DadAwesome

🎉 8 YEARS OF DADAWESOME! We're celebrating with an incredible conversation with Craig Allen Cooper, the man behind Walker Hayes' song "Craig." ✅ The minivan miracle that softened an atheist's heart ✅ Why Craig's kids are PRAYING for friendships like their parents have ✅ The 5 P's of fatherhood: Provide, Protect, Prepare, Propel, Present ✅ Tables vs. Tablets and real connection with your kids DADAWESOME Book >> join the Advance Team: https://www.dadawesome.org/book SUMMARY After eight years and 418 episodes of DadAwesome, we're celebrating with a conversation that captures everything this ministry is about. Craig Allen Cooper shares the story behind Walker Hayes' song "Craig," why his kids are praying for adult friendships like their parents have, and the five P's that guide his fatherhood. Plus, you'll hear how a minivan miracle led to a stadium-filling artist bowing his knee to Jesus. TAKEAWAYS Your kids are watching your friendships, and they're praying they'll have the same kind of adult community they see modeled in your life. Trust is the foundation of friendship with your kids. When they know you're for them no matter what, the door to real connection opens wide. Tables beat tablets every time. Eye-to-eye, heart-to-heart connection happens around tables of mercy and grace, not through screens. The 5 P's of fatherhood: Provide, Protect, Prepare, Propel, and be Present. These aren't about perfection; they're about direction. Arrows are meant to fly. Your job is to prepare and propel your kids toward their God-given calling, not keep them close forever. What's upstream matters most. Feasting on God's Word daily is what fills you with gladness to pour into your family. GUEST Craig Allen Cooper is the co-author of Glad You're Here: Two Unlikely Friends Breaking Bread and Fences with country music artist Walker Hayes. He is the subject of Walker's hit song "Craig," which tells the story of their unlikely friendship and Craig's influence in Walker's journey to faith. Craig is a speaker, podcaster, and devoted father of four who lives near Nashville, Tennessee with his wife Laura. He's passionate about discipleship, authentic friendship, and helping men feast on God's Word. QUOTES "Dude, I would give you my blood. You know that, right?" "I've heard my kids say over and over again: I'm praying that I'm going to have adult friendships like you and mom have." "There's a huge difference between table connection and tablet connection. Table connection is eye to eye, heart to heart, soul to soul." "An arrow is meant to fly. There's a tendency to just want to keep it around us, but at some point that arrow will fly." "Every grain of glory, every ounce of praise for anything good in my life belongs exclusively to the Lord Jesus Christ." LINKS DADAWESOME Book: dadawesome.org/book Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Glad You're Here by Craig Allen Cooper and Walker Hayes Glad You're Here Podcast Mechanics on a Mission TAGS: DadAwesome, Craig Allen Cooper, Walker Hayes, Christian fatherhood, fatherhood podcast, intentional parenting, faith and fatherhood, tables over tablets, friendship and faith, 5 P's of fatherhood, Christian dad, parenting podcast, raising kids, family discipleship, Glad You're Here, unlikely friendships, generosity, minivan miracle, dad community, launching kids

🏠 Is your home revolving around your kids? Ted Cunningham joins us to explain why eradicating the child-centered home is one of the best things you can do for your family. ✅ The "Love Jug" illustration that will change how you think about your source of life ✅ Why parenting is a journey from control to influence ✅ How honor bombardments and honor lists create close-knit families ✅ The "princess to queen" conversation every dad of daughters needs to hear DADAWESOME BOOK (join the advance team!) https://www.dadawesome.org/book SUMMARY Parenting is a journey from control to influence—and the fastest way to squander influence is to be controlling. In this episode, Ted Cunningham shares his famous "Love Jug" illustration, explains why your marriage is actually your greatest parenting tool, and unpacks why eradicating the child-centered home is essential for raising kids who are ready to leave. Plus, you'll hear the powerful "princess to queen" conversation he had with his daughter and how honor bombardments can transform your family culture. TAKEAWAYS Parenting is a journey from control to influence—and the fastest way to squander influence is by being controlling. Your marriage is part of your parenting plan. Kids have a front-row seat to how you treat your spouse. Jesus is your source, not your spouse or your kids. Fire them from that role. The child-centered home creates prolonged adolescence: too much privilege, not enough responsibility. Honor bombardments and honor lists create close-knit families by calling out what's valuable in each person. GUEST Ted Cunningham is the founding pastor of Woodland Hills Family Church in Branson, Missouri, and a sought-after speaker and author on marriage and family. He has written multiple books including Trophy Child and has partnered with the late Dr. Gary Smalley on numerous projects. Ted and his wife, Amy, are celebrating 30 years of marriage and have two adult children. He's known for his humor, practical wisdom, and passionate belief that strong marriages create strong families. QUOTES "Parenting is a journey from control to influence. With every year, you're losing control and hopefully replacing it with influence." "The fastest way to squander influence is to be controlling." "Jesus is your source, Satan is your enemy, your spouse is your companion." "What's celebrated, what's spoken out loud gets multiplied." "Delete the narrative that says it's too late. Delete the narrative that says it's my fault." LINKS DADAWESOME Book: dadawesome.org/book Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Trophy Child by Ted Cunningham

Jeremy Pryor, founder of Family Teams and advocate for multi-generational family development, returns with powerful insights for fathers. He warns that passively going with the flow threatens families in today’s culture. Pryor discusses the crucial need for vision, will, and community to safeguard children from cultural pitfalls. He critiques 'Labanism,' urging fathers to build assets instead of remaining wage-dependent. Plus, he emphasizes that family life should become richer as children grow, highlighting the transformative role of a son-in-law.

Jeremy Pryor, founder of Family Teams and an expert in multi-generational family dynamics, delivers a powerful message for fathers. He discusses the dangers of emotional detachment, emphasizing that while it may help in providing, it can alienate kids. Pryor highlights the need for fathers to create emotional warmth at home and shares insights from ancient Hebraic family practices that can guide modern parenting. He urges dads to engage with their children emotionally, showing them they truly care, and stresses the value of listening to their wives' insights on family dynamics.

Dan Tinquist, a fatherhood coach and creator of transformative parenting frameworks, shares insights on connecting with kids in just nine crucial minutes daily. He emphasizes the importance of genuine reconnection through morning, after-school, and bedtime rituals. Tinquist discusses fostering a home where children feel safe to fail, the pitfalls of over-teaching, and the need for planning family adventures together. Plus, he offers a unique parallel between sourdough baking and parenting, highlighting patience and embracing imperfection.

➡️ How yearly family vision summits (with a hot tub!) shape your family's direction ➡️ The power of tying your kids' names to your family's core values ➡️ Why pre-parental counseling removes the shame that keeps dads stuck later SHOW NOTES https://www.dadawesome.org/blog/413 SUMMARY What if you could prepare for fatherhood before the chaos even begins? In this episode, Michael DeAquino shares how he and his wife are helping expecting parents get on the same page before baby arrives—and why that window of time matters so much. You'll also hear how Michael's family runs themed dinner nights every single day of the week (yes, including Forgiveness Friday and Scenario Saturday), plus how yearly vision summits with your kids in an Airbnb with a hot tub can transform the direction of your family. TAKEAWAYS Creating space to think—like a yearly family summit away from home—is the first step toward vision. You can't see where you're headed when you're drowning in the daily grind. Themed dinner nights (Monday Meeting, Throwback Tuesday, Thankful Thursday, Forgiveness Friday, and more) turn ordinary meals into consistent connection points that shape your family culture. Your kids' names can carry your family's vision. Michael tied each child's name to a core value—closeness, generational faithfulness, righteousness, light, and stewardship—and speaks it over them regularly. The best time to prepare for intentional parenting is before you're holding the baby. Pre-parental counseling removes the shame and chaos that often keeps dads from engaging later. Keystone habits cascade into other habits. Start with what you're already doing (like dinner) and build intentional rhythms from there. GUEST Michael DeAquino is the co-founder of The Parenthood Project and author of The Parenthood Primer, a pre-parental counseling resource for expecting and new parents. He and his wife have five kids ages 2 to 12 and are passionate about helping couples get on the same page before the chaos of parenthood begins. Michael spent 15 years in church ministry before pivoting to equip parents earlier in their journey. QUOTES "I didn't start until my oldest was six. And to see just where things are now—there's a lot of grace." – Michael DeAquino "Our names carry a lot of identity in them. Why not make it even more than just what you call us?" – Michael DeAquino "You're going to get a lot of recognition in your career. You're not going to get a lot of recognition as a father—and that's where you'll end up placing your time." – Michael DeAquino "Everything around us is trying to disintegrate our family. So how do we foster closeness even as our kids get older?" – Michael DeAquino "What if we got to dads before they even hold the baby—before the chaos, before the shame sets in?" – Michael DeAquino LINKS Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email awesome@dadawesome.org Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 The Parenthood Primer by Michael DeAquino The Parenthood Project

Matt Hanson, founder of the Ion Path, advocates for a transformative three-year Christian rite of passage for dads and teens. He discusses the importance of creating defining moments in a child's faith journey, emphasizing that fathers hold significant influence in transferring faith. Hanson shares tips on building deeper connections through 30 conversations in 30 days and the necessity of teaching essential life skills. He also highlights the potential of communal support in this pivotal transition to adulthood.

Chris Cirullo, a former Army Ranger and founder of Mission Fit, shares insights on transforming lives with just 15 minutes a day. He discusses the brain science behind morning and evening routines, emphasizing their impact on faith and focus. Cirullo reveals how to establish a Daily 15 practice that integrates hydration, prayer, and movement. He also explores the importance of Sabbath, offering fun rituals that make it a favorite in households. Dads are encouraged to embrace their responsibilities, building a lasting legacy through small, consistent actions.

Chris Cirullo, a former Army Ranger and founder of Mission Fit Dads, delves into the biblical call for fathers to bring order to their homes. He discusses innovative ways to train kids, including using M&Ms as rewards and conducting weekly family meetings to tackle friction points head-on. Chris also emphasizes the importance of setting 'impossible' goals to drive clarity and improvement in family life. His insights combine discipline with fun, offering practical strategies for nurturing effective and loving family systems.

Chris Ammon, founder of Kaleidoscope and former children's pastor, dives into the fascinating world of children's development. He reveals why your child's 'selfishness' is a normal phase and shares how emotional awareness can transform your parenting. Chris walks through the crucial steps of teaching kids to say 'I'm sorry' and emphasizes the importance of simply showing up for your children. He also introduces the unique 'turkey hunting philosophy' for fostering spiritual growth, encouraging dads to engage in meaningful, everyday conversations.