The KIND Families Podcast

Today’s guest is Dr. Kelly Cagle, a powerhouse with a wealth of practical wisdom and knowledge when it comes to KIND-ness! Kelly has a PhD in educational leadership and policy studies and has been an educator and researcher for nearly two decades. In addition to being a coach, speaker, and homeschool mom to her three boys, Kelly is the host of the Parenting IQ Podcast on the Christian Parenting ne...

On today’s episode of The KIND Families Podcast, I am excited to welcome Kerri Jeter, a ministry leader, miliary veteran, KIND mom, and Area Director for Joni and Friends Arizona. Hear Kerri’s inspirational story, and learn how she leads Joni and Friends in Arizona as the organization makes the world a better place for KIND Families. Learn more about Joni and Friends at https://joniandfriends.org/...

Next week we are celebrating the one year birthday of my book, Finding KIND! I can’t believe it’s been a year since releasing this piece of my family into the wild, but it has been worth every second. My favorite part is hearing from KIND mamas who tell me the book makes them feel seen, and not alone. Since I love birthdays and celebrating, I thought I would give YOU a special gift! For those of y...

As the mom of a fourteen-year-old boy with autism and ADHD, I love meeting adults who are neurodiverse who are living their dreams and making the world a better place at the same time. That’s why I’m excited to introduce you to my guests today, Shane Campfield and Edward Couture, founders of HURDLE.   HURDLE is a Unique Abilities advocacy group which provides motivation and inspiration through pub...

My guest today is Joshua Neumann, founder of KiND Lips, a lip balm company like no other you’ve ever seen. You know I love all things KIND, but Josh takes his commitment to KINDness to the next level with his mission driven focus to create a world without bullying. After a highly successful career as one of Minnesota's top real estate agents, Josh felt pulled away from the industry he used to love...

Hopefully you are settling back into a routine after a long summer, so I thought we could kick off Season 3 with a discussion about JOY! Now I’m not just talking about the joy of a few precious kid-free hours to get things done now that school is back in session. I’m talking about true, deep Biblical joy. As KIND caregivers, I know sometimes joy can be elusive. But today’s guest is going to explai...

Today’s guest is a woman I can relate to on so many levels! We are both refugees from the corporate jungle, we both have sons on the spectrum, and we have both taken the lessons we learned in our parenting journey and committed to helping other moms find faith, community, and purpose. Candace Nassar is the founder of MomQ, an organization whose mission it is to empower and equip moms by creating a...

I grew up playing team sports, so I remember how good coaches helped me rise to my potential, build skills, break out of ruts, and sometimes, just get out of my own head. I realize now, that when I became a KIND mom, I needed a coach for those very same reasons.  Maybe you do too. If so, today’s guest, Kara Ryska, may be just the resource you are looking for. Kara is a devoted mother of four, rang...

As we approach the end of Autism Awareness/Acceptance month, I am honored to bring you a conversation with one of the true heroes of the autism community. When I took that quiz in 2014 which awakened me to the truth of Brady’s autism, it was the organization Denise co-founded, the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center, which provided the screener. After her two-year old son Matt was diag...

We continue Autism Awareness/Acceptance month with a fascinating discussion with Taiba Bajar, founder of Autism Brain Empowerment, and author of the book, Unlock Autism. Taiba, who is autistic herself, is another mom who would not accept the dire prognosis for her son, who experienced rapid and dramatic regression in skills at 18 months old. She refused to believe his autism was simply genetic and...

This episode is launching on April Fools Day, but I promise this is not a prank! Today, I welcome back my first ever repeat guest, and also my favorite guest, my son Brady, as we kick off Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month.  We are thankful for the opportunity to help others better understand autism, and to recognize the super powers and gifts autistic people bring to the world. Brady and I discuss...

As the parent of an autistic child, one of the most affirming experiences you can have is meeting an autistic adult who has overcome many of the challenges your child currently faces, and is thriving personally, professionally and spiritually. Today’s guest is all that and more and is a KIND mama herself to three autistic children. Ann Kagarise is a prolific author, podcaster, speaker, journalist,...

