Crazy Cool Family

#175: Who Knows Your Kid Best? (Feat. McKenzie Reaume)

How do you help your middle child live out their God-given identity?
The "Who Knows Your Child Best" series continues with our 4th daughter McKenzie Reaume. She is in between the three older sisters and three younger brothers. God gave us McKenzie as the relational bridge between the Manning kids.
In this podcast, you will hear us discuss:
What Kenzie was like as a child
How she related to her siblings
How we parented her well (and not so well)
Her journey to knowing God deeply
Practical ways parents can love their child if they are like McKenzie
This podcast is jammed packed with wisdom, practical tools, and funny memories. If you have a middle child, this is the podcast for you!
Crazy Cool Resources:
CCF Podcasts
CCF Social Media
Join Basecamp- FOR FREE!

#174: Who Knows Your Kid Best? (Feat. Macy Robinson)

Is your child emotional? High achiever? Really hard on themselves and hard on you?
This week, our 3rd daughter, Macy, joins us to talk about how to raise an emotional child. She grew up in our household with lots of siblings AND LOTS of emotions! She was by far our hardest toddler and there was a whole season we didn't take her out because she threw too many fits!
We love Macy because she brings heart into our family. If you need a good cry, talk to Macy. If you need someone to feel what you feel and be with you through it, call Macy. She is an aware, an incredible helper, and has a heart of worship. God put her in our family to keep us on the straight and narrow (huge rule follower), but also to show us the depth of love God feels towards us.
In this podcast, we discuss:
How emotional kids think, feel, and react to life
Ways parents can model emotional intelligence
The spiritual part of raising an emotional child
Practical things to do when this type of child is struggling
Do you have a child like this?
How do you love them?
Listen to this week's podcast to gain insight on how to raise an emotional, perfectionistic child. If your child is struggling with self-esteem issues or reacts poorly to life's circumstances, then this is the podcast for you! Macy gives wisdom and helpful tools to equip parents who desire to raise an emotionally healthy child!
Crazy Cool Resources:
CCF Podcasts
CCF Social Media
Join Basecamp- FOR FREE!

#173: Who Knows Your Kid Best? (Feat. Madeline Jones)

Is your child loud? Energetic? A little too adventurous for your parent-heart?
This summer we are slowing down the podcast and inviting each of our kids to share about their perspective of family, relationships, and our parenting. You do not want to miss these honest conversations about our wins and misses as parents. Trust us, our kids will not hold back!
The question we are asking, to you parents, in the Summer Series is "Who knows your kid best?"
Do you know your child better than anyone else?
How do you get to know them better this summer?
As we've watched our kids grow up, we've learned a few things. Our hope is that you learn how to love your kids by listening to ours!
The podcast will air every other week throughout the summer. So take time to listen, process, and practice what you are learning!
Meet Madeline Jones!
Madeline is our second daughter. From the start, she has been full of life, energy, and joy! She is married and has 2 kiddos under 3 with another baby on the way!
Madeline unpacks her childhood, personality, and memories in this podcast. She shares about her relationship with God and how she loved adventure from a young age. Her story is powerful and we know there are more kids out there like her!
A few things about Madeline:
She loved (still does love) playing babies
She was coachable and good at basketball
She often found a camera and videoed or performed for people
Here are a few main things Madeline shares about being raised by us:
She felt like an optimistic child and hated to be lectured, put down, or nagged. When we encouraged her, it made her heart come alive but when we coached or lectured, it shut her down
She loves intentional times with family and sharing about the things we did each day.
She loves missions and wants to live her life bringing the Kingdom of God to earth!
Does this sound like your son or daughter?
Do they challenge you and push the limits of your family's culture?
This many not be a bad thing. Listen to the podcast for insight on how to train up and love this type of child! We believe God has something in this podcast for you! Listen and share today!
Crazy Cool Resources:
CCF Podcasts
CCF Social Media
Join Basecamp- FOR FREE!

