In This Together With Dr. Josh + Christi

This is our first Q & A episode! Thank you for submitting your questions.In this episode, we address questions specifically related to parenting young children.Here's a review of the questions we discuss in this episode: * What are good, practical survival tips for our marriage? * How do I hit the reset button after blowing up at my kids? * I struggle with setting limits on technology. * I'm a single mom and I'm all alone.The questions:From Jody: In September, we will be welcoming into the world our fourth child in 5 years. We are very excited. But it is definitely tough because we have zero help from grandparents and are on our own. What are some good practical survival tips for our marriage in this season to keep it "till death do us part and not till kids do us part?"From Jenny: Two sick toddlers + one sick mommy = a terrible, horrible morning today. After the dust settles though, how do I come back from that? My kids recover more quickly than I do. How do I hit the reset button after blowing up at my

Jamie Ivey's Happy Hour podcast was Christi's gateway drug into the podcastosphere. So you can imagine what a joy it was to have Jamie, and her husband Aaron, join us on our podcast.We love these two human souls because they embody healthy authenticity. Jamie's new book is called If You Only Knew: My Unlikely, Unavoidable Story of Becoming Free. The title itself is a fitting description of our conversation. As parents to four children, Jamie and Aaron have navigated ministry, marriage, and adoption. Once Jamie navigated her way through her own story, finding identity in Christ, she became free to lead--as a wife, as a mom, and as a successful podcaster.And that's what you hear throughout the interview: a message of freedom. Jamie and Aaron give us the permission to tell our stories and the importance of doing so for our family. So we can champion our marriage. Get rid of shame as a mom. Be present as a dad.So many of us want rid of the nagging feeling of shame. We desire vulnerability. Jamie and Aaron share h

Why is it that our natural tendency is to become hard and insensitive toward the person we love the most? Rather than being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry (James 1:19), we're quick to defend ourselves, quick to cast blame, and slow to understand—a recipe that keeps us enslaved to self-righteousness, and too often, unable to forgive.In this episode, we talk about 5 ways you can create a culture of forgiveness in your marriage: * Forgive from the heart but set boundaries on behavior. * Don't defend yourself. * Clothe yourself in gentleness, because bitterness is unattractive. * Pray this one prayer each day for your spouse. * Take the Golden Rule and replace the word "do" with the word "understand."We also reveal the first three actions we give to a couple who call us because they feel stuck in their marriage. If you feel stuck, forgiveness may be the first place to begin.Show Notes:For counseling referrals in your local area, enter your zip code in one of the links below:Focus on the

We asked families in our 22:6 Parenting audience this one question: What’s your #1 struggle as a parent? We had over 700 responses.Last week we covered struggles 6-10. In part 2, we talk about the top 5 struggles of today's parents. We also offer some practical insights on how we can overcome these struggles.In this episode, we talk about the top 5 struggles:5. How do I disciple my kids?4. I lose my patience.3. I feel inadequate.2. How can I get my kids to obey? (Discipline)1. There's not enough time.Also, we invite YOU to ask us questions and be on the podcast. We will have Q&A episodes this season. Just click here to ask your questions or submit your topic. Show Notes:Be on the podcast! Submit your question / topic here!Christi's article: A Shame-Free Approach to Teaching our Kids About Jesus written by Christi StraubSafe House: How Emotional Safety is the Key to Raising Kids Who Live, Love, and Lead WellOther books mentioned in this episode:Daring Greatly: How the Courage to be Vulnerable Transforms th

Welcome to season 3!Last month, we asked families in our 22:6 Parenting audience this one question: What’s your #1 struggle as a parent? We had over 700 responses. Trust us when we say, you’re not alone.In the first two episodes of season 3 we talk about the top 10 struggles of today's parents. We also offer some practical insights on how we can overcome these struggles.In this episode, we talk about struggles 6-10:10. Single parenting9. Technology8. Raising kids to be independent7. Communication6. RespectFinally, in season 3, we are going to focus on topics YOU deal with in your family. That's why we want to invite YOU to ask us questions and be on the podcast. We will have Q&A episodes this season as well. Just click here to ask your questions or submit your topic. Show Notes:Be on the podcast! Submit your question / topic here!You can download the electronic nuptial agreement by clicking here.You can also check out The Screen-Balanced Family workbook and digital video series written and produced by Jos

