Raising Boys & Girls

Latest Episodes:

Episode 344: How To Raise Emotionally Intelligent Kids with Dr. Marc Brackett Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

Sissy Goff and David Thomas sit down with Dr. Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, to talk about helping kids—and parents—understand, express, and regulate emotions with wisdom and compassion. Drawing from his own story and decades of research, Marc unpacks why all emotions are information, explains the RULER framework in a practical, parent-friendly way, and offers concrete tools for navigating big feelings at home. From being an “emotion scientist” instead of a judge to learning how to observe rather than absorb our kids’ overwhelm, this episode is full of hopeful, actionable insights for raising emotionally healthy kids in today’s world.

Resources mentioned:

Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett
Dealing with Feeling: Use Your Emotions to Create the Life You Want by Marc Brackett

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⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠

⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠

. . . . . .

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Episode 343: Transforming Toddlerhood with Devon Kuntzman Jan 22, 2026

Show notes

Sissy Goff and David Thomas welcome Devon Kuntzman, founder of Transforming Toddlerhood, for a practical conversation about what toddlers need most right now. Devon reframes challenging toddler behavior as communication—not defiance—explaining how immature brain development, limited language, and sensory overload shape big emotions. She encourages parents to focus on co-regulation, connection, and skill-building rather than punishment, offering realistic strategies for setting boundaries, repairing relationships, and weaving play into everyday routines. Devon reminds caregivers that progress—not perfection—is the goal, and that showing up as a calm, human presence lays the foundation for resilient, emotionally healthy kids.

Resources mentioned:

Transforming Toddlerhood: How to Handle Tantrums, End Power Struggles, and Raise Resilient Kids---Without Losing Your Mind by Devon Kuntzman
Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton

. . . . . .

Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!

Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠

⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠

. . . . . .

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Episode 342: Five Things Kids Need Right Now Emotionally Jan 20, 2026

Show notes

This episode emphasizes that kids grow emotionally strong through five key needs: healthy boredom that creates space for creativity and self-direction, agency that helps them feel capable and in control within boundaries, opportunities to experience discomfort so they learn they can handle hard feelings, fortitude built by sticking with challenges over time, and parents who trust their own instincts rather than outsourcing confidence to overwhelming outside influences. Together, these practices help children develop resilience by facing difficulties with steady support instead of avoidance or overprotection.

. . . . . .

Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!

Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠

⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠

. . . . . .

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

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Episode 341: Why Your Kids Need You To Play at Every Age and How To Do That with Whitney and Alex Kimerling Jan 15, 2026

Show notes

Sissy Goff and David Thomas explore the powerful, research-backed role of play in reducing anxiety, building resilience, and strengthening family connection. They unpack why unstructured play has declined, how play shapes kids’ brains and emotional health, and why adults need play just as much as kids do. The conversation offers five practical ways to bring play back into everyday family life—without pressure or perfection—and culminates in a joyful interview with Alex and Whitney Kimerling of Hootenanny Games, who share how screen-free games foster connection, confidence, and core memories across generations.

. . . . . .

Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!

Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠

⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠

. . . . . .

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.

COOK UNITY: Go to cookunity.com/RBG or enter code RBG before checkout to get 50% off your first order.

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Episode 340: A Story of Autism and Hope with Leland Vittert Jan 13, 2026

Show notes

Sissy Goff and David Thomas sit down with journalist and author Leland Vittert to talk about his memoir Born Lucky and the profound impact his father had on his life growing up with autism. Leland shares candid stories of adversity, resilience, and learning to navigate a world that wasn’t built for him—highlighting how character, hard work, and perseverance are formed not by removing hardship, but by walking through it with steady support. With honesty and hope, this conversation encourages parents that while they can’t erase their child’s challenges, their presence, belief, and commitment to helping their child do hard things can make a life-changing difference.

. . . . . .

Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!

Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠

⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠

. . . . . .

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.

ATHLETIC GREENS: Go to DRINKAG1.com/RBG to get their best offer… For a limited time only, get a FREE AG1 duffel bag and FREE AG1 Welcome Kit with your first subscription order! Only while supplies last.

COOK UNITY: Go to cookunity.com/RBG or enter code RBG before checkout 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.

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

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Episode 339: Five Things Kids Need Right Now Socially with David and Sissy Jan 08, 2026

Show notes

Sissy Goff and David Thomas kick off a new series by exploring five things kids need most socially right now. Drawing from decades of counseling experience and current research, they unpack why today’s kids are struggling with civility, empathy, reciprocity, belonging, and real-time social practice. They discuss how screens, cultural tone, and isolation are shaping kids’ relationships—and offer practical, doable ways parents can help at home, from modeling kind disagreement to creating opportunities for face-to-face connection. This hopeful, practical conversation reminds parents that social skills are built through practice, and that small, intentional shifts can make a meaningful difference in kids’ lives.

Resources mentioned:

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Raising Emotionally Strong Boys: Tools Your Son Can Build On for Life by David Thomas
Are My Kids on Track?: The 12 Emotional, Social, and Spiritual Milestones Your Child Needs to Reach by Sissy Goff, David Thomas, and Melissa Trevathan

. . . . . .

Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!

Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠

⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠

. . . . . .

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.

