Between Parents

Have you ever been at a store or at a government agency and been completely frustrated with how poorly the place was run? If so, then you’ve come across this principle: A lack of organization leads to relational tension. This is true not only with service organizations - it’s true in our marriages. In this episode we’ll  discuss how you can make your marriage better simply by improving some of your systems. Talk About This: What tensions do we regularly face that might be related to bad (or no) systems? What can we do, organizationally, to improve? What solutions do we need to research or use? (What do we need to learn to make this better?) Related Links: Episode # 40 - The One Piece of Data That Blew Our Minds   Date Night blog posts here, here, and here. PLUS an @home date night idea HERE  Book review – The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up A Blog post about Creating Homes in the kitchen HERE   Also remember: Want to reach us? You can find us on the socials @betweenparents on Instagram and @betweenpa

Doesn’t every parent want his or her kid to become independent? While this seems like an obvious “yes,” many parents interrupt their children’s growth process by making life too easy for them. When we fall into the trap of removing hardships and shortening challenges we rob our kids of lessons they will need for life outside the home. It’s a big topic and we hope today’s discussion challenges your thinking! Talk About This: What is my natural bent... to be too permissive or too restrictive on my kid’s push towards independence? What should I do in light of this? What are some of the reasons I am reluctant to let m kids "do it themselves?" What are some of the greatest steps to independence I could grant my kids in THIS season of their lives? What are some of their "stretch" activities? Related Links: The Coddling of the American Mind HERE Also remember: Want to reach us? You can find us on the socials @betweenparents on Instagram and @betweenparentspodcast on Facebook. While you’re there, tag someone who wou

How will your kids describe your family when they are grown? How will they characterize the high points and low points? For parents it helps to start journey with the end in mind.  In this episode, we’ll review a few categories to consider and discuss as you start a new year! Talk About This: Imagine your kids as adults completing the following sentences. What would you like them to say? My mom and/or Dad were consistently ________. I admired the way my family __________. I appreciate how my parents intentionally taught me to _______. (Consider both hard and soft skills) I wish my family had done more _________ (or done less) When we disagreed with each other we usually _______. I know I was loved because __________. Review with your spouse or community what you need to start doing and what do you need to stop doing to make sure you’re on the path to your desired outcome? Related Links: The Five Love Languages for Kids – HERE 7 Habits of Highly Effective People -HERE Also remember: Want to reach us? You ca

How is your pace around the holidays? Do you feel like you are absorbing the joys? Or does it all feel like it’s a blur? In this episode we cover four reminders that will help your family make the season more meaningful. Talk About This: Are we comfortable with our pace? What are our favorite traditions? Are there some we need to ditch? Related Link: Episode #78 – The Best Way to Destress Your Family Also remember: Want to reach us? You can find us on the socials @betweenparents on Instagram and @betweenparentspodcast on Facebook. While you’re there, tag someone who would also enjoy this content!  Finally, if you don’t know where to begin listening to back episodes of the podcast, look for the helpful packages on our website betweenparentspodcast.com Thanks for being awesome!  

#115 – Making Family Meals Worthwhile As great as sitting around the dinner table sounds, sometimes it’s challenging to pull off. We get it! We’ve been there. On today’s podcast we’ll discuss why and how we can prioritize mealtime together and the difference it makes in connecting as a family. Next Steps: Pull out the ol’ calendar and schedule your family meals together for the rest of your month Related-ish Link: We have RESEARCH! National Health Institute Review HERE Family Meals & Social Engagement Study HERE Family Meals & Overall Health insight HERE The Family Dinner Project Website HERE Also remember: Want to reach us? You can find us on the socials @betweenparents on Instagram and @betweenparentspodcast on Facebook. While you’re there, tag someone who would also enjoy this content!  Finally, if you don’t know where to begin listening to back episodes of the podcast, look for the helpful packages on our website betweenparentspodcast.com Thanks for being awesome!  

Do you know anyone who doesn’t worry about their children?? Neither do we! But all of this fretting may not be good for our kids or for us. On today’s episode we talk about the risks of worry and steps we need to take to reduce our anxiety. Next Steps: Evaluate - how much time and energy do you spend worrying? Is it reflexive for you? Do you wear it as a badge of honor? Because this may be hard to see in the mirror - and to verify your self-assessment and ask your spouse/friends to give you feedback on whether you are a worrier. Finally - most of us could stand to worry less - to shift our mental energy to something more productive - think about AND ACT on how to express more confidence to your kid! Related-ish Link: Articles on the impact of worry on health HERE and HERE  Also remember: Want to reach us? You can find us on the socials @betweenparents on Instagram and @betweenparentspodcast on Facebook. While you’re there, tag someone who would also enjoy this content!  Finally, if you don’t know where to b

Every marriage has moments where love feels dry or inaccessible. The challenge is not to deny this season, but to be ready for it and to respond well once it arrives! But how do you make this practical? That’s the discussion on this episode! Next Steps: Today's follow up is to conduct a self-evaluation and action plan on the Three Healing Steps. Consider: Where to I need ACT differently toward my spouse? Catalog what my spouse appreciates in terms of loving gestures. Practice praising your spouse AND FINALLY - create a habit of focusing on what's good. Related Links: The shoe throwing insult per wikpedia - HERE  Episode #11 – The Awkward Date Night Episode #70 – 5 Ground Rules for Marriage Communication Episode #84 – Getting to the Bottom of Disagreements Episode #88 – Practicing Vulnerability in Marriage Also remember: Want to reach us? You can find us on the socials @betweenparents on Instagram and @betweenparentspodcast on Facebook. While you’re there, tag someone who would also enjoy this content! Fin

Have you ever met an academically smart person who doesn't connect well with others? Or someone who frequently misses the emotions of those around them? A lack of Emotional Intelligence is often to blame. Fortunately, these skills can be learned and strengthened. The BEST time to improve your abilities is now, and the place is in a family setting. Next Steps: Process the idea of EI by taking a few steps: First, conduct an honest self-evaluation and rank yourself on Emotional Intelligence - give yourself a # between 1-10 (don't pick 7!) Next, ask someone you trust to give you feedback on what you do that would argue for both a HIGHER and a LOWER number Finally, apply this idea to your family: - How do you think your family's specific personalities lend themselves to Emotional Intelligence? How does your family do with presenting their emotions well... or with empathy for each other? - What are some of the opportunities to practice this and become better? Related Links: Episode #71 – Showing Emotion To Your Ki

Time to clear the mailbag! You guys have asked us about what to do when your kids are frustrated, how to work through “painful” shyness, and how an awkward date night might not go so well. Join us as we kick these topics around! Next Steps: Send us more questions! We loved this! Related Links: Episode #11 – The Awkward Date Night Episode #22 – Forgiving Your Kids Quiet by Susan Cain TED talk by Susan Cain Susan Cain illustrated here Mocking font a la sPonGEbOb SqUaRePanTs generator here Also remember: Want to reach us? You can find us on the socials @betweenparents on Instagram and @betweenparentspodcast on Facebook. While you’re there, tag someone who would also enjoy this content! Finally, if you don’t know where to begin listening to back episodes of the podcast, look for the helpful packages on our website betweenparentspodcast.com Thanks for being awesome!  

You’re engaged! Congratulations!! Let the fun begin! A great thought! However, for many people who recently popped the question and said “yes,” the months before the wedding isn’t an easy season. Why is that? On today’s episode we’ll kick around what can make engagement season challenging and some practical ways to take off the pressure. Talk about this: Review the four stumbling blocks and discuss which one feels most threatening. What steps do you need to take to minimize the threat and what should you do to make this season amazing? Related Links: Episode #72- Eight Things To Do Before You Get Married Also remember: Want to reach us? You can find us on the socials @betweenparents on Instagram and @betweenparentspodcast on Facebook. While you’re there, tag someone who would also enjoy this content! Finally, if you don’t know where to begin listening to back episodes of the podcast, look for the helpful packages on our website betweenparentspodcast.com Thanks for being awesome!  

Does the pace of your family ever feel frantic? Do you feel like you run from thing to thing to thing? You’re not alone! On this episode we discuss what it means to adjust our pace and create strategies for releasing pressure in our family life. Talk about this: Do we have an unhealthy tempo? What's preventing us from making adjustments? NOW TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS! Related Links: Episode #38 – Keystone Habits of Healthy Families Also remember: Want to reach us? You can find us on the socials @betweenparents on Instagram and @betweenparentspodcast on Facebook. While you’re there, tag someone who would also enjoy this content! Finally, if you don’t know where to begin listening to back episodes of the podcast, look for the helpful packages on our website betweenparentspodcast.com Thanks for being awesome!

Life is messy – especially when it comes parenting. (Or perhaps your kids actually pick up there stuff!) If we aren’t careful, chaos can take over more than our household, it can impact our relationships. Like Episode #106, in today’s podcast Billy and Joy discuss what sloppy habits we need to purge in order to keep our family healthy! Talk about this: Where is there garbage in our parenting? What steps do we need to take to get rid of it? Related Links: NY Times article on sleep HERE Episode #106 – 12 Garbage Habits in Marriage Joy’s blog posts on quick meals HERE and HERE Episode # 78 – The Best Way to Destress Your Family Episode # 33 – Enjoying Your Family Episode # 10 – Keeping the Family Fun Episode #31 - Erasing Fear From Parenting Episode #99 – Asking Better Questions Episode #30 – Five Important Questions to Ask Your Kids Episode #3 – Fighting with Kids Episode #85 – Respond vs React Episode #57 – Hurrying Home Episode #83 – Leave Kids Space to Grow Episode #58 - A Parent’s Most Fundam

We love personality tests not just because they help us grow individually, but because they can build empathy and understanding in our relationships. This is especially true in marriage. On this episode we’ll give you one example (ours!) of how a variety of tests provide a common language and improve our connection. Talk about this: How are you, as a couple, learning to leverage the knowledge of type and the common language found therein? What are the tensions you are currently facing that might be more rooted in your personalities and types over what you currently think... that your spouse is simply doing this to bug you? What's your next step to get to work? Related Links: Episode # 60 - What to do when spouses annoy MBTI  The Five Love Languages Enneagram Strength Finders  Also remember: Want to reach us? You can find us on the socials @betweenparents on Instagram and @betweenparentspodcast on Facebook. While you’re there, tag someone who would also enjoy this content! Finally, if you don’t know where to

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to trash a place? Without constant maintenance it feels like garbage would take over our lives. The same is true in our marriage – little habits and behaviors creep into our relationship that can eventually trash the connection with our spouse. In this episode Billy and Joy review the “Dirty Dozen” of marriage garbage and offer some ways to see if any of them are cluttering your relationship. Talk about this: Where is there garbage in our marriage? What steps do I need to take to get rid of it? How can I take ownership of the garbage I leave around? Related Links: Episode #104 - Coming to grips with your spouse’s imperfection Episode #95 – Marriage is a team sport Episode #11 – The Awkward Date Night Episode #97 – Forgiveness in Marriage Also remember: Want to reach us? You can find us on the socials @betweenparents on Instagram and @betweenparentspodcast on Facebook. While you’re there, tag someone who would also enjoy this content! Finally, if you don’t know where to

Wouldn’t you love to get logical, reasoned feedback from your kids? Wouldn’t it be fantastic if they expressed appreciation for your hard work, if they explained when they were hurt or frustrated or if they admitted that you were usually right? On today’s podcast we discuss things your kids won’t tell you, but are true nonetheless. Talk about this: What do you think your kids don't tell you? What encouragement makes the biggest difference to you? Are there any areas where you feel like you need to make changes? Also remember: Want to reach us? You can find us on the socials @betweenparents on Instagram and @betweenparentspodcast on Facebook. While you’re there, tag someone who would also enjoy this content! Finally, if you don’t know where to begin listening to back episodes of the podcast, look for the helpful packages on our website betweenparentspodcast.com Thanks for being awesome!  

