"Emotionally mature" may not be the words you use to describe your son. Maybe your boy is prone to outbursts, or rarely says more than one sentence at a time. Counselor and author David Thomas is here to help us nurture and raise emotionally strong boys. In today's conversation, you'll learn: 

2:30 How can we understand our boys better by using the Incredible Hulk? 

5:00 Teach these three R’s to your kids so they can regulate themselves, going from stressed to settled 

7:00 Work things out for yourself out loud so your child can hear how you manage stress and problems without angry outbursts

9:10 Boys funnel emotions through anger; they are more physical than girls (hitting walls, biting, etc) 

11:00 How a walk, run, and movement can help your son regulate emotions 

13:30 How to respond according to research when your boy says, “But I want to play my video game, it helps me calm down.” 

15:00 Creating a top five list of regulation strategies 

17:20 Emotional vocabulary chart - how to get one for free 

19:45 The difference between saying “I am depressed” versus “I feel sad” 

22:30 Suicidal ideations - how can you tell if your child is serious? 

24:30 Adult men lead some of the scariest stats out there - including suicide 

27:50 Practice this exercise to put events in perspective (so they know losing homework isn’t the end of the world) 

David Thomas is the director of family counseling at Daystar Counseling in Nashville, TN and the coauthor of 10 books. He and his fellow counselor Sissy Goff co-host the podcast Raising Boys and Girls. David’s newest book is Raising Emotionally Strong Boys: Tools Your Son Can Build on for Life.  

Find out more about David Thomas and his book Raising Emotionally Strong Boys at RaisingBoysandGirls.com

Take the free quiz, "Is my child getting too much screen time?" at HappyHomeUniversity.org

The Happy Home is sponsored in part by Dwell Bible App. Save 30% off Dwell for Life at DwellApp.io/HappyHome

It's challenging to raise confident girls in this social media age. What if you are struggling with confidence yourself as a mom? How can women and girls develop godly confidence and courage? In today's conversation with author and mom Terra Mattson, you'll learn:  

2:50 What are you seeing repeated again and again in your counseling practice with girls? 

4:50 Letting go of performance based thinking 

6:30 When a boy asks your daughter for an inappropriate photo…do this

9:00 Talking with your daughter about wanting to be liked and the fear of losing friends (negative peer pressure)

11:30 What are red light, yellow light, green light friendships?    

13:10 My struggle with bulimia and what I learned 

16:30 The lost art of confession 

17:45 How can we encourage our girl who is scared to go to school, or scared to face a mean girl? 

19:30 Going on dates with your daughter, having intentional time 

23:00 What are some signs that my daughter needs extra help like counseling? 

Terra Mattson has 20 plus years of experience as a licensed professional counselor and marriage and family therapist. Terra and her husband Jeff founded Living Wholehearted, a counseling and organizational development firm helping people live and lead with integrity. Terra's book is Courageous: Raising Daughters Rooted in Grace. Learn more at her website. TerraMattson.com

Terra also has a video course, Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters. Learn more here.

Is your child getting too much screen time? Take the free quiz at HappyHomeUniversity.com

The Happy Home is sponsored in part by Dwell Bible App. Save 30% off Dwell for Life at DwellApp.io/HappyHome.

Are your kids wrestling with anxiety? If you or someone you love has lost hope of ever getting free from overwhelming or persistent anxiety, you don't have to stay stuck in despair. Acclaimed mental health expert Dr. Gregory Jantz is here to help you understand and overcome the fears that have been holding you back. On today's podcast, you'll learn:  

3:20 What is the difference between worry and anxiety?

4:20 Signs that your child may need professional help

6:00 How do you motivate your child to re-engage with others and come out of their shell?

8:30 Tips for helping your child succeed emotionally and mentally in school next year

10:10 If you’re already feeling depressed and not good about yourself, social media will probably make you feel worse.

14:30 How to connect with your kids when you’re out of ideas.

16:20 What does the brain look like on anxiety?

18:30 Here are questions you can ask someone who is feeling anxiety

21:00 Empathy and gentleness are key

Dr. Gregory Jantz is the founder of The Center - A Place of HOPE in Edmonds, Washington, voted a Top Ten facility for Depression Treatment in the United States. Dr. Jantz is a world-renowned expert on depression, anxiety, eating disorders, technology addiction and abuse. Dr. Jantz is a best-selling author of 40 books and a go-to media authority on mental and behavioral health afflictions, appearing on CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, and CNN. Today we’re talking about his book, The Anxiety Reset: a life changing approach to overcoming fear, stress, worry, panic attacks, OCD, and more. Learn more at Dr. Jantz's website.

Get Arlene's free monthly family resource at HappyHomeUniversity.com

The Happy Home is sponsored in part by Dwell Bible App. Save 30% off Dwell for Life at DwellApp.io/HappyHome.

