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 stuck
The simple mindset shift that makes decluttering feel lighter and more positive
Why starting with what you want to keep (not what to throw away) changes everything
How to break any space into small, manageable chunks you can tackle in minutes
The surprising advice Ingrid gives about what to do when you feel unsure about an item
What the “messy middle” is and why so many people quit right there
How clutter and emotions like guilt, stress, and overwhelm are deeply connected
The hidden ways new clutter keeps sneaking into your home (and how to stop it)
Resources We Mention for Easy Decluttering
Ingrid 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 quiz
Dig more into the mental load of clutter with Katy Wells
Organizing styles for families with Cas from Clutterbug

Get a peek at Teens Cook Real Food right here!
Get four free life skills workshops now! 
Kitchen Stewardship
Raising Healthy Families 
follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
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YouTube shorts channel for HPH
Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast
Affiliate 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 relationships
credit cards can blur the reality of spending in stressful moments
surprise expenses often show up when emotions are already high
assumptions about “who is paying for what” can quietly derail connection
 financial stress spills into relationship dynamics faster than we think
talking about goals early can prevent hurt later
planning together creates more peace than planning alone
mistakes around money can become powerful growth points
Resources We Mentioned for Financial Literacy for Families
Check 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-ups
Teaching Kids the Value of Money and Joy in Spending and Saving
Teaching Kids about Debt Early
My reel about Gabe’s blankets for the homeless population
Teach 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 food
How to make homemade yogurt
Amanda’s workshop on Allowance vs. Wages is in Season Four of #LifeSkillsNow
Get a peek at Teens Cook Real Food right here!
Get four free life skills workshops now! 
Kitchen Stewardship
Raising Healthy Families 
follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
YouTube shorts channel for HPH
Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast
Affiliate 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 blown
Today 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 Digestion
Tara's website My Child Will Thrive
Food journal printable
Bristol stool chart
My interview with Dr. Elisa Song on poop
Why Miralax isn't the answer for chronic constipation
HCL tablets I use
Urban Moonshine bitters
These Earthley bitters are more economical when you buy the large bottle
How to make sauerkraut
One of the digestive enzymes my kids use
My kids prefer the taste of this enzyme
Vibrant Blue Oils parasympathetic blend
Megan Stevens' soups book for special diets
Get a peek at Teens Cook Real Food right here!
Get four free life skills workshops now! 
Kitchen Stewardship
Raising Healthy Families 
follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
YouTube shorts channel for HPH
Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast
Affiliate 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&A
Get the one-page “cheat sheets” at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/handbook.
Register for the No More Picky Eating Challenge
Check out my chores system here
For my lemon water: collagen and vitamin C powder
The blue light glasses I have
Starting to eat real food is easier with the Monday Missions!
The risks of synthetic food dyes
Some ways we deal with sugar and desserts at the Kimball house
Tap over and see the YouTube shorts channel
Get a peek at Teens Cook Real Food right here!
Get four free life skills workshops now! 
Kitchen Stewardship
Raising Healthy Families 
follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
YouTube shorts channel for HPH
Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast
Affiliate 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 Health
Join our FREE Picky Eating Challenge
The link between sugar and chronic inflammation
Fermented kimchi recipe
Fermented veggies in small batches
My review of all the probiotics we’ve tried
Connect with Elissa on Substack
Connect with Elissa on Instagram
Get a peek at Teens Cook Real Food right here!
Get four free life skills workshops now! 
Kitchen Stewardship
Raising Healthy Families 
follow Katie on Instagram or Facebook
Subscribe to the newsletter to get weekly updates
YouTube shorts channel for HPH
Find the Healthy Parenting Handbook at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/podcast
Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!