Parenting

“With careful planning, honest communication, and the right help and care around you, your different tomorrow can be meaningful and extraordinary.”― John Delony

Let’s be honest, family life is full of stress! Sometimes there are big stresses like the loss of a job, a new colicky baby in the house, overwhelming responsibilities, or marriage issues. But even the little stresses can add up! Moody teens, worries over a child’s academic performance, or even a messy house can lead parents to feel like “I just can’t take it.” What is a parent to do?  In this episode we take an honest look at anxiety in parenting and help parents to put it all in perspective.  The bottom line is, the longer we do this family thing, the more we realize that the problems never go away, but we simply see them differently now than we did before.  Listen in as we share our perspective to give every parent encouragement and hope for your future as we learn to put it all in God’s hands.

Key Takeaways:

• Take back your life

• Don’t get trapped in the weeds – lift your head up! 

• Do the little things well – Atomic Habits

• Every Yes needs to be protected by 1,000 No’s.  Prioritize your life

Couple Discussion:

• When have I recently felt stressed? Has it become overwhelming?

• Where do I need perspective and help from my spouse?

• What are essential elements for our simple life plan to bring order?

References: 

• FBM download – Messyfamilyproject.org/guides

• Survey – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XW98NMH

• John Delony book – https://amzn.to/48T8LUb

Download here

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. – Proverbs 31:30

Back by popular demand, this is another interview that we did with Michele Doman, Alicia’s mom and mother of 10 grown children, grandmother to over 55, and great grandmother to more than 7!  In the last interview, we talked about Michele’s life as a young wife and mother.  In this conversation, we talk more about being a parent of a large family and how she was able to do that successfully over the last 50+ years of marriage.  Listen in and get some wisdom on discipline, relationships with teens, and managing a large household.   You will hear that the struggles are real, but so are the joys and blessings of marriage and family life. 

https://messyfamilyproject.org/course/family-board-meeting-live/
www.catholiccouplesgetaway.com  

Download here

Of course your children don’t get along. They don’t know how to get along! That’s kind of what you are doing as parents, teaching them what they don’t know – Mike and Alicia

All of us struggle to live in a community.  That is the human condition – we need other people but we also find it hard to live with them!  This is true for children, but also for adults. In this episode, we answer some questions that our listeners had about what to do when your kids fight with your friends’ kids, how to handle dividing up household responsibilities with your spouse, and what to do with adult children who are living at home.  It’s hard for kids to learn, but  it’s also hard for parents to know how to teach in a way that can be received. Listen into this conversation and take some time to discuss these important topics with your spouse.

https://messyfamilyproject.org/course/family-board-meeting-live/

www.catholiccouplesgetaway.com

Download here

“Healing is an essential dimension of Christinaity.  It expresses the entire content of our redemption.” ~ Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth

Some of us think of healing as being “for other people”, those with trauma, abuse, or mental illness.  But that is not the way that Dr. Bob Schuchts sees healing. As you will hear, he believes that healing is part of the story of every Christian because we all have been damaged by our own fallen nature and we all live in a broken world!   There is an anointing in our Church right now for healing ministries like this and we believe healing is essential for every parent so they can be who God is calling them to be in the lives of their children.  We have been personally blessed by Dr. Bob’s teaching and ministry through the John Paul II Healing Institute and we are very excited to share this interview with him. Listen in to this conversation about why we need healing, how to be healed, and the role that Christ wants to play in each of our journeys.

https://www.restoretheglorypodcast.com/

https://jpiihealingcenter.org/

Join us for a live Family Board Meeting in Steubenville October 20-22, 2023 – https://messyfamilyproject.org/course/family-board-meeting-live/

Download here

“If all fathers fulfilled their duty of watching over the discipline of their children, we should have but few crimes and few executions.” ~ St. Alphonsus Ligori

If you haven’t listened to MFP239 on the foundations of discipline, you should do that first.  This podcast will give the practical steps for those principles.  Once a parent has clear in their mind why they are disciplining and they have made a plan on following through, they need to actually work that plan!  In this podcast we give the practical things to keep in mind as you work to discipline, or form the hearts and minds of your children.  There are seven questions you should ask yourself when evaluating your child’s actions.  Not all behavior is a child acting out or defying you.  How do you know the difference and how should you respond?  Listen in! 

Play and Pray Challenge

Catholic Couples Getaway

Watch here 

Download here

“To become a better parent, I need to become a better person.”

Mike and Alicia

One of the subjects we are most often asked about is discipline.  We know how hard it is to form the will, heart and mind of a child!  Though every child is different and every parent is different, there are some principles that we can give you to help you make a discipline plan that works for you and your spouse.  In this episode, we start with the foundational points..  First, we need to get our hearts right and recognize why we are taking the time to discipline in the first place.  Then, parents need to speak with confidence, set clear boundaries, and do so keeping in mind that your role in affirming your child is essential.  Listen in as we start this essential conversation.

Play and Pray Challenge

Catholic Couples Getaway

Watch here