Kids today are hooked on games that are a lot different than Pacman. Mobile gaming isn’t just changing the industry; it’s changing childhood. What is the impact of gaming on your child’s eyesight, brain development and its relationship to autism? Find out more in Part 2 of this interview with digital addiction experts Dr. Andrew and Julie Doan. Today you'll learn: 

2:30 What video games (if any) do you play with your kids? 

4:30 Frontal lobe development - why your kids are not capable of limiting video games themselves 

5:30 The business of gaming - peer pressure to spend money in the game and gambling elements 

8:20 Are your kids being soothed by screens?  

11:00 Parenting with the long view in mind 

14:00 Why would I give my son an hour a day to practice murder, covetousness, and lust in a video game?  

16:50 How does gaming affect eyesight? Sleep cycles?  

19:30 How have mobile devices shaped a child’s brain development? 

21:30 Screens and autism

Dr. Andrew Doan is the author of Hooked on Games. He is an accomplished eye physician and surgeon with a doctoral degree in neuroscience from John Hopkins. He speaks with medical and scientific authority on brain development and how digital media reprograms the brain. His wife Julie is a registered nurse who is a digital media addiction specialist. Learn more about Hooked on Games here.

Learn more about Arlene's Screen Kids masterclass at HappyHomeUniversity.com

The Happy Home is sponsored in part by Dwell Bible App. Save 30% off Dwell for Life at DwellApp.io/HappyHome.

Is video gaming helping or hurting your child? If you’ve ever wondered if your son or daughter is addicted to video games, you must hear what Dr. Andrew and Julie Doan have to say. How did Andrew, a bright John Hopkins-educated doctor, survive as an adult gamer playing 80-100 hours a week? In today's interview, you'll discover: 

3:30 How do you define digital addiction? Why are video games super attractive to kids? 

5:50 The difference between the video games of yesterday and today 

6:30 I was playing 80-100 hours a week and sleeping 2 hours a day…

8:50 How do you cope when your spouse is overusing media in a destructive way? 

11:30 The role of prayer in breaking this video gaming habit 

13:00 Kids growing up with a father who wasn’t present because of excessive game play 

15:00 The dramatic physical breakdown that Dr. Doan experienced because of gaming 

17:00 Guidelines for video gaming and kids at different ages, and warning 

Dr. Andrew Doan is the author of Hooked on Games. He is an accomplished eye physician and surgeon with a doctoral degree in neuroscience from John Hopkins. He speaks with medical and scientific authority on brain development and how digital media reprograms the brain. His wife Julie is a registered nurse who is a digital media addiction specialist. Learn more about Hooked on Games here.

Learn more about Arlene's Screen Kids masterclass at HappyHomeUniversity.com

The Happy Home is sponsored in part by Dwell Bible App. Save 30% off Dwell for Life at DwellApp.io/HappyHome.

What if being an introvert wasn't a struggle, but a superpower? Introverts are often told that they should act more outgoing like a brother or sister. Yet introverts come with a set of strengths that are very needed in our noisy world. Bestselling author (and introvert) Holley Gerth is here to help us nurture, champion, and understand the introverts in our lives. This introvert could be you! Sharing from her book, The Powerful Purpose of Introverts, you'll learn the following in this listener favorite, encore presentation: 

3:30 How did you know you were an introvert?  

5:00 The differences in the brains of introverts and extroverts 

7:45 What if you are married to an extrovert and you’re an introvert, or vice versa? 

9:00 Speaking the love languages to an introvert (the volume is different!) 

13:00 Learning how to be direct as an introvert 

14:00 A helpful question: How can I love you well right now? 

17:30 Does my child have at least one quality connection with someone? It’s not about quantity, it’s about quality. 

20:00 Social media and the introverted child 

21:00 What has helped you in struggling with anxiety? 

24:00 The difference between solitude and isolation 

Holley Gerth is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, life coach, and podcaster with a Masters of Science Degree in counseling. She's empowered more than a half million readers through her books like You're Already Amazing and the topic of today's conversation, The Powerful Purpose of Introverts. 

Learn more about Holley on her website. HolleyGerth.com

Need help managing your family's screen time? Arlene's book Screen Kids, along with the masterclass, can help. Also find free monthly resources for your home at HappyHomeUniversity.com

How do you engage your sorrow when the world tells you it's time to move on? Young widow Clarissa Moll shares her story of loss and the brutal truth about living with grief. Yet somehow she has found deep joy. In her book, Beyond the Darkness: A Gentle Guide for Living with Grief & Thriving After Loss, Clarissa points your heart towards hope. Whether you have lost someone through death or divorce, or you are experiencing a painful situation, this conversation will speak to you. You'll learn: 

3:00 How do you cope when your story is drastically different than you had hoped? 

5:00 Receiving the tragic news of her husband’s death 

7:30 Talking to kids about death with real words (not figures of speech)

10:00 How do you journey through your day with grief constantly showing up?   

13:00 How to know when you need to reach out to others for help 

17:20 The irony of her husband’s last book which was about the art of dying 

22:00 How do you still find comfort after the cards and flowers of consolation have ceased?

