Épisodes

  • Moving Beyond Strict Parenting: Balancing Boundaries and Connection

    Moving Beyond Strict Parenting: Balancing Boundaries and Connection
    Jan 26 2026
    Strong on correction but struggling to connect? In this third episode of the “Don’t Stay Stuck” series, host Stacy Bellward and Certified Parent Coach Katie Wetsell take on a challenge many who value strict parenting face: how to soften without losing structure? If you value obedience but want warmer relationships with your kids, this episode offers hope and practical next steps. Key Takeaways: Understanding the God-given strengths of parents who lean toward the top of the Connected Families Framework™Rethinking immediate obedienceLiving out loud and setting an example for your childrenPitfalls of high-demand and low-compassion parentingPractical tools for getting unstuck and finding balance in your parenting Mentioned in this Podcast: Katie Wetsell – Connected Families Certified Parent Coach Free Parenting Assessment PDFBlog Post – First-Time Obedience: Should I Require Immediate Obedience from My Child?Ephesians 6:4Galatians 6:1 Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting! This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table! Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show! Guest Bio: Katie Wetsell has always had a calling on her heart to care for children. She has worked as a pediatric oncology nurse and pediatric nurse practitioner. After experiencing the benefits of parent coaching through Connected Families, Katie later resigned from nursing and became a Certified Parent Coach. She and her husband have four children (three boys and a girl) through birth and adoption. Katie is also trained in SPACE treatment to help parents learn how to support their children struggling with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. You can learn more about Katie at parentwithhope.org, and on Facebook @parentwithhopecoach and Instagram @parentwithhopecoach. © 2025 Connected Families Dare to dream of peace again. It’s not hopeless. You can ENJOY YOUR KIDS AGAIN. CONNECT WITH A PARENT COACH
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    30 min
  • Kind and Firm: Setting Boundaries with Kids | Ep. 284

    Kind and Firm: Setting Boundaries with Kids | Ep. 284
    Jan 19 2026
    In this second week of our Don’t Stay Stuck series, we’re shifting our focus to parents who are “stuck” at the bottom of the Connected Families Framework™. Being naturally bent toward compassion is a God-given superpower, but what happens when parents are consistently overly permissive? Setting boundaries with kids can be challenging at times. Listen in as Stacy chats with Katie Wetsell, a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach, to encourage you to be kind and firm. Key Takeaways: How our parenting defaults can actually come from God-given giftsWhat does it look like to get stuck at the bottom of the Framework: Am I too soft?How balance helps kids build wisdom and resilience in their long-term relationshipsConcrete examples you can use to add more firmness to your parenting Mentioned in this Podcast: Free Parenting AssessmentHelpful Truths and Hurtful Beliefs PDF downloadKatie Wetsell – Connected Families Certified Parent CoachEp. 98 – Can You Parent Well When You’re Anxious?Ep. 99 – How Can I Identify Anxiety In My Child?2 Timothy 1:7Blog Post – Am I Too Soft? Finding The Strength To Be Both Kind and FirmBlog Post – First-Time Obedience: Should I Require Immediate Obedience from My Child?The Table Monthly Giving Program Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting! This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table! Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show! Guest Bio: Katie Wetsell has always had a calling on her heart to care for children. She has worked as a pediatric oncology nurse and pediatric nurse practitioner. After experiencing the benefits of parent coaching through Connected Families, Katie later resigned from nursing and became a Certified Parent Coach. She and her husband have four children (three boys and a girl) through birth and adoption. Katie is also trained in SPACE treatment to help parents learn how to support their children struggling with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. You can learn more about Katie at parentwithhope.org, and on Facebook @parentwithhopecoach and Instagram @parentwithhopecoach. © 2025 Connected Families Dare to dream of peace again. It’s not hopeless. You can ENJOY YOUR KIDS AGAIN. CONNECT WITH A PARENT COACH
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    31 min
  • Don’t Stay Stuck: Hopeful Change in Your Default Parenting Habits