#172: Who Knows Your Kid Best? (Feat. Mollie Torres)

We are kicking off our Summer Series!
This summer we are slowing down the podcast and inviting each of our kids to share about their perspective of family, relationships, and our parenting. You do not want to miss these honest conversations about our wins and misses as parents. Trust us, our kids will not hold back!
The question we are asking, to you parents, in the Summer Series is "Who knows your kid best?"
Do you know your child better than anyone else?
How do you get to know them better this summer?
As we've watched our kids grow up, we've learned a few things. Our hope is that you learn how to love your kids by listening to ours!
The podcast will air every other week throughout the summer. So take time to listen, process, and practice what you are learning!
Meet Mollie Torres!
Mollie is our oldest daughter and the 2nd mom to our other 6 kiddos. She is organized, fashionable, and is very... VERY passionate.
Mollie and Suz started the fam and Don joined in (meaning Don is not Mollie's biological dad) and the adjustment was a little tricky for everyone as the Manning family formed.
Here are a few main things Mollie shares about being raised by us:
As a first born, she sometimes felt like a failure and unable to share her emotions when she messed up or "fell short" in our eyes
As a girl, she often felt hurt by our harsh words (or lack of encouragement)
As an older sister, she felt like she had to be mature and help with her siblings and house stuff more than she wanted
Does this sound like your first born son or daughter?
Mollie's insight into her upbringing is so valuable. She is now an amazing mom to Sebastian (3 year old boy) who is a lot like her! Her perspective of our parenting choices is priceless. Listen today and learn why.
Topics we discuss:
Learning to listen and draw out your child's emotions
Building trust and talking about the ways trust has been broken
Setting expectations (specifically around grades)
Giving them experiences with Jesus
Inviting the Holy Spirit into hard parenting moments
Choosing relationship instead of rules with your first child
Crazy Cool Resources:
CCF Podcasts
CCF Social Media
Join Basecamp- FOR FREE!

#171: Fight the Fight and Jump into Summer

Ready for summer?
We fight for family and we love summer! This week's podcast is about fighting for your family AND jumping into summer.
Listen to this week's podcast to kickstart your summer and start investing in your family.
Crazy Cool Resources:
CCF Podcasts
CCF Social Media
Join Basecamp- FOR FREE!

#170: Stop Sibling Fights with Investment

Are you over your kids fighting with each other?
Do you see them going against each other and just wish they could learn to listen and love their sibling?
Suz and Macy share ways you can change your family's culture on this week's podcast!
Suzanne talked to several Crazy Cool Parents and asked them, "How do you help your kids get along?"
The answers will blow your mind! The parents have taken building culture to the next level and their kids are becoming best friends.
We believe family is made by God and He has a specific plan for every family. What is yours? We encourage you to listen to our podcasts so you can be inspired and gain insight for your family. Listen and share today!
Crazy Cool Resources:
CCF Podcasts
CCF Social Media
Join Basecamp- FOR FREE!

#169: We Fight for Family to Believe

What are your family's beliefs?
Are your beliefs helping or hurting your family grow?
We were recently on a walk and started talking about how our family has been marked by our beliefs. We identified positive and negative (true and false) beliefs and started seeing how beliefs affected our parenting.
"What we believe about things influences what happens in our life." - Don
Beliefs are amazing because they are always growing and changing. As parents, we can invite God in and ask Him what beliefs we need to incorporate into our family, starting now!
“If you have a belief you do not like, you can change them!” - Don
Fighting for family takes time. We want you to fight by looking at your beliefs. What does your family think about, talk about, and care most about? These things are connected to your beliefs.
What does it look like to build family beliefs?
Here are a few we have chosen to live by over the last 30 years:
Relationships are valuable
Our kids are gonna turn out great
What we talk about influences our family
Encouraging our kids to do their best
We serve rather than look to be served
I am for my spouse, we want to understand each other
Our kids will be best friends
Believe God is good, no matter what
Building your family's belief system is a process and every family can start today. How are you going to start fighting for your family's culture? What is one thing you can start doing today?
Take a minute and ask God:
What are my family’s beliefs?
What beliefs do you want us to have?
Are there any false/bad beliefs we need to get rid of for our good?
Crazy Cool Resources:
CCF Podcasts
CCF Social Media
Join Basecamp- FOR FREE!

