The Happy Home Podcast with Arlene Pellicane

Bringing up spiritually strong kids in today's world can seem like a daunting challenge.
Dr. Charles Fay, a psychologist and president of the Love and Logic Institute, joins Arlene to discuss his book Raising Spiritually Strong Kids. He explains Ephesians 2:8-10, the difference between grace and permissiveness, and how rescuing kids from every problem interrupts the trust cycle. He describes the Love and Logic approach of setting limits with few words and letting empathy and consequences teach, along with a five-step process for helping older kids with problems. He also covers parenting without shame, staying connected with kids, and what to do when spouses disagree about discipline.

1:15 – A toddler meltdown in a restaurant and a neighbor’s advice: “be loving and strong”
5:18 – Ephesians 2:8-10: saved by grace, saved to do good works
10:12 – A candy lesson: letting kids make affordable mistakes
18:18 – The “parenting prosperity gospel” and why doing everything right doesn’t guarantee results
20:00 – The trust cycle, why rescuing kids stunts it, and the five steps for helping with big problems
25:01 – Love and Logic in a nutshell: set limits with few words, let empathy and consequences teach
26:50 – How modern psychology has encouraged idolizing children
29:12 – Parenting without shame and building connection at home
32:25 – When spouses disagree on discipline
Learn more about Love and Logic, and Dr. Charles Fay's book, Raising Spiritually Strong Kids
Get Arlene's new book, The Great Tech Reset: Reclaiming Real Life for Christian Families. Free while supplies last from Summit Ministries TechResetBook.com

More Resources from Arlene Pellicane:
SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse.
Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier.
Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook
Watch the podcast on Arlene's YouTube Channel
How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.
Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email speaking@arlenepellicane.com
Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Because kids experience and express grief differently than adults, we can feel unprepared to handle our kids' emotions. We hardly know how to grieve ourselves, so how can we help our kids through the death of a loved one or divorce?
Arlene talks with counselor and New York Times Bestselling Author, Sissy Goff about her new book, Helping Kids Through Grief: A Parent's Guide for Making Sense of Death, Processing Loss, and Finding Hope. As a therapist with over 30 years of experience, Sissy has seen firsthand the impact of grief on kids and families, and she's here to offer guidance and hope.
Sissy discusses the importance of understanding the grieving process, how to validate a child's emotions, and the value of creating memories to honor loved ones who have passed away. We'll also explore the differences in how boys and girls grieve, and how to support kids through various types of loss, from the death of a loved one to the end of a sports season.
03:00 – Why Sissy wrote the book and the sixth stage of grief: meaning
06:10 – Anger and "all feelings are okay, but not all behaviors"
07:12 – What to say to a grieving child: "It won't always feel like this"
10:32 – Kids grieve in doses
11:57 – Answering "When is Papa coming back?"
13:18 – How boys and girls grieve differently
14:44 – Divorce and secondary losses
20:21 – Keeping memories alive with memory boxes
23:00 – When the parent is grieving too: accepting help from community

Get Sissy Goff's book, Helping Kids Through Grief, and learn more at RaisingBoysandGirls.com
Push back against too much screen time and read Arlene's new book, The Great Tech Reset: Reclaiming Real Life for Christian Families. Free while supplies last from Summit Ministries TechResetBook.com
More Resources from Arlene Pellicane:
SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse.
Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier.
Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook
Watch the podcast on Arlene's YouTube Channel
How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.
Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email speaking@arlenepellicane.com
Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

For many kids (especially boys), life revolves around video games. "Wake me when it's the weekend" is the attitude of many kids who aren't interested in school, responsibility, or family bonding when there are video games to be played.
Child and adolescent psychologist Dr. Richard Freed joins Arlene to explain why video games are so sticky. He breaks down persuasive design, the science tech companies use to keep kids on screens. You'll understand BJ Fogg's behavior formula and how games like Fortnite are built by psychologists and AI to exploit boys' instincts for hunting, fighting, and status.
Dr. Freed discusses why boys are falling behind academically and socially, and why family and school connection matter more than peer or online community. You won't be left helpless against the gaming console. We'll share practical steps to delay the addicting power of smartphones, social media, and video games. Dr. Richard Freed is the author of several books including Better Than Real Life: How Silicon Valley's Secret Science of Persuasive Design is Stealing Childhood.
02:15 – Why girls started self-harming at age 10-11 in the early 2000s
03:56 – Video games as "sophisticated psychological conditioning chambers"
06:12 – BJ Fogg's persuasive design formula: B = MAT (motivation, ability, triggers)
10:19 – Fortnite's lead designer and the "Skinner box" behind the game
13:25 – When limiting a teen's screen time becomes dangerous
20:11 – Debunking the myth that video games build real-world skills
30:06 – The three things kids need most: family, school, physical activity
36:04 – Where to find Dr. Freed and his book, Better Than Real Life
Connect with Dr. Richard Freed and grab a copy of Better than Real Life at RichardFreed.com
Push back against persuasive design and read Arlene's new book, The Great Tech Reset: Reclaiming Real Life for Christian Families. Free while supplies last from Summit Ministries TechResetBook.com
More Resources from Arlene Pellicane:
SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse.
Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier.
Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook
Watch the podcast on Arlene's YouTube Channel
How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.
Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email speaking@arlenepellicane.com
Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

