The MAVEN Parent Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Why Family Breakdown Leads to Cultural Breakdown w/ Katy Faust Mar 10, 2026

Show notes

From the sexual revolution to no-fault divorce to the legalization of gay marriage, there's no mistake that the definition of marriage has dramatically shifted over the decades. What is marriage for? Is it primarily about adult fulfillment, or is marriage about protecting and nurturing the next generation? And what happens to society when those priorities shift? In this episode, we're playing a powerful talk from given at the 2026 California MAVEN Conference by Katy Faust, an author and founder of Them Before Us, on the connection between family structure and cultural stability. This conversation explores the major revolutions that brought our culture to it's current point and how modern cultural messages about family often overlook the needs of kids.

Check out Katy's organization Them Before Us: https://thembeforeus.com/

Check out the Greater Than campaign: https://greaterthancampaign.com/

Get Katy's books: https://katyfaust.com/books/

Invest in your student’s faith by sending them to Summit’s Student Conferences! Use code MAVEN26 to save $250 today at https://www.summit.org/promotions/maven/

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

Why the Harder Way to Parent Is Actually Better Mar 03, 2026

Show notes

The data is in! Does Gentle Parenting really work? It may feel easier in the moment, but is it actually effective in raising resilient, respectful kids in the long run? In this episode, Brett and Erin take a close look at a new study from The Institute of Family Studies about strict parenting, structure, and its effect on long-term parent-child relationships. While modern culture often equates authority and firm consequences with harshness, the data paints a far more nuanced picture: one where saying “no,” enforcing boundaries, and following through on consequences may create short-term conflict but ultimately lead to long-term trust and respect.

Read the study: https://ifstudies.org/blog/hard-parenting-better-relationships-new-evidence

Read Dr. Danish's X post: https://x.com/operationdanish/status/2026438158989332842?s=20

Check out The Institute for Family Studies: https://ifstudies.org/

Invest in your student’s faith by sending them to Summit’s Student Conferences! Use code MAVEN26 to save $250 today at https://www.summit.org/promotions/maven/

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

The Parenting Conversation Our Culture Needs Right Now Feb 24, 2026

Show notes

Last week on the podcast, we spoke with Dr. Leonard Sax, a family doctor and author, about the key ideas from his book, "The Collapse of Parenting." In this episode, Brett and Erin debrief that conversation and reflect on how accurately his work diagnoses the problems with modern parenting, especially how today's culture often encourages disrespect in kids while simultaneously undermining parental authority. Listen to our interview with Dr. Sax: https://linktw.in/REIYnr Pick up Dr. Sax's book "The Collapse of Parenting": https://a.co/d/0jc50Z31 Listen to our recent episode on discipline and coddling: https://linktw.in/vJMKZm Invest in your student’s faith by sending them to Summit’s Student Conferences! Use code MAVEN26 to save $250 today at www.summit.org/maven MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

The Collapse of Parenting and How to Reverse It w/ Dr. Leonard Sax Feb 17, 2026

Show notes

Parents, have you wondered how much modern culture—with its screens and shifting philosophies—has changed the way we raise our kids? The impact may be more serious than many of us realize. In this episode, Brett and Erin talk with Dr. Leonard Sax about his important book "The Collapse of Parenting" and how immensely the culture has shifted the parenting landscape leading to a collapse in parental authority. Together, they discuss practical ways parents can re-establish healthy leadership for a family culture where children can truly thrive.

Get the "Collapse of Parenting" - https://a.co/d/0hBmRmuF

Check out Jean Twenge's "10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World" - https://a.co/d/0cYiz9iB

Join us THIS WEEKEND (Feb 21st) at the California MAVEN Conference! Register here: https://www.mavenconferences.com/california

Invest in your student’s faith by sending them to Summit’s Student Conferences! Use code MAVEN26 to save $250 today at www.summit.org/maven

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

Should I Discipline My Kids In Public? Feb 10, 2026

Show notes

Should you discipline your kids in public? How do we navigate those situations when our kid talks back or kicks off a tantrum in the middle of the grocery store? In this episode, Brett and Erin dig into Ephesians 6:4 and address a tension many parents feel: how to practice strong, authoritative discipline without humiliating your child when they're losing it in public.

