The Happy Home Podcast with Arlene Pellicane

You're busy. I'm busy. Is there a way out of this rat race? You've heard advice on burnout and busyness, but probably not how author and mom Tara Sun explains it from her new book, Overbooked and Overwhelmed: How to keep up with God when you're just trying to keep up with life.  On today's episode you'll learn: 3:55 How to NOT ignore warning signs God gives you  8:32 Will this matter for eternity?  12:00 Why “no” is the Christian cuss word 17:05 Steps you can take to better communicate with your spouse  20:11 How to reclaim our attention from social media Tara Sun is the host of the popular podcast Truth Talks with Tara, where she’s interviewed leaders like Sadie Robertson Huff and Levi Lusko. She is dedicated to helping you to know, love, and live God's Word in your everyday life. She's married to her high school sweetheart. Her new book is Overbooked and Overwhelmed: How to keep up with God when you’re just trying to keep up with life.  Learn more about Tara's podcast, Truth Talks with Tara https://www.tarasunministries.com/podcast Learn more about Tara Sun's book, Overbooked and Overwhelmed. https://www.thomasnelson.com/p/overbooked-and-overwhelmed/ Need more reasons to put the pause on social media? Read Arlene's book Screen Kids https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/books or get the video course. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/course Subscribe to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week." https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/subscribe How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show! Email speaking @arlenepellicane.com

Our kids and teens are hearing loud messages about gender, and it can be terribly confusing. Social media has glamorized and normalized things like same sex attraction. How can parents equip their kids with truth and love in this secular culture? Trusted voice Dr. Kathy Koch is here to help us raise kids who are confident in their gender, knowing we are all wonderfully created by God.  On today's episode, you'll learn:  2:15 Why are we talking about gender? 3:55 What parents are unaware of about social media  9:40 Dangerous misconceptions that your kids may have 11:50 What to do if your child wants to change their gender  15:23 How to advise a friend who’s struggling with gender  21:54 What does an AI chatbot say about gender?  27:50 The connections between a parent and a child matter!  30:51 A few warning signs that your child is struggling Dr. Kathy Koch is the Founder and CEO of Celebrate Kids, Inc. and a respected voice on child development and biblical parenting. Her many books include Screens and Teens, 8 Great Smarts, and her newest book written with Dr. Jeff Myers, Raising Gender-Confident Kids: Helping Kids Embrace Their God-Given Design.   Learn more about Dr. Kathy Koch and the book, Raising Gender-Confident Kids http://celebratekids.com/ Need more reasons to put the pause on social media?  Read Arlene's book Screen Kids or get the video course https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/books https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/course Subscribe to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/subscribe How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast?  Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show!  Email speaking @arlenepellicane.com

Is it possible to delay social media for your teen, even your teen girl? My daughter Lucy and I are asking another mom/daughter duo about this. Today’s guests are comedian Kerri Pomarolli and her daughter Lucy. Two moms, two Lucys with no social media. It's going to be a fun ride. This month, we're kicking out harmful tech. On today's show, you'll learn:  3:28 The option that not many parents are aware of when raising their kids 8:52 From a teen’s perspective: The difference between life with or without social media 11:45 Won't my child feel left out without social media? 17:55 How time looks different with a phone in hand  21:40 How to help our girls not to have the “celebrity mentality” Kerri Pomarolli grew up performing at a young age. Her first comedy gig was at the world-famous Hollywood Improv. Although she performed in front of a very secular crowd, she was the only performer asked to return.  Kerri is a nationally headlining stand up comedian who has worked with everyone from Jay Leno, Jerry Lewis, and Candace Cameron Bure. She's been on the Tonight Show 29 times, and she's also an author (Mom's Night Out) and screenwriter (Hallmark Channel).  Learn more about Kerri Pomarolli at her website https://www.kerripom.com/ Need more reasons to put the pause on social media?  Read Arlene's book Screen Kids or get the video course https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/books https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/course How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film Distracted on dates with your spouse? Get free date night ideas whether you have 15 minutes or one hour, small group questions for Making Marriage Easier and more Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast?  Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show!  Email speaking @ arlenepellicane.com

How addicted is your son or daughter to video games? Today’s guest Ian McCready is a former video game addict who understands the lure of gaming. He’s found a way to redeem his time from technology (you and your kids can too).  This month we're kicking out the tech! We want to keep the tech that's helping us, but kick out the tech that’s hurting our families. On today's episode, you'll learn:  2:20 What’s wrong with video games? 6:36 How God spared Ian from the game  11:53 I can game while babysitting my child… right?  16:25 Getting your loved one on board with a hold on video games 21:27 What to do when time on video games competes with time with family  Ian McCready was crushing it in video games, but gaming was also crushing him. He was gaming 12-14 hours a day. Based on his own experience, he founded the nonprofit Selfctrl which focuses on helping people build self control and be set free from video game addiction. His teaching has been vetted by numerous addiction specialists and marriage & family therapists. He and his wife have two kids and live in Arkansas. Learn more about Ian McCready and the many resources available to you at Selfctrl https://selfctrl.com/ How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/film Distracted on dates with your spouse? Get free date night ideas whether you have 15 minutes or one hour, small group questions for Making Marriage Easier and more Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast?  Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show! Email speaking @ arlenepellicane.com

Clare Morell, a policy analyst and director of the Technology and Human Flourishing Project, shares her insights on the harmful impacts of smartphones on children. She reveals that TikTok is as addictive as digital fentanyl and argues that parental controls are largely ineffective. Morell advocates for phone-free schools, emphasizing the dangers of seemingly harmless apps like Roblox. Her practical guide, 'The Tech Exit,' offers families tangible steps to reduce screen time and foster better social connections, making a compelling case for a tech-free lifestyle.

Are you 100 percent thrilled with how your family uses technology?  If you say no, then welcome to the club! If your kids opted out of having a smartphone, social media and video games, would they be better or worse off? Imagine saying goodbye to parental controls, fights, and time limits. Today's guest Erin Loechner is the author of The Opt-Out Family: How to Give Your Kids What Technology Can't. As you can imagine, I love this book! Today's we're going to talk about:  3:00 What an “opt-out” family looks like 5:00 Why is social media so dangerous for children? 10:43 What the algorithm of social media does 14:10 The burden of social media on girls 21:00 Does having a smartphone truly help your child in their social life? 23:30 How can we “opt-in” to other things as we “opt-out” of social media?  27:10 The main concerns with AI 29:45 Why easier is not better Erin Loechner is a former social media influencer who walked away from a million fans to live a low-tech lifestyle and is now teaching others to do the same. She's been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, the Today Show. Erin is the founder of the global tech-free movement the Opt-Out Family. Learn more about Erin Loechner and her book (which launched with no social media of her own), The Opt Out Family: How to Give Your Kids What Technology Can't. https://www.optoutfamily.com/ Learn how to dumb down your smartphone https://www.optoutfamily.com/tip/ Read Arlene's book Screen Kids (co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802422209/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0802422209&linkCode=as2&tag=arlenpelli-20&linkId=837f2447fde5b4a57b13b75b78236083 Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show! speaking@arlenepellicane.com

Are your kids going to be all right? Is your job secure? Will your marriage get better? We live in an age marked by worry and anxiety for adults and kids. Many who wrestle with anxiety know the Bible calls them to trust God, but how does that actually work? Pastor and author Jonny Ardavanis invites us to open God's Word for answers. In this conversation about his book, Consider the Lilies, you'll learn:  3:30 I had a front row seat to teen anxiety as a camp director  5:25 If you’re a parent, this is what you need to know 7:00 Even if your child doesn’t suffer from anxiety, he or she lives in a performance stressful culture  8:30 How can we protect the minds of our kids?  10:45 One of the main schemes of Satan is to make sin look normal and righteousness seem strange 15:00 Every worry is an invitation to get closer to God  17:10 What’s the difference between a good godly concern and an ungodly worry?  20:00 We were told our daughter had a syndrome with strokes and seizures 24:00 When your kids have sports injuries  27:55 God allows you to go through trials because… Jonny Ardavanis is the pastor of Stonebridge Bible Church in Franklin, TN. He’s the founder and president of Dial In Ministries serving the next generation. He has served as camp director at Hume Lake Christian Camps and as a dean at The Master’s College. He and his wife have two young daughters. Today, we're talking about his book, Consider the Lilies: Finding Perfect Peace in the Character of God.  Learn more about Dial In Ministries https://dialinministries.org/ Get Jonny's book, Consider the Lilies https://www.amazon.com/Consider-Lilies-Finding-Perfect-Character/dp/0310368243/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.yBlnH-e3bSsBJoLo-Hv3vz_bwdX2IgWB9ezQ8PNYtkaw7ElP9_sLVDpE9it02M9F.-mnpeyrtjwUwqjpImQmTFaHlktyPYWQe-SMuf20w318&qid=1722298799&sr=1-1&ref=dialinministries.org Subscribe to Arlene's free email list https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/subscribe Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show! speaking@arlenepellicane.com Save the date: Arlene's next Parents Rising Conference in San Diego, September 6, 2025

