Ep 041: Parenting Through the Father Wound and Fathers' Empowerment with Coach Steve Anderson

The Relational Parenting Podcast

Steve Anderson is married and has two sons. He is the former Director of the nonprofit Boys to Men Mentoring Network of Minnesota, where he led national and international transformational weekends for boys. He has over ten years of experience working with men and boys, developing the emotional awareness and skills they need to reach their full potential. He lived through his dad’s spectacular burnout as a teenager and works with fathers to help them avoid doing the same in their own lives. He is a certified professional coach with training in applied neuroscience.

Takeaways

• Male voices are important in parenting and provide a unique perspective on fatherhood.
• Vulnerability is crucial in fatherhood and requires strength and courage to ask for help.
• Understanding the mechanics of the brain and rewriting parenting stories can lead to healthier relationships.
• Being the parent your child needs and not the one you wanted growing up is essential.
• Building a strong adult relationship with parents requires authenticity and open communication.
• Acknowledging and apologizing for parental mistakes is important for healing and growth.
• Validating children's pain and emotions is crucial for their emotional well-being. Acknowledging and validating emotions is important in relationships.
• Being present and supportive during difficult times can strengthen relationships.
• Navigating hard times together can build stronger bonds.
• Supporting children's activities and relationships is crucial for their development.
• Being the best version of yourself as a parent is a continuous process.
• Making small changes can lead to improvement in relationships.
• Play and side-by-side activities can foster connection and communication.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Importance of Male Voices in Parenting
02:11 The Importance of Vulnerability in Fatherhood
06:11 Understanding the Mechanics of the Brain and Rewriting Parenting Stories
09:05 Being the Parent Your Child Needs
12:23 Reflecting on Childhood and Reweaving Stories
17:40 The Journey of Self-Awareness and Forgiveness
21:30 Building a Strong Adult Relationship with Parents
25:53 The Power of Authenticity in Parent-Child Relationships
28:08 Acknowledging and Apologizing for Parental Mistakes
32:42 The Importance of Acknowledging and Validating Children's Pain
36:28 Acknowledging and Learning from Emotions
41:04 Being Present and Supporting Others
45:33 Navigating Hard Times Together
48:25 Supporting Children's Activities and Relationships
52:50 Being the Best Version of Yourself
59:58 Making Small Changes for Improvement
01:06:37 The Importance of Play and Side-by-Side Activities
01:12:36 The Importance of Outdoor Play
01:13:29 The Benefits of Physical Activity
01:14:20 The Negative Effects of Reduced Recess Time
01:15:55 Setting a Good Example for Children
01:17:35 Taking Care of Yourself as a Parent
01:22:28 Common Challenges Faced by Fathers
01:25:26 The Importance of Being Authentic
01:28:27 Having a Vision for Fatherhood
01:31:05 Understanding Children's Behavior
01:34:41 Never Giving Up on Being a Good Father
01:36:11 Finding Support and Resources for Fatherhood

Where to find Steve and Free Resources:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebestdadproject
Steve Anderson | The Best Dad Program: https://steveanderson.coach/
SteveAnderson.Online: https://www.steveanderson.online/
FREE Journal prompts to get you started: Email: [e-mail], Subject: Relational Parent Free Journal

Mankind Project: https://mankindproject.org/
Boys to Men: https://boystomen.org/about-us/

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Creators & Guests

• Natalie Long - Editor
• Jennifer Hayes - Host
• Rick Hayes - Host
• Steve Anderson - Guest

Happy Parenting and Good Luck Out There!