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Capable: How to Teach Your Kids the Strengths, Skills, and Strategies to Build Resilience
Today's kids face unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and emotional distress. Despite our best efforts, our children continue to struggle with internal and external pressures that impact their mental health. If we're doing all we can to make sure our kids are happy, why aren't they?
Beloved therapists, speakers, and authors Sissy Goff and David Thomas have discovered the key is found in one capable. Capable kids are confident kids who don't shrink from challenges. They're resilient kids who get back up when life knocks them down. They're thriving kids because they have a deep belief in their ability to do hard things, overcome roadblocks, and keep moving forward.
In Capable, Sissy and David draw on their more than fifty years of combined counseling experience to offer a clinically sound, emotionally attuned, faith-informed approach to help kids build the resilience they need in today's world. Through evidence-based insight and practical guidance, Sissy and David equip you to nurture capability--the internalized belief that a child can face adversity, navigate challenges, manage stress, and build confidence in who they are and who God has made them to be.
Beloved therapists, speakers, and authors Sissy Goff and David Thomas have discovered the key is found in one capable. Capable kids are confident kids who don't shrink from challenges. They're resilient kids who get back up when life knocks them down. They're thriving kids because they have a deep belief in their ability to do hard things, overcome roadblocks, and keep moving forward.
In Capable, Sissy and David draw on their more than fifty years of combined counseling experience to offer a clinically sound, emotionally attuned, faith-informed approach to help kids build the resilience they need in today's world. Through evidence-based insight and practical guidance, Sissy and David equip you to nurture capability--the internalized belief that a child can face adversity, navigate challenges, manage stress, and build confidence in who they are and who God has made them to be.
296 pages, Hardcover
Published April 21, 2026
221 people are currently reading
1283 people want to read
About the author
Sissy Goff
24 books227 followersSISSY GOFF, M.Ed., LPC-MHSP spends most of her days talking with girls and their families, with the help of her counseling assistant/pet therapist, Lucy the Havanese. She has worked as the Director of Child and Adolescent Counseling at Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, Tennessee since 1993, with a Master’s degree from Vanderbilt University. Sissy speaks to parents across the country and is the author of eleven books including Raising Girls. and her newest books, Raising Worry-Free Girls and Braver, Stronger Smarter (for elementary school girls) which will be released in September of 2019.
Sissy is a regular contributor to various podcasts and publications, including their own soon-to-be released podcast called Raising Boys and Girls. You can find more information and resources at www.raisingboysandgirls.com.
Sissy is a regular contributor to various podcasts and publications, including their own soon-to-be released podcast called Raising Boys and Girls. You can find more information and resources at www.raisingboysandgirls.com.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 16, 2026
Thank you NetGalley & RB Media for providing me an audiobook arc in exchange for my thoughts and opinions.
Since this is a faith based book, I’d like to disclose upfront I had a faith based upbringing but I am no longer a religious person. I am however a parent that walks in the world around many different faiths and beliefs. I like to read parenting books across these various backgrounds to get a reference of how other parents are approaching child rearing.
Capable focuses on how to create confident and resilient children through faith centered teachings. Honestly I went into this book very apprehensive but I was pleasantly surprised to find a lot of good references integrated throughout the ideologies presented. Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt and Good Inside by Dr. Becky being two references that stood out to me. I believe Sissy Goth and David Thomas to be well read and researched, they have extensive experience counseling kids and families and I was encouraged they have clearly read what I find to be important texts in modern parenting.
Capable Parenting is a rebranding of the Authoritative Parenting style as discussed in the book. While I appreciate the concept of giving it a different name, generally I find myself disagreeing with the amount of parental authority and control that is required to raise resilient children that believe in themselves and take risks. I also firmly disagree with the assignment of gender roles in handling boys vs girls and father daughter relationships vs mother son relationships. I completely understand these arguments from a framework of faith. One thing I learned in my days as an evangelical, gender norms and constructs are generally used to uphold power dynamics and create a degree of rigidity in social environments that make everyone feel more “comfortable.” Like playing into expected roles will provide understanding on who you can be.
