1KHO 612: The Biggest Stage You'll Ever Stand On is Your Living Room | Glen Henry, Father Yourself First

Summary

Podcast Summary

Podcast: The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast
Episode: 1KHO 612: The Biggest Stage You'll Ever Stand On is Your Living Room | Glen Henry, Father Yourself First
Host: Ginny Yurich
Guest: Glen Henry
Date: November 5, 2025

---

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the profound journey of Glen Henry, author, father, content creator, and podcast host, whose new book, Father Yourself First: Everything You Need to Become the Father Your Family Deserves, draws on his personal transformation from a reluctant, absent-father-affected child to an intentional and present father encouraging others—particularly men—to step into their parental legacies. Together with host Ginny Yurich, Glen unpacks the power of play, intentional fathering, the importance of affirming childhood, family adventure, processing fear, the lessons learned in transition, and the need for community in parenting.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Glen’s Personal Journey: From Reluctance to Purposeful Fatherhood

• Background & Influencers (02:35 - 07:16)
  • Glen grew up largely without his own father but was influenced by the positive fathering he witnessed from his friends’ parents and mentors, especially Pat Lynch.
  • Observed harmony, belonging, and play in other homes, which contrasted with his own “two personality” upbringing in separated households and shaped his inner dialogue.
  • Realized how unexamined internalized negativity was influencing his parenting, leading him to undertake personal growth—via journaling, therapy, and being open about his journey.

“I never wanted to be a dad until I saw proof of good fatherhood.”
— Glen Henry, 02:35

• Becoming a Stay-At-Home Dad (07:17 - 10:06)
  • Initially reluctant and judgmental about the amount of work involved in stay-at-home parenting, Glen had a transformative realization of the emotional and physical labor required.
  • Candidly discusses emotional exhaustion and the moment he “locked himself in the bathroom, looked in the mirror and cried”—a breaking point catalyzing deeper understanding of the stay-at-home role.

Growth Through Practice & Letting Go of Old Narratives

• Giving Up Full-Time Hip-Hop & Finding Growth (10:15 - 14:40)
  • Glen had to navigate his own expectations and his family's needs, coming to terms with letting go of his full-time hip hop career for deeper family involvement.
  • Critical conversations with his wife about long-term planning and partnership as parents forced him to reckon with the need for vision and collaboration beyond individual ambitions.
  • Realized that hands-on fatherhood was a creative, improvisational act—an echo of his hip-hop roots, but much more transformative for personal growth.

“You're actually problem-solving and meeting needs and comforting as you're rocking the party… I didn’t realize there was so much creativity in fatherhood…”
— Glen Henry, 10:59

The Importance of Learning from Others

• Learning from Other Families (14:40 - 16:08)
  • Glen’s openness to observing and emulating other positive family environments enabled him to create new internal narratives and become intentional in his own parenting.

“My life was changed by the access other people gave me to their families.”
— Ginny Yurich to Glen Henry, 14:44

---

The Power and Necessity of Play in Parenting

• Play as Core Connection (20:10 - 22:52)
  • Glen champions play, especially for fathers with their children, in defiance of social norms that see play as childish for men.
  • Notes that joy and bonding resulting from play have lasting impacts on family memory and mental health.

“When we play with our kids, we tell them we enjoy them now just as they are… We tell them we love them for who they are and not for what they can produce.”
— Ginny Yurich, 21:59

• Physical Play, Boundaries, and Affection (22:52 - 26:22)
  • Shares practical examples of accepting kids’ invitations to play and how even roughhousing teaches boundaries, self-regulation, and creates irreplaceable moments.
  • Cautions that these invitations won’t last forever: “You can say no twice, but don’t miss that third opportunity, because the invitations will not last forever.” (24:16)

---

Time, Margins, and Seizing the Fleeting Moments

• The Finite Nature of Childhood (27:22 - 28:37)

  • Childhood and its invitations don’t last forever.
  • Glen advises learning from others’ mistakes, investigating examples, and intentionally pursuing shared experiences (like family vacations) while the window is open.

• Managing Fears & Taking Adventures (29:55 - 33:35)

  • Glen openly discusses his tendency toward anxiety and catastrophizing, particularly around family adventures like their epic RV road trip.
  • Learning to reframe fears: “There’s gonna be some moments where you’re nervous, but every time something like that happens, you always figure it out, because you’ve always been resilient.” (29:55)

• Choosing Faith Over Fear

  • Instead of focusing on what could go wrong, Glen suggests instead to ask “What if everything goes right?” and to use adventure—despite the unknowns—to build family stories and resilience (35:54).

---

Rest, Presence, and Prioritizing the Living Room Over the Limelight

• Intentional Choices Against Comfort Culture (36:49 - 39:03)
  • Glen discusses pushing back on the allure of “comfort culture” or TV-centric weekends, instead emphasizing the unique influence parents wield within the home—“the biggest stage you’ll ever stand on is your living room.” (38:17)
  • Advocates for “messing up while being present”—making mistakes but being involved with your kids.

---

Lessons From Nature, The Farm, and Family Transitions

• Patience and Growth (43:14 - 45:53)
  • Moving to a farm brought about life lessons: “Things take their own sweet time growing. Things grow into what they were designed to be.”
  • The struggles, such as losing financial security and adjusting to less space, revealed that real connection takes time and that parents ultimately can’t control who their kids become.

“God calls us His masterpieces… We are collaborating with God on a masterpiece, but we want to control what it looks like. At some point, the masterpiece starts to control itself.”
— Glen Henry, 44:13

---

Camaraderie and The Need for Community (Friendships & Fathering)

• Men, Connection, and Sacred Circles (46:49 - 49:34)
  • Glen reflects on the rarity and profound impact of male camaraderie and father-to-father support (e.g., the specialness of another man holding your baby).
  • Attributes of intentional fatherhood spill out into the way you relate to the broader community.

