What do puberty, screen time, friendship difficulties, and curfews have in common? If you're parenting kids between 11 and 18, you've likely been navigating these universal challenges.

In this continuation of our Honest Parenting series, Gretchen and Jennifer share both ideals and real-life experiences as we raise children who are impacted by how puberty changes both bodies and emotions, layered onto a growing awareness of the world around them. As parents, we’re called to prioritize building trust with our sons and daughters. This trust becomes the foundation that gives us access to their hearts and minds during a season that can quickly overwhelm both them and us.

As our children begin to understand how and why their bodies change, we have the opportunity to come alongside them with nonjudgmental support, empathy, and practical information. They will have questions, and we can respond with gentleness and care.

The screen time conversation has exhausted many of us as we try to set healthy boundaries around digital media. With devices now serving as hubs for socializing, learning, shopping, finances, and entertainment, it’s increasingly difficult to define what’s healthy. In this episode, we discuss common challenges and share practical resources to help families create boundaries that are both realistic and sustainable.

What happens when our children begin to question (or even walk away from) the faith traditions of our family? Or when friendship disappointments lead to loneliness and isolation? This episode offers a vulnerable conversation filled with honest lessons, thoughtful guardrails, and encouragement for walking alongside our children during this critical stage without defaulting to fear, guilt, or constant conflict.

If you’re looking for voices shaped by experience, wisdom, and a touch of humor, you’re in the right place. We hope you’ll take a moment to listen.

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In the first ten years of parenting, we encounter an endless list of habits to train and attitudes to shape. The list rarely slows. Just as one milestone comes into focus, another appears on the horizon. Sleep schedules, potty training, picky eating, sibling conflict... the list of high priorities is unending.

In the fourth episode of our Honest Parenting series, Jennifer lightens the conversation with a few humorous anecdotes and a sprinkle of honest regrets. Gretchen shares both personal and professional wisdom with her voice as a seasoned mother and pediatrician.

As parents, we want to love and serve our children well, guiding them through their most formative years with intention. But real life rarely unfolds in tidy categories. We carry ideals of the kind of parent we hope to be, while navigating full days, divided attention, and the human limits of our time and energy.

In this episode, we step into the tension between what we envision and what everyday life actually looks like. From welcoming a new sibling and being mindful of how attention shifts, to creating small, consistent rhythms that help a child feel seen and secure, we talk through practical ways to build connection in the middle of change.

Whether it’s maintaining a simple routine with an older child, marking transitions with something meaningful, or just noticing where your presence matters most, this conversation focuses on the small decisions that shape a child’s experience over time. We hope you'll find a moment to listen.

Be sure to check out our show notes page for links to all of the resources mentioned. www.medicinemotherhood.com/blog/honestparenting

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How do we know when it’s time to make a change in our parenting? Why are we so drawn to promises of first-time obedience and simplified step-by-step formulas? Is there value in sharing our personal faith journey with our children?

In the third episode of our parenting series, Gretchen and Jennifer open up about mistakes, regrets, and the areas where things might be been different, wrapped up with a reminder that it’s never too late to pivot toward building trust and depth in our relationships with our kids.

After hearing from so many of you following our conversation on spanking in episode two, we circle back with a few additional thoughts and reflections.

More than anything, this episode is a reminder: our mistakes don’t get the final word. We’re not defined by the places we fell short. Whether you’re parenting toddlers, teens, adults, or somewhere in between, our hope is that this conversation feels like a tender nudge toward seeking what the Lord desires for you and your family.

May we be courageous and honest with one another as we learn to honor the image of God in the personhood of our children. We hope you’ll find a moment here to pause, reflect, and consider whether it's time to pivot.

Be sure to check out our show notes page for links to all of the resources mentioned. www.medicinemotherhood.com/blog/honestparenting

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In the second episode of our parenting series, Gretchen brings her perspective as a pediatrician, and Jennifer gets personal as we dig into some of the most debated parenting topics like spanking, time-outs, cry-it-out, Babywise, and what discipline looks like in real life.

This is not an idealistic parenting conversation; this is about navigating everyday life with little ones while trying to do the best we can… and realizing how hard it actually is. We talk about marital disagreements in parenting, what the research says, what faith adds to the conversation, and where things get messy when the parenting books give bad guidance. If you have ever questioned the advice you were given, felt caught between different parenting voices, or lived with intense regrets, you are not alone.

We hope you’ll find encouragement and inspiration in this rare take on raising the next generation. Thanks for finding a moment with us.

Be sure to check out our show notes page for links to all of the resources mentioned. www.medicinemotherhood.com/blog/honestparenting

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We might end up saying the quiet part out loud in this new series. We can all agree that there is an abundance of parenting controversies, and we believe it’s time to start using our “outside voices.”

Born out of a friendship and a shared passion for motherhood, Gretchen and Jennifer dive headfirst into a deeply personal and humbling exploration of parenting. It’s hard to imagine a more universal human experience than raising children. From sleep training an infant to teen curfews to learning how to love our kids well into their adult lives (and more)… So much to discuss!

As we launch this series (with an open-ended number of episodes), we vulnerably confess our imperfections and aim to share our real-life experiences with honesty and humility. Expect candid conversations, thoughtful reflection, and a continued focus on the harmonization of ideals and everyday life.

We’ll also offer practical resources, unpack common myths and misconceptions, and bring a refreshing perspective: we’re all co-strugglers in parenting, often learning not only how to raise our children, but also how to redeem and reframe our own experiences of being parented.

We hope you’ll find a moment to listen and also share your thoughts and feedback as we aim for long-lasting generational impact. Your voice and your experience matter; we’d love to hear from you.

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The transition from Lent into Eastertide invites us to pause and reflect. Similar to Advent leading into Christmas, we are prepared by confronting our sin which awakens our hunger for reconciliation and redemption.

In this standalone episode, Gretchen and Jennifer explore the 50-day liturgical season of Easter through personal practices, family rhythms, and devotional resources.

Tucked into this conversation is a speed walk through the geographic and symbolic alignments of Passover, the birth of Christ, and the events of Holy Week, which some believe to be divinely centered around a place known as Migdal Eder.

May the good news of the resurrection dwell within you richly, and may this conversation be a blessing to all who hear.

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In this final episode of Meet the Artists, our friend Christine opens up about her creative journey as an artist, educator, and mother. She discusses her vision to protect and defend the innocence of our children so they can remain bold in their willingness to own and share their ideas. We also chat about how to tell the difference between a technical critique and a tormenting inner narrative.

While Christine’s ideals include a well-appointed studio with abundant natural light and no time constraints, she delights in everyday life’s opportunities to inspire and nurture her children’s creative pursuits, prepare healthy meals for her family, and find joy in creating beautiful spaces at home.

No matter where you fall on the spectrum of amateur to professional artist, this conversation promises to expand your understanding of the creative process and the value of artistic struggle. We hope you’ll find a moment to listen, and in the meantime, find something lovely in your everyday life and then share it with others. The world needs it now more than ever.

Show Notes: www.medicinemotherhood.com/blog/artists

Follow Find a Moment Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/findamomentpodcast/

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Raising a teen who loves the performing arts is a wild ride - from audition anticipation to exhausting rehearsal schedules to the adrenaline of tech week, all culminating in a whirlwind series of shows… If you know, you know!

This week’s episode in our Meet the Artists series is an interview with cohost Jennifer’s daughter. Now a high school freshman, Lucy shares with Gretchen and her mom how early exposure to the arts helped shape her aesthetic tastes. Some of her earliest memories include attending local performances of the Nutcracker ballet, traveling Broadway shows including Annie and The Sound of Music, and creating miniature performances at home with handmade clay figurines.

Although her first musical theater performance wasn’t until age nine, Lucy had a knack for captivating audiences since toddlerhood. Whether at family gatherings, homeschool functions, or cul-de-sac performances with the neighbors, the world has always been her stage.

As Lucy’s passion for performing grew, so did her awareness of the emotional complexities that come with it. How do you handle disappointment in casting decisions? What’s it like to hold personal excitement in one hand and a friend’s sadness and confusion in the other? Where is the intersection between theater and reality? Lucy opens up with listeners about her personal encounters with these scenarios and much more.

Whether you love being in the audience, backstage, or in the spotlight, this conversation levels the field with honesty, encouragement, and a healthy perspective on ideals and everyday life. Lucy’s childhood has been enriched by the undeniable spirit of community theater, and if you’re a parent and you’re wondering how to support the artistic pursuits of your children, she has words of wisdom for you. If you’re a young person who desires a life of performance and creativity, you'll feel encouraged to keep reaching for the stars! We hope you’ll find a moment to listen!

Show Notes: www.medicinemotherhood.com/blog/artists

Follow Find a Moment Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/findamomentpodcast/

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