When Grayson Murphy was four years old, her dad let her jump off a 30-foot diving platform. A year or so later, he sent her and her twin sister down a black diamond ski run, tears and all.

Today, Grayson is a professional runner and world mountain running champion who credits experiences like these with helping her develop the confidence to do hard things, even when they're scary.

In this episode of Raising Wild, Ashley talks with Grayson about growing up in an adventurous family, the difference between fear and anxiety, and why learning to fall might be one of the most important lessons we can give our kids. They also explore the value of unstructured play, childhood independence, and how becoming a mother has Grayson thinking about the experiences she hopes to give her own daughter.

And speaking of her daughter, four-month-old Violet joins the conversation, making this a slightly shorter episode than usual!

Explore more Raising Wild episodes here.

What happens when we slow down long enough to let a place come to us?

Ashley sits down with her longtime mentor and Wild Idea Media founder Bill Hodge to trace his relationship with wild places back to childhood camping trips in the mountains of North Carolina. They talk about the people who taught Bill to pay attention, the unexpected career path that eventually brought him back to conservation, and his work connecting a new generation to public lands.

Along the way, they explore wonder, curiosity, service and what it means to give kids — and ourselves — the time and space to develop a relationship with the natural world.

Learn more at https://thewildidea.com/raising-wild/

How do we prepare children for a rapidly changing, increasingly digital world while keeping them connected to what is real?

Ashley talks with Genevieve King, founder of Origins Education, about childhood freedom, boredom, emotional regulation and why nature may be the most important counterbalance we can give children. Genevieve shares how ordinary moments such as breathing, handwashing and eating can become opportunities for mindfulness—and why children need both the wings to navigate the future and the roots that keep them grounded.

Find the full show notes, resources and more at thewildidea.com.