Campfire Guide to Parenting

The Ones Who Stepped Forward: A Living Kidney Donor Story

Mike McDonell, Kidventure — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Mike McDonell's family got the call they had been waiting for. On December 30th, his son Michael gets a new kidney.

Mike set aside the episode he had planned to record a thank-you instead. It goes to the friends, family, and strangers who heard Michael needed a kidney and said "test me." It goes to an anonymous backup donor, cleared and ready in case they're needed. And it goes to Michael's big brother, Peyton, the best match of everyone who came forward. Michael was adopted, and his doctors called the match remarkable. Mike also shares what this season has taught him as a parent about courage, and about how a family gets built.

Takeaways
- Kids learn courage by watching what we do when it costs us something.
- Let your kids see you step forward in small ways: when a neighbor needs help, when a friend gets bad news, when something is hard and inconvenient.
- Family is built in a thousand ordinary moments. The car rides, the arguments, the inside jokes, and the nights on the edge of the bed are all doing something.
- Registering as an organ donor takes a few minutes. Have the conversation with your family.

One small thing you can do
Register as an organ donor in the U.S.: https://www.organdonor.gov/sign-up
Outside the U.S., look up your country's donor registry.

Chapters
0:00 The call we've been waiting for
0:38 Welcome back to the campfire
1:03 Meet Michael
1:25 Carrying a quiet weight
2:13 The ones who stepped forward
3:38 The best match: Michael's big brother
5:00 To the backup donor we've never met
5:57 What this taught me as a parent
6:58 Family is built
7:22 December 30th
7:44 One small thing you can do
8:01 Thank you

About the host
Mike McDonell is a former wilderness guide and climbing instructor who founded Kidventure in 1994. Since then, he has watched more than 100,000 children discover who they are when given the space to do it, and seen childhood change through the rise of the digital age. He leads hundreds of team members across Texas. He is also a husband and a father of four, still learning alongside everyone listening.

Kidventure: https://kidventure.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidventurecamp/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kidventure
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kidventure-inc-/

Follow Campfire Guide to Parenting for a new episode every week.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/campfire-guide-to-parenting/id1843193814
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ahw76tsxMhcB0FhVeiJ7j
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kidventurecamp/podcasts

Kids and AI: Never Smarter Than a Machine

Mike McDonell, Kidventure — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 10:00:00 GMT

OpenAI's CEO says his kids will never be smarter than AI. Mike McDonell has one question: smarter at what?

After more than 30 years around 100,000 kids, Mike has never watched a child become confident by being right. In his experience, confidence comes from being wrong in front of people and surviving it. In this solo episode, he looks at what happens to kids who never have to be wrong, now that a chatbot can hand them the right answer four seconds too early. He walks through new Common Sense Media research on how kids 9 to 17 use AI, what Sal Khan, Alison Gopnik, Sherry Turkle, and Jonathan Haidt are saying about it, and where a regular parent can land at 8:40 on a school night with homework open and a chatbot one click away.

Takeaways
- Give kids 10 minutes alone with the hard thing before any tool. When they do use AI, have it check their work instead of handing over the answer.
- Notice who your kid reaches for first when something goes wrong. Kids take the hard thing to whoever handled the last hard thing well.
- Friendship needs friction. A chatbot never gets tired, never has a bad day, and never says no. Real friends do all three.
- Ask one question about any tool: what does it replace?

Chapters
0:00 "My kids will never be smarter than AI"
1:05 The right answer, four seconds too early
1:30 What 1,204 kids told Common Sense Media
2:19 Three camps on kids and AI
5:05 Where a regular parent lands
5:32 What camp teaches about struggle
6:58 When Mike gives his own kid the answer
7:33 Three tests to run tonight
7:57 Test one: the struggle test
8:41 Test two: the first call test
9:29 Test three: the vulnerability test
10:57 The AI habits parents model, too
12:12 Who does your kid call first?

Sources
Common Sense Media, AI Use by Tweens and Teens (2026)
Sal Khan on Khanmigo (April 2026)
Sherry Turkle, MIT News (2026)
Generative AI and student learning, Wharton (2024)
Sam Altman, TechRadar (2025)

About the host
Mike McDonell is a former wilderness guide and climbing instructor who founded Kidventure in 1994. Since then, he has watched more than 100,000 children discover who they are when given the space to do it, and seen childhood change through the rise of the digital age.

Kidventure: https://kidventure.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidventurecamp/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kidventure
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kidventure-inc-/

Follow Campfire Guide to Parenting.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/campfire-guide-to-parenting/id1843193814
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ahw76tsxMhcB0FhVeiJ7j
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kidventurecamp/podcasts

Raising Kids Who Include Others: Lessons From Best Buddies Ambassador Miller Peoples

Mike McDonell, Kidventure — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 10:00:00 GMT

In third grade, Miller Peoples was asked to speak to his whole school about disability inclusion, and he said no. He's been saying yes ever since.

