Parenting isn't just about being present—it's about leading with purpose because children need guidance, not just companionship. In this episode, we start by looking at some quotes from celebrity parents to examine how they are misguided. The reality is that parents are called to protect, not simply please. And we each have different roles: fathers embodying hope and authority, mothers offering love and intuition. Both are crucial, and when either dominates too much, imbalance follows—leading to fragility or rigidity. We need to recognize our children’s gifts and desires and direct them by setting limits and giving formation. Where do we get these limits? By seeking the wisdom that is from above. We can’t figure out life without God’s wisdom and kids can’t figure life without us. Parents need to hold a vision of who their child can become and make tough calls for their good. Simply “accompanying” isn’t enough. Instead, loving leadership is one of the greatest gifts a parent can give.

• Parenting is leadership, not passive companionship.

• Fathers and mothers offer distinct but complementary strengths—hope and authority vs. love and intuition.

• Children need structure, like a river needs banks—boundaries guide them safely.

• Wisdom is essential—parents must seek it and model it as they lead.

• In what ways do we each naturally lead our children—where do we shine, and where do we fall short?

• Are we setting strong enough “banks” for our kids, or are we just going with the flow?

• How can we invite God's wisdom into our parenting decisions, especially when we're unsure or disagree?

Earthen Vessels book: https://matthewleeanderson.com/book/earthen-vessels/

“The devil is afraid of a united husband and wife.” —St. John Chrysostom

The family is Satan’s top target because it reflects God’s very nature and holds the foundation of civilization. Marriage isn’t just a social contract—it’s a sacrament with spiritual power, which makes it a threat to evil. The enemy’s strategy is subtle: sow disunity between spouses, confuse gender roles, exhaust parents, and replace faith formation with screens and busyness. By silencing prayer and fracturing family time, he slowly erodes the family’s ability to thrive spiritually. But families aren’t powerless. The fight starts with unity in marriage, sacrificial love, anchoring in prayer and the sacraments, and surrounding ourselves with like-minded families. The attack is real, but so is the remedy. A faithful, united, praying family is Satan’s worst nightmare. As St. John Paul II said, “The future of the world and of the Church passes through the family.” The path forward is clear—lead your family with faith, courage, and love.

• The family mirrors the Trinity, which is why Satan targets it relentlessly.

• Marriage is a spiritual battleground, not just a relationship.

• Disunity, distraction, and distorted roles are key tools the enemy uses.

• Prayer, unity, sacrifice, and community are how families fight back.

• Where do we feel the biggest spiritual attacks or distractions in our family life right now?

• Are we modeling unity for our kids—or are we forgetting that our witness is just as important as our teaching?

• What’s one practical change we can make this week to reclaim prayer or family time in our home?

“I think that bringing children into the world is like bringing holiness into the world.” - Catherine Pakaluk

In this episode, Mike and Alicia sit down with Catherine Pakaluk, economist and author of Hannah’s Children, to challenge common cultural myths about large families. Secular researchers often assume religious women have many children because they are oppressed, but Catherine explains why this is far from true. Instead, faith gives parents the conviction that children are a blessing and the true good of marriage. Struggles, dysfunction, or finances exist in every family, regardless of size—yet joy comes from embracing life, not avoiding it. Mothers discover their fullest potential through their children, and their joy isn’t tied to public opinion or material resources. Parenthood is priceless, a long-term collaboration with God, who always gives grace when we say yes to Him.

• Secular researchers assume that religious women have many children because they are oppressed. This is a myth.

• A conviction formed by faith that children are a good of marriage is not irrational.

• Religious women often are more open to children because they see children as a blessing and their “yes” is an assent to receiving those blessings from God.

• Many people use their dysfunctions and struggles as an excuse to not have more children, but the reality is that those issues are present regardless of the number of children you have.

• Mothers achieve their full potential through their children.

• Most mothers of large families don’t care what people say because their joy doesn’t come from that anyway.

• Financial incentives to have children don’t work because most parents don’t need more material resources to have more children. Parenting is so valuable that money can’t buy it. It is priceless.

• Mothers should never focus on “being done”. Embrace your fertility and God will give you the grace when you need it. This is a long-term collaboration with the Lord.

• Do we talk about “being done”? Or do we talk about “getting started”?

• Do we see children as a blessing? Do we want more blessings in our lives right now?
  

Buy the book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/gEGkjEy