23:50 Talking about the deceased with your kids in a healthy way 

25:25 The heart compared to a classroom - a brilliant comparison 

27:00 Your husband died - this didn’t destroy your faith. It strengthened it. How did this happen? 

28:30 What happened to her wedding ring 

Clarissa Moll (MA, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is an author, a podcaster, and the young widow of author Rob Moll. Clarissa’s writing has appeared in Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, RELEVANT, Modern Loss, Grief Digest and more. Her husband’s first book, The Art of Dying, was released in April 2021 with Clarissa’s new afterword. Clarissa’s debut book is Beyond the Darkness: A Gentle Guide for Walking with Grief and Thriving After Loss. Learn more about Clarissa on her website ClarissaMoll.com

Get your free monthly resource for your home from Arlene at Happy Home University. HappyHomeUniversity.com

Following Jesus is counter-cultural as we live in a time that chases fame, sheds traditional values, and shames those who don't fall in line. Hot button topics such as bullying, social media, loneliness, porn, anxiety, and defending Biblical views at school, online and with friends are all addressed in Sean McDowell's new book, A Rebel's Manifesto: Choosing Truth, Real Justice, and Love amid the Noise of Today's World. In today's very helpful conversation for parents, you'll learn: 

3:00 What is a rebel’s manifesto about? What does it look like to be a rebel today?  

4:30 How can you disagree with people and still like them?

7:41 What if your child has to do something immoral for a school assignment?  

9:52 About public education in California 

12:00 Take this advice about being involved in your child’s education 

13:14 How do you respond to statements like: Who are you to judge me? 

15:00 How do you respond to: You should not force your morals on me.  

16:30 What if you are called a hater if you believe in marriage between a man and woman?

17:00 What if your child is labeled a hater? 

20:00 What are unique challenges to Gen Z?  

23:30 What does research say about the power of parents to influence our kids? 

25:50 Tell me about Summit Ministries and why it’s so influential for teens

Sean McDowell is an author, speaker, and associate professor at Talbot School of Theology at Biola. He has two masters degrees and a PhD in apologetics and worldview studies. He’s authored or edited more than 18 books. He married his high school sweetheart Stephanie and they have three children. His newest book is A Rebel’s Manifesto. Learn more at his website SeanMcdowell.org

Want to learn more about Summit Ministries where Sean often speaks? Visit Summit.org

Spending too much time on screens this summer? My book Screen Kids co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman will help, along with the masterclass. Find out more at HappyHomeUniversity.com

Life can be hard. Relationships are broken. Responsibilities are piled high. How can you grow closer to God instead of falling away during times of struggle? New York Times bestselling author Karen Ehman has a new devotional for women (co-authored with Ruth Schwenk) to help you connect with Jesus everyday. It's called "Trusting God in All the Things." In today's conversation, you'll learn:  

3:00 The difference between believing in God and trusting in Him 

4:00 Ask this question to know if you’re having trouble trusting God 

6:30 Practically speaking, how can you shift your trust in God? 

7:30 When we are trying to manipulate outcomes for our kids, here’s a story to remember.

10:00 Key verses that will help you trust in God 

14:50 How can you minister to your lonely daughter? 

17:00 You might make the difference in bringing someone to Christ by befriending a neighbor 

19:20 Lessons about soul control from the Psalms 

20:45 About the “I Spy” journal 

23:30 Ideas of spending time with God when you have kids and a crazy full schedule 

Karen Ehman is a New York Times bestselling author with Proverbs 31 Ministries as well as a writer for Encouragement for Today, an online devotional that reaches more than four million women daily. She has authored eighteen books, including Keep It Shut. Married to her college sweetheart, Todd, she’s the mom of three adult children and two children-in-law, although she forgets which are which. 

Learn more about Karen Ehman and her new devotional Trusting God in All Things on her website KarenEhman.com

Spending too much time on screens this summer? My book Screen Kids co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman will help, along with the masterclass. Find out more at HappyHomeUniversity.com

Are you tired of the screen time battles in your home? If you're constantly managing fights between your kids, meltdowns, or saying "put that away!" it may be time for a digital detox. Author and mom of six Molly DeFrank shares her family's journey of unplugging and outlines a detailed plan for you to do the same. Today's conversation is about: 

2:30 Mother has had it! The birth of the digital detox

5:00 How do you present the digital detox to your kids? What does that talk sound like?

7:30 What are signs that your children need a detox from devices?

9:00 Mom, say this when your kids say I’m bored

12:00 The best part of the detox is noticing your child’s specific talents and interests

15:20 Do parents have to join the digital detox? If so, how?

17:30 Kids from foster care - adapting the digital detox for them

22:00 Here’s how you can continue the digital detox long term

25:20 You don’t have to be organized or a planner to do this digital detox because…

Molly DeFrank is the mama of the digital detox. She's a stay home mom and foster mom of six kids ages 12 and under. She's been a guest on Good Morning America and her new book is Digital Detox: The 2 week tech reset for kids. Find out more on Molly's website

Visit Happy Home University to subscribe to Arlene's free family monthly resources.