Miller, a Best Buddies ambassador in Central Texas and a longtime friend of the show's host, sits down with Mike McDonell, with his mom Stephanie alongside. They talk about his work as an ambassador: the regret that turned into years of school visits to talk with kids about disability inclusion, the award email he thought was spam, how his district brought Best Buddies into its elementary schools, and what changes when people with and without disabilities share a room. Miller also shares the coffee-and-cookies business idea he's working on now.

Takeaways
- One missed chance can become a reason to show up the next time. Miller turned a third-grade "no" into years of school visits.
- Speaking takes more effort for Miller than for most people, and he chooses it again and again.
- Inclusion grows when people with and without disabilities share a room: school programs, friendship walks, galas.
- Miller's advice for any kid facing something scary: try it, because you don't know what it's like until you try.

Guest
Miller Peoples is a Best Buddies ambassador in Central Texas. He is a student in the Adult Transition Services program at Westlake High School, speaks at campuses across Eanes ISD about inclusion, and awarded the Good Samaritan Award by Barton Creek Elementary.

Best Buddies: https://www.bestbuddies.org
Best Buddies Friendship Walk: https://www.bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org/centraltexas/
Miller on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/millerleepeeps/

Chapters
0:00 The day he said no
0:58 Meet Miller Peoples
2:57 Who Miller is today
4:18 Where his story starts
8:31 Turning down the third-grade invitation
12:01 What made him start saying yes
14:35 Has speaking gotten easier?
15:28 The award he thought was spam
16:47 The email that booked this episode
18:16 Why he keeps going back to schools
19:35 Choosing the hard way, again and again
21:30 What Best Buddies is
24:51 The friends Best Buddies gave him
26:54 What he wishes people understood about friendship
28:29 Closing the distance at Best Buddies events
30:44 His advice: try it
31:34 What's next: coffee, cookies, and a business idea
37:40 A word to parents raising a kid with a disability
38:22 The campfire round
48:05 Wrap-up

About the host
Mike McDonell is a former wilderness guide and climbing instructor who founded Kidventure in 1994. Since then, he has watched more than 100,000 children discover who they are when given the space to do it, and seen childhood change through the rise of the digital age. He leads hundreds of team members across Texas. He is also a husband and a father of four, still learning alongside everyone listening.

Kidventure: https://kidventure.com
IG: https://www.instagram.com/kidventurecamp/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/kidventure
LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kidventure-inc-/

Follow Campfire Guide to Parenting for a new episode every week
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/campfire-guide-to-parenting/id1843193814
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ahw76tsxMhcB0FhVeiJ7j
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kidventurecamp/podcasts

Helping Kids Make Friends: What Screens Are Replacing

Mike McDonell, Kidventure — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 18:35:37 GMT

Two nervous girls stood alone at overnight camp drop-off. Years later, one was the other's maid of honor.

Mike McDonell, a father of four, has spent decades creating places where kids make friends, and he still worries about his youngest finding a close one. In this episode he looks at why friendship is harder to come by today and what parents can do about it. Monitoring the Future data shows 10th graders went from getting together with friends about 2.5 times a week in 1996 to about 1.5 times by 2020, with the steepest drop around 2012. A 2025 study in the Journal of Adolescent Health found friendship quality was linked to teen mental health nearly three times more strongly than social media use.

Takeaways
- Kids already know how to make friends. Most of the time, adults need to make room for it.
- Kids bond shoulder to shoulder doing something. Give them a task, a game, or a project with a shared goal.
- Protect the awkward first ten minutes. That stretch is a sign it is working.
- Pay attention to how much unscripted, in-person time your kid gets with peers, alongside how much screen time.

Chapters
0:00 Two nervous girls at camp drop-off
0:33 What the research says about teen friendships
1:29 What phones replace
1:56 How two strangers found each other
3:22 Where kids used to meet
4:20 Three ways to help your kid make friends
5:18 A friendship that lasted

Sources
Monitoring the Future, University of Michigan, as analyzed by Jean Twenge: https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/teen-friendship-decline-depression/
Journal of Adolescent Health (2025), ECHO Program summary: https://echochildren.org/for-teens-mental-health-strong-friendships-matter-more-than-social-media-use-nih-study-finds

About the host
Mike McDonell is a former wilderness guide and climbing instructor who founded Kidventure in 1994. Since then, he has watched more than 100,000 children discover who they are when given the space to do it, and seen childhood change through the rise of the digital age. He leads hundreds of team members across Texas. He is also a husband and a father of four, still learning alongside everyone listening.

Kidventure: https://kidventure.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidventurecamp/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kidventure
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kidventure-inc-/

Follow Campfire Guide to Parenting for a new episode every week.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/campfire-guide-to-parenting/id1843193814
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ahw76tsxMhcB0FhVeiJ7j
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kidventurecamp/podcasts

Why Parents Can't Let Go: The Fear Loop with Lenore Skenazy

Mike McDonell, Kidventure — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 17:48:27 GMT

She let her 9-year-old ride the New York City subway home alone, wrote about it, and two days later was on national TV being called "America's worst mom."

Lenore Skenazy, author of Free-Range Kids and president of Let Grow, joins Mike McDonell around the campfire to talk about what it costs a parent to trust their kid. They get into why half of parents of 9 to 11 year olds won't let their child go to the next aisle at the store, how camp drop-off has changed since 1994, the "fear loop" that keeps parents stuck, and why kids say unstructured time with friends is what they want most. Lenore also shares how Let Grow is bringing independence and free play back through schools and state law.

Takeaways
- Statistics rarely calm a worried parent. Action does: let your kid do one new thing, and the evidence changes your mind.
- Think back to something you loved doing alone as a kid, and consider giving that same experience to your own child.
- Letting go is easier with company. Pair up with another family so the kids have each other and the parents have support.
- Unstructured time with friends belongs at the foundation of childhood, with organized activities built on top.

Guest

Lenore Skenazy is the author of Free-Range Kids (2009), the book that launched the free-range parenting movement, and president and co-founder of Let Grow, a nonprofit that makes it easy, normal, and legal to give kids back independence and free play. Let Grow's Reasonable Childhood Independence laws have passed in 13 states.
Let Grow: https://letgrow.org
Free-Range Kids: https://www.freerangekids.com

Chapters

0:00 The column that made her "America's worst mom"
3:24 Forty-eight hours after the subway column
5:35 Why she was out of step with other parents
14:02 The first generation of parents raised with phones
19:18 Milk cartons and the fear of strangers
20:53 Why statistics don't change parents' minds
23:11 The fear loop and the trust loop
25:29 Teaching kids the world is safe or dangerous
34:39 Two fears: kidnapping and falling behind
39:20 How schools are using Let Grow
44:26 Reasonable childhood independence laws
46:30 Three things for parents who struggle to let go

About the host

Mike McDonell is a former wilderness guide and climbing instructor who founded Kidventure in 1994. Since then, he has watched more than 100,000 children discover who they are when given the space to do it, and seen childhood change through the rise of the digital age.

Kidventure: https://kidventure.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidventurecamp/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kidventure
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kidventure-inc-/

Follow Campfire Guide to Parenting
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/campfire-guide-to-parenting/id1843193814
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ahw76tsxMhcB0FhVeiJ7j
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kidventurecamp/podcasts

Parenting in the Digital Age: Old Instincts, New Childhood

Mike McDonell, Kidventure — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 17:05:15 GMT

In 1981, thirteen-year-old Mike McDonell found his friends by riding his bike until he spotted a driveway full of tipped-over bikes. In 2026, his thirteen-year-old son finds the day in his pocket.

In this relaunch episode of Campfire Guide to Parenting, Mike, founder of Kidventure and a youth leader for more than 30 years, looks at four ways childhood has changed: more screen time, fewer in-person friendships, free time that has turned indoor and scheduled, and smartphones arriving years earlier. Then he gets honest about what adapting looks like at home, including the nights he gets it wrong. This is a real conversation about intentional parenting in the digital age, from a dad who is still figuring it out.

Takeaways
- Most parenting instincts were built for a slower childhood. Applied unchanged, they leave parents either fighting every screen or giving up.
- Unstructured time no longer builds itself. Protect it on the calendar the way you would a soccer practice.
- In-person social skills need practice. Create reasons for kids to be in the same room, then step back and let it be a little awkward.
- Adapting is ongoing. The parents who do right by their kids keep updating their methods.

Chapters
0:00 1981 vs 2026: two thirteen-year-olds
1:43 Why so many parents feel helpless
2:16 Who's talking
3:35 Why a campfire
4:55 Four ways childhood has changed
7:02 Naming the problem is only the diagnosis
8:51 What adapting looks like at home
10:08 Where Mike falls short
10:43 What to expect from this show
12:44 What's coming next

About the host
Mike McDonell is a former wilderness guide and climbing instructor who founded Kidventure in 1994. Since then, he has watched more than 100,000 children discover who they are when given the space to do it, and seen childhood change through the rise of the digital age. He leads hundreds of team members across Texas. He is also a husband and a father of four, still learning alongside everyone listening.

Website: kidventure.com
Instagram: @kidventurecamp
Facebook: @kidventure
LinkedIn: @kidventure-inc-

Follow Campfire Guide to Parenting for a new episode every week.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/campfire-guide-to-parenting/id1843193814
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ahw76tsxMhcB0FhVeiJ7j?si=a2e179b838184b8f
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kidventurecamp/podcasts

Building Houston Moms Through Infertility, Twins, and Real Motherhood with Meagan Clanahan

Mike McDonell, Kidventure — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The conversation explores the intersection of professional and personal life, focusing on the challenges and rewards of motherhood and community building. Meagan Clanahan shares her journey of building Houston Moms while navigating the complexities of parenting and work-life balance. The conversation covers topics such as work-life balance, parenting, mental health, and the impact of technology on family dynamics. Meagan shares insights on disconnecting from work, the challenges of block scheduling, and the influence of her work on her children. She also discusses the struggles of modern motherhood, the importance of understanding, and the need for intentional connections.

Takeaways

Authentic motherhood
Navigating work-life balance Disconnecting from work is essential for maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
Block scheduling can be a game changer for focusing on specific tasks.
The challenges of modern motherhood include mental health concerns, the impact of technology, and the need for understanding and intentional connections.

Chapters

00:00 The Campfire Conversation
02:38 Building a Community
03:07 The Real Version of Motherhood
04:01 The Impact of Infertility
05:07 The Journey of Blogging and Writing
06:55 Creating a Space for Moms
12:13 The Influence of Motherhood on Work
20:39 The Impact of Technology on Parenting
29:52 Reflections on Motherhood and Work
33:37 Advice for Mothers Building a Community
34:43 Work-Life Balance and Disconnecting
35:16 Parenting and Influence on Children
36:12 Challenges of Modern Motherhood
48:03 Mental Health and Technology Impact
52:37 Intentional Connections and Understanding
59:12 The Realities of Motherhood

Raising Grit: Helping Your Kid Handle the Hard Stuff

Mike McDonell, Kidventure — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 13:39:56 GMT

Want to help your kids develop grit and resilience?

In this episode of The Campfire Guide to Parenting, Mike McDonell sits down with Michael Blasdell to talk about what grit really looks like in kids, and how parents can help build it without stepping in too fast or clearing every obstacle out of the way.

They unpack how kids learn resilience through everyday challenges like friendship drama, middle school social pressure, school struggles, and moments of failure. The conversation covers when parents should step in versus step back, how modeling accountability and apologies matters, and why praising effort often matters more than praising outcomes.

You will also hear practical ideas for building grit at home through simple routines like family dinners, chores, and honest conversations, along with stories from school, camp, and real life that show how kids grow when they are trusted to handle hard things.

If you are raising a child who is navigating big feelings, social challenges, or learning how to bounce back after setbacks, this episode offers grounded advice and relatable stories to help guide the way.

The Campfire Guide to Parenting brings together parents and experts for honest conversations about raising confident, capable kids. Topics include resilience, responsibility, life skills, and building stronger family connections.

Follow the show to catch future episodes and join a community of parents focused on raising kids who can face life’s challenges with confidence and heart.

https://kidventure.com/campfire/

Raising Money-Smart Kids: Allowance, Entrepreneurship & Screen Time

Mike McDonell, Kidventure — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 17:01:33 GMT

How can parents raise confident, money-smart kids in a cashless, screen-filled world? In this episode of The Campfire Guide to Parenting, Mike McDonell and Zack Mattos share real-life stories and practical tips on allowance, chores, entrepreneurship, and screen time.

You’ll hear how to separate family responsibilities from paid work, spark your child’s entrepreneurial spirit, teach generosity, and handle technology so kids build real-world skills instead of screen habits. Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or educator, you’ll walk away with simple, actionable ideas to help kids develop confidence, independence, and financial literacy from an early age.

How do we raise kids who can handle life’s ups and downs - without losing their spark?

Mike McDonell, Kidventure — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 17:40:07 GMT

In this episode of Campfire Guide to Parenting, Kidventure President and father of four Mike McDonell sits down with licensed clinical social worker Taylor Blunsen to explore what emotional wellness really looks like for kids today.

Together, they unpack the everyday challenges families face — from anxiety and screen time to meltdowns, family rituals, and emotional connection. You’ll hear simple, compassionate tools for helping your kids:

💬 Identify and express emotions in healthy ways
📱 Set boundaries with screens and technology
🕯 Build family rituals that foster connection and gratitude
🧘 Learn emotional regulation by watching you
❤️ Know when (and how) to ask for help

Taylor brings both her therapist’s insight and her mom perspective to this grounded, heart-centered conversation about raising confident, connected, and emotionally resilient kids.

Tune in and walk away with practical, hopeful ways to strengthen your child’s emotional health — and your own.

Guest:
🩺 Taylor Blunsen, LCSW — Founder, Memorial Village Counseling
🌐 memorialvillagecounseling.net

Host:
🔥 Mike McDonell — President, Kidventure
🌐 kidventure.com