The Collide Kids Podcast | Faith, Family Discipleship & Fun Christian Interviews

Welcome to another fun episode of the Collide Kids Podcast! Host Christen Clark welcomes the talented and inspiring Randall Goodgame, the creator of the Slugs and Bugs family music series.

In this special Thanksgiving episode, Randall shares his journey of blending faith and music, from childhood hymns like "Great is Thy Faithfulness" to the creation of his scripture-based songs. Randall and Christen discuss how setting Bible verses to music helps families memorize scripture and experience God's presence. They also dive into Randall’s cherished Thanksgiving memories, including a humorous sweet potato mix-up and the nostalgia of handprint turkeys from his children.

Hear about Randall’s scripture hymnal project, inspired by heartfelt stories from church families, featuring 106 songs available through streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify, as well as their website scripturehymnal.com. Randall emphasizes the joy of silliness in family life and shares insights from the creation of The Slugs and Bugs Show .

Don’t miss out on this episode filled with music, faith, and Thanksgiving cheer. Plus, enjoy our Kids Only Segment with Sparrow! 

Clip Finder:

Passion for Family Entertainment: "That was what really helped me realize how much I love thinking about families and parents and kids being together and writing and working, making things for them."
— Randall Goodgame [00:08:40 → 00:08:50]

Walking the Parenting Tightrope: "But definitely when your kids are younger, you're always trying to walk the line between, you got to keep the rules because you're the parent and kids have to know boundaries and you're trying to teach them the gospel and what it means to live like Jesus. But you also are failing all the time at it."
— Randall Goodgame [00:09:40 → 00:09:57]

Viral Parenting Advice: "Hey, kids. As you see, your dad needs Jesus badly. And as it turns out, so do you. Yeah. So let's both turn to him and walk with him and seek him together. We're gonna let each other down all the time, but we all but we know that there's one who never lets us down, and we're just gonna keep running towards him."
— Randall Goodgame [00:10:15 → 00:10:34]

"From Fans to TV Screens": "There were some Slugs and Bugs fans down there, and they said, would you guys ever wanna do a TV show? And of course, I grew up on the Muppets and Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street and Electric Company and and had already kind of developed some characters with the hope that this opportunity might come one day. So we said yes, and we made the first season with them and then partnered with similar people to make a second season."
— Randall Goodgame [00:13:46 → 00:14:12]

Finding Solace in Faith: "Anytime we engage with the word, we have an opportunity to meet Jesus."
— Randall Goodgame [00:17:05 → 00:17:10]

"A Divine Calling Behind Scripture Songs for Congregations": "Well, you know, the shortest answer is it is after having written songs, scripture songs for kids for over a decade, this was an answer to a calling that I felt like the Lord was putting on my heart to provide that opportunity for people in the church."
— Randall Goodgame [00:18:15 → 00:18:31]

Revival in Worship: "The hymnal, it's a physical hymnal with 106 songs or all word for word scripture and all songs built for congregational singing. So it's really for worship leaders and pastors to have as a resource to bring scripture singing into the church, into the pews."
— Randall Goodgame [00:19:11 → 00:19:28]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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Welcome to another episode of the Collide Kids Podcast! Host Christen Clark sits down with Clayton Greene, a pastor and the co-founder and CEO of Goodkind, to explore how families can deepen their faith through the practice of traditions such as Advent.

Clayton discusses his journey supporting church plants and how an innocent remark from his daughter led to the creation of Advent Blocks—a tool designed to help families focus on Jesus during the Christmas season. Learn about the significance of Advent, ways to build spiritual habits, and how to start meaningful traditions even if your kids are older.

In this episode, Clayton and Christen highlight the value of integrating faith into holiday traditions and the daily rhythms of life, the fascinating story behind Advent Blocks, and the resources offered by Goodkind to help families engage with God and one another. Plus, Clayton shares a fun childhood memory and a great joke that kids will love!

Don’t miss the Kids Only Segment featuring a clever riddle from Pippa!

Check out Goodkind’s Advent blocks at goodkind.shop and use the discount code "COLLIDE" for 20% off your purchase.

Clip Finder: 

Innovative Faith-Based Products: "My side job is I'm the CEO and cofounder of Goodkind, the maker of Advent Blocks or the Graticube."
— Clayton Greene [00:03:36 → 00:03:43]

**The Future of Church Growth**: "We're not just out here starting a business, right, but we're planting something that is an organism. The church itself, the people are going to be growing and it turns into something that only God knows what it can be, but also that God has a vested interest in and he says that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it."
— Clayton Greene [00:06:58 → 00:07:07]

**Kids Say the Darndest Things**: "Mommy and daddy, you say that Christmas is all about Jesus, but it feels like Christmas is all about presents."
— Clayton Greene [00:08:25 → 00:08:31]

"Advent Calendar Traditions": "Advent as a Christian Christmas practice, it's all about anticipation. It's a time in the year where the church takes time to reflect and anticipate about God coming to Earth in Christ in the incarnation."
— Clayton Greene [00:10:33 → 00:10:46]

Starting New Traditions: "If there are things that you are already doing that have elements of your faith in it and it's meaningful and it's memorable and it's tradition, then I think you try to improve and build on that rather than starting something new."
— Clayton Greene [00:17:12 → 00:17:23]

Incorporating Spiritual Practices into Everyday Life: 
"We take spiritual habits, we take the calendar, and we're essentially diving into how does the calendar impact my life and the rhythms of my family? What spiritual practices are out there that I could do, and how might I actually put them in into practice with my family?"
— Clayton Greene [00:18:47 → 00:19:02]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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Welcome to another joyful episode of the Collide Kids Podcast! Host Christen Clark is joined by the talented Yancy, a worship leader and Dove Award winning children's music artist with a passion for crafting fun, high-quality music for kids.  In this festive episode, Yancy talks about her dedication to creating energetic worship songs. She introduces her new Christmas single, "Go Tell It (on the Mountain),"  now streaming on all platforms.

The conversation is filled with Christmas cheer, discussing holiday traditions, favorite festive foods like sausage balls and peppermint bark, and her excitement for early Christmas preparations. Yancy shares her musical journey, starting from a summer camp song to focusing on children's worship, with the support of her father's involvement in children's ministry.

And Listen to Episode #13  to hear how Yancy's got started in music!

Stay tuned for the "Kids Only" segment featuring Yancy's son, Rhythm, and his joke. Join us for an episode full of Christmas joy, inspiring stories, and delightful music—perfect for the holiday season!

LINK: yancyministries.com

Clip Finder: 

**Finding Purpose in Unexpected Paths**: "And I finally got to a place, released my first kid's album back in 2006, and then still didn't even know for sure that was the path God had for me. And as I walked stuff out just the following, like, 18 months or so, just a lot of things in my life changed, and it just became more and more obvious that God was opening up doors for me to do music for kids and for families, and there were people asking me to do that."
— Yancy [00:08:29 → 00:08:56]

"Full Circle Moments": "It's like that my first group of preteens and stuff are all now, you know, married and having kids of their own and working jobs at their first church."
— Yancy [00:09:55 → 00:10:05]

**Passion for Music in Children's Entertainment**: "When I started doing stuff for kids, it didn't mean that I wanted my musical art to be any less. You know? Like, I still want to write songs that have a great catchy pop hook."
— Yancy [00:11:26 → 00:11:41]

"Creating Music for Kids": "Just kinda able to put all those things together, but definitely happy, fun, energetic."
— Yancy [00:13:00 → 00:13:06]

Different Take on Christmas Music: "There is a lot of Christmas music out there that is just maybe a little more reserved or even drab. And, and so, yeah, my, you know, like my Christmas music is super happy."
— Yancy [00:17:12 → 00:17:22]

Christmas Morning Playlist Must-Have: "The track's a party, and I'm excited for all the Collide Kids' podcast listeners to play it with their families and add it to their playlist when they're doing their things in the car or maybe even when they're opening presents on Christmas morning and just have fun singing along with this song that just reminds us that we have a job to do, and that's to tell the story of Jesus."
— Yancy [00:20:52 → 00:21:23]

**Holiday Music Must-Haves**: "Go Tell It will be added to that for this year, but it'll be all my Christmas songs together with a few other favorites mixed in and would love for everybody to listen to that this Christmas."
— Yancy [00:22:05 → 00:22:16]

Nostalgic Tech: "I got this pink boom box. And I have the picture to prove it. It was amazing."
— Yancy [00:27:32 → 00:27:38]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

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Welcome to another exciting episode of the Collide Kids Podcast! Today, host Christen Clark sits down with Peter Nestler, a seven-time world champion jump roper and holder of 12 Guinness World Records, to dive deep into the world of rope jumping and self-discipline.

