Fatherhood Field Notes

On this week's episode of the Craft of Fatherhood podcast, Ned shares the timeline and story behind creating The Adventure of Fatherhood children's book and the purpose behind it. Thank you to all who supported the Kickstarter Campaign and helped bring this book to life! ---------- Want to learn more about The Adventure of Fatherhood? https://www.adventureoffatherhood.com/ https://www.re...

James Millhorn and Ned Schaut have an in-depth conversation about how to know your children and connect with them.  As the father, it is your responsibility to know your children and learn how to best communicate with them. ----------- Want to learn more about The Adventure of Fatherhood? https://www.adventureoffatherhood.com/ https://www.rebelandcreate.com/ Each week Ned sits down with a dad and...

In this episode, Ned shares a win from his week and then a flop. He expands on how managing our expectations help us embrace the challenges that come our way. He also recaps his conversation with Kirby Garry and his take on children's sports culture as a university athletic director. Check out this week's Fatherhood Field Notes Podcast episode if you haven't already. "You are f...

Kirby Garry is a father to four, married to his wife Jody for 20 years, and the Athletic Director of Cal State Monterey Bay. He is rebelling against the traditional American youth sport culture (travel teams, sport specific training, at too early of an age, etc.) with the goal of exposing our kids to many activities and allowing them to find their passion along the way. He is working to empower hi...

On this week's episode of the Craft of Fatherhood podcast, Ned shares how a nightly journaling practice with his family has helped deepen connections within his family. He discusses how journaling about wins, fails, and intentions for the day has allowed for deeper conversations with his kids. He also shares something he's learned recently from identity based habits.  The podcasts mentio...

This week's conversation with father, James Schrader, is full of wisdom from a dad who is driven to raise a daughter who is equipped with the courage to pursue things that fill her heart and soul. He is a divorced, single dad, comedian, actor, and writer.  He talks about how taking on a stepdad role early on in adulthood and what it is like being a single dad today. He shares the joy of getti...

In this week's episode of the Craft of Fatherhood podcast, Ned shares a realization he came to after a miscommunication with her kids.  This story is worth sharing because it reminds us of the importance of being aware of our expectations for our family.   He also shares a win from the week in the gym and what bringing his kids into that environment has taught him. ---------- Want to learn mo...

Mike Wagner, the father to three, is here to share his journey to find success.  After Ultimately, he reminds us of the importance of redefining success on our terms despite what the world around us tells us it should look like.    Instead, Mike made a pretty dramatic shift and quit his full-time job to turn his life around.  He shares how he and his wife have set up their lives to stay at home an...

What books are you reading? What videos are you listening to? It is important to reflect on the content you're consuming in your day. Take some time before the new year to look back at this time and see what ideas and input you've put into practice from those you allow to speak into your life. Books discussed in this episode: How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: https://www.amazon.com/How-...

For David Waldy, his number one strength is empathy. He strives to speak the hard truths in love matter what discomfort may follow. He is rebelling against apathy, confusion, resentment, and anger in our men. It is evident in our daily lives, social media, and television. Instead, he is looking to inspire men to be faithful and do what they say they're going to do. He is doing it and it is ev...

This week Ned dives into triggers - how to recognize them and how to tackle them when they show up.  He gets real about something that triggers him in his life and shares practical tips on how he is handling it. ---------- Want to learn more about The Adventure of Fatherhood? https://www.adventureoffatherhood.com/ https://www.rebelandcreate.com/ Each week Ned sits down with a dad and asks him to o...

This week's guest is an exceptional storyteller - Dr. Kelly Flanagan. This father-to-three shares how he's rebelling against the dichotomy of providing for your family while pursuing your passions. How many men out there are not responding to a call that they have felt for a while out of fear? He has the desire to teach men that carrying the burden of providing for their family does not...

What illusions are you living in with your kiddos?  What blindspots may you have?  How can you avoid these?  What is your role? ---------- Want to learn more about The Adventure of Fatherhood? https://www.adventureoffatherhood.com/ https://www.rebelandcreate.com/ Each week Ned sits down with a dad and asks him to open up his field notes and share with other men who find themselves on the Adventure...

Nick Branon, a married, father of two, and a business owner, shares about how strict his father was growing up and how it has impacted his parenting. The role of the father is to lead them, protect them, and see them for who they are and who they are growing into. Our kids won't waiver who they are and it is important for us to truly see who they are inside.    Nick talks about his strong con...

We talk about marriage as being an adventure as a battle to fight for. It can sometimes show up as the ego's desire to win the battle - even if it is against our wives.  This battle should be seen as an opportunity to fight alongside our wives and not just letting our ego win. This can force our wives to show up in the masculine form to protect her heart. Men, we are to provide and protect ou...

This conversation with JR Parker is rich with wisdom from a man who knows the impact he has on not only his children but future Parker generations. He realizes how his commitment goes beyond just parenting until his children are 18. Ned and JR discuss the importance of finding friends and mentors that help you level up. They talk about how to cultivate it if that is something you're seeking a...

In this week's episode, we talk about setting aside time to intentionally reflect on life. With Thanksgiving behind us and the holidays and the end of the year on the horizon, it is important to reflect on the past year and what I want the next year to look like. Ned shares an annual practice that has helped him focus on this and it may inspire you too. ---------- Want to learn more about The...

This conversation with my friend, Jim Haag, is full of wisdom from a disciplined man and father who's truly embraced his role as dad and shifted his lifestyle to lead his family in the most positive direction.  He shares how nutrition, fitness, and how taking control of his physical health helped put focus on how he wanted to show up as a dad. He shares what he's learned about his body c...

This week I share a few questions at the forefront of my mind this week: How do I make my family feel?  Will this action (x,y,z) help me hit my goal?  What can I do to shift my energy before bringing bad energy home?  What matters most?  I share the major takeaway from pondering these questions this week and how failing at some of these things has shifted my perspective.  Book discussed in this ep...

This week's conversation with Jon Vroman is focused on the growth-centered brotherhood he's created at Front Row Dads. This online community, with members from 14 countries, was established as a place for men to connect - family men with businesses - not businessmen with families. A few years ago, someone asked, “ What do you do Jon? ” He replied, “ I’m a speaker , author , and founder o...

When you think of your goals, what are you measuring?  We contemplate this question and how to best measure goals, Is there a chance you're measuring your performance on scale too large or too small to accurately see your progress? Setting  goals matter and it is worth considering how to best achieve them. I also share a current book that's helping me stay on track with goal tracking. Bo...

Thomas Pfanner lives in Oregon with his three children and wife Megan. He has over 15 years of experience coaching and teaching at the middle, high school, and collegiate levels. His drive to help dads, young men & women succeed is what inspired this project. His experience as an educator gives him a unique perspective on how schools are missing the mark in preparing kids to win in the game of...

Today we're talking about an "Aha!" moment I had when talking with my mentor.  I share about facing the realities of our children growing up and not being able to roll back the clock to spend time with the younger version of our kids. Check-in with yourself: What would your future self tell your younger self to focus on more? Take the answers and act on them in this current moment....

This episode with Mike Ayala is so impactful. He is truly a man that enjoys being a father. An extrovert, he loves being with people and has prioritized spending time with those he loves. When the world is constantly telling us "me time" is important, he's cultivated a true joy for spending time with others. And his children are no exception. He shares practical tips on how he'...

In this week's episode, I talk about discipline. No matter where you fall - extremely disciplined OR maybe just coasting along striving for more - I realize how discipline can affect us being present in the moment.  For example, you may be driving your kid to practice but are not fully engaged because you're thinking of the meeting you have in the afternoon. I recognize this in myself an...