Fresh Start Family Show

Latest Episodes:

6 Important Messages to Send Kids When Disciplining Jun 28, 2023

Show notes

On this episode of the Fresh Start Family Show, Wendy has an open discussion surrounding discipline and punishment. The focus of this episode is to help families overcome the mindset that harsh punishments are necessary and to empower parents to get courageous with trying new compassionate discipline tools that will strengthen relationships, while allowing parents to feel proud and empowered with integrity.

Wendy gives tips & tools to help parents faithfully believe that our children are capable of massive change and improvement with firm, loving and compassionate discipline tools.

You’ll learn about 6 messages to always communicate when disciplining:

Everyone makes mistakes.
Mistakes are just opportunities to learn.
You’re not in trouble– you’re safe.
I am here to mentor and teach you.
You are empowered to make a different choice tomorrow.
I am on your side.

For links & more info about everything discussed in this episode, head to www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/178.

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Why Strong Willed Kids React So Badly to Punishment Jun 21, 2023

Show notes

On this episode of The Fresh Start Family Show, Wendy gets down to the root of why punishing strong-willed kids doesn’t actually work. The need to feel powerful is one we all have, and it’s even more so with these kids. If we lean into punishment and try to “break their will”, we’re actually missing an important opportunity to mentor and help them become the future leader and world changer they were meant to be.

It’s so important to understand:

a.) you're not crazy

b.) your kids aren't broken

c.) why you're running into such problems

There is a way to parent these incredible kiddos with integrity and firm kindness that works and they respond to so well!

For links & more info about everything discussed in this episode, head to www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/177.

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4 Reasons to Heal Your Trauma with Travis Goodman, LMFT Jun 14, 2023

Show notes

This episode of The Fresh Start Family Show is all about what is trauma, how we learned to adapt to survive (often in unhealthy ways), and why it’s so important that we spend time getting the help and healing we need to put those traumas to rest and be whole.

Terry and Wendy’s guest this week is Travis Goodman of Therapy4Dads. He is a licensed LMFT and host of the Therapy4Dads podcast where he helps men heal from their past so they can be more emotionally available in their present day lives as fathers.

In order to help the men in our lives be open to healing from a lifetime of cultural conditioning and trauma from life, it’s so important that we offer curiosity, patience, & empathy.

Tune in to hear more on 4 reasons why we all (both fathers AND mothers) want to heal from our trauma:

1. Integration - trauma causes Disintegration in our Mind, Body & Soul. When healed we can feel safe and re-integrated

2. Relational - left unhealed, we have difficulty trusting & feeling safe & secure. When healed, we can engage in healthy relationships w/ ourselves, others & the world.

3. Calm / Rest - unhealed often easily triggered into a fight/flight/freeze response & we can’t fully relax & have a heightened arousal state. When healed, our nervous system can rest, therefore we can rest, be present and live in the moment.

4. Identity - with trauma often comes shame and unhealthy guilt. This often keeps us stuck. When healed, we no longer buy into those negative shame messages & beliefs. We are able to see the TRUTH of who we are.

For links & more info about everything discussed in this episode, head to www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/176.

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When Strong Wills & Picky Eating Collide - with Danielle Binns, CN Jun 07, 2023

Show notes

On this episode of The Fresh Start Family Show, Wendy chats with Danielle Binns - Certified Nutritionist, Picky Eating Expert, and more importantly, a mom of three. After having a daughter born with a heart defect and labeled “failure to thrive”, Danielle found her passion in helping families make meal planning more joyful, especially parents of picky eaters.

This conversation helps us understand the correlation between our beautifully strong-willed kids being picky eaters. It’s not us against them that gets results. We want to find a way to help everyone win.

Tune in to hear us discuss:

1. You're not taking crazy pills, it's hard AF to have a strong-willed picky eater - there’s no denying that facing this challenge as a parent has a high degree of difficulty - give yourself grace you’re doing a great job.

2. Things CAN get better if you're willing to try new things - strategies covered include: a. empower them / give them a sense of control, b. create boundaries & structure (kids need & like fences), c. set expectations for how meals will go.)

Wendy & Danielle also chat about some common mistakes even the most well-meaning parents make around mealtime with picky eaters. You don’t want to miss this conversation!

For links & more info about everything discussed in this episode, head to www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/175 & www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/pickyeating

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Moving Through Fears We Hold as Parents May 31, 2023

Show notes

On this episode of The Fresh Start Family Show, Wendy sits down with homeschool expert Jennifer Pepito about the fears we face in parenting and how to move through them. Jennifer is mama to 7 kiddos, founder of The Peaceful Press homeschool curriculum resources, host of the Restoration Home podcast and co-host of the Wild + Free podcast.

There are so many things that can hold us back as parents, and our fears and worries really do affect more than just us. Working through them is not only healthy for us, it’s healthy for our whole family. Tune in as Wendy and Jennifer get into what’s behind our fears and what we can do about them to live in abundance.

For links & more info about everything discussed in this episode, head to www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/174.

