Positively Dad

Not all relationships work out. That's not a surprise. What may be a surprise is just how that is impacting our kids. With divorce rates going up during the pandemic, it's important we understand how any conflict with our partner, or former partner, is affecting our children. We talked with Dr. Karey O'Hara from Arizona State University on the mental and physical health challenges kids face when their parents are divorced, separated or struggling in their relationships.

Have you ever had a tough day – a super stressful one – and tried to hide it from the kids? After all, we don’t want them to worry, right? Turns out – they can tell. They know when something is up. And, lets’ face it, often times Dads could teach a MasterClass in hiding emotions. Turns out – hiding our emotions and suppressing our stress – is – well – stressing our kids out. The last year has been a challenging one. It was right around this time last year that COVID became a real and major issue in this country. Schools started to close, sporting events were cancelled, offices shut down. That brought a lot of uncertainty and stress to many families – stress on top of the traditional day-to-day issues the average family faces. Terri and I were certainly worried about what was ahead – could we stay safe… what was going to happen with by job that required weekly travel and speaking to groups of 100+ daily. As I reflect on this time last year… well, life was stressful. And I did everything I could to keep Naomi from knowing about it. Well – it seems like she knew something was up. A study from Washington State University says our kids can tell when we’re stressed and TRY to hide it which – in turn – can make them more stressed. Truth is – we can and should be more open with our kids on how we’re feeling – especially right now – in the middle of a global pandemic. That’s what we’ll talk about today with Dr. Sara Waters – our stress, our kids’ stress and how to help all of us work through our feelings.

As we celebrate two years of Positively Dad, we're also are close to another anniversary, a year of COVID in the United States. Our lives have been so different over the last 12 months and it comes with so many challenges. Justin Su'a is all about keeping focused in the face of adversity. He's the mental performance coach with the Tampa Bay Rays and a father of three. He shares his strategies that help elite athletes that can help you too.

Parents are faced with what feels like an impossible situation... sending kids back to school during a pandemic. It's been a tough choice for many families. Do you send the kids back to the school building, do some type of e-learning or even homeschool? There are many factors at play too... your work situation, the educational needs of your kids, mental health and more. Dr. Hope Seidel is a mom of two, a parent coach (http://www.parentingcoaches.com) and a pediatrician in Cary, North Carolina. She has some great things for you to think about as we head back to school.

It’s back to school time – or is it? Coronavirus has the start of this school year up in the air. As COVID-19 cases rise in most of the country, administrators, teachers, parents and kids are being forced to make tough decisions. We'd like to help as you and your family consider this upcoming school year. We're kicking off this series with a conversation with Dr. William Haseltine. (https://www.williamhaseltine.com/) He's written the book A Family Guide to COVID and believes kids in most areas should stay home right now. He also says there are specific questions parents should ask schools before sending kids back. 

We’ve focused on race in America for our last several episodes. We talked about how we can talk with our kids about what we’ve seen over the last couple of weeks and how we can inspire change. Now it's time to move from inspiration to perspiration. Emerick Peace is a dad of two adult kids and he says now is the time to take action. Don't just talk - do something too. We'll talk about how all families can be part of the change and turn the moment into a movement.

Are you accepting to different perspectives? Be careful before you answer. Honestly ask yourself – are you really accepting to different perspectives? Dad of four, Josh Gossard, says that is one way we end racism in America. Josh is a white man, married to a black woman and with four biracial children and a grandson. He says our willingness to accept a different perspective is key to change.

We're continuing our series on Race in America with a conversation around inclusion and diversity with Derrick Slack. Derrick is a husband, father, social studies teacher and author. teaches kids about the importance of being kind and connecting with those who aren't like you. (http://www.dslack.com/) We have a powerful conversation on the state of race in America and how we can turn this moment into a movement.

