Bright Families

Social Direction for Kids and Teens

Sara and Jen talk about social situations we've counseled kids through, how Sara reaches out to her kids with different communication styles, and what she tells them about different types of family styles, gift buying, visiting neighbors, and awkward moments with friends. Lots of wisdom - Sara has so many great ideas!

Have you lost your Sparkle?

It happens to the best of us.... and here are a few simple ways to get it back.

How to Lose Weight with No Time or Little Time

3 levers to pull with no time, and 3 more to pull if you have a bit of time but not much energy or motivation. Don't over-complicate it! Do the easy, high-impact things first.

Does Your Teen Need or Want to Lose Weight?

How do you approach this complex topic from a nutritional and personal perspective, so your teen will hear you and get the help he or she needs?

Moms Health Club with Denise Jelinek

Denise Jelinek helps women notice and change their mindset around food and eating, and to see when they are trying to solve non-food problems with food, instead of turning to God and letting their emotions run a natural course. Denise runs both group and private coaching programs to teach women to stop emotional eating. Her website is Turn to God not Food

Safe Herbs Talk for Moms Health Club - 1 hour

Keeping Kids Safe from Weird People - Part 2

The stories I've shared with my older teens, collected from people in our circle as cautionary tales. I want my kids to have an idea of what's happening if something weird ever does come up. Often people end up in bad situations because they don't recognize them quickly enough, and stories help us recognize things without having experienced them before.

The solution may be people rather an ideas

So often I think I need a better system or clearer ideas, and then what turns out to be most helpful is an inspiring word or example from another person living the ideas and systems I'm trying to live.

Nutrition for Anxious Teens

Ideas for more calories and nutrients for teens, particularly those prone to depression and anxiety, and how to manage blood sugar when it's gotten too low.

Keeping Kids Safe from Weird People

Let's go beyond touching safety and train our kids to notice weird behavior long before it gets to touch. There's usually a grooming period in which the perpetrator tries to build complicity and guilt int he child through a series of "odd" interactions and "don't tell your parents" remarks. Examples of spotting this behavior early as a parent and how to approach the topic with young kids.