Do you ever feel that tension between wanting to help your kids… and knowing you probably shouldn’t step in so fast?

Because if we’re honest, it’s almost always easier and quicker to just do it ourselves. Open the bottle. Fill out the form. Solve the problem.

But what if that instinct is exactly what’s holding our kids back?

In this episode, I’m talking with Amy Carney about what it really takes to raise kids who are ready for the real world. Not just capable on paper, but confident, resilient, and able to handle life when things don’t go smoothly.

This is part two of our conversation, and we’re digging into the everyday moments that actually shape independent kids. (Here’s part 1 if you missed it.)

Here’s what we cover:

• Why so many young adults struggle with basic problem-solving (and what parents are unintentionally doing that contributes to it)
• The surprising power of letting kids struggle instead of stepping in
• How to create family fun that actually works, even with teens who “don’t want to” participate
• The mindset shift from doing things for your kids to mentoring them through life
• Real-life examples of skills that fall through the cracks (even in great homes)
• Why “easier and quicker” should be your red flag as a parent
• Practical ways to start handing over responsibility, one small step at a time

If you’ve ever wondered how to raise kids who can actually handle adulthood, this conversation will both challenge and encourage you in the best way.

Resources We Mention for Raising Independent Kids

• Get those kids some life skills at #LifeSkillsNow summer camp!
• Letting toddlers help in the kitchen
• My interview with Jessica Lahey on letting kids fail
• Amy’s viral post on 8 things you should stop doing for your kids

Get your kids REAL skills for real life - register for #LifeSkillsNow!

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Raising Healthy Families 
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

One of the motivations for creating the Kids Cook Real Food™ eCourse was that I was just over halfway to “launch” with my oldest child.

Nine years old is half of the intensive part of parenting, and Paul had just turned 10. He demonstrated how to make homemade guacamole to his 4th-grade class, and I realized that guac was the only thing he truly knew how to make!

One cannot live on guac alone…so I knew I needed to teach him more before he left my home!

I love that parenting expert and author Amy Carney also uses the word “launch” to describe the process of sending off a child into the world, ready to serve and grow and live on purpose.

She too had a crisis of parenting when her oldest kids were about 10, and she reacted even more strongly than I did – that and more in today’s interview!

What Amy made me desire: The sort of MARGIN she found in her life when she taught her kids certain things.

How I’ll rethink something today: That being frustrated about a task is an opportunity for a teaching moment.

A goal I need to keep in mind: Play is as important as “being busy.”

In the first two days after the interview, I quoted a certain portion twice, and it’s what college professors and deans all agreed that young adults need more of.

This is a heartfelt, fun, fascinating, and inspiring interview, and I hope you enjoy Amy as much as I did!

Amy is teaching on How to Spot a Scam in #LifeSkillsNow Season 5 – register now!

Resources We Mention for Teaching Life Skills to Teens

• Supporting the foster care system
• Amy’s video on adoption through foster care
• My interview with Julie Lythcott-Haimes about raising successful adults
• Find Amy online here
• Follow her on social media: Facebook, Instagram

Get your kids REAL skills for real life - register for #LifeSkillsNow!

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Raising Healthy Families 
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

What happens when you mess up as a parent?

Because let’s be honest… no matter how intentional you try to be, no matter how many goals you set, there are still going to be moments where you lose your patience, react in a way you regret, or just plain get it wrong. The real question is not if that will happen, but what you do next.

In this second half of my conversation with Jon Hord, we move from awareness into action. Jon shares what it actually looks like to repair those hard moments with your kids, how to model growth instead of perfection, and why those “mess up” moments can become some of the most powerful connection points in your family.

This episode is incredibly practical, but also deeply encouraging. You are not stuck in your patterns. You are not defined by your worst moments. And you have more influence than you think in shaping your relationship with your kids moving forward.

