All Pro Dad Podcast — Episode Summary
Episode Title: How to Teach Your Kids Values: 4 Practical Steps for Parents
Date: April 6, 2026
Hosts: Ted Lowe, B.J. Foster, Bobby Lewis
Overview
In this episode, the hosts of the All Pro Dad Podcast—Ted Lowe, B.J. Foster, and Bobby Lewis—dive into the critical topic of teaching values to children. Drawing from personal experience, humility, and humor, they outline why intentional value teaching matters, and break down four practical steps parents can follow. The goal is to help dads (and parents in general) move beyond accidental or passive value transmission, toward proactively shaping their children's character and legacy.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Personal Stories: How Our Parents Modeled Values
- Education & Accountability
- B.J. recalls his mother making school a non-negotiable priority:
“You took away something I love because I didn’t do a couple of pages of homework. She goes, ‘Yep, see ya. Go get your work done.’” (B.J., 00:32)
- B.J. recalls his mother making school a non-negotiable priority:
- Respect & Manners
- Bobby shares a vivid memory about respect for elders on public transit, feeling internalized guilt from not giving up his seat. The experience stuck, prompting lifelong application.
- Work Ethic
- Ted shares how growing up in a farming family instilled a relentless work ethic:
“Being lazy was the ultimate in disbelief and disdain. ...that value really got communicated to me, and it really sunk in.” (Ted, 04:06)
- Ted shares how growing up in a farming family instilled a relentless work ethic:
Why Be Intentional?
- B.J. uses the camping compass analogy:
“If you don’t have values, you don’t have directions of who you are inside. You don’t have a compass.” (B.J., 05:11) - Bobby: Intentionally teaching values contributes to two things that matter most for kids’ future well-being—character and the ability to build relationships.
Four Practical Steps for Teaching Values
1. Clarify Your Family’s Values
- Purposefully decide what you want your family to be known for.
- Ask questions such as:
- What do we want our family to be about?
- How do we want our family to treat each other and others?
- What kind of adults do we want our kids to become?
- Bobby gives an example of his family’s intentional value:
“We wanted to care well for people who are kind of on the outskirts… we’ve decided, okay, this is a value of our family. We’re going to focus on it, we’re going to talk about it.” (Bobby, 07:39) - Ted adds: Faith, kindness, family togetherness, and ownership of behavior are expressed family values.
2. Talk About Your Values Explicitly
- Don’t assume your kids know the “family code”; verbalize important beliefs.
- B.J.: “Have we talked about this? Have we… sat down and written it out? ...What is it that Fosters do? ...I don’t know that a lot of my buddies have [had that talk] with their kids.” (B.J., 07:13)
- Use language like “This is what we do, and this is why we do it.”
3. Model the Values Consistently
- Actions speak louder than words:
- “Don’t ask your kids to do stuff that you’re not doing. That’s not going to work. That math doesn’t math.” (B.J., 13:03)
- Ted on marriage:
- “More than anything… wanting them to say, hey, this is what this looks like… the kind of marriage we would want them to grow up to have.” (Ted, 17:08)
- Bobby tells how the “Lewis’s Don’t Quit” motto became a family banner—modeling perseverance, even if it meant sticking to Sundays as family days, despite scheduling pressures.
4. Affirm Positive Behavior and Values
- Praise children when they act out family values.
- Bobby: “I told him that… the way you speak to them really honors them and gives them value… a number of moms have called us to tell us, and that means a ton.” (Bobby, 18:22)
- Ted emphasizes catching kids “doing it right” and vocalizing praise specifically, connecting it back to the value.
- B.J.: “When you affirm and you double down and say, ‘Hey, I saw you carrying out this value,’ it… invites them to do it again.” (B.J., 21:08)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On accidental vs. intentional value teaching:
“We’re communicating values to our kids, whether we’re being intentional about it or not.” (Ted, 04:06) -
On the importance of explicit conversation:
“I think a lot of my buddies… just [assume] values. We’ve never actually discussed it with the kids.” (B.J., 07:13) -
On modeling:
“Your actions are setting the tone for the family, and it really speaks to your kids more than anything else.” (B.J., 13:03) -
On affirmation:
“I just want you to know that a number of moms have called us… because of how you played with some of the younger kids… that means a ton.” (Bobby, 18:22) -
Ted’s summary of the episode’s essence:
“I don’t think most of us have been pushed to clarity… toward being really clear with our kids on what we value.” (Ted, 23:17)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:32 — B.J. shares a lesson on education and discipline from childhood
- 01:47 — Bobby’s story on respect for elders and the power of internalized values
- 04:06 — Ted’s reflection on work ethic from a farming background
- 05:11 — Why intentional value teaching is necessary; compass analogy
- 07:39 — First step: Clarify and define your family’s core values
- 13:03 — Modeling values and the power of family mottos
- 15:59 — Modeling respect and manners through routine actions
- 17:08 — Modeling a healthy marriage as a lifelong lesson for kids
- 18:22 — The importance of affirmation and recognizing values lived out
- 23:17 — Ted summarizes the need for clarity and intentionality in value teaching
Pro Move of the Week
- Action Tip:
Write out your family values as a group activity, put them somewhere visible in the home, and invite every family member to contribute and help uphold them.
Tone and Language
The hosts keep the conversation friendly, humble, and open—often using humor, vulnerable storytelling, and practical reflections to resonate with everyday dads looking for actionable advice.
Conclusion
This episode is a highly practical guide for fathers (and all parents) grappling with how to effectively teach their kids the values that matter most. The hosts mix relatable stories and clear, actionable steps, urging parents to move from assumption to clarity, from passivity to genuine, generational impact.