With the addition of personal phones and laptops, social media, e-learning, and more, school education has changed. We find ourselves saying, “Back in my day…”, while our kids roll their eyes and misjudge our age by 25 years. Things are different, yes. Our kids are facing new challenges in school, yes - but what they need from us while they’re living at home hasn’t. Today, Paige is joined by Cleve Million, currently a high school principal in Fort Wayne, IN. Cleve has been an educator for 26 years, serves as an elder at his church, and is married with three kids (one just married, one in college, and one in middle school). Paige and Cleve discuss the school landscape, the after-effects of COVID-19 on our kids, and what educators really want from parents. This is an insightful and hopeful conversation about education in today’s society and how we as parents can encourage our children throughout academia.

Paige’s Takeaways

1. Speak life, identity, and truth over your kids.
   1. The words spoken over them both in school and at home have the power to dictate their future! Be mindful of what you are saying and what they are hearing from their circle of influence.
2. Maintain an open dialogue with school administrators and teachers.
   1. Don’t brush off the opportunity to reach out if you have questions or concerns - most of the time, teachers want to be in communication with parents!
3. Tell your kids that you love them!
   1. Don’t forget what our top priority is as parents: to let our children know that they are loved unconditionally and that they have worth and value as individuals and as God’s children. On busy days it’s easy to forget that we need to get on our kids’ level, look them in the eyes, and connect. You know how your children feel loved, so do that!

Links:

Paige Clingenpeel

Questions About the Podcast? Email: paigeclingenpeel@gmail.com

Facebook: @Paige Clingenpeel

Instagram: @paigeclingenpeel

YouTube: Embracing Your Season Sponsored by HomeWord

HomeWord

Keywords/Hashtags

#embracingyourseason #mentalhealth #podcast #podcastcommunity #paigeclingenpeel #homeword #school #principal #highschool #middleschool #technology #educators #education #connection #postCOVID #behavior #anxiety #parents #communication #socialmedia #pfcaudiovideo

In today’s episode of Embracing Your Season, Paige shares an interview from her recent trip to AACC (American Association of Christian Counselors) in Dallas, TX with Dr. Gregory Jantz. Dr. Jantz is a nationally certified psychologist, a licensed mental health counselor, the author of over 45 books, and the founder of The Center, a Top 10 Facility for Depression Treatment. Together, Paige and Dr. Jantz discuss how to identify a toxic individual and the steps we can take to instill boundaries, have compassion and gentleness in confrontation, and know when it’s time to walk away.

Paige’s Takeaways

If you’ve been in a negative relationship with someone for many years, you may brush off their treatment of you or make excuses for their behavior. Depending on how you grew up, you may accept this treatment as normal or suitable because you believe you aren’t worthy of anything different. In these instances, it’s important to find a trusted voice who can give you an objective opinion of this person.

• How do you determine the toxic person?
  • Ask yourself (and your kids): how do you feel when you’re around this person? Do you feel relaxed, happy, and at peace? Or are you on edge or tense, does your head or stomach hurt? Pay attention to your body to help identify the people in your life who may create a more negative environment.
  • If you start feeling like the person is speaking criticism, invalidating you, rationalizing their behavior or comments despite you bringing it up and asking them to stop, that may be a good indicator that they are an unhealthy person.
• When we want to see a change in a toxic person, we can’t just demand that they change their behavior! We instead can model gentleness and compassion in our request, it produces a greater chance of them listening to us as well as leading to positive behavior changes.
• Once you identify a toxic person:
  • You still have power over how you interact with them. You can choose not to engage in a conversation by telling them a boundary, ie. ‘I don’t want to talk about this issue’ or you can walk away, if needed.

Paige Clingenpeel

Questions About the Podcast? Email: paigeclingenpeel@gmail.com

Facebook: @Paige Clingenpeel

Instagram: @paigeclingenpeel

YouTube: Embracing Your Season Sponsored by HomeWord

HomeWord

Connecting with Dr. Gregg Jantz

Dr. Gregory Jantz

The Center: A Place of Hope

Books Mentioned:

How to Deal with Toxic People

Keywords/Hashtags

#embracingyourseason #mentalhealth #podcast #podcastcommunity #paigeclingenpeel #homeword #therapy #counseling #aacc #toxicpeople #toxic #drgregoryjantz #thecenter #dealingwithtoxicpeople #boundaries #healthyboundaries #pfcaudiovideo

In today’s episode of Embracing Your Season, Paige shares an interview from her recent trip to AACC (American Association of Christian Counselors) in Dallas, TX with Zach Clinton. Zach is a licensed resident counselor who currently serves as the Vice President of the American Association of Christian Counselors, is the host of the renowned ‘Built Different Podcast’, and is President & Host of Ignite Men’s Impact Weekend which gathers nearly 10,000 men each year. Paige and Zach discuss how to create a flourishing life in the various facets of our lives: from physical health, mental health, spiritual discipline, and marital intention, to showing up in the lives of our children. This is a power-packed conversation - you’ll probably want to take some notes!

Paige’s Takeaways

How do we help our kids create a flourishing life?

• Remind your kids that their worth is NOT dependent on their performance.
  • We get to show them that their worth has been assigned to them by the Creator of the universe! Created with a purpose, for a purpose.
• Communication: Speak truth over your kids
  • Pointing out in a loving, grace-filled way the areas that they can grow in actually loving them well! We care about them enough to ensure they don’t stay stuck in unhealthy patterns. Read Proverbs 27:5-6.
  • Show them their worth through your behaviors and choices! Prove to your children their significance by being PRESENT. Are your time management choices showing your children that they are of great importance to you?

Paige Clingenpeel

Questions About the Podcast? Email: paigeclingenpeel@gmail.com

Facebook: @Paige Clingenpeel

Instagram: @paigeclingenpeel

YouTube: Embracing Your Season Sponsored by HomeWord

HomeWord

Connecting with Zach Clinton

ZachClinton.com

Even If by Zach Clinton

Books Mentioned:

The Power of Showing Up by Dan Siegel

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

Made for People by Justin Whitmel Earley

The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier

Keywords/Hashtags

#embracingyourseason #mentalhealth #podcast #podcastcommunity #paigeclingenpeel #homeword #therapy #counseling #aacc #flourishing #flourishinglife #evenif #spiritualdiscipleship #hope #inthefire #intentionaltime #growth #choice #healthywholisticlifestyle #pfcaudiovideo