Elevating Motherhood

Lori Beth Auldridge
  • 4.8 (52)
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  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

All things honest motherhood with host Lori Beth Auldridge. Helping moms find their confidence with resources & fresh perspectives.

  1. 21H AGO

    191. Teach Your Children Well: Restaurant Manners

    If you’re trying to build a family culture where eating out feels peaceful, connected, and screen-free—but aren’t sure how to get there—this episode is for you.   We’re a family of foodies…plus we travel a lot. Based on those two things alone, we end up eating out often. Almost every single time we eat out with our now 12, 10, 9, and 4 year old, we get complimented on the behavior of our children. I’m notsaying that to brag. I’m saying it because it signaled something for me…according to many servers at these restaurants all across the country, our children are not the norm. They don’t often see kids off screens at the table or kids that order for themselves or kids that make eye contact. And that’s a shame. Those 3 things should be the bare minimum expectations that we have for children in restaurants in America. Bare minimum. Even our 4-year-old does these things.   Examples: *Airport in Denver. He couldn’t get over it. * The biscuit shop in Nashville. “How do you do it?”   Have a realistic goal based on their age * The goal is not perfection. A successful dinner out is not a flawless dinner. Food is going to fly. Chairs are going to fall over. Silverware is going to be dropped. Drinks will spill (again and again and again). They are going to want to not be sitting the whole time. It is not going to be peaceful from day one. * And the one time it is peaceful? It does NOT mean you have arrived. This is years of training. (i.e. writing letters correctly) * Our attitude: You are not entitled to a peaceful meal out or even the opportunity to engage in an uninterrupted conversation with your spouse or friend or family member. You are training up your children well. They are part of the dinner and part of the equation.  Start when they are young * Take your babies and toddlers out to eat * This is not a date night, this is a family dinner and you are in a season where you have to teach your kids about restaurant manners and this lesson will take years of training and patience. * Kids mirror your behavior. If you are anxious, they will be anxious. If you keep getting up, they will keep getting up. * Give grace. Offer napkins and a sympathetic smile to other families. We can create a supportive culture. How to keep them “occupied” * Don’t make “entertainment” the goal. Your child does not need to be entertained. By all means, bring a restaurant activity bag with simple things like stickers and a notepad, but only bring it out as a secondary need. If the wheels start falling off, that’s when the bag comes out. * Tic tac toe is your new favorite game. So is would you rather. And I spy. * Keep them engaged. Here is a menu. We need to look at the menu first. We need to decide what we want to have to drink. Sportscast the meal for them. * Don’t drink alcohol while you’re out with your children and teaching them. Your wheels start to fall off. Lessons get blurred and unclear. Kids mirror us and it creates confusion.    Set up clear expectations... READ THE FULL SHOW NOTES AT: www.elevatingmotherhood.com This is actually all REALLY FUN. Dining out is FUN, not a pressure cooker experience. This isn’t a rigid activity with a set menu and harsh participants. Compassion as a first response   “Is it good to be me with you right now?”   I think the thing that people are noticing is that we are having a pleasant, present time together. We’ve got a groove that doesn’t include screens and our kids are participating in the meal. They’re not in the way or bystanders.   Be patient Be present Be logical Hold the space Hold realistic expectations Set your family up for success Remember the long game Be a unified front in this experience. It’s about helping our kids feel confident in everyday situations. And remember…our kids mirrorus. So when we’re confident, they are confident.    Please Visit Our Sponsors: www.elevatingmotherhood.com/sponsors

    54 min

  2. MAR 28

    189. What God Says About You with Hosanna Wong | Identity in Christ for Kids

    If you don’t tell your children who they are… the world will. Every day, our kids are absorbing messages about their worth, their identity, their value. And if we’re not intentional, those voices can get louder than the truth. Today on Elevating Motherhood, I’m joined by HosannaWong — international speaker, spoken word artist widely known for piece “I Have A New Name,” and bestselling author of How (Not) to Save the World , Uncomplicate It, and You Are More Than You’ve Been Told. We’re talking about her very first children’s book, What God Says About You, and how to teach our kids that their identity is rooted firmly in Christ. In this conversation, Hosanna shares why no one gets to define your child except the One who made them — and how we can equip our kids to know, deep in their bones, that they are loved and chosen. If you’ve ever wondered how to speak identity over your children in a way that sticks…If you want your kids to grow up grounded, secure, and confident in who God says they are… This episode is for you. Buy Hosanna’s Children’s Book Here: https://amzn.to/4r79ol9 Buy Uncomplicate It Here: https://amzn.to/3P7oXM2   Elevating Motherhood Links: Website: www.elevatingmotherhood.com Instagram: @loribethauldridge @elevatingmotherhood Please Visit Our Sponsors: www.elevatingmotherhood.com/sponsors   Hosanna’s Links: Website: https://www.hosannawong.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hosanna.wong TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hosannawongofficial Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialhosannawong YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeCZaE0vSMGzVRjcBrDWLlA