Peter’s inspiring story begins in second grade, where he transformed early struggles into a driving force for success. From not making the jump rope team to becoming a world champion, Peter exemplifies how perseverance and self-discipline can lead to extraordinary achievements.

Throughout the episode, Peter shares his unique training methods, starting with his weakest points and gradually building strength. His unique approaches to training included, training for months underwater, and crafting a custom metal jump rope. Peter’s journey emphasizes the importance of embracing weaknesses and finding joy in the process of self-improvement rather than just focusing on outcomes.

 And enjoy the Kids Only segment featuring a Bible verse read by Pippa. Tune in for an episode filled with motivational stories, practical advice, and a reminder of God's love. Happy jumping!

LINKS: ropesecrets.com

Clip Finder

"Life on the Road": "And so we were just driving place to place to place. And when you're living a life on the road, just going from school to school, it gets a little boring, um, just because you're doing the exact same thing every day with not a lot of sleep."
— Peter Nestler [00:06:20 → 00:06:33]

Viral Topic: "The Challenges of Jump Roping Underwater"
"So what I would do is I would drop down, hold my breath as long as I could, jump as many times as I can, and then stand up, and then you take a breath, and you do that up and down."
— Peter Nestler [00:11:09 → 00:11:17]

"Developing Discipline": "So just having that routine and just basically picking something that you can do every single day."
— Peter Nestler [00:14:49 → 00:14:54]

"Overcoming Stereotypes in High School Sports": "I had this one kid that was in my school, and he would sit behind me in one of my classes and he would just say, jump ropes, a girl sport. And it was just so annoying and kind of embarrassing at the same time. Until one day it kind of struck me."
— Peter Nestler [00:19:42 → 00:19:55]

"Master the Basics": "The reality is, if you don't get the basics down really well, nothing else is going to work."
— Peter Nestler [00:24:07 → 00:24:12]

Jump Rope Techniques for Consistency: "You should be very quiet when you're jumping. Use your knees as a little bit of a shock absorber, but just staying on the ball of the foot."
— Peter Nestler [00:24:27 → 00:24:33]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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Welcome to an exhilarating episode of the Collide Kids Podcast! This week, host Christen Clark sits down with Ryan George, a fearless adventurer and author.

Ryan's incredible life story is packed with extreme adventures—from ice climbing in Antarctica to wing walking on biplanes—each intertwined with his faith journey. With over 30 countries under his belt, Ryan shares heartfelt lessons about discovering God through his travels and adrenaline-packed experiences.

In this episode, Ryan recounts thrilling moments like aerobatic flying, paragliding in breathtaking locations, and an amusing childhood sledding memory. He delves into overcoming fear through faith, the importance of distinguishing healthy fears from unhealthy ones, and finding personal growth in facing challenges. Ryan also touches on experiencing spirituality in diverse ways, whether through nature, music, or adventure.

Join us for this inspiring episode full of amazing tales, life lessons, and a powerful reminder that God loves you. Plus, check out the special Kids Only segment featuring Mia.

