Quick Tips For Dads

Today's guest, Matt Purcell, currently works as an international lawyer for Simplot in Boise. After starting his career as a lawyer on the east coast he returned to his native Boise Idaho to work with Micron and eventually landed at Simplot. In today's discussion, we talk about the difficulties of traveling and working internationally while simultaneously trying to be a good father and husband. We discuss setbacks and triumphs as Matt tells about his journey. He gives advice to students and full-time workers alike. His advice is applicable to anyone trying to be a better father, husband, mother, wife, etc... We discuss how creating memories with our kids will cultivate a lifelong bond that won't easily be broken. We also discuss how much a small phone call in the middle of the day from your kids can mean to a parent. It was an honor to chat with Matt and I hope any listener can take this interview, find nuggets of wisdom, and become a little bit better because of it. Enjoy! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

How much good does losing your patience and yelling at your kids do? In my experience, not a lot. In today's episode, I discuss the eighth point from dailydad.com's article on 9 ways to be a better father today. This episode discusses being patient with your kids, even though they will get on your nerves. Being a parent is difficult, but lacking patience will make everything harder. I promise. My advice to all parents today is to "fight like hell" to keep your cool. Your life will be better, and your kids' lives will be better. Link to Article: https://dailydad.com/9-ways-to-be-a-better-father-right-now/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Today I diverge slightly from the 9 part series to talk about my dad. He has always been a great example of me of someone who loves and cares for my mom. Enjoy --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Have you ever been let down because someone didn't live up to your expectations? Did you voice that expectation? Was that expectation reasonable? We all have expectations for ourselves, our kids, etc... but we need to make sure those expectations are fair and not unreasonable. You would never expect a 5-year-old to act like a 16-year-old, and you would never expect a 16-year-old to act like a 21-year-old. These expectations would be unfair and unreasonable. Today I discuss how you should not set unreasonable expectations for your kids. Whether that is to be the star athlete you weren't or to play in Carnegie Hall like you couldn't, it doesn't matter. Setting those unfair expectations for your kids will only do more damage than good. Link to Article: https://dailydad.com/9-ways-to-be-a-better-father-right-now/ Music by Lesfm from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

How well do you know your kids? Do you know that your two-year-old loves tractors; or that your teenager loves sports? In today's discussion on tip number 6 from the article 9 ways to be a better father today from dailydad.com I discuss getting on your kid's level and how we can connect with them to teach them and help them grow into better people. Link to Article: https://dailydad.com/9-ways-to-be-a-better-father-right-now/ Music by Lesfm from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

I really like this piece of advice. I remember times in my life when an adult, whether my parent or another person, shared their problems with me and it only brought me down. I remember feeling worse for having had that interaction. I think this piece of advice today really hits home just how oversharing could harm our children. We need to find healthy ways to work out our problems, leave work at work, and find help in appropriate places. Link to Article: https://dailydad.com/9-ways-to-be-a-better-father-right-now/ Music by Lesfm from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Have you ever been the recipient of someone else's bad day? When someone takes out their frustrations with their own life on you? Imagine that you are the one having a bad day, and you decide to take it out on your child. That isn't fair and it is something that a good father would try to avoid doing at all costs. In this episode, I discuss how we can be chain breakers in our own families with our children. We can break the trauma chain by not taking out our own trauma on our children. We can be the ones that save generations from addiction, trauma, and other issues if we are willing to recognize and work through our own difficult times. Enjoy! Link to Article: https://dailydad.com/9-ways-to-be-a-better-father-right-now/ Music by Lesfm from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

This tip is not so much about directly doing something for your kids, but rather doing something that will give them an example. Going out, one on one, with your spouse once a week. Committing to a date night can seem daunting, especially if you are low on funds, available babysitters, stressed, or in the middle of a global pandemic. While not easy, this is definitely worth doing. It will bless your marriage, which in turn, will bless your kids. Link to Article: https://dailydad.com/9-ways-to-be-a-better-father-right-now/ Music by Lesfm from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

In part 2 of the 9 ways to be a better father series, I discuss setting an example for your kids. It has been more applicable to me lately because my toddler has begun talking. He repeats every word we say. We realized that our example is his primary source of teaching. This has made me and my wife really take inventory of our own lives to see if we can be better examples to him. Link to Article: https://dailydad.com/9-ways-to-be-a-better-father-right-now/ Music by Lesfm from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Today's episode and the next 8 will focus on an article written by Ryan Holliday on dailydad.com. He writes about 9 ways we can become better fathers. I will read excerpts from his article and discuss different stories from my own experience as a dad. Today I discuss putting our phones away when we are with our children and how we can all be better at this. Link to Article: https://dailydad.com/9-ways-to-be-a-better-father-right-now/ Music by Lesfm from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Have you ever acted in a way that you wish you could take back? Do you wish that there was an undo feature in your life? I know I have and do wish at times I could have rewound 30 seconds and redone what I had done. In this episode, we discuss how anger can damage you and how you can combat it with some lessons from my life and the ancient Stoics. Enjoy! Music by Lesfm from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Today I am excited to share with you my interview with Aaron Shields. As a former rocket scientist and software developer, Aaron found a passion for helping others and finding connections with people. Through this connection, he found that coaching was a way to achieve his goals of helping people on a more individualized scale. Aaron is a Ramsey-certified financial coach as well as a life coach. He and his wife recently started their own coaching business and are changing lives one at a time. In this episode, we discuss all things finance, relationships, boundaries, and coaching. We discuss how his definition of success has changed in recent years to focus on things he can control. Enjoy this chat with Aaron Shields. If you are interested in connecting with Aaron, you can reach him at his website here: https://www.mountainsidementoring.com/ Music by Lesfm from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Today I discuss the work of Ryan Holiday from his book "Ego is the Enemy". It was an incredibly impactful book for me and I hope that some of the topics covered can be impactful to you as well. I talk about how we often have a passion for something and how that passion can't last, it is like a candle that burns out. We need a purpose to help us overcome some of the obstacles and challenges in our lives. This lesson has helped me in law school and as a father and husband. I hope that it can help you tooo. Enjoy. Link to the book: https://amzn.to/3teLLfT --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

It's simple today, I tell a few funny stories from the book of my nieces and nephews. My Mother-in-law created a book of all the funniest things the kids have said over the years. I share a few of those stories with you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Today I was talking with my cohost of the Law School Student Hour, Garrett Speak, and he said something that really struck a chord with me. Paraphrased he said, "fatherhood is the adventure." It got me thinking, of all the adventures that I want to go on, do I consider fatherhood as the most important? Do I view fatherhood as the greatest adventure on which I will ever embark? Today I discuss how fatherhood really is the greatest adventure you will ever encounter and how that adventure will last a lifetime. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Today was a tough day as a dad. Our little guy decided to fall and nearly bite through his tongue. There was a lot of blood and tears. It was rough. After visiting the doctor's office, we learned a valuable lesson. There is almost nothing I would not do for my child. The doctor asked if we were okay to drive 30 minutes to the nearest pediatric emergency room, and of course, we were. We would have driven way more than that to make sure our baby was okay. It wasn't even a question. We went to the emergency room and got him checked out, thankfully he was healing properly and it was determined that he wouldn't need stitches. We are so glad that he is okay. I am extremely grateful for the lesson that we learned. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Have you as a dad ever had the thought that you couldn't do it? That life was just too difficult as a dad? I know that there are a lot of dads that feel that way. They feel the crushing pressure to be a good father, provider, husband, etc... It can be hard. Today I discuss how we need to rise to the occasion and not shrink from our duties as fathers and husbands. You can do this, I promise. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Finals in law school are an interesting thing. They are often the only grade you get over the course of the semester. Your entire grade rests upon your ability to take one test. It's difficult. This semester we took our finals in person, which did not happen in 2020, and I noticed something. A lot of people showed up in sweats, looking like they didn't shower. It got me thinking, how do I show up in my life? Am I prepared for what is to come or am I showing up totally unprepared? How do I show up for my kids? How do I show up for my wife? I discuss all of this in today's episode. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

If you have ever met Grayson Butler, you would know that he is a genuinely kind man. He exudes love for all those with whom he interacts. After a few years as an accountant, he decided that he wanted a change of scenery and went on to teach for 23 years as a seminary and institute teacher for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' Church Education System. Today we discuss what teaching taught him about being a better father and husband. We discuss how caring and loving for our children and students should be our first priority. Please enjoy this interview with Grayson Butler. Music by Lesfm from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

In today's episode, Garret and I discuss things we've learned this week as fathers and things we've learned as students. As we approach finals we discuss improving ourselves, because we can't force anyone else to change, and we talk about having open lines of communication with our wives. We also discuss things that have benefited us as students this week, about kindness and paying attention to the details. It was a great conversation. Enjoy! If you want to skip ahead to each part here is the breakdown - Lessons learned as a father: 2:35 Lessons learned as a student: 21:57 Q&A: 38:54 Music by Lesfm from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Last week, someone generously bought me lunch. It was a pretty small act of kindness, but for whatever reason, it made my entire day. Today I discuss how we should never suppress a generous thought. Enjoy. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Have you ever learned a lesson that you feel like you need to share? Last night I learned a lesson that I hope I can remember forever and share with anyone who will listen. Yesterday was my birthday and my wife and I had planned to spend time together and relax, something we haven't done in a while. So instead of following my normal routine with the baby and being the one who bathes him and gets him ready for bed, I went to the store to get ice cream while my wife got him ready. He did not like that and he ended up going to bed significantly later than we had hoped. It taught me a couple of important things. 1. Each parent brings a unique and important role to the child, and 2. that routine and structure are so important to our children. Enjoy! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Today Garrett and I discuss again mental health and how we have been handling our individual semesters in law school. Thanks for listening, enjoy! Music by Lesfm from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

I heard a story about a dad teaching his son how to drive. After a minute of swaying and rough driving, the dad said, "where are you looking?" His son said frustratedly, at the road. His dad realized his son was only looking immediately in front of the car, instead of off in the distance. He taught him that if he could expand his view, he wouldn't swerve so much. Today's discussion is about keeping your eyes in the distance. Not letting yourself get knocked off track because your view is too narrow. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

My guest in this episode is a friend of mine named Scott Stewart. Seventeen years ago he became an instant dad when he married a woman that had two children. In our interview, we talk about some things he wishes he could have done better, things he believes he did well, and everything in between. It was an extremely insightful conversation and I hope it can add value to your lives. Enjoy! Music by Lesfm from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Today's discussion on the law school student hour with Garrett Speak is all about mental health. In my first week as a 1L, I was told that law students often struggle with mental health. Even more than any other professional degree. This often entails substance abuse and addiction. After my first year of law school, I found myself on the other side of the line, with my mental health better than it had been in years. We discuss how we are keeping our heads above water and what we can do to ensure our mental health continues to improve. Music by Lesfm from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Sometimes we have rough days. That's totally okay. Sometimes bad days happen, but one bad day does not make a bad life. Work to figure out how to make the next day better, and little by little, your life will improve. Today I discuss how one bad day doesn't make a bad life. Enjoy! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Have you ever stopped yourself from doing something because you were worried about what someone else might say? I know i have, and I've always regretted not doing something because of some worry about someone else's opinion. Today I discuss having a beginner's mindset and that if people make fun of or belittle you, it usually says a lot more about those people, than it does you. It's scary to feel dumb, but it doesn't matter, because with discomfort comes growth. Get out there, be uncomfortable, look dumb, and grow. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Today I had the great pleasure to interview Neal Koskella, a partner at Givens Pursley, a law firm in Boise Idaho. We discuss ways to balance work, school, and being a dad. In our discussions whether having balance is even possible and how he strives to make time with his kids even when he is a busy attorney. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to Neal and hope this can add value to anyone who listens to this. Enjoy! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Being a law student and a dad at the same time can be difficult. Today we started the weekly conversation with my buddy Garrett Speak a fellow law student. He attends the Mitchell Hamline School of Law in Minnesota while I am here at the University of Idaho in Boise. This will be a weekly discussion about life, law school, and being a parent. We discuss things we are learning, things we wish we would have done better, and so on. It was a great conversation with him today. Enjoy. Music by Lesfm from Pixabay --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Have you ever been inexplicably afraid? So afraid of something, but you had no idea what it was? Was it a vague fear in the future that crippled you? Today I discuss how articulating your fear can help you combat them. Think about what is the worst that could happen and compare it to the best. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Have you ever had momentum going when all of a sudden you miss one day and everything comes to a screeching halt? I had that happen to me this week with the gym. The baby woke up in the middle of the night, so I slept in (accidentally) and missed the gym. The next day it was so easy to not go to the gym... then finally today I was able to pull myself out of bed and get to the gym. Today's discussion revolves around how having momentum can really help in any discipline. Activation takes a lot more energy than continuing. If you can avoid that activation energy use, you will probably continue further. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

I've heard a lot lately about having the courage to leave a marriage. I admit marriage is hard and it takes work. What I haven't heard is people qualifying why you need the courage to leave. If there is abuse, infidelity, fraud, then yes you need the courage to leave. If there isn't, and you just can't get along, do you have the courage to stay and work it out? Do you have the courage to try and reconnect with your wife? Can you be less selfish, or giving? Can you be better? Today I discuss these things and encourage you to have the courage to stay. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

