The Parent Pivot Podcast

Whether it’s hours of Fox News, CNN, or scrolling through heated headlines, constant news consumption can shape our attitudes, heighten emotions, and unintentionally create relational distance with our adult kids. On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia tackle a challenge many pivoting partners may be facing today—navigating the tension that can arise when our over indulgence...

It’s easy to brag about one of your adult kids — especially when you’re proud of who they’ve become. But what happens when your other kids feel overlooked or compared? On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia  unpack why bragging (even the innocent kind) can damage family relationships and how humility, gratitude, and biblical wisdom can keep everyone feeling valued. Learn how...

The holidays are here and can be a LOT of stress as we try to negotiate the plans to be made when our adult kids are married.  What do you do when you have traditions that have been going on for decades and now you have a new member of the family? How do we navigate this season when there are so many emotions pulling us in different directions? On this "Best of" episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast...

Are you sighing instead of speaking? Dropping “harmless” hints instead of having the hard conversations? This week on The Parent Pivot Podcast we're unpacking the oh-so-common (but rarely productive) dance of passive-aggressive behavior with our adult children. Why do we do it? What’s it costing us? And how can we pivot to healthier, more honest communication? Tune in if you’ve ever said “I’m fine...

Raising kids was one adventure — but parenting adult children brings a whole new set of challenges… and blessings. In this week’s episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia Cummings dive into “Finding Joy in Your Adult Kids.” Discover how to celebrate who your grown children are becoming, find contentment even when life doesn’t go as planned, and rekindle joy in your relationship with th...

We impact our kids in so many ways as we raise them, and often without without knowing it, we can end up favoring one child over another. Quite frankly, it can be a an unaddressed blindspot. On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia help us sort through what how we can navigate this tricky path we may have inadvertently created to healthier relationships with all our adult kids....

If your adult child has cut you out of his or her life—whether for a long or short time—it is a gut-wrenching experience. It often provokes deep feelings of shame, guilt, bewilderment, and hurt, all of which can easily turn to anger. On top of that, it can also arouse people’s worst suspicions ("Surely, the Smiths must be terrible parents for their daughter to cut them off like that!") and leave y...

With the national news event of the past week that occurred in Utah, how can we as "pivoting partners" to our adult kids navigate this issue and still maintain a healthy relationship? That is today's subject on The Parent Pivot Podcast with Steve and Julia Cummings. Like - Share - and Subscribe and help other parents pivot to choosing relationship over being right.

Your adult child has done or said something that you feel needs to be addressed. But . . . how do you go about having that conversation? On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia help us navigate how to prepare ourselves as pivoting partners to have difficult conversations with our adult children. Resources mentioned on this podcast: 1. Wild at Heart podcast "Having Difficult Co...

Life transitions are never easy whether you move to a new city, lose a loved one or are going through a divorce. Essentially . . . life happens. The same can be said when our adult kids head off to college, move away from us to start a career in another city, or becomes engaged. If pivoting parents aren't careful - these transitions can cause tension in the parent/adult child relationship that whe...

When communication and conversations with your adult child keep ending up in arguments and you feel like you're just spinning your wheels, how do we pivot from parent to partner?   On this "Best of the Parent Pivot Podcast", Steve and Julia discuss Parent Pivot Principle #1: Let them vent, as they provide 4 practical ways to do that to grow a healthier relationship. Contact Steve & Julia at: p...

As parents of 4 married children, Steve and Julia Cummings bring their educational and counseling backgrounds along with their own life experiences as parents, to help others navigate The Parent Pivot: From Parenting to Partnering.  On this replay of their inaugural podcast, it's time to hit the pause button and pivot as you shift how you relate to your adult children. Contact Steve & Julia at...

The kids are gone and a new season has arrived.  You and your spouse suddenly have all this time on your hands.  Now what?  On this "Best of" episode of "The Parent Pivot Podcast," Steve and Julia open up about ways they have been able to pivot and share them with you as you enter this next season of life with your adult children.  Contact Steve & Julia at: parentpivotpodcast@gmail.com www.mea...

