DadAwesome

• DA409 | Why Your 5-Year-Old Isn't Selfish, Walking Through Repair, and the Gift of Just Showing Up (Chris Ammen)

  What if your kid's "selfishness" is actually developmentally normal? 🤯 ✅ Why emotional awareness makes you a better dad (not a softer one) ✅ How to walk your kids through the "I'm sorry" process step by step ✅ The turkey hunting philosophy of spiritual formation ✅ Why showing up in children's ministry is a slingshot back to your home SUMMARY: What if your child's selfishness is actually a God-given gift? In this episode, Chris Ammenshares why understanding your kid's developmental stage changes everything about how you parent. Plus, he unpacks the "turkey hunting philosophy" of spiritual formation and why the most powerful thing you can do as a dad is simply show up and love your kids for who they are, not what they accomplish. TAKEAWAYS: Your children are growing out of egocentrism, not being punched out of it. Understanding their developmental stage brings patience and grace to your parenting. Growing in your own emotional awareness is one of the greatest gifts you can give your kids. When you learn to express the full range of emotions, you create space for them to do the same. Walk your kids through the mechanics of relational repair. Chunk it up into small steps so they build the muscle memory for when they're older. Spiritual formation is a longitudinal process. It's so slow you'll hardly notice the grass growing, then one day you'll look around and see what God did while you were faithful day by day. Call your kids to where they already want to go. Shoulder-to-shoulder time doing what they love is where the real conversations happen. Men in children's ministry matter more than you think. Boys need men who cheer them on for who they are, and girls need to see men who treat them with respect and kindness. GUEST: Chris Ammen is the founder of Kaleidoscope, a ministry helping kids understand and love the Bible through chapter books, audio content, and a weekly podcast. A former children's pastor with 15 years of experience, Chris is passionate about meeting kids at their developmental level and equipping parents to disciple their children at home. He's the author of Raising Disciples at Home and the host of the Kaleidoscope Podcast. Chris and his wife have four kids ages 5 to 12 and live in the thick of raising their own disciples. dadawesome, christiandad, dadlife, parenting, dadpodcast, fatherhood, kaleidoscope, childrensbible, emotionalawareness, raisingkids, familydiscipleship, christianparenting, boydad, girldad, childrensministry, faithathome, intentionalparenting, dadcommunity, spiritualformation, parentingtips Quotes: "This is not going to happen in 24 hours. This is not going to happen in a year. This is going to be so slow that I'm hardly going to notice the grass growing underneath my feet. And then I'm going to look around one day and say, look at what God did while I was just being patient and faithful day by day by day." "They grow out of egocentrism. It's not punched out of them. It's not beaten out of them. It's not manipulated out of them. That's something that they have to come to as their brain develops." "Hold up, this is not about you, this is about her. Both of our eyes right now need to be on her and making sure that she is okay." "Call your children to where they already want to go. And while they're there, give them some truth." "Don't underestimate that, both for the boys in the room and maybe even more importantly for the girls in the room. To have a man who looks at them with respect and kindness and graciousness, not as an object, is deeply formational." "You don't have to be a champion in the room. You can just be an awkward dad who's learning how to be around other children." "God thought of them before He thought of the mountains and the seas and the oceans, and He called them very good. He does not regret them."   LINKS: Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Kaleidoscope Kaleidoscope Podcast Raising Disciples at Home by Chris Ammon The Voice of the Heart by Chip Dodd

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• DA408 | Raising Sons Who Invite Others In: Wrestling, Delayed Phones, and Legacy Rewritten (Carl Cartee)

  🍕🤼‍♂️ Pizza nights. Wrestling matches. Honest talks about sex, phones, and finding the right wife. ✅ Why Tuesday wrestling nights built more than just muscle ✅ The 18th birthday dinner where 4 friends said the exact same thing (and it wasn't planned) ✅ How to talk about sex early and often without shame ✅ Why delaying phones until driving age might be the move ✅ The story of the Sons of Korah and rewriting your family legacy SUMMARY What does it look like to raise teenage boys who become strong men of character? In this episode, Carl Cartee—songwriter, speaker, and dad of four sons—shares how weekly wrestling nights, honest sex talks, and delayed technology built a foundation of trust in his home. You'll hear the story of his son's 18th birthday dinner where four friends said the same surprising thing, why he wishes someone had told him about choosing a spouse differently, and how the Sons of Korah can change your entire perspective on fatherhood legacy. TAKEAWAYS Wrestling nights and messy pizza-making weren't just fun—they were intentional time in your presence that builds connection and dignity in your sons. The simplicity of being invited into God's work as a father takes the pressure off perfection and puts the focus on faithfulness. Early and often conversations about sex, desire, and God's design create safety and health instead of shame and secrecy. Choosing a spouse isn't just about attraction at 25—it's about finding someone you genuinely like being with through every season of life. Your family legacy isn't determined by what you inherited from your fathers—through Christ, you're rewriting the story for your kids. GUEST Carl Cartee is a songwriter, speaker, and worship leader from Franklin, Tennessee. He's written over 150 songs for artists including Elevation Worship and Oak Ridge Boys. Carl and his wife, Heather, host the podcast "Married to Someone Who's Nothing Like You" and are passionate about helping marriages thrive. They have four sons ranging from 14 to 19 years old. Carl loves creativity, adventure, and pointing people to Jesus through music, art, and authentic conversation.   TOP QUOTES "God has dignified me by inviting me into His work through my sons. If it turns out great, awesome. But even if there are no guarantees these boys go up and to the right for the rest of their life, I cherish being invited in." "Together is better—not just in the great times, but when you feel shame, when you didn't score any points. There's a different outcome when you do that alone versus when you do it with somebody who's there for you on the mountaintop or in the valley." "Don't marry somebody that you necessarily think is sexy right now. Look for somebody that you like being with. Because when it comes to seasons of life and circumstances throughout the course of a marriage, you might be married to two or three different women." "Shame as a young man was an absolute killer. It was an absolute destroyer of relational connection and intimacy. When the boys bring their struggles to us instead of harboring that shame, it speaks of health in that area." "No matter what heritage you have, if God is your refuge and strength, there is nothing from your past, nothing from the generations before you that you cannot undo through the power of worship and trusting in the Lord. You are rewriting legacy."

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• DA407 | Creating Spiritual Curiosity, Jesus' Lion and Lamb Moments, and Building Faith Through Questions (David Murrow)

