Just Ask Your Mom

Our kids aren't the only ones who grow & change, but as grown-ups the milestones and transitions slow. We tend to measure or see our own growth by decade. For many of us, we get a growth spurt somewhere around 30's/40's (commonly known as midlife). In this episode, we look at The Gift of Imperfection, by Brene Brown, and walk through our own experiences of growth through transition and learning how to talk to ourselves with more respect. (If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.)

On this episode, we talk to a veteran mom & special ed teacher who's navigated just about every corner of raising children on a spectrum. She has four of her own and has had to research and wrestle with the system herself. She walks us through what new parents should look for, how to best use the resources available, and knowing what your child needs, whether he/she falls under the definition of gifted or exhibits behaviors on the autism spectrum. This one's full of helpful information and guaranteed to help you or someone you know.

We're solidly into summer here in the South. How many times have you heard the phrase "Mom, I'm bored"? Turns out, boredom is a CHILD'S problem, not an ADULT's. On this episode, we give you plenty of great ideas for summer stuff to do for kids of all ages and ways to put blocks of time in your day so you're not overwhelmed by All.The.Snacks.And.Towels.

1 in 7 babies born in the US spends time in the NICU for various issues. On this episode, we spoke with our friend, Becky Bilodeau, who's all too familiar with hospitals, NICUs, and procedures—and not because she happens to be a pediatric surgery nurse. Her second son, Jacob, was born with 3 chambers of his heart, rather than 4. Becky takes us through what their journey has been like and what parents in similar situations might need. To learn more about CHD or to help fund research for this common disorder, check out http://www.brettboyerfoundation.org/donate.

In this episode, we hear from listeners on the good, bad, and ugly of in-laws. What works when navigating that relationship? What doesn't? How do we set reasonable boundaries and also respect family members? And, we look at the other side of the coin now that we both HAVE in-laws and ARE in-laws ourselves. What are our lessons learned about what to do and what not to do.

With the trend toward marrying and having children later, more of us are feeling the squeeze of being sandwiched between raising our own children and caring for aging parents. Unique stresses--financial, emotional, and physical--are a common concern for folks (and let's face it, mainly women) in this situation. If you're not there yet, you likely will be. In this episode, we talk about finding ways to balance and some practical things to address sooner rather than later.

For decades, pediatricians and psychologists have been seeing climbing rates of anxiety in children and adults, to the point where parenting is sometimes now referred to as a crisis. Many parents say they just want their kids to be happy, but what if what we're doing is having the opposite effect? What's the cause and is there a solution? We unpack the data and look at what this looks like in an average household and what we might do to change course.

As home schooling options broaden and more families opt for alternatives to public schools, we look at 10 legit reasons you should consider before buying that curriculum. Special guest Holli Turner joins Renee for the lowdown while Bonnie (with zero homeschool experience) asks some probing questions about the number of bonnets homeschoolers actually own.

Joined by special guest Lavy Little, we dive into what it looks like when you're raising children through one parent's illness and death. Lavy shares honestly about her husband Conrad's medical issues and how the family navigated that with faith and determination. When Conrad died in 2017, her three sons faced their late teens and young adulthood without their father. The way they openly and honestly shared their grief with one another has helped them all move forward together.

Shame is universal. Where does it come from and is it possible to raise kids in a way that helps them overcome this feeling? Is it just a matter of fostering self-esteem or is there more to it? In this episode, we explore the difference between shame & guilt and give several tips to help ourselves and our children value taking the risk of connection.