Wire Talk with Karen Stubbs

Friendships in motherhood are rarely as simple as we expect them to be. Today Karen and Emily are continuing our friendship conversation by tackling comparison, conflict, cliques, and what to do when a friendship changes. They answer listeners’ questions about unmet expectations and learning when to lean in and when to let go. If friendship feels confusing, discouraging, or just plain messy right now, we hope this episode encourages you! 
Episode Recap:
What is happening over on Wire Talk+? (4:01)
Where do your friendship expectations come from? (10:30)
How have your healthy friendships naturally changed over time? (12:56)
Ask God for what you need - even in your friendships (14:52)
Friendship doesn’t always look exactly like what we have imagined (18:02)
How do we handle conflict and tension in friendship? (18:30)
You can create space without ghosting people (21:37)
How do I make friends when everywhere around me is full of cliques? (22:00)
My friend continually brings up a topic of conversation that irritates me (25:25)

Scripture: Proverbs 17:17 (EST) “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

Discussion Questions: 
How has comparison (especially through social media) shaped your expectations of friendship?
Are there friendships in your life where proximity (distance, schedules, seasons of life) has changed the relationship?
When conflict or tension shows up, do you tend to address it or pull away? Why?
What kind of friend do you have the capacity to be right now? What kind of friendship do you realistically need in this season?
Is there one practical step you could take this month to strengthen a current friendship or pursue a new one?

Resources:
Listen to the rest of our conversation on WT+: boaw.mom/insider
Join our BOAW Moms Facebook group
Check out our BRAND NEW Bible study: How To Teach Your Kids the Bible

Friendships in motherhood can feel complicated, especially when old wounds and insecurities get stirred up in new seasons. In this episode, Karen and Emily talk honestly about why friendships can feel hard for moms and how to move forward with grace, healthy expectations, and a “generous explanation” for the people around us.
Episode Recap:
Friendship is difficult as a mom (2:23)
We all have past hurts that impact how we receive or offer friendship today (4:30)
How do we prevent self-sabotaging friendships? (6:17)
Communicate clearly when you have moved into a new season of life (8:06)
Choose a generous explanation whenever possible (10:02)
How do I handle someone who is not a good fit wanting to be friends?! (13:54)
How do I maintain friendships in a very full season? (16:45)
Continue this conversation on WT+ at the link below (20:16)

Scripture: Ephesians 4:2 (NLT) “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.”
Discussion Questions: 
Have you had a friendship since becoming a mom that didn’t turn out the way you expected. What made it hard?
When friendships feel disappointing or painful, what past experiences or insecurities tend to get stirred up for you?
Where do you think your expectations in friendships might need to shift to match the reality of your current season?
What would it look like for you to give a “generous explanation” instead of assuming the worst in a friendship right now?
What is one practical way you can pursue friendship with more grace this month without overextending yourself?

Resources:
Listen to the rest of our conversation on WT+: boaw.mom/insider
Join our BOAW Moms Facebook group
Check out our BRAND NEW Bible study: How To Teach Your Kids the Bible

Want More of This Conversation?
Wire Talk+ listeners get extended conversations every week! Today Karen and Emily share how their past relationships have affected the kind of friend they are today.
To become a Wire Talk+ Insider, head HERE and join us for the full conversation.

Parenting doesn’t end when your kids turn 18. In many ways, it gets more complicated! Today Karen and Erin are joined by longtime parenting expert Jim Burns for a wise and honest conversation about parenting adult children. They talk about releasing control, shifting your role, navigating boundaries, resisting unsolicited advice, and discerning the difference between helping and enabling. Whether your kids are still at home, newly launched, or already raising families of their own, this episode will help you parent with clarity, peace, and long-term perspective.
Episode Recap:
Jim is the founder of Homeward Ministries (3:06)
When our children become adults, we have to give up control (4:43)
What does it look like to embrace a new “job description” as moms? (7:00)
How can we offer wisdom to our adult children or do we just bite our tongues? (11:37)
Resist the urge to become a “one topic” parent (13:15)
What’s the difference between helping your kids and enabling them? (15:45)
How do we place good boundaries when adult kids move back in? (19:10)
What does it mean to, “wear beige and keep your mouth shut?” (24:00)
Can you cast vision for the grandparent years? (28:00)
Continue this conversation on WT+ at the link below (32:00)

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV) –  “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”
Discussion Questions: 
What part of parenting adult children feels most difficult for you right now? If you don’t have adult children yet, what fears or worries do you have about that season of life?
How can you shift from giving advice to asking permission before speaking?
Is there an area where helping may have crossed into enabling dependency?
What expectations need to be clearly communicated in your family right now?
How can you focus on relationship building rather than behavior correcting?

