Are you struggling to find meaningful moments of connection with your kids? You’re not alone. Between school drop-offs, work deadlines, and never-ending to-do lists, it can feel impossible to carve out quality time — especially when your kids are busy too.

But here’s the truth: meaningful connection doesn’t have to take hours. You don’t need elaborate family activities or perfectly planned moments. What truly matters are the small, intentional choices you make throughout the day—the micro-moments that quietly build your bond and strengthen your relationship over time.

In today’s episode, we’re sharing 5 micro-moments of intention that allow you to connect with your kids in 30 seconds or less—even on your busiest days.

IN 15 MINUTES OR LESS, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• How the belief that “connection takes time” keeps you from deeper relationships with your kids
• How to get rid of parenting guilt over lack of connection with your kids
• Simple ways to turn everyday moments into lasting memories
• How micro-moments help you feel more present and connected—without adding more to your plate

00:00 Introduction: The Challenge of Connecting with Your Kids
00:49 Juggling Busy Schedules
02:00 The Myth of Needing Big Chunks of Time
03:08 Micro Moment 1: The Power of a Random Hug
07:43 Micro Moment 2: Texting a Photo to Connect
09:09 Micro Moment 3: Letting Your Kid Pick the Music
10:34 Micro Moment 4: Doing a Simple Chore for Your Child
11:58 Micro Moment 5: Praying for Your Kids
13:41 Conclusion: More Micro Moments and Next Episode Preview

When you finish listening, we’d love for you to connect with us on social media!

Follow us on Instagram and like our page on Facebook to keep the conversation going. It’s the best way to get quick tips, encouragement, and resources to help you make time for what matters most—your family.

Get our FREE resource, "30-Second Micro Moments of Intention with Your Kids", by going to: parentsmakingtime.com/freeresource

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Do you ever open your phone to “just check something” — and suddenly realize you’ve lost 30 minutes to scrolling? Scrolling isn’t just a problem for our kids, it is a problem for parents too. In this episode of Parents Making Time, Anthony talks with Ruby Ryba, educator, statistician, and mom of two, about the hidden costs of phone addiction and how scrolling addiction quietly robs families of time, focus, and connection.

Ruby shares honest stories and research-backed strategies to help parents:

• Recognize the signs of phone addiction and wasting time on social media
• Rebuild healthier boundaries around technology
• Be a more present and intentional parent
• Create moments of true connection and family bonding on a tight schedule
• Model balanced tech habits for the next generation

If you’ve ever felt torn between your phone and your family, this episode will show you how to reclaim your attention, restore calm, and parent without regret. Presence isn’t about giving up technology — it’s about using it intentionally so you can focus on what truly matters: your people.

Breaking the Scrolling Habit: An Interview with Ruby Reba

00:00 Introduction: The Phone Addiction Dilemma
00:56 Meet Ruby Reba: Tackling Phone Addiction
03:47 Understanding Phone Addiction
08:06 Practical Strategies to Combat Phone Addiction
13:04 Ruby's Upcoming Book and Final Thoughts
13:53 Conclusion and Free Resource for Parents

When you finish listening, we’d love for you to connect with us on social media!

Follow us on Instagram and like our page on Facebook to keep the conversation going. It’s the best way to get quick tips, encouragement, and resources to help you make time for what matters most—your family.

Get our FREE resource, "30-Second Micro Moments of Intention with Your Kids", by going to: parentsmakingtime.com/freeresource

Other Resources Mentioned:

• How to Stop Scrolling by Ruby Ryba (coming soon at howtostopscrolling.com)
• ClearSpace App – a powerful tool to break scrolling addiction and reduce distractions

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https://www.parentsmakingtime.com/

Have you ever hit a point in parenting where you thought, “I literally can’t do this alone”?

Parenting is always demanding — but there are certain seasons when it feels like everything is too much, and trying to handle it all by yourself just leads to burnout, resentment, or feeling like you're failing.

In today’s episode, we’re sharing the one parenting tool we’ve come to rely on — the thing we honestly don’t think we could parent without. It’s not a hack or a gadget… but it just might change everything.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• The effort it takes to put the right things in place for you as a parent is always worth it.
• True self-reliance doesn’t mean going it alone.
• Having the right tools around us can help us physically AND emotionally.

So if you’ve ever felt like you just can’t do this parenting thing alone, tune in to hear the one tool we rely on that could change everything.

00:00 Introduction to Parenting Challenges
00:32 When Jennifer Needed Help
01:26 Building a Support System
02:35 The Importance of Asking for Help
04:57 How to Find and Develop Your Support System
07:32 Emotional Support and Personal Experiences
09:57 Conclusion and Free Resource Guide
11:03 Preview of the Next Episode

When you finish listening, we’d love for you to connect with us on social media!

Follow the show on Instagram and like our page on Facebook to keep the conversation going. It’s the best way to get quick tips, encouragement, and resources to help you make time for what matters most—your family.

Get our FREE resource, "30-Second Micro Moments of Intention with Your Kids", by going to: parentsmakingtime.com/freeresource

Follow Anthony Craiker: Instagram | LinkedIn

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Leave a rating & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

https://www.parentsmakingtime.com/

Are you running on fumes, constantly giving to everyone else while putting yourself dead last?

So many parents assume burnout is just part of the job — that exhaustion, overwhelm, and self-neglect are just what it means to be a “good parent.” But that belief is not only false…it's harmful to both the parent and the child.

In today’s episode, we’re unpacking the secret weapon every parent can use to push back against burnout — and no, it’s not a nap or a week-long vacation. It’s something simple, sustainable, totally doable in your real life, and will help you prioritize your spouse and kids.

Thoughts from this episode:

• Remembering that you make the decisions about how you spend your time.
• How FOMO causes burnout.
• The positive effect for you and your family of addressing the cause of your burnout.

So if you’re tired of running on fumes and ready to discover a simple, sustainable way to beat parent burnout, this episode is for you—tune in now.

00:00 Introduction: The Reality of Parent Burnout
00:30 Meet the Hosts: Anthony and Jennifer Craiker
00:40 Setting Boundaries: A Personal Story
02:28 The Importance of Prioritizing Your Time
04:38 Practical Tips for Setting Boundaries
06:57 Free Resource: 30-Second Micro Moments
07:53 Conclusion: Become the Parent You Want to Be

When you finish listening, we’d love for you to connect with us on social media!

Follow us on Instagram and like our page on Facebook to keep the conversation going. It’s the best way to get quick tips, encouragement, and resources to help you make time for what matters most—your family.

Get our FREE resource, "30-Second Micro Moments of Intention with Your Kids", by going to: parentsmakingtime.com/freeresource

Follow Anthony Craiker: Instagram | LinkedIn

Follow Jennifer Craiker: Instagram

Leave a rating & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

https://www.parentsmakingtime.com/

Have you ever felt completely shut out by your teenager — like no matter what you say, they just don’t want to hear it?

As kids grow into teens, the connection we used to rely on can suddenly feel strained or even non-existent. It’s easy to take it personally or feel like we’ve lost our chance to stay close.

Coming up next, we’re sharing a personal story — including the time my teenage son told me I wasn’t allowed to speak to him unless he gave me permission — and what we learned about staying connected, even when your teen is pushing you away.

Here’s what you’ll hear this episode:

• A real life example from our house, that may have happened in your house.
• What is your responsibility in connecting with your teen, and what isn’t.
• Some no regret parenting tips - teen addition.
• A happy ending for our family, and hopefully yours, too.

So if your teen is shutting you out, or your child’s not quite there yet but you want to be ready, listen in.

00:00 Introduction: A Shocking Teen Moment
00:27 Understanding Teen Behavior
01:06 Managing Parental Stress
02:44 Effective Communication Strategies
04:26 Creating Connection Rituals
05:37 Adapting to Changing Phases
07:40 Final Thoughts and Resources

When you finish listening, we’d love for you to connect with us on social media!

Follow us on Instagram and like our page on Facebook to keep the conversation going. It’s the best way to get quick tips, encouragement, and resources to help you make time for what matters most—your family.

Get our FREE resource, "30-Second Micro Moments of Intention with Your Kids", by going to: parentsmakingtime.com/freeresource

Follow Anthony Craiker: Instagram | LinkedIn

Follow Jennifer Craiker: Instagram

Leave a rating & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

https://www.parentsmakingtime.com/

Why is it that no matter how early you wake up or how much you get done, you still can’t seem to find time for yourself?

So many parents feel like they’re constantly running on empty — we assume it’s because of our jobs, or our never-ending to-do list. The real reason? It’s often something much simpler, and sneakier.

In today’s episode, we’re unpacking the surprising root cause behind your lack of personal time — and trust us, it’s not what you think. Stick around to hear what it is and what you can do to finally carve out space for yourself and prevent parent burnout.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why more isn’t always better. Sometimes it's just more.
• How to work together with your kids to create more time for your family, and yourself.
• The idea that it's okay to say no, especially if it is best for your family as a whole.

