In this special 100th episode of Dear Doula, I sit down with my husband, Michael Chappie, to reflect on our unique parenting journey as a multicultural couple raising children across different continents. We open up about how our diverse upbringings shaped our views on discipline, independence, and family culture, and share the major turning points that helped us create a home filled with resilience, adaptability, and self-reliance. From moving with a newborn and toddlers to Asia, to finding balance between ambition, marriage, and parenting, we dive deep into what truly matters for us as parents and partners.
We also talk candidly about the challenges of blending traditions, overcoming generational patterns, and navigating the cultural complexities our biracial children face. Along the way, we highlight how prioritizing emotional regulation, open communication, and modeling healthy relationships have shaped our kids into kind, independent individuals. Above all, we celebrate the laughter, joy, and strong sense of family that grounds us, no matter where in the world we are.
If you're looking for honest conversations and real-life insights into building a family on your own terms, you won't want to miss this milestone episode. Listen now, subscribe to Dear Doula, and share with someone who's on their own parenting adventure!
If you want personalized support, you can learn more about my services here:
https://www.thecradlecompany.com
Connect with Me
• Follow me on Instagram: @brandij_ordan_official
• Podcast Instagram: @deardoulapodcast
• Questions or topic ideas: brandi@deardoulapodcast.com
key topics
- Celebrating the 100th episode of Dear Doula
- Parenting as a couple with different cultural backgrounds
- Moving away from strict discipline and physical punishment
- Building a unique family culture across countries
- Raising independent, resilient, and adaptable children
- Balancing ambition, marriage, and parenting
- The importance of emotional regulation in children
- Teaching kids through example, affection, and conflict resolution
- Navigating race, identity, and freedom as a multicultural family
- The role of family closeness, community, and chosen family
- What mothers and fathers can learn from each other
- Creating a happy, spontaneous, and globally minded family
Chapters
05:25 Balancing parenting expectations
06:54 Meeting Kate and parenting doubts
12:18 Adjusting to non-traditional family life
13:51 Moving to Asia with kids
17:17 Taking a break from work
20:04 Reflections on childhood stability
23:16 Joining a new family culture
26:51 Raising kids in France
31:46 Parenting through teenage independence
34:25 Encouraging genuine self-expression
37:13 Teaching love through example
41:58 Parenting reflections on patience
44:38 Understanding and forgiving parents
47:58 Challenges of early parenthood
49:33 Raising kids in multiple cultures