Welcome to our 40th episode!What an incredible and fun year it's been for the podcast.Having not yet been at this a year, we have learned a lot from each of you. Thank you for becoming a part of our family and making this journey so enjoyable.We thought it would be fitting to close out season 2 by talking about ways we can prioritize our family in the New Year. As the saying goes, "The days are long, but the years are short."In this episode, we light-heartedly go behind our own crooked picture frame to discuss how we have prioritized--or failed at prioritizing--one another. Throughout the discussion, we also offer practical ways you can have fun with your spouse and make memories with your children in the New Year. In addition, we offer tons of bonuses in the show notes to help you get started.As a fun addition for season 3, we will have specific episodes where we answer listener questions. Therefore, we invite you to ask questions, give us feedback on topics you'd like to hear about, and share the podcast wi

When is the last time you and your spouse argued about being too busy? Or maybe you didn't argue. Perhaps the busyness meant you just passed one another by, like ships in the night. That's how overcommitment usually begins in our home. It's not until we feel the stress of trying to manage it all that we begin to argue. That's when we "see" one another floating by.Let's face it, overcommitment is plaguing today's families. Unfortunately, the first casualty is usually our marriage. Whether it's finances, work, kid's school activities, or even church, we all feel stretched. Without intentionality, our family life will simply go wherever the winds take it.That's why we decided to make this episode a special one!We were invited to talk about overcommitment in marriage as a part of "marriage week" on Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk. This is a conversation we want to invite you in on, especially with the demands of the holiday season upon us.Our hope is that after you listen, you and your spouse are able to recognize

There is nothing we want more than to experience the joy of Christmas. Unfortunately, Christmas can leave our time feeling pressed and our wallets stressed. In addition, the holiday also brings along with it some baggage, especially when it comes to our children and the traditions we hold dear.In this episode, we go behind the lens of our own crooked picture frame to discuss some Christmas hot topics. We tell stories about how we were raised and what we implement today in our own family. We also discuss topics like: * Is my gift-giving out of control? * What does an entitled child look like? * Is it okay to lie to my kids about Santa Claus? * What will my kids really remember about Christmas? * How can we truly make it about Jesus' birth? * Is the attitude I'm modeling for my kids at the holidays one of gratitude or grumbling? * What role do traditions play in our family?As you listen to this episode, think about your own family traditions, values, and what you model for and teach your kids. And be sure to en

Over one-third of Americans live in, or are a part of, a blended family. So many questions abound for stepparents. Fortunately, in this week's episode, our dear friend and expert on blended families, Ron Deal, answers many of these questions.Ron serves as Director of Family Life Blended and is the author of The Smart Stepfamily, The Smart Stepmom, The Smart Stepfamily Marriage, and The Smart Stepdad. After listening to this episode, you'll realize he's smart too. What's even better, his approach to blended families is honest, but full of grace. He answers questions like: * What does the Bible say about stepfamilies? * I'm trying to instill good values with my kids but my ex-spouse doesn't. How do I handle that? * What do I tell my kids when they have a new aunt, uncle, grandparent, etc. * How do we deal with loss during the holidays in our family? * We just divorced and now we are both getting remarried. What do we tell our kids to call our new spouses? * How do we decide whose house to go to for the holidays

Cooler weather. Peppermint mochas. Hallmark movies. The holidays. For many, it’s wonderful. For others, this time of year can be quite chaotic. The pressure of figuring out what to buy. Making travel arrangements. Deciding which family members to spend the holidays with.We try—emphasis on “try”—to talk about the upcoming holidays ahead of time. We pray and think through how we can make the most of it as a family. Having little kids can make it a bit more chaotic for us, but it can also make it a lot more precious too.What #TeamStraub has found out is that, without a plan, it’s too easy to allow the chaos and busyness to rob us from being truly present with those we love most, especially one another.In this week's episode, we talk through the acronym E.N.J.O.Y.I.N.G., and discuss eight proactive ways we can enjoy the upcoming holiday season as family. Some of the topics we discuss include: * When and how to say "no" * How to navigate Christmas gatherings with extended family * Ways we can be proactive with pot