“If you put the work into the job as a father, you actually get more out of it. You become a better man… Let those attributes of fatherhood spill outside of the home onto the people in our communities.”
— Glen Henry, 48:05

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “[W]e are proof for each other.” (42:20) — on learning and overcoming with children during challenging hikes.
• “The biggest stage you’ll ever stand on is in your living room… I don't care how many followers you got; if you don’t take care of your kids, you look like a scumbag.” (38:17)
• “Fatherhood is too crazy, too hard, and too unpredictable for us to go it alone.” (49:55)

---

Standout Segment Timestamps

• Glen’s Background and the Power of Example: 02:35 – 07:16
• The Real Work of Parenting & Stay-at-Home Dads: 07:17 – 10:06
• Giving Up Hip-Hop Full-Time & Embracing Growth: 10:15 – 14:40
• Learning from Neighborhood Dads & Mentors: 14:40 – 16:00
• The Importance of Play: 20:10 – 22:52
• Saying Yes to Children’s Invitations: 22:52 – 26:22
• Making the Most of Family Time: 27:22 – 28:37
• Overcoming Fear During Family Adventures: 29:55 – 33:35
• Biggest Stage Is Your Living Room: 36:49 – 39:03
• Lessons from the Farm: 43:14 – 45:53
• Fatherhood and Friendship/Community: 46:49 – 49:34

---

Conclusion: Glen’s Childhood Memory

[52:14]
Glen shares a cherished childhood memory: fishing for crayfish in the creek with his lifelong friend, Sydney, epitomizing unstructured, free outdoor play and the joy of friendship—a perfect reflection of the episode’s themes.

---

Episode Takeaways

• The most profound impact of parenthood happens in the ordinary, not the extraordinary—your living room is your stage.
• Play is critical—not optional—in building bonds and healthy self-esteem in children.
• Take advantage of the invitations your children offer you; they are finite and precious.
• Personal growth as a parent goes hand-in-hand with being willing to be vulnerable, ask for help, and examine your own story.
• Seek community, camaraderie, and mentorship; fatherhood was never meant to be a solo journey.
• Reframe fears about what could go wrong into hopes for what could go right, especially in family adventures.
• Every child grows at their own pace—patience and presence matter far more than control.

---

Book Featured:
Father Yourself First: Everything You Need to Become the Father Your Family Deserves by Glen Henry

Connect with Glen:

• Podcast: How Married Are You (with his wife)
• YouTube, TikTok, and other social media platforms: Belief in Fatherhood

---

Summary crafted in the spirit of celebration and truth, reflecting both the heartfelt and humorous tone of this inspiring conversation.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the 1000 hours. Oh, goodness. Welcome. Let me try that again. Welcome to the 1000 Hours Outside podcast. My name is Ginny Ert. I'm the founder of 1000 Hours Outside, and fresh in from baking chicken is a father podcaster, Incredible content creator and author, Glenn Henry. Welcome.

[B]

Yes. Thank you so much, Jenny. I'm so happy to be here. Thank you for having me a part of your community and trusting me with your community as well.

[A]

Tell me about the chicken you're making.

[B]

Okay, so it's basically just this chicken on the bone. So it's like all drumsticks, and my daughter can't have butter. Usually this recipe calls for a whole bunch of butter. Okay. So, of course, I clean the chicken, pat it dry, layer some salt on there, some paprika on both sides, and I let it sit in the oven, I mean, in the fridge for like, 30 minutes to let it dry, brine just a little bit. Okay. Then I take my big casserole dish, layer some onions on there, some. Some olive oil and some paprika, and then some bell peppers. And then I take the chicken out, put it inside, and then I layer some more onions and bell peppers on top. Then I cover it, put into the oven for an hour, and then take it off and then cook it again for another hour.

[A]

Wow. Oh, wow. What a commitment. What a commitment. Well, this is incredible. And you have an incredible story. You are out in the world encouraging fathers, and you come from a situation where you grew up and your father wasn't around. He was on the other side of the country, and you were thinking that you would maybe never even have kids at all because it's really heavy. And, you know, you have this hard experience, and yet here you are spending two plus hours making chicken for your kids and teaching and inspiring families around the world to be better parents and specifically fathers. So you have this book coming out. You have a lot. I mean, you've got the YouTube and tick tock and all of the social medias. You have a podcast called how married are you? That you do with your wife. You have this book coming out, and it will be out by the time this podcast goes live called father yourself first. Everything you need to become the father your family deserves. But what a story. You know, you're growing up and your dad's on the other side of the country. Your mom gets pregnant at age 15 also, then you become a hip hop artist. I listen to the hello, hello one.

[B]

Oh, wow, nice.

[A]

Yeah, I just totally butchered it, but I did really like That I did. Yeah, butcher it. But you're a hip hop artist. And then transitioned into being a stay at home dad of four. Can you give us just a, in a nutshell, a little bit of this story of how you got to the spot where you are influencing so many people to be better parents?

[B]

Yeah, well, I never wanted to be a dad until I saw proof of good fatherhood. My dad, I can only see a glimpse of it. I was only seeing him for the summertimes and it wasn't. We only seen him consistently. And a lot of the fathers in my neighborhood were really busy and it wasn't. A lot of. We didn't have access to a lot of homes. There was a few homes I did have access to that really made an imprint on me. And one was my best friend, Sydney Hale. I've been friends with him since I was three. But he, his dad lived down the stairs from me. And we would, I would go over there on Saturday morning, they'd be like wrestling all day, you know what I mean? It just was like this amazing experience or like this comfort and like even that, this, his dad would play with them even at like at the age of like 9, 10, you know. And then later on, you know, there was other people that kind of mentored me and helped me. But everything changed when I started going to this church called the Movement in San Marcos, California. And I started hanging out with this, the youth pastor there at the time. Now he's the main pastor, his name is Pat Lynch. And I was like one of the youth leaders there. And you know, I was just kind of hanging out. He was like, hey, you know, you swing by, come by past the house, seven daughters. I walk into the home, I'm expecting to hear like chaos and just a lot like I don't feel like being around a bunch of kids. And it was the most harmony I had ever felt in someone else's home. And that feeling was inspiring. But also it was the first time I was like, oh, like everyone here feels like they belong. There's not a lot of tension. Of course, you know, people get irritated and angry. Like you can, you know, there's drama in family, but it wasn't that they didn't belong there. And being someone who was, you know, kind of by Coastal with joint custody, like, I felt like I didn't belong, you know, I felt like I had to be more self sufficient in one home and I had to be less loud. I couldn't be all of myself. And so I kind of created like these Two different personalities. And then that's how I parented myself. That's how I talk to myself. My inner voice was made up, made up from these two homes. And so it became like this toxic, like, kind of relationship with myself. I just was very confrontational and rude and aggressive in cursing myself out often just to get through simple tasks. And then when I finally see, oh man, like I want to be a father, one day I meet my wife and we have our first kid. I didn't realize how the toxicity could actually spill onto your children. It wasn't until like I started until like really like I became a stay at home dad and I really started doing work with my children. And I'm kind of like, why am I getting so frustrated? Why is this so hard? And I remember my wife was like, you know, I really think you should be a stay at home dad. You know, you barely make money in any way. You only make enough money to cover the daggone child support, a child care anyway. So I was like, okay, well if I stay home, what am I going to do? I'm going to be bored. She's like, you'll be fine. He's like, what do stay at home moms do anyway? Like, that's what I said. Like, I was literally like, they don't do anything. Like, I promise you. I think it was like the third day I like locked myself in the bathroom, looked at myself in the mirror and just cried because I haven't been emotionally tired. And that was the first time that I realized I don't know anything. I don't know anything, anything. I think I know. I don't know what I'm talking about because I couldn't even explain when my wife comes home and she goes, what did you do all day? The dishes ain't done. This house looks a mess, right? And she's telling me that. And I would hear horror, horror stories from men to be like, yeah, man, my wife, she don't do nothing all day. Like, no, everybody survived. Mind your business. Leave her alone. Right? You don't know what she had to do. She probably had to talk to your mom, you know what I'm saying? Like, that's hard. All the relationships you're avoiding, all the tasks that you don't want to do. Like, she's managing a lot of those things. And so I realized that I don't really know much when it comes to like being that parent that's always there and being cared for. And so during that process, I started to document myself because I Was like, no one would even believe me if I tried to explain it to you. And it would be days where I'm just like, I know it's poop somewhere. And I'm smelling my hands and I'm crawling on the floor. I'm sniffing in between the cushions. I'm like, where's the poop? And then my wife comes home. I'm like, there's poop somewhere. You know what? I'm. She's like, what the heck is wrong with you? You know? Or, you know, I'm running around with a diaper on my head. I'm bald, so it catches the sweat. And, like, that's like, my helmet for the game we play. And I'm shooting the wipes at them and, like, you know, Costco wipes and shooting at them. And some of them were, like, playing games and having fun and wrestling. And it became this, like, I got to play with me.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, the version of me that the little boy and me. I got to play with that child through my kids. And that is when I started to be able to communicate, like, oh, I need more support. I need more help. And there was a time where my wife couldn't hear me. My wife couldn't hear me. You know, she. She was a working mother, math teacher, and she was the ASB director and the Black Student Union director and, you know, doing something else and tutoring kids, and she come home and give us her leftovers. And I say, hey, I need more. I need more help. I can't. I need more of you. And she was just like, well, what about my dream? Like, it became like I was living in this different world. And so when I was able to start to communicate how I felt more, even like, the expectation is that. The expectation wasn't that she. I would get through to her and she would hear me. My expectation was that I would love her even when she didn't. I would love her to perfection. And so that has just been a journey of me saying, hey, she can't hear you right now, son. She can't hear you. And that's okay. But your responsibility is to love her even when. Even when she can't hear you. And that. That has been a part of this journey, Me learning how to listen to my inner voice and comfort myself even when the people around me don't understand that I need to be protected. I have to protect myself. It's such an interesting position I'm in.

[A]

It is. And I think it goes so in line with the. With the title of the book, Father Yourself first. Yeah, that the journey, which is not what you expected at all. You said you never wanted to be a father. Bringing kids into this world seemed inconvenient, even irresponsible. You say, I couldn't even imagine having kids or being a dad. You can't wait to get out of the house and to hear being in this spot where now you're a stay at home dad. And you're right, you're like reluctant, like, what are people going to think? Are they going to judge me? And then you say, I have no idea how much work this is going to be. I'm like chasing around this toddler and I've got this infant and I'm exhausted and like it's physical and it's emotional and I feel desperate, you know, like now I understand how women feel. Like you're like, nobody died. Like, that's it. That's the goal. That's what I did. Everyone's alive. No, the house is on fire. So you go from this, this point of not ever being able to imagine that to this spot of helping other people in their parenting and specifically fathering. And it came from doing it and then being willing to share your growth along the way just by doing it. Like all of this growth comes and then you talk about like doing therapy and, and all the things that you are learning through these years had you stayed full time doing the hip hop.

[B]

I like how you said that. The hip hop. That's funny, that's good. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Go ahead, go ahead.

[A]

What should I have said?

[B]

No, no, it's just, it's doing hip hop. Doing hip hop. But the hip hop was pretty dope. I like it. All right.

