The Taylor & Jen Podcast

Getting good sleep is important, but it can be hard - especially at the start of a new school year when the kids need to get off the summer sleep schedule. Dr. Heidi Warner shares some tips on how to get good sleep after a disruption to your schedule.

Your silly injury / Eating food wrong / When did you realize your child was a grownup?

As Megan prepares to launch her first child off to college, she shares with Taylor and Jen how God has prepared her for this moment, how she's handling the emotions, and what she'd tell parents about to go into their child's final year of high school.

Good friendships are special. When you find people who are life-giving to be around and who you know you can trust, it's a blessing. But how are we supposed to make and keep friends when life gets so busy? Dr. Heidi shares some thoughts and advice.

Weird family sayings / Finally got around to it / Everyone has a bear story

It's one thing for your child to leave for college a few hours away...or even a few states away. But what do you do when your child tells you God is calling them to be a missionary overseas? Lauren and Vernon share the lessons they learned about accepting God's call in the life of their children and how that impacted them.

Chances are, you had some high expectations for this summer. Maybe you had a long list of projects to accomplish, a big vacation to finally unwind, or a whole host of family memories to create. Unfortunately, chances also are that not all of the summer lived up to your expectations. So as summer winds down, Dr. Heidi shares some advice on how to process summer regrets.

When you faced your irrational fear / How do you choose where you sit? / Doubt can bring you closer to Jesus

Susan has a lot of experience letting go, now that her third son is off to college. She shares her story with Taylor and Jen of successfully launching three boys (and preparing to launch a fourth!), and also gives some helpful advice to parents going through this journey for the first time.

Going back to school can lead to a lot of anxiety with children and teens - whether it's about classes, friends, or something else. Dr. Heidi shares how we can recognize this anxiety in our children and how to have helpful conversations with them about it.

Food tastes better when you touch it / The unexpected benefit of unity / Who's the boss of your hair?

Lately, reading the news can be a difficult experience - even as an adult with adult emotions and coping skills. But what about for children? Dr. Heidi shares advice on understanding how much your children can handle and how to talk about scary news stories around them.

Short person problems / New State Fair foods / Your family's hall of fame story

Colton Dixon (Miracles, The Other Side) chatted with Taylor and Jen about raising twins, his inspiration from Noah's life, and the decoration in his house that needs explanation.

Nothing damages a relationship with your child quite like telling them "I told you so"...even when you did tell them so. So what do you do when your child is set on making a decision that you know won't work out well for them? Dr. Heidi Warner has a place to start.

Food crimes / Getting to know God when your life falls apart / Taylor hasn't seen THIS movie (From the archives)

You can sleep in all you want, take all the vacations you want, and have as much down-time as you want...and still not feel rested. Why is that? Dr. Heidi explains that there's more to rest than just not doing work, and how to feel as rested as possible.

Getting shushed / Escape artist pets / When God doesn't answer immediately

You can believe all the right things: God loves you, he wants the best for you, and he works all things for your good. And yet with all that knowledge, you can still end up feeling a lot of anxiety. Dr. Heidi explains how we can move our head knowledge of God into a heart belief that leads us to live out our faith.

The decoration you always have to explain / A new way to pray through trials / What's the oldest piece of technology you own?

You've just spent some time with friends at lunch, your small group for a Bible study, or your family for a holiday...and then it begins. The post-game analysis. You run through all the times you said the wrong thing, laughed too loud, or told a story that didn't go over well. You know these thoughts are unhealthy, but it's so hard to stop them. Dr. Heidi shares some wisdom on fighting back against this over analysis.

The things we say about ourselves / Office oops / Road trip snack philosophy

It's hard enough enforcing healthy boundaries with toxic friends and co-workers, but when the toxic person in your life is a family member, there's an entirely new layer of complexity and difficulty to deal with. Dr. Heidi Warner shares helpful advice on how to navigate those relationships in a Biblical and healthy way. (From the archives)

Worst dad jokes / Cockroach roommates / The best thing that went wrong

What do your summer plans look like? Maybe you're hoping for some great family memories with a great vacation. Maybe you have a to-do list that you're finally ready to tackle. Maybe you just want to catch your breath after a crazy finish to the school year. But what happens when those expectations don't match the reality of summer? Dr. Heidi Warner has some tips on navigating this tension.

