In Episode 3 of Hot Topics, Good Dads hosts Will Cox and Dr. Jennifer L. Baker tackle a powerful and relatable subject for every parent: the value of letting children fail. The latest episode, “Letting Your Children Fail – Using Setbacks to Foster Growth & Resilience,” is a candid conversation that explores why experiencing failure is a necessary and healthy part of growing up—and how it builds strong, self-reliant adults.
Why Failure Matters
Will opens the episode with a personal story many parents can identify with. When his typically high-achieving son procrastinated on a class book report, Will’s first instinct was to step in and fix the problem—so much so that he nearly used AI to generate the assignment. But in a moment of perspective, he realized what was really at stake: not the grade, but the lesson.
Dr. Baker weighs in on why it’s essential to resist the urge to rescue. “Give them the chance to fail when the price tag is small,” she advised. Allowing children to face manageable setbacks teaches accountability, resilience, and problem-solving—skills that pay off when life’s challenges grow larger and more complex.
“Allowing them to fail is more difficult than teaching them to succeed.”
— Will Cox
Real-Life Lessons
Throughout the episode, both hosts share personal anecdotes that underline how failure shaped their own growth. Whether it was a teenager learning the hard way about laundry (and wearing wet jeans to school) or the consequences of reckless driving, these go to show how powerful natural consequences can be.
Financial literacy also takes center stage. Will and Dr. Baker discuss how giving kids responsibility over their own money teaches them to prioritize, save and make wise spending decisions. As Dr. Baker notes, learning from a misstep like blowing a back-to-school budget at 14 is far better than blowing your whole paycheck at 25.
Support, Don’t “Rescue”
So when should parents intervene? The answer is nuanced. Dr. Baker encourages parents to pause before stepping in. Ask, “Would my child benefit from learning to do this on their own?” If the answer is yes, let them figure it out—with love, encouragement and space to process their emotions.
As a dad, Will emphasized the importance of discussing these moments with children after the fact, asking questions like, “How could you have done this differently?” He reminds listeners to be patient and wait until the child is ready to talk. “They feel it,” he says. “They’re frustrated, too.”
“You’re not always going to be there. Let them make mistakes now while it’s safe, before they enter the real world.”
— Will Cox
Our Favorite Takeaways
· Don’t fix everything: Support kids in finding their own solutions.
· Let them experience consequences when the stakes are low.
· Talk it out: Discuss what happened, how it felt, and what they can learn.
· Work with your co-parent to maintain consistency, even across separate households.
Don’t miss the latest episode of Hot Topics! This episode has relatable advice and compassionate guidance whether you’re co-parenting, guiding a teen through independence, or simply struggling to watch your child stumble. As a dad, think about how you can foster long-term resilience in your children by letting them fail.
Learn More
The Good Dads Hot Topics podcast delivers thought-provoking conversations that help fathers and father-figures navigate real-world challenges with the kiddos in their lives. Subscribe to the Good Dads Podcast and sign up for the Good Dads Newsletter to stay connected.
