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

Summer vacation is officially here across the USA.  Are you going crazy yet?  Have any plans on how to make this summer a great experience for you and your kids, and further their development into responsible, mature human beings?  Take a listen!

Have fidget spinners taken over you life?  Are you worried your kid is going to choke to death?  Have you read the latest urgent report on Facebook regarding the danger of those evil things?   Let's talk about that today...

For every action, there is an equal an opposite reaction.  Sometimes that reaction is a consequence we would prefer to avoid.   When our children are forced to face the consequences of their poor choices, they will quickly learn to modify their behavior to avoid those consequences.  Parents who threaten consequences, but do not follow through, or parents who feel guilty and so do not allow their children to experience any uncomfortable consequences are not doing their children any favors.   Call it tough love, but letting our kids face the reality of consequences will ultimately produce mature, charactered children.  Not only that, it will restore a modicum of peace to our homes.  Isn't that what we all want anyway?

It seems all we hear about today is the subject of toleration.  Does toleration mean acceptance?  Does it mean endorsement?  Does it mean empowerment?  We'll talk about that. And while we are on the subject, we will talk about the mistake of living in a virtual world where the only voices we allow in are the ones who affirm us, but never correct or challenge us.   Don't miss it!

Teaching our kids to be financially responsible is a difficult task, but one that dads should take seriously.  Maybe you made some mistakes when you were younger.  Maybe you are dealing with those mistakes still today.  If so, then you are uniquely qualified to help your kids avoid the same mistakes.  In this episode I talk about the way my wife and I are going about raising responsible money managers.  Maybe you can find something that will help you. 

It is 2017, and the credit card bills should start rolling in any day now!  If you are like so many people over the Christmas and New Years holidays, you spent more money than you could afford.  Now it is time to pay the piper. 2017 Doesn't have to go the same way for you.  In this episode I talk to you about my own journey of financial responsibility.  I discuss the difference between spenders and savers and why you may lean toward one or the other.   I also share a free resource with you that may help you get a handle on your spending.  Next week, we will discuss teaching financial responsibility to our kids.  For this week, its all about the adults! Happy New Year!

Do you ever feel like you are trapped buying gifts that don't mean anything, for people who won't appreciate them, and won't remember them?  Do you dread the credit card bills that will come in January?   Even when buying gifts for our kids, the idea of a merry "little" Christmas is altogether a thing of the past. It doesn't have to be! In this week's episode, just in time for Christmas, I share with you some thoughts, as well as some ideas, on how you can bring meaning back into your gift giving this year; or next year! Merry Christmas!

As much as I wish we could, I don't think it is possible to eliminate all the bullies from this world.  This is especially true since the definition of bullying is getting larger all the time!   I have very little control over the actions of other people.  I can't follow my kids around for their entire lives to protect them from every adversity.  What I can do, is to instill certain values and behaviors in them while they are at home to help them deal with the bad behavior of other people.   In this second part of our two part series on bullying, we focus less on the bullies, and more on what we as parent can do to protect, and prepare our children to live in a world where people behave badly. I hope it helps.  

Bullying is a problem.  It has existed for a long time, and it is not going to go away.  As parents we are tasked with helping our kids deal with this problem in their lives. The internet has made the situation worse.  Children with unsupervised access to the internet and social media are experiencing bullying in their very own homes! What can parents do?  Children are now committing suicide, we are told, as a direct result of cyberbullying.  What is the solution?   There are no easy answers, but we are going to start talking about it right here on this episode.  

Ever had one of those days?  One of those days when you really don't like your kids? Every feel like you are the only one who feels that way?  YOU'RE NOT! In today's episode we talk about dealing with difficult kids.  We've all got them.  I'll talk about my own struggles, and try to give you some encouragement along the way.  

In this special Thanksgiving Day episode, we talk turkey.  Actually we talk about all things food related.  We also discuss some of the traditions our family enjoys each Thanksgiving. Black Friday or Cyber Monday.  Do you have a preference?  I'll give you mine. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Have you ever wanted to raise your child to block traffic, destroy other people's property, and need therapy when things don't go their way?  Probably not. In this week's episode, we take a somewhat tongue in cheek approach to raising our kids to be better than that.  We look at things that parents can do, even unintentionally, that promote bad behavior in our children as they grow.  

Can today's politically correct mindset influence how we parent our children?  Are their things we can say or do, in the hopes of following popular teaching, that can actually handicap our children later in life? How can I make sure that I am not falling for the politically correct pressures on me as a parent?  All this an more in this weeks episode. Don't miss it!

What kind of relationships do you want your kids to have?  You might be surprised to find out that their relationships will look very much like the ones we model for them in every day life.  Does that scare you?  Want to know how to model better relationships for your own kids?  In this week's episode we talk about that.  Don't miss it!

Sometimes it can be easy to feel guilty for not being able to provide the things for our children that they see other children receiving.  But what if you could give them everything they want?  Would it be right?  Is it possible that giving them less, could actually be giving them more?  We'll talk about that in today's episode.    

Are there any real men left?  The answer is yes.  There are.  The problem is that they have been pushed out of society.  It seems that one of the only places we allow real men is in the movies we watch.  Maybe that is because movies are safe.  The men in those movies and television shows can't really hurt us.  We can sit on our couches and imagine ourselves in their shoes. Just as long as we don't actually try to emulate them in real life. Well, I still believe there is a place for real men in society.  But how can we become one?  What do they look like?  How do they act?  I don't have all the answers, but in this episode we talk about three distinctive elements of the masculine personality.     Also, don't miss the "My Memories" segment. This week's segment is called "A Boy and His Dog" part 1    

With the Presidential election in full countdown mode, the art of deception is on display.  Why does it seem that the truth doesn't even matter anymore?  It really seems like both candidates are trying to lie their way into office.   While I can't do anything about that in reality, I can focus on being a truthful individual in my own life.  I can provide an example of honesty and integrity for my wife and children, and those in my sphere of influence.  What about you?  Why bother telling the truth when it doesn't pay?  Let's talk about that...   Visit our website

After a year away, the How to Be a Dad Today podcast is back with brand new episodes!  Dealing With Change deals with the changes that Mark and his family have been going through since his last episode in 2015.  Also some changes coming to the website and podcast.  You won't want to miss the new "My Memories" segment.

This week's episode is very special in that I am recording and releasing the episode from Poland, where we are completing an international adoption!  Adoption is a wonderful adventure, but it has its challenges.  Among the greatest, when it comes to international adoption is the challenge of communication.  Learning to speak their language with things other than words is a rewarding but difficult experience. I will share some of my thoughts on the process in this episode. Visit our website!

In this short Father's Day episode, I wanted to take just a little while and relate to the listeners, some of the most important lessons I learned from my dad.  I hope you enjoy hearing a little bit about the man who was and is instrumental in my life.  My hope is that on this Father's Day you will have similar memories from your Dad.  If that is not the case, then I hope you will commit to being the kind of dad your kids will one day celebrate.   www.howtobeadadtoday.com