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Hey Guys! Chris and Melissa here; we will admit we are not immune to the sharp criticism that comes with kids being messy, loud, or late. Criticizing feels terrible for all parties, but what if we could correct AND encourage them?
Today we talk about the powerful concept of "And," a way to correct your children without breaking their spirit. There will always be moments of stress in life, so finding the way to respond to our children as they learn to navigate life is crucial to us. From talking too much, to leaving messes, to being brave enough to ask a flight attendant for help, we discuss some real examples where "and" worked for us or would have been a better approach.
Listen in as we talk about some tips on how to respond without hurting your kids and how focusing on the positive can change not only your conversations but your mind when it comes to family. That habit your child has may be a strength that carries them to success later in life. We are committed to fostering growth, and we encourage you to start practicing the power of "and" within your own family.
For more resources or to follow us on social media, check out the links below!
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Hey guys, Chris and Melissa here! We hear from busy parents all the time who have never been away from their kids overnight in nearly a decade or more. If you can relate, we're here to advocate for your much-needed couple's get-away!
In today's episode, we talk about not only why you should take a couple's trip but how you can take one with little to no stress for you. Investing in your relationship is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your family, which is why we try to take a couple's trip every quarter. We talk about how we plan our trips and how flexible they can be; whether it's a day trip for hiking and a picnic or a weekend road trip to visit a nearby city, we always set it on our calendar and commit to it.
Listen in as we talk about the first thing you need to address before going on a couple's trip and how setting intention will help with honest communication and expectations. We go over every issue that you may cross when planning a trip together, from cost to childcare and even ideas for starting a conversation that may be hard. We discuss the importance of dreaming together as a couple and fostering a relationship that looks to the future with hope not only as a family but together as well. We talk about our most memorable trips and how we made the most of the resources we had to make sure we never had to cancel.
We encourage and challenge you to take part in your own couple's trip as soon as possible. The reward is worth it!
For more resources or to follow us on social media, check out the links below!
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Hey guys, Chris and Melissa here! Summer is officially and it's the perfect time to try something new. We've recently been working on how we can get the most out of our summer vacation, whether it's a new skill, hobby or road trip we're going to lean into adventure.
If you could have any skill by the end of summer what would it be?
In today's episode, we talk about using the months of summer vacation to intentionally create fun not just for your kids but you too! To me 2-3 months is the perfect time to learn a new skill whether its baking, reading, or learning to throw with your left hand it can be whatever you're interested in either learning or getting better at. We go over our list for the summer and give some practical tips on how you can get the most out of your bucket list whether you're staying at home or going on vacation.
You'll learn how you can create more adventure with road trips and extending vacations to add just a little more excitement to your summer. We talk about how simple tradition can be and how you can easily begin new summer traditions that your kids will love, as well as the connection we have during the summer all going towards our own goals together. This episode is full of ideas on how you can upgrade your summer and ultimately learn something you could use for the rest of your life.
So take your time, think about what you want to learn this summer and then go for it!
For resources or to follow us on social media check out the links below!
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Hey Guys! Melissa here, recently I had a friend ask me the question "If you could tell any story what would you tell?" and I knew immediately what I wanted to talk about.
So, while my family is sleeping I thought I'd do a little solo episode. Today, I talk about a time when I was in every position to feel lonely, scared, and stressed and I was for a moment but that all turned around when I remembered a scripture that I still think of today.
You'll hear the story of when I was pregnant with our youngest daughter, and being on my fifth pregnancy I was sure I knew when the baby was coming. Filled with this confidence I let Chris go on a work trip about two weeks before my due date and I'm sure you can guess where this is going. I want to say, there was a point where I was sure that I could not do it alone, and I know that is not a foreign feeling for most people. We all have had moments or times in our lives where we were scared of going it alone.
But I want you to know that you are not alone, the loneliness you feel can be taken and turned into empowerment and a peace that surpasses all understanding. For me, it was as simple as a scripture. For you, it may take more digging or it may be simple but all I have to say is that you are not alone and you can do this. I still think about that moment to this day, especially when I'm feeling lonely, but I believe that to overcome loneliness you must find it in God.
