Raising Today's Kids

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

School can be awesome, but it can also be tough! This episode is all about empowering your kids with hope, love, confidence, and encouragement as they step into a new school year, full of new challenges and opportunities. 

I love analogies. They can really help you see things from another perspective and be so empowering! So while on a challenging hike a few weeks ago, I came up with seven analogies about deciphering between good and bad advice, being the parent you want to be, asking for help when you are running on empty, seeing the beauty along the way, enduring when life is hard, and recognizing the progress you are making.   

I love being in nature! Turns out there are cognitive, social, emotional, and physical benefits of unstructured time outside. All those benefits are just out there waiting for our kids to claim. So let's get them out there! In this episode I outline what the research is saying about the importance of turning off electronics and playing outdoors. I also give some tips about how to make the most out of family hiking adventures. 

In this episode I want to introduce you to a tiny sampling of the army fighting to protect our kids. I met them at the Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation's 2019 Global Summit in Washington D.C. These are moms and dads, survivors and advocates, students and teachers. Some have the opportunity to work full-time for this cause, while others can only give a few hours here and there. In many ways they are just like you and me, doing what they can to make the world a better place for raising today's kids.

Sometimes dads get a bad rap. The media often portrays them as lazy, fumbling idiots, or controlling and aggressive jerks. But there is so much research that points to the positive long-term impact dads have on their kids' emotional, academic, social, and behavioral outcomes. In this episode, my husband and I are stepping outside the stereotypes to talk about the incredible force for good that dads are in the lives of their kids. Happy Father's Day!

We live in a world where peace is often a foreign concept; where our differences often drive deep wedges that lead to bigotry, discrimination, and hate crimes. So, how do we raise our kids to hold to their beliefs, and be proud of their heritage, while being peacemakers? In this episode, Deana and Kira (a conservative Christian, and a liberal agnostic Jew) give us insight into teaching our kids to peacefully coexist and even go beyond that, to love people who are different!

In this episode, Dina and I will talk about essential discussions we need to have with our kids (including conversations about LGBTQI, terrorism, and using technology for good). We'll also discuss how asking the right questions will help us, and our kids, be empowered with insights, understanding, and perspective. We don’t need to be experts to address difficult subjects with our kids, we just need to be intentional.

This is the episode I wish I had listened to twelve years ago, when I was pregnant with my first child. Back then I didn't realize how important it was to have ongoing conversations about healthy sexuality as we raise our kids. The world is teaching our kids every day what it wants them to know about sex. Are we? Listen in for help with getting started, or taking your conversations to the next level.

How do we educate our kids about boundaries and personal safety while helping them maintain their innocence? It can be done! This week's episode will dive into some tools Kimberly Perry has created to empower parents and kids as we navigate through a hypersexual world. At the end, I will share some of my challenging childhood experiences that are now empowering me to be the best mom and children's advocate I can be.

Hey Moms - do you recognize the power you have to shape the next generation? Your influence will never be lost. Just like the influence of previous generations will go on through you. Do you know you are doing an amazing job? If you were anything less than an incredible mom, you wouldn’t be checking out a parenting podcast! But here you are, because you see the unlimited potential of your child, and you are taking your responsibility to mother them seriously. That means you are doing great! 

In this episode, Taylor Chambers, a marriage and family therapist is joining me. From his experience counseling kids and families he has created something called the Porn-Resilient Model. His perspective goes beyond prevention, into helping families thrive in the face of pornography. At the end of the episode he tells a very inspiring story of a family he’s been working with and how they are overcoming a struggle with pornography and are on a path to success. Taylor has a lot figured out so listen in!

In this episode, Ayme and I discuss the problem of sharing nudes, or what some call sexting. (It's a big deal!) She will tell the story of how she felt propelled into getting involved in this arena and share her prescription for overall digital health. Hopefully, by the end of this episode you will have online privacy firmly in place on the list of things you want to teach your kids.

Do you ever struggle to be the kind of parent you want to be? Do your emotions sometimes get in the way of loving your kids exactly as they are? Do you feel a strain on your relationship with your kids? Today my friend Sara Payne is here to teach three tools that can help us deepen our connection with our kids in a powerful way!

I love to try and break the tension with humor. It doesn’t always come naturally for me, but when we can laugh instead of fume, tough situations can be diffused and relationships can be strengthened. This episode covers the benefits of humor, ideas for incorporating humor in your family (including ideas for April Fool's jokes!), and some Dry Bar Comedy tailored just for you!

There are people all around us who are suffering silently because their children have either been sexually abused by another child, or are doing the abusing. This is a subject that requires very real empathy for everyone involved. No one wants to talk about this growing problem because there is so much shame and stigma and hopelessness attached to it. I hope this episode changes that.

It can be very difficult to lift your kids if you’re feeling low. Unfortunately emotional and mental health challenges are on the rise in our digital world. Aimee Rust, LCPC is here to compassionately guide us through struggles with depression, anxiety, overwhelm, terminal illness, postpartum depression, the stigma of mental health problems, and more. And if you’re like me, then by the end of this episode all you'll want to do is curl up on a couch in Aimee’s office and tell her all your problems.

