate life's chaos. If you've ever told yourself you need to "be more present" with your kids but felt like you're failing at it, this conversation might bring a huge sense of relief. Because the truth is: presence isn't something we achieve and hold forever. It's something we practice returning to. Through stories from her own meditation practice and a recent group coaching conversation, Ann explores why presence can feel so hard — especially when life is messy — and why the answer isn't trying harder or judging yourself when you drift. It's simply learning to come back. Again and again. In This Episode Why the practice of meditation is really about getting distracted and returning The surprising reason "being present with your kids" feels so difficult Why parenting is more about…

People in this episode

Host: Ann Kaplan

Topics covered

• presence
• parenting
• meditation
• personal growth
• co-regulation
• self-acceptance

Keywords

• parenting
• presence
• meditation
• personal growth
• co-regulation
• self-acceptance
• calm
• reconnection

More episodes of Confessions of a Parent Coach

• You ARE Hurting Your Kids (And What to Do About It) · May 6, 2026 · 29 min
• Essence vs Personality: Understanding Your True Self vs Your Patterns · April 29, 2026 · 33 min
• Why You Feel Unmotivated (Through the Lens of the Enneagram Type 2) · April 22, 2026 · 47 min
• The Enneagram Isn't Who You Are (And That Changes Everything) · April 15, 2026 · 55 min
• Don't Fence Me In · April 8, 2026 · 27 min
• The Enneagram Will Ruin Your Favorite Argument (In the Best Way) · April 1, 2026 · 1h 29m