Kids & Family
**Crazy Cool Family**

Want home to be your favorite place in the world? Want to see siblings get along like best friends? Want to send your kid off to college with hope instead of fear? At Crazy Cool Family, we can help you answer all of those questions with a resounding “YES!”

We have one simple mission: To show parents how to create amazing families by building their lives around Jesus and helping their kids to do the same. In Matthew 22, Jesus tells us that what is most important in life is our relationship with God and our relationships with one another. We believe that families are our most important relationships and their strength will determine the strength of your family. You will Rethink the Way You Do Family when you see God’s incredible relational design for your families.

God wants a Crazy Cool Family for you and we want to help you get there!

Latest Episodes:

#308: Podcast Replay: Make August Count for Your Family Aug 13, 2025

Show notes

Ready or not.... The Fall is Coming!

In this episode of the Crazy Cool Family Podcast, Don and Suzanne Manning tackle the chaos and pressure of August head-on. From back-to-school shopping to emotional transitions, they unpack practical strategies to help families navigate the busiest time of year with clarity and connection.

You'll learn:

How to ease your child’s anxiety about a new school year

The importance of starting preparations early (hello, July haircuts!)

Ways to empower your kids with confidence through affirmations, vision casting, and emotional support

Simple tools to replace stress with encouragement—and why your attitude as a parent sets the tone for the entire family

Whether you're a seasoned homeschooler, a school-drop-off pro, or a first-timer sending your little one off to kindergarten, this episode is packed with practical wisdom to help you and your kids thrive.

🎧 Tune in now to make this your most intentional back-to-school transition yet.

Podcast Resources:

#307: Summer Series: Part 5 - The Most Important Lesson This Summer Jul 30, 2025

Show notes

What is the most important lesson to teach your kids this summer?

In this episode of the Crazy Cool Family podcast, we’re wrapping up summer with the most essential parenting topic: leading your kids to Jesus. Whether your children are toddlers or teens, creating a family culture where God conversations happen naturally is one of the most powerful tools you have.

Don and Suzanne walk through how to talk about faith with kids at different stages: Littles (ages 0–6), Middles (elementary age), and Bigs (middle and high school). They emphasize that helping your children follow Jesus isn’t about doing more—it’s about being intentional with the everyday moments. From thanking God for the sunshine to sharing how you handle frustration at work, your children learn what a real relationship with Jesus looks like by watching you live it.

They also offer practical encouragement for parents who feel unsure, are new in their faith, or have kids pushing away from God. Real stories, relatable struggles, and timeless truth make this episode a must-listen.

🎧 Listen now + grab our $3.99 Deep Dives to keep the conversation going!

Podcast Resources:

#306: Summer Series: Part 4 - Who's Really in Control This Summer? Jul 16, 2025

Show notes

Parent Control or Kid Control?”

In this summer-focused episode of the Crazy Cool Family Podcast, Don and Suzanne unpack one of the biggest tensions in parenting: control. Should parents stay in charge, or is it time to pass the baton to the kids?

You'll discover why summer is the perfect season to transition from parent control to self-control, helping your children develop responsibility, confidence, and real-world readiness. From laundry to technology boundaries to mealtime training, the Mannings offer real-life examples and practical steps to give kids “jurisdiction” over parts of their lives—without giving up your values or sanity.

The episode dives into the difference between self-discipline and self-indulgence, showing how giving your child responsibility actually creates peace at home. Plus, you’ll learn how lack of self-control invites chaos, while wise training builds strong family foundations.

Whether your child is 3 or 13, this conversation will equip you to rethink your approach, create growth opportunities, and enjoy a more connected, freedom-filled summer. Bonus: It all ties back to Proverbs 25:28 and the vital role of self-control.

🎧 Listen now and grab the $3.99 Deep Dive into Summer for more actionable steps!

Podcast Resources:

#305: Summer Series: Part 3 - Who's in Charge? Jul 02, 2025

Show notes

Who’s in Charge? How to Raise Leaders at Home This Summer

In this episode of the Crazy Cool Family Podcast, we dive into one of our favorite summer themes: raising leaders under your roof. Whether your kids are toddlers or teens, summer offers the perfect opportunity to build leadership skills in a low-pressure, high-relationship environment.

We explore what leadership looks like in everyday moments—from assigning simple responsibilities around the house to encouraging kids to take initiative, manage conflict, and serve others well. You’ll learn:

Why summer is a leadership laboratory
How to teach kids responsibility without micromanaging
The power of failure in developing strong leaders
How to give each child—firstborn, middle, and youngest—a chance to lead

We also talk about speaking leadership identity over your kids and giving them a vision for who they can become.

Podcast Resources:

#304: Summer Series: Part 2 - Teaching Your Kids to Fight (Wait... What?) Jun 18, 2025

Show notes

Teaching Kids to Fight (Well): How to Turn Sibling Conflict into Character Growth

Summer brings more time together—and more sibling conflict. But what if the fights between your kids were actually opportunities to shape their hearts?

In this episode of the Crazy Cool Family Podcast, we unpack how to teach your kids to fight well, using biblical principles and practical tools. You’ll learn:

Why conflict isn’t the enemy
How to guide your kids toward healthy reconciliation
What to say when they’re at each other’s throats
How to set goals, create summer “labs,” and build sibling connection

This is a must-listen for every parent navigating sibling chaos.
🎧 Plus: Check out our new Deep Dive: Teaching Kids to Fight (Well) for even more help!

Podcast Resources:

#303: Summer Series: Part 1 - Washing the School Year Off Our Kids Jun 04, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to our Summer Series! In this episode, Don and Suzanne talk about how to intentionally plan your family’s summer so it’s filled with peace, purpose, and connection—not just chaos.

They introduce the powerful idea of “washing the school year off” your kids—helping them reset emotionally, mentally, and spiritually from the demands and structure of school life.

Topics covered include:

Creating a loose plan for summer (structure without pressure)
Establishing daily rhythms your kids can rely on
The importance of rest, reflection, and safe space
Using planned fun and budget-friendly ideas to make memories
Teaching character, processing hard experiences, and building sibling connection

You only get one Summer 2025—let’s make it one to remember.

🎧 Listen in and learn how to create a family culture this summer that builds joy, purpose, and connection.

Podcast Resources:

#302: A Summer to Remember (Feat. Sarah Paul) May 28, 2025

Show notes

Ready to build your family's best summer?

Madeline Jones (formerly Manning) is back—this time with special guest and fellow summer-lover Sarah Paul—to share how families can make the most of summer through simple rhythms, intentional connection, and memory-making moments. From mission trips to popsicle-fueled pool days, this episode is packed with encouragement, real-life stories, and practical ways to transform summer into a season of spiritual rest, family bonding, and God-centered fun. Whether you're a teacher with time off or a parent juggling work and kids, this episode will inspire you to slow down, show up, and savor the fleeting days of summer.

Podcast Resources:

#301: Crazy Cool Parent This: Raising a Servant Hearted Child May 21, 2025

Show notes

Raising a Servant-Hearted Child Starts Right Here ❤️

Do you ever wish your kids would just share the toy... without a battle?

In our latest podcast episode, we dive into one of the most powerful things we can teach our kids: how to be servant hearted.

Inspired by Jesus washing His disciples' feet, we’re breaking down what it means to raise children who choose to serve others. And don’t worry—this isn’t just about chores or obedience. It’s about helping your child become more like Jesus in their everyday choices.

As parents, we get to show our kids how to serve and build this God-given identity into them. In every season of parenting, we get to call this identity through our example and by giving them opportunities to serve the people within your family.

In this episode, you'll learn how to:

🔹 Create teachable moments from real-life sibling spats

🔹 Use praise to reinforce kind, servant-hearted behavior

🔹 Design simple family routines that encourage putting others first

🔹 Avoid raising a doormat by modeling servant leadership

This one is packed with real stories, practical tools, and encouragement to help you raise kids who love God and love others well.

Podcast Resources:

#300: See Where We've Been and Where We Are Going May 14, 2025

Show notes

Happy 300th Episode to us!

In this heartfelt episode of the Crazy Cool Family Podcast, Don and Suzanne reflect on over three decades of parenting, ministry, and the launch of their brand-new resource, the Parenting Playbook. Whether you're in the thick of raising toddlers or navigating relationships with adult children, this conversation reminds you of a simple truth: family is worth it.

Don and Suzanne get real about their early struggles in ministry, the tension of leading together as very different personalities, and the transformation God brought through years of learning, growing, and letting the Holy Spirit guide. They talk candidly about "parent guilt," the pressure to be perfect, and how connection—not control—is the key to lasting family impact.

This episode is more than a recap—it's an invitation. An invitation to trade guilt for grace, to grow daily as a parent, and to believe that family is not just a duty but a divine opportunity. The Mannings share how God continues to inspire them to reach more families and why the Crazy Cool Family mission is now focused on equipping you with resources that make spiritual growth and relational depth easier, more practical, and more accessible than ever.

New Resource Alert:

This episode also celebrates the launch of the Crazy Cool Family Parenting Playbook — a weekly and daily guide to help parents grow in grace and connection. It's full of encouragement, practical tools, and faith-filled wisdom for every stage of parenting. If you havent already, subscribe today by clicking the link below.

Podcast Resources:

#299: Using Guilt as a Signal May 07, 2025

Show notes

Struggle with guilt when parenting? This Episode is for you...(and me!)

In this heartfelt episode, each daughter shared how “mom guilt” has uniquely shown up in their motherhood journey.

Macy opened up about her tendency to feel like she should be punished for both the things she does and doesn’t do as a mom. Mollie described mom guilt as a constant feeling of inadequacy, and McKenzie expressed her desire to be an excellent mom, friend, and follower of Jesus—yet often feeling she falls short in every area.

Suz reflected on her decades of motherhood and how guilt can stem from moments when our responses fall short—when kids get hurt, when we regret decisions, or when peace is replaced by self-doubt.

The conversation turned encouraging as the women shared what helps them shift out of guilt. Mollie talked about slowing down at bedtime and bringing more Scripture into family rhythms. Macy vulnerably shared how God met her in the guilt she felt during her first trimester sickness, redeeming those hard moments. Kenzie offered a beautiful mindset shift: instead of starting each day with “100%” and losing points, what if we start at “0” and see every moment with God as a win?

They ended by reflecting on 2 Corinthians 12:9—how God's power is made perfect in weakness—and encouraged listeners to see guilt not as a barrier, but as a doorway into deeper relationship with God.

Podcast Resources: