Episode 168: A Year of FPN in Review – Past, Present, Future

Join me as we discuss:

A year of The Family Podcast Network in review to review the past, present, and future.

A review of The Real Family Guys Podcast.

The future of both FPN and RFGP.

Major announcement of our new host of The Real Family Guys Podcast.

When I initially was looking at what I wanted to do this week, I was on the backend of negotiations with a good friend of mine about stepping up as the new co-host of The Real Family Guys Podcast when it hit me.

The Family Podcast Network had hit its one-year anniversary! HOW FLIPPIN’ COOL!!! So I got to thinking backwards to where I began. It all started as a small little website called Lets Talk About Parenting with a .wordpress.com domain name. I wanted to test it out and see if I liked blogging. As much as I did, I was drawn to audio and speaking.

Thus began the conception of FPN.

A year later, here I am with a professional setup eons away from recording on my iPhone. I have a huge audience that consistently blows me away.

But, a good business owner cannot ever be content to stay where they are. So I’m looking to the future today as well. Join us as we discuss the past, present, and the future of The Family Podcast Network and The Real Family Guys Podcast.

ALSO, I’m so pumped to reveal the new co-host for RFGP since Pauls exit. There could not have been a better fit and everything slotted together in a way that was fantastic coincidence, or providence. Whichever you prefer to believe.

SHOW NOTES

Talk About Parenting – my first site built and the conception of The Family Podcast Network.

Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion – one of the primary books that helped launch FPN.

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Episode 167 Ellie Hirsch: Mommy Masters

Ellie’s Music is Magical CD Cover Art

Join me as we discuss:

A fantastic interview with Ellie Hirsch at Mommy Masters.

What is a Mommy Master, and how you can become one! Yes, it is possible.

What kind of tools does Ellie offer you that helps you do this!

The value of music in teaching kids and how Ellie has harnessed this into a CD.

The other day I heard a man discussing how he is a “Garden Master”. Quite literally you can take tests to become a master in many tasks. You know, like Jedi Master, Grand Master of the Universe, that kind of stuff. 😀

I have a masters degree in psychology and many consider themselves Call of Duty masters.

But one of the things that I don’t hear people say enough is: I am a Mommy (or Daddy) master.

What is the reason for that? People will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to be considered masters in business, nursing, and even communications, but do not take the time to become masters in parenting their own kids.

When I checked out Ellie’s site, Mommy Masters, I was intrigued and found that she is one of a select few that believe in honing the skills of parenting past being “good” into being “great” and I think that is what qualifies being a master in parenting.

Ellie shows herself being a Mommy Master.

SHOW NOTES

Mommy Masters Website – Ellies site that helps parents create flourishing family environments.

Click Here to Buy Ellies CD Music is Magical

Mommy Masters on Facebook

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Episode 166: Music Helps Your Kid Learn

Join me as we discuss:

How the Gibson family regularly uses music in their home for learning, as well as poppin’-and-lockin’.

Real articles that prove that this is not some wives-tale crap.

5 things music can do for your kid that you want it to do!

Music seems to be a universal thing. Cultures from all across the world have created music in one form or fashion so there seems to be some level of need. Today we talk science to discuss how this idea is not a load of classical crap, but physiological in nature.

The article shows that music, memory, and emotions all create brain activity in the same part of the brain! So when music is used, it can have a feedback connection that will link the memory with the music. Soooo flippin’ cool.

So what are 5 things music can do for us as parents:

Relax and lower stress levels of our kiddos.
Lower metabolism and heart rate to help learn.
Pull kids out of tired states.
Stimulate the brain to solve complex problems.
Help kids remember values like “don’t bite your friends!”

Also, we cover the age-old question: “my kids music is high-energy and chaotic. Should I let them listen to it and will it hurt them?”

SHOW NOTES

Article on Music, Memory, and Emotions

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Episode 17 The Real Family Guys Podcast: Farewell to Mr. Paul McGuire

Join me as we discuss:

A brief segment of apologizing to kiddos and how Trey’s morning this morning necessitates an apology when they he gets home.

A very sad farewell from Paul as this will be his last Real Family Guys Podcast.

Pauls reason for leaving.

Today is an episode that is sweet mixed with sour. We begin by discussing how Trey’s morning did not go so well, and how it has left Trey needing to apologize to, not only his kids, but also his wife. We talk about the power of apologies and how they are actually quite necessary.

We also cover the need to say “I’m sorry” to your spouse, and how it can be very beneficial to say that in front of the kiddos.

And more seriously, Paul announces that this will be his last Real Family Guys Podcast to help him stay laser targeted on his website, The Affluent Student. Paul gives his goodbyes to the listeners and reminds folks where they can find him.

SHOW NOTES

The Affluent Student- Pauls awesome site.

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Episode 165: If You’re Not Happy, You’re Doing it Wrong!

Join me as we discuss:

How if you are not happy, you are doing it wrong.

How I’m not talking about faking happiness, instantaneous happy-happy turn-arounds or floofy la-la crap about unicorns and bunnies.

How our happiness is our OWN responsibility, not our kids/spouse/etc.

A few ways to generate happiness from our lives.

Lets be honest. Many of us are not happy as parents. Not saying that we don’t experience some levels of happiness from time to time, but keeping that constant happiness can be a struggle. Typically, we grew up with parents that we’re happy even when we so desperately wanted them to be.

Before we know it, we are looking our kids in the eyes wondering why they “make me so angry.” You see, the mistakes of our parents come to revisit us as adults without even realizing it.

Emotions are like personal hygiene. It is not the responsibility of anyone else to keep me smelling good. That is why I wake up, shower, brush my teeth, put on deodorant, and maybe a little spritz of cologne. We all know and acknowledge that is the responsibility of the individual.

But for some reason, we often have trouble accepting this in regards to emotions.

No one can make you feel anything. Happy, sad, angry, numb.

These are all reactions or triggers to things that happen and I am responsible for how I act (or more likely react).

So how do we work on being happier? Here are a few that we talk about in today’s show:

Stop negative talking. I mean STOP IT!
Find the good in all situations. Yes, even the seemingly crappy ones.
Be optimistic that, though things are challenging, they will get better.

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Episode 164: Kids and Weight

Join me as we discuss:

The definition of overweight and obese and how your kiddo, and you, might fit the obese category without knowing it.

What I think are the main causes of our obesity in America.

What I think are the real solutions to our kiddo’s, and our, obesity issues.

There is no doubt that there is a rising occurrence of obesity in our culture, and even amongst our kiddos. Many parents have tried themselves to loose weight by cutting back on their foods, cutting out sodas, and exercising heavily. Now, I agree that these are crucial pieces of the weight-loss elements.

With that said,

I also think that there is a major piece of the puzzle missing that isn’t about cutting calories or increasing your output.

I think the quality of our food has gone to crap. With the onset of mono-cropping we are yanking all of the nutrients out of our soils. With fewer minerals to pull from the soil, there is less in the veggie we are consuming.

Or indirectly, there is less mineral content in the plants that cows are eating and then, subsequently, there is less mineral content in us. We now have to consume more to fill that nutritional goal. Combine that with the onset of highly processed foods. There is little we can do calorically or with exercise that makes a significant difference.

So what do I think we can do. Here is my list:

Grow your own food.
Go organic when possible (even though American “organic” isn’t fully organic).
Buy local. Farmers markets are great places to find great good garden-grown produce that hasn’t been shellacked with crap.

SHOW NOTES

Trey’s Tin Hat Segment

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Episode 16 The Real Family Guys Podcast: Let’s Talk About SEX!

Join me as we discuss:

An article on mandating the HPV vaccination and does it mean good/bad things for our kids.

Giving condoms like candy: an article documenting whether this really promotes promiscuity.

What ages should we talk to our kids about sex and when is it too late?

Today Paul and I discuss the topic of talking to our kids about sex. A recent article we dug up discussed whether or not we should give teens the HPV vaccination. Paul found a fascinating article on giving condoms to teens and we discuss what we do as parents.

We also cover having that sometimes difficult conversation with our kiddos about sex, and how to make that conversation a breeze!