If exposed regularly to AI, how will kids tell the difference between the real world and what is artificial?A tech reset is needed - moving from a screen-based childhood to a play-based childhood. Going into nature instead of sitting on a couch.
Author Eryn Lynum knows a lot about the benefits of being in God's creation. She's the host of the Nat Theo podcast, but even her family needed to reestablish limits. She read Arlene's new book, The Great Tech Reset, during a three-week road trip. Lynum describes the family meeting that followed, how her four kids responded, and how nature became the replacement for screen time rather than just a restriction.
We'll talk about AI, rest, and Eryn's experience with Addison's disease. Eryn has two new books to help your children embrace the wild outdoors and God's creation: a children's book Where Wonder Leads and the family devotional Made to Marvel.

02:36 – Why the Lynum family needed a tech reset
05:11 – How her four kids reacted to new tech limits
08:16 – Replacing tech with nature instead of just restricting it
10:29 – Nature vs. AI: teaching kids what's real
13:45 – How to start engaging with nature as a family (even in a condo)
20:21 – What "wonder" means in Where Wonder Leads
23:15 – Living with Addison's disease and why rest matters
29:40 – Made to Marvel: the new 52-week family devotional
Find out more about Eryn Lynum's ministry and her new books, Where Wonder Leads and the family devotional Made to Marvel, at https://nattheo.com/
Get Arlene's new book The Great Tech Reset: Reclaiming Real Life for Christian Families for FREE while supplies last from Summit Ministries.
More Resources from Arlene Pellicane:
SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse.
Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier.
Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook
Watch the podcast on Arlene's YouTube Channel
How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.
Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email speaking@arlenepellicane.com
Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Arlene's children were not allowed to have social media, play video games, or have personal phones or tablets until their senior year of high school. What did the kids think about this???
Noelle (the middle child of three) is here to represent the kids! Was she left out of friend groups at school because she wasn't on social media? Did she struggle with anxiety as a result?
Noelle addresses common concerns parents raise, including whether kids need phones to stay connected with friends, whether delaying phone access affects academic performance, and whether it leaves children unprepared once they leave home. She describes how her parents explained their reasoning rather than simply withholding technology, and how that shaped the boundaries she set for herself once she did get a phone. Noelle also discusses her current use of AI as an engineering student at Oral Roberts University, and how her faith shapes how she spends her time.
Arlene's new book, The Great Tech Reset: Reclaiming Real Life for Christian Families is available for FREE while supplies last. Request your copy at TechResetBook.com and begin your do-over with screen time.
02:19 — Noelle introduces herself: senior year at Oral Roberts University, mechanical engineering
03:15 — What she actually did as a kid without video games, tablets, or cable
05:21 — Addressing the myth that kids need phones to stay connected with friends
09:05 — The "time pit" and what she avoided seeing online — comparison, body image, bad news
12:33 — Phone use in the classroom and its effect on attention span
16:04 — Why she didn't "go crazy" once she finally got a phone senior year
18:11 — Her deliberate process for delaying social media after getting a phone
22:47 — How going without a phone gave her more freedom, not less
29:19 — Balancing being a "tech optimist" and AI enthusiast with caution about addictive technology

More Resources from Arlene Pellicane:
Get Arlene's new book, The Great Tech Reset: Reclaiming Real Life for Christian Families (free while supplies last!)
Check out Noelle's art on Instagram
SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse.
Check out Arlene's other BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier.
Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook
Watch the podcast on Arlene's YouTube Channel
How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.
Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email speaking@arlenepellicane.com
Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.