Parenting City Kids Podcast

How do we make the moments count when we are constantly short on time? Colleen breaks down the practical shift from parenting toddlers to engaging teenagers, offering simple rhythms, like the 10-minute rule and no-phone dinners, to hit the "reset" button on family connection. In a culture engineered to fracture our focus, giving our children our undivided attention can feel like an impossible task...

In many Asian cultures, success and academic excellence often dictate your worth. Deb and Gerald share how they are actively rewiring the "tiger parent" mindset to teach their children that their true identity is found in Christ, not their performance. What happens when your cultural heritage collides with the Western world? In this episode, Millie and Paul sits down with Deb Ng and Gerald Liew fr...

We can give our kids all the dating advice in the world, but the truth is, the most powerful force shaping their expectations for future romance is the marriage they see right at home. In this episode, Chum and Millie sit down with Dave Chiswell, Youth Minister at City on a Hill Geelong, to discuss the daunting topic of dating. Moving away from a purely reactive approach, Dave introduces a "format...

Parenting teenagers is heavy lifting, and sometimes the most powerful spiritual decision you can make is letting a trusted youth leader help carry the burden. Episode Summary In this episode, Millie and Chum sit down with Zeek Whitehead, a Church and Community Relationship Specialist at World Vision and an experienced youth pastor, to tackle a question many parents face: How do we cultivate a genu...

True biblical masculinity doesn't start with being a powerful father; it starts with learning how to be a beloved son. In an era defined by cynicism and the constant pressure to perform, what does it truly mean to lead a family with authentic, Christ-like strength? Today, Danny and Chum sit down with Zach Meerkreebs, pastor in residence at Asbury University, author of Lower, and a catalyst for the...

The ultimate theological answer to suicide isn't about debating where the soul goes, it's about giving them a reason to stay. In this episode, Millie and Paul discuss one of the most challenging topics facing parents today: suicide prevention within the Christian home. Our guest, Dr. Karen Mason, is a Professor of Counseling and Psychology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a former manage...

Men are lonelier, more anxious, and more disconnected, and it’s shaping how our children grow up. Kevin Van Lant, Clinical psychologist and Associate Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy at Biola University, unpacks the quiet crisis facing modern men, isolation, mental health, and the father wound. This conversation helps parents recognise when struggle is more than “just a phase,” why dads ma...

Your children aren’t shaped by what you teach, but by what you model. Parents shape faith long before sermons and programs do. In this deeply pastoral episode, Danny Gamadhi unpacks why children imitate what they see, not what they’re told. From repentance and surrender to everyday modelling, this conversation reframes parenting as discipleship and invites parents to lead with authenticity, grace,...

Adoption isn’t about rescuing a child, it’s about radically redefining family. What does adoption look like when love comes before control? In this moving and honest conversation, adoptee Jacci Grace shares her story of open adoption, cultural identity, disability, and grief. From rejecting “saviour” narratives to embracing complexity, this episode invites parents to reimagine adoption as an act o...

Intercultural marriage doesn’t just blend cultures, it exposes everything. What happens when love crosses cultures, and parenting brings everything to the surface? In this honest conversation, Zac (Australian) and Mei Mei (Chinese) share what marriage, family expectations, and raising kids revealed about culture, communication, and faith. From in-laws and language barriers to trust, boundaries, an...

Most couples don’t drift apart, they slowly stop talking about what matters. Raising children doesn’t just stretch parents, it exposes marriages. Couples pastor and educator Dr Irene Yang unpacks the unspoken vows couples carry into marriage: expectations around communication, culture, parenting styles, emotional needs, and control. This episode helps couples move from reaction to reflection, and...

Your kids don’t need a safe life, they need a formed heart. Ever feel like the pressure to create a comfortable, stable, and predictable life for your children is at odds with a life's transition? What happens when courage, not comfort, becomes a family value? Pastor and father of three Joel Deacon shares how big moves, church planting, COVID disruption, and intentional family rhythms shaped his k...

What should a parent do when their child sees pornography, accidentally or repeatedly Sexologist and Christian educator Patricia Weerakoon explains why panic and shame make things worse, how porn rewires young brains, and how parents can respond with calm, clarity, and gospel-shaped wisdom. A must-listen for parents who want to protect their children without losing their trust. Books by Patricia W...

They’ve welcomed 30 foster kids, and Matt says the biggest threat to Christian families isn’t ‘bad parenting’… it’s busyness. We sit down with Matt Keller, Executive Pastor of City on A Hill, Geelong, father to five, and a foster parent to over 30 children in the last 14 years. In this episode we talk fostering realities, why busyness quietly disciples your family, how to build a “church village”...

Depression isn’t proof of weak faith, it’s where grace has to get real. Sam and Janet Reeve were missionaries with years of experience raising children and mentoring Christian families. A key highlight of their conversation is their openness in sharing their personal journey supporting their daughter through severe, treatment-resistant depression. Discover why Sam and Janet believe prioritising yo...

Why Teenagers Are 'Relieved' About the Social Media Ban. Social media isn’t neutral; it’s forming your teen’s identity, attention, and faith faster than you think. Teenagers aren’t just “on their phones,” they’re being shaped by them. Youth minister Dave Chiswell unpacks how social media accelerates identity formation, drives comparison and anxiety, and makes faith feel harder in a world of consta...

If identity is something kids have to invent, no wonder they’re exhausted. Our kids are growing up in a world that says: look inside, be true to yourself, express who you are. But what happens when that message collides with the gospel? ISCAST: Science and Christianity - ⁠www.iscast.org/⁠ Fuller Youth Institute book: Three Big Questions that Change Every Teenager -www.fulleryouthinstitute.org/3-bi...

You’re not crazy, parenting today really is harder. What if godly parenting isn’t about getting everything right, but faithfully stewarding children who belong to God? In this episode, pastor and family ministry leader Rob Keller who has been married to Ruth for 54 years, shares decades of wisdom on biblical family discipleship, the role of parents as primary disciple-makers, and why Scripture, no...

Feeling overwhelmed by the constant battle over screen time? You're not alone. In this episode, pastor and researcher Jeff Lloyd helps parents understand Generation Alpha, the hidden ways technology shapes our children’s hearts, and how faith, boundaries, and presence can form resilient kids in a digital age. Internet Filters: https://www.bark.us/ https://www.linewize.io/ Reviews: https://www.comm...

Your marriage isn’t the bonus, it’s the backbone. Parenting today can feel overwhelming; screens everywhere, pressure from all sides, and the quiet fear of getting it wrong. In this episode, Brett and Kate Ryan from Focus on the Family Australia share grounded, hope-filled wisdom on raising resilient kids, strengthening marriage, navigating technology, and parenting with faith in real life. famili...