The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

Latest Episodes:

1KHO 585: Low Tech and High Text (How to Build Your Child’s Brain with Books and Not Screens) | Doug Lemov, The Science of Reading Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

Screens train us to skim; books train us to think. In this urgent, hope-filled conversation, Doug Lemov (Teach Like a Champion) and Ginny make a compelling case for a childhood culture that is low tech, high text. You’ll hear why book-reading is collapsing—what that’s doing to kids’ attention, imagination, and empathy—and exactly how to reverse it with simple habits: daily read-aloud (even with teens), real books you can annotate, and outdoor reading rituals that pair sunlight and birdsong with stories.

Doug breaks down fluency’s three pillars—accuracy, automaticity, and prosody—and explains why even picture books carry 50% more rare words than adult speech, rapidly expanding vocabulary and background knowledge (think the classic “baseball study”).

You’ll also learn why formative writing—quick, handwritten jot notes before discussion—supercharges comprehension (and beats laptop note-taking); why books are the optimal medium for deep thinking; and how to spot and fix disfluent reading. Finally, Doug demystifies the phonics vs. three-cueing debate and points parents to the investigative series changing laws nationwide: Sold a Story. If you want your kids to imagine vividly, read confidently, and engage the world with stamina and joy, this episode is your blueprint to trade scrolling for page-turning—on the porch, at the park, all childhood long.

Get your copy of Guide to the Science of Reading here

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1KHO 584: Homeschooling is a Long-Term Play in a Short-Term World | Greta Eskridge, Adventuring Together Sep 28, 2025

Show notes

Homeschooling rarely delivers instant feedback—and that’s the point. In this conversation, Ginny Yurich and five-time guest Greta Eskridge zoom out beyond this week’s math lesson to the decades that follow it. They talk about the power of multi-age life at home, the confidence that grows when kids are free to pursue real interests, and why “holes” aren’t failures—they’re invitations to keep learning. Greta shares what she learned as a homeschooled kid, a public-school teacher, and now a mom of four (two graduates!), including the story of her own mother’s decades-later peace: “We didn’t do it wrong.” If you need courage to choose relationships over rigor for rigor’s sake, this episode will steady your hands and soften your heart. Explore more of Greta’s work at gretaeskridge.com and her Instagram, @maandpamodern.

You’ll also hear why safeguarding isn’t bubble-wrapping—it’s offering your kids the best (less classroom screen creep, more real-world competence), how to adapt mid-year without calling it quits, and the practical rhythms (adventure days, shared read-alouds, slow seasonal traditions) that anchor families for the long haul. Ginny and Greta name the anxiety—milestones, “behind,” perfectionism—and replace it with a durable vision: cultivate a lifelong learner, and the rest finds its place. If you’re kicking off a new school year—or thinking about it—start here.

Share this episode with a friend who needs the reminder: homeschooling is a long-term play in a short-term world.

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1KHO 583: When Your Best Isn't Enough to Prevent Pain | Tony Miltenburger, Wisdom in the Wound Sep 26, 2025

Show notes

What if the very wounds you never meant to cause are also the trailheads to your child’s greatest gifts and your own? In this deeply honest conversation, Army veteran, pastor, coach, and author Tony Miltenberger sits down with Ginny to unpack the hard paradox parents live every day: intentions don’t always protect against impact. Tony names the “little-t trauma” most of us absorb between ages four and twelve, explains why our kids are “most definitely wounded” even in loving homes, and shows how to spot it (like when emotions spike past a six and we’re tempted to react instead of respond.)

From “amnesty dinners” that invite truth without punishment to the surprising way a child’s wound can become their strength, this episode offers relief without shirking responsibility, and practical rhythm without shame.

Explore Tony’s new book, Wisdom in the Wound: How God Uses Your Past to Shape Who You’re Becoming, for a deeper dive into redeeming the pain we never intended to cause.

Tony also shares how his own story—military service, ministry, and fatherhood—shaped a simple definition of grace: empathy plus curiosity. If you’ve felt the ache of doing your best and still seeing fallout, this conversation will help you trade self-judgment for steadiness and turn rupture into repair.

Connect with more of Tony’s work here: Follow 2 Lead podcast

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1KHO 582: Life Is Hard and Beautiful at the Same Time | Jillian Benfield, Overwhelmed & Grateful Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

When life lurches from order to disorder, what if the way through isn’t either/or—but and? In this moving conversation, author and advocate Jillian Benfield sits down with Ginny to unpack the transformative idea behind her new book, Overwhelmed & Grateful—that we can honor pain and practice gratitude without denying either reality. Jillian shares how the “ampersand life” steadied her through high-risk pregnancies, years of medical unknowns, and the lonely redefinitions of identity and friendship, and how simple practices like lament, attention, and awe can calm a stormed nervous system and reopen wonder.

From “in-house years” to cross-country moves with 18 specialists on speed-dial, Jillian offers hard-won wisdom for parents navigating seasons they didn’t choose: how to spot beauty without bright-siding, how tears literally move stress through the body, and how awe—on a beach walk, a mountain trail, or even a Broadway balcony—can hush the harshest self-talk. If you need language for your own order → disorder → reorder cycle, this episode will meet you with honesty and hope and a path to practice both. Connect with Jillian on Instagram and find Overwhelmed & Grateful wherever you get books.

A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:

Select Quote: Head to www.selectquote.com/1000hours to learn more.
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Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
NIV Application Bible - visit www.NIVapplicationbible.com if you’re looking to grow in your understanding of Scripture and make it real in your daily life.
Capstone Wellness - For over 24 years, Capstone has helped thousands of families on their path to healing. Learn more at capstonewellness.com/1000hours
NurtureLife - Head to NurtureLife.com/1000HOURS55 and use code 1000HOURS55 for 55% off your first order PLUS free shipping.
Wayfair - Get organized, refreshed, and back to routine for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home.
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1KHO 581: The Surprising Ways We Snip Off Potential Growth | Dr. Bruce Perry, What Happened to You? Sep 24, 2025

Show notes

What if the very ways we structure childhood are quietly cutting off our kids’ potential? In this powerful conversation, renowned psychiatrist Dr. Bruce Perry joins Ginny to unpack why real learning requires movement, play, and space to reflect—not endless worksheets, long lectures, and overscheduled days. He explains how the brain wires itself through short bursts of novelty followed by rest, why REM sleep cements learning, and how overscheduling, lack of recess, and early mornings are some of the most inefficient ways we could possibly teach kids. Dr. Perry also reveals why challenges from stress or adversity are rarely irreversible, and how resilience is built through rhythm, repetition, and safe relationships.

Together they explore the everyday practices that either foster growth—or unintentionally snip it off before it begins. You’ll learn why play is the real work of childhood, why empathy is forged in mixed-age groups, and how freedom outdoors provides the risk-taking and mastery kids need to thrive. This episode will challenge parents, educators, and caregivers to rethink what matters most for development and offers practical ways to restore the rhythms kids need.

Explore Dr. Perry’s work at the ChildTrauma Academy: childtrauma.org, and his books The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog (link), What Happened to You? (link), and Born for Love (link).

If this conversation helps your parenting or teaches you something new, please share it with a friend and leave a quick review. Together we can help more families protect, not snip off, the potential in their children. ❤️

A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:

Select Quote: Head to www.selectquote.com/1000hours to learn more.
BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.
Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
NIV Application Bible - visit www.NIVapplicationbible.com if you’re looking to grow in your understanding of Scripture and make it real in your daily life.
Capstone Wellness - For over 24 years, Capstone has helped thousands of families on their path to healing. Learn more at capstonewellness.com/1000hours
NurtureLife - Head to NurtureLife.com/1000HOURS55 and use code 1000HOURS55 for 55% off your first order PLUS free shipping.
Wayfair - Get organized, refreshed, and back to routine for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home.
Earthley - Use the code 1000hours to get 10% off your next purchase at www.earthley.com.

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1KHO 580: Family Doesn't Have to Be Perfect in Order to Be Strong | Jessica Smartt, Come On Home Sep 23, 2025

Show notes

Families are never flawless—but they can still be resilient, connected, and full of joy. In this episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, Jessica Smartt returns for a candid conversation about what it really takes to build a home your kids want to come back to. Drawing from her new book, Come On Home, Jessica shares stories of life on a family compound, the hidden challenges that shape everyday parenting, and the surprising ways legacy is forged through ordinary, imperfect moments.

This episode is equal parts practical and heartfelt. From sibling rivalries to marriage struggles, from planting long-term seeds of connection to embracing laughter in the chaos, Jessica’s wisdom is relatable for every season of family life. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “doing enough,” this conversation will encourage you that the small things matter more than you think. There are lots of laughs in this one! Listen in and share it with a friend.

A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:

Select Quote: Head to www.selectquote.com/1000hours to learn more.
BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.
Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
NIV Application Bible - visit www.NIVapplicationbible.com if you’re looking to grow in your understanding of Scripture and make it real in your daily life.
Capstone Wellness - For over 24 years, Capstone has helped thousands of families on their path to healing. Learn more at capstonewellness.com/1000hours
NurtureLife - Head to NurtureLife.com/1000HOURS55 and use code 1000HOURS55 for 55% off your first order PLUS free shipping.
Wayfair - Get organized, refreshed, and back to routine for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home.
Earthley - Use the code 1000hours to get 10% off your next purchase at www.earthley.com.

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1KHO 579: Every Person Has a Story | Hunter Prosper, Stories From a Stranger Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

What if one open-ended question could turn a hospital room (or a hurried life) into a place where people feel seen? In this conversation, ICU nurse–turned–story gatherer Hunter Prosper shares how asking a dying patient about her greatest love cracked his own burnout and sparked Stories from a Stranger, a project he calls “therapy for millions.”

Together we explore why real listening restores our humanity, how strangers open up when they feel seen, and why your emotions like anxiety, joy, heartbreak are the bridge that connects you to everyone around you.

If you’ve ever wondered how to help your kids (and yourself) feel wanted, loved, and truly known, this episode gives you simple, powerful tools: the open-ended questions to borrow, the art of letting silence do its work, and the courage to start a conversation on the sidewalk or around your dinner table.

A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:

Select Quote: Head to www.selectquote.com/1000hours to learn more.
BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.
Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
NIV Application Bible - visit www.NIVapplicationbible.com if you’re looking to grow in your understanding of Scripture and make it real in your daily life.
Capstone Wellness - For over 24 years, Capstone has helped thousands of families on their path to healing. Learn more at capstonewellness.com/1000hours
NurtureLife - Head to NurtureLife.com/1000HOURS55 and use code 1000HOURS55 for 55% off your first order PLUS free shipping.
Wayfair - Get organized, refreshed, and back to routine for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home.
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1KHO 578: The Freedom to Change Plans Is a Superpower | Amber O'Neal Johnston, Homegrown Sep 21, 2025

Show notes

What if homeschooling wasn’t a conveyor belt of quizzes and boredom—but the most flexible, life-giving way to raise whole humans? In this conversation with Amber O’Neal Johnston, editor of the new anthology Homegrown, we dismantle the myths: how Amber went from “absolutely not” to “never looked back,” why freedom to pivot becomes a family superpower, and how learning in community (like Erin Loechner’s “together schooling”) turns neighbors, potters with kilns, and adventure clubs into the world’s most joyful classroom. We talk confidence over fear, travel as teacher, Charlotte Mason and living books, and why moms (and dads!) are the “special sauce” their kids actually need.

We also get real about hard seasons like grief, health crises, money stress and why your kids aren’t “falling behind” when life happens; they’re gaining a profound education in perseverance, compassion, and peace. You’ll hear why “seasons take time to change,” how brains (and families) grow through challenge, and why relationships—not checklists—drive real learning. If you’re starting, restarting, or homeschool-curious, this is your Sunday reset: practical, soul-steadying, and deeply encouraging.

Listen and share! Text this episode to a friend who needs a boost.

A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:

Select Quote: Head to www.selectquote.com/1000hours to learn more.
BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.
Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
NIV Application Bible - visit www.NIVapplicationbible.com if you’re looking to grow in your understanding of Scripture and make it real in your daily life.
Capstone Wellness - For over 24 years, Capstone has helped thousands of families on their path to healing. Learn more at capstonewellness.com/1000hours
NurtureLife - Head to NurtureLife.com/1000HOURS55 and use code 1000HOURS55 for 55% off your first order PLUS free shipping.
Wayfair - Get organized, refreshed, and back to routine for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home.
Earthley - Use the code 1000hours to get 10% off your next purchase at www.earthley.com.

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1KHO 577: The Family Food Reset | Ali Miller, Naturally Nourished Kids Sep 19, 2025

Show notes

When feeding your family feels confusing and chaotic, this episode is your reset. Functional-medicine dietitian Ali Miller (RD, LD, CDE) shows how to move from “immediate” choices to environmental shifts to true habit rewiring—simplifying dinner with 5–7-minute protein sears, sheet-pan veggies, and one slow-cook a week. We talk “God foods” vs. ultra-processed products, why kids’ moods track their blood sugar, and how to make your kitchen the hearth again—less frantic, more joyful. Ali’s brand-new book, Naturally Nourished Kids turns big ideas into doable family routines (like bone-broth queso, cabbage chips, and rainbow sheet-pans).

We also dig into guiding teens toward ownership (guided choices, smart carb-plus-protein pairings), and how probiotics + mineral-rich bone broth support calmer brains and sturdier immune systems. For a deeper dive into food-as-medicine and anxiety, explore Ali’s Anti-Anxiety Diet resources and her Naturally Nourished Podcast. Then queue up this episode on your favorite app and pass it along—because a calmer kitchen can change a whole household.

A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:

Select Quote: Head to www.selectquote.com/1000hours to learn more.
BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.
Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
NIV Application Bible - visit www.NIVapplicationbible.com if you’re looking to grow in your understanding of Scripture and make it real in your daily life.
Capstone Wellness - For over 24 years, Capstone has helped thousands of families on their path to healing. Learn more at capstonewellness.com/1000hours
NurtureLife - Head to NurtureLife.com/1000HOURS55 and use code 1000HOURS55 for 55% off your first order PLUS free shipping.
Wayfair - Get organized, refreshed, and back to routine for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home.
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1KHO 576: How To Get Good at Joy When You Don’t Like Your Likable Life | Rachel Awtrey, Love Your Life Sep 18, 2025

Show notes

What if joy isn’t a mood but a muscle? In this heartfelt, fast-moving conversation, Rachel Awtrey shares how she learned to “nod to hard things without bowing to them" from cayenne-in-the-chili nights and Lego landmines to job loss and grief. She unpacks three kinds of hard days (typical interruptions, long tough seasons, and true tragedies), why we often compare ourselves to an ideal version of ourselves, and how asking for help actually forges your strongest friendships. Along the way, we talk simple practices that change the temperature of your home: taking more meals outside and counting those hours toward the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge, short walks, grounding, ice-rolling for a quick nervous-system reset, and the underrated experience of adult play.

If your life is technically “likable” but doesn’t feel that way right now, this episode is your permission slip to make some small changes. Grab Rachel’s new book, Love Your Life, Even When You Don’t Like It All the Time , check out her show, Real Talk with Rachel Awtrey, and say hi to her on Instagram (@rachelawtrey).

A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:

Select Quote: Head to www.selectquote.com/1000hours to learn more.
BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.
Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns
NIV Application Bible - visit www.NIVapplicationbible.com if you’re looking to grow in your understanding of Scripture and make it real in your daily life.
Capstone Wellness - For over 24 years, Capstone has helped thousands of families on their path to healing. Learn more at capstonewellness.com/1000hours
NurtureLife - Head to NurtureLife.com/1000HOURS55 and use code 1000HOURS55 for 55% off your first order PLUS free shipping.
Wayfair - Get organized, refreshed, and back to routine for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home.
Earthley - Use the code 1000hours to get 10% off your next purchase at www.earthley.com.

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