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:

#298: What is the Playbook? Apr 30, 2025

Show notes

Guess what.... we've got something new for you!

Next month, our seventh child, Cade, graduates — and with that, we officially wrap up over three decades of parenting. As we step into this next season of becoming almost-empty nesters, we’ve been reflecting on the journey that brought us here… and why Crazy Cool Family exists in the first place.

In our early years, we (Don and Suzanne) felt like we had no idea how to "win" at parenting. Don reflected on how living with five women he had to learn how to lead with relationship, not just rules. Suz realized she often responded without grace — not because she didn’t want to do better, but because she didn’t know how.

We both desperately wanted someone to hand us a playbook — something that told us the "right move" for each season. So we went looking. What we found is that while information is everywhere, wisdom is harder to find.

That’s why Crazy Cool Family is different. We don't just give parenting tips — we give you the core concepts that make relationships strong and families thrive. We help you “learn how to play the game,” not just survive the day.

in 2023, a trusted friend suggested we start sharing those core concepts daily — just little drips of encouragement and truth. That’s how Practical Parenting was born: our daily email is designed to help parents absorb these life-giving ideas over time.

And now, we’re excited to introduce our next step:
🎉 The Playbook — launching May 4th! 🎉

Here’s what it is:

A daily email full of encouragement, truth, and practical ideas

A Weekly Huddle (every Sunday) where we go deeper on one parenting concept

Optional Deep Dive PDFs you can purchase if your family needs extra help

All aligned with our weekly podcast and daily practices

We believe God is using this to equip parents everywhere — not just with answers, but with the insight and tools to build the family they've always dreamed of.

Because you don’t need to parent alone. And you definitely don’t need to guess.

The Playbook is here. Let’s build Crazy Cool Families — together.

Podcast Resources:

#297: Crazy Cool Parent This: Let's Get Real! Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

"What is your favorite season of parenting?"

In today’s episode, we’re talking about what we’ve learned through the years raising littles, middles, and bigs — and how to parent each age with purpose and grace. We're calling this theme “Crazy Cool Family This,” where we unpack key parenting concepts and make them practical for your season of life. Through it all, one thing remains true: your kids are wired to love you, and you don’t have to get everything right. That truth gives so much freedom!

Don shares that his favorite stage is the middles — elementary and middle school years — because of their simple, honest view of the world and their fun personalities. Suz loves something unique about each stage. Littles bring endless snuggles and curiosity; middles ask questions that show they’re beginning to think for themselves; and Bigs — well, they give you the privilege of transitioning from parent to friend as they step into independence. For her, watching kids become who they’re meant to be is a deep joy.

Each stage also has its challenges. Littles have big emotions and limited communication, which means it takes a lot of energy and grace to parent them well. Middles are growing fast, discovering their identity, and stepping into a world of activities and relationships — it’s a crucial time for fathers to speak identity over their kids. And when it comes to Bigs, the hardest part is letting go — resisting the urge to overprotect and instead allowing them to fail, grow, and build confidence through mistakes.

The overall message? Enjoy every season. Parenting goes by fast, and each age brings its own beauty and struggle. If we approach it with intentionality and relationship at the center, we’ll build strong connections that last far beyond childhood.

Podcast Resources:

#296: Crazy Cool Parent This: Steps to Improve Connection Apr 16, 2025

Show notes

Crazy Cool Family This - Connection!

We are excited to talk about this because we feel like we prioritized connections within our family and we believe it is the most important thing you can invest in - connections within family are THE MOST IMPORTANT!

"Relationships build security." - Suz

Here are the talking points:

What is more important - obedience or relationship?
What does Jesus say about connections?
Reasons to value connections within family

Making it PRACTICAL: Crazy Cool Connection

Each week we will aim to give you a CCC – A Crazy Cool.... C word – lol! It’s to sum all the info from this podcast up and package in a way you can activate.

Today’s CCC is a Crazy Cool CONNECTION. If you want to see transformation in your family- start with connection. Pick 1 practical we shared from the podcast and do it!

Based on the age of your kids, your CCC may be different for each kid OR it may be one big change you need to make within your entire family. Here are a few examples:

Have dinner together: Chik-Fil-A counts:)

Say no to something this weekend to prioritize family

Instead of a movie night do a game night

Podcast Resources:

#295: We've Never Talked about Easter.... Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

Let's talk Easter, cause we never have!

Easter is one of the MOST important holidays within our faith and we have NEVER done a podcast on it. We’ve almost made 300 episodes and looking through them, this is the first time we’ve set aside space to talk about Easter – so let’s dive in.

The goal of today's podcast is to help your family have the BEST Easter EVER.

Here are a few points we discuss:

Biblical understanding of Easter and it's significance
Why Easter is overlooked/hard to celebrate without commercialized elements
HOW to celebrate as a family and make it all about Jesus

How do you Crazy Cool Parent that?

Making it PRACTICAL: Crazy Cool Change

Each week we will aim to give you a CCC – A Crazy Cool.... C word – lol! It’s to sum all the info from this podcast up and package in a way you can activate.

Today’s CCC is a Crazy Cool CHANGE. If you want to see transformation in your family- start with changing one thing you did last year around this time. Choose/Pick 1 practical we shared from the podcast and do it!

Based on the age of your kids, your CCC may be different for each kid OR it may be one big change you need to make within your entire family. Here are a few examples:

Read the story of Jesus death and resurrection as a family (or watch a movie that kids can handle)

Make the Easter morning intentional and about celebrating Jesus

Make a special breakfast

Ask your kids what they think Easter is and see what is in their hearts regarding this holiday!

Want the Free Easter Resource?

Join our Practical Parenting Daily Email and be the first to get the Easter Deep Dive on April 13th!

Podcast Resources:

#294 In Charge Vs. In Control (Feat. Mollie Torres) Apr 02, 2025

Show notes

Mollie joins the podcast to talk about an insight God has been giving her about control vs. being in charge.

Mollie, a mother of two boys, and the oldest Manning kid - reflects on a thought-provoking question she received from her church: "Where are you allowing the Holy Spirit to be in charge in your life?"

She shares that she loves to be in charge, a trait shaped by being the oldest in the Manning Fam. Mollie is used to taking the lead and often finds comfort in knowing the vision and direction of where she is going. This strong inclination toward control can sometimes clash with the idea of surrendering to God’s will.

Highlights from the podcast:

Questions to ask God when it comes to control vs. being in charge of certain aspects of your life
Gifts from God are to be used to His glory/purpose/vision - but how?
How do we live "in charge" and aligned with God's plan for your family
Releasing it to God.... and then.... ask God what is "just right"
Favor and honor of leading with God without all the pressure of knowing where to go/what to do all the time (God is in control, you aren't!)

Crazy Cool Challenge: Make a list of things Holy Spirit wants you to release to Him AND what He wants you to own/carry. Ask God what gifts He has given you and to wash them clean, AND to give them back to use for HIS glory!!

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Podcast Resources:

#293: Do you know how to disciple AND be a disciple (Feat. Marcus Warner) Mar 26, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of the Crazy Cool Family podcast, Don welcomes Marcus Warner, the president of Deeper Walk International and a renowned expert on family dynamics and discipleship. The conversation dives deep into Marcus's transformative FISH discipleship methodology, which stands for Freedom, Identity, Spirit, and Heart-Focused Community. This framework offers a practical and spiritual approach to nurturing strong, meaningful connections within families and with God.

Throughout the episode, Marcus explores how parents can use the FISH methodology not only to strengthen their own relationship with God but also to guide and nurture their children’s spiritual journeys. He emphasizes that building a deep sense of identity—both in ourselves and in our children—is central to the process. The conversation unveils how parents can create a supportive environment where attachment takes priority over behavior, ensuring that children feel seen, loved, and secure.

Rather than focusing solely on correcting behaviors, Marcus stresses the importance of fostering emotional and spiritual attachment as the foundation for lasting growth. The discussion jumps between the roles of the parent as both a disciple and a discipler, offering valuable insights for parents seeking to lead by example while also guiding their children in their own faith development.

This engaging episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to strengthen their family's spiritual health, offering practical strategies and profound wisdom to cultivate a lasting, heart-centered connection with both God and each other.

Podcast Resources:

#292: Crazy Cool Parent This: Q&A with Don and Suz Mar 19, 2025

Show notes

In Season 7 of our podcast, we are taking time to give practical parenting tips in our episodes. We are using the term, "Crazy Cool Parent This" because choosing to parent God's way is often crazy AND turns out cool.

Sometimes we go deep into a specific topic and sometimes (like today) we like to throw random questions at Don and Suz and see what they think/how they would parent the situation.

Here are the questions we cover in today's podcast:

How do you pursue God amidst busy family seasons?
My 5-year-old son said a bad word, what do I do?
My child is kissing!!! What do I do?

Share this episode with a friend and keep listening for more Q&A episodes this season!

Got a question and need help? Email us at podcast@crazycoolfamilycom and maybe your questions will show up in a future episode!

Podcast Resources:

#291: Crazy Cool Parent This: Emotional Intelligence Mar 12, 2025

Show notes

Emotions are a God given gift inside of each of us to help navigate life. But what do we do with them? Especially in our kids...?

In this podcast Suzanne, Macy, and Mckenzie explore the topic of Emotional Intelligence and how to Crazy Cool Family emotions. If emotions feel challenging to you, or if they are taking over your home - you are in the right place!
In the podcast we walk through a define emotional intelligence as the ability to recognize, understand, and deal skillfully with one's own emotions and the emotions of others.

How different would your home be if every person was able to navigate their emotions in this way?

We then explore the misconception of “bad” feelings and walk through what six of these emotions may be telling us if we gave them a listen. If you find sadness, anxiety, fear, jealousy, disappointment or anger in your home this is for you!
Our hope in the podcast is to partner with you as parents to create Crazy Cool Character in your kiddos by training them in how to navigate their emotions from toddlers to teenagers. We share a lot of practical ways to meet kids of all ages in their current emotional state. Give it a listen!

Podcast Resources:

#290: Crazy Cool Parent This: Connect During Spring Break! Mar 05, 2025

Show notes

Spring break is coming up and we want to start the conversation about how to invest in your kids over their break. In today's episode, we discuss how parents can make the most of the time with their kids and how to invest in them at every age.

What does it look like to have CRAZY COOL CONNECTION with your kids this Spring Break?

No matter what season your family is in, there's a way to make it special!
Address false mindsets and choose unity.
We only have so many breaks with our kids - make the most of them.
Get caught up in "kids's world" instead of "adult world."
Choose 1 way to connect your kids this break (we give ideas!)

Podcast Resources:

#289: Interrupt Your Marriage (Feat. Julie Plagens) Feb 26, 2025

Show notes

Do you want to stay in love with your spouse? Even through conflict?

Julie Plagens, a wife, mother, and author joins our podcast to talk about her new book, Marriage Interrupted. If you are wanting to invest in your marriage and learn ways to love and forgive your spouse, this podcast is for you!

Julie's new book goes over so many Kingdom principles and relates them to marriage. We focused on forgiveness and how to believe for change within your marriage.

Here are the key talking points from the podcast: