The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

What happens to a generation when screens become the centerpiece of childhood? In this powerful 500th episode, Ginny Yurich is joined by Kim John Payne, author of Simplicity Parenting, to explore the quiet crisis unfolding in families across the world. From rising anxiety to declining play, from screen dependency to emotional disconnectionthis conversation exposes how the very sanctity of childhood has been breached, often in ways we didnt see coming.

But theres hope. Together, Ginny and Kim unpack the power of simplicity, self-directed play, boredom, and presencenot just as parenting strategies, but as radical acts of resistance in a culture of overwhelm. Whether youre drowning in activity or feeling the pressure to conform, this episode offers a lifeline back to what matters most. Childhood isnt goneits waiting to be reclaimed.

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Get your copy of Simplicity Parenting here

Learn more about Kim John Payne and all he has to offer here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Have We Done to Childhood? Thats the question at the heart of this gripping conversation with Dr. Peter Gray, author of Free to Learn and one of the worlds foremost researchers on human development and education. In his fourth appearance on the podcast, Dr. Gray unpacks how cultural shiftsfrom agricultural hierarchies to todays anxiety-fueled overprotectionhave stripped childhood of its most essential ingredients: freedom, trust, agency, and play. What we call normal nowoverscheduling, overcontrol, and constant performance pressurewould be unrecognizable, even unthinkable, in every previous era of human history.

This is one of the most urgent and thought-provoking episodes weve ever released. It explores the deep cost of replacing play with programming, curiosity with curriculum, and independence with obedience. We dont need more rigorwe need restoration. If we want to raise kids who are emotionally healthy, socially competent, and equipped for a rapidly shifting world, it starts by asking hard questions. What have we done to childhood? And what can we still do to get it back?

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Check out Dr. Peter Grays Substack here

Get your copy of Free to Learn here



A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:

Geviti: Visit https://www.gogeviti.com/1000hoursoutside for 20% off your first three months of membership!



Active Skin Repair: Visit www.ActiveSkinRepair.com to learn more about Active Skin Repair and their commitment to 1% for the planet and use code: 1000hours to save 20% on all Active Skin Repair products



Select Quote: Head to www.selectquote.com/1000hours to learn more.



BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.



Fay Nutrition: Visit www.FayNutrition.com/1000HOURS to see if you qualify for a dietitian for $0



CRU: Visit give.cru.org/hour to sign up for a $24 monthly gift, and receive a free copy of Until The Streetlights Come On



Reliefband - Get 20% off plus free shipping at www.reliefband.com/1000hours



Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns



Kaeluma - Visit jesusfilm.org/kaeluma-outside to listen, learn more, or access discussion guides and other bonus content!



Acorns Early - Visit www.acornsearly.com/outside to learn more!



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If our kids are achieving but not thriving, what are we actually working toward?

In this profoundly helpful and eye-opening conversation, Ned Johnson and Dr. William Stixrudauthors of What Do You Say? and The Self-Driven Childreturn to share powerful insights about raising kids who can handle stress, stay motivated, and actually enjoy their lives. We talk about what it means to be a non-anxious presence, how our words and behaviors shape our childrens mental health, and why the Yale or fail mindset is doing far more harm than good.

Packed with specific phrases to use (and avoid), guidance on school pressure and tracking apps, and wisdom from decades of working with anxious families, this episode offers a better way forward. If youve ever worried about whether you're doing enoughor doing it rightthis one will help you exhale and refocus on what really matters: raising kids with resilient brains, meaningful relationships, and the capacity to experience joy.

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Learn more about Bill and Ned here

Get your copy of What Do You Say? here

Get your copy of The Self-Driven Child here

Get your copy of The Self-Driven Child workbook here



A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:

Geviti: Visit https://www.gogeviti.com/1000hoursoutside for 20% off your first three months of membership!



Active Skin Repair: Visit www.ActiveSkinRepair.com to learn more about Active Skin Repair and their commitment to 1% for the planet and use code: 1000hours to save 20% on all Active Skin Repair products



Select Quote: Head to www.selectquote.com/1000hours to learn more.



BetterHelp: Visit www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS today to get 10% off your first month.



Fay Nutrition: Visit www.FayNutrition.com/1000HOURS to see if you qualify for a dietitian for $0



CRU: Visit give.cru.org/hour to sign up for a $24 monthly gift, and receive a free copy of Until The Streetlights Come On



Reliefband - Get 20% off plus free shipping at www.reliefband.com/1000hours



Quince - Visit www.quince.com/outside and get free shipping and 365 day returns



Kaeluma - Visit jesusfilm.org/kaeluma-outside to listen, learn more, or access discussion guides and other bonus content!