Have you ever noticed your spouse is flawed? Of course this is a rhetorical question, but as couples say their vows, it’s easy to minimize those flaws. Don’t we all hope for a seamless compatibility to rule the day? But what do you do when as life progresses and the frustrations mount? How do you cope with the imperfections you always seem to notice in your spouse? Talk about this: This week we would love for you to sit with these steps - to think about the quality of your marriage and to examine where you might have tensions because you expect your spouse to be someone that they will never be. Then consider what steps you need to take to start the process of grieving and healing - and ultimately celebrating your spouse. Also remember: Want to reach us? You can find us on the socials @betweenparents on Instagram and @betweenparentspodcast on Facebook. While you’re there, tag someone who would also enjoy this content! Finally, if you don’t know where to begin listening to back episodes of the podcast, look for

Ready or not, your young children will soon become teenagers. For most of us, this means our parenting journey will feel like peddling a bike up a long, steep hill. If you want to be ready, you’ll build momentum for the teenage challenge during the elementary school years. In this podcast, we’ll discuss what that means with practical ideas and starting points! Talk about this: Spend time imaging what your kids will be like as teenagers. Compare notes with your spouse or community. Discuss where do we need to create more habits and routines with our kids? (Keep an eye toward building momentum!) Related Links: Episode #56 – Dreading The Thought Of Your Kids Growing Up Episode #64 – Talking To Your Kids About Temptation Episode #33 – Enjoying Your Family Abundance Mindset – this is a term developed by Stephen Covey and explained in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. A summary is on Wikipedia article here. Also remember: We love hearing from you. Reach out on the socials @betweenparents on Instagram and @be

What makes a couple ready for marriage? Is it the amount of time spent dating? Or is it based on shared experiences? Is a couple ready because they are generally “compatible” or because they have been great dance partners at weddings? Why is it important to be “ready” to be married anyway? All of that on this episode of Between Parents! Talk about this: As you think about your relationship and your “readiness” consider what areas need to be turned up and what areas need to be turned down. TURN UP: Love. Respect. Communication. Friendship. TURN DOWN/REMOVE: Expectations. Dark Corners. Unhealthy habits. Dependence on parents. Self-centric attitudes. Related Links: Episode # 55 – Can You Affair Proof Your Marriage? Also remember: We love hearing from you. Reach out on the socials @betweenparents on Instagram and @betweenparentspodcast on Facebook. While you’re there, tag someone who would also enjoy this content! Finally, if you don’t know where to begin listening to back episodes of the podcast, look for the h

So you think you’re marriage material? How do you know? Is there anything you can do in advance to make sure you’re ready to say, “I do” successfully? We think so! In today’s episode we discuss six key practices for getting ready for marriage even in the dating season. Six Key Practices: Practice Self-Awareness Practice Healthy Conflict Practice Other Awareness Practice Serving Practice Boundaries Practice Intentional Community Talk about this: Where do I need the most practice? What can I do to remember to practice? And a BONUS QUESTION if someone passed this podcast along to you, in which of these categories did you feel under-prepared when you got married? Related Links: Ep #52 - How Family Of Origin Impacts Your Marriage Ep #72 - Eight Things To Do Before You Get Married Also remember: We love hearing from you. Reach out on the socials @betweenparents on instagram and @betweenparentspodcast on Facebook. While you’re there, tag someone who would also enjoy this content! Finally, if you don’t know where t

Welcome to the triple digits everyone! Thanks for coming along on this journey with us. Today we’re doing a “highlight reel” featuring the themes of this podcast. If you’re new to this podcast (or passing it along), below are a few links to episodes that touch on these themes. Enjoy! Joy’s Themes Greatest compliment you can give someone is to enjoy their company!    Episode sampling:  Best Way to Destress Your Family  Enjoying the Middle School Years 101 Fun Things to Do as a Family Enjoying Your Family  Be a team   Episode sampling:  Creating Your Family Identity Marriage as a Team Sport  Put issues in front NOT between  Episode sampling: Five Questions About Marriage Forgiveness in Marriage Strategies are your friend Episode sampling:  Can You Affair-Proof Your Marriage Parenting With A Positive Vision Margins Matter (so build them into your life!) Episode sampling: When Is It Time To Quit? Awkward Date Night Billy’s Themes Know thyself.  Episode sampling: Discovering Your Default O