Eps 118 | What Nobody Tells You About Investing in Yourself
Enough Mom Podcast
Did you pour out love on everyone around you this Valentine's Day—and forget to save any for yourself? You bought the valentines, made the heart-shaped pancakes, slipped the notes into the lunchboxes... and then turned that same gaze inward only to become your own worst critic. In this episode, Jennifer gets practical about what it really looks like to invest in yourself—not as a trendy self-care concept, but as the foundation of everything we've been building together in the last five episodes. Because here's the truth nobody talks about: compassionate parenting begins with compassionate...
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Eps 117 | Compassionate Parenting: A Better Way Forward
Enough Mom Podcast
Are you caught in the crossfire of the parenting wars? Tired of being told you're either too soft or too strict? Has someone made you feel guilty for apologizing to your child—or for holding a firm boundary? In this episode, Jennifer tackles the false dichotomy that's tearing apart mom communities and church small groups alike: gentle parenting vs. authoritarian parenting. She unpacks the fear that's actually driving both sides of the debate, clears up the dangerous confusion between gentle and permissive parenting, and introduces a framework she calls compassionate parenting—an approach...
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Eps 116 | From Burnt Out to Lit Up: Rediscovering What Makes You Come Alive
Enough Mom Podcast
Are you going through the motions of motherhood but can't remember the last time you felt truly alive? Do you find yourself wondering who you even are anymore beyond "mom"? Have the things that once brought you joy become just another obligation on your endless to-do list? Jennifer unpacks the dangerous pattern of numbing and disconnection that keeps mothers stuck in survival mode—and shows you the path back to rediscovering what makes you come alive. Through personal stories of her own journey from burnt out to lit up, she explores why we lose ourselves in the first place, the difference...
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Eps 115 | Breaking Free From Shame: Why Your Courage Matters
Enough Mom Podcast
This episode is for every mama caught in the shame spiral who believes one mistake defines her entire story. Have you been replaying that moment when you lost your temper, forgot something important, or didn't show up the way you wanted to? Are you stuck in the hallway of your mind, convinced that one misstep means you've failed completely? Jennifer shares a powerful moment from her recent speech and debate tournament where she watched a bright, capable student spiral into shame after forgetting part of her speech—and realized how many mothers are stuck in that same hallway. Through the lens...
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Eps 114 | The Permission Slip You've Been Waiting For
Enough Mom Podcast
This episode is for every mama who's been waiting for permission to be who you are, to do what you want to do, to dream bigger. Mama, have you been waiting for your kids to get older, for your husband to tell you it's okay, for someone else to validate your desires before you pursue them? That permission slip might never arrive—until you write it yourself. In this episode, Jennifer shares the four specific permission slips moms are often waiting for and why giving yourself permission isn't selfish but rather a crucial act of stewarding the life you've been given. Whether you want...
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Eps 113 | When You Wish You Could Start Over
Enough Mom Podcast
This episode is for every mama carrying the weight of parental regret—wishing you'd done things differently, taught them better, shown up more intentionally. Whether your children are still at home or already grown, this episode will help you understand why your regret doesn't have to be the end of the story. You'll discover how to heal relationships with adult children, how to repair with kids still under your roof, the power of neuroplasticity in creating new relational patterns, and how to initiate conversations that create space for truth and reconnection. If you've ever thought "I wish...
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Eps 112 | You're Not Behind - You're Beginning
Enough Mom Podcast
This episode is for every mama who's tired of feeling one step behind, constantly surprised by schedule conflicts, or exhausted from managing everyone else's lives. You'll discover why regular family check-ins are essential, the difference between managing and leading your family, how to ask questions that empower your kids instead of control them, and the three strategic times each year to pause and realign your family's commitments with your values. Whether you have little ones trying new activities or teenagers navigating their own schedules, this episode will help you stop managing magic...
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Eps 111 | Stop Managing, Start Leading: Family Check-Ins
Enough Mom Podcast
In this practical and empowering episode, Jennifer introduces her family check-in method that transforms chaos into calm—without micromanaging every detail. As we step into a new year, she reveals how three strategic conversations per year can change your family's schedule from reactive scrambling to intentional leadership. Drawing from years of managing teenagers with work schedules, a family restaurant, and homeschool activities, Jennifer shares the exact framework for leading your family with confidence while giving your kids space to grow into capable, independent humans. This episode is...
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Eps 110 | Breaking the Cycle: Why Emotional Intelligence is the Most Important Leadership Skill You'll Ever Learn
Enough Mom Podcast
Jennifer explores why emotional intelligence is the most critical leadership skill you'll ever develop as a mother. Drawing from corporate leadership research and personal experience, she reveals how your nervous system regulation directly impacts your children's brain development, health, and future relationships—and how breaking toxic patterns today creates a healthier legacy for generations to come. This episode is for every mama who's realized she's parenting differently than she was parented, who's seen her own reactive patterns show up with her kids, or who's ready to break cycles that...
