The holiday season is here—and with it comes the mix of joy, chaos, and never-ending to-do lists. 🎁 From decorating the house to wrapping gifts, baking cookies, and attending every school or church event, it’s easy for parents to feel more overwhelmed than joyful.

In this episode of the Crazy Cool Family Podcast, Don and Suzanne Manning share candid reflections and look back on 30+ years of parenting seven kids through the holiday hustle. They’ve been through the late-night wrapping sessions, Christmas concerts, chaotic car rides to find the “perfect tree,” and even baking sessions where the cookies didn’t turn out quite right. Through it all, they’ve discovered that holidays aren’t about perfection—they’re about shaping memories.

• Including your kids in the preparations (even if it’s messier and slower).
• Shifting the focus from getting to giving through serving neighbors, writing notes, or sibling gift exchanges.
• Creating simple family traditions—from decorating bedrooms with mini trees to baking monkey bread—that knit kids’ hearts to yours.
• Letting go of busyness and embracing peace, even when schedules get overwhelming.

Whether you’re a parent of toddlers, teens, or grown kids, this conversation will encourage you to slow down, laugh at the chaos, and focus on what truly matters. Because the greatest gift you can give your children this season isn’t perfect cookies or matching wrapping paper—it’s the gift of connection.

👉 Tune in today and start creating holiday traditions that will outlast the chaos and shape your family for generations.

Podcast Resources:

• Click here for everything Crazy Cool Family!
• Give us a review!

Part 1 (Ep. 322, originally Ep. 143)

Thanksgiving can be one of the most joyful times of the year—or one of the most stressful. In this episode, we’re bringing back one of our favorite holiday conversations to help your family lean into joy, peace, and purpose this Thanksgiving. We kick off our two-part series with the first ingredient for the best Thanksgiving week, and it may surprise you: awareness.

We’ll talk about how awareness changes the way you approach family gatherings, helps you notice others’ needs, and invites God’s presence into the holiday. If you want this year to be less about stress and more about connection, this episode is a great place to start!

👉 In this episode you’ll hear about:

• Why Thanksgiving often feels stressful—and how to flip it into peace and joy.

• The first “ingredient” for the best Thanksgiving: awareness.

• How awareness helps you notice needs, love people better, and invite God into the moment.

• Practical ways to lead your family toward joy, not chaos, during the holiday.

Podcast Resources:

• Click here for everything Crazy Cool Family!
• Give us a review!

Part 1 (Ep. 322, originally Ep. 143)

Thanksgiving can be one of the most joyful times of the year—or one of the most stressful. In this episode, we’re bringing back one of our favorite holiday conversations to help your family lean into joy, peace, and purpose this Thanksgiving. We kick off our two-part series with the first ingredient for the best Thanksgiving week, and it may surprise you: awareness.

We’ll talk about how awareness changes the way you approach family gatherings, helps you notice others’ needs, and invites God’s presence into the holiday. If you want this year to be less about stress and more about connection, this episode is a great place to start!

👉 In this episode you’ll hear about:

• Why Thanksgiving often feels stressful—and how to flip it into peace and joy.

• The first “ingredient” for the best Thanksgiving: awareness.

• How awareness helps you notice needs, love people better, and invite God into the moment.

• Practical ways to lead your family toward joy, not chaos, during the holiday.

Podcast Resources:

• Click here for everything Crazy Cool Family!
• Give us a review!

After 33 years of parenting seven kids, Don and Suzanne Manning are stepping into a brand-new season: empty nesters! But before you picture peace and quiet, join us for this powerful episode of the Crazy Cool Family Podcast where we look back at decades of parenting, the lessons learned, and the incredible fruit that comes from choosing family—over and over again.

• The early years of parenting and what he would tell his younger self.
• How focusing on connection over control transformed his family.
• Why choosing family as your “main thing” is always worth it.
• How chaos and failure became tools God used to shape him as a dad.

You’ll hear raw and relatable stories—from dragging toddlers down the carpet (oops!) to persevere through teenage disconnect. Don reminds us that parenting isn’t about being perfect—it’s about never quitting. Mistakes don’t disqualify you; disengaging does.

This conversation isn’t just for parents with littles. It’s for every stage: young parents learning the ropes, families juggling the chaos of multiple kids, and those entering the bittersweet transition of launching young adults. You’ll walk away encouraged, challenged, and reminded that family is worth it.

Whether you’re knee-deep in diapers or navigating curfews with teens, this episode will inspire you to choose connections, embrace grace, and build a family culture that lasts for generations.

👉 Tune in now and be reminded: parenting is hard, but it’s the greatest, most rewarding work you’ll ever do.

Podcast Resources:

• Click here for everything Crazy Cool Family!
• Give us a review!

