The EXTRAORDINARY Family Life Podcast

RESOURCES: Let us help you in your extraordinary family life journey. How We Raised 7 Well-Adjusted Kids - Without Yelling, Tantrums, Punishments or Power Struggles (+ get THE CHECKLIST: Things We Do Every Day to Raise Well-Adjusted Kids) Rachel’s ⁠⁠ Must-Read Booklist for Well-Read Moms⁠⁠ Greg's ⁠⁠Recommended Reading List for Parents & Youth⁠⁠ Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@worldschoolfamily⁠...

"What would I actually do if I spent more time with my wife and kids? What does that look like? " "I went on a getaway with my husband and I was bored . I couldn't wait to get back to the kids." "I've been going on more dates with my husband (because of the 28-Day Challenge) but we're not enjoying them . He doesn't like to do what I do, and I don't like...

Do you want to develop a parenting style and family culture that nurtures instilling values through individual autonomy INSTEAD of through parental control? Parents face many challenges -- and the temptation to control their children -- when they are overly attached to specific outcomes for their family. Greg and Rachel emphasize the importance of letting go of control and cultivating an environme...

Are your kids picky eaters? Are you concerned about their short and long-term health because of a lack of nutrition? Then listen to this episode where we discuss the importance -- and strategies -- for instilling good dietary habits in children and overcoming pickiness. To begin, Greg and Rachel shed light on the significance of food choices and the impact it has on a family's well-being. They...

Would you love to know how to EFFECTIVELY & correctily discipline your kids? (There is a wrong and right way.) Would you like to be able to discipline without the drama, yelling, punishing, or nagging, AND do it in a way that strengthens your relationship with your child in the short and long term? Sound too good to be true? Trust us, it's actually possible. In this episode, we share not o...

We cover a LOT of things in this episode as we discuss, examine, and analyze things that have been on our minds during the last week and as we ask each other WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD?? We're not talking about conspiracy theories... but actual conspiracies. Stay with us here... these aren't crazy ideas that we've come up with from our imaginations... ...these are actual, proven...

In this series about raising well-adjusted kids and better family stability , we're now diving into the 2nd level of the Extraordinary Family Life Pyramid -- Marriage! YOU are the foundation of your family life, followed by your MARRIAGE. Without strong INDIVIDUAL mental, emotional, spiritual, social, physical, and financial health you don't have the 'solid footing' necessary to ra...

If you've been a parent long you know that parenting often feels like a series of problems to solve. This is accurate. So it only makes sense that if you become a better problem-solver, you will become a better parent. Continuing on the theme from the last episode about how to create family stability, we explain HOW to improve your problem-solving skills -- and how to do it without damaging re...

"My kids are having a hard time adjusting to _______ (moving, traveling, homeschooling, divorce, death, etc). How can I help them?" We've received a question like this dozens of times over the years. Parents the world over wonder how they can create family stability, safety, and healing -- especially in today's mixed-up crazy world. Some claim stability comes from 'staying in...

After nine months of traveling outside of the USA (to 17+ countries from Tromsø to Cairo), we return to take care of some things that will help us make a permanent transition to our home base in Portugal... But as usual, there are things that STAND OUT to us as we visit this country after an extended absence. In this episode, we share what those things are, and -- in the bigger picture -- why they...

In this episode, we philosophize (are you surprised?) about observations we've been making for the past decade or more as we've read, studied, and traveled to 50+ countries. It's kind of like putting together a puzzle. You take one piece after another and see where they fit and little by little a picture begins to emerge. In this case, the picture that's forming shows the current s...

In this very important episode, Greg and I discuss first-hand knowledge we have about the growing industry of human trafficking . We also talk about sexual abuse, how it happens, and how to protect your kids. If you think it doesn't happen in your neighborhood, church, or community -- think again! It is a REAL threat and it is EVERYWHERE . It's happened to us, too. What actions can you tak...

