When does healthy encouragement cross into crushing pressure? This episode tackles every dad's toughest balancing act: pushing our kids toward their potential without shoving them over the edge. Through real stories—including a shocking Little League brawl and personal moments from Mike's own parenting journey—we explore the difference between perseverance and compulsion, passion and pressure. You'll discover six diagnostic questions to check your motivations, learn when external pressure turns toxic, and find out why 70% of kids quit organized sports by age 13. Whether your kid is grinding through AP classes, competing on the field, or practicing for their next recital, this episode will help you distinguish between supporting their dreams and living vicariously through their achievements. Because the goal isn't raising champions—it's raising kids who love the process, not just the trophy.

Remember when your kids thought you could do anything? When you were Superman, the strongest person in their universe? That changes. And if you don't understand how, you'll keep showing up the same way year after year, wondering why it's not working anymore. In this episode, we walk through all four stages of the Father Friend Model from your kid's perspective. Because here's what most dads don't know: there are natural, God-given ways kids perceive their fathers at different stages of development. These aren't just phases—they're built-in expectations about what a father should be.

We'll cover:
Strong Protector (0-6): How your littles see you as their walking security system
Confidence Builder (7-12): Why your belief in them becomes their belief in themselves
Steady Anchor (13-20): What teenagers need when their world feels chaotic
Faithful Friend (21+): How to transition from authority to friendship

Understanding how your kids see you at each stage changes everything about how you show up. Because the dad who can shift and adapt as they grow is the dad who stays connected for the long haul.

Our culture can't define what a man is—so how are we supposed to raise boys to become men? In this episode, we tackle the question most parents are afraid to ask: What does healthy masculinity actually look like? You'll discover the three types of masculinity operating in our culture (and why only one actually works), what the research reveals about why fathers aren't replaceable, and the four types of courage every boy needs to develop. This isn't about toxic masculinity or abandoned masculinity—it's about biblical masculinity. The kind we see in Jesus. Tender and fierce. Gentle and bold. Servant and king. If you're a dad who wants to raise sons who know how to use their strength to lead, protect, and serve—or daughters who know what to expect from good men—this episode gives you the framework and practical steps to start this week.