The Happy Home Podcast with Arlene Pellicane

Many of us long for a deeper, more experiential life with Jesus. Might God be inviting us higher up and closer still? In today's episode, Stasi Eldredge, author of The Ladder of Love: A Pathway to Emotional Healing and Spiritual Intimacy with Jesus, joins Arlene to talk about emotional healing and spiritual intimacy with Jesus. Stasi shares how she came to faith at 21 after a turbulent childhood, and what helped her through the early years of motherhood, including prayer, a Christian counselor, and friendship. She explains the ladder of love, which moves from clay and sheep to child, friend, and bride, and why she took a sabbatical instead of quitting her work. She also covers daily quiet time at home, playing with your spouse, and becoming the supporting cast in your adult children's lives. Join us for an encouraging and inspiring conversation centered on God's character and our relationship with Him. 03:39 Stasi's story: a broken family and coming to Jesus at 21 09:06 First step in healing: invite Jesus into your pain 11:33 Why Stasi sought out a Christian counselor 14:02 Surviving the hidden years of young motherhood 15:56 What the ladder of love is and why it's a ladder 22:10 Rest, don't quit: Stasi's sabbatical 29:21 Play with your spouse: ping pong and cribbage 31:11 Becoming the supporting cast in your adult children's lives Find out more about Stasi Eldredge and her book, The Ladder of Love: A Pathway to Emotional Healing and Spiritual Intimacy with Jesus at WildatHeart.org Get Arlene's new book, The Great Tech Reset: Reclaiming Real Life for Christian Families. Free while supplies last from Summit Ministries TechResetBook.com More Resources from Arlene Pellicane: SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse. Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier. Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook Watch the podcast on Arlene's YouTube Channel How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email [email protected] Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE) Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Bringing up spiritually strong kids in today's world can seem like a daunting challenge. Dr. Charles Fay, a psychologist and president of the Love and Logic Institute, joins Arlene to discuss his book Raising Spiritually Strong Kids. He explains Ephesians 2:8-10, the difference between grace and permissiveness, and how rescuing kids from every problem interrupts the trust cycle. He describes the Love and Logic approach of setting limits with few words and letting empathy and consequences teach, along with a five-step process for helping older kids with problems. He also covers parenting without shame, staying connected with kids, and what to do when spouses disagree about discipline. 1:15 – A toddler meltdown in a restaurant and a neighbor’s advice: “be loving and strong” 5:18 – Ephesians 2:8-10: saved by grace, saved to do good works 10:12 – A candy lesson: letting kids make affordable mistakes 18:18 – The “parenting prosperity gospel” and why doing everything right doesn’t guarantee results 20:00 – The trust cycle, why rescuing kids stunts it, and the five steps for helping with big problems 25:01 – Love and Logic in a nutshell: set limits with few words, let empathy and consequences teach 26:50 – How modern psychology has encouraged idolizing children 29:12 – Parenting without shame and building connection at home 32:25 – When spouses disagree on discipline Learn more about Love and Logic, and Dr. Charles Fay's book, Raising Spiritually Strong Kids Get Arlene's new book, The Great Tech Reset: Reclaiming Real Life for Christian Families. Free while supplies last from Summit Ministries TechResetBook.com More Resources from Arlene Pellicane: SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse. Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier. Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook Watch the podcast on Arlene's YouTube Channel How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email [email protected] Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE) Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Because kids experience and express grief differently than adults, we can feel unprepared to handle our kids' emotions. We hardly know how to grieve ourselves, so how can we help our kids through the death of a loved one or divorce? Arlene talks with counselor and New York Times Bestselling Author, Sissy Goff about her new book, Helping Kids Through Grief: A Parent's Guide for Making Sense of Death, Processing Loss, and Finding Hope. As a therapist with over 30 years of experience, Sissy has seen firsthand the impact of grief on kids and families, and she's here to offer guidance and hope. Sissy discusses the importance of understanding the grieving process, how to validate a child's emotions, and the value of creating memories to honor loved ones who have passed away. We'll also explore the differences in how boys and girls grieve, and how to support kids through various types of loss, from the death of a loved one to the end of a sports season. 03:00 – Why Sissy wrote the book and the sixth stage of grief: meaning 06:10 – Anger and "all feelings are okay, but not all behaviors" 07:12 – What to say to a grieving child: "It won't always feel like this" 10:32 – Kids grieve in doses 11:57 – Answering "When is Papa coming back?" 13:18 – How boys and girls grieve differently 14:44 – Divorce and secondary losses 20:21 – Keeping memories alive with memory boxes 23:00 – When the parent is grieving too: accepting help from community Get Sissy Goff's book, Helping Kids Through Grief, and learn more at RaisingBoysandGirls.com Push back against too much screen time and read Arlene's new book, The Great Tech Reset: Reclaiming Real Life for Christian Families. Free while supplies last from Summit Ministries TechResetBook.com More Resources from Arlene Pellicane: SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse. Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier. Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook Watch the podcast on Arlene's YouTube Channel How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email [email protected] Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE) Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

For many kids (especially boys), life revolves around video games. "Wake me when it's the weekend" is the attitude of many kids who aren't interested in school, responsibility, or family bonding when there are video games to be played. Child and adolescent psychologist Dr. Richard Freed joins Arlene to explain why video games are so sticky. He breaks down persuasive design, the science tech companies use to keep kids on screens. You'll understand BJ Fogg's behavior formula and how games like Fortnite are built by psychologists and AI to exploit boys' instincts for hunting, fighting, and status. Dr. Freed discusses why boys are falling behind academically and socially, and why family and school connection matter more than peer or online community. You won't be left helpless against the gaming console. We'll share practical steps to delay the addicting power of smartphones, social media, and video games. Dr. Richard Freed is the author of several books including Better Than Real Life: How Silicon Valley's Secret Science of Persuasive Design is Stealing Childhood. 02:15 – Why girls started self-harming at age 10-11 in the early 2000s 03:56 – Video games as "sophisticated psychological conditioning chambers" 06:12 – BJ Fogg's persuasive design formula: B = MAT (motivation, ability, triggers) 10:19 – Fortnite's lead designer and the "Skinner box" behind the game 13:25 – When limiting a teen's screen time becomes dangerous 20:11 – Debunking the myth that video games build real-world skills 30:06 – The three things kids need most: family, school, physical activity 36:04 – Where to find Dr. Freed and his book, Better Than Real Life Connect with Dr. Richard Freed and grab a copy of Better than Real Life at RichardFreed.com Push back against persuasive design and read Arlene's new book, The Great Tech Reset: Reclaiming Real Life for Christian Families. Free while supplies last from Summit Ministries TechResetBook.com More Resources from Arlene Pellicane: SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse. Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier. Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook Watch the podcast on Arlene's YouTube Channel How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email [email protected] Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE) Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

If exposed regularly to AI, how will kids tell the difference between the real world and what is artificial?A tech reset is needed - moving from a screen-based childhood to a play-based childhood. Going into nature instead of sitting on a couch. Author Eryn Lynum knows a lot about the benefits of being in God's creation. She's the host of the Nat Theo podcast, but even her family needed to reestablish limits. She read Arlene's new book, The Great Tech Reset, during a three-week road trip. Lynum describes the family meeting that followed, how her four kids responded, and how nature became the replacement for screen time rather than just a restriction. We'll talk about AI, rest, and Eryn's experience with Addison's disease. Eryn has two new books to help your children embrace the wild outdoors and God's creation: a children's book Where Wonder Leads and the family devotional Made to Marvel. 02:36 – Why the Lynum family needed a tech reset 05:11 – How her four kids reacted to new tech limits 08:16 – Replacing tech with nature instead of just restricting it 10:29 – Nature vs. AI: teaching kids what's real 13:45 – How to start engaging with nature as a family (even in a condo) 20:21 – What "wonder" means in Where Wonder Leads 23:15 – Living with Addison's disease and why rest matters 29:40 – Made to Marvel: the new 52-week family devotional Find out more about Eryn Lynum's ministry and her new books, Where Wonder Leads and the family devotional Made to Marvel, at https://nattheo.com/ Get Arlene's new book The Great Tech Reset: Reclaiming Real Life for Christian Families for FREE while supplies last from Summit Ministries. More Resources from Arlene Pellicane: SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse. Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier. Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook Watch the podcast on Arlene's YouTube Channel How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words. Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email [email protected] Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE) Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.