How to Stop Rescuing Your Kids Without Feeling Like a Bad Mom
An Unspoken conversation with parenting educator Jody Hill

What if the hardest part of letting your child struggle is not their discomfort—but what it makes you believe about yourself as a mom?

When your child gets a bad grade, misses a deadline, loses playing time, has friendship drama, or simply has to face a consequence, it can activate the thought Christian women often feel pressure to hide:

“If I were a better mom, I would have prevented this.”

In this week’s Unspoken conversation, parenting educator, bestselling author, and self-described “parent sidekick” Jody Hill helps us unpack the rescue reflex—the urge to jump in, fix it, email the teacher, smooth over the problem, or carry the consequence for our kids. Not because we do not love them, but often because their struggle feels personal to us.

Jody offers a more hopeful path: be your child’s champion, not their savior. You can stay close, validate that something is hard, coach them through the next step, and still allow them room to build the confidence that comes only from doing hard things themselves.

“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
— James 1:4 (NIV)

This verse is not permission to enjoy our children’s pain or leave them alone in it. It is a reminder that perseverance has a purpose. When we remove every obstacle, consequence, and uncomfortable feeling, we may interrupt the very process through which our children develop resilience, maturity, and trust in God.

Your child’s struggle is not proof that you are failing.

They need your love, guidance, and steady presence. But they also need the space—with your support—to discover that they can do hard things. Before you rush in this week, pause and ask:

“Do they need me to fix this—or do they need me to believe they can take the next step?”

Find Jody Hill on Instagram at @JodyHillParenting. Learn more about her book, The Parent’s Secret Superpower: 7 Simple Strategies to Raise Confident, Capable Kids With the Power of Your Words, and download her confidence “boosters and busters” resource at mysecretsuperpower.com.

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You say "I'm fine" so often you almost believe it.

But behind those two words is a woman carrying anger she renamed "being direct," sadness she buried under a packed calendar, and fear she disguised as "just being prepared." And if you're a Christian woman, the pressure to keep it together is even heavier — because nice Christian women aren't supposed to be angry, jealous, or overwhelmed. We're supposed to trust the Lord and be grateful.

So we pray the polished prayer. "Thank you, Lord, I'm so grateful." While inside we're thinking: Why did that fall through? I'm scared. I'm disappointed. I'm exhausted.

Here's the surprise: Jesus felt every one of those emotions. He wept knowing He was about to raise Lazarus. He felt righteous anger, deep sorrow, anguish, and compassion — all without sin. So why do we keep bringing God the edited version of ourselves?

In this episode, we're naming the three emotions Christian women feel the most pressure to hide — anger, sadness, and fear — and the masks we give them so we don't have to admit they're there. Because buried emotions don't disappear. They show up as a fight about the dishwasher. They show up as the nightly glass of wine that used to be occasional. They show up as the sarcasm you think is just your personality.

It's time to stop renaming what you're feeling and start naming it. Feel it. Name it. Bring it to God.

In this episode:

• The three patterns every woman falls into: communicating, concealing, and controlling — and why controlling is the sneakiest
• The emotions Christian women feel the most pressure to hide: anger, sadness, and fear
• How childhood messages like "stop crying" and "you're too sensitive" shaped the way you handle emotions now
• Why your coping mechanism — wine, Netflix, organizing, sarcasm — is lying to you
• The polished prayer vs. the unfiltered heart: why God doesn't need the edited version of you
• What Jesus's emotions teach us about our own

Faith Anchor: Psalm 62:8 — "Pour out your hearts before Him. God is a refuge for us."

This week's question: What's the emotion you've been renaming instead of feeling? 

If this episode hit home, go back and listen to:
• For the One...Who Feels Shame
• For the One...Who Is Grieving

Visit us at unlikelyhousewivesofjoco.com

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What if the fear you keep trying to hide is not proof that your faith is failing?

In this week’s Unspoken conversation, we sit down with author, former cardiac nurse, and cancer survivor Jenna Schutt to talk about the things many Christian women feel pressure to keep quiet: anxiety, fear, mom guilt, exhaustion, disappointment, and the ache of trying to look “fine” when life feels anything but.

After being diagnosed at 30 with a rare, incurable bone-marrow disease—while raising two boys in diapers—Jenna learned that knowing the right Bible verses is not always the same as knowing how to access faith when fear hits. Through chemotherapy, a stem-cell transplant, and long hospital stays, she discovered what she calls the Joy Reflex: training faith, peace, and joy to become a first response rather than a last resort.

This is not a conversation about toxic positivity, ignoring painful circumstances, or pretending every hard moment is okay. It is an invitation to name what is really happening beneath the surface—and then choose truth over the fear trying to take the lead.

