Connected Families Podcast

Have you ever heard an outrageous statement from your child? Outrageous statements come in all shapes and sizes and can often trigger disbelief or even outrage in parents. Perhaps that’s why they’re called outrageous statements!  It’s tempting for us, as parents, to respond to these situations with immediate correction or a lecture. However, this may result in unhelpful arguments. Hard emotions ar...

Are you feeling anxious about this summer? Summer can be a fantastic opportunity to connect with your kids, but it can also present new challenges. You want to have a great summer, but aren’t quite sure how to get there. Uncertainty and disappointment add an extra level of stress, especially with the new reality of cancelled activities and plans. In this podcast we will explore how to create a sen...

Does it seem like all you do is nag your kids? Are you frustrated because this is the sixth time you have asked your child to take out the garbage? Nagging and arguing can become the frustrating norm in many of families. Parents have good intentions. We want our kids to grow up to be responsible, right? Our fear and anxiety that our children will not grow up to be responsible adults can cause us t...

You want to be intentional about screen time with your kids, but you’ve got an uphill battle! The pandemic isn’t making it any easier either. If you’re struggling with how to be intentional about screens, especially when your kids require them more than ever, this is the podcast episode for you. Join Jim and Lynne Jackson, co-founders of Connected Families, as they dive into the challenges of our...

Working at home can be challenging! And exasperating. In this difficult season where many parents are juggling kids and working from home, our “new normal” is anything but normal. Parents are asking, “How do I stop kids interrupting conference calls?” It’s hard to know how to respond to the challenges of interrupted conference calls. But this can be a great opportunity to help kids fee...

Like many of us, your child might be grieving his pre-coronavirus life. This challenging time can bring strong emotions to the surface in our kids ( and in us as parents). These emotions can be signs of a child’s underlying grief. And difficulty in expressing that grief.  Read on to learn why it’s important to allow your children to grieve, and healthy ways to help them process their gr...

Are you “walking on eggshells” with restless, homebound kids? Do your kids have a case of “Grumpy Child Syndrome”? Your family may need an extra dose of a healthy sensory diet . What is a sensory diet? W hy is it important? And how can you incorporate it in practical ways with your kids? Read on. (This article is also available as a video or audio download .) In the midst of stressful times, we ma...

You are not a bad parent. Start learning how to stop parenting out of guilt or anxiety. This content is also available in an audio version .  When we’re in crisis, the voices built most deeply in us come out. Sometimes that can be positive. Other times it turns self-critical.  Instead of blaming ourselves, we can remind our hearts that we are created in God’s image to do good works . We...

NOTE: This content is available as a video,  a blog post (below), or a 7-minute podcast . We trust this will serve every situation and learning style well. Here at Connected Families we realize this is a tough time for many in our community and in the world as a whole. In response to the current pandemic, we sent out a survey last week to hear, “What is it like to be you?” The response was ov...

When your kids misbehave, and you need to discipline them, have you considered what they are learning? Are they learning to submit to angry power? Or, perhaps, are they learning how to get better at hiding their misbehavior and sin? Guiding kids to right their wrongs is no easy task. Most families have one child that demands more of our parenting energy. Is that child hearing an unspoken (or spoke...

What skills would you like your kids to have when they go out into the world? Should you drop what you’re doing to bring them something they forgot? How can you prepare your kids for conflicts they will certainly encounter in their relationships, family, and work environments later in life? What does it look like to mentor our kids? Listen in as Jim and Lynne Jackson, co-founders of Connecte...

You may have heard, “Move TOWARD the struggling child.” This phrase might seem counter-intuitive. Often, when our child is struggling, the last thing we want to do is connect with them.  When we show love unconditionally, especially when our kids misbehave , they will then genuinely understand that our love cannot be earned. And that our love is not reserved exclusively for when they are obed...

We all want a peaceful home where kids feel safe. But sometimes safety is hard to attain, especially when life is stressful. How do we respond during hard parenting moments? How can we do better at walking in peace and joy with our kids? In this podcast Jim and Lynne Jackson, co-founders of Connected Families, dive into creating a culture of safety at home. Applying what you learn as you listen ca...

How do you define yourself as a parent? Do you feel stuck in your parenting and want to explore a new way?  In this podcast Jim and Lynne Jackson, co-founders of Connected Families, are excited to introduce you to a structured framework for parenting that can help bring balance to your parenting. You CAN find balance between grace and consequences while teaching your kids wisdom, values, and...

The most successful companies usually have clear cut goals and strategies to accomplish those goals. However, most families float through life haphazardly. When families get dangerously off track, parents often say, “I just don’t know how we got here.” A lack of intentionality is often implicated when families’ find themselves sinking or even shipwrecked.  In this podcast, Jim Jackson and Chad Hay...

In this podcast, Chad Hayenga and Jim Jackson will challenge you to think through what you’re modeling as you parent. They’ll equip you with natural, effective ways to “live your life out loud” in a manner that builds faith and wisdom in your kids.   You’ll come away with: practical tips on how to make prayer natural with your kids. ideas on how to guide great dinner table conversations. simp...

If you’ve struggled in your relationship with one (or both!) of your parents, this podcast can give life-changing insight. Hurt and resentment left to brew under the surface can often perpetuate the effects of sin passing from one generation to another.   In this podcast, Jim shares his process of working through very difficult feelings and dynamics in his relationship with his dad. This enab...

In this podcast episode, Jim and Chad take a deeper dive into the dynamics of dads’ good intentions with their kids. If you sometimes feel like you’re doing your best and it’s just not good enough, be encouraged and equipped by the ideas in this practical podcast. In this podcast you’ll: listen as Jim shares some helpful insights from his own relationship with his dad.  hear a roleplay illust...

Join Jim Jackson, Connected Families co-founder, and Chad Hayenga, LMFT, Certified Life Coach and parent coach , for this first episode in a 5-part series for dads. Moms, of course you’re welcome to listen! But Jim and Chad will be addressing specific issues unique to dads.   Often dads are working outside the home and that can bring unique challenges. It’s easy to carry stress from work...

You’ve just had a family event and might still be recovering from the overt or passive-aggressive comments from extended family about your kids’ behavior and your parenting choices. Family gatherings can be HARD…especially if we sense that external pressure is shifting our parenting style to avoid criticism.  On this podcast Jim and Lynne Jackson tackle this tough and timely issue. In today’...

Your child is escalating quickly and you have a pretty good idea where this is headed. You know the scenario…the anger turns to screaming, which then becomes a full-blown tantrum.  Pretty soon your child hits YOU. In today’s episode Stacy Bellward and Jim Jackson interview Lynne Jackson, OTR as she helps to answer the question: “What should I do when my child is so out of control they h...

“I don’t WANT to practice my trumpet.” “My piano teacher is mean!” “I don’t have time to practice with all this homework. I want to quit!”  Sound familiar? In today’s podcast, Stacy Bellward and Jim Jackson interview Chad Hayenga, LMFT and parent coach to explore how our parenting framework gives insight into the question: ”What should I do when my tween wants to quit music lessons?” Quick answer:...

Your child has just told you something you are pretty sure is not truthful.  What should you do? Do you call them out on it? Should there a serious consequence?  In today’s podcast episode Stacy Bellward and Jim Jackson interview Chad Hayenga, LMFT, and parent coach . Together they tackle the challenging question: “What should I do when my child lies to me?”  The quick answer is:&#1...

Words are powerful.  We can so easily take it personally when we hear hurtful words from our children like,  “I HATE YOU!” But instead of reacting in frustration and anger, we encourage you to look below the surface. There may be deep reasons why the child might feel anxious,   discouraged or ashamed in a way that is coming out in those aggressive words.  Jim Jackson and Stacy...

SCREEN TIME!!! It’s a persistent battle in almost every home. And it is one of the questions we receive most frequently. What should you do when your child constantly asks you for screen time?  And more screen time? We expand on the following three ideas in this podcast: Get yourself calm . Be clear about expectations , and what will happen if expectations aren’t met. Hold kids accountable to...