Walk Beside Me

In this episode, I'm discussing the power of welcoming our children's requests for the things they want, plus how we as parents and spouses can kindly make requests of our loved ones. So many adults struggle to ask for help or go after the things they want in life. I'm confident that the fear of asking for the things we want is rooted in the way that adults responded to our expressions...

With a lot of new listeners out there recently, I wanted to use this episode to shed a little more light on who I am and why I'm doing what I'm doing. I'm sharing my personal background, which includes a long history of perfectionism and high-achieving, but also a good dose of guilt and shame. All of which led me to be terrified of parenting. Not only because I was afraid of doing it i...

This past week I finished reading "The Outward Mindset," a book published by the Arbinger Institute. Although this book is written primarily for leaders of business organizations, the principles it teaches are totally applicable to parents. Which makes sense, because parents are organizational leaders—the organization just happens to be called a family, and the people being led just happ...

About a month ago, I quit my job as an attorney and went full-time, stay-at-home-mom mode. In this episode, I’m sharing the questions and principles that have guided me as I’ve navigated law school, working as a part-time lawyer, and (temporarily?) "retiring." Questions for decision making: What feels like love? In a perfect world, what would I want? What decision is closest to that? Wha...

The most stressful thing for me as a new parent was trying to figure out what the truth about parenting is. There is a LOT of noise out there, especially in today's world of social media and information overload. In this episode, I'm sharing how I use 2 Timothy 1:7 (a.k.a. my favorite scripture verse of all time) as a framework to identify what advice is meant for me. This framework helps...

For the first three years of my marriage, I struggled to see my husband's and my differences in a helpful light. I was quick to judge, condemn, accuse, and go into an emotional spiral. While I am still actively letting go of these natural man tendencies, since becoming a mom I have gained some perspectives that have blessed me with an abundant supply of compassion and patience for ALL humans. Not...

In this episode, I’m inviting you to throw out the one ingredient that will ruin parenting for you: FEAR. I’m sure you’ve heard “faith over fear” a million times. But unfortunately, the world’s way of parenting is extremely fear-driven, which means it can be pretty counterintuitive to parent from a place of faith. Join me in this episode as I address five common parenting fears: Fear of what other...

This episode is part 2 of 2 in my series on punishment. In part 1 (episode 15), I discussed the practical and spiritual reasons that we don't need to use punishment in order to teach our kids. If you haven't listened to part 1 yet, listen to it here: Apple podcasts Spotify YouTube In this episode, I'm offering six alternatives to punishment: six ways that we can teach our kids without...

This episode is part 1 of 2 in my series on punishment. In this episode, I talk about the practical and spiritual reasons for why we don't need to use punishment in our parenting. If our goal as parents is to teach our children, then it's time for us to start thinking deeply about the lessons that punishment is really teaching. Does it really teach kids self-discipline and morality? Or doe...

I almost didn't record an episode this week... Moving to Florida has been challenging to say the least. My heart is heavy, mourning the life we left behind in California. My motivation and mood have been uncomfortably low. In other words, I've been stuck in a rut. But life has blessed me with two other "ruts" over the past eight months, so I'm starting to become a pro at navi...

Mosiah 18:9 describes three commitments we make when we are baptized. And this verse is also the perfect formula for helping anyone—our kids, friends, spouses, or selves—through "big emotions." In this episode, I'm walking through each step of this formula and why the order of these steps is so helpful for working through anger, fear, and sadness. Long story short, we can't effectively witness of...

Y'all are in for a treat this week. And yes, I am taking the liberty of saying "y'all" because my family just moved to the South and I'm not going to live below my privileges. For my very last episode filmed in California, I wanted to interview a dear friend and role model, Catina Haverlock. I have gotten to know Catina while serving the youth in our church together and am co...

Trust God. It's one of the most common refrains in scripture. We hear it all the time. But are we taking this commandment seriously? For some reason, I find it easier to trust God when there is a big change in my life. Moving across the country? God’s got a plan. Loved one passes away? They’re needed more on the other side. Lost my job? God’s got something better in store. But crayon on the walls?...

I am thrilled to welcome Walk Beside Me's inaugural guest: my dear friend McKenzie Rucker. McKenzie Rucker is many things: she is a graphic designer, web developer, wife, mother to 3 children, and passionate Jesus follower. I wanted her to join me on the podcast because she is one of those moms who radiates intentionality and joy with her children. When I asked McKenzie what she wanted to talk abo...

Giving instructions can be stressful for some parents—especially those of us who are trying to be respectful and conscious in how we communicate with our kids. How can we clearly communicate what we want without being overly controlling or domineering? And how do we respond when our children don't immediately obey? The good news is, God gives us an excellent example of how to give instructions...

How can you tell if you are successful as a parent? We might be tempted to measure our success by any of the following: What other people say about our parenting How quickly our children obey or comply Our kids' grades Our kids' extracurricular achievements How happy our kids are How cute our kids are How quickly our children pass developmental milestones Whether our children have everything they...

Where is the line between "spoiling" your child and simply being kind to them? Is there some kind of magical limit on the number of times we can give our children what they want before they become "spoiled"? In this episode, I'm challenging traditional fears surrounding spoiling with five scripture-inspired principles: Instead of worrying about "spoiling" your chi...

This one is for the ladies. Have you ever wondered whether Jesus really, really understands you? Especially when you're in the midst of periods, PMSing, pregnancy, miscarriage, infertility, postpartum, breastfeeding, singleness, or any other struggle that is uniquely female? We know He felt every pain, sickness, and struggle when He performed the Atonement. But could He really get it if He never a...

Not only do our words reveal our thoughts, they also reinforce them. Whenever I catch myself using the words/phrases "can't," "don't have time," "feel like," "need," "have to," and "let me," I realize I am living in a scarcity mindset and victim mentality. I am living a lie. I have a spirit of fear inside of me. But I want a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. So I remember my agency. I shift...

When you hear the words “preach repentance,” what do you think of? Does it mean standing in the middle of the town square, telling everyone to shape up and stop sinning? In this episode, I explore how preaching repentance can be as simple as helping your child clean up a mess. Forgiving your spouse immediately when they come home later than planned. Setting an example by learning from your own mis...

Join me as I talk about the foundational topic of agency: where it comes from, why it's a gift, and what it means for our relationship with our children. Spoiler: influence is more powerful than control. Resources I mention in the episode: Te r ryl Givens Interview on the "Faith Matters" Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qlo3SAFY8JE The Mellow Mama: instagram.com/themellowmama ⁠youtube.com/...

If you ever feel “triggered” by your child’s behavior, you’re in the right place. In this episode, I’m inviting you to view your children as guests from a foreign place that has different customs and culture. Our children are so new to this world—even if they’re multiple years old. It is our opportunity as their parents to help them accumulate to a healthy, loving, respectful culture. Thinking abo...

Meet Brooklyn and learn what "Walk Beside Me" is all about. Check out the Mellow Mama (mentioned in the podcast): IG - https://www.instagram.com/themellowmama/?hl=en https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mellow-mama-podcast/id1627338093