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Eps 109 | When your kids want things you can't afford
Enough Mom Podcast
In this essential holiday episode, Jennifer tackles one of the most stressful aspects of gift-giving season: how to respond when your children ask for expensive things you can't afford. Through practical strategies and compassionate insight, she reveals how these moments aren't really about the toys at all—they're about emotional regulation, parenting triggers, and teaching children resilience through discomfort. This episode is for every mama who's felt the weight of comparison when other families buy expensive gifts, who's struggled with guilt around saying no to her children, or who's...
info_outlineAre you caught in the crossfire of the parenting wars? Tired of being told you're either too soft or too strict? Has someone made you feel guilty for apologizing to your child—or for holding a firm boundary?
In this episode, Jennifer tackles the false dichotomy that's tearing apart mom communities and church small groups alike: gentle parenting vs. authoritarian parenting. She unpacks the fear that's actually driving both sides of the debate, clears up the dangerous confusion between gentle and permissive parenting, and introduces a framework she calls compassionate parenting—an approach rooted in both faith and science that starts not with the child's behavior, but with the parent's posture.
Whether you lean toward gentleness or firmness, this episode will challenge you to look beneath the surface of your parenting reactions and ask: Am I responding from love or from fear? If you've been told that kindness equals weakness or that apologizing to your kids undermines your authority, this episode will set the record straight—and give you permission to parent from compassion without abandoning boundaries.
This is the first in a larger series on compassionate parenting, with expert interviews and deeper dives coming soon.
📖 In This Episode
[00:00] Welcome to Episode 117: Compassionate Parenting—A Better Way Forward
[01:42] The parenting wars: gentle vs. authoritarian and the social media noise
[04:01] The false dichotomy—why it's not an either/or
[05:36] The real driver behind the debate: fear
[08:10] The "too much and not enough" tension at the heart of parenting
[09:48] Gentle vs. permissive: clearing up the confusion
[11:02] Why apologizing to your child is strength, not weakness
[13:00] What brain science tells us about children's behavior and development
[15:25] How we project our feelings onto our kids—and how to stop
[16:18] Introducing compassionate parenting: what it is and why it's different
[19:55] Where faith and science meet: God's design for development
[21:01] The new ebook announcement: Compassionate Parenting: Where Faith Meets Science
[22:33] Closing encouragement: compassion is not weakness—it's the bravest thing you'll ever do
🎁 Featured Resources
NEW: Compassionate Parenting: Where Faith Meets Science (Ebook) — Jennifer's upcoming ebook for the parent who loves their children and loves Jesus and is tired of being told they can't honor both. Pre-order now and receive a free summary of the book's main points while you wait! 👉 Pre-order Here - https://practical-family.kit.com/products/compassionate-parenting-book
Dream Reconnection Journal — Ready to reconnect with the dreams that got buried under the daily grind of motherhood? This journal features easy-to-follow prompts that take just 15 minutes each. Use it as a 7-day journey, once-a-week practice, or complete it all in one intentional day.
Available in Three Formats! https://jennifer-bryant.com/dream-reconnection-journal-landing/
The OVER Framework - Are you overwhelmed and need practical help getting unstuck? Download Jennifer's free OVER Framework to help you move from chaos to clarity: https://practical-family.kit.com/01508b2fd7/index
💬 Connect with Jennifer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferbryant__ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferloganbryant Threads: https://www.threads.com/@jenniferbryant__ X: https://x.com/JennBryant_hi TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jenniferbryant__ Website: https://jennifer-bryant.com
📬 Subscribe & Share
Love this episode? Subscribe to the Enough Mom Podcast so you never miss an episode! New episodes drop every Tuesday with conversations that help you move from overwhelmed to confident—from comparison to calling. https://practical-family.kit.com/ba0032ec67/index
Share this episode if you know a mama caught in the parenting wars who needs to hear that compassion is not weakness. Send her this link and let her know: she's exactly the parent her kids need.
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👋 About Jennifer Bryant
Jennifer Bryant is the host of the Enough Mom Podcast and an educational leader with 25+ years of experience. As a homeschooling mother of two teenagers and founder of PracticalFamily.org, she helps moms break free from comparison culture and step into confident, authentic parenting through her three-pillar framework: courage, confidence, and calling.
Jennifer has spent the last 25 years teaching teenagers public speaking skills, but what she's really teaching them is how to be vulnerable, how to risk being seen, and how to fail well and get back up again. Through tournament season, she's learned as much about resilience and breaking free from shame as her students have—and she's bringing those powerful lessons to mothers everywhere through the Enough Mom Podcast.
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Disclaimer: Jennifer Bryant is not a licensed professional counselor. The content shared on this podcast is based on personal experience and educational research. For professional mental health support, please consult a licensed therapist: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us
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