Beyond Good Intentions with Kristen Duke

I have admired Shawni's parenting from afar as I've read her blog 71Toes.com for many years. She is just about 3 years ahead of me in this parenting gig, and I felt inspired seeing how she mothered just a few steps ahead of me.  I was so delighted to hear her words of encouragement for teens, words she hopes her kids will know before leaving the home and under her roof. She came up with a list of 5 all encompassing hopes for her kids, which I loved hearing her thoughts. For more on my thoughts, I shared about Episode 41 of 10 things I want my kids to know.  If you are new around here, I encourage you to scroll and listen to past episode, and join the teen topic discussions on Instagram: @KristenDukeChats  

Episode #100!!!! I'm so excited to introduce you to my high school best friend, Natalie. We met right after my 14th birthday, the week I moved from Louisiana to Texas about to begin my freshman year of high school. We had so much fun during our teen years, and you'll hear us talk about the good, the crazy, our parents, and then of course how all of that has affected how we parent our teens. One of my favorite quotes from Natalie in this episode:  "Worry is a wast of imagination. I'd like to imagine the best case scenario."  I invite you all to do that. Imagine the best. AMAZON is our ever present podcast sponsor, shop through my link for anything you may purchase there.  Come share on Instagram (@KristenDukeChats) your thoughts after listening, and TAG your high school bestie! If you missed any previous episodes, check them out! The first year I was really good and writing a blog post sharing a summary here on the home page Beyond Good Intentions Podcast. Email me if you've listened to all 100 episodes!

In March, we talked all about TEENS and FRIENDS. Friends are SO important for teenagers, and as parents, we often run this challenge about how to navigate friendships we are concerned about, as well as how to help them make friends. If you missed episode #98 with Dr. Justin Coulson about toxic friendships, I encourage you to LISTEN! But with Katie, she moved with teens, and is in the trenches of helping her kids adjust, and I REALLY wanted to pick her brain, as I knew it was likely in our family future, and as I type this in May (when the interview was in February) we now know we ARE in fact moving, and helping my girls with friendships is high priority for me. So many wisdom nuggets, even if you aren't moving. Katie is an intentional mom, and I've gleaned so much from watching her share insights over the years.  After you listen, check out these links! Find Katie on Instagram: @TheHughesHouse Find her daughters account: @postingthepositive Link to love language quiz for teens My AMAZON store favorites Come chat about this on IG! @KristenDukeChats If you haven't yet, leave an iTunes review!!!

My friends, I've declared this episode among my top 10 favorites in my two years of podcasting. So many wisdom nuggets on information, it's worth the 1 hour listen! Dr. Coulson not only shares some gems about how to help our teens with toxic friends, but it applies to so many relationships as well.  You can find @DrJustinCoulson on Instagram and JustinCoulson.com And his book Miss-Connection on Amazon (kindle best in the US). I'd LOVE if you can leave an iTunes review! Shopping through our AMAZON Store link helps support this podcast.  Join the weekly discussions at @KristenDukeChats

This episode is full of little tidbits about how we can help our teens be a better friends and make good friends. LISTEN and SHARE, and leave an iTunes review if you felt inspired! You can find Vanessa on IG at @VanessaQuigley If you aren't already following @Chatbooks, do that! Study on pictures: Printed photos = Stronger Families. MomForce Podcast episode about strengthening families through the printed photos. My CHATBOOKS DIY BOOKSHELF.  Visit our AMAZON store as the official sponsor of this podcast.

My teen friends--have you talked to your parents about sex? I mean, beyond the birds and the bees of "how babies are made?" I would expect that most of you haven't, but if you have...yay! I'm giving you MY thoughts on the sex talk, as if you were my teenagers.  With that, I encourage you to TALK TO YOUR PARENTS! Ask them questions, invite them into your world of curiosity. My hope is that they will be honest and forthcoming and open with you.  This is a jumping off of my Teens+Sex chat on the Beyond Good Intentions podcast #96 if you want to share that with your parents. It's got 20 questions to chat about. Email or DM me on Instagram at @FistBump.Podcast SHOP the AMAZON STORE to support  Thank you for sharing with friends the episodes!