LINKS: booksbyryan.com/adventurer

Clip Finder:

Unveiling Hidden Truths Through Adventure: "But the other part is, before I leave on any trip, I ask God to reveal what it is he put in my heart to want this very specific adventure or this very specific location. And then he, as he promised, he answers that when we seek, we find, right?"
— Ryan George [00:05:21 → 00:05:35]

Discovering Hidden Passions: "I found out that I had passions for things that I didn't know. I didn't know I'd love paragliding. Like, I just never knew that about myself."
— Ryan George [00:06:38 → 00:06:44]

Life-Changing Adventures: "I wouldn't want to live a life where none of those were on my list."
— Ryan George [00:07:29 → 00:07:33]

Adventurous Solo Walkabout: "Well, when I visited my in laws in Bolivia the first time, back when they were still in the mission field, I went on a walkabout without my wife, who was my translator, which she had told me not to do."
— Ryan George [00:14:48 → 00:14:58]

"Digital Courage": "I would get the courage to do them because I thought, oh, I'm going to get likes, comments and shares later, and people are going to tell me that I'm important and I'm wanted."
— Ryan George [00:17:34 → 00:17:40]

Faith and Uncertainty: "Well, you can't have faith if you're certain about everything."
— Ryan George [00:18:00 → 00:18:03]

"Embracing Fear for Personal Growth": "And so when you focus on the reward instead of on the danger, and obviously you do that within a certain realm of like, I don't go stand in front of a train and see how long I can wait before it hits me, right?"
— Ryan George [00:19:00 → 00:19:10]

You're Not Broken: "I grew up thinking that the parts of me that make me unique were broken."
— Ryan George [00:20:02 → 00:20:07]

Spiritual Encounters in Nature: "When I'm on the edge of a mountain or I'm stuck in a river somewhere, I feel Jesus more than I do inside a building, even on Sundays."
— Ryan George [00:20:46 → 00:20:54]

"Seeing the World from a Different Angle": "But we're floating anywhere from 4 to 15 miles an hour and you just kind of pirouetting in the sky over the mountains or over the water or whatever and oh, man, there's just nothing like it."
— Ryan George [00:25:03 → 00:25:12]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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Welcome to a fascinating episode of the Collide Kids Podcast! Host Christen Clark is thrilled to welcome Sherri Seligson, marine biologist, kids science educator, and author.

Sherri shares riveting tales from her adventures studying sea creatures like squid, sharks, and more. Sherri loves blending scientific wonder with lessons about life. Discover how her work, which spans from managing predators at Walt Disney World’s Living Seas to exploring the Great Barrier Reef, underscores the harmony between science and faith.

Listeners will be inspired by Sherri’s passion for making science engaging and relatable, whether it’s through her captivating storytelling or her hands-on educational methods. Learn about her latest book, "Wonders of the Ocean Realm," set to release on January 7, 2025, which serves as a fantastic resource for parents and kids to explore the unity of faith and science.

Don’t miss the "Kids Only Segment," featuring a funny joke from young listener Riley! Tune in for an episode packed with educational insights, faith-filled discussions, and oceanic adventures!

LINKS: sherriseligson.com

Special thanks to our editor, Jay Lee from provisionpods.com

Clip Finder:

Viral Topic - The Hidden Lives of Aquarium Predators: "I published scientific research on shark behavior, studying how they behaved in the aquarium environment as new animals came in, what they did when divers were in the water and learning a little bit more about how they behave, because we can do that in an aquarium, and we can't do that out in the ocean as easily."
— Sherri Seligson [00:09:34 → 00:09:49]

Unique Aquarium Design: "One unique thing about the living seas, that if you ever go there at Epcot, you'll see it's a circular shaped aquarium, and one fourth of the aquarium has these large bars separating the other three fourths of the aquarium, like a pie, a wedge of a piece. And the dolphins get to swim in that area, and the sharks are in the big area."
— Sherri Seligson [00:10:49 → 00:11:07]

"Science and Faith": "Science, by definition, never proves anything. We can't prove anything in science. We can only come up with certain evidences of things, and then we make suggestions based on our faith."
— Sherri Seligson [00:12:59 → 00:13:09]

**How Simple Bacteria Communicate**: "How can bacteria, which are the simplest living things in the world, how can something that simple know what's going on? They can't communicate that we know of."
— Sherri Seligson [00:17:42 → 00:17:51]

"Teaching Through Experience: So when we talk about and teach about migration of animals migrating from one place to another, we go to the Serengeti, and we stand in the middle of the wildebeest migration, where there's hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, and it smells like hundreds of thousands of cows, you can imagine."
— Sherri Seligson [00:26:04 → 00:26:22]

Learning Through Adventure: "So we get to go lots of places to be able to show examples of some of the principles that we're learning about in science, to give you a visual to make you say, oh, yeah, I remember it was this way, and it makes it much more exciting and interesting than just reading a sentence."
— Sherri Seligson [00:27:36 → 00:27:52]

Childhood Dreams: "I wanted to know more about how to be a scuba diver, to be able to stay underwater longer."
— Sherri Seligson [00:31:07 → 00:31:11]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

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Welcome to another fantastic episode of the Collide Kids Podcast. Host Christen Clark chats with Carl Barnhill, a creative entrepreneur and author, known for his impactful work in church visual media through his company, Church Visuals.

