🔥 How to Get Your Child to Listen is one of the most common searches in parenting help. Most parents ask it in moments of exhaustion, not curiosity. Something feels off, conversations keep looping, and nothing seems to land.

In this episode of Lex Lumina, Sam Castor sits down with John Guedry to talk about parenting, responsibility, and what actually shapes children over time. John brings a perspective shaped by real life. He was raised by a single mother, built a career in banking and leadership, and spent years working inside education systems trying to help families who were struggling.

John starts by talking about his childhood. There wasn’t much extra. Expectations were clear. Structure mattered. Not because it was comfortable, but because it helped him grow. He explains why constantly protecting kids from difficulty can quietly weaken them, and why listening is more often a result of leadership than discipline.

🎯 Episode Summary

This conversation doesn’t stay on surface-level parenting advice. It moves into how children develop resilience and why responsibility matters more than comfort. John shares lessons from raising his daughters and now helping raise his grandsons, including moments where making things easier would have felt kinder, but making them harder was actually better.

Sam and John also talk about education and what it teaches beyond academics. They discuss financial literacy, school systems, and why children from difficult backgrounds often rise when expectations stay high. Parenting, they suggest, isn’t about controlling behavior. It’s about modeling steadiness, values, and follow-through.

The conversation also turns personal. John shares openly about walking through addiction and mental health challenges with one of his children. He talks about fear, prayer, and the point where control had to give way to trust. Faith became an anchor when solutions ran out.

One theme keeps returning. Children listen when adults are grounded. When parents lead themselves first. When the home feels steady even during hard seasons.

This episode isn’t about getting everything right. It’s about responsibility, patience, and choosing long-term growth over short-term relief. If you’re looking for parenting help that feels honest and lived-in, this conversation offers clarity without judgment.

👤 About John Guedry

John Guedry is a longtime banking executive, education advocate, and community leader. He has worked on initiatives focused on financial literacy, education reform, and improving outcomes for children and families.

💼 About Sam Castor

Sam Castor is an attorney and entrepreneur who hosts long-form conversations about parenting, education, faith, leadership, and responsibility.

💡 About Lex Lumina

Lex Lumina is a space for slow, thoughtful conversations about how people grow, lead, and heal. No scripts. No hype.

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