[A]

I just say doing hip hop, do you think you would have missed out on a lot of growth as, as a father? I know you still do it on the side, but if you would have stayed doing it full time, I think.

[B]

That I would have missed out on my growth as a man. Hip hop is, is a beautiful, it's a beautiful expedition. It is amazing. The way hip hop was invented was kind of just on the fly, you know, taking the breaks. Parts of like disco records, right, where they just drop into like a drum pattern.

[A]

Right?

[B]

You play that for a little bit and then the DJ does it again. He has two of the same records so he can make that break last longer. That's how hip hop was invented. That type of like, like it's on the fly. Like fatherhood is, is on the fly. You're actually problem solving in Meeting needs and comforting as you're rocking the party. Right. And keeping things moving. It is a beautiful process. And so I didn't realize there was so much creativity in fatherhood. I believe I grew as a man because I had this conversation with my wife. You know, after we had the one conversation, I changed my life. The second conversation. Oh, no, actually, it was. This was one of the first conversations. She was like, you know, I was like, you know, I just got home from my first tour. I made $5,000 and that was a lot of money. You know what I'm saying? I'm like, I'm killing it. Are you proud of me? You know, because I have mommy issues. I'm to ask my wife, are you proud of me? She's like, yeah, it's fine. And I'm like, well, how much money would it make sense for me to like, keep doing this? Like, how much money would I have to make for, you know? And she's like, well, I don't know. And I'm like, well, what about 10,000amonth? Would that be good? And she's like, no, no, about 20,000. She's like, no, like $50,000 a month. And my wife is one of them people that she just says what she wants to say and it hurts and she walks away and it like, you're like disintegrating and like, ah, right. So she goes, I go, 50. And she's like, you know, basically you're asking me how much money it would cost to turn me into a single mother. Because that's what I feel like when you're gone, like, I need your help.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I was like, well, okay, that was rude. You know, that hurt. But I appreciated her honesty. And that actually is when I was like, okay, I need to figure out how to change this. And then we got into this conversation one night. She's like, what's your. What's your five year plan? And I'm like, oh, man, I don't know. Whatever God has for us, you know, she's like, I trust you with my family, my future, and you don't have five years planned out. Rolled over and went to sleep. And I sat there staring at the ceiling, realizing that I didn't have a plan for not just five years, like, even the next day, like, I didn't. I have a plan. I was a stay on bed, but what was I going to do? And so that's when it came to my attention that I needed to make a plan. And I wanted to be telling people how great it is to be a father. And once I realized that I was learning more about myself through my. Like, I thought I was going to be teaching more, I ended up learning way more about life and myself as a father. And I was like, hip hop could never teach me that. Like, it can never teach me those lessons. A parting, a part of understanding that was like me sitting there and realizing, like, when you have a baby and most fathers feel useless, when you have a newborn, right, God is teaching you about rest and Sabbath and marveling at his creation in ways that we probably wouldn't even slow down to. To do normally. We just kind of keep going, keep focusing, keep, you know, pressing on. But there's. There's a. There's a reason why you have to sit still and hold a baby and be quiet. There's a reason for that. Now that is something that you can take into your weekly behavior and use that as a part of how you process things in life. But the growth was like, I'm learning so much. And I started documenting that early. And this is what the book is. It's all of those lessons. And I feel like I needed to at least get some gray hairs first. I got a couple, so I was like, before I drop this book, let me get these gray hairs going.

[A]

It's a lot. I mean, you can really see the growth. There is so much in there. And it's interesting to think, like, you know, it would be incredible to be out on tour, I would imagine, and to tour as a rapper and. And you're out doing that, and yet you can see how by setting that aside to a certain. In a certain capacity, like, you still do it on the side, but not full time, that it allows you to be in these situations that really stretch you and it's clear that you're willing to learn. Even the fact that you would go into people's homes and take from that something that could be applicable to your own life. So it's like, that's kind of the personality, right? Which is like, what. What are these things going to teach me? I thought that was incredible. You say, my life was changed by the access other people gave me to their families. And that means that you were in these people's homes and you allowed yourself to learn from them. You looked around and you were like, well, this guy' running around in his underwear in a cape, you know, and playing with his kids. And you're like, well, I might want to. You know, when you become a dad, you're like, well, I can play with my kids. Too. So, yeah, I think it's. I think it's incredible. It's probably like some people are better at that maybe than others where they go into a situation and they try and glean from it everything that they can. Like, what are these other people doing? Because you talked about actually person after person, you're like that Mr. Hale. He's the one who's running around here in. What do you say? Done to Duns.

[B]

Duns. Get it?

[A]

Yes. Yeah. With his cape. He's running around with his kids. And then you talked about the pastor, the high school pastor. You say he was the person who helped me believe in fatherhood. You also talked about the grandpa of your brother Carson, Dr. Carson and his wife, Dr. Carson. I love that. So. And, and different people. There was a person you talked about, Bo. So you're learning from all these different people. Ginny, here with 1,000 hours outside. If you're like me, you know that the best gifts aren't the ones that end up on a shelf. They're the ones that get muddy, sun soaked and full of memories. That's why I am so excited to tell you about our friends at Woom Bikes, a family focused company that truly gets what childhood should feel like. Woom makes the lightest, smartest, safest bikes on the market. Designed specifically for kids. From their very first balance bike all the way to those confident neighborhood cruisers. Every detail is built for little riders, from easy reach brakes to perfectly balanced frames. So k kids don't just learn to ride, they learn to love the ride. And this holiday season, you can give a gift that leads to a thousand hours of joy, confidence and connection. Outside. Head to womb.com and use the code outside.10 for 10% off new bikes and accessories. But hurry. It is only good until November 15th. That's womb w.com and use code outside 10 for 10% off by November 15th. This year, don't just give a bike, give them a reason to ride and a lifetime of adventure. You guys, the holidays are almost here and you know what that means. People to feed, guests to host, and a whole lot of cozy moments ahead. I've been getting our home ready with Wayfair and it's amazing how just a few updates make everything feel warm and welcoming again. I grabbed a beautiful new dining bench so everyone has a seat at the table, swapped in flannel sheets for the guest room and found the cutest Christmas wreath. All from Wayfair's Black Friday sale. Everything shipped fast, the prices were unreal and it made me actually excited. To host. This year, Wayfair really, really is the place to shop for all things home, from sofas to spatulas, rugs to refrigerators. And during their Black Friday event, you can save up to 70% off. Plus they have styles you won't see anywhere else, so your space actually feels like you. And if you haven't heard, Wayfair now has a loyalty program where you earn 5% back, get free shipping and have access to member only sales. It's totally worth joining, so don't wait. These early deals are already happening. Head to Wayfair.com now to shop Wayfair's Black Friday deals for up to 70% off. That's W A Y F A I R.com sale ends December 7th. This show is sponsored by Better Help. Hi friends, It's Jenny from 1000 Hours Outside. You know, as the days get shorter and the evenings creep in earlier, it's easy to start feeling a little disconnected. The light fades, the schedule fills up, and sometimes we realize it's been months since we've really checked in with someone we care about. Maybe there's a friend you've been meaning to text or family member you haven't called in too long. This season, Better Help is encouraging all of us to reach out because we're healthier when we're connected and no one should have to go through hard seasons alone. And if you've been thinking about therapy, maybe that's another kind of reaching out. It can feel a little intimidating at first, but just like sending that message or grabbing coffee with an old friend, most people find themselves thinking, why didn't I do this sooner? Better Help makes it easy to start. With over 30,000 licensed therapists and over 5 million people served, they'll match you with someone who fits your needs. And if it's not the right fit, you can switch anytime. So as the days get darker, let's choose connection. Whether whether it's a friend, a loved one, or a therapist. This month, don't wait to reach out. Whether you're checking in on a friend or reaching out to a therapist yourself, Better Help makes it easier to take that first step. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com 1000hours. That's BetterHelp H E L P.com 1000hours so one of the things that you talk about quite a bit then is play. And so we've got a community of people who are really wanting to engage with their kids and to play with them. But you talk often in this book about how that can be looked down on. And you say society often seems to look down on men having fun. People think it's childish. Can you talk about why play is so important for families and especially for dads with their kids?

[B]

Yeah, I think, you know, there's been several studies on play, but I do think it actually releases, like, dopamine in the home. Like, you are experiencing not just your children play, like, in having fun with them, but the. Like, you smile bigger, right, when you're playing a game with your kid. And this is something you kind of got to earn, right? Like, because, you know, straight out the womb, like, your kids don't really play like that. You know what I mean? But as they get older, they want to. They want to do different things. They might want to play sports or just family game nights. Like, that is so important. We play games with, like, pool noodles and try to hit each other blindfolded and all types of stuff like that. Nerf gun fights, you know, pillow fights. If you just have a bunch of fun, because those are the times that our kids are going to be able to remember. Like, those are the things that's the reason why you come back for Thanksgiving. Like, what games are we going to play? You know what I mean? It's not just being in the home. Like, it's like, yo, we really have an opportunity to let our inner child play with our children. Like, imagine that, right? And so when we think about as men, like, we think about playing games, we think about sports, we think about things that allow us to get our aggression off, but the kids need that, too. And you are kind of that one safe place, you know what I mean, for kids to even, like, learn how to, like, lose well, you know. Yeah, you beat your kid at a game, like, sometimes they. They get up really upset, and they start to, you know, throw a little tantrum, you know, and, you know, they can't handle it. And it's like, hey, you got to be a better loser than that. You know what I'm saying? You're terrible at the game. That's your fault. It's not mine. You know what I mean? Like, you can have that type of banter with your kids, and it served us well. We've had those seasons where kids can't lose well, and then they come back and they do better.

[A]

So, yeah, you talk about how play should not be last on the priority list. It's not optional, and it is not a waste of time. When we play with our kids, we tell them we enjoy them now just as they are. And we tell them we love them for who they are and not for what they can produce. They need that. They'll spend the rest of their lives fighting the same culture we do, a culture that shouts that we are not enough and productivity is all that matters. They need an inner voice that counteracts those things by reminding them they are valuable, loved, and worthy just as they are. It's powerful. You then talk about your boys. You say, your boys. This is interesting, Glenn. Your boys are looking for affection, but they look for that affection because you talk about that. You're like, you just wanted affection from your dad. This is like, a really important thing. And he didn't really know how to give it. So you say your boys are looking for affection, but they look for affection in the form of being chased, caught, and tickled.

[B]

Yeah. My oldest two, you know, my second oldest had as a sensory processing disorder. So he needs to be hugged often, right? As soon as something happens like, I need hug. You know what I mean? Sleeps with a weighted blanket, like, the whole thing. He won't. He doesn't know how to communicate that he needs a hug. He'll just kind of, like, say a joke or, like, you know, he'll see me in the hallway and be like, oh, and, like, jump. And like, we're supposed to, like, hit shoulders. You know what I'm saying? I was like, man, you want to hug this stuff and I'll give it to you. They like, okay. So when I went to Pat's house, I was like, oh, man, I'm expecting it to be loud as seven girls, like. And I only know, like, loudness for my sister. Always singing, always playing her music and dancing, you know, growing up. And so it was actually wasn't loud at all. You know what I mean? But I have boys. They are so loud. If it's not like, screaming, high pitch is boom, knocking stuff over there, playing basketball on the back of the door. It's loud. And then they start to, like, they make a shot. They're like, you know what I'm saying? Like, goodness gracious, shut up. Like, it's crazy. But that is a part of the pursuit, right? Or the invitations we accept. I have a rule that, like, well, of course you can't accept every invitation, but you got to accept every third time. Like, man, make that a rule for yourself. You can say no twice, but don't miss that third opportunity, because the invitations will not last forever. You will run out of invitations. And so we got to accept those invitations while we have the chance for sure. And then also, this is a message for moms, too. Sometimes you gotta let it. Let dads do it Dad's way, you know, Sometimes my wife will be like, I ain't trying to play this game with y'. All. I'm out. And she'll, like, go in the room while we're like. Like, I'm jumping off stuff, and we're, like, really wrestling hard. You know, you gotta. You gotta give dad a space to do that. Right? And allow it to be a little chaotic so that. So that the boys can get that. It's a feeling that they need. Sometimes a certain time in the day hits, and all of a sudden, my two oldest are just punching or tickling or, like, poking each other, and I'm like, what in the heck is going on? But it's like, it's something that they have to get off of them. You know what I'm saying? It's like watching two lion cubs kind of, like, tackle each other. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's very interesting, but it's something that we have to pay attention to for sure.

[A]

And I've read it helps with learning your limits. So I love that you talked about the dun To Duns. Like, you got the. The dad that lives in the apartment downstairs with your friend, and, like, they're playing that, and then you're like, I got my own game. You're like, my game is that. What do you do? You put a sheet. Your head. What's it called? Warrior. You put a blanket over your head and everyone can just, like, wail on you, basically.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Yeah. My dad played this game called lion, where he would crawl around on. On his, like, hands and knees. He would crawl around, and you would try and, like, jump on his back, and then he would, like, lift up and try and get you to fall off. And. And I think, like, as a kid, you. You know, you learn that sometimes you're too rough, and then you hurt someone else, and then it ends. So that's one of the things I've read about, too, is that in these more physical, especially with dads, like, my mom certainly did not play lion, that you start to learn your limits and that you. You learn to watch out for other people.

[B]

Yes. Yes. And that's something I didn't cover in the book, is that you learn your limits, you know, which is true. And I think. What, the game always ends when somebody cries.

[A]

Yep. So, yeah, you know, someone's taking it too far, and then it ends. And then they're bummed. So it's like you're constantly getting that feedback. And I just, I. It's beautiful what you wrote in here about play. And you talk about, like you said, accept all the invitations that you can. I want their inner voice to tell them when I speak, people listen. Many people don't speak up for themselves. And I think some of them learned that because no one listened to them as children. And then the invitations go the other way too. You talk about inviting kids to be involved in what you're doing. You also then talked about. And I relate to this because our kids are a little bit older, Glenn. Like, our oldest is our 17 and 15 and they go down from there. But you talked about this person that you knew that was gonna. Wanted to go on a trip with his kids. And the 17 year old was like, I don't want to go and, or I've got something else going on. It's more of that, right? Why? You're 17, you're busy. And so then the 15 year old was like, well, I don't want to go if the brother doesn't go. So can you talk? Just that reminder that you don't like when people are like, you have 18 summers.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's not maybe true. Like, you may not have quite that long. And people are like, well, then the kids come back and there's grandkids. I get that. But you're really intentional about saying yes to the invitations and making the most of your time.

[B]

Well, one thing I'm going to do always is I'm, I'm going to investigate. I'm going to be curious about other examples of fatherhood. I have to see it. I, I need to know how you failed. Please. I'm not going to judge you. I just want to know because I don't have a lot of time left. You know what I mean? Like, I'm looking at my kids and I'm like, well, because I always thought the invitations would, they, they wouldn't run out. Like I would have time. Like, I was like, okay, I'm gonna work really hard. And then by the time my kids, my oldest is 15, then I'll be able to spend a bunch of time with them. You know what I'm saying? Like, then I'll be able to do it. And so I'm sitting there and I'm like talking to my homie Mark, and he's like, yeah, man, like, I had to sell the rv. I had to sell this really beautiful RV because my kids won't. They don't want to go nowhere. You know what I'm saying? And I'm like, ah, all right, well, I know I don't have that much time left, and they ain't really got a choice right now, because if we got to go somewhere, we all got to go. So let's just go ahead and get the RV and make some adventures out of these summers and some of this time that we have.

[A]

Yeah, it's good. It's good advice and good reminders. You wrote, there are only so many opportunities to go on family vacations. And that. That's the truth. Well, how do you deal with Glenn? So this is one of the things that you're talking about. Like, first of all, you get really good advice. So if anyone's listening in their stay at home dad, you're like, you know, talking about making sure you have margins, like packing, pack extra onesies, pack extra wipes.

[B]

Like, yes.

[A]

Make sure that you have margin even for your emotional self, too. But one of the things that you talk about, and I think this is a personality. Like, my husband is a lot like you, like, in the fact of what might go wrong. And you talk about how you, like, you're gonna go on this RV trip. You went on a huge RV trip, epic cross country road trip. California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, a few other states. You end up in North Carolina. And you say you have a lot of worries, but most of the worries never come to pass. You have this inner voice that's like, things are going to go wrong and you're going to fail. You say, I'm highly skilled at imagining all the things that could go wrong in any scenario. Your brain is quick to feed you a list of negative outcomes. And yet you still did it. I mean, if you go on an RV trip with six people, there's bound to be issues, of course, because you're just kind of stepping into the unknown. How did you get over that? Thinking of, okay, a bunch of things are going to go wrong, so probably we shouldn't go.

