Raising Today's Kids

I love creating episodes of Raising Today’s Kids. It is a project that comes straight from my heart. I have learned and grown so much as I have interviewed guests, analyzed research, and shared my stories. Over the last couple of years I have also been working diligently on another project I am passionate about, called Project STAND. The mission of Project STAND is to prevent exploitation by empowering youth, parents, and school communities to STAND and thrive by using media in healthy ways. In this episode I will tell you more about it and why (with a mix of emotions) I am taking a break from Raising Today’s Kids during 2023 to focus on Project STAND. You can learn more at projectSTAND.org.

If you are a regular listener, you know that I value science and spirituality in my episodes. And they both play a significant role in my parenting. I love learning about and sharing scientific research that can help us guide our children toward the best outcomes, and I love nurturing my children toward that spiritual wholeness that cannot be quantified, and joining you as you do the same for yours. Unfortunately, we live in a secular time when faith and religion are often forced to take a back seat to science, leaving a gaping hole that cannot be filled in any other way. That's why I invited Jared Halverson (religious scholar and creator/host of the podcast, Unshaken Saints), to talk about the important role of spirituality and religious practice in raising today's kids and what we can do to nurture both.

Everyone can learn to install an internal filter. As parents, we get to be on the frontlines of helping our kids with that process. This episode (Part 2 of 2) gives you concrete steps you can take to help your kids reach their potential through their use of technology. It outlines how to help our children use the power of questions, values, goals, and choices to be the best they can be with every click, swipe, post, play, or share.

Parents are the most important protective factor for their kids, but digital parenting doesn’t come with a handbook, and it is hard! I am so grateful for technology, but often feel like I am running to catch up with it and keep my kids safe. In this episode (Part 1 of 2) I will give you concrete steps you can take to put in the base layers of protection for your kids.

Jen’s painful, beautiful story will teach you about grief and how to help your kids process grief. She will teach you about finding joy during hard times, and something about the purpose of the hard times we go through. As you listen, you will sense the faith that radiates from her. It drives everything she does and gives her a reason to go on.

A tidal wave of harmful pornography is washing over our culture leaving devastation in its wake. Children are being victimized just through their exposure. What is to be done? Barb Winters recognizes the challenge parents are facing, yet she is filled with hope that the future is bright. Listen in as she shares her reassuring perspective.

In this episode, Chris McKenna from Protect Young Eyes, explains why kids are so drawn to screens, why filters don't work on their own, and how to approach tough conversations with our kids. You do not want to miss all of his incredible insights. You will go away with a lot to ponder, but with a very practical approach to taking action in your own family. My favorite takeaway is his idea of leveraging the tech skills my kids have in a way that will benefit our entire family. Thank you, Chris!

You guys, I am so glad you are listening today. You know I don’t typically do episodes this long, but this one is unlike any other and I just couldn’t cut anything out. If you are anything like me, you will laugh, you will cry, you will feel compassion and courage, and so many other emotions. My guest, Tamra, is here to tell a raw and vulnerable story about how, as an adolescent, she chose to place her baby for adoption. And then how, in the midst of his trauma, she was reunited with him 16 years later. It’s not for the faint of heart. It is full of beauty and joy, but also intense pain and heartbreak. It has moved me to tears again and again. Above all, her experience gives incredible evidence of God’s role in our lives and how He has a plan for our children, who are truly His. Whether or not you approach parenting from a Christian perspective or whether you have any personal connection with adoption, Tamra’s story will resonate with you. There are messages for every parent in today’s episode.

For all those parents who haven't mastered the art of diaper changing, your lives are about to change forever!

I have fallen in love with setting goals! Almost a year ago, my family and I decided to start setting weekly goals in four categories (intellectual, physical, spiritual, and social). It has changed our lives. We are so much more productive, efficient, and happy since we started being more intentional with how we live our lives. In this episode I share how our family approaches goal-setting and give ideas about how to find what will work for your family!

Raising kids today is a struggle! There is so much uncharted territory that we have to figure out. When I started this podcast in 2018, it was hard enough, but fast forward to 2021 and suddenly we are navigating life during a worldwide pandemic and an awakening to heavy, unresolved social justice issues. Because we’re all a little more physically distanced from our communities, and in some cases even our loved ones, we are relying even more on technology to connect. Many of our kids are relying more on technology this school year than ever before. Technology is amazing. We have the ability to do so much good, but with it comes many threats to children and families. Everything good can be turned into evil and used for destructive purposes. Today I want to talk about how to not let that happen!

Do you need help with organizing your family schedule? Do you wish you were more efficient with your time? Do you struggle to teach your kids time management? Raising kids in a digital world with so much information and so many opportunities requires developing time management and organization skills in order to reach long-term goals. This episode will give you a look into the mom skills of Chelsea Winterholler who has learned a thing (or twenty) about all of the above while allowing her kids to experience natural consequences and reinforcing positive behavior. Prepare to be amazed and inspired!

It’s incredible how a little bit of knowledge and insight can be the difference between hopelessness and real hope. That's what family therapist, Matt Leavenworth is here to provide for us today. He takes a problem that seems insurmountable and breaks it down in a way that parents can tackle. He tells the truth about some of the leading causes of suicide and what parents can do to address it. It's a tough subject, but there's so much hope!

Authenticity and hope are essential pieces of Raising Today's Kids. So in this episode I am opening up my heart to share who I am at my core, and where my foundation of hope comes from. It has everything to do with a baby born in a stable over 2,000 years ago. Merry Christmas!

Raising kids has always been full of trials, but I have learned something about how to approach them through my friend, Lacee Nugent. She is a super intentional mother of a family built through adoption. In this episode she taught me that the best way to find the unexpected beauty is to be humble, to support and encourage others, and to fill your heart with love. Ready to be inspired? 

What if there was a simple solution to low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and other mental health struggles? Studies show that living in thanksgiving can stand alone in adding to our mental health. Gratitude is free, easily accessible, and has no side effects! In this episode I will share how I take my gratitude pills and help my kids take theirs :).

In this episode I'm so excited to introduce you to my parents, Mark and Tamra. They are two amazing individuals with abundant love for me and their other seven children. You will hear them talk about the importance of love and firm boundaries in parenting, and that's exactly what was at the heart of their parenting. I haven't always been grateful for those firm boundaries, but now that I'm grown up, I recognize their wisdom and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

You don’t have to look far to understand why 16 states have labeled pornography a public health hazard. That's why I dedicate so many episodes to addressing it. Today's perspective on the subject comes from Kristen Jenson, author of Good Pictures Bad Pictures. She will give us some tips on how to protect our kids' young minds and inoculate them against what could be a serious threat to their childhood.

Kids who recognize their innate value (self-esteem!) have the ability to be resilient in the face of low self-confidence and the judgments of the world. This is why it's so important to help kids get a sense of their inner, unique, individual worth, that is not open to interpretation, it just is! Tune in for some insight into how an intentional mom, Monica Hill, does this for her kids. Learn how she helps them clear their minds, focus on others, develop meaningful relationships, and have important conversations.

Today Aimee Rust focuses on creating healthy attachment with our kids. First she’ll define attachment, and then share things that can help you in your parenting, regardless of the stage you’re in. She talks about newborns through adolescence, and even discusses how attachment can affect us as adults in our relationships and with our children. She’ll discuss how to heal unhealthy attachment including in foster care and adoption situations.