January 19, 2026

Kind and Firm: Setting Boundaries with Kids | Ep. 284

31 minutes

In this second week of our Don’t Stay Stuck series, we’re shifting our focus to parents who are “stuck” at the bottom of the Connected Families Framework™. Being naturally bent toward compassion is a God-given superpower, but what happens when parents are consistently overly permissive? Setting boundaries with kids can be challenging at times. Listen in as Stacy chats with Katie Wetsell, a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach, to encourage you to be kind and firm.

Key Takeaways:

How our parenting defaults can actually come from God-given gifts

What does it look like to get stuck at the bottom of the Framework: Am I too soft?

How balance helps kids build wisdom and resilience in their long-term relationships

Concrete examples you can use to add more firmness to your parenting

Mentioned in this Podcast:

Free Parenting Assessment

Helpful Truths and Hurtful Beliefs PDF download

Katie Wetsell – Connected Families Certified Parent Coach

Ep. 98 – Can You Parent Well When You’re Anxious?

Ep. 99 – How Can I Identify Anxiety In My Child?

2 Timothy 1:7

Blog Post – Am I Too Soft? Finding The Strength To Be Both Kind and Firm

Blog Post – First-Time Obedience: Should I Require Immediate Obedience from My Child?

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Guest Bio:

Katie Wetsell has always had a calling on her heart to care for children. She has worked as a pediatric oncology nurse and pediatric nurse practitioner. After experiencing the benefits of parent coaching through Connected Families, Katie later resigned from nursing and became a Certified Parent Coach. She and her husband have four children (three boys and a girl) through birth and adoption. Katie is also trained in SPACE treatment to help parents learn how to support their children struggling with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. You can learn more about Katie at parentwithhope.org, and on Facebook @parentwithhopecoach and Instagram @parentwithhopecoach.

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