It sounds crazy, but it works / I can't believe I ate the whole thing / What did your grandparents let you get away with?

Taylor and Jen talk to Jeremy Camp about watching his oldest graduate high school, what it's like parenting a middle school boy, and his new song Getting Started.

Anxiety can look a lot of different ways to a lot of different people. For some, the response to anxiety may be to freeze: because of how bad your anxiety is, accomplishing even the smallest tasks can seem impossible. Dr. Heidi Warner explains how to break out of this "anxiety freeze."

Great outdoor fails / Judgy about steak / I have a neighbor who... (From the archives)

If a friend comes to you with a problem, it's natural to want to fix their issue with your advice on how to address the problem. Dr. Heidi says this can have some unintended consequences, and that sometimes, just listening can be more helpful when done correctly. (From the archives)

Grocery store drama / Only you care / God stores our tears in a bottle

You may have heard that it's helpful to show your children that you struggle, too. You want them to know that you're not a superhero, and that you can relate to the pain and difficulties they experience. At the same time, you might worry that sharing too much could be overwhelming. How do you find the right balance? Dr. Heidi has some advice.

Critter encounters / Stepping into each other's pain / What's your adventurous breakfast?

If you struggle with anxiety, you know that any time you're experiencing symptoms, all you want to do is escape the thing causing your anxiety. Dr. Heidi says the problem is that running from anxiety can make that anxiety response stronger the next time you face the same situation. She shares how exposure therapy can teach your brain to better recognize real threats.

Your first bike / Creative chore motivation / Can you call your childhood teachers by their first name?

Where do you see yourself in five years? If that's a question that stresses you out or even just stumps you, you're not alone. Life can be so unpredictable, but there's still a part of ourselves that wants to map a course to reach our goals. How do we balance intentionally working toward life goals with Biblical commands like "do not worry about tomorrow?" Dr. Heidi Warner explains.

When Mother's Day is hard / OJ in cereal / What happened while you were napping?

Does it ever feel like you're doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past? You've seen relatives go down the same destructive path, and you're worried the same might be happening to you. Dr. Heidi says you can find generational freedom.

Lays mashed potatoes / Your silly pet tricks / Wallets vs. vehicles

Does your child struggle with anxiety? Jean Holthaus chats with Taylor and Jen about how to recognize when regular worry may have morphed into debilitating anxiety, and how to help your teen cope and thrive. For more information, Jean Holthaus's book When Anxiety Roars: Partnering with Your Child to Tame Worry and Anxiety is available wherever you buy books.

Sometimes you have more than just one thing breaking your heart. You may have multiple things that need to be grieved in multiple ways and for multiple reasons...so how do we cope with this form of complex grief? Dr. Heidi Warner shares some advice.

Sibling shenanigans / Odd jobs / What's your cereal mixing philosophy?

Tasha Layton (Into the Sea, Look What You've Done) chats with Taylor and Jen about how humor has helped her marriage, and how some of her song titles have come back to bite her.

No family is perfect. Maybe you even have certain family members who are difficult or even toxic to be around. It's complicated enough to navigate that relationship as an adult, but how do you talk to your kids about these family members? Dr. Heidi Warner shares some advice.

Your silly injury / Seeing each day as a gift / THAT car

The Rend Collective vocalist chats with Taylor and Jen about what it means to play worship songs in front of people again and weighs in on the dog cake dilemma.

As much as you might want to, you can't do everything. All of us have limits, whether they're physical, financial, or emotional. Dr. Heidi explains why emotional limits are important, and how we can honor them.

How to take a serious nap / Your grocery store personality / That thing you really should've thrown out

Parenting is hard enough, but when your family is walking through grief, there is a whole new set of challenges. Dr. Heidi provides helpful advice and hope for families parenting after loss. (From the archives)

Toddler language / God gives us strength for today / Do you have a mug problem?

Andrew Ripp (Jericho, Rejoice) called Taylor and Jen to talk about why he can find peace in silence and what he learned when he stepped away from music.