Podcasts about dads

You're just trying to get your point across. You're just trying to teach them. You're just trying to keep them safe. But how do you think it feels? How do you think it feels to be them?

Before you try to parent differently in 2026, remember what actually helped in 2025. In this episode, Ryan shares a few parenting insights he picked up in 2025 from conversations on The Daily Stoic Podcast. You'll hear why self regulation is the real skill we're teaching our kids, how children borrow our nervous systems long before they can manage their own, and a powerful reminder about character.

Embrace their interests, even if you think those interests are gross. Messes can almost always be cleaned up later.

Send us a textWhat if the best tools for leading a team could reshape how you lead at home? That question threads through a fast, heartfelt conversation with performance advisor Justin Su'a, where we swap highlight reels for real-life reps: nightly reflection, fearless feedback, and decision-making under uncertainty. Justin brings the richness of his Polynesian roots—storytelling, respect, faith—and pairs it with the rigor he's applied across MLB clubhouses, NFL camps, and elite academies.We dig into practical ways to raise confident, grounded kids without turning your house into a scoreboard. You'll hear how his family uses “fear reps” to make public speaking and performing feel normal, how celebrating failure on purpose strips away shame, and why the nightly questions (best part of today, what you learned, what you'll do better tomorrow) change the tone of a household. We break down probabilistic thinking for families—estimating odds, running premortems, and separating process from outcomes—so your kids can navigate auditions, tests, and tryouts with calm, not panic.Respect and discipline stay at the center. Justin's parents treated everyone the same, and that humility shows up in his own home: eulogy qualities over resume lines, service before status, and empathy for the person who feels like the “only one” in the room. We also challenge the myth that one path fits all. College can be great, but curiosity, craft, and consistent systems matter more than credentials when you're building a meaningful life. If you want a family playbook that blends love and structure, faith and feedback, this conversation delivers tools you can use tonight.Subscribe for more candid, practical conversations on leadership at home. If this resonated, share it with a parent who values character as much as achievement, and leave a review to help others find the show.Support the showPlease don't forget to leave us a review wherever you consume your podcasts! Please help us get more dads to listen weekly and become the ultimate leader of their homes!

Every home drifts unless someone steers. Dads, God calls you to set direction—starting with Scripture, then bringing your wife alongside, and then translating vision into doable habits. The dads talk about simple, practical tools for family planning, how to build a "team" spirit, and how to take honest inventory without crushing your wife or discouraging your kids.

Are you heading into 2026 feeling like you're supposed to have a big New Year's resolution, yet something about that whole system feels off?   In this episode, Kent and Lawson do something different. They "interview" each other about 2025 and talk honestly about what God taught them, where life was hard, and where God showed up with unexpected strength, healing, provision, and joy. You'll hear stories about 30-year anniversaries, job changes, parenting kids in different seasons, weddings, health scares, and the kind of perspective shift that happens when you stop and remember what God has already done.   This conversation is also a simple template you can use with a brother, a friend, your dad, or your adult son. Sit down, trade notes, and look for God's fingerprints on the year you just lived. As you start a new year, remember this: you're not going to become the dad your family needs by accident. Let's walk into 2026 with gratitude, wisdom, and purpose.   Learn more about our new partners here: https://maninthemirror.org/ Download the Iron Circle worksheet here: https://manhoodjourney.org/iron-circle/   We've launched video now! Check out the video version of today's episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QooqOzaa4xs   -----------------------------------------------------------------------   Range Leather: Support the show and upgrade your fatherhood swag. Shop Range Leather and get 15% OFF with code MJ15 Grab some fresh beans! https://rangecoffee.com/   Fatherhood Guard – Connect with dads from over 20 states and at least 2 countries by joining the Fatherhood Guard. Grab your welcome hat at https://manhoodjourney.org/donate/fatherhood-guard/     Buy Kent's latest book: Don't Bench Yourself on Amazon   Read the new State Of Biblical Fatherhood report here: http://manhoodjourney.org/sobf Find tools to share the report here: https://manhoodjourney.org/sobf-tools   Have a topic you want us to touch on? Well, get in touch! Send us an email at: info@manhoodjourney.org   -------------------------------------------------------------------------   About our hosts: Kent Evans is the Executive Director and co-founder of Manhood Journey, a ministry that helps dads become disciple-makers. After a twenty-year career as a business leader, he embarked on biblical Fatherhood ministry projects. He's appeared on television, radio, web outlets and podcasts. He's spoken at parenting and men's events, and authored four books. The first, Wise Guys: Unlocking Hidden Wisdom from the Men Around You, was written to help men learn how to find mentors and wise counsel. The latest, Don't Bench Yourself: How to Stay in the Game Even When You Want to Quit, aims to help dads stay present in their roles as fathers and husbands even when they feel like giving up. Kent's life has been radically affected by godly mentors and his lovely wife, April. They have been married thirty years and have five sons and one daughter-in-law. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky.   Lawson Brown is husband to his high school sweetheart, a father of two young adult daughters, has been a business leader since 1995, and is a former Marine. He served as a small group leader for teenage boys for many years, helped start the Christian media ministry City on a Hill Productions, then later Sanctuary – a new church in Kennesaw, GA – where he served as its leader for Men's Ministry. Lawson's journey of faith has always been centered in a grounding from his wife, Audrey, and supported throughout by many men whom he's found as brothers along the way. His family is nearing an empty nest phase and has recently relocated to the Florida Gulf Coast beaches area.

Cold case breakthroughs, Leaky seafloor life, Frigid bodies, More than a meme, Splitsomnia. Jennifer, Angie, Way, and Bradley discuss the curated links for the week of 1/2/2026. Please consider supporting this ad-free content on Patreon.

Can you let things go? Can you control your temper and frustrations? Do you know when it's time to push and when it's time to pull them in close to you?The Daily Dad eBook is $2.99 on Amazon! Grab your copy here: dailydad.com/discountGive yourself the ultimate gift of parenting tools, structure, and community. Join The Daily Dad Society here: https://dailydad.com/society80,000 Hours | To get started planning a career that works on one of the world's most pressing problems, sign up now at 80000 hours.org/DAILYDAD ✉️ Sign up for the Daily Dad email: DailyDad.com

Most dads can get by managing how to lead when kids are little… but teenagers are a different battlefield. In this episode, Tom Pfanner from Dads Who Lead breaks down how fathers can rebuild connection with teens, lead through the eye-roll stage, and create a real rite of passage that prepares young men for responsibility.Tom shares his personal story, how he rewrote his leadership when his son pulled away, and why the shift is simple but hard: stop parenting, start leading.Plus: how these principles apply to dads raising daughters, and why challenges (not constant celebration) build confidence in a young man's soul.Connect with Tom & Dads Who Lead - https://dadswholead.com/homeFollow Men's AllianceInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/mensalliancetribe/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mensalliancetribeTiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mensalliancetribeWebsite - https://www.mensalliancetribe.com/Explore Battlefield Coaching today and find yourself a Coach with experience overcoming a battle you are currently facing - https://battlefieldcoaching.comOrder the Book - Answer With Truth: The Ambassador's Field Manual for Leading Your Family Spiritually - https://amzn.to/3BmnuKV

“The best way to change life on Earth is to change the way we start.” In this episode, Nick speaks with Anne Wallen to dive into the intricate relationship between maternal health, psychological preparation for parenting, and the impact of childhood trauma on parenting styles. Anne shares her personal journey as a maternal health professional and mother of six, emphasizing the importance of meeting a baby’s needs and the psychological aspects of parenting. What to listen for: Maternal health is crucial for every human being The psychological preparation for parenting is as important as physical preparation Trauma from childhood can affect parenting styles and decisions Meeting a baby’s needs is essential for their psychological development Self-awareness is key to breaking generational trauma cycles Understanding the impact of trauma can help in parenting “Unhealed wounds don't disappear when you become a parent; they show up.” Parenting activates old patterns you didn't even know were still there Triggers often come from your past, not your child's behavior Awareness gives you a pause between reaction and response Healing yourself reduces the chance of repeating the same cycles “Safety is the foundation of healthy development.” Feeling safe shapes the brain, nervous system, and emotional regulation. Consistent responsiveness teaches a child that they matter Emotional safety supports curiosity, confidence, and resilience A regulated parent creates a regulated environment About Anne Wallen Anne is a respected figure in women's health with over 30 years of experience and is a leading voice on global change in maternity care – particularly for those at greatest risk. She continues to educate and empower birth professionals in more than 20 countries, contributes to a variety of curricula, and shapes the future of maternal health through her impactful role as a speaker and mentor. Anne is the Director and co-founder of MaternityWise International, and her legacy lies in inspiring generational changes around and elevating women’s healthcare worldwide. https://www.maternitywise.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-wallen-08478035/ https://www.instagram.com/maternitywise/ Resources: Interested in starting your own podcast or need help with one you already have? https://themindsetandselfmasteryshow.com/podcasting-services/ Thank you for listening! Please subscribe on iTunes and give us a 5-Star review! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mindset-and-self-mastery-show/id1604262089 Listen to other episodes here: https://themindsetandselfmasteryshow.com/ Watch Clips and highlights: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk1tCM7KTe3hrq_-UAa6GHA Guest Inquiries right here: podcasts@themindsetandselfmasteryshow.com Your Friends at “The Mindset & Self-Mastery Show” Click Here To View The Episode Transcript Nick McGowan (00:00.91)Hello and welcome to the Mindset and Self Mastery Show. I’m your host, Nick McGowan. Today on the show we have Anne Wellen. Anne, how you doing today? I’m good. I’m really excited to get into this. I think this is going to be a different conversation than what we typically have, but we were just talking and talking and at one point you’re like, you’re not recording? I’m like, no, let’s start this now. Anne Wallen (00:10.602)I’m good, how are you? Nick McGowan (00:25.614)So this will be great. And why don’t you kick us off? Tell us what you do for a living and what’s one thing most people don’t know about you that’s maybe a little odd or bizarre. Anne Wallen (00:34.382)Okay, well, I am the director of Maternity Wise International, which what we do is we train doulas and childbirth educators and lactation support people. I’ve been doing this for 23, 24 years now, and it’s pretty much my life. I love maternal health. It’s so, important to every human on this planet. And maybe the… An interesting factoid about me is that I have six kids. A lot of people, when you tell them you have six kids, they’re like, my gosh. And yes, I birthed them all. But five of them are adults. I have a little nine-year-old as well. She was a surprise, like the best kind of surprise. But yeah, so my six kids and yes, that’s really the main reason why I got into the work that I got into when I had my first at 17. and didn’t feel like I could be the mom that she deserved, loved her so, so, so much. And I had some family friends that I grew up with who actually babysat me who had been struggling with fertility issues. And so I chose to let them adopt her. And we have had an amazing, beautiful extended family relationship. And she recently gave birth to her first daughter just this summer. So I am officially a grandma in addition to all the other things that I do, but Yeah, that’s a little factoid that most people don’t know. But she’s part of the reason she’s the main reason why I became a mental health professional or a maternal health professional. And a lot of the way things have gone through my life, not just how I was raised, but experiences thereafter have gotten me very interested in mental health. And so I like to kind of create this intersection between the both worlds. And I look at things from a very psychological perspective. So this is This is gonna be a fun one. Nick McGowan (02:29.229)Yeah, I think everything ties back into that. It’s not even just a physical thing. Like I even said to you, somebody has a baby and they go home and how their partner reacts to whatever’s going on or the chaos or whatever the thing is, how does that then tie into the baby and how does the baby move throughout life? Even with you having a kid at 17, you are a child at 17. Though I’m sure we can both think back to 17 years old and thinking I’m grown ass adult and I can do all the things in the world, but you are not. You’re a child. Anne Wallen (02:50.412)Hmm. Nick McGowan (02:59.039)And the fact that you had somebody that you could hand the baby over to that you knew, you trusted, and you were able to have a relationship, it sounds like that could almost be like an ABC sitcom, you know what I mean? Anne Wallen (03:05.325)Mm-hmm. Anne Wallen (03:13.356)Yeah, well, I mean, my life is, I always joke that, like, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. But I always joke that, you know, Hallmark probably wouldn’t agree to make a movie because my life is so far-fetched. But yes, that’s, that was such a, such a blessing because I really knew that I was not going to be able to do what she needed as far as mothering. And I’ve, you know, hadn’t even finished high school yet. And my wonderful, wonderful and she was my next door neighbor growing up. And I just knew that they were the right people to take care of her and they raised her and she’s an amazing human being. And it’s just really wonderful to have this open relationship at this point, especially, you know, now that she’s having babies of her own. it was really cool too during COVID. She took one of my doula trainings because she was going to be a doula for a friend of hers. So Just a really cool, you know, like sometimes things just come full circle and you just, little blessings, little surprises. So. Nick McGowan (04:22.764)And you wouldn’t have been able to script that. Like, I love when that stuff happens in life where it’s like, I’m gonna have a baby, hand it over to my neighbor, because I love them. And then years later, like, really? Somebody would be like, that’s crazy. Get out of my office, you know? Anne Wallen (04:24.863)No! Anne Wallen (04:37.355)Yeah, well, I I knew that I didn’t, I knew that I probably wouldn’t be okay with just never knowing. know, some moms, and I’ve supported moms as their doula through giving their baby away. I’ve supported adopting families as well. it’s, I am really, really fortunate because I don’t think that most people could go through that experience and it would be, I mean, Don’t get me wrong, it was heartbreaking. It’s still heartbreaking that I wasn’t able to raise her myself. I mean, I’ve had five other kids since then and I know what it is to be a mom and I know what things I’ve missed out on. But being able to have an open adoption is really, really something special and I know some people don’t have that option. And so to be able to give your baby to someone that you think that you can trust and then hope that they’re doing what you would want them to do. That’s a whole level of, yeah, that’s tough, that’s hard. So, yeah. Nick McGowan (05:43.52)could only imagine. I have no idea what that would be like. I don’t have kids, not gonna have kids. And I couldn’t imagine what that’s like just handing a child over. I’ve talked to different people that have had either abortions or they’ve adopted, they’ve handed kids off to be adopted and then just haven’t ever talked to them again or people that have had some kid that are like, hey, by the way, about 30 years ago, you and my mom on a beach. And here we are, we’re like, you and my mom at a party or whatever. It’s like, but I, one of the big reason why I wanted to have you on is to be able to talk about how the psychology of that ties into not just people that have kids, but people that were kids. Cause even your emails back in the conversations, you were like, yeah, everybody was born. And then what we do from there and how that all ties into it. So why don’t, why don’t you kind of get us started off with like, not only what you see with, people that are having kids. but also the people that are concerned about having children and what that ties into just the rest of life. Anne Wallen (06:53.121)Well, kind of as we were talking about before we started recording, getting ready for having a baby, well, having a baby, you really need to put in the work, you need to prepare. And it’s not just about eating the right foods or avoiding the wrong foods and getting enough water and whatever else. There’s a lot of psychological preparation that people need to do. And we all walk around with our own traumas. We all walk around with our own disappointments and wounds. you’re gonna carry that into your parenting. And if there is one situation that you’re gonna find yourself in as kind of just this automatic robot, it’s as a parent. You don’t realize all these scripts and all this just unprepared, you know, in the moment reactions that you’re going to have to your own child until you’re there. And then you’re like, Nick McGowan (07:26.218)Hmm. Anne Wallen (07:52.961)I sound just like my mom or my dad used to say that and I still sometimes even you know I’m on kid number six at this point she’s nine and I still will say things you know two wrongs don’t make her right or whatever little sayings that you grow up with and I realize wow I got that from this scenario or I learned that during this moment when I got in trouble or whatever and it can it can really make a difference Nick McGowan (07:54.515)Ha ha. Anne Wallen (08:22.669)being aware and intentional with your parenting. And when I say aware, I just mean if you’ve got wounds or if you’ve got trauma or if your parents were abusive, if there was something else going on, you know, in those immediate, the first weeks, months of your life, it is really, really important to meet that baby’s needs immediately or as quickly as possible, right? So, There are things like crying it out. There are things like scheduled feeds. And they’re actually, we’re not just talking about a physical experience that this baby’s going through. It’s a psychological experience. And so we can get deeper into that if you want to, but a lot of people, they’ll hear from their parents when they become parents, they’ll hear things like, put the baby down, don’t spoil that baby. Or, they should be sleeping all night and they should be doing this or they should be doing that. You know, we let that baby cry it out. We gave you formula. You turned out fine. Whatever it is, right? Whatever this thing is that might be the response to whatever the parents are wanting to do. You know, the grandparents and well-meaning aunts and uncles, they’ll have some retort usually, right? And advice from your elders is always helpful. And having, just having elders around to… support your efforts is beautiful and helpful, but sometimes they don’t know what’s best for your baby. And the only person who really knows what’s best for the baby is the parent, especially the parent who’s bonded to the baby. Usually that’s the mom when they’re really, really small. And that’s usually because there’s breastfeeding going on or whatever it is, the main caretaking duties usually falls to the mother. So if that mother is well attuned to the baby, baby’s getting their needs met, this is teaching the baby that they can trust, right? It’s teaching the baby about relationships. It’s teaching the baby that I’m valuable. I am worth listening to. I am protected. I’m safe. All these different things, right? If you’ve got a baby who is routinely put down after, you fed for 15 minutes, now we put you down. You cry? Too bad, baby. We read the book that said, Anne Wallen (10:47.18)put you down, right? Or we heard from grandpa that said put you down, whatever it is. That baby crying so desperately, that’s their only way to communicate that they have a need. So if they’re crying so desperately, I’m still hungry, I’m cold, I just want to be held, I’m scared, I’m alone, whatever it is, I have gas pains, whatever it is, they’re trying to communicate that they have a need. And if we ignore that, if we say, no, I’m going to spoil the child if I pick them up again. This is programming their brain, right? This is programming their mind to say, no matter how hard I cry, I’m going to be ignored. What does that, for you, Nick, what does that translate to? What does that, what would that tell you? Nick McGowan (11:17.928)Mm-hmm. Nick McGowan (11:31.148)Trauma as a little kid, you’re just instantly, you’re shoved to the side it feels. And that’s, I think that’s an interesting thing to be able to point out, because look, babies are not gonna listen to this podcast. They will when they get older, but like they’re not listening right now. In fact, none of these episodes are for children at all, primarily because of my mouth at times, I’m sure. But the parents, or the new parents, or the people that are thinking about having kids. Anne Wallen (11:34.102)Yeah. Nick McGowan (11:58.088)or the people that feel like they have to have kids because the system tells them, their family system, you have to, which that’s another thing that ties into the psychology of it. Like if somebody says, you, hey, you have to have a kid because you have to keep our lineage going. You have to keep our last name going. You have to do this. You have to do that. okay. And then they go and have the kid and then put everything onto that kid or there’s already some pain that goes along with it. I think the big thing you pointed out that stood out to me and especially for the show, Anne Wallen (12:01.015)Mm. Anne Wallen (12:14.614)Hmm. Nick McGowan (12:27.61)is the work that has to be done before that. I’ve talked to different people that have had kids and they’re like, hey, we planned. We did all these things. We read all these books. We then got pregnant when we wanted to and shit was still crazy because they’re parents and like life and people and like things happen. And then there are people that just accidentally had a child and you know, it’s all, it doesn’t matter if you plan it or not plan it, it seems, but going into a big situation of having a child and Anne Wallen (12:30.572)Mm-hmm. Nick McGowan (12:57.552)sticking it through for at least 18 years or so, it doesn’t seem to me like a lot of people really think about the work they need to do until like after the fact. Like I met with somebody recently who’s got a young kid and he was offered to go on tour with some band and he was like, I can’t because I am attached and I can’t leave my child. And I can see that he’s such a good dad. But he had said to me, like, things changed as soon as I had the kid, as soon as the kid came into my life. And I hear that from a lot of different people. Like as soon as this happened, then I changed. I stopped smoking or I stopped doing this or I started doing more of whatever it was. And that’s great. But what about the deeper work that’s unseen? Like the trauma that comes from your parents or your parents’ parents or the things that happened that you were a kid that was just crying because you wanted to be held and your parents are like, I can’t. Shut up in there. How does that then tie into we as people that could potentially then have kids and not see that stuff needs to be worked on? Anne Wallen (13:54.688)Mm-hmm. Anne Wallen (14:05.161)Yeah, so having a baby is a great motivator for lifestyle changes, right? So if you are, if you have unhealthy habits, having your baby might make you think about your mortality and how, you need to eat better or stop smoking or whatever it is so that you can live longer so you can be there for your child. When you are going through pregnancy, even, you know, no matter what the family dynamic, mom, mom, mom, dad, whatever you’ve got going on. both partners, or even if you’ve got a single mom going on, the person who is in the relationship thinking about when this baby gets here, what are we gonna do? The kind of deeper work that they really need to be doing includes psychological preparation for just how they feel about themselves, number one, just simply because whether they feel worthy, whether they feel rejected by their parents, if there’s any kind of abandonment issues, Which abandonment issues start with, you know, crying it out in the crib? We, let me go, can I get a little sciency with you for just a second on that? So, crying it out, they’ve actually done brain scans and they see that crying it out creates a change in the brain structure. So our frontal lobe is the solutions, you know, forward thinking we call it, right? The creative, ambitious forebrain. The hindbrain is the survival primal, Nick McGowan (15:10.31)Please. Anne Wallen (15:30.955)aggressive, it’s the hunter-gatherer brain. And when you have a baby who is, who their needs are met consistently, their forebrain grows and their hindbrain does not grow. Not that it doesn’t grow, but it doesn’t, the balance is more forward-thinker, right? A baby who is left to cry it out, a baby whose needs are not met consistently. And that’s this, we’re not talking about a baby who has like just a crying spell and we put the baby down. for safety’s sake, you know, and we walk away so could take a breath and then we come back, you know, we’re not talking about that. We’re talking about a routinely left to cry baby. That hind brain actually grows and the forebrain can shrink. So now you’ve got a kid who’s got the more aggressive, primal survival skills, more violence prone, more prone to, you know, ADD and some other issues that are, you know, really all about them feeling that they need to survive, right? It’s just such primal, instinctual behavior. So now you have a kid who physically, chemically is growing up with this need to survive, this like fear, right? It’s like I’m on alert, I’m hypervigilant all the time. Now you make them a parent, right? They go through life and they probably have Nick McGowan (16:55.877)Hmph. Anne Wallen (16:58.187)plenty of issues, right, because of that hypervigilance, because of that, you know, fear that’s kind of like their root chakras in like a high alert mode all the time. So you get into this parenting situation, you’ve got a baby coming, right? You need to be able to say, I’m okay, I can advocate for my needs, I can prepare for the birth experience itself, because the birth experience could be traumatizing. And then, how am gonna care for this baby once it’s out, knowing that, or subconsciously, knowing that they were treated with a neglectful-ish, not that parents always are neglectful intentionally, but they don’t always know that the baby is just trying to communicate. And there’s a lot of, we’re not gonna go religion, but there’s a lot of religious. Nick McGowan (17:47.951)Mm-hmm. Anne Wallen (17:54.09)books out there on parenting that talk about babies, you know, being manipulators and things like that. You got to train them to be good, right? Which is ridiculous. anyway, that in itself is traumatizing just to just to read that if I was a, know. Yes. Yeah. Nick McGowan (18:09.252)Yeah, basically calling your baby a little demon. Don’t you do it little demon. It’s like, I just want some love. I don’t understand. Anne Wallen (18:17.267)Honestly, and there are books out there that have caused babies to become really, really, really sick and even pass away because they’re telling parents, like, you need to have this regimented feeding schedule and you shouldn’t be holding your baby, etc. And, you know, the abandonment issue is huge in our culture. If you go to other places in the world, you’re not going to see people with abandonment issues quite like you do in America. But in America, we have the Juvenile Manufacturing Association who really, really promoted getting babies out of your bed and using all these furniture pieces, right, for baby swings and cribs and, you know, bouncy seats and all these things that are not the mother, not the parent. And the only thing that a really a baby wants when they come out is that relationship. They are looking for a face when they come out. They’re looking for a face and if they don’t get a face to connect to, they’re three months behind in their developmental milestones on average. So the face, the connection with another human being is so important. It’s so important just to their brain development. It’s important to their psychological development. And it’s really important for the parents’ development too because when you create this bond, There’s something in you that softens. And even if you’ve had a ton of trauma, it’s like this little, I don’t know, it’s like this little knowing wakes up inside of you. And you just know, this instinct just shows up and kind of helps guide you in how to meet the baby’s needs in a way that’s healthy and appropriate for the baby. And a lot of times when you look at and you study mom-baby dyads, there’s this, unspoken language between them, right? It happens during sleep. Dr. James McKenna wrote a bunch of different studies over the last 20 to 30 years on watching moms and babies sleep. And when babies, know, vitals go too low, mom stirs and sometimes they even wake up and touch the baby and the baby perks back up again. It’s very SIDS preventive, you know? So like, Nick McGowan (20:41.197)Hmm. Anne Wallen (20:42.58)there’s these things that we have these superpower abilities to connect with other human beings and we don’t even realize it. And the thing that oftentimes gets in the way of that is trauma, other people’s well-meaning but bad advice. And how do we like get ready for all of that? So that’s where pregnancy, thank goodness we have nine months. to get ready for when the baby comes, right? We have nine months to work through our core hurts and figure out how did our parents’ parenting style affect us? And do we want to repeat that or do we want to have a different parenting style, right? And what is best for a baby? And a lot of times, you know, when you just read mainstream information, you know, there’s some real… Nick McGowan (21:10.945)Hahaha Anne Wallen (21:37.873)Sorry, Nick, I know you’re a man, but there are some masculine solutions or frameworks for very feminine processes and that’s not always the best way to go, right? And you can say your baby needs to eat every three hours. We wanna keep baby alive, right? So we’re gonna make sure baby eats every three hours. But what if baby’s hungry before that? You can’t make them wait. Hunger is one of those things that psychologically, if you are left to be hungry, Nick McGowan (21:48.419)Does it make sense? Anne Wallen (22:08.154)It actually causes so much stress on the body. Adrenaline goes up, cortisol goes up, like all these things, chemical reactions that really are trauma reactions. If you look at it that way, they happen in the body when you’re left to be hungry. So just something as simple as the baby needs to be fed can cause lifelong impairments, psychologically speaking. Nick McGowan (22:36.93)I think something to point out here for people that are listening to this, and if you’re about to have a kid, don’t let her scare you off the ledge. Like go do it because it seems like, look, no matter what happens, people are going to make the decisions they’re going to make. But I think the biggest thing you pointed out is the human aspect of it. That the mom or the parents just in general that are connected with their children can feel that, can be connected with their kids. Anne Wallen (22:39.22)Yeah. Anne Wallen (22:46.419)No! Anne Wallen (22:55.732)Yeah. Anne Wallen (23:02.664)Yes. Nick McGowan (23:05.474)The fact that you pointed out like, well, capitalistic society was like, how do we make money off this? Well, we want to get the kid out of the bed. We can get them into a whole plethora of their own little suite over here and we can make a whole bunch of money and we might as well push this thing. There’s information that comes from the external world like that. Like, oh, well, baby shouldn’t be in your bed for longer than X amount of time. We should have a crib and like all people have that stuff basically when they have their shower at this point and they get it and they… Anne Wallen (23:17.962)Mm-hmm. Nick McGowan (23:35.381)have like three to $10,000 worth of stuff that just sitting in there for the baby, when the baby probably needs to be deeply connected with them, but every baby is different. And it’s wild to think about how those systems, the family system that tells us, well, when you were a kid, this is what we did. You made the decisions you made. And that’s to be said that way. But then the other systems that say, you need to have this, you need to have that, you need to have that. Anne Wallen (23:47.092)Yeah. Anne Wallen (23:57.15)Mm-hmm. Nick McGowan (24:05.024)themselves to block all that madness out. Like, thanks for your feedback, grandma. Thanks for your feedback, Capitalistic Society. That person needs to be so deeply entwined with themselves and to understand about themselves. So based on the research you’ve done or the information that you’ve seen, how many people are actually doing that deeper work? Like, hey, I’m pregnant now. I wonder how fucked I was as a child based on the dumb things that happened. How do I not deliver that onto this child? Anne Wallen (24:10.814)Yeah. Nick McGowan (24:33.963)how many people are actually doing that work? Or is that part of the reason why we’re having the conversation? Because more people need to have that internal conversation. Anne Wallen (24:41.096)We really need our society, especially in America, to be doing that work more. Because a lot of people are just, like I was saying before, you’re kind of in this automatic robot mode. If you don’t do the work and you don’t have any kind of self-awareness, you’re just gonna do the things that you don’t even realize you learned to do. So like as an infant, even though you’re not sitting there taking notes on how your parents are parenting you, you’re learning how to be a parent by experiencing their parenting. And if you look around, we have a lot of entitled people walking around and a lot of broken people walking around who are really just living out their traumas and trauma reactions day to day, rather than looking at them, understanding that that’s what it is. You know, it took me till I was in my 40s to even understand what narcissistic abuse was, because it felt so familiar. Walking around the planet, being raised by someone who was narcissistically abusive. Now back then, 50 years ago, they didn’t have those words, right? But a lot of people have experienced that and they don’t know what it is. And they’re kind of, you know, either perpetuating it as the narcissist in their relationship or continuing to be used by the narcissist for their supply, right? And this is such a hot button, like, I don’t know, like a really popular terminology nowadays and everyone’s gonna, you know, everyone walks around kind of saying, I know a narcissist or that guy’s a narcissist or whatever, right? So it’s word that gets thrown around a lot. But the deeper issue is when you are not cared for, Nick McGowan (26:12.609)Hmm. Anne Wallen (26:36.859)in a way that shows you that you’re valuable, right? Then you grow up trying to prove to yourself how valuable you are, your whole life. And so that’s gonna put you into two camps. You’re either gonna be more like a narcissist, right? Trying to get source from people, trying to get that love and acceptance and to prove yourself worthy, right? Or you’re gonna become more of the enabler, more of the empath type. Nick McGowan (26:57.066)Yeah. Anne Wallen (27:05.925)Sometimes it’s just how we’re wired when we’re born, but a lot of it’s learned, right? And so you walk around trying to fix everybody else, trying to pre, what’s the word I’m looking for? Like you’re anticipating what they need, right? And you’re jumping in and taking care of everybody else. And neither one of those makes a good parent. So when you have a kid, you’re going to… Please don’t get me wrong, public, okay? Not all babies are coming out as narcissists, but all babies do come out needing someone to meet their needs. And so they look like little narcissists, right? Because they’re calling out, they’re crying, you you have to do everything for them. And as they’re growing, you’re trying to boost their self, right? And if you have additional kids around between age two and three, that’s a huge hit to the self-esteem of the toddler. You know, so then you’re trying to like fix that and soothe that and so there’s this whole chain of events that happens between zero and about seven, eight years old. And there’s ways to feed the little narcissist monster that you might be growing or there’s ways to help the child become self-sufficient and self… Nick McGowan (28:03.466)Yeah. Anne Wallen (28:31.529)self-aware, but also, you know, like help them to develop empathy and help them to develop compassion for others. But a lot of this is not by word. It’s in modeling. And again, we go back to if you haven’t dealt with your shit before you have your baby, it’s going to walk around showing your child how to not be a grownup, but they’re not going to know the difference. Nick McGowan (28:51.529)Yeah. Nick McGowan (28:58.527)And just keep going. Yeah. Anne Wallen (29:00.167)Right, and so even though trauma can be passed on from DNA, right, and it can be passed on cellularly, right, but it’s also passed on just by modeling. Modeling what that reactivity looks like, modeling what that unhealed wound looks like. So, go ahead. Nick McGowan (29:16.329)Yeah. Well, it’s interesting with how the, think about often how the body keeps the score. Bessel van der Kerk wrote about that and there are other people that say, I don’t agree with it and that’s fine. You can say whatever you want. I’ve experienced it. I’ve experienced what it’s like to be able to have bodily reactions at things when my mind’s going, the fuck are you doing? Like, what is this? And it’s like, that ties back literally to my mom as I was a little kid. Anne Wallen (29:24.349)Yeah. Anne Wallen (29:39.315)Mm-hmm. Nick McGowan (29:45.596)and watching and going, she seems to fly off the handle of things. Note to self, guess that’s how it’s done. Cool, that’s what I’m gonna do. And then you learn later and you’re like, no, that’s not it. she was coming from generational trauma and chaos and wondering how do I pay for this thing? And what the fuck are you crying about? And what’s this? And sometimes that would come out of her mouth. Like, the fuck are you crying about? To go, I don’t know. And maybe she’s just overwhelmed. So even pointing out that people will look. Anne Wallen (29:51.922)Right? Anne Wallen (29:58.568)Hmm. Anne Wallen (30:09.831)Mm-hmm. Nick McGowan (30:11.727)and say like, yeah, a lot of people are calling people narcissists at this point because it’s like they learned a new word and they go, well, this looks similar. I’m glad that you’re pointing out that it’s actually deeper and not exactly the same thing at all, but sure, there are tendencies to it. Like the babies need us. Aren’t we like the only organisms that really do that though? Like all other mammals basically are like, cool, you’re born, go get it, have at it. And we need people. Anne Wallen (30:26.728)Mm-hmm. Anne Wallen (30:38.844)Yeah. Nick McGowan (30:41.606)And those people also need the babies because of that connection. It’s wild to think about how things that’ll happen just on a day to day that a parent might think, I was just a little upset or a little cold or whatever, that could change so much with that child. And especially in the formative years. I learned a handful of years ago about a theory called the subconscious winning strategy. that we develop a strategy as a child to go, oh, note to self, this is how I win. This is how I get love. Like my core wounding personally is to not be abandoned or unloved. That comes from being a child. So I figured out, oh, I can make people laugh and I can do these different things that then show up in a certain way. And I learned that about myself, I don’t know, at 38 years old and was like, oh my God, my entire life I’ve been doing this because it just deeply ingrained in us. Anne Wallen (31:15.784)Mm-hmm. Anne Wallen (31:36.914)Hmm. Nick McGowan (31:39.891)You pointed out self-awareness. That’s one of the biggest things I’ve noticed in every single episode I’ve had on this show, every conversation I’ve had that’s peripheral to the show. If you’re aware of something, you can only then become more aware of it as you’re more aware of it. But you can also push things to the side. I’ve watched parents go, I can’t. I’ve had friends that are parents that they’re like, man, some nights I just fucking can’t even. Anything. Like everybody needs to leave me alone and I just need to stare at the ceiling for a little while. or they dive into some vice, alcohol or something else. So what advice do you have for people that are trying to figure out, I either have a kid and I need to and want to be a better parent, or we’re thinking about having kids, or I’m still kind of reeling from being a kid, and how do they then work through their stuff? Anne Wallen (32:33.106)So I think you could, you know. Anne Wallen (32:39.752)I’m hearing some interference. Are we still together? Nick McGowan (32:42.974)We’re good. Anne Wallen (32:45.128)Okay, this could go off on so many, you’re like the tree trunk just now and there’s so many branches and things that we could just go into off of that. I think one of the things that you have to understand is that narcissism, for example, is a spectrum, right? And so, one end is kind of it’s a healthy self-awareness, self-love, self-protecting, self-serving, right? The other end is where you’re using people in a malignant way. Now, a newborn, I always make jokes with my students, like the newborns don’t read the books, right? They don’t know what the parents think that they’re supposed to be doing. But when they are little and they’re trying to communicate, right? We can, if we’re cold, for example, we can go and manipulate the thermostat, right, to make it whatever we want. If we’re hungry, we go and manipulate the refrigerator door and get a snack. Babies can’t do those things, so they’re not manipulators, right? But what they are is desperately trying to communicate with us, and we have to put aside, and you see many a mom who’s had sleepless nights, dads too, Nick McGowan (33:41.842)Mm-hmm. Anne Wallen (34:04.029)where they’re just doing whatever it is that the baby seems to be needing and it might just be an overnight, know, shit fast story. You’re just, nobody’s getting sleep, everybody’s crying, like everybody’s crying. And you just have to get through it, right? But the fact that you are trying, the fact that you haven’t just put the baby away and said, I can’t do this anymore, you know, good luck kid, right? The fact that they’re not doing that, Nick McGowan (34:30.332)You Anne Wallen (34:33.224)the baby and informs the baby, I am worth trying for. And so even if they aren’t fixing it, I can see they’re trying. Right? Now, do you need to step away? Do you need to be able to eat, you know, shower, take a crap by yourself? Yeah, of course. Right? And you need to be able to take care of yourself in order to take care of somebody else. And you need to be able to set boundaries and say, you know, Nick McGowan (34:37.445)Hmm. Anne Wallen (35:02.464)I am, and we talked a little bit about personality types before, but I’m an introvert, right? And when you’re looking at the Myers-Briggs, introverts need time alone, away from everybody, away from touch, away from sound in order to rebuild their battery. Extroverts, they need other people to recharge their battery. And so if you’ve got babies who are almost all extroverts in that Nick McGowan (35:15.846)Mm-hmm. Anne Wallen (35:30.638)stage of their life. They need somebody else for something at all times usually. And you’ve got an introvert parent who’s like, I am all tapped out. I’m in the negative. Like kid, I can’t help you right now. I cannot do anything right now. I need to go, you know, just take a bath or something in silence. Everyone leave me alone. Knowing that about yourself and knowing that this whole scenario is going to change. Because before baby came, You probably had self-care mechanisms or habits or whatever in place that you can say like, okay, I am drained. I went to that party. I’ve been at work all day. I need to just have like an evening of quiet. Well, when you have a baby, there’s no such thing. So being able to plan ahead for stuff like that, knowing yourself, being self-aware enough to say, I know what my needs are in a general way, putting a person into this know, sphere of my everyday life, what do I need to do to keep myself sane while still caring for the needs of this other human being? And being able to build some kind of structure around that. It could be, do I need to live closer to my parents so my parents can help me? Does it mean I need to hire a postpartum doula or a nanny or somebody that’s gonna be able to help take care of the child so that I can take care of me? You know, just, and that’s not selfish. That’s not being a bad parent saying, well, I can’t always meet the baby’s needs 100 % of the time. Who can? Like we have this really unrealistic expectation, this leave it to be for mom mindset, right? Where it’s like, she’s just gonna do everything. She somehow wakes up with makeup on, with her clothes pressed and you know, like she never spent any time on that, right? Well, that’s kind of what we’re expected to do as parents is we’re expected to just be up and ready for the world and ready to take care of this baby 100 % without having any kind of prep or any kind of get ready time? No, that’s not how it really works. But then you have that expectation which makes people then feel like they’re failing. And that’s not fair either. That’s where if you look at postpartum depression, it has gone up and gone up and gone up and it’s in its highest Anne Wallen (37:57.818)in places where, or in family dynamics where nobody’s getting sleep, you know, there’s sleep deprivation going on and there’s no social support. And those are the two key factors. And a third key factor is babies who cry a lot. And babies don’t just cry a lot. So if you know how to meet your baby’s needs, you can understand your baby’s language, if you can anticipate their needs and just kind of, you know, Nick McGowan (38:04.699)Hmm. Anne Wallen (38:27.781)Be prepared as we just keep, I keep saying preparation, preparation, right? But being prepared and understanding what does this cry sound mean? Does it