Connected Families Podcast

Discover how misbehavior can become a golden opportunity for showing unconditional love to your child. Learn why incorporating affection and empathy during challenging moments is crucial for nurturing a strong connection. Frustration can unintentionally send the message that a child is a problem, so understanding their perception of love is key. Practical strategies are shared for weaving loving gestures into corrections, ensuring kids feel supported even when they fail. Transform your approach to discipline and strengthen your family bonds!

Laurie Shaffer, a seasoned parent coach and expert in trauma-informed parenting, shares insightful strategies for fostering connection with children. She highlights the importance of self-reflection for parents before addressing their child's behavior. With a poignant personal story about her granddaughter, Laurie demonstrates how prioritizing presence over correction can pave the way for meaningful change. Learn how love and understanding can transform challenging moments into opportunities for growth.

Two moms share their heartfelt parenting journeys, exploring how modeling grace can transform family dynamics. Clare emphasizes the importance of teaching children through action rather than words. Ami confronts her unexpected anger, uncovering its roots in childhood trauma, and learns the importance of inner healing. They highlight how effective discipline starts with self-reflection and calming oneself before addressing children's behavior, offering practical tools for lasting change and a supportive community.

Not Perfect. Still Super. Every Family is a Hero… Would you join us at The Table? 💥You can be a hero who helps create ripple effects of family transformation that last for generations to come. Join The Table Community at $35 and get free access to the Discipline That Connects online course, this month only!💥 What does a backpack have to do with parenting? Well… Katie Johnson, a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach, shares how her 6-year-old son’s misplaced camp backpack turned into a moment where the Connected Families parenting framework guided her. In today’s episode, listen in to discover how to intentionally apply this grace-filled approach to everyday moments, providing positive discipline examples that lead to lasting connections and growth in your family. Key Takeaways Build a solid foundation over time using the CF parenting framework as your guide Avoid coming across as “fast, large, and loud” Use daily moments to practice long-term wisdom-building Guest Bio As a former teacher turned homeschool mom with a sensitive & intense child, Katie Johnson came to Connected Families at the end of her rope. As a CF coach, she now helps struggling families adopt a whole-Bible, whole-brain approach for Christ-centered transformation. She loves providing practical tools to help families apply the CF framework to their unique situations. Katie lives in Madison, WI, with her husband, three young kids, a dog, and three chickens. Katie holds a Master’s in Education and has a special passion for supporting families with toddlers. Mentioned Today: The Table Community -Monthly Giving Program Katie Johnson – Connected Families Certified Parent Coach Discipline That Connects With Your Child’s Heart Learning from Parenting Mistakes: How God Taught One Dad the Value of Safety | [Mini-Episode] Thursday Parenting Tips Email Sign-Up In Case You Missed It: If you’re still learning the value of safe parenting, you’re not alone, and there’s always grace to learn. Hear how God showed one dad the value of safety in yesterday’s mini-episode: Learning from Parenting Mistakes: How God Taught One Dad the Value of Safety. See all of our mini-episodes for this MARVEL-ous campaign on our October podcast page. © 2025 Connected Families Pull up a chair, get DTC for free! Right now: Join The Table at a suggested donation of $35 or more per month and get FREE access to our transformative online course, Discipline That Connects for you and a friend! I WANT TO JOIN THE TABLE!

Dr. Bo Bryson, a chiropractor and author with over two decades of experience, shares a powerful parenting story that highlights the 'You are safe with me' framework. He discusses how acknowledging parenting missteps can enhance familial safety and connection. Dr. Bo recounts a pivotal moment with his teenage daughter, emphasizing the importance of being heard and known. His journey underscored how faith plays a role in creating a nurturing environment, leading to stronger family bonds over the years.

Dive into the fascinating world of children's emotional responses! Learn why kids flourish in environments where they feel safe and how fear-based discipline often backfires. Discover the neuroscience behind meltdowns and why a calm, firm approach builds trust. The hosts share insights on transforming disciplinary moments into opportunities for connection, emphasizing the importance of emotional safety in parenting. Equip yourself with practical tools to foster genuine learning and cooperation in your family.

In this special “virtual family time” episode about the Connected Families Framework, you’ll hear Jim and Lynne Jackson join Stacy Bellward (host) for a fun conversation about the incredible growth and impact of Connected Families over the past 20+ years. Using the biblical parable of the talents as their start, Connected Families founders share how they’ve stewarded the ministry’s explosive growth, particularly in the last five years, and cast a vision for the future of grace-filled, Christ-centered parenting resources. Listen in and be a part of our family! Key Points: How zero advertising turned to 2.2 million podcast listeners, and more From prison cells to peaceful homes: one mom’s testimony that changed her family trajectory Vision casting for 2030 Mentioned in this podcast: The Table Community Monthly Giving Program How to Grow a Connected Family – Book Discipline That Connects With Your Child’s Heart – Book Helping Kids with Anger eBook Matthew 25:14 – 25 – Parable of the Talents Connected Families Certified Parent Coaching Program Connected Families Framework Connected Families Ministry Partnership Program Union Gospel Mission – Spokane Connected Families Thursday Email Sign Up Discipline That Connects With Your Child’s Heart Online Course Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting! This podcast was made possible by members of The Table Community, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table! NEW ON THE PODCAST: Tap “Follow” in your menu so you don’t miss out! Next month, we are dropping 6 mini-episodes every week, all bite-sized pieces of our core content: Discipline That Connects. Each episode is 15 min (or less). Guest Bio: Jim and Lynne Jackson are the Co-Founders of Connected Families in Plymouth, MN. With over 50 combined years of professionally helping families and a love for working in the church, Jim and Lynne have been dedicated to bringing reliable, God-centered, research-based parenting resources to all families since 2002. © 2025 Connected Families Ready to dive in and learn more about the Framework? Our 8-session online course, Discipline That Connects With Your Child’s Heart will guide you through each level of the Framework. If you’re looking for a grace-filled way to parent, this course is for you! Parent with Confidence Discipline with Love Take the 8-session online course Discipline That Connects With Your Child’s Heart . REGISTER NOW!

Join Julie Maas, a Board Certified Nurse Coach and Connected Families Certified Parent Coach, as she shares powerful insights on managing children's intense anger. She discusses the importance of recognizing deeper emotional needs and offers brain science explaining how fight-or-flight responses can hinder regulation. Julie emphasizes leading with compassion to create connection before correction and gives rapid de-escalation tactics. Learn about practicing emotional skills during calm moments to help kids choose better responses to frustration!

If you’re searching for angry mom help because you feel like you’re constantly apologizing to your kids for losing your temper, you’re not alone. In this powerful episode, host Stacy Bellward sits down with Elizabeth Andreyevskiy, creator of the Emotionally Healthy Legacy podcast, to provide real solutions for mothers who feel out of control. Key Points: Discover what’s really underlying your angry outbursts Learn the powerful phrase Elizabeth uses out loud in front of her kids when chaos hits How to stop trying to control your kids and redirect toward the one thing you can control—yourself Mentioned in this podcast: FREE resource: How to become a patient mom so you stop screaming over spilled milk Connected Families Anger eBook Emotionally Healthy Legacy New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional by Paul David Tripp Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting! Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show! This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table! Guest Bio: Elizabeth is a mom of four, an anger management coach for Christian moms, and the podcast host of the Emotionally Healthy Legacy podcast. With a deep passion for emotional wellness and mental health in motherhood, she helps stressed Christian moms break free from explosive anger and cultivate peace in their homes. Elizabeth empowers women to respond with patience, calm, and emotional regulation by building a Christ-centered legacy of emotional health for the next generation. © 2025 Connected Families You can help your child with their anger. Learn how to break the addictive anger cycle. Get the FREE ebook, Helping Kids With Anger.

Hear how one Minnesota church partners with Connected Families for family ministry ideas that truly equip and support their families. In this episode about partnerships, Stacy Bellward (host) and Cindy Wilson (Connected Families Ministry Partnership & Research Program Manager) are joined by special guests Justie Vavra and Megan Thorp to discover how the transformative Connected Families Framework is available to anyone to bring to their communities. If you’re a parent, caregiver, teacher, or ministry leader, listen in to learn how you can make an impact in your sphere of influence. Key Points: Summer church attendance exploded in Minnesota. What did they do? How high schoolers are applying the CF Framework with sensitive kids How one parent can impact the entire church culture Mentioned in this podcast: Connected Families Certified Parent Coaching Program Connected Families Ministry Partnership Program Book: How to Grow a Connected Family by Jim and Lynne Jackson Discipline That Connects With Your Child’s Heart Online Course Book: Discipline That Connects With Your Child’s Heart by Jim and Lynne Jackson Sensitive and Intense Kids Online Course Grace and Truth for Parents Online Course Discipline That Connects in the Classroom Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting! Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show! This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table! Guest Bio: Megan Thorp:As a parent coach, Megan helps parents gain confidence and create homes where everyone feels valued and connected. She’ll equip you with skills to build lasting relationships with your kids and bring more peace and joy into your family. Megan has a Master’s in Counseling Psychology and is a Certified Parent Coach through Connected Families. She enjoys time with her husband and 3 kids. Connect with Megan at: megan@connectedfamilies.org or here. Connect with Megan at: megan@connectedfamilies.org or here. Justie Vavra:Justie Vavra is a devoted mother of three (ages 8, 10, and 11) and has been married to her husband Chris for 15 years. A former elementary school teacher, she now serves as Executive Pastor at Mercy Hill Church, which partners with Connected Families. Justie is passionate about guiding the next generation and nurturing connection and growth within her family and community through God’s grace and truth. © 2025 Connected Families Ready to dive in and learn more about the Framework? Our 8-session online course, Discipline That Connects With Your Child’s Heart will guide you through each level of the Framework. If you’re looking for a grace-filled way to parent, this course is for you! Parent with Confidence Discipline with Love Take the 8-session online course Discipline That Connects With Your Child’s Heart . REGISTER NOW!