Family Brand: Take Back Your Family

Welcome back to another episode of the Family Brand Podcast! Recently, Melissa went on a personal development retreat with an incredible marriage and relationship expert. We don't want to give away too much just yet about the trip because we will soon have them as a guest on the show!  However, while Melissa was away it was just Chris and the kids left to brave for themselves…. How do you think it...

After we moved from Hawaii, we found our way back to small-town America on the mainland. Friday night nights, bike rides to our favorite spots, and every other Fall activity you can think of are in full swing for the Smith family, and it's wonderful!  As the seasons change outside your window, they change just as quickly inside our homes as parents. We are experiencing this first hand as we parent...

Trigger warning: In this episode, we talk about mental health issues and experiences with raising a kid with thoughts of suicide. If you find any of these topics overwhelming or triggering, we encourage you to skip this episode for now and come back when you are ready.  September is Suicide awareness month. This episode originally was published in September of 2022. Whether you hear this episode a...

Welcome back to another episode of the Family Brand Podcast! Melissa here, for a solo cast.  If I am being honest, I have put this episode off for a while... I've known in the back of my mind that this conversation was going to be important for many of you listening but I knew it would make me a bit emotional. You see, we just closed an amazing chapter in the Smith house and are bravely stepping i...

Do you believe in yourself? Like, truly believe in yourself? It's something that most people struggle with…  There are typically 3 types of people when it comes to self-belief or self-confidence. There is one camp that doesn't believe in themselves at all and struggles to admit their life has any purpose or meaning so why dream big at all… On the other side of the camp, there are people who believ...

In our house, we have a "high challenge, high support" culture. You might be thinking "what do you mean by challenge? Isn't that a little negative?"  Simply put, in our family, we challenge each other to do hard things, be brave, and become a greater version of ourselves every day.  This type of intentional parenting is not always easy… Holding your kids (and yourself) to a higher standard without...

You've heard it said, "there are no guarantees  in life…" The truth is that there is at least ONE thing you can count on.  At some point, you can guarantee that things will not go according to plan.  Despite your best efforts, your consistent practicing or organizing, or planning, sometimes "the universe" has other plans. Can you relate to the feeling: It's safe to say that we have all been there...

As the new school year kicks off in America and around the world, it's safe to say that most families' schedules just got a lot busier. Between getting everyone's school supplies, and new clothes, signing up for Fall sports and everything in-between, back-to-school season can feel like one big  "to-do list."   With a family of 5 kids all in school now, we understand how crazy this time of year can...

Imagine yourself walking on stage accepting an award that symbolizes all your hard work paid off… You look out to the crowd and all your loved ones are there cheering you on… You smile at them, beaming with pride as they start a slow clap… Suddenly, one by one the crowd starts to join in and the claps lead to a thundering roar of people cheering and chanting your name!  You have to admit, that wou...

Are they old enough? What about the psychological effects? Should I limit their internet access? Should I check their messages? Just because they have a phone should they have social media? If you have asked yourself or asked your spouse any of these questions, you probably have a kid in the house who reallyyy wants their own cell phone. Or maybe, you have young ones in the house but HOW and WHEN...

"You are not buying a house, you are buying a lifestyle." - Anonymous Welcome back to another episode of the Family Brand Podcast! Melissa here coming at you from a closet in Mexico. LOL! Why am I in a closet, you may ask? Because we are on family vacation trying to catch a few waves and surf before the school year starts again. I decided to break away for a little while and record this episode be...

YOU MATTER! Every part of your life has purpose and you're designed to make an impact.  Was that hard to hear? Or maybe you didn't even read it. Either way, read that first sentence again and let those words sink in. By now, the voice in your head is probably telling you that it can't be true. Thoughts like this may be racing through your mind - I am not enough I am never going to be enough Chris...

Whether it's falling off their bike, a sporting accident, or too much rough housing with siblings, as parents we hate to see when our kids get hurt. When it's a physical injury the next action steps and questions to ask are a little obvious. How bad is it? Is something broken? Is there blood? Do we need a Doctor? Etc. However, when our kids get their feelings hurt, what to do next isn't always as...

