The Journey: PCA Parent Podcast

Hold On to Your Kids (Episode 3 of 3)

Guests: Katie McDonald, Julie Hildebrand, and Gabe Boyd

 

The book we all read is titled Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More than Peers written by Gordon Neufeld, Ph.D., and Gabor Mate, M.D. This is NOT a recommendation of this book, but an in-depth exploration of the concepts of “attachment” parenting that are raised and an exploration of the idea that youth need to be more connected to their parents than to their peers.

 

The “family dinner” is one of the strategies for building a meaningful relationship and connection between parents and children - don’t take this important concept for granted.

 

Bedtime routines can also be tremendously valuable in establishing and maintaining a meaningful connection with your child.

 

“It takes a saint to not be alienated, but with our peer-oriented children, sainthood may be what we are called to. If that seems unnatural, it’s because it is unnatural” (HOTYK). Establishing a meaningful relationship with your kids isn’t just UNnatural, it’s SUPERnatural!!!

 

John 17 parenting - as Jesus prayed and let his disciples hear how he spoke to his Father about them, we need to let our children hear us pray for them, about them, with them…so they can hear what we think about them!

 

Parents, be careful of “sleepovers” with friends - your children can learn a lot of bad things at homes and with “friends” who are not on the same page as you are!

 

Parents, understand the incredible impact that other voices can have on the lives of your children - coaches, teachers, pastors, etc…and if you’re one of those individuals, make sure you take that responsibility seriously to speak life into those around you!

 

Parents, our primary responsibility is to raise our children so that they are connected to and find their identity in Christ! If you’re connected to Christ and His larger story for your life, you’ll want to share that with your kids…and your kids will want to be a part of something bigger than themselves!

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

Hold On to Your Kids (Episode 2 of 3)

Guests: Katie McDonald, Julie Hildebrand, and Gabe Boyd

 

The book we all read is titled Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More than Peers written by Gordon Neufeld, Ph.D., and Gabor Mate, M.D. This is NOT a recommendation of this book, but an in-depth exploration of the concepts of “attachment” parenting that are raised and an exploration of the idea that youth need to be more connected to their parents than to their peers.

 

What are the dangers of a child being attached to peers more than to their parents? Whomever a child is most attached to will have the greatest impact on their lives.

 

Peers are not accountable for their impact on your children - you, as parents, are! “When peers replace parents as the dominant attachment figures, they become our child’s models without, of course, assuming any responsibility for the end result” (HOTYK).

 

“Sex becomes an instrument of peer attachment. They are using sex with their peers to try to satisfy their hunger for connection and for affection” (HOTYK). The book is honest about the power of sex to connect two individuals - and the pain that comes with separation when that relationship or activity ends.

 

Bullying wouldn’t be that big of a deal if the child is more concerned with what his father (in our case, our Heavenly Father) thinks of us!

 

When you lose your attachment with your children, they’ll go and attach and listen to someone else. Getting that attachment relationship back with your children will take time and significant effort.

As parents, do we “over schedule” our children? Attachment isn’t proximity, it’s intentional investment into the lives of our children.

 

“Children don’t need friends, they need parents, grandparents, adults who will assume the responsibility to hold on to them” (HOTYK).

 

A “friend” is someone who has your best interest in mind - who is willing to speak truth into your life and make whatever sacrifice is necessary to help you be the best version of yourself. Your children need friends like this and so do you!

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

Hold On to Your Kids (Episode 1 of 3)

Guests: Katie McDonald, Julie Hildebrand, and Gabe Boyd

 

The book we all read is titled Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More than Peers written by Gordon Neufeld, Ph.D., and Gabor Mate, M.D. This is NOT a recommendation of this book, but an in-depth exploration of the concepts of “attachment” parenting that are raised and an exploration of the idea that youth need to be more connected to their parents than to their peers.

 

“Attachment” parenting addresses the importance of the relationship between parents and their children as well as children and other things, especially the connection of children with their peers.

 

Parents who are looking to foster and encourage peer relationships might need to reconsider the importance of these relationships - the MOST important relationship/connection that your children need to have secure is the relationship with you as their parent!

 

Parents, we should want our children to “attach” to us IF we are attached to Christ - as Paul said, Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1).

 

Josh McDowell, “Rules without relationship leads to rebellion.” When a child is acting unruly, these behavioral issues are really, at their core, relationship issues.

 

Benefit of having your children at PCA is that your child should have multiple attachments of like-minded, Christ-centered people in their lives!

 

The secret of parenting is not what the parent does, but who the parent is, in the life of a child - that’s a very profound point in this book!

