Growing Up With Kids :: A Funny Parenting Podcast

This Week's Episode:One-on-one dates with our younger kids can be a great time to be together and to teach them the mechanics of how to go on a date when they get to that stage of life. This week, Rachael breaks down a recent date she took with one of our kids, including what he learned, what she enjoyed, and how much farting there ended up being...Since we are talking about teaching our kids to date, the Stat of the Week is about how people use dating apps and which apps are most popular.Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

This Week's Episode:We are talking about toxic positivity again, but this time inside our marriages. We look at how passivity and "equanimity" (if we even use that word correctly) can make your spouse feel crazy.This conversation covers wives inviting their husbands to communicate their feelings in order to fight the  isolation, loneliness and feelings of confusion wives often feel. We encourage husbands to start from a place of legitimizing wives' feelings even if they aren't packaged right.On the lighter side, we also introduce horse and froggy and talk about how much baking soda is being used to fight smells in our house right now. The Stat of the Week is about stay-at-home-dad trends since the 1970s.Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

This Week's Episode:We are back! Again...After a longer-than-expected layoff, we are back to talk about toxic positivity in our parenting--how we sometimes rush over our kids' feelings in an attempt to make them "feel better." If we are being honest, it is often about us wanting to feel better without really acknowledging our kids' hurt / pain / disappointment / fear and just sitting with them in it.We also talk about how David remains an idiot in countless ways, and why he needs to trim his eyebrow(s).The Stat of the Week is about how much less time married parents are spending together...alone.Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

This Week's Episode:After a couple months off we are back to talk about how mom's can focus on being the mom they want to be, not the mom they think they are supposed to be.Our discussion is inspired by "Yes Day," and the way that moms and dads can often see and think about parenting differently. We might have different eyes, and often mom's feel more pressure (internally and externally) to "do everything in parenting right."It is important to be grounded in order to feel freedom to enjoy time with our kids. We all feel judged and guilty, no matter how disciplined or loose we are as parents. So, how do moms and dads work together to find more freedom, enjoyment, and connection with their kids?The Stat of the Week is about the pandemic's impact on young adults living with their parents.Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.This Week's Episode:We come back to the issue of parenting guilt every few months...I guess because it is front of mind (and heart) for us. Maybe you can relate.This week we are unpacking why we shouldn't feel so much guilt about how our kids spend their time during the summer. We remind ourselves about a few things:The summer doesn't have to be perfect.We don't have to curate a world of perfect adventures.It is ok--no, it is good--for our kids to be bored.It is normal to want space from our kids sometimes. They don't need a 24-hour a day cruise director.We should stop emotionally beating ourselves up over all of this.The Stat of the Week is about the "changes" in how teens spend their time during the summer. 

Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.This Week's Episode:Full of practical tips for making the most (and easiest) of summer activities--be it the pool, beach, hiking or whatever. [Bonus: David gets angry about bad, one-dimensional parenting advice on social media.)The Stat of the Week is also pool-inspired and covers some swimming statistics like how many 18-29 year old Americans own a hot tub or pool and what percentage of people pee in the pool (it's higher than it should be and probably lower than it actually is)!We mention a lot of different items in this episode. Here are links to a few of our favorites:Speedo mesh bagsTurkish beach towelWet dry bagSunscreens:  Blue Lizard spray and lotionSmall first aid kitBeach cup holderYeti CoozieYeti Hopper coolerLarge Ziploc containersMom bagsScout beach bagScout Rocket Pocket bagBOGG bag

This Week's Episode:Have you ever felt like you just can't be enough...enough at work, enough at home, enough in your marriage, enough with your kids, enough in your friendships???Of course you have...we all have.This week we are lamenting a little, encouraging each other a lot, and hopefully providing some home and encouragement for you too!The Stat of the Week is about the potential pandemic-induced Baby Bust and how many kids mothers are having these days versus the past).Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

This Week's Episode:We are reminding ourselves how to interact with our kids when they are being surly--no matter what age.Be emotionally engaged, but appropriately distanced.Don't expect our kids to be adults.Use humor (wisely).Listen with true curiosity.Communicate clearly.Catch your kids doing "good" things, and provide descriptive, specific praise.The Stat of the Week is inspired by our sadness about Bill & Melinda Gates' divorce announcement and is all about divorce statistics.Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.Also, you can follow us on:Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcastFacebook: @growingupwithkidspodcastTwitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

This Week's Episode:Maybe you and your spouse have never fought. But, we have. So, we are dissecting some of our recent ones--how they look, how each of us reacts, what we do to resolve them. And, we take a trip down memory lane to diagnose in which ways we have improved at fighting.This episode will make you laugh at us, but hopefully it will also encourage you that your fights are normal. Not only that, fighting gives the opportunity for reconciliation and for use to teach our kids about unconditional love.The Stat of the Week covers the fears of returning to normal that many people have as the pandemic (hopefully) winds down. But, don't fear; our brains will adapt back to post-pandemic life.Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.Also, you can follow us on:Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcastFacebook: @growingupwithkidspodcastTwitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

This Week's Episode:We are talking about the benefits of old technologies (e.g., newspapers, answering machines and record players), as well as the positives of modern technology. This is not an episode just griping about "kids these days," but is a discussion related to how we mix the modern and the slightly less modern to find good balance and set our kids up well to succeed in relationships and life.The Stat of the Week is an interesting study on why older people complain about how younger generations are lacking today. Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.Also, you can follow us on:Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcastFacebook: @growingupwithkidspodcastTwitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

