The Parent Pivot Podcast

Pivoting from being a parent to a partner requires an awareness of the difference between our tribes, and tribalism.  On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia show us what it means to care for our tribes as a partner, while pointing our the dangers of tribalism and how that impacts our relationships with our adult children.   Contact Steve and Julia on Facebook at The Parent Pi...

When our kids were little our #1 goal as parents was to raise responsible adults.  Responsibility is a core value in raising kids, Amen?!   When they become adults, one of the hardest things to do to pivot from a parent to a partner is to release responsibility.  It's not easy.  We want our kids to succeed in every sense of the word in life and when they don't, we can often blame ourselves. Listen...

Pivoting is not easy.  It never is.  You have to be intentional to change your trajectory.  When it comes to pivoting from being a parent to a partner, we need to start with us - Mom and Dad. What's the key to pivoting and becoming the healthy partner to your adult child? On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia walk us through ways we can achieve a healthier balance in life wh...

Football season is in full swing and you've likely seen a runner get stopped at the line of scrimmage and gang tackled to the ground.  Five or six guys against one all piling on. What does that have to do with pivoting from a parent to a partner, you ask? On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia bring us some sound counsel on what to do when we find our adult child - no matter...

We all do it.  We mask up to protect our hearts from shame, judgment and criticism and it's all based on fear.  The Enemy wins because we don't want anyone to know the real me. Guess what?  That one dynamic prevents us from having a deeper relationship with our adult children. On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia openly share how being authentic about our lives with our adu...

The "American Dream" our culture has sold us for generations is changing.  Watching our adult children struggle to get sustaining jobs and buy a home is becoming increasingly harder to attain, multiple studies have shown.  Aging parents to care for are also on the rise.  Is there another option for families to survive in this world today?  Steve and Julia believe there is, and there is hope for fa...

The American dream and landscape isn't what it used to be when Boomers got married.  Multiple studies are now showing that our adult children are struggling with being able to buy a home.  On the other end of the generational pendulum, elderly parents need a safe place to live when other options aren't viable. Maybe you find yourself in a similar life situation and you're wondering: Is there anoth...

Have you ever noticed there's one essential ingredient missing in most of our relationships?  And, Steve and Julia believe it's the single most important factor in order to pursue healthy relationships with our adult children. What is this powerful catalyst?  On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia remind us as parent what life was like when we were young adults.  It's a podca...

If your adult child has cut you out of his or her life—whether for a long or short time—it is a gut-wrenching experience. It often provokes deep feelings of shame, guilt, bewilderment, and hurt, all of which can easily turn to anger. On top of that, it can also arouse people’s worst suspicions ("Surely, the Smiths must be terrible parents for their daughter to cut them off like that!") and leave y...

Whether we realize it or not, or even BELIEVE it, shame can affect our relationships with our adult children.  It seeks to destroy our identity as a parent and replace it with a damaged version of ourselves.  The good news is: we don't have to continue to live this way. On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia unpack how shame can be overcome and you can begin to have that heal...

Every day it seems it's getting harder and harder to make it in this world.  If you have hard-working adult kids struggling to get sustainable jobs and housing, you're not alone.  What can we do as partners to help them? On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia Cummings share their own story of being struggling newlyweds and having kids and how they were able to survive only to...

Summertime is a good time to watch a good movie and laugh with your mate.  Sometimes laughing at other people can bring home some valuable messages to evaluate how you are doing. On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia share about some recent events they went through, and how a popular movie they watched again can help you as a partner of an adult child.   Videos to watch ment...

Many young adults today are in no hurry to grow up. They are meandering toward responsibility and life's most important decisions, while wearing t-shirts jokingly complaining about "adulting." Does that sound like your adult child? On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia shed some light on how you can come alongside your "emerging adult" with curiosity and how creating a safe...

It's bound to happen.  Your adult child is hurt by something they see their grandparents do for their sibling and not for them.  Do you get involved? Ignore it? Take sides? Explain it away? In yet another "real time" episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia walk through a situation that just happened that involved their adult child and their grandparent. How do you navigate this one wh...

Your husband's relationship with your adult child is heading south fast and causing tension in the family.  Or maybe it's your wife's relationship.  Your adult child comes to you because you're safe and now you're in the middle.  Now what? If this resonates with you, you'll want to be sure to listen to this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast. Steve and Julia Cummings provide some helpful counsel...

An estimated 2.7 million grandparents in the United States are taking the lead in raising their grandchildren. More than 6.1 million children under 18 live in their grandparents' households. On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia bring some helpful insights and counsel to help you have healthy partner relationships with your adult children as grandparents.    Contact Steve &...

Pivoting from parent to partner requires intentional action.  If you're reacting to your adult child all the time, chances are your relationship is struggling.  It's only a matter of time before it completely fractures. What can we do in the moment when our heart is racing, our gut is tense and worry, anxiety and fear are overwhelming us? On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Juli...

Pivoting from parent to partner is hard enough on its own.  But what happens if you have an adult child away at college, a high schooler at home, AND your elderly parent living with you?  That a LOT to handle day in and day out. How do you navigate all of that when it can be so overwhelming? On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia recount a recent situation and with grace and...

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 episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, we talk about the quiet transition no one prepares dads for and how...

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 edition 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...

Your adult child is spiraling, going through a difficult time, or maybe he/she can't seem to get their head above water and it's hard to watch.  What is a PARTNER of an adult child to do? On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, you'll hear Steve and Julia talk about a fresh experience in real time of feeling helpless, and through their journey provide a path for us to maintain healthy relatio...

Parenting can be hard enough when you have a large family, and often times your oldest kids are off to college while you still have ones at home. On this edition of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia provide some helpful insights to help you navigate being a Parent one minute and a Partner the next - all at the same time.  Sound crazy? Listen in today for some practical tips to stay sane. ...

Your adult child is getting married soon.  Maybe it's your first, or maybe you're well into being an in-law. Life is about to change dramatically.  It can be full of tension and stress, or freedom and peace. You hold the key.  On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia provide three guiding principles you can put into practice today to maintain a healthy relationship with your ad...

All of us have a story.  As parents of adult children, no two kids will have exactly the same story.  Recognizing this sooner than later will go a long way to breaking those "molds" we can create for our kids.     On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia welcome their second oldest adult child, Campbell, as he shares his journey to find himself and a life partner.  It's a uniqu...

Death, cancer, infidelity, infertility, alcoholism and more would cause anyone to be bitter, angry and not someone you'd want to be around.  But when you "choose" to see life as a glass that is half full, your life will be richer and more meaningful.  Not only that, you are creating a solid legacy for generations to come. On this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia share what they...