Today on Wire Talk Karen and Sunny are talking middle schoolers. These middle school years are when your child is trying desperately to figure out who they are. If you only take one thing away from this conversation, that’s the thing I hope you remember! Middle school is a time of transition and it’s a time when as moms, we need to lean in and pay attention to who they ARE, not who we want them to be.

These are crucial teaching years. Like we talked about last week, hopefully by elementary school you’ve laid the foundation with your child that you are the authority they need to obey. Now is the time to your child teach the 'why' behind the 'what'. Use Scripture and use real life stories to teach your child the principles of how life works. This is the age when you need to help them begin to take responsibility for themselves.

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So many times in parenting we get caught up in the weeds with our kids and we can’t see the forest for the trees. This series is a way to help moms pause for just a moment, and look at the big picture. During our month long Bottom Line series, Karen and Sunny are tackling 5 different stages of life for our kid and sharing wisdom for what we moms need to keep our focus on during those years. Today we’re talking all about the early years, where you need to keep your focus ages 0-5.

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Today we're celebrating 200 episodes of Wire Talk by flipping the script on our typical show! Listen in as Karen interviews Sunny - Real Life. Real Moms. style - about her journey of motherhood; what has been challenging, what she is loving, and how God has grown her faith in this season of her life. 

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Opposites may attract, but when it comes to parenting your kids, how do you parent effectively as a team when your partner’s personality is the exact opposite of yours? On today’s show Karen answers questions from moms about their husband’s red, blue, green, or yellow personality clashing with their own.

Find out what 'color' you are with our free quiz. 

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Whether it’s you or your child struggling with angry outbursts, we’ve all been there. On today’s show, Karen and Sunny tackle questions from moms about aggressive behavior and physical tantrums, and Karen reminds us where self control ultimately comes from.

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If you think of your marriage like a bank account, when was the last time you made a deposit? During the years your kids are at home it’s easy to get in the habit of constantly making withdrawals and forgetting to “put money in the bank”. On today’s episode, Karen and Sunny are sharing date night ideas that are sure to improve your balance. We’ve got stay-at-home date ideas, creative childcare solutions, and outside-the-box date night activities. Pick something new to try this month and let us know how it goes!

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Setting boundaries can be uncomfortable, whether you are trying to take control of your schedule, your toddler, or any other area of life. Listen in as Karen and Sunny answer questions from moms in our Facebook group about healthy, biblical boundaries and saying “no” without guilt!

Head to birdsonawiremoms.com/podcast/episode196 for links to all of the resources mentioned on today's show. 

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Our first episode of Real Life Real Moms is coming soon and features Karen's daughters Kelsey and Emily. Listen in for a sneak peek of their conversation and to hear Karen explain what our new show is all about. 

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Until our society makes the internet safe for kids, parents must be proactive in teaching what pornography is, why it’s dangerous and exactly how to reject it. Today Karen and Sunny talk with Kristen Jenson, author of Good Pictures, Bad Pictures about porn-proofing our kids. We discuss age-appropriate definitions of pornography, how to talk about it with our kids, and how to help our kids form a plan for what to do when they see it. 

Warning: this topic is not for young ears, moms. Pop in those earbuds before you start listening! 

Find links to everything mentioned on today's show HERE. 

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