The Ashley Ventrice Show

Mom Guilt, POTS, and MCAS: When Chronic Illness Meets Motherhood (And Why You Need to Let Go of the Guilt)

What happens when you’re managing a chronic illness and drowning in mom guilt? In this episode, I’m getting personal about my diagnoses — POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) and MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome) — and why I’m talking about it openly. More women than men are diagnosed with autoimmune and chronic illness conditions, and awareness matters.
I share a conversation I had with a nurse at my cardiologist’s office — a mom of a toddler and a kindergartner — who was carrying a guilt so many of us know way too well: the guilt of choosing one kid over another, of working, of not being everywhere at once. Sound familiar?
We’re also talking about the noise — the opinions from parents, friends, family — and how it all piles on top of an already heavy load. I’m sharing how hitting my 40s (and finally getting answers about my health) pushed me to get intentional about ditching guilt and building a life that actually works for me and my family.
If you’ve ever felt the weight of everyone else’s opinions pulling you in every direction, this one’s for you.
Topics covered:
∙What POTS and MCAS are and why more moms need to know
∙The real story behind mom guilt vs. a new life pattern
∙How chronic illness changed the way I show up as a mom
∙Why your 40s might just be your most intentional decade yet

I Left My Kids for the First Time and It Changed Everything — On Mom Identity and Marriage

In this deeply personal episode, I share why I took my first flight away from my children — and why it was about more than just a vacation. We talk about mom guilt, trusted caregivers, marriage health, nervous system regulation, facing fears after trauma, and the quiet identity shifts that happen in motherhood.
 
If you’ve ever felt pressure about leaving your children, struggled with anxiety about flying, or felt like you’ve “lost yourself” in parenting — this episode is for you.
 
We’ll unpack:
 
• Why time away can strengthen your children’s resilience
• The nervous system impact of chronic self-sacrifice
• How healthy marriages benefit children
• Processing fear after trauma (including 9/11)
• The truth about identity loss and rebirth in motherhood
 
This isn’t about escaping your kids.
 
It’s about modeling courage, balance, and emotional health.
 
Follow Me:
👉 Visit my website http://www.ashleyventrice.com                 
👉 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ashleyventriceco                                  
👉 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleyventriceco                                               
👉 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ashleyventriceco
👉 Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ashleyventriceco
 
Join:                                                                                                           
👉 Toddler Community on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1641FC2sDa/
 
Today’s Sponsor:
👉 Skylight Calendar https://tidd.ly/4qs78VP

Is My Child Highly Sensitive? Signs, Strategies, and What a Child Development Specialist Knows

Is your child deeply emotional, empathetic, or easily overwhelmed by loud or chaotic environments?
 
They may be a highly sensitive child.
 
In this episode, we explore the science behind highly sensitive children (HSCs), a temperament trait found in roughly 15–20% of the population. These children process emotions and sensory information more deeply than others, which can lead to big feelings—but also incredible strengths.  
 
You’ll learn:
 
• What highly sensitive babies, toddlers, and children often look like
• Signs your child may be highly sensitive
• How sensitivity shows up in adulthood
• Parenting strategies that help sensitive kids thrive
• Why sensitivity can become a powerful advantage later in life
 
We also talk about personal experiences raising sensitive children and growing up sensitive ourselves.
 
If you’re raising a child who feels everything deeply, this episode will help you understand their brain and support them with compassion and confidence.
 
Read the blog post about how to support your highly sensitive child further.
 
Follow Me:
👉 Visit my website http://www.ashleyventrice.com                 
👉 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ashleyventriceco                                  
👉 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleyventriceco                                               
👉 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ashleyventriceco
👉 Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ashleyventriceco
 
Join:                                                                                                           
👉 Toddler Community on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1641FC2sDa/
 
Today’s Sponsor:
👉 Skylight Calendar https://tidd.ly/4qs78VP

How to Talk to Toddlers About Death — Mom’s Honest Guide

What if one of the most powerful ways to raise emotionally intelligent children is through loving — and eventually losing — a pet?
 
In this heartfelt episode, I sit down with author Kristen Griffin to talk about her beautiful children’s book Magnum’s Final Goodbye, a story that gently guides families through pet loss.
 
Kristen and I connected instantly over our lifelong love of animals and our shared belief that growing up with pets teaches children empathy, responsibility, compassion, and emotional depth.
 
We talk about:
•Why pets help build emotional intelligence in children
•How caring for animals fosters empathy and responsibility
•How to prepare children for pet loss in healthy, age-appropriate ways
•Why grief is not something to avoid — but something to walk through together
 
If you’ve ever wondered how to talk to your child about losing a pet — or why animals play such an important role in emotional development — this episode is for you.
 
Because raising emotionally healthy children doesn’t mean protecting them from grief. It means walking beside them through it.
 
🎧 Listen now and share with a fellow animal-loving parent.
 
Connect with Kristen:
👉 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/magnumsbridge/
👉 Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/magnumsbridge/?etsrc=sdt
 
Connect with Me:
👉 Visit my website http://www.ashleyventrice.com                 
👉 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ashleyventriceco                                  
👉 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleyventriceco                                               
👉 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ashleyventriceco
👉 Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ashleyventriceco
 
Join:                                                                                                           
👉 Toddler Community on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1641FC2sDa/
 

What You Do With Your Toddler Now Matters More Than You Think — A Child Development Specialist's Honest Take

If you’ve ever wondered whether the daily power struggles, tantrums, and boundary battles actually matter long term — this episode is for you.
 
In today’s episode, we zoom out.
 
You are not just managing a toddler. You are shaping a future adult.
 
The way you respond to whining, frustration, big emotions, and independence today wires your child’s nervous system, self-concept, and resilience for tomorrow.
 
We’ll talk about:
•How toddler boundaries build teenage self-regulation
•Why emotional coaching now prevents emotional shutdown later
•The difference between compliance and internal discipline
•How repair builds secure attachment (even when you mess up)
•Practical scripts and examples you can use this week
 
If you want to raise an emotionally healthy, capable adult — it starts in the toddler years.
 
This episode will help you parent with long-term vision instead of short-term survival.
 
Favorites:
👉 Good Read The Whole Brain Child 
 
Follow Me:
👉 Visit my website http://www.ashleyventrice.com                 
👉 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ashleyventriceco                                  
👉 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleyventriceco                                               
👉 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ashleyventriceco
👉 Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ashleyventriceco
 
Join:                                                                                                           
👉 Toddler Community on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1641FC2sDa/
 
 

Why Sensory Play Is More Than Messy Fun — A Child Development Specialist Explains What’s Really Happening

Sensory play is one of my favorite forms of play — not just because it’s fun, but because you can almost instantly see a child become calmer.
 
In this episode, I’m sharing why sensory play was the foundation of my work in Early Intervention, especially with children with autism and nervous system dysregulation. I’ll explain why I began every single session with a sensory bin, how it builds trust and regulation, and why calm always comes before learning.
 
We’ll talk about the incredible developmental benefits of sensory play — including fine motor, cognitive, language, and early math skills — and how you can easily create sensory experiences at home without spending money or making things complicated.
 
If you’ve ever wondered how to calm your baby or toddler, encourage independent play, or create a predictable routine that supports regulation, this episode will give you simple, practical tools you can start using today.
 
Sensory Favorites:
👉 No Fus Sensory Play Guide
👉 Sensory Tools & Toys
Follow Me:
👉 Visit my website http://www.ashleyventrice.com                 
👉 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ashleyventriceco                                  
👉 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleyventriceco                                               
👉 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ashleyventriceco
👉 Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ashleyventriceco
 
Join:                                                                                                           
👉 Toddler Community on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1641FC2sDa/
 
 

Montessori for Toddlers: What It Actually Is and Why Child Development Specialist's Love It

In this episode, we explore why the Montessori approach is so powerful for toddlers and their parents. Montessori isn’t just a classroom philosophy — it’s a way of life that empowers toddlers to build real skills, confidence, independence, and a deep sense of being part of the family. We’ll dive into research-backed benefits, share real examples of practical life activities (like cooking with your toddler), and offer easy ways to implement Montessori principles at home. Whether you’re Montessori curious or already practicing at home, this conversation will help you see everyday routines in a whole new light.
 
My Favorites:
👉 Skylight Calendar
👉 Montessori at Home Tools
 
Follow Me:
👉 Visit my website http://www.ashleyventrice.com                 
👉 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ashleyventriceco                                  
👉 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleyventriceco                                               
👉 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ashleyventriceco
👉 Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ashleyventriceco
 
Join:                                                                                                           
👉 Toddler Community on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1641FC2sDa/
 

Why Bedtime Becomes a Power Struggle — and What Kids Are Really Asking For

Why does bedtime turn into a sudden flood of needs — water, snacks, questions, emotions — right when the lights go out?
 
In this episode, I sit down with a pediatric sleep consultant, Brittany, to unpack what’s really happening during bedtime resistance. We talk about why children often appear “dehydrated” or emotionally needy at night, how daytime boundaries impact nighttime sleep, and what parents can do to create calmer, more predictable bedtimes without power struggles.
 
This conversation is especially helpful for parents of toddlers and young children who want gentle, developmentally appropriate sleep support — without rigid rules or crying it out.
 
If bedtime feels exhausting, chaotic, or emotionally charged, this episode will help you reframe what your child is asking for and how to respond with confidence.
 
My Favorites:
👉 Skylight Calendar
👉 Sleep tools https://www.amazon.com/shop/ashleyventriceco/list/2WLZ45PFLYFL8?ref_=aipsflist 
 
Resources:
👉 Routine Podcast on Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ashley-ventrice-show/id1847402433?i=1000736251305
👉 Visual Schedule https://ashleyventriceco.etsy.com/listing/4403618690/editable-the-neurodiverse-toddler-daily 
 
Follow Me:
👉 Visit my website http://www.ashleyventrice.com                 
👉 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ashleyventriceco                                  
👉 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleyventriceco                                               
👉 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ashleyventriceco
👉 Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ashleyventriceco
 
Join:                                                                                                           
👉 Toddler Community on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1641FC2sDa/
 
👉 Connect with Brittany https://www.instagram.com/brittany_sleepconsultant/
Or https://www.goodnightnursebh.com 
 

Why Your Toddler Is Always Overwhelmed — What Books Helped Me

Today we talk about five books that have shaped how I think about parenting, child development, and how we show up in family life. These books helped me move from hustle and stress to intention and calm:
 
📘 The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
📘 The 5 Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman & Ross Campbell
📘 The Danish Way of Parenting by Jessica Joelle Alexander & Iben Sandahl
📘 The Hurried Child by David Elkind
📘 Atomic Habits by James Clear
 
Each one offers timeless wisdom about emotional freedom, connection, play, healthy pace of life, and building habits that stick. Join me as I break down not just what these books say, but how they’ve changed my parenting and my mindset — as a child development specialist and as a mom.  
 
My Favorites:
👉 Skylight Calendar
👉 Book List  
 
Follow Me:
👉 Visit my website http://www.ashleyventrice.com                 
👉 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ashleyventriceco                                  
👉 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleyventriceco                                               
👉 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ashleyventriceco
👉 Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ashleyventriceco
 
Join:                                                                                                           
👉 Toddler Community on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1641FC2sDa/
 

My Toddler Can’t Sit Still — Indoor Activities That Actually Work (OT Approved)

In this episode we’re sharing fun, therapist-approved movement ideas for toddlers who are cooped up because of winter weather or sick days. We’ll talk playful gross-motor activities you can do in tiny spaces, indoor games like floor is lava with pillows, and the best YouTube movement channels for toddlers (Cosmic Kids Yoga, GoNoodle, Danny Go and more). We’ll also help you track emotions vs. energy so you know when it’s play time — and when it’s snack or nap time. Perfect for parents who need realistic, joyful ways to add movement into the day!
 
My Favorites:
👉 My Red Light Therapy Mask
👉 My Favorite Indoor Gross Motor Finds
 
Follow Me:
👉 Visit my website http://www.ashleyventrice.com                 
👉 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ashleyventriceco                                  
👉 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleyventriceco                                               
👉 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ashleyventriceco
👉 Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ashleyventriceco
 
Join:                                                                                                           
👉 Toddler Community on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1641FC2sDa/