

The Happy Home Podcast with Arlene Pellicane
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This show is for women and men who want a happier home life. Arlene will help you bridge the gap between your ideal family and the real thing. You don’t have to come from a happy home to create one. Your host Arlene Pellicane is a speaker and author of several books including 31 Days to a Happy Husband and Parents Rising. She and her husband James have been married more than 21 years and have three children. Inside this podcast, you’ll meet some of the kindest and smartest experts when it comes to marriage and parenting. Get ready for fun and practical conversations that will change your thinking, give you hope, and spark positive change.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 3, 2022 • 28min
Dr. Meg Meeker - Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters
Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here.
According to today's guest, a father is the most important person in a young girl's life. That's what Dr. Meg Meeker has been seeing again and again in her practice as a pediatrician. Learn why this connection is so important and how to strengthen these bonds, no matter what your current situation. On today's podcast based on Dr. Meeker's bestselling book, Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters, you'll learn:
2:40 The importance of a dad’s words - the sentence that changed Dr. Meeker’s life
4:20 What are the main differences between a dad and a mom?
6:55 If you think it’s too late to build a strong relationship with your daughter, it’s not. Take ten minutes and do this…
8:10 Children get cues from parents - if mom or dad is upset or anxious, kids will be too
10:40 What inspired you to write your book, Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters?
12:10 What’s it like seeing your book made into a movie?
14:20 Why did you include humility as a chapter in your book? How do dads show humility to daughters in a healthy way?
15:50 Daughters crave for their dad to protect them (even if they say otherwise)
18:10 Do this dad when your daughter comes home from a date
20:40 Set the rules of dress and dating beforehand
22:30 What differences are you seeing in your teen patients in the last five years because of technology?
24:10 Why is social media so dangerous for girls?
Dr. Meeker is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She's written 7 books and a mother of four and grandmother of six. Her bestselling book Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters (which has sold more than half a million copies) has just been adapted into a movie on Pure Flix.
Watch the movie Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters on Pure Flix
Find out more about Dr. Meeker on her website meekerparenting.com
The Happy Home is sponsored in part by Talk About. Use Promo Code HAPPYHOME to get 1 month free at TalkAboutDiscipleship.com.

Sep 26, 2022 • 33min
Melissa Swain - Discipling Your Kids with Purpose
Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here.
You're raising tiny disciples. Whether you have young ones or teens, Melissa Swain is here to help us write God's Word on our children's hearts. Family discipleship made simple. How do we do this in a way that our kids embrace? Today you'll learn:
3:45 What can Alexander the Great teach us about culture today? What is vulture culture?
5:50 The urgency of parenting…we have limited time
7:10 This isn’t an easy fix
7:50 How can you test how much popular culture is influencing your child?
10:30 Disciplining younger kids looks like this
11:50 How can I get my 18 year old to obey house rules?
14:50 You don’t have to have a huge chunk of time to disciple
17:10 The difference between connecting with a moment and connecting with your child
19:40 Try these creative s'mores
21:30 What NOT to do with your kids
24:10 A different way to hold your kids accountable
26:55 How might a family start a discipleship plan at home?
28:45 Help for the single mom (or for the mom who is the only Christian in the home)
Guest Melissa Swain is the co-author of Write It On Their Hearts (authored with her late husband Chris). Melissa has spent nearly 23 years as a pastor’s wife and is a mom, homeschool teacher, writer, and editor.
To learn more, go to Melissa's website writeitontheirhearts.com
Take the quiz, Is your child getting too much screen time? at happyhomeuniversity.com
The Happy Home is sponsored in part by Talk About. Use Promo Code HAPPYHOME to get 1 month free at TalkAboutDiscipleship.com.

Sep 19, 2022 • 30min
Beth McCord - Enneagram and Your Family
Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here.
You've probably heard of the Enneagram - can it actually help you understand your kids or your spouse? Enneagram coach Beth McCord is teaching how this tool can aid spiritual and relational growth in your home. You'll see how the Enneagram can help you navigate disagreements better with your spouse and more. In today's conversation, we'll talk about:2:40 - These are the 4 core motivations for every person3:50 - Be alert of your weaknesses9:20 - Seeing through your spouse's lens11:20 - How do you find out your Enneagram?13:00 - How can you appreciate and leverage how you’re wired15:00 - What if your Enneagram is in direct conflict with your spouse’s?20:30 - Discovery is not recovery25:00 - What this picture reveals about God our Good ShepherdBeth McCord is the bestselling author and co-founder with her husband Jeff of "Your Enneagram Coach," one of the largest Enneagram platforms in the world and the only one of its size to that teaches people how to use the Enneagram from a faith based perspective. More than 2 million people have taken their online Enneagram type assessment. Beth and her husband Jeff have a new book, "More Than Your Number: A Christ-Centered Enneagram Approach to Becoming Aware of Your Internal World."Learn more on their website Your Enneagram Coach yourenneagramcoach.comLearn more about Arlene's book 31 Days to a Happy Husband. arlenepellicane.comLearn more about the masterclass. happyhomeuniversity.com/happyhusbandThe Happy Home is sponsored in part by Talk About. Use Promo Code HAPPYHOME to get 1 month free at TalkAboutDiscipleship.com.

