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Your son was never meant to wander into manhood – he was meant to be led there. In a culture where most boys grow up without clear markers for their transition to manhood, they're left asking one haunting question: "Do I have what it takes?" This uncertainty ripples through generations, leaving men anxious, directionless, and disconnected from their purpose.

Shaun Garrison, father of six and founder of Windswept Treks, shares his powerful journey of creating a year-long masculine initiation for his teenage son.

We discuss:
• Traditional cultures used intentional rites of passage to mark the transition from boy to man
• Boys often show readiness for initiation when they begin pushing against parental authority
• Rites of passage help boys develop confidence, purpose, and answer "Do I have what it takes?"
• Similar intentional one-on-one time is valuable for father-daughter relationships

Connect with Sean at windswept.co or email him at [email protected] to learn more about guided adventures and resources for intentional parenting.

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!

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Marriage often gets pushed to the back burner when children arrive – but what if prioritizing your relationship is actually the best gift you can give your kids?

In this episode we explore: 

• why prioritizing your marriage is crucial for the whole family to thrive. 
• Greet each other enthusiastically when reuniting—showing affection in front of children builds their sense of security
• Establish consistent routines for children to create sacred evening time for your marriage
• Remember marriage has seasons—winter periods don't mean your relationship is doomed
• Take the first step toward reconnection with a text, hug, or moment of genuine listening

If this episode gave you hope or ideas, send it to a friend or listen to it with your spouse to start the conversation.

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!

What if your prayers could provide spiritual armor for your spouse's daily battles? Katie Hartfiel's journey began with teenage letters to her future husband – little realizing God was orchestrating an extraordinary divine appointment.

Discover how the very week she committed to pray for her unknown future spouse, the man who would become her husband experienced a profound spiritual conversion hundreds of miles away.

Katie Hartfield shares her book Provide the Armor: Daily Scriptures to Pray Over Your Future or Present Spouse and explains how praying Scripture daily for spouses transforms marriages by changing our own hearts first.

• The book provides daily Scripture verses with reflections to pray over your spouse
• Prayer changes us first, then opens the door for God to work in our spouse's life
• Men face unique battles around identity, purpose, and worth
• Every man desires "a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue"

Get a copy of Provide the Armor by Katie Hartfiel and visit womaninlove.org or sheshallbecalledwoman.com to learn more about Katie's ministry.

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 mother-daughter-in-law relationship stands as one of family life's most complex dynamics, often fraught with unspoken expectations, misunderstandings, and deep emotional triggers. In this revealing conversation, master coach Janet Quinlan pulls back the curtain on why these relationships become strained and offers transformative strategies to move from tension to genuine connection.

We discuss:
• Healthy mother-daughter-in-law relationships involve recognizing you're building a new relationship that takes time to develop
• "Empathetic curiosity"
• Setting boundaries from a place of love
• Emotional independence
• Reframing negative thoughts
• Prayer for your in-law is a powerful practice that softens resentment and opens your heart

Be sure to check out Janet's course, The Mother/Daughter-in-Law Dynamic. For more resources, visit JanetQuinlan.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

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

Have you been putting off "the talk" with your kids? That uncomfortable conversation about bodies, relationships, and sex that just feels too awkward to navigate? Take a deep breath – you're not alone, and this episode will completely transform how you approach these crucial conversations.

Dr. Mario Sacasa, licensed marriage and family therapist and father of four, brings refreshing wisdom to what many parents dread most. The breakthrough insight? It's not about having one perfect, scripted "talk" – it's about creating an ongoing dialogue that evolves as your child grows.

• Parents are the primary and perfect people to have these conversations with their children
• Starting age-appropriate conversations as young as 5-6 years old creates a foundation for healthy understanding
• Teaching kids the difference between lust (taking from others) and love (serving others)
• The ultimate goal is helping kids understand God's design for their bodies, relationships, and sexuality

For more resources on talking to your kids about sex, relationships, and faith, visit Dr. Mario Sacasa's website or listen to his podcast "Always Hope."

A children's book we recommend that teaches kids about how to navigate inappropriate pictures on the internet is Good Pictures, Bad Pictures by Kristen Jenson, MA.

To learn more about how to move well beyond "The Sex Talk", we recommend this thoroughly revised version of Beyond the Birds and the Bees, by Greg and Lisa Popcak. It offers a comprehensive guide to raising sexually whole and holy children.

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 summer countdown is on! Are you feeling excited about ditching the school routine, dreading the lack of structure, or somewhere in between?

Jordan shares a simple yet powerful exercise to help parents prepare for summer with kids at home, transforming potential chaos into a season of connection and enjoyment.

• Setting aside one uninterrupted hour to plan can dramatically improve your summer experience
• Start by listing all your children's typical summer day needs - meals, clothing, equipment, transportation, activities
• Identify past summer frustrations and brainstorm specific solutions
• The goal isn't perfect planning but bringing intentionality to create more enjoyable family time

Grab copies of our kids journal "The Best Me I Can Be" - perfect for kids from first grade to sixth grade and available at familiesofcharacter.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for more parenting resources.

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!

Is your summer calendar already starting to resemble a losing game of Tetris? Do you find yourself wondering how you're supposed to feel relaxed when you're constantly shuttling between swimming lessons, camps, and birthday parties? Take a deep breath—there's a better way.

Julia Ubbenga, author of "Declutter Your Heart and Your Home," joins us to reveal how a minimalist approach to summer can transform chaos into connection.

• Create a summer vision by journaling, reflecting, and asking your children what they want to experience
• Make "fulfillment lists" with daily, weekly, and monthly connection activities you treat as non-negotiable appointments
• Embrace boredom as the precursor to creativity and self-directed play
• Limit choices and activities to avoid decision fatigue for both parents and children
• Remember that reducing possessions can decrease housework by approximately 40%

Rate and review our podcast on Apple or Spotify, then email [email protected] with your name to enter a drawing for a signed copy of "Declutter Your Heart and Your Home."

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!

What if the key to raising capable, confident adults isn't found in protecting them, but in purposefully equipping them with real-world skills years before they leave your home?

Dena Patton, award-winning leadership coach, co-founder of the Girls Rule Foundation, and author of the book The Greatness Game, reveals how intentional parenting transforms uncertain teenagers into empowered young adults.

• Parenting with purpose means breaking negative childhood cycles while intentionally creating positive experiences
• Raising children means raising future adults, requiring deliberate skill-building starting at age 12-13
• Enabling vs. empowering—simple tasks like making appointments build crucial self-advocacy skills
• Creating emotional connections with teenagers through lighthearted moments and memorable experiences
• Leadership is an action, not a title—girls need these skills in their teens, not just adulthood

Learn more about Girls Rule Foundation's Wings to Fly summer camp on their website. Registration is open until May 30th for high school girls.

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!

Relationship order matters more than most parents realize. When we prioritize our spouse above our children, we're not loving our kids less—we're actually giving them the priceless gift of security and teaching them what healthy relationships should look like.

In this episode, we explore the importance of correctly ordering our relationships: 

• The proper order of relationships: spouse first, children second, extended family third, then community
• Prioritizing your spouse demonstrates the foundation of family that God designed from Genesis
• The pitfalls of misplaced priorities include feelings of abandonment for those closest to us
• Practical steps include scheduling regular date nights, creating family rhythms, learning to say no, and praying for wisdom
• Even in difficult marriages, small gestures can begin breaking down walls between spouses

Share this episode with a friend who might need to hear it and subscribe so you don't miss our next conversation about intentional relationships and practical parenting.

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 10-year-old girl shares her wisdom about family organization? Pure gold. In this refreshingly honest conversation, my daughter, Aniston, joins me to reveal how our weekly "family huddle" has transformed our home life over six years and 200+ meetings.

The weekly family huddle transforms family life by creating order, reducing anxiety, and unifying family members around shared priorities.

• Family huddles follow a simple structure
• The family mission statement prioritizes values in order
• Children experience reduced anxiety when they know what's happening in the upcoming week
• Family meetings don't need to be complex - start with just 20 minutes focused on calendar planning
• The weekly ritual creates unity

Please share this episode with people in your circle. If you're not doing a family huddle already, visit our website for a free handout that tells you how to start your own family huddle. We also have a more robust bundle called the Huddle Up bundle with videos and downloadables.

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