No Way But Through

When God says ‘No’ to something our kids desperately want — making a team, a friendship, an invite — it can break their hearts… and ours too. 💔In this episode, I share personal stories of God’s “no’s” in my own life and what I’ve learned over twenty years of parenting about walking with our kids through disappointment and unanswered prayers.You’ll hear six practical and powerful ways to respond when your child faces a “no” from God, including:How to sit with them in the sadness and say, “I hurt with you.”How to remind them what’s true about God and about who they are in Him.How to share your own stories of doubt and faith.How to teach them to trust the God who never leaves — even when His answer isn’t yes.This is a tender, hope-filled conversation about helping our kids grow in empathy, trust, and to see the goodness of God — even in the “no.” Listen now to the latest episode of the No Way But Through podcast and you’ll be encouraged to see every “no” in your kids’ lives as an invitation for both of you to draw closer to God. And each other.

In today’s episode, I’m continuing our Season Five series, How We Talk With Our Kids About Real Life Stuff, with a conversation that every parent can relate to — how we talk with our kids about homework and grades.For more than 15 years, Jason and I have helped our five kids navigate the daily realities of schoolwork, homework, and grades. In this episode, I’m sharing five truths that we come back to again and again in conversations with our kids — reminders that they are made in the image of God, that grades don’t define their worth, and that as parents, our identity has to stay anchored in Christ, not in our children’s performance.You’ll hear some of our own stories from college, lessons we’ve learned about discipline, and how kids make terrible idols! 🎧 Whether your child is in Kindergarten or college, bringing home straight A’s or struggling to stay motivated, this episode will encourage you, equip you, and give you words for guiding your kids through their school years and into adulthood as God’s children made to create and glorify Him in all things! The latest episode on the No Way But Through Podcast is out TODAY!

When our kids really mess up — whether it’s throwing a toy that sends a sibling to the ER or a teenager making a choice they instantly regret — how we respond matters. In this episode, I share the posture, tone and words Jason and I use when we’re sitting with one of our kids who’s really blown it.I talk about what it looks like to remind them of what’s true about God, how to guide them away from shame, and how to help them move forward with humility and hope.I share a story of driving with one of my boys to make an in-person apology, and how that moment helped foster humility and courage in his heart, while embracing the grace God extends to us in our failures.. And thanks to Whit’s reminder, I also talk about what it means to raise good forgivers — kids who choose love over resentment when they’ve been hurt by someone else’s mistake.If you’ve ever wondered what to say after your child really messes up, this episode will leave you encouraged, equipped, and leave your child reminded that there is always a way forward after our biggest mistakes.  Listen in TODAY to this brand new episode in this season’s series: From Bedtimes To Breakups: How We Talk With Our Kids About Real Life Stuff.

NEW SEASON IS OUT TODAY! And it might be my favorite one yet!Parenting doesn’t come with a script. And our kids don’t come with a manual. We’re thrown into parenting scenarios we have no idea how to handle and conversations we’re not prepared for. And these conversations often happen not when it’s convenient, but when we’re folding laundry, driving to practice, or they come knocking when we’re already asleep.    In this first episode of Season 5, I share the heart behind this season’s new series From Bedtimes to Breakups: How We Talk With Our Kids About Real Life Stuff. I share with you what inspired it (hint: you did!), why I don’t talk to my kids, but with them, and how that small change in approach, built trust and safety between us and our kids, made us closer with them,, and opened the door to countless opportunities to point them to the hope they have in Christ.You’ll hear why these everyday conversations matter, what I want my kids to always feel when they walk away from our hard conversations, and why there’s no substitute for your voice in your kids’ lives! We’ll talk about everything this season from chores to comparison, screentime to hard friendships, honesty to heartache. First episode out TODAY! Tune in anywhere you get podcasts!

THE SUMMER TRAVEL EPISODE! Planning a road trip or family vacation? This episode that’s been 20 years in the making is packed with 10 real-life travel tips that have helped our big family of seven not only survive, but actually ENJOY traveling together. I’m sharing the practical strategies and tips that have made our family trips smoother, less stressful, less expensive, more fun, and more memorable. Whether you're prepping for a cross-country drive or a weekend getaway to the beach, these 10 travel hacks will help you plan with intention, create lasting memories for your kids, and troubleshoot the challenges of traveling as a family!If you're gearing up for summer travel, these are game-changers you want to know.

In this latest episode in our ‘Short Takes’ series on the No Way But Through podcast, we’re back from a little spring break hiatus and diving into a question I got from one of the young moms in my real life who has spent a lot of time with my family: How do you raise tough, resilient kids? I’m sharing real-life stories, hard-earned wisdom, and three practical (and heart-level) ways to help your kids build grit, navigate tough relationships, and find laughter even in the hardest moments. Whether you're in the thick of toddler tantrums or navigating the ups and downs of parenting teens, this episode will encourage and equip you to raise kids who can stand strong, love well, and laugh hard—even when life gets tough.Out today anywhere you get podcasts!!

In Episode 41 of the No Way But Through podcast, we’re continuing our Short Takes series with this question: What habits do you wish you had made when your kids were newborns and toddlers?I'm sharing three key insights—one we didn’t do but wish we had, and two that we’re so glad we prioritized. From carving out quality one-on-one time with your toddler, to letting go of the idea of a perfect house, and the importance of shared family meals around the dinner table, these small habits can have a big impact on your relationships with your kids!Join me as I reflect on some of the most valuable lessons I learned during the early years of parenthood. Whether you're navigating life with little ones or looking to strengthen your family dynamic, this episode offers practical advice you won’t want to miss.Available now on your favorite podcast platform!

In this episode of No Way But Through, we dive into a common parenting challenge: setting boundaries with grandparents. This is such a tough topic because not one of us has the exact same scenario, proximity, or relationships with our parents or in-laws. Is there a one right way to put up boundaries without it blowing up our whole relationship? In this episode, I’ll give you both practical tips and my hard won wisdom on how to navigate the delicate balance between respecting your parents’ perspective and confidently parenting your own kids in the way that works best for your family. I think you’ll walk away encouraged, more confident in your parenting choices, and challenged to lead the way with humility, too!Tune in for insights on how to honor both your parents and in-laws, while faithfully parenting the kids God has given you to parent. Available NOW everywhere you get podcasts!

Who is my favorite kid, you ask? I think the answer might surprise you. On today’s ‘Short Takes’ episode, I answer this question that’s been asked of me by the young moms in my real life and that my teenage son asked me just this week. I have five kids, ranging in ages from 20 down to 12. Could I pick a favorite?This actually isn’t a hard question for me to answer at all. And I break it down into two answers during today’s episode. I think you’ll be surprised, encouraged, and challenged by what I share with you today.You only need a few minutes to listen to this episode from start to finish! And you’ll walk away not only encouraged, but with a fresh perspective to help you tackle the hard seasons ahead with each of your kids. You don’t wanna miss this one! Available everywhere you get podcasts!

In this first episode of ‘Short Takes’ - Your Parenting Questions. Straight To The Point Answers, I give you the backstory behind this new series AND answer one of the most popular questions I get from young (and older) parents!We want our kids to have an independent and growing relationship with God, right? But how do we help them develop the habit of making time for God every day? Is there a formula? Is there a perfect resource? Is there one right way to do this? I take on this question in today’s episode and answer it with the simplest yet BEST way you can help your kids discover a love for meeting with God, opening their Bibles, and going to Him in prayer.  You need less than 15 minutes to listen to this episode from start to finish! And you’ll walk away encouraged (and convicted!) that you can have a tremendous impact on your kids’ daily walk with God!Listen in TODAY everywhere you get podcasts!  

In this first episode of Season 4, I share with you THREE parenting goals worth making and keeping in 2025! While so many of us make resolutions and goals when a new year rolls around, we often don’t stick with them, especially if we feel like once we fail, we’ve blown it. What if there are goals we can make today that will pay big dividends in our relationships with our kids at the end of the year AND draw us ALL closer to God? What if these are the kinds of goals that let us mess up, but keep on going because messing up IS part of the deal? That’s what we’re talking about on today’s episode! Packed full of examples from my own life and family and hard-won lessons I cling to as a mom, I walk you through WHY these three goals will create closeness in your family, make you more Christ-like, and give you more opportunities to model for your kids what a true and lasting relationship with God looks like!You don’t wanna miss this one! Available everywhere you get podcasts! 

It’s Christmastime! Or, for the most traditional among us, it will be in just a few days! And that means it’s time for shopping, making Christmas lists, and making sure we can find the right scissors and have enough tape!  As we begin thinking about Christmas shopping for our kids, how can we get them gifts that won’t just end up in a thrift store pile in a few weeks? How can we give our kids gifts that are meaningful, gifts they’ll remember for years to come, and not just simply check items off a lists they handed us?  If you’ve ever wanted to give your kids meaningful and special gifts that will communicate to them, “I see you and know you and know what you love” then you are in the right place! In this week’s episode, I share with you how you can think outside the box store and brainstorm ideas for giving your specific kids Christmas gifts that will be so special to them that they will be talking about them well into adulthood. With lots of examples from our own Christmas mornings over the last 20 years, I share with you why we give gifts the way we do, why we reject gift-giving formulas, and how we’ve built two decades of Christmas morning memories with our kids that we wouldn’t trade for anything!    A friend was told me, “You and Jason excel at gift-giving.” While there are so many things that we are not very good at, this is our wheelhouse. And in this episode, I share with you our tips, strategies and ideas for making Christmas morning about so much more than just toys that will soon be forgotten. And trading that for gifts that communicate to your kids how known andloved they are while creating bonding family memories that will build on each other and that all of you will love looking back on. From your toddlers to adult kids, this one is practical, full of our best ideas, and will help you make this Christmas your best ever with your kids!  Available TODAY everywhere you get podcasts!

I think a lot about what I’d want the young mom me to know! What would I tell her? What advice would I give her? What things did I learn that changed me and made me a better mom? What comforted me and gave me courage in that overwhelming season of motherhood that so many of you are in today?  In this episode, I walk you through five things I wish I knew when I was a young mom. With stories from my own early days as a mom, I share with you the things that moms a few stages ahead of me told me that immediately impacted the mom I was and the mom I was becoming. From comparison in friendship to practical advice on dishes and laundry, these are things I STILL cling to and wholeheartedly embrace, even now as a mom of older kids and young adults! You’ll walk away after listening to this episode deeply encouraged and maybe like me, these things will become transformative for you in the way you parent, how you combat lies of comparison, how you see your kids, and how you view the God that loves you and sees you in every season! Grab your headphones, and maybe a tissue or two and come with me as I take you back to my days as a young mom and share with you what I wish I knew! Can’t wait for you to hear this one!

We ALL want grateful kids, right? I know I do. So how can you begin to foster and develop gratitude in their young hearts during this season when we tend to focus more on being thankful? How do you know what might actually be worth the time and effort and create lasting impact on your kids?  In today’s episode, I share with you seven practical activities you can do with your young children during the month of November that will help them practice gratitude and develop a love for expressing that to God and others. I give you age appropriate and SIMPLE ideas for you to do as a family, as well as things your kids can do individually. From creating meaningful cards for friends and family to filling a collective jar with thanks to God, you’ll find something in this episode that’s perfectly suited for your family and just might become one of your favorite November traditions! Want grateful kids? You have so much opportunity to impact their tender and malleable hearts towards gratitude this month that will serve them well into adulthood! Available NOW on all podcast platforms!

The relationships in my life are incredibly important to me, and I imagine yours are to you, too! But how do we balance life as moms, raising kids, volunteering at school, investing in our marriages, buy all the groceries and get everyone where they need to be, and still make time to foster meaningful friendships without sacrificing one or the other? In this episode, I share with you three habits that have helped me prioritize my family, while also cultivating healthy, fun, and trusting friendships. With examples from my own life, I walk you through each of these habits and why they have been so critical in striking the right balance of family + friends. I want both my family and my friendships to thrive. These habits have been central to setting up good boundaries, not allowing toxicity in friendship to derail my priorities, and to helping me find a community of friends that are for me and want me to flourish.  Listen anywhere you get podcasts! 

Do you ever wonder if you’re making the right decisions for your kids and family? If you’re a parent, your answer is likely an emphatic ‘YES!’ In today’s episode, I share with you two financial decisions we made early on in our life as parents that dramatically impacted our family life. We didn’t know it at the time, but those decisions sent us on paths that would bond us closer with our kids (and future kids!), make way for some of our BEST memories together, and help form our kids’ character in profound ways.   Through stories from our early days as a family, I share with you why we originally made these two decisions, how overcoming various obstacles served as good gifts to all of us, and what we saw happen in our kids, our family, and the people who’ve come into our lives throughout the years as a result.  You’ll leave this one with so much to think about! I can promise you that! Available TODAY!

They say kids grow up so fast and that it all passes so quickly. One minute they’re the newborn baby in your arms and the next minute you’re throwing them the keys to the car and they’re driving away. Did I really just blink and it all happened that fast?  We can’t slow down time, but there are intentional things we can do to make it less likely we’ll look back and feel like we missed their childhood.  In today’s episode, I share with you five practical things that will help you savor the time you have with them, make it count, and give you and your kids memories that will serve as building blocks for your future relationship. With intention coupled with practical wisdom, you can begin to think about and implement these things now with your toddlers and preschoolers! But even if your kids are teens or young adults, it is NEVER too late to purposefully build a foundation for a lasting relationship with your kids and capture memories together that you’ll look back on together for years to come.  It’s not that you have to be intentional about not missing them growing up. Because you don’t have to be. But you GET to be intentional about it! And you’ll never, ever regret it.   Tune in NOW everywhere you get podcasts!