COOK UNITY: Go to cookunity.com/RBG or enter code RBG before checkout to get 50% off your first order

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Episode 338: 5 Love Languages for Families with Dr. Gary Chapman Jan 06, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Dr. Gary Chapman joins Sissy Goff and David Thomas to explore what kids need most right now: feeling deeply and consistently loved. Drawing from decades of counseling families and his work with the Five Love Languages, Dr. Chapman explains how children uniquely receive love, how parents can identify a child’s primary love language, and why behavior is often a signal that a child’s “love tank” is running low. The conversation offers practical, hope-filled guidance for adapting love languages as kids grow, navigating different personalities within one family, and building daily rhythms—like shared meals and one-on-one time—that foster connection, resilience, and lasting emotional security.

Resources mentioned:

The 5 Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman
The 5 Love Languages of Children by Dr. Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell
The 5 Love Languages of Teenagers by Dr. Gary Chapman
What’s your Love Language? free quiz

. . . . . .

Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!

Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠

⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠

. . . . . .

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.

COOK UNITY: Go to cookunity.com/RBG or enter code RBG before checkout to get 50% off your first order

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Episode 337: Helpful Habits for the New Year with Justin Whitmel Earley Dec 30, 2025

Show notes

Sissy Goff and David Thomas talk with Justin Whitmel Earley about his new book The Body Teaches the Soul and how our everyday physical habits—like breathing, sleep, movement, and technology use—quietly shape our spiritual lives and parenting. Justin shares how burnout and anxiety led him to discover that lasting change comes not from trying harder, but from practicing small, embodied habits that help us respond with patience, presence, and grace. With practical encouragement for overwhelmed parents, he reminds us that habit change is about responding to God’s love, not earning it, and that starting small can lead to meaningful transformation.

Resources mentioned:

The Body Teaches the Soulby Justin Whitmel Earley
The Common Rule by Justin Whitmel Earley
Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley
Made for People by Justin Whitmel Earley
Atomic Habits by James Clear

. . . . . .

Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!

Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠

⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠

. . . . . .

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

A special thank you to our sponsors:

QUINCE: Go to ⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

THRIVE MARKET: Head over to ⁠ThriveMarket.com/rbg⁠ to get 30% off your first order and a FREE $60 gift.

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Episode 336: Managing the Holidays with David and Sissy Dec 22, 2025

Show notes

In this warm and super-practical holiday episode, Sissy and David share 10 grounding tips to help families navigate Christmas with more connection and less overwhelm. They normalize the big feelings kids—and parents—experience this time of year, offer simple tools like previewing plans, using calm-down kits and code words, practicing gratitude, and building gentle rhythms instead of rigid schedules. They also speak tenderly to families carrying grief, give guidance for managing family dynamics and gift overload, and remind listeners that the holidays don’t need to be magical—just manageable, honest, and connected. They close by sharing a favorite family tradition and reading a beautiful prayer from Every Moment Holy for anyone wrapping gifts this week.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Strong and Smart: A Boy's Guide to Building Healthy Emotions by David Thomas
All Is Calmish: How to Feel Less Frantic and More Festive During the Holidays by Niro Feliciano
The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones – specifically “The Light of the Whole World” chapter
Every Moment Holy – “A Liturgy for the Wrapping of Christmas Gifts”

. . . . . .

Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!

Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠

⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠

. . . . . .

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

A special thank you to our sponsors:

QUINCE: Go to ⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

THRIVE MARKET: Head over to ⁠ThriveMarket.com/rbg⁠ to get 30% off your first order and a FREE $60 gift.

NIV APPLICATION BIBLE: Save an additional 10% on any NIV Application Bible and NIV Application Commentary Resources by visiting faithgateway.com/nivab and using promo code RBG.

MERCY SHIPS: Please donate today at MercyShips.org/podcast.

OMAHA STEAKS: Visit OmahaSteaks.com for 50% off sitewide during their Sizzle All the Way Sale. And for an extra $35 off, use promo code FUN at checkout.

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

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Episode 335: The Enneagram Comes Home with David and Sissy Dec 18, 2025

Show notes

Sissy and David reflect on the meaningful conversations and listener feedback from their Enneagram parenting journey, offering a quick, hope-filled recap of each number’s core parenting strengths and how to support kids of every type. They remind us there’s no “right” way to parent—only the unique goodness each number brings—share a few favorite resources for further learning, and close with a tender benediction for parents doing the sacred work of raising boys and girls.

Resources mentioned:

The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile
The Path Between Us by Suzanne Stabile
The Journey Toward Wholeness: Enneagram Wisdom for Stress, Balance, and Transformation by Suzanne Stabile

. . . . . .

Access Raising Boys and Girls courses here!

Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠

⁠Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠⁠

. . . . . .

If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form.

A special thank you to our sponsors:

QUINCE: Go to ⁠Quince.com/rbg⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns.

THRIVE MARKET: Head over to ⁠ThriveMarket.com/rbg⁠ to get 30% off your first order and a FREE $60 gift.

NIV APPLICATION BIBLE: Save an additional 10% on any NIV Application Bible and NIV Application Commentary Resources by visiting faithgateway.com/nivab and using promo code RBG.

MERCY SHIPS: Please donate today at MercyShips.org/podcast.

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