In this episode, Carl discusses the significance of visual learning in faith, emphasizing how visuals help engage and educate children. Carl provides practical advice for aspiring media professionals, highlighting the importance of gaining diverse skills and continuous learning.

Listeners will hear Carl’s journey of turning his childhood passion for theater arts and ministry into a ministry of providing video and motion graphics for congregations all over the world. He invites kids and students interested in media to connect with him via churchvisuals.com for guidance and mentorship.

Tune in for this inspiring conversation filled with practical tips, fun stories, and a strong message about exploring various interests. Don’t miss the Kids Only Segment featuring Claire sharing her favorite Bible verse! And, remember, God loves you, and so do we!

Clip Finder:

-Innovative Church Media Solutions: "If you are a mom or dad listening or a kid listening, the stuff that is on your screens, the fun stuff when you go to church, if there's a, you know, a fun game on screen or fun graphic to help you learn about Jesus in a really fun and cool way, that's. That's what we do a lot of."
— Carl Barnhill [00:04:16 → 00:04:37]

-"From Baseball to Theater: The Journey of a Kid’s Passion": "I was into baseball for a little bit, and then I kind of shifted into the arts. So I was a theater kid and I was the behind the scenes guy."
— Carl Barnhill [00:06:59 → 00:07:36]

-The Importance of Visual Media in Church: "The stats are alarming on how we consume content and how we retain, really absorb and retain content. And when you are hearing it, you remember a certain amount, like 10%. When you read something, it's like 20%. When you see something, it's like 80% retention."
— Carl Barnhill [00:10:02 → 00:10:24]

-The Early Days of Motion Graphics: "So I started kind of making stuff on the side and putting it out there and seeing, and it kind of took off. And this is before. Since then, there's been a lot of other people kind of come in the space, but this is 15 years ago when there were only a handful of people doing what I was doing."
— Carl Barnhill [00:11:43 → 00:12:01]

-Scaling Your Business: "If you're a teenager listening and you think, could I do this? Try to think ahead. Try to think, like, how can I scale it up? How can I to where it's not just on me? How can I duplicate myself over and over? Or how do I hire people that are better than me and not be offended by that."
— Carl Barnhill [00:14:36 → 00:15:09]

-"Importance of Knowledge and Practice for Aspiring Creators": "For young people coming up, that it's important to know, don't skip over stuff. It's important to have some knowledge and some research into going into things. And it's also important to practice and practice and practice and create something."
— Carl Barnhill [00:16:55 → 00:17:12]

-The Power of Visual Learning in Religion: "The brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text... There's kind of an argument that a picture is worth 60,000 words if you can process it 60,000 times faster than, than text."
— Carl Barnhill [00:22:41 → 00:22:50]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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Welcome to this week's exciting episode of the Collide Kids Podcast! Host Christen Clark is delighted to introduce two fantastic guests—Mike Nawrocki, co-creator of VeggieTales, and Sarah Humphrey, author and Mom Creative. Together they are the hosts of "The Bible for Kids" podcast.

In this episode, Mike shares his fascinating journey co-creating VeggieTales. You'll learn how beloved characters Bob and Larry were born and how VeggieTales has been teaching kids about God's love since 1993. Mike also gives us a sneak peek into his current project, "Dead Sea Squirrels," a book series that's soon to become an animated series.

Sarah Humphrey talks about her 25-year writing journey, inspired by a spiritual calling to journal, leading to her first book, "40 Days to Joyful Motherhood," and her work in children’s devotionals like "Solomon Says Devotional." She’s currently exploring new projects in children's fiction as her own kids grow.

Together, Mike and Sarah discuss their podcast, "The Bible for Kids," which offers valuable resources for Christian parents. You’ll also enjoy light-hearted moments, including jokes and riddles, adding fun to this faith-filled episode. Plus a very special version of a VeggieTales classic song in our Kids Only Segment featuring Liam Smith!

Clip Finder

"Reviving Christian Bookstores through Podcasts": "The podcast was actually Dan's idea, and it was born out of the desire to help serve the need that was met largely by christian bookstores for so long, where folks could walk into their local christian bookstore and say, okay, what's new out there."
— Mike Nawrocki [00:09:26 → 00:09:45]

"Balancing Life as a Homeschool Mom": "Well, I'm Sarah Humphrey. I am a mother of three, a homeschool mom. So we were actually doing school a little bit earlier today. I'm an author. I'm a guest teacher at Pure Bar, where we do exercise for women."
— Sarah Humphrey [00:04:18 → 00:04:33]

Motherhood and Devotion: "So I like to write just in a variety of different styles, but most of the time, I've been doing a lot of devotionals because I think a lot of busy parents might have five minutes in the morning to, like, feed themselves with something."
— Sarah Humphrey [00:15:15 → 00:15:30]

Exploring Fiction in Parenting: "I'm just learning kind of a little bit about story and figuring out how to kind of work a fictional story or narrative into my daily life with what's happening kind of around me."
— Sarah Humphrey [00:17:36 → 00:17:48]

The Time-Travelling Squirrels: "Merle and Pearl Squirrel are a couple of first century squirrels or an old jewish couple. Merle has always wanted to take a vacation to the Dead Sea because he heard that you can't sink."
— Mike Nawrocki [00:19:32 → 00:19:42]

Growing Up with Comedy and Faith: "I grew up just loving to make people laugh, you know, I was a biggest Muppets fan, Jim Henson fan. I love Monty Python growing up, Mel Brooks movies, and my deep, deep love was the Doctor Demento radio hour, which was like a radio parody music hour. And it's where guys like Weird Al Yankovic got his start."
— Mike Nawrocki [00:26:16 → 00:26:41]

VeggieTales Creator Explains the Show's Mission: "The hope was just to, yeah, help kids obviously know that God made them special and he loves them very much. But then also to, you know, have this awareness of this story, you know, the biblical, you know, just God's. God's story of the Bible and have, you know, be able to carry that throughout their lives and then come back and read the real story and say, oh, okay, I remember this because of this and all that."
— Mike Nawrocki [00:31:36 → 00:31:56]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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Welcome to another exciting episode of the Collide Kids Podcast! Host Christen Clark talks with Ashley Bohinc, an expert in supporting middle schoolers with over 20 years of experience in education, athletics, and ministry.

Ashley, founder and CEO of Make it Middle School and Executive Director of Carry 117 a non-profit in Ethiopia, joins Christen to discuss navigating the beautiful and challenging transitions of middle school life. Ashley's insights and practical advice are invaluable for families and students in middle school, or getting ready to enter this transformative period.

The conversation dives into handling change, fostering open family dialogues, and the importance of our faith. Ashley's personal stories and wisdom make this episode a must-listen for anyone facing life's transitions. Plus Kids Only segment featuring Presley!

Clip Finder: 

The Inevitable Changes of Growing Up: "What I've learned after 20 plus years is not only does your body start changing when it comes to, you know, the changes that happen during puberty in middle school, but your friendships might start changing a lot. You start changing classes, your interests might start changing. Your, you know, the way that you think about things or your opinion on things might change. Your friendships, for sure, will change."
— Ashley Bohinc [00:09:31 → 00:09:53]

Navigating Middle School: "Be ready for change and have a family plan for when change happens."
— Ashley Bohinc [00:10:11 → 00:10:16]

Navigating Change: "The truth is we're all human. Like, we've all walked through these things and just happens to be."
— Ashley Bohinc [00:12:40 → 00:12:46]

**Creating Meaningful Conversations with Your Preteen**: "I love the idea of even a parent asking their preteen or middle schooler, like, what are three questions that you would be totally fine with me asking when you get home from school every day?"
— Ashley Bohinc [00:14:37 → 00:14:49]

Navigating Big Emotions During Change: "And so a lot of times when somebody asks us about it, we have an outpour of those emotions before we can even get to what's causing it."
— Ashley Bohinc [00:15:58 → 00:16:07]

"Drifting Apart in Friendships": "And just because you drift apart in a friendship doesn't mean you don't like each other. It doesn't mean you can't be for each other."
— Ashley Bohinc [00:18:52 → 00:19:00]

Friendships Over Time: "As I think through my life, like, there are friends that were there for a season of life. And I'm so grateful for them. They taught me so much. They helped me become a better version of myself, and then they moved on... And then there are friends, just a couple that I can see like, woven through a lot of seasons of my life, and I'm grateful for that."
— Ashley Bohinc [00:20:19 → 00:20:31]

Parent Participation Hilarity: "Well, we did a bring your parent to basketball practice day, and I don't think I have laughed so hard in my entire life."
— Ashley Bohinc [00:29:38 → 00:29:48]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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Welcome to the Collide Kids Podcast! This week, host Christen Clark is joined by the incredible Sophie Hudson, bestselling author and co-host of "Big Boo Cast." Sophie brings her refreshing perspective on leadership, highlighting the importance of teachability in great leaders. Drawing inspiration from Moses in Exodus, she emphasizes the need for leaders to continually learn and grow.

Sophie and Christen dive into how our families and children can be the greatest mirrors as leaders, and the value of fostering leadership qualities in kids. They discuss practical ways for children to lead by example and recognize their unique spiritual gifts.

This episode also explores the diverse forms of leadership, showing that anyone who influences another, even in small ways, is a leader. Sophie shares engaging anecdotes from her life and books, making biblical stories relatable and injecting humor throughout the conversation.

And don’t miss the Kids Only Segment with a joke from Reid that’s sure to make you giggle!

Clip Finder: 

Learning Leadership from Moses: "Hey, like, you can't do this. It's not good for you. It's not good for them."
— Sophie Hudson [00:14:23 → 00:14:27]

"Stay Teachable, Even as a Leader": "So I think for sure, the idea that we have to be teachable, I think that's a big one."
— Sophie Hudson [00:15:23 → 00:15:28]

**Commitment to Sight in Leadership**: "And then I think that the big thing that unfolded for me over the course of this book is just this whole idea of our sight. The word see is all over the book of Exodus. It bookends Moses life from the very beginning. His mother could see he was a fine baby. And then when Moses dies, scripture tells us that his sight was unhindered and that we have to be people who are committed to as leaders, always checking our site... That's more of just a continual check in with the Lord, with scripture, with the Holy Spirit. Like, hey, I have anything going on here that ultimately is going to interfere with my ability to lead in a way that's healthy and that cause people to hire and better."
— Sophie Hudson [00:15:28 → 00:16:30]

The Power of Quiet Leadership: "But I think to get kids to consider, what does quiet leadership look like? What does it look like to come along somebody who's having a tough day? What does it look like to comfort a friend who hurts? That's leadership, too."
— Sophie Hudson [00:17:56 → 00:18:08]

**The Power of Everyday Leadership in Children**: "I think how neat to be able to, to teach constructively and to teach redemptively, even in just the middle of everyday life, where it's not some separate thing you have to do, you're just acknowledging, hey, here's where I really see you being a leader."
— Sophie Hudson [00:19:45 → 00:20:01]

The Responsibility of Being a Role Model: "If you're a kid in fifth or 6th grade, you are a rock star to somebody who's in second or third grade. And there's a responsibility that comes with that."
— Sophie Hudson [00:22:07 → 00:22:52]

Overcoming Doubts and Fears: "We can really let the what ifs start to run the show. I think that reminder, God is with me. God is before me. God is behind me."
— Sophie Hudson [00:24:51 → 00:25:02]

The Biggest Blast: "It's the simple stuff, it's the everyday stuff that's the biggest blast. So for, for parents who feel any pressure to make every moment precious, I would say you can take that pressure right off of yourself."
— Sophie Hudson [00:28:54 → 00:29:07]

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