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

Dismantling Transgender Ideology (2 of 2 episodes)

Guest: Alycia Wood, apologist with The C.S. Lewis Society

 

The C.S. Lewis Society was organized by Princeton University students in 1975, as a guest-speaker forum for the campus community to hear Christian scholars articulate a biblical perspective on topics of wide public concern.  After years of fruitful ministry, the Society was re-launched on the campus of Trinity College of Florida in 1988 as a fellowship of those committed to explaining and defending the Christian faith internationally. Our outreach has focused especially on university campuses and nations that are dominated by skeptical attitudes toward the core truths of Christianity.

 

What is a Woman? documentary by Matt Walsh - so many people ask Matt, “Why do you even care?” Alycia replies:

1. We should, as Christians, grieve with those who grieve, care about those who are hurting and need help.
2. The Western mindset is very individualistic…but the Eastern mindset includes the sense that what you do affects your family and the entire community! When others struggle with gender dysphoria and make decisions to transition, their decision does affect others - including you and me! God has designed us for community and we each have a responsibility to help others to the best of our ability - to speak truth in love is an important part of that responsibility.

 

Parents, consider these things if your son or daughter is talking about gender dysphoria:

1. You are the parent, don’t just let their “feelings” override the facts about their God-designed sexuality - dig into the issues they are facing, ask questions.
2. Social media can be filled with destructive voices that fill the minds of young people with lies and deception - help your children learn to tune out false narratives and discern truth from fiction.
3. Build your “support” group of like-minded, Christ-centered folks to do life with. For parents whose children are dealing with transgender ideology, Alycia recommends a group called 4thWaveNow (a community of people who question the medicalization of gender-atypical youth) for a challenging perspective.
4. Get professional help for your child - someone who is actually going to deal with the mental health aspects, not just transition your children from their current gender to another!

 

Alycia recommends that you watch this powerful and very disturbing video from destransitioner Chloe Cole on the devastating effects of transgender surgery.

 

Alycia also recommends that you watch this video of Jordan Peterson speaking with detransitioner Chloe Cole about the harmful effects of transgender ideology.

 

1. You may have to switch schools (if you’re not at PCA) or friend groups, etc. The “social contagion” aspect of this is real - change the environment and the narrative in which your child is swimming.

Why I no longer use transgender pronouns - and why you shouldn’t either - by Rosaria Butterfield - Article and Video

 

Alycia recommends Jordan Peterson’s video interview of Miriam Grossman, M.D. called Parental Trauma in a World of Gender Insanity.

The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution by Dr. Carl Trueman (or the shorter version of the same material: Strange New World).

 

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

Dismantling Transgender Ideology (1 of 2 episodes)

Guest: Alycia Wood, apologist with The C.S. Lewis Society

 

The C.S. Lewis Society was organized by Princeton University students in 1975, as a guest-speaker forum for the campus community to hear Christian scholars articulate a biblical perspective on topics of wide public concern.  After years of fruitful ministry, the Society was re-launched on the campus of Trinity College of Florida in 1988 as a fellowship of those committed to explaining and defending the Christian faith internationally. Our outreach has focused especially on university campuses and nations that are dominated by skeptical attitudes toward the core truths of Christianity.

 

Today, in some countries, misgendering a person (using a pronoun that is different than what another person prefers) can actually result in criminal penalties!

 

You need to understand how the world is using words - “sex” is limited to your biology, “gender” is how you feel about things or how you identify.

 

Excellent Resources:

• Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters by Abigail Shrier
• The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Excessive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution by Dr. Carl Trueman
• What is a Woman? documentary by Matt Walsh

 

As of 2021, 1.8% of people under 18 years of age identified as transgender. Over 80% of these individuals were born female, lived with their parents, and had zero history of gender dysphoria as children. The majority of the girls that are transitioning have one or more of the following characteristics: depression, anxiety, ADHD, and autism - and about half of these girls were engaged in self harm before any type of gender dysphoria. This is a mental health issue that is not being treated properly. Also, about 65% of these individuals greatly increased their social media usage just before coming out as transgender.

 

Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria - “all of a sudden” groups of young people are feeling that their gender does not match their assigned sex…

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

What Does It Mean to Be a Godly Success?

Guest: Dr. Connor Bales, Pastor, Prestonwood North Campus

 

How can a young man keep his way pure (how to be a godly success)? Listen and learn as Dr. Bales shares some “gold nuggets” of wisdom from Psalm 119:9-16:

1. By guarding it according to your word. Filter everything through the lens of Scripture - relationships, college, social media, church…let God’s Word inform you on literally everything! Which means…that you need to know, read, and study your Bible!
2. Go ALL IN…“with my whole heart I seek you.” When you live your life with Christ at the center, that’s your “best hand!”
3. Study and learn God’s word - “I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” The Word of God is both a window through which to see the world…and a mirror by which to see yourself!
4. Stay teachable (coachable). “Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes.” The more teachable we are, the more God can teach us! Humility is essential for the Christian journey!
5. Speak God’s truth. “With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.” Big difference between “I think that…” and “God’s Word says…”
6. Find your greatest joy in Jesus! “In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.” Know the transcendent joy that comes from connection with God through Christ…which is far greater than temporary circumstantial happiness.
7. Give your thought life to God. “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.” Consider the spiritual disciplines…and practice them, they are there to draw you closer to God!
8. Define genuine joy, seek after it, don’t forget it when you arrive! “I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.”

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

88th Texas Legislative Session Recap

Guest: Matt Shaheen, Texas State Representative, District 66

Find out who represents YOU in Congress and the Texas Legislature HERE.

Important legislative initiatives that were addressed during the 88th Legislative Session:

1. Ended government-mandated COVID restrictions
2. Funded border security
3. Removed porn from public schools - check out HB 900.
4. Banned DEI in higher education - to find out more about the Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion efforts in the State of Virginia, read this.
5. Returned election law violations to a felony
6. Holding facilities accountable if they host a “drag show” for minors
7. Ended gender modification on minors

 

Governor Abbott is looking to call at least two “Special Sessions” on the following issues:

1. Tax relief for Texas citizens - lowering the tax rate for your property tax rate and/or adding a larger homestead exemption.
2. Parental rights in education (otherwise known as “school choice”)

 

The Texas State House of Representatives also heard evidence on the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton and voted 121-23 to impeach him. His case will be taken to the Senate for a trial next where the rules require a ⅔ vote to convict.

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

4 Questions You Should Be Asking!

Guest: Michael Craven, Vice President for Equipping and Mobilization at The Colson Center for Christian Worldview

 

Colson Fellows: Gain Wisdom, Live Faithfully, Act Courageously.

 

What problem does the Colson Center remedy - the privatization of the Christian faith!

 

Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland

 

4 Questions You Should Be Asking:

1. What is good that I can preserve, protect, and promote?
2. What is missing that I can provide?
3. What is evil that I must stand against?
4. What is broken that I can repair and restore?

 

3 Institutions Critical to the Future:

1. The family
2. K-12 Christian education
3. The church

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

The Journey PCA - 10K Downloads and Parent Survey

Guest: Katie McDonald, PCA’s Senior Director of Marketing and Communications

 

Parents, thank you for listening to The Journey, PCA’s parent podcast - we just went over 10,000 downloads for the podcast, which is awesome! 

Parents, YOU are our best means of communicating all that is happening here at PCA - and we want to hear from you - we would love for you to take our PCA Podcast Parent Survey and share about how and when you listen as well as ideas for future episodes that you’d like to hear. And, we want to encourage you to share these podcasts with your friends, family, coworkers, etc…

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!

How Well Does PCA Prepare Students for College?

PCA Alumni: Sabeen Toranian (‘19), Colson Burchard (‘20), and Sophie Panetti (‘22)

 

Sabeen recently graduated from The University of Texas at Austin and will be heading to medical school in the fall. Colson will be a senior at Texas A&M University and is studying supply chain management. Sophie just finished her freshman year at The University of Arkansas and is studying apparel merchandising.

 

Preparing students for college includes far more than just equipping them to be ready and successful academically - which PCA does very well - but also includes preparing students for the college culture from a spiritual perspective as well.

 

Parents, make sure you get your students plugged into a good Christian ministry and church as soon as possible. Many universities have opportunities for Christian students to meet and connect the summer before their freshman year - the Prestonwood Student Ministry has a great list of outstanding churches and ministries on the campuses of several of the colleges that PCA graduates attend.

 

Great take-aways:

1. Determine who you want to be before heading off to college - or you will be “tossed to and fro” (Eph. 4:14) by the waves of culture and the winds of change.
2. As a Christian, you can navigate the fraternity/sorority world with integrity of character in your Christian walk.
3. Look for good Christian community - it might be in Greek life, or in a Christian-based community group, or in a church - but you need a solid community to stand boldly for Christ in a hostile environment.
4. While in college, being a camp counselor for a wonderful Christian camp is an amazing experience and can really help a young person grow in their faith as they lead others! Other than the normal Christian camps, there are great Christian organizations that are specifically on college campuses like Student Mobilization.
5. The greatest weapon and opportunity you have as parents to equip, prepare, and fight for your children - in college and beyond - is with prayer! PCA joins you in praying for your students here and as they launch out into the world!

Special shout out to Jared Wood for allowing us to use his music - check him out at JaredWoodMusic!