Raising Men

Navigating the threshold of modern adolescence requires more than passive autopilot parenting; it demands intentionality, real-world action, and an unyielding commitment to relational connection. In this powerful Q&A episode of the Raising Men Podcast , host Shaun Dawson steps into the breach to address the deep cultural noise and heavy transitions facing young men today. Drawing from the coll...

In this episode of Raising Men , host Shaun Dawson sits down with Jody Hill, a best-selling author, speaker, and parenting sidekick, to unpack the transformative power of a parent’s words. Jody, the author of The Parent's Secret Superpower , shares a simple yet life-altering message: the language parents use daily directly shapes how children view themselves and navigate their futures. Moving past...

In this powerful and deeply personal solo address, Shaun Dawson marks the 250th anniversary of the nation by examining the "quiet crisis" surrounding modern masculinity. Moving past polarized cultural narratives, Shaun argues that the current friction and pressure surrounding what it means to be a man is not bad news—it is a rare, pressure-testing opportunity to strip away performative habits and...

In this compelling episode of Raising Men , host Shaun Dawson sits down with Jonathan V. Last (JVL), editor of The Bulwark and father of four, to navigate the complex and rapidly evolving landscape of youth sports. Drawing from twelve years of experience parenting a high-level collegiate baseball pitcher, JVL unpacks the delicate balance between fostering an elite athlete's drive and maintaining s...

In this direct Q&A episode of Raising Men , Shaun Dawson tackles two intense family dynamics that keep parents awake at night. Drawing from the collective wisdom of past guests, we break down how to transition from a frantic "referee" into an active coach when sibling conflict boils over, using the proven framework of storming, norming, and performing. Then, we dive into the deep psychological...

In this deeply insightful episode of Raising Men , host Shaun Dawson sits down with Andrew Reiner, a teaching professor at Towson University, cultural critic, and leading voice on the emotional lives of boys. Drawing from his books, Better Boys, Better Men and the upcoming Boys Reconnected , Reiner unpacks a quiet epidemic: why boys are disproportionately falling through the cracks of our educatio...

In this special Father’s Day edition of Raising Men , host Shaun Dawson sits down for an intimate, deeply personal conversation with his own father, Ted Dawson. A former high-profile television sports broadcaster who navigated major media markets in the 1980s and 1990s, Ted shares his reflections on the immense cultural weight of being a primary financial provider. Together, the father and son loo...

Joined by his very own son and the original inspiration for the podcast, Lake Dawson, Shaun explores the world directly through a child's eyes.  Filled with humor, heart, and a highly coordinated effort by Lake to secure some studio donuts, this Father's Day episode serves as a powerful reminder that presence and authentic connection always outpace perfection in parenting.   00:00 Introduction to...

In this solo episode of Raising Men , host Shaun Dawson wrestles with a heavy and deeply honest question brought to him by a friend: What do you do when you want to support your teenager's passions, but their only apparent passion is doing drugs? Key Takeaways The Modern Environment Amplifies Temptation: Unlike past generations who had to seek out vices, today's teenage boys face an inescapable, h...

Tosha Schore is a parent educator, author, and the founder of Parenting Boys Peacefully . She specializes in helping parents navigate the "bad guy myth" by reframing boy aggression as a signal of fear rather than a character flaw. Tosha provides practical tools for building deep connections and setting loving limits. 5 Key Takeaways: Reframing aggression as a communication of fear or lack of safet...

In this insightful Q&A episode of Raising Men , host Shaun Dawson dives deep into the complex personal growth challenges that modern fathers face on the playground and at home. Drawing from the collective insights of previous conversations, Shaun addresses two powerful, listener-submitted questions regarding early childhood cultural conditioning and the struggle for verbal emotional intimacy....

Jon Hord is the founder of the Engaged Father Project . A former high-achieving corporate VP who walked away from a 100-year-old family company after a health-induced epiphany, Jon now coaches dads to move from "reactive survival" to "radical intentionality." 5 Key Takeaways: The "Provider Trap": Connecting your value solely to your income. The "Deathbed Scenario" as a tool for major life decision...

In this mailbag edition of Raising Men , host Shaun Dawson addresses two critical parenting dilemmas: emotional withholding and managing high-energy boys. Shaun unpacks the phenomenon of "emotional narrowing," explaining how rigid, fear-based discipline can inadvertently turn a home into an emotional desert. Drawing on insights from trauma-informed parenting, the episode highlights why genuine aut...

In this episode of Raising Men, Shawn sits down with Lisa Johnson , a high-conflict divorce strategist, certified domestic violence advocate, and co-founder of Been There, Got Out . After enduring a decade-long legal battle with her ex-husband—including more than 100 court appearances—Lisa transformed her painful experience into a mission to help parents navigate high-conflict divorces and protect...

In this special mailbag edition, Shaun dives deep into two core questions that surface at the very beginning of the fatherhood journey: how to establish foundational non-negotiables for raising a son of character, and how to navigate the intense emotional mirroring of toddlers. Relying on the collective wisdom of past guests—such as Sean Harvey, Emily Huston, Ryan North, and Paul Kix—Shaun maps ou...

This episode of Raising Men features an intimate deep dive with Jordan Ritter Conn , a senior staff writer at The Ringer and author of the groundbreaking 2026 book, American Men . After spending five years embedded in the lives of four vastly different men, Jordan discusses the "missing roadmap" of modern masculinity and the internal struggle men face when they fail to meet inherited ideals. 1. Ke...

This episode dives into the "refining fire" of parenting, where Shaun Dawson explores the collective wisdom of past guests to answer two heavy-hitting listener questions about balancing strength with warmth and navigating the silent guilt of new fatherhood. Questions: "I want my son to be resilient, but I don't want to be a 'cold' dad. How do I provide comfort without making him 'soft'?" "I’m a ne...

In a culture that has "clear-cut" the traditional forests of masculinity, 40% of young men now report having no one to turn to for guidance. We are navigating a landscape where traditional rites of passage have vanished, leaving parents to choose between "toxic" archetypes or the empty alternative of no masculinity at all. In this episode, Shaun sits down with Dan Doty , a pioneer in men’s develop...

Key Topics Covered Moving from inherited parenting patterns to helping sons build their own operating systems for life Balancing reactive responses with logical and empathetic thinking through the Two-Brain Metaphor Redefining masculine strength as a drawbridge of trust rather than a wall of armor Understanding why boys adopt social masks and silent postures in public settings to feel safe Priorit...

In this episode of Raising Men, Sean Dawson sits down with Ralph Brewer , founder of the Help for Men Brotherhood and creator of Dad Starting Over. Ralph shares his journey from divorce and single fatherhood to building a global community helping men navigate relationships, masculinity, fatherhood, and personal growth. The conversation explores the hidden struggles many men face—from sexless marri...

In this episode of Raising Men, Shaun Dawson explores the complex topics of masculinity, consent, and digital influence in parenting. He offers practical advice on teaching boys emotional sensitivity, consent through play, and building internal discipline to navigate social media algorithms. Questions: "I’m terrified of my son being a 'predator' or 'toxic.' Should I be teaching him consent now, or...

In this conversation, Todd Adams — Executive Director of Men Living and co-host of Zen Parenting Radio — unpacks what “conscious masculinity” truly means when you’re raising boys today. From the man box, to modeling emotional literacy, to partnership dynamics, to navigating conflict and consent, Todd brings grounded, practical wisdom for parents who want to raise strong, emotionally capable young...

In this episode of Raising Men, host Shaun Dawson reflects on a powerful conversation with Deland McCullough . Shaun shares a poignant story about a young entrepreneur in Chicago who built a thriving barbershop but nearly lost everything because he lacked a permit—and, more importantly, because his "default mindset" told him the world was designed to take his success away. This narrative serves as...

In today’s episode of the Raising Men podcast, we sit down with Kirk Martin , founder of Celebrate Calm and host of the Calm Parenting Podcast. For more than two decades, Kirk has helped over a million parents stop the power struggles and build stronger relationships with their children. In this conversation, we explore how traits that make boys “difficult” today—arguing, stubbornness, intensity—c...

In this Q&A episode of Raising Men, host Shaun Dawson dives into some of the most pressing parenting challenges shared by listeners. Drawing on insights from past guests like Steve Biddulph, Eric Davis, Ryan Walton, and Devin Kuntzmann, Shaun unpacks why boys often express emotions through anger, how parents fall into reactive patterns when exhausted, and what it really takes to raise resilien...