I love the Enneagram and I won't stop talking about it! I was thrilled to have Jackie Brewster on the show to talk about her new book, The Enneagram and Your Marriage. If you haven't gotten a chance to check out the Enneagram - that's ok! Jackie walks us through the 9 different types and gives a brief overview of what the Enneagram is. Beyond that, she talks about all the ways the Enneagram Personality Typing System can help you be the best you you've ever been!
We chat - - What makes the Enneagram such a helpful tool for couples
- The quick overview of the 9 different Enneagram Types
- Breaking Down Barriers and Childhood Messages (so thought-provoking ya'll!) - and how these are keeping you from the best relationship ever
- How to help you help yourself through implementing this tool
- ...and how this work is going to transform your marriage!
Check out Jackie's new book here - and share with your bestie who loves the Enneagram. Thanks for being here!
Connect with Jackie:
If you are feeling weary, burnt out or in need of renewal, Bonnie Gray has beautiful encouragement for you on today's episode. Bonnie Gray is a Soul Care mentor and the author of Breathe: 21 Days to Stress Less and Transform Chaos to Calm, Whispers of Rest, Finding Spiritual Whitespace and Sweet Like Jasmine. Having healed from PTSD, Bonnie is passionate about helping thousands of listeners detox stress and flourish in emotional wellness with God’s love through soul care, Bible Study and prayer.
In this episode, we chat -
- The value of understanding the 4 quadrants of wellness - Spiritual, Social, Emotional + Physical
- Why self-care and soul care are not selfish, but spiritual acts of faith
- Parenting + Mental Health - How to use these tools with your kids
- How Soul Care prompts patient pursuit of your kids
- The 4 Rs that will transform moments of chaos to calm: Refresh, Release, Restore & Reflect We get a little vulnerable in this conversation too! Click here to take Bonnie's Soul Care Quiz where you can learn more about where your wellness ranks and how to find renewal + more.
Let us know what you think about this episode - we'd love your 5-star review! Listen in now and share with a Mama who could use some rest and Soul Care this week.
Connect with Bonnie:
Website // Instagram // Soul Care Quiz // Breathe: 21 Days to Stress Less and Transform Chaos to Calm
The Family Dinner Project is one of my favorite nonprofits to follow on social media, and today's guest, Bri DeRosa, of The Family Dinner Project, shares some wonderful insight for families. Whether you have toddlers, elementary-aged kids, or high schoolers - there is something for you in this episode to help you think about dinner in new ways that benefit your kids tremendously.
In episode 73, we chat -
- The compelling research that drives this initiative to support families
- Advice for families with little kids - how to make dinner smoother
- Advice for families with older kids and lots of activities - how to prioritize connection above all
- What to do if you are a mama out there who wants to prioritize family dinner but the kids are nuts and life is crazy - a simple plan with where to start
- If a mom listening right now wants to prioritize family dinner but it feels awkward to gather around the table the first time - some ways that that particular dinner can go more seamlessly
- ...and so much more!
Like today's episode? We'd love your review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for being here!
Connect with The Family Dinner Project:
Instagram // Website // Facebook
Want to take your routine to the next level? Ashley Brown, creator of Routine & Things, can help. She has been building a platform around routines that work for women and she is sharing many of her tips today. In episode 72, we chat -
- Why it's important for women to have routines that work for their family
- The reasons why spontaneity and structure can co-exist (and be amazing for our family!)
- The difference between routines and habits
- How to implement Ashley's Routine Block Planning System to set your week up for success
- Tips for making a routine stick
- ....and how routine can change your life!
Listen in and share with a friend today who is trying reset her family's routine.
Connect with Ashley
Instagram // Website // The Routine & Things Planner (Out April 1st!)
Mothers often feel guilt when they pursue something that takes time away from their kids, especially when that something could be deemed less important than parenting. Today's guest, Ashlee Gadd, gives readers permission to pursue their creative gifts alongside motherhood. (And you are going to love her down-to-earth advice and encouragement.)
In Ep. 71, we chat -
- The benefits of being creative - even when you've got your hands full
- Advice for someone who knows they need an outlet but isn't sure where to start
- The many ways motherhood inspires our creative endeavors
- Ashlee's advice to someone who is tired, frustrated, feels like quitting on their own creative journey
Pre-order your copy of Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood (Bethany House Publishers, March 28, 2023) anywhere books are sold and check out Ashlee's online community for women, Coffee + Crumbs.
