Parents Take Five

Today, Mark and Cathy Hagemeier discuss how we approach talking money with our kids. Mark is an attorney and Cathy provides new staff training and assists with curriculum development at MidSOUTH Training Academy. Together, they are kind and amazing parents who had a passion for helping their two daughters learn finances at a young age. Today, they share what tips and tricks have helped them best prepare for their daughters for the adult world of money. 

Nowadays, the words "grateful" and "thankful" are plastered on every coffee mug, throw pillow, cute door mat, and sweater you find around this time of year. Today, Jen breaks out her seminary knowledge to remind and refocus us on the true, Biblical meaning of thankfulness. She also walks us through ways we can include our kids in daily, genuine thankfulness.

Today, Cam Thomas, who serves as pastor at Topsail Presbyterian Church in Hampstead, NC and Jen discuss how we check in with our families, know when we're connecting together well, and that we simply cannot say yes to everything. While (in this episode and the Power Mom episodes) we use the words "dads" and "men" often, that's only because Cam is speaking from his own life and family experience. This advice and faithful wisdom is imperative for any and all parents of young ones.

October 10th was World Mental Health Day in an effort to raise awareness and reduce stigma around mental illness conditions and mental health. Today, Jen talks about the importance of mental health for every single person but, specifically, how important it is to talk to your kids about. Don't shy away from the hard subjects...let's talk about it.

We're back with part two of Claire Brown's episode, "Power Mom". This half of the conversation, Claire shares with us the voices that she needed to surround herself with to feel empowered and emboldened as a mother and a woman. She also gets open and honest about how her faith falls into all of this life and parenting mess. We highly encourage you to go listen to episode 23 before this one to get yourself familiar with Claire's story. 

Today's episode is part one of a two part series with Claire Brown. Claire is a mom that, through the uninvited in life, discovered how to become a Power Mom with purpose, joy, and strength through her faith and community. If you like this episode, and part two that will be dropping next week, check out Claire's podcast "PowerWomen". It is bi-monthly conversations full of southernisms and authenticity.

Today, Rev. Jen takes us back to the basics of parenting. There are these little things that can seem so small and common, such as a hug, that have all the impact in the world. When was the last time you gave your little one (or your medium-sized one or your full grown one) a hug?

Today, Jen sits down and chats with Kami Tran. Kami is a licensed professional counselor, registered play therapist, a National Certified counselor, and a mental health supervisor with Pediatrics Plus Counseling and Diagnostics. This episode is a smidge longer than normal but worth every minute. Kami and Jen lovingly talk through the hard truth that moms and dads are human too with real human emotions that can be just as big and just as scary as their kiddo's emotions.

Can you feel it? Can you feel the pressure and the stress and the unique headache that is carpool lines? The school year has begun. While there are wonderful, beautiful parts to a new school year (reuniting with friends, a reliable routine, new office supplies) there are many hard parts to a new year. Jen takes a moment in today's episode to give you a technique she uses to breathe in God's grace and breathe out that new year stress. 

Elizabeth is a wife, mother, Presbyterian minister, certified Christian educator, and a writer who currently serves as the pastor of Heritage Presbyterian Church outside Atlanta, GA. In today's episode, Elizabeth and Jen explore the opportunities parents have when our kids ask those big time questions. Do we have the answers? Do we not have the answers? How do we wonder right along with our kiddos? 

As a prior youth director and an associate pastor that works directly with youth, Rev. Jen has made many a covenant in her time. Most recently, she came back from a trip with the Second Pres. youth to Montreat Conference Center where they revisited their covenant and even made their own personal covenant for the week. Jen reflects on how covenant making as a family could potentially change the environment as whole in a household with littles. 

It can be rough figuring out how to talk sexuality with our kiddos so Jen teamed up with some of the best to chat about this very subject. Sophie Maness, the Director of Christian Education at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN is a certified christian educator with a Masters in Christian Education and uses that knowledge to lead workshops centered on faith and sexuality with parents and children alike. 

Recently, Rev. Jen experienced a parenting revelation during family game night. Sometimes, as parents, we prefer to forget that we aren't always in control. This week, Jen reminds us to take moments to surrender our control and open our eyes to the things we can only see in that moment of surrender to our kiddos and surrender to our God.

Today we revisit how we best worship with our children and are joined by Nancy Myer from Chapel Hill, NC. In this episode, Nancy gives tangible and real advice on what parents can do during worship time to engage and grow their children. She and Jen also encourage parents to lean into remembering that we're all out here fighting the same battle, so let's give ourselves and each other some much-deserved grace.

We're back today just in time for a conversation around freedom right before Independence Day. Freedom is a topic we tend to only visit once a year but is a feeling that we face daily. Whether it be freedom...or a lack of freedom. Rev. Jen talks with us today about how you can talk to your kiddos about freedom in the bible and in our own every day lives. 

We’re revisiting Rev. MaryAnn McKibben Dana and her theories on improvisation in parenting. She discusses how easy it can be to fit moments of faith into our hectic lives by simply "doing what's obvious" and taking advantage of the small moments that matter. To hear the first installment of this conversation and to learn more about MaryAnn, check out episode nine, "Improv in Parenting Pt. 1" or head over to our Facebook page, Parents Take Five Podcast.

In such a time as this, it's good to remember the good. Rev. Jen addresses the flooding impacting Arkansas and some of our own congregation members at the moment and how this situation reminds her that at times we reach for the good. Sometimes it may not be obvious and within arm's length but we must always reach for the good. 

Summer is fast-approaching and our kiddos are about to be back in the house all day, every day. Summer's are the promised land for kids but can be overwhelming for parents trying to put together an over-crowded summer calendar for themselves, their kids, and even the dog! Today, Rev. Jen chats about setting intentional summer time with her own family in the midst of the busiest season that is summer break.

Jen and Sarah Leer, the Director of Children and Youth Ministry at First Presbyterian Church in Bentonville, Arkansas had a great conversation about Generation Z, who they are, their priorities, and how parents can successfully and supportively walk alongside them in their day-to-day lives. Check out our Facebook page, Take Five with Parents, to read more about Sarah and her contributions to the Presbyterian world.

Today's episode is one part of an amazing conversation Rev. Jen got to have with Rev. MaryAnn McKibben Dana. MaryAnn is a writer, pastor, speaker, and ministry coach from Virginia. Over the next few months, you'll get to hear installments of their conversation about how MaryAnn uses her knowledge of stage improv and applies it to her every day life, faith, and even to her parenting.