Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family

In a culture that is proclaiming gender as "fluid" and is encouraging "gender-neutral" parenting, we proudly stand and say boys and girls are defined and different. Wonderfully different. And did you know those physical variations extend beyond simply the obvious? Boys and girls have distinct wiring in the brain, eye structure, and hearing acuity. Boys overestimate their abilities, and girls underestimate them. Boys feel just as deeply as girls, though they are less verbal. The distinctions are many and sometimes subtle. What does this deeper understanding mean for parents? The more parents realize how their sons and daughters are uniquely made, the better they will be able to understand and guide them to further maturity. In this podcast we draw from the research of Dr. Leonard Sax in his book Why Gender Matters, which we highly recommend. There is so much ground to cover we split this into 2 podcasts! Part 2 coming next week.

Advent Kit for Families: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/give/

Tampa Event: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/tampa-february-15/

Dr. Leonard Sax's book: https://amzn.to/2OkCn5G

The power of a name, the importance of memory, the responsibility to heal the world, the reality that God dwells with us - all of these are lessons that we as Catholics can learn from the Jewish people. At the end of October 2019, we had the privilege of being guests of the Foundation Stone Institute who hosted us for a trip to Israel and the holy sites there. We had a powerful experience visiting the places where Jesus lived, worked, preached and healed. The trip gave us a deeper understanding of our Catholic faith, but also of the Jewish people, our “elder brethren”. There were many insights that we had and lessons learned, but in this podcast, we decided to limit ourselves to four things that we walked with that we think families can benefit from. These values have been held by the Jewish people for centuries and we can and should learn from them.

Support this show and ministry at https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/give/

The power of a name, the importance of memory, the responsibility to heal the world, the reality that God dwells with us - all of these are lessons that we as Catholics can learn from the Jewish people. At the end of October 2019, we had the privilege of being guests of the Foundation Stone Institute who hosted us for a trip to Israel and the holy sites there. We had a powerful experience visiting the places where Jesus lived, worked, preached and healed. The trip gave us a deeper understanding of our Catholic faith, but also of the Jewish people, our "elder brethren". There were many insights that we had and lessons learned, but in this podcast, we decided to limit ourselves to four things that we walked with that we think families can benefit from. These values have been held by the Jewish people for centuries and we can and should learn from them.

Support this show and ministry at https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/give/

Every parent wants their children to be happy, but it seems children today are more unhappy than ever before! Part of the problem stems from the expectations and pressure on our kids and part of the problem is that most of us don’t recognize the path to happiness ourselves. Dennis Prager states, “Happiness is a moral obligation.” We all need to realize that happiness is a choice, not something that just happens. We need to teach our children that happiness is under their control, show them the choices that lead to happiness, and then form them with the self-discipline needed to make those choices. We can’t force our children to be happy, but we can give them the guidance and tools they need to choose it for themselves.

Find out more about our mission and vision for the future: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/join/

Every parent wants their children to be happy, but it seems children today are more unhappy than ever before! Part of the problem stems from the expectations and pressure on our kids and part of the problem is that most of us don't recognize the path to happiness ourselves. Dennis Prager states, "Happiness is a moral obligation." We all need to realize that happiness is a choice, not something that just happens. We need to teach our children that happiness is under their control, show them the choices that lead to happiness, and then form them with the self-discipline needed to make those choices. We can't force our children to be happy, but we can give them the guidance and tools they need to choose it for themselves.

Find out more about our mission and vision for the future: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/join/

Creating good habits is an important part of family life, especially at the beginning of the school year. St. Francis said, “Let us begin again, for until now we have done nothing.” This is a great inspiration for us because we are probably the most consistently inconsistent parents out there, and we are always beginning again! It is hard to create habits in ourselves, let alone a group of children!

To start a new family habit, you need to first sit down and create a plan with your spouse. Remember, most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important. Then you need to implement the plan together. Think about the pushback you may get from your kids and be ready to deal with it. Talk to older kids ahead of time and gain their buy-in first. Connect your new habits with a bigger vision for your family life.

And keep them motivated! Connect your habits with good things that kids like to do. Show them the positive consequences of their actions.

To hear more on this topic, check out our podcast on habits. Get weekly emails with the latest Messy Family Minutes > SIGN UP

 

 

There are few bigger changes in life than going from having no children to having children. After that the next biggest life change is every child that comes after! Moms and dads who have newborns need the support of family and friends in a particular way as they make these transitions. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, and even brothers can all listen to this podcast to learn about how they can support new parents at this critical time. It's good for parents to know that it is important to be honest about the feelings they are having because sometimes expectations do not reflect reality. Being open to life is not easy but it can bring you more joy than anything you've ever done. It can also bring more unity and strength to your marriage if you keep lines of communication open and if you are willing to be vulnerable.

To contact us, and for more information and resources visit us at https://www.messyfamilyproject.org

Event Info: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/speaking/events/

There are few bigger changes in life than going from having no children to having children. After that the next biggest life change is every child that comes after! Moms and dads who have newborns need the support of family and friends in a particular way as they make these transitions. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, and even brothers can all listen to this podcast to learn about how they can support new parents at this critical time. It's good for parents to know that it is important to be honest about the feelings they are having because sometimes expectations do not reflect reality. Being open to life is not easy but it can bring you more joy than anything you've ever done. It can also bring more unity and strength to your marriage if you keep lines of communication open and if you are willing to be vulnerable.

To contact us, and for more information and resources visit us at https://www.messyfamilyproject.org

Event Info: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/speaking/events/

As moms and dads we have a natural and grace-filled desire to lay our lives down for our children, to provide for their emotional and physical needs as best we can. Moms particularly can tend to burn themselves out for the children, right ladies? Lunching on leftover mac and cheese, getting up five times a night, cleaning endlessly … how should parents live an ordered life?

The first thing we need to remember is that there is no sacrament of parenthood. You receive the grace to be a parent through the sacrament of Matrimony — through your marriage! That is how you will bring grace into your family — through celebrating your marriage. Putting your marriage first is the way to be great parent.

Dads, you need to step in and remind your wife that she is first and foremost your beloved bride. It was God’s order that you were first married, and from your love came the children. Remember your marriage is the foundation of your family.

To hear more about strengthening your marriage, check out these podcasts at messyfamilyproject.org

Get weekly emails with the latest Messy Family Minutes > SIGN UP

 

 

We believe there is a conspiracy afoot in the world against marriage and family life, but it is not a conspiracy of earthly powers; it is a spiritual one. Parents, by raising a family you have entered into this battle, so you need to keep your eyes open and take spiritual authority within your home and within your own life. In this podcast we discuss things like how the Evil One tries to deceive us, how we can give him footholds in our lives, and how we should respond to his attacks. By freeing yourself up to love, living in the light, and taking authority in our own lives we can live a life spiritual freedom, allowing nothing to hold us back. Remember, Christ the Victor has come to bring us life and it is by His grace and in His name that we shall overcome.

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More on our Tampa Couples Getaway - https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/tampa-february-15/

Prayers and book links can be found at: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/mfp118-know-your-enemy-spiritual-warfare-for-parents