Welcome back to another episode! Chris and Melissa here with Familybrand.com. After living in Hawaii last year, it has fundamentally changed some ways in which we do life. In Hawaii, where we lived, nearly everyone drove old cars, and the only thing that mattered was if it would get you to the beach (and Costco!) dependably or not.  Now that we're back on the 'mainland,' we are asking ourselves an...

Welcome back to another episode of the Family Brand Podcast! Chris and Melissa here, and for the most part, we love the Summer. For us, it's more carefree, there's less schedule, you don't usually have to be places at certain times in the morning, the list goes on. We thought we would record a check-in episode to let you know how our Summer is going, and what our weeks with the kids look like!  On...

Every marriage and every season of marriage is going to be different for everyone. For some, you and your spouse could be doing great, and everything from the bedroom to communication is fine. Others may find themselves in a season of feeling hopeless and ready to throw in the towel on the whole relationship. We have experienced both ends of the spectrum!  If you have been listening to the show fo...

What do you really want in life? You may be like, woah Chris and Melissa…that's a heavy way to start a conversation? You may be right, but it's an important question to ask yourself. If you remember the movie Alice in Wonderland, there's a scene that sums up the importance of this question perfectly. The scene opens, and Alice stumbles upon the Cheshire Cat sitting at a fork in the road. Alice say...

"Being a Mother Is Learning About Strengths You Didn't Know You Had." - Linda Wooten Welcome back to another episode of The Family Brand Podcast! Melissa here, today is an episode dedicated to the ladies. Dads and men, Chris is sitting this one out but you are welcome to stick around! We are going to take a deep dive into the joyful (and sometimes chaotic) side of motherhood.  Joining me for this...

Almost every couple has had an argument that starts and then next thing you know, it's three hours later and you're like…what are we even arguing about? How did we get here? You hit the point where you have talked yourself silly. Moments like that are exactly what this episode will help you avoid!  Welcome back to another episode of the Family Brand Podcast! Recently, we were at our top 20 most do...

Hey guys, Chris and Melissa here! Summer is officially here, so we wanted to reshare one of our most loved episodes. Every year around this time, we start to talk and plan about what we want our Summer to look like. Last year we recorded an episode that lets you in on our exact process! As we start preparing for Summer in the Smith house, we had to invite you on the journey! Whether it's your firs...

Do you know what your kids are interested in? Maybe a better question would be, can you have an informed conversation with your kids about their interests? If the answer is no, we have a challenge for you! Welcome back to another episode of the Family Brand Podcast! Today we wanted to talk about taking an interest in what your kids are interested in. This is a powerful and practical thing any pare...

Welcome back to another Family Brand Podcast! Today we are excited to share a topic that has been on our hearts since our very first show. This episode is for anyone who is serious about leveling up their family and being proactive about creating a better family culture. By the end, you will have your first action steps towards creating your "family brand" along with how to get the blueprint on ho...

What comes to your mind when you hear the word "confidence"? Maybe you think of someone who is opinionated and well-spoken. Maybe you think of your favorite athlete or superstar. Or maybe, this word has always been a mystery to you…either way, today we are going to talk about how to build unstoppable confidence in yourself . (Even if that feels scary now.) Welcome back to another episode of the Fa...

Having a "morning routine " has been a hot topic over the last few years as people have continued to update their schedules and adapt to a pre and post-pandemic world. For us, having a morning routine isn't just about getting more done or finding peace. It's about being the best version of ourselves.  This may sound like an overdramatic analogy, but hear us out. You know when you are on a plane wa...

Over the past 17 years of marriage, we have gradually collected a stack of business cards.  Each one represents a job or business opportunity that Chris has been a part of. When we look through them now, we laugh because many of them ended up not working out for one reason or another.  However, that doesn't matter to us now because we can see how the failures and lessons along the way are actually...