Do you sometimes feel like you live in a fishbowl? Especially as a parent of young kids, your every move feeling scrutinized by glaring eyes in the grocery store. Or your teenager's every post on social media a reflection of how you parent?For many of us, the peanut gallery just adds insult to injury. We don't need the added pressure of the critics or the perfect family on social media to feel like we're not living up to the expectations we have of ourselves. One person who lives with these feelings heightened to the nth degree is our friend and America's beloved "DJ Tanner," Candace Cameron Bure.In spite of living in the fishbowl of Hollywood, Candace lives, loves, and leads with a confidence so many admire. In this episode, she graciously invites us behind the picture frame of her own family. With candor, Candace describes how she filters out the noise of the critics and who she allows to have access to her heart.Based on her new book, Staying Stylish: Cultivating a Confident Look, Style, and Attitude, Cand

Nobody can really prepare us for the chaos, unpredictability, and self-imposed guilt that accompany becoming a parent. Well-intentioned people may try to prepare you for the sleepless nights, colic, and grocery store tantrums, but let’s be honest, you can’t really be prepared until you encounter them.Instead, it was something subtler, yet much deeper, that nearly took me (Christi) out as a momma. Something nobody else warned me about—I lost my identity.In this episode, we talk about what taking care of ourselves as parents looks like from our own picture frame. Rather than remaining stuck in the ongoing cycle of guilt, shame and feelings of depression, together, we are finding a way out. The reason this is so important to us is because research consistently shows that it's not necessarily what we know about parenting that matters most for how our kids turn out, but who we are becoming as adults.If you too have lost yourself in parenting, this is a conversation we think you’ll find quite refreshing. We not onl

Education is one of the most challenging topics for many parents. Do we homeschool our kids? Is it okay to send them to public school? Or should we invest in private school?What about a parent's role in their child's education? How much responsibility should we shoulder versus the school itself?These are questions we tackle in this episode with Mr. Stuart Tutler, the Headmaster of New Hope Academy in Franklin, TN.We describe Mr. Tutler as a student of pedagogy. He has a passion for learning about the methods of teaching. In other words, in this episode, Mr. Tutler shares with us what he's learning to be the best ways to teach kids.Encouraging parents, he answers for us a few questions: * Who's responsible for a child's education? * How important is it that my child gets good grades? * What is the role of experience in a child's education? * How do we navigate the private, homeschool, or public school discussion? * Why and how should we emphasize wellness (i.e. nutrition, movement, rest, etc.) in our child's e

For parents in the trenches of the early years, this interview is for you. The heart of our conversation with Christy and Nathan Nockels is the story behind their new lullaby album. The reason we were drawn to the story is because we have played Scripture lullabies in our children's bedrooms from the time they were infants. Ironically, as you'll learn, this album was birthed in the early years of Christy and Nathan's journey as parents.Christy Nockels is a worship leader / singer-songwriter. Her husband, Nathan, is a producer (Passion, Matt Redman, Laura Story). Together, they have three beautiful children.Christy and Nathan toured for several years as the duo Watermark. Today, Christy is a GMA Dove Award winner and podcaster. Her own podcast, The Glorious in the Mundane, came from her own journey as a mom. She shares her journey in this episode.Even more, Nathan shares how he championed Christy's creativity and career from behind the scenes. Truly, the conversation on marriage in this episode, especially for

Our affectionally labeled "resident child therapists," David Thomas and Sissy Goff are back on the podcast! In season 1, David and Sissy joined us to talk about the emotional milestones of boys and girls. Now that school is in full session, we talk with them about social milestones. Respectively, Sissy eloquently describes how girls can develop socially, and David describes what it takes to help boys do the same.The four core social milestones include: awareness, reciprocity, ownership, and boundaries. In this episode, David and Sissy talk about the milestones, and also give us very practical ways we can help our boys and girls, respectively, reach these milestones. Fortunately, they also counsel us a bit with our kids. Christi took copious notes.David and Sissy are licensed counselors and serve at Daystar Counseling in Nashville. Along with Daystar’s founder, Melissa Trevethan, they host a website of helpful resources for parents called Raising Boys and Girls.Show Notes:For the book, Are My Kids on Track? cl