In this episode, we cover:

•  What to say after you lose your temper or handle something poorly 
•  Why apologizing to your kids builds respect instead of weakening authority 
•  How to turn parenting mistakes into opportunities for connection 
•  The difference between working on yourself silently and involving your kids in the process 
•  A simple way to help kids learn compromise and ownership (using dinner!) 
•  Why the dinner table is one of the most powerful connection points in your home 
•  The impact of removing phones and distractions during family time 
•  One mindset shift that can instantly change how you respond to your kids

Resources We Mention for Repairing Parenting Mistakes

• Join the Engaged Father Project community now
• The importance of family dinners
• What is the role of fathers when it comes to teaching kids about health and food?
• Helping teens and tweens build a healthy relationship with technology

Get your kids REAL skills for real life - register for #LifeSkillsNow!

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Raising Healthy Families 
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Do you think you could be vulnerable enough to ask your kids, “How could I be a better parent?” Even the thought of that makes my chest tighten a little bit, but in this episode, Jon Hord is going to encourage dads—and moms—to do just that.

This conversation is such a powerful look at what it means to parent with intention instead of just reacting to whatever the day throws at you. Jon shares his own story of going from stressed, overwhelmed, and not showing up the way he wanted… to becoming a dad who is actively creating a new version of himself.

And the best part? This is not about perfection. It is about awareness, small shifts, and having the courage to grow.

If you have ever felt like you are just trying to get through the day without losing your patience, or wondered if you are really showing up the way your kids need, this episode will hit home in the best way.

In this episode, we cover:

•  Why “being a good parent” might actually be aiming too low 
•  The simple but uncomfortable question that can transform your relationship with your kids 
•  What to do when your child gives you honest feedback… and it stings 
•  How stress (especially from work) quietly shapes the parent you become at home 
•  The difference between reacting to your kids and actually leading them 
•  Why your childhood patterns show up in your parenting, whether you realize it or not 
•  A practical way to pause in hard moments instead of escalating them 
•  What it looks like to become the “new version” of yourself as a parent

Resources We Mention for Intentional Fatherhood

• Join the Engaged Father Project community now
• Decode Your Child’s Behavior and Dial in Your Parenting Boundaries from the Author of Transforming Toddlerhood, Devon Kuntzman
• What is the role of fathers when it comes to teaching kids about health and food?

Get your kids REAL skills for real life - register for #LifeSkillsNow!

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Raising Healthy Families 
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

I love it when a conversation feels like it’s been years in the making. This one really has!

Today’s guest is someone who has quietly, faithfully shaped the way I think about food for a long time—my friend Wardee Harmon from Traditional Cooking School.

And if you’ve ever felt like the world of “healthy eating” is a swirl of contradictions…one expert says this, another says that…you are not alone. (Honestly, it can make your head spin before you even get dinner on the table.)

Wardee has this rare gift of bringing clarity to all that noise.

Her Eat God’s Way plan isn’t just another list of rules or trendy swaps. It’s a grounded, thoughtful look at the foods humans were designed to eat, paired with traditional methods that real families have used for generations. Things like soaking, fermenting, sourdough…not because they’re fancy, but because they work.

And I’ve seen firsthand how she teaches. She doesn’t overwhelm. She connects the dots.

She makes it feel doable, even if you’re starting from “we eat cereal for dinner sometimes and I’m just trying to survive.”

I also love that her perspective is rooted in faith, but she holds it with such grace. If that resonates with you, you’re going to feel right at home. And if it’s new or not quite your thing, there’s still so much practical wisdom here to take and run with.

Wardee is also one of our incredible leaders for #LifeSkillsNow! This year she is teaching a delicious gluten-free Blueberry Oat Cake.

So whether you’re curious about traditional foods, wondering if sourdough is worth the hype, or just hoping to feel a little more grounded in what you feed your family…

You’re in the right place.

Resources We Mention for Eating God’s Way

• Get the Eat God’s Way books
• Check out Wardee’s book Fermenting: Pickles, Kimchi, Kefir, Kombucha, Sourdough, Yogurt, Cheese and More! (The Self-Sufficient Kitchen) – Amazon, Bookshop.org
• Healing eczema naturally
• Health benefits of sourdough
• See all the Traditional Cooking School courses

Get your kids REAL skills for real life - register for #LifeSkillsNow!

Shop Third Rock Essentials at kidscookrealfood.com/thirdrock, and use code KITCHENSTEW for 20% off!

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Raising Healthy Families 
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Let me ask you something. When was the last time you felt genuinely sharp? Not just “I had coffee and I’m functional” sharp, but clear-headed, energized, actually-in-the-room sharp?

Most of us have quietly accepted a version of ourselves that’s a little foggy, a little tired, a little “off” and chalked it up to getting older, being busy, or just how things are now. But here’s the thing: that fog has reasons. 

In this post, we’re pulling back the curtain on what’s actually going on inside your body and brain during perimenopause. We’re talking about the surprising link between your gut and your mood, what your sleep problems are really trying to tell you, and why stress is so much sneakier than anyone gives it credit for.

Resources We Mention for Daily Habits for Perimenopause

• Get Cynthia’s books: The Menopause Gut (Amazon/Bookshop.org) and Intermittent Fasting Transformation (Amazon/Bookshop.org).
• Perimenopause May Be the Wisest and Best Years of Your Life – How to Make That Reality with Jenn Pike
• Women Metabolize and Build Strength Differently Than Men (Especially Over 30) with Pearl & Serene, authors of Trim Healthy Wisdom
• The best blue light glasses for better sleep
• Stress Mastery Challenge for busy moms
•  Get some natural support from Berkeley Life's supplement

Get your kids REAL skills for real life - register for #LifeSkillsNow!

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Raising Healthy Families 
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

I’m joined by Cynthia Thurlow, a nurse practitioner and expert in perimenopause and menopause, and this conversation truly feels like a mini masterclass in understanding your body. We talk through what is really going on with your hormones, how your gut plays a much bigger role than you might expect, and why so many of the symptoms we tend to brush off are actually connected.

In this episode, we cover:

• What the gut microbiome is and why it affects nearly every system in your body
• Why perimenopause can start earlier than you might expect
• The first hormone to shift and how it impacts stress, sleep, and mood
• How estrogen changes can lead to symptoms like weight gain, heavy periods, and gut issues
• Why your menstrual cycle is a vital sign you should not ignore
• The connection between hormones and brain fog, anxiety, and mood changes
• Why perimenopause can feel chaotic and how to start understanding those changes

Resources We Mention for Hormone Changes in Perimenopause

• Get Cynthia's books: The Menopause Gut (Amazon/Bookshop.org) and Intermittent Fasting Transformation (Amazon/Bookshop.org).
• Perimenopause May Be the Wisest and Best Years of Your Life
• Hope for heavy periods: 5 root cause solutions that might surprise you
• Stress Mastery Challenge for busy moms
•  Get some natural support for perimenopause from Berkeley Life's supplement

Get your kids REAL skills for real life - register for #LifeSkillsNow!

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Raising Healthy Families 
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Have you ever eaten chocolate or chips when you feel stressed?

Rewarded yourself for a job well done with a little sticky celebration?

Hid from sadness with a whole box of ice cream to yourself?

The term "emotional eating" might be new to you, but I'm sure you can see how it works. This interview with Tricia Nelson, author of Heal Your Hunger, is powerful in that we unlock the hidden truth behind why many of us can't lose weight --

It's not about the food.

It's not about self-discipline.

It's about feelings.

In this chat, we focus on the adults, on how to get through our own emotional eating, and although we touch upon how this impacts our parenting, it's not about kids' health today.

Super quick note that this isn't a kid-friendly interview, nothing huge, but you might not want to have this one on with kids in the background.

Resources We Mention to End Emotional Eating

• Tricia’s book: Heal Your Hunger
• Is sugar addiction real?
• How we’ve broken our metabolism: tips for cutting out sugar
• Tips for summer snacking
• Master your stress: Intro to stress mastery, make stress your BFF, stress mastery for busy moms
• Avoiding emotional eating in kids
• Connect with Trish on her website
• Take the quiz to find out if you are an emotional eater or food addict
• Follow her on Facebook
• Join the Secret Sauce to Emotional Eating Facebook group (It’s free! Anyone can join!)
• Trish has generously offered you listeners a complimentary 30-minute session: Emotional Eating Breakthrough Session

Get your kids REAL skills for real life - register for #LifeSkillsNow!

Shop Third Rock Essentials at kidscookrealfood.com/thirdrock, and use code KITCHENSTEW for 20% off!

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Raising Healthy Families 
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

If you’ve ever looked at your child’s behavior and thought, “What is going on right now?”—you’re not alone.

In this episode, we go beyond surface-level parenting advice and get into something deeper: what your child’s behavior is actually trying to communicate. 

Wendy Snyder introduces a powerful framework that helps you “translate” your child’s actions in real time. Instead of reacting with frustration, you’ll start to see patterns, unmet needs, and opportunities to teach life skills. It’s a shift that can completely change how you experience everyday parenting moments.

Along the way, you may find yourself rethinking what it really means to be a “strict” parent, and whether the strategies you’ve been using are actually helping in the long run.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The four hidden reasons behind most misbehavior
• How to tell if your child is seeking attention, power, revenge, or support
• Why punishment often makes behavior worse instead of better
• What to do when your child says hurtful or dramatic things
• How to stay calm when your child is upset with your rules
• The difference between firm boundaries and “strict” parenting
• How to stop power struggles before they escalate
• Why your mindset matters just as much as your parenting strategy

If you’ve been feeling stuck in cycles of frustration or wondering why nothing seems to “work,” this conversation will give you a new lens to look through ... and a few moments that might just change how you respond the next time your child pushes back.

Did you miss part 1 of this episode? Watch or listen here.

Resources We Mention for Understanding Your Child's Behavior

• Pre-order Wendy's new book at Amazon, Bookshop.org, or wherever you find your books, and then grab the preorder bonuses here.
• My mini-episode about boundaries especially for teens
• Scripts for calm connection with Bryanna Kappadakunnel
• Listen to Wendy's episode on parenting "cactus kids"
• More on power struggles, positive parenting, and forgoing traditional discipline in this episode with Amy McCready

Get your kids REAL skills for real life - register for #LifeSkillsNow!

Shop Third Rock Essentials at kidscookrealfood.com/thirdrock, and use code KITCHENSTEW for 20% off!

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Raising Healthy Families 
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

There’s a moment in this conversation I can’t quite shake.

A mom drops her child’s favorite stuffed animal into the trash while her four-year-old begs her not to. If that makes your stomach tighten, you’re not alone.

Because even if you’ve never had a “trash can moment,” you’ve probably had that moment. The one where you hear yourself and think, “Wait…is this how I want to parent?”

That’s exactly where this conversation with Wendy Snyder begins. Not from perfection, but from honesty, growth, and a deep desire to do better than what we were handed.

And the surprising part? She doesn’t just share what went wrong. She shows us what to do instead in a way that feels doable and hopeful.

If you’ve ever wondered why punishment doesn’t work, why strong-willed kids push every button, or why you keep reacting in ways you swore you wouldn’t, this episode will meet you right there.

Inside, we talk about:

• The story behind that “trash can moment” and why it changed everything
• What’s really happening during power struggles
• The discipline belief most of us inherited and why it backfires
• A simple 4-step process to set limits without yelling or shame
• Why connection changes everything
• How to support strong-willed kids without breaking their spirit
• What breaking generational cycles actually looks like
• The long game of parenting and what success really means

Underneath it all is a quiet shift. Maybe parenting isn’t about controlling our kids better, but understanding them and ourselves more deeply.

If that’s the kind of change you’ve been craving, you’re in the right place.

Resources We Mention for Respectful Discipline

• Pre-order Wendy’s new book at Amazon, Bookshop.org, or wherever you find your books, and then grab the preorder bonuses here.
• Listen to Michele Borba’s interview about helping our kids build empathy.
• Scripts for calm connection with Bryanna Kappadakunnel
• Listen to Wendy’s episode on parenting “cactus kids”
• My episode on the Fresh Start Family podcast about building connection through cooking

Get your kids REAL skills for real life - register for #LifeSkillsNow!

Shop Third Rock Essentials at kidscookrealfood.com/thirdrock, and use code KITCHENSTEW for 20% off!

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Raising Healthy Families 
• follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
• Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
• YouTube shorts channel for HPH
• Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!