In Part Two, Sean reflects on losing his stepfather and guiding his sons through grief, legacy, and growth. He shares stories of finding laughter in pain, of writing a eulogy that helped him truly understand the man who raised him, and of passing those lessons forward. Together, Shaun and Sean unpack how fathers can model empathy, resilience, and strength through vulnerability—and why raising sons of character starts with being honest about our own humanity.

Key Takeaways / Topics Covered

1. Grief is a teacher — How fathers can lead their families through loss with honesty and calm strength.
2. Model before you teach — Kids copy what they see; your actions are the real lesson.
3. Empathy is legacy — Raising sons who choose kindness and courage in a noisy world.
4. Humor heals — Laughter and humility are part of resilience.
5. Love is conditional in effort, not worth — Sean reminds that love is deep, but accountability still matters.

Supporting Content

• The Kids Are Sleep podcast: https://thekidsaresleeppod.com/
• Instagram (Sean): https://www.instagram.com/therealseanharvey/

Timestamps / Chapter Markers

00:00 Cultivating Understanding: Communicating Why We Push Our Kids (The Right-Hand Layup)
03:22 The Challenge of Independence: Figuring Out the "Redo" for the Second Child
05:46 The Genetics and The Goals: Tall Parents, Athletic Potential, and Non-Athletic Kids
09:22The Asset vs. Liability: Getting Young Girls into Sports
11:24 The Specialization Trap: Dealing with Pressure from Club Sports
14:34 Courage in Vulnerability: What Motivates Sharing the "Messy Life" of Parenting
17:07 The Identity Shift: From Political Satire/Rapper to Public Fatherhood
21:28 The Strength of Vulnerability: The Castle Metaphor and Letting People In
23:31 The True Measure of Success: How Well Kids Do Once They Leave
24:20 Values to Instill: Hard Work, Compassion, and Conditional Love
26:49 Managing the Tension: Unconditional Love vs. Raising Independent Adults
28:22 The "College Hair" Conversation: Comforting Kids vs. Facing Reality
30:10 Advice for Failing Dads: Keep Trying, Keep Failing (The Road to Excellence)
31:54 The Difficult Talk: Using Chess to Broach Uncomfortable Topics with His Son
34:00 The Most Important Example: Showing Sons How to Love and Respect Their Mother
35:51 Excellence is Failure: Why You Must Embrace Continuous Failure in Fatherhood
37:42 The Core Principle: How to Raise Powerful, Compassionate Men – "Don't Be a Dick"
40:03 The Power of Childhood Humiliation: A Puddle of Pee and the Iconoclastic Path
43:10 The Ripple Effect: Why Good Deeds and Positivity are the True Source of Empowerment
45:20 Breaking the Cycle: Not Raising Kids Who "Were Raised by a Dick"
47:35 The Small Act of Kindness: The Calculus of Holding a Door
49:26 Conclusion: The Value of a Mother's Love and Early Loss

In this conversation, Eli Weinstein unpacks the emotional journey men go through as they shift from “just a guy” to a present, grounded, emotionally intelligent dad. Drawing from his work as a therapist, author, and host of The Dude Therapist, Eli breaks down the fears, expectations, and heart-level responsibilities that come with modern fatherhood — and how men can rise to them with honesty, humility, and strength. His new book, Dudes to Dads, gives fathers a roadmap to show up with clarity and connection in the moments that matter most.

Topics Covered

1. The emotional transition from “dude” to fully engaged father — what men often struggle with but rarely say out loud.
2. Modern masculinity and mental health — unlearning the silence of past generations and building new patterns of emotional strength.
3. Key insights from Dudes to Dads — identity shifts, communication, and redefining what support looks like.
4. The role of fathers in raising emotionally grounded sons — modeling vulnerability, presence, and healthy expression.
5. Practical, everyday habits for better connection — tools men can start using today to strengthen their relationships and parenting.

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction: Ellie Weinstein & the Book

04:41 - Why the Book Was Written

07:45 - Relationship Strain After Kids

11:41 - Paternal Postpartum Anxiety

13:05 - Male Vulnerability & Societal Pressure

15:01 - Masculinity and True Strength

21:20 - Raising Sons with Emotional Honesty

27:19 - The Import/Export Home Culture Tool

33:52 - The Dude-to-Dad Transition

37:43 - Interdependence vs. Losing Self

41:33 - Sharing Hobbies with Kids

43:47 - How to Connect with Eli

44:54 - One Final Principle

47:10 - Closing Thoughts

Topics, Books & Ideas Linked

Dudes to Dads (Book): https://www.elivation.org/dudes-to-dads
The Dude Therapist Podcast: https://www.elivation.org/the-dude-therapist-podcast
Apple Podcast Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dude-therapist/id1523217780
Spotify Podcast Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/0lQzVztPzPN8ZOcN0X2w1S
ELIvation Website: https://www.elivation.org
Emotional Fitness Concepts (Blog & Resources): https://www.elivation.org/blog
General Resources Page: https://www.elivation.org/resources

In this episode of Raising Men, host Shaun Dawson sits down with Christopher Veal — author of The Whole Man: Evolving Masculinity, Marine veteran, and host of The Vulnerable Man Podcast — to explore what it really means to be a “whole man.” Together, they unpack the myths of masculine strength, the courage behind vulnerability, and how fathers can model emotional integrity for their kids.

Key Takeaways

1. True strength isn’t in the walls we build. Masculinity isn’t about armor or control — it’s about creating space where life and connection can thrive.
2. Healthy masculinity lives in the ‘both/and.’ Real manhood blends courage and compassion. It’s not dominance or softness — it’s the balance of both.
3. Vulnerability is leadership. Showing emotion or admitting mistakes doesn’t weaken fathers — it builds trust and emotional safety for sons.
4. Fathers shape emotional literacy. Boys learn more from what we model than what we say. Our responses to fear, love, and failure teach manhood.
5. Legacy is wholeness, not perfection. The “whole man” integrates every side of himself — strong yet open, firm yet kind. That’s what our sons remember.

Pull Quotes

Timestamps / Chapter Markers
00:00 – 02:45 – Intro: male vulnerability & authentic friendships
02:45 – 05:30 – Masculinity & societal pressures
05:30 – 08:10 – Vulnerability and strength in high-pressure environments
08:10 – 11:05 – Fatherhood: teaching through action
11:05 – 14:00 – Self-awareness, ego, and confidence vs. arrogance
14:00 – 17:20 – Excellence vs. perfection
17:20 – 20:05 – Learning from failure & embracing mistakes
20:05 – 22:50 – Connecting emotionally with other men
22:50 – 25:00 – Going second: showing openness to build trust
25:01 – 28:15 – Father figures & cross-cultural influences
28:16 – 31:45 – Grace in parenting & male friendships
31:46 – 34:30 – Confronting flaws & modeling honesty
34:31 – 37:50 – Navigating polarized cultural narratives
37:51 – 41:00 – Fostering meaningful male connections
41:01 – 44:15 – Practical advice: self-awareness & intentionality
44:16 – 47:30 – Key takeaways & lessons learned
47:31 – End – Closing remarks & final encouragement

🔗 Supporting Content & Resources

Book: The Whole Man: Evolving Masculinity by Christopher Veal Explores how men can integrate vulnerability and emotional intelligence into leadership and fatherhood.
Podcast: The Vulnerable Man Podcast Christopher’s ongoing conversations with men about courage, leadership, and emotional truth.

Further Reading Mentioned:

• Daring Greatly by Brené Brown — Understanding vulnerability as the birthplace of courage and connection.
• The Mask of Masculinity by Lewis Howes — On breaking emotional armor and redefining male strength.
• The Way of the Superior Man by David Deida — Classic work on balancing masculine energy with openness.

Simon shares how mindfulness transformed his life after years of mental-health struggle and burnout — helping him become a more present father, husband, and therapist. Together, Shaun and Simon explore how mindfulness, emotional awareness, and healthy masculinity shape the next generation of men.

Key Takeaways

1. Mindfulness begins with awareness. Bringing the subconscious to the conscious allows fathers to be truly present with their children.
2. Healing starts with connection. Therapy, lived-experience storytelling, and vulnerability create powerful pathways for men to recover and grow.
3. Redefining masculinity is generational work. By modeling emotional awareness and imperfection, fathers teach sons that strength and softness can coexist.

Pull Quotes

Timestamps / Chapter Markers

• 00:00 — Welcome back + who is Simon Rinne
• 00:36 — Mindfulness defined: “conscious awareness” for parents
• 01:15 — Simon’s backstory: OCD at 8, anxiety, depression
• 02:21 — Coping with alcohol and delaying help
• 03:14 — 2020 burnout: work, study, two kids, lockdown
• 03:43 — Discovering mindfulness and “lived-experience” therapy
• 04:39 — Feeling seen and heard for the first time
• 05:12 — Why men delay getting help
• 06:04 — Growing up in Adelaide; 80s/90s “suck it up” culture
• 07:26 — Bottling emotions, anger as the only “allowed” feeling
• 08:26 — Parents split at 13; “man of the house” pressure
• 09:18 — Alcohol at 15; clinic calls for positive male role models
• 10:15 — Social constructions of masculinity across eras
• 11:37 — Reframing masculinity: healthy vs “toxic” labels
• 12:50 — Past, present, future reflection for dads and sons
• 14:30 — Biggest misconception: “men can’t seek help”
• 15:26 — Lived experience builds trust; team problem-solving
• 16:39 — Finding the right “fit” in therapy, like fitness modalities
• 17:50 — Beyond therapy: sleep, food, movement, addictions
• 18:36 — Dopamine loops and sustainable change
• 19:44 — Mindful parenting: patience, presence, emotions
• 21:08 — The playbook is changing; imperfect parenting and repair
• 23:24 — Modeling apologies and rebuilding bridges
• 24:49 — Negative vs virtuous feedback loops
• 26:15 — “Always working” anxiety and learning to unplug
• 27:22 — Provider tension in a 24/7 world
• 29:00 — Connection is what kids want most
• 30:23 — Regaining control by letting go of control
• 31:17 — Live by values; kids learn from what we model
• 32:50 — Start mindfulness “day one” by modeling, not lectures
• 34:01 — Nature slows time; fewer screens, more real life
• 35:23 — Tactical first step: “tune-up” your mind like a car
• 36:53 — Pitfalls: old pain surfaces; that is part of healing
• 38:09 — Wabi-sabi: the beauty of imperfection
• 38:46 — How to engage with Mindful Men: podcast, therapy, group
• 40:36 — One principle: identify 5–6 core values and live them
• 41:53 — Close

Supporting Content & Mentions

• Mindful Men Website: https://mindfulmen.com.au
• Mindful Men Podcast: https://mindfulmen.com.au/podcast
• Mindful Men Community (Facebook Group): https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindfulmencommunity
• Mental Health Awareness Month (Australia): https://www.mentalhealthmonth.org.au/
• Concept Mentioned — Wabi-Sabi (Japanese philosophy of beauty in imperfection)

In this conversation, Shaun Dawson and Luke Entrup explore what it really means to guide boys into manhood in a culture that has lost its rites of passage. Luke shares how fathers can reclaim the ancient practice of initiation to raise sons of character, courage, and conviction. Together, they discuss how emotional intelligence, mentorship, and time in nature can help boys develop “heart-connected power” — strength balanced with compassion.

Key Takeaways

1. Rites of passage matter. When boys lack meaningful thresholds into adulthood, they seek belonging in unhealthy or toxic ways.
2. Healthy masculinity is heart-connected power. Strength and sensitivity can coexist; empowerment means “power with,” not “power over.”
3. Mentorship is missing. Fathers and communities must step up to guide boys intentionally into manhood.
4. Growth requires discomfort. Modern initiations should challenge boys safely but meaningfully.
5. Connection before correction. Daily “special time” strengthens the bond that supports discipline and trust.
6. Digital disconnection. Real growth happens offline — in nature, in silence, and through shared experiences.

Timestamps / Chapter Markers

• 00:00 — Welcome + who is Luke Entrup
• 02:14 — What a rite of passage actually is
• 03:48 — Why thresholds matter (and what we lost)
• 05:41 — Two key transitions: childhood→adolescence, adolescence→manhood
• 08:56 — Belonging first, then independence
• 10:59 — Emotional intelligence as real power
• 13:56 — Adapting ancient rites for modern life
• 15:29 — Discomfort over danger: designing challenge well
• 16:29 — When boys miss initiation (mentorship gap)
• 18:39 — Screens hijack belonging
• 20:22 — Two ails: phone culture + loss of free-range mobility
• 22:02 — What healthy masculinity looks like
• 25:52 — Reframing “toxic” vs healthy masculinity
• 27:01 — How to build thresholds at home
• 27:43 — Father-Son Connection Experience (Luke’s program)
• 28:59 — Annual “hard thing together” in nature
• 31:17 — Daily “special time” (15-minute ritual)
• 32:43 — Closing the gap between the parent you are and hoped to be
• 34:50 — The power of repair: “I’m sorry”
• 37:13 — What Luke thinks he’s done well (awe + the natural world)
• 39:15 — What he’d change (rigidity → flexibility)
• 41:07 — Anti-fragility over brittleness
• 42:08 — One principle: “Silence is noble”
• 45:58 — The 3-step challenge for parents
• 47:20 — The 4th step: “What do you need from me this year?”
• 49:38 — Closing + credits

Supporting Content

• The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt – on technology’s impact on youth.
• Bill Plotkin – Nature and the Human Soul – developmental stages and human initiation.
• Father–Son Connection Experience – Luke Entrup’s program for fathers and sons.
• Hand in Hand Parenting – source of the “special time” practice.
• Buddhist concept: “One eye in, one eye out” — awareness of both inner and outer landscapes.

The Father’s Challenge by Luke Entrup

Simple but powerful four-step challenge for fathers:

1. Daily Special Time – 15 minutes of uninterrupted, child-led play.
2. Join a Community – find or create a group of fathers committed to rites of passage.
3. An Annual Adventure – one outdoor challenge shared with your son each year.
4. Ask the Question – “What’s one thing you need from me this year to feel connected to me?”