Resources:
Listen to the rest of our conversation with Jim over on WT+: boaw.mom/insider
Grab a copy of Jim’s new book, Doing Life With Your Adult Children
Connect with HomeWord Ministries online
Check out Jim’s podcast and his recent episode on Long Distance Grandparenting
Check out our BRAND NEW Bible study: How To Teach Your Kids the Bible

Want More of This Conversation?

Wire Talk+ listeners get extended conversations every week! Today we go deeper into parenting wayward adult children, setting boundaries, and navigating complicated family dynamics.
To become a Wire Talk+ Insider, head HERE and join us for the full conversation.

Discipline is hard, especially when the results feel slow or invisible. In this final episode of our Parenting Principles from Proverbs series, Karen and Emily shift the focus to the long-term fruit of faithful discipline and the peace it brings to both children and parents.
Drawing from Proverbs and Hebrews, Karen reminds moms that discipline is discipleship. It is not about control or behavior management in the moment, but about shaping hearts, building security, and leaving a generational blessing.  Don’t miss the end of today’s episode, when Emily announces our big winners from last week’s giveaway!! 
Episode Recap:
What does the fruit of discipline look like? (2:30)
Discipline now will bring peace later (7:10)
How do I teach my son to obey without all the drama? (11:30)
How do I stay calm while disciplining my bonus child? (14:12)
My kids argue and whine about everything. I’m exhausted! (17:30)
Discipline takes time and repetition (21:17)
Discipline leaves a generational blessing (22:54)
Our big giveaway winners announced! (24:42) 

Scripture: Hebrews 12:11 (ESV) – “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Discussion Questions: 
Why do you think discipline feels especially hard when results are not immediate?
How does seeing discipline as discipleship change your perspective?
Which scripture from this episode encouraged you the most and why?
Where might God be asking you to stay consistent, even when you feel tired?
What kind of long-term fruit do you hope to see in your children ten years from now?

Resources:
Check out our BRAND NEW Bible study: How To Teach Your Kids the Bible
Listen to episode 347 with David Thomas, Raising Emotionally Strong Boys
Grab Thomas’ book: Raising Emotionally Strong Boys

We are celebrating 500 episodes of Wire Talk and using this milestone to talk about something every mom wants: wisdom that actually works in real life. Today Karen breaks down what it means to be a wise mom, not a perfect one, and offers a simple grid for everyday moments by asking, “Will my response build my house or tear it down?” From discipline to independence, this conversation focuses on proactive parenting that shapes our kids over time.
Episode Recap:
Wire Talk is celebrating 500 episodes - don’t miss our BIG GIVEAWAY (2:34)
A wise mom builds her house up in all she does (7:10)
Children are born with a sin nature (11:00)
Being intentional is hard work (14:31)
What is the difference between teaching, training, and discipline? (15:50)
Consistency builds trust (20:30)
Discipline sets your child up for success long term (23:40)
Listener question - how do I discipline my biter? (26:44)
Listener question - is it too late for me to disciple my child in faith? (29:39)
How do I discipline tantrums in public? (31:52)
I don’t know how to help my daughters solve sibling conflict… (33:30)

Scripture: Proverbs 14:1 (NIV) – “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.”
Discussion Questions: 
Karen’s guiding question is, “Will my response build my house or tear it down?” Where do you most need that filter right now? (Discipline, mornings, homework, sibling conflict, or marriage?)
Where do you tend to parent reactively, and what would it look like to be proactive instead?
How does remembering your child’s sin nature change both your expectations and your compassion?
Karen talks about how tearing down can show up in our words with kids or a spouse. Where do you need to shift from criticism to building up?
Which do you lean toward most: teaching, training, or disciplining, and which one do you tend to avoid? Why?
Where do you need to ask God for help right now, one specific area where you are asking Him to meet you with encouragement?

Resources:
Join our giveaway by commenting on this episode over on YouTube! 
Check out our BRAND NEW Bible study: How To Teach Your Kids the Bible
Listen to Wire Talk Episode 1! 
Start a new habit this year with Karen’s devotional: Moments with God for Moms