Thriving with 8 Podcast

Every mom hits the mommy wall every now and then! Whether it's health issues, depression/anxiety, postpartum, loneliness, or just plain exhaustion, we all reach points in motherhood when it's difficult to face the day.  Noelle Nicolai knows this feeling! Her life turned upside down when she started having health issues out of the blue. Three years have passed now, but the chronic illness still exi...

Katie felt helpless as she drove her 2-year old daughter to the ER! How could this have happened and how could she console her crying daughter in the backseat? Katie prayed silently and specifically for the help of angels. She knew unseen help was in the car when her daughter stopped crying and said, "thank you". This was one of many times she and her family felt heavenly help during her daughter'...

We all want to be the perfect parent for our kids. But being perfect doesn't mean we won't make mistakes! As family counselor Valerie Hamaker reminds us, "It's the process that counts." We need to ditch parenting perfectionism & strive for wholeness. We need to recognize that with in order to become better at something, we need to be bad first. When we feel frustrated by our shortcomings we can ap...

One of my favorite places to be is snuggled on the couch with one (or two, or three,...) of my kids reading a good book! There are so many benefits to reading with your kids such as bonding, increasing vocabulary, and making connections with the world. Storytime Mama takes reading to the next level by bringing literacy to life! In this episode Melissa shares many fun ways to bring  books to life b...

It was a day that Barb Winters will never forget, the moment her mom life changed! It was the day she found out that her teenage boy was addicted to pornography and in trouble. Thankfully, she was able to tell her son "we are on your side" as she helped him through this trial. But who was on her side?  What really struck her during this hard time was there was no help for herself. Where can parent...

Contrary to what it may seem, our kids are not out to get us. In this interview with Cheryl Cardall of Fight Like a Mother Podcast she reminds us that behavior is communication. Kids do well when they can and when they can't then there's something going on and we need to dig a little deeper. Instead of asking, "Why is my child acting like this?" we need to ask "What's really going on here?". When...

Flecks of gold. We all have them in our lives, but do we recognize them? As moms, we want big nuggets of gold-perfect days without crying children or dirty dishes. Sometimes we are too busy surviving the day to recognize the magic mom moments. But they are there when we look for them-the sticky kisses, sweet prayers, and small victories. Rachel Nielson of 3 in 30 Podcast shares her vision of her b...

Trusting God. It's an ongoing, lifelong process. How do you demonstrate trust in God as you tell your children you have cancer- only a short time after losing your mom and sister to the same diagnosis?  In this episode Niki Hardy-author, speaker, and thriver-shares 5 steps she takes to build trust in God and we can take them too. It's never been more important to teach our children to trust God an...

Although motherhood is a divine calling, it is also a lot of work. I believe that motherhood is a profession, not just a job. It is something to which we dedicate our life-once a mom, always a mom! We will thrive as moms as we invest in "professional" development and communicate with our "co-workers" and "team members". Most importantly, stay in tune to what "the boss" (Heavenly Father) needs you...

I love the smells, sights, sounds, and tastes of Christmas! But what I love best of all is witnessing the many acts of Christlike service throughout the season. Getting kids involved in serving others makes the season meaningful and turns the focus to lighting the world as our Savior would. This episode shares fun ways that we have been able to serve others during the years such as our hot chocola...

Music is powerful! Music can change a mood, help you feel God's love, bring back a memory, and motivate you to keep going. On the flip side, it can also make you feel angry, fill your mind with inappropriate lyrics and give you unwelcome thoughts.  Shawna Edwards , a thriving mom and talented composer, shares beautiful stories of how her songs have changed hearts, given encouragement, and blessed...

We can't always be present to protect our kids from online dangers. So how can we prepare and empower them to make smart media choices? Deanna Lambson, founder of White Ribbon Week , shares two specific tips, Tic-Tac-Toe and the 10-Minute Rule, that can help get us started. These tips apply to all ages! She also shares personal and heart-felt examples of how these two strategies have empowered her...

One of the greatest challenges of being a parent is meeting the needs of your children. Tamara is a Prevention Program Coordinator and expert in mental wellness. She discusses the pillars of motional health and where to start when our children are struggling. Our kids will THRIVE when their needs to feel safe (physically & emotionally), connected, and confident are met.    Pillars of Emotional Hea...

Due to the pandemic, the start of this school year is full of unknowns and anxiety. So how can we keep smiling, whether our kids are heading to school with a mask or staying home to do school online? Mom, teacher, and life coach Ceri Payne addresses how we can stay positive during uncertain times and how we can help our kids embrace changes in life.    More Information about Ceri Payne

Personal revelation is a critical skill to teach our children. Dina Alexander has written a beautiful book, "This is the Spirit of Revelation" , that outlines 4 steps in guiding our children to receive personal revelation. As parents we worry about teaching temporal skills such as cooking, laundry, and cleaning. But it's even more important to teach our kids spiritual skills such as praying, livin...

Family history is so much more than names and dates- it's about real people, stories, and making a connection. We can bring family history to life by making it fun and engaging for our children. We can do this through many creative ways such as games, trips, and songs. This episode presents many ways to connect your family to each other and the past. Remember, the activities of today will become y...

Because even diligent parents are overwhelmed by the digital choices our children are facing, Chris McKenna founded Protect Young Eyes. It is important that parents stay informed with changing technology trends in order to protect kids from online dangers and Protect Young Eyes is a great resource for families. Due to the pandemic, as well as summertime pattern changes, screen time often increases...

More than ever, our kids are dealing with feelings of disappointment, frustration, and grief! How do we help our kids navigate through these emotions? Do we try to re-create missed proms, end of the year activities, recitals, and sports seasons or just let them go? Join life coach Jill Freestone as she answers these questions and shares advice to help us all handle our big feelings in appropriate...

Moms wear many hats-nurse, maid, chauffeur, detective, event planner, law enforcer... the list could go on and on! But the most important hat that moms never take off is the crown of motherhood. Sometimes this crown gets buried beneath the other hats. As moms, we need to make sure that we remember that motherhood is a noble calling and let our crown shine! "Hats Off to Mother" Ann Romney Quote Joy...

Easter egg hunts, new pajamas on Christmas Eve, chili on Halloween night... These are all fun traditions that our family looks forward to each year. But are these the traditions that matter most? Are we consciously creating righteous traditions in our homes or focusing more on earthly traditions? Righteous traditions not only bring parents closer to their children, but also bring them to God. Thro...

Do you remember when the internet was new? I do! Now our kids live in a different world with almost 24/7 access. When it comes to our kids and pornography it's a matter of "when", not "if". So how do we educate our children so they can navigate the internet safely? In this interview, Parker from Fight the New Drug educates us on the dangers of porn and how it affects individuals, relationships, an...

Being happy each day can be a challenge, especially when things aren't "perfect". Mom life is wonderful, but it can sometimes be difficult to choose happiness instead of frustration. In this episode, Michelle McCullough shares some happy habits that will help us become even better than an optimist-be the happyIST! The happyIST doesn't just look on the bright side-they live there!

"Out of the mouths of babes" denotes wisdom given from a child. Teenagers also have wisdom to share. In this episode high school seniors, Zach and Harmony, give a teen perspective on life. What is enjoyable about being a teen, how does technology bless and hinder them, what are their greatest challenges? Zach and Harmony also give their best advice to parents so listen up and don't judge as you en...

As a social worker and mental health advisor, Lyle Burrup has seen many youth "falling apart". This is due largely to an increase in stress and a lack of resilience. Lyle teaches 3 tips to help parents in their quest to raise resilient, stress hardy kids. Learning and effort are the keys to resilience.    8 Tips for Building Resilience Article: Resilience-Spiritual Armor for Today's Youth Article:...

When Jenny chose to left her prestigious career with the National Symphony Orchestra she had no idea what the future would hold. She only knew that the Spirit had prompted her to close that chapter in her life and choose to focus on motherhood. Now 12 years later, Jenny is still achieving her dreams as a concert violinist, but now they include her family. The Baker family thrives through working h...