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What if the secret to raising virtuous children isn't found in lectures or lessons, but in the stories we share? When educator and father Jeff Minnick recalls the tale of "The Countess and the Impossible" – a story about a boy striving for excellence in lawn-mowing that shaped his work ethic for six decades – we glimpse the extraordinary power of literature in character formation.

In this episode we discuss:
• Stories serve as powerful examples children naturally want to emulate
• Reading aloud to children for just 15 minutes daily creates crucial bonding time while building language skills
• Classic books like Little House on the Prairie and Anne of Green Gables teach virtue without preaching
• Parents can find quality book recommendations through resources like "Honey for a Child's Heart", "Honey for a Teens Heart", and "Books Children Love"
• Poetry helps develop language patterns and moral lessons that stay with children throughout life
• It's never too late to start reading aloud with children, even with teenagers

Reclaim your role as the primary educator of faith and morals by sharing great stories with your children today.

Be sure to check out Jeff Minick's articles on The Epoch Times website and Intellectual Takeout.

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load. 
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Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!
Looking for things to combat boredom and bolster growth in your kids? Check out our Tame the Tech Bundle and the Best Me I Can Be Journal!

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Ever feel like you and your spouse are playing completely different games when it comes to discipline? One moment you're calmly coaching your child through a tantrum, the next your partner swoops in with strict consequences, leaving your kids confused about the rules and possibly learning to play you against each other.

Creating a united front in discipline is essential for raising secure, respectful children who understand boundaries and feel emotionally safe.

In this episode, we discuss:
• Four parenting quadrants
• Parents often swing between authoritarian and permissive styles depending on stress levels and their own upbringing
• Many couples have one partner who leans authoritarian and another who leans permissive, creating confusing mixed messages
• In loving guidance, power isn't used against children but rather alongside them to co-create solutions
• Children notice when parents model humility, repair, and emotional regulation
• The goal is to raise children with internal motivation rather than external control

Visit Kyle and Sarah Wester at artofraisinghumans.com to learn more about their coaching programs for parents and to sign up for a session with Kyle! Also, be sure to check out their FREE parenting guide!

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load. 
Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!
Looking for things to combat boredom and bolster growth in your kids? Check out our Tame the Tech Bundle and the Best Me I Can Be Journal!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

The after-school hours between 3-6 PM represent a crucial transition time when children often experience emotional meltdowns after holding it together all day at school.

When kids fall apart after returning home, it's actually a sign they feel safe with you, and by implementing the "three R's" routine—Refuel, Regulate, Reconnect—parents can transform this challenging window into an opportunity for meaningful connection.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How research shows the 3-6 PM window is when behavioral outbursts most commonly occur
• Consistent after-school routines lower cortisol levels in both parents and children
• Meltdowns indicate trust, not misbehavior—home is their emotional exhale
• Refuel, Regulate, Reconnect
• Creating unstructured play time in the evening for better emotional regulation

Remember to stay intentional, stay playful, and keep leading your family with love. God's mercies are new every afternoon, especially at 3:45 when someone's crying about grapes.

Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!
Looking for things to combat boredom and bolster growth in your kids? Check out our Tame the Tech Bundle and the Best Me I Can Be Journal!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

The Family Huddle is a simple yet powerful 20-minute weekly family meeting that can transform household chaos into calm and share the mental load that often falls on one parent. Studies show families who meet regularly report better communication, fewer behavioral issues, and children who are more emotionally secure and less likely to engage in risky behaviors.

In this episode, we discuss:
• A simple, repeatable format: prayer, calendar review, family goal, family cheer
• Creates a space for connection, predictability and problem-solving as a team
• Gives kids a sense of belonging and ownership in family life
• Starts building leadership skills through participation in planning

Check out our Huddle Up Digital Bundle in our Families of Character shop for a more robust version of the family huddle, complete with videos and printables.

Please share this episode with someone in your network, and give us a rating and review on Apple or Spotify to help our show move to the top of the charts for parenting podcasts.

Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!
Looking for things to combat boredom and bolster growth in your kids? Check out our Tame the Tech Bundle and the Best Me I Can Be Journal!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

Routines aren't restrictive shackles but freedom frameworks that help children thrive during the back-to-school transition and beyond. Science confirms that consistent routines improve children's sleep quality, school performance, emotional regulation, and ultimately prepare them for independent adulthood.

• Research shows kids with consistent bedtime routines sleep better and perform better academically
• Routines reduce decision fatigue, giving both parents and kids more mental energy for important matters
• Flexibility within structure creates safety and stability for children
• Make routines visual with charts or checklists that give kids independence
• Practice new routines before school starts with a three-day reset challenge

If this episode encouraged you, please send it to another parent or your spouse. Join our community of families who are motivated to lead with love and live with intention by following us on Facebook and Instagram!

Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!
Looking for things to combat boredom and bolster growth in your kids? Check out our Tame the Tech Bundle and the Best Me I Can Be Journal!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

What happens when a successful Hollywood scriptwriter encounters Jesus Christ? For Tim Maschler, who wrote for iconic shows like Hawaii Five-0, Starsky and Hutch, and Magnum PI, it meant walking away from mainstream entertainment to pioneer something more meaningful.

We discuss:
• How Tim experienced a dramatic conversion to Christ while writing for mainstream TV
• How Tim and his wife, Melissa, began creating explicitly faith-based content after leaving Hollywood
• The Maschlers' current project "Me and Johnny Cash" is about a teen using Johnny Cash's Christian message to influence his school
• The importance of parents being "eternal gatekeepers" of their children's media, even content from faith-based studios requires parental evaluation
• Tim's collaboration with John Paul the Great Catholic University

Check out Riordan Classics and be sure to stop by the Families of Character shop to view our Tame the Tech Digital Bundle and Tame the Tech Printable.

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load. 
Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!
Looking for things to combat boredom and bolster growth in your kids? Check out our Tame the Tech Bundle and the Best Me I Can Be Journal!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

Ever feel like the villain in your child's story for saying "no" when all the other parents are saying "yes"? You're not alone, and you're certainly not wrong.

In this episode rebroadcast, we explore how to confidently say no to your children when other parents are saying yes, and why these important boundaries shape their character and future success.

• Saying no is harder but prevents severe long-term consequences for our children
• Importance of validating children's feelings before explaining your reasoning behind a no
• The benefit of offering alternative positive activities during the "withdrawal period"
• Key benefits include modeling how to stand up to peer pressure and strengthening self-control
• Taking a stand empowers other parents to do the same, creating a ripple effect

Visit our shop for the Tame the Tech digital bundle and printables including a Cell Phone Contract and helpful screen time checklists!

Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!
Looking for things to combat boredom and bolster growth in your kids? Check out our Tame the Tech Bundle and the Best Me I Can Be Journal!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

Ever looked up from your smartphone and wondered where the time went? You're not alone. In this eye-opening conversation with Joe Hollier, co-founder of the Light Phone, we explore how our constant connection to smartphones is quietly eroding our family time, mental space, and ability to be fully present.

We speak about:

• Most smartphone apps are built to maximize "retention" through addictive design to collect data and sell advertising
• The Light Phone offers essential utilities (calls, texts, navigation) without browsers, email, or social media
• First Light Phone launched via Kickstarter, proving substantial demand for a minimalist phone option
• How one boarding school went completely smartphone-free using Light Phones, seeing improved academic and social engagement
• Light Phone offers privacy benefits as the company doesn't collect or sell user data unlike mainstream smartphone companies

For more information about the Light Phone, visit their website. 

To get control over screen time and access our Cell Phone Contract check out our Tame the Tech printable. Ready for it all? Pour your favorite beverage and download our Tame the Tech Digital Bundle and get started on taming the tech in your home, with confidence!

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load. 
Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!
Looking for things to combat boredom and bolster growth in your kids? Check out our Tame the Tech Bundle and the Best Me I Can Be Journal!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

Technology and screens have infiltrated every corner of our lives, raising the crucial question of whether we're managing our tech or it's managing us. We explore practical strategies to help families develop healthy tech habits without losing their sanity.

• Dr. Leonard Sax identifies loss of parental authority around technology as a major factor in declining child well-being -- see Episode #100, #118, and #124 for more from Dr. Sax and check out his book, The Collapse of Parenting.

• Joey Odom, co-founder of Aro, advocates creating sacred spaces and times where phones are put away
• Five practical strategies for healthier tech habits
• Weekly family huddles provide natural opportunities to discuss tech habits and make adjustments

Visit our shop for the Tame the Tech digital bundle and printables including a Cell Phone Contract and helpful screen time checklists!

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load. 
Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!
Looking for things to combat boredom and bolster growth in your kids? Check out our Tame the Tech Bundle and the Best Me I Can Be Journal!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

Have you ever caught yourself scrolling through your phone while your child tries desperately to get your attention? Or noticed an entire room of family members, all physically present but mentally elsewhere, faces illuminated by screens? You're not alone.

In this eye-opening conversation with Joey Odom, co-founder of ARO, we delve into the hidden crisis affecting modern families—the way our devices are systematically eroding our most precious connections.

We discuss:
• Missing life's important moments because of smartphone distraction
• Smartphones as adult "comfort objects" that actually isolate us rather than provide security
• The PID cycle: how proximity to our phones leads to interaction, then unhealthy dependence
• How establishing phone-free sacred times and places transforms family dynamics
• Four practical strategies to change your relationship with your phone

To learn more about ARO and their solution for families, visit goaro.com.

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load. 
Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!
Looking for things to combat boredom and bolster growth in your kids? Check out our Tame the Tech Bundle and the Best Me I Can Be Journal!

our website