My father always showed tremendous respect for my mother in front of us. Not fake stuff, genuine admiration and courtesy. I've made it a point to do the same with my wife in front of the kids. Because if boys don't see their father treat their mother with honor and respect, why would they ever treat...
Started working on handshake etiquette with my boys this week. A firm grip, eye contact, and a genuine smile go a long way. Took them to meet my old business partner and you could see how much he respected them just from how they carried themselves. These little things matter. They show character. T...
Spent like 4 Saturdays cleaning up, fixing the fence, laying down new grass, and setting up a little fire pit area. Thought it might be a waste of time but now the kids actually want to be outside instead of glued to screens. My 10yo even asked if his friends could come over to play. Mission accompl...
We were just sitting in the car waiting for soccer practice to start and she randomly said it. Out of nowhere. No context. Just 'Dad you're the best dad ever.' That's it. That's the whole post. I don't need anything else in life now.
Dude I'm not crying you're crying. We've been working on this for like 3 months and today he just... did it. Rode all the way down the driveway without me holding on. My wife got it on video and I've watched it like 50 times already. He's asking if he can go ride with the neighborhood kids now. This...
I've noticed a lot of dads at my kids' school events wearing gym shorts and hoodies. Nothing wrong with comfort but I think there's value in dressing properly even for casual outings. Shows respect for your family and the occasion. I make it a point to wear slacks and a button up to baseball games a...
My father worked the same job for 42 years. Never complained, always put food on the table, never asked for recognition. Lost him last year and been thinking about what real leadership in a family looks like. It's not about being perfect or always having the answers. It's about showing up every sing...
Ok not really 47 but felt like it. Every time I thought I had everything I'd get up there and realize I forgot something. He helped the whole time though and got to use the power drill which made his year. Structurally it's probably fine. Definitely fine. Probably. Anyway it's up and he loves it.
Spent years thinking I should just tough it out. Turns out my anxiety has been running the show and my therapist helped me see patterns I never noticed. It's not a magic fix but talking to someone neutral about stuff I can't tell my wife or friends has been huge. Still feels weird saying I go to the...
I know it sounds cheesy but seriously. We started doing 10 minutes after dinner where everyone shares one thing they're thankful for and one thing they need prayer for. My kids actually open up during this time. My oldest told me about some friend drama he was dealing with, my daughter asked for pra...
After dinner each night we go around and everyone shares something they're grateful for, then we pray together. Been doing it for 3 weeks now. My 6 year old prayed for his teacher yesterday and asked God to help her have good days. My wife teared up. This is building something real with these kids. ...
Lost my temper at another driver yesterday, said some things I shouldn't have said. My 7 year old heard me and asked why I was being mean when I always tell him to be kind. Man that hurt. I apologized to him right there. Realized I need to actually walk the walk, not just talk about it. How do you a...
Working full time and I barely see my kids on weekdays. They're asleep when I leave and usually in bed by the time I get home. I try to do weekends but work stuff creeps in and I'm checking emails constantly. My 6 year old asked me yesterday why I'm always tired. That hit different. Anyone dealing w...
So my son comes home from school saying ALL his friends have TikTok. He's 8. EIGHT. I told him absolutely not but now he's been asking every single day for the past two weeks. My wife thinks maybe we should let him with parental controls but I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. Am I being too strict?...
Started doing 10 minute family devotionals after dinner and honestly it's changed the vibe in our house. Nothing fancy, just reading a passage and talking about it. My kids are asking questions and having real thoughts about faith instead of just going through the motions at church. My oldest said t...