Check out last week's podcast about why kids don't listen the first time: https://linktw.in/vJMKZm

Join us at the California MAVEN Conference! Register here: https://www.mavenconferences.com/california

Invest in your student’s faith by sending them to Summit’s Student Conferences! Use code MAVEN26 to save $250 today at https://www.summit.org/promotions/maven/

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

Why Your Kids Don’t Listen the First Time Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

Parents, we've all been there: You’ve said "No" about five times at this point. You’ve given a warning. Maybe you've even explained the consequence…and still nothing changes! This cycle can feel exhausting and ineffective. How can we actually get discipline to work? In this episode, Brett and Erin talk about what actually makes discipline effective at home, explain why repeated warnings, empty consequences, and emotional reactions often undermine our authority, and how calm consistency builds respect over time.

Check out the children's book "No, David" - https://a.co/d/06A6wtho

Invest in your student’s faith by sending them to Summit’s Student Conferences! Use code MAVEN26 to save $250 today at www.summit.org/maven

Learn more about the MAVEN Conference here: https://www.mavenconferences.com/california

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

Tools for Teaching Biblical Literacy at Home Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

You don’t need a theology degree to help your kids understand the Bible. But you do need the right strategies. In this episode, Brett and Erin share some of the practical background questions parents can use at home to help their kids go deeper during family Bible time, followed by a recent sermon Brett gave that highlights what it looks like to apply these strategies in real study. These foundational tools will help you encourage your kids in their ability to think carefully about what Scripture is actually communicating.

Check out Walt Russell's book "Playing With Fire" - https://a.co/d/4EpY5Xa

Invest in your student’s faith by sending them to Summit’s Student Conferences! Use code MAVEN26 to save $250 today at www.summit.org/maven

Learn more about the MAVEN Conference here - https://www.mavenconferences.com/california

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

Are You Raising Problem-Solvers? Jan 20, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Brett and Erin reflect on a real-life parenting mishap: a missed writing class, a dropped-off teenager, and a problem that had to be solved without a phone, an adult, or a rescue. What could have spiraled into panic instead became a powerful lesson in resilience and confidence. Through this real-life example, they explore why overprotecting our kids can actually hinder their growth and how small, age-appropriate responsibilities prepare children to become resilient problem-solvers later in life.

Invest in your student’s faith by sending them to Summit’s Student Conferences! Use code MAVEN26 to save $250 today at www.summit.org/maven

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

Why We Must Raise the Bar for Christian Learning Jan 13, 2026

Show notes

As a new year begins, many of us are setting new goals, habits, and resolutions. But before we set goals for our spiritual growth, we need to examine our expectations. Are we challenging ourselves and our kids to goals that will really grow us in our relationship and knowledge of the Lord? In this episode, Brett and Erin reflect on a recent article by Bible teacher Jen Wilkin, discuss how the growing crisis of biblical literacy in the church and low expectations for discipleship and learning are failing both adults and the next generation.

Read the article by Jen Wilkin: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2026/01/bible-reading-plan-literacy-jen-wilkin/

Read the State of Theology report: https://thestateoftheology.com/

Invest in your student’s faith by sending them to Summit’s Student Conferences! Go to www.summit.org/maven and use code MAVEN26 to save $250 today.

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

Training Kids to Take Their Faith Seriously w/ Ryan Pauly Jan 06, 2026

Show notes

Apathy and faith deconstruction are increasingly common among the next generation, while much of the biblical teaching and discipleship students receive remains shallow. So how can we help students move beyond indifference toward a faith that is thoughtful, resilient, and lived out? In this episode, Brett and Erin talk with Ryan Pauly, MAVEN’s Director of Immersive Experiences, about what he’s seen effectively help students move from apathy about their faith to genuine conviction, and even a desire to share it with others.

Check out more about MAVEN's Immersive Experiences: https://maventruth.com/immersive-experience/

Invest in your student’s faith by sending them to Summit’s Student Conferences! Go to www.summit.org/maven and use code MAVEN26 to save $250 today.

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/m

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