Fresh Start Family

I love Wendy's reframing here! Misbehaving is an attempt to communicate! Great convo in episode 329 of Bare Marriage--with Wendy's new book Fresh Start Your Family!

Happy graduation day to my firstborn, my Stella! 🎓

Fifteen years of school somehow flew by in a blink, and today I get to watch this girl walk across the stage as the whole, brave, beautiful human she’s become.

Here’s the thing nobody tells you about raising a strong willed child... they don’t just grow, they invite YOU to grow right alongside them.

Stella has been my biggest teacher in this life.

My angel.

My mirror.

The bestie I prayed for before I ever met her.

She came in and boldly helped me learn, grow and heal on levels I never even knew I needed.

And now? She’s off to Long Beach State this fall to play Division 1 beach volleyball 🏐 a dream come true that only a girl this strong willed could chase down and catch.

Today we celebrate everything she’s accomplished... and even more, we celebrate exactly WHO she is.

I love you to the moon and back, my girl 🤍

Shine big. The world is so ready for you. ✨

Doing the “wow, okay” challenge with to celebrate Fresh Start Your Family Book’s official launch day! 😂 Inspired by the beautiful .wolfee from (one our family’s fave shows).

No more preorder status, book is officially available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes and noble & bookshop.org 🎉 (or your local retailer or library!)

For $22, this is THE MOST accessible educational product I’ve ever created in my 10+ years of teaching and it has the A-Z of everything I teach plus a gazillion vulnerable, real stories of my own stumbles and celebrations as a parent. After reading, you’ll feel inspired, empowered & seen in the most wonderful ways.

Comment BONUSES ⬇️ to be DM’d a link to purchase and how to access book bonuses worth over $75! 🎉📘

Inspiring words ⬇️ from just a few of my book endorsers who I respect so deeply:

“This book is a beautiful exhale. The compassion meets strategy approach within these pages will transform your parenting and help you leave a legacy of deeper love for your children.”

— KATE NORTHRUP, Author of Do Less and creator of Relaxed Money

“This book will help you respond rather than react by translating your kid’s behavior with empathy. Go from correction officer to coach!”

— MARY VAN GEFFEN, International Parenting Coach and Author of Parenting a Spicy One

“Wendy brings extraordinary empathy and deep wisdom to the work of raising emotionally healthy, secure children.”

— MARCELA COLLIER, Positive Discipline Coach and Founder, HIC Parenting Education

“This isn’t just one mom’s personal experience projected onto the reader, this is an in-depth parenting manual that any parent can use and adapt to their child.”

— SHEILA WRAY GREGOIRE, Host of the Bare Marriage Podcast and Co-Author of She Deserves Better

“This book feels like a steady hand on your back when parenting feels overwhelming.”

— ROBIN LONG, Wellness Advocate, Founder of Lindywell, and Author of Well to the Core

“This book can change everything about the future of your relationship with your child.”

Comment BONUSES ⬇️
— RACHEL NIELS

On the Fresh Start Family Show this week is THE 🎉 we discussed the importance of civics for parents and how understanding government can empower families to create positive change!

Not kidding when I say I cried myself through this interview. To me, Sharon is like the strong, fierce, brilliant + loving momma bear fighting for the soul of America while holding us all in her arms while we sob and keep looking up asking “it’s gonna be ok right?”.

Her answer is always “yes, as long as you remember to just keep doing the next best thing. The small and the mighty are POWERFUL”!

THANK YOU Sharon for your tireless efforts to keep educating, empowering and inspiring us all, we love you! Her book “the small and the mighty” is a must read for all Americans who care about this country and want to be deeply inspired to keep standing tall! And her new kids book “we are mighty” releases next week and is a MUST have for every families home library (and your school and your church and community center!) 📚

Parents, please share this episode to your stories or tag a pal or family member who would love to hear this conversation!

Comment CIVICS for the link to be DM’d to you to listen!

Unboxing with ya’ll was fun! 🎉 So much love and gratitude for this community it’s unreal!

I can’t quite explain how meaningful it feels to hold your own book in your hands for the first time but it feels so darn special. This is OUR book and I’m so dang inspired by this community which is the reason this book exists 🤍

Comment PREORDER ⬇️ if you haven’t placed your order yet. $100 of bonuses are up for grabs when you preorder- but you won’t get charged till it ships ;)

To every single one of you who has supported me with a preorder - thank you, I love you and I’m so excited to hear the gazillion stories to come about how this book will transform family legacies!

This one’s for every parent who’s ever been told they’re “too soft,” “too permissive,” or raising little sh*ts. 💩😂

You are not crazy. You are not weak. You are not doing it wrong.

You are brave enough to care more about what happens inside your heart, intuition and home than what the world outside thinks about it.

And that takes a kind of courage most people will never find.

I see you standing tall when extended family members question your choices. Or when church pals say they’re “worried” about who you’re following.

I see you holding the line when old school voices get loud.

I see you choosing connection over control, even when it’s hard and even when nobody claps for you.

I am so inspired by you. 🤍

Keep going. The world needs more families like yours.
More parents like you.

If you’re new here and you’re just getting started on this ‘powerful parenting’ (firm & kind connection based) journey... comment FREEDOM ⬇️ and I’ll send you our free Cactus Kids Survival Guide 🌵 PLUS an invite to my free interactive workshop, “3 Secrets to Thriving with Your Strong Willed Kid!”

You’ve got this. And I’m right here cheering you on. 💛
. Tell me in the comments if this resonates. What’s the craziest thing a “challenger” ever said to you in judgment of your parenting?

She used to fear pickup time. 🚗 😱

Every single day, one of the moms in my community was dreading the drive home from preschool.

Because she knew what was coming.

The meltdowns were bad. Like, really bad. 😩

She and her husband were exhausted and running out of ideas.

So they made a brave wise empowered decision. They dove into our educational programs together, did their own inner work, and started teaching their little girl what it looks like to process big feelings with dignity.

And then one day... something magical happened.

Their daughter was mid-meltdown when mom offered her a calming break. She stomped off to her room. And came back 15 minutes later with a drawing and said:
“Momma, I’m calm now. Art helped me calm down. The rain in the picture is the tears my eyes were screaming when I was so mad and sad.”

She was FIVE years old.

That’s self-regulation. That’s a kid that learned how to de-escalate themselves then come back to the table - ready to work out an issue with connection and humility - at the tender age of FIVE! (No forcing, threats, yelling, or intimidation or giving in needed).

That’s what’s possible when you upgrade your toolkit and commit to doing things differently.

If you’ve got a wild, strong-willed kid who’s testing you and honestly bringing you to your knees... a kid you love so much but some days aren’t quite sure you like...

I’ve got you. 🤍

Comment FREEDOM below ⬇️ and I’ll DM you the link to our most popular free learning guide, the Cactus Kids Survival Guide 🌵. It’s the best place to start.

A power struggle with your kid and worry about money, a looming tax bill, or rising grocery costs?

Your nervous system treats them exactly the same.

And if you’ve been feeling it lately… you are so not alone.

The parents I work with who are struggling the most in their parenting? A lot of the time there’s a financial stress humming quietly underneath it all too.

Because nervous system dysregulation doesn’t stay in one lane. It bleeds into everything.

The good news is healing in one area spills over into all the others. Including how you show up for your kids.

That’s why I’m so excited to share what my nervous system healing and financial abundance mentor Kate Northrup is offering right now.

Her free 3-day live workshop Good with Money starts TOMORROW and I really don’t want you to miss it.

Comment the word MONEY below and I’ll send you the link straight to your DMs. 💛

Because capable people still need support. Especially right now.

Watch how easy. Please call your reps. Please do something. This is not normal and our children are watching weather we go on about our day and let this happen or not ❤️💔