In today’s episode, I’m continuing our Season Five series, How We Talk With Our Kids About Real Life Stuff, with a conversation that every parent can relate to — how we talk with our kids about homework and grades.
For more than 15 years, Jason and I have helped our five kids navigate the daily realities of schoolwork, homework, and grades. In this episode, I’m sharing five truths that we come back to again and again in conversations with our kids — reminders that they are made in the image of God, that grades don’t define their worth, and that as parents, our identity has to stay anchored in Christ, not in our children’s performance.
You’ll hear some of our own stories from college, lessons we’ve learned about discipline, and how kids make terrible idols!
🎧 Whether your child is in Kindergarten or college, bringing home straight A’s or struggling to stay motivated, this episode will encourage you, equip you, and give you words for guiding your kids through their school years and into adulthood as God’s children made to create and glorify Him in all things!
The latest episode on the No Way But Through Podcast is out TODAY!
When our kids really mess up — whether it’s throwing a toy that sends a sibling to the ER or a teenager making a choice they instantly regret — how we respond matters. In this episode, I share the posture, tone and words Jason and I use when we’re sitting with one of our kids who’s really blown it.
I talk about what it looks like to remind them of what’s true about God, how to guide them away from shame, and how to help them move forward with humility and hope.
I share a story of driving with one of my boys to make an in-person apology, and how that moment helped foster humility and courage in his heart, while embracing the grace God extends to us in our failures.. And thanks to Whit’s reminder, I also talk about what it means to raise good forgivers — kids who choose love over resentment when they’ve been hurt by someone else’s mistake.
If you’ve ever wondered what to say after your child really messes up, this episode will leave you encouraged, equipped, and leave your child reminded that there is always a way forward after our biggest mistakes.
Listen in TODAY to this brand new episode in this season’s series: From Bedtimes To Breakups: How We Talk With Our Kids About Real Life Stuff.
NEW SEASON IS OUT TODAY! And it might be my favorite one yet!
Parenting doesn’t come with a script. And our kids don’t come with a manual. We’re thrown into parenting scenarios we have no idea how to handle and conversations we’re not prepared for. And these conversations often happen not when it’s convenient, but when we’re folding laundry, driving to practice, or they come knocking when we’re already asleep.
In this first episode of Season 5, I share the heart behind this season’s new series From Bedtimes to Breakups: How We Talk With Our Kids About Real Life Stuff. I share with you what inspired it (hint: you did!), why I don’t talk to my kids, but with them, and how that small change in approach, built trust and safety between us and our kids, made us closer with them,, and opened the door to countless opportunities to point them to the hope they have in Christ.
You’ll hear why these everyday conversations matter, what I want my kids to always feel when they walk away from our hard conversations, and why there’s no substitute for your voice in your kids’ lives!
We’ll talk about everything this season from chores to comparison, screentime to hard friendships, honesty to heartache.
First episode out TODAY! Tune in anywhere you get podcasts!
THE SUMMER TRAVEL EPISODE! Planning a road trip or family vacation? This episode that’s been 20 years in the making is packed with 10 real-life travel tips that have helped our big family of seven not only survive, but actually ENJOY traveling together. I’m sharing the practical strategies and tips that have made our family trips smoother, less stressful, less expensive, more fun, and more memorable.
Whether you're prepping for a cross-country drive or a weekend getaway to the beach, these 10 travel hacks will help you plan with intention, create lasting memories for your kids, and troubleshoot the challenges of traveling as a family!
If you're gearing up for summer travel, these are game-changers you want to know.
In this latest episode in our ‘Short Takes’ series on the No Way But Through podcast, we’re back from a little spring break hiatus and diving into a question I got from one of the young moms in my real life who has spent a lot of time with my family:
How do you raise tough, resilient kids?
I’m sharing real-life stories, hard-earned wisdom, and three practical (and heart-level) ways to help your kids build grit, navigate tough relationships, and find laughter even in the hardest moments.
