The Balanced Family
The Balanced Family
The Balanced Family podcast is a heartfelt talk about building a family in a polarized, stressed-out world. Ben and Jessica Lagrone, former teachers and parents of three, share their experiences and insights in a way that's relatable, entertaining, and inspiring. They're all about being intentional and talking about the stuff that matters. It’s the perfect blend of deep yet down-to-earth - like sitting down with good friends you can laugh with but also talk about the important things. Pull up a seat and listen in as they try to find more balance in their marriage, parenting, and perspectives.
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Top 10 The Balanced Family Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Balanced Family episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Balanced Family for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Balanced Family episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
01 The Balanced Families Movement: Why the World Wants It, Needs It, But Hates It
The Balanced Family
01/07/25 • 46 min
Welcome to our podcast! This episode is about how we became content creators in 2020, started a business, and began what we’ve coined the “Balance Families Movement.” We hope you’ll join it! We’ll also reflect on how polarized our world has become and how it affects us as parents. The number of decisions we have to make puts our brains on overdrive and the amount of information and opinions out there is just overwhelming. Today, we'll share some of the hard-earned secrets we've found as a couple to maintain joy amidst the grind of family life.
Become an informed, inspired, and confident parent through our courses, live events, and vibrant online community: https://www.balancedfamilies.com/
03 Mom Shaming, Formula Feeding, and the “High Stakes” Decisions that Really Don't Matter
The Balanced Family
01/14/25 • 31 min
The Lagrones have a wild story for you, today. It’s about the circumstances surrounding their lives when they had their third baby and why raising her looked differently than their other kids. On the surface, you might think this is about formula versus breastmilk. But that is FAR from what this episode is about. It’s about knowing when to endure but also knowing when to quit. It’s about making decisions as a united couple and shutting out the noises in your lives. Most importantly, it’s about finding peace in chaos. MEN: don’t think this is episode is just for women. If you want to learn to love your wife better, you need to understand her world (as Ben attempts to today). And this is a just a small glimpse into it. Welcome to the world of MOM SHAME.
Become an informed, inspired, and confident parent through our courses, live events, and vibrant online community: https://www.balancedfamilies.com/
09 Adorable Little Heathen Blessings
The Balanced Family
02/25/25 • 40 min
Is a child an inconvenience or a blessing? Does having more kids actually make you happier? If so, why are adults in the West having LESS kids? Today, the Lagrones open up about the conflicting emotions of parenthood that move them both to tears. They end by discussing a controversial passage in the Bible that forever transformed their views of family life. This is a powerful episode you don't want to miss!
Book referenced: All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood by Jennifer Senior
Become an informed, inspired, and confident parent through our courses, live events, and vibrant online community: https://www.balancedfamilies.com/
12 Baby #1 vs. Baby #2: Which Transition Is Harder?
The Balanced Family
03/18/25 • 34 min
Which is harder: having your first baby or adding a second? In this episode, we dive into the debate that every parent has an opinion on! We’ll break down the biggest challenges of both transitions—going from no kids to one vs. one to two—based on our own experience and what we’ve heard from other parents. We’ll also give some really helpful tips for parents entering either one of these transitions.
What about YOU? Was 0-1 or 1-2 the harder transition for you? Let us know by commenting on Spotify, social media, or shoot us an email at [email protected]
Become an informed, inspired, and confident parent through our courses, live events, and vibrant online community: https://www.balancedfamilies.com/
16 Old School Parenting: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Pt. 2)
The Balanced Family
04/15/25 • 41 min
In Part 2 of our deep dive into old-school parenting, we’re looking at the darker side of traditional methods—what didn’t age well, what created wounds, and why some things need to be left in the past.
From emotional distance to the overuse of fear and shame, we explore how certain “tough love” tactics may have built grit—but often at the cost of connection and relationship.
This isn’t about blaming past generations or glorifying the present—it’s about finding truth in the nuance.
In this episode, we unpack:
The downsides of authoritarian parenting and emotional suppression
- Why some kids grew up tough but disconnected
- The danger of equating achievement with worth
- How we as parents can be strong and firm while also nurturing and relational
Become an informed, inspired, and confident parent through our courses, live events, and vibrant online community: https://www.balancedfamilies.com/
13 Why We Sleep Trained Our Kids (and How)
The Balanced Family
03/25/25 • 46 min
Few parenting topics spark as much controversy as sleep training. Some swear by it, others call it cruel. But here’s the thing—what if sleep training isn’t what you think it is? What if it’s possible to have a balanced approach – one that is responsive to your baby’s needs and actually helps them develop healthy sleep habits?