We’re focusing on race in America for the next several episodes. We began our conversation with our last episode. I talked with Andrew Grant-Thomas from EmbraceRace about where we are today and how we can move forward. (https://positivelydad.com/podcast/race-in-america/) We talked about how we can talk with our kids about what we've seen over the last 10+ days and the underlying racial injustice that's been part of America's history for 400+ years. We'll continue these conversations over the next several weeks as we talk with fathers from all backgrounds about raising kids today. This week, we’re talking with Eric Lindsey from Boston. Eric is the father of two boys – ages 3 and 11 – and he’ll share how this moment is impacting his oldest son and the conversations he’s having about being black in America.

America is in crisis. 40 million unemployed, 100,000+ dead from Coronavirus and US cities are burning. This is a moment in history unlike we’ve seen in my lifetime. How do you talk about this with your family? How can you use this moment to actually inspire hope and change? We're talking with Andrew Grant-Thomas from Embrace Race (https://www.embracerace.org/) , an organization that helps parents raise children who can do just that - embrace all races. This is Andrew's second visit to Positively Dad. While this conversation is specific to what we're seeing in America at this moment, we had a more general conversation last year. It's called Learning to Embrace Race (https://positivelydad.com/podcast/learning-to-embrace-race-e36/) and would be a good one to hear after you listen to this episode.

It's no doubt that emotions are high right now. COVID-19 has us making change after change in our lives. It's impacting every part of our world and it can be tough on us, our partners and our kids. This week we present an encore conversation with (https://www.marcbrackett.com/about/book-permission-to-feel/) . This episode will help you and your family be aware of your emotions during what can be an emotional time.

Join us in supporting the  Positively Dad Virtual 5k & Family Fun Run (https://www.facebook.com/events/679791816170596/)  on May 30. In the last two months, Mattie Williams has nearly doubled the number of families it supports. Food is becoming more expensive for the center to purchase and so we've asked  Gigglewaters (https://www.gigglewaters.com)  to help. We talk with Janet Hooper, Director of the Mattie Williams Neighborhood Family Center and Rachel Wilson, owner of Gigglewaters on Facebook Live last week about the 5k and how you can help. This episode is a replay of that conversation. Your donation will to directly to purchasing food for the food pantry. Visit  https://www.toasttab.com/gigglewaters/v3 (https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.toasttab.com%2Fgigglewaters%2Fv3%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3bEKrHhVaCQES9wiEXp4tpqO0HUmNWByEzp-2-FOsyL38MZBzuK0sGgZA&h=AT3TrWM4Rc9QarGM7QTiJy_ckMovpa7QSIf7h1CkVoPEmrMyF5CRYp71wImcrsgnohfRsAm5jVA4H48DAVqci66Dk-E_OoNNtgYYDKOBqGuTDK_Q3WdDLjSpdaSXgaaWCmbn_jmJqO3pMLRVlk4jjg4U-YrWUmrywIAJ0Auu_jEax514l9aRg_pnBGMugqXajT6mw_YKtpArirEomz4F4om0bZvUNiiZHwXu4TXNnwgXikCyRt7yaLb9bkx3fUwt-eNjetQ6HhEHQDmygUpwqVD3rjtrj1mgnai71AjGTKokbN0GruKq83sjVAV2XG8vLzF9kPkb0SKztxYEo33mmte3Nm6-fYWr-tMocv_m-95VxqDM0ct3kn4WAeGHVC1alyhEGZDjBeWcwvQCG1NzYrz9pwg6qfMYYCRKQ31RoCbTRGL1iJfkCqm7cA_9IDM-DMzjT8RbTdC6YLHgFwzWLtlU23Wf4fjvnufqmzbmDGZqA-8EpODQZ-6myxzUFCTihND1NCIcEakK_HSyXJ6fJ3sbtZqZ0eceJYwHZUTgdE4yiC6V5xBnaF2hTlUvpKfZ38oaWyYAill923aBKQ7QAu8ANLZ9zOXWFUrxK4hjJmxI1lKfclKsjYyzpnYvFwgHuQ)  and select the "Giggles for Good" menu to donate. This link works only during Gigglewaters operating hours (11a-9p) and you can also donate via Venmo - @Gigglewaters and note that it's for the 5k. Be sure to RSVP for the event too at  www.positivelydad5k.com. (https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.positivelydad5k.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0XRvyJewSVZaChKQcjzS1vSx25lIsUe8pPICn6VCMWfDEaBhI3YmKTLg0&h=AT2cFqNT0wDccthbPl34NvUwGtxDfHHynUvEQLLkhBAYFYZLcB_FjnGmE3r8qz5OUBdISxTq-9WeoZWO66_Tt_-Whu-eUahfMgrqYFhYfyqJUhOIiB4aWpDRbmoCrA9qeaWx1dmu-wTDfcLGewmFB7jAG5nvpJzzZFryph1Cln8Xmd6T7aCBPH4iRnpXsco955RODHmxNi5Y0X7Exm56BpqbfiEREVzvJW3OEIy6EBCzzB5iFGC2lGxUoQfoVvVnWTg8Nus17NrI2d_W0k9YR-JQSS-XuPrYiuJzbnHtzDbyXKiHWORdufXvQtgILu_vJ26v53YdIboK79t1a2yB_dLJm5gYi1gIkIq5NiKoFktalVCNJPejJcqghdBs_0yIe1xuHFn7wc0EYQc-mITXNawmUlI0McTHYOkBd1s9mIGDSERigypglW2VCK6PDdrM1iqETeh_7gDJ8Boqnch7GDT50wQjYoCcJB6KykZlp8dxh3Qxh4HZo_8-gbXqm-AZTfA12WbZJUjJKw5kw7UwsUvWq_K-WwCb84qbuiEYrBM0-Zpf7ApMtc4-3ViwGQLgQekORXKXMPgkOOHkRM2yaEn2CpbeBnqfOJKoVz9GxvWrW73HIKFIg5NNMD2fuw24eA) Thanks for supporting Mattie Williams and our Safety Harbor community!

Wil Loesel left his corporate job to become a middle school math teacher. Just six months into his first year in teaching, everything changed. Concerns over COVID-19 shutdown the school and Wil had to move his classes online. What this dad of two didn't realize is that Coronavirus was nothing compared to the battle he was about to fight.

It's a common cause of stress for families... money. The economic impact of COVID-19 isn't helping. Nearly 36 million Americans are out of work and almost 70% of adults in this country say they are worried about money. (https://www.nfcc.org/wp-content/themes/foundation/assets/files/NFCC_Discover_2020_FLS_Datasheet%20With%20Key%20Findings_Clean.pdf) Jay Gabrini wants to help and his organization, Prepared Fathers (https://www.facebook.com/preparedfathers/) , is doing just that. He joins us to share tips on fatherhood and finances.

Jason White's girls have been homeschooled their entire lives - until this year. His three daughters went to public school last fall and now they're back home again, just like the rest of us. Jason has some advice that can help the rest of us who are figuring out homeschool for the first time.

Our now normal is here to stay and we'll continue to be a resource for you. We welcome back Sunshine Parenting (https://sunshine-parenting.com/) for an important conversation on parenting during a pandemic.

We're in challenging times. How are you doing? You know, it's OK to not be OK. Sometimes we feel like we have to be the strong dad when we may be struggling inside. This week we're talking with Mark Williams about our mental well-being. He is part of an organization called Fathers Reaching Out (https://www.reachingoutpmh.co.uk/) and specializes in mental health, fathers and family.

No doubt you’d like your kids to grow up to become amazing, successful and happy adults. That’s the end goal of being a dad, right?!?! To set your kids up for success in life. So are you doing that? You likely think you are. (https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Campers-Secrets-Raising-Thriving/dp/1546081798) She shares how we can take what happens at camp and bring it home.

Brian Lewis is a dad of three and wants is kids to grow up in an uplifting home. That can be tough at times and he and his wife work really hard to keep things positive. Brian shares how they believe we can build a true connection with our kids. It's a follow up to the episode we did with Brian's wife, Katherine Reynolds Lewis on behavior (https://positivelydad.com/podcast/parents-kids-and-their-behavior-what-really-works/) and one that will help you see what really happens in their home.

Social distancing is a way of life right now. We're staying home and away from others. What is the impact on our kids and teens? It's may not be a big issue for young kids. It can be one for school age kids and only children. Dr. Amy Learmonth from William Paterson University shares what parents should know about how social distancing could make kids socially distant.

Your kids are home from school, most of their after school events are cancelled, they don't get to play with their friends as much, so what do you do? Many parents are worried about kids over-using technology and spending too much time on screens. We talked with (https://www.amazon.com/New-Childhood-Raising-Thrive-Connected/dp/0316437247) about screen use right now. Is it the big issue many parents think it is and how do our rules around tech change right now? It's a follow up to a conversation we had with him last year on the idea of screen time and we believe it will help you right now.

Let’s talk about our kids, their behavior, their decision making and how we’re helping them and holding them back. The days of, “because I’m the dad” are over. The research shows that style of parenting just doesn’t work. Spanking, screaming – even the time out – are out. So what do we do? How do we as parents teach our kids to grow into great people, how do we set the expectations of what’s acceptable and what isn’t, how can we begin to remove the stress of helping our kids grow up? Those are the answers we intend to get from (https://www.katherinerlewis.com/book)

You already know, family life is very different right now. More people are working from home, nearly every American child is out of school, families are making massive adjustments to make it all work. It turns out the adjustments we're being forced to make may actually be good for our families. Dr. Matthias Doepke from Northwestern University and a team of researchers is looking at how our response to stopping COVID-19 is impacting family life. (https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/03/economy/childcare-gender-equality-coronavirus/index.html) While it will be several years before they know the true results, they believe there are some benefits for moms and dads and some challenges for some families.

We’re in challenging times People are losing jobs at a record rate, small businesses are closing, your kids are away from their friends. You may be nervous, uncertain or scared. You may be wondering when it will “go back to normal.” Your faith may be tested. Today we're talking with Pastor Willy Rice from Calvary Church (www.calvary.us) in Clearwater, Florida, on how you keep faith in times of doubt.

90% of children across the world are out of school. No recess, no PE, no extracurricular activities. That means we get to work together as a family to stay fit and healthy. We talked with Chris Wright of the Youth Sport Trust in the UK about why it's important that we keep moving. He shared some great resources that will help you and your family.

It was a message in our group chat, "How are you doing?" A friend wanted to know how we were coping through life today. It was a great question and one we figured we could answer together. Today we talk with two great dads, Scott Stevens and Robert Eaton about how they're living during Coronavirus.

Our lives have been thrown upside down. It's been tough for many families and you may be a bit more stressed. How can we help our kids, teens and family cope? We talked with Dr. Kelly Tu from the University of Illinois about how we can get through this and how to manage the feelings and stress our entire family may be experiencing.

It's a different time. We're all being asked to make sacrifices as we look to battle COVID-19. School is out, you're working from home, events are cancelled. It' kinda stinks. Our view of this situation has changed over the last couple weeks and we thought we'd share how we're looking at it as a family. We trust that you are making the best choices for you and your family and also thought you may be open to the conversation on how we got where we are. Terri and Naomi join me for a special episode of Positively Dad.

Nearly every school system in the country is closed and now you're a home school parent. Some parents are worried about how to make it work or what the day should look like. Others are nervous about their child getting behind or not doing enough learning during the day. We asked a 12 year elementary teacher to help us set up our kids and families for success.

We're entering a new normal. Schools closed, sports suspended, concerts rescheduled. Life as we knew it is hitting the pause button and we're in new times. How can we help our kids and ourselves during the Coronavirus outbreak? Dr. Rebecca Schrag Hersberg is an expert on parenting and she shares some things we can think about (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/little-house-calls/202003/parenting-during-covid-19) that will help our families move forward.

Nearly 5 million American kids are out of school as the government looks to stop the spread of the deadly Coronavirus. How can parents make this extended time at home work? Educator and author Dave Schmittou joins us in a special edition of Positively Dad to help parents make the most of this time.

Life gets busy and keeping things moving with the family is tough for many. That's why some American families turn to an au pair for help. That's what Chris and Nicole Lessard decided to do to help with their three children and their busy schedules. There are so many misunderstandings about an au pair does and how the process works. Chris shares how having one is helping their family and how it's helping him stay connected to his kids.

We all desire a dynamic relationship with our family. It's not easy. Truly having strong and healthy relationships can come with challenges. (https://www.amazon.com/Starved-Stuff-Feeding-Healthy-Relationships/dp/0615351700) shows us how we can have great ones with our partner, children, friends - just about anyone. He'll share the seven basic needs of healthy relationships and tips to help you connect at a higher level with those you care about.

Shawn Watson was addicted to meth. His life was spent in and out of jail until he made a decision to put that life behind him. Now Shawn is a single dad raising his 11 year old daughter. He shares his story of fatherhood and his road to recovery and redemption.

Our kids, especially our daughters, are more stressed than ever. Some of that stress is good, it helps them grow and learn - like the stress over taking a test or learning something new. So when can it move past the good and into something where we should be concerned? How can we support our daughters in getting through the normal anxieties of life? Our guest will help us with that. Dr. Lisa Damour is an expert on young people and helping them through their stress. (https://www.drlisadamour.com/under-pressure/) she shares how we can be there for our daughters and help them when they need us.

It's our one year anniversary and it's time to celebrate! Thank you for supporting Positively Dad and our mission to help you become a better parent, partner and person. We thought we'd celebrate today by going back to the beginning and sharing an encore of our first episode. A Dad's role is changing. You’re spending more time with your family, helping out more at home and more engaged with your children. There are more single dads than ever, more stay at home dads than ever and more two dad families than ever. We talk with Dr. Kevin Shafer of Brigham Young University about his study of fatherhood, how dads role is changing and what it means for you.

Michael Flores' dad wasn’t around when he was growing up. In fact, Michael says that his dad "left and never looked back." Unfortunately, that’s the story for many kids in the country – dads who, for some reason or another, just aren’t there. We’ve talked to several dads who have similar stories and every single one of them tells me it’s their goal to break that cycle. Michael is doing that and he’s going to share that story with you today.

Yes, we just want to help. We want our kids to realize things aren’t as bad as they think. We have so much more experience… if they would only listen. It’s something we think often and it’s making us struggle in connecting with your kids. And then the older our kids get, the less effective this type of parenting can be. Dr. Kelly Tu from the University of Illinois (https://hdfs.illinois.edu/directory/ktfrantz) did the research on what’s stressing kids out and how parents are sometimes contributing to that stress. She says that as kids grow up and begin puberty, we sometimes do more harm than good. This is an important conversation for parents who intend to support their kids and help them navigate all that comes with growing up.

Mark Solomon is a member of the U.S. Navy Reserves and he’s getting ready for a year away from his family in service to our country. That means he’ll be away from his wife and two teenage boys for a year of school, holidays and moments. It's the story nearly two million American families experience. What does that look like? How do you share with your kids you’ll be gone, how do you set up your family so they are prepared and how can we help military families while mom or dad are gone? 

Do you ever feel like life is the same story – different day? Day after day after day is the same – with no real sense of direction or purpose. Or maybe you do feel like you’re living on purpose and even more clarity or direction could help you. Think about what life is like for your kids when they know why they’re here and what their life should be about. This week we talk with magazine (https://www.success.com/author/simon-t-bailey/) . His latest book is “Be The Spark” and we talked about how we, as dads, can get clarity around the purpose of our life and how we can share that with our kids. He’ll share some powerful questions you can ask yourself and your family so you are truly have a life worth living.

If you'd ask Jon and Brittany Brooks they'd tell you their life is awesome. Great marriage, successful business and a new baby girl. They'd also admit that the last year has been a "beautiful disaster." Jon and Brittany joined us to share their story of the last year and all they've learned about balancing family and business.

