Show Notes
Episode 76. 10 Parenting Hacks
Episode 76. 10 Parenting Hacks
"Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win."
~ 1 Corinthians 9:24
Are youth sports helping or hurting our kids?
Can sports be a healthy way of honoring God?
How can my children and I stay grounded in the midst of their sports?
In Episode 75 of This Whole Life, hosts Pat and Kenna sit down with Super Bowl champion Matt Birk for a lively, honest, and heartfelt conversation about the realities of youth sports today. From hilarious football stories to hard-fought lessons on resilience and parenting, Matt shares his journey as both an elite athlete and a dad navigating the pressures of today’s competitive youth sports culture. Together, they explore the joys and challenges of childhood athletics, the growing professionalization of youth sports, and the importance of keeping play fun and rooted in faith. Whether you’re a parent on the sidelines, a coach, or just a fan of sports and good conversations, this episode is full of wisdom, practical advice, and perspective on how sports can help shape not just athletes, but healthy, resilient human beings—mind, body, and soul.
Matt Birk is a CEO, a fifteen year NFL veteran, and a Super Bowl champion. He played college football at Harvard and graduated with a degree in economics before going on to be drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 1998. He played for the Vikings for eleven years and then for the Baltimore Ravens for four years, where he won Super Bowl XLVII. Matt was named the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2011 for his accomplishments on and off the field. Since retiring from the NFL in 2013, Matt has been a vocal pro life advocate, he has cofounded a Catholic high school, and authored a book called All Pro Wisdom. He and his wife have eight children.
Show Notes
The “Team Millea” mentality
The Catholic Social Teaching principle of Solidarity lived out in family life
Weekly family meetings
Paying attention to how we live out our values in the details of daily life
Chores for everyone!
85-year multigenerational Harvard study that found a strong connection between doing household chores as a child and professional success as an adult
And this study published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics that found a significant correlation between children who do household chores and increased happiness as adults
Reading to kids while they do chores - the time flies!
One-on-one time
Creating space for focused, one-on-one time with each child
On Saturday mornings, one parent takes one child to daily Mass and on a short outing to a coffeeshop or a park
Anything can become quality time if we’re focused on one child while we’re doing it
Do your “tomorrow self” a favor today
Preparing for lunch, school, work, etc. the day before so create an opportunity for success and joy tomorrow
It takes village
I have to be able to ask for help and offer help to others
Including outsourcing what you can (shoutout to our Instacart drivers! Click here for a $10 off promo code)
Get clever about finances
Eating out very rarely, and sometimes half eating out: picking up burgers or chicken nuggets but bringing our own drinks, veggies, & chips for a picnic at the park
Make the most of Play It Again Sports, Goodwill, & consignment stores!
We don’t do birthday gifts for our kids, we take them on birthday outings. We value the quality time with them more than physical things, and we want to encourage the same in them.
Being shrewd about food
Creating a family meal plan that streamlines shopping & cooking
The glory of the Instant Pot!
And for large families, a massive slow cooker
Double/triple/quadruple dip with activities
Choose activities that multiple children can participate in
Let it go! If something doesn’t work for you, don’t do it
Let go of comparison to other parents or families
Challenge By Choice
What is one strategy or “hack” that you’re going to try?
What is an area of your family’s life that needs attention so that things can run more smoothly, peacefully & joyfully?
What can you implement - or at least try - to help your family form the kind of relationships you desire?
Be sure to let go of anything that doesn’t fit your family’s needs or values
Reflection Questions
For personal reflection or group discussion
What is one specific thing that stuck with you from this conversation?
What have your experiences with sports been?
What are the benefits of youth sports? What are the dangers?
Why is it so tempting for parents to attach their identity to their childrens' sports?
What does a healthy approach to sports look like for a family?