Wire Talk with Karen Stubbs

Are you parenting a Gen Z child and wondering why everything feels so different from when you were growing up? Today Karen and Emily sit down with leadership expert Tim Elmore, founder of Growing Leaders, to talk about the unique pressures facing this generation.
From overexposure to information and technology and underexposure to real-world experiences, Tim helps moms understand what’s really happening beneath the surface in a Gen Z kid. Don’t miss his fantastic illustration of what it means to be a “velvet-covered brick” as a parent!
Episode Recap:
Growing Leaders was created to help parents understand the next generation (00:54)
Who is the Gen Z kid? Who is Gen Alpha? (2:00)
Gen Z makes us better leaders (4:20)
Gen Z is overwhelmed by their overexposure to information (8:25)
This generation is underexposed to experiences (10:09)
How can a generation be so connected and still so lonely? (13:06)
How do I equip my kids to overcome hardship? (16:04)
Parents allow their kids to risk too little, and then rescue too much. (18:54)
What intentional habits can make a difference for this generation? (22:44)
Enter our giveaway on @birdsonawiremoms to win one of Tim’s books (27:20)

Scripture: James 1:2-4 (NIV)
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Discussion Questions: 
Where am I most tempted to rescue my child instead of coaching them through something hard?
When my child says they’re overwhelmed, how do I typically respond?
How well am I balancing “be yourself” with teaching my child to belong to something bigger than themselves?
What is one real-life experience I could intentionally create this year to help my child grow up (not just grow older)?

Resources:
Listen to the rest of our conversation on WT+: boaw.mom/insider
Check out all of Tim’s books on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4tQ7Iig
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 Tim shares his perspective on the top 3 mistakes parents of teens are making with this generation.
Head HERE and join us for the full conversation.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed, overtouched, overstimulated and find yourself wondering, why does this feel so hard?
Today Karen answers real questions from moms about marriage, resentment, anxiety, exhaustion, and the emotional weight of motherhood. From mismatched sex drives in the toddler years to school-day overload and traveling husbands, this conversation will remind you that you are not alone. Motherhood can be beautiful and exhausting at the same time- and good and hard can truly run on parallel lines.
Episode Recap:
Good and hard can run on parallel tracks! (3:10)
How can I honor my husband’s higher sex drive and actually enjoy sex right now? (4:33)
My afternoons are exhausting with 3 school age daughters - is this normal? (6:57)
My husband travels for work & chooses golf on weekends, I feel resentful (12:50)
My job and homeschooling has me feeling so anxious, I dread my day to day life (18:28)

Scripture: Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
Discussion Questions: 
Where am I currently feeling the most overwhelmed — marriage, work, parenting, or emotionally?
Is there resentment quietly building in my heart? What honest conversation needs to happen?
What small buffer or margin could I create this week?
Am I trying to solve everything myself instead of laying it before the Lord?
Where do I need to remind myself that “good and hard can run on parallel lines”?

Resources:
Listen to the rest of our conversation on WT+: boaw.mom/insider
Check out our BRAND NEW Bible study: How To Teach Your Kids the Bible
Listen to episode 131 or 165 on having a healthy sex life after kids

Want More of This Conversation?
Wire Talk+ listeners get extended conversations every week! Today Karen shares a personal story about a painful season when she had to “bend the knee” to God’s will in her life. Join us and we hope you’ll come away encouraged.
Head HERE and join us for the full conversation.

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.