Growing Up With Kids :: A Funny Parenting Podcast

This Week's Episode:
This week we are sharing some of our losses, some sweet moments with our kids, and some thoughts on the challenges of certain ages--specifically age 4. Kids are growing in independence, but still so very needy. They can be stubborn (can't we all). And, they want to do things on their own and that can...Take. So. Much. Time.

The Stat of the Week is about the the ages when children are the most difficult. Is it age 4 or age 4 or age 8? [Spoiler: We think it is age 4.]


Thank you so much for listening!
We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

Also, you can follow us on:

• Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcast
• Facebook: @growingupwithkidspodcast
• Twitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

This Week's Episode:
This week we are sharing some of our losses, some sweet moments with our kids, and some thoughts on the challenges of certain ages--specifically age 4. Kids are growing in independence, but still so very needy. They can be stubborn (can't we all). And, they want to do things on their own and that can...Take. So. Much. Time.

The Stat of the Week is about the the ages when children are the most difficult. Is it age 4 or age 4 or age 8? [Spoiler: We think it is age 4.]


Thank you so much for listening!
We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

Also, you can follow us on:

• Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcast
• Facebook: @growingupwithkidspodcast
• Twitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

This Week's Episode
It's Spring Break, so we are bringing back one of our most popular episodes. It was recorded pre-pandemic, so keep that in mind as you listen...
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Enjoying your spouse seems like an obvious thing to do, but it isn't always as easy as we'd think or like. This week we cover 6.5 ideas on how to increase your level of "likitude" with your spouse. Here's a quick preview:

      1. Carve out time together.
      2. Being seen & heard.
      3. Be curious and genuinely interested in activities your spouse prefers (that you don't).
      4. Have a "mutual" sense of humor.
      5. Recognize & respect different needs for interaction & introversion.
      6. Get out of your normal context.
      7. Seek out friends who see (and remind you of) the good in your spouse.

The Stat of the Week is about leisure time activities and time spent caring for children from the American Time Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).


Thank you so much for listening!
We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

Also, you can follow us on:

• Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcast
• Facebook: @growingupwithkidspodcast
• Twitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

This Week's Episode
It's Spring Break, so we are bringing back one of our most popular episodes. It was recorded pre-pandemic, so keep that in mind as you listen...
________________________________________________________________________

Enjoying your spouse seems like an obvious thing to do, but it isn't always as easy as we'd think or like. This week we cover 6.5 ideas on how to increase your level of "likitude" with your spouse. Here's a quick preview:

      1. Carve out time together.
      2. Being seen & heard.
      3. Be curious and genuinely interested in activities your spouse prefers (that you don't).
      4. Have a "mutual" sense of humor.
      5. Recognize & respect different needs for interaction & introversion.
      6. Get out of your normal context.
      7. Seek out friends who see (and remind you of) the good in your spouse.

The Stat of the Week is about leisure time activities and time spent caring for children from the American Time Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).


Thank you so much for listening!
We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

Also, you can follow us on:

• Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcast
• Facebook: @growingupwithkidspodcast
• Twitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

This Week's Episode:
We are planning on a more active summer and fall--God willing--so we are refreshing our family mission statement to make sure we stay aligned amidst the busyness.

This can be a fun and relatively easy way to provide our family with direction, see and name our kids' strengths, and celebrate both the communal (our family) and the individual (each child). A mission statement helps our kids feel like they are part of something, and it communicates that "this is what it means to be part of this family."

A few things to keep in mind: 

• You don't have to be perfect (like the von Trapps).
• Keep it simple. Don't follow our example; we tend to overcomplicate things like this.
• Make it fun. (We added a campfire and S'mores.)
• Involve the kids.
  • Ask them to name the good and the bad--there are no bad answers.
  • Don't be offended when they do talk about the bad. What an awesome opportunity to hear them and love them.

Plus, a few funny stories about David's awkward interaction with a stick and how dogs mark their territory (unfortunately, in our rugs sometimes).

The Stat of the Week is about the pandemic's Baby Bust.


