The Parent Pivot Podcast

Grandbaby #7 is arriving and Steve and Julia will be back next week with new content. Please enjoy this "Best of" episode.
It's bound to happen.  Your adult child is hurt by something they see their grandparents do for their sibling and not for them.  Do you get involved? Ignore it? Take sides? Explain it away?
In yet another "real time" episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia walk through a situation that just happened that involved their adult child and their grandparent. How do you navigate this one when there's so many paths to take? Be listening for some practical, loving counsel that will strengthen your relationship with your adult child.
Contact Steve & Julia on Facebook at The Parent Pivot Podcast, or via email at: 
parentpivotpodcast@gmail.com
www.meadowbrookcounselingga.com
www.bringingkingdom.org
Resources by Steve and Julia include:
1.  "The Parent Pivot: 13 Principles for Building Stronger Relationships with Your Adult Children." by Steve and Julia Cummings
2. "The Father Eclipse: How Your Earthly Father Shaped Your Idnetity and How to See God Clearly Again" by Steve Cummings

Have you ever found yourself stuck in a disagreement with your adult child?
Maybe it's about parenting, career choices, relationships, faith, or simply how they're living their life. The disagreement itself may seem small—but over time, it can create distance neither of you intended.
In this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia explore how unresolved disagreements can slowly become disconnection, and why preserving the relationship matters more than winning the argument.
And at the end of the episode, Steve shares how his book, The Father Eclipse, can help parents understand the powerful influence they still have in their adult children's lives—and how to keep that influence from becoming an obstacle to connection.
Resources mentioned on today's podcast:
1.  "The Father Eclipse: How Your Earthly Father Shaped Your Identity and How to See God Clearly Again" by Steve Cummings.  Available on Amazon.
2.  "I Know a Guy" Podcast with Steve Cummings.  A 5-min daily podcast for men who are tired of performing.  Available on Apple, Spotify and all podcast platforms.
3.  Need to talk?  Book some time with Julia by sending her a text at 714-392-2060 - or go to MeadowbrookCounselingGa.com.

What happens when you stop holding on and start trusting God with your adult child?
In this special episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia sit down with their daughter, Jamilyn, to hear her side of the story—from mission trips as a teenager, to the World Race, to discovering her identity, hearing God's voice, and finding her calling.
Along the way, she shares one powerful truth every parent needs to hear:
"Your adult child will never become your answered prayer if you're holding on to them."
If you're struggling to release your adult son or daughter, this conversation may give you the courage—and hope—you need.
Please share this episode on social media, rate and review us so other parents of adult children can find us.Resources mentioned on today's podcast:
1.  When It Seems Hopeless: Interview with Jamilyn Upchurch - Apple podcast link.  Spotify link.
2.  "The Parent Pivot: 13 Principles for Building Stronger Relationships with Your Adult Children" by Steve and Julia Cummings
 

What happens when parents stop trying to protect their adult children from every risk and start trusting God with their future?
This week on The Parent Pivot Podcast, we sit down with Seth Barnes, founder of Adventures in Missions and The World Race, to talk about launching adult children into purpose, faith, and real-world responsibility.
We discuss fear-based parenting, why young adults need challenge and adventure, the power of listening prayer, and how some of the greatest growth happens when parents learn to let go.
If you're navigating the transition from parenting to partnership with your adult child, this conversation will encourage and challenge you.
Join us for this powerful discussion with Seth Barnes.
 

There comes a time when you have to take a step back from life for a bit and take a deep breath.  Life gets crazy fast, doesn't it?  It's all about balance.
Summer break is finally here—and for many pivoting parents, that brings a mix of excitement, opportunity, and maybe a little anxiety too.
In this "Best of" The Parent Pivot Podcast re-air, Steve and Julia talk about how to make the most of the summer months with your adult kids and grandkids, creating meaningful memories instead of simply surviving the schedule changes.
As we record this, we're excitedly awaiting the arrival of our 7th grandbaby, and it reminds us just how quickly these seasons pass. We hope this conversation encourages you to slow down, be present, and make the most of the gift of family this summer.
 

What if the young man you’re worried about is still becoming who he was created to be?
In this deeply personal episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia talk honestly about boys, brain development, unmet expectations, parenting fear, and why so many parents panic too soon. From the science behind the prefrontal cortex developing around age 26… to the emotional impact parents can unknowingly have on their sons… this conversation is filled with hope, wisdom, and practical encouragement.
Steve also shares part of his own story behind his new book, The Father Eclipse, and how fathers can unintentionally shape a son’s identity for decades and block his view of the Father.
If you’re parenting a teenage or young adult son, this episode will help you breathe, step back, and love him well through the journey.
Resources mentioned on today's podcast:
1. The Parent Pivot Podcast, "I'm Going to the Sidelines" - When It's Time to Take a Step Back: Interview with Jackson Cummings
2. "The Father Eclipse: How Your Earthy Father Shaped Your Identity and How to See God Clearly Again" by Steve Cummings.  Available on Amazon.
3.  I Know a Guy Podcast - 5-minutes each day. Real talk for men who don't do small talk.
4. "Stop Fixing Her: Why Your 'Help" is Killing Connection" Episode 126 of I Know a Guy Podcast with Steve Cummings
5.  YouVersion Bible Plan - "The Heart of a Warrior: Before You Can Become  the Warrior, You Must Become the Beloved Son." with Michael Thompson 
6.  "The Heart of a Warrior" book by Michael Thompson.

Pivoting is not easy.  It never is.  You have to be intentional to change your trajectory.  When it comes to pivoting from being a parent to a partner, we need to start with us - Mom and Dad.
What's the key to pivoting and becoming the healthy partner to your adult child?
On this "Best of " The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia walk us through ways we can achieve a healthier balance in life which in turn will create deeper relationship with your adult child.  Don't miss this one!  (I know, we say that all the time.  But this time we REALLY mean it!)
 
Contact Steve and Julia on Facebook at The Parent Pivot Podcast, or via email at: parentpivotpodcast@gmail.comFor speaking engagements on marriage, parenting, men's and women's identity issues, contact Julia at: www.meadowbrookcounselingga.com and Steve at: www.bringingkingdom.org
 

Mother’s Day can bring up a lot more than flowers and brunch reservations.
For many moms of adult children… it brings disappointment, loneliness, fear, and the painful question:  “Am I still needed?”
In this episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia talk honestly about the struggle of releasing your adult children without losing your identity in the process.
From unmet expectations around holidays… to learning how to let your kids fail, grow, and find their own way… this conversation is full of encouragement, honesty, laughter, and hope for parents navigating this difficult season.
If letting go feels harder than you expected… this episode is for you.
Resources:
1.  Email us at parentpivotpodcast@gmail.com.
2. Need someone to talk to about your adult child relationship? Call or text Julia at 714-392-2060 for a FREE consultation. Or visit: www.meadowbrookcounselingga.com
3. "The Parent Pivot: 13 Principles for Building Stronger Relationships with Your Adult Children" by Steve and Julia Cummings.

What do you do when your relationship with your adult child isn’t what you hoped it would be?
In this powerful episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Kathy Koch to talk about the real struggles parents face—grief, distance, conflict, and conversations that don’t have easy answers.
You’ll hear how to love your adult children without controlling them…how to hold onto truth without compromising…and why “being sad before you’re mad” might change everything.
If you’ve ever felt confused, hurt, or unsure of your role as a parent of adult children—this conversation will meet you right where you are and give you hope for the road ahead.
Resources mentioned on today's podcast:
1. www.CelebrateKinds.com
2. "Resolve Conflict and Find Peace and Hope with Adult Children: Strategies and Conversations that Work" by Dr. Kathy Koch.
3. "Raising Gender-Confident Kids: Helping Kids Embrace Their God-Given Design" by Dr. Kathy Koch

What do you do when you look back on your parenting and wish you had done something differently?
In this deeply honest episode of The Parent Pivot Podcast, Steve and Julia share a powerful conversation sparked by a true story film—and the emotions it brought to the surface. Together, they explore the weight of regret, the reality that “you didn’t know what you didn’t know,” and how shame can quietly follow parents into their children’s adult years.
You’ll hear real stories, raw reflections, and practical wisdom on how to release yourself from guilt, extend grace to your past, and take meaningful steps toward healing—whether that includes a conversation with your child or work in your own heart.
If you’ve ever replayed parenting moments in your mind and wondered “what if…”—this episode is for you.
Resources mentioned on today's podcast:
1. "The Parent Pivot: 13 Principles for Building Stronger Relationships with Your Adult Children" by Steve and Julia Cummings.
2. Need someone to talk to about your adult child relationship? Call or text   Julia at 714-392-2060 for a FREE consultation. Or visit: www.meadowbrookcounselingga.com