S1-E19: Defining the Conversation

S1-E23: When Faithful Parenting Doesn't Produce the Outcome You Hoped For

Can a parent do everything right and still experience heartbreak? Many Christian parents quietly carry the belief that if they pray faithfully, teach biblical truth, model godly living, and remain committed to their children, the outcome will eventually be what they hoped for. The opening chapter of Job challenges that assumption. Before Job became known for suffering, he was a father. A faithful father. A praying father. A father deeply concerned about the spiritual condition of his adult children. Yet despite his faithfulness, Job discovered a difficult truth that every parent must eventually confront: influence is not control. In this episode, Austin and Tricia explore Job 1 through the lens of parenting, adult children, estrangement, and the limits of parental responsibility. What do we do when our children make choices we would never make? How do we handle the grief of losing influence over someone we deeply love? And how can parents remain faithful when the outcome is not what they prayed for? Whether you are raising young children, navigating relationships with adult children, grieving estrangement, or simply wrestling with questions about God's sovereignty and free will, this conversation offers biblical insight, practical wisdom, and hope for parents carrying burdens they were never meant to bear alone. In this episode: * What made Job a faithful father * The difference between influence and control * Why faithful parenting does not guarantee faithful children * The grief of losing influence over adult children * How Job's story speaks to estranged parents today * The difference between responsibility and sovereignty * Why parents are called to cultivate, not control You can be faithful without being sovereign. You can love deeply without controlling outcomes. And sometimes the greatest act of faith a parent ever performs is entrusting a beloved child to God.

S1-E22: The Great Redefinition - How Families Are Lost Without Ever Being Attacked

Why are families becoming increasingly fractured, isolated, and estranged? In this episode, we explore a provocative question: If someone wanted to weaken the family while convincing people they were becoming more free, more authentic, and more healed, what would that strategy look like? We examine the cultural shifts that have redefined duty as burden, discomfort as harm, authority as oppression, and forgiveness as optional. Along the way, we discuss the rise of family estrangement, the decline of intergenerational relationships, the outsourcing of community to digital spaces, and the growing tension between personal autonomy and family responsibility. This is not a discussion about excusing abuse or remaining in dangerous relationships. Rather, it is an exploration of what happens when ordinary conflict, disappointment, and imperfect family relationships are increasingly viewed through the lens of permanent separation. From a biblical perspective, we consider why covenant, sacrifice, forgiveness, grace, and commitment have historically held families together—and what may be lost when those values are replaced by radical individualism and perpetual grievance. Whether you are navigating family conflict yourself or simply concerned about the future of the family institution, this episode offers a thoughtful conversation about one of the defining cultural issues of our time. Washington Post article: Before cutting off a family member, ask yourself these 9 questions [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2026/04/22/family-estrangement-questions/]

S1-E21: The Age of Estrangement

Today we tackled one of the most painful and complicated realities modern families face: estrangement. While there are many different types of estrangement — political, theological, medical, relational, generational, romantic-partner influenced, divorce-related, and even social-media accelerated — they often arrive at the same destination: the parent becomes viewed as fundamentally “wrong,” unsafe, unhealthy, or incompatible with the adult child’s identity or worldview. In this episode, we unpack the many pathways that lead families to fracture. We also discuss an uncomfortable truth: Most estrangements are rarely caused by just one event. More often, they are layered systems of miscommunication and identity. Some estrangements reflect a growing cultural shift in how family, authority, boundaries, validation, and personal identity are being redefined in modern society. A difficult, honest, and deeply human conversation. *Don't forget to check out Clarkson's Farm on Amazon Prime. *

S1-E20: The Pizza Hut Generation

A businessman named Tim Sparks is restoring retro Pizza Huts across America — red cups, Pac-Man machines, stained-glass lamps, salad bars, and all. At first glance, it sounds ridiculous. But the emotional reaction people are having reveals something much deeper: America is starving for connection. In this episode, we explore why old Pizza Huts meant so much to Gen X and Millennials, what changed in family culture, and how nostalgia is exploding right now. This isn’t really about pizza. It’s about what we lost. Click to learn more about the history of Pizza Hut [https://youtu.be/EODyXLFQQok?si=Zi3z2ueKmlcjDbdW]

S1-E19: Defining the Conversation

In this foundational episode of Hi, Kids!, we slow things down and define the language behind the conversations. Too many modern debates collapse because people use the same words to mean completely different things. Today, we unpack key terms we’ve referenced — and will continue using — throughout the podcast, including cultural Marxism, validation vs. calibration, worldview, authority, emotional reasoning, objective truth, and more. This episode is about building a shared framework so future conversations are clearer, sharper, and more productive. If language shapes culture, then definitions matter.