mean hungry? Does it mean pain? Does it mean sleepy, right? What do these cry sounds mean? And then being able to appropriately respond to the baby’s needs and making sure that the baby’s needs are met quickly. These all feed into a satisfied, healthy, happy baby, which, creates calm, satisfied, happy, healthy family, right? And then if you are dealing with trauma triggers where maybe the baby crying is a trauma trigger for you, right? And you haven’t figured out what this baby’s need is, you’re gonna be spiraling and that spiral’s gonna, you’re gonna have anxiety, you’re have the depression, you might even develop other issues. And let me just say one really quick little piece. Nick McGowan (39:08.922)Yeah. Anne Wallen (39:26.823)The news a lot of times says, you know, when a mom kills her babies, right? The news will a lot of times say, oh, she had postpartum depression. That’s not postpartum depression, that’s postpartum psychosis. So postpartum depression and anxiety and OCD and all these other different kinds of mental health disorders, they can turn into psychosis. But psychosis is when you have suspended the connection to reality in such a way that you would do that heinous act, right? And why does it get to that point? Because we’re not getting enough sleep, we’re not supporting our families, not, you know, we’re not like creating this wrap around care for families. And dads need it too, you know, like we think, mom’s got postpartum depression. Dads get postpartum depression too. Nick McGowan (40:09.091)Yeah. Anne Wallen (40:22.797)sleep deprivation will do it to anybody. You don’t even have to have a baby. You sleep deprived somebody for long enough and they’re gonna experience depression and anxiety. And so being aware, preparing for having that help afterward, understanding what is it that your personal wounding might look like and how might that affect the way you’re gonna care for your baby. So for example, you mentioned abandonment. A lot of people have… Nick McGowan (40:30.456)Yeah. Anne Wallen (40:49.807)abandonment issues because of the whole put your baby to cry it out in the bed philosophy that was taught for a long time. It’s not taught anymore, shouldn’t be taught anymore, we know better now. But there’s a lot of adults walking around that that was the way they did it and they’re gonna hear from their mom and dad and everyone, you know, that’s how you should do it. So it feels really unnatural for a reason. Nick McGowan (40:54.585)Mm-hmm. Nick McGowan (41:09.026)Mm-hmm. Anne Wallen (41:14.435)It’s that little instinct, that little knowing that awakens in us when we have a baby that tells us, no, that’s not okay. My baby needs me, my baby. That sound is really grating on me. Why? Because it’s meant for us to do something about it. And so being able to look at, there’s a tool that I sometimes will use, it’s called the self-redemption cycle. Nick McGowan (41:27.543)Yeah. Anne Wallen (41:39.705)And you’re really, it’s like this little circle, right? It informs who you are. It informs yourself about who you are. But it takes the core hurt. Have you ever heard of this? So it takes the core hurt and then it looks at what emotions are drawn from that core hurt. And then it says, what are you seeking? What do those emotions tell you about what you’re seeking? And then what kind of behaviors are you gonna do to meet the thing or find the thing that you’re seeking? And then a lot of times those are unhealthy behaviors too. Nick McGowan (41:57.016)Mm-hmm. Anne Wallen (42:08.398)So then you create a new core hurt for yourself, only to do it all over again. And so it’s important for us to really be aware of what are the triggers, right? What are the things that make us feel abandoned or unloved or whatever our thing is, right? And then be able to work through those things because first of all, going into a birth situation, Nick McGowan (42:08.546)Mm-hmm. Anne Wallen (42:36.91)You have to advocate for yourself. You have to be able to speak for yourself. You have to be informed enough because we live in a profit driven medical society and you cannot, it’s not that you can’t trust doctors as individuals, but you can’t trust the system to have your back. The system is not built to your wellness. The system is to profit and wellness doesn’t bring profit. And so, Nick McGowan (42:55.81)Mm-hmm. Anne Wallen (43:06.616)You have, you know, a whole system that I don’t want to say is like designed against you, but you have to be wise going into that. If you’re going to have your baby in a hospital, which not everybody’s having babies in hospitals, I’ve had three at home myself, but if you are going to go into a hospital, you have to know what you’re getting yourself into. You have to know how to handle it. And it’s not the time to be defending yourself or standing up for yourself. you have to feel so safe to be vulnerable, to be able to open your body to let your baby out. And if you don’t, your labor will be dysfunctional. And that psychological piece, which is, I was saying before, like 80 to 85 % of your whole birth experience, it’s not physical. Physically, we breathe, we digest our food, we use the bathroom. We don’t need anybody to coach us how to do those things. We don’t need to read books on how to do those things. Our bodies know how to do it. And it’s the same way with birth. Our bodies know how to give birth. But there’s safety mechanisms built into the process, survival mechanisms. And one of those survival mechanisms is, is it safe out there? Is it safe for the baby who’s super, super vulnerable? Like you said, you know, we’re the only species that’s like, our baby comes out and they are completely and utterly dependent upon us for everything. Nick McGowan (44:30.444)Yeah. Anne Wallen (44:32.068)And so if our subconscious says, it’s not safe for that little vulnerable person to come out, it will shut down labor. And you can give it all the drugs you want. You can give it all the pitocin you want. It’s not gonna receive it. Your brain’s gonna shut down those pitocin receptors and say, nope, it’s not safe out there. She doesn’t like the doctor. Or the lights are too bright. Or yeah, or whatever the reason that’s triggering her. Nick McGowan (44:51.03)Politics. Yeah. Anne Wallen (44:58.884)you know, making her feel unsafe. And it could just be there’s a male doctor and she doesn’t feel comfortable around males in that way, right? And so it could be all kinds of things. As a doula and as a doula trainer, I have seen thousands of different scenarios where, you know, she might love her doctor and feel super safe with her doctor, but she gets to the hospital and guess what? It’s the person on call and she’s never even met them. Right, and now we have a hurdle to get over. And does she feel strong enough and confident in her ability enough to not let that affect her? Or is she, or does she not feel that way? Right, and in the moment, you’re just trying to hang on for dear life. You’re just having labor. You’re just trying to get through it, right? And so all these other psychological factors are really tough to have to. Nick McGowan (45:50.678)Peace. Anne Wallen (45:54.488)navigate, that’s why you’ve got to prepare ahead of time and really have somebody there, whether it’s your partner who’s very well versed and really, you know, knows what you want and is willing to stand up for you, or a doula, or you’re home with your midwife, you know, whatever your scenario, but it’s definitely not for the faint of heart, but it’s also not for someone who is just kinda coming at it willy nilly like, yeah, I got pregnant, yeah, I’m gonna have a baby, and yeah, we’re gonna do this thing called parenting. I mean, you can do it that way, but you’re gonna be on autopilot the whole time. Your reactions to things are not gonna be intentional and worked through the way that they should be for the betterment of your baby, right? Nick McGowan (46:32.246)Hmm. Nick McGowan (46:41.731)yeah. Anne Wallen (46:44.803)The best way to change life on Earth is to change the way we start, right? Nick McGowan (46:50.324)Yeah, what a good way to put that. And especially all of this ties in to so many different pieces, but it’s all similar. Like you go into some big situation, you have to be prepared, but you also need to understand about yourself. And there are people I’m sure that try their best to be as prepared as they can be. Again, I’ve had a few friends that are like, I’ve read every fucking book I could. I talked to everybody I could. Anne Wallen (46:58.522)Mm. Anne Wallen (47:14.777)Yeah. Nick McGowan (47:16.278)And I still expect to screw this kid up in some sort of way, because I’m going to say something weird or whatever. it’s like totally, like you’re just going to do what you’re going to do and your kid’s going to go how they’re going to go. But that’s the sort of like anti-matter in the middle of it. That’s like, well, all that stuff is just going to happen. But as long as you’re best prepared, you’re going to do what you can. Those people that are kind of wandering around that are like, well, we had a baby and like, I still don’t know my stuff or what’s going on. That. Anne Wallen (47:36.558)Yeah! Nick McGowan (47:45.714)level of self-awareness takes many, many, many blocks to get through to be able to get to that point. So the whole purpose of this show is to be able to help people on their path towards self-mastery and really figuring themselves out and living the best life that they can. So for the people that are on that path towards self-mastery, wanting to have a kid or have a kid or are still kind of reeling through the stuff that they’ve been through as a kid, how… What’s your advice for somebody that’s on their path towards self mastery that’s kind of going throughout all that? Anne Wallen (48:19.747)So the number one thing that you can do is to just nurture yourself, right? Nurturing and making it okay to get things wrong. Having self-forgiveness, having self-grace. Because as you go through these blocks, I could tell you just from my own personal experience that going through different, you know, looking at what has happened to me and saying, okay, this event, and I’m gonna sit with how this event makes me feel. until I can take away the power from it. And some people use counseling for that, some people use EMDR. I found EMDR super helpful. I think too, know, alongside having self-grace and having self-forgiveness, being with other people who are healthy psychologically is really important. If you are in a situation or a relationship that is kind of keeping you in I don’t want to say in abuse because maybe the relationship isn’t abusive, but maybe in a situation where you are constantly triggered or you are continually kind of repeating bad habits, right? And you’re recognizing that, but then you’re in this situation where they’re just triggering you and triggering you and triggering you. You got to get away from it to be able to heal it. It’s so tough. to be able to heal something while you’re in the midst of reaction. And honestly, you know, we talked about the word narcissism and the word trauma and things like that. One of the most powerful ways that I feel like people can heal from stuff and actually keep digging into their past and finding the next thing, right? Like, okay, well, I healed from this and now what? What’s the next thing? Nick McGowan (50:17.15)Mm-hmm. Anne Wallen (50:17.325)You’re subconscious, two things. One, I really believe that your subconscious will always answer you. And before you even finish the sentence, right, you know the answer. That’s your intuition, you can trust it. Right, so being able to say, what’s the thing that is really holding me back right now? You know it, your subconscious just told you what it was, right? And then going through that, working on that, focusing on that. The other thing is, is that for people, A really powerful tool for us to get understanding about something is labeling. So when you are, let’s say narcissism, when you are looking at narcissism, you can say, hey, here’s a behavior. This makes me feel uncomfortable. What is this? Why does this make me feel uncomfortable? it’s gaslighting. I’ve got a word for that. Nick McGowan (50:52.861)Mm-hmm. Nick McGowan (51:08.148)hehe Anne Wallen (51:09.977)Right? I’ve got a word for the bandwagoning technique. I’ve got a word for flying monkeys. I’ve got a word for all these different things. Right? And so being able to look at your shit and having a label for the different things that you’re experiencing, having a label for the different reactions that you might be having. Number one, it helps you to understand it. It helps you have a little more power over those things rather than it having power over you. But then also, you know, we can Google it. If you have a word that you’re like, my goodness, you know, this thing is really just triggering me. Why does it trigger me? Okay, comes, I can see that it’s stemming back from this thing that happened to me. And like I said, just ask yourself the questions. Just keep asking yourself the questions. And when your subconscious tells you this is what it was, then you can look it up, right? One of the reasons why I learned about narcissism is because I was Googling, why doesn’t my husband like me? How sad is that that you got to ask that question? But I soon found out that it’s one of the list of things in the narcissistic playbook. And so then you start to realize, this behavior happened at this point in my life and at that point in my life and at that point in my life. And because you have a label for it, you can start to identify the root cause. And that’s where you can kind of start taking your power back. Nick McGowan (52:35.719)Yeah. Anne Wallen (52:38.456)and you can rework the programming that’s going on in your head. And so then you’re no longer a robot, just on autopilot. You can have a moment, you could take a moment to pause and say, I’m not gonna respond like that anymore. I’m gonna, I look, I see it for what it is now. And I’m not gonna let that do this thing to me. And I’m not gonna let that do that thing to my child, because I’m not gonna respond the same way anymore. Nick McGowan (52:54.547)Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Anne Wallen (53:08.132)And I’ll tell you what, every kid, I really believe this, every child is born to bring the balance. So like if you have, and I apologize for all the noise in the background, I am in New York City. I don’t know if you hear the sirens. They’re about to come right in front of my building, I could tell. All right, they’re gone. Okay, so. Nick McGowan (53:08.231)Yeah. Nick McGowan (53:30.483)Alright. Anne Wallen (53:35.074)give them a second. So when you have, you know, these, this labeling and when you have this balance that the child is bringing into the family, you know, you, you might say, that kid’s a, that’s a wild child or whatever. A wild child compared to what? Maybe you have very placid parents, right? And then the child’s just bringing the balance. They bring in the party. Or you have parents who are, you know, maybe really Nick McGowan (53:35.155)They’re good. Nick McGowan (54:00.989)you Anne Wallen (54:05.061)just super extroverted and then you get this little introverted child because they’re bringing the balance or you have two kids, right? I’ve had my two boys, they’re kind of like in the early middle of the six of them and I had one that was like large muscle. You tell him to dig a hole, he’s gonna be like, how deep and how big and tell me where to go and I’m on it, right? And then you got the next kid. who was very small motor skills, very artistic, you know, just like super minute focus, right? And you tell him to dig a hole and he’d be like, I don’t know how to dig a hole, right? So like they’re opposites, but this is what happens in family structures. It’s like the kid comes in and they fill the gap of what’s missing. This can get tricky if you have stuff that you haven’t worked on in the past, because guess what? Nick McGowan (54:48.443)Mm-hmm. Anne Wallen (55:02.852)Kids also bring the triggers. So for example, my nine-year-old, love her to pieces, she’s really different from me. It’s a challenge sometimes to be her parent because I don’t know what to do with her half the time because she’s just so different from me. And so that in itself is a little bit of a trigger. And so as a parent, when you are trying to learn, because a lot of times we think, oh, we’re here to Nick McGowan (55:18.096)Hmm. Nick McGowan (55:24.272)Yeah. Anne Wallen (55:32.696)you know, mold and shape this person. But I want to challenge that perception. I think we’re really here to figure out who this person is and help them to be the best of whoever it is that they’re supposed to be. And we’re not really supposed to be directing that all that much at all. Right. And so that also can be really tricky if you don’t know who you are. Right. If you’re if your stuff Nick McGowan (55:57.893)Yeah. Anne Wallen (56:01.496)goes into identifying as, I worthy? Should I speak up? Do I have to fight for stuff? All the different things that go on as a child inside of you, your child, it’s gonna be mirrored back to you. And if you haven’t figured those things out, if you didn’t figure them out as a child, how are you gonna have answers for your kid when they’re going through the same thing? So. getting into and really just there’s actually a book for if you’re pregnant now or if you’re looking at getting pregnant, there’s a book called birthing from within. It’s kind of a whole system. I really like it because it kind of digs into the psychological aspect of, you know, this labyrinth of how were you created mentally, emotionally, and then how are you going to walk or step into parenthood, you know, as a person who can be there for your kid in all these different ways that you’re gonna have, it’s gonna be demanded upon you whether or not you have the skills to meet the needs or not, right? Yeah. Nick McGowan (57:05.967)Yeah, whether you like it or not. man, there’s so much to that. And again, I’m not going to have kids ever. I’m no longer equipped to. And I can think about how these things relate to us as people without kids because we were kids at one point and this ties back. Even the two kids that you have that you talked about, you literally just described my brother and myself. And my dad was like, Anne Wallen (57:25.112)Yeah. Nick McGowan (57:34.359)I understand the one who can dig the holes. I don’t understand why you’re building things and you’re painting. What the hell is this about? I’m gonna stick with the one over here because that makes sense and parents can go to that. They can look at that and they can do those things. But I really appreciate that you’re challenging people to understand the most about themselves and where their things have come from so that they don’t really bring them into anything further unless they go, hey, I learned this before cause I went through some shit. Anne Wallen (57:56.334)Mm-hmm. Nick McGowan (58:03.077)Here’s how you go about it a little differently, but you do you kid and I’m here to support you. I think that’s a crucial thing that you really pointed out and I appreciate you pointing that out. This has been awesome to have you on today and I appreciate you being with us. Before I let you go, where can people find you and where can they connect with you? Anne Wallen (58:08.109)Yeah. Nick McGowan (58:27.194)Did I totally cut out there? Awesome. So I’d asked where can people find you and where can they connect with you? Anne Wallen (58:36.484)Well, I am like I said the director of maternity wise you can find me there. That’s easy maternity wise calm just like that And you can also find me. I’m a contributor to brains magazine So I have several articles published there and if you want to find me on LinkedIn, I’m Anne Wallen. So hey Nick McGowan (58:58.896)Again, Ann, it’s been great having you on today. I appreciate your time. Anne Wallen (59:01.988)Thank you.

