531: Are We Making Our Kids Less Capable? with Sissy Goff

Kids today are becoming increasingly afraid of risk and discomfort- are parents part of the problem? Today bestselling author and counselor Sissy Goff joins Karen and Emily to talk about her new book, Capable, and why loving our kids well sometimes means encouraging them to do hard things. Sissy shares how moms can manage their own anxiety and trust their parenting instincts to prepare their kids for greater confidence. Don’t miss the absolutely brilliant catchphrases she offers for reminding kids that hard isn’t a bad thing!

Episode Recap:

Intro (0:00)

Sissy is a therapist and counselor in Nashville who has been counseling families for 33 years! (1:30)

Kids today more than ever are risk and discomfort avoidant (2:18)

Parents are abdicating intuition for the sake of experts (5:19)

We need to re-evaluate what it means to love our kids well (7:00)

How can we let go of our own anxiety to help our kids step up in independence? (13:30)

The three Cs of Capability (16:17)

Practical capability exercises for each age group (18:00)

Scripture: James 2:1-4 (NIV) “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Discussion Questions:

1. Where are you most tempted to step in and remove risk, discomfort, or struggle for your child?

2. How might your own anxiety be affecting your child’s willingness to try hard things independently?

3. What is one responsibility or challenge your child may be ready to handle without your help?

4. What words could you use this week to remind your child that something being hard does not mean it is bad?

Resources:

- Connect with Sissy: https://www.daystarcounseling.com/

- Find CAPABLE on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4i0ER7s

- Use code WT20 to get $20 off SOAR Conference registration today! https://birdsonawiremoms.com/soar

- Reach out to https://birdsonawiremoms.com/book-karen-to-speak to have Karen come speak in your community!

- Become a WT+ Insider, boaw.mom/insider

Want More of This Conversation?

Wire Talk+ moms will hear practical capability-building exercises for preschoolers through teenagers, along with specific phrases that help kids believe they can handle hard things.

Head to https://www.patreon.com/c/BOAW to hear more from Sissy and help us reach our goal of 400 subscribers this year!