18 Summers: Podcast for Parents

The debate around education is everywhere right now. With so many families championing a return to public school so children can "face adversity," we decided it was time to sit down and share our honest thoughts on the modern education system.
In this episode, we explore the pros, cons, and missing elements of both traditional and alternative education. We discuss why the current school model often fails to teach practical life skills, like financial intelligence, and how the pressure to follow a traditional path can sometimes feel like a race to nowhere. We also talk about the influence of standardized testing and why learning should be about true understanding rather than just memorizing dates for a test.
Most importantly, we dive into the one non-negotiable factor that matters more than any curriculum or classroom setting. Whether you choose public school, private school, micro-schools, or homeschooling, we discuss exactly how to ensure you remain the loudest, most influential voice in your child's head.
Episode Highlights:
0:00 The current debate around public school versus alternative education.
0:55 Are traditional education models antiquated?
2:25 The practical life skills missing from the classroom.
6:20 What happens when you step outside the traditional education path.
8:20 Breaking down the college stigma and the corporate ladder.
11:19 Who is really prioritizing the students in the current system?
15:16 Overcoming the fear of choosing an alternative education route.
17:04 The ultimate rule for parents: Be the loudest voice in your child's life.
20:39 True learning versus rote memorization.

Join the 18 Summers Family!
We are talking all things family, parenting, and living intentionally. If you found this episode thought-provoking, please tap the follow button and leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts! Your reviews truly help other families find our community.

There is not just one path to growing a family. In this episode of 18 Summers, we sit down to share our honest, firsthand experiences with the different types of adoption.
From navigating the uncertain and beautiful mess of foster care to pursuing a private open adoption and completing a step-parent adoption, we are laying it all out there. We discuss how we built a standout adoption profile, the reality of unwrapping the "unknown present" of unexpected medical needs, and the importance of setting healthy boundaries.
We also tackle a deeply frustrating comment that blended and adoptive families hear far too often: "Just wait until you have your own kids."
Whether you are actively considering adoption, curious about the process, or navigating a blended family of your own, we hope our story offers clarity and encouragement for your journey.
Episode Highlights:
0:00 The Different Paths to Growing a Family
0:32 Our Honest Experience with Foster to Adopt
2:45 The Hard Decision to Stop Fostering
5:16 Pivoting to Private Adoption
7:23 How We Built a Profile That Stood Out
9:30 Proactive Steps to Speed Up the Waiting Process
11:20 Unwrapping an "Unknown Present" (Navigating Medical Needs)
14:05 Open vs. Closed Adoption Explained
16:53 Setting Healthy Boundaries in Open Adoption
18:53 Why Adoption is Not a Charity Project
21:23 Step-Parent Adoption and Blending Families
23:45 Dealing with the "Have Your Own Kids" Comment
26:10 Final Words of Wisdom for Prospective Parents
Join the 18 Summers Family!
We are talking all things adoption, family, and life. If you found this episode helpful or relatable, please tap the follow button and leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts! It is the absolute best way to help other families find our community.

Is the goal of parenting to keep our children happy? While it sounds like a noble objective, prioritizing constant happiness might actually be doing more harm than good.
In this episode, we dive into the "happiness trap" and explore why a range of emotions, including disappointment and sadness is essential for a child's development. We break down the danger of over-scheduling, the necessity of failure, and why treating your children "equally" might actually be unfair.
We discuss:
The Happiness Myth: Why setting a benchmark for constant happiness puts immense pressure on children and makes them feel like something is wrong when they feel down.
Failing Forward: How protecting kids from failure creates weak adults, and why risk-management is a vital life skill.
The Fairness Trap: Why "equal treatment" isn't always the goal and how to navigate different needs among siblings without the guilt.
The Gift of Boredom: The cultural obsession with "busy" kids and why an over-scheduled child misses out on creativity and self-regulation.
Favoritism vs. Support: Redefining "favorites" as simply giving your "biggest light" to the child who needs it most in the moment.
Join us as we question these common parenting beliefs and shift the focus from raising "happy" kids to raising resilient, prepared, and emotionally intelligent human beings.

Imagine walking past your teen's room and hearing them talk… but it's not to a friend. It's to AI.
AI is not stealing our kids' relationships. It's doing something more subtle. It's making it easier to avoid building them.
In this episode, Jamie and Jim tackle one of the biggest parenting questions of the last year: how do we guide our kids in a world where AI is always available, always responsive, and never judging? They explore the real danger, not the tool itself, but emotional outsourcing, intimacy without risk, and replacing uncomfortable growth with instant feedback.
AI can be powerful. It can be useful. But it cannot replace human connection, discernment, and real conversation. If you are raising kids in today's digital world, this is a conversation you cannot ignore.
Key takeaways to listen for
Why AI feels like the "perfect friend" for teens
The risk of emotional outsourcing and intimacy without vulnerability
How constant feedback prevents real integration and growth
Why garbage in, garbage out matters more than ever
The importance of keeping humans as the first line of support
How to set healthy boundaries around nighttime tech use
Why discernment from a parent can never be replaced by a machine
Resources
Start by setting clear tech boundaries in your home. Keep phones out of bedrooms at night. Create tech-free spaces for connection. Have open conversations about how AI works and what it can and cannot provide.
To learn more about building stronger connection inside your family, visit www.18summers.com and explore tools designed to help you lead your home with intention.
About Jamie & Jim Sheils
Jamie and Jim Sheils are the founders of 18 Summers, a movement dedicated to helping families build stronger relationships in a rapidly changing world. As parents of five, they focus on emotional intelligence, communication, and family culture. Through retreats, books, and honest conversations, they equip parents to stay connected to their kids even as technology evolves.
Connect with Us
Website: www.18summers.com
Email: [email protected]
Get a copy of "The Family Board Meeting" to learn how to create intentional rituals that strengthen trust and communication at home.
Subscribe to the 18 Summers Podcast and leave a rating and written review to help more parents navigate AI and parenting with clarity and confidence.

Blending a family is not magical at first. It's two entire worlds trying to share one kitchen, one routine, and one emotional landscape.
In this episode, Jamie and Jim break down the biggest mistake blended families make: trying to force the "we're one big happy family now" moment. They share the simple framework from The Family Board Meeting that helped them build trust, safety, and belonging inside their home.
Blending does not happen through pressure. It happens through consistency, presence, and courage.
If you're navigating step-parenting, adoption, or remarriage, this conversation will give you a grounded starting point.
Key takeaways to listen for
Why forcing connection actually delays bonding
The power of intentional one-on-one time
How tech distraction quietly damages trust
Why the parent must go first in vulnerability
The importance of never speaking poorly about other parental counterparts
How 4 to 6 weeks of consistency can shift the entire home dynamic
Resources
Want practical tools for building trust and communication in your home? Grab a copy of "The Family Board Meeting" and start implementing the three simple pillars discussed in this episode.
Visit www.18summers.com to explore more family leadership tools and conversations.
About Jamie & Jim Sheils
Jamie and Jim Sheils are the founders of 18 Summers and co-authors of The Family Board Meeting. As parents of five in a blended family, they've walked the challenges of step-parenting, adoption, and remarriage firsthand. Through books, retreats, and honest conversations, they equip families to build trust, deepen connection, and lead their homes with intention.
Connect with Us
Website: www.18summers.com
Email: [email protected]
Subscribe to the 18 Summers Podcast and leave a rating and written review to help more blended families build strong foundations.