Summer Challenge: Steps to a Stronger Family

Brad:
Welcome everyone to Go Mad with Doug and Brad, and you are going to want to make sure you stay closely tuned Open up the notes section of your phone, grab pen and paper, because today is going to be an incredibly practical episode. Just open it up. It is about the summer challenge.

Steps to a stronger family. And now we're not just gonna be like, here's the ethereal things you could do. We're going to give a bunch of ideas to get Did you just use the word that you can do?

Doug:
I did. I did. We almost went with that title.

Titles are hard. Titles are hard. We almost went with that title There would have been good.

Ethereal Experiences. Ethereal Experiences of the fourth level of of summer. Yeah, the uh uh you you might hear that title and go, Oh well my kids aren't in the house anymore or Or um uh or wait, I'm a grown adult and and, you know, I don't I don't have kids.

You know what You are going to hear great steps from no matter where you are in a family. You are going to hear some ideas to strengthen. So if I don't have family.

Okay, so maybe it's just maybe it's you and your spouse. Maybe it's you and your spouse, we've got ideas for that. Maybe it's you and your kids, we got ideas for that.

Maybe it's just it's just you and you're living with a parent, we got ideas for that. Look at that. And they are so ethereal.

You're gonna be shocked. So two things that two things that um Brad and I always seem to discuss right before we record the podcast. One is does this shirt make me look fat?

Yeah, which well never mind. I would say No you have to. No, there's a great line from a movie.

Tommy Boy who says, no, your face does I was gonna quote it. So mean. We're not saying that to anybody or to each other.

Just quoting movies. But uh but titles are kind of hard, believe it or not, because like you want to be creative but that at the same time The podcast experts. Say that you need for it to be kind of blatant what you're talking about.

So we so we said, okay Summer challenge steps to a stronger family, but we're like, no. Very straightforward, very spot on. Let's synonym this a little bit. So here here are some that we came up with.

When you leave a uh a comment Leave a uh an idea of whether you think some of these would have been better. So we almost went with summer challenge steps to a s flourishing boring. No, steps to a robust robust steps to a stalwart family and stronger here's my favorite and this was a synonym for stronger you ready Summer Challenge steps to a sinewy family.

Jesse:
That's gross.

Doug:
It really is. Did ChatGBT come up with that one? I don't know.

Uh so we have a little stronger look, i i we all know. Time goes so fast. When you're a kid, you know, and and your parents and adults like, I'm telling you, time goes fast.

Enjoy these days. Enjoy these summer days. Enjoy your Well, you don't want to have a job.

Oh, whatever. You know, y you always uh I always hear you say that, but r the older you get, the more you realize time just flies. I just saw this picture of my daughter who's now twenty-two And I was going through my phone and um she was still a little while from coming back from college.

I was missing her. And guess what picture I come across? Oh no. It's daddy in a suit, which is rare enough.

What could daddy possibly be wearing a suit for? I don't know. And and well, look about about um two feet down And here is my five year old daughter.

We went to a local daddy-daughter dance. Oh the look on her face, she's like she she's like twirling around, eye beaming, she's looking right at the camera, smiling And I had no problem with it at all. I just went right past it and didn't cry.

Brad:
You know what? This is uh actually Ted Cunningham who uh a friend of ours, he's actually gonna be on an upcoming episode. Yes.

The phrase is so true that the days are long and the years are short. And it is so true because we wind up I the the iPhone photos, the memories of this day, it's the worst invention to mankind because it is constantly telling me, do you remember this? And The clock is ticking.

And I'm just like, no.

Doug:
Sunrise. Sunset. Sunrise.

We're still going. I just one season following. I just there exactly.

Yeah, it's fiddled around the roof.

Brad:
Oh, yes. Man, no wonder the bio. It's either that or monster zinc.

Doug:
Oh my goodness. Are we doing this podcast today? But you know, it's it's interesting.

I was looking up some scripture for this uh uh uh episode today. It's no wonder, man, the Bible uses metaphors when it's talking about time, like uh grass, wind, a vapor to illustrate how quickly life Uh can pass. Uh James 4.