Grab your free Quick Start Learning Bundle on Raising Strong Willed Kids with Integrity!

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You Can Do Hard Things May 24, 2023

Show notes

On this episode of The Fresh Start Family Show, Wendy and Terry discuss recent surfing experiences and draw comparisons to parenting. The methods they used to face and overcome the swells are the same they use to overcome challenging parenting moments:

Acknowledge your fear and face it – on the other side are bravery and courage.
Use your breath and your self-calming capabilities. This will empower you to be an effective teacher and a parent who acts with integrity.
Stick to a plan or your training and be able to adapt.
Celebrate your courage and bravery at the end.

For links & more info about everything discussed in this episode, head to www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/173.

Grab your free Quick Start Learning Bundle on Raising Strong Willed Kids with Integrity!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Change Feels Hard AF May 17, 2023

Show notes

On this episode of The Fresh Start Family Show, Wendy and community coach and podcast manager Amy break down why we often resist change and how to move forward when we feel scared of it and why it sometimes just feels so hard.

Whether it’s change that we choose or change that’s thrown upon us, one thing for sure is that we often resist it because it brings discomfort. If we can acknowledge why we are inclined to fight it and work to re-wire our brains to adapt and roll with it, it is often much easier to do!

Even when changing up our parenting game feels scary and hard, we can apply a few strategies to help us move forward with intention.

Tune in to hear what we can do to help navigate through the “hard”:

1. Visioning - Defining what we want & clearly picturing the end goal

2. Expecting the Hard & knowing what to do with it - Acknowledge that it is going to SUCK. No need to sugar coat it. Change does often lead to bigger and better things.

3. Make a plan - If you’re someone who needs accountability, the Fresh Start Experience is THE place to get it! No one said it has to suck alone!

4. Finding joy in the journey - Learning to document the small AND big wins which stack over time & lead to massive moments of accomplishment.

5. Celebrate your progress and successes along the way. It’s not going to happen overnight, so just buckle in and get cozy. Our future self will thank us.

For links & more info about everything discussed in this episode, head to www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/172.

Grab your free Quick Start Learning Bundle on Raising Strong Willed Kids with Integrity!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Seeing Boundaries as Building Fences vs Using Leashes with Our Kids with Destini Ann Davis May 10, 2023

Show notes

On this episode of the Fresh Start Family Show, Wendy chats with the incredible Destini Ann Davis. Destini is a working mom and parenting coach, author, TedX speaker and host of B*tch, You Doing a Good Job podcast. She advocates for peaceful parenting and positive discipline techniques that encourage both the parent and child to connect and communicate.

Wendy and Destini dig into the intriguing topic of seeing boundaries as building fences (which help kids develop intrinsic control and allows the child to practice making decisions) vs using leashes with our kids (which are designed to control our kids and always backfires in the end).

Tune in to hear them discuss how using boundaries as fences:

creates freedom - allow our kids to experience life, be curious & learn through experience without going too far
creates safety for our kids to find who they are, express themselves & be curious
builds the life skills they need to be successful adults
builds connection with kids who know the fences are built to help them

For links & more info about everything discussed in this episode, head to www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/171.

Grab your free Quick Start Learning Bundle on Raising Strong Willed Kids with Integrity!

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The Secret to Getting Strong Willed Kids to Listen & Cooperate May 03, 2023

Show notes

This week on the Fresh Start Family Show, Wendy is sharing the secret to getting strong willed kiddos to listen better and cooperate more.

How do we know if we have a strong willed kid? Well for one, they push back…a lot (duh!) … and they’re usually not ones to easily ‘go with the flow’ and let others be in charge. This is something that is going to serve them so well in their futures, provided we learn some important tools on how to guide and mentor their natural ability to lead, vs intimidate or punish it out of them (which often just leads to more push back and rebellion later in life.)

Tune in to learn what we can do as parents who have been blessed with a strong willed kid so we can:

Have more peace in our homes
Help them reach their full potential in life
Have more connection & great relationship with them
Help our kids cooperate easier without threatening, yelling & intimidating

For links & more info about everything discussed in this episode, head to www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/170.

Grab your free Quick Start Learning Bundle on Raising Strong Willed Kids with Integrity!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Faith, the Bible & Being LGBQT+ Affirming Apr 26, 2023

Show notes

This episode of the Fresh Start Family Show brings a beautiful conversation between Wendy and the inspiring Meredith Miller. She is a pastor, parent, and writer with over 20 years experience in children’s ministry and curriculum.

This topic is triggering for many people who were raised in a rigidly interpreted version of what the Bible says about homosexuality and other variations of it.

The more we can create a safe space for these open conversations, the more we can try to understand that which we don’t understand, that we aren’t that different, and there is room for EVERYONE at the table.

Tune in to hear more on:

What is Affirming Theology?
What should kids be hearing about being LGBQT+?
What should kids hear about LGBQT+ folks?

For links & more info about everything discussed in this episode, head to www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/169.

Grab your free Quick Start Learning Bundle on Raising Strong Willed Kids with Integrity!

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