Description

💭 Feeling the weight of being a hockey parent? You’re not alone. In this heartfelt and honest episode, Lee Elias, Christie Casciano-Burns, and Mike Bonelli open up about the mental and emotional load that comes with youth hockey — the long weekends, the money, the pressure, and the expectations we quietly carry.

🔥 In this conversation:

• Why so many parents tie their own worth to their kids’ performance 🧠
• The guilt, stress, and second-guessing that come after every game
• How money, time, and competition fuel anxiety for hockey families
• Why behavior—not outcomes—should be your real “win” metric
• What emotional resilience really looks like at home and at the rink
• Why “family first” isn’t just a saying — it’s a sanity saver ❤️

✨ Key moments include:

• Christie’s powerful reminder that “youth hockey is the good old days.”
• Lee’s story of skipping practice to prioritize family — and why it mattered more.
• Mike’s candid reflections on managing expectations as both coach and parent.

At the end of the day, this episode is a deep breath for every parent who’s ever thought, “Am I doing enough?” Spoiler: You are.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: The Mental Load of Being a Hockey Parent: Managing Pressure, Guilt & Joy

🎧 Listen, laugh, and remember — you’re not crazy, the hockey world is.

#OurKidsPlayHockey #HockeyParenting #YouthHockey #SportsParenting #MentalHealthInSports #ParentPerspective #ChristieCascianoBurns #LeeElias #MikeBonelli #HockeyLife #FamilyFirst #YouthSportsBalance

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