    Don’t Stay Stuck: Hopeful Change in Your Default Parenting Habits
    Jan 12 2026
    Ever wonder why you keep defaulting to the same old parenting habits? Stacy Bellward and Connected Families Certified Parent Coach Lori Menikheim explore what causes parents to get stuck, and how to find their way forward. Join us as we begin this 3-part series, Don’t Stay Stuck, and gain some practical insights for developing balance in your parenting journey. Key Takeaways: Hear stories of what getting stuck looks likeLearn about the 4 messages of the Connected Families Framework and how it helps to move forwardLearn how developing balance transforms the parent-child relationship Mentioned in this Podcast: Free Parenting Assessment My Child Refuses to Listen: A Compassionate Approach to PDA | Ep. 282Connected Families Certified Parent Coach ProgramLuke 1:17Power of Questions Online CourseEbook – What Kids Need: 4 Messages That Build IdentityLori Menikheim – Connected Families Certified Parent CoachThe Table Monthly Giving ProgramBook – How to Grow a Connected Family Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting! This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table! Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show! Guest Bio: Lori Menikheim is a wife, mom of two strong-willed teenage girls, and Kids Ministry leader with over 15 years of experience. When she discovered Connected Families, she finally found the language, tools, and hope to parent well and lead ministry well. Now she loves connecting with parents and ministry leaders who want to partner with God in reaching the next generation. © 2025 Connected Families Ready to dive in and learn more about the Framework? Our 8-session online course, Discipline That Connects With Your Child’s Heart will guide you through each level of the Framework. If you’re looking for a grace-filled way to parent, this course is for you! Parent with Confidence Discipline with Love Take the 8-session online course Discipline That Connects With Your Child’s Heart . REGISTER NOW!
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    33 min
  • My Child Refuses to Listen: A Compassionate Approach to PDA

    My Child Refuses to Listen: A Compassionate Approach to PDA
    Jan 5 2026
    Happy New Year! Welcome back to another year of exciting content that we pray will leave you equipped and ready for the unique calling of parenthood you’ve been gifted with this year. You may be wondering, “What is pathological demand avoidance (PDA)?” When your child refuses to listen, it may not be defiance but rather a dysregulated nervous system. In this most-downloaded episode of 2025, hear from Connected Families Content Manager, Laura Way, and Connected Families Certified Parent Coach and homeschooling mom, Lydia Rex, as they unpack PDA. Learn how to partner with your child through these challenging moments, using a graceful approach and practical tools from the Connected Families Framework. Key Takeaways: How the Connected Families Framework applies to parenting a sensitive or intense childSimple things you can do now to support your childDiscover ways to shift your perspective and view your experience as a gift Mentioned in this Podcast: Connected Families Sensitive & Intense online courseConnected Families Power of Questions online courseHebrews 4:15 Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting! This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table! Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show! Guest Bio: Lydia Rex is a registered nurse turned Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) practitioner and parent coach to families with young kids, especially those who have sensory needs or developmental trauma. No stranger to the challenges of parenting, Lydia offers empathy, encouragement, and a deep commitment to walking alongside parents through the Connected Families Framework. It’s her joy to see God’s grace healing the hearts of parents and children. Lydia, her husband Kyle, and their two kids live in Iowa, where they enjoy homeschooling, outdoor activities, and reading lots of books. Laura Way felt like she was drowning as a young mom overseas. She thinks that God provided Connected Families for her when she needed it most. She’s thrilled to be on the team, offering hope & help to others! Laura and her husband live in Florida with their two elementary-aged daughters. In her free time, Laura loves to read in her hammock or have coffee with friends. © 2025 Connected Families Dare to dream of peace again. It’s not hopeless. You can ENJOY YOUR KIDS AGAIN. CONNECT WITH A PARENT COACH
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    36 min
  • Behind the Scenes: Intentional Parenting in 2026 and Beyond!

    Behind the Scenes: Intentional Parenting in 2026 and Beyond!
    Dec 29 2025

    In this heartfelt year-end episode, Connected Families team members Stacy Bellward, Chad Hayenga, and Joe Dewey gather to reflect on a transformative year and share exciting plans for 2026 to continue to encourage you on your journey with intentional parenting. Along the way, they open up about their own families’ rhythms for reflecting on the year past and looking ahead. This episode has practical ideas you can try with your own family. Whether you’re curious about what’s next for Connected Families or looking for fresh ways to close out the year together, this episode has something for you.

    Key Takeaways:
    • Ideas for family rhythms for year-end reflection
    • Connected Families highlights from 2025
    • Looking forward to 2026
    Mentioned in this Podcast:
    • The Heart of Jesus, Dan Orland Book
    • Connected Families Impact Stories
    • Donate to Connected Families
    • Connected Families Certified Parent Coach Program

    Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting!

    This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table!

    Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show!

    Guest Bio:

    Joe Dewey is a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach. He has a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering and has served in full-time ministry with Cru in Leader Development and Human Resources since 2010. He has been a certified life coach since 2017. These experiences and more have molded him to lead with solutions. Whether it comes to ministry or parenting, he finds clarity in the midst of complexity, providing win-win solutions.

    Chad Hayenga joined Connected Families in 2005. He is married to Carma and has three adult daughters and two sons-in-law. Chad oversees coaching and the Parent Coach Certification Program, which continues to grow in its reach across North America and worldwide.

    © 2025 Connected Families
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    33 min
  • Blessed to Be a Blessing: Marriage, Parenting & Legacy

    Blessed to Be a Blessing: Marriage, Parenting & Legacy
    Dec 22 2025

    What does it look like to live out the Connected Families Framework? What does it look like to live it out in your own heart and relationships? In this final episode of our 3-part series, Hope for the Long Haul, Jim and Lynne Jackson share how the Framework has shaped their lives over time: from finding their identity in Jesus, to marriage, to navigating the joys and challenges of parenting adult children. If you’re wondering whether this stuff really helps in the long term, this one’s for you.

    Key Takeaways:
    • How and what the Connected Families Framework has looked like in their marriage
    • Learning that Jesus is our “report card”
    • What it looks like to keep the connection alive in marriage and in parenting
    • How gifts gone awry and “Foundation” messages impacted their working careers
    Mentioned in this Podcast:
    • Genesis 12:1-3
    • Book mentioned – Connecting: Healing Ourselves and Our Relationships by Dr. Larry Crabb
    • The Entitlement Fix online course
    • Donate to Connected Families
    • Trash, Truth, Treasure online mini-course
    • The Connected Families Framework
    • Podcast – Payoffs & Accidental Rewards: How to Focus on the Right Stuff

    Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting!

    This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table!

    Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show!

    Guest Bio:

    Jim and Lynne Jackson are the Co-Founders of Connected Families in Plymouth, MN. With over 50 combined years of professionally helping families and a love for working in the church, Jim and Lynne have been dedicated to bringing reliable, God-centered, research-based parenting resources to all families since 2002.

    © 2025 Connected Families
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    25 min
  • Surviving the "Helpful" Advice at Holiday Gatherings

    Surviving the "Helpful" Advice at Holiday Gatherings
    Dec 18 2025

    In this audioblog, we take on a topic relevant to holiday gatherings: what to do when you receive unsolicited advice from well-meaning relatives? From preparing ahead of time to helping your kids navigate criticisms, today you’ll hear some practical strategies to help you continue to parent confidently in your grace-based approach.

    Key Takeaways:
    • How to have empathetic responses with your family members before redirecting their approaches
    • Confident responses to practice in advance
    • How to equip your kids with truth before the gathering
    Mentioned in this Podcast:
    • Blog – How to Handle Unsolicited Parenting Advice from Family (4 Grace-Filled Tips)
    • PDF – Scripts for Unsolicited Advice
    • Holiday Family Stress? How to Actually Enjoy Family Gatherings | Ep. 276
    • Luke 1:17
    • Free E-Book – What Kids Need: 4 Messages That Build Identity
    • The Table Monthly Giving Program
    • Give a Gift to Connected Families

    Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting!

    This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table!

    Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show!

    © 2025 Connected Families
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    15 min
  • Loving (and Liking) My Kids for a Lifetime

    Loving (and Liking) My Kids for a Lifetime
    Dec 15 2025

    Keeping “like” alive is what an enduring connection is all about! This week, Connected Families Co-Founders Jim and Lynne Jackson share more about the importance and benefits of lasting connection over time and why it’s the cornerstone of lasting family relationships. Hear from a long-time friend and Connected Families board member on how the framework has impacted his relationships over time, like a compass redirecting him back to loving his kids well and what’s most important when life gets off center. Learn how connection becomes the pathway toward true discipleship and godly influence.

    Key Takeaways:
    • Staying light even in hard times can transform your love into enduring like
    • Discover how parents turning their hearts to their children influences generations
    • How connection grew from an idea to taking root in Dave Scouler’s family over time
    • Connection is the springboard into authentic discipleship
    Mentioned in this Podcast:
    • When Parenting Styles Differ: Finding Unity with Your Strong-Willed Child | Ep. 277
    • John 17
    • The Table Monthly Giving Program
    • Give a Gift to Connected Families
    • Luke 1:17
    • Want to Build a Connected Family? Be Intentional | Ep. 84
    • How to Build a Connected Family – Book
    The Scouler Family

    Check out our website for more resources to support your parenting!

    This podcast was made possible by members of The Table, whose monthly support creates a ripple effect of change for generations to come. We’d love to have you take a seat at The Table!

    Love the podcast? Leave a review to help other parents discover the show!

    Guest Bio:

    Dave Scouler has been married for over 30 years and has two amazing boys who joined their family through adoption from Russia. He has been a champion of Connected Families since its founding. Dave has worked in a diverse set of consulting environments and has over 40 years of experience helping clients respond to changing realities. He has served on multiple non-profit Boards and gets excited when given the chance to think strategically. When he is not working, he enjoys working on projects with his boys, being with his four dogs, swimming, and sailing.

    © 2025 Connected Families
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    28 min