All Joy And No Fun: Lava Monster, Viking Vampire, & Folk Wisdom

All Joy And No Fun: Lava Monster, Viking Vampire, & Folk Wisdom

Author: Benjamin Long June 30, 2019 Duration: 52:33

We find excellence in father son bonding over imaginary video games & jumping in puddles. Then, we attain imperfection when Oliver and Rolo, our dog, decide to venture out on their own and improvise with some new locks.  We make a quick detour to read the plot summary of a ridiculous romantic novel, then finish our talk on "All Joy and No Fun" by Jennifer Senior with a discussion on scarcity mentality, 'folk wisdom.' dirty homes, adolescence, & joy. As always, we wrap it up with The Parent Board (that's still packed up in a box somewhere).

Exploring Excellence 01:05
Attaining Imperfection: 02:28
Book Review 10:07
Parent Board 49:50


Benjamin Long hosts Minimally Acceptable Parents, a podcast that trades the pressure of perfection for the reality of trying. Each month, Benjamin and his wife open a different parenting book, testing its advice against the messy, beautiful chaos of their own family life. The conversation spans the practical and the profound, rooted in a Christian perspective that values faith, grace, and connection over checklists. You’ll hear the genuine takeaways, the discarded theories, and the small victories found not in flawless execution, but in showing up. This isn’t about achieving a gold standard; it’s about the shared journey of becoming more intentional, often through missteps and laughter. Tune into this podcast for a candid, relatable look at parenting where spiritual growth and family life intersect, acknowledging that most days, good enough is actually great.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 25

Minimally Acceptable Parents
Podcast Episodes
1-2-3 Magic: How to Frustrate Your Kid on a Regular Basis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:49
We explore family trips to the park, family movie nights, and a new book Ben's reading! We have our first featured #MAPMoment and talk about spanking and lying to our kid. Then, we review the first half of 1-2-3 Magic, a…
Desperate Not Defeated: Escaping, Redeeming, & Dinner Boxes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:55
We explore excellence in morning routines, patience amidst meltdowns, & Mountain Dew Icees. We attain imperfection in an eitquette fail & some social anxiety. Then wrap up the second half of "Desperate": working through…
Introduction to Minimally Acceptable Parents [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:44
A podcast documenting our journey through 12 parenting books over 12 months as we tackle being intentional parents. Join us as we explore excellence and attain imperfection!