The Happy Home Podcast with Arlene Pellicane

Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here. At what age can you safely introduce screens to your kids? Arlene Pellicane shares about ages and stages, examining screen time for babies through five years old. You'll learn what's happening in your child developmentally in the first five years, how to implement AAP recommendations for screen time, and if video chatting is okay for babies. Is tech more good or bad for teeny tiny littles?   By the end of this conversation, you'll understand:  4:00 Physical and cognitive milestones for babies and toddlers  6:05 What does the AAP recommend for screen time? Do babies acquire anything meaningful from screen time?  8:00 “Kids need to engage the world in which they actually live.” - Dr. Dimitri Christakis  9:00 Is video chatting for babies okay?  13:30 Help for discerning what is quality programming  15:30 Mister Rogers vs. Paw Patrol  19:30 The dumber the toy, the smarter the child  22:20 Will my child be at a disadvantage if he or she doesn’t play with a tablet?  25:50 Ideas for working from home with littles (without help of devices for babysitting)  30:00 The upside of old tech (hello DVD player!)  Learn more from Arlene's book co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman, Screen Kids.  Visit Happy Home University to take the quiz, "Does my child have too much screen time?" Learn more from the nonprofit Children and Screens (they offer free webinars for parents).

Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here. Have you seen someone wearing a t-shirt, "Sorry, Not Sorry"? As a culture, we are getting good at shifting blame and defending ourselves instead of taking responsibility when we do something wrong. Dr. Jennifer Thomas has teamed up with Dr. Gary Chapman to develop the Five Apology Languages. How can you teach your kids how to apologize? You'll learn how to use apologies to repair your most important relationships.  In today's interview with Dr. Jennifer Thomas, you'll understand: 4:30 What are people looking for in an apology? 5:27 What are the five apology languages? 10:30 Role play: how would I use these five apology languages if I wanted to apologize for yelling at my kids? 15:00 Might you have a problem with over-apologizing? 18:20 How do you help young kids learn how to apologize? What is better to say than “I’m sorry”? 20:00 How to help your kids save face during the apology 23:00 We live in a “sorry, not sorry” culture - how can we teach kids that apologies are important? 24:30 How do you know when to apologize by text or when to apologize face to face? 27:50 How can we reach out to our estranged family members? What if we are not sincerely sorry but we want to connect? Psychologist Dr. Jennifer Thomas is a motivational speaker specializing in the five love languages and communication. Learn more about her book The Five Apology Languages (co-authored with Gary Chapman). Interested in getting closer to your spouse this month? Take the 7 Day Romance Challenge, download it for free at HappyHomeUniversity.com

Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here. Would your kids ever describe you as cranky? Author Becky Kopitzke knows what it's like to be a cranky mom, AKA the "Momster."  She's here to help us tame our inner momster with Biblical wisdom and time-tested tips so we can experience more peace at home.  In today's practical conversation, you'll learn:  2:30 Who is the momster?   5:00 What are triggers we can identify before we get cranky with our kids?   8:30 How do you take things off your schedule if you’ve over-programmed your family?   13:00 Good moms take care of their kids, great moms take care of themselves also   16:30 How did you change from being the cranky mom?  How did you stop yelling at your kids?  19:00 The process for repairing the relationship with your child after an argument   Becky Kopitzke is wife, mom of two, author, speaker, and writing coach. She’s the author of three books including Cranky Mom Fix: How to Get a Happier, More Peaceful Home by Slaying the "Momster" in All of Us. Learn more about Becky at beckykopitzke.com  Interested in getting closer to your spouse this month?  Take the 7 Day Romance Challenge, download it for free at HappyHomeUniversity.com 

Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here. What do you do if your husband isn't living up to your expectations? Many wives don't know what to do with their disappointment and how to nudge their husbands to change. Clinical psychologist Dr. Juli Slattery says your efforts to fix your marriage may actually be undermining it.   Find out more as Dr. Juli Slattery talks about her book, Finding the Hero in Your Husband.   You'll hear:  4:20 A challenge that all wives face  5:20 What is the cycle of intimacy? And how do we get into that cycle?  7:00 What is the cycle of self-protection?   8:30 What if I don’t feel valued by my husband?   11:30 How has submission been misapplied? What does Biblical submission look like? 15:20 Why is physical intimacy such a struggle for many marriages?  22:15 But I want to be the boss of the relationship…   Learn more about Dr. Juli Slattery and her book, Finding the Hero in Your Husband. Interested in getting closer to your spouse this month? Take the 7 Day Romance Challenge, download it for free at HappyHomeUniversity.com

Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here. Stacey Morgan kissed her husband goodbye before he donned his space suit and headed to his Soyuz rocket headed for the International Space Station. What's it like having a husband in space? Based on her new book, The Astronaut's Wife, Stacey will share how you can choose hope in the face of fear, and prepare for any mission or adventure life throws at your family. You'll laugh as she confesses that prior to her hubby becoming an astronaut, everything she knew about space she learned from Tom Hanks. On the interview: 1:30 My husband never planned to be an astronaut... 5:00 Welcome to the Cosmodrone  10:00 Countdown to space  15:00 How to overcome that fear of losing your loved one  18:00 Being the rookie mom - how to make new friends when you feel excluded  22:00 An unusual and wonderful way to help single parents  27:00 Keeping in touch when you’re physically separated (calls to the International Space Station)  31:00 What have your kids picked up about faith and adventure?   Learn more about Stacey Morgan and her book The Astronaut's Wife. Interested in getting closer to your spouse this month (after all, he's probably not in space!)? Take the 7 Day Romance Challenge, download it for free at HappyHomeUniversity.com

Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here. Have your kids ever caught you...praying? What would happen if our children observed us day in and day out, regularly praying to God and reading our Bibles? This might be the beginning of revival in our homes. Arlene shares from her heart about the importance of prayer and Bible reading, not just at church, but in everyday life. How might we set a "spiritual trap" for our kids so they'll catch us praying? You have more influence and resources than you imagine as heaven is open and God is listening. Find other moms to pray with at MomsinPrayer.org The book mentioned on the podcast is The Prayer Code by O.S. Hawkins. Interested in getting closer to your spouse this month? Take the 7 Day Romance Challenge, download it for free at HappyHomeUniversity.com

Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here. Maybe you have a teenager or you're going to have a teenager someday. The transition between childhood and adulthood can be a bumpy one. My friend Dr. Gary Chapman, beloved author of The 5 Love Languages, has raised two kids of his own and counseled countless families in his 40 plus years in ministry. Based on his new book, Things I Wish I'd Known Before My Child Became a Teenager, Dr. Chapman will share on this episode:3:00 What if my teen is always arguing with me?4:30 What if my teen doesn't want to go to church anymore?6:20 Why isn't my teen as talkative as he or she used to be?8:30 Raising teens who are responsible10:30 What if my teen is totally unmotivated?15:00 Talking about intimacy and relationships18:00 How to deal with anger and your teen28:00 Providing guidance for the future Learn more about Dr. Chapman and his book Things I Wish I'd Known Before My Child Became a Teenager at his website, 5lovelanguages.com And remember this month...Arlene's Screen Kids Masterclass is $125 off, just use the promo code RESTART22 at HappyHomeUniversity.com

Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here. Today's guest Bonnie Gray endured panic attacks, anxiety, and depression for years – all rooted in her traumatic childhood. As an adult, Bonnie embraced her identity as God’s beloved child, and healing began. How did she do it? In today's conversation you'll learn about: 3:30 Bonnie's birth to a mail order bride from Hong Kong and a bus boy in San Francisco's Chinatown 8:00 When I told my kids about my family secrets 10:30 My dad never came back 12:00 This journey was for me, going back to what the little girl went through 14:00 I chose the hardest story to tell my boys first 19:30 Panic attacks and faith 24:00 How do you explain PTSD to your spouse? 25:00 How to use ten minutes to lessen your anxiety 28:00 Meeting my dad again Bonnie Gray is a soul care expert and host of a wellness podcast entitled Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast. Her latest and most personal book is Sweet Like Jasmine: Finding Identity in a Culture of Loneliness.  And remember this month...Arlene's Screen Kids Masterclass is $125 off, just use the promo code RESTART22 at HappyHomeUniversity.com

Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here. Are you tired of being the "mean parent" because of your screen rules? Do you ever wonder if you are being too strict?  Today's special podcast is going to show you that delaying devices is not only possible - it's good for your kids! My special guests today are my husband James and our kids Ethan (17), Noelle (15) and Lucy (12). The kids are going to tell you - in their own words - what it's like going to school without a phone, social media, or video game experience.   This is a conversation you can listen to in the car with your older kids and teens. You're about to listen to the audio of our documentary Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. You can watch the video at HappyHomeUniversity.com/film And remember this month...Arlene's Screen Kids Masterclass is $125 off, just use the promo code RESTART22 at HappyHomeUniversity.com

Discover the way ahead at Indiana Wesleyan University. Learn more here. So excited to welcome bestselling author Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie) to kick off 2022!  As parents, we can easily slip into complaining or a martyr complex (look at me and all the sacrifices I have to make for these kids!!!). Talking to Mitch Albom about his daughter Chika really helps to put it all into perspective. In Mitch's book Finding Chika, you'll learn of his unusual journey to parenting - beginning with an orphanage in Haiti that would change his life forever.   In today's conversation, you'll hear about:   5:00 Taking Chika to Disneyland for the first time 8:00 How children are curious and full of wonder before given screens 11:30 The unexpected making of a family 14:00 How parenting enhances a marriage  15:45 How to handle conflict in the marriage when your child is seriously ill 18:30 Everything you do is an example to your children 19:30. Carrying Chika when she could no longer walk 21:50. Morrie's profound sentence 24:30 Chika singing "I am a Child of God" 26:00 About the Stranger in the Lifeboat 29:30. Why did you take away this person God? Here's a better question to ask... Mitch Albom has sold over 40 million copies of his books including the bestselling memoir of all time Tuesdays with Morrie. He and his wife Janine direct the Have Faith Orphanage in Haiti. His newest books (the subjects of our interview) are Finding Chika and The Stranger in the Lifeboat.   And remember this month... Arlene's Screen Kids Masterclass is $125 off, just use the promo code RESTART22. HappyHomeUniversity.com