In this episode, Sissy and David sit down with Michael and Melissa Kruger to talk about helping families build meaningful spiritual rhythms together. The Krugers share the heart behind their new book, The Good News Family Devotional: Fifty-Two Weeks Through the Gospel of Mark, and encourage parents that family discipleship doesn’t have to be perfect or complicated to make a lasting impact. They discuss creating space for kids to ask hard questions, building resilience through a loving and faith-filled home, and remembering that small, consistent steps over time can shape a child’s faith for years to come.

Resources mentioned:

• The Good News Family Devotional: 52 Weeks Through the Gospel of Mark by Michael and Melissa Kruger

• Surviving Religion 101 by Michael Kruger

• Michael Kruger’s website: michaeljkruger.com

• Word First: wordfirst.org

. . . . . . 

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 at Bollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to ⁠Quince.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.

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

As kids head back to school, Sissy Goff and David Thomas share five practical ways parents can help them navigate the big emotions that often come with transition. They encourage parents to expect heightened feelings, lend kids their confidence, let feelings “ride but not drive,” protect margin for rest, and help kids collect evidence of their own capability. With simple scripts and questions parents can use at home, Sissy and David remind us that the goal isn’t for kids to become fearless—it’s for them to learn that they can feel nervous, overwhelmed, or uncertain and still move forward.

Resources mentioned:

• I Am 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 at Bollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to ⁠Quince.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.

HIYA HEALTH: Visit hiyahealth.com/RBG to get 50% off your first order.

OUR PLACE: Stop cooking with toxic cookware, and upgrade to Our Place today. Visit fromourplace.com/RBG and use code RBG for 10% off sitewide.

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

Sissy Goff and David Thomas sit down with Lysa TerKeurst for a meaningful conversation about making peace with what we can’t control—especially as parents. Lysa shares what she’s learned through raising five children, walking through divorce, and now becoming a grandmother, including the importance of keeping kids talking, releasing the need to control outcomes, and allowing children to experience consequences and build resilience. She reminds parents that their children’s mistakes don’t define their parenting and encourages families to create a strong sense of belonging, pursue their own growth, and trust God with what they ultimately cannot control.

Resources mentioned:

• Making Peace with What I Can’t Control: Find Relief from the Exhaustion of Overthinking, Trying to Fix Others, and Wanting to Figure It All Out by Lysa TerKeurst

• Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of Who You Are by Lysa TerKeurst

• Proverbs 31 Ministries

• “Thy Will” by Hillary Scott & The Scott Family

• Eloise books by Kay Thompson

• Lysa TerKeurst on Instagram and Facebook

. . . . . . 

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 at Bollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to ⁠Quince.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.

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

As kids head back to school, friendships can bring just as much anxiety as academics. In this episode, Sissy Goff and David Thomas share five practical ways parents can help kids build social confidence: practice the first few minutes of the day, teach kids to notice others, give them simple conversation starters, allow friendships time to grow, and celebrate courage instead of popularity. They remind parents that friendship is a skill that develops through practice, small risks, repeated interactions, and plenty of imperfect moments along the way.

Resources mentioned:

• 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 at Bollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to ⁠Quince.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.

HIYA HEALTH: Visit hiyahealth.com/RBG to get 50% off your first order.

OUR PLACE: Stop cooking with toxic cookware, and upgrade to Our Place today. Visit fromourplace.com/RBG and use code RBG for 10% off sitewide.

LIBERTY HEALTH SHARE: Visit LibertyHealthShare.org to learn more about healthcare sharing options for your family. 

CASPER: Save up to 30% on mattresses and up to 35% on everything else when you go to Casper.com.

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

Melanie Shankle and Sophie Hudson join David and Sissy for a funny, honest conversation about raising capable kids without giving in to pressure, perfectionism, or the urge to rescue them from every hard moment. Drawing from their friendship and experiences parenting young adults, they discuss the importance of allowing kids to fail, advocate for themselves, handle responsibilities, and develop confidence in their own decision-making. They also share how laughter creates perspective and strengthens family relationships, making room for both lighthearted moments and harder conversations. Melanie and Sophie encourage parents to know their individual child, model an authentic faith, apologize when they get things wrong, and remember that struggles are often what help kids develop resilience and make their faith their own.

Resources mentioned:

• The Big Boo Cast Podcast with Melanie Shankle & Sophie Hudson

• The Lion and the Bear: A 100-Day Guide for Facing Your Giants | Devotional for Teen and College Girls by Melanie and Caroline Shankle

More listening:

• Ep 50: How to Help Kids Handle Conflict with Melanie Shankle and Sophie Hudson

• Ep 151: Raising Boys and Girls Live with Sophie Hudson and Melanie Shankle

• Ep 246: Freeing Your Children from your Own Trauma with Melanie Shankle

• Ep 304: Faith, Family, and the Power of a Good Devotional with Melanie and Caroline Shankle

. . . . . . 

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 at Bollandbranch.com/rbg⁠. Exclusions apply.

QUINCE: Go to ⁠Quince.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.

