Check out these life-changing motherhood talks!

As I’ve thought about motherhood lately I’ve realized it’s an Art. In other words, it’s a creative, often-changing, going-out-on-a-limb type of experience. Do you follow?! As with any artistic exercise, some people are naturally talented. And for others, it’s a hard-won ability. Therefore, it brings tears, frustration and disappointment some moments. And smiles, laughter and relief at others!

However, motherhood is also a Science. Meaning, there are certain outcomes you can expect if you create the right environment. So it’s all about planning, organizing, strategizing and optimizing. What you do is based on what you learn from your own past experiences. And also, the experiences of other mothers.

So yes, it all comes back to being intentional about motherhood, and getting better by learning from your own mistakes. Plus, by watching others, to get better by learning from their mistakes. That’s why I’ve gathered these life-changing motherhood talks. So you can do a little bit of learning from others.

So hey, let’s shout hooray for TED Talks! And TEDx as well. Beginning back in 1984, the talks aim to highlight where Technology, Entertainment and Design merge. TEDx events are similar, using the TED format, but independently organized by the local community. I’ve done a bit of looking around and found 14 talks. They are chosen to motivate and inspire you to do motherhood just that little bit better. They are all great, and are offered here in order from shortest to longest.

So grab the moment! Some time today, carve out a quiet half hour, grab a cuppa, kick back with your notebook. And get ready to watch some life-changing motherhood talks!

Life-Changing Motherhood Talks

1. A New Way to Think about the Transition to Motherhood

6-minute TED Talk

Here, reproductive psychiatrist Alexandra Sacks hits us with a new way of understanding every new mother’s big transition. It’s the new and unexpected adjustment that comes for every first-time mother. Of course, we know our hormones race around, causing emotional ups and downs. But Alexandra explains it’s a lot like adolescence. Alexandra has noted some interesting things mothers have in common. And all because of the looove hormone, oxytocin*.

*Oxytocin not only starts labor, and builds our milk supply, but also makes us focus inward on our newborn.

2. Let’s Talk Parenting Taboos

7-minute TED Talk

This talk is hosted by Babble.com publishers Rufus Griscom and Alisa Volkman. Together, they expose four facts that parents never acknowledge. And why it’s probably a good idea that they do! They suggest that frequently, you enter parenting with the wrong expectations, and this is often the problem. Can you believe they found there are more taboos about parenting than there are about sex!

3. Five Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Children Do

10-minute TEDx Talk

Gever Tulley is the founder of the Tinkering School. He doesn’t have children, but instead he borrows his friends’ kids! Gever explains how the trend to eliminate danger is a problem. This is because safety decreases opportunities for kids to explore the world. Let’s raise kids to  be creative, confident and able to control the world around them.

4. How to Get Your Kids to Listen and Engage

10-minute TEDx Talk

Psychotherapist, Kris Prochaska, discusses the way we guide our children. She asks, “Why don’t we see the value of our children?” In fact, they are equal to us as we relate to them. So while kids do need guidance, that doesn’t mean they don’t have equal value. If children don’t take our guidance maybe it’s because we’re doing one of the following:

1. Not paying attention
2. Telling a lie! or
3. Indicating we’ve already been down this road (and YAWN) we know where it’s going!

Scroll down for the next amazing talk: To Raise Brave Girls, Encourage Adventure

5. To Raise Brave Girls, Encourage Adventure

12-minute TED Talk

Best-selling author Caroline Paul wonders, “Why isn’t bravery expected of women?” Unfortunately, the problem is that we often teach girls fear every time they are outside their comfort zone. And then they become anxious and fearful. Bravery is a learned skill. It takes practice. Here is some life-changing listening, with great outcomes for your daughters.

6. The Secret to Motivating Your Child

12-minute TEDx Talk

Want to know how to motivate your child? This talk is a reminder that your kids all need specific responses depending on what they are like. Jennifer Nacif humorously describes four different personality types, giving the key to gaining cooperation. She’s a clever mother who can move from manipulation to motivation.

7. How to Raise Successful Kids Without Over-Parenting

14-minute TED Talk

Julie Lythcott-Haims, is the former Dean of Freshmen at Stanford. She explains how micromanaging your children, does not actually help them. Believe it or not, she says, “success is built on love and chores”! The research she quotes is from the longest longitudinal study of humans ever conducted, the Harvard Grant study. Her basic premise is: Our kids need to know we love them as human beings. Not for the scores and results they get.

8. How to Get Better at the Things You Care About

14-minute TED Talk

Eduardo Briceño explains a simple way to get better at the things you do. Perhaps you want to be a great parent? Well, he has some useful systems to keep learning and moving forward. What if we spent less time doing. And performing. But more time reflecting and experimenting. As well as thinking, and listening. And asking, striving and becoming? One of the best life-changing motherhood talks I’ve heard.

9. Winning Words! The Phrases That Pay

15-minute TEDx Talk

My good friend Lisa McInnes-Smith is a Sports Psychologist and motivational speaker with a powerful story. Sadly, she had a disability as a kid. But happily, her Mum helped her overcome it with some winning words. Lisa tells about three phrases that changed her life. Perhaps they will change your life too. One of the best life-changing motherhood talks!

10. Creating Memories, not Expectations

15-minute TEDx Talk

Austeja Landsbergiene won awards for her impact on the education system in Lithuania. She thinks it takes guts to be accepted as a mother. This is because your children are forever breaking cultural expectations! So, do you shut them down, so you can be comfortable? These are big questions. And are paired with passionate answers. And, the final upshot: never give up creating good memories.