The Cambridge Dictionary defines the word "disrupter" as: "A person or thing that prevents something, especially a system, process, or event, from continuing as usual or as expected." Buckle up, Parent Pivoters! On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia Cummings show us how we can be that "disrupter" with our adult kids - in a non-aggressive way, of course! Resources mentioned o...

We all do it.  We mask up to protect our hearts from shame, judgment and criticism and it's all based on fear.  The Enemy wins because we don't want anyone to know the real me. Guess what?  That one dynamic prevents us from having a deeper relationship with our adult children. On this "Best of The Parent Pivot Podcast," Steve and Julia openly share how being authentic about our lives with our adul...

Football season is in full swing and you've likely seen a runner get stopped at the line of scrimmage and gang tackled to the ground.  Five or six guys against one all piling on. What does that have to do with pivoting from a parent to a partner, you ask? On today's edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, we are re-airing this subject as Steve and Julia bring us some sound counsel on what to do when...

If you have a prodigal son or daughter who is not talking to you and you're wondering, "God, where are You?" . . . there is hope. On today's Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia interview Kari Trent Stageberg and her dad, Dr. John Trent, author of the book, "The Blessing." "Broken to be Blessed" is the story of a prodigal daughter and her redemptive story - and pivoting parents who spoke truth an...

Whether it's Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas or the 4th of July - pivoting parents can be left alone on the holiday. How do we navigate that when we yearn to be with our kids and grandkids? On today's Parent Pivot Podcast - Julia openly walks through her recent 4th of July weekend and how she and Steve were able to manage the loneliness of being away from their kids with authenticity and vulnerabi...

Doing life with your adult children can bring up issues from the past that now affect your relationship as a pivoting parent to partner. Left unaware of how to take the necessary steps toward healthy relationships will make life with your adult kids more difficult.  On today's Parent Pivot Podcast, Julia and Steve openly share their own struggles they experienced and how they used those mistakes t...

According to AI: "'Therefore'" is an adverb that means 'for that reason' or 'consequently.' It indicates a logical conclusion based on a preceding statement or situation. In essence, it signals a cause-and-effect relationship." Parents of adult children: There is a "cause-and-effect relationship you have with your adult kids. On today's Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia provide the biggest "Th...

Your son or daughter has just gotten married, or is about to.  What does it look like to pivot from parent to partner with your new in-law kids? On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia sit down with their daughter-in-law, Ashleigh Cummings, for a transparent and insightful interview from her perspective on marrying into a different family than the one she was raised in.  You'l...

Summer is here and family vacations are in full swing! On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia reflect on their week hosting their oldest son and his family of 3 kids and what they learned about themselves during those 7 days. Resources mentioned on this podcast: 1. Practicing the Way with John Mark Comer. 2. The One Minute Pause App  3. "13 Principles for Building Healthy Rel...

The pivot from Parent to Partner goes more smoothly when we "keep our mouths shut and the welcome mat out" - the main theme of Jim Burns' book and The Parent Pivot Podcast. Okay - but what is the balance between keeping our mouths shut - and dealing with our own emotions and resentment that pops up with our adult kids?   On this "Best of" podcast, Steve and Julia Cummings help you navigate what th...

Helping our adult kids out when they are struggling financially "can" bring up additional issues, especially with their siblings.  What is fair when maybe not all of your adult kids have the same struggles?  What can you do if your generosity is being taken advantaged of? On today's Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia reflect on this and what they went through as kids, how they managed it when r...

We all love family get-togethers where there is laughter and everyone is having a good time remembering stories from the past, right? Nothing wrong with that . . . or is there? On today's Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia use their EQ to let us in on something we may be missing that can be a downer with our adult kids. It's an "awareness check" that we all need to file away and remember to pul...