Episodes

Whether you are seasoned at co-parenting or you're just trying to keep your sanity intact, you're in for a treat! Our special guest in this episode is Leslie Holthoff. She is a certified divorce coach and author who has mastered the art of co-parenting and has some really fantastic insights to share inside this episode. Tune in to hear about the intricacies of joint shared custody, the effects that it has on children and to hear Leslie share her wisdom, her experiences, and maybe a laugh or two ...

In this episode, DJ invited author Fiona Valentine on the show to discuss her unique perspective of parenting a special needs child, embracing unconventional education solutions, finding patience in any setbacks and celebrating baby steps. Stay tuned as Fiona sheds light on the ever-changing nature of autism and the balancing act required to create a harmonious and joyful family life to ensure the needs of all the children are met (including those without autism). Fiona is an Australian artist,...

Want to nurture your child's sense of wonder? In this episode DJ and special guest, Debora Hollick dive into the captivating world of WOW, Wonder, Openness and Wisdom. Stay tuned as they explore the concept of WOW and why children are natural experts in seeing the WOW. Listen in to hear how we as parents can stay open to the inspiring moments that surround us, extract wisdom from those experiences and discover unexpected sources of knowledge that can truly amaze us. Debora J. Hollick is an Exec...

Get ready to embrace the beautiful mess of building a business and raising kids! In this episode, DJ invited mindset coach and author Bridget Hom on the show to discuss the possibilities of launching a business while conquering the daily challenges of parenting. Whether you're an entrepreneur seeking guidance, or a parent desperately trying to figure out how to fit 36 hours into a 24 hour day, this episode was made for you! Tune in to hear Bridget explain that it is possible to pursue your dream...

Our guest in this episode is Catherine Lamb. She is an expert at helping others conquer Impostor Syndrome which can show up as doubts about your abilities to care for your child, feelings of inadequacy when compared to other parents, and can keep you in constant fear of making mistakes. Listen in as we discuss how, if not dealt with, Impostor Syndrome will have adverse effects on your self-confidence, will increase stress and anxiety, and will cause missed opportunities for personal and professi...

According to the World Health Organization, suicide is now the second leading cause of death for children ages 10 to 14. We hope you will listen to this episode as a DJ talks with special guest, Dr. Nghi Dang about his personal experience of losing a young family member to suicide and as he highlights the importance of paying attention to the mental health of everyone. His grieving was the genesis to become an advocate for mental health and for the creation of The Adventures of Max and Friends b...

We understand and recognize that nobody's perfect. Nobody ever has been, nobody ever will be. That’s why we chose “Imperfect Heroes” as the name of our podcast. And today, we are celebrating our 100th episode by taking a look back over the last two years and highlighting a few of DJ’s favorite answers to a question she asks all of her guests: How would you describe a successful parent? Listen in as we throw it waaayyy back and gain some great insights on parenting from these amazing guests! Lin...

Not all kids are active, fit and have the opportunity to run and play. That’s heartbreaking enough, let alone hearing about children who want to participate in sports but feel left out because they can't find the right activewear in their size. That's where business owner Pam Luk comes in. Listen to this episode to hear DJ and Pam talk about this in depth and why Pam took matters into her own hands and created Ember & Ace, a clothing brand that makes plus size athletic wear for kids. Pam Luk is...

In this podcast episode, DJ and Dr. Kate Lund are discussing the topic that many of us dread… what to do when our child is the bully. But fear not! Dr. Kate is sharing her insights and expertise on how to address this delicate situation with sensitivity. Stay tuned as they delve into the topic of resilience, and how to help our kids stand up for themselves and to hear her explain how with the right tools and guidance, we can all negotiate this tricky terrain with a bit of laughter and a whole lo...

In this podcast episode, DJ invited mastermind of education Evelyn Shaw Corley on the show to discuss the types of education available for our children and to help you better understand what questions you should be asking. Listen in to hear them break down the instruction and development options we have - public, private, charter, home school or a combination of - and how each child has different abilities and challenges that may or may not be a good fit for the traditional classroom. Evelyn Sh...

In this episode DJ invited special guest Tymika Chambliss-Williams on the show to discuss parenting and how it is NOT a one-size-fits-all approach. Listen in as they discuss parenting each child individually, teaching our children temperance, forgiveness and to have a relationship with God… how to handle conflict, how to nurture and encourage an active imagination and ultimately how we, as parents, need to maintain our own purpose so we’re prepared when the kids grow up and leave the nest! Ty...

In this episode, DJ invited podcast host and author, Jerry Dugan, on the show to discuss the “rut” we all get stuck in with the day in, day out life of marriage and children. Listen in as they talk about doing all the ”right” things but still not feeling fulfilled or impactful and how you can turn that around by implementing some practical tools and advice to live a more fulfilled life and find success in the areas of faith, family, fitness, finances and future possibilities. Jerry Dugan is the...