In this episode, Macy rapid-fires questions at Suz, drawing out three decades of parenting wisdom from raising seven kids to navigating the empty-nest season. Together, they unpack the heart of family as God’s idea—where parenting is discipleship, connection matters more than tasks, and playing the long game pays off.

From marriage teamwork and practical rhythms to the power of community, prayer, and the joy of adult children, this conversation offers encouragement and tools for every season of parenting. Whether you’re in the toddler trenches, managing teens, or stepping into grandparenthood, you’ll find faith-filled wisdom and relatable stories to inspire your family journey.

• Build connection that creates capacity and peace in your home.

• Use small resets (like a 5-minute tidy or micro-dates) to beat chaos.

• Lead as a unified marriage team and signal love to your kids.

• Lean into community and prayer as a protective covering.

• Encourage adult kids and celebrate fruit in the next generation.

This episode is for new parents, large families, empty nesters, and anyone who wants practical rhythms and spiritual encouragement for raising a Christ-centered home.

• Click here for everything Crazy Cool Family!
• Give us a review!

Do we Celebrate Halloween as a Family or No?

How do you celebrate Halloween as a family and is it bad to do?

RE-RUN ALERT!! Halloween hasn't changed over the years and our conversation about it/beliefs on the topic remain the same. Do you need help deciding how your family celebrates Halloween? Then this podcast is for you!

First off, your family needs to personally seek God and obey what he is saying for your family. There is no right or wrong. Obeying God is top priority!

Secondly, if you do decide to dress up and go house to house here are some mindsets you can empower your kids with.

1. Focus on Light vs. Darkness: Emphasize themes of light, drawing from verses like John 1:5 ("The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it").

1. Use Halloween as a time to connect with neighbors and friends. Hebrews 10:24-25 encourages fellowship and building each other up, which can be reflected in community activities. Share the gospel or pray for people as you go door to door.

1. Encourage creative expression through costumes and decorations. This encourages creativity and imagination in them - and honestly it is just so fun to dress up.

1. Teach children about discernment, focusing on Philippians 4:8, which encourages thinking about things that are true, noble, and right. Discuss the difference between fun and fear and avoid anything that glorifies evil.

These are simple mindsets to help place in our kids' minds as we approach this holiday!

Kids can’t learn new skills when their nervous system is flooded. In this episode, Suz and Kenzie show you how to regulate first and coach second using our MONSTER cue: My Only Need: Start To Emotionally Regulate. You’ll learn a faith-filled, brain-wise plan for toddler tantrums, big-kid blowups, and teen flare-ups—without losin;g your own peace.

• Thermostat vs. thermometer parenting: How to set the room’s emotional “temperature,” not just read it.

• The MONSTER check: A simple in-the-moment phrase that grounds you and your child.

• Storm vs. sunshine timing: Correct for safety in the storm; train skills in the calm.

• Age-by-age scripts for toddlers, big kids, and teens that lower intensity fast.

• Pick-your-battle triage: Safety, maturity, and “my-issue” filters so you don’t fight every fight.

• Reset tools that work: 4/6 breathing, colors game, cold water splash, squeeze/hug items, wall pushups/jumping jacks, worship/quiet song.

• Regulate → Repair → Rehearse so growth sticks.

• Faith integration: “Peace lives in me—let’s go find it,” plus short prayers that invite the Holy Spirit into hard moments.

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” — Isaiah 26:3 (See also Galatians 5:22–23 for the fruit of the Spirit and Philippians 4:7 for God’s peace.)

Podcast Resources:

• Click here for everything Crazy Cool Family!
• Give us a review!

Every parent has been there—the dreaded meltdown. Whether it’s your toddler on the kitchen floor, your teenager slamming a door, or even you holding back tears in the car, meltdowns are part of family life. But what if these moments aren’t just problems to solve, but opportunities to connect?

In this episode of the Crazy Cool Family Podcast, Don and Suzanne share wisdom from raising seven kids and over 30 years of parenting experience to help you reframe how you see meltdowns. We’ll dive into why meltdowns happen, how they make us feel as parents, and—most importantly—how to respond in ways that build character, strengthen relationships, and reduce chaos in your home over time.

You’ll learn practical strategies for handling toddler tantrums, school-day meltdowns, and teenage blow-ups without adding fuel to the fire. From turning a “no” into a redirect, to knowing when to pause and offer grace, this conversation will help you see meltdowns as moments to disciple, not just discipline.

We’ll also explore the spiritual side of meltdowns—how God uses adversity to grow us, and how we can model compassion, patience, and love even when emotions run high.

Parenting isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection. So, if you’ve ever felt embarrassed, overwhelmed, or unsure in the face of a meltdown, this episode is for you.

👉 Tune in now and discover how to transform meltdowns into meaningful, crazy cool parenting moments.

Podcast Resources:

• Click here for everything Crazy Cool Family!
• Give us a review!