In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on why (and how) we sleep trained our kids—and why we’d do it again in a heartbeat. Spoiler: it wasn’t harsh, neglecting or self-serving. Instead, it was about balance, sanity, and creating a home where everyone slept better.
Today, we’re tackling:
- The biggest myths about sleep training (and why people get it wrong)
- How this helped shape our entire parenting philosophy (parent-centric vs. child-centric homes—can there be a balance?)
- The practical, non-extreme approach we took to help our babies sleep (without guilt or exhaustion)
- Why good sleep isn’t just about the baby—it’s about you, your partner, and your family’s well-being
We’re not saying our approach is the only way for kids to sleep. Far from it! We’re just sharing what worked for us.
Become an informed, inspired, and confident parent through our courses, live events, and vibrant online community: https://www.balancedfamilies.com/
02 The 30 Days That Saved Our Marriage
The Balanced Family
01/07/25 • 37 min
TAKE THE CHALLENGE: Share this episode with your spouse and be sure you both listen to it. Then, commit to the challenge we share in the episode for AT LEAST 14 days (30 days = even better). Email us (https://www.balancedfamilies.com/contact-us) and share how it’s impacted your marriage. We’ll select one lucky couple’s story to read aloud in a future episode and gift them a $100 “date night gift card”! More about this episode:
They say opposites attract, but that wasn’t the case when Ben and Jessica began dating. They were both stubborn, opinionated, and relentlessly passionate. Even as they got married and started a family, it felt like every discussion turned into “intense fellowship” or needless criticism of one another. This constant friction put their marriage on a path towards constant cynicism and disappointment, even if their covenant remained strong. Everything changed when Ben had an idea for a 30-day challenge. Today, you’ll hear their individual versions of the story. While they still can’t agree on when this story took place (hilariously), they both agree it was massively transformative on a personal level and changed the trajectory of their marriage forever.
Become an informed, inspired, and confident parent through our courses, live events, and vibrant online community: https://www.balancedfamilies.com/
04 Gentle Parenting: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Balanced Family
01/21/25 • 36 min
Gentle parenting is a parenting style that emphasizes empathy, respect, and connection with children. Social media is full of influencers and “experts” explaining how to use loving and proactive techniques with kids rather than harsh or reactive ones. Sounds great, right? Well, the problem is that many promises of this movement don’t pan out or provide the balance children need. As Ben and Jessica find today, there are many respectable consequences from this movement but also some devastating ones that have emerged over time.
Become an informed, inspired, and confident parent through our courses, live events, and vibrant online community: https://www.balancedfamilies.com/
08 How to Be Broke and Live Off Credit Cards (if you must)
The Balanced Family
02/18/25 • 41 min
Ben and Jessica do NOT recommend living off credit cards. But what are you supposed to do when there’s no other option? And how do you stop financial stress from dominating your mind and stealing the joy from your home? Today, you’ll hear step-by-step how the Lagrones ditched their credit cards and became debt-free (mostly). But first, they’ll share a more important part of their journey: how they found contentment even when money was tight. But this episode applies to every family no matter their financial state. In fact, Ben has a special challenge for the couples out there living in abundance. You won’t want to miss this highly practical yet deeply profound discussion about finding authentic financial freedom.
Become an informed, inspired, and confident parent through our courses, live events, and vibrant online community: https://www.balancedfamilies.com/
20 The Worst First Date
The Balanced Family
05/13/25 • 34 min
BEN GETS ROASTED! Here’s what happens when a chronic underachieving cheapskate asks out the girl who has it all together.
Dedicated to all the men out there who are just plain dumb sometimes—but still get to be with the girl of their dreams!
Become an informed, inspired, and confident parent through our courses, live events, and vibrant online community: https://www.balancedfamilies.com/
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Balanced Family have?
The Balanced Family currently has 21 episodes available.
What topics does The Balanced Family cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, Personal Growth, Parenting, Kids & Family, Family, Podcasts, Marriage, Self-Improvement, Relationships and Parenthood.
What is the most popular episode on The Balanced Family?
The episode title '02 The 30 Days That Saved Our Marriage' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Balanced Family?
The average episode length on The Balanced Family is 40 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Balanced Family released?
Episodes of The Balanced Family are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of The Balanced Family?
The first episode of The Balanced Family was released on Dec 12, 2024.
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