School Of Awesome Sauce With Greg Denning

Do you ever look around and think, “Why are teens today so fragile when life is easier than ever?”In this conversation, Greg and Rachel break down why so many young people are anxious, avoidant, and overwhelmed by normal life—and how to raise resilient teens who can actually handle hard things. They unpack the impact of comfort culture, overprotection, and screen-based living, then share practical ways to “microdose” and “macrodose” challenge through workouts, travel, projects, and real-life responsibility. You’ll learn how to build holistic toughness—physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and even financial—without shaming your kids or recreating the harshness of past generations.

Do you have a long list of dreams—but no idea where to start?Parents often feel torn between wanting a meaningful, adventurous life…and the realities of raising kids, managing a home, and juggling responsibilities. How do you pick the right dream to pursue first—without sacrificing your marriage, health, or family?In today’s conversation, Greg and Rachel break down the exact five-step process they’ve used for 20+ years to chase bold, meaningful goals while raising seven kids, traveling to over 60 countries, homeschooling, and building a business.You’ll learn how to prioritize your dreams, avoid sacrifices that damage what matters most, and identify the “first step” that naturally unlocks momentum for every other goal.Whether you’re overwhelmed by possibilities or unsure how to start, this episode will help you get clarity, build confidence, and make meaningful progress toward the life you actually want—one small step at a time.Key Takeaways✅ Write every dream down — clarity comes from seeing your full list on

Are you trying to set teen boundaries without your child calling you “controlling” or “the worst parent ever”?If you want your teen to live by high standards—around tech, food, friends, habits, and lifestyle—you can’t just make it your standard and enforce it. It has to become their standard. In this episode of the Extraordinary Family Life Podcast, Greg and Rachel break down exactly how they helped their own teens buy in so deeply that they now say things like, “I’m not putting that garbage in my body,” or “I don’t waste my life on that.”Instead of rules and power struggles, they show you how to prioritize relationship over rules, lean on unconditional love, and teach the laws that govern health, happiness, success, and addiction—so your kids see for themselves where certain choices lead. When teens understand the why behind your standards, they stop feeling controlled and start choosing those standards for themselves.You’ll also hear how the Dennings have intentionally made real life more compelling than vi

Do your evenings disappear into chaos—feeding, cleaning, and collapsing into bed exhausted? Are you wondering how to stay calm and connected while parenting toddlers who seem to need you every second?In this episode, Greg & Rachel reveal the mindset and framework behind calm parenting toddlers—how to meet your child’s needs without losing yourself, gently transition from co-sleeping, and end night wakings without cry-it-out. You’ll learn why the 0–5 window shapes your child’s identity, confidence, and future emotional health—and how your calm presence now builds secure attachment and independence later.They also share why dads don’t babysit—they lead, and how fathers can bring energy, joy, and true relief to moms in the toddler trenches. You’ll leave with practical, doable shifts that make family life lighter, calmer, and far more fulfilling.

Do your kids “catch” your stress—and you hate how quickly the mood at home drops?What if the fastest way to raise happy kids is to model authentic joy (not fake calm)—even while cleaning a messy kitchen?In this video, we unpack how parents set the emotional tone at home—and why your child has been watching you from birth to learn how to do life. You’ll learn how to raise your emotional baseline on purpose (water, breath, sunlight, movement), process triggers so you’re not pretending, and lead with real peace your kids can imitate. You can’t fake it—kids feel the truth—so let’s build the real thing.What you’ll learn:Modeling vs. masking: why kids imitate your state (and can’t be fooled)Story → state: how the meaning you give messes determines your moodMorning biochemistry reset: water, breath, sunlight, movement = instant upliftFrom nagging to leading: make chores joyful by choice, not drudgeryTriggers, then tools: journaling, breathwork, micro-meditations, and the “jukebox” swap (remove the old CD for good)Ke

Are your toddler’s meltdowns leaving you “touched out” and wondering how to stay calm? What if the fastest way to end tantrums is more connection—not more limits?In this video, we break down attachment parenting for toddlers—the practical, science-aligned way to reduce tantrums, boost cooperation, and rebuild calm (in you and your child). You’ll learn why kids imitate your emotions but can’t yet regulate them, how to be the adult in the room, and the exact strategies we used to go 16+ years without tantrums in our home.We’ll show you how to increase your capacity (food, sleep, recovery) so you’re not running on empty, plus simple co-regulation tools like cuddle-pauses, couch resets, and family calm breaks. Attachment isn’t coddling—it's how kids become secure and independent. When their emotional bucket is full, clinginess drops and behavior improves. Parenting isn’t convenient—but it can be effective.Key Takeaways✅ Attachment first makes every other parenting strategy work better✅ Capacity over boundarie

Are you using “attachment parenting” — or accidentally doing permissive parenting?In this eye-opening conversation, Greg & Rachel Denning break down what true attachment parenting is (and isn’t). They share the skills, mindsets, and tools that helped them eliminate tantrums for 16 years and prevent teen rebellion—without yelling, shaming, or rigid control.You’ll learn why parenting is a specific, learnable skill, how to build secure attachment from baby to teen, and where popular advice (cry-it-out, forced “holding time,” over-scheduling, letting kids lead everything) quietly damages trust. You’ll also get a clear blueprint for connection with boundaries so kids feel safe, seen, and guided—and you feel calm, confident, and effective.Bottom line: Attachment is earned, not forced. Respect your child’s free will, meet real needs (sleep, food, attention), co-regulate big emotions, and set firm, sensible boundaries. That’s the evergreen approach that works in every generation.Key Takeaways✅ Parenting is a skil

Do you ever feel like you’re doing “all the right things” but not seeing real results?In this episode, Greg & Rachel Denning challenge the sacred cows of school, pharma, and religion—not to burn it all down, but to help you keep what serves your family and release what doesn’t. You’ll learn how to shift from transactional box-checking to transformational growth, so your kids develop inner authority, critical thinking, and personal responsibility.Big idea: You can honor helpful traditions and raise kids who can question wisely, choose higher standards, and own their outcomes—in education, health, spirituality, and life.What we cover:• Why outsourcing your child’s education, spirituality, or health stalls growth• How to “keep the good” in institutions while ditching deadweight rules• The path from conformity to character—raising autodidacts who learn for life• Practical habits that create palpable progress in mind, body, spirit, and family cultureKey Takeaways✅ Transactional → Transformational: Results >

Are you a driven mom who wants to be present—but you’re drowning in overwhelm and “control mode”?This conversation shows you how to get crystal-clear on your family vision, build secure attachment/connection, and set firm, kind boundaries so kids become self-directed—without you turning into the “mean, controlling parent.”In this candid episode, Greg and Rachel break down the yin–yang of parenting—high standards + healthy surrender—so you can lead your family without micromanaging. You’ll learn time-chunking, strategic disengagement, and simple charts & systems (starting with the morning routine) that create calm, predictable days. We also unpack why quality and quantity time (especially in key developmental years) is the foundation of trust, attachment, and influence.If you’ve ever thought, “I’ve tried everything,” this is your roadmap to clarity, consistency, and connection—without burnout.Key Takeaways✅ Vision first: You can’t hit a target you don’t have—define your family vision and align daily “micro

Are you tired of hearing about “gentle parenting” — but still want to raise kind, confident, and emotionally intelligent kids?In this powerful episode, Greg and Rachel Denning unpack The Truth About Gentle Parenting — what works, what backfires, and what extraordinary parents are using instead.They reveal how gentle parenting often gets misapplied as permissive parenting, leaving parents exhausted, burned out, and unsure how to hold boundaries without becoming authoritarian. The Dennings share a better, more effective approach — one that blends empathy and structure, kindness and firmness, compassion and clarity.They explain how to develop your parenting intuition, create emotional safety without losing authority, and respond to misbehavior without yelling, punishing, or shaming. You’ll learn how to raise respectful, resilient kids while staying calm, confident, and connected — even in the toughest parenting moments.Key Takeaways✅ True “gentle” parenting means connection with boundaries, not permissiveness.✅

Do you want your kids to love learning—and become independent, capable adults who can handle life?Most parents want extraordinary results but stick to ordinary systems. In this video, Greg & Rachel explain why comfortable, convenient methods don’t produce extraordinary results and why true education is lighting a fire, not filling a bucket. You’ll see how to expand beyond the home with worldschooling and real-world experiences, use modern tools for a world-class education, and reclaim both influence and joy in your family culture.Key Takeaways✅ Method determines outcome—change methods to change results.✅ Worldschooling turns lessons into experiences kids never forget.✅ Raise independent thinkers through self-directed learning.✅ Time with your kids = influence (quantity and quality).✅ Use AI/online platforms to access the best teachers on earth.✅ Save “academic rigor” for the right season—after love of learning ignites.Chapters00:00 Welcome to Extraordinary Family Life01:06 The Importance of Intentional Li

Does “launching” your teen mean kicking them out at 18?If your child only becomes capable when you separate, something’s broken. In this video, Greg & Rachel Denning expose why “move out at 18” is a modern psyop that weakens families and robs teens of real independence. You’ll learn how to build capability before 18—so your young adult is confident, competent, and contributing while still benefiting from mentorship, connection, and family legacy.Key Takeaways✅ Failure to launch is a parenting-skill problem, not an age problem.✅ By mid-teens, kids should be capable, confident, and contributing at home.✅ Comfort & convenience sabotage growth—skills and systems build it.✅ Teach life skills early: cooking, cleaning, finances, self-management.✅ Mentor through 16–25: support big decisions, deepen character, build skills.✅ Generational families win: keep wisdom, wealth, and warmth under one roof.✅ If independence only follows separation, change the method—not the goal.Chapters00:00 Epic Adventures and Homeco

Are you torn between protecting your kids’ mental health and preparing them for real-world stress?Most parents feel this tension—and many swing too far toward pressure or protection. In this video, Greg & Rachel share a better path: don’t inflict pressure—be the anchor while your kids face it. You’ll learn how to build grit through trust, identity, and modeling, so challenge actually strengthens your bond instead of breaking it.What we cover:Identity over willpower: why saying “I’m not a smoker” beats “I’m trying to quit.”Anchor, don’t apply pressure: your job is safety + modeling, not manufactured hardship.Results don’t lie: how your life becomes the proof your kids can’t ignore.Trust first, then stretch: push to the “next rock,” then keep your promise and carry them.Adjust your strategy: when you “get punched in the face,” learn, adapt, iterate.Do hard things yourself: kids spot hypocrisy—lead from the front.Make discomfort enjoyable: turn tough conversations, workouts, and cold plunges into shared wins

Are you afraid to give something up—even if you know it’s holding your family back?What if the “sacrifice” you’re resisting is the exact bridge to the life you actually want?In this powerful conversation, Greg and Rachel answer a listener’s question inspired by James Allen: “He who would attain highly must sacrifice greatly.” They share the real sacrifices they made to build an extraordinary family life—from walking away from comfort and conformity to investing tens of thousands into personal growth, ditching entertainment for education, and choosing experiences and character over stuff. You’ll learn how to overcome the fear of loss, handle others’ opinions, and trade short-term ease for long-term joy, health, and purpose.Big idea: It’s hard to call it a “sacrifice” when what you get back is better than what you gave up. Bottom line: The most important investment you’ll ever make is in yourself—and then in your spouse and kids.Key Takeaways:✅ Comfort is costly—trade it for purpose, health, and momentum.✅ Inve

Are your kids’ fights setting off your emotions—and the whole house?Most parents try to “fix” kids’ behavior to feel better. In this video, Greg & Rachel flip the script: change your emotional state first, and your family dynamics follow. You’ll learn how to stop masking (“trying to stay calm”) and start being emotionally authentic—so you model regulation your kids can actually imitate.We unpack practical tools to raise your family’s emotional thermostat—even on low-sleep, low-food days: breathing exercises, light movement, gratitude micro-meditations, future journaling, and morning routines that shift your biochemistry fast. You’ll discover why sleep and nutrition are foundational, how to process triggers and “memorized emotions,” and how to radiate steadiness kids naturally copy.Big idea: Nothing gets better until you do. When you upgrade your inner state, parenting gets easier, marriage gets warmer, and home feels safe again. This is how you cultivate a family culture of peace, courage, and joy—without

Do you feel good in your own home?Does your family culture feel like a safe, joyful refuge—or more like constant conflict and stress?Most parents spend 90% of their time fixing problems instead of preventing them. But what if the secret to a thriving home is in the things you never do?In this video, Greg and Rachel Denning—parents of 7 and family coaches—reveal the small but powerful “never-do’s” that transformed their parenting and family culture. From eliminating sarcasm and insults, to saying no to video games, TV, and constant notifications, these intentional choices create a home environment where kids feel secure, confident, and deeply attached.They share why attachment—not punishment—prevents misbehavior, how harshness backfires, and why saying “no” to outside noise means saying “yes” to family connection.Raising kids is already hard enough. But by eliminating just a few destructive habits, you can dramatically reduce sibling rivalry, power struggles, and emotional distance in your home.

Are you settling for a “make it work” marriage when you could build an extraordinary one?Most couples drift into survival mode—roommates, not lovers—because they’ve never seen an amazing marriage modeled… and no one taught them the skills. In this episode, Greg & Rachel Denning share how to raise your marriage standard, resolve conflict fast (the “anatomy of an argument”), and build a shared vision that turns everyday life into marital bliss—without pretending problems don’t exist.Big idea: If you’re not deliberately working on your marriage, you’re automatically working on your divorce.You’ll learn how to stop the same old fights, praise small efforts to reinforce positive change, schedule what matters (yes, intimacy!), and use the compound effect to transform your relationship. Whether things are tough or “fine,” these tools help you move from okay → incredible so your kids grow up with healthy models of love.What you’ll learnRaise the standard: Why “make it work” is too low a target—and how high expect

Is the “nuclear family” actually traditional—or even healthy—for your kids and marriage?In this conversation, Greg & Rachel challenge a BIG cultural myth: the nuclear family (mom + dad + kids, all on their own) isn’t historically normal—and it’s often unhealthy and lonely in today’s hyper-digital world. Instead, they unpack what families did for most of human history—intergenerational, community-based, “tribal” living—and how ordinary parents can start moving that direction without selling everything or going off-grid.You’ll learn how to question handed-down narratives, re-design work, school, and home life, and flip the ratio so your family spends more time together than apart—building skills, wealth, and resilience as a team.Highlights you'll hear:Why isolation (9–5 + separate schools + separate lives) isn’t “traditional”—it’s recent.How multigenerational & community living builds real support, mental health, and generational wealth.Simple first steps: shared meals, home projects, family busines

Do you feel like parenting is one constant power struggle?The truth is, your kids don’t need more control—they need more independence. In this episode, Greg and Rachel Denning share their proven “fortress framework” for raising confident kids: strong family boundaries on the outside, with freedom to choose inside.This approach gives children the chance to practice decision-making, learn from natural consequences, and grow into responsible, respectful adults—without constant nagging, yelling, or punishments.

Are you exhausted from trying to do all the right things—but still feel like your family life isn’t extraordinary?You’re not alone. Many parents work tirelessly to manage schedules, teach principles, read parenting books, pray, practice gratitude, and still feel burnt out, disconnected, and frustrated.In this episode, Greg and Rachel Denning unpack a heartfelt question from a listener who has been “doing it all” since 2020—yet still feels stuck. Together, they reveal why doing more isn’t the solution and why misaligned priorities, half-hearted effort, and misplaced energy may be keeping you from the extraordinary life you crave.