Baby of the Family, Boss of the Moment: Ava Takes the Mic

In this first-ever “kid interview” episode of Running Ahrens, Justin and Sarah flip the script and invite their youngest, Ava, into the hot seat. What follows is an honest, hilarious, and unexpectedly profound conversation about growing up in a loud, passionate, and sometimes chaotic family.From sibling drama and sports parent confessions to the unspoken perks (and pitfalls) of being the “baby” of four, Ava holds nothing back. She calls out family myths, shares what it’s really like surviving Ahrens-level energy, and gives us a glimpse into how she’s turning her story into her own arena.Whether you’re the youngest in your family, raising one, or just trying to parent through the messiness of business, life, and love, this episode is a celebration of personality, laughter, and what it takes to keep showing up for each other.Takeaways & Talking PointsThe Youngest’s POV: What it’s really like to grow up last in line, and why “overlooked” isn’t in Ava’s vocabularyThick Skin, Big Laughs: How family banter, sibling alliances, and the occasional “Snapchat roast” shaped Ava’s confidence and independenceWhen Parenting Gets a Rewrite: Justin and Sarah on how their approach changed by round four, looser reins, new boundaries, and why each kid gets a different version of youRules, Rebellion & Real Talk: From cutting her own hair to breaking screen-time curfew, Ava spills on how family rules evolved, and which ones she actually followedThe Real Group Chat: A peek inside the secret sibling group texts (and what parents really want to know)Unlearning and Evolving: Why parenting “by the book” went out the window, and what Sarah and Justin would do all over againThings We’re Learning (and Unlearning)There’s no such thing as “fair”, just what each kid needsYour last child teaches you as much as your first, if you’re willing to listenLetting go isn’t giving up; it’s making space for growthFamily drama can be fuel for deeper connectionThe stories we tell ourselves as parents aren’t always the stories our kids are livingStats Worth KnowingOnly 3% of US families have four or more kids; youngest children are more likely to be independent, outspoken, and resistant to being overlooked (Pew Research)Enneagram 8s make up about 15% of the population, and often show up as early leaders (Enneagram Institute)74% of adult children want emotional support from parents, not advice (American Psychological Association)Also introducing the newest Ahrens podcaster - check out Ava's Arena!