New Episodes!

The Extraordinary Family Life Podcast Episodes

Jan. 9, 2024

#245 Face & OVERCOME the (Inevitable) Obstacles to Your Family's Goals & Dreams!

As we begin the New Year and pursuing new goals, this timely episode shares a real-life *happening now* obstacle to pursuing our dream (to buy a chateau in France) -- getting stuck and stranded in Casablanca, Morocco. We wal…
Nov. 15, 2023

#241 Stop Controlling Your Kids & Instead Gain Their Love, Respect & Admiration

Do you want to develop a parenting style and family culture that nurtures instilling values through individual autonomy INSTEAD of through parental control? Parents face many challenges -- and the temptation to control their…
Sept. 26, 2023

#235 Creating a Family Culture of Stability, Safety, Trust, & Well-Adjusted Family Members

"My kids are having a hard time adjusting to _______ (moving, traveling, homeschooling, divorce, death, etc). How can I help them?" We've received a question like this dozens of times over the years. Parents the world over w…
Aug. 8, 2023

#231 Stop Lying to Your Kids — Speak ONLY Truth to Gain More Influence

We've never told any of our 7 children there is a Santa Clause or a Tooth Fairy. That's because we always wanted to be seen as people our children can believe and trust -- NO MATTER WHAT -- especially when it comes to disce…
July 18, 2023

#230 How to Handle the Stress & Pressure of Family Life and to Move Into Higher Level Emotions

I (Rachel) cried today. It was because of the stress and pressure and overwhelm of 'all the things' I have to get done by a looming deadline, and it was sparked by the small irritations of family life. So Greg and I do what …
May 16, 2023

#223 How to Prevent 80% of Problems & Find Lasting Solutions When Challenges Do Arise

Do you feel stuck? Or like you're constantly dealing with the same problems -- in your marriage, with your kids, or your finances? Does it feel like you can never 'afford it' -- no matter what it is? Or that you keep having …
April 11, 2023

#218 Body Shaming? How to LOVE Your Body AND Want to Get in Your Best Shape

This topic is one that can be sensitive so we want to handle it appropriately . As usual, the subject came up because of an activity in Greg’s online class for teens — Habits for a Successful Life — and a resulting email fro…
March 28, 2023

#216 Why Encouraging Your Kids to 'Talk Back' Develops Critical Thinking & Decision Making Skills

In this episode, it seems as though we start talking about one subject and end with another. Yet, they are connected. We begin discussing how to deal with children who are ‘high spirited’ with minds of their own (which can s…
Feb. 14, 2023

#210 A Message (with a Strategy) for Swamped, Overwhelmed Moms (and Dads)

We truly love receiving emails and questions from followers, clients, and listeners because it gives us specific situations and challenges to address. We’ve learned that even though we (as humans) often feel that we’re the ‘…
Feb. 7, 2023

#209 How to Get Your Kids (& Spouse) on Board with Charts & Systems (+ Why You NEED Them Even if You Think You Don't)

We received another question from a mom who was interested in joining my Family Charts & Systems course and community . In an email I sent out, it said: As a mother of seven children, my life seriously changed forever once I…
Jan. 24, 2023

#207 How to Make Sure Your Kids Are NOT ANNOYING (Because It's Crucial to THEIR Adult Happiness)

You might not realize it, but as a parent, YOU have a moral obligation to make sure that your child (or children) are NOT annoying. Why? Because in order for your children to function normally in the world — and to have a he…
Jan. 17, 2023

#206 Inspire, Not Require... Sounds Ideal, But Does it Actually Work?

Welcome to the podcast! We’re coming to you from Warsaw, Poland. Our kids are on the other side of town in an Airbnb and we’re spending the weekend at a luxury hotel to celebrate Greg’s 45th birthday. (Please excuse any soun…
Jan. 10, 2023

#205 The Price of Mastery -- Is It Worth the Cost?

We’re coming to you today from the city of Vilnius, Lithuania. We have loved traveling through the Baltic States. Today we’re going to continue answering some questions (since we were accidentally cut short in the last episo…
Oct. 25, 2022

#198 Masturbation & Cheap Sexual Acts Are a Poor Substitute for Real Connection — A Message for Teens AND Spouses

We’ve been asked several times over the years by coaching clients and others regarding masturbation . Specifically, they want to know how to approach masturbation in general — with their children or teens , and in their marr…
Sept. 6, 2022

#191 The Truth (& Myths) About Overcoming Anxiety & Depression

Many, if not all of us, know of someone — are ARE someone — who has dealt with the devastating effects of anxiety and depression. Methods for dealing with these issues can be very charged. It’s a subject that’s often difficu…