Connect with Ashlee
Website // Insta // Coffee + Crumbs // New Book!
Do you have a tween or a daughter who is hitting double digits soon? This episode will be music to your ears thanks to Amy Weatherly. With the help of her friend, Jess Johnston, Amy founded the online community, Sister I Am With You, that has 1M+ followers. Their book, I’ll Be There (But I’ll Be Wearing Sweatpants) hit shelves January 2021 and they're back with another book - this time geared for girls 8-12.
In this episode, we chat -
- the value of female friendship - for moms and tweens
- the 4 different levels of friends (to help your daughter better navigate tricky friendships)
- Why it's ok that every friend isn't on the same level
- The courage to share your friendship and your gifts
- Why rejection is sometimes ok (for all of us!)
I’ll Be There (And Let’s Make Friendship Bracelets): A Girl’s Guide to Making and Keeping Real-Life Friendships is out now and available wherever books are sold!
Episode Referenced:
Ep. 18 - 14 Talks by Age 14 with Michelle Icard
Connect with Amy
Instagram // Website // Sister I Am With You
Connect with Susannah:
Instagram // Website
What does every mom want? More time. Well, I'm not sure I can give you that - but I can absolutely provide some great time saving tips and hacks for you courtesy of today's guest, Crystal Paine. She is the founder of MoneySavingMom.com, host of The Crystal Paine Show podcast, and a New York Times bestselling author.
In today's episode, we chat:
- How a 25-year mindset changes everything
- Crystal's Four-Step System to feeling less frazzled, having more breathing room, finding time to invest in important things, and discovering more joy
- How to prioritize what to do next
- Crystal's "Time-Blocked To-Do List" - and how it's the antidote to distraction
- A look at Crystal's Morning Routine (Spoiler Alert: It starts the night before)
- ...and what to do if this all sounds overwhelming! (Yup, she's got a hack for that too.)
Her new book, The Time-Saving Mom: How to Juggle a Lot, Enjoy Your Life, and Accomplish What Matters Most, comes out on March 7, 2023 and is available wherever books are sold. Pre-order today!
Connect with Crystal:
Website: https://crystalpaine.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themoneysavingmom/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoneySavingMom
Twitter: https://twitter.com/moneysavingmom
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/msmblog/
Kelly Heath talks to us today about the importance of building a circle of influence around our teens. Additionally, she shares ways to discern who might be a strong mentor for your kid, the many roles a mentor can take, and how to spot red flags. If you've got a teen you love in your life - this one's for you!
We chat:
- Using discernment to facilitate important mentor relationships for your teen
- The many roles of a mentor - from encourager to truth-seeker and so much more
- The wisdom of praying about who might be able to step into a hard space for your kid and provide guidance
- How the broader your circle is the more opportunities you'll experience to find your teen a mentor
- How to spot red flags
...and
- How teens can get the most from their mentors!
Connect with Kelly:
Website // Instagram // Facebook
Buckle up, Mama. We have an incredible episode for you. Episode 67 brings you an emotional and heart-warming conversation with Jeannine Keim. We are honored to share her story of grace, redemption, and placing a beautiful baby for adoption long ago. In our conversation, she reflects on the outcomes of her decisions, how God is always present, and how shame distorts everything. She shares about navigating the unscripted and moving into the reckless love of God - it's SO remarkable. She also shares how one Facebook message changes everything.
On this episode, we chat:
- Seeing God's hand at work, even in crisis
- What it's like to place a baby for adoption at the hospital
- The deepest and darkest moments in our lives - why we should share with our trusted tribe
- Shedding the misconceptions around building relationships between birth families + adoptive families
- ...and a poignant reminder that life isn't perfect no matter what - everybody has a story
You will be so moved by Jeannine's bravery in sharing her story. Listen and share with someone who needs some faith and encouragement today.
Foster Care Encouragement + so much more. Our guest on Episode 66 is Jamie Finn of Foster the Family blog and book (and other valuable resources too.) We talk about the ins and outs of foster care - and how to be a friend to someone in this important calling.
In this episode, we chat:
- Preparing people for the realities of foster care and encouraging them in this journey
- Ways to build trust with families and kids in the foster care network
- How "trauma-informed care" can help inform your journey with foster kids
- Why "All or Nothing" is the wrong question when it comes to foster care
- ...and how to show up well for a foster care parent in your church or community.
ALSO - Are you a foster or adoptive mama looking to grow your knowledge and meet some amazing women? Come to the Filled Retreat for foster and adoptive moms in Lancaster, PA - February 3-5, 2022! Use my code: Susannah10 for $10 off registration. Learn more here.
Connect with Jamie:
Foster the Family // Jamie on Insta // Foster the Family Book on Insta // Foster the Family Book
Connect with Susannah:
Instagram // Facebook // Website
Audio: bensound.com
Brittany Salmon, our guest on episode 65, is the author of "It Takes More Than Love," which shares her own family’s story of transracial adoption and offers a biblically-based guide for others following the same path. Her book confronts issues of racism, explores heritage, and highlights the importance of representation. AND she does this in a non-judgemental, grace-filled way that any potential or current adoptive or foster parent can really learn from and grow.
In episode 65, we chat -
- Shedding the shame as an adoptive parent and instead using conviction for a catalyst to make changes
- How to be a "bridge builder" for our kids - so they can develop a healthy racial identity
- "Windows and Mirrors" - and how this concept can help serve your adopted/foster kids and family
- Why Representation Matters - and how to start to cultivating valuable items, practices, and traditions for your family
- Ways to intentionally seek out a multicultural life
- How to support a friend who has adopted transculturally
Listen in and let us know what you think of this episode. We'd love your review on Apple or Spotify or Amazon.
Connect with Brittany:
Instagram // Twitter // Website // It Takes More Than Love: A Christian Guide to Navigating the Complexities of Cross-Cultural Adoption, book
Want 2 extra hours a day? Sandy Cooper says she can give it to you.
In this episode, Sandy Cooper, author of "The Scoop On Balance" blog and host of "The Balanced Momcast," encourages moms to get off social media. She's got great research, loads of data, and plenty to share from her own journey to implore moms to spend more time off of social media.
For this episode, we talk all about the addictive nature of social media, how to step away, and compelling reasons why you should (read: to fight depression, regain your time, rewire your brain to focus better, and so much more). She's even hosting a 7-Day Challenge called Make Social Media Small that starts on November 1st where you'll receive daily encouragement via email. Listen in to learn more about why you may want to rethink your relationship with social media.
If you've ever been scrolling aimlessly or feel a yearning to turn your focus to other important things - this one's for you. Check out Sandy's blog and sign up for her 7-Day Make Social Media Small Challenge below.
Connect with Sandy:
Website // Podcast // Make Social Media Small 7-Day Challenge // "Is it Time to Break Up with Social Media?" Quiz
The third installment of our Tech + Family Series brings you a fantastic interview with Anya Kamenetz, author of The Art of Screen Time (2018) and The Stolen Year (2022). Anya shares valuable insight on why we should be intentional about screen time and takes it one step further by taking a deep dive look at where our kids are post-covid from an educational perspective.
On episode 63, we chat:
- Why time isn't always the most important measurement when it comes to screens
- Why parents must pay attention to the connections between screens and sleep
- Navigating the habits that devices bring on - setting good ones and correcting potentially negative ones
- The very real social deficits brought on by Covid - and what we can do as parents
- How leadership failed some of our most vulnerable communities during the pandemic
- Better understanding our kids' mental health state post-pandemic
- Why parents should attend Board meetings!
- ...and ultimately, why The Stolen Year is a account of resilience - for kids, families, and schools
Love this episode? Send me a message or let us know on Instagram. Share with your parent group today!
Dr. Devorah Heitner, author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World, is giving parents the tools to guide their kids through the online labyrinth that is so embedded in their everyday lives. Dr. Heitner’s work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN Opinion. You'll love her insight on how we can help kids navigate life online in ways that are edifying, healthy and fun.
In episode 62, we chat:
- Whether or not parents' worries about technology are warranted
- Why we should be "thoughtful," and not "alarmed" about kids + tech
- How to navigate tech milestones with good communication
- Why true screen wisdom is really about relationships
- How we can use our own mistakes to teach kids about good etiquette + behavior online
- And why mentoring is more fruitful than monitoring
Devorah also shared two great resources for families who want to learn more - links below for her Phonewise Boot Camp and 7 Day Family Tech Reset.