How can you tell the quality of a crew? Today, I discuss how the quality of any crew is measured by how well it performs through adversity. Adversity can kill us or make us stronger. Our families are our crew that we are trying to make high quality. Be better to make your crew better. As a dad, be the captain of a high-quality crew. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

If going to law school has taught me anyting, it is that there is nuance in everything, and it can be beautiful. As law students, we are tasked to see both sides and try to understand arguments for and against certain points. It can be difficult sure, but it changes the way you see the world. For example, whenever I hear someone use an argument that could fit on a bumper sticker, I cringe. I want to dig deeper and see the underlying reasoning behind what people way. Today I discuss how nuance can benefit you as a person, and a parent. Enjoy! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Only you see the world the way you do, so share it. Today I discuss something I read about our impact on the future of the world. If we keep the way we see the world totally to ourselves, the world could be missing out on something great. Imagine if Walt Disney had thought his view of the world was ridiculous. Our world would be drastically different. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Sometimes I think about things that I wish someone would have told me before becoming a dad. One of those things is the importance of talking about money with your spouse. Budgeting has been an extremely helpful tool in our marriage. Having a budget is about so much more than just spending less money. Having a budget is you telling your money what to do. A budget is how you can develop a healthy relationship with money. Today begins the first in our family finances series, where I discuss with my co-host, Alex Osborn, different facets of family finances. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Today, I discuss my thoughts on a quote I heard a while back. Rising tides lift all boats. When we improve our lives, the lives of those around us improve. Our example will hopefully inspire those around us to improve themselves. Be the rising tide. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Today I discuss whether going back to school as a dad is a good thing. For me, it has changed my life. I love learning but school isn't necessarily for everyone. School can be hard, and adding a wife and kids to the mix makes it even harder. I believe it is a very personal decision, but a potentially very rewarding one. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Living life in a pandemic was rough. Sometimes it feels like it will ruin our lives, but as Marcus Aurelius has said "it can only ruin your life if it ruins your character". Today I discuss my experience with this quote. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

What do the veteran players on the New Zealand All Blacks do when they win the world cup? The answer might surprise you. They clean out the locker room for the younger players on the team, they call it, sweeping the sheds. I learned this lesson a few years ago from a mentor of mine named Brian Holman the former coach of the University of Utah Men's Lacross team. It is a lesson that still resonates with me. Today I discuss how we can sweep the sheds in our own lives. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Today I give pre-marriage self some advice. Inspired by a friend who is getting married soon, I give my younger self some advice. Dealing with the stresses of planning a wedding can be difficult, but a marriage can be rewarding if we apply a few key attributes. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Have you ever had a moment where you think to yourself that being a dad really is awesome? I had one of those moments today and decided to make an episode about why being a dad is awesome. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Perspective is an interesting thing. It can make our problems seem so much smaller. I believe that is helpful in combating the negativity in our lives. Today I discuss Sir Earnest Shackelton's 1914-1916 adventure in the South Pole. They suffered to stay alive but they all made it, frostbite and all. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

What is your greatest fear? Author Marianne Williamson doesn't believe that it is that we are inadequate. She believes that our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. Today I discuss this quote and encourage you to let your light shine and bring life to those around you. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

During this pandemic, my wife and I realized that we were taking counsel from our fears. Fear is a terrible counselor. It will almost always lead you astray. Today, I discuss quotes from Dale Carnegie, Nelson Mandela, C.S. Lweis, John Wayne, Socrates, and many more to help you understand how courage can help you overcome fear. "Courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it." - Nelson Mandela --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

The work school comes from a Greek word meaning leisure. When I learned the origin of the word, it changed the way I viewed school. Today I discuss how school can be leisure time and how learning can improve your life. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

When you are exhausted from helping others, remember this. Your life is meant to be worn out serving others. That is how you will find true meaning and purpose. Today I discuss how serving others can benefit your life. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

Today's episode is a little bit different. I give advice to my son. I hope that this advice can help anyone listening. Always be kind. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

After having a baby, a lot of people forget to work on themselves. They are so focused on the care and nurture of the baby that they forget their own needs. Having a baby can be hard, but being fat and unhappy is also hard. Today I discuss a quote from Longfellow and make a case for getting up early. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support

How often do you allow some annoyance to ruin your mood? Do you waste time feeling slighted or hurt? Today I discuss why we spend any time annoyed or frustrated. It this adds value please like and subscribe. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/randy-everett/support