Celebrate Kids Podcast with Dr. Kathy

In this episode of the Celebrate Kids Podcast, Dr. Kathy Koch and Wayne Stender explore how a parent's work can shape a child's understanding of learning and the future. They discuss why kids need to know more than what their parents do for a living; they need to see how adults make decisions, solve problems, serve others, and connect work to calling. Parents will be encouraged to talk openly about vocation and see that a job is not their identity, but it can be an important way to provide and live out God given purpose.

In this episode of the Celebrate Kids Podcast, Dr. Kathy Koch and Wayne Stender explore how artificial intelligence may be reshaping the way kids understand friendship and intimacy. They discuss the danger of relationships that offer companionship without friction or reciprocity, and why children need real people to discover who they are and how relationships work. Parents will be encouraged to create shared experiences, ask meaningful questions, spend unhurried time together, and help kids develop relational skills that can only grow through knowing and being known by others.

As AI "friends" become more common, what are our kids really learning about friendship? In this episode, Dr. Kathy Koch and Wayne Stender unpack Meta's new chatbot update and explore how true friendships form character, resilience, and faith. Learn how to help your kids value real people over artificial connection—and why Jesus' definition of friendship changes everything.

Dr. Kathy recently visited Princeton Minnesota and conducted a two day parent training at New Life Church. We brought some of the questions we fielded after her teaching to the podcast to encourage you. If you'd like to bring Dr. Kathy to your church, school, or community for parent training, visit www.celebratekids.com

Our kids are tired, but not just from sports or school. In this episode of the Celebrate Kids Podcast, Dr. Kathy and Wayne Stender unpack how smartphones are quietly stealing sleep, peace, and purpose from our children. Learn how constant connection leads to exhaustion and anxiety, and how reclaiming rest can restore focus, joy, and faith in your home.

When was the last time you looked around a room full of kids and saw every face lit—not by screens—but by conversation and curiosity? Across the country, more schools are going device-free, and something amazing is happening: kids are becoming more attentive, more engaged, and more confident. In this episode of the Celebrate Kids Podcast, Dr. Kathy and Wayne Stender unpack what's really going on when we unplug. Dr. Kathy explains that technology, while useful, can condition children to expect life to be easy—and when challenges come, they give up too soon. True resilience, she says, comes from facing real-life challenges, learning through struggle, and being guided by caring mentors and teachers. Wayne and Dr. Kathy share stories of classrooms that have banned devices and rediscovered the joy of eye contact, laughter, and deep discussion. They also dive into how screens affect the brain, why "teachers teach—devices don't," and how parents can intentionally awaken their kids' natural strengths—the 8 Great Smarts—by engaging them offline. Together, they remind parents that resilience isn't about perfection—it's about being teachable, humble, and ready to grow. Through stories from Scripture (like Apollos in Acts 18) and insights from today's classrooms, this episode will inspire you to see device-free living not as deprivation—but as an invitation to rediscover the fullness of life God designed for your family.

In this episode of The Celebrate Kids Podcast, the daily episode Facing the Dark, Wayne Stender and Dr. Kathy Koch explore new research on parenting benchmarks and trends, especially the growing movement of "cycle-breaking parenting" among Gen Z moms and dads. Together, they unpack what it means to parent with both wisdom and grace, moving beyond negative family patterns without shaming past generations. Dr. Kathy shares practical insights on being unified as parents, balancing correction with encouragement, and raising kids who know their God-given strengths. Wayne connects these themes to Ezekiel 18, showing how Scripture reminds us that every generation can step into fresh mercies and new beginnings.

In this episode of the Celebrate Kids Podcast, Dr. Kathy Koch and Wayne Stender explore why knowing the right answer on a test is not the same as being ready to use that knowledge in real life. Using driver's education as an example, they discuss how experience, practice, character, and different learning strengths all contribute to genuine competence. Parents will be encouraged to look beyond conventional measures of success and teach their children in ways that help them become capable and confident in the situations they will actually face.

In this episode of the Celebrate Kids Podcast, Dr. Kathy Koch and Wayne Stender explore why so many Americans are dissatisfied with education while often feeling better about their own children's schools. They discuss the difference between simply delivering information and actually developing critical thinking, curiosity, wisdom, and readiness for life. Parents will be encouraged to look closely at what their own kids are experiencing, ask better questions about learning, stay involved with teachers and schools, and remember that education should help children do more than know facts; it should help them understand and wisely engage the world around them.

In this episode of the Celebrate Kids podcast, host Wayne Stender and Dr. Kathy emphasize the critical roles boys and young men need to embody as sages, explorers, servants, warriors, and husbands. The discussion is sparked by recent events, including the assassination of their friend Charlie Kirk, and touches on the perceived crisis among young men exacerbated by the COVID pandemic and cultural shifts. Dr. Kathy advocates for a holistic understanding of masculinity that balances strength with servitude, aiming to inspire resilience and growth in the younger generation. Tune in to explore these vital themes and learn how we can support boys in their development.

In this episode of the Celebrate Kids Podcast, Dr. Kathy Koch and Wayne Stender explore how artificial intelligence can support learning without replacing the thinking kids need to do on their own. They discuss a practical "stoplight" approach to AI use, how technology can spark curiosity and deepen understanding, and why some assignments still need the struggle of independent thinking. Parents and educators will be encouraged to help kids evaluate when AI is a useful tool and how to preserve the practice and competence that genuine learning requires.

In this episode of the Celebrate Kids podcast, Dr. Kathy explores the impact of well-designed homework on student learning. She discusses recent research that shows that upper-grade students can gain approximately five extra months of progress in subjects like math and English through effectively structured homework. In contrast, primary school students benefit less, gaining around three months of additional educational value. Dr. Kathy emphasizes the importance of engaging homework to avoid boredom and frustration, encouraging parents to consider discussing their children's assignments with teachers if they find them unengaging. Tune in to learn more about how homework can effectively reinforce skills and enhance learning when designed thoughtfully.

In this episode of the Celebrate Kids Podcast, Dr. Kathy Koch and Wayne Stender explore how diagnoses such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning differences can help parents understand their children without reducing them to a label. They discuss how different brains may process the world in genuinely different ways, why environment and fit matter, and how the Eight Great Smarts can help families recognize strengths that might otherwise be overlooked. Parents will be encouraged to seek wise support and help children understand that a challenge in one setting may reveal a meaningful strength in another.