What is your life where you're a mist that appears for a little time? This is really uplifting. Well that verse it and then vanishes.

That verse can either depress you or hold on. It can motivate us to make the most, just more scripture, of every opportunity. Why?

Because the days are evil. Yeah, there's lots of evil out there. Well a great way to go to war with it is to flame people on social media.

Wait, that's not what I have here. Is to take steps to make your family relationships as strong as possible. Now it takes thought and time.

We're gonna get to a few ideas. for this. But again, whether you're talking about when we say family relationship, either spouse to spouse, uh parents and kids, kid to a parent Um so we're again we're gonna get to some ideas for everybody.

Brad:
Yeah, uh the key is, you know, if you've listened to this podcast, maybe it's your first time checking it out, is someone shared this with you, which is a great idea, by the way. But I share this with a friend, but if you're just tuning in Go mad, go make a difference. Is all about being an ambassador for Jesus where you live.

So this is about being an ambassador this summer with the people who are closest to you. Your kids, your spouse. Like you said, Doug, whether it's a parent or whatever, because what the the verse that hit me was James 1:17, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.

Coming down from the Father of Lights with whom there's no variation or shadow due to change. Now God gives us good and perfect gifts. We are not God, we can't do the perfection that He does, but we should desire to sh to show His love to our family, to those around us.

in a way that gives them good gifts that a and summertime is an incredible time to do that because we all of a sudden have more time. Now I I wonder if you're not going to be able to do that.

Doug:
I love that so much by the way, referring to I hadn't thought of that, but the gift of time. Mm. I mean that's that is the most valuable valuable thing, especially with busy lives. I love that.

Brad:
Go ahead. Yeah, I think I we know that with time, with summer comes additional time. Now, not for those who have a job.

I get that. That you people are listening to this and there's a different rhythm. I'll probably say it is.

It is a different rhythm People may be like, well, yeah, I know I I have I'm gonna take vacation time, whatever uh whatever else, but we're gonna just look at, as you said, Doug, Ephesians 5, making the most of every opportunity because There's things you can do with summertime, even if you don't have a ton of extra time, like your child is off from school or home from college might. You've got to be able to find a way to tap into the extra time that they do have and to maximize that because it is, like you said, a different rhythm. Longer days.

Yeah.

Doug:
It's it's it's bright longer. It's warm in the evenings. Communities are doing a lot more stuff in the outdoors and and providing cool opportunities.

Are you guys like me? I love the pause. That was great.

That was unexpected. Oh wait, there's more. Are you guys like me?

You sit around thinking about A lot of time during it stink thinking about things that America's past first ladies have said. And specifically, we know if we are specifically, it's going to be Barbara Bush. Yes, of course.

But she does have a great quote. Check this out. She said, At the end of your life You will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal.

You will regret. Time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, a parent. I mean, none of us would be surprised to hear the dedicated time with our family.

Um Is really I like to call it relationship glue. Okay. Now look out.

I'm bringing out the studies. You know I like to sound smart with science. Is this science?

It is science, yes. Science Um for real though, even science says and w if science says both science and the internet says this is true that there there are there's scientific proof that that time with our families not only does it strengthen relationships, it actually promotes mental health, it reduces stress and anxiety, especially with kids. And listen to this, it increases life.

expectancy because there's just something about being with families. It's almost like God wired us to spend time with our families and impact them and summer is a great time to do it. We said like there's a un unique rhythm.

So I'm looking I'm personally, we're talking about this challenge. Bradmeyer personally Looking at this summer not just as hot days to get through, but I think that these are holy days to use as relationship glue with my spouse, with my kids. Holy just means set apart, right?

So I'm setting apart some days, and we're gonna get into the sp specifics here, and it's gonna take some thought. Set apart some days that only belong to the family, or at least there's hours in it that only belong to the family So looking at these days as bonding agents where you can grow in a relationship at warp speed compared to other times of the year.

Brad:
Yeah, and so uh a a quick way to look at this is actually is kind of a uh uh looking back at um uh something we did last year called how to avoid a bummer summer but we talked about that there's three things you can do with your summer really you can waste it You can spend it or you can invest it. And that's what we're talking about today, is specifically investing in your family this summer. And the good news is the things we're gonna share.

are practical and doable for anyone. They we we try to avoid things where it's like, well, if you can drop five grand on a family vacation, you should go climb Mount Everest. This is not closer family.

This is really trying to give you practical things, simple things that can be done because I do like what you said, Doug, that uh yes it is a bonding time, but also that I think others see that even those who maybe don't have Jesus at the center of what they're doing, the these communities see that, man, we need to do more things because we want families to people note family strength. strengthens a community. And we want to be a part of that even in this podcast today.

Doug:
So we are about to get to this list. before we get into a couple good things to keep in mind. Because we've all we've all got relationships we'd like to see get stronger.

Maybe there's relationships That you need that need to be healed. This can go towards that too. So we're sharing again the summer challenge steps to a stronger family.

So here's the idea, okay? You might have to get a calendar out You might have to give this some thought, but it's worth it. So once a week for two months, you lead the charge in doing something intentional to build up your family, whether it's you and spouse, you and kids, kid with parent.

Again, once a week for two months, you lead the charge in doing something intentional to build up your family. Now, part of making the most of every opportunity, remember this, you might have to go out of your comfort zone a bit to do this You know, there I know there's some guys out there who are uh, you know, they only wear flannel and uh they never smile. Summer?

Yeah. That's how tough they are. That's how tough but But uh but seriously, you're you're g this is gonna take a little bit of thought, but it's worth it.

And who knows, you might up and you might end up creating something that your family loves so much it becomes a regular thing any time of the year. So we're gonna maybe focus on less obvious things and things that aren't expensive or that take massive Planning, but it'll take effort, it'll take planning, uh, just not a ton of it, hopefully. And no matter how last thing I'll say about it before this list, no matter how perfect or not the idea works, you go, well, what if it doesn't work?

The fact that you went to the trouble, your family will notice. It'll mean a lot to family members, even teenagers. Even if they won't tell you, they'll notice, they'll remember some of your best memories ever as a family might come from these ideas.

Brad:
Yeah, and uh it's just uh something for me personally. Um I am a uh Uh planner by nature, uh not like obsessive or anything. Okay. I like to hold on yes. You say not obsessive

Doug:
So uh so this is Jesse, I'm gonna share something with So this Brad is actually it's part of it's part of what makes him so great at his job and leading on Eagles wings and all that great stuff He is such a planner. What he would do is Jess, he'd be twelve years old, thirteen years old, and he would come up to my mom and dad And say, Mom and Dad, I got a great idea. I'm going to the movies with my family.

Jimmy's mom is driving. We'll be back at 9 30. The movie is PG for um for um uh whatever language.

And he would have the entire plan. Set up so mom and dad would just be stunned and couldn't say no. They thought of everything.

Brad:
And so basically I had lined up No no I had lined up everything and at the end of it it's basically so not only were they as my dad says Not only were they going to let me down if they said no, they'd be letting down about eight other junior hires.

Jesse:
This is starting to make a lot more sense of some things going on in my in my house. Thank you for putting that in.

Brad:
There you go. So, but I I do I especially when it comes to family stuff, family vacations and trips and everything, I love for just those to be very special times, special memories. And uh I'm in a season right now where we did have uh uh over spring break had a good family trip and everything But I'd kind of wanted one before a busy summer season where we have our Warrior Leadership Summit Conference, the On Eagles Wings team that we're traveling with And the days just kind of sli started slipping away.

And I'm like, I don't think I'm gonna be able to link together a week away. And and I would even the place, I'm like, you know, money's tight. And I'm like, well, we can't do anything really big.

And then it just really hit me that I need to apply Ephesians 5, 15, 16 to my own life, make the most of every opportunity. And so I've been looking for, and this is what I would encourage our listeners with is to look for not what is your ideal, but look for what's doable. Look for what's the idea.