#168: What if I’m Losing the Fight? (Feat. Madeline Jones)

Do you feel like "quitting the fight?"
Have you ever felt like throwing in the towel and quitting this whole parenting thing?
Madeline, our 2nd daughter joins us to share about her season of feeling like the is "losing the fight" with her family. Through sickness, trials, new work for her husband, and other things she found it really hard to feel like a success when it came to parenting, marriage, and her relationship with God.
Suz shared how she remembers countless moments of wanting to quit. It's a valid emotion and something each parent hits at some point in their parenting journey. She shares how these feelings are okay and even good. They are invitations from God to draw near to Him
Can anyone relate?
You are not alone! We unpack ways you can flip your thinking when the season feels like it holds more losses than wins.
A few ways to exchange the "losing mentality"
Talk to God
Go outside and get sunshine
Mindset of "allotted time" with your kids
Sit back and just be for a few minutes every day
Let go of your agenda and play with your kids
Parents, we are invited to soak of these seasons with our kids. We are hand-picked by God to love and raise our kids. No matter what difficulties you are facing in this season, God sees you and wants to meet you in the midst of the crazy.
Remember, joy comes in the morning and with each new day we get a chance to love and live again! We encourage you to stop, see what God is doing in this season, and let it energize you for the days to come. This season will not last forever and when you are 20-30 years down the road, you will see the fruit of your parenting. Keep investing in your kids and leaning into God's plan for your family.
Here are ways to win each day:
Laughter
Serve each other
Get our of your house
Play outside
Communicating with spouse
Crazy Cool Resources:
CCF Podcasts
CCF Social Media
Join Basecamp- FOR FREE!

#167: Fighting for Marriage (Feat. Anne Evans)

What do I do if my spouse and I are not on the same page?
Unity within marriage is vital. God's idea of marriage is centered on unity. Is your marriage unified? What creates unity and what destroys it?
Anne Evans joins Suz to talk about unity within marriage. This week we are FIGHTING for marriage!
Anne and Tim Evans have 6 books about marriage. Their books are centered on sexuality, sexual intimacy, forgiveness, how to dream as a married couple, and so many more topics! No matter what season your marriage is in, these books will take your marriage to the next level!
Check out their books here!
How to build unity within marriage
"It took me seven years to be comfortable within marriage. I was conflict avoidant and didn't want to create anything bad in my marriage. Living in unity is all about living in unity with the Lord. Unity with our spouse is great but unity with God is our foundation we live on." - Anne
Here are a few main points of how to have unity in your marriage:
Learn how to include God in your decisions
Include others (community) in your life
Pursue the heart of God and be unified with Him
Building Unity
Teachability and availability are the two main ways unity is built. Marriages can be marked by differences which can create tension. A big distinction Anne makes is differencing absolutes from preferences. Often times we get bogged down with preferences and it causes fights.
Learn how to talk to each other
Learn how to manage our emotions
Find the best times to have hard conversations
The topic is unity but we are called to examine ourselves and develop our inner core. We can set ourselves (and our spouse) up for success when we do the hard work within ourselves. Then even if our spouse doesn't do exactly what we want, we are still able to grow with God.
We want to end with an encouragement. Your identity is first and forever found in Christ. Your marriage is marked by the love of God and His love covers a multitude of sins. As we fight for unity within our marriage, we encourage you to think about how God wants to strengthen you with unity so your marriage can be unified. It starts with you and God and overflows into your relationships.
Podcast Resources:
Real Life Ministries
Crazy Cool Resources:
CCF Podcasts
CCF Social Media
Join Basecamp- FOR FREE!

#166: Fight for Generosity (Feat. Christy Gandy)

Mother's Day is coming up and we have the perfect gift idea! This week, Christy Gandy joins the podcast to help us Fight for Generosity. She unpacks ways her family chooses to be generous in every season.
Generosity is a value and something we are invited to build into our family culture.
"Generosity is an investment. It creates connection within relationships. Generosity goes straight to the heart and builds gratefulness." -Suz
The reality is, generosity starts with you. Proverbs 11:25 says, “A generous person will prosper. Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed."
A culture of generosity starts in our home. Do you have a culture of generosity?
Here are practical ways we have practiced generosity:
Buy things for others
Serve together
Buy presents for other members of the family
Write thank you notes or encouraging notes
Encourage the sibling to choose generosity!
Look at your budget and find the funds for giving
Have a basket or closet set aside for gifts!
Ask God how you can give today and then give
Generosity is from God and He knows it is part of who we are called to be as His children. When we give it stirs up our hearts to give even more!
Listen and learn how to start building a culture of generosity in your home! Take a few minutes to learn ways to model God-inspired generosity to your kids!
Podcast Resources:
Love Well Co. - send a box today!
Follow Christy on social media
Crazy Cool Resources:
CCF Podcasts
CCF Social Media
Join Basecamp- FOR FREE!