Imperfect Heroes: Insights Into Parenting

Send us Fan Mail Join DJ Stutz for the Season 5 finale of Imperfect Heroes: Insights into Parenting ! Her guest, Nancy Boyer, is a mom of five and budding author, who shares how faith anchors her parenting. Nancy discusses losing both her parents during her teens, leaning on daily scripture, prayer, and community, and teaching kids to serve others. She highlights how their family’s faith’s impacts...

Send us Fan Mail Join DJ Stutz for her landmark 200th episode of Imperfect Heroes: Insights Into Parenting as she looks back at sterling moments and topics for parents and caregivers of kids (birth to age 8). Relive a moving father-son story on emotional regulation, with tips to validate feelings and build trust. Turn challenges like thumb-sucking into bonding opportunities using teamwork strategi...

Send us Fan Mail Follow one family’s journey as they seek the perfect educational fit for their kids. DJ chats with her son, Shiloh Stutz, a Northern California hospital administrator and dad to Roman and Niko. Shiloh shares how he and his wife, a city engineer, chose a small, values-driven Christian preschool for Roman, sparking his academic success. This led to a dual immersion school and later...

Send us Fan Mail Hey, wonderful parents! This episode of Imperfect Heroes welcomes back our favorite guest, Lenora Edwards, ASHA Board Certified Speech Language Pathologist from Better Speech, for another engaging chat with DJ Stutz. They’re diving into a topic every parent of young kids will relate to: how our anxieties affect our little ones. This episode is brimming with insights you’ll want to...

Send us Fan Mail In this warm and welcoming episode, host DJ Stutz sits down with Carrie Lingenfelter, a former teacher, speech therapist, and conscious parenting champion. They chat about the joy of really getting to know our kids and building those precious connections. Parents of little ones, this one’s for you—full of gentle ideas and engaging tips to help your family grow together! Carrie ope...

Send us Fan Mail Join DJ Stutz on Imperfect Heroes as she dives into raising independent kids—kicking helicopter and lawnmower parenting to the curb! Tired of over-scheduled, over-indulged little ones who can’t solve a problem? DJ’s here for you. She dishes on how hovering tanks work ethic (business owners are spilling the beans!), and shares simple ways to get your toddlers and preschoolers rocki...

Send us Fan Mail Tune into this awesome podcast episode where DJ Stutz chats with relationship pro Chaya Garcia about boosting your kids’ executive functioning—aka their ability to plan ahead and make smart choices. They dish on why modeling behavior is key, how to turn failures into learning wins, and why kids need to express emotions confidently. Chaya shares tips on building strong relationship...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, DJ chats with Jennifer Celeste Briggs, author of Watching Sarah Rise , about her heartfelt journey raising her daughter Sarah, diagnosed with autism at four and a half. Jennifer, a Pittsburgh mom with a BA from Swarthmore College, shares how she turned challenges into triumphs using the Son-Rise Program—a loving, child-centered approach she dubbed "Sarah-Rise...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Imperfect Heroes, DJ welcomes back speech-language pathologist, Lenora Edwards, for an engaging conversation about teaching kids persistence, resilience, and the joy of trying new things. DJ and Lenora discuss how fear of failure or discomfort can hold children back, how parents’ own experiences shape their reactions, and why modeling a growth mindset is essenti...

Send us Fan Mail As parents, we want to raise kids with strong values, but finding engaging, faith-based content can be tough. In this episode, DJ Stutz chats with Craig Dehut, co-founder of Appian Media, about how biblically accurate media supports moral development in young children. Craig shares how Appian Media creates free, visually rich content that brings the Bible to life—filmed in Israel,...

Send us Fan Mail Would your child know what to do in a dangerous situation? In this episode, DJ sits down with Robert Wylie from DPP Defense to explore how parents can teach kids practical self-defense, situational awareness, and emotional resilience. From identifying threats and de-escalating conflicts to running safety drills just like fire drills, Robert shares expert strategies to help childre...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder what truly helps children thrive while keeping them from dangerous paths? In this powerful episode, DJ Stutz sits down with parenting expert and author Richard O’Keef to dive into the four emotional needs every child has—belonging, personal power, being heard and understood, and boundaries. Richard, who teaches incarcerated dads how to break generational cycles of abus...

Send us Fan Mail Who our kids look up to shapes who they become! In this episode, DJ Stutz and Lenora Edwards explore how young children develop a sense of morality by observing the heroes in their lives. From parents and teachers to friends and public figures, kids model behaviors they see—making it essential to guide them toward positive role models. DJ shares inspiring classroom stories of chil...

Send us Fan Mail Did you know that empathy is the very first step in your child’s moral development? In this episode, DJ dives into how kids begin to connect with others emotionally—even as babies! From mirroring your smile to responding to your tone, your little one is already laying the foundation for empathy. Listen in as she shares five practical, everyday strategies to help you nurture empath...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, DJ welcomes Dr. John Chanaca, an experienced author and family therapist, to explore the moral development of children in today’s technology-driven world. With over 42 years in education and counseling, Dr. Chanaca shares insights on fostering moral values through consistent parenting and role modeling. He discusses the importance of cyber safety and outlines eigh...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, DJ chats with author Margot Machol-Bisnow about the link between parenting and entrepreneurship. Margot has interviewed over 70 entrepreneurs and shares her findings about childhood commonalities.                        They highlight the value of praising effort and resilience over outcomes and supporting children’s unique interests. Margot also explains how entr...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Imperfect Heroes: Insights into Parenting , DJ Stutz sits down with Diane Dempster, co-founder of Impact Parents, to discuss the challenges and joys of raising what she calls “Spicy Kids.”  Diane shares her expertise on distinguishing between behaviors that are "naughty" and those rooted in neurological or developmental differences, emphasizing the imp...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Season 5 of Imperfect Heroes ! This season, we’re diving into a powerful theme: The Moral Development of Young Children. In this first episode, DJ Stutz explores how children grow their sense of right and wrong, drawing on the groundbreaking theories of Jean Piaget and Lawrence Kohlberg. From understanding empathy to building integrity, DJ unpacks the stages of moral de...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, DJ Stutz chats with Lenora Edwards, a board-certified speech-language pathologist, about the powerful link between spirituality and parenting. They explore how curiosity strengthens faith and builds meaningful family connections. Lenora shares tips on using tone and non-verbal cues to guide children’s spiritual questions while fostering open, judgment-free convers...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, DJ Stutz talks with Andrew Peterson—Christian singer-songwriter, and author of The Wingfeather Saga —about weaving faith into every aspect of life. Andrew shares how he integrates faith into his family’s daily routines, making it a natural part of parenting and relationships. They discuss the power of storytelling, music, and art in fostering spiritual growth and...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Imperfect Heroes , DJ Stutz chats with Ashlee Terry about the role of faith in parenting and building spiritual resilience in young children. Ashlee shares her story of recovery after a traumatic accident in January 2024, reflecting on how her childhood experiences with church, Sunday school, and Bible camp anchored her during life’s storms. Together, they discu...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, DJ Stutz chats with Kristina and Herb Heagh-Avritt, married for 33 years, about raising two boys while blending differing spiritual beliefs. Tune in as they share how they honored unique perspectives and built a unified foundation for their family. As founders of Vibrant Family Education , Kristina and Herb discuss empowering parents through homeschooling, integra...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Imperfect Heroes: Insights into Parenting , DJ Stutz delves into the importance of spirituality in raising compassionate, mentally healthy, and service-minded children. Drawing from her wealth of experience, DJ discusses how aligning on spiritual beliefs as parents and modeling healthy communication can set the foundation for a strong spiritual life. She shares...

Send us Fan Mail Join DJ Stutz as she chats with E.A. Maynard, co-host of Call With Dads and founder of Homessor.com, about the powerful connection between fatherhood and gratitude. Eric shares practical tips for raising grateful kids, including limiting screen time, encouraging outdoor activities, and fostering family bonds. Learn how his stepdad’s influence shaped his parenting style and how Hom...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Imperfect Heroes: Insights into Parenting , DJ Stutz chats with Nicole Oke, an award-winning children's book author, Girl Scout leader, and wildland firefighting professional based in Boise, Idaho. As a mom of two daughters with big emotions, Nicole knows firsthand how crucial it is to teach kids emotional intelligence. She shares practical ways to help chi...