We can't go on a week to the beach. Yeah. And we'll make memories because I the for me it's been a fact of saying, what's in our area?

What can I just do today? Or partway through the day, all of a sudden saying, you know what, I could take an hour to go do this. And it's it's important to know, yes, you some this is gonna take intentionality.

It definitely will because you have to keep saying I'm going to invest, I'm going to do these things. But it doesn't mean that it has to take a long time to plan. It just means that, hey, you've got maybe there's a list of ideas.

in your holster that you're just saying, hey, I can do that one today. Um and if you can take a few days away, that's great. A family vacation is fantastic.

But we know that's not realistic for every person, every listener. So we want to give some other ideas as well.

Doug:
It's perfect. We're going to get to this list here, but I love the idea the idea holster. There we go.

Ethereal. Idea holster. So let here we go.

Here we go. Some ideas for your I uh your idea holster here. So Here we go.

I'm just gonna start off with one that looks on a little good. Notes open. Are you ready?

Candlelight dinner from McDonald's. Sorry, I had to do it the first time Or candlelight dinner from Taco Bell. You go, what? Well, just just hear me out here.

You get a few candles. You say, hey, we're doing something special tonight. You um you set it up fancy in the kitchen or the dining room or whatever.

You light the candles, maybe put on some, you know, find some music online that's classical, you know And get a real like classy restaurant vibe going.

Brad:
Pull out the best plates you've got.

Doug:
The best plates. Yes.

Brad:
If you don't have fine china, just write it on whatever you've got. Fine china.

Doug:
But you're serving, but you're serving Big Max, you're serving bean burritos. Put the towel over your arm. Put the towel over your.

Be the mater D. I'm telling you, people love it. People love it. We we do this thing.

We call it Hutchcraft Cinema.

Brad:
Okay. Another good idea.

Doug:
So this is not just watching a movie. We just did this the other night. Okay. Um You invited my kids over for it. That's right. And we make

Brad:
It doesn't so you got a uh 13 inch TV, you got a They didn't think it would be a ho uh homemade mo home movies from growing up, but you know, whatever. Four hours of it.

Doug:
No, we made we made the place a theater. Now here's here's how we did it Uh we actually air popped popcorn. This is not the microwave stuff.

Okay, this is the uh um the kernels that you can you just get at any store. They're air poppers or maybe fifteen dollars. and and get this, you melt it and put real butter on it.

So healthy. Um you can get for a dollar, you can get movie theater candy, okay? And try to y if you give it some real thought, you could try having movie snacks that line up.

Brad:
with what's happening on screen. I'm hearing after some of these ideas that uh the God and the Dad Bud Part Three is going to be uh Coming soon to a podcast real comment.

Doug:
And you can use the real butter and put it all over the raisinettes for a real healthy snack. What do you got? But okay, Mr. On the Dadbox.

Brad:
For me for me I some ethereal ideas. I mentioned that kind of one hour or whatever thing even for me one of them is uh depending on the age of your Kids, uh go grab coffee or a smoothie with one of them. Just say, hey, can I take you out for coffee this afternoon?

And usually that's gonna get a yes, I found. Uh but So it is you could just four-year-old to get coffee. And just not everything.

Everything's done with intentionality. So you're continuing to build a bridge. But please, just a side note here, don't think that in everything you do You have to have some super deep spiritual conversation.

These are just have fun with them too and build a bridge to when they do want to talk. Um, go for a drive and check out something different in your area. I was looking at this just the other day.

I'm like, man, there's some things within a couple hours here that I've never we We have some things we like to go do, and it's like, but I've never checked out this. There's more than you think. Yeah, for sure.

And even what you mentioned, Doug, about the communities and events they're doing. I keep going to looking in our area, what does this town have going on? What does this town have going on?

Because all of a sudden these events pop up and I'm like I had no idea that we had a pickle festival uh where you can have gherkins, you can anyway, it's a ball festival.

