The story of the wayward child is no stranger to virtually every parent today. Just about everyone you talk to either knows or has a son or daughter who has struggled with something. That could be behavior, attitude, or a combination of both. Addiction, self-harm, and even suicide are all incidents that are growing at an alarming rate among young people today. But yet, our standard of living is at an all-time high.

It’s also no secret that many parents don’t know what to do, and it’s no wonder! The myriad of things that can cause a child to stumble and fall away are ever-growing and enticing. We often see parents doing everything they can to keep their kids smiling. But is this the end-all? Where can parents turn and what can they do when they just feel like giving up?

Fair is a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and a graduate of Furman University with a BA degree in Early Childhood Education.  Following graduation, and after teaching kindergarten, she raised her three children. She then worked in the children’s ministry at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Metro Atlanta for 6 years.

Fair’s husband John is a native of Rockville, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC. He too graduated from Furman in 1975 with a BA degree in Political Science. He received his law degree from the Potomac School of Law in 1978 and has been in active practice of law since 1980. Incidentally, he specializes in juvenile and adult criminal defense and significant personal injury cases. He also serves as a court-appointed guardian ad litem in the juvenile court system of Cobb County, Georgia.

In 2004, the Brocards were called into ministry to reach out to parents of struggling teens and young adults. They are the founders of Prodigal Child Ministries, which is a 501(c)3 foundation.

The Brocards have 3 ground children as well as 2 daughters-in-law and one son-in-law, as well as 3 grandchildren.

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Rebellion is just part of our child’s nature, right? No! If your child is rebellious, sneaky, argumentative, or seems to be lying about just about everything, then this episode of License to Parent is for you.

Wouldn’t it be such a relief to see a total transformation in your child? Image feeling empowered as a parent to see a true and lasting change that positively impacts your entire family. It’s possible.

Today we speak with expert Kimball Lewis on the emerging issues we see in our children today. While some of this information is practical, you’ll be surprised that it feels like a brand new revelation!

Kimball Lewis is an executive who spent his career using research and technology to improve the lives of individuals and businesses. He began his career as a health, welfare, and child policy researcher for a leading public policy think tank in Washington. He then served as a technologist and executive in his series of successful healthcare start-up businesses before joining empoweringparents.com.

He began as the CEO there in 2017 as he continues the work of James Leeman offering practical advice to parents struggling with some of the most challenging child behavior issues. Mr. Lewis resides in Florida with his wife and two teenage sons of his own.

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Paul Coughlin is an expert witness regarding bullying and the law, and the founder and president of the anti-bullying program The Protectors.  He has appeared in many media outlets.  Paul is a best-selling author of eight books, including the freedom-from-bullying parent and teacher resource Raising Bully-Proof Kids, as well as a former newspaper editor. He works with numerous professional organizations to diminish bullying.  His anti-bullying curriculum is used throughout North America as well as in South Africa, Uganda, Australia, New Zealand and Brazil among other countries.

Paul is a boys varsity soccer coach, where he was voted Coach of the Year twice. Paul has previously served as a member of the Board of Trustees for St. Mary’s School in Medford, Oregon.

Trace Embry and Michelle Hill talk with friend Paul Coughlin.  They discuss the issue of bullying with a focus on how parents can help their children navigate this problem. They share the importance of recognizing that anyone can be a bully, including one’s own child, and the need for a plan of action if this is the case. The role of the internet is also highlighted and how it exacerbates bullying as it allows for constant harassment.

Paul Coughlin, author of the book “Freeing Us from Bullying,” emphasizes the importance of teaching children to stand up against bullying, and the dangers of allowing them to become victims.  He also differentiates between teasing and bullying, and explains why some people become bullies. The discussion also touches on the misinterpretation of biblical teachings, such as “turning the other cheek,” in the context of bullying.

Episode Highlights:

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Rick Boyer is recognized by many in the homeschool network as Uncle Rick.  He is an author, speaker, and homeschool pioneer.  For many years his audio recording have taken Scripture, history, and adventure stories and turned them into character lessons for many children.  Rick and his wife Marilyn created the homeschool curriculum “Character Concepts.”