Do you feel comfortable talking with your kids about faith and science? Today's guest, Passion founder Louie Giglio, reminds us that God can handle scientific scrutiny as He is the creator of all things. In his book for kids, The Wonder of Creation, you'll find a great resource to share the world of science with your child from a Biblical worldview. We'll also talk about developing a passion for Christ that lasts.   Today you will learn:  5:30 The more is discovered in the universe, the more we see intelligent design 6:00 It’s okay to say, "I don’t know the answer to that. Let’s find out."  7:00 Let's dismantle the wall between God and science  9:45 Show your kids the James Webb telescope  10:50 Why you must begin with Genesis 1:1 for children  12:30 Valuing your children but not making them the center of the universe  14:45 Putting down screens and getting outside instead  18:00 How can we raise a worshipper? The power of a dad to influence his kids to follow Jesus  21:00 Your heart can still burn for God in your 40s, 50s, 60s  24:40 Prepare your kids for what the values they will learn in college so it will not rattle them to the core  27:00 Worldview is set young - don’t wait - get your young kids in a worship environment Learn more about Louie Giglio's book, The Wonder of Creation https://www.indescribablekids.com/ Need help with your child's media choices? Read Arlene's book co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman, Screen Kids and visit Happy Home University to take the free quiz - Is my child getting too much screen time? https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/

Get Arlene's book, Making Marriage Easier: How to love (and like) your spouse for life https://makingmarriageeasier.com/ What's the one sin that is defeating you or your family? Karl Clauson knows what it's like to wrestle with sin, hit rock bottom, and find God's grace wider than he ever dared hope. His new book, Killing Sin: Conquer the one thing that is defeating you, will help you wage war on sin and find victory in Christ. In today's conversation, you'll learn about:  3:00 Racing the Iditarod, 1100 miles through the tundra with a dog sled team 6:22 What parenting with true power looks like  13:33 The transformative power of God’s grace 15:21 How to kill your sin  22:00 Hate can be good??? 25:30 Why tackling one sin at a time is important 27:00 There is victory lying ahead of you Karl Clauson is the host of Moody Radio’s Karl and Crew, a nationally syndicated radio program. He is the lead pastor of 180 Chicago Church. Karl and his bride Junanne have been married 37 years and have 2 adult kids.  Learn more about Karl and his new book, Killing Sin (and get free resources to help you fix broken systems and much more) https://killsin.com/ Get the help you need to take back your home from too much technology. Join Arlene for her masterclass, Screen Kids today https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/course Get free date night ideas whether you have 15 minutes or one hour, small group questions for Making Marriage Easier and more https://makingmarriageeasier.com/ Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Please email Arlene your questions and the topics you want covered on the show! Email speaking @ arlenepellicane.com Tickets on sale now! You're invited to Arlene's Parents Rising Conference in San Diego, September 6, 2025 http://parentsrisingconference.com/

Do you spend a lot of time managing stuff? Finding things? Storing things? Buying things? Julia Ubbenga has found a way to cut through the clutter - it turns out having more isn’t necessarily better. We're talking through Julia's book, Declutter Your Heart and Home: How a minimalist life yields maximum joy. On today's episode, you'll learn:  3:00 Shopping is fun! Right??? 7:30 Help! I’m attached to all of the things I need to declutter! 10:25 How decluttering affects your heart and your home 12:50 Short, practical ways to start decluttering your home 17:50 How do we prioritize people over possessions 22:45 Systems that can make decluttering easy for you and your kids 28:55 The key to decluttering Julia Ubbenga's projects at Rich in What Matters have attracted over 50 million views and helped people restructure their lives around what matters most. She lives in Kansas City with her husband and five children. Learn more about Julia Ubbenga at Rich in What Matters https://richinwhatmatters.com/Get Julia's book, Declutter Your Heart and Your Home https://www.amazon.com/Declutter-Your-Heart-Home-Minimalist/dp/0310368960 Follow Julia on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/richinwhatmatters/ Check out Arlene Pellicane's books Parents Rising and Screen Kids https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/books You're invited to see David Thomas, Sissy Goff, and Arlene at the Parents Rising Conference in San Diego, September 6, 2025. Get your ticket today. https://parentsrisingconference.com/