Ep.82: Raising a Messy Family: Michael and Alicia Hernan on Parenting, Faith, and Modern Challenges
Meet the dynamic duo behind the Messy Family Project as they discuss the realities of raising a large Catholic family in the modern world. In this episode, Michael and Alicia Hernan share hard-won wisdom, authentic stories, and practical advice on parenthood and faith.
The Hernans’ journey of having 10 kids and 10 grandchildren, and how family shapes faith
The challenges and growth from parenting young children to adults
Parenting in the digital age: screens, technology, and protecting real relationships
The importance of community, learning from others, and avoiding online parenting pitfalls
How to build virtue and positive behaviours in children through realistic expectations and modeling
00:00 Growing up in large families
06:25 Value of sibling relationships
14:22 Balancing faith and family life
21:16 Thoughts on the traditional wife
23:38 Trad wife expectations and frustrations
31:03 Balancing technology and family life
33:59 Concerns about kids and technology
42:06 Teaching kids to take turns
44:12 Parenting through teen transitions
Messy Family Project, parenting, Catholic family, Michael Hernan, Alicia Hernan, large families, raising children, virtue, faith, technology, social media, community, gentle parenting, family life, marriage, New Zealand, Catholic conference, generational wisdom, kids and screens, modern parenting, family vocation
