I really enjoyed talking to Chris and Julie about their journey with parenting. While moving to California, Julie was diagnosed with cancer, yet they found the strength to thrive, rebuild a church and a community from scratch, and share their story in their new book, 'Fighting for Family.' I witnessed a lot of generosity and humbleness in their book and through my conversation with them. They have a great relationship with their children, which to me is the ultimate proof of a strong family. Here are the topics we covered:

• Fostering resilience and connection: highlighting the importance of learning resilience personally before teaching it to their children, and emphasizing the need for authenticity and vulnerability within the family.
• Setting practical goals for your family: seeking to understand before being understood, believing the best about each other, having open and honest conversations, working through difficulties, and inviting feedback without defensiveness.
• Recognizing when support is needed: Julie was able to see when her daughter needed emotional well-being support, ultimately leading her to homeschool her.
• Setting healthy boundaries: Julie shared how she and Chris were able to communicate openly about their needs in their relationship.
• Embracing imperfection: acknowledging that messiness is a natural part of family life and encouraging embracing imperfection rather than striving for an unrealistic ideal.
• Three commitments they strive to live by: admitting they can't control everything, being messy around others, and letting people be complicated, among others.

Click here to contact Chris and Julie

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In this episode of the Real Parenting Stories podcast, Alexandria shares her deeply personal journey of facing postpartum depression, unexpected health issues, and the discovery of her son's autism, and ADHD diagnosis. I really enjoyed talking with her and understood that at some point or another we all face the same challenges with parenting and have an opportunity to uncover important life lessons:

• Trusting Mother's Intuition: Alexandria reconnected with the significance of trusting one's instincts in recognizing potential challenges in a child's development, highlighting the power of maternal intuition in seeking early support.
• Coping with Postpartum Depression: Reflecting on her journey through postpartum depression and subsequent health issues, Alexandria shares the emotional toll and challenges she faced, emphasizing the importance of seeking help and advocating for oneself during difficult times.
• Supporting Children with Special Needs: Alexandria offers heartfelt advice for parents raising children with special needs, emphasizing the significance of creating a loving and supportive home environment where children feel accepted and empowered to be themselves.
• Navigating Sibling Dynamics: Addressing the dynamics between siblings, especially when one child has special needs, Alexandria shares strategies for fostering understanding and support within the family unit, promoting empathy and acceptance among siblings.
• Advocacy and Self-Care: At all times, no matter what, prioritizing well-being, seeking support, and advocating for children's rights is a must.
• Embracing Unpredictability: Alexandria shares her journey of letting go of expectations and embracing the present moment in parenting, encouraging parents to focus on creating a supportive and loving environment for their children while addressing tomorrow's challenges as they arise.

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This is probably one of the top 5 episodes of the series. I interviewed Christina, a mother of two grown-up children, when Real Parenting Stories was still an embryo project. In my opinion, she completely nailed the parenting job, as her own grown-up children still enjoy spending time with her, one of them being in the teenage years (yes, it is true and possible). We talked about so many foundational topics around parenting and healthy relationships:

• How to react when your toddler throws a tantrum
• Why and how to find a parenting mentor (Christina is definitely one of those for me)
• How to set up healthy boundaries
• How to react when your child says "I don't like you"
• Avoiding power struggles and negotiations, and avoiding overreacting to allow children to self-evaluate
• The importance of writing your own family mission statement
• How to be on a united front with your life partner
• Why and how to have a healthy argument with your partner in front of your kids
• Planning for the endgame of parenting and knowing when to let go as children grow older

Here is the book link for "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee".

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To stay updated and never miss an episode of The Real Parenting Stories, follow the podcast Instagram account: @realparentingstories