When a Child is Defiant
“Ok, time to get in your car seat.” This statement was made in a very even, calm voice. It was not a new demand. In fact, I had said it every day—sometimes three times a day—for the last two years.…
Category Fatherhood
The Difference a Dad Makes: Poverty, Crime, and Violence
I think most of us recognize that dads are important to their kids, but I don’t think most of us imagine just how critical they are. Recently, I read a new book, The Boy Crisis: Why Our Boys Are Struggling…
Fatherhood and Mental Health
I was fortunate enough to grow up with a father who was responsible, worked hard, had integrity, and made time for his family. At the time I did not comprehend the intentionality he had to take care of himself so…
Big Dreams, Massive Mountains and Little Legs
My dad is a great storyteller. Always has been, always will be. Add in the fact that I had an extremely active imagination at six-years-old, and it is not a stretch that I truly thought I was going to Hogwarts.…
December Deployment & Christmas Eve
In 2011, I was tasked with a deployment to Afghanistan. Thankfully, I had a few months’ notice, but my report date hit right before the Christmas holiday. My wife and I tried to soak in as much family time together…
Respect: An Essential Ingredient to Success
For Josh Keedy, Prime driver and father of four, it all boils down to respect. Self-respect is a big deal for Josh—something reflected in his work as a driver and in his role as a husband and father. This attitude…
Handling Surge on the Road and at Home
As the driver of an 18-wheel tanker hauling food grade products, John Ogren is familiar with “surge.” He might be hauling anything from liquid chocolate to grape juice to soybean oil; it doesn’t make much difference when he needs to…
How Dads Make a Difference: From “The Boy Crisis” by Dr. Warren Farrell & Dr. John Gray
When I recently spoke with the Care Managers at Jordan Valley Clinic about the importance of fathers to children’s health, I was happy to have The Boy Crisis by Dr. Warren Farrell and Dr. John Gray to use as a…
When You Lose Your Child at the State Fair
Is one really lost if they don’t know they are lost? That is a question I have returned to again and again after a recent incident at the State Fair of Minnesota. As Minnesotans living in the heat of…
Three Girls, Three Sports
How many of you are like me? While growing up you played as many sports as you could—baseball, basketball, football, and even soccer (VERY little)! I was NOT the best athlete. There were many of my teammates who did a…