Find the Good Mamahood Katlyn

Happy holidays, friends! You're going to absolutely love this episode featuring my talk with a special family friend of mine, Mary O’Donnell. Mary's daughter is actually a good friend of mine who has inherited her gift for making people feel at home. I absolutely loved being at their house when I was younger, and counted it as a second home. And I wasn't alone - dozens of people from different ages and stages found refuge and even a long-term home with Mary and her family.

Listen in as we discuss Mary's international upbringing, how the art of welcome became a major part of her life, stories from her famously full house, and essential elements to communicating genuine care to the people who enter your life and your threshold. I know I’ll be reflecting on this conversation for a while to come. It’s easy to let excuses like not having the perfect home or the perfect time prevent us from inviting others in, but often that's not where we start.

I hope this episode encourages you (as it has for me!) to invite others into wherever you are and to share whatever you have this holiday season and new year.

As Mary said, "It was all worth it; it was all wonderful because we were sowing care into different people’s lives."



Extra Stuff:

This is my church's sermon series on the early Christian church's culture of deep care and connection which I highly recommend:


https://www.newcityfellowship.net/sermonlist/tag/Acts

Check out Rachel’s personal Instagram account to watch her in-depth IVF journey highlight and to connect with her: @ralzajohnson.

Welcome to episode #23 where my friend Rachel shares with us her deeply trying mama journey, one of infertility and in vitro fertilization (IVF). *Trigger warning: Our conversation does include the IVF process and miscarriage.*

After giving a great IVF 101, Rachel shares the physical and emotional difficulties she faced along the way. I appreciated hearing what was helpful and unhelpful for her, from resources to interactions with friends and family to Bible verses. As an outsider to the world of IVF, I got a glimpse of what it's like to go through infertility and how we can come alongside loved ones who are in the process of receiving fertility treatments. It is an honor to be able to share Rachel's (and little Mylo's!) story with you.

(Note: Occasional shrieks and squawks courtesy of Lyla, my almost 1-year old baby girl who co-hosted her first episode with me!)



Extra Stuff:

Here are the fertility treatment grants Rachel mentioned:


https://giftofparenthood.org/grant-giveaways/
https://www.hopeforfertility.org/
https://starfishinfertilityfoundation.org/

Here is the Shady Grove Fertility website: https://www.shadygrovefertility.com/.

These are the Youtube couple channels Rachel followed:


https://www.youtube.com/@RachelleandJustin
https://www.youtube.com/@PhilandAlex

These are the Bible verses that got Rachel through difficult times:


Matthew 19:26, "But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Check out Rachel’s personal Instagram account to watch her in-depth IVF journey highlight and to connect with her: @ralzajohnson.

This episode is near and dear to my heart since the topic is a huge part of our family and one of my major focuses as a mom: fostering bilingualism in our children! My friend Kaila is both an expert in this field and also a fellow mama raising a bilingual child. She shares some incredibly helpful advice, stories and frameworks to guide and inspire you in your journeys.

Although we reference raising bilingual Spanish-English-speaking kids specifically, we also discuss many super helpful strategies and tidbits that apply to any bilingual family. I loved learning lots of ways we can cultivate a love for our target languages in our kids: "Link it to things that are fun: play and people." While it is ultimately their choice to embrace it or not, we can lay a foundation and show them how the language is beautiful, meaningful and worth embracing.

Kaila reminded us there are many family language plans, even more than you typically find online. You can customize a language plan that’s just right for your family “that is attainable and sustainable.” Each family is unique, so don’t compare your bilingual journey to others. Any bilingual exposure you can give your little ones is a gift!



This episode is packed with top-notch content, so here are some time markers to guide you as you listen:

* 1:37 - Kaila's bio

* 11:30 - linking language learning to fun

* 15:15 - the importance of how we present target language (not shaming or forcing them)

* 18:08 - the evolution of my family's Family Language Plan

* 20:50 - strategies for encouraging kids to respond back in target language (not just listening and understanding)

* 33:29 - tips for parents starting a bilingual journey

* 36:56 - what to do if kids become indifferent or resistant to target language

* 38:23 - the danger of shaming and the power of positive feedback

* 41:51 - how to introduce early academic concepts

* 43:05 - the importance of teaching safety terms in majority language

* 46:22 - mention of several of the resources listed below

* 47:31 - encouragement for bilingual parents



Extra Stuff:

Here is Kaila's podcast (a great place to start, especially if you're new to this topic!): Bilingual Parenting Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bilingual-parenting-podcast/id1456193421)

You can find Kaila's company, Bilingüitos, at @bilinguitos on Instagram or the following website link for Spanish language immersion programs, playgroups, and online resources: https://bilinguitos.com/

