What happens when you don’t feel the same connection to your partner’s kids as you do to your own? Is that normal? Is it wrong? In this episode, Lisa sits down with her Council of Moms—Brittney Phillips, Liz Palmer, and Tammy Hall—to talk about the realities of loving both your biological and bonus kids. They dive into the guilt that can come with blending families, why love doesn’t have to look the same for every child, and how to build meaningful relationships with stepkids in a way that feels right for everyone.

#BlendedFamilies #Stepparenting #MomLife #ParentingCommunity

Your kids are growing up in a world full of different perspectives, values, and beliefs so how do you teach them strong values while also preparing them to engage with others who see things differently? Lisa and the Council of Moms—Cree Taylor, Julie Taylor, and Allison Dayton—share their experiences and insights on raising kids who are both confident in their values and open to meaningful conversations.

Time out? Grounded? Goodness knows that the gentle reminder which works for one child may be totally ineffective for their sibling--who isn't motivated by the same consequences either. How do you tailor discipline to fit each child’s unique personality without playing favorites? Lisa Valentine Clark and her Council of Moms—Whitney Call, Ruth Aguirre, and Lindsay Clark—talk about how to discipline different kids differently. They discuss the “why” behind children breaking the rules, how understanding their motivations can lead to more effective discipline, and why removing emotion from consequences helps parents stay consistent and fair.

#ParentingTips #MomCommunity #Discipline #ParentingStyles

What do you do when another parent starts asking too much of you? Maybe it started small—an extra carpool here, a favor there—but now it’s feeling like a one-sided arrangement. How do you set some much needed boundaries? Lisa and the Council of Moms—Dr. LaShawn Williams, Erika Price, and Julie Suazo—talk about navigating tricky social dynamics between parents, how to kindly but firmly say "no," and when it’s okay to walk away from an unfair expectation.

Kids lie. And sure, it's developmentally appropriate, but you still have to figure out how to deal with it. And then they get older (and smarter) and the stakes get higher. What do you do when you catch your teenager in a lie? Lisa and Council of Moms (Geraldine "G", Emilie, and Amy) talk strategies for reinforcing honesty, responding to lying, and creating space at home for open, authentic communication.

What do you do if your partner's approach to parenting is completely different from yours? Lisa and this special edition "Council of Stepmoms" (Brittney Phillips, Liz Palmer, and Tammy Hall) open up about the challenges and successes of blending families and parenting methods. What communication tools you need as a new stepparent, how to create a united front, and when it's worth it to seek professional help to aid the transition.

Why is someone crying? The siblings who, just a moment ago, were happily co-existing in the other room, are now full-scale wrestling, happiness forgotten, and someone has been hit with an iPad. What is the feral instinct that turns kids from friends to enemies so quickly? And can you do anything about it? Lisa and the Council of Moms— Cree Taylor, Julie Taylor, and Allison Dayton— reflect on sibling relationships and how to lay the framework for strong friendships and cooperation.

Feeling burned out from the never-ending demands of motherhood? Struggling to take even the smallest break without guilt creeping in? Mom exhaustion is real, and so is the pressure to always be "on." But what if giving yourself a little time to recharge actually made you a better parent? Lisa Valentine Clark and her Council of Moms—Whitney Call, Ruth Aguirre, and Lindsay Clark—talk about why rest isn’t selfish, how to quiet the guilt, and small ways to reclaim moments of peace in the chaos of parenting.

#ParentingJourney #MomCommunity #Energy #Exhaustion

Concerned about how anxious your child is? Worried by how much they worry? From clinical anxiety, to phobias, to everyday worries, the experience of anxiety can vary so much from family to family, and kid to kid. What coping skills help kids tame their fears and negative thought cycles? How do you know when to look for professional help? Lisa Valentine Clark and the Council of Moms —Dr. LaShawn Williams, Erika Price, and Julie Suazo— discuss frontline tactics for helping kids cope with anxiety (and our own anxiety, while we're at it).

#Anxiety

#MentalHealth

#AnxietyManagement

#ParentingJourney

#MomCommunity

Worried that you're holding your adult kids back by going too easy on them? Or concerned you're being too hard on them by making them pay rent? Navigating the bridge between teenagehood and adulthood can be a delicate, stepping-on-one-another's-toes dance. Lisa Valentine Clark and her Council of Moms—Amy Hackworth, Emilie Campbell, and Geraldine "G" Fitisemanu—are here to help you navigate this tricky period of life.

#BabyAdults

#AdultChildren

#MomCommunity

#ParentingJourney

#HelpingKidsLaunch