
Hosted by 1000 Hours Outside · EN

The most needed parts of childhood are disappearing right in front of us, and former school principal Mandy Davis believes parents need to pay attention. In her second appearance on The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, Mandy shares why she walked away from a career in education, what finally convinced her to homeschool her own children, and why so many parents have been taught to trust institutions more than themselves. Ginny and Mandy talk about the myths surrounding homeschooling, the surprising freedom that comes from building an education around a real child instead of a system, and why confidence (not credentials) is often the missing ingredient. Whether you're homeschooling, considering it, or simply wondering if there might be a better way to support your child's growth, this conversation is a powerful reminder that nobody knows your child better than you do. Find Mandy at Home Built Education and get your copy of The Homeschool Bible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The things we hide have a way of holding us captive. In this deeply moving conversation, therapist and author Michael John Cusick joins Ginny Yurich to explore why so many of us keep spinning in the same patterns, whether it's addiction, anxiety, shame, people-pleasing, overwork, or simply feeling disconnected from ourselves and the people we love most. Drawing from his own story of childhood trauma, recovery, faith, and healing, Michael shares why lasting change isn't found in trying harder but in being truly known. They discuss attachment, parenting, embodiment, faith, relationships, and the four things every human being needs from womb to tomb: to be seen, soothed, safe, and secure. This is a conversation about wholeness, freedom, and the surprising truth that healing often begins the moment we stop hiding. Links: Sacred Attachment book Restoring the Soul Podcast Michael John Cusick: https://michaeljohncusick.com Restoring the Soul: https://restoringthesoul.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every child wants friendship, freedom, and fun. The question is where they'll find it. Catherine Price returns to The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast to talk about her new book The Amazing Generation, written with Jonathan Haidt, and why more young people are starting to question the role screens play in their lives. In this conversation, Catherine explains how tech companies compete for our attention, why so many older teens say they wish they had spent less time online, and what happens when children are given the tools to think for themselves. They discuss real friendship versus digital connection, the growing rebellion against constant screen use, the importance of boredom, hobbies, and outdoor play, and one powerful question every family should ask: If you had three extra hours every day, what would you do with them? This episode will leave you thinking differently about technology, childhood, and the person you're becoming. Links: Catherine Price: https://catherineprice.comThe Amazing Generation: https://www.amazinggeneration.comFamily Guide: https://catherineprice.com/family Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At seven years old, Suzanne Heywood left home for what was supposed to be a three-year sailing adventure around the world. She wouldn't return for ten years. In this extraordinary conversation, Suzanne joins Ginny Yurich to share the true story behind her bestselling memoir Wavewalker - a childhood spent crossing oceans, surviving shipwrecks, enduring hunger and isolation, and slowly realizing she was trapped inside someone else's dream. With no school, no stability, and few adults willing to step in, Suzanne became determined to educate herself as a way out. This is a story about resilience, grit, and the life-changing impact of ordinary people who show up at exactly the right moment. It's also a powerful reminder that children are not supporting characters in their parents' stories. This episode will entertain you and stay with you. Learn more about Suzanne Heywood and Wavewalker: A Memoir of Breaking Free at suzanneheywood.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are drowning in advice and somehow more unsure of ourselves than ever. Austin Kleon returns to The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast to talk about creativity, childhood, boredom, trust, and why the people who build meaningful lives often stop looking for instructions and start paying attention to what fascinates them. Drawing from his new book Don't Call It Art, Austin shares how his children taught him more about curiosity, imagination, and meaningful work than any creative writing class ever could. Ginny and Austin talk about John Holt, unschooling, screen culture, creative courage, and the surprising freedom that comes when you stop trying to control the future and start paying attention to what is right in front of you. This episode is a refreshing reminder that a fulfilling life is rarely built by following someone else's map. It grows from curiosity, wonder, and the willingness to see where the next step leads. Get your copy of Don't Call it Art here ! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One conversation can change the direction of a life. Ainsley Earhardt joins Ginny Yurich to share the unlikely path that took her from a South Carolina girl who almost became an orthodontist to one of the most recognizable faces in television. Along the way, she talks about the teachers who shaped her, the risks she took, the doors that closed, the prayers that were answered, and the seasons when she had no choice but to trust that God was still writing the story. This is a conversation about calling, perseverance, childhood wonder, faith in the waiting, and why the life you imagined at 18 is often not the life you were meant to live. Ainsley also shares stories from her newest children's book, America, I'm So Glad You Were Born, and reflects on the people, places, and moments that helped make her who she is today. Buy your copy of America, I'm So Glad You Were Born here !! Check out The Light Within Me Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tim Timmons joins Ginny Yurich for a deeply honest conversation about grief, cancer, friendship, faith, parenting, and what happens when life turns out nothing like you planned. Given just five years to live more than two decades ago, Tim shares how sorrow reshaped his understanding of God, why he stopped trying to force doors open, and how he learned to trust in the places where he could do nothing at all. From the heartbreak of his parents' divorce to raising four children while living with an incurable illness, this episode is full of wisdom, laughter, and the kind of hope that has been tested by real life. If you've ever wondered how to keep going when the valley feels long, this conversation is for you. Links:Instagram: @timtimmonsmusicBook: Waking Up Again: A Journey of Grief and GratitudePodcast: 10,000 MinutesMovie: I Can Only Imagine 2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tim Hawkins has spent 25 years making audiences laugh, but this conversation goes far beyond comedy. Ginny and Tim walk through two decades of songs, videos, homeschooling adventures, family life, and the unexpected twists that shaped his career. Along the way, Tim shares the story behind some of his most beloved parodies, what nearly cost him his marriage, the process of slowing down some, and what it feels like to have his grown children working alongside him today. This episode is a reminder that the best parts of life aren't the things that go viral, they're the people who are still there when the lights come down. Links:TimHawkins.netYouTube: @TimHawkinsComedyInstagram: @timhawkinscomicWatch Fist Bump on Amazon Prime Video Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jane Magnusson joins Ginny Yurich for a conversation about the unexpected freedom that comes from letting go. After her mother Margareta Magnusson wrote The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning at age 87, the idea spread across the world because it touched something people rarely talk about: what we leave behind for the people we love. Jane shares stories about her mother’s humor, honesty, and determination not to leave her children with garages full of stuff, difficult decisions, and unnecessary stress after she was gone. They talk about clutter, aging, family relationships, childhood in Sweden, running barefoot through gardens and lakeside summers, and why living with less can actually make life feel fuller. This episode feels like sitting across the table from someone wise enough to remind you that time is precious and people matter more than possessions. Learn more about all of Margareta's books here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ginny Yurich sits down with pastor, author, and podcast host JP Pokluda for one of the most practical and unexpectedly hopeful conversations parents of teens and young adults need to hear right now. JP shares the story of graduating college completely lost, chasing relationships, parties, and approval, only to discover that real fulfillment looked nothing like what culture promised. Together they talk about modern dating, loneliness, work, anxiety, social media, friendships, marriage, purpose, faith, and why so many young adults feel overwhelmed by adulthood itself. JP talks honestly about the confusion so many young adults feel after high school and college, why modern dating is exhausting, why work matters more than people think, and what actually helps people build a meaningful life. From “follow your passion” culture to hookup culture to the pressure of figuring out your entire future at eighteen, JP offers a grounded, deeply refreshing perspective. Get your copy of Welcome to Adulting here Get your copy of Outdated here Check out JP's podcast Becoming Something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices