An interview with Renewed Motherhood founder, Cynthia Walgenbach, by Elizabeth Harris
Being a parent is hard and in lockdown, even harder. This is where mom of 4, certified Parent Coach, and founder of Renewed Motherhood, Cynthia Walgenbach, can come in to help. Launched in the middle of the pandemic, Cynthia started Renewed Motherhood to help other parents connect more deeply with their children and break free from patterns of anger and feeling overwhelmed. I chatted with Cynthia about motherhood, entrepreneurship, and COVID-19 family life.
Cynthia, what is a parent coach? What led you to become a parent coach?
I like to think of a parent coach like a personal trainer for parents. But instead of helping you get physically fit, I help parents strengthen their relationship with their kids and learn how to connect with them more deeply.
How has the pandemic been for you and your family?
You know, it’s been hard and it’s been a blast. I love having everyone close and getting to be involved in their day to day activities. It’s nice to pop in and see what they are doing for school. At the same time, it has been draining and lonely in certain ways. Parents, especially moms, are being asked to literally do it all and it can be super overwhelming.
Where did the inspiration for Renewed Motherhood come from? How are you running your coaching business remotely?
It really came from my own experience of motherhood. You know, I am an idealist at heart, but the way I was parenting was not in line with my values and my relationship with my kids was suffering for it. So when I saw an invitation online to learn more about conscious parenting, I jumped on board. I really wanted to show up for my kids in a more compassionate way, and taking the time to explore why I reacted the way I did and why some of my kid's behaviors triggered me so much really changed things for me.
As far as working remotely...well, the upside of experiencing a pandemic in 2020 is that there is no lack of technology! So I can still meet with clients via Zoom or GoogleMeets. I think like a lot of parents who have a more flexible work schedule or who are juggling working from home with childcare, the challenge is more about carving out the time to dedicate to reflection and change.
As a mom, it’s easy to put my stuff on the back burner. I have to remind myself of my purpose and how important this work is. It’s also good to remind myself how much better I feel after I take time to focus on my own pursuits.
What are some of the achievements that you are proud of so far? Have you noticed a difference in your family life as well?
I think some of my biggest achievements so far are personal. Taking a risk on myself and showing up for myself have been huge. It’s not something I was able to really do earlier in my life.
Also, having people reach out to me and share with me the really hard difficult parts of their parenting journeys
is always such an honor. To have someone entrust you with the most vulnerable parts of themselves and then see results based on your work is so life-giving.
The changes I’ve seen in my own family have been the biggest blessing. Where there once was fighting and power struggles, there is now dialogue and collaboration. We’ve always spent a lot of time together, but the emotional connection that is there now is inconceivable compared to even a year ago.
What are some tips that our readers with families can take away?
If the way you’ve been doing things in your family is not giving you the results you want, don’t be afraid to change it up. If your child is 7 or 10 or 15 years old, it’s not too late to have a new relationship with them. When we as parents show up in a mindful compassionate way, our kids respond to that. Our responses shape so much.
What’s next for Renewed Motherhood for now and after the pandemic?
The plan is to continue serving families as much as I can! I always love learning more about healing and how we can help our kids develop resilience and grow into these really emotionally and mentally well-balanced people. So, I can’t wait to share with my clients as I continue to learn.
Are there any charities or organizations you would like to give a shout out to?
I really love the work that Compassion International is doing helping lift children out of poverty. Their child sponsorship program has also been really wonderful for my kids in terms of learning about children from other parts of the world, learning how to have empathy, and cultivating gratitude in their own lives.
Follow Cynthia and Renewed Motherhood on Instagram (@renewed_motherhood) and on Facebook (@RenewedMotherhood).
To learn more and to book a session with her, check out her website www.renewedmotherhood.com.