Connected Families Podcast Connected Families

Two grandmothers, Dijea Young and Cindy Stonestreet (who also happen to be Connected Families Certified Parent Coaches) chat about the role of play in grandparenting and how they’re learning to be great grandmothers. Cindy and Dijea share personal stories about respecting their adult children’s parenting decisions and finding common ground, even in challenging relationships. They emphasize the power of intentional, joyful play in communicating love to their grandchildren and share examples of coaching grandchildren through conflicts. If you know a grandparent who would love to build more connection with their children and grandchildren, consider sharing this conversation with them.















Mentioned in this podcast:









* Parenting Reminders Bundle







* Deuteronomy 4:9









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







Your donation fuels our work. Make a donation to Connected Families today!







Take a moment to rate and review!







Guest Bio:







Dijea Young is a teacher, mother of eight, and grandma. For over 35 years, she has served children and families in a variety of roles. Now as a Certified Parent Coach, she combines her professional training and personal experience to help parents and grandparents nurture relationships across generations. For more information about Dijea or her services, visit www.Room4HopeCoaching.com or email Room4HopeCoaching@gmail.com







Cindy Stonestreet, a grandmother of five, ages 3-8, has been involved with Connected Families for five years. As a result of seeking a Christ-centered and better way to discipline, she took the Discipline that Connects course, followed by parent coaching, and is a Certified Parent Coach. Cindy and her husband, Steve, are blessed to have full days, 2-3 times a week, with their grandkids. Cindy’s desire is to continually grow, little by little, as she implements the Connected Families Framework with her children, their spouses, and her grandkids. They live in Charleston, West Virginia, where Cindy is a full-time CRNA at Women and Children’s Hospital.















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Chris Coursey, author of 4 Habits of Raising Joy-Filled Kids, joins us to discuss why joyful kids are joyful and what you can do.















Do you feel like you’re often focused on problems and operating out of fear of what may happen? Chris explains how joy can give families the strength to navigate difficulties and overcome fear. He shares a personal story of overcoming fear-based parenting and unpacks the first habit of raising joy-filled kids: attunement. Chris emphasizes that taking care of yourself nurtures your joy and directly benefits the entire family. Listen in and learn how to grow joy in your home!







Mentioned in this podcast:









* We’d love to hear from you! Send the podcast a birthday greeting.







* Free PDF – Child Led Play and the Framework







* 4 Habits of Joy-Filled Kids book







* Parenting Reminders Bundle – CF stickers, word art, and a magnet









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







Your donation fuels our work. Make a donation to Connected Families today!







Take a moment to rate and review!







Guest Bio:







For over 30 years, Chris has been developing and practicing brain-based solutions to train people, families, and communities to make relationships work. Chris started his career specializing in severe trauma and abuse and also pastored a small congregation in Michigan for several years. Chris is a published author with over ten books in print, including The Joy Switch. He co-authored his most recent book, The 4 Habits of Joy-Filled People.







Chris enjoys spending time with his wife, Jen, and their two sons, Matthew and Andrew. In addition to studying, writing, jogging, and exercising, he enjoys the outdoors and is one of the rare people who actually likes the snow in Michigan.







Website: https://thrivetoday.org/Podcast: https://thrivetoday.buzzsprout.com/The 4 Habits Books: https://thrivetoday.org/4-habits-series/















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Today, we talk with Joy Wendling, Connected Families Certified Parent Coach and founder of Created to Play, about helping kids come to love God wholeheartedly. Faith can sometimes feel serious or heady, but God is also the God of play, and He created children to learn best through play. Stacy and Joy discuss the significance of modeling a joyful faith. Together, they share ideas for making God relatable through play with your kids. They emphasize how to bring God into everyday moments and ways to use scripture to gently guide and encourage your kids.















Mentioned in this podcast:









* Parenting Reminder Bundle – Get Yours Today!







* Podcast Episode 102, “How to Be a More Playful Parent” with Joy Wendling







* Deuteronomy 6







* Psalm 16:11







* Zephaniah 3:17







* John 10:10









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







Your donation fuels our work. Make a donation to Connected Families today!







Take a moment to rate and review!







Guest Bio:







Enthusiastic. Passionate. Profound. Joy Wendling is a family pastor, writer, speaker, podcaster, certified parent coach, and founder of Created to Play. She has over 20 years of experience in children, youth, and family ministry and a Master’s degree in Youth, Family, and Culture from Fuller Theological Seminary. Her idea of relaxing is gazing at the mountains from her island home with an ice-cold Diet Coke and a good book. Joy lives in the Pacific Northwest and enjoys laughing and playing with her five daughters and husband. Get to know her better at createdtoplay.com and on her Playfully Faithful Parenting podcast.















