The Parent Pivot Podcast

It's easy to keep the focus on "how" our adult children are doing and who they are becoming, right? This podcast is designed to come alongside you as make the pivot to partner and validate, encourage, bring awareness and equip with tools to have healthy Partner/Adult Child relationship. But there is more to pivoting to partner than this. The sanctification journey for us as partners. With a humble...

It's happening more and more these days to pivoting parents and we are hearing about it more and more.  When WE left the nest - breaking off relationship with parents really wasn't a thing.  Today?  Our adult kids have been swamped by an ideology that life is all about them. What's a pivoting partner to do?  How can we re-establish relationship? On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve a...

Remember the old adage, "How do you eat an elephant?"  One bite at a time? Well, the same also holds true with improving our relationships with our adult child(ren).  There are so many things to remember it can be overwhelming.  But what if you just chose ONE to work on this year?  On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia share their list of 14 ways you can take a small step fo...

Passing on a spiritual legacy to our kids is every Christian parent's dream. It says so in the Bible, right? But what happens when you've done everything "right" and they grow up to become adults and don't want any part if it? What then? On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve is joined by his daughter, Jamilyn Upchurch, and together they share their own journey of what they went throug...

We have a tendency to think that we have to do extraordinary things to change things about ourselves. That's a lie and it prevents us from growing in every aspect: physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia lay out for us what it looks like to improve these area's of our lives in small increments of whole-hearted livin...

The holidays are upon us and that can mean stress when we gather with extended family, right? Our past experiences for Thanksgiving can bring great, family memories - or stressful conversations, especially when alcohol is involved and everyone is sharing their opinions. Pivoting from parent to partner just went to the next level. How do we steer clear of the volatile conversations? On this episode...

None of us like a detour. It messes up our timing, our plans, and causes stress and anxiety. Can I get an "AMEN!"? Detours are never convenient. They take us out of our way, and they are LONGER than than we originally planned to travel. "But God . . . " On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve shares what has helped him by his Bible Apps and Dr. Tony Evans that will help you see these de...

Now that we have your attention, there IS a path toward healthy social media use that can actually draw your adult kids closer to you. WHAT?? It's true. When it comes to how we use social media, there are some changes in how we use it that requires a pivot as well. On this podcast of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia outline what those changes are, that they personally went through, to hel...

You know that feeling. The one that causes your chest to puff out when someone tells you something about your character they like or something you did that was AMAZING, right?  We were given respect and what did that do to the relationship? It enhanced and deepened it. Why? Respect is so important in relationships because it helps us feel safe and express ourselves, while building trust and wellbe...

Often times life can get so busy, hectic, and burdensome it feels like we aren't really making progress. Ever felt this way? Maybe you do now. God never intended us to live this way. When it comes to making a good pivot from parent to partner, there is one key aspect that makes that pivot smoother: Grace. On today's Parent Pivot Podcast Steve and Julia guide us down this path and how as Partners -...

When we've been hurt by a parent or by our adult child, the natural reaction is to protect our heart. We will either withdraw,  fight, freeze for flee. We only have control over our own response.  So when a family relationship is fractured, repairing it can be difficult. On this edition of the Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia bring their years of combined wisdom, counsel, empathy and words fr...

When pivoting parents don't pivot to partner well and don't accept your choice of who you married (or are dating) - it can cause issues on so many fronts!  If this is where you find yourself today on either side of the issue, this podcast is for you. On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia carefully walk both adult kids and pivoting parents down multiple scenarios toward accep...

Relationships are hard enough in-person but when we use our phones to text our adult kids, fracturing a relationship is always one text away. As we pivot from being a parent after 20-30 years, we also need to pivot to healthier texting as partners. On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia give us some healthy tips and boundaries on texting communication that will help improve h...

The pivot from parent to partner is a life-learning process that includes many facets. One facet we don't often think is related to pivoting to being a partner to our adults kids, is our long-term health choices. On this edition of the Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia bring to our attention the truth behind the foods we eat and how they are creating life-long disease that can end up crippling...

Mom and Dad may be a "tad" slow making the pivot from being a parent to a partner and you're not quite sure how to communicate with them any more.  Life with them seems so frustrating, and may  feel like your relationship will never be the same. Can you relate?  Guess what? There's hope.  Steve and Julia usually talk to parents of adult children, but on this edition of the Parent Pivot Podcast, th...

Being an empty nester doesn't have to be a sad season of life. It CAN be a hoot! Just ask comedian Jeff Allen. On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia Cummings interview Jeff as get his life experiences of being an empty nester. You'll also get a chance to see the personal side of Jeff as he shares about his new book, "Are We There Yet?" (Available on Amazon). It's an inspirat...

You have pivoted - or ARE pivoting from Parent to Partner - and you find yourself with adult children who have left the nest, gotten married and now are on their own. Now what? On this edition of "The Parent Pivot Podcast" Steve and Julia share 4 ways you can begin this new season of life built around this verse from Isaiah 43:19, that says: "Be alert, be present, I'm about to do something BRAND-N...

The season of becoming a new empty nester is finally here.  As author and speaker, Jill Savage says, "It can be either a time of 'boo-hoo' or "WOO-HOO!"   You might find yourself caught between grief and delight and full of questions, hopes and regrets.  How can we make sense of it all? On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia interview Jill and get her wisdom, encouragement an...

No matter how well we pivot and become a great partner to our adult children, keeping a heart of humility is key. On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve shares about a recent family matter that occurred with his four adult married kids that shows us how to choose relationship over being right - no matter the extra airfare cost. Don't miss this one!

It happens to many families and it goes unnoticed for decades and without attention - it gets passed on to our adult children with out even knowing it. What is this blindspot? On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia expose a common relationship issue that occurs with parents and in-laws of pivoting partners. They shine the light on the pathway to healthy relationship with OUR...

Your young adult child heads off to college and the rebellion begins.  Drug and alcohol abuse that leads to an arrest you never imagined could happen in your family.    Sometimes the pivot from parent to partner can take some drastic turns before God can step in and start the healing process. That's what Suzanne Roragen faced with her son Nick and she joins Steve and Julia on this edition of The P...

Like anything we do in life, there can be an "art and a science" to it.  Pivoting from Parent to Partner is no different.   On this re-air of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia take the in-depth time to personally respond to a loyal listener who invited them into her pivot about her college grad daughter and some things that aren't quite turning out the way she thought they would.  Steve an...

One dynamic that comes into play as we pivot from being a parent to a partner is: What is the balance between financially helping our adult child(ren) - and enabling them?   Whether it's paying for college, a car, a down payment on a new home, or childcare for the grand babies, how much is too much?  Especially when you aren't seeing any grateful hearts and expectations begin to take over because,...

Your adult child is battling depression, thoughts of suicide, and has rejected your faith.  That's enough to send any parent into high anxiety, control and worry. On this re-air of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia faced this exact situation with their young adult daughter, Jamilyn.  This is a podcast you dare not miss! Hear her story of God's faithfulness and the joy that came out of the...

There’s a moment every dad faces when your child doesn’t need you the way they used to. And if you’re not careful, you can start to feel unnecessary - sidelined - even replaced. But what if stepping to the sidelines isn’t rejection?  What if it’s actually your next assignment as a father? In this "Best of " episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, we talk about the quiet transition no one prepares dad...