I'm happy my guest @KristinBHodson is here to help us know how to best have sex talk with teens. No longer is it enough to have "the talk" just once, it should be an ongoing discussion with 1,000 1 minute conversations, Kristin says. Kristin runs a practice in Salt Lake City called @TheHealingGroup and is also a professor at the University of Utah. As often happens, I ended up falling into the therapy chair to discuss my experience on the topic, and Kristin weighs in.  I wrote a summary blog post with 20 questions to ask your teens, click on the link to grab those! You will surely walk away from this listen with your mind expanded. Support this podcast by shopping Amazon through our Amazon Store. Leave an iTunes review about your experience listening to any episode! SHARE this with your friends and discuss together. Join the community discussion over at @KristenDukeChats

This interview with Wendy about her son Erik coming out as gay is heartwarming. She helps me understand the difference between cisgender (new word for me!) and transgender. Listen and share with any mama warriors out there that could use some support. Check out our favorite family items and shop in our AMAZON store. I'd love if you left an iTunes review! Continue the weekly discussion over on Instagram at @KristenDukeChats Send Wendy a personal note of gratitude at @WendyvonSosen Sign up for the weekly Newsletter from KristenDuke.com here.  

Listen as Madeleine shares her story of manipulations and sexual abuse from a teen relationship.  She not only shares tips we can offer our kids to hopefully avoid the same, but also suggestions on how to help, including a specific type of trauma therapy.  If you're not already a part of the community on Instagram, follow the weekly topics at @KristenDukeChats You can find Madeleine on IG at @madeliene1 Tell her THANK YOU! Next time you shop Amazon, we'd love you to go through our link! Leave an iTunes review for a chance to win a Happy Box!!

Ruby Franke has 6 kids (3 teens) and I really loved our chat all about teens and dating! She is a very intentional mother, and she shares their family adventures on their YouTube channel and Instagram @8passengers.  They have been preparing their kids for dating since they were little, teaching personal accountability. Watch Ruby's Love story here: Love Story Read about my Love Story here: Love Story ***Print 27 Creative Teen date ideas on my website Other dating points we discussed in our chat: Kindness Shame Numbness Choosing variety Group dates Expectations 3 most important on the marriage list Please leave an iTunes review if you love this episode.  Join the weekly teen conversation at @KristenDukeChats on Instagram. A coordinating TEEN podcast similar to this one can be found on iTunes and Instagram at @FistBump.podcast Support this free podcast and visit our AMAZON STORE for our favorite family books, games, and more.

My guest Cassie from @Fit_Is_a_Journey shares with us how she struggled with body positivity since she was a teen, and how a dear friend help her out of a tough mental state.  She shares some tips for parents to watch out for, and how to help our teens find that beauty. 

In this episode, we learn some "do's & don'ts" of how to talk to our teens about what they are eating. Us parents are all well intentioned (that's why we're listening, right?) but sometimes we mess up, and I've asked Laura Solorzano to come chat with us about her eating disorder, and tips for parents to do better. You can find Laura at @Remarkable_now on Instagram and her website www.RemarkableNow.net Support this podcast by shopping our AMAZON STORE anytime! Join the weekly conversation at @KristenDukeChats Write an iTunes Review if you love this podcast, I'd be grateful!

My dad, Norman Hill, dissects the responsibility & independence continuum between parents and teens in this BONUS episode. It's important to know WHERE your teen lies on this scale, to best know how to parent and what they need most.  Visuals for this episode will be available on KristenDuke.com (on 1/17) with definitions as well, so make sure you reference that for visual details. Reach out to Norman via kristenduke@gmail.com Community discussion at @KristenDukeChats Instagram Please leave iTunes reviews if you haven't yet!

After I shared about the year of the teenager initiative, I had a handful of people say, “I just can’t get behind that, because I’m in a really hard place with my teen.” My heart hurt for them. One commenter said to me, “I love following along to what you share, but sometimes it makes me feel worse about myself.” That is the complete OPPOSITE of the feelings I want to invoke! There are so many variables to consider, and so many ways of doing things, but I did some research, and sharing what I pulled together from all of that. I tackle: eye rolling sibling rivalry punishments apologizing resentment test of wills teens+grades preserving glitter I referenced a few different articles I wanted to site: How to help teens weather their emotional storms When behavior problems traumatize siblings When kids say hurtful things As always, grateful for shares, iTunes reviews, and emails with extra thoughts! kristenduke@gmail.com @KristenDukeChats on Instagram  

Kicking off the first interview and episode of the new year talking about teens and stress. Excited to share ways that parents can help teens de-stress and better understand emotions. We also talk about the importance of SLEEP and how it can cause stress (lack of it). Speaking with Nicci Bontrager, a licensed professional counselor in this episode. She meets with clients in Austin, TX at Joyful Family Counseling and shares tips on her instagram: @JoyfulFamilyLife Listen to the tips she shares, and join the conversation with the community at @KristenDukeChats this week as we un-package STRESS. We are grateful for any iTunes reviews, too! If you have teens that would enjoy listening to the topic, have them find the Fist Bump Podcast with a corresponding episode on a similar topic comes out 2 days later, on Fridays. Nicci shares her thoughts with them on the topic, too.

I'm declaring 2020 The Year of the Teenager as we focus on tactics to strengthen the relationship with our teens. Listen to this short podcast episode that is a recording of the video I shared on Instagram. If you prefer to watch it, you can do that here:  We Were All TEENAGERS Once IGTV video As always, I appreciate any shares or podcast reviews!

Hi Friends! I've missed sharing episodes with you this month as I've taken a little time off to work on a few projects. ONE OF THEM I'll be sharing really soon (hopefully less than 2 weeks) and I chat about it in this surprise episode.  I figured I'd share a little brain dump with my loyal listeners, and ask for your feedback. So PLEASE email me {kristenduke@gmail.com} or reach out in a DM on Instagram {@KristenDukeChats} to share your thoughts. I talk about some mentoring I've started, and how to get on my free trial list, as well as sharing a little more about the AMAZON STORE.  Feedback always welcomed!

BONUS EPISODE!!! We are not all blessed with the same capabilities, work ethic is a lifelong skill, learning how to be a good sport whether you win or lose is a conversation we need to have with our kids! Kristi Haskins is my guest today sharing all the things, and I'm so happy to have her! Listen with your kids, discuss, it's a conversation that may not happen naturally, but by hearing these tips, will go more productively.  SUPPORT THIS PODCAST BY SHOPPING ANYTHING AMAZON THROUGH OUR AMAZON STORE LINK! We love iTunes reviews AND join us to chat on Instagram at @KristenDukeChats

Divorce is hard, and I'm grateful that Chari Pack was willing to come on and share the challenges of blending families, with her 3 teens! From curfews to phone rules, and with teens coming from different rules and expectations, she talks about merging and adjusting.  Find her on Instagram at @Chari.Pack and @PersnicketyPrints   Catch the highlights and extended discussion on divorce and co-parenting on my Instagram: @KristenDukeChats

Lynette from @ThrowbackParenting is a fabulous guest and we are talking all about letting control go as a parent of teenagers and taking on the Mentoring position.  This is season 3 of the 4 seasons of parenting she has broken down and I LOVE what she has to say!  Listen. Share. Implement.  Find her at www.lynnettesheppard.com as well as a few free courses on her website. She also has a podcast, THROWBACK PARENTING! On Instagram at @ThrowbackParenting as well.  

My friend Emily is just barely 17, already enrolled in college, has a few businesses under her belt, and guess what? Didn't graduated high school!  There are so many routes to get to a career destination, and Emily opened my eyes to other options. And so did the community this week on @KristenDukeChats on instagram where we talked about all different types of schooling.  It's ok to seek out alternative options!  You can find Emily a few places on Instagram: @TheSheJewels @EmilyLoderup @EmLoderupPhotography I hope you'll look her up! I'm also grateful to those who share this episode or any other episodes on Instagram or texting your friend that might enjoy it. Our AMAZON store shopping is a great way to support this podcast as well, so check out our favorites!

We ALL love our screen time, and I talk to Andrea from @BetterScreenTime all about how we could do things a little better. I got some great tips for MYSELF and we talked about how isolating screens can be, especially for teens, who over-consume.  Andrea shared a fabulous TEDxtalk from Adam Atler with me which I reference as well. We are chatting EXTRA about this topic this week on @KristenDukeChats instagram page. If you miss it, scroll through the highlight bubbles! PLEASE SHARE with your friends if you found this helpful! Consider leaving an iTunes review as well, I'd be so grateful;)

We've been talking about teens and dating all week on Instagram, you can catch a recap in the highlights under DATING. I've got my friend Kaylee on to chat with me today. She's in college now, and I've had the opportunity to know her since she was 15 and watch from the sidelines a bit as she navigated dating as a teen. You will surely love her as I do. SHARE this episode with friends if you found it helpful! SHOP the AMAZON STORE to help support this podcast (Any item on Amazon purchased through this link within 24 hours of clicking helps in a small way). We've got the store filled with our favorite family games, parenting books, and random other gadgets. Here is a video of my teens and I chatting about dating. Leave an iTunes REVIEW. Join us on INSTAGRAM! @KristenDukeChats

Is your Child Addicted to Pornography? Probably not. If you've found your teen has been seeking out pornography, it doesn't mean they are addicted. Free in 13 is a program meant to bridge the gap between preventative measures and pornography addiction. Very few teens are addicted and there is a stigma attached to the word "addict" that we don't want our teens to feel. There is so much information about how to prevent pornography exposure, but what to do if you've found your child is stuck in the trap? There is help! Look at www.Freein13.com as well as great information on their instagram @Freein13  We talked about the Children's book: Good Pictures, Bad Pictures The teen podcast Fist Bump (out 9/20) has some extra info about video gaming, isolation, and the connection with pornography use. Take a listen, and encourage your teens to as well and HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT! Please consider leaving an iTunes review if you enjoyed this episode! Visit us at @KristenDukeChats on Instagram where we've discussed this topic in many angles all week (look in highlight bubble if you missed it LIVE). Our Amazon Store has our parenting favorite things including several books on this topic.

My friend Jenny just graduated from high school and I'm so grateful she was willing to share her story from her sports injuries in high school.  She shares her highs, her lows, her frustration, and moments of depression. She shares how she treated her parents and what her parents did that was helpful. If you've got a teen that has had a heartbreaking injury, this may just help, and if not...plan for the future! Check out our AMAZON store for all of our favorites. SHARE this episode with those it may bless. Leave a REVIEW on iTunes to help us out!

My guest Kay from @AWorldwideSisterhood chats with me in this episode and offers some actionable steps about how we could improve our communication with our teens.  We exchange some funny stories about our imperfectness in parenthood, and how we are striving for great communication, but still working on it! Listen, share, and leave a review if you found it helpful! Our AMAZON store has my favorite parenting book that I mentioned: How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk. We are discussing communication all this week on Instagram @KristenDukeChats, so come be a part of the community!  

I'm so grateful to have Amber from @TeenTake30 on the podcast today, sharing how her family suffered from BULLYING, and the consequential move afterwards.  As parents, we are all TERRIFIED of it happening to our kids, but do we talk about it in such a way that we let them know we are on their side if it does? Do we give them tools to deal with it if it's happening? Have we talked about how to be an up-stander instead of a bystander? All of this is covered and more in this discussion, and I hope you'll listen and SHARE with your friends. We are discussing this in depth on instagram this week also at @KristenDukeChats. If you listen to this later, look for the discussion in the highlights.  Shop our AMAZON store for family fun activities and my favorite parenting books. As a reminder, we always love iTunes REVIEWS!!!

I'm so grateful to be able to share my oldest, Tyler, with all of you, and how he is READY TO LAUNCH, fly the coop, move out of the house, spread his wings. In this episode, we talk about where he is headed, what he learned to prepare him for this, and even why he quit social media years ago! My emotions are high, and you'll hear that come out in my intro, recorded just 2 days before my son heads out on his 2 year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  If you'd like to follow along on his mission journey, I'll be sharing updates on his Instagram, @Tyler_Duke which he said I can make public so others can see how he's serving. Sharing in the AMAZON STORE all of the items we got for his mission. If you'd like to listen to the interviews from my other kids, check out: Matthew, 16, Episode #39 Alyssa, 14, Episode #23 Cali,10, Episode #62  

Delighted to have my friend @BeckyProudfit chatting with me today about simplifying and not becoming an over scheduled family. I believe it's a goal for all of us, but DIFFICULT in PRACTICE! Becky is a light, and I love her actionable tips she shares. Make sure you join the conversation after listening over on my Instagram page: @KristenDukeChats and share your insights and perspective.  Check out our family favorites in our AMAZON STORE. Grateful for your iTunes Reviews! We'd love for you to SHARE this episode with a friend who would appreciate it as well. You can find information about past podcast episodes on the Beyond Good Intentions homepage (we mentioned episode #34 where I chatted with her podcast buddy Becky Higgins). You can share the version of this episode geared towards teens at the @FistBump.Podcast as well.

This phrase, "preserve the relationship" has been stuck in my mind for about a year, and I've been chatting about it here and there on Instagram at @kristendukechats, but after a comment from a member in our community last week, it really got me thinking, and I knew I needed to dedicate an episode all about this as we begin this journey to strengthen our teens. What does the word PRESERVE mean to you? In this episode, I talk about PRESERVING, and how it's a HOPEFUL message in parenting! I share about my search for similar meanings and how I came to a better understanding of what I can do in my parenting to preserve it not just for now, but for later as well. Please listen and share if you know others that would benefit from this discussion. Then join us on Instagram to further chat this week.  If you want to see what our family loves in our AMAZON store, that's another way you can support this podcast. 

I've been hinting at a new focus for the podcast, and it's here! This is a short introduction to how things are going to change, and WHY I felt so impressed to turn it to a new direction. There might be a few tears shed by myself as I explain how it all came to be. Thanks for being a part of this journey with me!

Hi friends! I'm back from my vacation and thoughts I'd just share a little brain dump of what's going on in my life. I'm in a little transitional phase with the podcast right now, and sharing some of those changes in this episode, along with some TEARS with behind the scenes thoughts on the goings on in my life.  Thanks for joining me in this journey and DM me on Instagram if you have thoughts about future topic ideas, who to interview, or responding to my thoughts I shared. @KristenDukeChats on IG or email me at kristenduke@gmail.com

This episode is very dear to my heart!  So much so that I am sharing a FREE e-book with the 13 points outlined, meant for discussion between parents and teens. In this podcast, I explore each point in depth with extra detail. Grab the e-book HERE: Teens and Social Media I also chatted about my AMAZON store in the episode: My favorite phone case and my daughters Air Pods. Grateful in advance for any shares of this episode, iTunes reviews, or just joining in the party on Instagram at @KristenDukeChats. 

Bonnie just birthed her NINTH child! I always love talking to people with big families, and it was a delight to hear her speak about her joyful chaos with 9 kids, ages 14 and under.  Check out our family favorites in our AMAZON STORE Thank you for the reviews, sharing episodes with your friends, and for joining in the community on Instagram at @KristenDukeChats!

I'm so very happy to share my interview with 16 year old Claire, who experiences mental illness. Her mom Cassidy is a dear friend from high school was my interview in episode #4, so listen to that if you haven't yet! Claire goes into detail about how she is happy to dispel the stigma that you don't talk about mental illness and I love her for that! She shares about some friends of hers wanting to go to therapy but their parents don't believe they are really struggling.  We talk about social media and her thoughts to parents who are hesitant to introduce social media to teens. LISTEN and SHARE with whomever will benefit.  PLEASE LEAVE AN iTunes review if you haven't yet and visit our Amazon store to help support this podcast.

Sarah loves teens as much as I do, and when I met her 6 months ago, I knew we were kindred spirits. She's right in the thick of things with her 3 teens + pre teen, just like me! She is a nurturer of teens, and it's clear when she shares that her teens friends come over for dinner, and confide in her. I love when she mentioned teens getting a bad rap, and how they deserve to be celebrated...YES! I thought... She shares home decor on her instagram @BlessedCrazyTXNest as well as ideas to throw parties for family and friends. So check that out for inspiration! To support this podcast, shop for anything you want on AMAZON by first clicking into our store of favorites.  Thanks for supporting this podcast through that as well as reviews, and shares when you love it!

Amber is a health coach at @Biceps.After.Babies and shares encouragement that you can choose to live a healthy lifestyle at any age. AND you don't have to sacrifice the foods you love either.  As part of Amber's business, she coaches people in macro counting and strength training, teaching that body confidence needs to start with loving ourselves, focusing on what we CAN do, and praising our efforts and our childrens. She and I also spoke on my teen podcast @FistBump.Podcast directly to my teen friends, so encourage your teens to listen!

Surviving childhood leukemia brought on a great deal of survivors guilt for Jamie. She felt like a disappointment, uncertain why she survived when she had known so many other cancer patients that she adored, who weren't so lucky. She was bullied in high school, felt angry towards her parents, and just didn't understand why she was so special to have survived. She speaks of her suicide attempts, wanting to quiet the voices in her head. As an adult, and coming through on the other side, she travels around teaching youth about the importance of talking to someone when they are in these dark places.  I was happy to hear her weigh in on Affirmations, because it's a HOT TOPIC right now. She spoke about the power behind the positive words we speak, when we start to believe them. Find Jamie at @SurvivingTheBubble on Instagram

Leigh is a therapist specializing in Women's health. In this episode, we talk a lot about self care as well as anxiety which plagues so many people young and adult alike.  She says, "Depletion is probably the largest pre cursor to depression and anxiety. Self Care is SO important!" When you're stressed, your body shuts down. Leigh introduced to me The Resiliency System: Self Awareness Self Compassion Self Talk--not all of your thoughts are accurate Self Care--having benevolent feelings about our bodies instead of frustration She shares about a program she is developing called Worrier to Warrior.  Leigh's Instagram: @TakeCareOfMom www.TakeCareOfMom.com   Books she mentioned: Brainstorm by Dan Seagull Antidote to Fear---TRUTH. We all have to search for those truths and those truths lead us to believe we can be resilience.  The 2 terrible thoughts: I'm not enough (the core of depression) Me or my loved one isn't going to be ok (anxiety) I do have what I need to thrive and get through hard things. Teach our kids: Be able to count on themselves to get through the hard things in life. Thats how we grow. What lifts shame is how when we talk about things, we can hear the irrational beliefs in them. To listen to Leigh share with our teen friends about this topic, head to episode #7  of the Fist Bump Podcast just for teens.

My friend Rachelle is a very intentional parent, right in the thick of things with a handful of teens and tweens. Her oldest is about to graduate high school (just like mine) and I was eating up all of the amazing ideas she shared about being service minded and teaching her teens to look outside of themselves.  Find the ideas Rachelle shares on Instagram or drop her a note of gratitude at @KnowingLivingLoving Books Rachelle Recommended: The Parenting Breakthrough  Love and Logic for Teens Hold Me Tight How to Win Friends and Influence People 5 Love Languages for Teens See our family favorites on our AMAZON store. Share this episode with your friends if you love it, or leave a review on iTunes!

My friend Leigh Anne is here to share her wisdom today not only about parenting adult children, but some fun stories and tips from when her kids were younger and into the teen years.  My favorite parts: Talking about waiting to be asked for advice Supporting their decisions no matter what The gift she gave her daugthers-in-law Family Traditions Making Family Dinners Make sure you check my AMAZON STORE with my favorite dresses and clothes this season. Find Leigh Anne on her Website: YourHomeBasedMom.com and Instagram @YourHomebasedMom Make sure you sign up for her newsletter to get her weekly meal plan!

My youngest child, Cali, is 10 today and we are talking all things TWEEN! She has wanted to be interviewed on the podcast for a while, and I thought her birthday was the best day for that. You may enjoy the mother daughter back and forth chat we had, and you'll especially get a giggle about half way through as we visit the topic of how exactly the sperm gets to the egg.  I chatted about Our recent Amazon purchases Join the conversation on Instagram today, too!

Mar'Lee contacted me after she heard last weeks podcast episode with Erin sharing about her runaway teen. She said this to me in an email, "I have had the impression I needed to do this for awhile, share my story.  Tell Erin thank you.  I was other is gone and I have always wondered how my mother felt.  I came home eventually, and found my faith, but that was a subject we NEVER talked about."   She felt like her story needed to be told, and she shares with me, with us, in this episode. I'm so grateful for her willingness to be brave and share, because I know it will bless others. Others who are grappling for a shred of hope.  Please hop on over to Instagram and tell Mar'Lee thank you for sharing. I know it will mean so much to her.  Podcast instagram: @KristenJoyDuke We're also grateful for any podcast reviews on iTunes!  CLICK HERE Hit "view in itunes" Open in iTunes Hit Ratings and Reviews Write a Review  

I got an email recently from Erin saying that she loved listening to the podcast, but hoped to hear more interviews from people that were going through struggles with their kids. In her message she says, "It is depressing sometimes to listen to a podcast that's amazingly positive when you're having a hard time." I've said it before and I'll say it again...contact me or nominate someone who has a story that others can hear! Most don't feel comfortable sharing a challenge when they are in it, so let me know! "I don't have very many answers but maybe even I can offer something to your listeners," Erin shared. In our chat, she shares about how she adopted two brothers as toddlers, and in raising them, it's been much more of a challenge than anticipated. Her oldest ran away from home as a teen, cut off contact with his parents, and moved from place to place, and she has very minimal contact with him now.  Her guiding scripture: "Be Still and Know that I am God." I need that reminder that I can sit and be with my own feelings and thoughts, I don't have to be doing something.   Today's sponsor is our AMAZON STORE with our family favorites  Games her family loves: Sleeping Queens // Cover Your Assets 

"Usually we think our communicating is with our words, but our non-verbal communication is so much more powerful." Alisa shared so many amazing tidbits of information in our chat, this has definitely become into one of my top 5 favorite interviews on the Beyond Good Intentions podcast. She is so knowledgeable on a topic that I'm striving for daily with my children. She is a researcher of CONNECTION, and she shares how we can be more connected with individual family members with 10 minutes a day of quality time, the sweet spot of connection. "Long enough to make it meaningful and short enough to make it do-able", she says. She came upon this concept years ago when chatting with a friend that asked, "How do I be a good parent in a nutshell?" She had to ask herself in her own parenting as she found real life practice didn't come as naturally as she thought, having all the research. She asked herself, "Where does the theory and research and real life converge?" The answer: Connection. The most important thing we can strive for as parents. >>>>Alisa made us an amazing printable to share, 100 ways to have 10 minutes together! You can download and see all of the ideas on my website, Connecting with our Kids in 10 Minutes a Day. Head on over to KristenDuke.com for the full show notes, with links to the parenting books we discussed, and the download of the 100 ways printable. Beyond Good Intentions Home Page @KristenJoyDuke on Instagram to come chat about this episode and ask more questions! Alisa is @10MinutesTogether on Instagram 

I'm delighted to share with you my chat with Reachel Bagley. We met 8 years ago at a park in Arizona, and haven't seen each other since, but we've interacted online, as she shares wardrobe strategies as she helps others clean out their closets and minds at @CardiganEmpire.  We talk about how she met her husband, adoption, surprise pregnancy, and how our job as parents is to create a safe environment for our children, as our children are pre-programmed with their own agenda. We also discussed the commitment of TIME for our children is so much more of a foundation than opportunities presented with money.  >>>Our episode this week is sponsored by Living Scriptures. A great online resource for streaming children's video and clean movies. Sign up for a month trial to see if it's for you! Reachel's favorite parenting books we discussed are: The Whole-Brain Child and Raising Human Beings 

Tawni is a long lost friend that I just discovered, and I'm so grateful I found her on instagram recently. We discuss our love of teenagers, and her podcast, Becoming for Teens, as well as her family life in this episode.  Tawni shares about her younger brother with special needs, and how he's captivated the hearts of the community. She also shares about how she met her husband, and parenting her 4 young children.  I titled this episode after something she said near the end, a hope for her children to Authentically Be Yourself.  >>>Our sponsor for this episode is AMAZON. Don't you just LOVE Amazon? I recently put together our family favorites from games to gadgets and gizmos, check out our favorites in my AMAZON STORE. When you purchase anything on Amazon within 24 hours of clicking that link, it sends a small percentage to me for being a referral. So THANK YOU for supporting this podcast.  Join us on Instagram @CapturingJoy.KristenDuke to discuss this and other episodes

I've got my big brother in the house, and you better believe we disect our childhood! You'll hear the stories of when we didn't get along, when we did, and how we've weathered the years as siblings. I look up to my brother Ryan a great deal, and am grateful he's willing to look past my shortcomings and sensitivities over the years.  We talked about groundings, over-reacting, electronics being a "comfort food", and seeing the positive in people. We referenced my podcast discussion with my dad, which you can find in EPISODE #6.  >>>This weeks sponsor is HomeAway. That is a link to the most recent home we rented. Our family LOVES to stay in homes when we travel, and even when we get together with extended family! Come continue the discussion over on Instagram! @CapturingJoy.KristenDuke is where you can find us.

"I don't care what my kids end up doing with their life, as long as they always feel that their place in our family is important." I'm so happy to share with you a chat with my dear friends Kelli and Kristi, twin sisters who grew up with 9 siblings, raising families of their own down the street from each other and within 3 miles of 7 of those siblings (one even next door to their parents)! We got tears flowing from each of them for various reasons throughout our chat, I love their willingness to be vulnerable and share their hearts in order to bless all of us. I met them through blogging 7 years ago, and I've been grateful for their friendship over the years, and they've got some parenting GOLD to share with you today!  HIGHLIGHTS: Teen fist fights, infertility, adoption, life threatening experiences, that's just the tip of the iceberg with todays episode. We spoke about them being a brat to their mom but now a best friend, the shame game, technology, the birds and the bee's, pornography, over-scheduling, we even talked about the wonderful community that social media can be if we let it.  When you listen, head on over to @CapturingJoy.KristenDuke and share your favorite part! Search #BeyondGoodIntentionsPodcast if you listen a week or more after it goes LIVE and look for the twins! >>>Our sponsor this week are my photography tutorials, Say NO to Auto and The Camera Academy. If you're into photography, and want to learn how to better use that fancy SLR camera, I'm here to help!  You can find my friends on their Instagram @LollyJaneBlog

The title of this episode stems from our chat about parenting AND social media. As a child, you want to feel heard by your parents, and of course as parents we want our kids to HEAR us! In social media, (and in parenting) we all need more connection and less isolation. Anna and I talk about all of this in our chat.  * Anna runs @KidsAreTheWorst which is a humor community of parents sharing, @ThingsAreTheWorst, and also shares media tips at @AnnaIsTheWorst  * >>>We talked about the e-book guides that she put together about media and cell phones, which they are great resources for parents. They are all about developing stronger, healthier relationships with the Internet and social media through guided discussions, information, and plans that everyone signs.  Get Smart: (Ages 3+)  Let's Talk: (Teens on social media)  CLICK HERE to read all about both books and purchase them.  * Lots of talk on technology! Our kids are saturated with screens.  Favorite parenting book (which is actually a business book): Never Split the Difference, by a man who is a crises negotiator, he shares how to talk to people so they can understand. Favorite Scripture: Perfect love casteth out fear Motto she loves: First it's hard, then it's easier, then it's fun. 4 Things she wants for her kids: Hard Worker Be Kind Respect your Body Close to God She expounds on this in our chat.  If you loved this, please consider leaving an iTunes review, listen to other episodes, and come chat about it at @CapturingJoy.KristenDuke where we discuss all episodes after they are LIVE.

Miranda has so many wonderful things to share, and she's excited about sharing, which I LOVE!  She's got a wonderful enthusiasm for life, and it comes through in our chat. The title of this episode is her trademarked slogan, and she is sharing tips on her website, podcast, and social media about living a minimalist lifestyle with LESS STUFF and MORE ADVENTURE! One of my favorite things that she said was towards the end, and you'll want to hear more of her explanation, but the gist is the importance of teaching our kids to feel fulfilled and success in everyday life, not just achieving big goals. SO MUCH WISDOM THERE! Listen as she chats about downsizing their home by half, and my lamenting on the stuff accumulation in my house. Serious goals! >>This post is brought to you by Budget Boot Camp. My husband and I started a budgeting adventure recently, and have been guided by these lessons by Jordan Page. After using a spreadsheet in the course, we cut some things out and are trying to save 30% of our income. Click the link to learn more! Come join the discussion from my chat with Miranda over on Instagram and share your favorite part of this episode: @CapturingJoy.KristenDuke Miranda on Instagram: @LiveFreeMiranda Live Free Creative Co (Miranda's site) The book Miranda mentioned: Ignore It Photo organizer: @Miss.Freddy Family game: UNO and Things