Happy New Year from Dads on the Rocks! We recap yet another extremely eventful holiday season, and, spoiler alert, we're exhausted. But we're going into the new year as we do every day; Trying to do better and trying to be better. Also, Freddy gets to find out just how much better at meal prep and calorie consideration Andre is than him. It's jarring. Enjoy!

This summer we've curated your Help I Have A Teenager playlist with a healthy dose of culture-savvy conversation parents actually want - Parenting Out Loud. On Parenting Out Loud this episode: The rise of the stealth mum. From Margot Robbie's press tour to your work colleague who's never mentioned having kids, we're exploring why hiding motherhood has become the new cultural currency. Plus, praising your child is a fraught business. Do you compliment their efforts, their appearance, their creations? Perhaps millennial parents are overthinking things... again. We discuss. And, there's a tiny internet feud happening on Facebook that we need to talk about. Plus, our recommendations:

This episode of Dads with Nerdy Ambitions features Clementine Moss, drummer of Zepparella and author of From Bonham to Buddha.We talk about her origin with rhythm, the discipline required to honor John Bonham's legacy, and why drumming can become more than performance. From rock mythology and tribute band misconceptions to spirituality without fluff, ambition without burnout, and identity beyond the stage, this conversation digs into what happens when creativity grows up.Music nerds will feel at home. Anyone searching for meaning beyond the noise will too.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/dads-with-nerdy-ambitions/donations

In this episode of For The Dads, we take a trip down memory lane and look back on the laughs, the tears, and the moments that defined our first year together. From the very first episode to where we are now, we revisit the stories, sayings, and inside jokes that helped shape the show—and the community around it. These are the moments that made us laugh out loud, hit pause to reflect, and realize we were all going through this dad thing together. Thank you to everyone who’s been along for the ride. When we started For The Dads, we had no idea where it would lead—but creating a space to talk honestly about fatherhood, in all its highs and lows, wouldn’t be possible without you. Here’s to another year of learning, laughing, and showing up for our families.

Here's what you have to understand: Things are going to get destroyed. You have kids. It's what they do. If you're looking for something: The 2026 Daily Stoic New Year, New You Challenge begins in just ONE DAY. Learn more and sign up today at dailystoic.com/challenge.

With special guest: Peter FitzSimons… in conversation with Bill Kable The title tells it all in the latest book by Peter FitzSimons whom we are excited to welcome back to Dads on the Air. In The Incredible Life of Hubert Wilkins we hear about the life of a genuine Australian hero with so many adventures that a fraction of them would seem to fill the quota to qualify for that description. This man was decorated in World War 1 while not a combatant, described by another hero, Monash, as the bravest man he had ever had under his command, and yet few Australians had heard of him prior to the release of this book by our guest. Podcast (mp3)

What fun, meaningful challenge could you take on as a family to set the tone for 2026?If you're looking for something: The 2026 Daily Stoic New Year, New You Challenge begins in just TWO DAYS. Learn more and sign up today at dailystoic.com/challenge.

Want max results without living in the gym?

Brian reflects on the past year and shares his wishes for the year ahead. Holiday brain leads Judson down a rabbit hole reminiscing about the tabloid news of the 1990s.The Hookup of the Week features a validating public massage experience that opens up conversation between the listener and his husband. Brian and Judson are then joined by TikTok's favorite anti-ICE activist and immigration attorney, Michael Foote. Michael talks about how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shares a memo with their lawyers about what to do if they face Michael in court, his subversive ways of tormenting DHS, what each of us can do to help those in our lives and our communities being targeted by ICE, and why you should never pet a police horse, but particularly not in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. He also talks about his podcast Brief Recess, the addiction that will keep him from competing on “Survivor,” how his husband is his perfect counterbalance, what it's like becoming “gay famous,” navigating the holidays as queer people, the importance of Daddies, and how people judge him when he reveals that he and his husband are monogamous. Michael then joins Brian and Judson in responding to a Go Ask Your Dad question from a listener who wants to know if it's ok to lie to spare his friend's feelings when he is invited to a sex party where his friend isn't welcome. Find Michael Foote on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@michael_foote_, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dept_of_redundancy_dept/ and get more information on his Linktree at https://linktr.ee/michael_foote Email your Hookup of the Week, Go Ask Your Dad and Dr. Daddy submissions to dadsanddaddies@gmail.com Dads and Daddies on the Web: https://www.dadsanddaddies.com/ Dads and Daddies on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadsanddaddiespod Dads and Daddies on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dadsanddaddiespod Dads and Daddies on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dadsanddaddiespod.bsky.social Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Being a good parent and good partner isn't simply a consequence of the work you put in to be a better person. They are correlated, certainly, but correlation isn't causation, as they say.The Daily Dad eBook is $2.99 on Amazon! Grab your copy here: dailydad.com/discount

The Dads count down their favorite horror movies of 2025, ranking the scariest, bloodiest, and most unforgettable films of the year. From brutal slashers and supernatural nightmares to psychological horror and surprise indie hits, we break down the best horror films of 2025 and explain what worked — and what didn't. Do you agree or disagree with our picks for the top horror movies of 2025? Drop your own horror movie rankings in the comments, hit like, and subscribe for more horror reviews, rankings, and movie discussions!Follow Dads From the Crypt! Threads: @dadsfromthecryptTikTok: Dads From The Crypt-TokInstagram: @dadsfromthecrypt Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DadsFromTheCrypt

Last pod of the year and show notes will come later lol Check out the fellas last show of the year as they share some thank you''s, bad takes, and debate if you wife has to take your last name. JOIN THE PATERON TODAY: SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE(00:10) Happy Birthday Pastor Mike and Gavin recalls how hot it was on Christmas Eve - (11:40)) Cam Newton recently sat with Natalie Nunn and they discuss why Men should take baddies serious. - (20:45) The fellas recap their pod journey of 2025 and offer thank yous, bad takes and more! - (35:45) Nicki Minaj sits down with Erika Kirk and the fellas discuss why they believe she's riding so hard for Maga - (48:10) Shannon Sharpe sits down with Blueface and the fellas debate how single parent homes creates a Blueface - (54:00) Charlamange signs a $200M deal with iHeart and Netflix and Pastor Mike thinks Black Affect Podcast network is about to change - (01:10:45) #ASKABLACKDAD Would you "make" your wife change her last name to your last name? - (01:25:45) DK Metcalf punches at a fan & Bleacher Report drops their Quarter Century NBA ListSUPPORT THE PODCAST - Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Us On: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Submit to #ASKADAD: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.blackdadsclub.org/join-the-show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Mike: Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/pastormikewill/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/PastorMikeWill⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Gavin: Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/iam_gavinb/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/iAM_GAVINB⁠⁠⁠

Divorce can feel like a blender: everything loud, spinning, and out of your control. Yet beneath the chaos is a path that can lead to a stronger you and a better relationship with your kids. That path starts with vision. When dads picture life after divorce—how they parent, how they co-parent, how they live—clarity replaces panic. A vision is not a fantasy; it's a compass. From that picture, you can map steps, build skills, and design an environment that supports your goals. It's the shift from reacting to leading. And leadership is the role your kids need you to claim, even when the courtroom muddies your confidence.Listeners save 25% on 1-on-1 divorce coaching! Book any coaching between now and the end of the year to claim your discount. Don't just survive this—get a strategic plan.Sign up now: https://thedivorceddadvocate.com/coaching-3/. Enter DADS25 at checkout.Join our Signal Channel: https://shorturl.at/8yqTbJoin The Divorce Dadvocate Membership Community - FULL Episodes - Live Meetings – FREE Workshops & Courses – Private Discussion Groups & MORE! - https://thedivorceddadvocate.com/membership-tiers/How Are You Adjusting To Your Divorce? Find out in this quiz - http://www.thedivorceddadvocate.com/divorce-quiz.html*FREE Dads Guide To Divorce* How to survive and thrive during and after divorce: http://www.dadsguidetodivorce.comDon't suffer in silence! Get relief from the pain and confusion of your divorce and schedule your FREE, No Obligation Coaching Consultation - schedule a time directly into my schedule at www.TalkWithJude.com.Join other divorced dads who have experienced or are experiencing divorce in this FREE Divorced Dads Online Meetup Group - https://www.meetup.com/Divorced-Dads-Meetup-Group/Other Resources:The Divorced Dadvocate Website - http://www.TheDivorcedDadvocate.comThe Divorced Dadvocate YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeSwx-F8KK4&list=PLT4HyN5ishYJznK51205ESxGZ2d19YkBpThe Divorced Dadvocate Podcast - https://thedivorceddadvocate.buzzsprout.com/Divorced Dads Online Meetup Group - https://www.meetup.com/Divorced-Dads-Meetup-Group/The Divorced Dadvocate Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/thedivorceddadvocate/ Support the show

The Man in the Arena | Dads Action Plan

This summer we've curated your Help I Have A Teenager playlist with a healthy dose of culture-savvy conversation parents actually want - Parenting Out Loud. Welcome to Parenting Out Loud where if parents are thinking about it, we're talking about it. On the show today, Jessie Stephens, Amelia Lester and Stacey Hicks sit down to tackle; Glam retreats: a cultural necessity for post-partum mums? Why bedtime stories are being put to bed themselves. How some dads forget their kids names, refuse to change a nappy or fail to RSVP — and why some women let them. And, sleep divorces. Is this where intimacy gets put to rest, or a secret hack that's been misjudged? Plus, in this week’s reccos:

①Central China airport annual cargo throughput tops 1 million tonnes ②China's basic medical insurance covers 10,000 foreigners in Yiwu ③More baby care rooms open to dads in China as family roles redefined ④Asteroid named after Chinese space-tech expert Qi Faren ⑤Chinese researchers achieve progress in clinical trial of brain-computer interface ⑥Chinese archaeologists discover three ancient kiln sites in Inner Mongolia

In this episode, Ryan and Sam talk through the one simple reset they use to kick off the New Year and how it's shaped their family in ways they never expected. You don't get to choose what 2026 throws at you, but you do get to choose who you're going to be when it does. For parents, that means setting the tone early, choosing less when everything is asking for more, and building habits that help you show up calmer, steadier, and more present for your family.Make 2026 the year where you finally bring yourself closer to living your best life. No more waiting. Demand the best for yourself. The Daily Stoic New Year New You challenge begins January 1, 2026. Learn more and sign up today at dailystoic.com/challenge.

In this final episode of 2025, Trevor and Jeff wrap up their year-long experiment: The "No New Games" Challenge. We break down whether we succeeded in clearing our backlogs or if we just stopped playing altogether. We also dive into the chaos of Christmas morning—from the quantity vs. quality gift debate to why one dad opted for a retro handheld emulator over a PS5. Plus, we discuss the "dark side" of kids' gaming in 2025, including why Robloxfinally got banned in the household, the surprising rise of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) among teenagers, and why Chess is making a comeback. Whether you are a dad trying to manage screen time or a gamer staring at an intimidating Steam backlog, this episode is for you. Topics Covered: The Christmas Haul: Why we bought retro handhelds and "dumb" smartwatches instead of current-gen consoles. The Cookie Experiment: Why kids prefer 10 small gifts over one expensive one (Funko Pops vs. PS5). Kids Gaming Trends: The rise of Fortnite, the fall of Roblox, and the wholesome return of D&D and Chess. The Challenge Results: How replaying Elden Ring, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and Hades 2 changed our gaming habits. Gaming Fatigue: Why having "no new games" was actually a relief for our anxiety. Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro: Raising a glass to 2025 0:45 - The Steam Christmas Sale temptation 2:30 - What did the kids get? (Retro Consoles vs. Funko Pops) 6:10 - The "Quantity vs. Quality" Gift Dilemma 10:15 - Kids Gaming Recap: The rise of D&D & Hollow Knight 14:50 - The Roblox Ban: Why it didn't work for us 18:30 - The Dads' Recap: Surviving the "No New Games" Challenge 23:00 - Trevor's "Lost Year" of Gaming 28:45 - Looking ahead and Final Thoughts Connect with New Dad Gaming: Website: newdadgaming.com Email: newdadgaming [at] gmail [dot] com Remember: Just because you became a dad, doesn't mean it's game over.

We only have a finite amount of patience. So by indulging and indulging, absorbing and absorbing, we're wasting a very precious resource…one that parenting demands a lot of. Make 2026 the year where you finally bring yourself closer to living your best life. No more waiting. Demand the best for yourself. The Daily Stoic New Year New You challenge begins January 1, 2026. Learn more and sign up today at dailystoic.com/challenge.

In the final episode of our Homeschool Dad Series, David Nunnery sits down for a heart-to-heart with David Mills about a topic that doesn't get talked about enough: the vital role of the father in the home. Let's be honest—it's easy for dads to feel like “the principal” or just the “financial provider.” But God has called us to be so much more. David Nunnery and David Mills dive deep into what it actually looks like to lead your family spiritually and educationally without feeling overwhelmed. From practical ways to engage in your kids' daily learning to the life-changing power of mentorship and finding your “tribe” through the Men's Alliance, this episode is packed with the encouragement every dad needs. Men’s Challenge: Tonight at dinner, you're the moderator. Instead of asking “How was school?”, ask these two questions: “How did you see God working in your day?” “What is one thing you learned today that surprised you?” Key Takeaways: Healthy men create healthy families, and healthy families create a healthy country. Men should not outsource their children’s education or spiritual growth. Homeschooling can happen in everyday situations, not just at a desk. Dads should ask their wives how they can support them in homeschooling. Dads should equip their kids with answers to tough questions about faith. Engaging in conversations with kids can happen naturally during daily activities. Resources Mentioned: Men’s Alliance Men’s Alliance Podcast Don't forget—Teach Them Diligently 2026 registration is open! We hope you will be joining us in Pigeon Forge, TN and Branson, MO. Connect With Us: Instagram: @TeachThemDiligently Facebook: Teach Them Diligently YouTube: Teach Them Diligently Channel Subscribe + Share: If this episode helped you, take a minute to subscribe, rate, and share with another homeschool family. We sure would be grateful!

When you were younger, for Christmas, all you wanted was presents. Now that you're older, now that you have kids, all you want is presence.

In this episode of For The Dads with Former NFL Linebacker Will Compton, hosts Will and Sherman break down Will’s Christmas trip to New York City that turned into full-blown chaos when Will’s entire family got sick. What should’ve been a magical holiday quickly became a crash course in dad survival, patience, and choosing humor when everything goes sideways. The episode kicks off with Christmas chaos from the jump, as Will recaps how fast plans unraveled, why he still loves NYC, and what it’s like parenting through sickness while trying to keep the holiday spirit alive. The boys then dive into gift-giving expectations, fan comments, and the pressure dads feel to make Christmas “perfect.” Other highlights include: Uncle Derrik’s gifts to the pod• Will and Sherman’s favorite gifts growing up• An absolutely insane dad hack from a caller• Why choosing joy beats stressing over things you can’t control —--- TIMELINE 00:00 - Christmas Chaos 9:00 - Will loves NYC 45:00 - Gift Giving 1:01:00 - The fellas read some fan comments 1:22:00 - Caller leaves an INSANE dad hack 1:24:33 - Will reads some emails 1:33:00 - Choose joy over stress —--- For The Dads is for every guy who needs a place to talk, vent, and laugh about all the insane, hilarious, and chaotic sh** (sometimes literal) that comes with being a dad. Hosted by Will Compton–NFL Vet, creator of Bussin' With the Boys, and proud dad of two. This show isn’t about expert advice and how fatherhood is the greatest thing on earth—it’s about embracing the love and suck of parenthood every day. From balancing work and family to battling the mental load, fears, and the moments that wreck you in the best way, we dive into it all with honesty, vulnerability, and a sense of humor. Cause at the end of the day... us dads have no idea what we're doing. Alongside Will is his producer Sherman Young. Together, they’ll break down everything that can go right and wrong (...usually wrong) when you bring tiny humans into this world. Expect funny parenting stories, laughs, call-ins, advice, weekly themes, and the kind of conversations you’d have over a cold beer in the garage. Whether you’re raising teens or still Googling “how to install a car seat”, For the Dads is the ultimate podcast for dads who are in it, about to be in it, or just trying to do their best while screwing it up along the way. ----- FOLLOW THE BOYS Instagram: / Forthedadspod Twitter: / Forthedadspod Facebook: / Forthedadspod LISTEN iTunes: http://bit.ly/BWTB_Apple Spotify: http://bit.ly/BWTB_Spotify -----See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's so much to do. There's so much going on. What do you prioritize? What problems do you solve first? What are you supposed to be focused on?

Send us a textThank you, Sabina Nawaz, for helping me find today's guest to finish up Season 6 on the Quarterback DadCast!So, what if the best leadership training happens at your dinner table? We sit down with Dane Groeneveld—dad of four, CEO of LEAD3R, and host of The Future of Teamwork—to explore how raising kids, facing anxiety head‑on, and choosing curiosity over control can transform both families and companies. From eight schools across Australian mining towns to a newborn and teens under one roof, Dane shares the practices that keep his home grounded and his teams energized.We dig into the messy middle: choosing therapy when a high‑achieving teen hits an anxious wall, stepping away from rugby to protect mental health, and having brave conversations about consent and sex without panic or shame. You'll hear why the “car ride home” is the most dangerous coaching moment, how IFS “parts” language reduces shame and opens learning, and why stoic patience beats heat‑of‑the‑moment reactions. Expect tangible tools: the “I love watching you play” reset, TED questions that unlock specifics, and permission‑based coaching that turns advice into collaboration.On the work front, Dane goes on offense against the myth of high performance at all costs. He lays out a model for healthy teams that still deliver results but no longer leave human wreckage behind. The three values guiding both his home and company—be human‑centered, be pioneering, and share in success—show up in simple, repeatable moves: assume positive intent, learn by building, and spread the win. We also trade stories about body language meltdowns on the golf course, 2 a.m. puppy chaos, and the quiet power of leaders who remove fear and instill confidence.If you're a parent, coach, or manager who wants stronger relationships and better outcomes without the burnout, this conversation is your playbook. Listen, share with a friend who needs a reframe on performance and parenting, and leave a quick review so more dads and leaders can find the show.Support the showPlease don't forget to leave us a review wherever you consume your podcasts! Please help us get more dads to listen weekly and become the ultimate leader of their homes!

Listen to my Morning Monologue: I'm sharing my take on pressing issues, enlightening research on human behavior, answering questions I get by email, and my favorite, most instructive interactions with callers. Everything you'll hear is designed to help you become a better spouse, parent, family member, co-worker, friend, and human being. It's the free therapy you need! Call 1-800-DR-LAURA / 1-800-375-2872 or make an appointment at DrLaura.comFollow me on social media:Facebook.com/DrLauraInstagram.com/DrLauraProgramYouTube.com/DrLauraJoin My Family!!Receive my Weekly Newsletter + 20% off my Marriage 101 course & 25% off Merch! Sign up now, it's FREE!Each week you'll get new articles, featured emails from listeners, special event invitations, early access to my Dr. Laura Designs Store benefiting Children of Fallen Patriots, and MORE! Sign up at DrLaura.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

These are the wonderful sounds of parenthood, the ones that are so precious and fleeting and beautiful—and they're happening now.

The Father Hoods crew spins back another throwback, and this one jumps straight into the real-life juggle! DJ EFN opens the convo with his Art Basel experience, breaking down the push-and-pull of chasing career moments while still feeling that magnetic pull toward home. He keeps it honest—no guilt when he's outside, but missing the family is always part of the equation. From there, the energy shifts to a feel-good moment as he revisits the gender reveal for their second child, capturing that pure mix of excitement, nerves, and gratitude that hits every time the family grows. Then things take a sharp left and get hilarious! What starts as a serious convo about circumcision quickly turns into a laugh-filled, no-filter discussion as Manny, DJ EFN, and KGB trade perspectives, jokes, and real insight. The Dads touch on hygiene, manhood, and cultural traditions, with DJ EFN tying it back to his hip-hop docu-series, Coming Home, and circumcision practices in parts of South Africa. It's classic Father Hoods. Deep one minute, comedy the next, always grounded in culture and real talk. What You'll Hear in This Episode: [00:01:13] Dad Out And About [00:06:11] Next Chapter: EFN Jr. [00:10:00] Snip Talk [00:18:00] Hygiene Is Part of Manhood  [00:22:15] Coming Home: South Africa Why Press Play: The Dads go all in on fatherhood—sharing lessons, laughs, and moments that hit harder than a bassline. DJ EFN, Manny Digital, and KGB turn parenting into a story you feel in your chest! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Judson and his husband host an engagement/tree-trimming/Shabbat celebration with a Halloween theme. Brian and Judson's husband have a clandestine meeting without them. Brian thinks he may have come out to his mother about his open marriage. A listener provides some important context around the use of SSRIs. The Hookup of the Week comes from a listener sharing a favorite memory of some public group sex that took him by surprise. They are then joined by actor, comedian and writer Aaron Jackson. Aaron talks about his role as “social justice warrior, but for Instagram” Caden Smucker in Drew Droege's Messy White Gays currently running off-Broadway, how the role is a departure of sorts for him and his journey from theatre school to improv comedy back to acting. He also shares the origin and process of writing his spectacular novel, The Astonishing Life of August March, discusses his longstanding working relationship with prior Dads and Daddies guest, Josh Sharp and their experience as some of the few gay members of Upright Citizens Brigade when they joined.  Other topics covered include whether or not Aaron and his college sweetheart husband could be part of a throuple, his skills in the kitchen, why he christened himself as a “Garbage Troll” on Instagram, and his hatred of completing forms. To close, Aaron helps Brian and Judson respond to a listener's two-part question asking whether or not he is watching too much porn, and for advice on what to do when one looks like a daddy but wants to be a son. Find Aaron Jackson on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/garbagetroll Email your Hookup of the Week, Go Ask Your Dad and Dr. Daddy submissions to dadsanddaddies@gmail.com Dads and Daddies on the Web: https://www.dadsanddaddies.com/ Dads and Daddies on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dadsanddaddiespod Dads and Daddies on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dadsanddaddiespod Dads and Daddies on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dadsanddaddiespod.bsky.social Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On Episode 94.5 of Dads in Progress, the guys dive into some real, unfiltered conversations that challenge how men think, speak, and show up in the world.We break down words grown men should not be using and why language matters more than we often admit. The discussion then expands into what men “can't” do, socially and emotionally, and whether those expectations are fair or outdated.We also tackle a raw and honest question: Can a man be overly sexualized? Is wanting sex too many days out of the week a lack of discipline, a natural desire, or something deeper that needs to be unpacked?In a more reflective moment, we honor and discuss the tragic loss of an NFL player, touching on how sudden loss impacts perspective, legacy, and gratitude—especially during the holidays. From there, we explore how the holiday season shapes who we are, for better or worse.To close it out, we ask one of the most important questions of all:How important is your happiness versus the happiness of others? Where is the balance, and when does self-sacrifice become self-neglect?All this and much more on Episode 94.5.| Point 5 WildAnd remember—as long as you're in progress, you should not fail.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to our listeners out there! This episode, the boys lambast Train about his inability to respond to text messages (again), talk about the ensuing pie wars, and decide to turn a new dad into an award winner!

Remember that real parenthood, real family life, isn't the curated illusion on your Instagram feed. It's not pristine homes, it's not spotless designer furniture, and it's definitely not easy.

Show notes information: Watch the video Meaningful Classroom Management Book What Are You Bringing to the Potluck? Follow me on IG: @sheldoneakins Interested in sponsoring? Contact sheldon@purposeful247.com today

We're trying out a new idea for our fans of the 2nd Date Update! Every Sunday, we will be hosting one of our FULL HOUR episodes from our main show feed, Brooke & Jeffrey! We'd love to hear your feedback...but please send all negative reviews to Jeffrey. FULL SHOW: Wednesday, December 17th, 2025 Curious if we look as bad as we sound? Follow us @BrookeandJeffrey: Youtube Instagram TikTok BrookeandJeffrey.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode, Ryan shares a rare behind-the-scenes moment when his kids start to realize what he actually does, and then his son takes the mic to ask the questions. You'll hear him interview Kenny Curtis, host of Nat Geo's hit kids podcast Greeking Out, in a genuinely fun, curious, and unexpectedly thoughtful conversation, and later Ron Chernow, the historian behind Hamilton.

Glenn plays a clip from CNN showing that congressional Democrats are not only at a net-negative approval level but also have the lowest approval rating Democrats have ever had. Is the government shutdown the leading cause of the negative approval? TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk reveals the number of submissions TPUSA has received since Charlie Kirk's assassination. Police have identified the Brown University and MIT professor shooter as the same suspect, who took his own life before being taken into custody. Glenn and Stu discuss the mindset behind taking one's own life before justice can be served. Glenn has a Christmas message for fathers who struggle to make the holiday memorable for their children. Glenn speaks with the executive producer and lead actor of "The Best Thing About Christmas," along with his co-star, Cheyenne Grace, about how the film came to be. Glenn goes through the four lies that men tell themselves at Christmas. Glenn discusses how multiple Christmas events are being targeted across the country. For his final segment of 2025, Glenn speaks on the importance of forgiveness and the greatest gift Earth ever received: the birth of our Savior.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode I am joined by Dr. Darby Saxby, a clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Southern California as we delve into the transition to parenthood, particularly focusing on fathers and the concept of the 'dad brain.' We discuss how fathers experience physiological and psychological changes despite not giving birth, the vulnerability and opportunities for growth these changes bring, and how societal structures often fail to support new parents adequately. Dr. Saxby shares insights from her research, including how caregiving impacts brain structure in both mothers and fathers and the importance of fathers being involved at various stages of a child's development. I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsLSubscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/Follow me on Instagram for more:@raisinggoodhumanspodcast Sponsors:Avocado Green Mattress: With code humans, you'll save an extra $25 on Crib and Kids Mattresses on top of their holiday sale! That's an extra $25 off their current sale at AvocadoGreenMattress.com with the code humansOsea: Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code HUMANS at OSEAMalibu.comWayfair: Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things homeSuvie: Go to Suvie.com/Humans to get $150 off plus 16 free meals when you order during their saleLaundry Sauce: Make laundry day the best day of the week! Get 20% off your entire order @LaundrySauce with code HUMANS at https://laundrysauce.com/HUMANS #laundrysaucepodTia: Go to bit.ly/asktia-humansPlease note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.Produced by Dear Media.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

STRONG Life Podcast ep 542  Topics Covered: What the BEST Do [Sports AND Life], Leadership & Respecting STRENGTH  Also discussed: In Season Strength Training The crucial role of parents when it comes to kids in sports, especially wrestling and football  When did things change for college athletes and winter break  Expectation and Responsibility of the athlete  Frequency in strength training  Brought to you by: ZachStrength.com - Get Your 2 FREE Strength Training Courses GetDadSTRONG.com - Men and Dads have a duty and obligation to be STRONG. Start with 7 Days FREE   Recommended Resources:   http://ZachStrength.com  - BEST FREE STRENGTH TRAINING COURSES      https://GetDadStrong.com  - (7 Day FREE Trial) 30 Minute Workouts for the Busy Dad / Busy Man    https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/garagegymgladiators?attrib=1266-web  - Gladiator STRONG 7 Days FREE   =======   http://ZachStrength.com  - BEST FREE STRENGTH TRAINING COURSES    Get The FARM Bar - Zach & INTEK Strength Collab on a 2" Thick Barbell with Revolving Sleeves, Knurling and Cerakote Finish    More Details on The FARM BAR HERE -    https://zacheven-esh.com/ep-507/       http://SSPCoach.com  - SSPC (Strength & Sports Performance Coach) CERTIFICATION with Business Bonus Seminar   https://GetDadStrong.com  - (7 Day FREE Trial) 30 Minute Workouts for the Busy Dad / Busy Man     https://ZachEven-Esh.com   - STORE / PRODUCTS / RESOURCES   CONSULT with Zach - https://zacheven-esh.com/coach/      https://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com  - The Underground Strength Academy for Strength Athletes & ALL Coaches. Business & Training Seminar Bonuses.     ==========   BEST Compression Gear for Recovery & Improved Performance:   https://dfndusa.com/   -  20% DISCOUNT CODE = ZACH   =====     ZACH'S BOOKS:

In this episode of For The Dads with Former NFL Linebacker Will Compton, hosts Will and Sherm talk about family holiday traditions around Christmas time, Will saves the day by fixing his HVAC, and Sherm’s caught in the middle of a Mom vs Wifey debacle— all while keeping the episode fun, fresh and of course, under an hour. The episode kicks off with Will breaking down Rue’s new “look at me!” phase before they dive into some hilarious conversations, including: Sherm’s Daycare throwing him under the bus ScarScar rolls over for the first time Talking through new Christmas traditions Other highlights include: Some Santa talk amongst the boys Will has a bone to pick with the Polar Express

#902. REPEAT OUR GREATEST HIT EPISODES:Kaitlyn Bristowe welcomes the hilarious Heather McMahan for an episode full of laughs and chaos. Heather dives into her new Netflix special, "Breadwinner," where she jokes about making more money than her husband Jeff. She also shares her go-to therapy routine—looping around a Target parking lot blasting Rage Against the Machine. Things get interesting when Kaitlyn tells a story about a horse, leading to Heather's unfiltered commentary that will leave you in stitches. Plus, Heather makes a hilarious plea to Mark Cuban to be her new "daddy." You won't want to miss this rollercoaster of an episode!If you're LOVING this podcast, please follow and leave a rating and review below! PLUS, FOLLOW OUR PODCAST INSTAGRAM HERE!Thank you to our Sponsors! Check out these deals!Macy's: If you're still checking off your list, hop online or pop into Macy's, grab those last-minute gifts, where they have something for everyone. Only at Macys.com!Knix: Head to Knix.com and use code VINE for 20% off your order.Aura Frames: For a limited time, visit AuraFrames.com/vine and get $35 off Aura's best-selling Carver Mat frames - named #1 by Wirecutter - by using promo code VINE at checkout.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: (6:32) – Heather shares her go-to therapy routine: looping around a Target parking lot while blasting Rage Against the Machine.(13:10) – Heather talks about the spiritual connection she has with her late father through bumblebees.(16:24) – Kaitlyn tells an interesting story about a horse, and Heather's hilarious reaction will have you in tears.(28:33) – Heather makes a pitch to Mark Cuban, asking him to be her new "daddy."(39:43) – Heather reflects on the rise of characters in comedy and how she used to open her shows as Brenda Carlisle, Mississippi's #1 real estate agent.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Dads sit down to discuss the final episode of The Peachyville Horror and look back on the journey of utilizing a different system. They discuss favorite moments from the season and hint at what's to come in season four!Maxton Waller also stops by to discuss the doo-wop-ification of A Hole in the Stars (sung in the finale by Elsa J.), the original ideation of this season's theme, and the adventure of taking on Big Shane Silva.Season four will be coming at you beginning February 10th, but in the meantime the Patreon will be bustling. We've got some awesome bonus content planned for you all, including behind the scenes process videos, more games, and a check in on the pets in the daddies family. So stay tuned, folks!This episode contains Profanity.Support the show on Patreon!Get merch and more at our website!Follow us on Bluesky @dungeonsanddads!Check out the subreddit!DM is Will Campos Kelsey Grammar is Matt Arnold Francis Farnsworth is Anthony BurchTrudy Trout is Beth May Blake Lively is Freddie Wong Theme song is “A Hole in the Stars” by Maxton WallerAnnissa Omran is our Content ProducerAshley Nicollette is our Community ManagerKortney Terry is our Community CoordinatorCindy Denton is our Merch ManagerEster Ellis is our Lead EditorTravis Reaves, Omar Romolino, and Brian Fernandes provide Additional EditingCover art and episode art by Alex Moore (@notanotheralex)Get in contact: https://www.dungeonsanddaddies.com/contactThe story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.