Thank you so much for listening!
We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

Also, you can follow us on:

• Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcast
• Facebook: @growingupwithkidspodcast
• Twitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

This Week's Episode:
We are planning on a more active summer and fall--God willing--so we are refreshing our family mission statement to make sure we stay aligned amidst the busyness.

This can be a fun and relatively easy way to provide our family with direction, see and name our kids' strengths, and celebrate both the communal (our family) and the individual (each child). A mission statement helps our kids feel like they are part of something, and it communicates that "this is what it means to be part of this family."

A few things to keep in mind: 

• You don't have to be perfect (like the von Trapps).
• Keep it simple. Don't follow our example; we tend to overcomplicate things like this.
• Make it fun. (We added a campfire and S'mores.)
• Involve the kids.
  • Ask them to name the good and the bad--there are no bad answers.
  • Don't be offended when they do talk about the bad. What an awesome opportunity to hear them and love them.

Plus, a few funny stories about David's awkward interaction with a stick and how dogs mark their territory (unfortunately, in our rugs sometimes).

The Stat of the Week is about the pandemic's Baby Bust.


Thank you so much for listening!
We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

Also, you can follow us on:

• Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcast
• Facebook: @growingupwithkidspodcast
• Twitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

This Week's Episode:
The babysitters here!

After covering a few funny stories about babysitter quirks we experienced over the years, we discuss a few pointers on finding babysitters and setting your kids up for success: prioritizing dates when you have small kids, finding great babysitters through referrals, setting clear expectations, informing the sitter of any individual kids' quirks, and the power and joy of loosening boundaries.

The Stat of the Week covers the average cost of a babysitter (in 2021, 2020 and 2019).


Thank you so much for listening!
We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

Also, you can follow us on:

• Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcast
• Facebook: @growingupwithkidspodcast
• Twitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

This Week's Episode:
The babysitters here!

After covering a few funny stories about babysitter quirks we experienced over the years, we discuss a few pointers on finding babysitters and setting your kids up for success: prioritizing dates when you have small kids, finding great babysitters through referrals, setting clear expectations, informing the sitter of any individual kids' quirks, and the power and joy of loosening boundaries.

The Stat of the Week covers the average cost of a babysitter (in 2021, 2020 and 2019).


Thank you so much for listening!
We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

Also, you can follow us on:

• Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcast
• Facebook: @growingupwithkidspodcast
• Twitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

Action Item: Put courage into someone you love and who trusts you. Go tell them they are doing a great job as a parent and/or spouse during a very difficult time.


Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

Also, you can follow us on:

• Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcast
• Facebook: @growingupwithkidspodcast
• Twitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

This Week's Episode:
Nearly half of the people you walk by on any given day during the pandemic is wrestling with anxiety and/or depressive disorder. You may relate. At times, we certainly can. We have been feeling an increase in anxiety over the past few weeks.

There is light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, but there are still many challenges at work, in our homes, with our kids' school that have not yet returned to normal. This is creating increased levels of anxiety and guilt, which we unpack in this week's shorter-than-normal episode.


The Stat of the Week is about the pandemic's impact on anxiety among adolescents and adults. Rachael also rails on a movie we haven't even watched yet.

Action Item: Put courage into someone you love and who trusts you. Go tell them they are doing a great job as a parent and/or spouse during a very difficult time.


Thank you so much for listening! We'd love it if you took a moment to subscribe and rate/review the podcast in whichever app you choose to listen. And, as always if you have a friend who may be encouraged by this conversation, don't hesitate to share the podcast with them.

Also, you can follow us on:

• Instagram: growingupwithkidspodcast
• Facebook: @growingupwithkidspodcast
• Twitter: @DavidGrowUp and @RachaelGrowUp

This Week's Episode:
Nearly half of the people you walk by on any given day during the pandemic is wrestling with anxiety and/or depressive disorder. You may relate. At times, we certainly can. We have been feeling an increase in anxiety over the past few weeks.

There is light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, but there are still many challenges at work, in our homes, with our kids' school that have not yet returned to normal. This is creating increased levels of anxiety and guilt, which we unpack in this week's shorter-than-normal episode.


The Stat of the Week is about the pandemic's impact on anxiety among adolescents and adults. Rachael also rails on a movie we haven't even watched yet.