Doug:
That's the thing about summer is a lot of communities, even small ones, do things that that families can have some fun at. There's so many yeah look around at what is around. There are it popping up all over the place, retro gaming arcades where you You the games you played, maybe when you were a kid, Pac Man or or Atari, however far back you go, uh you you bring your kids and you say, This is this is how it used to be, and finally you're playing a video game. If you've ever played video games with your own kids that can destroy you because it's got ninety-four buttons.

Brad:
I thought so fast. I'm like, I'm going to crush you for 18 seconds.

Doug:
And then you have now mastered this game as well. That's right. Yeah, okay it all right.

It depends how here here's one that's um here's one that that that's a little ambitious, but I'm telling you give it a shot. You go online on YouTube, there are online dance lessons. Now hang on, hang on If you've never done it before, it's even better.

So put in salsa dancing and try with your family. Okay. Get one shot at it.

Put it up on the screen and say we're learning Salsa dancing and you will fall over all over the place. You will be cracking up Um, especially if you're as coordinated or not as I am. Try a try a picnic that's like um a favorite food thing.

Brad:
I was gonna say Olive Garden, but that's like nine hundred dollars now. I love the Olive Garden idea. I when I uh because we were sharing some ideas with each other, my first thought, maybe it's the planner thing, I'm like How do I have to have the plate because it's like the messy Italian food and everything and I'm like I'm how do I do this on a picnic? But I like the idea.

Doug:
Okay, so it's gonna be pickleball first. You know what I tried? It I'm telling you, I we have some of our favoriteist family memories from this.

We just decided we were gonna try Badminton. No one had any idea how to play badminton. And we had some of our biggest belly laughs ever.

Because it's one of those things that looks really easy. But you can stink at it pretty good.

Brad:
Trivia trivia about Brad. I I love Brad trivia. Took Badminton as a PE credit.

Emphasis on bad. I uh and I was like And I thought it was easy. A PE credit.

Doug:
What school did you go to?

Brad:
We won't get into that. Uh it was I may have lost Jesse there. I don't know.

But uh outdoor stuff, backyard camping. Yeah. Now okay.

Sorry. I wanted to get off, but I was so afraid you were about to tell a story of me being uncoordinated. Some of these things I've done and it's here's here's what's great.

Doug:
They went terribly.

Brad:
Well, but that's part of it.

Doug:
Yes, it is.

Brad:
No, hear this. This is important. Yeah, part of the trying something and even if it doesn't go well is you have tried something laps.

And the yeah, the things that don't go well stick with you just as much as some of those memories. We did backyard camping. I'm just gonna start with the fact I do not have a good back.

I just and I'm like Especially after this and I mean uh most of 'em made it through the night in the backyard. I may have been inside on the couch by the time, but It is, but the the just those experiences you've got there. I've got a couple more here that um the uh take a hike.

Oh wait no uh hang on a is this about the ethereal jokes? They cut deep. They do.

I'm wooing. This just hit me our family for a little while did there's uh there's apps that talk about geocache or geocache or geo-cache. I don't know how you say it.

It's it's one of those. To find these clues, it's kinda like a scavenger, but you're following these coordinates and these here's where this is. So check out one of those.

Um This may this is gonna sound uh two more quick ones here. This is gonna sound uh like, oh, you're very creative, Brad. You could go to Walmart or Hobby Lobby.

Oh, now oh they can have a twist to them. You can go and once Sarah and I went on a date, and it's one she still shares about, and I found online a Walmart bingo card. And basically you go there and Uh some of it I'm just like, ouch, but uh it is uh you know, sometimes it's find someone wearing jammies uh at Walmart and that took Well, not long, but parking lot.

But there were you you were looking at these days at Walmart. Find a cart abandoned in the parking lot. Uh something like that.

So You've got a list of things and you're just going through the bingo card. And so you're making a trip to Walmart fun and creative, a trip to Hobby Lobby. Try to get out of there with your wife in less than an hour and a half.

I mean there are challenges.

Doug:
you actually have to find someone not wearing jammies in in Walmart. Might take longer.

Brad:
And then I would say a an encouragement would be If you're like, I don't know what to do, and I've tried some of these ideas, ask them what they would like to do. Ask that now, they may need a little bit of time, especially your kids. Ask them, hey, I'm gonna be asking you later today some things that you would like to do over the coming days.

Now their answer, first of all, may be Disneyland, and you're gonna have to be prepared just to head that off. Just Around this area, you could say. But Romans 12, 10 says, be devoted to one another in love.

Honor one another above yourselves. It's not just about what you want to do or what you think is fun. You mentioned that, Doug, that sometimes it's well, maybe this isn't something I want to do and it's outside your comfort zone.

Ask them what they would want to do because sometimes They come up with some really cool, creative, fun, memory-making ideas.

Doug:
Now what if they say, uh I used to say no to this all the time. Dad, play uh we have a favorite video game. Yeah, you know, if you're if you're wise wise parent.

Oh wait, no, that's not you know you put you put limits on all that time, but Um, I I started to find that when I played them, even though I stunk, they loved that. Parents are always in charge. There's something about being better at this than my parent that feels good, lots of laughter, couple other quick reviews.

Brad:
I'm bottom three on Mario Kart every time. We play and it's just a thing.

Doug:
Oh my goodness. Uh yeah, I'm I'm whatever, bottom three. I'm the one behind that, wherever you were.

But uh so check this out. You go, uh boring. No. Family karaoke.

Now There is it it is so stinking funny and you go well no one's gonna want to sing that's why here you go you go first go first find something goofy when they see you If you might just have your teenager just sitting there smirking. You're still having fun together. Um, good old-fashioned game nights.

Man, maybe that's fantastic. Oh, people don't realize how strongly they they go, Oh, Monopoly Life, Uno. Try it.

When was the last time you actually tried it? Again, relationship good.

Brad:
Side note, phase 10 enrages

Doug:
me but uh that but still we play it sometimes it rages me because I still can't figure out how to play it. And you know what a couple other quick things. Um maybe ask your your kids or ask your spouse Hey, who's someone that needs help in this community right now? Now I know this isn't a but getting a little deeper here, but a ask them how they it's Yeah, one of the weeks.

Brad:
One of the weeks.

Doug:
One of the weeks. May yeah, maybe it's just one of the weeks, but maybe it's Maybe it's folks that are are lonely in a retirement home. Um think think ask them then how they think they could help them.

Get get their ideas, then give it a name Give it a name, a funny name, whatever, clever name. Give it a name and then go and put it into action together. Nothing bonds you together like serving together, especially when they own it.

And um A couple quick ones here. A couple quick ones for couples. Okay.

And then we can we can wrap up. You do. Excellent.

Uh uh a DIY, a do-it-yourself spa night. Now, I have never done a spa. I have never been in a spa.

And so, I mean, you might have to actually go Look at my you can't tell am I manicured, my beautifully manicured. Shocking. Oh man.

I I feel like it's an ethereal experience, but it it's um But no uh there there are it especially if you're a guy and you set up a spa night for your wife, you she can think of is

Brad:
Getting cucumbers and putting them on the eyes. That's all that's going through my mind right now because I don't know what else to do.

Doug:
And what one other quick one. Um, look in your community, you might be surprised what free or very inexpensive classes are being offered, especially during the summer. Cooking.

a dancing class. Something where it's just you and me, honey, and and we're gonna make a night of it. And again, we're committing, don't forget, we're committing to do this once a week.

Mm-hmm Uh for eight weeks.

Brad:
And I would say uh with uh your spouse the uh the theme dates are fantastic. Uh our church kind of encouraged us with this year's fifties night uh an 80s date, something that's just fun. It doesn't have to be expensive.

You just w what's in my closet that makes me look like Fonzi? I don't know. Which Quite honestly, probably way too much.

I probably have collected way too much over the years that I can be like, I'm Fonzie. Uh but it is do something that just kind of Brings a little spark, but and again, you could do that with a family just to say, hey, we're gonna do 50s or whatever.

Doug:
What about going to Walmart?

Brad:
And you know, I'm the fifth series. Yeah, man. Well that that actually that would be pretty fun actually.

They uh I I think that um there is uh one thing I would encourage that uh hadn't hit me before uh some of these um ideas, some of these things, and Doug and I have tried several of these, have done these, uh repeated many of them. But I the sooner you start, uh you can do these at any age. Please know that.

Especially you look, we've we've included things that can be at any age, the coffee and whatever else. And walks and hikes and all that, but some of the more ones that have you putting yourself out there more, family karaoke, things like that. You want to start if you start early and your kids know that, hey My parents are a little wacky.

They're just a little they're wired a little differently. That is a really good thing, and you should lean into that because all of a sudden They know that anything can happen. Fun can burst out at any moment.

Laughter can happen because it's something different. And we are, as followers of Christ, we should be wired a little differently. And we still should be able to have a lot of fun.

Doug:
And you guys, by the way, you and Sarah do those those uh uh theme dates. So good because you you really go for it. I think we're due for one for a while, but yes.

We've gotta, as parents, you already have positional authority. Okay, just by being the parent, you have authority. Don't be afraid to to to do something different and a little goofy.

When you do that, you get something that's super powerful as well. You get personal authority. with your kids because they go they're willing to have fun, they're willing to goof off a little bit.

Um so go for it. Now maybe just wrapping up here for a sec, you maybe you have kids, especially teenagers are like this Who only wanna do things when their friends are there, okay? I've uh we have run into this before.

I only want to do it if Jojo is there. Um, I don't know if the name was actually Jojo. But rather than fighting it, if you want to think about this, if you want to improve a relationship with your kids, maybe invite their friends once.

Once or twice to the family things, like meals or whatever you're thinking might be fun. You might not even like the friend, okay? But this is a great way to get to know them and show your young person you're ready that you care about who they care about.

Just want to do it a little aside there for for families that are dealing with that.

Brad:
Well I and we do uh well I know we've got to wrap things up here. The I Even uh our dad was reminding us recently that one of the ways that um i if you're not sure about some of the friends in your kids' lives or whatever, or you're a little just nervous about in today's world your child going to someone else's house, make your place a great place to hang out. Make it a place with fun and uh some some special touches and man, we're coming over and you're making a milkshakes when they're there.

Not Spontaneous, not where it's like, hey, come over and we're going to do these eight things. It's just, hey, friends are hanging out. I want to do something special for them because then you then you know you're getting to know who they know and it's a special experience.

You should enjoy those times. That's so good. Um before we do wrap up and Doug, you I can Take us out here, but the uh I want to just say a quick word about what else you can expect this summer uh from Go Mad because we're gonna be talking about it.

Oh, this is gonna be awesome.

Doug:
We've First time we've ever tried this.

Brad:
Yeah, yeah. You know, usually we disappear for the summer because we are on the road and we're traveling a lot with the on Eagles Wings team and all that. But uh we w just wan are gonna be able to talk with some of our special make a difference friends and some who we haven't met y Yeah, and so over the next several weeks, the next couple of months, you're gonna get to hear from some of these friends of ours.

So keep tuning in. We'll still be. We're we're on these podcasts.

But we've got some great friends, some great interviews

Doug:
that we promise are still gonna be practical. Um I'm excited about this. We've never we haven't tried this before.

Like you said, we disappeared for the summer. Not the this year, even if you've been wanting us to disappear for the summer. Tough luck.

So we we hope that you will join us and check out those brand new podcast episodes with these great interviews. And we're also hoping even praying. that you'll join us in this Summer Challenge.

And if you're if you if you can't remember exactly what it was, it's the Summer Challenge Steps to a Stronger, Flourishing, Robust, Stalwart, sinewy family. And on that note, we from the first time. Alright, fine.

Summer challenge, steps to a stronger family. We hope you'll do it. So come on, Bradley.

Brad:
Until next time. Go back. Well