Episodes

Perhaps your child always sits politely at the table and eats their Brussels sprouts, but for the rest of us, especially with a food-sensitive child or two, food struggles in families are real. Today we talk to Emily Meade, RD, LD, a dietitian who wants to help us recapture some of the connection and joy that can happen in the kitchen and around the table. Emily discusses the importance of teaching children that their bodies are uniquely created by God, and she shares strategies for encouraging...

What if chores weren’t a constant struggle in your household? Join Connected Families Certified Parent Coaches Marni Love and Corrie Thetford as they discuss the Happiness Trifecta and how it can transform the way chores are done at your house. The Happiness Trifecta is a group of brain chemicals you can tap into to make chores more enjoyable for your kids. Corrie, Marni, and our host, Stacy Bellward, share many stories about being playful and working as a team to boost these chemicals in our ki...

What if chores weren’t a constant struggle in your household? Join Connected Families Certified Parent Coaches Marni Love and Corrie Thetford as they discuss the Happiness Trifecta and how it can transform the way chores are done at your house. The Happiness Trifecta is a group of brain chemicals you can tap into to make chores more enjoyable for your kids. Corrie, Marni, and our host, Stacy Bellward, share many stories about being playful and working as a team to boost these chemicals in our ki...

If you’re struggling with screens and boundary setting with your kids, tune into this interview with Brittany and Kevin Hoffman. Their home has transformed as they’ve learned to ask questions, listen, and point to the bigger YES. If you’re not sure what it means to point to the bigger YES, this episode is for you. Kevin and Brittany share how the Healthy Rhythms course shaped their approach to managing screen time for their five children and the ways they adjusted their own screen habits as a r...

If you’re struggling with screens and boundary setting with your kids, tune into this interview with Brittany and Kevin Hoffman. Their home has transformed as they’ve learned to ask questions, listen, and point to the bigger YES. If you’re not sure what it means to point to the bigger YES, this episode is for you. Kevin and Brittany share how the Healthy Rhythms course shaped their approach to managing screen time for their five children and the ways they adjusted their own screen habits as a r...

Two grandmothers, Dijea Young and Cindy Stonestreet (who also happen to be Connected Families Certified Parent Coaches) chat about the role of play in grandparenting and how they’re learning to be great grandmothers. Cindy and Dijea share personal stories about respecting their adult children’s parenting decisions and finding common ground, even in challenging relationships. They emphasize the power of intentional, joyful play in communicating love to their grandchildren and share examples of co...

Two grandmothers, Dijea Young and Cindy Stonestreet (who also happen to be Connected Families Certified Parent Coaches) chat about the role of play in grandparenting and how they’re learning to be great grandmothers. Cindy and Dijea share personal stories about respecting their adult children’s parenting decisions and finding common ground, even in challenging relationships. They emphasize the power of intentional, joyful play in communicating love to their grandchildren and share examples of co...

Chris Coursey, author of 4 Habits of Raising Joy-Filled Kids, joins us to discuss why joyful kids are joyful and what you can do. Do you feel like you’re often focused on problems and operating out of fear of what may happen? Chris explains how joy can give families the strength to navigate difficulties and overcome fear. He shares a personal story of overcoming fear-based parenting and unpacks the first habit of raising joy-filled kids: attunement. Chris emphasizes that taking care of yourself...

Chris Coursey, author of 4 Habits of Raising Joy-Filled Kids, joins us to discuss why joyful kids are joyful and what you can do. Do you feel like you’re often focused on problems and operating out of fear of what may happen? Chris explains how joy can give families the strength to navigate difficulties and overcome fear. He shares a personal story of overcoming fear-based parenting and unpacks the first habit of raising joy-filled kids: attunement. Chris emphasizes that taking care of yourself...

Today, we talk with Joy Wendling, Connected Families Certified Parent Coach and founder of Created to Play, about helping kids come to love God wholeheartedly. Faith can sometimes feel serious or heady, but God is also the God of play, and He created children to learn best through play. Stacy and Joy discuss the significance of modeling a joyful faith. Together, they share ideas for making God relatable through play with your kids. They emphasize how to bring God into everyday moments and ways t...

Today, we talk with Joy Wendling, Connected Families Certified Parent Coach and founder of Created to Play, about helping kids come to love God wholeheartedly. Faith can sometimes feel serious or heady, but God is also the God of play, and He created children to learn best through play. Stacy and Joy discuss the significance of modeling a joyful faith. Together, they share ideas for making God relatable through play with your kids. They emphasize how to bring God into everyday moments and ways t...

Two therapists chat about the benefits of play and how to incorporate play therapy into your family’s routine. The end goal: More connection with your child and a more regulated child. It’s a win-win! In this podcast episode, Lynne Jackson, occupational therapist and Co-Founder of Connected Families, interviews Marlee Thomson, a mental health therapist and Connected Families Certified Parent Coach. They discuss the brain science behind play and how it can develop connection and trust between yo...

