The Art of Raising Sturdy Kids with Keith McCurdy

In this episode of Space for Life, Tommy sits down with parenting expert Keith McCurdy, founder of Live Sturdy and CEO of Total Life Counseling, to unpack what it really means to raise sturdy kids.Keith shares decades of experience counseling more than 15,000 families, guiding parents toward raising emotionally mature, capable, and resilient children. Together, they explore the role of healthy struggle, practical responsibility, and emotional regulation in child development—and why comfort and happiness shouldn’t be the ultimate goals.This conversation challenges modern parenting norms and provides practical steps for building sturdier families—ones grounded in values, identity, and the kind of leadership that grows capable kids and healthy adults.Key TopicsWhy parenting can feel overwhelming and guilt-inducingWhat “sturdy” really means in child developmentHow overprotection creates fragile kidsWhy emotions shouldn’t dictate parenting decisionsThe connection between practical skills and emotional maturityThe value of healthy struggle and discomfortMoving children from consumers to contributorsEstablishing family identity and guiding principlesLeading with sacrifice and consistency in parentingPractical steps to begin raising sturdier kids00:00 Introduction to Parenting Challenges02:50 The Importance of Raising Sturdy Kids06:10 Generational Wisdom in Parenting08:51 The Role of Emotions in Parenting11:48 Defining ‘Sturdy’ in Parenting14:50 Practical Skills for Sturdy Kids17:51 The Impact of Struggle on Growth20:43 The Disconnect Between Happiness and Growth24:05 The Process of Maturity Through Trials32:09 The Fragility of Overprotection36:21 The Role of Discomfort in Growth41:31 Establishing Family Identity and Guiding Principles47:03 Transitioning from Enabling to Empowering55:42 Practical Steps for Raising Sturdy KidsKeith McCurdyPresident & CEO, Total Life CounselingFounder, Live SturdyCounselor, Speaker, and Parenting Coachlivesturdy.comLove the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://tommythompson.org