Here to offer help and hope for your parenting.
This episode emphasizes that kids grow emotionally strong through five key needs: healthy boredom that creates space for creativity and self-direction, agency that helps them feel capable and in control within boundaries, opportunities to experience discomfort so they learn they can handle hard feelings, fortitude built by sticking with challenges over time, and parents who trust their own instincts rather than outsourcing confidence to overwhelming outside influences. Together, these practices help children develop resilience by facing difficulties with steady support instead of avoidance or overprotection.
. . . . . .
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Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience
Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage
. . . . . .
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Sissy Goff and David Thomas explore the powerful, research-backed role of play in reducing anxiety, building resilience, and strengthening family connection. They unpack why unstructured play has declined, how play shapes kids’ brains and emotional health, and why adults need play just as much as kids do. The conversation offers five practical ways to bring play back into everyday family life—without pressure or perfection—and culminates in a joyful interview with Alex and Whitney Kimerling of Hootenanny Games, who share how screen-free games foster connection, confidence, and core memories across generations.
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Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience
Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage
. . . . . .
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Sissy Goff and David Thomas sit down with journalist and author Leland Vittert to talk about his memoir Born Lucky and the profound impact his father had on his life growing up with autism. Leland shares candid stories of adversity, resilience, and learning to navigate a world that wasn’t built for him—highlighting how character, hard work, and perseverance are formed not by removing hardship, but by walking through it with steady support. With honesty and hope, this conversation encourages parents that while they can’t erase their child’s challenges, their presence, belief, and commitment to helping their child do hard things can make a life-changing difference.
. . . . . .
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Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience
Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage
. . . . . .
If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our Advertise With Us form.
QUINCE: Go to Quince.com/rbg for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.
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Sissy Goff and David Thomas kick off a new series by exploring five things kids need most socially right now. Drawing from decades of counseling experience and current research, they unpack why today’s kids are struggling with civility, empathy, reciprocity, belonging, and real-time social practice. They discuss how screens, cultural tone, and isolation are shaping kids’ relationships—and offer practical, doable ways parents can help at home, from modeling kind disagreement to creating opportunities for face-to-face connection. This hopeful, practical conversation reminds parents that social skills are built through practice, and that small, intentional shifts can make a meaningful difference in kids’ lives.
Resources mentioned:
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Raising Emotionally Strong Boys: Tools Your Son Can Build On for Life by David Thomas
Are My Kids on Track?: The 12 Emotional, Social, and Spiritual Milestones Your Child Needs to Reach by Sissy Goff, David Thomas, and Melissa Trevathan
. . . . . .
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Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience
Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage
. . . . . .
If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our Advertise With Us form.
QUINCE: Go to Quince.com/rbg for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.
BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at Bollandbranch.com/rbg. Exclusions apply.
ATHLETIC GREENS: Go to DRINKAG1.com/RBG to get their best offer… For a limited time only, get a FREE AG1 duffel bag and FREE AG1 Welcome Kit with your first subscription order! Only while supplies last.
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In this episode, Dr. Gary Chapman joins Sissy Goff and David Thomas to explore what kids need most right now: feeling deeply and consistently loved. Drawing from decades of counseling families and his work with the Five Love Languages, Dr. Chapman explains how children uniquely receive love, how parents can identify a child’s primary love language, and why behavior is often a signal that a child’s “love tank” is running low. The conversation offers practical, hope-filled guidance for adapting love languages as kids grow, navigating different personalities within one family, and building daily rhythms—like shared meals and one-on-one time—that foster connection, resilience, and lasting emotional security.
Resources mentioned:
The 5 Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman
The 5 Love Languages of Children by Dr. Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell
The 5 Love Languages of Teenagers by Dr. Gary Chapman
. . . . . .
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!
Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!
Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at raisingboysandgirls.com
Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience
Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage
. . . . . .
If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our Advertise With Us form.
QUINCE: Go to Quince.com/rbg for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.
BOLL & BRANCH: Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at Bollandbranch.com/rbg. Exclusions apply.
ATHLETIC GREENS: Go to DRINKAG1.com/RBG to get their best offer… For a limited time only, get a FREE AG1 duffel bag and FREE AG1 Welcome Kit with your first subscription order! Only while supplies last.
COOK UNITY: Go to cookunity.com/RBG or enter code RBG before checkout to get 50% off your first order
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Sissy Goff and David Thomas talk with Justin Whitmel Earley about his new book The Body Teaches the Soul and how our everyday physical habits—like breathing, sleep, movement, and technology use—quietly shape our spiritual lives and parenting. Justin shares how burnout and anxiety led him to discover that lasting change comes not from trying harder, but from practicing small, embodied habits that help us respond with patience, presence, and grace. With practical encouragement for overwhelmed parents, he reminds us that habit change is about responding to God’s love, not earning it, and that starting small can lead to meaningful transformation.
Resources mentioned:
The Body Teaches the Soul by Justin Whitmel Earley
The Common Rule by Justin Whitmel Earley
Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley
Made for People by Justin Whitmel Earley
Atomic Habits by James Clear
. . . . . .
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!
Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!
Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at raisingboysandgirls.com
Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience
Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage
. . . . . .
If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our Advertise With Us form.
A special thank you to our sponsors:
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In this warm and super-practical holiday episode, Sissy and David share 10 grounding tips to help families navigate Christmas with more connection and less overwhelm. They normalize the big feelings kids—and parents—experience this time of year, offer simple tools like previewing plans, using calm-down kits and code words, practicing gratitude, and building gentle rhythms instead of rigid schedules. They also speak tenderly to families carrying grief, give guidance for managing family dynamics and gift overload, and remind listeners that the holidays don’t need to be magical—just manageable, honest, and connected. They close by sharing a favorite family tradition and reading a beautiful prayer from Every Moment Holy for anyone wrapping gifts this week.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Strong and Smart: A Boy's Guide to Building Healthy Emotions by David Thomas
All Is Calmish: How to Feel Less Frantic and More Festive During the Holidays by Niro Feliciano
The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones – specifically “The Light of the Whole World” chapter
Every Moment Holy – “A Liturgy for the Wrapping of Christmas Gifts”
. . . . . .
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Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience
Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage
. . . . . .
If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our Advertise With Us form.
A special thank you to our sponsors:
QUINCE: Go to Quince.com/rbg for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.
THRIVE MARKET: Head over to ThriveMarket.com/rbg to get 30% off your first order and a FREE $60 gift.
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Sissy and David reflect on the meaningful conversations and listener feedback from their Enneagram parenting journey, offering a quick, hope-filled recap of each number’s core parenting strengths and how to support kids of every type. They remind us there’s no “right” way to parent—only the unique goodness each number brings—share a few favorite resources for further learning, and close with a tender benediction for parents doing the sacred work of raising boys and girls.
Resources mentioned:
The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile
The Path Between Us by Suzanne Stabile
The Journey Toward Wholeness: Enneagram Wisdom for Stress, Balance, and Transformation by Suzanne Stabile
. . . . . .
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Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at raisingboysandgirls.com
Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience
Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage
. . . . . .
If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our Advertise With Us form.
A special thank you to our sponsors:
QUINCE: Go to Quince.com/rbg for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.
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In this rich and hope-filled conversation, Sissy and David are joined by beloved friends and Enneagram teachers Jill Phillips and Hunter Mobley to explore how the Enneagram can help parents show up with more grace, humility, and curiosity. Together, they unpack how understanding motivations—not just behaviors—can transform parenting, reduce reactivity, and deepen connection. Hunter shares insights from his book Letting Go, Finding You, inviting parents to see their Enneagram type not as a box but as a pathway toward virtue, healing, and surrender, while Jill offers practical wisdom on stances, compassion, and loving kids in ways that fit who they uniquely are. With reflections on contemplative practices, slowing down, and trusting that our kids’ stories are still unfolding, this episode offers parents reassurance, perspective, and hope for the long game of growth—for themselves and for their children.
Resources mentioned:
Letting Go, Finding You: Uncover Your Truest Self Through the Enneagram and Contemplation by Hunter Mobley
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawerence
The Quotidian Mysteries by Kathleen Norris
Under Pressure by Lisa Damour
. . . . . .
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Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!
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Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience
Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage
. . . . . .
If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our Advertise With Us form.
A special thank you to our sponsors:
QUINCE: Go to Quince.com/rbg for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.
THRIVE MARKET: Head over to ThriveMarket.com/rbg to get 30% off your first order and a FREE $60 gift.
NIV APPLICATION BIBLE: Save an additional 10% on any NIV Application Bible and NIV Application Commentary Resources by visiting faithgateway.com/nivab and using promo code RBG.
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Hillary Rector and Andy Gullahorn share an honest, thoughtful look at what it’s like to move through the world—and parent—as Enneagram Nines. They discuss the genuine ease, adaptability, and steady presence that come naturally to them, along with the quieter struggles: delayed emotions, difficulty voicing desires, and the instinct to “smooth the ice” for everyone around them. Their stories highlight both the gentleness and complexity of this peaceful number.
Hillary and Andy reflect on how their nine-ness shapes their parenting—helping them create a calm, grounded environment, while also challenging them to build clearer boundaries, name their needs, and show their kids a more defined sense of self. They offer practical insight for supporting nine children, encouraging parents to give them time, space, and gentle opportunities to speak up and step in. It’s a compassionate, warm conversation for anyone who loves a nine or is raising one.
If you liked this episode, we think you’ll probably like:
Episode 121: Storing Up Good Memories for Your Kids with Hillary and Ben Rector
Episode 18: Using the Enneagram to Understand and Parent Kids and Adolescents
. . . . . .
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!
Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!
Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at raisingboysandgirls.com
Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience
Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage
. . . . . .
If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our Advertise With Us form.
A special thank you to our sponsors:
QUINCE: Go to Quince.com/rbg for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.
THRIVE MARKET: Head over to ThriveMarket.com/rbg to get 30% off your first order and a FREE $60 gift.
NIV APPLICATION BIBLE: Save an additional 10% on any NIV Application Bible and NIV Application Commentary Resources by visiting faithgateway.com/nivab and using promo code RBG.
MERCY SHIPS: Please donate today at MercyShips.org/podcast.
OMAHA STEAKS: Visit OmahaSteaks.com for 50% off sitewide during their Sizzle All the Way Sale. And for an extra $35 off, use promo code FUN at checkout.
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In this episode, Sissy and David dive into Enneagram Nines—their calming presence, deep empathy, and quiet, steady love that makes home feel like a safe place for kids’ big feelings. They also gently name the harder parts for Nines: avoiding conflict, losing their voice, procrastination, and numbing out, especially in parenting. You’ll hear practical ways Nine parents can use their voice, follow through with boundaries, stay present in conflict, and help Nine kids step into their own desires and decisions without losing their beautiful gift of peace.
Resources mentioned:
. . . . . .
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!
Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!
Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at raisingboysandgirls.com
Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience
Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage
. . . . . .
If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our Advertise With Us form.
A special thank you to our sponsors:
QUINCE: Go to Quince.com/rbg for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.
THRIVE MARKET: Head over to ThriveMarket.com/rbg to get 30% off your first order and a FREE $60 gift.
NIV APPLICATION BIBLE: Save an additional 10% on any NIV Application Bible and NIV Application Commentary Resources by visiting faithgateway.com/nivab and using promo code RBG.
MERCY SHIPS: Please donate today at MercyShips.org/podcast.
OMAHA STEAKS: Visit OmahaSteaks.com for 50% off sitewide during their Sizzle All the Way Sale. And for an extra $35 off, use promo code FUN at checkout.
WAYFAIR: Get organized, refreshed, and ready for the holidays for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices