“But I don’t want to try that!” How many times have you heard this cry ring out whenever your child is faced with something new? Whether it be a new sport, trying to learn an instrument, or simply taking a bite of an unfamiliar food on their plate, our children can often resist new things—even if we know that they’ll eventually be grateful that they pushed through their anxious hesitations.

We want to be the type of moms and dads who help our kids grow in confidence. But it can be a challenge to know how to best support them. When should we push them to branch out or to stick with something they’ve committed to, and when should we give them grace and time to adjust to the thought of something new? We are so happy to welcome Valerie Ellis back to the show to help us answer these questions.

Valerie is the mom of two boys, and she is navigating parenthood with her husband every day. She’s the author of multiple books for kids, including Let’s Go! Bible Adventures and her exciting new project, Wild Faith Devotional for Kids. Valerie is a speaker and the founder of Our Everyday Parables, an online resource that offers parents ideas for pursuing faith and compassion.

In this episode, Valerie shares:

• Reasons our children may struggle to step into something new
• Ways to help our children shift their mindset
• How to model confidence, bravery, and even failure
• How to help our kids cope with the anxiety they feel in their mind and body
• And much more!

We hope you enjoy this conversation!

Show Notes: growinghometogether.com/valerie-ellis-119