Gender confusion doesn't begin in the body, it begins in the mind. And the way kids think is shaped by the worldview they're given. In today's episode of Raising Gender-Confident Kids, Wayne and Dr. Kathy unpack Chapter 4 of Raising Gender-Confident Kids and explain how worldview becomes the lens through which kids interpret reality, identity, feelings, and truth. They explore why kids need a worldview big enough to handle disappointment, how emotions can hijack decision-making, and why mentoring kids through the Five Core Needs builds clarity instead of confusion. Practical, deep, and hope-filled, this episode will help you guide your kids to see themselves the way God sees them.

Kids often build their Christmas lists from influencer recommendations, trending videos, and carefully curated feeds. But what if we used gift-giving to help kids feel truly seen—not just marketed to? In today's Facing in the Dark, Wayne and Dr. Kathy explore how parents can use this season to cultivate discernment, deepen connection, and choose gifts that strengthen identity rather than feed consumer pressure. You'll learn how to navigate social-media-driven wants, avoid gift-giving guilt, and lean into meaningful, memorable ways to bless your kids this Christmas.

Holiday gatherings can feel like a joyful reunion, or a pressure-filled performance. In this Thanksgiving episode of Facing in the Dark, Wayne and Dr. Kathy unpack why kids struggle during big family events, how parents can prepare them beforehand, and what it looks like to approach the holidays with patience, curiosity, and a heart aimed at connection rather than perfection. You'll learn how to lower anxiety, handle family dynamics, create space for rest, and help kids feel secure as they reconnect with relatives they barely know.

Gratitude isn't just a holiday feeling, it's a way of seeing the world. In today's Facing in the Dark, Wayne Stender and Dr. Kathy Koch explore why thankfulness is essential for a child's identity, maturity, and resilience. Drawing from Dr. Kathy's book Parent Differently, they unpack how gratitude protects against entitlement, strengthens character, deepens humility, and centers kids on God's goodness. Together they discuss how families can build rhythms that cultivate gratitude year-round, how remembering anchors identity, and why thankful hearts shine light into the dark places kids face today.

Before you hand your child their first device, consider this: tech boundaries aren't rules, they're love in action. In today's Facing in the Dark, Wayne Stender and Dr. Kathy Koch unpack why shared expectations around phones and screens help kids feel secure, valued, and connected. Drawing from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Kathy explains how a family media plan, and a "we, not you" mindset, creates clarity, prevents conflict, and protects character. They explore co-authoring agreements with kids, resetting tech habits when things have slipped, and why thoughtful shifts don't harm a child's security, they strengthen it. This honest, grace-filled conversation centers on identity, belonging, and how families can create a tech culture rooted in peace, faith, and love.

Find Dr. Kathy's Family Media Covenant developed with Techless Wireless here>>

Considering a phone for your child? Check out Techless Wireless>>

If our kids can ask a chatbot for every answer, what happens to their ability to think? To struggle? To wrestle with an idea long enough for it to shape them? Wayne Stender and Dr. Kathy Koch dig into the hidden cost of growing up in an AI-accelerated world. They explore research showing how automation is changing workplaces and may be changing the cognitive wiring of the next generation.

Wayne shares a classroom moment where students traded screens for paper and suddenly came alive, wrestling through ideas, searching for their own words, and discovering the power of slow thinking. Dr. Kathy explains why struggle isn't failure, it's formation. Kids who push through discomfort develop creativity, discernment, people-skills, and self-efficacy, traits that technology cannot automate and AI cannot produce.

Together they ask the question every parent now faces: Are we raising kids who can think deeply, connect relationally, and lead wisely in a world that wants to think for them? This rich conversation offers hope—and practical insight—for families who want their kids to be more than consumers of answers. They want them to become thinkers, creators, friends, leaders, disciples, and whole people.

In this episode, Wayne and Dr. Kathy examine the swirling headlines about a supposed "dramatic decline" in transgender identification. They reveal why the current data has major methodological issues, why some trends reverse when properly weighted, and why numbers—whether up or down—tell us nothing about a child's internal world. The heart of the episode centers on identity formation: how confusion takes root, why kids grasp for labels, and how cultural pendulums create whiplash for an already overwhelmed generation.

Dr. Kathy explains the five core needs (security, identity, belonging, purpose, competence) and shows how the identity need sits at the center of gender confidence. The pair offer practical, grace-filled coaching for parents navigating these waters with kids who are not struggling—and kids who are very much in the struggle. The episode closes with a reminder that this cultural moment is actually a perfect opportunity for parents to speak truth, stability, and love into their kids' lives more intentionally than ever.

Books are disappearing from kids' lives, and so is something sacred. In this episode of Celebrate Kids: Facing in the Dark, Wayne Stender and Dr. Kathy Koch explore startling new data showing that only 30% of eighth-graders read at or above proficiency, and that over 30% of teens hardly ever read for fun. Together, they unpack why reading has declined over the last 40 years and how technology has quietly taken its place. Dr. Kathy, whose Ph.D. is in reading and educational psychology, explains that kids don't just learn from books, they learn through them. Reading shapes imagination, memory, empathy, and even spiritual understanding. From a dad's nightly reading routine full of laughter and silly voices to the ancient call in Deuteronomy for God's Word to be read aloud to every generation, Wayne and Dr. Kathy remind parents that reading isn't just an academic exercise; it's identity formation. Discover how reading together restores belonging, deepens faith, and invites our kids to see the world through God's story, not just a glowing screen.

What if the words we speak over our kids aren't just communication, but are actually creation? In this episode of Facing in the Dark, Wayne Stender and Dr. Kathy tackle a new claim from psychologist Dr. Chelsea Haug-Zavaleta that children should receive 100 compliments a day to thrive emotionally. Dr. Kathy challenges the research, explaining that it's not about the number of compliments, it's about the ratio of affirmation to correction and the meaning behind our words. She offers practical insights for balancing affirmation with healthy boundaries, showing how kids form identity through the voices they trust most. Together, Wayne and Dr. Kathy unpack what it means to parent fragile and resilient kids, share how correction can build character rather than shame, and connect the science of affirmation to the biblical power of blessing from Genesis 27. This episode reminds us that spoken love forms lasting truth, and that a few sincere words can build what a hundred empty praises never could.

Online platforms like Roblox promise fun, creativity, and connection, but for millions of kids, those promises are breaking. In this episode of Facing in the Dark, Wayne Stender and Dr. Kathy Koch unpack the rise of digital gaming and the dangers hidden behind "safe" online play. From lawsuits and predatory risks to the loss of imagination, they contrast artificial worlds with the kind of real play God designed to shape hearts, build courage, and foster identity. Drawing on the story of David's childhood play and its role in forming his bravery, Dr. Kathy reminds us that kids don't just need entertainment; they need formation. Discover why parents stepping in to set boundaries isn't control; it's love, and how playing together as families restores joy, resilience, and faith in a distracted age.

Visit today's sponsor, Summit Ministries at: summit.org/celebratekids

Use the code celebrate26 at checkout for some great discounts and gifts.