How To Be A Dad Today Podcast | Mark Foster | Parenting | Dad Techniques | Expert Interviews

Don't you sometimes wish you could have more time with your kids?  Being a dad is one of the most important things we can ever do.  So not having a lot of time to invest in the lives of our kids is a challenge.  How can we be the best dads we can be when we only have a few hours a week to invest?  For the busy dad...and that's most of us, this is the burning question.  I can't promise all the answers, or that you will even agree with the answers I propose, but I do want to get the discussion going.  I think you will be challenged by this episode, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Have you ever heard of a deadbeat dad?  Have you ever wondered if you might be one?  If you think that a deadbeat dad is simply someone who doesn't pay his child support, then you might be suprised.  Being a dad is no easy task, and it is far easier to neglect your duty than to fulfill it.  This episode will challenge you to avoid the stigma of being a deadbeat. Do you have the courage to listen?

I want my daughter to be feminine, but not a feminist.  There is a difference.  As a Dad I believe that I am the most important man in my daughter's life and the one who is entrusted to guide her to become the woman she was meant to be.  Raising a feminine daughter may not be popular in this culture, but it is the task I have been called to.  Don't know the difference between femininity and being a feminist?  Listen to find out more.

This is a much shorter episode than I have put out as yet, but I think it is a good one.  Do you ever wish being a dad came with a warning label?  Well, after a particlarly trying few days at my house, I recorded this episode to help remind me why I do what I do.  If you are a dad that is at the end of his rope, you may find encouragement here as well!

Many families face the unique challenge or raising a special needs child.  These precious children are a blessing, but some days they can really stretch you as a parent and an individual. In today's episode I talk to Craig Stewart.  He and his wife Paige, recently adopted a little girl from Bulgaria.  Craig talks about their decision and the challenges they have faced since bringing little Maya home.  As you will hear, Maya had Downs Syndrome.  Trust me...this is one episode you can't afford to miss!

Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner here in the US.  If you are looking for some way to get them most of out of your holidays this year, then this episode might offer you just the boost you need!

Do you believe in monitoring your children's activity on the internet?  How do you feel about accountability? There is no doubt that the internet is a powerful tool...for good and evil.  Knowing what your children are involved in is not only good parenting, but may save them a tremendous amount of heartach later in life.  In this episode I interview Luke from Covenant Eyes monitoring software.  Listen to what he has to say, and you be the judge...and the parent.

Yep, the description says it all.  In this episode I talk about the parenting lessons I have learned from my recent efforts to ride a unicycle.  You just have to listen...

Wow! What a touchy subject we are tackling this week!  After 23 episodes I am going to wade into the topic of discipline...although not in the way you might expect.  I want to offer some thoughts on the mentality behind discipline and what it means to discipline.  Is discipline simply punishment?  What is the purpose for discipline anyway?  What if my spouse views discipline differently than I do?   The answer to these questions and more in this week's episode!  Are you ready?

Have you ever heard of the prefrontal cortex?  Did you know you child may be walking around with one that is not yet fully developed?   BBC News Magazine says UK psychologists now saying adulthood may not start until as late as 25. Who knew? How can we prepare our kids for an adult world if we are not even sure when they physically, emotionally and prefrontal corextually become an adult? The answer to these questions and some great advice given to me by my Dad in this episode of the How to Be a Dad Today Podcast

I don't know about you, but sometimes setting aside time for my kids can be a challenge.  Quality time is at a premium, and that time is running out every day that passes.  In this episode I share some ways to develope the habit of daily spending quality time with your kids.  I introduce you to an app that I have been using to develope good habits and issue you a seven day dad challenge.  Are you up for it?  Listen and find out!

My family just returned from a mini vacation to the mountains of North Carolina.  Upon returning home, I slipped into the office to record some thoughts I had on the subject.  Perhaps you can benefit from some of the advice in this episode.  If not, perhaps you can enjoy hearing about our excursion.

Sometimes as Dads we get so busy correcting the wrong behavior in our kids, that we may forget to correct ourselves.  What are we doing on a daily basis to improve ourselves?  Growing as an individual will make us better equipped to be the Dads our kids need.  In this episode I reveal some of my own weaknesses and offer some simple ways that you can identify and tackle the weak spots in your own lives.  Trust me, self improvement makes everyone in our lives happier.  I challenge you to give it a try.

Have you ever wondered how to teach your children to be responsible?  Wish your kids would do their chores, but don't know how to get them started?  Are you looking for some practicle ideas to help turn your kids in to the kind of adults you can be proud of?  This episode will point you in the right direction.  We will discuss the benefits of teaching responsibility to your children as well as some real ways to start doing so this week.  Enjoy!

There seems to be a tragic increase in kids committing acts of senselss violence.  In this episode I want to get the discussion going on some of the causes and solutions.  I tackle two of the biggest influences in our kids lives and ask Dads to really consider what part those influences might play.  We ask the question, "When did violence become a cure for boredom?"  Not everyone will agree with the content of this episode.  I don't mind that.  I simply want to get the discussion going.  As always, thanks for listening!

In this episode I managed to convince my wife to sit down with me at the kitchen table and talk about our journey into parenting.  I asked her questions about some of the mistake I made as a new Father and also about some of the things guys can do to be their for their wives when they are pregnant and after the baby is born.  I am grateful my wife agreed to do this recording and I know it will be an encouragement to Dads everywhere.

In this episode, I want to help Dads to identify their children's strengths and weaknesses.  Dads need to help their kids overcome their weaknesses if they are to live productive lives.  In the same way, Dad's must identify their kid's strengths. Dads are the one uniquely qualified to guide their children in these areas. In this episode will give you the tools you need to help your kids in areas like fear, anger, leadership and creativity.  How well do you know your kids?  This episode will let you know!

In this week's episode I speak with Leo Gibbons, a long time family friend who has been involved in Foster Care and Adoption for 14 years!  Leo offers insight, encouragement and a realistic look inside the process of the Foster Care and Adoption system.  If you have ever considered getting involved in this arena yourself, or if you know someone who is, this episode is for you!

Toilet Training - Temper Tantrums- Truth Telling! In today's episode I tackle three of the biggest challenges every parent will face in the lives of their kids.   We get real and talk about the struggles as well as some advice on how to overcome those challenges.  If you at your wit's end in one of these areas, take heart.  Help is on the way!

Andy and Cory are cousins and dads who are passionate about becoming a better dad and helping other guys to do the same.  In this episode I interview Andy about why they started podcasting, what kind of response they have had, and the challenges of being a Dad in today's environment.  I think this will be a great encouragment to the listeners.  Check out their podcast on itunes at "Becoming a Better Dad" or go to their website www.betterdadpodcast.com