
Connected Families Podcast
A Christ-centered parenting community that is grace-filled, science-based, and trauma-informed. Welcome!
Latest episodes

Oct 21, 2024 • 34min
Resilient Children Are Raised, Not Born
Join us for a powerful conversation with Jim and Lynne Jackson about raising resilient children. They encourage you to focus on the process and long-term perspective of building character and identity rather than focusing on the result of the task at hand. Whether you’re dealing with homework struggles or life’s bigger challenges, you’ll feel equipped […]

Oct 19, 2024 • 3min
BONUS: Exciting Podcast News!
You may have heard our exciting news: The Connected Families podcast has reached an amazing milestone – two million listens! 🎉 We’re touched by how many of you have tuned in from across the US and around the world over the past five years. Thank you for listening and sharing with others who could use […]

Oct 14, 2024 • 20min
Ruth Chou Simons: Using Psalm 23 to Communicate God's Presence to Children
Author and artist Ruth Chou Simons chats about life with God, and her first children’s book, Home Is Right Where You Are. Ruth shares insights on pursuing God’s grace daily and passing it on to our children, emphasizing the importance of reminding kids that their true home is with Jesus. She explains how you can […]

Oct 7, 2024 • 0sec
The Flourishing Family: Don't Settle for Merely Surviving
David and Amanda Erickson, co-authors and Certified Parent Coaches, explore parenting through a Jesus-centered lens. They discuss integrating faith with modern neuroscience to create nurturing environments for children. The duo highlights the importance of balancing biblical teachings with contemporary challenges, like technology use. They also delve into gentle parenting, advocating for compassionate authority over punitive measures. Listeners gain practical tools to foster family growth and community support.

Sep 30, 2024 • 34min
Give Yourself Grace with the Do-Over
In this episode, Jim and Lynne Jackson talk with Ruth Wharton about the transformative power of “do-overs.” They unpack how this practice mirrors the gospel by encouraging us to give ourselves grace, seek forgiveness, and mend relationships. They share the simple steps involved and how do-overs grow and evolve as your children do. By modeling […]

Sep 23, 2024 • 0sec
Strengths and Weaknesses: What a Child's Misbehavior Tells Us
When faced with your child’s misbehavior, it’s tempting to focus on their weaknesses: poor emotional regulation, lack of self-control, or dishonesty. But what if you could see beneath these struggles to recognize the God-given strengths hidden within? At Connected Families, we affectionately refer to these strengths as “gifts-gone-awry.” Listen in as Connected Families Co-Founder Lynne […]

Sep 16, 2024 • 32min
Payoffs & Accidental Rewards: How to Focus on the Right Stuff | Ep. 194
Have you ever noticed bad behavior increasing the more you attempt to quell it in your child? You might be facing a situation of payoffs, accidental rewards or misplaced “focus fertilizer.” In this episode, Chad Hayenga and Jim Jackson unpack how parents often react and unintentionally reward undesired behavior. They demonstrate how shifting from frustrated […]

Sep 9, 2024 • 0sec
Agape Love: The Surprising Time Your Child Needs It Most
Showing love is easy when your child is doing well, but what does it look like to extend selfless agape love to a child who is misbehaving? Listen in as Jim and Lynne Jackson, Connected Families Co-Founders, share about receiving God’s unconditional love and effectively passing it on to your child (in the midst of […]

Aug 26, 2024 • 36min
How to Talk to Your Child About Difficult Topics (Part 2)
Expanding on last week’s episode, Josh and Rachel Keller use role-plays to show how you can engage in a difficult conversation with your child. They offer insights for choosing a time and place that will help foster meaningful dialogue and highlight the importance of listening and empathy as you enter the conversation. If you’re feeling […]

Aug 19, 2024 • 34min
How to Talk to Your Child About Difficult Topics [Part 1]
Whether it’s swearing, sex, racism, or a loved one’s choice, talking about difficult topics is a requirement of parenting. Listen in as Josh and Rachel Keller, MA, LPCC (Connected Families Certified Parent Coaches), join us to share practical ideas for approaching difficult conversations with kids of all ages. In their light-hearted and humorous way, they […]