Mercy makes our hearts tender, and as parents we sometimes need a reminder to extend mercy to our children instead of being punishment-driven, harsh, or quick to come down on them. This is not wishy-washy or permissive parenting. It's a way of showing God's character to our children and acting as first-responders to someone in need. 

Many of us love to travel but imagine we don't have the money to do it as much as we'd like. Our guests on this episode traveled to 30 countries for under $10k.  This is our conversation about their tips and tricks and how they did it!  Come join their adventure!  

https://www.youtube.com/@benalaina 

@the_blaylocks 

@otagocoffeeco 

https://otagocoffeeco.com/

Learning about pelvic floor PT was a new frontier for us!  Join our conversation with guest, Jenny Archer, as she walks us through some surprising benefits, from pregnancy to post-partum, for children with bedwetting or constipation issues, and men and women in all stages of life. Who knew?!  

https://archerphysicaltherapy.com/

It can be tough knowing whether to let your child quit an activity (sport, club, class) or require that they stick with it, teaching them perseverance and commitment. In this episode, we run down some questions to help parents get to the bottom of the issue and help talk your child through that decision.  

The average American starts investing at age 31.  In today's economy, what steps can parents take to give their kids a boost so they're not in debt up to their eyeballs in their early 20's?  Financial expert, David Sproles, walks us through some tips savvy parents (or grandparents!) can take to set their kids up for success.  

Special guest, Lauren Stamper (@diaperfreediaries), talks to us about exposing children to potty training at a very early age. This "diaper free" method (which is not strictly diaperless) can save you money and have your child out of diapers by their first birthday.  Lauren's a mom of two and it's worked with both of her kiddos. 

It can sometimes feel fruitless when you take your littles to church. If you have older children, sometimes you'll get push-back as they start to own their own faith. The lost shoes, walking the halls, and time in the cry room....Is all the Sunday morning frustration really worth it?  

Do dogs go to heaven? How do you field questions from your child about the loss of a pet?  Losing a pet can leave a child experiencing real grief, often for the first time in their life, and it can be tricky answering all the questions they come up with!  We suggest some ways to be both truthful and sensitive. 

We walk down memory lane with two of our favorite photographers as we trace how family photo sessions have changed.  Dawn Harrison & Rachael Shannon give us the scoop on what makes a great session and their favorite types of photos. There may just be a road trip to Texas for a Glamour Shot experience in our future. 

https://www.rachaelshannonphotography.com/

The science of caregiving--yes, there's research behind it!--is beginning to shed light on what it means to give and receive care (to children, parents, others), and how it changes us. Despite the prominent narrative in our culture that caregiving is a burden and detracts from higher aims, the evidence tells a different story.

The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others

by Elissa Straus