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Big feelings don’t check the calendar. Between crowded rooms, shifting schedules, and constant stimulation, kids can tip from excitement to overload in seconds. Parents are left juggling judgment, guilt, and a wailing child at the dinner table. In this episode, we share a practical way to turn holiday meltdowns into moments of connection by reframing tantrums as communication, validating feelings, and co-regulating with calm breath and touch.

We also discuss:
• applying consequences after calm and repair
• using HALT to spot hungry, angry, lonely or tired
• matching support to a child’s temperament
• choosing routine and sleep to prevent overload

If this episode resonates with you, please share with a friend who may also need peace during the holidays! 

Need more resources? Visit our website to find our Huddle Up guide to help prepare for the oncoming holidays!

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load. 
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Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!

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What if the scoreboard you’ve been chasing isn’t the one that matters? Former Nike executive John Olinger joins us to unpack a life-altering season marked by a 40-day prayer, a sudden family tragedy, and a career fork that forced him to define success on purpose. John shares how losing his mother young and later his father reframed time as both scarce and uncertain and why that urgency pushed him to choose people over projects without abandoning excellence.

In this episode we discuss:
• redefining success from accomplishments to relationships
• the 40-day prayer that reframed career decisions
• counterbalance as a practical alternative to balance
• presence for kids now, training as they grow
• daily couple prayer as a protective habit
• from consuming content to taking courageous action

Be sure to check out John's book, Worthy Wins: Pointing Your Life to What Matters Most, to discover what truly matters in life. 

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load. 
Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

One in four adults are distant or estranged from a parent. We dig into why that happens and how to reverse the pattern by making home the safest place for truth. With licensed psychotherapist, Catherine Hickem, we unpack the habits that build lifelong closeness and the ones that quietly push kids away.

We discuss:
• the cost of fear driven parenting and hidden expectations
• modeling conflict resolution that heals, not harms
• treating adult kids with respect, curiosity and privacy
• owning mistakes and offering sincere apologies
• navigating holidays and time boundaries with clarity
• processing grief to show up present and kind

Be sure to check out Catherine's website where she offers free tools to strengthen your relationship with your adult children, and purchase her book, Heaven in Her Arms: Why God Chose Mary to Raise His Son and What It Means for You.

If this helped you, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help more families find these tools. 

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load. 
Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

Ever feel like money talks with your spouse turn into a maze of receipts, blame, and “we’ll do this when life slows down”? Let’s change the script.

We close our money and marriage series with a simple, powerful exercise that helps you move from logistics and conflict to compassion and clarity—no perfect plan required. With a pen, two sheets of paper, and 30 minutes, you’ll uncover the stories you each carry about money, the beliefs you absorbed growing up, and the hopes you want to build together.

You'll hear:
• why waiting for the perfect time keeps you stuck
• how stories shape money beliefs and reactions
• questions that uncover childhood scripts and adult triggers
• practices to build empathy before budgets
• inviting God into marriage and money through prayer

Did you love this episode? Send me an email ([email protected]) and tell me what surprised you! What did you learn about your spouse through the exercise? Or what new dream did you discover together? And if this episode was a favorite, share it with a friend!

Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

Money stress usually feels like a numbers problem, but what we’re really missing is a shared picture of the future. We dig into the tug-of-war between kid expenses now and retirement later, and we show how a simple, faith‑grounded vision transforms everyday choices.

With Josh, a Certified Financial Planner (with many other certifications!), and our own marriage as the test lab, we get practical about defining your ideal day when you retire, naming the deeper why behind “big” desires like a vacation home or a classic car, and reframing them as tools for family unity, service, and dignity rather than just indulgence.

Josh and I discuss:
• casting a shared retirement vision rooted in values
• replacing guilt with a deeper why for desires
• small, consistent steps over perfect plans
• monthly or quarterly money check‑ins together
• common mistakes when trying to implement
• teamwork, repair, and forgiveness as financial skills

I want you to share this episode with your spouse! This is a way for you to get the conversation started. 

If you aren't subscribed already, be sure to add the Families of Character Podcast to your subscriptions. 

