Raising Boys & Girls

Sissy and David continue the Capable series with problem-solving, opening with a few all-too-familiar parenting “word problems” and a reminder that efficiency isn’t always the goal; capability is. They walk through five ideas from the chapter: create room for critical thinking, let kids make low-stakes decisions, ask more and instruct less, hold family meetings, and review progress. To figure out how much to help, they suggest asking “what is the least amount of help that helps this child move forward?” Their challenge for the week is to pick one recurring family problem and solve it together, and before you solve anything, ask one more question.

Resources mentioned

•

Capable by Sissy Goff and David Thomas

•

Research on executive function and parenting (cognitive stimulation, language that helps kids think, scaffolding and autonomy support), plus a study of preschoolers linking meaningful choices to stronger executive functioning

. . . . . .

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After years of coaching thousands of women, Jess noticed that everyone she knows is scared, so she set out to understand fear biblically, physiologically, and practically. Her biggest takeaway is that the most scared person in the room can also be the bravest. She says naming a fear “is 90%,” and that kids need room to name their fears and also need to see their parents name their own. She tells parents to let go of the shame of over-rescuing and to remember they don’t want to save their kids from the story God has for them. She also shares a fresh reading of Eve adding “we can’t even touch it” to God’s command, and uses it to warn parents against making God sound tougher than He is. Her one simple practice is to “greet courage out loud”: when a child is shaking before a test or putting on a backpack while terrified, say back to them, “Look at you, you are so brave.”

Resources mentioned:

•

You Can’t Be Brave Until You’re Scared: A Call for Courageous Women to Face Fear, Fight Anxiety, and Awaken Holy Awe by Jess Connolly

•

Tired of Being Tired and What Comes Next by Jess Connolly

•

The Jess Connolly Podcast

•

Find Jess: @jessaconnolly on social and jessconnolly.com.

. . . . . .

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Order our new book, Capable, here!!

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The episode moves the Capable series from strengths to skills, which are things kids have to be taught and practice, like tying their shoes. Managing emotions comes first. Sissy and David ask parents to notice their own reflex when a child is upset. Are they a fixer, a matcher, a minimizer, or a regulator? They point to research on co-regulation showing that kids borrow an adult’s steadiness before they can calm themselves. From there they walk through the steps: name the feeling (“name it to tame it”), validate it without approving the behavior, and skip the lecture while a child’s “downstairs brain” is in charge. A code word chosen ahead of time and a family list of 20 calming strategies both help. One memorable example is a fifth grader who prayed through the alphabet to fall asleep. The episode ends with a “try this at home” challenge for parents to notice their own patterns and to ask their kids, “What helps your feelings not feel quite so big?”

Resources mentioned:

•

Strong and Smart by David Thomas

•

I Am Capable by David Thomas and Sissy Goff

•

The Daystar Dog series by David Thomas and Sissy Goff

•

Feelings Chart

•

Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson’s “upstairs and downstairs brain” model

•

A 2024 systematic review on parent–child co-regulation

•

A meta-analysis of 53 studies linking parents’ emotion regulation to their children’s

•

A brain imaging study on affect labeling(naming an emotion lowered activity in the amygdala)

. . . . . .

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Order our new book, Capable, here!!

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Sissy and David sit down in New York with Craig Melvin to talk about his book Pops, a love letter to his father, who is now in recovery after 15 years of addiction. Craig shares how growing up with an absent dad made him and his wife Lindsay put being present first, even though they sometimes overcorrect. His reminder to his family is “if everything is special, nothing is special.” He talks about helping his kids find their people, and about how years of covering tragedy taught him that the hills and valleys are what build resilience. He hopes his kids will someday remember the awkward bedtime talks and beach walks more than the big VIP moments.

Resources mentioned:

•

Pops: Learning to Be a Son and a Father by Craig Melvin

•

I’m Proud of You by Craig Melvin

•

Glass Half Full with Craig Melvin

•

Dads Got This! Craig Melvin’s show

. . . . . .

Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share!

Order our new book, Capable, here!!

See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .

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BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets atBollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

AG1: Go to DrinkAG.com/RBG and get a free Immune Support Bundle, including a bottle of Omega-3 fish oil and a bottle of Vitamin D3K2, with your first subscription order of AG1 Next Gen or AG1 Pro.

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Gratitude can sound like the soft strength in the capability series. Sissy and David argue it’s an essential one, because it teaches kids to hold two realities at once instead of pretending the hard thing isn’t there. They warn against “you should be grateful” responses that shut down emotions and can leave kids feeling shame. Instead, they encourage parents to let feelings have room before helping kids “widen the lens.” Sissy shares how her family’s “wow” practice, borrowed from Kathryn Price’s “delight” finger, now has four-year-old Whit stopping to notice joy at Disney. The hosts offer concrete ideas: name gratitude out loud, ask fresh questions, use “and” instead of “but,” make a gratitude album, write a gratitude letter, and do a gratitude scavenger hunt. They close with a challenge for this week: ask your family “What was hard today, and what was good today?” Then just listen.

Resources mentioned:

•

Episode 359: A Roadmap to Technology (and Fun) for Families with Catherine Price

. . . . . .

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Order our new book, Capable, here!!

See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .

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BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets atBollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

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AG1: Go to DrinkAG.com/RBG and get a free Immune Support Bundle, including a bottle of Omega-3 fish oil and a bottle of Vitamin D3K2, with your first subscription order of AG1 Next Gen or AG1 Pro.

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As part of the Strengths, Skills, and Strategies podcast season, NBC's Vicky Nguyen shares her family's escape from Vietnam by boat and how growing up as the perpetual "new kid" built her grit. Now she and her husband "manufacture hardship" for their three daughters, like having their middle daughter tell her Taekwondo master herself that she was quitting, because "I can't pedal the bike for you and expect you to learn how to ride it." She also explains why she praises effort over achievement and how parents can help kids face scary news: ask questions first, don't over-explain, and model calm.

Resources mentioned:

•

Boat Baby by Vicky Nguyen

•

The AI documentary Vicky recommends, called "How I Became an Apocaloptimist"

. . . . . .

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Order our new book, Capable, here!!

See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .

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BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets atBollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

AG1: Go to DrinkAG.com/RBG and get a free Immune Support Bundle, including a bottle of Omega-3 fish oil and a bottle of Vitamin D3K2, with your first subscription order of AG1 Next Gen or AG1 Pro.

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In this episode, Sissy and David explore how kids build perseverance by sticking with hard things, and how parents can stay close without stepping in to rescue them. David tells the story of a freshman cross-country runner who finished her first meet long after everyone else, cheered in by teammates who ran back onto the course for her. They share practical ideas: let kids be beginners, look for small everyday chances to keep going, and ask whether it's your child or you who needs relief. They close with Romans 5 and a challenge to tell your kids one of your own unpolished perseverance stories this week.

Resources mentioned:

•

Capable by Sissy Goff and David Thomas

•

Episode 187: Parenting and Grandparenting with Love and Laughter with Anne Lamott

•

Research on Person versus process praise and criticism: implications for contingent self-worth and coping by Carol Dweck

•

Research on How Adults' Actions, Outcomes, and Testimony Affect Preschoolers' Persistence

. . . . . .

Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share!

Order our new book, Capable, here!!

See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets atBollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

AG1: Go to DrinkAG.com/RBG and get a free Immune Support Bundle, including a bottle of Omega-3 fish oil and a bottle of Vitamin D3K2, with your first subscription order of AG1 Next Gen or AG1 Pro.

CHRISTIAN HEALTHSHARE MINISTRIES: Take charge of your healthcare by visiting chministries.org/solution.

HIYA: Visit hiyahealth.com/rbg for 50% off your first order.OUR PLACE: Visit fromourplace.com/rbg and use code RBG for 10% off sitewide,

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Amy Julia Becker explains why measuring kids against developmental milestones makes children with disabilities look incapable, and why asking "what's the next small step toward growth?" shows how capable they really are. She describes letting love "wrap around" fear and helping kids feel wanted, valued, and needed. She also shares how person-centered goal-setting turned 12-year-old Penny's dream of living with friends in Chicago into "Mondays, Penny does her own laundry." Her advice for overwhelmed parents is to pick one overwhelming thing, ask "who could help me?", and take one small step toward that person.

Resources mentioned:

•

Capable by Sissy Goff and David Thomas

•

Amy Julia Becker's books: To Be Made Well, White Picket Fences, Small Talk, A Good and Perfect Gift

•

Amy Julia's podcasts: Take the Next Step with Amy Julia Becker and Reimagining the Good Life

•

Take the Next Step: When Grief Has No Words: Helping Kids With Disabilities Process Loss • Sissy Goff, LPC-MHSP

•

Raising Boys and Girls Episode 226: Reimagining Family Life with Disability with Amy Julia Becker

•

Hope Heals

•

Disability Ministry Network

•

Alliance for Disability Justice and Ethics in Reproductive Genetics

. . . . . .

Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share!

Order our new book, Capable, here!!

See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets atBollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

AG1: Go to DrinkAG.com/RBG and get a free Immune Support Bundle, including a bottle of Omega-3 fish oil and a bottle of Vitamin D3K2, with your first subscription order of AG1 Next Gen or AG1 Pro.

CHRISTIAN HEALTHSHARE MINISTRIES: Take charge of your healthcare by visiting chministries.org/solution.THE ABSORPTION COMPANY: Visit absorbmore.com and use code RBG for up to 35% off your first order.

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Sissy and David open with a "How Flexible Are You Really?" quiz and explain that flexibility is what happens after disappointment. They say they've never seen kids, or parents, struggle with it this much, and they connect rigidity to anxiety's need for certainty and to the "control monster." They share four ways to build flexibility: name it, make it fun with low-stakes practice like a flexibility jar or a family points challenge, reward the practice, and model it yourself. They close with the idea that being capable means trusting yourself to find plan B.

Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share!

Order our new book, Capable, here!!

See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets atBollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

AG1: Go to DrinkAG.com/RBG and get a free Immune Support Bundle, including a bottle of Omega-3 fish oil and a bottle of Vitamin D3K2, with your first subscription order of AG1 Next Gen or AG1 Pro.

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Dr. Shefali Tsabary, author of Raising Conscious Daughters and Raising Conscious Sons, explains how technology targets boys through their drive for achievement and girls through their need for approval. She describes girls struggling with perfectionism beneath polished exteriors, and boys caught between a culture that treats masculinity as a bad word and a manosphere that turns it into a cartoon. Instead of starting with a digital detox, she urges parents to build "havens" of connection: small shared tasks, side-by-side movement with boys, and seeing girls as their ordinary selves. She closes by reminding girls that they don't have to fit in to belong, because "sovereignty is her liberation."

Resources mentioned:

•

Raising Conscious Daughters by Dr. Shefali Tsabary

•

Raising Conscious Sons by Dr. Shefali Tsabary

•

Dr. Shefali's website

•

Dr. Shefali's Instagram

•

Dr. Shefali's courses and her five-month conscious parenting coaching institute

. . . . . .

Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share!

Order our new book, Capable, here!!

See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets atBollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

HEY POLO: Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go toheypolo.com/raising or use code RAISING and get 70% off your first year!

AG1: Go to DrinkAG.com/RBG and get a free Immune Support Bundle, including a bottle of Omega-3 fish oil and a bottle of Vitamin D3K2, with your first subscription order of AG1 Next Gen or AG1 Pro.

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Kicking off a new stretch of their Capable series, Sissy Goff and David Thomas explore the strength of competence, distinguishing it from confidence: confidence says "I think I can," competence says "I've done hard things before," and it's built by practicing through real, manageable struggles rather than being rescued from them. They introduce "the capable pause" — asking whether a situation is truly unsafe or just uncomfortable before stepping in illustrated by David's story of coaching his daughter Lily through a recurring conflict with a classmate instead of solving it for her. The episode closes with a challenge to notice one moment this week where you're tempted to intervene, pause, and ask your child, "What do you think you could try?"

Resources mentioned:

•

Capable by David Thomas and Sissy Goff

•

I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet by Shauna Niequist

•

Romans 5, Romans 8, and John 16 — scripture passages on struggle, perseverance, and character.

. . . . . .

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Order our new book, Capable, here!!

See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .

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BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets atBollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

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SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app and take one small step today. Plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

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Blake Brewer joins Sissy and David to tell the story of watching his father drown in Hawaii when he was 19, and how a letter his dad had written him, discovered in his briefcase hours later, anchored him through grief and inspired the Legacy Letter Challenge. He shares what helped him grieve well, from adults who gave him space rather than pressure to still letting himself cry decades later, and reflects on the ripple effects of his dad's words now that he's a husband and father. He outlines the letter-writing process he teaches (apology, love, wisdom, memories) and how it's grown into corporate team-building work with companies like Walmart. He closes by urging listeners not to leave things unsaid, noting that 1 in 11 kids lose a parent or sibling by age 18.

Resources mentioned:

• Here’s a link to sign up for a free 90-minute guided Legacy Letter Experience with Blake Brewer.

•

Legacy Letter Challenge / http://legacyletter.com — Blake's organization and website, with free resources, a starter kit, and live 90-minute sessions on writing a legacy letter.

•

Helping Kids Through Grief by Sissy Goff

. . . . . .

Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share!

Order our new book, Capable, here!!

See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

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BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets atBollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app and take one small step today. Plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

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Closing out their series on grief, Sissy Goff and David Thomas focus on remembering, living, and hoping. They encourage parents to follow a child's lead on keepsakes and conversations, try tangible practices like memory boxes and collecting stories from relatives, and mark anniversaries without a script for doing it "correctly." They also address the guilt that can come with living fully again, how grief shows up unevenly in kids, and remind parents they don't have to heal on the same timeline as their child. The episode ends with three truths to hold onto — you are not alone, you will be okay, and this is not the end — and closes with a prayer written by their late friend Katherine.

Resources mentioned:

•

Helping Kids Through Grief by Sissy Goff

•

Episode 407: Joyful Anyway with Kate Bowler

. . . . . .

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Order our new book, Capable, here!!

See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

CHRISTIAN HEALTHSHARE MINISTRIES: Take charge of your healthcare by visiting chministries.org/solution.

BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets atBollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app and take one small step today. Plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

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Pastor and author Tyler Staton joins David Thomas for an honest conversation about prayer, parenting, and his journey through advanced-stage cancer. Tyler shares creative ways families can help children engage with prayer, including prayer jars and prayer trees, while reminding parents that prayer is not only about the words spoken between “Dear God” and “Amen,” but about who we become afterward. He reflects on learning to release control, live more fully present, and allow prayer to shape him into a more patient and playful father. Together, Tyler and David encourage parents to trust that God loves their children even more than they do and to find hope by noticing His presence and goodness in the middle of a complicated world.

Resources mentioned:

•

After Amen by Tyler Staton

•

https://www.tylerstaton.com/

•

Bridgetown Church

. . . . . .

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Sissy Goff and David Thomas share four things grieving children need most: conversation, community, consistency, and coping. They explain how honest, age-appropriate conversations can help children feel grounded, why safe adults and peers are essential, and how familiar routines and boundaries create security during seasons of change. They also offer practical coping strategies for navigating big emotions and remind parents that children do not need perfect answers. They need adults who will stay present, make room for their grief, and remind them that they are safe, seen, and loved.

Resources mentioned:

•

Helping Kids Through Grief by Sissy Goff

•

Daystar Counseling Ministries

. . . . . .

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Order our new book, Capable, here!!

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CHRISTIAN HEALTHSHARE MINISTRIES: Take charge of your healthcare by visiting chministries.org/solution.

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QUINCE: Go to⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

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Sissy and David are joined by author and speaker Toni Collier for an honest and hope-filled conversation about the power of community in helping kids and families navigate grief and hardship. Drawing from her family’s experience with divorce, Toni shares how accepting support from safe people strengthened both her and her children. Together, they discuss why resilience is built over time, how to help kids recognize safe relationships, and the importance of balancing bravery with rest. Toni also offers practical ideas for building meaningful community, inviting children to contribute through service, and stepping into kids’ worlds so they feel seen, connected, and capable.

Resources mentioned:

•

Don’t Try This Alone by Toni Collier

•

Brave Enough to Be Broken by Toni Collier

•

Broken Crayons Still Color by Toni Collier

•

Still Coloring with Toni Collier

. . . . . .

Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share!

Order our new book, Capable, here!!

See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

CHRISTIAN HEALTHSHARE MINISTRIES: Take charge of your healthcare by visiting chministries.org/solution.

BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets atBollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app and take one small step today. Plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

HEY POLO: Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to heypolo.com/raising or use code RAISING and get 70% off your first year!

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Grief looks different at every age, and understanding a child’s developmental stage can help parents recognize what they need most. Sissy Goff and David Thomas explore how grief may appear in babies and toddlers, preschoolers, elementary-age children, middle schoolers, and teenagers—from regression and separation anxiety to withdrawal, risk-taking, and unexpected emotional reactions. They offer practical guidance for providing stability, addressing guilt, creating opportunities for side-by-side conversations, and surrounding kids with trusted support. Above all, they remind parents that children don’t need perfect words—they need adults who notice, remain close, and continually reassure them, “I see you, I’m here, and you don’t have to go through this alone.”

Resources mentioned:

•

Helping Kids Through Grief by Sissy Goff

•

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s five experiences of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance from On Death and Dying

. . . . . .

Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share!

Order our new book, Capable, here!!

See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

CHRISTIAN HEALTHSHARE MINISTRIES: Take charge of your healthcare by visiting chministries.org/solution.

BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets atBollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app and take one small step today. Plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

HIYA: Visit hiyahealth.com/rbg for 50% off your first order.

OUR PLACE: Visit fromourplace.com/rbg and use code RBG for 10% off sitewide.

HEY POLO: Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to heypolo.com/raising or use code RAISING and get 70% off your first year!

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In this episode of Raising Boys and Girls, it features Sissy Goff and David Thomas in an in-person conversation with author and Duke professor Kate Bowler about her newest book, Joyful Anyway. Kate unpacks the difference between happiness (built from luck and circumstance) and joy (a surprising, embodied experience that can coexist with grief and hardship), drawing on her own journey through stage four cancer. She talks about letting go of the "professional happiness manager" role in parenting, how to be honest with kids about grief without burdening them, and how relinquishing control can open people up to deeper love and connection.

Resources mentioned:

•

Joyful Anyway by Kate Bowler

•

Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved by Kate Bowler

•

No Cure for Being Human: (And Other Truths I Need to Hear) by Kate Bowler

•

Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfectionby Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie

•

The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie

•

Everything Happens with Kate Bowler

•

The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld

. . . . . .

Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share!

Order our new book, Capable, here!!

See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

CHRISTIAN HEALTHSHARE MINISTRIES: Take charge of your healthcare by visiting chministries.org/solution.

BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets atBollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app and take one small step today. Plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

THE ABSORPTION COMPANY: Visit absorbmore.com and use code RBG for up to 35% off your first order.

HEY POLO: Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to heypolo.com/raising or use code RAISING and get 70% off your first year!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grief can look very different in children than it does in adults. In this episode, Sissy Goff and David Thomas share five important ways kids process loss: in small doses, in the middle of everyday life, through emotions connected to secondary losses, through play, and in new ways as they grow and develop. They encourage parents to follow their child’s lead, offer language when grief unexpectedly surfaces, and remember that there is no “right” timetable or expression of grief. Rather than trying to make children grieve like adults, caregivers can remain close, make room for remembering, and reassure kids that they never have to walk through loss alone.

Resources mentioned:

•

Helping Kids Through Grief: A Parent's Guide for Making Sense of Death, Processing Loss, and Finding Hope by Sissy Goff

•

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

. . . . . .

Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share!

Order our new book, Capable, here!!

See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

CHRISTIAN HEALTHSHARE MINISTRIES: Take charge of your healthcare by visiting chministries.org/solution.

BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets atBollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app and take one small step today. Plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

HEY POLO: Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to heypolo.com/raising or use code RAISING and get 70% off your first year!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ginny Yurich, founder of 1000 Hours Outside, joins Sissy and David to explore how outdoor play, movement, and hands-on experiences prepare children to learn and grow. She shares how homeschooling has shaped her understanding of education, emphasizing that children learn constantly through their interests, relationships, everyday responsibilities, and time in nature. Ginny also explains how outdoor play builds problem-solving skills, agency, confidence, and the ability to assess healthy risks. In a rapidly changing, technology-driven world, she encourages parents to focus less on performance and more on developing distinctly human strengths such as creativity, empathy, communication, practical skills, and meaningful relationships.

Resources mentioned:

•

1000 Hours Outside tracker sheets

•

Homeschooling: You're Doing It Right Just by Doing It by Ginny Yurich

•

Until the Streetlights Come On: How a Return to Play Brightens Our Present and Prepares Kids for an Uncertain Future by Ginny Yurich

•

Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All in Your Head by Carla Hannaford

•

Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto

•

Learning All the Time by John Holt

•

UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World by Dr. Michele Borba

•

The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives by William Stixrud

•

Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids by Kim John Payne and Lisa M. Ross

•

Generative Artificial Intelligence: What Everyone Needs to Know by Jerry Kaplan

•

Capable by David Thomas and Sissy Goff

. . . . . .

Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share!

Order our new book, Capable, here!!

See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

ADVENTURE BIBLE: Get an Adventure Bible for your child and begin reading and exploring it together to build confidence and curiosity in God’s Word https://tinyurl.com/RBGAdventureBible.

CHRISTIAN HEALTHSHARE MINISTRIES: Take charge of your healthcare by visiting chministries.org/solution.

BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets atBollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

GO MINNO: Visit GoMinno.com and use code RBG to get a one-month free trial.

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