The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

Everything your kids are going to face next is changing faster than we can keep up, and this conversation with Jenny Anderson will change how you think about school, motivation, and what actually matters. On this episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, host Ginny Yurich talks with the author of The Disengaged Teen about the silent crisis happening right in front of us: kids who look fine on paper but feel disconnected, overwhelmed, or checked out entirely. Drawing from research on 65,000 students, Jenny explains why engagement drops off a cliff by high school, how Silicon Valley is winning your child’s attention, and why even high-achieving kids are at risk. This is a practical, eye-opening conversation about helping kids move from apathy or pressure into curiosity, resilience, and real-world capability, and it starts with how we show up as adults.

Learn more about Jenny and all she has to offer here

Check out Jenny's How to Be Brave substack here

Learn more about The Disengaged Teen book here
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Most people aren’t stuck because they aren’t trying hard enough. They’re stuck because they’re missing something they can’t see. In this conversation, Dr. Henry Cloud explains why some people move forward and others stay right where they are, even when they’re talented and working hard. After decades of working with high performers, he has seen the same pattern show up again and again. There are a few key elements that have to be in place, and when even one is missing, things stall out. What stood out most to me was this idea that belief comes first. Not hype or motivation, but a real, grounded belief that what you want is actually possible. From there it becomes about getting the right people around you, building a plan that makes sense, and staying on track in a way that actually works in real life. This applies to everything. Your work, your family, your health, your kids. It is simple, but not shallow. This one will stick with you.

Learn more about Dr. Cloud and everything he offers here

Get your copy of Your Desired Future here

Check out Lucy Cloud's music here
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This conversation will make you want to grab a book and call your kids closer. Meghan Cox Gurdon, author of The Enchanted Hour, explains why reading aloud is one of the most powerful things a parent can do, even though it looks so simple on the surface. It builds language, strengthens attention, and creates a kind of connection that is hard to find anywhere else. Ginny Yurich and Meghan talk about the real-life rhythm of it, the end-of-day pile-on-the-couch moments, the science behind what is happening in a child’s brain, and why this matters just as much for teens as it does for little kids. There is no pressure to do it perfectly, just an invitation to start and to keep going.

Preorder your copy of Free-Range Girl here
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It starts with biscuits on a fire and ends with a completely different kind of childhood. In this episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, Ginny Yurich sits down with Justin Jackson of Horse Pen Ranch to talk about something surprisingly powerful: cooking outside. What begins as a simple Dutch oven on a backyard fire turns into connection, confidence, skill-building, and memories that actually last. Justin shares how his love for outdoor cooking grew from childhood to chuck wagon life at Silver Dollar City, why kids are naturally drawn to making something with their hands, and how this one habit can pull families out of screens and back into real life together. This is practical and doable with no expertise required, just a willingness to try. If you’ve been looking for a way to get your kids outside that actually works, this might be it.

Get your outdoor cooking started at www.youtube.com/@HorsePenRanch

Meet Justin Jackson in person during Harvest Festival at Silver Dollar City

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She rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean—alone—but this story starts long before the boat. In this unforgettable conversation, Taryn Smith shares how one small decision to step off the expected path turned into a life marked by courage, curiosity, and a deep trust in where adventure can lead. From a yurt trip in the mountains to working seasons in wild places, to saying yes to something she had never done before, Taryn’s story is a powerful reminder that life opens up when we stop racing toward the “right” next step and start listening to what makes us feel alive. She talks about fear, solitude, resilience, and the surprising joy found in doing hard things plus what it actually takes to raise kids who are willing to take risks and explore the world. This episode will make you rethink timelines, rethink safety, and maybe even rethink what’s possible for your own life.

Enjoy and learn more about Taryn and all she has to offer at https://www.tarynsmithmovement.com/

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