Ep. 136: Raising Responsible Kids (A Chat with RuthAnn Zimmerman)

Ep. 136: Raising Responsible Kids (A Chat with RuthAnn Zimmerman)

From M Is for Mama Podcast by Abbie Halberstadt

February 25, 2026 · 46 min · Season 3 · Episode 136

About this episode

Abbie Halberstadt discusses raising responsible kids with guest RuthAnn Zimmerman, focusing on chores, responsibilities, and self-discipline.

One of my biggest FAQs involves questions about chores, kids’ responsibilities, and teaching children self-discipline. On this episode, I invite my friend RuthAnn Zimmerman to share her wisdom about intentionally facilitating responsibility and stewardship in children through hard work, discipline, and appropriate expectations. She talks about how they chose to take on animals and tasks for the sake of giving their children meaningful work, how we as moms should be “working ourselves out of a job”—at least for a time— and why our idolization of childhood can actually hold our children back. Sponsor Info: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voetberg Music Academy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Voetberg Music Academy provides online, at home, shareable lessons so that your kids can pursue their musical passions without stress or hassle. Use Code: MISFORMAMA20 For 20% Off Of Each Month That You're Enrolled! Guest Info: RuthAnn Zimmerman Visit RuthAnn's Site Here Buy Her Book The Heart of the Homestead Here! Bible References: Ephesians 2:10 Galatians 6:9 Matthew 11:28-30 1 Corinthians 10:31 Matthew 5:46-48 Jeremiah 17:9 Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Gentleness Challenge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

People in this episode

Host: Abbie Halberstadt

Guest: RuthAnn Zimmerman

Topics covered

  • responsibility
  • parenting
  • self-discipline
  • chores
  • children's work

Keywords

  • responsible kids
  • parenting advice
  • chores
  • self-discipline
  • children's responsibilities

Sponsors

Voetberg Music Academy

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Heart of the Homestead

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