  div]:bg-bg-000/50 [&_pre>div]:border-0.5 [&_pre>div]:border-border-400 [&_.ignore-pre-bg>div]:bg-transparent [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8"> _*]:min-w-0 standard-markdown"> "Discovered truth always beats delivered truth." David Murrow just dropped some serious wisdom for dads who want to stop lecturing and start creating real spiritual conversations. In today's episode, you'll hear: ✅ How to pray 15-second prayers with your kids that integrate faith into everyday moments ✅ Why Jesus asked hundreds of questions but only gave 8 direct answers (and what that means for your parenting) ✅ The 3 journeys every man walks: submission, strength, and sacrifice DadAwesome Voice Mail: SUMMARY: Raising your kids on lectures and long prayers isn't working—Jesus knew that 2,000 years ago. In this episode, David Murrow shares how to create spiritual curiosity in your home using questions instead of answers, 15-second prayers instead of lengthy devotionals, and parables that stick. You'll also hear his groundbreaking research on why men are finally coming back to church, and how every dad moves through three essential journeys: submission, strength, and sacrifice. TAKEAWAYS Discovered truth always beats delivered truth—guys need space to talk and share their experiences, not just receive lectures. Jesus asked hundreds of questions but only gave eight direct answers in all of Scripture—create curiosity through great questions instead of telling your kids what to think. The foundation of your faith must be built on being like a lamb (gentleness, sensitivity, mercy) before you can exercise lion-like strength in love. Try 15-second prayers with your kids throughout the day—integrate faith as something you do all the time, not just on Sundays. Touchstones are physical objects that help spiritual truths stick—give your kids something tangible to carry that reminds them of what they're learning. GUEST David Murrow is the author of Why Men Hate Going to Church and The Map: The Way of All Great Men. For over 25 years, he's been helping churches engage men through groundbreaking research and practical resources. He's currently developing Man Time, a parable-based video series that creates powerful spiritual conversations. David is passionate about helping dads disciple their kids through questions, stories, and hands-on experiences rather than lectures. Links Mentioned:   Learn about the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Download a free chapter of the DadAwesome book LEAVE DadAwesome a VOICE MESSAGE The Map: The Way of All Great Men by David Murrow Why Men Hate Going to Church by David Murrow Man Time parables video series davidmurrow.com div]:bg-bg-000/50 [&_pre>div]:border-0.5 [&_pre>div]:border-border-400 [&_.ignore-pre-bg>div]:bg-transparent [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8"> _*]:min-w-0 standard-markdown"> Quotes Discovered truth always beats delivered truth. Guys need space to talk and share experiences, not just receive lectures. Jesus asked hundreds of questions but only gave eight direct answers in Scripture. Create curiosity, not lectures. Try 15-second prayers with your kids. Integrate faith as something you do all the time, not just Sundays. The foundation of your faith must be built on being like a lamb before you exercise lion-like strength. Church is now more masculine than culture. It's recognized as a safe place where guys can go.  

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• DA406 | How to Talk to Your Kids About Sex, Building a Marriage That Thrives, and the Power of Proactive Fatherhood (Dave Willis)

  🎯 As a dad, are you leading the conversation about sex with your kids—or letting the world do it for you? ✅ Why dads need to play the lead role in sex conversations (even with daughters!) ✅ How to make your marriage thrive with 7 simple shifts ✅ The power of resisting passivity and taking proactive action ✅ FREE resources that will strengthen your family today SUMMARY: Your kids are going to learn about sex from somewhere—will it be from you or from the world? In this episode, Dave Willis returns with game-changing resources for dads who want to lead intentional, shame-free conversations about sex with their kids. Plus, he shares powerful insights on strengthening your marriage through simple shifts that create deeper connection. This conversation will equip you to resist passivity and take proactive action in the areas that matter most. TAKEAWAYS Resist passivity and take the lead in having ongoing, shame-free conversations with your kids about sex and God's design for their bodies. Your marriage is one of the first gifts you give to your children—they learn what relationships should look like by watching yours. Fun is fuel for your marriage—without laughter and playfulness, everything else begins to collapse. The mind feasts on what it focuses on—intentionally focus on God's plan for your family and flourishing will follow. Being proactive as a husband and father isn't domineering—it's loving leadership that your wife finds attractive. Create a team around your growth—invite other dads and couples to join you on the journey toward intentional parenting and thriving marriage. GUEST Dave Willis and his wife, Ashley, are the authors of multiple books including the bestseller, The Naked Marriage, and their newest release, Do Marriage Better: Seven Simple Shifts for Deeper Connection. They're also Christian speakers, marriage coaches, and the hosts of The Marriage on the Line Podcast. They have four sons and live near Augusta, Georgia. Dave is passionate about helping dads lead their families with intentionality and helping couples build marriages that thrive. LINKS Learn about the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Download a free chapter of the DadAwesome book How to Talk to Your Kids About Sex (FREE 6-part video series) - Family Life Do Marriage Better: Seven Simple Shifts for Deeper Connection by Dave & Ashley Willis The Marriage on the Line Podcast 9 Days to Great Sex Free eBook         QUOTES "Your wives find being proactive in you very sexy. Women, by God's design, are attracted to a husband who takes action." "Fun is fuel. If your marriage feels like it's on empty, it's because you've put fun on the back burner. Laughter isn't frivolous—it's vital." "If we don't teach our kids about sex, the world's gonna do it for us and the world's gonna teach them the wrong messages." "The mind feasts on what it focuses on. Focus on God's plan for your family and the flourishing will follow." "Resist passivity. God hasn't called us to be passive. There are times to be still and patient, but never passive."

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• DA405 | Courageous Fatherhood, The Gift of Physical Touch, and Doing for One More Kid (Peter Ostapko)

  ✅ Why following Jesus is the most adventurous thing you'll ever do ✅ The often-overlooked power of physical touch with your kids ✅ How to build the deep brotherhood every dad desperately needs ✅ A game-changing challenge: Do for ONE kid outside your family what you do for your own   LEAVE DADAWESOME A VOICEMAIL ✅ Under 90-seconds ✅ Begin with your first name and where you are from ✅ RECORD YOUR MESSAGE HERE SUMMARY Imagine standing at the edge of a 30-foot-high dive over ice-cold water with your son watching from below. That terrifying moment of decision mirrors what it means to be a risk-taking dad in today's world. In this episode, Peter Ostapko from Kinsman shares the cliff-jumping story that changed how he parents, plus powerful insights on the gift of physical touch with your kids, the critical importance of being present, and why every dad needs deep brotherhood. You'll also hear an unforgettable challenge: do for one kid outside your family what you do for your own kids. TAKEAWAYS Following Jesus as a father is meant to be the most adventurous, risk-taking, beautiful journey—not boring or safe Physical touch with your kids is a powerful gift that communicates love, safety, and connection in ways words cannot Your presence as a dad matters more than you realize—availability beats ability every time Deep friendships and brotherhood are essential for the fatherhood journey; isolation is the enemy Challenge yourself to "do for one more kid" outside your family what you already do for your own kids Being a sower and planting seeds means showing up consistently without always seeing immediate results Don't place unrealistic expectations on your kids because you're trying to overcompensate for your own broken past The Kinsman Journal helps fathers unlock the power of their story and create spaces for authentic connection GUEST: Peter Ostapko is a leader with Kinsman, an intentional men's ministry focused on faithfully demonstrating redemptive, Christ-centered brotherhood. Kinsman creates resources including publishing, podcasting, and gatherings to influence men toward authentic connection and purposeful living. Peter is also the creator of the Kinsman Journal, a beautiful resource designed to help men unlock the power of their stories. He's a husband, father, and passionate advocate for helping dads build deep friendships and lead their families with courage and intentionality. LINKS: Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Kinsman Ministry The Kinsman Journal Fathered by God by John Eldredge TIMESTAMPS  00:00 - Welcome & Introduction 02:53 - The Cliff Jumping Story: Taking Risks as a Dad 08:30 - Why Following Jesus Should Be Adventurous 15:45 - The Gift of Physical Touch with Your Kids 23:10 - Being Present: Your Availability Matters Most 30:20 - Deep Brotherhood and Why Dads Need Friendship 37:15 - The Kinsman Journal: Unlocking the Power of Story 42:00 - Don't Be Too Hard on Yourself 44:20 - The "Do for One More Kid" Challenge 46:17 - Peter's Prayer Over Dads 48:00 - Closing Thoughts & Resources 5 TOP QUOTES: "Following Jesus is to be the most adventurous, risk-taking, frightening, wonderfully beautiful, dependent, abiding thing we'll ever experience in our life." "The role of a father is the most important title, mantle, role you'll ever have in your entire life outside of being a spouse to your wife." "Do for one kid outside of your kids what you do for your kids. Be intentional with them. Invite them into dinners and love on them. You never know what some of these kids are going through." "We talk ourselves out of way too many things. God is on the other side saying, 'Listen, I got an adventure for you. Do you want to do this or not?' He doesn't force us. He invites us into it." "Your presence matters more than you realize. Just being available for your kid—that's what matters most."

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