Celebrate Kids Podcast with Dr. Kathy

*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "406bb266-3ffc-486a-8f1b-585d3ebfe839" data-testid= "conversation-turn-166" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Have playgrounds become too safe for kids to actually grow? In this episode of Facing the Dark, Dr. Kathy Koch and Wayne Stender take a thoughtful look at the increasing restrictions on playgrounds and recess, and what those rules may be costing our children. From banning running and roughhousing to removing swings altogether, today's playgrounds often prioritize control over exploration. This conversation explores why unstructured play matters for confidence, problem solving, self regulation, and social development. Drawing on child development and Scripture, Dr. Kathy challenges parents and educators to reconsider whether constant supervision and rigid rules actually help kids, or quietly undermine courage and judgment. Grounded in Jesus' invitation to "let the little children come," this episode invites adults to trade whistle-blowing for watchful presence and to see recess not as chaos to manage, but as formation in motion.      

*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "eeda7058-bf59-4ca6-acc4-d8d7acc2cb63" data-testid= "conversation-turn-164" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Is creativity something to manage, or something to nurture? In this episode of Facing the Dark, Dr. Kathy Koch and Wayne Stender reframe creativity as far more than art projects or imaginative play. Drawing on research, classroom stories, and Scripture, they explore how creativity fuels resilience and character formation in children. From sticks turning into swords on a hike to invented words like fantabulous, this conversation shows how imagination helps kids problem solve, regulate stress, and engage the real world more deeply, not escape it. Rooted in Genesis 1, the episode reminds parents that creativity is part of what it means to bear God's image. Nature becomes the ultimate open ended classroom, inviting wonder, curiosity, and growth. If you've ever worried that creativity leads to chaos or distraction, this episode offers reassurance and practical wisdom for guiding, celebrating, and protecting your child's God-given creativity as it shapes both character and faith.  

What if something as simple as ordering dinner could shape your child's confidence for life? In this episode of Facing the Dark, Dr. Kathy Koch and Wayne Stender explore how everyday moments, like letting kids speak up, make mistakes, and try again, become powerful training grounds for resilience. Using a creative family practice as a springboard, they unpack how courage grows through support, not pressure, and why failure isn't fatal, it's formative. Drawing on child development wisdom and the biblical story of Moses' struggle with speech, this conversation reassures parents that hesitation isn't weakness and that embarrassment doesn't disqualify a child from growth. If you want to help your kids develop confidence, communication skills, and resilience without crushing their spirit, this episode offers practical guidance and deep encouragement for walking alongside them as they learn to stand back up and try again.

When children struggle with gender identity, it's rarely just about gender. In this episode of Facing the Dark, Dr. Kathy Koch and Wayne Stender respond to recent pauses in so-called gender-affirming care for minors and explore what real care for kids actually looks like. Drawing from counseling experience, research, Scripture, and deep compassion, they unpack why anxiety, depression, trauma, and confusion about the future often sit beneath gender distress, and why rushing to medical solutions can miss the deeper needs of the child. This conversation equips parents and loved ones with a posture rooted in compassion, hope, truth, and confidence, showing how to engage kids without rejection or oversimplification. If you love a child who is wrestling with identity questions and want to walk with them wisely and faithfully, this episode offers clarity and a path forward grounded in relationship rather than reaction.

We drill the ABCs. We practice math facts. But when it comes to kindness, we often expect it to appear fully formed, without teaching it. In this episode of Facing the Dark, Dr. Kathy Koch and Wayne Stender explore the critical difference between politeness and true kindness, drawing on psychological research, parenting wisdom, and the biblical story of the Prodigal Son. They unpack why forcing apologies can create scripts instead of sincerity, how empathy is a muscle that must be taught and practiced, and why safety always precedes compassion. This conversation challenges parents to move beyond surface-level behavior management toward heart-level formation modeling mercy, curiosity, repair, and other-centeredness. If you want to raise kids who are genuinely kind, not just well-mannered, this episode will give you clarity, conviction, and practical direction.