Wire Talk with Karen Stubbs

If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I ruining my teenager’s life?” - you’re not alone. Today, Karen answers questions from moms navigating strong personalities, emotional pushback, and the tension between protecting and preparing their teens. With her trademark practical wisdom, she reminds us that what feels like conflict is often part of God’s process for refining our kids.
Episode Recap:
As moms, we can see the writing on the wall but our teens literally can’t (1:45)
My daughter and I fight all the time, I just do not like her right now (4:02)
You cannot take their attitude and/or push back personally (7:43)
How do I motivate my lazy teenage son? (9:01)
We don’t need to coddle our sons (11:09)
Look into our new study: How to Teach Your Kids the Bible (13:30)
My daughter’s career dreams are unrealistic, how do we talk to her about it? (13:45)
Any tips for a blue mom raising a melancholy 15 year old teen? (17:36)
Our job is not to solve all our kids’ problems, it’s to point them to the Lord (19:41)

Scripture: Galatians 6:9 (NLT)
“​​So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”
Discussion Questions: 
When have you felt like your teen misunderstood your intentions? How did you respond?
Where are you tempted to take your teen’s behavior personally?
What would it look like to “get out of God’s way” in your parenting right now?
How can you stay emotionally steady when your teen is not?
What is one boundary you need to hold with confidence this week? 

Resources:
Listen to the rest of our conversation on WT+: boaw.mom/insider
Check out Karen’s Peace for the Anxious Mom study today
Check out our BRAND NEW Bible study: How To Teach Your Kids the Bible
Download our FREE temperaments packet
Pick up Karen’s devotional for Teenage Girls on Amazon

Want More of This Conversation?
WT+ listeners will hear Karen encourage you to stand firm in your parental convictions without damaging the relationship. Karen shares personal stories of the fruit that both she and her children have reaped from maintaining stricter boundaries in the teenage years.
Head HERE and join us for the full conversation.

If you’re in the stage of parenting where tears, tantrums, and big emotions seem to take over every day, you’re not alone. Today Karen and Emily are tackling questions from moms navigating the emotional ups and downs of preschoolers and early elementary kids. They discuss why some kids cry more than others, how to handle tantrums without giving in, and how to guide sensitive kids through big feelings. If you’re in the thick of it these days, we hope this episode reminds you that this stage is normal and it won’t last forever!
Episode Recap:
All of our kids go through hard phases, you are not alone (1:08)
My 5 year old boy cries about EVERYTHING - help! (3:05)
My son’s temper tantrums are out of control, what can I do? (7:08)
My 4 yr old is very dependent on her brother, I’m worried about her clinginess (9:11)
How do I approach the “stranger danger” conversation with my outgoing girl? (12:39)
You’re not going to change the way your kid is wired, but you can understand it (20:00) 

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) 
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Discussion Questions: 
How do you usually respond when your child cries or throws a tantrum? How’s that working for your family? 
Karen talked about helping kids learn that not every situation is a “10 out of 10.” How do you teach your children perspective when they’re upset?
What are some practical ways you can help your child learn to express feelings with words instead of tears?
How does remembering that this stage is temporary change the way you respond in the moment?

Resources:
Listen to the rest of our conversation on WT+: boaw.mom/insider
Send us your questions through the BOAW Moms app [Apple] [Google Play]
Check out our BRAND NEW Bible study: How To Teach Your Kids the Bible

Want More?
Wire Talk+ listeners get extended conversations every week. Today Karen and Emily are sharing tips for how to make mornings easier with reluctant risers.
Head HERE and join us for the full conversation.

Last week, Karen talked about the temperaments. This week, she takes that conversation one step further by answering real questions from moms who are navigating strong-willed kids, harsh words, whining, and emotional outbursts. If you’ve ever looked at your child and thought, I know their heart is sweet, so why is this coming out so sideways? this episode is for you. Karen shares practical wisdom for understanding your child’s wiring, correcting with grace, and helping them grow.
Episode Recap:
Last week, we talked about blue and red temperaments (2:00)
My blue/green son often comes across as critical and harsh (3:00)
My rising Kindergartener is controlling and bossy and can be physical (7:23)
My daughter used to love being the center of attention, now she’s self-conscious (12:25)
What is the temperaments book you reference all the time? (16:05)
Pick a “lane” when you take the temperaments test (18:57) 

Scripture: Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
Discussion Questions: 
Which of my child’s behaviors may be connected to their temperament, and which ones need clear correction?
Do I tend to react to my child’s tone or behavior in a way that escalates things?
How can I better coach my child after the emotional moment has passed?
Where does my own temperament make parenting this child especially hard?
What would it look like to be more patient and intentional in helping this child grow over time?

Resources:
Listen to the rest of our conversation on WT+: boaw.mom/insider
Episodes featuring moms of different temperament colors: 330, 331, 332, 333
Grab Personality Plus for Parents by Florence Littauer 
Take the Colors Temperament Quiz today

Want More of This Conversation?
Wire Talk+ listeners get extended conversations every week! Today Karen delves deeper into how moms’ own temperaments affect the way they respond to their kids and gives a helpful rundown of the core needs of each temperament.
Head HERE and join us for the full conversation.

Today Karen and Emily tackle listener questions about kids with big emotions; the pouters, the perfectionists, the rule followers, and the fiercely competitive. Whether your child melts down when they lose, struggles to say they’re having fun, or takes rules a little too seriously, this episode will help you parent the way they’re wired instead of fighting against it.
Episode Recap:
Join Wire Talk+, our VIP club for listeners (3:45)
Is it okay to let my sensitive child pout in his room? (4:27)
My “blue child” never says she’s having fun and it’s discouraging to me (9:55)
How do I handle an overly strict rule follower? (13:30)
My 9 yr old cannot bear losing - should I give him consequences for meltdowns? (17:28)
You’re not going to change the way your kid is wired, but you can understand it (20:00) 

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
Discussion Questions: 
Does my child need space or correction in emotional moments?
Am I reacting to their personality, or am I training their character?
Do I expect my child to respond emotionally the way I would?
Where do I need to be more consistent with consequences?
How can I model emotional regulation in my own responses?

Resources:
Listen to the rest of our conversation on WT+: boaw.mom/insider
Send us your questions through the BOAW Moms app [Apple] [Google Play]
Check out our BRAND NEW Bible study: How To Teach Your Kids the Bible
Check out Raising Emotionally Strong Boys by David Thomas 

Want More of This Conversation?
Wire Talk+ listeners get extended conversations every week! Today Karen is sharing insights on parenting “blue” temperaments specifically.
Head HERE and join us for the full conversation.

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.