    43 min

  3. MAR 14

    188. Choosing a Dry House: Sobriety & Parenting with Chris Janssen

    Get Chris’s Book Here: https://amzn.to/4skTgxs What if the most counter-cultural decision you make as a parent… has nothing to do with screen time or schooling and everything to do with alcohol? Today’s conversation is honest. It’s tender. And it’s needed. I’m joined by Chris Janssen to talk about her USA Today bestselling book, Grace Yourself...and about something many families quietly navigate but rarely discuss: hidden or silent struggles with alcohol. Chris shares her own story of recognizing alcohol’s hold on her life, attending her first support meeting, and coming to two powerful realizations — it wasn’t her fault, and she wasn’t alone. We talk about sobriety after relapse, the courage to create a dry house, recovering from perfectionism, and what it really means to show up for the sober life you want — not from a place of shame, but from grace. If you’ve ever wondered whether your relationship with alcohol is serving you… If you have an alcohol issue in your home or extended family…If you’re parenting in a culture where drinking is normalized…Or if you simply want to live more freely and intentionally… This episode is for you.   Chris’s Bio: Chris Janssen, MA, BCC, is the author of Grace Yourself: How to Show Up for the Sober Life You Want and a leading results coach in performance and mindset. She has worked with hundreds of sought-after athletes, creatives, soldiers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses internationally, helping them to close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. In addition to her academic achievements, Chris trained with and worked on Tony Robbins’ team of results coaches at the #1 personal development and peak performance strategy company in the world.As a board-certified coach with a master’s in counseling psychology and over 25 years of experience, Chris excels in helping high-achieving perfectionists navigate performance pressure, overcome self-sabotage and rewrite narratives. Through her successful and sustainable Living All In methods, clients learn to attach meaning to life events and circumstances beyond their control.A California native, Chris and her husband, Scott have been married for nearly 30 years. Together, they raised threechildren, now thriving young adults. Chris and Scott live in Los Angeles and love to ski, golf, be with their horses and adventure outside.   Elevating Motherhood Links: Website: www.elevatingmotherhood.com Instagram: @loribethauldridge @elevatingmotherhood Please Visit Our Sponsors: www.elevatingmotherhood.com/sponsors   Chris’s Links: Website: https://www.chrisjanssencoaching.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chrisjanssencoaching/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris3janssen

    1h 30m

  4. MAR 7

    187. The Lost Art of Letter Writing | Amy Daughters

    When was the last time you received a handwritten letter? Not a text. Not an email. Not a quick DM. An actual letter. Written by hand. Just for you. There is something almost rebellious about that kind of connection now — slow, intentional, non-intrusive… and requiring just enough effort to mean something. Today on Elevating Motherhood, I’m joined by Amy Daughters — keynote speaker, sports journalist, satirist, and the award-winning author of Dear Dana: That Time I Went Crazy and Wrote All 580 of My Facebook Friends a Handwritten Letter and You Cannot Mess This Up: A True Story That Never Happened. Amy once wrote 580 handwritten letters to her Facebook friends. Yes — 580. And what she discovered in the process will make you rethink the power of pen and paper. In this conversation, we talk about the lost art of letter writing, what happens inside us when we take the time to write byhand, and why meaningful, sacrificial connection between two human beings is more powerful than we realize. If you’ve ever felt disconnected in a hyper-connected world…If you’ve ever wanted to reach out but didn’t know how…Or if you’ve forgotten just how impactful a simple letter can be ...this episode will stay with you.   Amy’s Bio: Amy Weinland Daughters is a keynote speaker, letter writer, satirist, sports journalist, and the award-winning author of two books: Dear Dana: That time I went crazy and wrote all 580 of my Facebook friends a handwritten letter and You Cannot Mess This Up: A true story that never happened. She is absolutely convinced that when human beings connect individually in a meaningful way that nothing can separatethem.     Elevating Motherhood Links: Website:www.elevatingmotherhood.com Instagram:@loribethauldridge @elevatingmotherhood Please Visit Our Sponsors: www.elevatingmotherhood.com/sponsors     Amy’s Links: Website: www.amydaughters.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amyweinlanddaughtersauthor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smokinhotamys/ Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-w-daughters-16352a227/