You do not have to cover your fear with a smile, a spiritual cliché, or an “I’m fine.”

You can acknowledge that life is hard. You can feel scared. You can admit you are overwhelmed. And you can still choose not to let fear lead you.

As Jenna says, “Faith doesn’t deny the reality that you’re in, but it does determine how you’re going to walk in that reality.”

Follow Jenna and learn more about the Joy Reflex:

• Website: https://www.jennaschutt.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejoyreflex/?hl=en
• Book/resources: Joy Reflex Training Guide jenna-schutt-7kfmcu.subscribepage.io 
• Youversion Bible Plan: Anchor Before Panic: A 3 Day Peace Practice  http://bible.us/r/JoZ 

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🇺🇸Hosted by Tori Shirah and Tracy Stine

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“I’m fine” is often the quickest answer—and sometimes the heaviest one.

Because behind “fine” can be the grief you cannot explain, the resentment you feel guilty admitting, the endless mental list you cannot turn off, the fear you are holding for your children, or the pressure to keep everyone else okay.

In our first episode of our Unspoken season, we are talking about the things Christian women often feel pressure to hide: the overwhelm, the sadness, the anxiety, the loneliness, the questions, and the emotions that do not seem “faithful enough” to say out loud.

But here is the truth: God already knows what you are carrying.

You do not have to have the perfect words. You do not have to tell everyone everything. And you do not have to keep holding it all by yourself.

This conversation is an invitation to pause, look inward, and ask: What am I carrying that no one knows about? From there, we can begin to name what is heavy, bring it honestly to Jesus, and take one small step from hiding to healing.

• Why “I’m fine,” “I’m good,” and “I’m busy” can be such loaded responses.
• The invisible mental and emotional load so many women carry for their families.
• How grief can show up long after the loss—and in moments you do not expect.
• Why unspoken burdens can affect our bodies, reactions, relationships, and thoughts.
• The fear behind naming what is hard: What will people think of me? Will this land safely?
• Why you do not need to broadcast your pain to begin healing.
• How to bring your real thoughts, emotions, questions, and burdens to God.
• The value of safe, trusted community that can pray, listen, and gently say, “Are you sure you’re fine?”
• A simple prayer prompt for when you feel overwhelmed but do not yet know why.

Know a woman who looks like she is holding it all together but may be carrying more than she says? Send her this episode and remind her: she does not have to be “fine” to be loved, seen, or held by God.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28

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🇺🇸Hosted by Tori Shirah and Tracy Stine

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What if “I’m fine” is not the truth?

Maybe you are not lazy. Maybe you are not failing. Maybe you are not ungrateful for the life God has given you.

Maybe you are simply carrying more than you were meant to carry alone.

Here’s a snapshot of our new Unspoken season, where we are naming the things Christian women often feel pressure to hide: the emotional exhaustion beneath the full calendar, the quiet doubt behind the faithful smile, the fear of rejection, and the relentless pressure to be enough as a mom, wife, friend, and woman of faith.

You can still show up for everyone, get the kids where they need to go, keep the house moving, serve at church, answer the texts, and look “fine” from the outside—while feeling emotionally and mentally depleted inside. And sometimes, instead of acknowledging what hurts, we get busier. We take on more. We keep moving because slowing down might mean admitting that something feels too heavy.

This conversation is not about shame, fixing yourself, or telling the whole world your deepest struggles. It is an invitation to pause, tell the truth about what has gone unspoken, and bring it honestly to Jesus.

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all… But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another…”
— 1 John 1:5–7

What have you been carrying quietly that you can bring into the light with God this week?

You do not have to explain every detail publicly. You do not have to have perfect words. But you can begin with honesty: Jesus, this is what I have been holding. I need You here.

If this episode spoke to the exhaustion or pressure you have been carrying, add these episodes to your queue:

• Episode 107: Rest Must Be Stronger Than Exhaustion
• Episode 9: You Actually Are a Good Mom; Don’t Fall for the Shame & Guilt

If this conversation encouraged you, share it with a woman who may be tired of pretending she is fine. And be sure to follow, rate, and review The Unlikely Housewives wherever you listen.

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You can look like you’re holding it all together and still be running on empty.

For so many Christian women, the pressure to be grateful, capable, selfless, and strong can make it hard to admit what’s really happening beneath the surface: the exhaustion, hormone chaos, stress, extra weight, painful symptoms, coping habits, and the quiet fear that your body is failing you.

In this honest conversation, Dr. Tabatha—a triple board-certified physician, faith-based women’s health expert, speaker, and bestselling author—invites us to stop faking fine and start bringing our whole selves to God. She shares her own story of burnout, chronic pain, and surrender, along with a faith-centered perspective on caring for our bodies as the vessels God created them to be.

Your body is not broken—and you do not have to keep carrying the burden alone.

Connect with Dr. Tabatha: Dr. Tabatha Barber Website

Gutsydrtabatha Instagram

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Stay in Touch 

In this year-end episode, we look back on a full season of podcasting, real life, and all the chaos that comes with Maycember. We talk honestly about motherhood, faith, friendship, serving others, and what it looks like to keep showing up when life feels full.

From housework and prayer to joy, relationships, and the unexpected ways God uses hard seasons, this conversation is equal parts funny, honest, and encouraging. It’s a reminder that even in the busiest months, God is still working and still faithful.

Thanks for being part of the Unlikely Housewives community. We’ll be back after the summer with more conversations, more laughter, and more honest faith-filled moments.

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This episode is a meaningful reminder that wellness is not just physical — it is spiritual, emotional, and deeply personal. If you’ve ever struggled with emotional eating, burnout, or feeling spiritually empty, this conversation will encourage you to look beneath the surface and pursue lasting healing.

In this episode, we talk about:

• JT Tapias’ powerful journey from Colombia to the United States.
• How trauma, survival, and identity shaped his early life.
• The connection between emotional pain and unhealthy eating patterns.
• Why diets often fail when the heart is still hurting.
• The story behind the Empty Your Bucket nutrition plan.
• How faith in Jesus brought true healing and transformation.
• What it means to find freedom from food, idols, and inner emptiness.

About our guest

JT Tapias is a nationally recognized speaker, nutrition sociologist, and Christian counselor. His faith-based approach to wellness has been featured on CBS, Men’s Health, and Muscle & Fitness. Through his work, JT helps people understand the deeper emotional and spiritual roots of their relationship with food and discover true healing.

Connect with JT Tapias

• Website: emptyyourbucketplan.com – The best place to learn about his nutrition plan and resources for mind, body, and spirit health.
• Instagram (@coachjttapias): instagram.com/coachjttapias – Follow for daily insights on habits, faith, and high-impact transformation.
• Instagram (@emptyyourbucketplan): instagram.com/emptyyourbucketplan – Focused specifically on his program for Christian women looking to lose weight and thrive.
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/fitmethod413 – Connect professionally to see more of his coaching philosophy and business background.

********************* 🎙️Are you wanting to share your message with thousands through podcasts? PodMatch is the place you need to be. Join here: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/unlikelyhousewives 

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🇺🇸Hosted by Tori Shirah and Tracy Stine

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AI is everywhere now, and for many Christian parents, that reality comes with both opportunities and concerns. In this episode, we talk honestly about how kids are interacting with AI, why it matters for their faith and critical thinking, and how parents can help guide them with wisdom, curiosity, and biblical truth.

We also discuss the growing challenge of AI in everyday life, from voice assistants and homework help to social media algorithms and AI-generated “friends.” While AI can be a helpful tool, it should never replace real relationship, real research, or discernment rooted in Scripture.

If you’re trying to raise grounded, thoughtful, faith-filled kids in a world that’s changing fast, this conversation will encourage you to stay engaged, ask questions, and lead your children well.

AI may be shaping the culture, but faith should shape the family

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What if the key to raising confident girls starts before puberty does? In this episode, Annie Wolf, creator of Girls Club, shares why early conversations about body changes, anatomy, and puberty can help girls feel prepared, supported, and proud of their growing bodies. Tracy and Tori talk honestly about the awkwardness many parents feel, why silence can create more confusion, and how families can begin these conversations in a natural, healthy way.

Annie shares how her background as an elementary school teacher led her to create a safe, encouraging space where girls can learn about their bodies, ask questions, and feel empowered instead of ashamed.

The conversation explores why waiting until fifth or sixth grade often means kids are already behind on the conversation, especially when girls may begin noticing body changes as early as third grade or even earlier. Annie explains how starting with simple, age-appropriate language, body part names, and positive affirmations can help girls develop a healthy relationship with their changing bodies.

Tracy and Tori also discuss how parents can take the lead at home by making these topics feel normal instead of taboo. Rather than outsourcing everything to school videos or hoping kids “figure it out,” they encourage families to start talking early, stay curious, and create an open door for ongoing questions.

Juicy Wellness Woman Instagram

🎙️Are you wanting to share your message with thousands through podcasts? PodMatch is the place you need to be. Join here: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/unlikelyhousewives 

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