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Two therapists chat about the benefits of play and how to incorporate play therapy into your family’s routine. The end goal: More connection with your child and a more regulated child. It’s a win-win!















In this podcast episode, Lynne Jackson, occupational therapist and Co-Founder of Connected Families, interviews Marlee Thomson, a mental health therapist and Connected Families Certified Parent Coach. They discuss the brain science behind play and how it can develop connection and trust between you and your child. Marlee explains how you can incorporate “special playtime,” highlighting how your undivided attention and delight can nurture your child’s identity. Incorporating the Connected Families Framework every step of the way, Lynne and Marlee encourage you to begin this practice with the goal of being present rather than striving for perfection.







Mentioned in this podcast:









* Free PDF from Marlee







* Quote from parent coach Patty Wipfler, “Feelings that are felt fully are feelings that evaporate afterward.”







* Psalm 147:11







* Psalm 73:21-26







* “Fix your face” podcast: Ep. 174 | Want to Connect with Your Teenager?







* Sponsor a podcast episode this August! Email Adel at adel@connectedfamilies.org for more information.









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







Your donation fuels our work. Make a donation to Connected Families today!







Take a moment to rate and review!







Guest Bio:







Marlee Thomsen is an LCSWA who lives and works as a mental health therapist and Connected Families Certified Parent Coach in Durham, NC. She is working towards becoming a Registered Play Therapist and is growing in her love for play therapy. In particular, she is passionate about teaching parents play skills and walking through the Connected Families framework with them to enhance the parent-child relationship. Additionally, she has experienced the impact of the Connected Families framework in her own family as she raises two toddler boys alongside her husband.

We chat with Lindsay Fauver, a mom from the Connected Families community, about her parenting journey with a child who experiences anxiety, sensory challenges, and challenging behaviors. Lindsay shares how she has gained new understanding and tools to support her child and stay calm when her daughter escalates. She also emphasizes the persistence required to implement positive changes and the role of scripture in sustaining her. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with parenting, you’ll find plenty of hope and practical ideas in this interview with a mom who’s been there.















Mentioned in this podcast:









* Are You Micromanaging Your Kids? Here’s How to Stop | Ep. 177







* Authentic Community for Dads | Ep. 179







* 100 Truth Phrases PDF – a free resource







* Grace & Truth for Moms online course







* Connected Families Connection Questions (Campfire Questions)







* Sensitive & Intense Kids online course







* Parenting Coaching







* Isaiah 30







* James 1







* Psalm 103:8







* 1 John 3:19









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







Your donation fuels our work. Make a donation to Connected Families today!







Take a moment to rate and review!







Guest Bio:







Lindsay Fauver is a photographer by trade and a theologian at heart. She is deeply passionate about participating with the great Artist as she works to build a foundation of “belonging and becoming” with her little people, clients, and students. Lindsay loves writing, peonies, Pilates, design, earrings, and anything by the water. She longs for the day when her story of surrender is told in its fullness by the One who will permanently wipe away her tears.















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In this meaningful conversation, we talk to dads Matt Norman (author and President & CEO of Norman & Associates) and Jim Jackson (Connected Families Co-Founder) about their experiences with authentic, vulnerable community. Matt shares his personal journey of seeking more meaningful connections while balancing the demands of marriage, parenting, and his career. He describes the evolution of his small group, which started as a way to socialize and study but grew into a space for supportive and sensitive sharing. Jim emphasizes the power of asking questions and genuinely seeking to understand others, rather than just offering opinions or advice. Both men reflect on the positive impact their authentic community has had on their personal growth, relationships, and even their children’s development.















Mentioned in this podcast:









* Grace & Truth for Moms online course – register today!







* Equimundo’s 2023 State of American Men survey data







* Daniel 3







* Galatians 6









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







We’re a listener-supported podcast. Make a donation to Connected Families today!







Don’t forget to take a moment to rate and review the podcast!







Guest Bio:







Matt Norman coaches and advises executives on how to build great people and culture. He is President & CEO of Norman & Associates, which offers custom coaching and consulting in the areas of talent strategy, personal effectiveness, planning, and goal alignment. Norman & Associates is also the largest North American provider of Dale Carnegie learning programs which help people improve how they communicate, lead, influence, and work together. He’s also the award-winning author of Four Patterns of Healthy People, and Lead with Influence: A Proven Process to Lead without Authority. Matt loves being a husband and father of three, enjoying shared activities like skiing, mountain biking, trail running, and music. You can find his articles on personal and organizational effectiveness at http://mattnorman.com.















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