Upside-Down Parenting

Technology is everywhere. It entertains our kids, connects them with friends, and makes life easier. But what is it actually doing to childhood?

In this episode, Arlene Pellicane, author of The Great Tech Reset: Reclaiming Real Life for Christian Families, explores how technology is shaping our kids' attention, anxiety, relationships, habits, and spiritual lives. Arlene unpacks the four "ABCD" harms of technology, explains why parents need to examine their own screen habits, and shares how healthy boundaries can actually bring greater freedom to the whole family.

This isn't about fear, guilt, or getting rid of every screen. It's about helping your family develop a healthier, more intentional relationship with technology so your kids can flourish in the real world.

Want to go deeper? Reclaim your family's attention for what matters most and help your children love real life with God and others more than the counterfeit world technology offers! Order your free copy of Summit's newest parenting resource, The Great Tech Reset: Reclaiming Real Life for Christian Families by Arlene Pellicane. Get your copy at techresetbook.com!

Resources we talked about or that we'd recommend:

*The Great Tech Reset: Reclaiming Real Life for Christian Families—Arlene Pellicane

*How Technology Affects Us (and What to Do About It)—Timothy Fox

*Screens and Teens: Connecting with Our Kids in a Wireless World—Kathy Koch

How do the everyday moments of parenting shape your child's faith?

In this episode of Upside-Down Parenting, Matt and Janel share real stories about raising their kids and the lessons they've learned about Christian parenting, family discipleship, and modeling a biblical worldview. From Bible reading and family traditions to car-ride conversations, apologies, hospitality, and difficult questions about worldview, they explore how ordinary moments can have a lasting impact on a child's relationship with Jesus.

You'll hear practical encouragement for modeling authentic faith, having meaningful conversations with your kids, teaching biblical truth, practicing forgiveness, and helping your children discover how God can use their gifts to serve others.

Christian parenting isn't built on getting every moment right. It's built through a lifetime of faithful, everyday discipleship. Your kids are watching, learning, and being shaped by how you follow Jesus.

Resources we talked about or that we'd recommend:

*How Parents' Modeling Faith Shapes Their Child's Beliefs—Dr. Jason Barker

*Christianity Tells a Better Story Than "Love Is Love"—Christopher L. Reese

*Visions of Vocation: Common Grace for the Common Good—Steven Garber

As Christian parents, it's easy to feel responsible for making our kids believe the right things, make the right choices, and follow Jesus. But changing your child's heart isn't your job.

In this episode of Upside-Down Parenting, Matt Jones and Janel Greig explore the role of the Holy Spirit in parenting. They discuss how the Spirit guides, convicts, teaches, and transforms us, why parents should resist the temptation to control outcomes, and how Scripture, prayer, and repentance help us depend on the Spirit in everyday parenting.

You're called to faithfully love, teach, model, discipline, encourage, and pray for your children. But only God can transform their hearts.

Resources we talked about or that we'd recommend:

*Who Is the Holy Spirit & What Does He Do?

*What is the Trinity?

*Spiritual Disciplines Series: Prayer – Part 1

How can Christian parents raise resilient, joy-filled kids who know how to handle big emotions, bounce back from difficult experiences, and grow in wisdom?

In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Marcus Warner, author of The Four Habits of Raising Joy-Filled Kids, Matt Jones and Janel Greig explore practical Christian parenting strategies for building emotional resilience in children.

Dr. Warner explains how relational joy helps kids "build bounce" and develop the emotional strength to recover from life's challenges. He also shares practical advice for disciplining children with care, helping toddlers navigate big emotions, correcting behavior without shame, and teaching children wisdom and self-control.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to build resilience in your kids
• Why joy is essential for emotional development
• How to help children regulate big emotions
• Why correction and discipline aren't the same thing
• How to correct your child with care
• How relational parenting helps children develop wisdom and self-control
• Why parents can't pass on what they don't possess

Raising resilient, faith-filled kids isn't about perfect parenting. It's about intentionally building joy, strengthening your relationship with your children, and helping them develop the emotional and spiritual foundations they need to flourish.

If you're looking for practical biblical parenting advice for raising Christian kids in today's world, this conversation will encourage and equip you.

Missed Part 1? Listen to our first conversation with Dr. Marcus Warner on the secret to raising joy-filled kids.

Resources we talked about or that we'd recommend:

*The 4 Habits of Raising Joy-Filled Kids: A Simple Model for Developing Your Child's Maturity - at Every Stage—Chris Coursey and Marcus Warner

*Building Bounce: How to Grow Emotional Resilience—Marcus Warner and Stefanie Hinman

*Raising Resilient Kids: Interview with Alisa Childers

Are your kids truly joyful—or just temporarily happy?

