Why discomfort is critical for our kids with Sissy Goff and David Thomas
Pardon the Mess with Scarlet Hiltibidal - Christian Motherhood, Biblical Parenting, Raising Christian Kids
Scarlet Hiltibidal and Christian Parenting
4.9 • 850 Ratings
🗓️ 7 May 2026
⏱️ 32 minutes
🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
ATTENTION: I have a pretty big announcement in the introduction of this episode. Don’t miss what’s coming next on Pardon the Mess!
Raising confident, resilient kids starts with helping them believe they are capable.
In this episode, Sissy Goff and David Thomas—therapists and authors of Capable—share insight on how to help children build the confidence and resilience they need to face challenges. Drawing from decades of counseling experience, the conversation explores what it means for kids to develop a deep belief in their ability to do hard things and navigate adversity.
We talk about the importance of allowing kids to experience discomfort, why stepping back can actually help them grow, and how everyday moments can build confidence and emotional strength.
This episode is a helpful reminder that our kids are often more capable than we realize—and that giving them space to struggle can be one of the greatest gifts we offer.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Personal Stories of Capability
03:02 Understanding Anxiety in Children
05:56 The Role of Parents in Building Capability
08:53 Balancing Support and Challenge in Parenting
11:46 Real-Life Examples of Capability in Children
15:00 Encouraging Capability in Teenagers
17:48 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Connect with Pardon The Mess:
Resources from today’s show:
Connect on Instagram with Raising Boys and Girls
Connect on Instagram with Sissy Goff
New book - Capable
Moms, Dads, and Grads Gift Guide
Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube!
Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Christian Parenting. |
| 0:03.0 | Are you searching for the perfect gifts to celebrate the special moms, dads, and grads in your life? |
| 0:14.0 | We are thrilled to bring back the Christian Parenting Mom's Dads, Dads, and Grads gift guide. |
| 0:18.0 | This year's edition is the best one yet. |
| 0:20.0 | Whether you're honoring a loving mom, |
| 0:21.7 | a devoted dad, or an aspiring grad, we've got you covered with meaningful gifts that they'll |
| 0:26.3 | truly love. From Bibles and study tools to encouraging books, you're guaranteed to find something |
| 0:31.5 | special for everyone on your gift list this spring. Visit Christianparenting.org |
| 0:36.3 | forward slash gifts, Christianparenting.org |
| 0:39.0 | slash gifts to explore the 2026 moms, dads, dads, gift guide today. The link is also in my show |
| 0:45.8 | notes today. |
| 0:59.2 | Hey friends, welcome back to Pardon the Mess. I'm your host, Courtney Defeo, and have a big announcement for you today. |
| 1:03.5 | And then we have amazing guests. |
| 1:04.7 | We have Sissy, Gough, and David Thomas back to talk about their book, Capable, which is |
| 1:09.9 | how to teach your kids the strengths, skills, and strategies to build resilience their book, Capable, which is how to teach your kids the strength, |
| 1:11.5 | skills, and strategies to build resilience. Yes, please, we all want and need more capable |
| 1:17.0 | kids. And so we're going to talk all about that today. But first, my announcement is very |
| 1:21.7 | bittersweet. But my time at Pardon the Mess as your host is coming to a close, and I'm so sad about it. I know this is |
| 1:28.5 | catching you by surprise, but I've been praying and thinking about it actually for three years. |
| 1:32.9 | So when I took the role over from Cynthia Yanoff, who was the original host and founder and |
| 1:38.5 | creator of Parton the Mess with the team at Christian Parenting, I knew it would be a season. |
| 1:42.8 | I just didn't know how long. It felt so |
... |
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