    45 min

  5. FEB 28

    186. How to Love Your Morning with Jennifer Dukes Lee | Faith-Filled Morning Routines for Moms

    Bestselling author Jennifer Dukes Lee joins me to talk about her new book How to Love Your Morning and how to create a faith-filled morning routine that actually works for real-life moms. If you long to wake up with hope, purpose, and rhythms rooted in God’s mercies, this conversation will change the way you start your day. Have you ever noticed how your entire day can beshaped before your feet even hit the floor? Mornings can feel rushed, chaotic, and chore heavy— especially in a full season of motherhood. But what if the first moments of your day could actually become your anchor instead of your stress point? Today on Elevating Motherhood, I’m joined for a second time by bestselling author, speaker, and self-proclaimed “morning evangelist,” Jennifer Dukes Lee. Jennifer is the author ofseveral incredible books, including Growing Slow and It's AllUnder Control. Jennifer lives on a fifth-generation family farm in Iowa where she and her husband are raising crops, pigs, two beautiful humans, and an enduring faith. We’re talking about her brand-new book, How to Love Your Morning— and I’ll just tell you right now, it has completelychanged the way I start my day. It is officially my favorite read of 2026 so far. In this conversation, we explore how to build a life you love one morning at a time — how to wake up with hope instead ofheaviness, how to discover your unique “morning archetype,” and how to create simple, personalized rhythms that actually fit your real life. This book is not a one size fits all type of book. Jennifer studied every single morning mentioned in Scripture — over 200 mentions—and what she found might surpriseyou. If you’ve ever longed to believe that God’s mercies really are new every morning — but you’re not quite sure how to live that out — this episode is for you.   Jennifer’s Bio: Jennifer Dukes Lee is a bestselling author, speaker, and morning evangelist from Iowa. She is the author of several books, including How to Love Your Morning, Growing Slow, and It’s All Under Control. She’s a fan of queso, bright lipstick, and singing too loudly to songs with great harmony. She lives on a fifth-generation family farm, where she and her husband have made a life of growing crops, pigs, two beautiful humans, and an enduring faith.   Buy Jennifer’s Book Here: https://amzn.to/4cRjyCJ Elevating Motherhood Links: Website: www.elevatingmotherhood.com Instagram: @loribethauldridge@elevatingmotherhood Please Visit Our Sponsors: www.elevatingmotherhood.com/sponsors   Jennifer’s Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferDukesLee Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferdukeslee/

    51 min

  6. FEB 21

    185. A Bible for Dyslexia and ADHD: Making Scripture More Accessible with Laura Bartlett

    If you’ve ever wanted to read the Bible more consistently but struggled to stay focused — or if you have a child who getsfrustrated, distracted, or overwhelmed by reading — today’s episode is especially for you. In our last conversation, we talked about dyslexia for the first time on the show. And one of the questions that came up again and again was, What does support actually look like in everyday life? Not just in schoolwork — but in faith, too. Today, we’re continuing that conversation in an interview with Laura Bartlett, Associate Publisher for ZondervanBibles, about a Bible designed specifically for readers withdyslexia and ADHD: the Clear Focus Bible. This Bible uses Bionic Reading typography — a research-based layout that highlights parts of words to help the brain recognize them more easily, guiding the eyes across the page and improving focus and comprehension. For many readers, this removes the constant friction that makes reading feelexhausting or discouraging. The Clear Focus Bible is being released throughZondervan, and it represents something really important to me: the idea that struggling to read doesn’t mean someone is less spiritual, less disciplined, or less capable of connecting with God’s Word. This isn’t about shortcuts. It’s about accessibility. It’s about removing unnecessary barriers so more people — kids and adults alike — can engage with Scripture with confidence instead of frustration. This episode is part of an ongoing commitment on this podcast to talk honestly about learning differences, faith, and motherhood — and while this conversation started with dyslexia, it certainly won’t end there. Buy the Clear Focus Bible for Kids Here: https://amzn.to/3ZGgPEs Buy the Clear Focus Bible for Adults Here: https://amzn.to/40apTlc Elevating Motherhood Links: Website: www.elevatingmotherhood.com Instagram: @loribethauldridge @elevatingmotherhood Sponsors: www.elevatingmotherhood.com/sponsors

    22 min

  7. FEB 14

    184. Dyslexia in Children: Signs, Questions, and What Moms Need to Know (with Jen Parra)

    Dyslexia touches so many families. And so many of us quietly wonder if our own child might have dyslexia. My kid wrote a letter backwards…now what? For the first time on the Elevating Motherhood Podcast, we’re having a dedicated conversation about dyslexia — and while this is our first episode on the topic, it definitely won’t be the last. This is a conversation many moms are already having in their heads, often without clear answers or support. I’m joined today by Jen Parra, who brings clarity, experience, and a calm, grounded approach to a topic that can feel overwhelming. We talk about what dyslexia actually is,how it can show up in kids, and what moms can do next — without panic, labels for the sake of labels, or unnecessary fear. This episode is for moms who are noticing patterns, asking questions, or simply wanting to understand their child moreclearly. My hope is that this conversation offers reassurance, practical insight, and a reminder that struggling doesn’t mean failing — and understanding changes everything. Jen’s Bio: Jen Parra founded the Multisensory Reading Center in 2015 and has over 20 years of experience working with children who have learning disabilities including dyslexia, autism, ADHD, and SLD. Her passion is using science-based interventions to unlock literacy for all students. Jen has anM.Ed. from Midwestern State University with an emphasis in dyslexia and is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Florida. Jen is a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) through the Academic Language TherapyAssociation and a Certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist (C-SLDS) with the International Dyslexia Association. Dyslexia is a neurobiological difference in the way the brain attempts to read and spell our written language. Through the use of research-backed learning practices, we can build the literacy capacity of struggling readers and writers so they canreach their academic goals. Elevating Motherhood Links: Website: www.elevatingmotherhood.com Instagram: @loribethauldridge @elevatingmotherhood Sponsors: www.elevatingmotherhood.com/sponsors Jen's Links: Website: www.dyslexiasite.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msrcenterLinkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/jenparra/Instagram: @multisensoryreadingcenter37

    56 min

  8. FEB 10

    183. Simplify Your Homeschool: Lessons from Carrie De Francisco

    Homeschooling is rewarding — but it can also feelmessy, overwhelming, and full of pressure. Choosing curricula, scheduling lessons, balancing priorities — it’s easy to feel like you’re drowning in decisions. It’s common for homeschool parents to question whether they are doing enough or even if they are doing it right. Today, I’m talking with Carrie De Francisco, author, podcaster, homeschool coach, and “retired” home educator. Carrie knows firsthand how chaotic homeschooling can feel, and she’s written A Home Education Handbook: NineQuestions to Ask for Simple & Balanced Home-Based Learning to help parents cut through the clutter and focus on what truly matters. Carrie helps parents simplify homeschooling onestep at a time, without losing the joy or the faith-centered foundation that matters most. She’s the voice behind the Coffee With Carrie Homeschool Help podcastand the author of multiple homeschooling guides, including Just Breathe (and Take a Sip of Coffee) and Homeschool High School: A Handbook for Christian Education. In this conversation, we dig into her approach toasking the right questions, embracing balance, and creating a homeschool that actually works for your family — not someone else’s. If you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure about next steps, this episode is packed withpractical insights and encouragement to get you moving forward confidently. Get Carrie’s Book Here: ⁠https://amzn.to/4c9TFO7 Join me for my next homeschool planning retreat! www.elevatinghomeschool.com Homeschool Moms...imagine getting away for a fewdays at a 9,000 sq ft lodge on Lake Coeur d’Alene in beautiful North Idaho where you can walk along the lake, hike nearby trails, or relax in the lodge’s private hot tub. That’s exactly what I’m offering at the Elevating Homeschool SpringRetreat this May 15-17th, 2026. I’m hosting a small group ofhomeschool mamas at Lutherhaven Lodge where you’ll enjoy a 2 night vacation, 5 meals you don’t have to cook, threehomeschool planning workshops, fireside chats, a game night, and two live worship music sessions. The Elevating Homeschool Spring Retreat is for moms who are ready to step back, breathe, and plan their upcoming homeschool with confidence, surrounded by other moms who truly understand the journey. Spots are limited, so grab your homeschool besties,reserve a room together, and head to www.elevatinghomeschool.com to sign up!

    55 min
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4.8
out of 5
52 Ratings

About

All things honest motherhood with host Lori Beth Auldridge. Helping moms find their confidence with resources & fresh perspectives.

Information

  • Creator
    Lori Beth Auldridge
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    191
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Lori Beth Auldridge
  • Show Website
    Elevating Motherhood

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