Do you have daughters? Do you have some mom wounds? Are you facing some “mean girl” moments as you raise your daughters? Then, you cannot miss this one.

I’m always amazed at the way Melanie Shankle cuts through the clutter of life and gets to the core of the issue. She’s one of my very favorite moms out there - I have always read her books, learned from her journey, admired her faith and soaked up her wisdom.

It can be really tricky to walk through your own junk and past while raising your own kids. She gives very specific ways we can face our own struggles during your years as a mom. I am praying Melanie’s courage rubs off on all of us and we face some of our hardest moments and gain strength through that process.

My favorite part is when Melanie talks about what she needed from her mom including stability and an environment where she could be herself. This really motivated me to think about how often I critique and pick at my girls. They need a home where they can be themselves without changing anything about them.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How to recognize mean girl behavior
• When to step in when your girl is being bullied
• How to heal from past wounds as a mom
• Parenting differently than your own mom

Praying for you all as you process through your mom wounds and mean girl moments. God will meet you there! Let him heal the hurting places of your heart.

Much love,

Courtney

(00:00) Puppy Love and Life with Dogs

(06:00) Hard No's: Navigating Everyday Annoyances

(12:01) Skincare Secrets: Affordable Beauty Tips

(17:55) Mean Girls: Navigating Childhood Friendships

(23:28) The Importance of Emotional Safety

(29:35) Healing from Past Wounds

(37:32) The Struggle as a Path to Strength

Connect with Pardon The Mess:

Christian Parenting

Pardon The Mess

Courtney DeFeo

Get your 2024-2025 prayer journal, A Life of Faith

Resources from today’s show:

The Unbreakable Boy movie

Connect with Melanie

Here Be Dragons - Melanie’s new book

American Eagle - sweat pant

Eminence Vitamin C

Extreme cream

Elastic skin

Melanie’s Amazon Shop

Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in” (Proverbs 3:11–12)

Because we love our kids and want what’s best for them, we want them to grow up to be well-rounded, healthy, successful, godly people, so we establish boundaries in their lives and we reinforce them when they are broken. We explain why certain rules exist and how to act in social situations. We correct. We talk. We talk some more. We lose our cool. We say sorry. We hug. We discipline our kids.

Because the Lord loves us and wants what’s best for us, he is constantly changing us and conforming us into the image of Christ through spiritual discipline because he wants us to become more and more like Jesus. God’s discipline is not meant to hurt us, it is never out of anger, and it’s not about perfect behavior; it is to protect us and grow our relationship with him. The Lord’s discipline is not to punish us, it is to transform us. Understanding this requires spiritual maturity in our kids that they will gain as they follow Jesus through their lives.

So let’s pray that our kids will grow to see that God’s discipline in their lives is a wonderful part of following him—it means he is taking an active part in growing them to be more and more like him for his good purpose.

Father God, you are a good father who loves your children. Thank you for calling ________ your child. Help them to see you as a father who disciplines out of love and care, not out of anger and rules. You want what's best for your kids and you know how much sin hurts us, help them to experience the peace that comes from confession and forgiveness! Amen.

Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Raise your hands if you are excited about talking with your teen about sexual integrity? Not me. These are hard, but necessary conversations we must have with our kids. I have the very best voices in this area, Jim Burns and Erin Mashaw, on the podcast today.

In this episode, we discuss the complexities of parenting, particularly in relation to sexuality and communication. We talk about the importance of early education on sexual integrity, the challenges posed by the purity culture and the need for open dialogue between parents and children.

The bottom line is our kids need a healthy and safe place to talk about their sexuality. As a parent, that can feel very scary. You will love these two and want to pick up their newest book - that gives you and your teen some language that will help. Our kids are all curious about sexuality and bombarded with messages that are far from biblical truth. Erin and Jim approach a tough topic with such love and grace.

In this episode, we chat about:

• How to start conversations about sexuality early
• How purity culture created shame around sexuality
• Understanding curiosity and boundaries
• How to encourage dating in a way that fosters healthy relationships

Enjoy!

Courtney

00:00

Introduction to Parenting Challenges

05:58

The Importance of Early Education

12:05

The Scope of the New Book

17:45

Navigating Honesty in Parenting

23:43

Embracing Differences in Family Dynamics

30:10

The Long Game of Parenting

Connect with Pardon The Mess:

Christian Parenting

Pardon The Mess

Courtney DeFeo

Get your 2024-2025 prayer journal, A Life of Faith

Resources from today’s show:

The Unbreakable Boy movie

Jim’s Organization - HomeWord

Connect with Jim

Connect with Erin

A Student’s Guide To Sexual Integrity -Erin and Jim’s new book

Doing Life With Your Adult Children with Jim Burns

Affresh for your laundry

Courtney’s Amazon List

Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org