Have a relationship with your kid as early as possible so this conversation flows easily.
Get familiar with the words penis and vagina, just to try and say them without blushing or giggling.
Let your kids know what you feel about the different stages of intimacy from holding hands, to fondling, and even anal sex and intercourse. I know, it makes me squirm to type this, but we need to be the ones to educate our kids. Not a curriculum, and definitely not Johnny Hasnoclue from school.

SHOW NOTES

The Affluent Student – Pauls awesome site

HPV Vaccine Article

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Episode 163: Unlearning What Your Parents Taught You About Parenting

Join me as we discuss:

How do we unlearn what our parents taught us?

Is it possible to change a habit in us that was ingrained in us by our parents?

How the “I’ll never do that” comes back to bite us in the butt.

Today we discuss the question of “can we overcome our parents methods. As humans we have the natural tendency to default back to what we know.

So if we see our parents do something (particuarly difficult when we see it over and over) that is a bad habit, human nature will often default during times of stress back to what we’ve seen. Partly, it’s just kinda natural. Instictual if you will.

This often leads to a myriad of things like guilt, persistant bad habits, and repetitive discipline like spanking a lot or a kid stacking up their groundings for approximately 25 years. Funny enough, these two issues actually feed off of each other.

So what do we do to unlearn what our parents taught:

Figure out what’s not working.
Decide what to do differently.
Decide what our parents taught us that we might keep.
Be consistent….ooooh. Now you don’t like me….
Let your parents off the hook if harboring unforgiveness.
Don’t fall into guilt.

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Episode 162: Imperfect Parents are Perfect for Kids!

Join me as we discuss:

How our imperfections are in fact quite necessary.

How anything worth doing is worth doing wrong…wait….

How our crashing and burning is very vital to being great parents.

We live in a society that tells us to be the best you can be. Parents watch other parents with the scornful eye and all of us are expected to be perfect. Even Grammy Sue would say “anything worth doing is worth doing right.”

But I say horse-crap!

Today we discuss how this short-sighted mentality has bred a crop of parents that have learned to not execute on anything unless all of the conditions are in perfect alignment for success. We have lost the risk in our life-tasks that helps hone and sharpen our abilities, all in the name of “perfection.”

In the shooter world (I’m an avid shooter if you didn’t know) there is a phrase that I love. Amateurs train until they get it right. Professionals train until they get it wrong. You see, when you push your limits and boundaries, you are destined to fail. But those failures are fantastic!

And there is no magical shield that protects us from this phenomenon in parenting. As a parent you will screw up. It is inevitable. But there is an inherent power and healing that needs to occur between parent and kiddo during that time.

So I say, be the perfect parent by embracing and growing from your imperfections. Maybe, juuuust maybe, our kids will learn that it’s okay to screw up and grow from their screw ups too.

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Episode 15 The Real Family Guys Podcast: Tolerance Isn’t a Bad Word

Join Paul and I as we discuss:

The literal definition of tolerance and how we have skewed it to mean condone.

How it’s absolutely possible to tolerate beliefs that differ from ours, without saying we agree with it.

How our kids are watching our every move, and if we adopt this tolerance/condone word substitution, we may be shooting ourself in the foot.

Today my great friend and co-host Paul and I embark on what was potentially the most uncomfortable show to record. We discuss an article written, discussing a comeback to the Mix It Up planning for promoting homosexuality in their schools.

Paul and I have been very open about our beliefs as Bible believing Christians, but Paul and I both agree that many in both the Christian and Gay Communities have taken this too far. Rather than caring about people we use our belief systems to try and push our agenda. In turn we push each other farther away and end up hating one another.

We have fundamentally confused the words tolerance (accepting difference in beliefs or behaviors) and condoning (to approve or sanction something). We need to be teaching our kids:

There are other beliefs other than our own.
Why we believe what we do.
That it is perfectly okay for people to believe differently than ourselves.
That we can leave at peace with someone that thinks we are wrong.
That life intrinsically has value, even if we think their beliefs are incorrect.

SHOW NOTES

The Affluent Student – Pauls awesome site.

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