To connect with us or follow our journey check out the links below!
Melissa Smith
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Hey guys! Chris and Melissa here, if you've been listening for a while, you know we talk a lot about family values. Recently we've gotten some questions about what exactly are family values and do they even work? Well, we put them to the test and we think you'll want to hear this!
In today's episode, we talk about the definition of family values and how you can start to think and talk about them within your own family. We're all about building your family's brand, so that means taking the time to sit everyone in your family down and talking about what it means to be YOUR family. You'll hear about the Smith family values and how we navigate them in the big and small moments, leading our kids to think about who they want to be and how they want to live their lives.
We take your questions seriously so for a whole day we paid extra attention to see if any of our family values were used at all. You'll hear about real moments where we had a chance to remind our kids about the family values they chose to follow, and even moments they reminded us! We'll answer questions like if family values actually change anything, how to figure out what your family values are, and how you can maintain family values without bringing shame on your kids.
Listen in as we talk about how you can implement a culture of challenging your children to grow while also giving them the deep support they need to thrive. You'll learn how you can add these practices into your own family with no pressure and why we revisit our own values at least once a year.
We put it to the test and were happily surprised. Are you willing to do the same?
To connect with us or find more information about our course check out the links below!
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Welcome back!! Melissa here, today is going to be a good one! I want to give you a warning before you hit play, if you have little ears around you may want to pop in your headphones. We don't talk about anything graphic or crass but we will be having an honest conversation about pornography more suited for parents.
Let's jump in!
Recently I learned that in today's digital world with increasing access to the internet the average child will see porn by their 11th birthday. That really puts things in perspective for us as parents. This shouldn't be a topic we put on the shelf until our kids are older or wait for the schools to start to teach sex ed.
Today we have an awesome conversation with guest Sara Brewer! Sara is a life coach that helps people quit porn forever with a shame-free and sex-positive approach. As parents we tend to either live in fear that one day our child is going to tell us they've seen porn or we push away the idea in hopes that it will work out on it's own. Sara explains her view on porn and how taking away the scary and damaging outlooks can not only bring you peace, but also prepare you for the inevitable day your child comes to you with questions.
Sara talks about the importance of separating someone's behavior from their identity, and how to stay away from placing fear or shame on your child so that you can have honest and open communication with them. We have an open discussion about when your child is most likely to see porn, steps you can take to help them learn instead of hide, and even how to help kids who have been dealing with these urges already.
Listen in as Sara has some amazing tips about fielding questions, educating our children in a sex-positive way, and also how to work through the emotions that come up with both you and your kid when dealing with pornography. As parents we aren't perfect, and there are times that we will mess up but if we take it one step at a time and give ourselves grace then we can easily help our kids navigate through a digital age.
To find resources mentioned in this episode or to connect with Sara check out the links below!
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Hey Guys! Melissa here, have you ever experienced this? A day comes along where every person in your family needs something from you. You can't shower, you can't get dressed, you can't even go to the bathroom by yourself...its that mixed feeling of overwhelm and yet isolating all at the same time.
In today's episode, we talk about something that I've been experimenting with lately, and that is creating an hour each week to be completely with my thoughts, no phone, no lists, no distractions. It's an hour each week while our youngest is at preschool, I can be myself and just allow myself to be whatever I need to be. It sounds pretty basic but it's been pretty revolutionary for me and I think it's something that everyone, Chris, my kids, you, and your family can benefit from.
Join us as we discuss how the idea of stillness came up and how a garden built specifically for meditation and wandering has started to change my view on myself and the world around me. Along with readings and mindfulness, I have begun a journey into understanding the importance of stillness and how it affects not just me but Chris and our kids as well.
Chris and I have a conversation about the changes he's seen in me, building time for stillness wherever you are, the difference between standing still and being still, and even how it started changing my personal definition of spirituality. We wanted to share this with you because feeding our bodies, and nurturing our children's bodies is an obvious and expected thing, so what if we started feeding their spirits as well?
Listen in to learn more about how you can find time for stillness and begin to grow and care for yourself and your family in all areas of your life. To find the resources we mentioned or connect with us check out the links below!