We've never told any of our 7 children there is a Santa Clause or a Tooth Fairy. That's because we always wanted to be seen as people our children can believe and trust -- NO MATTER WHAT -- especially when it comes to discerning truth in the world and discovering what is real and what is not. And while it's not just about Santa Clause, this approach of ALWAYS speaking Truth is one of t...

I (Rachel) cried today. It was because of the stress and pressure and overwhelm of 'all the things' I have to get done by a looming deadline, and it was sparked by the small irritations of family life. So Greg and I do what we usually do in a situation like this -- we sat down and psychoanalyzed WHY I was crying so we could process the 'emotional stacking' to help me get back to a...

After posting reels on Instagram about our most recent 6-month trip to 17 countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa, I've had many people ask: "How do you even BEGIN planning a trip like that?" "What was your budget for this experience?" "How do you afford it?" In this episode, we walk through our process for dreaming, envisioning, and then executing BIG goals and dre...

"Do you have a podcast episode or advice somewhere where you talk about how you instilled a love of reading in your children ? As parents love reading and have read a lot to our children when they were young. Sometimes we still do now, but no matter which book we suggest, they hate reading , and it breaks my heart ." In this episode, we answer this question from a mom and share specific...

In Greg's work as a coach, he often hears something like this: "Yes I agree, but how do I talk to my spouse about that??? " Sometimes we're shocked that a spouse feels like they can't bring up a topic with their 'better half' -- even if it is a sensitive one. But then we remember that we used to be there too. And in this episode, we share a personal experience about a...

Greg received an email from a friend who said, " My son needs a life coach :) " His response was, " EVERYONE needs a life coach." The stigma is that only people with problems or those who 'can't figure it out' need a life coach. But the truth is, if you want to have a truly EXTRAORDINARY life, you NEED a coach. You understand this when it comes to learning the violi...

No matter if you homeschool or send your kids to public or private school, YOU are responsible for the outcomes of their education. The first step is for YOU to define what EDUCATION means to you . Is it academic learning? Grades, tests, and ACT scores? Getting into the 'best' colleges. Or is it MORE than that? Does it include their mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, social, and finan...

This episode would not be complete without listening to these episodes as well: What Wives Need to Know About Their Husband's Sex Drives And What Men Need to Know About Themselves Sex-quel Follow-Up Episode with Rachel Denning ⁠Husbands, How to ACTUALLY Listen to Your Wives (And Why She Needs It)⁠ Masturbation & Cheap Sexual Acts are a Poor Substitute for Real Connection -- A Message for T...

Do you feel stuck? Or like you're constantly dealing with the same problems -- in your marriage, with your kids, or your finances? Does it feel like you can never 'afford it' -- no matter what it is? Or that you keep having the same health issues crop up? Do you feel like " life sucks and then you die "? Did you realize that you can PREVENT most of these problems before they...

As part of the 28-Day Challenge we ask participants to choose one food to give up. Some choose sugar. But it’s not always easy to give it up. As one mom said: “…the sweet tooth got the best of me.  I don’t drink soda and haven’t had a donut in two years; those our out.  I don’t eat things with corn syrup, and I mostly use olive and coconut oils.  But every time I decide, no more sugar, I can almos...

At work, home, family life, and marriage, it’s easy to blame the circumstances of life or to say ‘That’s just the way things are’ … But the reality is that we’re often participating in, perpetuating, or creating our own chaos in marriage and family life — but that means we also have the power to prevent it with intentional planning and preparation. Of course, many couples and parents think “I don’...

"I'm feeling sooooo burnt out of motherhood... My kids are fighting so much . Last week we did a 'no fighting' challenge for 7 days. They did pretty well and each got a prize. This week has been a total dumpster fire . I keep circling back to me. Making sure I am good, but I'm just not. I feel so drained at the end of my day after so much fighting . Any advice?" Conflict...

We received a great question from a mom which we answer in today’s episode. Just a reminder — we love receiving questions. Feel free to ask us anything by visiting podcast.extraordinaryfamilylife.com where you can leave us a voice or text message. This mom asked: “I have a 13-year-old daughter. She gets homework from coop  & every week it’s a battle. I remind her about her assignment- she says...