Today we discuss the challenges of raising children in today’s society, where traditional family values seem to be under attack. Trace Embry and Michelle Hill, talk with friend Rick Boyer, a homeschooling pioneer, about the importance of teaching children about their history and equipping them to think critically.

Rick Boyer emphasizes the need for parents to expose their children to different viewpoints and to teach them that there is absolute truth, as found in the Bible. He also discusses the importance of homeschooling in raising future leaders, as it allows children to be involved in designing their own education and encourages individuality and creativity.

Boyer’s Uncle Rick Audio Book Club offers resources for parents and children to learn about American history through old books and biographies.

Episode Highlights:

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Tina Marie Griffin went from baling hay and milking cows on a dairy farm in Wisconsin to working as an actress in Hollywood.  She enrolled at California State University – Los Angeles to pursue a film and TV broadcasting degree and start her acting career.  Tina is doing a great job as the founder of Counter Culture Mom – Helping Parents Safely Navigate the Pop Culture Chaos!

When she isn’t traveling and speaking, you will find her busy writing radio spots, blogging, cooking, camping, traveling, homeschooling her four munchkins, or having a romantic date night with her best friend and husband Luke.  Listen to her podcast The Counter Culture Mom Podcast with Tina Griffin.

Trace Embry, Michelle Hill, and friend Tina Marie Griffin discuss the challenges of raising children in a culture that increasingly contradicts Christian values.  Tina Marie is also known as the Counter Culture Mom, who shares her insights on how to raise godly kids in an ungodly culture.

Tina Marie, having worked in Hollywood, uses her knowledge of the entertainment industry to inform parents about the negative influences it can have on children. She emphasizes the importance of parents being in the Word of God daily and instilling it in their children. Griffin also discusses the negative impact of mainstream media and encourages parents to seek out positive entertainment alternatives.

She recommends her Counter Culture Mom app as a resource for parents, which provides pop culture updates, resource links, and solution-driven content.

Episode Highlights:

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Richard Cohen, M.A. is the founder and executive director of Positive Approaches To Healthy Sexuality, or PATH, a psychotherapist, educator, and author. He travels the world teaching on such issues as healthy sexuality, marital relations, communication skills, parenting skills, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

He has authored seven books, and also does consultations and speaking engagements at colleges and conferences.

Trace Embry, Michelle Hill, together with guest Richard Cohen, M.A. discuss the changing dynamics of the parent-child relationship in our American culture. They argue that children today have more influence and authority in their homes than previous generations, which some view as progress, while others see it as potentially harmful.

Richard Cohen, M.A. shares about his book “Healing Humanity: Love, Time, Touch, and Talk.”  He emphasizes the importance of healthy touch in parenting, arguing that many people in Western culture are oversexed because they are undernourished in terms of healthy, non-sexual touch.

He suggests that parents should introduce healthy touch incrementally and always inform their children before implementing a new parenting skill. Cohen also discusses the importance of parents modeling healthy touch and emotional connection in their own relationships.

Episode Highlights:

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Dr. Kardaras is an Ivy-League educated psychologist, a well known speaker and addiction expert. He is also the CEO and Chief Clinical Officer of Maui Recovery in Hawaii and Omega Recovery in Austin, Texas.  Dr. Kardaras is the author of the book titled “Glow Kids.”  Please visit his bio page to learn more about his amazing accomplishments.

Trace Embry, Michelle Hill, and Dr. Nicholas Kardaras speak about the dangers of excessive screen time for children and its impact on their emotional, social, physical, and spiritual health.  They highlight the importance of face-to-face interaction and the role of parents in setting examples for their children.

They also discuss the influence of digital technology on the mental health of young people, particularly the addictive nature of devices and the impact of social media influencers.  They suggest that the excessive information and lack of critical thinking skills can lead to mental health issues, self-destructive behaviors, and even suicide.

They advocate for delayed access to devices, regulation of screen time, and avoidance of social media and gaming to protect children from the harmful effects of digital technology.

Episode Highlights:

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Lt. Col. Dave Grossman is a Retired (1998) US Army Ranger, a paratrooper, and a former West Point Psychology Professor.  He has become one of our nation’s leading trainers for military, law enforcement, mental health providers, and school safety organizations. He has a Black Belt in Hojutsu, the martial art of the firearm, and has been inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

Lt. Col. Grossman has five patents to his name, published many books including his bestseller “On Killing” and a New York Times best-selling book co-authored with Glenn Beck.  He is well-known for his research, has been cited by the President of the United States, and has presented papers before the national conventions of the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Today, Lt. Col. Grossman is the director of Grossman On Truth, LLC.  After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he has written and spoken extensively on the terrorist threat with articles published in many leading law enforcement journals.  He has been inducted as a “Life Diplomate” by the American Board for Certification in Homeland Security, and is a “Life Member” of the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute.

Trace Embry, Michelle Hill and our friend Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, who is an expert on human aggression and violence, together discuss the potential negative effects of violent video games on children.  They also speak about other dangers of technology on our young people.

Lt. Col. Dave Grossman shares his research and knowledge that the addictive nature of video games, combined with the violent content, can lead to serious issues such as sleep deprivation, impaired judgment, and increased aggression.  He also criticizes the video game industry for fighting against regulations that would limit children’s access to violent games.

Trace Embry and Lt. Col. Grossman agree that parents need to be proactive in monitoring their children’s gaming habits and enforcing age-appropriate content.  They also recommend resources like Lt. Col. Grossman’s book “Assassination Generation” and the website of our friend Melanie Hempe, ScreenStrong.org, for parents seeking guidance on this issue.

Episode Highlights:

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Gary Chapman, Ph.D. is an author, speaker, and counselor who has a passion for people to help them form lasting relationships.  He is a well-known marriage counselor and director of marriage seminars.  The 5 Love Languages® is one of Dr. Chapman’s most popular titles with millions of copies sold and on the  New York Times bestsellers list since 2007.  Find all of Dr. Chapman’s resources at his Store.

Dr. Chapman has been directly involved in real-life family counseling since the beginning of his ministry years, and his nationally-syndicated radio programs air nationally on Moody Radio Network and over 400 affiliate stations.  His Podcasts are Building Relationships & A Love Language Minute.

Dr. Chapman holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in anthropology from Wheaton College and Wake Forest University, respectively. He received his Ph.D. degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and has taken postgraduate work at the University of North Carolina and Duke University.

Dr. Chapman and his wife, Karolyn, have been married for more than 45 years, reside in North Carolina and have two grown children.

Trace Embry, Michelle Hill and our friend Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages of Children, discuss how parents can foster emotional wellbeing in their children by understanding their love languages.  He explains that each child has a primary love language, which could be physical touch, words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, or quality time.

Parents can identify their child’s love language by observing their behavior, listening to their complaints, and noting their requests.  Dr. Chapman emphasizes that while all love languages are important, speaking the child’s primary love language is crucial for them to feel loved.  He also suggests that discipline should be wrapped in the child’s love language to ensure fairness and understanding.

Dr. Chapman shares a sad story of a young man who never really knew his father.  This was shared with Dr. Chapman by the young man at his father’s graveside service.  Therefore leaving Dr. Chapman sad knowing it was now too late for that father to know his child’s love language.

Episode Highlights:

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Holly Hunter is the founder of Hunter Investigations, LLC and Safe Passage Global.  It is her passion and calling to help families in crisis.  For more than twenty years she has been a private investigator helping parents with crisis management intervention.  Holly also helps families transport troubled teens to therapeutic programs via Safe Passage Global.  She is certified in crisis management, a mental health coach, first responder, a Christian life coach, and so much more!  On a more personal level, Holly cares deeply about people, loves to take pictures, writing books, and singing.

Trace Embry, Michelle Hill, and Holly Hunter share their experiences about the challenges parents face when dealing with troubled teenagers and the options available for help. They discuss the role of residential care programs like Shepherd’s Hill Academy, which offers therapeutic and educational support for teens in crisis.

They also discuss the importance of parents maintaining their relationship and not blaming each other for their child’s issues. Our guest, Holly Hunter, founder of Safe Passage Global, explains her organization’s role in transporting troubled teens to therapeutic schools and programs and their benefits. She emphasizes the importance of family unity and the need for professional help in extreme cases. They also touch on the legal aspects of involuntary treatment and the misconceptions surrounding it.

Episode Highlights:

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