Help! I'm Ruining My Kids

In this episode, I got to sit down with two women who have shaped me deeply—Hope and Chris. They are the kind of friends who tell the truth, love Jesus fiercely, and aren’t afraid to admit where they’ve failed. We talked about something that so many of us feel but don’t always have language for: how our past shows up in our parenting. The fears we carry. The pressure we feel. The trauma in our bodies. The sin patterns in our hearts. The desire to “get it right” so our kids won’t suffer.We dug into the messy middle—where suffering and sin overlap, where our nervous systems react before our theology can catch up, and where we desperately need both repentance and compassion.And where did we land? In the arms of Jesus. Always there.Key TakeawaysYour past does shape your parenting—but it doesn’t get the final word.Awareness creates agency. When we can name what’s happening inside us, we gain choices.Failure can be one of God’s greatest teachers in motherhood.You cannot parent perfectly enough to prevent all pain for your children.God is more committed to your children’s sanctification than you are.The Christian life is cruciform—it includes suffering. For us and for our kids.Repair matters. When we apologize and own our sin, we model the gospel.Jesus plays the long game. Sanctification is slow—and sure.Guest ResourcesAt His Feet StudiesAt His Feet InstagramAt His Feet Podcast

I truly cannot tell you how grateful I am for this conversation. If you’ve ever wondered, Have I ruined my child? Have I blown it beyond repair? Is there hope for us? — this conversation is for you.Blair doesn’t offer quick fixes. She offers something better: the gospel. Not as a cliché. Not as a spiritual band-aid. But as the deep, steady, soul-anchoring hope that meets us in our worst moments as mothers.We talk about discipline and shame. About fear-based parenting. About self-harm and self-deprecating language. About anxiety and postpartum struggle. About pride, repair, repentance, and what it actually looks like to model the gospel in our homes.And maybe most importantly—we talk about hope that outlasts even our worst days.Key TakeawaysThe gospel isn’t just what saved you — it’s what sustains you in motherhood.God does not discipline us the way fear tells us He does.Parenting often exposes the places we’re not trusting the Lord.Repair is powerful. Confession models real Christianity.Humility in leadership isn’t weakness — it’s Christlikeness.Community is not optional when you’re struggling.Asking for help is not failure.Mental health struggles do not mean God has abandoned you.Even if repair doesn’t happen the way you hope, the story isn’t over.The resurrection guarantees that nothing is beyond redemption.Guest ResourcesMade to Tremble by Blair LinneIncludes an appendix with questions for finding a therapist and mental health resources.Latest Book: Yara The Brave by Blair LinneGlobal Counseling NetworkAnchored Hope Counseling (Anchored Virtual)Use code ABBEY20 for 20% off sessionsInstagramGlo Podcast

In this episode, I sat down with Abbie Halberstadt to talk about disappointment in motherhood — the kind that sneaks up on you during potty training battles, exhausting seasons, hard marriages, unmet expectations, or even just a chaotic morning at the library.We talked about twins (yes, she has two sets!), vanishing twin syndrome, potty training that lasted an entire year, building houses with babies underfoot, and the deeper spiritual questions underneath all of it. But more than that, we talked about what happens when our theology meets our real life. Because what do we do when we know the “right answers” — but we still feel disappointed, frustrated, or stuck?Abbie reminds us that motherhood is filled with built-in opportunities for sanctification — and that while we may not get the ease we imagined, we do get Christ.Key TakeawaysThe spiritual dangers of dwelling on unmet expectationsHow cultural messages about “ease” shape our disappointmentThe difference between something being hard and something being badThe temptation to make permanent decisions during temporary strugglesWhy surrender is not defeat — it’s freedomHow God’s sovereignty reframes our “what about” questionsNew mercies are available every single morning.Your current struggle does not define your future motherhood.Guest ResourcesHard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad by Abbie HalberstadtM Is for Mama by Abbie HalberstadtWebsite Instagram 

Any time I get to talk to my friend Caroline, I walk away steadier. Caroline shares about a particularly overwhelming season — a new school rhythm, a newborn joining their family through adoption, writing deadlines, and then COVID. It was loud. It was complicated. It was humbling. And it surfaced that familiar ache so many of us carry: the sense that the needs in front of us exceed our capacity.But instead of offering quick fixes or better systems, we talk about something deeper.What if feeling like we don’t know what we’re doing isn’t failure… but formation?We talk about the danger of turning inward — how self-focus can swing us toward shame (“I’m the worst mom”) or pride (“I’ve got this handled”). And we talk about the freedom of lifting our eyes instead. Of remembering that we were never meant to be omniscient. Only God is.If you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing, you are not alone. You are not behind. And you are not operating without a Shepherd.Key TakeawaysFeeling unsure in motherhood is normal — and deeply human.Self-focus tends to produce shame or pride. God-focus produces humility and rest.Psalm 139 reminds us we are fully known — and still fully loved.Wisdom is something we ask for, not manufacture.The goal isn’t control. It’s dependence.God is holding your child — and He is gently leading you.Guest ResourcesWebsiteInstagram

In this episode, Ann and I explore the tension many moms feel but rarely articulate: the sense that their marriage is holding them back from being the mom they long to be. Ann shares vulnerably about a season of resentment and burnout in her early parenting years, how negative thought patterns reshaped her heart (and even her brain), and how God used His Word to renew her mind.We talk about misplaced expectations, the temptation to control, how comparison fuels discontentment, and why your husband was never meant to be the source of your joy. Ann offers practical encouragement for navigating differences in parenting styles, addressing conflict as teammates, and clinging to Jesus as your true anchor.If you’ve ever cried into your pillow with your husband lying right beside you…If you’ve ever thought, I wouldn’t be like this if he were different…If you’ve ever felt alone in your disappointment…This one is for you.Key TakeawaysDisplaced anger is real.Sometimes our frustration with our husbands spills sideways onto our kids.Your husband is not your source.If we believe “I’d be happy if he changed,” we’ve subtly made marriage an idol.Negative thought patterns reshape us.Scripture (Romans 12:2) isn’t poetic fluff—renewing our minds actually changes us.You are responsible for your faithfulness.Your obedience is not contingent on your husband’s.Teammates, not opponents.Even in conflict, remember: you’re on the same team.Praise is powerful.Asking God to show you your husband’s strengths can soften your heart and strengthen your marriage.Ask for help.Sometimes we don’t have because we don’t ask—whether that’s from God or from our spouse.God sees you.He knows every hair on your head. He is near. He is not disappointed in you.This is a season. Hard does not mean hopeless.Guest ResourcesFamilyLife TodayInstagramVertical Marriage by Ann & Dave Wilson

In this episode, I sit down with my real-life friend Kate Strickler—the heart behind Naptime Kitchen and author of I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen—to talk about what happens when we start measuring ourselves against other moms. We dig into the subtle ways comparison creeps in (even for someone you might assume “has it all together”), the relational damage it can cause, and the freedom that comes from embracing how God uniquely made you.Kate shares vulnerably about wanting to be the “fun mom,” the “snack mom,” the high-capacity, doing-it-all-well mom—and what happens when that desire tips into envy. We talk about seasons of life, help, values, morality vs. preference, and how simply saying, “I don’t do that,” can feel like a holy rebellion against shame.I left this conversation freshly reminded: faithfulness is not the same thing as imitation. And the goal is not to become another mom—it’s to become a more joyful version of the one God already designed me to be.Key TakeawaysComparison thrives in silence.Speaking your struggles out loud to a trusted friend robs shame of its power.Run it through the filters. When you feel comparison rising, ask:Are we in the same season of life?Do we have the same level of help?Do we share the same values?Not everything is a morality issue. Liking to cook, being crafty, homeschooling, exercising at 5 a.m.—these are preferences, not measures of righteousness.Your “ingredients” matter.Instead of focusing on what you don’t have, look at the gifts and wiring God did give you. What can you make with those?Comparison distorts relationships. It tempts us to turn potential friends into competitors.Faithfulness looks different in different homes.Obedience to God’s Word may be shared, but its expression will vary from family to family.Guest ResourcesI Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen by Kate StricklerWebsiteInstagram

I am so grateful for this honest, hope-filled conversation with Laura Wifler. Laura is a mom of three (12, 11, and 8), and her youngest daughter has intellectual disabilities that shape much of their daily life. In this episode, we talk about what it actually looks like to bump up against your limits as a mom—both in the small, everyday “micro” moments and in the life-altering “macro” seasons.We talk about doubt, anger, noise and overstimulation, the gift of community, and the mercy of discovering we were never meant to do this alone.If you’ve ever whispered (or shouted), “Help. I’m at the end of myself,” this episode is for you.Key TakeawaysThere are both micro (moment-by-moment) and macro (seasonal) ways we hit our limits.A pause prayer can interrupt reactivity.Reducing sensory overload is not selfish—it’s wise.Community is essential when doubt or burnout surface.Sometimes healing looks like subtracting commitments.God is actively committed to shaping us into Christlikeness.Conviction is evidence of the Spirit’s work.Hitting the end of yourself may be the beginning of deeper dependence.Guest ResourcesWebsiteKidLit Lab Instagram

Hey, friend — and welcome! 🎉 You did it. You successfully subscribed to the Help, I’m Ruining My Kids exclusive bonus interview podcast series — and I am so grateful you’re here.Why This Series ExistsPre-orders matter — not just for numbers, but for ministry. Early orders help get this gospel message into more stores, onto more shelves, and into the hands of moms who are feeling desperate, discouraged, and overwhelmed. What’s Coming Over the Next WeekYou’ll hear conversations with seven conversations with eight friends covering topics that often fuel those nagging fears:“Am I messing up my kids?”“Why don’t I feel like the mom I thought I’d be?”“What if I’m getting this all wrong?” 📅 Release ScheduleFebruary 17 – First bonus episode dropsOne new episode will be released daily for the following six days.🔒 A Quick NoteThis podcast series is exclusively for those who pre-ordered Help, I’m Ruining My Kids. So please don't share this link. If you love an episode and want to share it, please encourage your friend to pre-order the book before March 17 and claim the bonus through the form at abbeywedgworth.com.I was encouraged recording these episodes and I pray the conversations do the same for you. Thank you again, and happy listening.