Healthy Parenting Handbook with Katie Kimball

If you’ve ever stood in the middle of your house and thought, “Where do I even start?”… you are absolutely not alone.But what if the problem isn’t your lack of discipline… it’s your approach?In this conversation, I sat down with Ingrid Jansen from The Declutter Hub, and she completely reframed how I think about clutter. We didn’t just talk about getting rid of stuff. We talked about why it feels so hard in the first place—and how to make it feel doable (even in the middle of real life).Because here’s the truth: clutter isn’t just about things. It’s about emotions, habits, identity, and sometimes even guilt. And once you understand that piece, everything starts to shift.In this episode, you’ll hear:Why “decluttering your whole house” is actually the fastest way to get stuckThe simple mindset shift that makes decluttering feel lighter and more positiveWhy starting with what you want to keep (not what to throw away) changes everythingHow to break any space into small, manageable chunks you can tackle in minutesThe surprising advice Ingrid gives about what to do when you feel unsure about an itemWhat the “messy middle” is and why so many people quit right thereHow clutter and emotions like guilt, stress, and overwhelm are deeply connectedThe hidden ways new clutter keeps sneaking into your home (and how to stop it)Resources We Mention for Easy DeclutteringIngrid and Lesley’s book: Reset Your Home: Unpack your emotions and your clutter, step by step (Amazon/Bookshop.org)Get started in the Declutter Hub!Take the clutter quizDig more into the mental load of clutter with Katy WellsOrganizing styles for families with Cas from ClutterbugGet a peek at Teens Cook Real Food right here! Get four free life skills workshops now! Kitchen StewardshipRaising Healthy Families follow Katie on Instagram or FacebookSubscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updatesYouTube shorts channel for HPHFind the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcastAffiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Money fights are rarely about the money.They usually start somewhere small. A decision. An assumption. A moment that feels harmless at the time.And then suddenly you are on a honeymoon, of all places, realizing you are not actually on the same financial page at all. That is exactly where this conversation begins.Amanda shares a story that many couples will recognize: a beautiful life moment that quietly turned stressful because expectations were never spoken out loud.Because money is not just math! It is emotion, trust, and more.In this interview, we dig into what happens when financial communication falls through the cracks and why those cracks often appear during big life events when we least expect them.You will see how:silence around money can create conflict even in strong relationshipscredit cards can blur the reality of spending in stressful momentssurprise expenses often show up when emotions are already highassumptions about “who is paying for what” can quietly derail connection financial stress spills into relationship dynamics faster than we thinktalking about goals early can prevent hurt laterplanning together creates more peace than planning alonemistakes around money can become powerful growth pointsResources We Mentioned for Financial Literacy for FamiliesCheck out Wallet Win, the Teixeiras’ courses for kids and teens about finance (and get $10 off with my link), or the Catholic Money Academy for grown-upsTeaching Kids the Value of Money and Joy in Spending and SavingTeaching Kids about Debt EarlyMy reel about Gabe’s blankets for the homeless populationTeach teens how to budget with Crystal Paine’s One-Hour Budget for Teens (use code LIFESKILLS for a discount!)Reducing your food budget while eating real foodHow to make homemade yogurtAmanda’s workshop on Allowance vs. Wages is in Season Four of #LifeSkillsNowGet a peek at Teens Cook Real Food right here! Get four free life skills workshops now! Kitchen StewardshipRaising Healthy Families follow Katie on Instagram or FacebookSubscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updatesYouTube shorts channel for HPHFind the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcastAffiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

What if I told you you might have to throw away half of the healthy food you worked so hard to put on the dinner table?What if I told you that can basically happen AFTER your kids eat everything on their plate?!?!Healthy food is only the first part of being nourished—we need to make sure the entire system of digestion is working correctly for all the hard work to count! mind blownToday I get to talk to Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Tara Hunkin about getting your child’s digestion on “tract” (pun! ha!) for optimal health. Whether your child feels anxious or exhibits signs of ADHD, whether you know they’re constipated, they have some diarrhea or even are very regular, it’s so important to be educated as parents so we know what to look for…in our child’s poop!Resources We Mention for Healthy DigestionTara's website My Child Will ThriveFood journal printableBristol stool chartMy interview with Dr. Elisa Song on poopWhy Miralax isn't the answer for chronic constipationHCL tablets I useUrban Moonshine bittersThese Earthley bitters are more economical when you buy the large bottleHow to make sauerkrautOne of the digestive enzymes my kids useMy kids prefer the taste of this enzymeVibrant Blue Oils parasympathetic blendMegan Stevens' soups book for special dietsGet a peek at Teens Cook Real Food right here! Get four free life skills workshops now! Kitchen StewardshipRaising Healthy Families follow Katie on Instagram or FacebookSubscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updatesYouTube shorts channel for HPHFind the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcastAffiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Ever wonder how to handle picky eating at parties without creating food battles? Or how to set healthy screen time boundaries when screens feel like the only babysitter?In this Ask Me Anything episode of the Healthy Parenting Handbook podcast, I’m answering your real-life parenting questions about dessert rules for kids, the Division of Responsibility in feeding, raising independent children, and building healthy family habits that actually stick.We’re talking about practical strategies for limiting screen time for toddlers and young kids, alternatives to screen time that encourage creativity, and how involving kids in chores builds responsibility and executive functioning. I’m also sharing how to create a real food family culture without labeling foods as “bad,” how to monitor sugar and food dyes without being extreme, and how to gradually pass ownership of health to your kids so they can make wise choices when no one is watching.If you want less pressure around food, more confidence in your parenting decisions, and a clear path toward raising healthy, independent future adults, this episode is for you!Resources We Mention in This Parenting Q&AGet the one-page “cheat sheets” at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/handbook.Register for the No More Picky Eating ChallengeCheck out my chores system hereFor my lemon water: collagen and vitamin C powderThe blue light glasses I haveStarting to eat real food is easier with the Monday Missions!The risks of synthetic food dyesSome ways we deal with sugar and desserts at the Kimball houseTap over and see the YouTube shorts channelGet a peek at Teens Cook Real Food right here! Get four free life skills workshops now! Kitchen StewardshipRaising Healthy Families follow Katie on Instagram or FacebookSubscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updatesYouTube shorts channel for HPHFind the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcastAffiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Did you know that picky eating can sometimes be caused by the messages the bacteria in your gut are sending to your brain?So the CHILD isn’t being a sugar monster…or making stubborn choices just to drive you crazy…their gut bugs are the sugar monsters and their brain has pruned too much!I learned so much from Elissa Arnheim in this interview, both the philosophical to feed MY brain and the practical—some of which I implemented that very day!Here are my favorite quotes:“Let’s start with this: Our bodies are designed perfectly.”“If a child cuts out an entire category of healthy foods, it’s a sign that something is wrong – and it’s all figure-out-able and fixable.”“Step 1 for sugar monster kids: serve sauerkraut!” 😮 (Don’t worry, Elissa shares multiple ways to make that a reality in your family…because I thought the same as you! My kids would never…!)“Resilience comes from diversity – both inside and outside our bodies.”“Risk to probiotic use = monoculture in our guts.”And so, so much more! Pretty much if there are human beings in your family, you need this info too. 😉Resources We Mention for Picky Eating and Gut HealthJoin our FREE Picky Eating ChallengeThe link between sugar and chronic inflammationFermented kimchi recipeFermented veggies in small batchesMy review of all the probiotics we’ve triedConnect with Elissa on SubstackConnect with Elissa on InstagramGet a peek at Teens Cook Real Food right here! Get four free life skills workshops now! Kitchen StewardshipRaising Healthy Families follow Katie on Instagram or FacebookSubscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updatesYouTube shorts channel for HPHFind the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcastAffiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Have you ever looked at a box in your house and felt like it was… talking to you?Not literally. But emotionally.Because in this second half of my conversation with decluttering expert Katy Wells, we go deeper than surface clutter. We talk about the hidden reasons we hold onto things. And friends, it is not about storage bins or label makers.It’s about stories.Stories about who we used to be. Who we hoped we would become. Stories about guilt, failure, scarcity, and expectations we didn’t even realize we were carrying.And once you see that, you cannot unsee it.In this episode, Katy unpacks the three hidden forces that keep people stuck in clutter cycles. These are not the things most organizing shows talk about. But they are the exact things that determine whether decluttering actually works long term.Here’s what we cover:Why decluttering is emotional work disguised as a logistics problemThe hidden stories your belongings might be telling youHow guilt and fear silently control what you keepThe three pillars that shape your personal “stuff story”How childhood beliefs influence adult clutter habitsThe connection between procrastination and clutterWhy some habits are not problems but personality cluesThe simple 5-second trick that can break overwhelm instantlyYou’ll also hear one client story that might stop you in your tracks. Because once you recognize your own version of that box in the garage, you may never look at clutter the same way again.And the best part?You do not have to fix everything today. You just have to start.Resources We Mention for Decluttering and EmotionsOrder Katy’s new book, Making Home Your Happy Place, on Amazon or Bookshop.orgCheck out her courses if you need help at home: Toy Clutter Cure System, Home Management Mastery, Clutter ChallengeGet the one-page handbook episode guides at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/handbookHere is Katy’s earlier episode of the podcast: Expected Mess Vs. True ClutterMore on decluttering and working together as a family in my interview with Tidy DadGet a peek at Teens Cook Real Food right here!Kitchen StewardshipRaising Healthy Families follow Katie on Instagram or FacebookSubscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updatesYouTube shorts channel for HPHFind the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcastAffiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

What if the stress you feel at home is not just about your schedule… but about your stuff?I know. That sounds almost too simple.But when Katy Wells came back on the Healthy Parenting Handbook podcast, we did not just talk about decluttering. We talked about cortisol. About magnets for your attention. About why walking into your own kitchen can change your mood in seconds.And friends, this one hit close to home.Because if you are trying to raise independent kids, teach life skills, keep up with meals, laundry, school, sports, and somehow protect your own nervous system… your environment matters more than you think.Here is what we dig into in this episode:The surprising research linking clutter and elevated cortisol levelsWhy the average American home may be holding over 300,000 “magnets for your attention”How clutter quietly fuels anxiety (even if you think it does not bother you)What a “nightly reset” looks like in real life with kidsHow to pass ownership of the home to your children without naggingThe difference between modeling and inviting kids into responsibilityWhy action creates motivation (and not the other way around)The simple starting point that breaks the clutter and anxiety cycleWe also talk about something that might sting a little: why systems alone will not save you.If you have ever walked into a messy kitchen and felt your shoulders tense… or walked into a clear counter and felt yourself exhale… this episode is for you.Let’s talk about how simplifying your home can actually strengthen your parenting.Resources We Mention for Making Home Your Happy PlaceOrder Katy's new book, Making Home Your Happy Place, on Amazon or Bookshop.orgCheck out her courses if you need help at home: Toy Clutter Cure System, Home Management Mastery, Clutter ChallengeGet the one-page handbook episode guides at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/handbookHere is Katy's earlier episode of the podcast: Expected Mess Vs. True Clutter – What’s the Difference and How to Solve ThemVisit Katy at her website Katy Joy Wells or on InstagramGet a peek at Teens Cook Real Food right here!Kitchen StewardshipRaising Healthy Families follow Katie on Instagram or FacebookSubscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updatesYouTube shorts channel for HPHFind the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcastAffiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Our hearts tell us we want to be outside, that we were created for nature…when it’s warm and beautiful and sunny!I don’t know about you, but I do find that when it’s cold, rainy, snowing, or blowing, I tend to be grateful for my 4 walls, central heat, and mug of tea indoors.How can we change this paradigm in ourselves and in our culture where the outdoors is becoming less and less popular all the time?It doesn’t happen by accident. To be intentional about outdoor and nature time, we have to be inspired. My guests today are the co-authors of a wonderful book about getting outdoors, Digging Into Nature: Outdoor Adventures for Happier and Healthier Kids, and they share research and physiology to remind us: Our kids need time outside. Much, much more time than they’re getting!You’ll be inspired by:how parenting has changed in the last 30 years & Dr. Glassy’s wake-up calloutdoor benefits to physical and mental healthwhy parenting actually becomes easier when your kids are outside!what “counts” as a dose of naturesimple ways you can incorporate nature into your day – without even going out!how children’s development is actually supercharged with outdoor experiencesthe ways in which time outside builds resilience and prepares kids and teens for real lifeI figure I need to listen to an interview like this about every 2 months to re-inspire me to make outside time a priority! Maybe every 2 weeks in the winter…What do you think?Resources We Mention for Nature Time for KidsDrs. Glassy and Tandon’s book: Digging Into Nature: Outdoor Adventures for Happier and Healthier Kids (Amazon/Bookshop.org)Simple Strategies to Relieve Anxiety as a FamilyWhy Everything You Know About Vision is WrongLiving Dangerously with Caution: We Bike Our Child to School without ApologyBuilding Resilience and Reducing Stress in Kids with Jess Sherman20 Ways to Preserve Apples (without Sugar)Check out Project Nature Washington for more from these doctorsGet a peek at Teens Cook Real Food right here! Get four free life skills workshops now! Kitchen StewardshipRaising Healthy Families follow Katie on Instagram or FacebookSubscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updatesYouTube shorts channel for HPHFind the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcastAffiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Jessica Joelle Alexander, author and parenting expert known for The Danish Way books, shares how Danish families prioritize play, simple mealtimes, and involving kids in cooking and chores. She explains hygge as focused togetherness, the idea of equal dignity within family teamwork, and raising children who feel calm, capable, and content.

Jessica Joelle Alexander, bestselling author and Danish parenting researcher, explores why Danish children often seem calm and secure. She discusses play as core learning. She contrasts well-being‑first approaches with benchmark obsession. She explains building trust around screens, teaching digital citizenship, and creating hygge for family connection.