If you’ve ever wondered why you never seem to have time for yourself, hit play to uncover the surprising reason and learn how to reclaim guilt-free personal time as a parent.

00:00 Introduction: The Real Reason Parents Have No Time
00:27 The Overloaded Schedule Dilemma
00:53 The Cost of Too Many Activities
04:12 Finding Balance: Tailoring Activities to Your Family
05:52 The Importance of Saying No
06:19 Personal Stories and Practical Tips
09:16 Conclusion: Making Time for What Matters

When you finish listening, we’d love for you to connect with us on social media!

Follow us on Instagram and like our page on Facebook to keep the conversation going. It’s the best way to get quick tips, encouragement, and resources to help you make time for what matters most—your family.

Get our FREE resource, "30-Second Micro Moments of Intention with Your Kids", by going to: parentsmakingtime.com/freeresource

Follow Anthony Craiker: Instagram | LinkedIn

Follow Jennifer Craiker: Instagram

Leave a rating & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

https://www.parentsmakingtime.com/

What would you do with 10 extra hours a week—just for meaningful time with your family?

Most of us assume we’re too busy . . . that there just isn’t enough time in the week to slow down and connect. But often, it’s not about needing more hours—it’s about how we’re using the ones we already have.

In today’s episode, we’re sharing the one simple shift that can help you reclaim up to as many as 10 hours a week—without overhauling your schedule—so you can spend more intentional, connected time and build more memories with your family.

Topics we dive into this episode:

• Anthony’s fascination with TIME.
• A surprising statistic about the time the average adult spends on social media.
• Breaking down the math to show you how you can EASILY gain 10 hours in your week to dedicate to your kids.
• Tips to keep yourself accountable to stop wasting time.

So if you’re looking for 10 extra hours of meaningful family time each week, this episode is for you—press play.

00:00 Introduction: Finding Extra Hours for Family
00:27 The Phenomenon of Time Perception
01:36 The Social Media Time Sink
04:11 Consequences of Social Media Addiction
06:27 Strategies to Reduce Social Media Usage
07:34 Tools to Control Screen Time
10:01 Conclusion and Free Resource
11:02 Teaser for Next Episode

When you finish listening, we’d love for you to connect with us on social media!

Follow us on Instagram and like our page on Facebook to keep the conversation going. It’s the best way to get quick tips, encouragement, and resources to help you make time for what matters most—your family.

Get our FREE resource, "30-Second Micro Moments of Intention with Your Kids", by going to: parentsmakingtime.com/freeresource

Follow Anthony Craiker: Instagram | LinkedIn

Follow Jennifer Craiker: Instagram

Leave a rating & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

https://www.parentsmakingtime.com/

Ever find yourself thinking about work while making dinner… or checking your email while your kid is telling you about their day?

For so many parents, the workday doesn’t end when we leave the office. Whether it’s the pressure to stay connected, the mental load we carry, or just the pace of modern life — it’s hard to truly clock out and connect with our kids after work.

In this episode, we’re breaking down the three big reasons it’s so tough to disconnect — and more importantly, we’ll share what you can actually do to shift out of work mode and back into family mode, without guilt or overwhelm.

Things you’ll hear in this podcast:

• Ways to take control of your work life so it doesn’t interfere with your home life.
• Practical things to do in your home to help you leave work, even if you work from home.
• How to approach a demanding boss when they are making it difficult to clock out.

If you’re ready to disconnect from the office and truly reconnect with your family, this podcast is for you—let’s get started.

00:00 Introduction: The Struggle of Clocking Out
00:29 Understanding the Universal Struggle
02:05 Reason 1: Devices Controlling You
04:13 Reason 2: Lack of Boundaries
09:13 Reason 3: Not Scheduling Time
12:33 Recap and Final Thoughts
13:33 Free Guide and Next Episode Teaser

When you finish listening, we’d love for you to connect with us on social media!

Follow us on Instagram and like our page on Facebook to keep the conversation going. It’s the best way to get quick tips, encouragement, and resources to help you make time for what matters most—your family.

Get our FREE resource, "30-Second Micro Moments of Intention with Your Kids", by going to: parentsmakingtime.com/freeresource

Follow Anthony Craiker: Instagram | LinkedIn

Follow Jennifer Craiker: Instagram

Leave a rating & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

https://www.parentsmakingtime.com/