Today’s episode came to be through God’s sweet hand and just a bit of stalking. I found Larah Roberts (like Sarah but with an L) through her Instagram page Raising Autistic Disciples last year and messaged her right away when I heard she had a book coming out called How to Advocate and Stay Christian, which she wrote with her husband Collin. Larah and her husband are lifelong followers of Jesus, b...

Today’s guest Janeen Herskovitz is an autism mom, a licensed psychotherapist, an autism strategist, and the host of the long-running podcast, The Autism Blueprint. As often happens when I meet heroes in the KIND community, Janeen and I bonded quickly. Like me, she struggled with her son’s autism diagnosis at age three. But eventually, Janeen took the lessons she learned and decided to embark on a...

At Brady’s two year well check appointment, I vividly remember the pediatrician telling me that because he walked and talked on time, autism was off the table. Brady was verbal, and in fact had a surprising vocabulary at the time, so the idea that he had speech delays never crossed my mind. When he was finally diagnosed with autism a year and a half later, I realized that while he had words, he wa...

Today’s guest checks ALL the boxes for a fantastic first episode for our second season, even some boxes that didn’t exist last season. Dr. Lauren Megrew is a friend I met several years ago when my son Brady attended a school for kids with learning differences in second grade. Her daughter was in Brady’s class, and they hit it off.  Her credentials were impressive enough – she holds a Ph. D. as an...

One of the unexpected gifts I’ve received since starting The KIND Families Podcast is getting to meet so many heroes of the KIND community. People who are champions for those with neurological differences or any other special needs and who serve selflessly and passionately to make life better for everyone. Today I speak with one of those champions, Justin Garrard. Justin is the Executive Director...

Welcome to our first Thanksgiving Throwback episode!  If you are already chopping your vegetables or mashing your potatoes in anticipation of the biggest meal of the year, this throwback episode will put a little pep in your prep. Today we are taking a trip back to our very first guest, so our newest friends can hear the wit and wisdom of one of my favorite love do-ers, and chief balloon carriers,...

Laurie Christine is an author, the host of the podcast Redeeming the Chaos, a certified Biblical Parenting Coach, a wife, and a mom of four boys she describes as wild, loud and adventurous, which explains the name of her podcast! She also writes biblical fiction and devotions for preteen readers. Her passion is to raise strong, courageous warriors for the Kingdom of God, and to help families like...

I remember when my husband and I started our KIND journey over ten years ago. We were desperate for information, connection, and trusted guidance. We went to the library, searched online, and sat through hours of parenting classes. I would take direction and referrals from other moms I’d never met before in waiting rooms, and all the while I wished there was a quarterback for our KIND experience....

Today’s guest is the most special EVER to be heard on this podcast or frankly any podcast on the planet, although you may consider me biased. As we approach the launch date of my book, Finding KIND, I thought you might want to hear directly from the inspiration, the main character, the hero of the book, my son, Brady Baker. Brady is a handsome, smart, funny, creative 13-year-old in 8th grade, and...

Have you ever lost your temper with your kids? Have you ever yelled or said something in the heat of the moment you wish you could take back later? As KIND parents we’ve all experienced big emotions from our kids, and sometimes, unfortunately, our emotional response is just as big and disproportioned. But take heart, you are not alone! What if you had a toolbox full of strategies to help regulate...

This episode is a little bit different, because this time, I’m the one answering questions! I was honored that my dear friends Lori Taylor and Christina Willman invited me as a guest on their podcast called Thriving in Between, and I wanted to share part of our conversation with you, because I think it will provide you with deeper context around KIND Families and how it came to be. Lori and Christ...

For today’s episode we are going around the world to hear from an unsung hero of the KIND community. Abigail Salazar founded the I Learn Child Center in Batan, Aklan in the Philippines over twenty years ago to help children with disabilities, delays or learning challenges get the education they deserve. What started as a directed effort to help her young nephew with a speech delay, has grown into...

As a KIND parent, does the phrase “Back to School” fill you with equal parts joy and terror? Sure, it’s great to get your kids back into a routine, but what about homework, lockers, and supplies, (OH MY!) Have no fear, our favorite Executive Function coach, Debbie Tipton, is back to share some actionable strategies to ease the stress of a new school year. She may even be able to reduce the number...