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This episode starts in serious territory and ends somewhere uncomfortably close to home.

Asher, Dave, and Jon open with a raw conversation about the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping story and the unsettling feeling of violence “not supposed to happen here.” The guys unpack media reactions, double standards, the NBA controversy surrounding Deni Avdija, and the uncomfortable cultural conversations that follow global events.

But then the episode pivots.

High school acceptance week hits close to home. The stress. The comparisons. The tension. The rejection. The identity questions. The transfer portal jokes.

And that leads to the real conversation of the night:

Kids. Phones. Parenting. And the uncomfortable truth that before we tell our kids what to do… we might need to look at ourselves first.

When do you give a child a smartphone?
Are we raising anxious kids or modeling anxious behavior?
Are we frustrated with their screen time… while scrolling ourselves?

This episode becomes less about controlling kids — and more about owning the behavior we model.

It’s funny. It’s honest. It’s a little uncomfortable.

Which means it’s probably important.

If you’re navigating parenting in the age of smartphones, social pressure, high school decisions, and digital overload — this one’s for you.

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00:58 – The Nancy Guthrie Story
A serious warm-up conversation about kidnapping, media attention, and why stories like this shake us.

05:36 – NBA Controversy & Deni Avdija
Spike Lee, social media reactions, and the absurdity of singling out an Israeli athlete.

09:47 – High School Acceptance Week
Jon introduces the emotional rollercoaster of acceptance day.

10:34 – The Stress Our Kids Feel
Comparisons, curiosity, rejection, and how kids process it differently.

12:57 – Starting Fresh vs. Needing Anchors
Dave’s experience going somewhere alone — and why every child is wired differently.

16:19 – The Pivot: Kids & Cell Phones
When do you give a child a phone? And why is this so complicated?

17:00+ – The Bigger Question: What Are We Modeling?
Before we lecture our kids about screen time… what are we doing?

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