Summary

In this conversation, Kirk Martin, founder of Celebrate Calm, shares practical strategies for parents dealing with anxiety in children, co-parenting challenges, and managing their own emotional responses. He emphasizes the importance of self-control, creating routines, and recognizing the strengths in strong-willed children. The discussion also touches on the significance of maintaining a calm demeanor as a parent and the need for self-improvement in parenting practices.

Takeaways

• Anxiety in children can stem from feeling out of control.
• Normalizing anxiety helps children understand their feelings.
• Providing children with a mission can alleviate anxiety.
• Co-parenting requires consistent routines for stability.
• Avoid bad-mouthing your ex in front of the kids.
• Focus on controlling your own emotions as a parent.
• Sitting down can help de-escalate conflicts with children.
• Recognizing children's strengths can foster their confidence.
• Self-care is essential for effective parenting.
• Enjoy the parenting journey, even when it's hard.

In Episode 2, Marc LaFleur and Tanji Wendorff explore the complexities of emotional suppression, particularly among men, and the importance of mental health advocacy. They discuss the impact of trauma on emotional health, the connection between physical pain and emotional distress, and the significance of community and vulnerability in healing. Tanji emphasizes the need for men to reconnect with their emotions in healthy ways and the role of women in supporting this journey. The discussion also touches on redefining masculinity and the societal pressures that contribute to toxic behaviors. Ultimately, the conversation encourages listeners to embrace vulnerability and seek connection as a path to healing and personal growth.

Welcome to Hold On Tight—a podcast for men navigating divorce, heartbreak, fatherhood, and finding their footing again.

In this debut episode, Marc LaFleur lays it all out. From personal wreckage to generational trauma, from gym therapy to emotional resilience—this is not a self-help lecture. It’s a raw, real, no-bullshit call to arms for men who are done pretending they’re fine.

You’ll hear:

• Why “you don’t need fixing—you need a reset”
• How emotional suppression turns into shrapnel
• What fitness and gratitude have to do with survival
• Why showing up for yourself isn’t weakness—it’s strategy

If you’re trying to hold your shit together and figure out what comes next—you’re not alone. This is where the comeback begins.