Brave Parenting

Ep. 239: The Teenage “Tradwife” and a Biblical Worldview of Marriage

Brave Parenting

Show Notes

Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that teens have taken up the “tradwife” mantle and have begun building their personal brands and influencer content by adulterating the sanctity of marriage. Over the past month, there has been a whirlwind of commentary surrounding the teen tradwife trend – teens who’ve opted to get married early and share on social media how much they love marriage, submitting to their husbands, and not working. It’s obvious that teens absorb and assimiliate to much of the viral content they see on social media. Now, teens and young adults are creating content around traditional marriage values in order to be seen, gain followers, and go viral.

In today’s episode, Kelly explains the tradwife trend and the real motivation for capturing pieces of your marriage and posting them as content for public consumption. Kelly argues that the motivation is nothing more than performance aimed at gaining attention. Examining the most popular TikTok video (the video that “broke” the internet), it’s easy to see how this content can deceive young girls into thinking this is what marriage is (and not liking the social media portrayal) or to jump into a romanticized version of marriage because the influencers make it look so blissful. Either way, it’s not biblical. Kelly ends with emphasizing the biblical definition of marriage and calls women to step into teen girls’ lives, ask questions, and help shape a biblical understanding of the institution of marriage.

Articles referenced:

Teenagers are buying into the tradwife fantasy, literally and figuratively

Pew: 12th Grade Girls are Less Likely than Boys to Say They Want to Get Married Someday

TikTok: Ava Ahavat

What Does Coram Deo Mean?

Scripture referenced:

Genesis 2:24

1 Thessalonians 4:11

Matthew 6:1

Ephesians 5:22-23

Matthew 5:14-16

Proverbs 31

Revelation 19:7-9

1 Peter 3:3-4

Romans 12:2

NEW!! The Managing Media Creating Character STUDENT Study Guide!

An 8-week biblical study examining how character is impacted by media and technology. This is the study every youth group/student ministry needs to be doing!

Get your copy of the STUDENT Study Guide today!

Need a kids-safe phone? Pinwheel is our favorite!

Book a Speaking Event!!

Buy the UPDATED book: Managing Media Creating Character (2024 Revised & Updated). Also available on Audible.

Get Kelly’s new Study Guide & Workbook, with video teachings for small groups.

Check out our brand new Brave Parenting Merch

Sign up for the Brave Bullet Points newsletter! This helps us communicate what’s happening without social media – a win for everyone!

More from Brave Parenting

Oct 21, 2026

For many Christian parents, horror movies or even just less graphic movies that are scary can be difficult to navigate. Are kids finding pleasure in the evil and gore? Are there any benefits other than entertainment? Will this movie put ideas or images into my kid’s mind that won’t leave and that stir up fear?

Oct 14, 2026

Grand Theft Auto is already one of the most successful video games ever. And now, the extraordinarily anticipated GTA VI is set to finally launch on November 19th. It’s poised to become one of the biggest entertainment events in history. This gives parents an opportunity to consider the media we consume and allow our children to consume.

Oct 7, 2026

Meta’s new Muse AI is more than a chatbot – it’s an agent. Capable of managing your emails, scheduling appointments, making purchases, and managing your finances, this agent’s goal is to make your life better. More than that, Meta’s philosophy is to provide everyone with superintelligence to help each person achieve their individual goals.

Oct 2, 2026

In his new book Restoring Childhood, evolutionary psychologist Peter Gray argues that declining childhood independence, excessive adult control, and achievement-driven education – not smartphones or social media – are responsible for the decline in youth mental health. While Gray rightly points to societal shifts that have led to the loss of childhood, including the responsibility parents must own, he misunderstands today’s online environment and how formative it is for children. He suggests that video games and social media are a way to restore childhood autonomy and independence.

Sep 23, 2026

MrBeast has mastered the YouTube algorithm, built a business empire, and used his influence to give away millions of dollars. But what is his content teaching children? What happens when generosity, spectacle, and the attention economy are mixed together? In this episode, Kelly examines MrBeast through a biblical worldview, exploring the attention economy, philanthropy as entertainment, and how much spectacle influences children. She also gives parents practical ways to guard their children’s YouTube use and guide them towards biblical discernment in the media they consume.

See all episodes →