Everybody experiences grief, whether it's from the death of a loved one or other life changes. Grief affects everyone differently so in this episode my friend Michelle (a hospice social worker) and I talk about what to expect in grief, how to support someone who is grieving, how to grieve in a healthy way, how to help our kids when we--or they--are grieving, how to process regret, how to deal with mass grief from things like school shootings, and so much more.

What if I gathered some of the best and brightest people in the movement against pornography and asked what them what parents need to know? Well, I can't take credit for gathering my guests today (that goes to the Utah Coalition Against Pornography) but I did collect their thoughts. Listen in as experts and advocates share the most important thing you need to know.

In this episode my sister-in-law, Rachael Homer, is joining me to talk about some of her very personal experiences of raising a son with autism, while fostering a daughter with cerebral palsy. She will share some of what she has done to help her family members with special needs reach their potential. So many of the things she shares can apply to ANY child with ANY needs! Listen in and you’ll see what I mean.

Have you ever known someone who despite the overwhelming odds against them, has overcome incredible trauma to lead a healthy, happy life? Every once in a while I meet someone like this and I am always in awe. So what's the best recipe for helping your child be resilient in the midst of whatever they face? Research says, it's you!

As we help our kids carefully consume media and other messages, recognize how amazing their bodies are, learn to be the authority on their bodies, and model for them what a healthy body image looks like, we will be helping them gain the confidence to love themselves for more than what they look like.

Garrett Jonsson is a veteran presenter for Fight the New Drug. Having overcome his own challenge with pornography, he is using his experiences to inspire the world and empower his three kids. In this episode Garrett and I will talk about the difference between shame and guilt and you'll hear Garrett's inspiring ideas on how to be a safe person for your kids to come to about anything.

A few weeks ago I was the object of a serious case of road rage. I had never experienced anything like it! Over the next couple days, as the scene replayed in my mind, I learned parenting lessons about accountability, forgiveness, giving the benefit of the doubt, perspective, and bullying. How have your life experiences helped you parent?

Ugh... It's the big P word. I totally get it if your initial reaction is to skip this episode. I kind of wanted to as well! But what if I told you that listening to this episode can give your kids armor in the war against pornography? What if I told you that it can strengthen your relationship with your kids?  Melissa Blair joins me for this conversation to share how she became so passionate about this subject, and how her family has been blessed by opening this conversation. Listen in and you will be inspired.

Education is kind of a big deal. So how do we know if school is working for our kids? What should we do if we know it's not working? My big sister Dana joins me for this conversation as we discuss how we have each advocated for our kids' education based on their unique personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. 

Last week’s episode was all about helping our kids develop their self-esteem. So this week I wanted to share a special experience we created for our kids this year to help them recognize their worth. It was based on the belief that understanding God’s love for them is foundational for a strong self-esteem. Listen in and you'll also get an insight into what science says about faith these days.

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

If you're not sure of all the answers to all the digital parenting questions (like me!), this episode is for you. You may not be sure when to give your child a phone, let alone a smart phone. Maybe you’re continually evaluating your screen time rules. Maybe you have ideas of what your digital parenting goals are, but aren’t sure how to reach those goals. If you can relate to any of that, you will thoroughly appreciate listening to my conversation with Andrea Davis. Andrea is the founder and creator of betterscreentime.com. She and her husband Tyler (a tech expert) have studied the latest research, interviewed intentional parents, and tested strategies in their home—to learn what really works (and what doesn’t). Check out betterscreentime.com to learn more and get a free guide to better screen time in your family.

I can't wait for you to meet my friend Liz Stone. She has overcome incredible challenges in her life and is using what she has learned to empower her own kids, as well as a group of Haitian orphans through a human trafficking prevention program. She understands the difference between entitling kids and empowering them, and will share that, along with many other gems, in this episode. Learn more about her nonprofit at EmpoweringtheOne.org.

This episode is a behind the scenes look at the YouTube channel, Living a Good Story. It was founded by my friend, Marisa Johnson, and her family. And because they are pretty public with their lives I wanted to find out how they protect themselves from all of the harms that often come from social media. Listen in as Marisa shares some lessons she has learned from raising children in the digital age, while documenting their crazy beautiful life for the world to see.

Deanna Lambson is the founder of an internet safety program called White Ribbon Week. In this episode she gives some great tips about how to help kids stay safe online, from developing trust, to teaching applicable principles and integrating "Tic Tac Toe" into your family media plan. Helping kids develop an internal filter for navigating the digital world is a key element in raising them to reach their potential Learn more about Deanna's program at whiteribbonweek.org.    

Hi, I'm Brittany Homer, a dedicated mom, defender of childhood, and Certified Family Life Educator (provisional). I am passionate about all kids receiving their best chance at success in life, and believe that parents and caregivers carry the weight of guiding and supporting their children to achieve that. ​ Children are born innocent and vulnerable, and unfortunately the world we live in attempts to take advantage of that. Pornography, anxiety and depression, abuse and neglect, human trafficking, bullying, and more are modern threats to childhood. Please join me for this introductory episode as I discuss how there is SO MUCH loving parents or caregivers can do about it! I will share personal experiences that have led me to creating this podcast, and leave you with hope that you are uniquely qualified to be the parent in your child's life.