Whether you're in the thick of toddler tantrums or navigating the ups and downs of parenting teens, this episode will encourage and equip you to raise kids who can stand strong, love well, and laugh hard—even when life gets tough.
Out today anywhere you get podcasts!!
In Episode 41 of the No Way But Through podcast, we’re continuing our Short Takes series with this question: What habits do you wish you had made when your kids were newborns and toddlers?
I'm sharing three key insights—one we didn’t do but wish we had, and two that we’re so glad we prioritized. From carving out quality one-on-one time with your toddler, to letting go of the idea of a perfect house, and the importance of shared family meals around the dinner table, these small habits can have a big impact on your relationships with your kids!
Join me as I reflect on some of the most valuable lessons I learned during the early years of parenthood. Whether you're navigating life with little ones or looking to strengthen your family dynamic, this episode offers practical advice you won’t want to miss.
Available now on your favorite podcast platform!
In this episode of No Way But Through, we dive into a common parenting challenge: setting boundaries with grandparents. This is such a tough topic because not one of us has the exact same scenario, proximity, or relationships with our parents or in-laws. Is there a one right way to put up boundaries without it blowing up our whole relationship?
In this episode, I’ll give you both practical tips and my hard won wisdom on how to navigate the delicate balance between respecting your parents’ perspective and confidently parenting your own kids in the way that works best for your family. I think you’ll walk away encouraged, more confident in your parenting choices, and challenged to lead the way with humility, too!
Tune in for insights on how to honor both your parents and in-laws, while faithfully parenting the kids God has given you to parent.
Available NOW everywhere you get podcasts!
Who is my favorite kid, you ask? I think the answer might surprise you.
On today’s ‘Short Takes’ episode, I answer this question that’s been asked of me by the young moms in my real life and that my teenage son asked me just this week. I have five kids, ranging in ages from 20 down to 12. Could I pick a favorite?
This actually isn’t a hard question for me to answer at all. And I break it down into two answers during today’s episode. I think you’ll be surprised, encouraged, and challenged by what I share with you today.
You only need a few minutes to listen to this episode from start to finish! And you’ll walk away not only encouraged, but with a fresh perspective to help you tackle the hard seasons ahead with each of your kids.
You don’t wanna miss this one! Available everywhere you get podcasts!
In this first episode of ‘Short Takes’ - Your Parenting Questions. Straight To The Point Answers, I give you the backstory behind this new series AND answer one of the most popular questions I get from young (and older) parents!
We want our kids to have an independent and growing relationship with God, right? But how do we help them develop the habit of making time for God every day? Is there a formula? Is there a perfect resource? Is there one right way to do this?
I take on this question in today’s episode and answer it with the simplest yet BEST way you can help your kids discover a love for meeting with God, opening their Bibles, and going to Him in prayer.
You need less than 15 minutes to listen to this episode from start to finish! And you’ll walk away encouraged (and convicted!) that you can have a tremendous impact on your kids’ daily walk with God!
Listen in TODAY everywhere you get podcasts!
In this first episode of Season 4, I share with you THREE parenting goals worth making and keeping in 2025! While so many of us make resolutions and goals when a new year rolls around, we often don’t stick with them, especially if we feel like once we fail, we’ve blown it.
What if there are goals we can make today that will pay big dividends in our relationships with our kids at the end of the year AND draw us ALL closer to God? What if these are the kinds of goals that let us mess up, but keep on going because messing up IS part of the deal?
That’s what we’re talking about on today’s episode! Packed full of examples from my own life and family and hard-won lessons I cling to as a mom, I walk you through WHY these three goals will create closeness in your family, make you more Christ-like, and give you more opportunities to model for your kids what a true and lasting relationship with God looks like!
You don’t wanna miss this one!
Available everywhere you get podcasts!
It’s Christmastime! Or, for the most traditional among us, it will be in just a few days! And that means it’s time for shopping, making Christmas lists, and making sure we can find the right scissors and have enough tape!
As we begin thinking about Christmas shopping for our kids, how can we get them gifts that won’t just end up in a thrift store pile in a few weeks? How can we give our kids gifts that are meaningful, gifts they’ll remember for years to come, and not just simply check items off a lists they handed us?
If you’ve ever wanted to give your kids meaningful and special gifts that will communicate to them, “I see you and know you and know what you love” then you are in the right place! In this week’s episode, I share with you how you can think outside the box store and brainstorm ideas for giving your specific kids Christmas gifts that will be so special to them that they will be talking about them well into adulthood. With lots of examples from our own Christmas mornings over the last 20 years, I share with you why we give gifts the way we do, why we reject gift-giving formulas, and how we’ve built two decades of Christmas morning memories with our kids that we wouldn’t trade for anything!
A friend was told me, “You and Jason excel at gift-giving.” While there are so many things that we are not very good at, this is our wheelhouse. And in this episode, I share with you our tips, strategies and ideas for making Christmas morning about so much more than just toys that will soon be forgotten. And trading that for gifts that communicate to your kids how known andloved they are while creating bonding family memories that will build on each other and that all of you will love looking back on.
From your toddlers to adult kids, this one is practical, full of our best ideas, and will help you make this Christmas your best ever with your kids!
Available TODAY everywhere you get podcasts!
I think a lot about what I’d want the young mom me to know! What would I tell her? What advice would I give her? What things did I learn that changed me and made me a better mom? What comforted me and gave me courage in that overwhelming season of motherhood that so many of you are in today?
In this episode, I walk you through five things I wish I knew when I was a young mom. With stories from my own early days as a mom, I share with you the things that moms a few stages ahead of me told me that immediately impacted the mom I was and the mom I was becoming. From comparison in friendship to practical advice on dishes and laundry, these are things I STILL cling to and wholeheartedly embrace, even now as a mom of older kids and young adults!
You’ll walk away after listening to this episode deeply encouraged and maybe like me, these things will become transformative for you in the way you parent, how you combat lies of comparison, how you see your kids, and how you view the God that loves you and sees you in every season!
Grab your headphones, and maybe a tissue or two and come with me as I take you back to my days as a young mom and share with you what I wish I knew!
Can’t wait for you to hear this one!
We ALL want grateful kids, right? I know I do. So how can you begin to foster and develop gratitude in their young hearts during this season when we tend to focus more on being thankful? How do you know what might actually be worth the time and effort and create lasting impact on your kids?
In today’s episode, I share with you seven practical activities you can do with your young children during the month of November that will help them practice gratitude and develop a love for expressing that to God and others. I give you age appropriate and SIMPLE ideas for you to do as a family, as well as things your kids can do individually. From creating meaningful cards for friends and family to filling a collective jar with thanks to God, you’ll find something in this episode that’s perfectly suited for your family and just might become one of your favorite November traditions!
Want grateful kids? You have so much opportunity to impact their tender and malleable hearts towards gratitude this month that will serve them well into adulthood!
Available NOW on all podcast platforms!
The relationships in my life are incredibly important to me, and I imagine yours are to you, too! But how do we balance life as moms, raising kids, volunteering at school, investing in our marriages, buy all the groceries and get everyone where they need to be, and still make time to foster meaningful friendships without sacrificing one or the other?
In this episode, I share with you three habits that have helped me prioritize my family, while also cultivating healthy, fun, and trusting friendships. With examples from my own life, I walk you through each of these habits and why they have been so critical in striking the right balance of family + friends. I want both my family and my friendships to thrive. These habits have been central to setting up good boundaries, not allowing toxicity in friendship to derail my priorities, and to helping me find a community of friends that are for me and want me to flourish.
Listen anywhere you get podcasts!
Do you ever wonder if you’re making the right decisions for your kids and family? If you’re a parent, your answer is likely an emphatic ‘YES!’
In today’s episode, I share with you two financial decisions we made early on in our life as parents that dramatically impacted our family life. We didn’t know it at the time, but those decisions sent us on paths that would bond us closer with our kids (and future kids!), make way for some of our BEST memories together, and help form our kids’ character in profound ways.
