Raising Kids Who Feel Safe Talking to You :: Vicki Courtney *top 10 episode* [Ep 592]

**Vicki Courtney** is an author, speaker, and mom who has spent years helping parents navigate the hard conversations that come with raising kids in today’s culture. Through her books and ministry, she equips parents to talk honestly with their kids about faith, culture, relationships, and the challenges they’re facing. In this top 10  episode (which originally aired on March 18, 2019), Vicki and I talk about how to parent with courage and humility in a culture that can feel increasingly unfamiliar to Christian families. Instead of parenting from fear, Vicki encourages us to make space for honest questions, lead with love, and create an environment where our kids know they can come to us with anything. Even when the world feels uncertain, **Jesus is still our hope, and our kids need parents who are willing to walk alongside them as they wrestle with faith.** **In this episode, we talk about:** - How Vicki came to know Jesus and the ministry God called her to - The culture our kids are growing up in and why it can feel increasingly unfriendly to the Christian faith - Why we need to teach our kids to **walk in truth while leading with love** - How to make room for meaningful conversations by creating margin in your family - The pressure moms feel to make sure their kids are doing everything: sports, music, activities, academics, and more - Letting go of the belief that we have to orchestrate our children's futures - Giving our kids room to fail, wrestle, and learn from failure - Creating an environment where our kids feel safe coming to us with **anything** - Why real-time conversations and our attitude toward our kids matters - Parenting without shame, finger-wagging, or pretending we have it all together - What the prodigal son and the older brother teach us about God's grace - The challenges young men are facing as they grow into adulthood - Finding hope when you're afraid of the world your kids are growing up in Connect with Vicki Courtney:  - Website: Vicki Courtney - Instagram: Vicki Courtney (@vickicourtney) - Facebook: Vicki Courtney Links Mentioned:  - 5 Conversations You Must Have with Your Daughter: By Vicki Courtney - 5 Conversations You Must Have with Your Son: By Vicki Courtney - The Prodigal God: By Timothy Keller - Revolutionary Parenting: By George Barna Related Episodes: - [How Parents Can Equip Kids to Find Freedom, Healing, and Identity in Christ :: Jennifer Barnett \[Ep 577\]](https://heathermacfadyen.com/2026/06/15/how-parents-can-equip-kids-to-find-freedom-healing-and-identity-in-christ-jennifer-barnett-ep-577/) - [Gospel-Focused Conversations :: Joel Fitzpatrick \[Ep. 251\]](https://heathermacfadyen.com/2019/06/10/gospel-focused-conversations-joel-fitzpatrick-ep-251/) - [The Parenting Shift That Changes Everything :: David Thomas and Sissy Goff \[Ep 572\]](https://heathermacfadyen.com/2026/05/11/the-parenting-shift-that-changes-everything-david-thomas-sissy-goff-ep-572/) Featured Sponsors:  - **Thrive Causemetics:** Get your new everyday favorites with 20% off your first order at thrivecausemetics.com/DMA. - **Finding Jesus Countdown to Christmas Kit:** Finding Jesus is a fun and meaningful countdown to Christmas that turns seeking Jesus into a daily family tradition. You can find the Finding Jesus Countdown to Christmas Kit at SeekHimFirst.com/HEATHER. You can also order on amazon here.