Episode Four of the Sticky Conversations series is all about technology including TV, video games, phones, social media, etc. Stephani Blackwell, and I discuss the necessity of first examining our own relationship with technology--especially phone usage and social media, and letting that be the first thing we work on before trying to influence our children's relationship with technology.

We discuss specific ideas for limiting technology, but focus mainly on how parents need to determine their own personal philosophies about technology and then let their examples and rules be based on that. Technology, though it can lead to many temptations and trouble, is not itself evil, and using it as a tool is not a bad thing. But we do not want technology to rule us. Follow along to hear more thoughts!

Check out The Tech Exit by Clare Morell to hear more insights about how technology can influence children (and their parents!)

Listen to Episode 157 of the Raising Boys and Girls podcast for more thoughts and ideas.

Though talking about friendships doesn't seem like the "stickiest" topic, we have found in experience that there can be many sticky conversations surrounding friendships (especially with girls). Hurt feelings, bad influences, and handling fights or bad behavior are all examples of things that parents have to help their kids navigate with friends, and Stef shares from an abundance of wisdom and experience about how she handles friendships with her kids.

As with sex, we find that starting conversations with your kids early about how to be a good friend (sharing, not hitting, etc.) is the best way to open the door to future conversations about deeper issues. We also find that examining your own relationships (with God, your husband, and friends) helps us to be able to teach our children honestly and vulnerably. Listen in for examples, ideas, and thoughts on godly friendship and how to teach it to our kids!

The book that Steph refers to is called Growing Friendships by Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore and Christine McLaughlin.

Back again with Steph Blackwell to discuss another sticky conversation. This topic was given to us by a listener who wanted to teach her daughter about feminism without bringing down men or pretending that men and women are made the same.

Steph and I discuss how to honor both sexes through the concepts of theology of the body, historical contexts, and living examples in our marriages. We believe that God made both men and women equal in dignity, but very different in form and purpose. We try to portray that to both our sons and daughters in both word and deed and discuss practical ways we can do that in front of our kids.

Please reach out @thebetterpartpod or [email protected] with any specific topics you would like to hear about!

Probably one of the most common topics for parents to DREAD talking to their kids about: SEX. This can be hard because it's a sensitive, private topic that we would like to keep private! We don't want to scar our kids with too many details, but we don't want them to learn the complete wrong things either. How do we share the right things about sex at the right time and how do we do that without 1) freaking our kids out or 2) accidentally "telling" the whole neighborhood about sex via our children?

Stefani Blackwell and I begin this Sticky Conversations series by sharing about The Birds and the Bees organization, how we've implemented our own family philosophies about sex, and how starting the conversation earlier helps a lot when you are talking about the "pains and pleasures" of sex later on in your kids' lives. Listen in to hear our experiences and check out The Birds and the Bees for more content!

This prompt is brought to you by a friend and listener, and I thought it was so great! How do we get through the summer without all driving each other totally crazy?? As a homeschool mom, I have had to learn how to make life work even when everyone is home together all the time and have put together a few thoughts for you to consider as you try to make your house just a little more peaceful this summer. I hit on:

• Structure & routines
• Food planning & boundaries
• Cleanliness of the house
• Preventing over-stimulation

• Obedience

If your family is driving each other crazy this summer, consider making a small move in ONE of these areas at a time to see if it can help bring a little more peace into your days.

Scripture memory is one of the best ways for you to help keep Christ in your child's heart even as they grow. My family growing up memorized a few pieces of scripture that I STILL REMEMBER from childhood, and I have seen how God can draw the words back into my mind right at the moment when I need them most. I hope to hide Bible verses in my children's hearts that God may bring back up to them one day when they need it the most.

In this episode, I share a Charlotte Mason system for memorizing scripture with your kids that we have implemented for a couple of years, and I can tell you from experience, it is so effective! Listen in to learn more, and I will post some pictures on Instagram (@thebetterpartpod) for more some visuals!

If you would like more resources for memorizing scripture, check out my friend's amazing resources:

Podcast: Memorize Scripture by Jackie Angel

Book: Memorize Scripture: Simple Steps to Pray, Ponder, and Practice God's Word by Jackie Angel

Keeping seven kids clothed in things that fit them is NO SMALL TASK. So I've had to come up with some systems for how to make sure all the kids have clothing they need and that we are being good stewards of the clothing God has provided for us.

In this episode, I share my tips on keeping all the kids' clothing in their size and in season. It isn't perfect, but I'll take you through the process including things that I have just let go of because you can't do everything! I also share some encouragement that helps me re-frame my brain when doing the chore of going through kids' clothing and helps me do it lovingly and with thanksgiving rather than begrudgingly! Happy clothing storage-ing, everyone!

Have you ever heard that as a family vacation is not really a vacation, but it is a trip? I wholeheartedly believe that, and I have totally embraced it! Even though it's not gonna be all spas and relaxation, a family trip is still something so special, and I love them too! Embrace the trip, and enjoy the trip, knowing that you are creating memories for your kids, spurring on bonding between siblings, and exposing them to new environments that can be meaningful to them later on!

In this episode, I go through some of the things we try to do when planning trips with our family like where we stay, how we plan our itinerary, and how we help even adult-focused environments be very fun for our kids. I also share about our lightbulb moment of discovering "vacation mode" when we were on a trip to Hawaii with four little kids and just trying to survive it all!

Stay tuned for a couple more practical episodes before we start our "sticky conversations" series with Stefani Blackwell!

Join me for a few announcements and LOTS of tips. Our family has done so much travel through the years, and we have learned what works for us in the car and airplane. Hear about what works for us for entertaining different aged kids, organizing your stuff, keeping babies happy and more.

Next week I will share about overall travel tips for when you are away from home. Talk to you then!

Alleluia alleluia! He is risen! Happy Easter, friends! I hope you're enjoying an octave of celebrating and rejoicing in our risen savior!

Tune in for an announcement about what is to come in the podcast!