Disagreements aside, I can understand my feelings are based off my own experiences, and do not automatically make this a bad book. There are useful tools here, and I would have probably been in a much better position in my own childhood if my parents had consulted a book such as this. I do believe Sissy Goth and David Thomas to be individuals who care about children and parents achieving harmony in their lives.
Since this is a faith based book, I’d like to disclose upfront I had a faith based upbringing but I am no longer a religious person. I am however a parent that walks in the world around many different faiths and beliefs. I like to read parenting books across these various backgrounds to get a reference of how other parents are approaching child rearing.
Capable focuses on how to create confident and resilient children through faith centered teachings. Honestly I went into this book very apprehensive but I was pleasantly surprised to find a lot of good references integrated throughout the ideologies presented. Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt and Good Inside by Dr. Becky being two references that stood out to me. I believe Sissy Goth and David Thomas to be well read and researched, they have extensive experience counseling kids and families and I was encouraged they have clearly read what I find to be important texts in modern parenting.
Capable Parenting is a rebranding of the Authoritative Parenting style as discussed in the book. While I appreciate the concept of giving it a different name, generally I find myself disagreeing with the amount of parental authority and control that is required to raise resilient children that believe in themselves and take risks. I also firmly disagree with the assignment of gender roles in handling boys vs girls and father daughter relationships vs mother son relationships. I completely understand these arguments from a framework of faith. One thing I learned in my days as an evangelical, gender norms and constructs are generally used to uphold power dynamics and create a degree of rigidity in social environments that make everyone feel more “comfortable.” Like playing into expected roles will provide understanding on who you can be.
Disagreements aside, I can understand my feelings are based off my own experiences, and do not automatically make this a bad book. There are useful tools here, and I would have probably been in a much better position in my own childhood if my parents had consulted a book such as this. I do believe Sissy Goth and David Thomas to be individuals who care about children and parents achieving harmony in their lives.
May 2, 2026
One of THE BEST books on raising children I have ever read. I will definitely have to read this many times at different points of raising my kiddos.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I'm a huge fan of Sissy & David. I've read the majority of their books. I felt this one was their best one yet! I felt this was so affirming to me as a parent. It was so reassuring to hear the parenting experts reiterate that I as a parent instinctively know what is best for my child above all others. As a teacher, I loved hearing the experts talk about how we have 'over-corrected' and leaned too far into grounding and de-escalation techniques and we need to get back to rules/consequences. I too have tried to use deep breathing with my children when they are spiraling, only to find it failed miserably. This book was so reassuring to tell me that is the norm.
I loved the message of the book. As a teacher, I too see the learned helplessness of this generation only getting worse. I loved the overall message that WE cannot be our child's coping mechanisms. We have to enable our children to do these things for themselves or we're only setting them up for failure.
I wish I hate the paper copy as there were so many things I would love to easily reference in the moment and so many practical ideas I'd love to highlight.
Thank you so much for the ARC!
I loved the message of the book. As a teacher, I too see the learned helplessness of this generation only getting worse. I loved the overall message that WE cannot be our child's coping mechanisms. We have to enable our children to do these things for themselves or we're only setting them up for failure.
I wish I hate the paper copy as there were so many things I would love to easily reference in the moment and so many practical ideas I'd love to highlight.
Thank you so much for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It's important to note that this is a religious book; each chapter ends discussing biblical verses and how they relate to what was discussed in the chapter. But what the authors discuss which is not religious is very helpful and feels like well-grounded advice. What children are dealing with these days is very different compared to the past and that needs to be taken into consideration, which is done in this book (from social media to just the rapid-paced, dopamine-releasing short videos). I suggest actively taking notes while reading this book to really be able to walk away with concrete tools and new approaches. The religious part of this book confuses me because if you believe in God and prayer, then shouldn't just praying change behavior? Why even read a book or try other methods? Ignoring those parts, I would give this book a 4 stars.
Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for this free ARC; these opinions are fully my own.
Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for this free ARC; these opinions are fully my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What I loved most is the breakdown of the three "milestones"—emotional, social, and spiritual. It’s incredibly practical, giving you specific signs to look for in your kids and, more importantly, actionable steps to help them grow. The authors have a gentle, encouraging tone that makes you feel supported rather than judged.
The only reason I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that some of the sections felt a bit repetitive, and as a busy parent, I would have appreciated a few more "at-a-glance" summaries for quick reference. However, the insight into the different ways boys and girls process emotions is invaluable. It’s a great resource for anyone looking to raise resilient, kind, and truly "capable" humans.
The only reason I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that some of the sections felt a bit repetitive, and as a busy parent, I would have appreciated a few more "at-a-glance" summaries for quick reference. However, the insight into the different ways boys and girls process emotions is invaluable. It’s a great resource for anyone looking to raise resilient, kind, and truly "capable" humans.
April 30, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
I’m so grateful for Sissy and David and their heart to empower and equip parents to raise capable kids. If you’ve read The Anxious Generation, this is a helpful follow-up from a more mainstream Christian perspective. You can find a lot of the info in the first half of the book in their podcast episodes and interviews. The second half is a wealth of really practical exercises and ideas. I listened on audio and wished I had a hard copy for that reason. It’s a book that’s probably better processed and implemented over time.
(For Christians, just a heads up that they do refer to the enneagram and use The Message paraphrase throughout. There’s a lot of great content, though, so I’d encourage you to use discernment and pick the meat from the bones!)
I’m so grateful for Sissy and David and their heart to empower and equip parents to raise capable kids. If you’ve read The Anxious Generation, this is a helpful follow-up from a more mainstream Christian perspective. You can find a lot of the info in the first half of the book in their podcast episodes and interviews. The second half is a wealth of really practical exercises and ideas. I listened on audio and wished I had a hard copy for that reason. It’s a book that’s probably better processed and implemented over time.
(For Christians, just a heads up that they do refer to the enneagram and use The Message paraphrase throughout. There’s a lot of great content, though, so I’d encourage you to use discernment and pick the meat from the bones!)
April 17, 2026
As a fan of Sissy and David, I was so excited for this book and it did not disappoint! It had a good mix of practical advice and statistics/overview of issues. The audiobook has Sissy and David reading, and I find their narration to be informative and empathetic. This book has given me a lot to think about in raising my kids. It is geared more toward parents with kids 6+, but I still found it helpful as a parent of littles.
May 5, 2026
Capable is such an incredible book! I devoured this book and found so much truth, wisdom as well as practical solutions in it. In a world where it seems kids are becoming less capable, this book speaks to the why and how to fix it. It’s a must read for all parents and one I will be talking about and pondering over for a long time. Thank you David and Sissy!! THIS is what the world needs right now!
May 5, 2026
10/10! I loved this and felt so encouraged by the call for parents to trust not only in parenting experts, but also in our own God-given instincts as we raise strong, independent, and capable children—kids who know what emotions they’re feeling, how to manage them, and how to use them for good, while also understanding that emotions are temporary and fleeting.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick…” (Jeremiah 17:9)
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick…” (Jeremiah 17:9)
May 4, 2026
If I could give this 10 stars, I would! Loved that it was faith based, and appreciated it using Scripture sparingly. I listened to this book, but now want to purchase a hard copy for all the practical tips and ideas for helping create capable kids.
Want to Read
January 20, 2026I will read this book the minute it comes out. I love Sissy & David SO much and this book is coming exactly when I need it!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Another homerun for David and Sissy!!!!! A compassionate, clear, and interesting path forward for helping kids (and their parents) be more capable. Loved it!!!! I am going to wink more.
April 28, 2026
Such a great encouraging book to help us as parents to help ourselves and kids.
April 28, 2026
Nothing earth shatteringly new, but I loved how they wrote this and how they addressed this at a wide range of ages (including parents) strategies.
Read
May 4, 20264.5 stars. A better read for when my kids are older.
May 5, 2026
Lots of great parenting advice with practical ways to help strengthen kids independence, confidence and preparation for adulthood.
May 1, 2026
Check out my IG @that.whichislovely for a full review!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews