The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

In a world of shifting sands, where kids are nudged toward algorithms, apps, and endless activities, S. D. Smith returns to the 1000 Hours Outside Podcast to talk about giving our children something sturdier to stand on. Ginny and Sam share stories of real-life hospitality, hikes in West Virginia, rainbows over the New River Gorge, and the way shared adventures and shared stories bind families together. From the Green Ember universe to his newest book Helmer and the Dragon Tomb, Sam describes his mission to offer “new stories with an old soul” that root kids in courage, virtue, and hope—stories that still matter fifty years after we’re gone. Together they wrestle with the pressure modern parents feel: rising anxiety about the future, the lure of AI shortcuts, and the constant competition for our kids’ attention. Sam and Ginny make a compelling case that reading and writing are not outdated school tasks, but deeply human practices that shape a child’s inner world, imagination, and even their sense of calling. You’ll hear practical ideas for “tricksy parenting” that makes reading the reward, setting cozy book “traps,” inviting dads into the culture of story, and helping young writers grow in skill instead of outsourcing their creativity to machines. This episode is a gentle but galvanizing invitation to choose books over bots, shared chapters over scrolling, and to give our kids a living connection to something timeless. See everything S.D. Smith has to offer here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a world where adults avoid risk, children grow up on screens instead of playgrounds, and workplaces drift toward loneliness, Ben Swire argues that what we’re really missing is experiential connection. In this conversation with Ginny, Ben—an introvert who once dreaded team-building—shares how “safe danger” transformed both his life and his work. From IDEO’s culture of curiosity to biweekly “creative play dates,” he explains why people blossom when they’re given space to try, fail, try again, and be seen. Together, Ben and Ginny explore how joy, optimism, vulnerability, and play aren’t personality traits but skills that grow only through experience. They talk about the crush of conformity, the epidemic of loneliness, and why pessimism is really fear in disguise. You’ll walk away with practical ideas for your home, workplace, or classroom. This is an episode that gently reminds us: people don’t just want fun, or comfort, or entertainment. They want to grow. They want to belong. Most of all, they want connection. Get your copy of Safe Danger here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Misty Copeland is one of the most famous ballerinas in the world—the first African American woman promoted to principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre and a cultural icon whose influence reaches far beyond the stage. In this inspiring conversation with Ginny Yurich, Misty reflects on her unlikely beginning: a shy, introverted thirteen-year-old living in motels who found her way into a free ballet class on a Boys & Girls Club basketball court. Movement became her lifeline, offering stability, confidence, and a sense of belonging she had never known. Misty reveals how discovering ballet “late” became her superpower and how exposure, encouragement, and one adult who says try this can alter the entire trajectory of a child’s life. Ginny and Misty explore what embodied, hands-on experiences give children in an era dominated by screens including resilience, emotional release, friendship, leadership, and a much bigger sense of what’s possible. Misty shares the mission behind her Bunheads series, Firebird, and the Be Bold Foundation, as well as her new Be Bolder program for older adults, each designed to expand access to movement and the arts. This episode is a powerful reminder that childhood doesn’t need to be accelerated; it needs to be lived in motion. When we give kids space to move, explore, and follow their curiosity, we’re not just filling their time—we’re opening entire worlds. Get your copy of Life in Motion here Get your copy of Bunheads, Act 2 here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When pediatric occupational therapist and TimberNook founder Angela Hanscom steps into the woods, she sees what most of us miss: children rebuilding the very systems in their brains that make attention possible. In this deeply hopeful conversation, Angela explains why daily outdoor play isn’t just “good for kids”—it’s biologically essential. From spinning and hanging upside down to tumbling down hills, nature gives children the movement their vestibular system craves, activating the brain’s built-in attention network and counteracting the effects of our screen-heavy world. Schools partnering with TimberNook are reporting calmer classrooms, fewer behavior challenges, and even more academic risk-taking as children spend long, unstructured stretches in nature. But this episode goes beyond brain science. Angela and Ginny explore the social, emotional, and leadership skills that develop when adults step back and let the woods take the lead. You’ll hear powerful stories of children negotiating conflicts, comforting friends, forming “clans,” navigating risk, and discovering capability without adults micromanaging every move. It’s a reminder that the richness of what happens in the woods grows more than attention spans; it grows confidence, resilience, empathy, creativity, and identity. If you need encouragement, inspiration, or simply permission to let go a little, this conversation will shift how you see childhood and how you support it. Get your copy of Balanced and Barefoot here Please support our advertising partners who help keep the show going! Wayfair: Get organized, refreshed, and back to routine for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. SelectQuote: Get the RIGHT life insurance for YOUR FAMILY, for LESS, at selectquote.com/1000hours BetterHelp: Our listeners get 10% off their first month at BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS. Quince: Go to Quince.com/outside for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. NIV Application Bible: Find out more at NIVapplicationbible.com. Omaha Steaks: Visit OmahaSteaks.com for 50% off sitewide during their Sizzle All the Way Sale. And for an extra $35 off, usepromo code FUN at checkout. Mercy Ships: Please donate today at MercyShips.org/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a culture that trains children to perform their lives instead of live them, Sharon Hodde Miller returns to explore why so many young people feel fragile, insecure, and exhausted and why the solution isn’t more confidence, but a bigger purpose. Drawing from Free of Me and her new devotional Gazing at God, Sharon explains the overlooked root of modern insecurity: we’ve taught kids to evaluate their worth through constant self-focus, endless mirrors, and the metrics of the attention economy. Together, Sharon and Ginny uncover how shrinking our children’s purpose down to “finding themselves” has left them anxious, isolated, and unsure of who they are apart from an audience. This conversation offers a hopeful, deeply practical way forward. Sharon shares how hiddenness, beauty, and turning our gaze toward God free us from the heaviness of self-preoccupation and how parents can help kids grow up rooted in something far larger than likes, identity quests, or online performance. From navigating rejection to reimagining purpose, this episode invites families to step out of the spotlight, rediscover joy, and remember that the healthiest life isn’t the one constantly seen…but the one securely grounded in love, calling, and connection. Please support our advertising partners who help keep the show going! ⁠Wayfair⁠: Get organized, refreshed, and back to routine for way less. Head to ⁠Wayfair.com⁠ right now to shop all things home. ⁠SelectQuote⁠: Get the RIGHT life insurance for YOUR FAMILY, for LESS, at ⁠selectquote.com/1000hours⁠ BetterHelp: Our listeners get 10% off their first month at ⁠BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS.⁠ Quince: Go to ⁠Quince.com/outside⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. NIV Application Bible: Find out more at ⁠NIVapplicationbible.com⁠. Omaha Steaks: Visit ⁠OmahaSteaks.com ⁠for 50% off sitewide during their Sizzle All the Way Sale. And for an extra $35 off, usepromo code FUN at checkout. Mercy Ships: Please donate today at⁠ MercyShips.org/podcast⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the biggest predictor of your child becoming a lifelong reader has nothing to do with phonics programs, library incentives, or natural talent and everything to do with protecting space in their day? Cognitive psychologist Dr. Daniel Willingham joins Ginny to reveal the surprising truth about how kids learn, why background knowledge matters more than ever, and why reading aloud long past early childhood gives kids an academic and emotional advantage. With warmth and clarity, Dr. Willingham explains the “fourth grade slump,” the power of expertise, and how AI is reshaping the skills our kids will need most in the future. This episode offers a hopeful and doable path for families who want to reclaim reading in a screen-saturated world. You’ll learn why limiting screens is the single most effective way to help kids choose reading for pleasure. Dr. Willingham shares why children don’t need perfection, programs, or pressure; they need a home where learning is valued, distractions are dialed down, and reading is woven into the family rhythm. Encouraging, practical, and deeply grounding, this conversation shows that every parent can raise a reader starting today. Have fun. Start now. Get your copy of Why Don't Students Like School here Get your copy of Outsmart Your Brain here Get your copy of Raising Kids Who Read here Please support our advertising partners who help keep the show going! ⁠Wayfair⁠: Get organized, refreshed, and back to routine for way less. Head to ⁠Wayfair.com⁠ right now to shop all things home. ⁠SelectQuote⁠: Get the RIGHT life insurance for YOUR FAMILY, for LESS, at ⁠selectquote.com/1000hours⁠ BetterHelp: Our listeners get 10% off their first month at ⁠BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS.⁠ Quince: Go to ⁠Quince.com/outside⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. NIV Application Bible: Find out more at ⁠NIVapplicationbible.com⁠. Omaha Steaks: Visit ⁠OmahaSteaks.com ⁠for 50% off sitewide during their Sizzle All the Way Sale. And for an extra $35 off, usepromo code FUN at checkout. Mercy Ships: Please donate today at⁠ MercyShips.org/podcast⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Childhood isn’t a race, and in this hopeful conversation, Ginny Yurich and Cosmo Technologies founder Russell York remind us why slowing the pace is one of the greatest gifts we can offer our kids. Together they explore how delaying smartphones protects a child’s attention, imagination, and sense of self at a time when technology is accelerating faster than childhood can keep up. Russell shares the research, the stories, and the practical realities behind giving kids connection without overwhelm—and why a simple smartwatch can open the door to real-world confidence, outdoor play, and independent moments that kids absolutely need in order to thrive. This episode paints a picture of what growing up well can still look like: kids roaming the neighborhood, meeting friends at the park, reading at the library, learning to trust themselves, and coming home filled up instead of drained. Ginny and Russell talk about shifting from fear to trust, restoring a child’s natural rhythm, and giving parents tools that strengthen—not replace—the bond between parent and child. With real clarity and encouragement, they show how small choices can make a big difference, and how giving kids the gift of growing up slowly leads to calmer homes, stronger families, and a childhood full of wonder instead of hurry. They also discuss the brand new partnership between their organizations and the launch of the Cosmo x 1000 Hours Outside Adventure Bundle, ⁠available here!⁠ This is a limited-edition offer designed for families like ours who value connection, freedom, and real-world adventure. With the bundle you'll get: ✅ FREE JrTrack 5 Kids Smartwatch ✅ FREE custom 1000 Hours Outside wrist band ✅ FREE extra teal wrist band ✅ 1000 Hours Outside logo sticker ✅ 3 months of Cosmo Membership FREE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this tender and hope-filled conversation, Ginny sits down with beloved children’s author Sally Lloyd-Jones, whose Jesus Storybook Bible has shaped the spiritual childhood of millions of kids (including the Yurichs’!). Sally shares her remarkable backstory - being born in Uganda, growing up in East and West Africa, going to boarding school at age eight, and how God used both beauty and early wounds to form her as a writer. She and Ginny talk about her brand-new book Jesus, Our True Friend: Stories to Fill Your Heart with Joy, and what it means to write children’s stories that are playful, deeply theological, and never “dumbed down.” Along the way, Sally explains the heart behind unforgettable phrases like “extra super holy people,” why Jesus’ first miracle at a wedding is all about restoring joy, and how good children’s books quietly preach hope without ever becoming preachy. The conversation also turns deeply personal as Ginny shares the painful story of her family being kicked out of their church after raising concerns about a youth pastor who was later arrested on multiple felony charges. Together, she and Sally reflect on spiritual abuse, disillusionment with “extra super holy” leaders, and the miracle of God still meeting children directly in the middle of heartbreak. Ginny tells how her youngest daughter found comfort and theological clarity in the Joseph story from the Jesus Storybook Bible, using Sally’s words to interpret her own church trauma and see God’s redemption at work. From bullied kids to exhausted “Martha” moms, from online mobs to stone-throwers in Scripture, this episode is a balm for anyone who needs to remember that Jesus is a true friend who loves us before we ever “get it right", with a never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love. Get your copy of Jesus, Our True Friend: Stories to Fill Your Heart with Joy Please support our advertising partners who help keep the show going! ⁠Wayfair⁠: Get organized, refreshed, and back to routine for way less. Head to ⁠Wayfair.com⁠ right now to shop all things home. ⁠SelectQuote⁠: Get the RIGHT life insurance for YOUR FAMILY, for LESS, at ⁠selectquote.com/1000hours⁠ BetterHelp: Our listeners get 10% off their first month at ⁠BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS.⁠ Quince: Go to ⁠Quince.com/outside⁠ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. NIV Application Bible: Find out more at ⁠NIVapplicationbible.com⁠. Omaha Steaks: Visit ⁠OmahaSteaks.com ⁠for 50% off sitewide during their Sizzle All the Way Sale. And for an extra $35 off, usepromo code FUN at checkout. Mercy Ships: Please donate today at⁠ MercyShips.org/podcast⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this wide-ranging and eye-opening conversation, Ginny sits down with Debra Williams, a health and wellness advocate, mom, and creator of Mind Body Blend “healthy advocacy” apparel. Debra shares her journey from working in a children’s hospital wellness center to questioning why true preventative care like nutrition, toxins, time outside, and lifestyle, rarely shows up in mainstream medical conversations. She and Ginny talk candidly about asking hard questions around childhood health, their own experiences with vaccine injury, and what it means to make genuinely informed decisions in a system that often discourages dissent and critical thinking. From there, the conversation widens to the larger forces shaping childhood today: the normalization of AI and GPS that quietly erode our memory and attention, the peer pressure around smartphones and social media, and the way online culture is collapsing “middle childhood” into grown-up beauty standards and consumerism. Debra shares how her family is choosing a more low-tech, play-filled path, including starting local low-tech and holistic parenting groups, moving toward homeschooling, and helping her 10-year-old daughter stay a kid a little longer, still riding bikes, playing with stuffed animals, and creating instead of scrolling. If you’ve ever felt uneasy about screens, school, or the speed at which childhood seems to be disappearing, this episode will leave you both challenged and deeply encouraged to build real-life community and protect a simpler, more human way of growing up. Learn more about Debra at www.mindbodyblend.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve ever felt like the “strong one” who secretly wishes someone would notice how tired you are, this episode will feel like a deep exhale. Ginny sits down with author, speaker, and “Still Coloring” podcast host Toni Collier to talk about her new book, Don’t Try This Alone: How to Build Deep Community When You Want to Hide From Your Pain. Toni shares her story of walking through two divorces, betrayal, and deep heartbreak, and the radical difference it made when she finally had a circle of people who knew the whole story. Together, Ginny and Toni unpack the idea of a “confessional community,” what it means to be truly seen instead of just “busy and surrounded,” and why it may not be the pain that takes us out, but trying to carry it by ourselves. This conversation is packed with practical, courageous steps for building real friendships in adulthood and helping our kids do the same. Toni talks about the bravery it takes to say, “Do you want to be my friend?” again, how to move beyond surface-level small talk, and why even simple moments, chatting with another parent at the park, asking your server how you can pray for them can change lives. You’ll hear tender stories of friends who showed up in tangible, unforgettable ways, how to help kids experience healthy community earlier than we did, and why broken crayons still color. If you’re lonely, exhausted, or longing for your people, this episode will remind you: you were never meant to do this life alone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Joshua Becker looked up from a garage packed with stuff and saw his five-year-old swinging alone in the backyard, everything changed. In this lively, hopeful conversation, Joshua joins Ginny to share how one offhand comment from a neighbor launched his journey into minimalism, and eventually his global platform, Becoming Minimalist. They talk about how our possessions don’t just fail to make us happy; they actually pull us away from the very things that do bring us joy: time with our kids, meaningful work, time outside, community, and faith. Joshua shares his favorite “29-day experiments,” from hand-washing dishes to owning just 33 items of clothing, and shows how small, playful trials can reset our habits and free up time, money, and energy for what matters most. Ginny and Joshua also dig into the deeper forces shaping our cluttered lives: targeted advertising, influencer culture, generational fears about security, and the endless, shifting dollar amount we think will finally make us “safe.” They explore why retirement as pure leisure doesn’t show up in Scripture, why relationships are a better safety net than underground bunkers and overstuffed basements, and how comparison so often focuses on cars and clothes instead of character and generosity. Joshua shares about his nonprofit, The Hope Effect, which helps children move from institutional orphanages into families, and offers a sneak peek at his upcoming book Uncluttered Faith. The episode wraps with a sweet childhood memory of backyard wiffle ball, and an invitation to all of us to experiment with owning less so we can live, love, and play more, especially outdoors. Get your copy of The More Of Less Preorder your copy of Uncluttered Faith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this life-giving conversation, Max Lucado joins Ginny Yurich to talk about something every overwhelmed parent and anxious teen quietly craves: a way out of “stinking thinking.” Drawing from his new book Tame Your Thoughts, Max shares how a 20-year-old “converted drunk” became a pastor, bestselling author, and grandfather who now spends his days helping people rewrite the ruts in their minds. Together, he and Ginny dig into the reality that we think around 70,000 thoughts a day. About 80% of those thoughts tend to be negative yet both Scripture and neuroscience insist we are not stuck. Our brains are changeable, our patterns can be retrained, and joy is not a personality trait you either have or don’t. It’s a learnable, repeatable skill. For families trying to raise kids in a world of social media, materialism, and nonstop mental noise, Max offers concrete tools: “picky thinking,” uprooting lies and replanting Scripture, anchoring kids’ hearts with simple practices, and getting outside to actually look at the birds and lilies Jesus talked about. Through vivid stories Max shows how God can use even disaster as the start of a better story. If you’re weary from worry, buried under guilt, or watching your child struggle with anxiety, this episode will help you tame your thoughts, plant tiny daily “seeds” of truth, and discover that joy really is a skill you and your children can practice for a lifetime. Get your copy of Tame Your Thoughts here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dustin and Melissa Nickerson are hilarious and surprisingly profound about what it takes to stay married in this day and age. In this episode, they tell the story of getting married as teenagers, building a “big family small business,” and learning that no one hands you a rule book for a one-of-a-kind marriage. Dustin shares why most marriage advice fails when it turns into a formula, and why the real work is becoming a student of your person. Melissa adds some truths about midlife: the sandwich-generation pressure, kids launching, parents aging, and the blessing of a partner you can still laugh with when the stakes get high. Play, movement, and games show up as marriage glue. From backyard volleyball to made-up family games to their confession that hiking beats fancy date nights every time, they show what it looks like to stop performing “good marriage habits” and start doing what actually works for you. It’s tender, it’s funny, and it’s the kind of episode that makes you want to grab your spouse, get outside, and remember you’re on the same team. Check out Dustin’s book How to Be Married (to Melissa) their podcast Don’t Make Me Come Back There and Dustin’s stand-up tour dates Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this unforgettable conversation, NewsNation anchor and instant New York Times bestselling author Leland “Lucky” Vittert pulls back the curtain on a childhood that included late speech, crushing loneliness, and a school world that often met neurodivergence with cruelty instead of care. But Born Lucky isn’t an autism “how-to.” It’s a father-son love story about what changes when one adult refuses to give up. Lucky shares how his dad chose a radical path: not removing adversity, but walking him through it—teaching character, work ethic, and the kind of social “tools” that slowly turn isolation into connection. The result is deep hope and a reminder that kids aren’t doomed by their hardest circumstances. Ginny and Lucky also dig into the practical magic of a hands-on childhood: flying lessons at eight, rowing, scuba diving, Michigan summers by Lake Michigan that all provided real risks, real effort, real confidence earned. Those experiences didn’t just fill time; they built transferable skills and a resilience that later carried Lucky through war-zone reporting and prime-time journalism. Along the way, you’ll hear about the quiet heroes like Mr. Mick whose belief became a lifeline. If you’ve ever worried your child won’t find their place or wondered if you’re doing enough this episode will steady you, strengthen you, and send you back outside with fresh courage. Now through December 1st get your copy of Born Lucky for 25% off HERE Watch Lucky’s show On Balance with Leland Vittert on NewsNation (weeknights at 9 p.m. ET) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The holidays promise magic but deliver a lengthy to-do list the length as well. In this conversation, cognitive psychotherapist and TODAY Show contributor Niro Feliciano helps us name the real culprit behind our December depletion: comparison culture, commercial pressure, and the quiet belief that we’re failing if we’re not doing everything. Drawing from her 31-day guide All Is Calmish, Niro gives a therapist-in-your-pocket reset for the season. She guides listeners through micro-moments of wellness that actually work when life is full: morning light, a sleep goal, short walks, friendship as medicine, and breathing tools so practical even Navy SEALs use them. But this episode goes deeper than hacks. It’s about reclaiming joy from the performance of joy. Niro walks us through future-saving ways to handle family drama, why gifts can be a love-language landmine, and how simple strategies like shared wish lists and experience gifts restore connection. She speaks tenderly to the grieving, offering permission to do holidays differently, and reminds us that what kids remember isn’t the haul—it’s the presence. The kind that grows when screens go away, expectations loosen, and we choose the sledding hill over the spotless kitchen. This is the episode for anyone who wants a calmer holiday and a better life the other eleven months, too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us are living with an internal compass we never learned to read. In this riveting conversation, bestselling author Robert Glazer reveals why so many capable, well-intentioned adults feel misaligned, exhausted, or confused. It is because they are making the biggest decisions of life (work, partnership, community) without ever naming the values that drive them. Robert explains why only 1–2% of people can clearly articulate their core values, how misalignment shows up as that “electric fence” jolt we all recognize, and why understanding your values can save decades of frustration. Through stories, research, parenting insights, and practical tools, Robert opens a path toward clarity that is both freeing and transformative. Together, Ginny and Robert explore how core values shape everything. You’ll learn how to identify your own values, how to help your children build theirs, and how to make decisions that align with who you truly are. If you’ve ever wondered why certain environments drain you, why certain relationships feel “off,” or why emotional resilience seems harder than it should be, this episode offers a lens that will change how you see your life. Start your values work today with the links below. Links & Resources The Compass Within + free Core Values Course (with preorder): https://compass-within.com Free six-question guide: https://robertglazer.com/six Core Values Course: https://corevaluescourse.com Friday Forward newsletter: https://fridayforward.com Robert’s bestselling book Elevate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In her second visit to The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, bestselling author and mama of ten Abbie Halberstadt (M Is for Mama, Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad, You Bet Your Stretch Marks) sits down with Ginny to lovingly but firmly push back against a culture that treats children as an interruption instead of a reward. Abbie shares what it was like to have 10 children in 14 years—including two sets of twins—while watching a world where nearly half of young adults now say they’re unlikely to ever have kids. Together, Ginny and Abbie explore why our obsession with control, comfort, and “having it all” is leaving so many women anxious, lonely, and afraid of the very thing that would grow them: motherhood. They talk candidly about stretch marks on bodies and souls, the lie that we must “wait five years” for a reward Scripture calls good, and how God often meets us with daily bread right after we step out in faith. This conversation is packed with stories that will stay with you: banjos and baptisms, European travel with ten kids, postpartum rage turned into a “gentleness challenge,” and miracle-level provision that arrives just in time. If you’re a tired mom, a young woman wondering about children, or a parent raising daughters in an seemingly child-averse age, this episode will help you see your body, your story, and your kids as eternal investments, not liabilities. Learn more from Abbie and her full trilogy here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the behavior problems you’re seeing in your child are really exhaustion from a tiny jaw and a blocked airway? In this eye-opening conversation, host Ginny Yurich welcomes back one of her all-time favorite guests, airway-focused dentist Dr. Kalli Halle, to explain why so many kids are snoring, teeth grinding, bedwetting, and struggling with anxiety, ADHD- and ODD-like symptoms because they can’t breathe well and they sleep properly. Drawing on thousands of cases, Dr. Halle shows how mouth breathing, dark circles, restless sleep, and even “annoying” chewing habits are red flags for sleep-disordered breathing. Together, Ginny and Dr. Halle reframe orthodontics from a cosmetic extra to a critical, whole-body intervention that can change a child’s health, learning, and mood for life. You’ll also hear about Tooth Pillow, the innovative, mostly-nighttime appliance and virtual myofunctional therapy platform that’s making early, airway-focused care accessible to families everywhere. Listeners can learn more and get started at toothpillow.com—and there’s a special 1000 Hours Outside listener deal: through November 27, 2025, use code 1000 Hours in the “Who can we thank for referring you?” field to receive a free Tooth Pillow consultation (a $50 value) plus $250 off your treatment. After that date, the same code still gives you $25 off the consultation and $100 off treatment. If your child snores, grinds their teeth, wets the bed, battles anxiety, or can’t focus (or if you’re an exhausted adult wondering about sleep apnea) this may be the episode that finally connects the dots. Listen, share it with a friend who needs hope, and make sure you’re subscribed to The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast so you don’t miss what might be the most life-changing information your family hears this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beloved author and illustrator Sharon Lovejoy returns for her third appearance on The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, and this conversation feels like stepping into the kind of childhood we all hope to create. Sharon and Ginny explore why the garden remains one of the most powerful places to raise a child and a parent. From babies whose tiny hands brush over mint leaves to 96-year-olds planting their very first sunflower house, Sharon shows that it is never too late to begin. Her timeless books like Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots, Camp Granny, Sunflower Houses have introduced generations to the simple miracles of seeds, soil, and slowing down. This episode is a reminder that you don’t need expertise or acres of land; you just need a pot or two and some seeds to nurture. Together, Sharon and Ginny share some reasons gardening changes families: it pulls children away from screens, fills them with curiosity, and gives them a world of textures, tastes, and small adventures—zinnias buzzing with life, lamb’s ear soft as felt, corn that comes in stunning colors, birdhouse gourds that become toys, and tiny discoveries waiting under every leaf. Sharon explains how a garden becomes a child’s first classroom, a parent’s pause button, and a generational legacy that ripples outward—just as her own grandmother’s influence shaped thousands of families around the world. If you’ve ever wished for a slower, richer, more connected childhood for your kids or for yourself this conversation will give you the courage, inspiration, and practical starting points to begin today. Explore more: Sharon Lovejoy’s books: https://sharonlovejoy.comRoots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots: https://amzn.to/43GtvOa Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Motherhood often feels like a season of losing yourself, but what if it’s actually the most profound season of becoming? In this heart-deep conversation, Ginny welcomes back one of the podcast’s most beloved guests, Leah Boden, for her third appearance. Together they explore what Charlotte Mason called the “mind gallery”—the inner storehouse of beauty, story, memory, art, and truth that sustains us through every season of life. Leah shares how the threads of our identity don’t disappear during the exhausting years of raising little ones; they simply lie dormant, waiting for the right time to bloom. Through her own journey—from homeschooling mother to author of living biographies on C.S. Lewis, Charlotte Mason, and Princess Ina—Leah offers a hopeful reminder that the passions you once loved are still there, ready to reemerge as gifts to both you and your children. This episode is a gentle call to build a home rich with sensory experiences, stories, poetry, music, and nature, elements that shape not only a child’s education but their entire inner life. Leah and Ginny discuss how reading biographies breathes humanity into history, how nature observation strengthens a child’s understanding of literature, and how beauty quietly grounds us during seasons of change. They unpack the remarkable story of Princess Aina, showing how courage, displacement, and hope weave together to form a life filled with meaning. Whether you're in the trenches or looking toward the second half of life, this conversation will help you rediscover wonder, reclaim your own mind gallery, and create a feast of learning that nourishes your whole family. Get your copy of Brave Princess Aina here Join The Mind Gallery here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices