Welcome to our Podcast
Somos Padres is a parenting podcast created and hosted by husband and wife duo,
Paulo Menchaca and Yesenia Mendoza-Menchaca.
Episode 31: Interview with Áma
We are excited to welcome Áma to this episode of Somos Padres. She is a single mother of two beautiful girls in Los Angeles and when she is not working full-time or spending time with her girls, you can find her at Agape International Spiritual Center as a spiritual practitioner or collaborating with spiritual counselor, […]
Episode 30: Vulnerability Hangover & Evolve
Paulo and Yesenia are back after a short unplanned break. Yesenia reveals what this break was all about. She gets candid about the unexpected effect of recording Episode 29 and shares how she is feeling now. Yesenia also shares about her experience at the most recent Evolve Conference hosted by the Conscious Parenting thought leader, […]
Episode 29: Parenting, Fear, & Sexual Abuse
Last weeks courageous testimony by Dr. Ford has inspired Yesenia to make a contribution that is deserving of the moment and that she has been waiting to make. Have you ever wondered if the way we parent can play a part in whether or not your child(ren) would disclose their abuse to you? Yesenia is […]
Episode 28: A Husband’s Perspective
We have been asked a couple times how Paulo became such a reflective and communicative partner. Well, in today’s episode Paulo and Yesenia try to figure this out. The reflective person that he is today is very different from the Paulo that Yesenia married. Paulo shares the belief systems that shaped his attitudes at the […]
Episode 27: End of Summer Episode
Summer break is now over and the hosts, Paulo and Yesenia, are now both on the show to talk about the summer. They do not hold back and kick it off with a disagreement that they had while recording the podcast episode that ultimately led them to re-record the episode and hash it out. Once […]
Episode 26: Summer Series (Ep.6)
Welcome to our 6th and final episode of our Somos Padres Summer Series. In this episode Yesenia takes on the concept of what parenting is all about, parenting is not about our kids. The acceptance and the self-realization of this concept was the catalyst which took our parenting to another level. Walking the line on […]
Episode 25: Summer Series (Ep.5)
In this episode Yesenia takes on the question of whether or not parenting is a selfish act. Listen in as she reflects on the answer to this question for herself and normalizes her counter intuitive answer. As usual, there will be homework! Don’t forget to use #somospadresseries to share your response, provide any input or […]
Episode 24: Summer Series (Ep.4)
In response to the separation of children from their parents at the border, in this fourth installment of the Somos Padres Summer Series Yesenia takes on one aspect of inequality that is rarely talked about: the inequality in our homes. Get ready to reckon with the type of inequality that you as a parent have […]
Episode 23: Summer Series (Ep.3)
In this episode Yesenia introduces the ideas of conditional and unconditional parenting. Have you ever wondered if you are communicating unconditional or conditional love thru your parenting? Does it matter? Yesenia also makes the case for why it is important to always keep moving towards unconditionality. Get ready to think about parenting thru another lens […]
Episode 22: Summer Series (Ep.2)
In this episode Yesenia takes on the first official topic of the summer series: Discipline. Listen in as she reckons with the original definition of the word and breaks it down to the root! She also goes over last weeks homework and dishes out some new homework for Week #2. Don’t forget to use #somospadresseries […]
Episode 21: Summer Series (Ep.1)
In this episode Yesenia launches a 9-week Summer Series on Deconstructing Parenting. Listen to the first introductory episode to hear why Yesenia decided to do this series, why she thinks its important to deconstruct parenting, what the series will cover and what format to expect. Next week the first topic up is Discipline!
Episode 20: Let’s Catch Up
In this episode Paulo and Yesenia give us an update on their lives including what they are currently reading (articles), currently exploring (breathwork) and currently listening to (podcast). Paulo also shares how listening to episode 19 on healing motherhood had him reflecting on his own relationship with his parents. You do not want to miss […]
Episode 19: Dr. Renee Lemus Elisaldez
Welcome to the next episode of Somos Padres. In this episode Yesenia visits Dr. Renee Lemus Elisaldez to sit down and have a conversation that she has been longing to have. Dr. Lemus Elisaldez is a college professor in the Los Angeles area in the field of Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies. She is also […]
Episode 18: Meet Nancy & Nelson (Part 2)
Welcome back for the second half of the conversation with a Nancy and Nelson. In this episode Nelson shares how he was able to pull back his anger which included going to couples therapy. Nelson shares that couples therapy opened up a space for him to do some deeper reflection about where his anger was […]
Episode 17: Meet Nancy & Nelson (Part 1)
Somos Padres is finally back!!! In this episode Paulo and Yesenia give an update on their lives and what brought about their podcast hiatus. Paulo and Yesenia also share their next interview with fellow padres, Nancy and Nelson. Yesenia and Nancy met thru Instagram and decided they wanted to meet but found out that Nancy […]
Episode 16: The Enneagram
Disclaimer: This is not the typical parenting conversation that we usually create but it is an offering of information for anyone seeking tools to better understand themselves and others. Due to technical difficulties this post has been republished. In this episode Paulo and Yesenia sit down with Barbara Andrade Dubransky to talk about the Enneagram, […]
Episode 15: Non-Violent Parenting
In this episode Paulo and Yesenia are both back to give you an update on their lives. They also share a recent disagreement that they had while visiting Washington DC. Listen to them reflect on the moment and share how they got thru it. More importantly they have a wonderful interview with Rosie Cayetano, Parent […]
Episode 14: Play!
In this episode Yesenia talks to Marriage and Family Therapist, Nancy Lozano-Stecyk about the importance of play for children and parents! This is a particularly relevant conversation for Yesenia who struggles to feel more comfortable playing with her kids. Listen in as Nancy takes on questions such as: Why is play important? How often should […]
Episode 13: Paulito & Vicky
In this episode Paulo and Yesenia have two very special guests, their kids Paulito and Vicky! Listen in as they reflect on Paulito and Vicky’s recent trip to the doctor’s office for their yearly physical exams. All was well until it was time to get a flu shot. They also take time to ask each […]
Episode 12: How We Reflect
In today’s episode Paulo and Yesenia slow things down and share their self reflective process. They completely believe that taking the time to reflect on their parenting moments has made all the difference in their ability to shift the way they parent. Key Takeaways (reflective process): 1. Wait until you are in a calm place […]
Episode 11: When We Disagree
In this episode Paulo and Yesenia share what happened for them recently when they did not agree on how to parent. Listen to them reflect on the moment and share how they got thru it as well as their key takeaways for their relationship. Co-parenting is not easy, especially when you disagree on how to […]
Episode 10: Betsy & Josh (Part 2)
In this episode Paulo and Yesenia share the second half of the conversation with the creative powerhouse behind Born in June Creative, Betsy and Josh, to have a conversation about their experience at the 2017 Evolve Conference. In this episode you will get to hear what Betsy and Josh knew about conscious parenting before the […]
Episode 9: Betsy & Josh (Part 1)
In this episode Paulo and Yesenia sat down with the creative powerhouse behind Born in June Creative, Betsy and Josh, to have a conversation about their experience at the 2017 Evolve Conference. This is the first half of that conversation. In this episode you will get to hear about how Betsy and Josh were raised, how their […]
Episode 8: Conscious Parenting
In this episode Paulo and Yesenia talk about Conscious Parenting; a parenting and life philosophy that is at the core of how they approach their own parenting. They talk about their parenting philosophy before Conscious Parenting, when they first heard about it and how they have continued to immerse themselves in the practice, most recently […]
Episode 7: Empathy 101
In this episode Paulo and Yesenia take on Empathy. They both strongly believe that empathy has the potential to revolutionize your relationship with your children and change the world. They give you examples of how they have used empathy to help their children move through challenging moments and how it is enriching their own relationship. They also emphasize […]
Episode 6: Meet the Parents
In this episode Paulo and Yesenia give you a quick update on their lives and their recent parenting issues. They also share the interview they did of Paulo’s parents during their recent trip to Mexico. Paulo’s parents, Juan e Irene Menchaca, explore their own upbringing, el machismo, and what they would do differently. Paulo listens […]
Episode 5: What Happened After Episode 4
Welcome to Episode 5! This week on the podcast Paulo and Yesenia share with you what happened after Episode 4. They each take a moment to self-reflect and try to figure out where some of their behavior patterns come from. They also share how they see parenting and marriage and what has been helping them […]
Episode 4: Family Vacation in Mexico
Welcome to Episode 4! In this episode Paulo and Yesenia reflect on the ups and downs of their recent three-week vacation with their kids to Mexico. Things get deep fast as Yesenia struggles with being a fraud after losing it with her kids while on vacation and also reveals some heavy feelings she had been […]
Episode 3: First Interview; Laura & Michael
In this episode Paulo and Yesenia conduct their first interview of fellow Padres, Laura & Michael. Laura and Mike have been parenting for twelve years and as you will hear, they had a challenging start as parents but then they realized that they were stronger than they thought. Listen in as Laura and Mike share […]
Episode 2: Control and Punishment
In this episode Paulo and Yesenia give an update on their life, reflect on a recent parenting moment, and offer an alternative way of thinking about control and punishment.
Episode 1: Here We Go
Paulo and Yesenia introduce themselves and what led this husband and wife duo to start the Somos Padres Podcast. You can find us on www.somos-padres.com and follow us on Instagram @somos.padres. Check out our episodes available every other Saturday.
Happy Birthday To Me!
It was not supposed to be this way. I had been planning this birthday weekend getaway for months to Joshua Tree National Park. It would be Paulo, the desert and me. The kids would not “get” being in the desert I reasoned. I just wanted to be like Jesus and go out in the […]
Is Parenting a Selfish Act?
I remember the exact moment when I had this thought: “Vicky better thank me for all of my sacrifices”. Victoria was only one at the time. I breastfed her until she was 14 months old. I had breastfed Paulito for 1 month and pumped for another two. Even though the production of breast milk was […]
Mirror Image
I was 28 years old when I became a father. At least from my perspective, I wanted to have a son that I could love, mold, and shape into the best version of myself. He would be more athletic, a smart risk taker, outgoing, and a much better eloquent speaker and transcend my personal attributes. […]
Why am I blogging?
Hello again everyone! A thousand apologies for the little mini break that my husband and I took. We felt like we were getting into a groove about posting about our parenting life and then all of a sudden our website went down and it took us a while to get it functioning again! What was […]
My Five Favorite Holiday Traditions
During this holiday season I wanted to take some time to reflect on Christmas. Christmas has definitely become a completely different holiday since having Paulito and Vicky but to be honest this holiday season I feel like I have been mostly on autopilot and not very festive. When I began to think about what makes the holidays […]
Post Election: My 5 Favorite Parenting Books
Before I get into the intended content for this blog, I want to say something about the election. At this point how we each voted takes a back to seat to the reality that we are now living in a time when people feel emboldened to act on their intolerance and that really shakes me […]
Failing is Part of the Process
So I am continually amazed by my incredible ability to fail at this parenting thing. So for any of you that have this idea that I have this parenting thing down…well please, allow me to dispel that myth. I fail all the time and sometimes I fail hard. One morning this week had started great! […]
What is My Parenting Advice to You?
When I began to tell my family and friends that I was going to start a parenting blog with Paulo, I immediately began to receive various questions asking for my advice about parenting. Now let me be clear right now before we go any further. I am not blogging because I think that I am […]
A Love Letter to My Parents
First I want to apologize for the long period of time since the last post. Our intention was always to post once a week but over a month ago I realized that what I was writing was hurting my parents feelings. As much as I wanted to keep writing and posting there was something in […]
Why I Let My Kids Feel
It is the perfect Saturday for a birthday party. In the central valley it can get pretty hot in the summer but today it is warm yet comfortable. I am sitting in the shade and I can feel a cool breeze as I wait for Vicky to take her turn to hit the piñata. Vicky […]
Just Show Empathy Bro!
Yes, as you may have heard in last weeks blog it took me a long time to give parenting classes a chance. When my wife first suggested we take parenting classes (spring 2013) my thoughts were: Why do I need to take a parenting class? I am a grown man. I have no addictions. I […]
How I Stopped Yelling (Sort Of)
I want to apologize up front for all of the science words in the blog today. Please do not be intimidated. You do not have to remember the terms. There will be no test, I promise! So when I tell people that I am a yeller they are often shocked. It is probably because I […]
A Small Victory
I was reviewing some work emails when I hear that the kids are fighting over the cell phone. Paulo is saying that he just wants to look at something and Victoria is saying “no!” Then I hear a physical struggle over the phone and all of a sudden a really loud shriek. I am quickly […]
Why I Connect with Dr. Shefali’s Message of Conscious Parenting
The first time I heard about Conscious Parenting was when Dr. Shefali Tsabary appeared on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday show about two years ago. Her message completely made sense to me. So what was my next step? I asked my husband to watch the episode. We were both having aha’s left and right! It was […]
The Hangover
That moment when your loved ones come to realize that you do not share some of their same views is brutal. In their faces you can see their disapproval, the profound disappointment. The next day everyone says hello but something is different. You try to make yourself believe that you are seeing things but you […]