Maggie Dent joins Ginny Yurich on the 1000 Hours Outside Podcast for a critical conversation that challenges everything we’ve been told about raising children in today’s fast-paced, screen-saturated, achievement-obsessed world. With wit, wisdom, and warmth, Maggie shares the truth that every overwhelmed parent needs to hear: childhood is not a race.
From toddler tantrums to reading readiness, she explains why we must stop pushing academic milestones down to younger and younger ages—and start trusting the powerful, innate timelines of child development. This episode is packed with practical wisdom, relatable stories, and a deeply reassuring message: slow is not a setback; it’s the way children thrive.
Together, Maggie and Ginny unravel the damage done by the modern rush—over-scheduling, over-parenting, and overstimulating our kids—and shine a light on the antidote: unstructured play, freedom to explore, and time in nature. You’ll learn why playgrounds matter more than you think, what monkey bars have to do with reading, and how resilience is built in the dirt, not on a screen. Whether you’re new to parenting or deep in the trenches, this episode will give you the courage to push back against the pressure and let your child grow at their own perfect pace.
Catch this episode wherever you get your podcasts or via this link