1KHO 586: Play-Based Childhoods Are Being Stolen | Nicole Runyon, Free to Fly
What happens when kids grow up without free play? Licensed therapist Nicole Runyon, LMSW, has been on the frontlines of America’s childhood mental health crisis, and what she’s seen is sobering: most of the children filling therapy offices don’t actually need therapy—they need their parents to reclaim the foundations of childhood. In this episode, we dig into her groundbreaking book Free to Fly and uncover why play, movement, discomfort, and independence are not luxuries—they are the very building blocks of healthy development. Screens, overpathologizing, and permissive parenting are stealing what used to come naturally, and our kids are paying the price.
Nicole explains why play-based childhoods are being stolen from today’s iGeneration, how “drug addiction begins with the iPad,” and why discomfort is not the enemy but the doorway to confidence and resilience. We cover everything from the dangers of tracking teens and delaying driving, to the epidemic of broken children overwhelmed by screens, junk food, and anxiety. Most importantly, Nicole reminds us that the answer lies within the family unit. Parents have more power than they think, and small, courageous choices can restore independence, health, and joy to the next generation.
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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
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
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1KHO 583: When Your Best Isn't Enough to Prevent Pain | Tony Miltenburger, Wisdom in the Wound
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
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:
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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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Childhood is finite at just shy of 9.5 million minutes. We only get one shot at it. One of the biggest decisions we make is how we will use that time. Research has confirmed time and time again that what children are naturally and unabashedly drawn to, unrestricted outside play, contributes extensively to every area of childhood development. The importance here cannot be understated. Every year we aim to match nature time with the average amount of American kid screen time (which is currently 1200 hours per year). Have a goal. Track your time outside. Take back childhood. Inspire others.
UK