Crazy Cool Family

Season Finale: Wrapping Up 2025 with Crazy Cool Family As 2025 comes to a close, Don and Suzanne are taking a moment to reflect, celebrate, and cast vision for what’s ahead. 🎉 In this final episode of the year, you’ll hear highlights from Season 7 of the Crazy Cool Family Podcast and learn how God has been using this ministry to impact families across the U.S., Europe, and even Africa. 🌍 This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a global movement to inspire and equip parents to build strong, Christ-centered families. From practical parenting strategies to sibling relationships, guest interviews, and the launch of new resources like The Playbook and Deep Dives, 2025 was packed with tools to help parents win at home. In this episode, Don and Suzanne share: 🎙 Their favorite moments and guests from the podcast this year 📘 How The Playbook and Deep Dives are helping parents apply simple, powerful principles every day 🌍 Updates on Crazy Cool Family’s international impact, including teaching families in Africa 💡 Their one big piece of advice for parents heading into 2026 Whether you’ve been listening since episode one or just discovered Crazy Cool Family this year, this season finale will encourage and equip you to keep going. Parenting is learned one step at a time, and every family can win. 👉 Tune in now, get inspired, and step into 2026 ready to notice your kids, be present in the moment, and make family your greatest investment. Podcast Resources: Click here for everything Crazy Cool Family! Give us a review!

Holiday Chaos or Holiday Memories? Creating Traditions That Last 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. You’ll hear practical ideas and “holiday hacks” for: 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!

Re-Run ALERT! Two Ingredients for the BEST Thanksgiving Week (Part 2) Part 2 (Ep. 323, originally Ep. 144) Welcome back, Crazy Cool Families! Today we’re continuing our series, ‘Two Ingredients for the BEST Thanksgiving Week.’ This is part two—originally Episode 144 and now Episode 323. Last week we shared the first ingredient, and today we’ll give you the second one that ties it all together to help your family have the best Thanksgiving yet. Let’s dive in!” In this episode you’ll hear about: The second “ingredient”: appreciation—recognizing people with gratitude and value. Why appreciation changes relationships and creates an atmosphere of connection. How to use the 5 Love Languages (words, service, gifts, touch, time) to show appreciation at Thanksgiving. Practical examples for navigating stressful family dynamics with gratitude. A simple but powerful challenge to share what you appreciate around the Thanksgiving table. Podcast Resources: Click here for everything Crazy Cool Family! Give us a review!

Two Ingredients for the BEST Thanksgiving Week (Part 1) 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!

From Chaos to Connection: 30+ Years of Parenting Lessons 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. In this episode, Don reflects on: 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!