Connected Families Podcast

Connected Families Podcast


Kind and Firm: Setting Boundaries with Kids | Ep. 284

January 19, 2026

In this second week of our Don’t Stay Stuck series, we’re shifting our focus to parents who are “stuck” at the bottom of the Connected Families Framework™. Being naturally bent toward compassion is a God-given superpower, but what happens when parents are consistently overly permissive? Setting boundaries with kids can be challenging at times. Listen in as Stacy chats with Katie Wetsell, a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach, to encourage you to be kind and firm.

Key Takeaways:
  • How our parenting defaults can actually come from God-given gifts
  • What does it look like to get stuck at the bottom of the Framework: Am I too soft?
  • How balance helps kids build wisdom and resilience in their long-term relationships
  • Concrete examples you can use to add more firmness to your parenting
Mentioned in this Podcast:

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Guest Bio:

Katie Wetsell has always had a calling on her heart to care for children. She has worked as a pediatric oncology nurse and pediatric nurse practitioner. After experiencing the benefits of parent coaching through Connected Families, Katie later resigned from nursing and became a Certified Parent Coach. She and her husband have four children (three boys and a girl) through birth and adoption. Katie is also trained in SPACE treatment to help parents learn how to support their children struggling with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. You can learn more about Katie at parentwithhope.org, and on Facebook @parentwithhopecoach and Instagram @parentwithhopecoach.

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It’s not hopeless. You can ENJOY YOUR KIDS AGAIN.

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