Chris and Melissa
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Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand
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"Nothing in the world could make human life happier than to greatly increase the number of strong families." - David R. Mace
Hey guys! Chris and Melissa here, we've known that it's time to refresh some of our courses and with that of course means a lot of research but it got us thinking. What needs refreshing in our family's life?
Today we have an open discussion on the impact that families have on society, and on the world as a whole and how we can make an impact by growing and raising truly strong individuals within a family. An exhaustive study done by the University of Nebraska was watched over 35 years, 24,000 family members, from all 50 states as well as 34 different countries noted 6 "strengths" that all strong families tended to follow. As huge as this study is, we knew this is something that we couldn't ignore within our own family and we believe that it could help yours as well.
We talk about the 6 strengths of the study and how each plays a pivotal role in strengthening not just your whole family but each individual member within it. Listen in as we cover these topics and others like the importance of everyone making a commitment to the family, having open and real communication, how kids view love and time, and even making decisions for the family together. We can't wait to start using this within our family and even plan an area that we are going to work on this week!
Join us as we talk about the challenges and commitments we plan on making for our family and how you can as well. We know this can be overwhelming so we invite you to choose just one area that your family might need right now and to go after it, and know that anything you do to create a space for you and your kids to thrive is truly amazing!
To connect with us for community and support or to check out some resources we mentioned in today's episode check out the links below!
Chris and Melissa
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Hey guys, Melissa here this week!
Did you know that at the age of 9 your daughter has already reached the peak of her confidence? Research shows that from the ages 7-14 years old your daughter's confidence naturally drops 30% of what it was. When our daughter Ivy turned 9 I knew I had to figure out how to preserve her excitement and confidence in life for as long as possible.
We have two special guests on the show today Kristen Arnett and Hillary Whalen who are a part of Meant To Be Me a company. They are dedicated to helping parents intentionally empower their daughters with confidence. They provide classes that equip girls from 3rd-6th grade with tools that instill confidence and grow their self-esteem in real life experiences. You'll hear from both Kristen and Hillary about how Meant To Be Me started, some of the tools they provide for classes, and how you can help boost your child's confidence right from home.
Kristen and Hillary give some great insight into how you can spot the signs that your daughter may need more support, areas that need to be addressed as your daughter grows, empowering them to fight negative thinking and how modeling self-love is one of the most important things you can do.
Listen in as they talk about how Meant To Be Me has helped their own daughters and the one thing they love to see happen within a girl who was struggling with self-esteem. I hope this conversation is as encouraging to you as it was to me, I believe that we can empower our daughters and support our children to be confident in all that they do!
For more information about Meant To Be Me or to get in touch check out the links below. Also, if you know another powerful parent who is raising daughters we invite you to share this episode with them today!Melissa
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Website: Meant To Be Me
Instagram: Meant To Be Me
Book: Confidence Code
Book: Your Child's Self-Esteem
Dove Self-Esteem Resources
Jody Moore Coaching
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As you know, we take family and family culture seriously around here. It is one of our greatest passions in life to help families create a last name that stands for something. We love helping identify the unique identities and values in every family. We call it finding your "family brand."
With our work here at the Family Brand, we get to see how God has designed each family differently and for a purpose. However, even with the complexity of every Family's brand, there is one core value that should be at the core of every family.
Recently, we were reading the book "We Are All The Same Now." In this book they cover a study that was researched around the world and across 152 different languages in an effort to find the most common shared values in human beings around the globe.
Can you guess the number one answer?
The number one value shared across half a million people was belonging.
In today's episode, we talk about the power of creating a family culture that values a sense of belonging within ourselves and our kids. We have an open conversation about how we can support our kids to understand, accept, and believe in who they truly are. Creating a sense of belonging has been a process within our family and we believe that as a parent we have to be a role model of the mindsets and actions we are teaching our kids.
Join us as we discuss how accepting and unconditionally loving our children started with us first accepting and unconditionally loving ourselves. Hear about the importance of giving our kids a sense of identity and being a part of something bigger than themselves, why being vulnerable can create a healthy understanding of emotions within your family and more!
For more resources to help discover your "Family Brand" visit our website and follow us on Instagram! See the links below.
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