How do we raise children who care about the world without letting worry overwhelm their sense of wonder?

Author Jennifer Case joins Ashley Arnold to explore how caring for our children connects to caring for the earth. Drawing from her book, The Carework Project, Jennifer shares how childhood experiences outside shaped her—and how she’s creating opportunities for her own children to find connection, responsibility and joy.

They discuss building support beyond the nuclear family, talking with kids about climate change, becoming steadier parents and helping children navigate disappointment without giving up. It’s a conversation about caring deeply, accepting care ourselves and recognizing that we don’t have to do everything alone.

Explore show notes and resources on The Wild Idea website.

Raising Wild is hosted by Ashley Arnold and produced by Wild Idea Media. Follow the show for more conversations about raising kids—and ourselves—a little more feral. On purpose.

Joey Pointer grew up working six days a week on his family’s tobacco farm in rural North Carolina. At the time, he hated it. Today, as president and CEO of Fleet Feet, he recognizes how that childhood taught him to work hard, contribute to something larger and remain steady when there is no obvious or perfect answer.

Ashley and Joey explore the connection between farm life and his comfort in the gray area, what he learned from watching his parents lead and why running and time outside still help him work through difficult decisions. Joey also shares what lying in the grass waiting for vultures taught him about patience, why harvesting tobacco was harder than completing an Ironman and how he is trying to raise capable teenagers in a world constantly competing for their attention.

Full show notes and resources: https://thewildidea.com/raising-wild-4/

Mike Foote is a race director, small-business owner and dad to two young boys—and a longtime friend Ashley first came to know through the trail-running world. Years ago, they raced and traveled together. Now, they find themselves in a very different season of life, navigating parenthood, work and changing relationships with adventure.

Mike shares how his own free-range childhood shaped the way he is raising his boys, why he tries to let them set the pace outside and how becoming a parent surprised him by making him want to stay closer to home.

He also talks candidly about living with anxiety and depression and spending 20 months unable to run or move normally after developing pericarditis following COVID. That experience forced him to reconsider an identity built around endurance and taught him to notice what he once moved too quickly to see.

Ashley and Mike talk about:

• The freedom and unstructured outdoor play Mike experienced as a child
• Letting kids take risks while still keeping them safe
• Why family adventure does not need to be big or impressive
• Giving children room to set the pace and find their own fun
• Turning fear about climate change into action
• How parenthood changed Mike’s relationship with travel and adventure
• Creating space to be physically and mentally present with our kids
• Anxiety, depression and the role of outdoor connection
• Losing access to movement while recovering from pericarditis
• Finding meaning outside beyond speed, distance and achievement
• Noticing the landscapes we once hurried through

Learn more and find links at thewildidea.com.

Raising Wild is a podcast about raising kids—and ourselves—a little more feral, with more freedom, courage, curiosity and connection to nature.