If you’ve been listening to us for a while, you know that learning about others, understanding diversity and getting to know people from different cultures, religions and backgrounds, is important to us as a family. children’s books (https://www.saadiafaruqi.com/fiction/) and her mission is to educate others about different cultures, religions and people. The Yasmine books are about an Muslim-American girl navigating second grade and Saadia’s goal is to teach us that we’re more the same than we are different. It’s important conversation for parents too – Saadia says there are so many misconceptions about Muslims in America – mostly because of the September 11th attacks. She says we can do more to get to know each other.

New dad Glen Bulloss couldn't figure out why he wasn't happy after he became a dad. What was supposed to be an amazing time in his life didn't feel like one. It turns out he, like many new parents, suffered from postpartum depression. Yes, dads experience it too. One study says it's actually just as common with dads as moms. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2018/07/30/new-fathers-should-be-screened-for-postnatal-depression-too-study-finds/#787081fb51b6) Glen listened to an earlier (https://positivelydad.com/podcast/episode-9-postpartum-depression-for-dads/) where we talked with Indiana University's Dr. Erika Cheng about postpartum depression. That's when Glen realized he needed help. Glen joined us to tell his story and share how he hopes to help other families. You can support Glen's Trailblaze Challenge here. (https://secure2.wish.org/site/TR?px=5105175&fr_id=3471&pg=personal)

Parenting isn't easy and it's making you unhappy. (https://kjdellantonia.com/) and she joins us this week for a conversation with dads.

The entire world was shocked with Sunday's news. Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash in southern California. Since then we've heard so many stories about how important being a father was to Kobe. One man got an up close look at Kobe the dad. His name is Russ Davis and he's the head coach of the women's basketball team at Vanguard University. Kobe often held practice for his daughter's team at the Vanguard facility. We talked with Coach Davis about his relationship with Kobe and what he learned from him as a man, coach and father.

We're just about a month into a new year. How's it going? Chances are you planned to make some changes in 2020, yet most people fail to pull off those New Year's resolutions. (https://www.inc.com/marla-tabaka/why-set-yourself-up-for-failure-ditch-new-years-resolution-do-this-instead.html) turned it into a book. (http://myoneword.org/) We talked with him about how selecting one word in 2020 may help you and your family.

Kelly McCann made a major shift when his daughter was born. He gave up the big career to focus on being a dad. Now, this dad of four is both - a great dad and a successful business owner with his wife Leah. He shares how he changed his focus and began living his life by design.

Sexual harassment is real and it’s happening earlier in life than you think.  (https://barbaradeebooks.com/books/maybe-he-just-likes-you/) . She takes a look at harassment and #metoo through the eyes of a seventh grader. We're releasing this encore episode as a follow-up to last week's conversation with Tony Porter from A Call To Men. (https://positivelydad.com/podcast/a-call-to-dads/) While men are making progress in supporting women, there is still work to do. It’s an important conversation for all parents and one Barbara says we must have and an issue we must address.

What does it mean to be a purposeful parent? Father of two, Ladd Gasparovic believes he knows and he says it's important in raising his kids. This week he shares how all of us can be purposeful with how we engage, support and spend time with our families.

Dads, it's time we have a real conversation about fatherhood and manhood. Are we truly being the best we can be or are we falling prey to old stereotypes? Could we be causing harm without even realizing it? Are we really supporting our partners and children? We'll answer these questions in our conversation with 2010 TED Talk at TEDWomen. (https://www.ted.com/talks/tony_porter_a_call_to_men?language=en#t-707) It's been watched nearly 3 million times. We talked with him about some classic traps of manhood and how we can truly make a difference in our families and the community.

Gary Brackett keeps beating the odds and he says his mindset is the reason why. Now he's made it is mission to help others do the same. Gary went from walk-on at Rutgers to team captain and from undrafted to Super Bowl champion with the Indianapolis Colts. We talk with Gary about how we can think like a champion and help our kids do the same. As a father of three, he knows just how important it is for us to help our children think big.