Sep 12, 2022 • 38min
Marci Seither - Preparing for the Empty Nest
Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here.
My husband James and I dropped our oldest child off at college a few weeks ago. Launching adults is hard. Author of Empty Nest, Marci Seither, is here to help us prepare for the next stage of parenting, wherever you are on the parenting journey. Marci has lots of experience as a mother of six! On today's podcast you'll learn:
3:50 How do you prepare to enter a new season with your kids?
6:10 The gap between our six kids - one in drivers training and one in potty training at the same time
7:30 Tight ring years - what does this mean?
12:00 Arlene sending off her oldest to college
13:10 How can we help prepare siblings for when their brother or sister leaves home?
17:45 What if you’re worried that your child isn’t ready to launch? What if you’re almost relieved that he or she is leaving because they cause stress in the home?
20:25 How did you cope with kids leaving home…stress knitting! It’s okay to grieve…
23:00 Finding a rhythm of rest - a quieting that you can create space for something new
26:45 “I feel like the best years of my life are over….” - how do you reinvent yourself after the empty nest?
30:45 How to parent your college child - what’s too much? What’s too little?
32:20 How to keep your marriage interesting
Marci Seither is the author of Empty Nest and a beautiful new devotional, Lakeside Retreat. She has been featured on Focus on the Family, Guideposts magazine, and in hundreds of articles. Find out more at MarciSeither.com
Get Arlene's book 31 Days to Becoming a Happy Wife at ArlenePellicane.comThe Happy Home is sponsored in part by Dwell Bible App. Save 30% off Dwell for Life at DwellApp.io/HappyHome.

Sep 5, 2022 • 31min
Colton Dixon - Faith Over Fear
Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here.
If you listen to Christian music, you've probably heard songs by today's guest Colton Dixon. This award winning musician is here to talk about becoming a father, the miracle he experienced with his twin baby girl, and how you can experience more of the supernatural in your family. Colton is featured on LIVE + LOCAL, a new show on Pure Flix. In today's interview, you'll learn:
2:30 Being on American Idol compared to becoming a father
4:30 Delivering the twins - we had huge complications
7:00 Needing a family miracle, blocking out fear, choosing faith
10:20 A funny place Arlene heard Colton’s song Miracles…
11:00 The story behind Colton’s new song, Build a Boat
12:50 If you’re going through a dry season as a family…
14:00 Highs and lows in Colton’s career, how can we help our kids with disappointment?
18:50 Colton’s confession about taping for a new show, LIVE + LOCAL on Pure Flix
20:45 Working with Dave Coulier, Uncle Joey from Full House
22:30 Teens expressing themselves through fashion - what’s okay? What’s too much?
24:30 What can we do as parents about music with bad lyrics?
28:00 My daughters Athens and Dior living up to their names
Colton Dixon has released three No1 albums and his music has been streamed more than 100 million times. He's been awarded 2 Dove Awards and KLOVE nominations. You can watch Colton guest star on the show LIVE + LOCAL, now streaming on Pure Flix.
Learn more about Colton Dixon on his website coltondixon.com
Find more about Arlene Pellicane's book and masterclass, Screen Kids happyhomeuniversity.com
The Happy Home is sponsored in part by Dwell Bible App. Save 30% off Dwell for Life at DwellApp.io/HappyHome

Aug 29, 2022 • 36min
Arlene Pellicane - Three Myths Moms Fall For
Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here.
The ideal mom is often portrayed in an impossible light, leaving the rest of us feeling lost and inferior. There are myths that moms are pressured into believing. On today's podcast, Arlene Pellicane shares three myths moms tend to fall for. You'll learn how to spot these myths and debunk them. Living in the light of God's truth makes your heart lighter - and that's going to bless your children. In today's message originally given at the Sisterhood Summit with GEMS Girls Clubs, you'll learn:
3:00 Arlene's childhood bully at recess
3:30 Myth #1: I am not beautiful.
5:30 What you are going to say to yourself when you look in the mirror
6:00 Findings from a study of girls about their ideas of beauty
11:50 Social media is dangerous when we compare and despair
13:50 Myth #2: I have a terrible body.
16:00 Arlene's confession about stealing her son's cookies
22:10 Myth #3: I don't have enough time.
26:30 How to save time on social media
27:50 Ask this question before you grab your phone, laptop, device
31:00 It's not about time management, it's about energy management
Learn more about GEMS Girls Clubs at gemsgc.org
Get Arlene's book, 31 Days to Becoming a Happy Mom at arlenepellicane.comThe Happy Home is sponsored in part by Dwell Bible App. Save 30% off Dwell for Life at DwellApp.io/HappyHome

Aug 22, 2022 • 33min
David Thomas - Raising Emotionally Strong Boys
Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here.
"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.orgThe Happy Home is sponsored in part by Dwell Bible App. Save 30% off Dwell for Life at DwellApp.io/HappyHome

Aug 15, 2022 • 29min
Terra Mattson - Raising Courageous Girls
Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here.
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.comThe Happy Home is sponsored in part by Dwell Bible App. Save 30% off Dwell for Life at DwellApp.io/HappyHome.

Aug 8, 2022 • 25min
Listener Fave: Dr. Gregory Jantz - Anxiety Reset
Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here.
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.comThe Happy Home is sponsored in part by Dwell Bible App. Save 30% off Dwell for Life at DwellApp.io/HappyHome.

Aug 1, 2022 • 28min
Listener Fave: Dr. Andrew and Julie Doan - Hooked on Games Part 2
Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here.
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.comThe Happy Home is sponsored in part by Dwell Bible App. Save 30% off Dwell for Life at DwellApp.io/HappyHome.