We want to ask an honest question: Are you the master of your screen, or is your screen the master of you? Nobody doubts the pervasiveness of screens in our culture today, especially among kids and teens. But when was the last time you stopped and truly asked yourself, "What, about my screen, do I accept without question?"Don't misunderstand us, we don't believe screens are all bad. We just want to be honest with ourselves. And after listening to our conversation in this episode, we hope you'll do the same. Because as research is showing, the subtle lies we have come to believe about our screens may be changing us in ways we never expected.Show Notes: The Death of Reading is Threatening the Soul by Phillip YanceyHave Smart Phones Destroyed a Generation by Dr. Jean TwengeiGen: Why Today's Super-Connected Kids are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy--and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood--and What That Means for the Rest of Us by Dr. Jean TwengeThe Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to our

Our guest this week is singer and songwriter, Matthew West. Matthew just released a brand new album called "All In." When we heard about Matthew's heart behind the album, we knew we had to interview him.Most noteworthy, our conversation centers around a song on the album called, "The Beautiful Things We Miss." If you listen to our podcast, you can already tell where this is going.As a self-described "professional Christian," West knows how easy it can be to coast, to pretend his spiritual life is in a better place than it actually is.“That’s a dangerous place to be,” he says. “That’s what the Bible talks about. Being lukewarm. So I’ve had this idea that I want to be all in like never before. I want to be all in with the songs that I write, I want to be all in with my time with the Lord, I want to be all in with my wife, I want to be all in with my relationship with my daughters.”As a husband, dad, and "professional Christian," Matthew takes us behind his crooked picture frame, and tells us what it means for h

Don't let the title of this episode fool you. Yes, Jeannie Cunnion's message is helping moms find relief from the pressure to get it all right (i.e. be perfect). But this conversation is for all parents. If you need to experience the grace and gentleness of Jesus today as a mom or dad, this episode is for you. Jeannie's words are salve to the exhausted parent. You don't need to listen long before you realize Jeannie really "wrestles with the wild grace of God."We had the privilege of meeting Jeannie through this episode. Since then, her words have penetrated our home and how we show Jesus to our kids. Jeannie is a wife and mom of four fun boys. Her unique message of God's grace is so refreshing.In Jeannie's words, "I spent the first many years of parenting believing that I had to be a perfect example for my kids to follow and worrying that their entire futures were riding on my ability to perfectly orchestrate their lives. My goal was to make very few mistakes and have very little regret. You can probably gue

Our guest this week is Ian Morgan Cron. We invited him on the podcast because nothing has been as significant as the Enneagram in taking our marriage to the next level.What is the Enneagram? Personally, we have been busting at the seams to introduce you to it. But nobody can explain the Enneagram the way Ian can. In this episode, Ian graciously joins us to explain all nine types.As you'll learn, and unlike all other personality tools, the beauty of the Enneagram is that it doesn't just show who you are, it shows you who you could be. When you become aware not just of your behaviors, but the underlying motivations behind your behaviors, it changes the view you have of yourself.Subsequently, we unlock barriers to living fully alive. Not only that, it changes the view you have of your spouse as well. That's why Christi and I also go behind our picture frame to share stories about how the Enneagram has helped us to understand ourselves, and one another, at a much deeper level.We hope this episode leads you on a d

Have you given thought to what it means to be human? Think about what makes you--and your kids--truly come alive. Perhaps not surprisingly, those moments rarely happen on a screen.This summer we challenged ourselves to embrace more of what it means to be human. We took our kids camping. Gave away items to those in need. Went on adventures. Completed projects with our hands. And in so doing, we discovered five ways we can teach our kids to be human.In this episode, we tell stories from behind our picture frame and use examples from our journey this past summer. We also talk through the five ways we can show our kids what it means to be human. Full of stories and practical application, it was one of our favorite episodes to record together.Show Notes:Feelings Chart FREE DownloadPodcast Sponsors:Forcefield: Screen Time Done Right. Try it out FREE for 30 days. TwentyTwoSix Parenting: Discipleship Tools for Raising Kids Who Love God and Love OthersJoin exclusively for a limited time ONLY between now and September