During this time of quarantine, we’re all having LOTS of family meals. As great as sitting around the dinner table sounds, sometimes it’s challenging to make it meaningful. We get it! We’re living the same life. This week we thought we’d pull t

#173 - 8 1/2 Parenting Strategies During A Pandemic

Mar 24th, 2020 30m 31s

As we all adjust to the impact of a world with homeschooling, social distancing, and quarantines, the struggle for a new normal is real. On today’s podcast we discuss 8-9 strategies that help make the transition smoother. Related Links: Matthew

#172 - Discussing Current Events With Kids

Mar 10th, 2020 33m 39s

The world is a crazy place! Like every generation before, today’s parents have to process difficult news with their kids. But where do we start? What do we say? How can we explain events we don’t fully understand? In today’s podcast, Billy and

#171 – Preparing For Your Kid’s Challenges

Mar 3rd, 2020 30m 42s

Whether we like it or not, every kid faces challenges. Sometimes these difficulties are intense, painful, or life-altering. Does that make the challenges necessary or even bad? What do we do when adversity takes over? How should we respond? Joi

Four Stages To Keep Your Marriage On Track

Feb 25th, 2020 23m 35s

Like a vine growing without the steady hand of a gardener, every marriage has the potential of getting out of control. On today’s podcast we’ll discuss four stages that help both the newly and “oldy” weds make sure they are growing closer. Rela

#169 - Creating A Grateful Family

Feb 18th, 2020 28m 55s

Have you ever felt like your kids aren’t grateful for what they have or what they experience? Do you ever feel like they live with a distasteful attitude of demandingness? Perhaps you see this tendency in yourself? In this replay episode Billy

#168 – On Being Misunderstood

Feb 11th, 2020 39m 34s

As long as there have been families, children have misunderstood their parents and parents have misunderstood their kids. No one enjoys this reality, but it is a fact of life. How do you process the frustration that comes along with this truth?

#167 – Five Ways To Prepare For Hardships

Feb 4th, 2020 27m 54s

Life is difficult. This is a universal truth. However, some people seem particularly well-equipped when facing struggles. How does that happen? Are there secrets to enduring (or even thriving?) during challenges? On today’s podcast we’ll discus

#166 – Question Grab Bag : Newlywed Edition

Jan 28th, 2020 25m 59s

Time to clear out the question bag except THIS time we have a theme! Join us as we process some wildly specific newlywed queries with universal answers. Related Links: Episode # 9 – Five Tips On Making In-Law Relationships Work Episode # 60

#165 – 9 Ways To Encourage Other Parents

Jan 21st, 2020 31m 23s

Have you noticed (or felt) a low-level of parent fatigue? Are you familiar with the dazed expression of someone who is feeling overwhelmed? Well, now is as good a time as any to remember things we can do to encourage our community. Today’s podc

#164 - When Kids Make Mistakes

Jan 14th, 2020 39m 9s

So your kid has made a mistake – not an accident or “oops” – but a bad decision, a willful rebellion, or a knowing infraction. How do you address the problem? What’s your reflex and what’s your strategy? Where do your emotions land in the equat

#163 – The First, Best Response To Any Conflict

Jan 7th, 2020 36m 47s

There’s a principle in medicine to “First, do no harm.” This wisdom is surprisingly relevant to all relationships, particularly in a family setting. However, if you’re like us, sometimes our actions do, in fact, make things worse. Why does this

#162 - Overcoming Parent Guilt

Dec 17th, 2019 33m 30s

When this happens, guilt creeps into our heads and clouds our hearts. How do you shed guilt in a healthy way? That’s today’s conversation. Talk about this: Are you more likely to feel overly guilty or not guilty at all in your parenting? How do

#161 – 5 Thoughts On Dividing Household Chores

Dec 10th, 2019 28m 18s

Here’s a fact that made us say “wow”: according to Pew Research, sharing household chores ranks as a top three issue associated with having a successful marriage (third only to faithfulness and good sex). This seems like something we can all m

#160 - Four Reminders To Make The Holidays Meaningful (replay)

Dec 3rd, 2019 27m 15s

How is your pace around the holidays? Do you feel like you are absorbing the joys? Or does it all feel like it’s a blur? In this episode we cover four reminders that will help your family make the season more meaningful. Talk About This: Are we

#159 - 60 Conversations For Family Meal Time

Nov 26th, 2019 34m 4s

Even though we know it’s important to have dinner together, after hustling the family to the table, it’s exhausting to guide a meaningful conversation. Where do you start? Who has the energy to form a strategy? In this episode (and JUST in ti

Creating Intentional Habits

Nov 19th, 2019 35m 20s

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” So says James Clear – and, we agree. But where do you start new habits in your family? We have a few VERY specific ideas for you on today’s podcast! Talk abou

#157 – Relieving Holiday Tensions

Nov 12th, 2019 26m 28s

For a host of reasons, the holidays can be rough on our schedule, our health, and particularly our relationships. Wouldn’t it be nice to make the upcoming holiday season a little smoother? In today’s podcast we tackle a few ways to let out the

#156 – Why Be Normal

Nov 5th, 2019 34m 4s

Have you ever told your kids they aren’t normal? Have you ever even THOUGHT it? Today we kick around the idea of “normalness” and that there may be a better and/or more precise word to use. Take a listen! Talk about this: - In what areas of our

Is Criticism Killing Your Marriage?

Oct 29th, 2019 34m 51s

No one likes to be picked at…but criticism is especially deadly in marriage. In this episode Billy & Joy challenge you to try and see your critical habits in the mirror and to consider the impact they have on your marriage. Talk about this: Wha

Uncovering Family Narratives

Oct 22nd, 2019 37m 44s

Have you ever considered how your fellow family members describe your family? Have you ever asked them what they think about when they think about each other? If you’ve ever told a classic family story (e.g., the time the car died, or the dog w

Owning Your Parenting Flaws

Oct 15th, 2019 27m 52s

Chances are your kids know your flaws better than you do. Of course, they can’t (or won’t) put the most helpful words around those flaws, so we thought we’d give you a way into some insights. In fact, this episode gives you a dozen questions to

Three Little Big Ideas For A Lasting Marriage

Oct 8th, 2019 32m 48s

Sometimes little things make a big difference – especially in marriage. In this week’s episode we kick around three ideas that can make all the difference in keeping your marriage strong (and fun!) Talk about this: Ask your spouse for a ranking

#151 –Question Grab Bag - Discipline, Date Nights, & Neat Freaks

Oct 1st, 2019 29m 53s

Time to clear out some lingering questions! In this episode we’ll discuss how to not squash your kids with a disciplinarian approach, what to do if you aren’t having regular date nights, and finding the middle ground when it comes to keeping yo

#150 Navigating Differences With Your Kids

Sep 24th, 2019 35m 45s

Do you have a child who is wired so differently than you that you find yourself thinking, “Who IS this child of mine?” Do you ever wonder how to navigate those differences in a healthy way? If so, then you’ll find today’s podcast particularly