“I want you to know joy, so together we will practice gratitude. I want you to feel joy, so together we will learn how to be vulnerable.” — Brené Brown, Wholehearted Parenting Manifesto

This week, we’re talking about Joy—what it feels like, why it can be so hard to stay with, and how we’re learning to welcome more of it into our family life. We talk about the kind of joy that sneaks up on you, the kind that’s layered with memory and meaning, and the kind that feels a little scary to fully experience.

We also talk about foreboding joy (thanks Brené), how joy has changed since becoming parents, and why practicing vulnerability and gratitude actually expands our capacity to feel it. Greg opens up about how mental health plays a role in how he relates to joy—and Danielle reflects on how she’s reclaiming personal joy outside of motherhood.

Plus: We introduce a new segment!
TMIT Teammates kicks off with our dear friend Jennifer Zelman, whose story of raising a blended family across Rome and New York is full of perspective, humor, and wisdom. She shares what living abroad has taught her about parenting, presence, and letting go of the pressure to optimize everything.

💡 Episode Highlights

• The difference between joy and happiness (and why it matters)
• “Layered joy” and the power of nostalgic moments
• Foreboding joy: when our brains rehearse tragedy instead of presence
• How Greg’s diagnosis shaped his relationship to joy
• The value of silly, spontaneous moments in building family culture
• Jen Zelman on travel, resilience, and raising culturally open kids

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.
And stay tuned after the episode for TMIT Teammates—real talk with real families we love and admire.

🧡 As always, thanks for being here. If this resonated with you, share it with a friend or drop us a review—it really helps.

🎙️ Episode 15: Accountability & Respect

This week, we’re diving into two words that carry a lot of weight—and often get misunderstood in parenting: accountability and respect.

We unpack what these concepts really mean in a family setting (hint: it’s not about obedience), and how we’re trying to model them at home—imperfectly, but intentionally.

From birth stories to playground conflicts, we talk about:

• Why impact matters more than intent
• What Heart Repair looks like in real life (and how it’s based on Nonviolent Communication)
• How peer orientation pulled Greg away from his family too early
• And why “respect” might need a serious rebrand

We’re also sharing an experiment we’re trying with our kids—a Family Heart Repair Journal—to help build the muscles for empathy, reflection, and repair.

This one’s about power, connection, and the tools kids need to own their actions and stay close.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Wholehearted Parenting Manifesto – Brené Brown
• Nonviolent Communication – Marshall Rosenberg
• Conscious Discipline – Dr. Becky Bailey
• The Road Less Traveled – M. Scott Peck (concept of “bracketing”)

🎧 Listen now and let us know what shows up for you. And if it resonates, share it with someone else building family culture on purpose.

This week, we’re talking about boundaries—inside our home and outside of it.

The kind that protect our family culture… and the kind that make everyone just a little bit uncomfortable (in the best way).

From Brené Brown’s Wholehearted Parenting Manifesto:
“We will set and respect boundaries. We will honor hard work, hope, and perseverance. Rest and play will be family values, as well as family practices.”

We start with the boundaries that live inside our home—around sleep, late-night conversations, and shared spaces (including one now-infamous, sticker-covered kitchen chair). We talk about the practices that feel solid, the ones we’re still fumbling through, and how family meetings help us navigate the thorny stuff with more intention and less drama.

Then we zoom out to boundaries with the outside world—where things tend to get trickier.

We explore:

• Saying no without over-explaining
• Navigating extended family dynamics
• The tension between being kind and being clear
• Why some boundaries feel easy to hold, and others feel like heartbreak
• What it means to protect the emotional climate of your home

Plus: Why “Spending Saturdays” might be our favorite new family tool

Before setting a boundary, ask yourself:

• How is this aligned with my values—not just my mood or my fear?
• Does this need to be said… by me… right now?

We’re still learning, too.
If you’ve got a family boundary that’s working—or one that’s still in the chaos phase—we’d love to hear about it. Message us on IG @themostimpthing.

And don’t forget to check out TMIT 01: Family Meetings if you haven’t yet—because family meetings > family meltdowns.