Raising Boys & Girls – Details, episodes & analysis

This conversation highlights a growing “capability gap” in teens, where some, often girls, are overwhelmed by pressure and perfectionism while others, often boys, are disengaged and avoidant. David and Sissy connect this to factors like digital communication, lowered relationship standards, and increased screen use, all of which can hinder resilience and healthy development. They emphasize that true capability is built through real-life challenges, responsibility, and healthy risk-taking, and encourage parents to raise expectations, foster strong relationships, teach coping skills, and create space for both rest and growth. Resources mentioned: Capable: How to Teach Your Kids the Strengths, Skills, and Strategies to Build Resilience by David Thomas and Sissy Goff The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence by Jessica Lahey Navigating Our Teens Dating with Paula Faris Birds & Bees . . . . . .  Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share! Pre-order our new book, Capable and grab tickets for Capable - The Book Tour here! See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .  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. SHOPIFY: Go to https://tinyurl.com/RBGShopify to learn more about Shopify! LEGACY BOX: Legacybox is running their Mother’s Day sale and they’re also offering an additional $10 off your order. Visit Legacybox.com and use discount code: RBG GO MINNO: Visit GoMinno.com to get a one month FREE TRIAL using code: RBG JOLIE: Jolie will give you your best skin & hair guaranteed. Head to jolieskinco.com/RBG to try it out for yourself with FREE shipping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Lisa Damour explains that resilience comes from learning to handle discomfort, not avoiding it, and reminds parents that mental health isn’t about always feeling happy. Especially in the middle school years, kids face rapid changes and self-doubt, making it crucial for parents to support rather than rescue. By allowing kids to work through hard moments while staying gently connected, we help them build the confidence and capability they need for life. Resources mentioned: Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Dr. Lisa Damour Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls by Dr. Lisa Damour The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents by Dr. Lisa Damour . . . . . .  Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share! Pre-order our new book, Capable and grab tickets for Capable - The Book Tour here! See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .  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. SHOPIFY: Go to https://tinyurl.com/RBGShopify to learn more about Shopify! LEGACY BOX: Legacybox is running their Mother’s Day sale and they’re also offering an additional $10 off your order. Visit Legacybox.com and use discount code: RBG GO MINNO: Visit GoMinno.com to get a one month FREE TRIAL using code: RBG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode explores how to raise capable girls by addressing three key challenges—feelings, failings, and fear. Sissy Goff shares how girls often feel deeply, internalize failure, and face increasing anxiety, but reminds parents that these struggles don’t define them. By helping girls understand their emotions, practice kinder self-talk, and face fears with courage, we can guide them toward living with confidence and capability.  Resources mentioned: Emotional Agility by Susan David Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis . . . . . .  Sign up to receive the⁠ bi-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share! Pre-order our new book, Capable and grab tickets for Capable - The Book Tour here! See our speaking dates, purchase books and check out our courses here.. . . . . .  If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form. 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 HEALTH: Visit hiyahealth.com/RBG to get 50% off your first order. BRODO: Go to ⁠Brodo.com/RBG⁠ for 20% off your first subscription order, plus an additional $10 off when you use code RBG 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And now, it’s Owen’s turn! Sissy had so much fun getting to interview our very own David Thomas on why he wrote this wise and wonderful book called Owen Finds He Has What it Takes! Make sure to listen…so many important ideas on helping the kids we love develop resilience! And make sure to grab a copy of Owen, too! We love this book, David Thomas!!!! . . . . .  ⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠ Grab your tickets today for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Raising Capable Kids Conference⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with David Thomas, Sissy Goff and special guests! Sign up to receive the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share! Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  . . . . .  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: NEEDED: Head over to thisisneeded.com and use code RBG for 20% off your first order.  DOSE: Save 30% on your first month of subscription by going to dosedaily.co/RBG or entering RBG at checkout.  OUR PLACE: Visit fromourplace.com/RBG and use code RBG for 10% off sitewide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are SO excited to introduce one of our heroes in the therapeutic world to our Raising Boys and Girls family today! Dr. Tamar Chansky, who you have heard us quote countless times, joins us as we talk about all things anxiety, OCD and negative thinking. There are so many pieces of wisdom in this episode we are sure you are going to want to come back to it many times. Dr. Chansky, we’re so grateful for this conversation and for the impact you have made in our work over the years!  Purchase Dr. Tamar Chansky’s books HERE. Follow Dr. Tamar Chansky on Instagram. . . . . .  Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠ ⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience Grab your tickets today for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Raising Capable Kids Conference⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with David Thomas, Sissy Goff and special guests! Sign up to receive the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share! Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  . . . . .  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: Hiya Health: Receive 50% off your first order. Go to to hiyahealth.com/RBG and get your kids the full-body nourishment they need to grow into healthy adults. Function Health: We highly recommend Function. Learn more and join using our link. The first 1000 get a $100 credit toward their membership. Visit www.functionhealth.com/RBG to own your health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of the podcast is our very own Sissy Goff! It’s so fun to turn the tables and for David to interview Sissy not only on why this book on courage is important today, but what we can do to help the kids we love find their own brave—from the very earliest of ages! Make sure to listen in for what Sissy is seeing now in terms of anxiety and kids and practical ideas on what we can do today to make a difference! Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage⁠ ⁠Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience⁠ Braver, Stronger, Smarter Strong & Smart . . . . . Grab your tickets today for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Raising Capable Kids Conference⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with David Thomas, Sissy Goff and special guests! Sign up to receive the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share! Go behind the scenes and watch our podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Download a copy of the Raising Boys and Girls ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Feelings Chart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. . . . . . 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: Jolie: Jolie will give you your best skin & hair guaranteed. Head to jolieskinco.com/RBG to try it out for yourself with FREE shipping. And if you don’t like it— you can return your Jolie for a full refund within 60 days, no questions asked. Fay Nutrition: Listeners can qualify to see a registered dietitian for as little as $0 by visiting FayNutrition.com/RBG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Okay, podcast friends…get ready to have your hearts melted because we have the most adorable podcast guest on Raising Boys and Girls today: Henry Weber! Henry is Sissy’s 6 year old nephew who shares lots of his thoughts on what’s helped him learn to be more resilient and courageous. We share our favorite tricks on helping the kids we love discover both how resilient and brave they truly are! Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage Owen Learns He Has What it Takes: A Lesson in Resilience The Worry-Free Parent . . . . . Grab your tickets today for the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Raising Capable Kids Conference⁠⁠⁠⁠ with David Thomas, Sissy Goff and special guests! Sign up to receive the ⁠⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share! Go behind the scenes and watch our podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠! Download a copy of the Raising Boys and Girls ⁠⁠⁠⁠Feelings Chart⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. . . . . . 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: Wayfair: This summer, get outside with Wayfair. Head to Wayfair.com right now. EverydayDose: Everydaydose: Get 45% off your first subscription order of 30-servings of Coffee+ or Bold+ You’ll also receive a starter kit with over $100 in free gifts including a rechargeable frother and gunmetal serving spoon by going to everydaydose.com/RGB or entering RGB at checkout. You’ll also get FREE gifts throughout the year! KiwiCo: Get $15 off on your Summer Adventure Series at ⁠https://tinyurl.com/RBGKiwiCo⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathan Rogers is a podcaster, teacher, husband, father, and author of the best-selling Wilderking Series. We were thrilled to sit down with our friend Jonathan to talk about inspiring not only creativity in kids, but helping them learn to love to read and write. You’re going to love this episode with the brilliant, highly creative and widely well-read Jonathan Rogers.  The Habit The Rabbit Room . . . . . Preorder ⁠Owen and Lucy⁠ today! Grab your tickets today for the ⁠Raising Capable Kids Conference⁠ with David Thomas, Sissy Goff and special guests! Sign up to receive the ⁠monthly newsletter⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share! Go behind the scenes and watch our podcast on ⁠YouTube⁠! Download a copy of the Raising Boys and Girls ⁠Feelings Chart⁠. Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠. . . . . . If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our ⁠Advertise with us⁠ form. Our Place: Our Place is having their biggest sale of season right now! Save up to 30% off sitewide now through May 12th. Head to fromourplace.com/RBG to see why more than a million people have made the switch to Our Place kitchenware. With a 100-day risk-free trial, free shipping, and free returns, you can experience this game-changing cookware with zero risk. Needed: Head over to thisisneeded.com and use code RBG for 20% off your first order. Dose: Save 30% on your first month of subscription by going to dosedaily.co/RBG or entering RBG at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, David and Sissy share three things kids need this summer! Courage and resilience are certainly two of the things based on what they're seeing in their counseling offices, which is exactly why they wrote two new children's books that you can pre-order today! And, we guess you’ll just have to listen in for the third! Preorder ⁠⁠⁠⁠Owen and Lucy⁠⁠⁠⁠ today! Are My Kids on Track? Spotify Playlist Ep 181: The Benefits of Camp and the Upside of Being Homesick with Glenn & Carter Breazeale Ep 29: The Importance of Summer Camp for Kids with Amy Grant . . . . . Grab your tickets today for the ⁠⁠⁠Raising Capable Kids Conference⁠⁠⁠ with David Thomas, Sissy Goff and special guests! Sign up to receive the ⁠⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share! Go behind the scenes and watch our podcast on ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠! Download a copy of the Raising Boys and Girls ⁠⁠⁠Feelings Chart⁠⁠⁠. Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠⁠. . . . . . 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: Function: Get a $100 credit towards your annual membership at: www.functionhealth.com/RBG. This $100 credit is only for the first thousand listeners. KiwiCo: Get $15 off on your Summer Adventure Series at kiwico.com/RBG. HiyaHealth: Receive 50% off your first order. To claim this deal you must go to hiyahealth.com/RBG. This deal is not available on their regular website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mental health has made so many advances in the past several years and, with it, our understanding not only of the impact of trauma, but also what we can do to heal ourselves and help the kids we love do the same. In this important conversation, our dear friend and coworker Amy Jacobs talks about the important work she and our colleagues at Daystar Counseling are doing with kids on a daily basis at the little yellow house. This is an important conversation for all of us and Amy, we’re so grateful for your wisdom and friendship! Trauma Through a Child's Eyes: Awakening the Ordinary Miracle of Healing . . . . . Preorder ⁠⁠Owen and Lucy⁠⁠ today! Grab your tickets today for the ⁠⁠Raising Capable Kids Conference⁠⁠ with David Thomas, Sissy Goff and special guests! Sign up to receive the ⁠⁠monthly newsletter⁠⁠ to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share! Go behind the scenes and watch our podcast on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠! Download a copy of the Raising Boys and Girls ⁠⁠Feelings Chart⁠⁠. Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at ⁠⁠raisingboysandgirls.com⁠⁠. . . . . . If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our ⁠⁠Advertise with us⁠⁠ form. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices