Best FreePlays Podcasts (2025)

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1KHO 596: Chase Down Your Dreams Today | Shawn Johnson, Kiss the Fire 57:21

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15h ago57:21

57:21

When pastor and author Shawn Johnson went to the doctor expecting news about a pinched nerve, he never imagined he’d leave with a diagnosis of an incurable brain disease. What followed was heartbreak, fear, and a hard-won rediscovery of purpose. In this powerful conversation, Shawn shares how faith, movement, and honest community helped him climb o…

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1KHO 595: Your Baby Isn't Broken and Neither Are Your Instincts | Britt Chambers, Good Night Moon Child 58:35

1d ago58:35

58:35

Somewhere along the way, modern parenting turned into a battle against biology. In this powerful conversation, Britt Chambers—founder of Good Night Moon Child—joins Ginny Yurich on The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast to dismantle the myth that babies need to be trained to fit adult schedules. She reveals how industrialized culture, profit-driven baby pr…

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1KHO 594: How to Build Resilient Youth | Bryan Gouge, Compassion International 53:09

5d ago53:09

53:09

On World Mental Health Day, youth mental health expert Bryan Gouge, PhD (Compassion International) sits down with Ginny to flip the script—from “fix the kid” to “build the village.” Bryan explains why mental health isn’t just diagnoses; it’s a practice we do together. You’ll hear the four pillars guiding Compassion’s global work—strength-based, you…

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1KHO 593: It's Our Duty to Protect Childhood | Sean Dietrich, Over Yonder 1:01:03

6d ago1:01:03

1:01:03

Sean Dietrich returns for his fourth conversation with Ginny Yurich, and it’s one of his most powerful yet. From the near-extinction of kids on bikes to the loss of long attention spans, Sean names what many parents quietly feel — that a way of life has disappeared almost overnight. He shares how a few months with a flip phone reshaped his focus, h…

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1KHO 592: Gravity Intolerance Might Be Your Missing Link | Dr. Brennan Spiegel, Pull 57:59

7d ago57:59

57:59

What if your aches, digestive issues, or low-energy days aren’t just about food or stress — but how well your body manages gravity? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Brennan Spiegel unpacks “gravity intolerance,” the idea that our bodies are increasingly out of sync with the gravity force we evolved under. From astronauts losing bone density in sp…

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1KHO 591: Reading Is an Act of Rebellion | Jack Carr, Cry Havoc 1:01:37

8d ago1:01:37

1:01:37

Filming in Morocco and fresh off the marathon research behind Cry Havoc, bestselling author and former Navy SEAL Jack Carr returns for his fourth 1KHO conversation—this time squarely in our wheelhouse of reading, learning, and family culture. Jack makes a compelling case that books are the antidote to algorithm-driven distraction: stories train att…

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1KHO 590: The Limits of Labels | Joel Salatin, Beyond Labels 56:31

3d ago56:31

56:31

In this unforgettable sixth appearance, world-renowned farmer and author Joel Salatin returns to The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast for one of the most powerful conversations yet. Drawing from his book Beyond Labels, Joel exposes how modern life has become trapped in labeling everything — our food, our health, even our families — and what we lose when …

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Basement Dad's Pinball Podcast - S2E3 - SPIKE2 The End of an Era (Part 1) 1:35:49

3d ago1:35:49

1:35:49

Send us a text With the release of SPIKE3 from Stern, we thought we'd try something a bit different. In this episode of Basement Dads, Paul and George begin the long trek through Stern's SPIKE2 era discussing each game in chronological order starting with Batman '66 and ending at COVID (just before TMNT). Initially we thought we make it through all…

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1KHO 589: Strong Roots in a Shifting World | Raechel Myers, She Reads Truth 58:35

12d ago58:35

58:35

When parenting feels like quicksand, where do we plant our feet? In this deeply hope-filled conversation, Raechel Myers—cofounder of She Reads Truth—joins Ginny to unpack why Scripture is not just ancient, but alive and profoundly practical for families today. Drawing on Romans 1 and the way creation “preaches,” Raechel shares how her new devotiona…

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1KHO 588: Tantrum-Free Technology is Here! | Anjan Katta and Tristan Scott, Daylight Computer 58:33

13d ago58:33

58:33

What if the solution to tech-induced meltdowns wasn’t another app, but a different kind of screen altogether? In this urgent, hope-filled conversation, Ginny sits down with Daylight founder and CEO Anjan Katta as well as Tristan Scott—two innovators taking on Big Tech with what they call “the least computer possible.” They explain how Daylight’s re…

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1KHO 587: The Family Team Is the Most Important Team | Tim Green, Rocket Arm 35:13

14d ago35:13

35:13

In this unforgettable episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, Ginny Yurich sits down with former NFL player, lawyer, and New York Times bestselling author Tim Green. Though Tim now lives with ALS and communicates through adaptive technology, his wisdom, warmth, and humor shine through every word. From life in the NFL to raising a family, from wr…

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1KHO 586: Play-Based Childhoods Are Being Stolen | Nicole Runyon, Free to Fly 58:12

15d ago58:12

58:12

What happens when kids grow up without free play? Licensed therapist Nicole Runyon, LMSW, has been on the frontlines of America’s childhood mental health crisis, and what she’s seen is sobering: most of the children filling therapy offices don’t actually need therapy—they need their parents to reclaim the foundations of childhood. In this episode, …

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1KHO 585: Low Tech and High Text (How to Build Your Child’s Brain with Books and Not Screens) | Doug Lemov, The Science of Reading 55:26

16d ago55:26

55:26

Screens train us to skim; books train us to think. In this urgent, hope-filled conversation, Doug Lemov (Teach Like a Champion) and Ginny make a compelling case for a childhood culture that is low tech, high text. You’ll hear why book-reading is collapsing—what that’s doing to kids’ attention, imagination, and empathy—and exactly how to reverse it …

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1KHO 584: Homeschooling is a Long-Term Play in a Short-Term World | Greta Eskridge, Adventuring Together 51:19

17d ago51:19

51:19

Homeschooling rarely delivers instant feedback—and that’s the point. In this conversation, Ginny Yurich and five-time guest Greta Eskridge zoom out beyond this week’s math lesson to the decades that follow it. They talk about the power of multi-age life at home, the confidence that grows when kids are free to pursue real interests, and why “holes” …

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1KHO 583: When Your Best Isn't Enough to Prevent Pain | Tony Miltenburger, Wisdom in the Wound 55:32

19d ago55:32

55:32

What if the very wounds you never meant to cause are also the trailheads to your child’s greatest gifts and your own? In this deeply honest conversation, Army veteran, pastor, coach, and author Tony Miltenberger sits down with Ginny to unpack the hard paradox parents live every day: intentions don’t always protect against impact. Tony names the “li…

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1KHO 582: Life Is Hard and Beautiful at the Same Time | Jillian Benfield, Overwhelmed & Grateful 50:14

20d ago50:14

50:14

When life lurches from order to disorder, what if the way through isn’t either/or—but and? In this moving conversation, author and advocate Jillian Benfield sits down with Ginny to unpack the transformative idea behind her new book, Overwhelmed & Grateful—that we can honor pain and practice gratitude without denying either reality. Jillian shares h…

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1KHO 581: The Surprising Ways We Snip Off Potential Growth | Dr. Bruce Perry, What Happened to You? 57:08

21d ago57:08

57:08

What if the very ways we structure childhood are quietly cutting off our kids’ potential? In this powerful conversation, renowned psychiatrist Dr. Bruce Perry joins Ginny to unpack why real learning requires movement, play, and space to reflect—not endless worksheets, long lectures, and overscheduled days. He explains how the brain wires itself thr…

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1KHO 580: Family Doesn't Have to Be Perfect in Order to Be Strong | Jessica Smartt, Come On Home 1:03:26

22d ago1:03:26

1:03:26

Families are never flawless—but they can still be resilient, connected, and full of joy. In this episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, Jessica Smartt returns for a candid conversation about what it really takes to build a home your kids want to come back to. Drawing from her new book, Come On Home, Jessica shares stories of life on a family co…

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1KHO 579: Every Person Has a Story | Hunter Prosper, Stories From a Stranger 56:50

23d ago56:50

56:50

What if one open-ended question could turn a hospital room (or a hurried life) into a place where people feel seen? In this conversation, ICU nurse–turned–story gatherer Hunter Prosper shares how asking a dying patient about her greatest love cracked his own burnout and sparked Stories from a Stranger, a project he calls “therapy for millions.” Tog…

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1KHO 578: The Freedom to Change Plans Is a Superpower | Amber O'Neal Johnston, Homegrown 58:00

23d ago58:00

58:00

What if homeschooling wasn’t a conveyor belt of quizzes and boredom—but the most flexible, life-giving way to raise whole humans? In this conversation with Amber O’Neal Johnston, editor of the new anthology Homegrown, we dismantle the myths: how Amber went from “absolutely not” to “never looked back,” why freedom to pivot becomes a family superpowe…

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1KHO 577: The Family Food Reset | Ali Miller, Naturally Nourished Kids 56:07

26d ago56:07

56:07

When feeding your family feels confusing and chaotic, this episode is your reset. Functional-medicine dietitian Ali Miller (RD, LD, CDE) shows how to move from “immediate” choices to environmental shifts to true habit rewiring—simplifying dinner with 5–7-minute protein sears, sheet-pan veggies, and one slow-cook a week. We talk “God foods” vs. ultr…

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1KHO 576: How To Get Good at Joy When You Don’t Like Your Likable Life | Rachel Awtrey, Love Your Life 56:38

27d ago56:38

56:38

What if joy isn’t a mood but a muscle? In this heartfelt, fast-moving conversation, Rachel Awtrey shares how she learned to “nod to hard things without bowing to them" from cayenne-in-the-chili nights and Lego landmines to job loss and grief. She unpacks three kinds of hard days (typical interruptions, long tough seasons, and true tragedies), why w…

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1KHO 575: My Life Changed When I Started Growing My Own Food | Bailey Van Tassel, Kitchen Garden Living 51:59

28d ago51:59

51:59

What if the antidote to our frantic, hyper-scheduled lives is a single pot of herbs on the back step? In this deeply honest conversation, returning guest Bailey Van Tassel shares how planting one container cracked open a new way of living—rewiring how she mothers, works, and measures “success.” We talk about the joy of learning again as an adult, t…

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1KHO 574: Raising Daughters Who Stand Strong in an Age of Instant Influence | Kari Kampikas, Is Your Daughter Ready? 54:21

29d ago54:21

54:21

This conversation is a deep breath and a practical roadmap for a time when parenting has become so challening. Bestselling author Kari Kampakis (mom of four girls) joins Ginny to share what truly equips daughters for today’s pressures—friendship shifts, online comparison, dating drama, and the “conformity engine” that can steal childhood wonder. Ka…

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1KHO 573: Life is Good Today | Danielle Kartes, The Best Kids Cookbook 1:04:26

30d ago1:04:26

1:04:26

In our most light and peppy episode to date, Danielle Kartes reminds us that joy is available today—not if or when. In this upbeat, heart-forward conversation, the celebrity chef behind Rustic Joyful Food shares how a closed restaurant, tight budgets, and a whole lot of grit became the soil for fourteen books, national TV appearances, and a ministr…

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1KHO 572: There Are So Many Ways to Be Smart | Maeve Jemison, Home is Where the Truth Is 58:08

1M ago58:08

58:08

This special September Sunday episode is a deep breath for weary and wondering parents. Ginny welcomes author and podcaster Maeve Jemison to dismantle the most persistent homeschool myths—socialization, schedules, screens, “I’m not patient enough,” “we both work,” single parenting homeschool, and more—and to show why home can be the ultimate indivi…

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Basement Dad's Pinball Podcast - S2E2 - Stern's Star Wars: Fall of the Empire on Spike 3 1:34:18

25d ago1:34:18

1:34:18

Send us a text Basement Dad's went to Elk Grove, IL this week for the Stern Pinball Media Event surrounding their newest release, Star Wars: Fall of the Empire! But... we brought a guest. Listen in as Paul, George, and Mike (Lord_Helmet) discuss the layout, the code, the art, the license, and the experience of getting to play the newest game on the…

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1KHO 571: Strengthening the Family Base Camp in a High-Pressure World | Luis Fernando Llosa, Emotionally Resilient Tweens and Teens 58:14

1M ago58:14

58:14

Beloved guest Luis Fernando Llosa returns with a simple, gritty rescue plan for modern families: rebuild the family base camp so your kids can handle pressure, bullying, and performance culture without losing their joy. We dig into free play over frenzy, why most kids quit organized sports by 13, and how to prepare your child for the possibility of…

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1KHO 570: The Grandfather Effect | Ted Page, Good Grandpa 56:46

27d ago56:46

56:46

In this heart-opening conversation, Ted Page and Ginny explore why grandfathers are oddly absent from popular culture—and why their presence might be exactly what modern families are missing. Drawing on Ted’s new book, Good Grandpa: Stories from the Heart of Grandfatherhood, and voices from grandpas across cultures and generations, they unpack the …

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1KHO 569: The Words That Build a Child | Amy Hughes, Words Like Honey 57:44

1M ago57:44

57:44

In this heart-lifting conversation, Ginny sits down with author and mama of nine Amy Hughes to explore how ordinary phrases shape extraordinary childhoods—often more than we realize. From the “funny” comment a six-year-old takes as literal truth, to why “be careful” and “calm down” backfire, Amy shows simple swaps that lower fear, raise connection,…

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Basement Dad's Pinball Podcast - S2E1 - All the New in 2025 1:39:07

29d ago1:39:07

1:39:07

Send us a text Season 2 of Basement Dad's Pinball Podcast is here! Listen in as George and Paul review everything that has happened in 2025 so far... New Releases Harry Potter Evil Dead King Kong Dune Video Games: Red Dead Redemption 2 Split Fiction Books: Dungeon Crawler Carl Competition Play Dory Hill... next time. George's Info: Twitch: https://…

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Basement Dad's Pinball Podcast - S1E7 - Stern Pinball's Uncanny XMEN Release 1:36:47

30d ago1:36:47

1:36:47

Send us a text Paul and George discuss Stern Pinball's newest cornerstone launch of "The Uncanny Xmen" and more! Want to check out the live stream? Find it here on the Don't Panic Flip YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRlN4aHJFxY George's Info: Twitch: https://twitch.tv/dontpanicflip YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/dontpanicflip Email: geo…

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Basement Dad's Pinball Podcast - S1E6 - Welcome Back to the World of Pinball 1:52:36

1M ago1:52:36

1:52:36

Send us a text Whoa, Basement Dad's is Back and LIVE! We catch up this episode on what the heck happened the past few months and the couple of things that occurred in the pinball world! Specifically, we go over: - Top 3 songs we're listening to while playing pinball - New video games we're playing - Strategies to Maximize WPPRs in Local Tournaments…

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Basement Dad's Pinball Podcast - S1E5 - Harry Potter Dream Theme Discussion with Amanda from Freeplay Pinball Podcast 2:19:43

30d ago2:19:43

2:19:43

Send us a text Welcome to episode 5 of Basement Dad's Pinball Podcast where we bring on special guest, Amanda from Freeplay Pinball Podcast to discuss our dream theme... Harry Potter. All the spoilers. If you were waiting to read or watch the series... DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS EPIDODE. We discuss all things Harry Potter and spoil the heck out of the e…

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1KHO 568: Reviving Daring Boys in the Age of Indoor Childhood | Rebekah Lovell, Resurrecting Boyhood 54:41

1M ago54:41

54:41

What if boyhood isn’t a problem to fix—but a strength to steward? In this energizing, tender conversation, Ginny Yurich and author Rebekah Lovell dismantle the myth that lively boys need taming. From a golf-cart rescue on Rebekah’s farm to the everyday habits that build courage and character, they name what our culture gets wrong: over-scheduling, …

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Basement Dad's Pinball Podcast - S1E4 - Deep Dive on Venom with FriscoPinball 2:07:25

1M ago2:07:25

2:07:25

Send us a text Welcome to Episode 4 where we do a DEEP DIVE into Stern's VENOM with the internet's favorite pinball nerd from Frisco... FriscoPinball! Join Paul, Hadi, and George while they discuss: - Why hasn't Hadi been streaming pinball? - How big of a Venom superfan is Hadi? - Basement Dad's 5 Stair Review System! - Will Venom "Stick the Landin…

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Basement Dad's Pinball Podcast - S1E3 - Let's Talk About the Great White Shark in the Room 1:33:50

1M ago1:33:50

1:33:50

Send us a text Happy MLK holiday everyone! Episode 3 is here! This week, we have MJ, one of the very few people in the world who can claim to be a "Jaws Expert" from "Let's Jaws for a Minute" podcast (100+ hours of Jaws movie discussion) in-house to discuss the Great White Shark in the Room: - The fact that Jaws does not eat any balls - The pinball…

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Basement Dad's Pinball Podcast - S1E2 - A Little of This and a Little of That 1:11:00

1M ago1:11:00

1:11:00

Send us a text Basement Dad's long hiatus is broken with the release of episode 2! We talk about the following: Color blind glasses Why the long break How sick George was for over a month George's Info: Twitch: https://twitch.tv/dontpanicflip YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/dontpanicflip Email: [email protected] Paul's Info: Twitch: https:/…

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Basement Dad's Pinball Podcast - S1E1 - Pinball Expo 2023 Recap 1:28:26

1M ago1:28:26

1:28:26

Send us a text This is the first episode of "Basement Dad's Pinball Podcast" and we cover Pinball Expo 2023 in Chicago. In this episode, we discuss: Barrels of Fun's first pinball machine: Labrynth Jersey Jack's newest game: Elton John Stern Pinball's newest re-release: Elvira "Kiss" Pinball Brothers newest re-release: Alien Ripley Edition Pinball …

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1KHO 567: How to Resist a Hyperactive Worldview | Kay Toombs, Changing Our Minds 53:52

1M ago53:52

53:52

Philosopher and author Dr. Kay Toombs joins Ginny to name the thing so many parents feel but can’t quite describe—a hyperactive worldview that trains us (and our kids) to crave instant results and reject slow, quiet, real life. Drawing on her brilliantly researched book, Changing Our Minds (get the book), and decades living in an intergenerational,…

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1KHO 566: Let Kids Be Kids | Raven Kramer 1:01:59

1M ago1:01:59

1:01:59

In this bonus Sunday episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, host Ginny Yurich sits down with unschooling mom Raven Kramer to make a beautifully simple case: when we let kids be kids, learning takes root. Raven shares how healing her own story shaped a “life schooling” approach where play isn’t fluff - it’s physics, literacy, fractions, and emot…

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1KHO 565: Faith, Film & Family | Brennan McPherson, Light of the World 40:26

1M ago40:26

40:26

On this off-beat, surprisingly aligned episode, Ginny sits down with producer Brennan McPherson to unpack Light of the World—a hand-drawn, theater-released animated feature that tells the life of Jesus through the eyes of a teenage John. Brennan shares how a small nonprofit rallied 400 artists over four years to make a reverent, funny, deeply human…

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1KHO 564: The Backyard Homestead You Can Actually Do (Even with an HOA) | Laura Cox, Cox Homestead 56:37

1M ago56:37

56:37

Rabbits, worms, sheep…and a whole lot of hope. In this lively, can-do conversation, Ginny meets homesteader and educator Laura Cox—the new friend she made at the Homestead Festival—who shows how ordinary families can reclaim food, skills, and sanity without moving to 50 acres. Laura de-mystifies meat rabbits (hello, “bunny berries” that are cold co…

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1KHO 563: We Took Our Kids on a 2,650-Mile Walk | Vince Strawbridge, Pretty Good at Walking 52:29

1M ago52:29

52:29

What happens when a family of six points themselves south and walks the entire Pacific Crest Trail—Canada to Mexico—with kids ages 16, 14, 13, and 11? In this powerful conversation, author Vince Strawbridge ( Pretty Good at Walking ) shares the decision to trade GPAs and schedules for a five-month “classroom with no walls,” and what the trail taugh…

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1KHO 562: The Rulebook for a High-Tech World | Dr. Jean Twenge, 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World 53:39

1M ago53:39

53:39

In an era where smartphones slip into children’s hands long before they’re ready, parents are left asking the same desperate question: What should I do about my kids and technology? Dr. Jean Twenge, renowned psychologist, researcher, and author of iGen and Generations, returns to The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast with a lifeline: her brand-new book Te…

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1KHO 561: Questions the Internet Can’t Answer | Anna Mitchael, They Will Tell You the World is Yours 55:05

1M ago55:05

55:05

We live in a world where every fact is at our fingertips, but what about the questions no search engine can resolve—What makes a good mother? What does the person next to me fear the most? Author Anna Mitchael joins Ginny to share insights from her book They Will Tell You The World Is Yours, a collection of short, powerful vignettes that push back …

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1KHO 560: From Rock Bottom to Real Food: Jake Widmann’s Story of Addiction, Faith, and Family 55:29

1M ago55:29

55:29

What happens when early choices snowball into a decade-long battle with addiction—and what does it take to finally break free? In this powerful episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, Jake Widmann opens up about his rocky start to adulthood, his battles with alcohol, and the near-misses that could have changed everything. He shares the moment he…

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1KHO 559: Using Music Purposefully | Mort and Sara Sherman, Resonant Minds 55:58

2M ago55:58

55:58

Most of us listen to music every day—but what if it could do more than just fill the silence? In this powerful conversation with father–daughter duo Mort and Sara Sherman, authors of Resonant Minds: The Transformative Power of Music One Note at a Time, we explore how music shapes brains, bonds families, and even heals communities. From lowering str…

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1KHO 558: “I Wish I Had All My Gaming Hours Back," A Mother’s Wake-Up Call for Every Parent | Melanie Hempe, ScreenStrong 52:38

2M ago52:38

52:38

When Melanie Hempe’s oldest son became so addicted to video games that he dropped out of college, she realized she had unknowingly handed her child an experiment with devastating consequences. What began as “just middle school gaming” escalated into an all-consuming addiction that stole years of real life, purpose, and potential. Out of that heartb…

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1KHO 557: Raising Originals in a World of Clones | Andrew and Evan Hempe, ScreenStrong 59:00

2M ago59:00

59:00

What happens when you raise kids without smartphones, video games, or social media in a world where nearly everyone else is plugged in? Twins Andrew and Evan Hempe are living proof that screen-free childhoods don’t leave kids behind—they launch them ahead. In this powerful and refreshing episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, Ginny Yurich welco…