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load. 
Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

We unpack the five biggest money struggles couples face and make the case that a shared vision is the keystone that makes everything else easier. Jake and Noelle Wysocki share practical routines, from State of the Union meetings, and tiny experiments to co-learning, that turn money from a stressor into a tool.

In this episode, we discuss:
• why no shared vision drives most money conflicts
• how to run quarterly “State of the Union” check-ins
• using tiny experiments to make lasting changes
• co-learning to prevent knowledge and power gaps
• combining accounts vs separate money mindsets
• simple 1–10 satisfaction exercise to start now
• aligning money with generosity and long-term goals

Listen to Episode 112, How to Live a Regret-Free Life, with Jake Wysocki and check out his website to see what he has been currently up to! Curious to learn about Jake and Noelle's travels? Visit www.everydayanewadventure.com

Share this episode with your spouse first, then share it with a friend. Stay tuned for our weekly episodes that drop on Tuesday. Check out our website, familiesofcharacter.com

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load. 
Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

Money isn’t out to get us—but the way we relate to it can either pull us apart or pull us closer. We open a four-part journey on money and marriage with a simple reframing: cash is a tool, not a tyrant. From there, we dig into what actually drives most “money fights”: clashing values, childhood scripts, and unspoken fears that steer daily choices without us realizing it.

This episode goes over:
• money as a neutral tool, not an enemy
• research linking money talks to stronger marriages
• unity and long-term goals over income level
• stewardship, shared ownership, and generosity
• a practical 20-minute spouse conversation challenge

Share this with your spouse and another couple who needs peace around money! 

Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

What terrifies parents more than anything? The thought of their child experiencing sexual abuse. Yet this fear often prevents the very conversations that could protect our children. In this powerful episode, attachment specialist Eli Harwood joins Jordan to share essential strategies for preventing and responding to childhood sexual abuse.

This episode goes over:
• Using anatomically correct language for all body parts from infancy to normalize discussions about bodies
• Teaching body safety rules to children around ages 2.5-3
• Believing children when they disclose abuse and reassuring them they will be protected
• Building secure attachment as your strongest protection against abuse by creating open communication
• Practicing "cooperative" rather than "compliant" parenting so children feel safe defying inappropriate authority
• Continuing regular check-ins about body safety throughout childhood

Visit Eli's website for free resources and check out her Instagram @attachmentnerd for thoughtful takes on parenting and creating strong attachments with your children!

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load. 
Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

What if the greatest threat to your child's wellbeing isn't lurking outside your home, but sitting in their pocket? Clinical psychologist Dr. Johann D'Souza delivers a wake-up call about what he calls "digital destruction" - the devastating impact of smartphones and social media on young people's mental health, development, and happiness.

We discuss:
• Rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidality have doubled or tripled among youth in wealthy, English-speaking countries since 2010
• The average age of pornography exposure is now 10 years old, with approximately 85% of young men struggling with addiction
• Parents vastly overestimate physical dangers (like kidnapping) while underestimating digital dangers to children
• Children raised with healthy technology boundaries ultimately appreciate their parents' firm guidance

If you found this episode helpful, please share it with other parents and check out Dr. D'Souza's speaking services at valuesfirstcollective.com/about or listen to his Virtuous Leaders podcast.

Follow Dr. D'Souza on X: @drjohanndsouza

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load. 
Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

What would you do if you noticed something wasn't quite right in your neighborhood? When off-duty firefighter Garrett Golish spotted smoke drifting through his yard while chatting with his sister-in-law about campfires, he could have dismissed it as someone grilling or burning yard waste. Instead, he trusted his instincts and took immediate action – a decision that likely saved a family with a sleeping baby who had no idea their backyard swim spa was fully engulfed in flames.

In this episode, Garrett shares:

• Why recognizing danger signs quickly can make the difference between safety and tragedy
• Why smoke inhalation is more deadly than burns in most fire situations
• Family emergency preparedness essentials
• Practical safety tips
• The importance of escape ladders for second-story rooms and practicing their use
• The value of After Action Reviews (AARs) to evaluate what went well and what could improve
• Using family dinner conversations to help children develop awareness and response skills

Visit our website for more resources on building character and preparedness in your family.

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load. 
Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!

our website