Acorns Early - Visit www.acornsearly.com/outside to learn more!



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when grief, loss, and hardship become the soil where storytelling grows? In this unforgettable episode, Sean Dietrich — bestselling author and beloved writer — shares the raw, redemptive beauty of his childhood, where pain and hope sat side by side. With trademark warmth and honesty, Sean opens up about his father’s death, the ache of feeling like an outsider, and the strangers who showed up when family didn’t. It’s heartbreaking, hilarious, and profoundly human.

Host Ginny Yurich weaves together the most powerful moments from their conversations, revealing how the smallest acts of kindness, the simplest words of encouragement, and the freedom to roam outdoors can reshape a child’s entire future. This episode is a love letter to parents who wonder if they’re doing enough — and a reminder that sometimes, just showing up is everything.

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Get your copy of Will the Circle Be Unbroken here

Get your copy of You Are My Sunshine here

Learn more about Sean, read his writings, and find his touring schedule here



A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below: 

Geviti: Visit ⁠https://www.gogeviti.com/1000hoursoutside⁠ for 20% off your first three months of membership!



Active Skin Repair: Visit ⁠www.ActiveSkinRepair.com⁠  to learn more about Active Skin Repair and their commitment to 1% for the planet and use code: 1000hours to save 20% on all Active Skin Repair products



Select Quote: Head to ⁠www.selectquote.com/1000hours⁠ to learn more. 



BetterHelp: Visit  ⁠www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS⁠  today to get 10% off your first month.



Fay Nutrition: Visit ⁠www.FayNutrition.com/1000HOURS⁠  to see if you qualify for a dietitian for $0



CRU: Visit ⁠give.cru.org/hour⁠ to sign up for a $24 monthly gift, and receive a free copy of Until The Streetlights Come On



Reliefband - Get 20% off plus free shipping at ⁠www.reliefband.com/1000hours⁠ 



Quince - Visit ⁠www.quince.com/outside⁠ and get free shipping and 365 day returns



Kaeluma - Visit⁠ jesusfilm.org/kaeluma-outside⁠ to listen, learn more, or access discussion guides and other bonus content!



Acorns Early - Visit ⁠www.acornsearly.com/outside⁠ to learn more!



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this unforgettable conversation, New York Times bestselling author and investigative journalist Lee Strobel joins Ginny Yurich to explore the unseen realm—where science, faith, and mystery collide. Drawing from his newest book Seeing the Supernatural, Strobel shares powerful, documented stories of near-death experiences, angelic encounters, supernatural dreams, and miracle healings that challenge modern assumptions about consciousness, death, and the afterlife. This episode is about evidence—not speculation—and what it might mean for how we live today.

Whether you're a person of faith, a skeptic, or somewhere in between, this conversation offers an invitation to think deeply about life’s biggest questions. Strobel’s journey from atheism to belief reveals that small acts—like offering cookies to a neighbor—can ripple through eternity. It's a reminder that the way we parent, pray, and even play is shaped not just by the visible world, but also by what we can’t yet see.

📘 Seeing the Supernatural by Lee Strobel is available now. Get your copy here !



A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below: 

Geviti: Visit ⁠https://www.gogeviti.com/1000hoursoutside⁠ for 20% off your first three months of membership!



Active Skin Repair: Visit ⁠www.ActiveSkinRepair.com⁠  to learn more about Active Skin Repair and their commitment to 1% for the planet and use code: 1000hours to save 20% on all Active Skin Repair products



Select Quote: Head to ⁠www.selectquote.com/1000hours⁠ to learn more. 



BetterHelp: Visit  ⁠www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS⁠  today to get 10% off your first month.



Fay Nutrition: Visit ⁠www.FayNutrition.com/1000HOURS⁠  to see if you qualify for a dietitian for $0



CRU: Visit ⁠give.cru.org/hour⁠ to sign up for a $24 monthly gift, and receive a free copy of Until The Streetlights Come On



Reliefband - Get 20% off plus free shipping at ⁠www.reliefband.com/1000hours⁠ 



Quince - Visit ⁠www.quince.com/outside⁠ and get free shipping and 365 day returns



Kaeluma - Visit⁠ jesusfilm.org/kaeluma-outside⁠ to listen, learn more, or access discussion guides and other bonus content!



Acorns Early - Visit ⁠www.acornsearly.com/outside⁠ to learn more!





Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices