Ep. 88: Is Marriage Worth It? Raising Kids Who Still Choose You & A Disney Cliffhanger

This week, we’re diving into the realities of marriage, the long-term heart work of parenting, and a quick tease for what’s coming next!

💍 Forever Segment — Marriage: Benefit or Burden?

We unpack the age-old question: Is marriage something that elevates your life or something that weighs you down? We explore how perspective, partnership, and personal expectations shape the way couples experience marriage and why the answer isn’t as simple as it seems.

🌱 Roots & Bloom Segment — Raising Children Who Keep Coming Home, Pt. 2

In part two of our series, we talk about what it really takes to build a bond with your children that lasts long after they’ve grown up. From emotional safety to shared experiences, we dig into how parents can cultivate lifelong connection.

🎢 Lifestyle Segment — To Be Continued…

We ran out of time this week but be sure to catch our next episode where we break down our full Disney vacation experience! From rides to parenting wins (and fails), you won’t want to miss it.

Today we’ll be touching on:

• Who Was Your Favorite Rapper Before The Age 13?
• The South Korean Military
• Marriage: Benefit or Burden?
• Raising Children Who Keep Coming Home Pt. 2
• Our Disney Trip (To Be Continued)

Anything you want to hear us talk about? Loved a topic we touched on? Let us know in the review section!

___________________________________

Also, Follow us here!

--Kristin:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yourstrulykristin/ @Yourstrulykristin

Cook Book: https://a.co/d/5pqsuYE

--Keonte:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/keontemcdonald/ @Keontemcdonald

My Music: https://keonte.bandcamp.com/album/a-loss-for-words

Graphic Design: https://www.behance.net/gallery/170503095/Portfolio

Graphic IG: https://www.instagram.com/kingsmold/ @Kingsmold

___________________________________

Order our New Children's Book: "Where Dreams May Take You"

https://a.co/d/3KlouTY

My Unpopular Opinion Podcast by Keonte coming soon!

Song of The Week: Laufey "Forget-Me-Not"

https://music.apple.com/us/album/forget-me-not/1834263082?i=1834263123

Show of the Week: Barry (HBO Max)

Ep. 87: Escaping the Roommate Stage, Raising Kids Who Still Call & TikTok Church Experiment

This week’s episode is all about connection: rediscovering it in marriage, sustaining it with our children, and questioning it in the age of viral faith and social media.

💑 Forever Segment — The Silent Drift & The Intentional Return

We’re unpacking one of the quietest relationship killers: emotional distance. How do couples go from passionate partners to polite roommates and, more importantly, how do they find their way back? We talk about the small choices that rebuild intimacy and the daily habits that turn drifting into direction.

🌱 Roots & Bloom Segment — Raising Children Who Keep Coming Home

What does it mean to raise securely attached children who still want to be around you when they’re grown? We explore how emotional safety, consistent love, and healthy boundaries create relationships that last well beyond childhood.

🙏 Lifestyle Segment — The Appalachian Grandpa & The TikTok Church Experiment

“The Appalachian Grandpa” and the “TikTok Church” experiment. Would your church give a single mother a can of formula for her starving child? What do these trends say about faith, influence, and the way people are finding (or performing) spirituality online?

Today we’ll be touching on:

• The Mary Crystie mystery
• The Silent Drift & The Intentional Return: The Roomate Marriage
• Raising Children Who Keep Coming Home
• The TikTok Appalachian Grandpa

Anything you want to hear us talk about? Loved a topic we touched on? Let us know in the review section!

___________________________________

Also, Follow us here!

--Kristin:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yourstrulykristin/ @Yourstrulykristin

Cook Book: https://a.co/d/5pqsuYE

--Keonte:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/keontemcdonald/ @Keontemcdonald

My Music: https://keonte.bandcamp.com/album/a-loss-for-words

Graphic Design: https://www.behance.net/gallery/170503095/Portfolio

Graphic IG: https://www.instagram.com/kingsmold/ @Kingsmold

___________________________________

Order our New Children's Book: "Where Dreams May Take You"

https://a.co/d/3KlouTY

My Unpopular Opinion Podcast by Keonte coming soon!

Song of The Week: Leon Thomas "My Muse"

https://music.apple.com/us/album/my-muse/1847991335?i=1847991347

Film of the Week: All Her Fault (Peacock)

Ep. 86: For Better, For Worse, For Outkast: Marriage Meltdowns, Parenting, and Atlanta Vibes

This week’s episode dives deep into faith, family, and fun; from navigating the hardest moments in marriage to learning how to regulate our emotions as parents, and even a firsthand look at a major music festival experience!

💍 Forever Segment — When the Fantasy Fades, Does Your Faith Remain?

We explore what the “worse” in “for better or for worse” truly means. When life tests your marriage through loss, stress, distance, or disappointment. . . how do you safeguard your relationship before those moments arrive? This segment is all about building faith-based resilience when the fantasy fades.

🧘🏾‍♀️ Roots & Bloom Segment — Pause, Breathe, Then Parent

Parenting starts with emotional regulation. . . ours. We discuss the power of pausing, breathing, and modeling calmness for our children. How do our emotions shape theirs? And what steps can we take to make emotional balance a daily practice, not a reaction?

🎶 Lifestyle Segment — The ONE MusicFest: Atlanta Edition

Keonte shares his surprise birthday trip to Atlanta, GA to attend his very first music festival! From legendary performances by Outkast and Mary J. Blige to the rising sounds of newcomer Leon Thomas, he gives us the full behind-the-scenes on what the experience was like and whether he’d ever do it again.

Today we’ll be touching on:

• When's The Last Time You Did Something For the First Time?
• Raising People From The Dead: The Essie Dunbar Story
• Why Are Kids So Messy? Help!
• For Better or For Worse: When the Fantasy Fades, Does Your Faith Remain?
• Emotional Regulation In Parents
• ONE MusicFest: Outkast, Ludacris, Mary J. Blige & Swag Surfing In Atlanta

Anything you want to hear us talk about? Loved a topic we touched on? Let us know in the review section!

___________________________________

Also, Follow us here!

--Kristin:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yourstrulykristin/ @Yourstrulykristin

Cook Book: https://a.co/d/5pqsuYE

--Keonte:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/keontemcdonald/ @Keontemcdonald

My Music: https://keonte.bandcamp.com/album/a-loss-for-words

Graphic Design: https://www.behance.net/gallery/170503095/Portfolio

Graphic IG: https://www.instagram.com/kingsmold/ @Kingsmold

___________________________________

Order our New Children's Book: "Where Dreams May Take You"

https://a.co/d/3KlouTY

My Unpopular Opinion Podcast by Keonte coming soon!

Song of The Week: Luke Chiang "Never Tell"

https://music.apple.com/us/album/never-tell/1741674901?i=1741674910

Film of the Week: They Call Him Mostly Harmless (HBOMax)

Ep. 85: From ‘If He Wanted To, He Would’ to ‘Who Can We Trust?’ The Perfect Neighbor & Accountability

This week, we’re unpacking love, protection, and accountability. From how effort shows up in relationships, to the realities of parenting in an unpredictable world, to why honesty seems to be on life support in today’s society.

❤️ Forever Segment — Effort, Energy, and the Myth of Perfect Love

“If he wanted to, he would.” We’re breaking down this viral phrase and talking about what real effort looks like in marriage. How does social media shape our expectations of love? Should we ever compare our relationships to others? And how do you show your spouse love beyond words and likes?

🏡 Roots & Bloom Segment — Protecting Our Kids in a World Full of Neighbors

Inspired by Netflix’s chilling documentary The Perfect Neighbor, we reflect on parenting in a time when safety isn’t guaranteed, even close to home. How do we teach awareness without fear, and make decisions that prioritize our children’s security and well-being?

⚖️ Lifestyle Segment — America’s Accountability Problem

From politics to personal life, lying has become the national pastime. We’re asking why people keep denying the truth even when they’ve been caught, and how the “innocent until proven guilty” mindset affects our culture’s relationship with accountability and integrity.

Today we’ll be touching on:

• Which Countries Would You Live In?
• Why & When Was Morse Code Created?
• If He Wanted To, He Would: A Deep Dive Into "Perfect Love" Culture
• Netflix's The Perfect Neighbor
• Caught Red Handed And Still Lying: America's Accountability Problem

Anything you want to hear us talk about? Loved a topic we touched on? Let us know in the review section!

___________________________________

Also, Follow us here!

--Kristin:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yourstrulykristin/ @Yourstrulykristin

Cook Book: https://a.co/d/5pqsuYE

--Keonte:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/keontemcdonald/ @Keontemcdonald

My Music: https://keonte.bandcamp.com/album/a-loss-for-words

Graphic Design: https://www.behance.net/gallery/170503095/Portfolio

Graphic IG: https://www.instagram.com/kingsmold/ @Kingsmold

___________________________________

Order our New Children's Book: "Where Dreams May Take You"

https://a.co/d/3KlouTY

My Unpopular Opinion Podcast by Keonte coming soon!

Song of The Week: Sienna Spiro "You Stole The Show"

https://music.apple.com/us/album/you-stole-the-show/1825742569?i=1825742570

Film of the Week: The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)

Ep. 84: Safe Love, Strong Kids & Ayesha Curry: What Real Security Looks Like

This week, we’re unpacking love, growth, and grace; from how we build safety in marriage, to how we nurture our children’s strengths, to how we respond to public opinions about other people’s relationships.

💞 Forever Segment — Safe Love: Building Security in Your Marriage

What makes love feel safe? We explore attachment styles (secure, anxious, avoidant, and fearful avoidant) and discuss how understanding your own can help you build deeper trust and connection in your relationship.

🌱 Roots & Bloom Segment — Grow What’s Strong: Strengths-Based Parenting

Instead of focusing on what kids can’t do, what if we built around what they do well? We dive into the power of strengths-based parenting, how to balance encouragement with accountability, and ways to help kids thrive by leading with their gifts.

💬 Lifestyle Segment — Ayesha Curry vs. The Internet

Did Ayesha really say anything wrong? We break down the social-media outrage, explore why people are so invested in other people’s marriages, and talk about what this says about our culture, comparison, and public vulnerability.

Today we’ll be touching on:

• Do Animals Speak Different Languages?
• Prison Breaks (How Often Do They Happen?)
• Safe Love: Building Security In Your Marriage
• Grow What's Strong: Strengths Based Parenting
• Ayesha Curry Vs. The Internet

Anything you want to hear us talk about? Loved a topic we touched on? Let us know in the review section!

___________________________________

Also, Follow us here!

--Kristin:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yourstrulykristin/ @Yourstrulykristin

Cook Book: https://a.co/d/5pqsuYE

--Keonte:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/keontemcdonald/ @Keontemcdonald

My Music: https://keonte.bandcamp.com/album/a-loss-for-words

Graphic Design: https://www.behance.net/gallery/170503095/Portfolio

Graphic IG: https://www.instagram.com/kingsmold/ @Kingsmold

___________________________________

Order our New Children's Book: "Where Dreams May Take You"

https://a.co/d/3KlouTY

My Unpopular Opinion Podcast by Keonte coming soon!

Song of The Week: J. Cole "Love Yourz"

https://music.apple.com/us/album/love-yourz/1600772499?i=1600773052

Film of the Week: Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie

Ep. 83: Love, Lies & Black Parent-isms: From Marriage Struggles to The Rapture on TikTok

This week, we’re mixing real talk about marriage, a nostalgic look at Black parenting wisdom, and a timely conversation about faith and misinformation online.

💔 Forever Segment — Love Beyond the “Like”

What happens when you love your spouse but don’t actually like them in the moment? We talk about navigating those seasons of tension, finding your way back to connection, and remembering why you chose each other.

👨🏾‍👩🏾‍👧🏾 Roots & Bloom Segment — Black Parent-isms

“Money don’t grow on trees.” “Because I said so.” We’re unpacking the iconic sayings and phrases Black parents raised us on and laughing (or cringing) at how often we catch ourselves repeating them with our own kids.

🙏 Lifestyle Segment — The Rapture & Social Media

Are you still with us, lol? We dig into what the Bible actually says about the Rapture, why people are so quick to believe false information online, and how faith and discernment matter in a world full of viral half-truths.

Today we’ll be touching on:

• Funny Movie Scenes (That Are Not Meant To Be Funny lol)
• What Came First, The Fruit Or The Color Orange?
• Love Beyond The "Like": What To Do When You Done Like Your Spouse
• Black Parent-isms: Am I Boo Boo The Fool?
• The Rapture Brought To You By TikTok (He's Coming Back!)

Anything you want to hear us talk about? Loved a topic we touched on? Let us know in the review section!

___________________________________

Also, Follow us here!

--Kristin:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yourstrulykristin/ @Yourstrulykristin

Cook Book: https://a.co/d/5pqsuYE

--Keonte:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/keontemcdonald/ @Keontemcdonald

My Music: https://keonte.bandcamp.com/album/a-loss-for-words

Graphic Design: https://www.behance.net/gallery/170503095/Portfolio

Graphic IG: https://www.instagram.com/kingsmold/ @Kingsmold

___________________________________

Order our New Children's Book: "Where Dreams May Take You"

https://a.co/d/3KlouTY

My Unpopular Opinion Podcast by Keonte coming soon!

Song of The Week: The Game Feat. Common "Angel"

https://music.apple.com/us/album/angel-feat-common/1469585208?i=1469586158

Show of the Week: The Pitt

Ep. 82: Can You Predict Divorce? Parenting A Digital Childhood & Charlie Kirk, Iryna Zarutska & America's Mental Health

This episode is full of hot takes, tough questions, and a little pop culture fun as we tackle marriage debates, family dynamics, and celebrity relationships in the spotlight.

💔 Forever Segment — Marriage Doom or Bloom?

We unpack Dr. John Gottman’s groundbreaking research on how he can predict when a marriage is headed toward divorce. What are the red flags to watch out for, and how can couples shift toward growth instead of separation?

🎮 Roots & Bloom Segment — Gaming, Tech & Kids: A Digital Childhood

Roblox, YouTube, and endless screen time, how do we parent through the digital world? We share insights, strategies, and struggles for raising kids in a tech-saturated generation.

📰 Lifestyle Segment — Iryna Zarutska, Charlie Kirk & America’s Mental Health Crime Crisis

We discuss the tragic demise of Iryna Zarutska, Charlie Kirk, and examine the larger issue of mental health and crime in America. What does this mean for families, communities, and the future? How do we fix this?

Today we’ll be touching on:

• Our First Favorite Show (No Cartoons, Disney or Parent Influenced)
• Oumuamua & 3I ATLAS: Aliens?
• Marriage Doom or Bloom? How To Tell If You're Headed Towards Divorce
• Gaming, Tech & Kids: A Digital Childhood and Parenting
• Iryna Zarutska, Charlie Kirk & America’s Mental Health Crime Crisis: How Do We Fix It?

Anything you want to hear us talk about? Loved a topic we touched on? Let us know in the review section!

___________________________________

Also, Follow us here!

--Kristin:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yourstrulykristin/ @Yourstrulykristin

Cook Book: https://a.co/d/5pqsuYE

--Keonte:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/keontemcdonald/ @Keontemcdonald

My Music: https://keonte.bandcamp.com/album/a-loss-for-words

Graphic Design: https://www.behance.net/gallery/170503095/Portfolio

Graphic IG: https://www.instagram.com/kingsmold/ @Kingsmold

___________________________________

Order our New Children's Book: "Where Dreams May Take You"

https://a.co/d/3KlouTY

My Unpopular Opinion Podcast by Keonte coming soon!

Song of The Week: Jadakiss Feat. Anthony Hamilton "Why?"

https://music.apple.com/us/album/why-feat-anthony-hamilton/1444180947?i=1444181519

Film of the Week: Strange Magic

Ep. 81: Taylor Swift Is Engaged! Taboo Marriage Questions & Nick Cannon Vs. The Nuclear Family

This episode is full of hot takes, tough questions, and a little pop culture fun as we tackle marriage debates, family dynamics, and celebrity relationships in the spotlight.

💍 Forever Segment — The Split Decision

We’re answering trendy but taboo marriage questions in 30 seconds or less! From joint vs. separate bank accounts, to spotting red flags, to whether too much sex talk is too much — we don’t hold back.

👨‍👧‍👦 Roots & Bloom Segment — Nick Cannon vs. The Nuclear Family

Is a present father who isn’t in the home more helpful or more harmful? We dig into modern family structures, the idea of “presence,” and what really matters for kids’ well-being.

🌟 Lifestyle Segment — Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce: Love in the Public Eye

With the engagement news shaking the internet, we talk about what it means to build a relationship under the spotlight. Can love truly thrive when the world is watching?

Today we’ll be touching on:

• Terrible Food Combinations
• The Dancing Plague of 1518
• Taboo Marriage Questions Answered In 30 Seconds or Less
• Nick Cannon & Cam Newton Vs. The Nuclear Family
• Swifties Assemble! Taylor Swift Is Now A Fiancé

Anything you want to hear us talk about? Loved a topic we touched on? Let us know in the review section!

___________________________________

Also, Follow us here!

--Kristin:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yourstrulykristin/ @Yourstrulykristin

Cook Book: https://a.co/d/5pqsuYE

--Keonte:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/keontemcdonald/ @Keontemcdonald

My Music: https://keonte.bandcamp.com/album/a-loss-for-words

Graphic Design: https://www.behance.net/gallery/170503095/Portfolio

Graphic IG: https://www.instagram.com/kingsmold/ @Kingsmold

___________________________________

Order our New Children's Book: "Where Dreams May Take You"

https://a.co/d/3KlouTY

My Unpopular Opinion Podcast by Keonte coming soon!

Song of The Week: Chance The Rapper & Jamila Woods "No More Old Men"

https://music.apple.com/us/album/no-more-old-men-feat-jamila-woods/1833372711?i=1833372718

Show of the Week: Law & Order: SVU (Peacock)