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What if the most powerful way to raise courageous kids is hidden in small, repeatable moments at home? Former Navy SEAL and father of four Jimmy Graham joins us to share the lived wisdom behind his new children’s book, How Do You Love a Fish?, a field-tested guide to forming character through short stories, scripture, and simple nightly rituals. We explore how parents can lead with clarity in a chaotic world by pairing modeled behavior with true words that bless and build.

Jimmy walks us through practical tools you can use tonight: the “High Five” confidence cue (posture, eye contact, handshake, strong voice, smile), a family liturgy of affirmation that becomes oxygen for the soul, and the powerful reframe that love means meeting needs, not projecting preferences. We talk about teaching kids to say “May I please” and “Thank you,” why manners are a form of respect and self-mastery, and how choosing silence over venting can be strength, not weakness. From “don’t be distracted,” accountability, to “say true words” & have integrity, this conversation turns faith into action without fluff.

We also take on the so‑called war on decency with a calm, constructive plan: turn devices off, read a short 3 pg chapter of this book with your child, ask three questions, set a small challenge, and close with a promise and a prayer. Jimmy also shares about the tender practice of telling your children, “You are my treasure,” so they carry that truth wherever they may be in life.

"How Do You Love a Fish" is a rich, honest, and highly practical blueprint for parents who want their kids to grow up safe enough to play and strong enough to stand.

If this conversation encourages you, share it with a parent who needs a boost, subscribe for more character‑first parenting, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Then grab a copy of How Do You Love a Fish? and start one small practice tonight.

To access other episodes with Jimmy Graham, go to #72, #131 & #167.

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load.

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Holiday gatherings don’t have to feel like conversational minefields. We explore a practical, heart-forward approach to keep the peace without tiptoeing around every topic: lead with curiosity, set kind boundaries, and make service your default setting. Instead of avoiding politics, religion, or health decisions by staying silent, we share scripts and strategies that let you engage without getting dragged into a win-or-lose debate. We trade the tired “don’t talk about it” rules for a better plan!

We also discuss:
• reframing the goal from winning to harmony
• shifting from opinions to stories and experiences
• using open questions to deepen understanding
• setting friendly boundaries and graceful exits
• applying self-deprecating humor to defuse tension
• practical self-care: limits, sleep, breaks, helping the host
• modeling calm connection for kids and family culture
• serving others to reduce conflict and build trust

If you aren’t part of our parent community, please join today! Visit our website and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

And if you’re in the Denver area, be sure to check out the Denver Events tab to see what community gatherings we have going on!

Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

Big feelings don’t check the calendar. Between crowded rooms, shifting schedules, and constant stimulation, kids can tip from excitement to overload in seconds. Parents are left juggling judgment, guilt, and a wailing child at the dinner table. In this episode, we share a practical way to turn holiday meltdowns into moments of connection by reframing tantrums as communication, validating feelings, and co-regulating with calm breath and touch.

We also discuss:
• applying consequences after calm and repair
• using HALT to spot hungry, angry, lonely or tired
• matching support to a child’s temperament
• choosing routine and sleep to prevent overload

If this episode resonates with you, please share with a friend who may also need peace during the holidays!

Need more resources? Visit our website to find our Huddle Up guide to help prepare for the oncoming holidays!

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load.

Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

What if the scoreboard you’ve been chasing isn’t the one that matters? Former Nike executive John Olinger joins us to unpack a life-altering season marked by a 40-day prayer, a sudden family tragedy, and a career fork that forced him to define success on purpose. John shares how losing his mother young and later his father reframed time as both scarce and uncertain and why that urgency pushed him to choose people over projects without abandoning excellence.

In this episode we discuss:
• redefining success from accomplishments to relationships
• the 40-day prayer that reframed career decisions
• counterbalance as a practical alternative to balance
• presence for kids now, training as they grow
• daily couple prayer as a protective habit
• from consuming content to taking courageous action

Be sure to check out John's book, Worthy Wins: Pointing Your Life to What Matters Most, to discover what truly matters in life.

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load.

Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

One in four adults are distant or estranged from a parent. We dig into why that happens and how to reverse the pattern by making home the safest place for truth. With licensed psychotherapist, Catherine Hickem, we unpack the habits that build lifelong closeness and the ones that quietly push kids away.

We discuss:
• the cost of fear driven parenting and hidden expectations
• modeling conflict resolution that heals, not harms
• treating adult kids with respect, curiosity and privacy
• owning mistakes and offering sincere apologies
• navigating holidays and time boundaries with clarity
• processing grief to show up present and kind

Be sure to check out Catherine's website where she offers free tools to strengthen your relationship with your adult children, and purchase her book, Heaven in Her Arms: Why God Chose Mary to Raise His Son and What It Means for You.

If this helped you, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help more families find these tools.

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load.

Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!
Looking for things to combat boredom and bolster growth in your kids? Check out our Tame the Tech Bundle and the Best Me I Can Be Journal!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

Ever feel like money talks with your spouse turn into a maze of receipts, blame, and “we’ll do this when life slows down”? Let’s change the script.

We close our money and marriage series with a simple, powerful exercise that helps you move from logistics and conflict to compassion and clarity—no perfect plan required. With a pen, two sheets of paper, and 30 minutes, you’ll uncover the stories you each carry about money, the beliefs you absorbed growing up, and the hopes you want to build together.

You'll hear:
• why waiting for the perfect time keeps you stuck
• how stories shape money beliefs and reactions
• questions that uncover childhood scripts and adult triggers
• practices to build empathy before budgets
• inviting God into marriage and money through prayer

Did you love this episode? Send me an email (jordan@familiesofcharacter.com) and tell me what surprised you! What did you learn about your spouse through the exercise? Or what new dream did you discover together? And if this episode was a favorite, share it with a friend!

Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!
Looking for things to combat boredom and bolster growth in your kids? Check out our Tame the Tech Bundle and the Best Me I Can Be Journal!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

Money stress usually feels like a numbers problem, but what we’re really missing is a shared picture of the future. We dig into the tug-of-war between kid expenses now and retirement later, and we show how a simple, faith‑grounded vision transforms everyday choices.

With Josh, a Certified Financial Planner (with many other certifications!), and our own marriage as the test lab, we get practical about defining your ideal day when you retire, naming the deeper why behind “big” desires like a vacation home or a classic car, and reframing them as tools for family unity, service, and dignity rather than just indulgence.

Josh and I discuss:
• casting a shared retirement vision rooted in values
• replacing guilt with a deeper why for desires
• small, consistent steps over perfect plans
• monthly or quarterly money check‑ins together
• common mistakes when trying to implement
• teamwork, repair, and forgiveness as financial skills

I want you to share this episode with your spouse! This is a way for you to get the conversation started.

If you aren't subscribed already, be sure to add the Families of Character Podcast to your subscriptions.

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load.

Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!
Looking for things to combat boredom and bolster growth in your kids? Check out our Tame the Tech Bundle and the Best Me I Can Be Journal!

our website

Send us a Text Message and suggest a topic or guest!

We unpack the five biggest money struggles couples face and make the case that a shared vision is the keystone that makes everything else easier. Jake and Noelle Wysocki share practical routines, from State of the Union meetings, and tiny experiments to co-learning, that turn money from a stressor into a tool.

In this episode, we discuss:
• why no shared vision drives most money conflicts
• how to run quarterly “State of the Union” check-ins
• using tiny experiments to make lasting changes
• co-learning to prevent knowledge and power gaps
• combining accounts vs separate money mindsets
• simple 1–10 satisfaction exercise to start now
• aligning money with generosity and long-term goals

Listen to Episode 112, How to Live a Regret-Free Life, with Jake Wysocki and check out his website to see what he has been currently up to! Curious to learn about Jake and Noelle's travels? Visit www.everydayanewadventure.com

Share this episode with your spouse first, then share it with a friend. Stay tuned for our weekly episodes that drop on Tuesday. Check out our website, familiesofcharacter.com

The Thriving Family Accelerator provides an easy, 3-step process to lower stress, parent as a united team, and enjoy a true friendship with your spouse & relationship with your kids. Sign up now for this live parent coaching with proven methods for positively engaging your family and redistributing the mental load.

Support the show

Give $20 to keep the mic on. We're a 501 c(3) non-profit and produce this show for parents around the globe.
Discover the secrets to building a connected + thriving family. All you'll need is a few minutes of your week—it's easy!

our website