This Week's Episode:This week we are sharing some of our losses, some sweet moments with our kids, and some thoughts on the challenges of certain ages--specifically age 4. Kids are growing in independence, but still so very needy. They can be stubborn (can't we all). And, they want to do things on their own and that can...Take. So. Much. Time.The Stat of the Week is about the the ages when children are the most difficult. Is it age 4 or age 4 or age 8? [Spoiler: We think it is age 4.]Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.Also, you can follow us on:Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcastFacebook: @growingupwithkidspodcastTwitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

This Week's EpisodeIt's Spring Break, so we are bringing back one of our most popular episodes. It was recorded pre-pandemic, so keep that in mind as you listen...________________________________________________________________________Enjoying your spouse seems like an obvious thing to do, but it isn't always as easy as we'd think or like. This week we cover 6.5 ideas on how to increase your level of "likitude" with your spouse. Here's a quick preview:      1. Carve out time together.      2. Being seen & heard.      3. Be curious and genuinely interested in activities your spouse prefers (that you don't).      4. Have a "mutual" sense of humor.      5. Recognize & respect different needs for interaction & introversion.      6. Get out of your normal context.      7. Seek out friends who see (and remind you of) the good in your spouse.The Stat of the Week is about leisure time activities and time spent caring for children from the American Time Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.Also, you can follow us on:Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcastFacebook: @growingupwithkidspodcastTwitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

This Week's Episode:We are planning on a more active summer and fall--God willing--so we are refreshing our family mission statement to make sure we stay aligned amidst the busyness.This can be a fun and relatively easy way to provide our family with direction, see and name our kids' strengths, and celebrate both the communal (our family) and the individual (each child). A mission statement helps our kids feel like they are part of something, and it communicates that "this is what it means to be part of this family."A few things to keep in mind: You don't have to be perfect (like the von Trapps).Keep it simple. Don't follow our example; we tend to overcomplicate things like this.Make it fun. (We added a campfire and S'mores.)Involve the kids.Ask them to name the good and the bad--there are no bad answers.Don't be offended when they do talk about the bad. What an awesome opportunity to hear them and love them.Plus, a few funny stories about David's awkward interaction with a stick and how dogs mark their territory (unfortunately, in our rugs sometimes).The Stat of the Week is about the pandemic's Baby Bust.Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.Also, you can follow us on:Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcastFacebook: @growingupwithkidspodcastTwitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

This Week's Episode:The babysitters here!After covering a few funny stories about babysitter quirks we experienced over the years, we discuss a few pointers on finding babysitters and setting your kids up for success: prioritizing dates when you have small kids, finding great babysitters through referrals, setting clear expectations, informing the sitter of any individual kids' quirks, and the power and joy of loosening boundaries.The Stat of the Week covers the average cost of a babysitter (in 2021, 2020 and 2019).Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.Also, you can follow us on:Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcastFacebook: @growingupwithkidspodcastTwitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

Action Item: Put courage into someone you love and who trusts you. Go tell them they are doing a great job as a parent and/or spouse during a very difficult time.Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.Also, you can follow us on:Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcastFacebook: @growingupwithkidspodcastTwitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUpThis Week's Episode:Nearly half of the people you walk by on any given day during the pandemic is wrestling with anxiety and/or depressive disorder. You may relate. At times, we certainly can. We have been feeling an increase in anxiety over the past few weeks. There is light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, but there are still many challenges at work, in our homes, with our kids' school that have not yet returned to normal. This is creating increased levels of anxiety and guilt, which we unpack in this week's shorter-than-normal episode.The Stat of the Week is about the pandemic's impact on anxiety among adolescents and adults. Rachael also rails on a movie we haven't even watched yet.

Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.Also, you can follow us on:Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcastFacebook: @growingupwithkidspodcastTwitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUpThis Week's Episode:"Forgiveness is not being weak—it takes strength and courage to forgive." - How To Teach Kids Forgiveness SkillsThe benefits of practicing and giving forgiveness:"The forgiveness group showed improved psychological and behavioral adjustment. The forgiveness group showed improved academic performance. Participants in the forgiveness group reported significant decreases in anger, hostile attribution, aggression, and delinquency at post-test and follow-up; they also reported significant increases in empathy at post-test and follow-up and grades at post-test." - Journal of Applied Developmental PsychologyForgiveness As an Educational Goal With At-Risk AdolescentsForgiveness Education for Fourth Grade Students in TurkeyHow do we teach forgiveness skills to our kids?Model it: We practice forgiving our spouses, our friends, and them.Ask for it: Teach how to ask for forgiveness.Have patience: Don’t rush your child to forgive.Seek justice: Forgiving someone is not the same as saying what happened was ok or didn’t matter or just forgetting abou it.Teach empathy: Seeing the other side and understanding another person. Recognizing everyone’s sense of worth and inherent value.Give freedom: Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. You can forgive, but also not want to be friends. There are natural consequences to hurting someone.Share examples: Call out examples of forgiveness in books and movies.Teach self-forgiveness: We need to help them avoid shame and blame and guilt.The Stat of the Week covers the negative impact of the pandemic on people's sleep.

Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.Also, you can follow us on:Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcastFacebook: @growingupwithkidspodcastTwitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUpThis Week's Episode:It has been an unusual (to say the least) year. It can help to take a step back and review with your spouse, partner or a friend where you are at, how your kids are doing, and what each of your kids need from you right now. It's like a performance review but with no judgement, tons of encouragement, and hopefully a little fun. (There might be "rewards"!!)Why are we doing this? Three reasons to start:Slow Down & Remind Ourselves: We are busy. We feel overwhelmed. We can forget what we are really doing here.Go Team!: This is an opportunity to be seen by our partner and for us to see them, so we can connect and be on the same page.Encourage & Energize Ourselves: We remember the “losses” but not the “wins.” Leads to discouragement and despair. This is a chance to be reminded about what is going well and how we can courageously step into the challenges in front of us (and our kids).This episode has some ideas on how to structure this time and how to make sure it is productive and life-giving.The Stat of the Week is about one thing that can help kids deal with stress. You may already have one of these laying around your house (or running around it).

Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to rate and review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.Also, you can follow us on:Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcastFacebook: @growingupwithkidspodcastTwitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUpThis Week's Episode:We lose it a few times over a bucket of chicken and the few French words we know.Also, we dive into how we are wrestling with the guilt of virtual school, working, keeping homes afloat, all the while living through a pandemic. It can be hard, so don't go it alone out there.Do not be discouraged. You are up for the challenge. You do not need to feel guilty. You and your partner can walk through this together. And, we are glad to offer a little encouragement, wisdom, and humor for the walk.The Stat of the Week is about differences in empathy between men and women. Check out the original source material: Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child.

Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to rate and review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.Also, you can follow us on:Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcastFacebook: @growingupwithkidspodcastTwitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUpThis Week's Episode:Often what our kids are feeling or conflict arising in our marriages are being driven by feelings, thoughts, and identities that we aren't even consciously aware of. This week we delve into how our underlying identities--as a good dad, an impressive cook, a good host, etc.--can rear their heads and cause conflict.The good news it that this is an opportunity to pursue our spouses, partners, and kids. We can take a step back and separate ourselves from the moment to get some perspective. We can ask good, genuine questions. We can know our loved ones and help them achieve greater self-knowledge as well.Join us on this exciting path towards intimacy, love, and mutual acceptance.The Stat of the Week is a survey of college students and their parents related to when one becomes an adult, and what are the attributes that "prove" one is actually an adult.

None of us would say we are shooting for perfection. However, the way we feel and act sometimes indicates we do actually expect ourselves to be perfect. We all feel pangs of guilt and shame, second guess ourselves, and beat our selves up for failures (small and large).Offer yourself grace--it is best for you, your spouse / partner, and for your children. When we mess up, we can offer ourselves forgiveness. And, if appropriate, we can ask our kids for forgiveness.We need to fight the urge to compare ourselves to other parents. (See episode #053 for a deeper dive on this topic.)Avoid people pleasing.Presence, not perfection.Intentionality, not perfection. Do the work on the front-end so we have the humility and wisdom on the back-end.Surround yourself with the right voices. Not people who shame us, but those who encourage us and make us better. The Stat of the Week is from an academic analysis of the economy of Harry Potter's world. We talk about currency (i.e., gold Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts), new business creation (or lack thereof), and government regulation. Other topics covered include moist vs. damp cake, migraine medicine commercials, and parenting resources.Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to rate and review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.Also, you can follow us on:Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcastFacebook: @growingupwithkidspodcastTwitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

We are talking about the words and heart around how to make sure both wives and husbands are getting a chance to really enjoy their kids (because our kids need to feel enjoyed). It's a common theme -- but not true in every marriage and family -- that mom's do more than their fair share of the chores and "work" of parenting and dads swoop in and get to be Mr. Sunshine. So, how do husbands set their wives up to be Mrs. Sunshine? How can she be put in position to enjoy fun and connection with the kids without guilt and without having to worry about what else isn't getting done?This is an ongoing marriage conversation that husbands should proactively pursue. Good questions for husbands to ask their wives: Is the way our house is running working for you? Are there specific things you need me to help with?Wives should be welcome and encouraged to communicate what they need. Follow Rachael's lead and say, "I want to be Mrs. Sunshine!" [19:15]A few practical ideas for making this happen:Scheduling and planning dates for your wife and one kid at a time to take so they can connect one-on-one.Freeing her up to just play games (or in our case video games) with the kids.Taking care of certain chores so she doesn't have to worry about them and can focus on being engaged with the kids.This week's Stat of the Week is about the indie classic, Little Miss Sunshine. And, David totally mishears Rachael when she says $1 million (not $100 million).Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to rate and review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.Also, you can follow us on:Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcastFacebook: @growingupwithkidspodcastTwitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

Parenting can be stressful, and we can all lose our temper. And, yelling can be hurtful for our kids. So, how do we manage our feelings and care for our children well (knowing we are going to mess up sometime).This episode is an encouragement for each of us to love our children with gentleness as best we can AND to seek reconciliation when we fail (which we all do).The Stat of the Week has too long a name (The Forgiving Family: Effects of a Parent-led Forgiveness Program on Mental and Relational Health), but it is a wonderful reminder that when we teach our kids important things we are actually the ones who learn and grow. For more science, here is the article on yelling (that is, "parental harsh verbal discipline") that inspired this episode.Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to rate and review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.Also, you can follow us on:Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcastFacebook: @growingupwithkidspodcastTwitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

As always, thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you do please take a moment to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts. And, share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.____________________________________________________________Being curious is an important life skill. It can help our kids achieve more. It can make them happier. It is can be a gift they offer the people they care about in their lives.A few practical ideas to help our kids be curious.Be humble.Model curiosity in life.Mode curiosity by asking our children lots of open-ended questions. For more on this listen to our episode #48: The Power of Curiosity.Follow their interests.Have your kids practice forming opinions and points of view.Ask them to teach us something because teaching helps them gain mastery.The Stat of the Week is about the NASA Mars rover, Curiosity.A few resources mentioned in the episode:Greater Good Magazine (UC Berkeley): Six Surprising Benefits of CuriosityHow to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-HaimsPrepared: What Kids Need for a Fulfilled Life by Diane Tavenner"A good teacher inspires, captivates, and gets kids to think by sharing profound knowledge and perfectly crafted questions..."Harvard Business Review: The Business Case for Curiosity“Tenelle Porter, a postdoctoral scholar in psychology at the University of California, Davis, describes intellectual humility as the ability to acknowledge that what we know is sharply limited. As her research demonstrates, higher levels of intellectual humility are associated with a greater willingness to consider views other than our own. People with more intellectual humility also do better in school and at work. Why? When we accept that our own knowledge is finite, we are more apt to see that the world is always changing and that the future will diverge from the present. By embracing this insight, leaders and employees can begin to recognize the power of exploration.”Turnaround for Kids: Building Blocks for Learning: Curiosity, Self-direction & Purpose

**Use discretion when and where you listen to this episode. This is a frank discussion about sex and may not be appropriate to listen to with your children. We also use one swear word.**We are having the sex talk. Or more accurately, we are discussing the many body, sex, and relationship talks you get to have with your kids throughout their childhoods. Here are a few key points:Early and often: Even at an early age, your kids are curious about their bodies and where babies come from. These are opportunities to start having these (low stakes) conversations. Instead of one, big talk (too much pressure!), having lots of little conversations along the way will establish you as the trusted resource on sensitive topics about your kids' bodies, feelings, puberty, relationships, etc.Utilize resources: Don't do this alone. Use the resources out there to help with these conversations. Many books out there are perfect to read with your child, so you don't have to have the perfect words or all the information. Here are a few resources we've used, but there are many more out there that you may find helpful:God Made All of MeUnashamedHonest Talk7 Lessons to Introduce Your Child to Biblical SexualityTrue North Freedom ProjectWill Puberty Last My Whole LifeKey messages to reinforce: Al along, we want to make sure we are telling our kids important truths about themselves:Their bodies are good and beautiful and just as they should be.There are no dumb questions, and they can come to us with anythingEverything they are going through is normal.Puberty, in particular, may seem hard, but they are up for it and it will not last forever.The Stat of the Week is about trends in sexual activity among teenagers (15-19 years old) from the CDC. Also, we have a little too much fun celebrating the end of our arch nemesis, Caillou. Some of the best headlines:'We did it!' Relieved parents react tot he cancellation of PBS' "Caillou"'Caillou' Canceled by PBS & Parents Couldn't Be HappierCaillou is cancelled and parents are rejoicing: 'That bald headed little terror can no longer brainwash kids'Thank you so much for listening! As always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

Happy New Year! While 2020 is over, many of us are still struggling with loneliness caused (or made worse) by a global pandemic. Even in the best of times, parenting can be isolating.So, we are talking about the value and benefits of intentional pursuit of friendships with a handful of people you respect, care for, and want to more deeply engage with. We process the requirement to take initiative, the fear of rejection, the guilt we may feel (but don't need to feel), and how to start with just a few small steps. Plus some thoughts on how to model healthy friendships for our kids.The Stat of the Week is about the impact of sleep on interpersonal connection and the importance of relationships of our long-term health and happiness.Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to rate and review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

December and especially school break can be stressful. Here are a few ideas to avoid the worst of it and come out on the other side alive and thriving!Get on the same team: Communicate early and often. Make sure to share the load! (That means if your spouse does the bulk of the Christmas work--presents, planning, food, etc.--lean in and pursue being helpful and being with her or him.Carve out time: Make sure you and your spouse block out time for the things you want to do--together, with each other, and all alone. (Don't feel guilty that you need some alone time. And, help your spouse get some too.)Have some goals: Do something productive. Or do something fun and productive.Don't shoot for perfect: This one is self-explanatory, but so hard to actually do. Offer yourself some grace!A special thank you to our Australian listeners. In your honor, we have a Stat of the Week all about Christmas spending in Australia! Enjoy (no matter where you listen from.)As always, thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you do please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

This episode is about how to get on the same team as parents.***But first, a warning: This episode includes a lot of male body part innuendo (inspired by the "Schweddy Balls" SNL Skit ("NPR's Delicious Dish"). So, take care and maybe don't listen to this episode with your kids in the car.***We look at how to handle three different points of disagreement that can show up in your marriage and your parenting.Foundational issues: How do you engage when you disagree on the "big rocks" on how you want to live your lives and raise your family?Mapping issues: What are some ways to work together towards agreement and teamwork when you both know and agree on what you want, but have disagreements on the best way to get there?In the moment: How do you discuss disagreements in how one of you is parenting or interacting with the kids at any moment?Hint: The first step in all three of these situations is humility, humility, and more humility.We finish up with a holiday candy-themed Stat of the Week. Can you guess all 10 of the most popular holiday candies?As always, thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you do please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

The third and final week in a series about discipline. We discuss ideas for leading our "older kids" (from mid-elementary to middle school) through coaching, imploring, and responsibility.Coaching: As our children age, we move from more of a focus on keeping rules towards having the discernment to figure out what is right. "We parents are in the adult-making business after all...” - Ron LieberImploring: Earnestly showing our children what is right and good, and vulnerably engaging with their and our emotions along the way. Teaching them what we want for them and what we want and expect from them.Responsibility: Offering the dignity of giving our kids responsibility for their growth and development.During this series, we focus on the heart of discipline, but here are some practical resources for the "how to's" of disciplining your children lovingly: "Don't Make Me Count to Three" by Hubbard"Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus" by Fitzpatrick and Thompson"1-2-3 Magic: Gentle 3 step Child & Toddler Discipline for Calm, Effective, and Happy Parenting" by Phelanhttps://connectedfamilies.org"Parenting with Love and Logic" by Cline and Fay"Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids" by Hunter Clark-FieldsPlus, a Christmas Tree-related Stat of the Week. By the way, if this time of year gets you down sometimes, you may be encouraged by listening to two podcasts we recorded last year about how Christmas can make us sad from time-to-time:Christmas Makes Mommy Sad - Part 1 (#016)Christmas Makes Mommy Sad - Part 2 (#017)As always, thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you do please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

This is our second week in a series about discipline. We take on the early years (say, under 8) and focus on three words that describe how to think about the challenge of leading and teaching our young children: trust, ordinary, and extraordinary.Trust: In the early years, it is so important to build trust with our children. They need to hear the straight truth from us. They need to know we are the authority, that we love them, and they can trust we will direct them well (as well as we can).Ordinary: Discipline is not an event, it is an ongoing, everyday, ordinary thing. This takes the pressure off to do it right because there is always a chance later today to encourage, implore, and teach your children. Also, remember that discipline involves correction, but it also includes the encouragement of the positives your kids are doing. Extraordinary: In the ordinary, we can do the work of non-common actions that will make all the difference. These are:Wasted time.Gentle, positive physical touch.Clear directions and acknowledging their feelings. Long-term goal: developing an internal compass.Re-dress your child. Let them know they were made for more!During this series, we focus on the heart of discipline, but here are some practical resources for the "how to's" of disciplining your children lovingly: "Don't Make Me Count to Three" by Hubbard"Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus" by Fitzpatrick and Thompson"1-2-3 Magic: Gentle 3 step Child & Toddler Discipline for Calm, Effective, and Happy Parenting" by Phelanhttps://connectedfamilies.org"Parenting with Love and Logic" by Cline and Fay"Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids" by Hunter Clark-FieldsThe Stat of the Week is all Thanksgiving travel, dinner, and turkeys.Sorry, we have some mic issues this week so the sound is a little softer than usual.As always, thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you do please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

This week we are taking on discipline. A tough, and expansive, topic. We can't cover it all, so we take a look at four words that help frame how we can approach disciplining our children well: intentionality, heart-focused, restoration, and love. Come for the wisdom; stay for the Dumb and Dumber quotes.Intentionality: Thinking ahead, not just responding to our kids' behavior in the moment. Also, a wonderful opportunity to process and plan together with your spouse (i.e., be on the same team together).Heart-focused: Developing values in our children's hearts for the long-term, not just trying to modify their behavior in the moment.Restoration: Ensuring our child knows that they are loved even when they have done something wrong or have experienced the consequences of discipline. They are safe, they are home, they are loved. (Important related note: Sometimes we have to seek restoration because we have wronged them. They benefit from seeing us own our mistakes, asking for forgiveness from them, and seeking restoration of the relationship.) Love: Preparing them for the ups and down of life by gently and lovingly coaching, teaching, directing, and discipling our kids. During this podcast episode, we focus on the heart of discipline, but here are some practical resources for the "how to's" of disciplining your children lovingly: "Don't Make Me Count to Three" by Hubbard"Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus" by Fitzpatrick and Thompson"1-2-3 Magic: Gentle 3 step Child & Toddler Discipline for Calm, Effective, and Happy Parenting" by Phelanhttps://connectedfamilies.org"Parenting with Love and Logic" by Cline and Fay"Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids" by Hunter Clark-FieldsThe Stat of the Week is a quick one about social media usage. "Live a big life, Buddy!"As always, thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you do please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

We all know that boundaries are good, but sometimes it is so hard to discern the right boundaries to have with our children. Today we reminder ourselves about the benefits of healthy boundaries, and how they can benefit our kids (today and when they are adults).All of this comes back to how we can love our kids the best, even when it is hard in the moment.The Stat of the Week is about physical boundaries (between countries).As always, thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you do please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

It's been a stressful time, and we have been fighting slightly more than usual. So, it seems like a good time to talk about how our fights can be opportunities to model healthy and loving conflict with our children.The Stat of the Week covers how frequently babies negatively impact "couple satisfaction" (temporarily).As always, thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you do please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

We want our children to understand the natural consequences of their actions on other people so they can grow up to be caring and independent adults. We want them to be generous towards others and be able to advocate for themselves. We want them to be able to make healthy boundaries and to see how they impact others (positively and negatively).This week we are talking about how we can guide and train our kids to know that there are natural consequences to the ways they treat others we offer some thoughts on how to do this well:Listening for opportunities to guide Interactions (especially in the younger years).Allowing kids to make their own choices, and explaining how that may be perceived so they can make the right choices for them.Verbalizing potential natural consequences so kids can learn to make their own value judgements on which way to go. Expressing how we feel in our relationships so navigating one’s feelings is modeled.The Stat of the Week is a about long-term and long-distance relationships.As always, thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you do please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

Developing grit and perseverance as a child will help produce self-confident adults who can face challenges, overcome suffering and setbacks, and keep moving forward. On this episode we talk about having a growth mindset for ourselves and our kids, being supportive AND having high expectations, being with our kids to teach them how to do hard things, The Stat of the Week reviews various research studies about grit in students. And, we finish with a quote from Angela Duckworth's Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance [emphasis added]."Regardless of gender, ethnicity, social class, or parents' marital status, teens with warm, respectful, and demanding parents earned higher grades in school, were more self-reliant, suffered from less anxiety and depression, and were less likely to engage in delinquent behavior."As always, thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you do please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

"You are over the line!"We all remember agitating our siblings when we were kids (and maybe even now that we are adults). And, all us parents see our kids needling and agitating their sister(s) and brother(s). Our natural inclination is to shut down whatever behavior is creating the strife (and annoying or embarrassing us). However, the best way forward is to help our kids explore what's going in their hearts both when they are being agitated and when they are the agitator.In this episode we touch on:Power dynamics between siblings: Be aware of them and address them directly.Helping our kids to have grit and to understand that life isn't fair (without being dismissive of their feelings).80's mom perms (for some reason).The difference between our kids being a peacemaker and being a peacekeeper. Proverbs 12:20: Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy.Seeking the good of those around us.Also, David butcher's the quote from Dr. Wayne Dyer, "When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind."The Stat of the Week is about washing machines... Portable ones, dual wash ones and extremely expensive ones...As always, thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you do please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

Our family had a big birthday this weekend, and so we planned on telling you all how you could do a better job of celebrating your children.Well...We didn't do as good a job as we thought we would. That's ok. Sometimes our plans don't go as planned. So, we unpack what did work and what could have been better. Come along and join us in a discussion about how to celebrate your kids well and how to engage with your kids when they are disappointed with their celebration. There is opportunity to love our kids well even when things don't go perfectly.The Stat of the Week includes a handful of fun birthday facts, including the location of the largest birthday cake ever!Thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you do please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation.

We are a little discouraged right now. So, we thought we would share with you in hopes of encouraging you (at least a little). If COVID continues to be hard for you and your family, please know that you are not alone.It is hard to find space right now. It is hard to offer what your kids need in the midst of a pandemic and virtual schooling and less interaction with their friends than they are used to (and need). Be encouraged! You are not alone and this will not last forever...The Stat of the Week is about young adults living at home during COVID. We have no space so why should older parents. ;)Thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you do please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation.

Sharing your true feelings--even the negative ones--is a gift to your spouse. True intimacy is built on both the positive and the negative things we think and feel.This week we tackle how it is important to enter into our spouse's negative emotions in order to know them, to understand them, and to make them feel seen and heard. Otherwise, we negate their feelings, we isolate them and ourselves, and we don't get the intimacy we so deeply crave.A few pointers to help you:Be in your partner's cornerEvaluate and be aware of what you are feeling and why your partner's anger may threaten or scare you.Ask lots and lots of questions, and really listen to the answers.Have a reasonable conversation with lots of listening and receive the gift of anger from your spouse, which produces intimacy.Stat of the Week about the two types of popularity and how they differ. (Side note: There is always a corresponding show tune.)As always, thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you do please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh.

There are many stages of parenthood that feel like they will never end, especially when our children are young. Two examples: sleep training and potty training.This episode we talk about how to take a long view, to not be discouraged, and we remind each other that every child is different. Don't be dismayed if your child takes longer to sleep through the night than your friend's infant. (Did you know more than a fourth of babies are not sleeping 6 hours straight when they are 12 months old? It is common to struggle with sleep training). And, don't be surprised when your kids have very different timelines for these types of milestones: sleeping through the night, potty training, riding a bike without training wheels, etc.The Stat of the Week comes from Harvard Medical School. We aren't familiar with it, but apparently it is a decent university.We also talk about a few other random things:David's new favorite play that is also a movie, free on YouTube with poorly-timed commercials.Bad TJ Maxx commercials.And our recent episode about avoiding the comparison trap with other parents.As always, thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you do please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

What is the truth about screen time? Who knows. There is no shortage of people telling you about the intense dangers of screen time. There is so much drama and stress for parents around this topic, starting when we are brand new parents.It doesn't have to be this hard. Don't get bogged down in all the rules. You don't have to live up to someone else's standard nor do you need to impose your standard on any other parent.Instead, focus on being thoughtful about your kids' screen time and intentional about when they do and don't have screen time. Too much screen time is not good, so use it as a tool to train your child to have self-control and wisdom around how much is appropriate and how much is too much. And, engage with what your child is watching in order to connect with them and develop other interpersonal skills (e.g., critical thinking, problem solving, conflict resolution, etc.).As always, have empathy for the other parents in your life. Be patient and kind towards them (and towards yourself).The Stat of the Week about how much time we spend on media (via Zenith Media).A few other items that come up during the episode:The beauty of The Jetsons theme song.A great book about how to reduce your dependence on screens and smart devices: indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life by Nir EyalScreen time can also be educational in the right doses. (Note: We haven't played the games listed in this article, so proceed with care and wisdom.)Thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode. Please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

Not sure about you, but we are constantly tempted to compare ourselves to others (and to each other, if we are being honest). And, it is no good for us.Comparison is the thief of joy. Comparison is a driver of self righteousness or self loathing.Instead of all of that, we want to pursue being comfortable with our full humanity: our strengths, our weaknesses, our limitations, our gifting. And, we want to teach our children to do the same.Rachael also finds encouragement for us and our kids to live generously in The Message translation of Matthew 5. ("No more tit-for-tat stuff.")The Stat of the Week is about maybe the most compared thing among parents of young children: screen time (from a study by the Pew Research Center).Thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode. Please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

We were inspired by a TED Talk from Shawn Achor ("The Happy Secret to Better Work") about how happiness makes us more productive and we (even more than our circumstances) have the power to enable and enlarge our happiness / joy. It is a short, fast-moving, and funny talk. Worth the 12.5 minutes.On this episode we talk about why it is important to be with our children in their challenges, how we can help them discern suffering from mere inconveniences, and some practices to develop happiness in ourselves and in our children:Intentional gratitudePositive self thought (and true humility)Savoring positive experiencesSmall acts of kindnessWe also talk about the research and writings of Sonja Lyubomirsky of University of California, Riverside.The Stat of the Week is from an infographic on The Science Behind A Happy Relationship. Man, I hope we pass...Thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode. Please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

The school year is upon us, but it is like none other. We are facing remote learning for at least two months where we live. So, we spend some time talking about how to make the most of this season of learning for (and with) our kids.It may not be easy, but we can make the most of it by doing the following:Making a schedule with our kids each day and starting off strong with a family morning meeting.Communicating early and often with our kids' teachers (just as if they were in the classroom everyday). And, offering teachers encouragement, kindness, and generosity of spirit.Creating a "learning pod." (Or not, if it is more work than it is worth. You do you.)Taking a long-term view.Having grace for ourselves and our spouse and our kids.A few resources we found useful from Duke University, Harvard's Imagining September report, Google classroom, and Family Education.David also steals a joke from Homestar Runner's Strong Sad, except instead of board games it is about his love of the grocery store.The Stat of the Week covers the changing trends in Back to School spending from Deloitte's 2020 Back-to-School Survey. A lot less clothing and a lot more furniture for home.

You are the person your spouse and kids need. Today. Just as you are.Be encouraged.No matter how hard it feels, you have it in you to be the husband, wife, mother, father that your family needs today. You have the heart and the strength to love well and to draw your family together towards a common goal.We want you to be you. To be a blessing to your family. A few resources we reference during our conversation (and would recommend reading) are: The Liturgy of the Ordinary and The Quotidian Mysteries.The Stat of the Week is all about Top Grossing Teen Movies (according to IMDB).Thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode. Please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

**Note: There are a couple of swear words and a short discussion about sexual intimacy in this episode. Please use discretion.**We are spending almost all our time in our home, but it is still (somehow) harder to connect as husband and wife. Life feels exhausting right now, and it can be difficult to take the time and energy to really connect with each other.But, it is so very worth it. Pursuing each other, seeking to connect, and offering vulnerability to each other provides joy and purpose. And, to be honest, it improves our sex life as well.(We also spend some time talking about helping our kids connect with their friends during social distancing. And, we admit that we need to be more vulnerable with our need for friendship and support from our friends.)Hamilton is out on Disney+ now, so the Stat of the Week is about Washington, Hamilton, presidential pardons, and the Whiskey Rebellion.Thank you for listening! We hope you enjoy this episode. Please take a moment to share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

The tendency to tell our children things is strong. But, asking questions can be powerful. Seeking to know our kids--their deep feelings, their true thoughts, their motivations--is a rewarding journey that communicates how valuable they are to us. And, asking our kids thoughtful, honest questions helps our children learn more about themselves: their feelings, thoughts, values, preferences, driving values, etc.Inspired by a book David's reading (Prepared: What Kids Need for a Fulfilled Life by Diane Tavenner) and an Albert Einstein quote ("I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious."), we encourage each other (and you) to be passionately curious about our children--not for our (the parent's) benefit, but to truly know them, love them for who they are, and to help them know themselves and the world around them better.This week's episode covers a few guidelines for how and why to ask our kids good questions:Assume the best of your child. Be a coach, not an accuser.Get passionately curious about your kids.Remember that context matters.Build a family culture through common questions and code words.Engage your child with hope.The 4th of July-inspired Stat of the Week is about the oldest Independence Day in modern history. Hint: it involves an alliance between Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden (which, of course, we can't pronounce correctly). Also, for some unknown reason we end up talking about Supertramp's 1979 hit, Take the Long Way Home.Thank you for listening! We hope you enjoyed this episode. We are so grateful for everyone who listens to us and would appreciate if you would share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

The COVID quarantine / shelter-in-place / shutdown / social distancing (whatever we call it these days) is taking its toll on our kids and there is some real expert-level quarreling going on in our house. If you can relate, you are definitely not alone.When fighting and strife crop up, we have to fight the inclination to shut it all down as quickly as possible. Our initial proclivity may be to minimize the conflict and end the screaming, bickering, and/or name calling. However, our children need to work through this conflict in order to grow. We have an opportunity, if we choose to take it, to coach our children to develop the skills of overcoming wrongs (especially minor ones) from others, having empathy for siblings, and finding win-win solutions in relational conflicts.It's not easy, but it is worth it. Remember, mothers and fathers, that you have the power to positively impact your kids.A few practical ideas:Teach our daughters and sons that they are strong enough to handle when things aren't fair and people (even those who love us, like our siblings) aren't always nice to us.Help them understanding what they really feel and what they really want when they are in the middle of conflict.Give them projects that require them to work together on the same team.Teach them how to take some space on their own when they can't get along with their sibling(s).Have one-on-one time with your kids to ensure they feel connected with you and feel belonging in your family.Do fun things altogether as a family. We recently did a "family sleepover."During the Stat of the Week, David goes on a misguided rant about Tom Hanks' career even as we are in awe about how much money his movies have made (via Forbes).Thank you for listening! We hope you enjoyed this episode. If so, please share the podcast with a friend who might need some friends on the parenting journey or who could just use a good laugh.Also, if you are struggling with your kids' expectations of you as their entertainment, check out a past episode on how we are working hard to not to be our kids' cruise director.

