We just graded all 50 states on how well — or how badly — their laws protect children when it comes to parentage, surrogacy, donor conception, and marriage. Two-thirds of states got a C or below. One state got an A. In this episode, you'll meet the man whose state earned it — and the team that built the tool every family advocate in America needs right now.

Go explore the Children's Rights Scorecard and find your state's grade at thembeforeus.comIN THIS EPISODENate Grasz — Executive Director of Nebraska Family Alliance, the largest Christian public policy organization in Nebraska. Nate led the passage of the First Freedom Act, one of the strongest religious freedom laws in the country, and has spent years successfully fighting to keep the words mother, father, husband, and wife in Nebraska's statutes — helping earn Nebraska the only A on the Children's Rights Scorecard.Learn more about Nebraska Family Alliance at nebraskafamilyalliance.org

We also hear from Them Before Us founder Katy Faust and Engagement Director Patience Sunne on how the scorecard was built, what they found, and how you can use it to protect children in your state.

It's a special Them Before Us staff takeover as the gang gets together, in Brady Bunch style boxes, to share favorite mom and dad moments. Then Jenn and Sam go through some of the amazing moms in the movies as we round out the end of our Greater Than week of celebrating moms.

What's a favorite memory you have of your mom and dad?

And if you think every child deserves the mom and dad they came from, join us at greaterthancampaign.com.

If you've caught Micah Kunkle debating "Progressive" ideas on Jubilee or other platforms, you already know he's the real deal.

Micah joins the TBU podcast to talk debate strategy, why so many young men are drawn to "strong male" influencers pushing harmful ideas, and how we can engage Gen Z in the fight for children's rights.

He's one of those rare voices who's both a rigorous thinker and genuinely kind in disagreement, there's a lot to learn just from watching him.

📺 Find Micah:

Youtube ⁨@micahkunkle⁩

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/micahkunkle/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@micahkunkle

And more about Maven: https://maventruth.com/

What actually holds a nation together when everything feels like it’s coming apart?This week, Jenn sits down with Tim Goeglein to unpack the convictions behind his new book, What Really Matters: Restoring a Legacy of Faith, Freedom, and FamilyDrawing from history, culture, and personal experience, Goeglein makes a clear case: the future of freedom rises or falls on the strength of faith, family, and character.He challenges the quiet erosion of the American family, pointing out that when marriage weakens, everything downstream feels it. Strong families don’t just benefit children. They stabilize communities, shape responsible men, and preserve the conditions where liberty can survive.You’ll hear why restoring fatherhood is central to rebuilding culture, how faith once anchored public life in ways we’ve largely forgotten, and what it takes to recover a legacy worth handing down.If you’re looking for clarity in a noisy moment and a vision that looks beyond headlines to long-term cultural health, this conversation delivers.Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/4moiGsa---------------------------------------------------------Bio: Tim Goeglein is Vice President of External and Government Relations for Focus on the Family. Formerly, he served as a special assistant to President George W. Bush and as a deputy director of the White House Office of Public Liaison. He was the President’s principal outreach contact for conservative and faith-based groups. Tim’s extensive resumé includes serving as a senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation and as a communications director for U.S. Senator Dan Coats of Indiana and Gary Bauer at the Campaign for Working Families. Tim has authored a memoir, The Man in the Middle: Faith and Politics in the George W. Bush Era, and his latest book is titled American Restoration. He and his wife, Jenny, have two sons.

Big news out of South Dakota, fertility fraud is now a felony! Learn more about how Them Before Us played a part in inspiring this legislation, sponsored by SD Representative Terri Jorgenson, and what it means for children's rights.

See more from Rep. Jorgenson at her substack here:

https://sdcapitoldiary.substack.com/

Terri is a proud South Dakotan with a deep-rooted connection to her community. With a strong background in military operations and public affairs, she is committed to fighting for conservative values and protecting liberties in District 29. Terri's experience as a State Committeewoman and active role in the Republican party demonstrate her dedication to serving the people of South Dakota.

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In the next part of this episode, Jenn interviews Caitlyn Scott of the instagram/youtube account @WhiteSquirrelMagic on why Christians and Conservatives need to retake the arts with truth, beauty, and HUMOR to share the truth.

Friend of Them Before Us, Katy Talento is a Harvard-trained epidemiologist, naturopathic doctor, and former Trump White House health policy advisor who spent two decades inside the DC healthcare machine — then left to help everyday people and employers outsmart it. She writes about health policy, natural medicine, and how to live like a human — from real food and hormonal health to how to cut your medical bills in half using rules she personally helped write. All of it's at KatyTalento.com.

For some of her recent articles, check out:

• Infertile, her guest post for our TBU substack - https://thembeforeus.substack.com/p/infertile
• Outsmart the Medical Billing Trap — a free step-by-step playbook for patients to fight back against medical bills, using rules she personally helped write in the White House https://www.katytalento.com/p/outsmart-the-medical-billing-trap?r=158d0w
• Hospitals are Soviet-style Hellscapes Unfit for Humans - A Patient, Caregiver and Policy Manifestohttps://www.katytalento.com/p/hospitals-are-soviet-style-hellscapes
  

See more from Katy at @katytalento for IG, X, LinkedIn and https://www.facebook.com/katytalento.nd/

What are we teaching our children about America, and what are we neglecting?

Jenn is joined by Katie Broussard, founder of The Littlest Statesmen and author of The Great George Washington, the first book in a seven-part series that introduces young children to the lives and characters of America’s Founders. A simple question from her three-year-old daughter about the Fourth of July led Katie to recognize how few resources exist to teach young children about the nation’s history, ideals, and sacrifices. That realization became a calling.

In this conversation, Katie explains why the early years matter in shaping a child’s understanding of country, responsibility, and gratitude. She shares why stories of figures like George Washington and Betsy Ross belong alongside the fairy tales children already know. The discussion also examines why expressing appreciation for America’s founding principles has become divisive and what that shift means for families.

Find more from her at https://www.thelittleststatesmen.com

Make sure you're following Them Before Us across all of our social media platforms, subscribe on thembeforeus.substack.com and consider joining our TBU Ambassador program!

Katy and Jenn talk about the #GreaterThan launch, a coalition of most major Christian and conservative groups and thought leaders, to retake marriage and restore it to the institution that best protects children in society. Learn more at greaterthancampaign.comThen Jenn has a conversation with Emilee Carpenter, an NY photographer who took the state to court over her objections to using her creative voice in violation of her conscience regarding marriage. Learn more about her and see her work at https://www.emileecarpenter.com/