The MAVEN Parent Podcast

<p>There’s been a lot of upheaval in education over the last few years. As a result, many families have considered homeschooling their children. However, with little to no experience, parents may have a lot of questions and concerns that hold them back. In this episode, Brett & Erin answer the top ten homeschool questions, in order to help you decide whether or not you can and should homeschool your kids. </p>

<p>We’re raising a generation of “fragile” kids. They have difficulty with the regular struggles of life. They define themselves by their negative experiences. And then they blame others for their struggles. As a result, they’re anxious and depressed. So how do we raise RESILIENT kids, who embrace life with confidence? Brett and Erin interview Dr. Kathy Koch about her new book entitled Resilient Kids. </p>

<p>Our lives are filled with so much clutter. We often absorb the cultural pressure to consume more material possessions. What does scripture say about “treasures on earth?” How do we re-orient our lives to treasure the things of God and His Kingdom over our possessions? In this episode, Brett and Erin survey some key biblical passages and then lay out practical steps to eliminate the material possessions that often clutter our lives. </p><p><br></p><p>Book — A Practical Guide to Culture: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Guide-Culture-Generation-Navigate/dp/0830781242" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Guide-Culture-Generation-Navigate/dp/0830781242</a> </p>

<p>It’s a new year and many of us are motivated to outline new year’s resolutions, set new goals, and make big plans. But how do we do so successfully? What can help keep us from setting goals this month and giving up on them next month? In this episode, Brett and Erin discuss a biblical view of planning and offer some practical steps that can help parents and families submit their goal-setting to the Lord and be effective in making and achieving them. </p><p><br></p><p>Book — Same-Sex Marriage<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Same-Sex-Marriage-Thoughtful-Approach-Response/dp/080101834X" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">: </a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Same-Sex-Marriage-Thoughtful-Approach-Response/dp/080101834X" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Same-Sex-Marriage-Thoughtful-Approach-Response/dp/08010183</a>4X</p>

<p>As we approach the New Year, it's common for people to set goals and make resolutions. However, it's also important to consider what God's will is for our lives as we make these decisions. In this talk, Brett offers biblical teaching on how to discover and know God's will and encourages listeners to think carefully about what it means to be in God's will as they set goals and make plans for the coming year. This is a valuable resource for anyone looking to live intentionally within God's will in the New Year.</p>

<p>During Christmas, families are inundated with all kinds of holiday messages. Some are true and good, while others are false and undermine our focus on the incarnation of Jesus. For parents, this is a key time to “narrate” those messages for our kids. By doing so, we help them notice and become aware of the distractions. In this episode, Brett and Erin walk through some Christmastime examples. In addition, they also discuss a few of their favorite Christmas books, that help our kids and us to direct our attention to the objective meaning of the season.</p>

<p>Equipping and discipling kids effectively in today’s world requires that we have some basic understanding of the culture they’re growing up in. Recently, Brett spoke at a church in Southern California, examining the current cultural mindset and how it shapes our kids and us. The “expressive individualism” that Brett discusses can have profound consequences for our children and students.</p>

<p>The meaning and significance of Christmas are easily muted or lost amidst the busyness and consumerism of the season. By the time Christmas morning arrives, we’re tired and unfocused and left to feel guilty that maybe we didn’t give Jesus His proper place during the holidays. So how can we slow down the Christmas season and cultivate homes where “Jesus is the reason for the season” is not merely a Christian cliche? In this episode, Brett and Erin offer one powerful idea for your family. </p>

<p>Live your truth. Be who you are. Follow your heart. These cultural mantras may sound positive and even enlightening, but they unhinge us from reality and leave us empty. In this episode, Brett and Erin are joined by Alisa Childers to discuss her new book, Live Your Truth and Other Lies. Alisa identifies some of the most prominent lies of our culture and how we can navigate them with our children and students.</p>

<p>Brett and Erin are joined by special guest Alisa Childers to discuss her book Another Gospel? and the challenges of Progressive Christianity.</p>

<p>How our kids “hang out” nowadays is a lot different than when we were growing up. Instead of going outside to play or spending time face-to-face, they constantly chat over text or play video games online while talking to friends with a headset. But should we let them? If so, how much of their socializing should be mediated through screens and technology? Does socialization through technology have an impact on their mental health? In this episode, Brett and Erin think biblically about what it means to be human and how a Christian worldview informs how approach to socialization via technology, and then offer some practical steps parents can take. </p>

<p>Most parents feel ill-prepared to manage their kids’ use of technology and protect them from a myriad of harms. So we solicited parents’ specific questions on technology for this podcast episode. How do monitor and protect kids who are more tech-savvy than their parents? What are the best parental online tools? What about parents who don’t see eye-to-eye on how to manage technology? What are some good books to help parents get on the same page? Brett and Erin weigh in on these important questions.</p>

<p>What are examples of the kind of manners we should teach our kids? How do manners have an impact on the character development of our kids? What are some practical tips for effectively teaching our kids manners? Brett and Erin get practical in this episode.</p>

<p>Should parents emphasize the teaching of manners? Are manners that big of a deal in the larger scheme of parenting? How does a Christian worldview inform our view on manners? In this episode, Brett and Erin discuss the oft-neglected topic of manners.</p>

<p>Today MAVEN joins forces with the Colson Center’s Strong Woman podcast! Brett and Erin sit down with John and Sarah Stonestreet to discuss humanity's origin story and the implications for men, women, and our families. Amid cultural confusion about what a woman is, John and Brett give practical advice for how to navigate transgender ideology for ourselves and our kids.</p>

<p>How can parents inoculate their kids from the false ideas of the surrounding culture? How do we prepare ourselves for the questions and conversations we will inevitably have to have with kids? And what’s the result if we don’t talk about culture with our kids? In this episode, Brett and Erin collect a few parenting tips on navigating culture with our kids from John and Sarah Stonestreet.</p>

<p>In this episode, Brett & Erin take some time to respond to questions from our listeners. They address some follow questions from a recent podcast (“Should We Get Rid of Kids’ Sunday Schoo?”) about implementing ideas for kids’ discipleship in the local church and in a couple’s Bible study. Brett and Erin provide some very practical advice. They also address an objection from a listener regarding what a Christian worldview is and how it relates to the topic of discipline. Keep the questions coming!</p>

<p>God has designed every human being in unique and wonderful ways, and that includes our kids. So how do we discover those things that are special about our children? How can we be intentional in encouraging our kids in their uniqueness? Brett and Erin discuss these questions and offer practical tips.</p>

<p>It seems like parents are bombarded with discouraging news headlines every single day. So how do we navigate a world of bad news? How do we think carefully and Christianly about the latest study or negative news story? Brett and Erin discuss a couple of recent headlines and show how we can think our way through them.</p>

<p>So often our first impulse is to take our parenting questions straight to the internet. We’ll ask Siri or Google answers to our questions. But is finding information online the same as gaining knowledge and wisdom? Are there better, more biblical sources that we should first consult? Brett and Erin discuss how scripture points us to true sources of wisdom for our parenting journey.</p>

<p>Is it a real possibility that your kids will have a dramatic NEGATIVE impact on your Christian faith? Are you tempted to compromise God’s moral standards because your kids are? Are your kids catechizing you? Brett and Erin discuss how our kids’ struggles with God can slowly erode the faith of the adults who love them.</p>

<p>Scott Klusendorf is one of the top pro-life apologists in the nation. Brett & Erin sit down with Scott to discuss his personal story, how he got into pro-life work, the implications of the recent Supreme Court decision regarding Roe v. Wade and how to equip the next generation to defend the life of the unborn.</p>

<p>What changes can we make in our local churches, to more effectively teach and train our children and youth? Brett & Erin share a number of practical ideas about how we can do church with our kids and raise expectations for their discipleship.</p>

<p>Is it good that our churches are largely age-segregated? Does our modern way of doing church actually hinder the discipleship of our kids? Brett & Erin share some key insights from their involvement in a church plant in Southern California, that will challenge current thinking about how we do church with our kids.</p>

<p>How do we teach our kids about an abstract idea like the nature of truth? How do we instill in them a commitment to the truth? Brett and Erin outline very practical steps parents can take to train their kids in truth.</p>

<p>Our kids are growing up in a culture that undermines their confidence in knowing truth and reality. “Live your own truth” and “that’s true for you but not for me” are the mantras of the day. How do we teach our kids truth and restore their confidence that we can know God’s truth? Brett and Erin discuss this ubiquitous parenting challenge and offer ways to think carefully about the nature of truth.</p>

<p>For Christians, reading is vital. God has primarily spoken to us through the written word, in His Holy Word. Therefore, we must cultivate a LOVE for reading in our kids, if we want to equip them with an absolutely essential tool for their spiritual growth. But how can we get our kids to read? How do we help them fall in love with reading? In this podcast episode, Brett and Erin interview Carole Joy Seid. Carole offers practical advice on getting our kids to fall in love with reading.</p>

<p>Many parenting experts and psychologists will argue that children, particularly young kids, have no “impulse control.” What does this mean? What are the implications for discipline and parenting? And how do current ideas about impulse control fit with a biblical view of children, discipline and parenting? Brett and Erin tackle these questions in this episode.</p>

<p>If you asked most Christian parents, church history is probably not at the top of the list of topics we think we NEED to teach our kids about. However, if we don’t teach them about this vital subject, we can seriously handicap their faith. In this episode, Brett and Erin list the reasons WHY we should teach church history to our kids and then provide practical advice on HOW to teach it effectively. <br><br>Show notes: <a href="https://linktr.ee/mavenpodcast70" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://linktr.ee/mavenpodcast70</a></p>

<p>In this episode, Brett and Erin respond to a popular pastors tweet about the indoctrination of kids in school. They discuss whether or not parents should actually be concerned and then evaluate four recommendations the pastor offers parents about the discipleship of our kids.</p>

<p>School is out and summer is in full swing. However, having the kids home more or losing the structure of the school-year calendar, can present challenges for parents. Rather than feeling stuck “entertaining” your kids or letting screens take over, parents who are intentional can make summer a very productive time. How? Brett and Erin discuss one simple tool to take control of your kids’ summer.</p>

<p>What is a worldview and why does it even matter? These questions are absolutely vital to answer, as we train up our kids in the Christian faith. Recently, Brett spoke on this topic at the Navigate Worldview Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. In this talk, he discusses how everyone has a worldview but most people have never thought carefully about why they believe what they believe. Ironically, one’s worldview has profound consequences for all of life. Brett then takes a quick look at the prominent worldviews in our culture and lays out the very practical implications of worldview for how we live each and every day.</p>

<p>In the second half of their parent talk at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio in April 2022, Brett and Erin continue to dispel the cultural lies about gender and then begin to paint a biblical picture of God’s design for gender.</p>

<p>How does our culture most powerfully shape us? By presenting to us what is, and therefore should be, normal. And what is the culture presenting to our young people as the norm regarding sex and gender? In this talk given to the parents at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio in April 2022, Brett and Erin walk through a multitude of examples from the culture. Then they provide some clear thinking to help parents navigate these issues in a confused culture.</p>

<p>Is it legitimate to legislate our moral views on abortion? Are pro-lifers inconsistent because they only care about the unborn and not the already-born? Brett & Erin bring some clear thinking to help answer these common objections to the pro-life position.</p>

<p>With the leak of the Supreme Court’s draft opinion on Roe v. Wade this week, abortion is THE hot topic. So, should we take this opportunity to talk to our kids about this explosive issue? In this episode, Brett & Erin discuss why and how to talk to your kids about abortion.</p>

<p>Parents struggle with how much to protect their kids from the difficulties of life. When it comes to the reality of death, are our kids ready to confront the pain and suffering that accompanies it? Should we take them to a funeral? In this episode, Brett and Erin discuss a biblical worldview perspective on life and death and how it should inform our parenting on this tough issue.</p>

<p>Recently, Disney has been in the news for its LGBTQ activism. Disney executives have said they want to incorporate more LGBTQ characters into their shows and movies. So what’s a parent to do? Should Christian parents let their kids watch Disney? In this episode, Brett and Erin work through this issue thoughtfully, while also providing practical steps for parents.</p>

<p>Time is fundamental to life. We live in time. We organize our lives according to it. We can’t escape time. And yet, many of us have never thought about how our Christian faith relates to time. In this episode, Brett and Erin talk about the Christian Calendar and how it is a practical tool to bring God’s Story to the center of our lives and organize our lives around Him, rather than ourselves.<br><br>SHOW NOTES:<br><br>The Story … As Told Through the Christian Calendar<br><a href="https://vimeo.com/79923336" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://vimeo.com/79923336</a><br><br>9 Things You Should Know About the Christian Calendar<br><a href="https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/9-things-know-christian-calendar/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/9-things-know-christian-calendar/</a></p>

<p>Recently, Brett spoke to parents at Arbor Road Church in Southern California. During the Q & A, there were a lot of questions regarding kids and technology, so Brett and Erin decided to tackle them in this episode.</p>

<p>There's a lot of modern parenting advice out there that says we should let kids "feel what they feel." By allowing them to display any and all emotions, even by way of tantrum, we are allegedly giving them a safe place for those feelings. But how does this modern advice stack up with the ancient wisdom of Scripture? Should parents tolerate tantrums or is there a better way? In this episode, Brett and Erin discuss this challenging topic for parents.</p>

<p>In our culture, family dysfunction and brokenness is pervasive. For many, broken families are simply the new normal. As such, Christians cannot overlook the powerful impact a healthy and harmonious home will have on those around us. So how can we cultivate a family life that brings stability, strength, peace and harmony? This session will provide practical guidance on raising a family in the midst of a culture where families are falling apart and show how a healthy home can be a bright light in a dark culture.</p>

<p>We know we should pray as parents, but WHY do we pray? What does the very act of praying mean? Brett & Erin recently joined the Colson Center for a brief discussion on why prayer is a significant and powerful part of parenting.</p>

<p>Ideas have <a href="http://consequences...and" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">consequences...and</a> bad ideas have victims. When it comes to Transgender ideology, the victims are usually children and students. In this episode, Brett and Erin discuss some of the consequences of affirming the culture’s view of gender identity and what practical steps parents can take to help their kids navigate this new reality.</p>

<p>Transgender ideology says that one’s gender is determined solely by an individual’s thoughts or feelings about oneself. The result? Gender can be anything you make it. In this episode, Brett and Erin discuss how, ironically, this view ends up doing away with any meaningful sense of gender altogether.<br><br>The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self:<br><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Rise-Triumph-Modern-Self-Individualism/dp/1433556332/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1646213776&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/Rise-Triumph-Modern-Self-Individualism/dp/1433556332/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1646213776&sr=8-1</a><br><br>When Harry Became Sally:<br><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-harry-became-sally-ryan-anderson/1125792437?ean=9781594039614" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-harry-became-sally-ryan-anderson/1125792437?ean=9781594039614</a></p>

<p>Women’s collegiate swimming has erupted in controversy, as Lia Thomas, a trans woman who competes on the Penn St. women’s swim team breaks records and dominates competition. In this episode, Brett and Erin discuss these recent events and how Christian parents should think about the issues surrounding gender identity and how we can help our kids navigate transgender ideology.<br><br><a href="https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/watching-lia-thomas-win?utm_source=url" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/watching-lia-thomas-win?utm_source=url</a></p>

<p>The Bible is filled with miracle accounts so why don’t Christians talk much about the miraculous? Do we really believe that miracles are possible, even probable? How do miracle stories strengthen our faith in God? Brett and Erin interview Dr. J.P. Moreland about his new book, A Simple Guide to Experience Miracles: Instruction and Inspiration for Living Supernaturally in Christ.<br><br>Get JP's book on Miracles: <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Simple-Guide-Experience-Miracles-Supernaturally/dp/0310124190/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1645139980&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/Simple-Guide-Experience-Miracles-Supernaturally/dp/0310124190/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1645139980&sr=8-1</a><br><br>Little Lights books: <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Little-Lights-Box-Set-1/dp/1781918015/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2YELPYSUZBX1L&keywords=little+lights+book&qid=1645140170&sprefix=little+lights+book%2Caps%2C197&sr=8-2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/Little-Lights-Box-Set-1/dp/1781918015/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2YELPYSUZBX1L&keywords=little+lights+book&qid=1645140170&sprefix=little+lights+book%2Caps%2C197&sr=8-2</a></p>

<p>The last two years have been difficult and anxiety and depression have hit epidemic levels in both parents and our kids. How do can we navigate anxiety successfully? In this episode, Brett and Erin interview Dr. J.P. Moreland about his book, Finding Quiet: My Story of Overcoming Anxiety and the Practices That Brought Peace.<br><br>Get JP's book: <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Finding-Quiet-Overcoming-Anxiety-Practices/dp/031059720X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1644487311&sr=1-2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/Finding-Quiet-Overcoming-Anxiety-Practices/dp/031059720X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1644487311&sr=1-2</a></p>

<p>In this episode, Brett and Erin discuss their journey into homeschooling. After having kids in both public and private schools, what reasons led them to pursue the homeschool option? And how did they think about objections to homeschooling, like socialization or having our kids be “salt and light” in the public system? Brett and Erin discuss all of this and more in this podcast episode.</p>

<p>We’re changing things up for this episode of the MAVEN Parent podcast! Brett and Erin ask each other some unrehearsed and unanticipated parenting questions. Their answers are very personal and reveal some parental wisdom borne out of struggle.</p>