What do we do when our real life experiences as parents aren’t matching up with what we’ve always been taught or believed? Me? I go right in and start asking hard questions and researching and doing the work to get to the bottom of why things aren’t adding up.  In this episode, I share with you the journey I went on to reconcile what was happening in my relationships with my young children with what I’d always heard: “You can’t be friends with your kids.”  By clarifying the distinction between friend and peer, I share with you how my discovery led to a powerful framework for building meaningful relationships with my kids. After years of thinking about my kids this way, I have learned how to be their mom, enforce the rules, help them honor me and God, and simultaneously build a lasting friendship that is a gift to both of us.     Whether you have babies and toddlers or teens and adult kids, you can begin to build a foundation with your kids that fosters closeness, mutual respect, honor, and love. And these things? They’ll serve you so well as your kids become adults and can choose how they spend their time and who they spend it with.  I wanted to be friends with my kids. And I want that for you, too! This week’s episode will empower you to build lasting and sweet friendships with your kids. Listen in NOW everywhere you get podcasts! 

In this first episode of SEASON THREE, we tackle group parenting. What is it?  Why does it matter to me as a young mom? (Let’s start this season off with a bang, shall we?)  With examples from her own life and parenting, host Sarah Short discusses the current push to make collective parenting decisions with a group of families. If you’re a new mom who hasn’t encountered this yet, you’ll hear Sarah’s insightful framework for thinking through how to parent alongside your friends (and family!)  By breaking down parenting into two categories: philosophy and practice, this episode walks you through how parenting in community with similar philosophy can be incredibly beneficial and encouraging, while illuminating the pitfalls of collectively agreeing to parenting practices.  From smartphones to Playstation and Xbox time to ice cream at the pool - you don’t want to miss this episode as we dive into how to courageously parent our individual kids, how to retain the ability to change our minds, and how to maintain healthy friendships with other parents!  Click play NOW for the FIRST episode of SEASON TWO! 

SEASON TWO! THAT’S A WRAP! Today is the last episode of Season TWO on the No Way But Through Podcast!  This season, I took on some of the harder topics YOU asked me to podcast about! We talked about helping our kids through hurt and disappointment, five life-giving phrases our kids need to hear, and a two-part episode on how we can help our kids navigate change! I shared with you our approach to discipline, which has become one of the most popular episodes on this podcast! And we even talked about the “We Are The World’ Documentary, and the unlikely things it has to teach us about friendship! On today’s episode, you get a recap of each episode from this season! If you know someone who is new to this podcast, this is a GREAT episode to send them so they get a feel for the things we talk about each week! This show wouldn’t be what it is today without you! THANK YOU for listening, for engaging, and for encouraging me week after week! Click play NOW for the final episode of SEASON TWO! 

There are few things as painful as getting excluded from a friend group or birthday party or event. And this isn’t just true for our kids, it’s true for us, too! Whether it’s a six year-old getting left out of a game on the playground or a thirty-something mom not being invited into a group of friends, it hurts.  On today’s episode, I share with you five things that have been incredibly helpful for me to know and keep coming back to as I navigate the complexities of getting left out or excluded and as I help my kids navigate this when this happens to them. With personal stories from my own life and how God uses all of it for our good, I give you clear ways of thinking and ways you can parent your kids to be good friends, see and include others, and walk through painful rejections with integrity and hope! This can be a hard topic to talk about, but LET’S DO IT ANYWAY and learn how to better parent our kids as they become resilient and better friends.   Available TODAY!

Let’s talk about date nights! When I was a young mom, so many conversations I had with my friends centered around how difficult it was for us to make date nights happen. Some of us had time and ideas, but no money. Some of us had money but no family in town or babysitters we could call. And the effort it took to find a babysitter and plan for and head out on a date night often felt like it wasn’t worth it.  In this episode, I share with you TEN ideas for overcoming the common obstacles that can keep you from planning for and enjoying time dating each other. With strategies and practical tips from my own experiences and real-life, easy to plan date ideas, I’ll help you find ways to prioritize meaningful and connected time with each other -  out on the town, on an overnight getaway, down the street, or at home.  Date nights pay BIG dividends in your marriage and family life. No matter what your budget, babysitter availability, living near family or in a new city where you don’t know anyone, there’s something in here for everyone! You CAN make date nights happen! Listen in to this practical episode and you’ll walk away with some fresh ideas and ready to start planning!

Vacationing with young kids brings with it a whole host of challenges - packing, diapers, disrupted sleep schedules, unexpected sickness, too much sugar, and everyone melting down - including mom and dad.  In this episode, I share with you the #1 thing that has helped us have almost 20 years of successful family vacations. From beach trips to big cities, and from newborns to teenagers, this one concept continues to impact me and Jason as we plan for, execute, and adapt during our family vacations.  What you won’t find in this episode? Packing lists and what gear to take.  What you will find? The best thing we’ve learned to do as parents taking our kids on vacation and the key to rich, life-giving, and memorable times away with our kids.  DON’T miss this one!! Available everywhere you get podcasts. 

I wish it wasn’t so, but our kids are gonna go through hard things and hard seasons. While it might look different for each of them, tough stuff is coming their way.  So how do we help them? What can we do as moms when our kids are facing struggles at school, in relationships with friends, or in a hard season that feels like it just won’t end? No matter what your kids are going through, they need these three things from you as a parent! Whatever age kids you have, you can do these things now to walk with your kids through a tough season or a hard situation. If they haven’t had one yet, it’ll be here before you know it. In this episode, I share with you some personal experiences we’ve had in our family with hard stuff, how I learned to do these three things when I felt helpless, and how they helped my kids get to the other side of a hard time! Whether life is smooth sailing for your kids right now, or they’re really struggling through something, this episode is for YOU! 

Our kids will experience so many changing circumstances throughout their lives and there is so much we can do to help them move forward through those changes. From a new baby sibling arriving on the scene and your older child having to share their mom and dad for the first time to family dynamic shifts or hardships, we have tremendous opportunity to build within our kids a deep sense of trust and safety that will not only help them feel seen and valued, but will train them to see and value others as well. On Part 2 of Helping Our Kids Deal With Change, I share with you specific ways you can help walk your kids through change. I walk with you through each different stage of childhood - from a new baby entering your family and tips and tricks to make that transition easier for your kids, to helping your kids navigate the tough stuff of changing friendship in their teen years.   Part 2 in Helping Our Kids Deal With Change is available NOW!

Our kids will experience so many changing circumstances throughout their lives and there is so much we can do to help them move forward through those changes. From a new baby sibling arriving on the scene and your older child having to share their mom and dad for the first time to family dynamic shifts or hardships, we have tremendous opportunity to build within our kids a deep sense of trust and safety that will not only help them feel seen and valued, but will train them to see and value others as well. On this week’s episode, I share with you two foundational concepts that will transform the way you prepare your kids to handle change, whether it’s welcome change because something new and exciting awaits them, or heartbreaking change they didn’t know was coming.  From new babies to Dad’s new job in a new city to waving goodbye to their big sibling heading off to kindergarten, you can help build a foundation in your kids that will equip and empower them to face these challenges knowing they are loved and valued, and begin the process from the moment they’re born.   Part 1 in Helping Our Kids Deal With Change is available NOW!

As moms, our words to our kids carry so much weight! We are, after all, one of the first people our kids ever love. So how do we use our words in an intentional way to encourage and empower our kids, create trust and safety in our relationships with them, and reinforce what is true about them and the God who made them? In this episode, I share with you five life-giving phrases your kids need to hear at any age. From your baby learning to walk to your teenagers learning to navigate relationships to your adult kids finding their way on their own, these words will build your kids up, empower them to take on new challenges, and help them become people who can use their own words to cheer for and love people well.  Our kids need our life-giving words. Listen in as we dive into how to use them to speak truth and love to our babies, kids, teens, and the adults we’re sending out into the world.  DON’T MISS THIS ONE! 

The Greatest Night In Pop!  On January 28, 1985, the world’s biggest pop stars came together for one night in secret to record the hit single “We Are The World”, which raised more than $80 million for humanitarian aid in Africa.  But what could Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Cindi Lauper, Diana Ross, and the other 60 people in that studio have to teach all of us about community and friendship almost 40 years later? I can tell you, it isn’t what you think! In this episode, I share with you three UNLIKELY things this documentary has to teach us about how we can enter rooms, sit at tables, walk into church or sit in the stands at our kids’ games and be confident in who we are, lift others up, and enrich our friendships.  Come along with me as we head back to the ‘80’s and peek into A&M Studios in Hollywood on this one night in January 1985 and learn what it has to teach us. You don’t wanna miss this one! 

We know our kids will face hurt and disappointment over and over again. And their hurt… hurts us.  So what do we do when our kids are left out, called names, going through a hard breakup, don’t make the team, don’t get invited to the party, or are navigating painful extended family situations? It can feel like we’re the ones going through it. But in fact, we aren’t.  In this episode, I share with you FIVE opportunities we have when our kids are hurt or disappointed. With real life situations I’ve walked through with my own kids, I point you to ways we can teach them empathy, how NOT to treat others, and what God can do through the pain and hurt they’ll continue to experience throughout life.   Come behind the scenes in my life as a mom and hear what I learned in walking with my kids through their own pain and hurt, the wisdom other moms shared with me, and the can’t miss opportunities that will help our kids grow into resilient, empathetic adults!  Click PLAY now to dive into this one with me!

Do you ever wonder if a season of motherhood will EVER end? The hard seasons with toddlers, the constant parenting when they’re in school, the TEENAGE YEARS?  EVERY season of parenting has lessons for us that ONLY that season can teach us. Our kids aren’t the only ones learning as they grow up, moms are too! In this episode, I walk you through each season we live through as moms  - life with our first newborns to multiple toddlers, and all the way up through having adult kids!  I share with you a powerful lesson each season taught me, and how specific verses in God’s word sustained and comforted me, even as I was learning right alongside my kids.  I thought being a mom meant teaching my kids. Turns out, they have a lot to teach me!  Come take a look back with me at my first days as a mom, and let’s travel together through the good and hard seasons that have SO much to teach us!

How do you know how and when to discipline your kids? Is it every time they do something “wrong”? What can you let slide and what do you really need to focus on and address? What actually matters in the long term?  In this episode, I share with you the ONE question we stop and ask before dishing out consequences and how this question has saved us from needing to discipline and address things that won’t ultimately matter. And I explain how and why breaking either of the TWO key rules we have in our house always requires intentional conversation, meaningful discipline, and sometimes tough consequences.  No matter what season of parenthood you’re in, this episode aims to help you determine what matters to you, how to know when discipline is needed, and how to keep your focus on the long game with your kids.  Click play NOW for our approach to discipline and the one question + two rules we use to determine what matters most to us. 

Every kid deserves to be celebrated on his/her birthday! But some birthdays are just extra special. In this episode, I walk you through the foundational things we believe about celebrating birthdays, how we celebrate each of our kids’ birthdays every year, no matter what age they’re becoming, and the five milestone birthdays we celebrate in bigger ways. With real life examples from my conversations with friends, as well as how we’ve pivoted when needed, I share with you how we celebrate our kids on their birthdays by making them feel seen, known, and loved. Dads, this one is for you, too! Tune in as we talk about celebrating our kids on their big day each year! Can’t wait to share this one with you!

Want to pull open a social media app and KNOW that you are empowered with tools to engage in healthy (and productive) ways? In this episode, I share with you three ways that keep me creating and engaging on social media in ways that honor others, honor God, and help me maintain balance and a healthy perspective.  Listen in as I share how and why I include my young children from a VERY young age on my social media journey, a hard incident that needed a boundary, and how I know to take breaks on social media (and why they’re so valuable!)  However you engage on social media, THIS episode is for you! Click play now to hear this can’t miss (first) episode of Season 2! One time donation: ⁠https://donate.stripe.com/dR66rwaKq0ks5bi7ss⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/nowaybut_through⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/nwbtblog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠nwbtblog.com/subscribe/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Web: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.nwbtblog.com⁠⁠

Can you believe it? Today we wrap up the first season of the No Way But Through Podcast!  Since this podcast launched in September, it’s been downloaded THOUSANDS of times in four different countries. I’ve shared stories of my days as a young mom, the lessons I’ve learned from my triumphs and mistakes, and the hard won wisdom these last two decades of mom life have taught me.  This show wouldn’t be what it is today without you! THANK YOU for listening, for engaging, and for encouraging me week after week! In this episode, I share with you FIVE things I want you to remember from this first season. Whether you’ve listened to all 13 episodes or are new to this podcast, these five things will encourage and empower you as you enter into a new year and continue on your journey as a mom!  Click play NOW to listen to the last episode of 2023!

It’s that time of year - we’re all shopping for our kids and trying to decide what to get them. If you’re a young mom, maybe you’re wondering how to limit the number of gifts you get your kids or how to give them things that they want and love, and that are meaningful and last beyond the hype of Christmas morning.  In this week’s episode, I share with you the one guiding principle we use to help us choose what we give our kids for Christmas. From our tiny toddlers to our adult kids, we filter all of our gift ideas (and theirs!) through this one simple, yet profound idea.  Get ready to be inspired and empowered to purposefully create a Christmas morning full of gifts that will draw your kids closer to you and each other, make your kids feel seen and known, and thoughtfully forge a path for them towards richer, fuller, and deeper relationships! https://donate.stripe.com/dR66rwaKq0ks5bi7ss

Every one of us wants grateful kids, right? We want our kids to not only be able to express gratitude around the Thanksgiving table, but to live grateful lives all year long. And in time, grow into grateful adults.  The good news? There’s not a SINGLE thing you have to do this week (except maybe listen to this episode!) The better news? You can work on this with your kids and as a family day by day, month by month, year by year. No matter how old your kids are, there are things you can do as a family to grow in gratitude together! In this episode, we’ll talk about five different ways you can help foster gratitude in your kids. From toddlers to teenagers to your adult kids, I’ll give you actionable steps you can take to thoughtfully and intentionally provide an environment where your kids have opportunities to grow in gratitude, battle entitlement, and invest in what matters most - relationships! Come along with us this week as we talk about fostering gratitude in our kids! Click play NOW!

Friendship can be really hard. And messy. It can also be about the best thing in the world and enrich our lives in countless ways. Every single one of us NEEDS friends. We weren’t meant to walk this life alone, and this is never more true than in motherhood.  On this week’s episode, we talk through five different kinds of friends you need in your life as a mom. From seasons when friendship feels really hard or we find ourselves without many friends to times when we are rich in friendship, each of these kinds of friends will enrich your life as a mom and help you navigate both the challenges and joys that we all encounter as moms.  Whether you’re feeling alone and without friends (most of us feel this way at some point in motherhood!) or are in a season where you’re rich in friendship, this episode will help you see doors to friendship you didn’t even know were there with unexpected people that would love to be friends with you and benefit from all you have to offer them.  Don’t shy away from this one! Tune in to this can’t miss episode! One time donation: https://donate.stripe.com/dR66rwaKq0ks5bi7ss Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/nowaybut_through⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/nwbtblog⁠⁠⁠⁠ Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠nwbtblog.com/subscribe/⁠⁠⁠ Web: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.nwbtblog.com⁠⁠

No Way But Through is 10! Well, 10 episodes old! That feels like a not so small milestone. So today I’m answering the question I get most from listeners AND from my real life community: ‘Sarah, what made you want to start this podcast?” Episode 10 feels like the right time to tackle this one! In today’s episode, I share the history behind how the NWBT podcast came to be: the experiences I had as a young mom that shaped me, how I developed as a writer and started putting myself out there, and the one phrase that gave me the confidence and clarity to launch this podcast two months ago! What makes a mom of five  kids who’s heard about FIVE podcasts EVER step out and start one? Listen in to find out what made me brave, how that one simple phrase keeps me podcasting week after week, and how you can apply it to your own life to love and serve others in your own unique ways! Click play NOW to listen to this behind the scenes episode! Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/nowaybut_through⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/nwbtblog⁠⁠⁠ Newsletter: ⁠⁠nwbtblog.com/subscribe/⁠⁠ Web: ⁠⁠⁠www.nwbtblog.com⁠⁠

So you want to start some family traditions. But HOW do you know which ones to choose? How do you sift through all the reels and TikToks and photos you see on social media and the things you see your friends doing and know which ones are right for your family?  In today’s episode, host Sarah Short walks you through how to make those choices and begin making memories through traditions that fit your specific family. With stories of from her own family traditions (and by polling her own kids!), Sarah gives you a framework for processing all the things you see others doing, how to keep from falling into the trap of feeling like you need to do ALL the things, and how to choose traditions that your kids will love and look forward to in every season! You don’t wanna miss this one! Click PLAY NOW on the Episode 09 of the NWBT podcast! Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/nowaybut_through⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠facebook.com/nwbtblog⁠⁠ Newsletter: ⁠nwbtblog.com/subscribe/⁠ Web: ⁠⁠www.nwbtblog.com⁠

Moms make SO many decisions every single day. From what to make for dinner to how late to let our kids stay up to what preschool to choose, the list of decisions we have to make every day can feel daunting and exhausting. And some of the bigger and hardest decisions we make can have BIG impact on our kids.  In today’s episode, host Sarah Short shares the #1 question to ask when making these BIG parenting decisions. Through her own stories of failure and success, she discusses why simply ASKING this question and sitting with it can provide just the clarity you need to help you determine the best decision for you, your kids, and your family.  Click Play Now to hear this can’t miss episode. Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/nowaybut_through⁠ Facebook: ⁠facebook.com/nwbtblog⁠ Newsletter: nwbtblog.com/subscribe/ Web: ⁠www.nwbtblog.com⁠

So you want to invite people over. But how do you do that in a season with young kids when there are toys and mess everywhere? How do you swing open your door and make room for new friendships and new life-giving relationships for your family when this season is so overwhelming?  If you’ve ever wanted to welcome people into your family life but don’t know how, then THIS episode is for you!  Learn how to let go of perfection, tips for inviting people into your family life (FUN FACT: They want to be part of it!), and how to teach your kids to love people well when they walk through your door. Click PLAY NOW to listen to Sarah’s experiences and hard won wisdom for throwing open your doors and enriching your family life by inviting others in! Instagram: instagram.com/nowaybut_through Facebook: facebook.com/nwbtblog Web: www.nwbtblog.com

Ahhhhh…mom guilt. We all experience it. We all feel it. So what on earth do we do with it when it comes for us? How do we handle it? What if it’s crushing us and breaking our hearts?  In this episode, you’ll hear a heartbreaking story of how host Sarah Short wrestled with mom guilt through a painful experience with her daughter. Through honesty and vulnerability, you’ll hear how Sarah battled the lies and shame that rose to the surface as she wrestled to believe what is true about her, and her daughter. And discover how each of us can walk through experiences with mom guilt and come out on the other side with hope. Grab some tissues and click PLAY NOW to hear this powerful episode on mom guilt, how to recognize it, and how to move forward when it comes for us. Instagram: instagram.com/nowaybut_through Facebook: facebook.com/nwbtblog Web: www.nwbtblog.com

Have you ever wondered how to help a young mom but weren’t sure how? Have money but no time? Have time but no money? You live across the country or you just aren’t a kid person and don’t know what you could do that might be helpful? Then this episode is for you! In this episode, host Sarah Short walks you through 10 practical ways to love and care for young moms. With heartwarming and hilarious stories from her own experiences as a young mom, you’ll learn how to best care for any young mom in your life. Don’t miss this practical and helpful episode! Instagram: instagram.com/nowaybut_through Facebook: facebook.com/nwbtblog Web: www.nwbtblog.com

In this episode, host Sarah Short shares two habits she saw in families that had and maintained a close bond with each other. With stories from her own days as a young mom, and how building on those habits impacts her family today, you’ll hear why these two habits can be transformative in your own family - and how to begin implementing them TODAY.  You don’t wanna miss this jam-packed episode with tangible ways to create a family culture where everyone in your family can thrive, all while building great and lasting relationships with each other.   Click PLAY now to listen! NO WAY BUT THROUGH FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/nwbtblog NO WAY BUT THROUGH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/nowaybut_through

Wondering why some friendships are so draining and hard, while others are absolutely life-giving? Why you feel so comfortable with some friends, and are so unsure about yourself with others? In this episode, host Sarah Short walks you through four ways to know someone is truly for you. Learn how to identify the characteristics of a healthy friendship that stands out and makes you feel SO loved, and how you can BE the kind of friend that cheers for and supports the other moms in your life! Click play NOW for the 4 Ways To Know Someone Is For You! NO WAY BUT THROUGH FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/nwbtblog NO WAY BUT THROUGH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/nowaybut_through

In August of 2013, host Sarah Short wrote a blog post that went viral, amassing over 100K shares and millions of views. In the post titled, ‘To Moms of One or Two Children’, Sarah, a mom of five, wrote a letter to young moms who were just one season behind her. Encouraging to new and veteran moms alike, the post deeply resonated with moms all over the world because of its simple message of empathy, understanding, and grace. In this episode, Sarah shares her heart behind the blog post, dives deeper into her personal experiences that formed her thinking, and why she still believes every word in the letter a decade later.  NO WAY BUT THROUGH FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/nwbtblog NO WAY BUT THROUGH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/nowaybut_through NO WAY BUT THROUGH SHOW NOTES: https://nwbtblog.com/to-moms-of-one-or-two-children/

In this introductory episode, host Sarah Short shares why she launched the No Way But Through Podcast, and introduces you to the unlikely character behind the podcast’s name. Listen in as you learn why Sarah feels so passionate about helping new moms who are just a few steps behind her.