In this episode, DJ invited financial professional Debra Essling on the show to help educate you, our listeners, on family money matters. Listen in as DJ and Debra discuss the importance of creating an emergency fund, break down how compound interest works and why the credit card companies make it hard for you to pay off balances, why creating a budget and envelope system will help you stay on task and ultimately how to help you grow and protect your money. Debra Essling lives in the Chicago ar...

In this episode, DJ invited author Steven Crane on the show to discuss his journey to living a life of gratitude and how he flipped the script on occurrences he originally considered to be negative experiences to actually holding a bounty of unseen blessings. Listen in as they discuss the power of gratitude and appreciation in cultivating a positive mindset, and how employing this new mindset will help you achieve stronger relationships and greater success. Steven Crane is the author of the nov...

We all know there's more to parenting than simply bearing a child... and the most effective parents are the ones who actually lead. But what does that mean and how is it achieved? In this episode, DJ talked with Susan Husa, a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, about leading as a parent and emulating love in the most personal and kind way. Listen as they discuss how encouraging curiosity, bringing in compassion and initiating parameters and boundaries within your family will create a collabo...

In this vitally important episode, DJ invited Operation Underground Railroad representative, Tyson Wright, on the show to discuss human trafficking, and more specifically child exploitation and child sex trafficking. Listen in as they broach these sensitive topics that will arm you with knowledge of how predators utilize the internet to communicate with our youth and educate you on resources to become familiar with… as well as prevention and intervention methods so you can take the steps to prot...

In this episode, DJ invited her niece, Bailey Olsen, on the show to discuss the connection between faith and family. Tune in to hear why they believe your child would benefit from being raised in faith, the role prayer has on our children learning about God and how teaching our children to believe in something bigger than themselves will help them have a more substantial perspective on life. Bailey is a second and third grade elementary school teacher and just like our beloved host (who she hap...

In this episode, DJ invited a Mom of 10 children and creator of Mama Systems, Laura Hernandez, on the show to discuss the importance of implementing systems in your household to create order and peace. Listen in as they talk about the different ways you can bring calm to the chaos by delegating to others, creating a “team” mentality at home, giving the kids responsibilities and holding them accountable, and making time for self care. Laura Hernandez is the owner of Mama Systems and the mother o...

Mom Essentials podcast host and creator of The Parent Toolbox, Angie Weber, is amazing at helping parents find tools appropriate for the children living in our homes. Listen in as DJ and Angie discuss how to help break generational parenting cycles… You know the ones we mean… where you hear your mom coming out of your mouth. And how we can fill our own tool boxes with methods and techniques to be more effective and responsive with our children’s overall health and well-being. Angie Weber is the...

In this podcast episode, yoga instructor and author, Sarah Finnis, joins DJ on the show to discuss using yoga poses in imaginative ways to help children learn and connect. Listen in as they discuss using alternative movements to help children calm down, be more aware of and understand their body and how you can incorporate the proven effective practice of yoga in your child’s daily routine to teach self awareness and to educate them about the world they live in. Sarah is a holistic fitness / yo...

In this podcast episode, Michaell Magrutsche joins DJ to discuss his neurodiversity, how he processes information, how he expresses himself, and how as a child, this greatly affected him and his ability to fit in educationally. His message is one of finding the genius in everyone and how they can grow and find fulfillment through that. Tune in to hear DJ & Michael discuss this and how recognizing and using that genius can help children learn and connect to the other pieces of education. Michael...

In this podcast episode, DJ invited speaker, author and certified parent instructor Eddie White on the show to share his knowledge and expertise about a dad's role in raising strong daughters. Pretty much anyone can be a parent, but it takes something else to be a leader in your family and Eddie knows the recipe. Listen in as he offers sage advice on how to get in front of the curve to raise and empower functional and independent adults. Eddie White is a speaker, author and educator devoted to ...

Experts approximate that 5% of the population have narcissistic personality disorder (NPS)... this is just one of 10 classified personality disorders. Our special guest, Angela Myer, understands the underlying causes of narcissism and has helped many work through it. Tune in to hear how you can make life more manageable living with someone who has NPS and what we can do as parents to help our children learn how to cope and navigate a life that includes a person with the disorder. Angela Myer is...

In this podcast episode, DJ invited speech pathologist, Lenora Edwards, on the show to discuss speech and language, when that develops and how we can help our children communicate effectively. Listen in as they discuss how children start hearing and reacting to lingual sounds in vitro and how they process and express themselves… from the way they pronounce the words, how they are able to process what they hear, and then express what they are thinking. Lenora Edwards is an ASHA Board Certified S...