Advertise on podcast: The MAVEN Parent Podcast

Millennials have been raising the next generation for a while now and it's time to check in on them. Champions of modern parenting methods such as Gentle Parenting, millennials are fairly confident that their parenting styles will be successful. They focus on empathy, mental health, and leaving behind the parenting practices of previous generations. Overall, they think they're better parents than their own. But what does success really look like? Is it healthy to have this level of confidence in your parenting? In this episode, Brett and Erin look at the data from millennials about how they're assessing their parenting performance, discuss a Biblical perspective of what success really looks like, and some practical action steps you can take to practice a more wise parenting approach. Read the study: https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/blog/millennial-parenting-statistics/ Read how Gen Z is Parenting: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-research-from-kiddie-academy-reveals-54-of-gen-z-parents-prioritize-preparing-children-for-real-world-302559687.html Register for the 2026 MAVEN Gala: https://maventruth.ticketspice.com/2026-maven-gala MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/ 

Is the issue of biological males in women's sports "over" now? Last week, we interviewed teen athlete Olivia Viola about her experience running track and field against a biological man. She is far from the only teen athlete who is still having to navigate this issue. There are hundreds of stories of girls forced to play sports or share locker rooms with boys. Maybe there's even a teen in your life facing this issue too? In this episode, Brett and Erin chat with Sophia Lorey from California Family Council about her experiences helping girls and families in California navigate the real life consequences of the transgender sports issues and how Christian parents can best step up to help their students fight for truth. Watch last week's interview with teen athlete Olivia Viola: https://linktw.in/ZFGcTv Learn more about California Family Council: https://www.californiafamily.org See if your state has an organization like CFC: https://familypolicyalliance.com Get "Live Not By Lies" by Rod Dreher: https://a.co/d/0dalr2Q1 Register for the 2026 MAVEN Gala: https://maventruth.ticketspice.com/2026-maven-gala MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/ 

Ideas have consequences and those consequences impact real people. Olivia, a high school track athlete, never expected to find herself at the center of a national conversation. But when she was forced to compete against a transgender athlete, everything changed overnight. In this episode, Brett and Erin sit down with the Viola family and discuss their story and how they navigated their daughter's bold decision to make a stand for truth on the track field. Watch Olivia's Fox News Interview: https://www.foxnews.com/video/6374060934112 Get "Live Not By Lies" by Rod Dreher: https://a.co/d/0dalr2Q1 LIVE Parenting Q&A: https://linktw.in/vzofLE Register for the 2026 MAVEN Gala: https://maventruth.ticketspice.com/2026-maven-gala MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/ 

In this episode, Brett and Erin sit down with apologist and author Doug Powell to explore the mystery of the Shroud of Turin—a centuries-old burial cloth believed by many to be the cloth that wrapped Jesus after His crucifixion. Is the Shroud truly the burial cloth of Jesus, or is it a sophisticated medieval forgery? Doug walks us through the immense historical, scientific, and forensic evidence behind the Shroud, examining what it reveals about Jesus’ death—and why this fascinating artifact is one that families and churches should be talking about. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8brziJ6byT0 Learn more about Doug: https://www.dougpowell.com/ Register for the 2026 MAVEN Gala: https://maventruth.ticketspice.com/2026-maven-gala 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/ 

What's the best way to respond when your teen lies, breaks trust, and refuses to listen? In this episode, Brett and Erin tackle a difficult—but common—parenting situation: a listener writes in about their teen repeatedly lying, pushing boundaries, and pursuing a relationship against their parents’ guidance. How should parents respond when trust is broken? What actually works when consequences don’t seem to stick? And how can you guide your teen towards better choices? Watch "Why We Need to Let Kids Ask Questions About Faith" - https://youtu.be/T9JyEltssGY Register for the 2026 MAVEN Gala: https://maventruth.ticketspice.com/2026-maven-gala 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 modern church has sometimes struggled with encouraging artists to use their gifts for the glory of God. How do artists and art fit into the Great Commission? Also, who was St. Patrick and how can we pass along a knowledge of our church family to our kids? In this episode, Brett and Erin speak with author, graphic designer, and award-winning children's book illustrator Ned Bustard about art, his theology of art, church history, and his children's book "Saint Patrick the Forgiver." Watch the video of Ned working: https://vimeo.com/368367334 Get "St. Patrick the Forgiver:" https://a.co/d/09F3TKRn Find out more about Ned here: https://www.worldsendimages.com/ Follow Ned on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nedbustard/ Check out "Every Moment Holy" books: https://a.co/d/02vC5UUb Register for the 2026 MAVEN Gala: https://maventruth.ticketspice.com/2026-maven-gala 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/ 

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/ Register for the 2026 MAVEN Gala: https://maventruth.ticketspice.com/2026-maven-gala MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/ 

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/ Register for the 2026 MAVEN Gala: https://maventruth.ticketspice.com/2026-maven-gala 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/ 

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/

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 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/ 

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/ 

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/

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/ 

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/