Connected Families Podcast

Co-parenting, intense emotions, tough transitions – these single-mom challenges can be hard! If you are a single mom, you have probably navigated rough waters in these areas. It may feel so discouraging at times. The good news: There are ways to keep you and your kids steady and growing in wisdom through it all. Emotional security and connection are key. This podcast will walk you through what that can look like in daily life as a single mom. It IS possible to navigate shared parenting in a respectful way.  Today we bring you the second part of our podcast series about single motherhood and our Connected Families Framework. Join Stacy Bellward (podcast host) and Lynne Jackson (co-founder of Connected Families) to hear heartfelt and practical insights from single moms about connecting and coaching kids through intense emotions and tough situations.  When kids feel loved and connected in the ups and downs of divorce and co-parenting, you can foster a close relationship that will help them feel secure, even while walking through difficult moments. Both you and your children can experience joy and a strengthened faith in trying circumstances. In the words of one single mom: “Even in hard times, with God nothing is wasted!”  If you’re not a single mom, dive in anyway! This discussion can still be applied to your situation, and these moms have tremendous wisdom for life’s challenges.  Be encouraged and equipped as we tackle important questions such as: How can you connect with your kids through the difficult transitions between caregivers?  What are some ways you keep laughter and joy part of your family?  How do you equip your kids to respond in faith and wisdom through various challenges? What are some ways you handle your child’s emotional stress when it shows up as intense misbehavior?  Resources to help you and your child connect: Helping Kids with their Anger: A creative activity to reduce outbursts and prepare kids for healthy relationships Grace and Truth for Moms (online course) Connected Families FREE Resources Other resources for single moms in the Twin Cities area: Emerge-Twin Cities Beyond New Beginnings (Chaska, MN) Together for Good (St. Paul, MN) Safe Families for Children (nationwide) Related Posts30 Best Pieces of Advice for New Moms (from Real Pros)Being a Single Mom is Exhausting | Ep. 62Grace and Truth for Moms | Ep. 61Legalism vs. Grace: Let Go of Perfectionism & Grab Hold of GraceResilient Children: 15 Little Opportunities to Grow Overcomers at Home Do you feel stuck in negative patterns? Feeling isolated? Are you anxious about your kids’ successes or failures? Our Grace and Truth for Moms online course will help you identify and hold on to God’s truth about YOU, and equip you to stop believing toxic lies about yourself. This course is created for small groups, so grab a few other moms and be encouraged!

Being a single mom is exhausting. And when we hear from single moms, they often say things like, “I feel SO alone.” “I don’t know if I can make it.” “Are my kids and I beyond hope?” Maybe you wrestle with thoughts and beliefs like these too. Do you wonder if God is listening, and working in your difficult situation? Listen in on today’s episode focused on single parenting. We believe the wisdom shared will infuse you with solid truth and precious grace to keep you walking the road of motherhood on a firm foundation.  Above all, know that God deeply loves you and your children, and He is ever-present in all of your circumstances. Even if you are in a two parent home, you’ll gain LOTS of wisdom and insight from the two courageous, faith-filled single moms that we interviewed for these podcasts.  You are not alone. In today’s podcast, Stacy Bellward (podcast host) and Lynne Jackson (co-founder of Connected Families) walk you through straight-forward conversations about single motherhood. You’ll hear from several single moms, as well as a leader at a local church who ministers to single moms. These moms describe in their own words the ups and downs of single parenthood, and how the Connected Families framework has helped them on their journey. As you lean into God, you’ll be equipped to take care of your own heart and strengthen yourself.  With this as your foundation you can be a strong pillar for your children no matter what the circumstances are around you. You and your children are not broken, and you are not alone! In this podcast:  In this podcast, we hear from single moms about their parenting journey. These moms give honest and vulnerable responses to the following questions:   What key beliefs keep you steady through the ups and downs?How do you draw on a supportive community?What are the ways that you saw God show up to help you through difficult times?How do you deal with negative things an ex-spouse may have said about you to your kids?How do you navigate different parenting styles? If you are a single mom who is looking for parenting guidance, we are here for you! You can check out our resources, or contact us at https://connectedfamilies.org/contact-us/. We recognize that as a single parent, finances may be a hindrance to taking our online courses. Which is why we always offer scholarships. Never hesitate to ask.               .  Bible verses mentioned in this podcast: Zephaniah 3:17Isaiah 61:1-3Proverbs 3:5-6 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Connected Families-Grace and Truth for Moms (Online Course)Beyond New Beginnings (Chaska, MN)Together for Good (St. Paul, MN)Safe Families for Children (nationwide) Other resources for single moms in the Twin Cities area: Emerge-Twin Cities Do you feel stuck in negative patterns? Are you isolated? Are you anxious about your kids’ successes or failures? Our Grace and Truth for Moms online course will help you identify and hold on to God’s truth about YOU, and equip you to stop believing toxic lies about yourself. This course is created for small groups, so grab a few other moms and be encouraged!

Does the stress and struggle of parenting leave you feeling unworthy or incapable of being the mom you long to be? Do these statements sound familiar? “I’m a failure as a mom and I have ruined my kids!” “I’m an angry parent with an angry child!” Perhaps it feels like you are parenting from a place of discouragement and anxiety. We want you to know that God’s grace runs deep for you, and you are not alone. You can find grace and truth for yourself as a mom. In today’s episode, you will learn how to work through the feelings of doubt and discouragement that many moms experience. In this rebroadcast from 2020, Lynne Jackson (co-founder of Connected Families) joins Heather MacFadyen on her podcast, Don’t Mom Alone. Heather interviews Lynne about the importance of recognizing toxic lies you may believe (about yourself and your kids) and how to replace those lies with God’s grace and truth.  You’ll learn to process your difficult feelings and beliefs in a way that helps you to be a vessel of grace and truth for yourself–and for your kids.  Discover in today’s podcast: how extreme thinking, perfectionism, and catastrophizing can keep you stuck in a negative parenting cycle practical ways to work through negative emotions and experience God’s healing and peace  the importance of having support from other moms who can listen and encourage you encouragement that can help you persevere in living out God’s grace and truth for you and your kids About Heather MacFadyen: Married and a mom to four sons, Heather struggled with the challenges of raising four young boys. She isolated herself from community, fearing embarrassment, rejection, and failure. Slowly she began to reach out to friends again. Through prayer with friends, God healed wrong identities Heather held onto. She started a podcast called “God-Centered Mom” (now Don’t Mom Alone), a show that has been downloaded over 7 million times.  Bible verses mentioned in this podcast: Matthew 12:34 Ephesians 4:15 Ephesians 6:4 Psalm 139:14 2 Corinthians 10:5 Resources from this podcast to encourage you:   You Are a Daughter of the King speech (design courtesy of Don’t Mom Alone) Trash, Truth, Treasure: Helping Kids Turn Anger into Wisdom Grace and Truth for Moms Online Course Do you feel stuck in negative patterns? Are you isolated? Are you anxious about your kids’ successes or failures? Our Grace and Truth for Moms online course will help you identify and hold on to God’s truth about YOU, and equip you to stop believing toxic lies about yourself. This course is created for small groups, so grab a few other moms and be encouraged!

Do you struggle to teach your child how to pray? How do you instill something deeper when your child just wants to pray for a new xbox?  Like many parents, you likely desire to see your kids engage in a meaningful prayer life. That can be hard! Sometimes kids just get bored when we pray! Or find it difficult to get past a surface-level prayer. The good news: There are many practical and effective ways to model and encourage your kids to grow in more heartfelt and personal prayer. Today on the Connected Families podcast, Stacy Bellward (podcast host) talks with Chad and Carma Hayenga about their journey to a deeper and more personal prayer life. You’ll hear how this overflowed to their kids, and positively changed the heart of their family. We trust you will find encouragement and practical tips in this podcast to teach your child to pray and for your family’s prayer journey! In this podcast, Chad and Carma discuss:  The transforming power of experiencing Jesus’ presence in prayerHow to transform rote and programmed prayers into a personal conversation with GodA larger vision for your family’s prayer life, as well as practical everyday prayer opportunitiesWays to help kids express their faith creatively according to their personality and giftsParticipating in God’s Kingdom work at home and around the world through prayer More about Chad and Carma:  Chad Hayenga is a Marriage and Family Therapist and certified life coach with a background in counseling struggling youth and families. As a prayer intercessor, Carma has a deep passion to see families changed through the power of prayer. Combining their skills, and trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit to effect change, they have seen people experience incredible spiritual freedom. Interested in learning more? Check out this unique coaching option to connect personally with Chad and Carma. Resources about prayer mentioned in this podcast: Prison to Praise by Merlin Carothers Is That Really You, God? by Loren Cunningham Voice of the Martyrs FREE magazine subscription

Frequently parents focus on conversation skills when there is conflict. But what about in the normal day-to-day interactions? Do you feel like it is more difficult than it needs to be to have a “normal” conversation with your child? Do you feel like you spend a lot of time telling your child what to do instead of asking the right questions? It’s hard when you feel like, “My child won’t talk to me!”Sadly, sometimes our reactions as parents is what shuts the conversation down. Can you relate? If so, this podcast discussion will bring you the honest and hope-giving guidance you are looking for as you desire to have open and honest conversations with your kids.  In today’s podcast, Stacy Bellward (podcast host) is joined by Chad Hayenga (therapist and Connected Families parent coach) to talk about how you can engage in meaningful, on-going conversations that bring connection with your child. You can keep the important conversations going with your kids by asking gentle, light-hearted, curious questions that help your child feel safe to open up to you.  In this podcast, we’ll discuss: The power of kind and curious questions to unlock a child’s heartKeeping shame out of the conversation with your childHow to respond when kids have doubts about their faith and GodPractical ways to calmly respond when your child says something that triggers you! The importance of your strong, solid foundation in Christ to create stability for your struggling child Connecting to and valuing what is going on in your child’s heart can keep the conversation going for years to come! Parenting resources mentioned in this podcast: The Power of Questions: Less Arguing. More Wisdom. (online course) Want to learn more for when, “My child won’t talk to me!” Stay Curious During Tough Conversations: Why Lectures Never Win Connected Families Framework  Related PostsAre You Tired of Having to Nag Your Kids? | Ep. 35My Child Doesn’t Believe in God. Now What?My Child Wants Nothing to Do With Me. Is There Hope?Why Is My Child So Angry? The #1 Unexpected Reason & Practical Steps to TakeYou Don’t Want to Micromanage Your Family: How to Stop Parenting With Anxiety

You’re in the grocery store. Or the park. Or at a family gathering. And you sense a major meltdown coming. It’s so embarrassing when your child has a meltdown in public – especially when you know other people are watching! Join Jim and Lynne Jackson, co-founders of Connected Families, as they offer practical and down-to-earth solutions to this real-life struggle. This podcast addresses some common questions we frequently hear, such as: “What should I do when my child is having a meltdown in public?”“Is there a time and place for immediate obedience, and what does that look like?”“How can I better connect with my child in a discipline situation?” Along with these helpful insights, you’ll gain a crucial “big picture” perspective of your (and your child’s) identity as God’s beloved children. Not perfect parents with well-behaved kids, but imperfect parents and kids learning together in the love and grace of Jesus. Bible references mentioned in this podcast: The Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32)Jesus’ Warnings to the Pharisees (Matthew 23:25-36) Want to learn more about how to help your child when they meltdown in public? Connected Families FrameworkDiscipline that Connects with Your Child’s Heart (book)FREE Resources to Strengthen Connection with Your Child Download our FREE in-depth ebook Helping Kids With Anger. It will provide thoughtful insights and creative ideas to help your struggling child. Related Posts50 Self-Regulation Activities To Empower Your Child To CalmAvoiding Power Struggles Is Simpler Than You ThinkBut What About My Toddler?Practical Tips To Turn Uncontrolled Emotional Outbursts Into Big WinsWhy Is My Child So Angry? The #1 Unexpected Reason & Practical Steps to Take

In today’s episode we dig into the second part of our series on raising overcomers! Stacy Bellward (podcast host) and Jim and Lynne Jackson (co-founders of Connected Families) talk about how to help kids develop resilience and, in the process, uncover the unique purpose God has for them.  If you feel like your child quits everything too soon then this is the podcast for you. Does your child get stuck in defeat? Or have trouble moving forward when things feel too hard? These can be beautiful opportunities to see the gifts beneath their struggling behavior. You can encourage and strengthen your child to do hard things while communicating to them, “I’m with you in this, we’re going to do it together.” This podcast explores: Two key ingredients you need to help you and your kids work through challengesHow to model resilience with peace and connection when you feel like your child quits everythingThe gift-gone-awry underneath your child’s struggle with resilienceHow to create an environment that can provide the foundation to teach kids resilienceA mother’s story of how she helped her son tackle a frustrating situation Resiliency resources mentioned in this podcast: The Foundations of the Resiliency Framework by Bonnie Benard Want to learn more?  12 Misbehaviors and the Gifts-Gone-Awry Behind Them: Seeing Strengths even in Struggles Connecting to your child through our Connected Families Framework To learn more, register for our online course The Entitlement Fix: Growing Hard Work and Gratitude In Your Kids! This fast-paced 4-session course is designed to give parents a solid strategy for stamping out entitled attitudes, and moving toward greater meaning in life. You’ll learn to take your kids through a simple process for helping your family have constructive conversations about rights, responsibilities, and privileges in your home. You’ll learn graceful responses for the inevitable conflict that emerges when parents confront selfishness.  Most importantly, you’ll learn a perspective that grounds all your efforts in eternal truths from the Bible.

In this raw and candid episode, Stacy Bellward (podcast host) is joined by Jim and Lynne Jackson (co-founders of Connected Families) to discuss both the challenges and the beauty of raising overcomers. When you are in Christ you are an overcomer, and you can graciously raise your child to move beyond feeling overwhelmed to being a resilient overcomer. While in the refuge of God’s grace and hope, trials and challenges can be a profound opportunity to grow resilience in your child. This starts with the foundational mindset that learning and teaching resilience is a process. These challenges also invite you to model resilience to your kids! This podcast dives into: What resilience looks like (and what it doesn’t look like!) Practical dialogues to have with your kids that encourage resilience The importance of modeling your own resilience to your kids The grace and promises of God as He walks with you and your kids through tough circumstances How to communicate to your kids that you are for them; that you are in this together! Encouraging scripture mentioned in this podcast: Philippians 4:13 Romans 15:13 Proverbs 3:5-6 Want to learn more about raising overcomers? Turn a Big Meltdown into a Big Win! Michael Phelps’ Secret…And What it Tells Us About Parenting Build Your Resilience Also mentioned in this podcast: The Entitlement Fix: Growing Hard Work and Gratitude In Your Kids! This fast-paced 4-session course is designed to give parents a solid strategy for stamping out entitled attitudes, and moving toward greater meaning in life. Join us today! At $23, we believe this is a fantastic value. If this is still out of your reach, simply contact us for a scholarship.

Do you feel like bedtime struggles are a losing battle? Does bedtime leave you feeling exhausted? Your child wants another glass of water, another bedtime story. They’re afraid of the dark. Or overflowing with wound-up energy from the day. You are exhausted. Frustrated. And if your kids are struggling to sleep, you don’t sleep!  We have heard your cries! Kids not going to sleep (or staying asleep) is a fairly frequent concern we hear from parents during coaching sessions. If you feel like you have tried everything and wonder why nothing is working, you’re in the same boat as so many other sleep-deprived families!  As parents we sometimes want to push through this time to bring some peace to the end of our day. But what if bedtime could be a way to tap into your child’s heart in a way that makes them feel safe, understood, and loved? What if you change your mindset to see that when your child is struggling to sleep this could be an opportunity for deep connection? It really can be! You can transform difficult bedtime routines into an opportunity for deep and lasting connection with your child. How? In this podcast we’ll introduce you to a unique and holistic approach that gets to the heart of your child. We’ll give practical, science-based, tips that you can use today.  Listen in as Stacy Bellward (podcast host) talks with Lynne Jackson, co-founder of Connected Families and author of Transform Bedtime Struggles into Nighttime Snuggles. (Our newest resource!) Together they discuss ways to help prepare both you and your child for a peaceful night of rest.  This podcast dives deep into: Obstacles that can hinder kids from a good night’s sleepPractical sleep solutions that really workCalming your child’s body, mind, heart, and spirit to help them sleepHow a connected approach to bedtime can bring peace to your evenings Sleep and parenting resources mentioned in this podcast: eBook: Transforming Bedtime Struggles into Nighttime SnugglesBook: Why We SleepBook: The Opposite of WorryPsalm 4:8Isaiah 41:13Connected Families FREE Resources Want to learn more? Connected Families FrameworkHow to Create a Simple Sensory Diet for Restless, Homebound Kids The sweet bedtime cuddles you dream of deteriorate far too often into mayhem. You’ve got this! Bring peace to your child’s body, mind, heart, and spirit. So they (and you!) can sleep well. Download and read our FREE in-depth ebook Transform Bedtime Struggles into Nighttime Snuggles. Related Posts50 Self-Regulation Activities To Empower Your Child To CalmHow I Helped My Baby Sleep When Sleep Training Was Not WorkingHow to Create a Simple Sensory Diet for Restless, Homebound Kids | Ep. 30How to Stop Attention-Seeking Behavior Before It StartsHow to Teach Your Child Not to Be Scared | Ep. 39

Few things can be more frustrating as a parent than trying to mediate sibling rivalry. You want your kids to be friends but instead they are fighting, badgering, and teasing each other. It feels like you are getting nowhere!  You think, “How do I stop him from hitting others?” or “Why can’t my kids just get along?!” But what if we could use sibling conflict as an opportunity to explain emotions and feelings to a child? You know what the cool thing is? Sibling rivalry is the perfect opportunity for teaching emotional awareness and explaining about feelings and emotions to a child. If you’re looking for an emotional intelligence activity, look no further. Just wait for the next time your kids start arguing—probably some time in the next nine minutes. An opportunity to explain emotions and feelings to a child When kids fight with siblings or playmates, their selfish tendencies can get the best of them. But there is real hope: When you as a parent express empathy, you can unlock your child’s big emotions. You can also teach your kids to have empathy for each other. How? By explaining to your child about feelings and emotions, and giving them the language and skills to identify those feelings in themselves and each other. Today’s episode is the second part in a series about The Power of Empathy. Join Stacy Bellward (podcast host) and Lynne Jackson (co-founder of Connected Families) as they discuss this super common challenge. You’ll learn solid steps and practical strategies to help you walk your kids through conflict in a way that strengthens their relationship. You can help your kids learn to value each other and to feel a lasting connection. This podcast is full of insight, ideas, and brain-science as we talk about feelings and emotions and how we explain these to a child. Listen to the podcast to learn: How to apply empathy to sibling conflictHow to help kids connect physical sensations with emotionsCreative ways to teach emotional intelligence in a fun non-shaming wayThe need to understand ourselves before we can understand or have empathy for others and how that relates to teaching our children about feelings and empathy Emotional intelligence resources mentioned in this podcast: Part 1 of our Empathy Series: The Power of Empathy: How to Teach Your Child to “Feel Another’s Feelings” Blog article: Can True Empathy Really Be Taught to Kids?Dr. Dan Siegel: Name It to Tame ItEmotions chartThe “just right challenge”Connected Families “Anger e-book” (FREE!) Want to learn more? Check out our Connected Families Framework In our online course Sibling Conflict: From Bickering to Bonding we teach parents how to teach kids The Peace Process. This process equips kids to work through their own arguments without your constant supervision and refereeing. Join us today so your kids can begin building the relationships you always imagined.