[B]

Yeah. You know, like, every time I do something, I. I do something, I'm. I'm nervous about it. And then after it's over, I'm like, dang, I wish I could do that again without the fear attached. Like, I wish I could. I wish I can experience that again without the anxiety. And so at this point, I'm like, well, let me have that conversation before my, Before I, before the fear even comes. Like, there's going to be some moments where I'm a little nervous. Right. And this is how I communicate myself. There's gonna be some moments where you're. You may be uneasy or nervous, but every single time something like that happens, you always figure it out, right? And you figure it out because you've always been resilient, right? And so I need you to trust yourself and try to make leave about a 15% margin for you to be scared and enjoy the rest of it. You know what I mean? Like, just if you're going to be nervous or scared, like, shorten it. Like, my. I have to have this conversation with myself. And this is really the voice of my therapist, you know what I'm saying? Like, I had to redo that voice. And then it's also the voice I also use to speak to my kids. It's literally that same voice merged together. And I have to remind myself of all the winds. I've always figured it out. Every single time this. There's been an issue. And so, yeah, like, I. I remember we were on this trip and there was a freaking tornado, man. Where do you live?

[A]

Michigan.

[B]

Okay, so do you have. Do you have tornadoes in Michigan?

[A]

Yeah, sometimes. Not. Not like super often. But, you know, talking about if you're traveling across the country and you're in an rv, that's not necessarily what you want to be in when there's tornadoes, right?

[B]

And we're in a 24 foot with six people, like, it's just not a good situation. And so we're at our cousin's house, and I'm like, man, the sky is interesting. Like, I've never seen that much depth in the sky. Like, the sky looks very high. Like, I know that the sky is high, but when you could see, like, clouds here, clouds here, clouds here, I'm like, what is going on? And so I'm looking, I'm like. And then you start to see the. It just get dark. And then people's, you know, hair starts flying everywhere, and all this stuff is happening. And, like, I'm like, oh, my gosh, there's about to be a tornado here. And it's a tornado warning. And you start to hear, like, the sounds. And we're all in the house freaking out. And, you know, my second note is like, can I go outside? I want to go outside. It's raining. It looks so fun. I'm like, no, come inside. And I'm screaming and I'm yelling. And this is all on YouTube, by the way. This entire video, it's on YouTube. And we're sitting there, we look out the back window, and a big Old Costco trampoline just flips, you know, over a few different backyards. And I was like, this is it. This is where we die. And my wife is like, sitting there eating Skittles. Actually, she ran back to the car to get the Skittles. Like, I'm like, I don't, I don't belong with these people. These aren't my people. I need them to be a little bit more serious. But the next day, it was just like nothing happened. And it was a great memory. And I want to create more of those because those are the things that matter. I'm looking forward to my children being able to look back on our, on, like, their upbringing and be like, oh, man, that was crazy, or, dad, you were tripping or whatever. But I'm also being able, I'm looking forward to, for me to be able to look back and just remember that I, I didn't put work as my priority. And you hear people say that all the time. It's like all they do is focus on work. And I was like that. I was like that 100 and it, I lost relationship equity with my children and my wife because I was prioritizing work.

[A]

Yeah, it's a lot to think about, especially if, like, you say, it's like you have all these adventures and you talk about that, like, be adventurous, seek out adventure. As a father, we need to embrace and even seek out adventure with our families. And we need to be able to navigate the uncertainty, the unpredictability, and the stress that come with adventure because you don't know what's going to happen. So you're saying to err on the side of experiencing family to the fullest. Be willing to become adventurers. As the air turns crisp and the holidays draw near, comfort becomes the best gift of all. And for me, Quince delivers comfort that lasts. They have it all. 50 Mongolian cashmere sweaters made for everyday wear. Denim that never goes out of style. Silk tops and skirts that add polish and down outerwear. Built to take on the season. Perfect for gifting or, let's be honest, upgrading your own wardrobe before those holiday photos. Honestly, Quince's Italian wool coats are at the top of my list because the cut feels designer, the quality rivals high end brands. But the price is about half because Quinn's works directly with ethical top tier factories and skips the middlemen. So you get luxury quality without the luxury markup. For me this season, my go to has been my Quince cashmere because it is soft, classic, and somehow it goes with everything oh, and my all black quince puffer jacket is always at the ready for those chilly mornings. So step into the holidays with layers made to feel good, look polished and last. From Quince, perfect for gifting or keeping for yourself. Go to quince.com outside for free shipping and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com outside free shipping 365 day returns. Quince.com outside and I really like this part, Glenn, where you talk about, okay, you know, if your mind is naturally going to the negative, like what might go wrong. You're talking about using your God given creativity to think about what might go right. And you had a really phenomenal list of questions in here. Like where you're. And I'm like, this changes it immediately. If you ask the question, what if this move to a different city builds up our marriage? What if this trip turns out better than we could have ever expected? You know, what if our kids remember this vacation for the rest of their lives? What if this career change is an opportunity for me to grow and build a better future for my family? Like, it immediately changes the outlook. It's such a positive reframing of just like more assuming. Well, what if it's great?

[B]

Yeah. What if everything goes right.

[A]

Yeah. And it's your good. It's your good. Or even the things that go wrong, then they're memorable, like the tornado or something like that.

[B]

And you always figure it out.

[A]

Yeah, you do, you do. And then you've got the history there. So I thought that was really encouraging. You say, choose to be a person of faith and positivity. Okay, talk about, and this is like, you know, your typical, if you see it on tv, like TV dad or whatever, they just like are sitting around on the couch and they're watching sports. And you know, there are not to your point. Like, you're like, you saw Mr. Hale, he's playing with his kids. You don't super often see dads playing with their kids. And you wrote that it's a lot easier to sit on the couch and watch TV every Saturday and Sunday. But is that creating the kind of memories you want? Is that building the kind of kids you want? The path of least resistance is usually also the path of least potential for rewards. How do you deal with wanting to just sit around and be comfortable?