Two therapists chat about the benefits of play and how to incorporate play therapy into your family’s routine. The end goal: More connection with your child and a more regulated child. It’s a win-win! In this podcast episode, Lynne Jackson, occupational therapist and Co-Founder of Connected Families, interviews Marlee Thomson, a mental health therapist and Connected Families Certified Parent Coach. They discuss the brain science behind play and how it can develop connection and trust between yo...

We chat with Lindsay Fauver, a mom from the Connected Families community, about her parenting journey with a child who experiences anxiety, sensory challenges, and challenging behaviors. Lindsay shares how she has gained new understanding and tools to support her child and stay calm when her daughter escalates. She also emphasizes the persistence required to implement positive changes and the role of scripture in sustaining her. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with parenting, you’ll find plenty of...

We chat with Lindsay Fauver, a mom from the Connected Families community, about her parenting journey with a child who experiences anxiety, sensory challenges, and challenging behaviors. Lindsay shares how she has gained new understanding and tools to support her child and stay calm when her daughter escalates. She also emphasizes the persistence required to implement positive changes and the role of scripture in sustaining her. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with parenting, you’ll find plenty of...

In this meaningful conversation, we talk to dads Matt Norman (author and President & CEO of Norman & Associates) and Jim Jackson (Connected Families Co-Founder) about their experiences with authentic, vulnerable community. Matt shares his personal journey of seeking more meaningful connections while balancing the demands of marriage, parenting, and his career. He describes the evolution of his small group, which started as a way to socialize and study but grew into a space for supportive and sen...

In this meaningful conversation, we talk to dads Matt Norman (author and President & CEO of Norman & Associates) and Jim Jackson (Connected Families Co-Founder) about their experiences with authentic, vulnerable community. Matt shares his personal journey of seeking more meaningful connections while balancing the demands of marriage, parenting, and his career. He describes the evolution of his small group, which started as a way to socialize and study but grew into a space for supportive and sen...

What do you do when you disagree with your partner about how to parent? Perhaps it is even causing a rift in your family. You feel strongly about how to parent your kids but feel stuck on knowing how to encourage your co-parent to see things the way you do. You are not alone! It is a very common struggle for many parents. Whether you are single parenting with an ex-spouse, married, or caring for grandchildren, this can be an emotionally charged topic. Tensions over different parenting styles a...

What do you do when you disagree with your partner about how to parent? Perhaps it is even causing a rift in your family. You feel strongly about how to parent your kids but feel stuck on knowing how to encourage your co-parent to see things the way you do. You are not alone! It is a very common struggle for many parents. Whether you are single parenting with an ex-spouse, married, or caring for grandchildren, this can be an emotionally charged topic. Tensions over different parenting styles a...

Listen in as we talk with Chad Hayenga (Connected Families Director of Education and Equipping) about parental anxiety and micromanagement, and how these can negatively impact your relationship with your child. Chad and Stacy (podcast host) discuss common scenarios that trigger anxiety in parents and the resulting cycle that can leave the child feeling discouraged and resentful. The conversation is filled with practical ideas for moving out of the cycle of anxiety and into new patterns of belie...

Listen in as we talk with Chad Hayenga (Connected Families Director of Education and Equipping) about parental anxiety and micromanagement, and how these can negatively impact your relationship with your child. Chad and Stacy (podcast host) discuss common scenarios that trigger anxiety in parents and the resulting cycle that can leave the child feeling discouraged and resentful. The conversation is filled with practical ideas for moving out of the cycle of anxiety and into new patterns of belie...

Start teaching your kids the first steps toward reconciliation and restoration by using “make it right” consequences in their relationships. Parent coach Amy Nyvall shares personal stories illustrating how she has taught her kids to take responsibility for their actions and restore relationships when they’ve done something wrong. Amy emphasizes the importance of creating space for both parents and children to process emotions and think through how to resolve conflicts. Throughout the conversatio...

Start teaching your kids the first steps toward reconciliation and restoration by using “make it right” consequences in their relationships. Parent coach Amy Nyvall shares personal stories illustrating how she has taught her kids to take responsibility for their actions and restore relationships when they’ve done something wrong. Amy emphasizes the importance of creating space for both parents and children to process emotions and think through how to resolve conflicts. Throughout the conversatio...

¡Escucha este segundo episodio especial del pódcast de Connected Families! Donde Luisa Wendt entrevista a Esther y Roberto Reich acerca del marco de referencia de Connected Families. Los tres son asesores en la crianza certificados por Connected Families y hablarán acerca de los últimos dos principios del marco de referencia (entrenar y corregir) para poder disciplinar a nuestros hijos de una manera que nos acerca a ellos y hace que nuestros vínculos sean más fuertes sin importar su edad. Escuch...