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

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

As the new school year approaches, Sissy Goff and David Thomas help parents understand why transitions can bring big feelings, physical symptoms, and anxious thoughts for both kids and adults. They share an easy-to-remember “A+ Anxiety Plan”: anticipate anxiety, create an action plan, avoid avoidance, act it out through practice, and affirm courage. With practical scripts and strategies for navigating school drop-off, social situations, and after-school conversations, Sissy and David encourage parents to help kids take small, brave steps and collect evidence that they are capable of handling hard things.

Resources mentioned: 

• Capable by David Thomas and Sissy Goff

• I Am Capable by David Thomas and Sissy Goff

• Search Institute research on relationships with caring adults

• Albert Bandura’s research on self-efficacy

• Carol Dweck’s research on growth mindset and praising effort

. . . . . . 

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.

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.

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.

LIBERTY HEALTH SHARE: Visit LibertyHealthShare.org to learn more about healthcare sharing options for your family. 

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

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

Dr. Dale Atkins joins David and Sissy to explore how speed, chronic stress, digital distraction, and intensive parenting are reshaping family relationships and contributing to a crisis of capability in kids. She shares practical wisdom for building stronger connections across generations, including listening without becoming defensive, respecting adult children as independent people, offering guidance without taking over, and staying curious when experiences or memories differ. The conversation also highlights the importance of unstructured family time, emotional safety, intergenerational relationships, and modeling kindness through small, everyday actions.

Resources mentioned:

• Dr. Dale Atkins website

• The Turquoise Butterfly by Dr. Dale V. Atkins

• Dear Deer by Dr. Dale V. Atkins

. . . . . . 

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.

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.

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.

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

Friendships are where kids practice being human, but social anxiety, screens, group dynamics, and “rollercoaster” relationships are making connection harder than ever. Sissy and David offer practical ways parents can help kids recognize healthy friendships, develop realistic expectations, practice conversation and initiation, understand reciprocity, set kind boundaries, and navigate awkward moments. Rather than managing every relationship, parents can coach kids to find good friends, have a “good picker,” and become the kind of friend they hope to have.

Resources mentioned

• Capable by David Thomas and Sissy Goff

• I Am Capable by David Thomas and Sissy Goff

• Raising Emotionally Strong Boys: Tools Your Son Can Build On for Life by David Thomas

• Brave: A Teen Girl's Guide to Beating Worry and Anxiety by Sissy Goff

• Ephesians 5 in The Message

. . . . . . 

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.

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.

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.

LIBERTY HEALTH SHARE: Visit LibertyHealthShare.org to learn more about healthcare sharing options for your family.

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

Katty and Hunter Connelly join Sissy and David to share what they have learned while raising four very different children. They discuss building capability through honesty, responsibility, hard work, and allowing kids to experience the consequences of their choices rather than constantly stepping in to fix things. They also offer encouragement for navigating sibling conflict, treating children fairly without treating them exactly the same, launching young adults, and trusting that strained sibling relationships can grow stronger over time. Through plenty of honesty about their own mistakes, Katty and Hunter remind parents that apologizing, letting go, and consistently communicating unconditional love can help preserve connection through every stage of family life. 

. . . . . . 

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Sibling relationships can be some of the longest and most meaningful relationships in a person’s life, helping kids develop empathy, resilience, social skills, and healthy conflict resolution. Sissy and David encourage parents to see sibling comparison, fairness battles, and everyday arguments as opportunities to build lifelong skills rather than problems to eliminate. They share practical ways to strengthen sibling connection, including allowing kids time to work through disagreements, coaching rather than controlling conflict, practicing repair, creating shared experiences and responsibilities, protecting each child’s individuality, and looking beneath difficult behavior to understand what may really be going on.

Resources mentioned

• Capable by David Thomas and Sissy Goff

• I Am Capable by David Thomas and Sissy Goff

• The VOMP conflict-resolution framework: Voice your hurt, Own your part, Walk a Mile in the other person’s shoes, and Make a Plan

. . . . . . 

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.

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.

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.

LIBERTY HEALTH SHARE: Visit LibertyHealthShare.org to learn more about healthcare sharing options for your family. 

HIYA HEALTH: Visit hiyahealth.com/RBG to get 50% off your first order.

WAYFAIR: Get organized, refreshed, and ready for the holidays for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home.

OUR PLACE: Stop cooking with toxic cookware, and upgrade to Our Place today. Visit fromourplace.com/RBG and use code RBG for 10% off sitewide.

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

David and Sissy talk with two beloved educators, kindergarten teacher Wheat Teller and high school history teacher Dan Carpenter, about what capability looks like in the classroom from the earliest years through high school. Together, they discuss the importance of letting kids struggle in age-appropriate ways, resist the urge to rescue, build emotional regulation, develop independence, and learn through challenge and even failure. Wheat and Dan also talk about the effects of busyness and screens, the need for reading, family dinners, focused study time, and slowing down enough for kids to experience the joy of learning.

. . . . . . 

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.

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.

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.

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