Brave Parenting

Latest Episodes:

Netflix’s Adolescence Should Make Parents Rethink Their Strategy Apr 21, 2025

Show notes

The popular Netflix series Adolescence is raising many questions about the online content kids consume. Media and technology are often blamed for stealing kids’ childhood, but in light of this show, we have to consider why parents willingly hand their child over to isolation behind a screen.

In this Brave Briefing, Kelly considers the role of the parents in the show Adolescence. Rather than brew over the toxic content available for kids to see, parents have the opportunity to respond with action. Doing something different, preventative, and brave is the only way to change the trajectory of modern adolescence.

Scripture referenced:

Deuteronomy 6:7
Proverbs 22:6
Romans 12:2

Articles referenced:

How Parenting & Self-Control Mediate the Link Between Social Media Use and Youth Mental Health

WATCH the Brave Briefing on YouTube

Get the newly published Managing Media Creating Character STUDY GUIDE & WORKBOOK!

GET the Revised & Updated book Managing Media Creating Character

Episode 182: Minecraft Movie Review Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

Today, Kelly and Ryan give a synopsis and review of the new Minecraft movie, which just opened in theaters nationwide.
They discuss the overall plot, the quality of the language and content, and what type of conversations you can have with your kids after seeing the movie.

Be sure to check out our new Brave Parenting Guide to Minecraft (the game – not the movie)!

Scripture referenced:

Genesis 3:17-19
Proverbs 22:6

Book a Speaking Event!!

Buy the NEWLY UPDATED book: Managing Media Creating Character (2024 Revised & Updated)

Get Kelly’s new Study Guide & Workbook, with video teachings for small groups.

Teach your kids how to have a biblical worldview with Foundation Worldview!
Use PROMO CODE: BRAVE to save $10 on any curriculum purchase.

Check out the Pinwheel phone – it’s our favorite not-as-smart kid-safe smartphone on the market.

Sign up for the Brave Bullet Points newsletter! This helps us communicate what’s new without social media – a win for everyone!

Are We Failing Girls? Apr 02, 2025

Show notes

Today, Kelly responds to a series of articles published by The Stylist asking the question, “What is it like to be a girl in 2025?”

Are we, as a society, failing girls? If the picture they paint is true, how can it be remedied? What is the parent’s role in all of this?

Articles referenced:

Is 2025 The Scariest Time to Be a Girl?
Nowhere Feels Safe – What its Like to be a Girl in 2025.

Scripture Referenced:

Proverbs 31:25
1 Peter 3:4
1 Corinthians 6:18

Get the newly published Managing Media Creating Character Study Guide & Workbook!

WATCH the Brave Briefing on YouTube

GET the Revised & Updated book Managing Media Creating Character

Ep. 181: TikTok Doesn’t Really Care About Your Kids Mar 17, 2025

Show notes

TikTok wants you to believe they care deeply about your kids’ safety and well-being. Last week, they announced new parental controls allowing parents to see who their kids are following and who follows them. Additionally, they will begin “Wind down” mode for users under 16 years old. Are any of these ground-breaking? No. Could they do so much more? Absolutely.

In this episode, Kelly passionately reviews the latest with all things TikTok, including the impending deadline to be sold or banned in the U.S., the new parental controls, and how one university football coach took it upon himself to ban dancing on TikTok to preserve his team’s image.

Previous Episodes referenced:

Should Christians Use Meditation Apps?

Articles referenced:

TikTok’s mood music will tell teens to ‘wind down’ after 10PM
TikTok’s Guardian Guide
TikTok Is Harming Children at an Industrial Scale
Will TikTok’s new parental control features really work?
West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez bans TikTok dancing

Scripture referenced:

Colossians 1:15-17
John 1:3
Hebrews 1:2-3
Matthew 6:24
Romans 12:3
Romans 1:21-23
Galatians 6:8-9

Book a Speaking Event!!

Buy the NEWLY UPDATED book: Managing Media Creating Character (2024 Revised & Updated)

Get Kelly’s new Study Guide & Workbook, with video teachings for small groups.

Teach your kids how to have a biblical worldview with Foundation Worldview!
Use PROMO CODE: BRAVE to save $10 on any curriculum purchase.

Check out the Pinwheel phone – it’s our favorite not-as-smart kid-safe smartphone on the market.

Sign up for the Brave Bullet Points newsletter! This helps us communicate what’s new without social media – a win for everyone!

Tablets Are Taking Over Toddlerhood Mar 11, 2025

Show notes

Tablets are taking over toddlerhood. Common Sense Media’s 2025 Consensus on media usage by kids zero to eight years old reveals staggering numbers of the youngest and most vulnerable of society on internet-connected devices for upwards of 3.5 hours per day on average. Two-thirds of parents admit to allowing the screen to “get stuff done,” but is anyone considering anything other than convenience? It seems parents want to outsource parenting just as they outsource many other tasks nowadays.

How should Christian parents think about the convenience of a digital babysitter?

Articles referenced:

Common Sense Media 2025 Consensus

Scripture referenced:

James 1:5
Proverbs 3:13
Matthew 7:13

Get the newly published Managing Media Creating Character Study Guide & Workbook!

WATCH the Brave Briefing on YouTube

GET the Revised & Updated book Managing Media Creating Character

Marvel Rivals – The Hottest New Game Mar 03, 2025

Show notes

Marvel Rivals is the latest gaming craze, drawing 40 million players with its fast-paced action and free-to-play model. But behind the fun lies a culture-shaping platform that hooks kids with addictive design, in-game purchases, and exposure to toxic online interactions.

In this Brave Briefing episode, Kelly unpacks what parents need to know—how the game influences kids’ social identity, gaming habits, and motivation. Are video games just entertainment, or something more?

Articles referenced:

NTY: Censoring Games
Marvel Rivals Has Earned An Estimated $130 Million In Its First Month
Marvel Rivals Monetization Explained: Free-to-Play Model, Currencies, and Battle Pass Details

Get the newly published Managing Media Creating Character Study Guide & Workbook!

WATCH the Brave Briefing on YouTube

GET the Revised & Updated book Managing Media Creating Character

Are Online Video Games Any Different Than Social Media? Feb 24, 2025

Show notes

Online video games share quite a few features with social media platforms. As lawmakers push to create legal restrictions surrounding social media, we wonder why there is no conversation about online video game restrictions. Are they that different? If online video games share some of the same concerning features, shouldn’t they share the same restrictions?

Articles referenced:

Roblox is still trying to convince lawmakers it’s not social media
Censoring Games

Get the newly published Managing Media Creating Character Study Guide & Workbook!

WATCH the Brave Briefing on YouTube

GET the Revised & Updated book Managing Media Creating Character

APPLY to be a Brave Parenting Ambassador

Ep. 180: Research Proves Parents Just Need to Be Brave Feb 19, 2025

Show notes

Today, we’re reviewing three research reports about TEENS and SOCIAL MEDIA that prove parents need to be brave! By looking at all three together, we can get a clear picture of what is happening with teens. The growing amount of time spent on a screen and the growing mental health issues among young people is partially a result of parents unwilling or uncaring enough to enforce social media and screen time restrictions. The parents who bravely do restrict have kids with far better outcomes.

Articles referenced:

Pew: Teens, Social Media, and Technology 2024
Gallup & IFS: HOW PARENTING AND SELF-CONTROL MEDIATE THE LINK BETWEEN SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH
Common Sense Media: Unpacking the Grink Culture

Book a Speaking Event!!

Buy the NEWLY UPDATED book: Managing Media Creating Character (2024 Revised & Updated)

Get Kelly’s new Study Guide & Workbook, with video teachings for small groups.

Teach your kids how to have a biblical worldview with Foundation Worldview!
Use PROMO CODE: BRAVE to save $10 on any curriculum purchase.

Check out the Pinwheel phone – it’s our favorite not-as-smart kid-safe smartphone on the market.

Sign up for the Brave Bullet Points newsletter! This helps us communicate what’s new without social media – a win for everyone!

Brave Briefing: The Real Problem with Phones in Schools Feb 17, 2025

Show notes

Education is suffering under the weight of phones in schools. While schools worldwide are banning phones to improve learning and mental health, many parents are fighting to keep 24/7 access to their kids.

Why? Because modern parenting has shifted from stewardship to ownership—and it is harming our children in massive ways.

Articles referenced:

Do Yondr Pouches Really Work?
JAMA: Adolescent Smartphone Use During School Hours

Scripture referenced:

Psalm 139:13,16
Ephesians 6:4

Get the newly published Managing Media Creating Character Study Guide & Workbook!

WATCH the Brave Briefing on YouTube

GET the Revised & Updated book Managing Media Creating Character

APPLY to be a Brave Parenting Ambassador

Ep. 179: Should Christians Use Meditation & Prayer Apps? Feb 12, 2025

Show notes

Meditation and prayer apps have increased in quantity and popularity, but should Christians use them? Promising peace, focus, sleep, emotional regulation, and spiritual growth, these apps make great boasts that must be evaluated before downloading.

In this episode, Kelly & Chelsea unpack how the algorithms, the behavior modification tactics, the quantification of prayers, and the promoted streaks actually impact mental health, much less someone’s spiritual development.

Articles referenced:

What is Secular Meditation? A Guide to Mindfulness Without Spirituality
Biblical Meditation vs. Eastern Meditation
Christian Meditation: What practices are New Age and what is biblical?
There’s an app for that: Christian mindfulness, meditation apps find their moment
Meditation Apps and the Gospel of Self-Optimization
What is mindfulness?
What is contemplative prayer?
Medium: Soultime
Launching a Christian Social Media Network: Mark Wagner of Soultime
Banned by China, Backed by Mark Wahlberg: The Christian Prayer App Changing the World
Hallow’s Rise: How a Former Atheist Built the World’s Largest Christian Prayer App

Scripture referenced:

Psalm 1:2
Psalm 119:15
2 Timothy 3:16
Romans 5:1
John 14:27
2 Corinthians 2:17
2 Corinthians 4:2
1 Thessalonians 2:3
1 Corinthians 14:14-15

Book a Speaking Event!!

Buy the NEWLY UPDATED book: Managing Media Creating Character (2024 Revised & Updated)

Get Kelly’s new Study Guide & Workbook, with video teachings for small groups.

Teach your kids how to have a biblical worldview with Foundation Worldview!
Use PROMO CODE: BRAVE to save $10 on any curriculum purchase.

Check out the Pinwheel phone – it’s our favorite not-as-smart kid-safe smartphone on the market.

Sign up for the Brave Bullet Points newsletter! This helps us communicate what’s new without social media – a win for everyone!

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