The Intentional Family

🎙️ Episode Description: The Lost Art of Healthy ChildhoodMovement, Screens, and the Humans We’re FormingSomething about modern childhood feels different.Children are spending less time outdoors, less time moving, less time taking risks, and more time immersed in screens, algorithms, and constant stimulation. Anxiety is rising, attention spans are shrinking, and many parents are left wondering: What is all of this doing to our kids?In this episode, Andrew and Shannon explore the growing conversation around technology, health, movement, and human formation. Drawing on the work of Jonathan Haidt and others, they discuss how the “great rewiring of childhood” is reshaping attention, emotional regulation, resilience, and the everyday experience of growing up.Together, they unpack:Why modern childhood feels increasingly disconnected from the real worldThe impact of screens, social media, and the attention economy on developing brainsWhy boredom, outdoor play, movement, and manageable risk are essential for healthy developmentThe connection between physical health, emotional regulation, and resilienceHow modern convenience—both digital and physical—may be shaping us in ways we don’t fully understandWhy they’ve chosen rhythms like regular hikes, outdoor play, restricted screen access, and no TV in their main living spaceThey also share how these ideas deeply connect to their vision for Acton Academy Victoria—including their long-term hope of building outdoor exploration and nature-based learning rhythms into the younger years of the school experience.This episode isn’t about fear or perfection. It’s an invitation to think more intentionally about the environments shaping our children—and the kinds of humans we hope they become.Because maybe healthy childhood isn’t about optimizing kids for performance.Maybe it’s about helping them become deeply human.📚 Show Notes & ResourcesMentioned in This EpisodeJonathan Haidt — The Anxious GenerationJonathan Haidt — The Coddling of the American MindKey Ideas Discussed“We have overprotected children in the real world and underprotected them online.”The shift from a play-based childhood to a phone-based childhoodWhy children need movement, challenge, boredom, and free playThe relationship between risk, resilience, and emotional regulationHow environments shape attention, identity, and nervous system developmentWhy intentional family rhythms matter more than ever in a hyper-stimulating world🎧 Reflection QuestionWhat environments are shaping your child’s body, attention, imagination, and emotional world right now—and are they helping them become the kind of human you hope they’ll become?

Why Your Family Was Never Meant to Do This AloneModern families are more connected than ever… and yet many parents have never felt more isolated.In this episode, Andrew and Shannon explore one of the most overlooked parts of intentional family life: community. From the pressure to “do it all ourselves” to the hidden ways culture, peers, algorithms, and environments shape our children, they unpack why intentional parenting can never happen in isolation.Together, they discuss:Why modern parenting feels so overwhelmingThe myth of the self-sufficient familyHow community quietly forms identity, values, and belongingWhy the people around your children matter more than you thinkThe difference between intentional community and constant busynessHow shared rhythms, trusted adults, and meaningful relationships shape resilient kidsThey also reflect on their own experience raising four kids within a deeply interconnected church and family community—and why they believe one of the greatest gifts parents can give their children is a network of healthy, value-aligned relationships.Because the question isn’t whether your kids are being shaped by community.The question is: which community is shaping them?This episode is an invitation to slow down, open your home, pursue deeper relationships, and remember that intentional family life was never meant to happen alone.

What Kind of Human Are We Forming?When most parents think about education, they think about grades, graduation, and future opportunities. But what if the deeper question isn’t “What school is best?” but rather:👉 What kind of human is this environment forming my child to become?In this episode, Andrew and Shannon explore why educational choice is ultimately a conversation about values, formation, and the future our children are growing up in. Drawing on recent articles, social media conversations, and their own parenting journey, they unpack the tension many families are beginning to feel:Why does something feel “off” with modern childhood?How are technology and constant stimulation shaping our kids?What skills will actually matter in the future?And what kind of educational environment helps form resilient, thoughtful, purposeful humans?Along the way, they discuss:The shift from information to formationWhy independent thinking matters more than memorizationThe difference between raising compliant kids and responsible humansWhy educational choice is deeply connected to family valuesThis isn’t a conversation about fear or perfection. It’s an invitation to slow down, think intentionally, and ask what kind of people we hope our children become.Because in the end, we’re not just choosing schools.We’re choosing formation.📚 Show Notes & ResourcesCody Jefferson’s InstagramA number of the ideas discussed in this episode were inspired by recent content from Cody Jefferson around education, formation, attention, and the future our kids are growing up in:https://www.instagram.com/codyjefferson?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==Mentioned in This EpisodeReflections on AI, attention, and human formationConversations around learner-driven education and the future of workThe importance of raising children who can think, build, lead, and live with purpose🎧 Reflection QuestionWhat kind of human is your child’s environment forming them to become?

We all say we have values as a family—but are they actually shaping how we live?In this episode, Andrew and Shannon unpack the often abstract idea of values and bring it into the real, everyday moments of family life. From busy schedules and competing priorities to the quiet drift that happens when we stop paying attention, they explore how values are not just what we say matters—but what we actually build our lives around.Drawing on insights from Patrick Lencioni and his “Frantic Family” framework, they walk through the difference between aspirational values and lived values—and how easy it is for the gap between the two to grow unnoticed.Along the way, they share honest stories from their own family: where their values have shaped their rhythms, where they’ve fallen short, and what it looks like to keep coming back to intentionality.If you’ve ever felt the tension between the family you want to be and the one you’re actually becoming, this episode will help you slow down, reflect, and begin to close that gap.👉 Because if you don’t define your values, your defaults will.📚 Show NotesThe Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family by Patrick LencioniFor Christian families, a book we’re currently reading and loving: Marriage: 6 Gospel Commitments Every Couple Needs to Make by Paul David Tripp

Andrew and Shannon are back, diving into the intentional rhythms they’ve been building into their family—and the “why” behind them. In this episode, they unpack how simple, everyday practices can bring more purpose, connection, and formation into the flow of family life.

Are we raising kids to succeed in school—or to thrive in life?In this episode of The Intentional Family, Andrew and Shannon Haws unpack the hidden tension most parents feel but rarely name: the pull between living intentionally and simply drifting with culture.Through personal stories—including raising four young kids, navigating screen time, resisting helicopter parenting, and rethinking education—they explore what it looks like to raise children who are:ConfidentResilientCritical thinkersReady for the real worldThey also share the pivotal moment that shaped their thinking: encountering high-performing students who lacked essential life skills—and realizing something needed to change.This episode is for parents who are tired of:Constant comparisonOverwhelming adviceThe pressure to “do it all”And are ready to ask a better question:👉 What kind of people are we raising?

The Intentional Family is a podcast about rejecting default settings and building a family on purpose. Hosted by Andrew and Shannon Haws, founders of Acton Academy Victoria, this show follows their journey of creating a home culture shaped by faith, intentionality, and courage. In this first episode, get to know the hosts and hear more about their own journey of intentionality and how it filters into every aspect of their lives!