It is officially Summer and we are in it. Even amidst COVID (or maybe especially amidst COVID) it is a bit hot and crazy this week. So, we decided to revisit an earlier episode we did about how to work with your kids when they are whining. Enjoy!As always, thank you for listening to Growing Up With Kids. If you are encouraged, learn something helpful, and/or get a good laugh out of this podcast, please share with a friend who would benefit from this episode.-- R&DWe all know what it is like to be around (or related to) kids who whine. During this week's episode we dive into the heart underneath whining and some practical ways to work with our kids to reduce it from their "repertoire."We talk about:The root of whining.How whining is a normal part of childhood development, so we don't have to beat ourselves up when our kids do it.Common parental responses to whining--both good and bad ones.How we, unfortunately, model whining sometimes.How our kids whining makes us feel--in our home and in public.How we can build trust and develop healthy boundaries for our kids.There is also an extended horse analogy you don't want to miss!The Stat of the Week is inspired by our least favorite PBS character, but we focus more on the PBS Kids shows we really enjoy: Odd Squad, Dinosaur Train, Wild Kratts, and Sesame Street.

Our 2010 minivan went caput last week. Up in a billow of smoke. Don't worry, there was no fire and no-one was hurt. But, it does mean we have to kick our car search into high gear. We still need the space, passenger capacity, and convenience that a minivan offers, so we unfortunately can't look to the "cooler" SUV options.So, we spend some time lamenting the loss of our minivan, laughing about the many things we have hit with that car (mostly curbs and mailboxes), and we have a few thoughts on the pros and cons of several of the most popular used minivans on the market today. They all have something for someone. After a long day of test drives we have narrowed down our search, however, to just one...If you want to compare popular minivans, check out this U.S. News comparison tool.The Stat of the Week is a map of the most popular cars and trucks in the U.S. and a discussion about the most expensive car ever sold (spoiler: $48.4 million).Thank you for listening! We hope you enjoyed this episode. If so, please share the podcast with a friend who might need some friends on the parenting journey or who could just use a good laugh.

Everyone deals with guilt and shame in their lives, but there may be a special mix of it reserved for mothers (and fathers, to a slightly lesser degree). It is hard to not feel shame when we are parenting because there are so many unknowns. We are gardeners, not carpenters, so we can't guarantee the results, which means we often obsess over the inputs we can control. Mix this internal pressure with the overwhelming amount of parenting "advice" and information out there and then top it with the comparison culture of social media.This week we take a look at why we often feel this way, and we offer some encouragement for facing our faults and moving beyond shame towards positive conviction. We want to move away from the shame that leads to isolation, performance and hiding. We want to move towards intimacy and relationships that set us free. A few tips:Admit that we are not perfect and that is okay.Focus on what I want for my kids and move towards offering them that, while moving away from self-focused criticism and perfectionism.Remember we are not alone.Be kind to ourselves along the way.Look to proactively encourage other moms and dads.Also, don't be afraid to seek professional help from a counselor or coach if neededThe Stat of the Week is about mommy guilt based upon a survey conducted by baby care product company NUK. Also, we mention a funny video that is not suitable for work or safe for the whole family: If Google was a GuyThank you for listening! We hope you enjoyed this episode. We are so grateful for everyone who listens to us and would appreciate if you would share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation or who just needs a good laugh at our expense.

It has been a harder week than most given the recent events in Minneapolis. We are not qualified to talk about racial injustice or police policies, so we won't even try. However, this is a good time to explore why we should, and how we can, pursue diversity in our relationships and in our perspectives.We are tempted to pursue like-minded relationships and to retreat into literature and news that bolsters our existing worldview. However, there is great value in engaging with people, media, and points of view that are different than ours. It develops empathy, compassion, and hope in us. And, we can model this openness and humility with our children. This is a journey we are growing in, and we invite you to come along as well.We discuss a few organizations and resources you can utilize, if you want to learn more about racial injustice and the history of racism in the U.S. We encourage you to lean into these topics that may be uncomfortable or challenging for you and your family.One Race Be The Bridge and their recommended reading list for youthDr. Amanda KempChildren's books to support conversations on raceBook suggestions for adultsAlso, we spend some time (at the 28:22 mark) specifically on why Christians are called to embrace and even seek out diversity in their lives, to engage with and love other Christians even if they don't look, think or act like us, and to care for the poor and oppressed. (Spoiler: Scripture is clear that God cares very much for the poor and oppressed.) If that is not your cup of tea, feel free to skip to The Stat of the Week (37:18).The Stat of the Week is from the Statistic Brain Research Institute and is all over the place with thoughts on seaweed growth, jewelry injuries (didn't know that was a thing), and human eye blinking. Also, we talk about our family pentathlon and the game of Water War.Thank you for listening! We hope you enjoyed this episode. We are so grateful for everyone who listens to us and would appreciate if you would share the podcast with a friend who might be encouraged by this conversation.