Purposeful Parenting

In this episode Harriett talks about tough love and the role it plays in raising confident, kind, and resilient kids.  

Have you given your child everything - the latest phone, clothes, freedom and maybe even a car- and now?  You are left with a child who ignores your voice, defies your rules, and does whatever they want.  The truth is you are not alone.  In this episode, Harriett tells you how to parent a spoiled teenager because it is never too late.

A listener asked Harriett, "How can you reverse some of the effects in a spoiled teenager as the parent and a parent's friend?"  In this episode, Harriett answers the question in the first of a two-part series.

In this episode Harriett tells a story that is designed to share the message of Easter through the eyes of beloved forest animals, making it approachable and heartfelt for young listeners.  So, gather around with your children to hear how the forest animals learned about Easter.

Whether it's bedtime tales, family traditions, or stories that shape faith, storytelling holds a special power to connect, teach, and inspire children. In this episode, Harriett shares the benefits of storytelling.

In this episode, Harriett uses a story that you can use to teach your child about courage.  It is the well-known story of David and Goliath.  She breaks the story down into a few key lessons and then gives you practical ways for teaching courage at home.

A resilient family doesn't just react to challenges, it's built with daily habits, deep faith, and an atmosphere of encouragement that helps everyone grow stronger through life's storms.  In this last episode of this V part series on Resilience, Harriett tells you how to create this kind of culture for your family.

In this episode of teaching children resilience, Harriett talks about emotional resilience and how it is not about suppressing feelings.  Instead, it's about learning how to navigate emotions in a healthy, faith-filled way.

Disappointment comes in many forms.  Our role as parents isn't to shield our children from disappointments, but to walk beside them, guiding them toward hope, faith and resilience.  In this episode, Harriett shares age-appropriate ways to talk about grief and loss with your children.

Harriett continues the series Building Strength for Life's Challenges: Teaching a Growth Mindset Part II.  In this episode Harriett tells you how to develop a resilient or growth mindset in children that will empower them to view challenges as opportunities, learn perseverance through failures, and find support and inspiration in Scriptures.

This episode begins a series to help parents equip their children with faith-based resilience in order to build strength in their children so they can navigate life's challenges.

In this re-broadcast, Harriett talks about fear and how to help your child handle fear so that it can be a gift and not a curse.  

Happy Valentine's Day!  In this episode, Harriett shares why Valentine's Day is more than romantic love.  She also shares ways to celebrate love as a family.  

How do you teach faith to your children?  In this episode, Harriett gives you three key points on how to raise children to have a strong foundation in faith.

In this episode, Harriett takes you down the Yellow Brick Road.  Join her today and see what Dorothy and her 3 companions (the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion), can share regarding Purposeful Parenting.

More often than not we will remind our children to say, "I'm sorry" when they have done something wrong.  But what about saying, "I forgive you"?  That part of the equation is often left out.  In this episode, Harriett gives you a simple process you can use to help teach your child forgiveness.

In July 2023, Harriett was given the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.  In this episode, she gives you an update on her health, tells you how she has dealt with this life changing event, and gives you ways to teach your children resilience.

Children and adults can experience Holiday Let-Down or what is also known as Post Holiday Blahs/Depression.  In this rebroadcast episode, Harriett tells you how to recognize it, avoid it and/or treat it.

Happy New Year!  In this re-broadcast episode, Harriett talks about the most important decision you can make and that you can guide your child towards making.  

In this episode, Harriett takes you back through the Gospel of Luke to reflect on two key moments: the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary that she would bear the Son of God, and the humble yet glorious birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.  She invites you to listen with open hearts as she reads these timeless scriptures and remember that holy night that we are celebrating today.  Merry Christmas!!!

This episode is designed to bring you and your children together to explore holiday traditions from all over the world.  By exploring Christmas traditions from other countries, we can help our children grow up with more understanding, curiosity, and respect for others.

Storytelling is extremely beneficial for children and their development. It nurtures their imagination, language skills and emotional intelligence.  This episode then, is for your little ones. Harriett tells a story about a well-known reindeer named Rudolph who learns the true meaning of Christmas.

Are you looking for fun activities to do with your children this Christmas season?  In this episode, Harriett shares some ideas that will keep your little ones entertained and excited for Christmas even more than what they already are.  

In this episode, Harriett shares a heartwarming story that your little ones will love as the forest animals teach them about Thanksgiving, hope, and gratitude.

Do you know that Sarah Josepha Hale is known as the "Mother of Thanksgiving"? In this episode, Harriett tells you about Sarah Josepha Hale.  She also shares other fun-facts about Thanksgiving that you can share with your kids around your Thanksgiving table.  

Gratitude is more than just saying, "Thank You."  In this episode, Harriett talks about what gratitude is, why it is important and how you can foster gratitude in your children.

The holiday season is a perfect time to teach your child gratitude by using crafts and other activities.  In this episode, Harriett shares 25 crafts and activities that your child can do and have fun while learning about gratitude.

Do you celebrate Halloween?  Have you told your child what Halloween is all about?  In this episode, Harriett shares a story that may help you decide if you want to celebrate or continue to celebrate Halloween the way the world does.

Children are observant beings.  They watch what you do and will repeat it...action by action.  In this episode Harriett talks about observational learning and shares a short story that shows just how closely children watch and learn from you.

Love is an emotion; but have you ever thought about it as a character trait?  In this episode, Harriett talks about love as a character trait and a character strength.  She tells you how to teach your children love.

There are four character traits that parents should know in order to raise children with a strong moral foundation.  In this episode, Harriett tells you what these traits are and how parents should deal with them.

Usually when we think of character, we think of individuals.  But did you ever think about families having character?  In this episode, Harriett talks about families of good character and why they are important.  

Are you dealing with a strong-willed child?  Are you wondering if your child is strong-willed or just out right rebellious?  If you answered yes to either of these questions, you might want to read the book that Harriett reviews in this episode, You Can't Make Me (But I Can Be Persuaded) by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias.  

Do you have a child with an intense desire to assert control over his/her environment and make his/her own decisions?  If so, you are probably dealing with a strong-willed child.  In this episode Harriett talks about the characteristics of a strong-willed child, challenges they pose, the positive potential and strategies for nurturing strong-willed children.

In this episode, Harriett covers the principles that we can learn from the parable of The Prodigal Son.

Parenting is very challenging and rewarding.  Unfortunately, there are times when we may find ourselves navigating the turbulent waters of raising a difficult child.  In this episode, Harriett shares a biblical story of a child's return to grace.  It is a message about faith in God's ability to work in the hearts of our children and faith in the power of prayer.

Harriett ends the summer of rebroadcasting with the episode entitled, The Last Time.  In parenting there are so many "last times", and with them come many emotions.  For some of you, this may be the last time you have a child at home.  Whatever "last time" you are experiencing, Harriett encourages you to cherish each "last time" and hold them close to your heart.  I've enjoyed revisiting some of the podcasts, I hope you have too.   I hope you had a great summer and that you continued to "Parent on Purpose".

How often do we have to be reminded to watch what we say and how we say it?  Words hurt and this rebroadcast reminds us that the nursery rhyme, "Sticks and Stones", is not true.  Words can hurt or encourage, and they can be lasting.   This is a podcast worth revisiting.

This is a rebroadcast to remind you to remember to "Lighten Up".  In this episode Harriett tells you to look for the laughable moments as you parent.  Parenting is serious business, but it also provides laughter that must be remembered when times get tough.

Mothers cannot be reminded enough to remember to make time to take care of themselves. In this episode Harriett talks about why self-care is important and encourages you to do it.  This rebroadcast is another reminder.

Summer can be viewed as a time to loosen up so to speak.  Unfortunately, the tendency to loosen up on parenting can also happen.  This can lead to passive parenting if one is not careful.  What better time to rebroadcast this episode, Hazards of Passive Parenting.  Harriett tells you how to recognize the signs of passive parenting and gives you the proactive steps you need to take in order to avoid becoming a passive parent.

Who rules the world?  This episode is worth rebroadcasting in order to either remind you of the answer or for you to learn it for the first time.  Harriett learned the answer from William Ross Wallace and she shares it with you in this episode  

Summer is a great time to remind moms of everything they do.   In this episode, Harriett tells you, "You change the world with every child you raise."  This is definitely a podcast worth rebroadcasting.

Harriett chose this episode as a rebroadcast because there is nothing more important than praying for your child.  Furthermore, there is no better pattern to use than the one Jesus prayed for His disciples.  This episode is certainly worth hearing again and again and again!

Harriett continues rebroadcasting for the summer as she talks about trust.  In this episode Harriett tells parents that they must earn their child's trust.  She also emphasizes the qualities that contribute to building and sustaining your child's trust.

In continuing with the "summer rebroadcast" theme, Harriett shares what she learned to do when she had, "one of those days."  See what she has to say in this episode, "Real Talk."

It's summer and with everything going on, this is a good time to rebroadcast some of the earlier episodes that you may or may not have heard. In this episode, which aired in August 2020; Harriett tells you what Purposeful Parenting is and talks about the ONE source that contains all the principles needed to help you "Parent on Purpose."

Happy Father's Day to you fathers.  In this episode, Harriett's husband Dennis, shares some practical parenting advice.  The three points he shares are truths that will help fathers "Parent on purpose."

What are you made of?  How do you respond to the challenges of life?  How would your children respond?  How would you want them to respond?   In this episode, Harriett tells you how to prepare your child to respond when "life bumps" into him/her.  She does this by sharing an analogy with you and asking you, "What's in your cup?"

"One's character is dependent on his/her ability to be transparent and unwilling to bend the truth."  In this episode Harriett talks about why children lie and what parents can do to stop it at an early age.