Through stories from our early days as a family, I share with you why we originally made these two decisions, how overcoming various obstacles served as good gifts to all of us, and what we saw happen in our kids, our family, and the people who’ve come into our lives throughout the years as a result.
You’ll leave this one with so much to think about! I can promise you that!
Available TODAY!
They say kids grow up so fast and that it all passes so quickly. One minute they’re the newborn baby in your arms and the next minute you’re throwing them the keys to the car and they’re driving away. Did I really just blink and it all happened that fast?
We can’t slow down time, but there are intentional things we can do to make it less likely we’ll look back and feel like we missed their childhood.
In today’s episode, I share with you five practical things that will help you savor the time you have with them, make it count, and give you and your kids memories that will serve as building blocks for your future relationship. With intention coupled with practical wisdom, you can begin to think about and implement these things now with your toddlers and preschoolers! But even if your kids are teens or young adults, it is NEVER too late to purposefully build a foundation for a lasting relationship with your kids and capture memories together that you’ll look back on together for years to come.
It’s not that you have to be intentional about not missing them growing up. Because you don’t have to be. But you GET to be intentional about it! And you’ll never, ever regret it.
Tune in NOW everywhere you get podcasts!
What do we do when our real life experiences as parents aren’t matching up with what we’ve always been taught or believed? Me? I go right in and start asking hard questions and researching and doing the work to get to the bottom of why things aren’t adding up.
In this episode, I share with you the journey I went on to reconcile what was happening in my relationships with my young children with what I’d always heard: “You can’t be friends with your kids.”
By clarifying the distinction between friend and peer, I share with you how my discovery led to a powerful framework for building meaningful relationships with my kids. After years of thinking about my kids this way, I have learned how to be their mom, enforce the rules, help them honor me and God, and simultaneously build a lasting friendship that is a gift to both of us.
Whether you have babies and toddlers or teens and adult kids, you can begin to build a foundation with your kids that fosters closeness, mutual respect, honor, and love. And these things? They’ll serve you so well as your kids become adults and can choose how they spend their time and who they spend it with.
I wanted to be friends with my kids. And I want that for you, too!
This week’s episode will empower you to build lasting and sweet friendships with your kids. Listen in NOW everywhere you get podcasts!
In this first episode of SEASON THREE, we tackle group parenting. What is it? Why does it matter to me as a young mom? (Let’s start this season off with a bang, shall we?)
With examples from her own life and parenting, host Sarah Short discusses the current push to make collective parenting decisions with a group of families. If you’re a new mom who hasn’t encountered this yet, you’ll hear Sarah’s insightful framework for thinking through how to parent alongside your friends (and family!)
By breaking down parenting into two categories: philosophy and practice, this episode walks you through how parenting in community with similar philosophy can be incredibly beneficial and encouraging, while illuminating the pitfalls of collectively agreeing to parenting practices.
From smartphones to Playstation and Xbox time to ice cream at the pool - you don’t want to miss this episode as we dive into how to courageously parent our individual kids, how to retain the ability to change our minds, and how to maintain healthy friendships with other parents!
Click play NOW for the FIRST episode of SEASON TWO!
There are few things as painful as getting excluded from a friend group or birthday party or event. And this isn’t just true for our kids, it’s true for us, too! Whether it’s a six year-old getting left out of a game on the playground or a thirty-something mom not being invited into a group of friends, it hurts.
On today’s episode, I share with you five things that have been incredibly helpful for me to know and keep coming back to as I navigate the complexities of getting left out or excluded and as I help my kids navigate this when this happens to them. With personal stories from my own life and how God uses all of it for our good, I give you clear ways of thinking and ways you can parent your kids to be good friends, see and include others, and walk through painful rejections with integrity and hope!
This can be a hard topic to talk about, but LET’S DO IT ANYWAY and learn how to better parent our kids as they become resilient and better friends.
Available TODAY!