This is Kaila's freebie! Ten methods of bilingual parenting with benefits & obstacles: ⁠https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TyVDvkNcUB-d92rvzgqafrq0sSRr6IIF/view?usp=drive_link⁠ 

MamaLlamaLinguist has free song playlists and fun printables: https://mamallamalinguist.com/

Here is the free virtual Spanish storytime I mentioned: @msroxanaspanish (Instagram) and https://www.facebook.com/MsRoxanaSpanish/

Viva Kids Bookstore: https://viva-kids-tiendita.myshopify.com/ 

Here is the book Kaila recommended: The Bilingual Edge (https://www.amazon.com/Bilingual-Edge-Teach-Second-Language/dp/0061246565)

Wow, I am so grateful to be sharing my conversation with my friend (and former landlord!) Stacey about parenting teens. Yep, she confirms those years can often be tough and trying. But she also shares the beauty that can be found in this raw and real stage of kids' lives and some rock solid practical advice on walking with them as they grow in independence.

I'll share some bytes to summarize and also whet your listener's appetite: Take a long-term view especially in hard seasons. Listen often. Keep lines of communication open even through conflicts. "You have to take the initiative sometimes… I think that’s our job as parents, to be the one that takes the initiative.” Show interest in their interests. Share your struggles and what you’re learning. “Normalize the fact that we all go through difficult things… but you’re never going to be alone, we’ll always be here for you.” Have a battle plan to prepare them for the worlds of technology and social media. Reinforce your love even when they push you away. “There will always be a safe place for them to come.”



Extra Stuff:

Here is my podcast episode I mentioned about creating family traditions: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/5n2bik0GcUKltMR6CAvWw1?si=c319bbf12f0a40af

These are the Bible verses Stacey shared on the topics of persistently asking God for help and waiting for change to come: Luke 18:1-8, Lamentations 3:26.

I know Valentine’s Day has passed, but I’ve still got love on the brain. I've been thinking about ways to bless my husband, how to get creative with limited time for date nights, and the like. Maybe you are too. Sometimes it’s easier to focus on the kids and connecting with our significant other can end up by the wayside and we can drift apart. This episode features my conversation with my friend Chelsea Klotz about caring for your spouse and working through co-parenting and conflict (which often go hand in hand). She and her husband Will have been married for 13 years and they actually counseled Diego and me before we got married, so believe me when I saw she's got some gold to share. And if you’re listening and your life looks very different than ours, I’d encourage you to listen anyway and consider the things we touch on: conflict, prioritizing a committed relationship, and finding joy in everyday life.

I appreciated the stories Chelsea shared of marriage struggles through different seasons of their family and great ideas for connecting with your person in busy times. As a sneak peek, here are a few of my top takeaways: "You can always go on a walk", "What's one small thing I can do today to love my spouse?", fight for date nights as often as you can, and push yourself to stay connected and keep the conversation going when conflict makes you want to pull away.

Extra Stuff:

This is the first in the 4-part podcast series Chelsea shared on choosing what type of school is best for them: https://www.risenmotherhood.com/podcast-episodes/ep-93-how-should-we-educate-our-children-the-case-for-freedom-part-1?rq=freedom%20in%20education

These are the Bible verses she referenced about patience, forgiveness, and hope in relational conflict: Proverbs 19:11, Revelation 21:23.

Here are the marriage books she recommended:


This Momentary Marriage: A Parable of Permanence (John Piper)
When Sinners Say I Do: Discovering the Power of the Gospel for Marriage (Dave Harvey)
The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God (Tim Keller)
You and Me Forever: Marriage in Light of Eternity (Francis & Lisa Chan)

For the first full episode of 2023, I am thrilled to present a super fun and enlightening conversation on the topic of creating meaningful family traditions! My friend Taye and her husband Dave have created a whole year-round ensemble of unique celebrations for them and their 4 kids, so she's basically a pro. Trust me, you're gonna wanna hear about the spectacular fun they get up to together.

Taye also shared some awesome ideas and encouragement for getting started, like taking a look at what you're already doing during family time together and considering how you could enhance it. That way your tradition goals don't become burdensome or unattainable and you don't get caught up in the mom comparison game we can all drift into. One of my favorite things she said makes a great mantra for how to love our kids well on both special and unspecial days: simply be faithful with what and who is in front of you right now. I am so excited for all of the opportunities you and I will have this upcoming year to celebrate the good with our people. Let's get partying!

Extra Stuff:

My tip was to use Mixbook to create yearly calendars that double as Christmas gifts and/or family scrapbooks! They often have special deals, so be sure to check their website or emails when you can: https://www.mixbook.com/photo-calendars.