Many parents wonder if they're doing enough to help their children develop a faith that lasts. According to Dr. Marcus Warner, one of the greatest gifts we can give our kids isn't another activity, achievement, or gadget—it's joy.

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Matt Jones and Janel Greig sit down with Dr. Marcus Warner, author of The Four Habits of Raising Joy-Filled Kids, to explore why joy is foundational to emotional resilience, healthy relationships, and lasting faith.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why joy is different from happiness
• How unresolved trauma shapes the way we parent
• Why so many kids today are struggling emotionally
• The first habit of raising joy-filled kids: Attunement
• How to understand your child's emotions before rushing to fix them
• Why emotionally connected parenting builds resilience and lifelong faith

Be sure to join us for Part 2, where Marcus unpacks the remaining three habits: Build, Correct with Care, and Develop Discipline Relationally.

Resources we talked about or that we'd recommend:

*The 4 Habits of Raising Joy-Filled Kids: A Simple Model for Developing Your Child's Maturity - at Every Stage—Chris Coursey and Marcus Warner

*The Anxious Generation: How the Gospel Offers Freedom & Hope—Dr. Jason Barker

*What Is Joy?—Abby Debenedittis

Every parent has difficult questions—and today's episode tackles some of the biggest ones.

In this Christian parenting Q&A, Matt Jones and Janel Greig answer real questions from parents about raising children in today's culture. They discuss how to faithfully disciple your children when your spouse doesn't share your faith, whether Christian families should allow horror movies, how to think biblically about social media and smartphones, and practical ways to help kids develop wisdom in a technology-driven world.

Whether you're navigating digital parenting, entertainment choices, or spiritual leadership in your home, this conversation offers practical, biblical encouragement to help you parent with confidence.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to raise children when you're the only Christian parent in the home
• Whether Christian kids should watch horror movies
• A biblical approach to social media and smartphones
• How to help your children develop discernment instead of simply following rules
• Practical encouragement for raising kids who thrive in today's culture

If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another parent. Join us each week on Upside-Down Parenting as we help families raise children who thrive in God's upside-down Kingdom.

Resources we talked about or that we'd recommend:

*The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place—Andy Crouch

*[Un]Intentional: How Screens Secretly Shape Your Desires, and How You Can Break Free—Doug Smith

*Parent Kit: Navigating the World of Technology & Social Media

*Wisely Engaging the Culture in the Way of Jesus—Adam Holz

What happens when parenting doesn't unfold the way you expected?

For parents raising a child with special needs, the journey often includes unexpected challenges, deep grief, incredible joy, and a daily dependence on God's grace.

In this episode of Upside-Down Parenting, Matt Jones and Janel Greig sit down with Dr. Joe and Cindi Ferrini, authors of The Special Needs Parent: A Guide to the Life You Never Expected. After more than four decades of caring for a daughter with special needs, Joe and Cindi offer biblical encouragement and practical wisdom for families seeking to thrive—not merely survive—through the unique calling of special needs parenting.

Together, they discuss how to embrace God's purpose in unexpected circumstances, strengthen your marriage, faithfully disciple your children while caring for a child with disabilities, build life-giving community, and trust that God is writing a meaningful story through every season.

Whether you're a parent, grandparent, caregiver, ministry leader, or someone who wants to better support families with special needs, this conversation will encourage you with hope, wisdom, and practical next steps.

• Embracing the life you never expected
• Parenting through grief, exhaustion, and uncertainty
• Modeling authentic faith in difficult seasons
• Celebrating the dignity and worth of every child
• Building a thriving marriage while caregiving
• The importance of church and community support
• Spiritual habits that sustain families for the long haul
• Finding purpose and hope in God's greater story

Special needs parenting may not be the journey you planned—but you don't have to walk it alone.

Be sure to send us your feedback and questions at: [email protected].

Resources we talked about or that we'd recommend:

*The Special Needs Parent: A Guide to the Life You Never Expected—Joe and Cindi Ferrini

*Unexpected Journey: When Special Needs Change Our Course—Joe and Cindi Ferrini

*Eyes to See, Ears to Hear: Disability & The Kingdom of God—Charlie Meo

How do you raise kids who can discern truth in a world full of competing voices?

In Part 2 of our conversation with Kathy Gibbens, founder of Filter It Through a Brain Cell, Matt Jones and Janel Greig explore one of the most important skills Christian parents can cultivate: critical thinking rooted in a biblical worldview.

Our children are constantly being shaped by social media, school, entertainment, and culture. Rather than simply giving them the "right answers," how can we equip them to ask wise questions, evaluate ideas, recognize truth from error, and develop a faith that remains strong under pressure?

In this episode, you'll discover practical ways to make critical thinking part of everyday family life, create a home where questions are welcomed, and help your children become thoughtful, discerning followers of Jesus.

• Why critical thinking is essential for a lasting faith
• Practical ways to teach your kids how to evaluate ideas
• How to respond when your children ask difficult questions about Christianity
• Common mistakes parents make when teaching discernment
• Helping kids navigate social media, school, and cultural messages wisely
• Building everyday habits that strengthen biblical thinking

Whether your children are young or teenagers, this conversation will encourage and equip you to raise kids who don't just know what to believe—they know why they believe it.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another parent! Email us your questions at [email protected]!

Resources we talked about or that we'd recommend:

*Filter It Through a Brain Cell—Kathy Gibbens

*The Cognitive Tales: Volume 1: The biases that make us think too fast—S. L. Cressey

*Mere Christianity—C. S. Lewis

*Establishing a Biblical Worldview of AI—Dr. Maggie Pope

How do you raise children who can think critically, discern truth, and keep their faith in today's confusing culture?

In Part 1 of this conversation, Matt Jones and Janel Greig are joined by Kathy Gibbens, founder of Filter It Through a Brain Cell, to explore why critical thinking is one of the most important skills that Christian parents can help their children develop. Rather than simply teaching kids what to believe, Kathy explains how parents can equip them to evaluate ideas, ask thoughtful questions, and develop a biblical worldview that lasts into adulthood.

Whether your child is navigating social media, school, entertainment, or difficult questions about Christianity, this episode offers practical, biblical strategies to help them become wise, discerning followers of Jesus.

• Why critical thinking is essential for Christian families
• How to teach kids how to think, not just what to think
• Practical ways to build discernment at home
• Helping children evaluate messages from culture, media, and peers
• Creating a home where faith and honest questions go together
• Common mistakes parents make when teaching critical thinking
• Simple habits you can start using today

If you're a Christian parent who wants to raise children with a strong biblical worldview and resilient faith, this conversation is for you.

Subscribe for more biblical parenting conversations every week from the Upside-Down Parenting Podcast. Send us your feedback and questions at [email protected]

Resources we talked about or that we'd recommend:

*Filter It Through a Brain Cell—Kathy Gibbens

*The Fallacy Detective: Thirty-Eight Lessons on How to Recognize Bad Reasoning—Nathaniel Bluedorn and Hans Bluedorn

*Five Steps to Making Convincing Arguments—Dr. Jeff Myers

Sending your teenager to college is one of the biggest transitions a family will ever experience. How do you prepare your child for independence without becoming controlling? How do you let go without losing your identity as a parent? And how can you help your teen develop a faith that truly becomes their own?

In this episode of the Upside-Down Parenting Podcast, Matt Jones and Janel Greig sit down with Dr. Alisa Shanks, Director of the Larry J. Crabb Center for University Counseling at Colorado Christian University, to discuss how Christian parents can confidently launch their children into adulthood.

Drawing on decades of experience in college counseling and student mental health, Dr. Shanks shares practical wisdom for raising resilient, independent young adults who are prepared academically, emotionally, spiritually, and relationally for life after high school.

In this episode you'll learn:

• How to prepare your teen for college and adulthood
• Why overprotecting can unintentionally hinder growth
• The four stages of parenting: Commander, Coach, Counselor, and Consultant
• Practical life skills every student should learn before leaving home
• How to help your child own their Christian faith in college
• Healthy ways to let go while staying emotionally connected
• How parents can find their identity in Christ during this new season

Whether your child is heading to college this year or is still years away, this conversation will help you parent with wisdom, confidence, and hope.

👍 Like, subscribe, and share this episode with another parent preparing for the college years. Be sure to send us your questions and feedback at: [email protected]!

Resources we talked about or that we'd recommend:

*Girl Mom Podcast—Kari Kampakis

*Release My Grip: Hope for a Parent's Heart as Kids Leave the Nest and Learn to Fly—Kami Gilmour

*Empty Nest, Full Heart: 7 Simple Steps to Heal Grief, Rediscover Joy, and Reclaim Your Life After the Kids Leave—Leslie de Graaf