Connect with Devorah:
Website // Twitter // Instagram // Phonewise Boot Camp (with promo code!) // 7 Day Family Tech Reset
Season 3 is underway and I am so excited to introduce our first episode and first guest, Leticia Barr, Tech Savvy Mama! I had such a great time chatting with her and I know you'll enjoy the listen. We talked about all things digital safety including: creating family technology rules, intentionally considering our relationship with technology, modeling safe behaviors, teaching kids how to be kind online - AND tools you and your family can use to keep everyone safer. (These tech tools for families are amazing!)
Here are the articles mentioned in the podcast:
- 6 Conversation About Digital Safety Every Family Should be Having
- 7 Favorite Resources for Teaching Digital Safety to Kids
- How to Talk About Digital Wellbeing With Your Teens
- How Bark Lets You Monitor Your Child’s Smartphone Without Invading Their Privacy
It's a great way to kick off the season and I'm so excited to share it with you! Leave a review and tell us what your family does for technological safety.
Connect with Leticia:
Website // Instagram // Facebook // Twitter
This August we are rebroadcasting some of our top episodes from Season 2. Enjoy this throwback episode with LB!
LB, Founder of The Wife Coach, wants you to shift your mindset from being "a married woman" to being "a wife" - and she's got all the details about how women can influence their marriage, common communication challenges she sees in her work, and how a solution-based approach can strengthen an entire family. One of our key topics in this episode is why women are the THERMOSTAT in their marriages! You'll love LB's energetic and passionate approach to married life - listen in and share with a friend today. Write a review and tell me about how you approach your marriage!
This August we are rebroadcasting some of our top episodes from Season 2. Enjoy this throwback episode with Jenessa W. Broderick!
Co-Parenting and Blended Family Life has been one of the most requested topics here on the podcast. I'm happily bringing on Jenessa W. Broderick to offer insight about co-parenting with an ex-spouse. Jenessa has had a successful corporate career for over a decade, is a wife, and mother to four boys ranging in ages from 12-3. She has also been my friend for over 15 years. She shares a son with an ex and is incredibly intentional about how their child is raised amidst two households. On this episode, we talk about communication, grace, scheduling, flexibility, and the idea of being accommodating with an ex-partner, even when you don't want to be. Listen, share, and tell us how you're managing.
Connect with Jenessa:
LinkedIn // Email: jenessabroderick@gmail.com
Connect with Susannah:
Susannah on Instagram // Facebook // Website // Instagram: The 5 to 8 Shift
This August we are rebroadcasting some of our top episodes from Season 2. Enjoy this throwback episode with Darlynn Childress!
Darlynn brings over a decade of experience to moms who desire to stop yelling at their kids. She helps moms understand how feelings drive behavior and provides powerful, yet tangible ways moms can help dissipate bad behavior. We talk about why parents react the way they do, where to start, and how to build an emotional (but not loud) connection to kids' misbehavior. Listen, share, and tell me what you think!
Connect with Darlynn:
Calm Mama Website // Stop Yelling Free Masterclass // Darlynn on Instagram
Connect with Susannah:
Instagram // Facebook // Website // Instagram: The 5 to 8 Shift
This August we are rebroadcasting some of our top episodes from Season 2. Enjoy this throwback episode with Kristen Poppa!
Self care is important for the whole family. You want your kids to feel replenished and rested, and you want to pour from a full cup. Kristen Poppa is a professor at Eastern University and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 15 years of experience meeting with couples and families. We talk about the interconnectedness of all aspects of wellness and the practicalities of getting in that oh-so-important self care. Listen, share, and write a review.
Thanks for being here and investing in your family!
Connect with Susannah:
Instagram // Facebook // Website // Instagram: The 5 to 8 Shift
Episode 56 brings you a candid and lively conversation about what it means to be a wife. LB, Founder of The Wife Coach, wants you to shift your mindset from being "a married woman" to being "a wife" - and she's got all the details about how women can influence their marriage, common communication challenges she sees in her work, and how a solution-based approach can strengthen an entire family.
We chat:
- The difference between being "A Married Woman" and "A Wife"
- Manipulation vs. Influence as a wife
- How communication, expectations, and resentment impact your marriage
- Solution-focused approaches to strengthening your relationship
- How your role as a wife influences your family life
- Why waiting on your husband might not be the best approach
- Why women are the THERMOSTAT in their marriages!
You'll love LB's energetic and passionate approach to married life - listen in and share with a friend today.
