In this episode of Heart-Focused Parenting, I share how family travel offers the perfect opportunity to grow character in our kids (and of course, ourselves as well!) Drawing from our recent trip to France, I started to think of four key virtues that make travelling with children easier: patience, flexibility, self-control, and responsibility. With practical examples and heart-focused ideas, I encourage parents to start teaching and practising these traits at home before the suitcases come out, helping kids respond wisely to new situations, changes, and challenges while keeping relationships strong both at home and out and about.

Read the blog here: How to Prepare for Family Travel With These 4 Virtues (#107)

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To create a Christmas that is both enjoyable and makes an impact on your child's heart doesn't just happen - you have to make it happen. Start thinking about this now.

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Parenting can so easily become all about behaviour. We hear ourselves all day saying things like - 'Stop that, do this, don't forget.' But as Christian parents, we want our kids to know God personally, not just know the rules. So in this episode, I want to talk about how we can use those everyday moments when our kids need correction to disciple their hearts because we want our kids to know God's love not just obey His rules.

Read the blog here: Christian Parents are you focused on Correction or Introducing Jesus?

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This episode explores the hidden pressures shaping modern motherhood and why so many mums feel stretched thin, overwhelmed, and exhausted - and then I share 3 lessons I learnt back in the day, that are still helpful for today.

Read on the blog too: Why Modern Motherhood Feels So Exhausting—and What You Can Do About It

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Praying out loud doesn't come naturally to every child — but it's a skill that can be learned in a safe, loving environment. In this episode, I share practical, age-appropriate strategies to help your kids grow comfortable talking to God in their own words. From modeling everyday prayer, to using the A-C-T-S framework, to preparing them with conversation starters, you'll learn how to guide them in both group and one-on-one settings. More than just words, it's about building their confidence in prayer and deepening their relationship with their Heavenly Father.

Read the blog here: Teaching Kids to Pray Out Loud: Practical Tips for Parents

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I've had a few strong-willed kids, or strong-willed moments, and what I learnt was first, staying calm is important, and secondly, I am not calm because my child does well, I am calm because of the work done inside of me. We can be calm even if our kids' behaviour is creating havoc!! It starts with a shift in us (the parents) - in how we think, what we expect, and what we believe about our role as parents.

Read or Listen: How To Stay Calm: 3 Essential Mindset Shifts For Christian Parents

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Substack: Belinda Letchford/A heart-focused Life

As a mum of four (now grown), I've had plenty of moments where I felt like my kids just weren't listening. I'd give a clear instruction, and it would feel like it disappeared into thin air. Sound familiar?

What I learned back in the day was that obedience doesn't begin when a child does the task. It begins when they stop, turn, and receive the instruction. That little moment of readiness is the foundation for everything that follows.

Let's talk about the Attitude of Readiness...

Read it here: The Attitude of Readiness is more Important than Obedience

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3 core words you will hear me say often about parenting is to be intentional, relational and heart-focused. But if you're new here, you might be wondering what those words actually mean. If you've been around for a while, now is a good time for a refresher. There's so much parenting information and advice out there - it is easy to feel overwhelmed and pulled in different directions. Which is why it is so important to come back to your foundation: to know what you believe and how you want to show up as a parent. For me that meant being intentional, relational and heart-focused, so today I'm sharing what those words mean, and how they shape everything about how you do family life.

Read the blog here: How To Parent With Connection And Purpose: A Framework That Works (#101)

Learn more with free email course - 3 Proven Steps to Transform your Parenting Today. Receive a short email every day, for 4 days, that gives you more details on being Intentional, Relational and Heart-focused, as well as a worksheet to help you process and apply.

Take the first steps to respond with purpose, rebuild connection and parent with wisdom and love. Read more here.

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Belinda and her husband Peter, along with their daughter Jessica, celebrate the 100th episode of the podcast "Heart-Focused Parenting" by discussing their family's journey of intentional living and their shared faith values. They explored how their farming backgrounds and spiritual beliefs brought them together, and shared their experiences of moving to a remote area in Northwestern Australia while maintaining their family values and community connections. The episode concluded with reflections on their parenting approach, educational choices, and the importance of balancing intentionality with healthy relationships. We hope you enjoy our conversation.

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Discover what it means to embrace heart-focused homeschooling—a mindset shift for Christian parents who want to shape character, faith, and values.

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Heart-Focused Homeschooling: A Mindset Shift for Christian Parents

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If my kids grow up and remember me only for being a good cook and having a clean kitchen... well, I think I'll have missed something pretty important!

Motherhood isn't just about managing life and doing all the things — it's about shaping hearts, including our own.

Today on the podcast, I'm talking about the deeper story we're writing as Christian mums — and five priorities that matter far more than a tidy house or a full schedule. Grab your coffee (or your laundry basket!) and let's dive in.

Read the blog here: What type of Mum Do You Want to Be?

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