[B]

Well, I think, I think we have to realize one, that it's okay to rest. But I think inviting our children along on those routines and those Quests are really cool, too. I've noticed that, like, I'm not. Because I know this is, like, kind of pushing against, like, comfort culture, like, consumption culture, like, some people have, like, oh, Sunday we watch football all day. Saturday, watch college football day with NCAA or whatever. And we have these things that is, like, really important to us. But I think that in. In the. In the moment when your child is very impressionable, young, and inviting you on, many is giving you many invitations to be a part of their lives, I think we have to minimize the amount of time we spend focusing on things that are outside of our home. And so if it's like, you know, I'm a Ravens fan, so I'm probably going to catch the Ravens game. You know what I mean? And if I'm not catching the Ravens game, that I'm going to wait later and wait until they go to sleep, and I'll watch it then, you know, But I'm not going to be watching every game. Yeah, it's just. It's. It's just my kids are at the age now where I'm like, there's an opportunity here, and I'm not gonna miss it. Here's the thing. The biggest stage you'll ever stand on is in your living room, right? You will have the most impact on your children as your audience. The most important relationship is yours with your spouse, but the most impactful is your children. And I don't care how many followers you got that you do all that and you don't take care of your kids, you look like a scumbag. You know what I mean? So you have to think about, all right, my kid is turning eight. He's really into hockey. How many Saturdays can I give up this month to go spend time with him and helping him shoot how many? You know, what am I going to do to make sure he excels in this sport that he really cares about? And so there is a moment there where we just have to take an inventory. We just have to take an inventory of the opportunity that we have versus what we want. We need to err on the side of fatherhood. If you're gonna mess up, like, mess up being present. You know what I mean? Like, I'm not saying don't be present. I'm saying mess up while you're being present.

[A]

You know, I. I know you talked about delayed gratification, and people talk about delayed gratification a lot right now because of school and kids getting their schoolwork done, but you're talking about it, like, from the perspective of a parent, you're like, were the adults in the home, so sometimes postpone your desire for relaxation and pleasure until the moment. Right. And. And to do things with your kids. You talk a lot about nature in here. And so you go on this five mile hike with one of your boys. This is a great story. People ask a lot. They say, glenn, they're like, well, if people want to start going outside more, what should they do? And I always say, go on a hike because you're stuck, you know, like, no one's coming to airlift you out. You're stuck out there. Now, you went on a pretty long hike and you are in. Are you in the desert?

[B]

Yeah, we're in Hemet, California. Sage, actually.

[A]

Okay, so this five mile hike and your son is like, not having it part of the way through, like, he's super excited. And then about part of the way through, he's like this. I'm gonna lay on the ground. I don't want to go any further. Can you talk about what he learned through finishing that with you?

[B]

Okay, so the thing is, I. I told him not to go. I said, hey, don't go. This is my thing. I need this. He's like, well, I want to come. I want it. I can do it. I'm like, all right, fine. You know, and I. I would say the first, you know, maybe 0.3 miles, he was good. You know, as soon as we got to the first hill, he just started to be like, I think this was a bad idea. You know what I'm saying? I said, well, we're in. We're here now. You know, it's 9 o', clock, it's 89 degrees, right? It's getting. It's 9am It's 89 degrees. So, you know, it's about to be one of them days. And he's like, all right, well, I'm taking my shirt off. We both have our shirts off. We're both walking. And he's like, I need a hug. And I'm like, right now? He's like, yeah. And we're just hugging each other in the middle of the sun, in the middle of the desert. And I'm like, lord, please. And we're not. We're nowhere near close to being done. And I had to teach him right during that process, I kept telling him, stop saying negative words to himself. Like, you're gonna have to learn how to speak life to yourself. It's not gonna get easier, especially when you're complaining. Now, here's another thing about you complaining is that you're actually wasting your energy. You're. You're wasting your energy, you're wasting your breath and you're wasting your thoughts. So let's just keep putting one front in front of the other and to see how far we can get. At one point he goes, what if I pass out? And I go, well, you'll wake up, you know, you'll wake up eventually. And we kept walking. And so after we get to, we get done with the hike. And I'm like, what would you tell yourself if you can do this all over again? He was like, that I can do it, you know, that I'm strong. And I'm like, I need him to have that type of proof, right? Because he's proving to himself there's going to be a stage in his life where he has to father himself. And my voice will be his inner voice. And so I have to be careful in those times of frustration because it was like I didn't want to be out there with him, you know what I'm saying? Like, that was my little bit of me time.

[A]

And.

[B]

But he wanted it. And the next time we went, he did it flawlessly. He was jumping, running around and trying to race me. And we were doing push ups every, every mile, like it was a whole different situation. So he needed to do it. Once he got through it, he knew he can do it. So we are proof, we are proof for each other.

[A]

What a lesson to learn. And that is so tricky. It's so tricky when you're expecting it to be your thing because you say you started hiking for exerc guys. So that is really tricky. And you get a little bit in the kids on the ground crying. You're like, come on, come on. Yeah, but, but he learned a lot and he learned that he can do it and he can push himself harder. So it's great lessons. And you talk about lessons on the farm. I thought this was incredible writing. I. I just thought this was so deep. So you're at farm, farm life, new farm life. And you say these are two things that are so crystal clear on the farm. First, things take their own sweet time growing. Second, things grow into what they were designed to be. Those are deep lessons for parenting. Can you talk about the. Well, both of them are important. You're like, talk about the individuality of your kids and also about just giving them time to grow into themselves.

[B]

Yeah, I think they're. During the time we moved to the farm, it was pretty tough. We had to sell our house. We had to sell our house. It was. It was. It was a lot of transitions.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

My son didn't. My kids didn't want to be on camera anymore. They had decided that. So I stopped putting them in the videos, which affected the finances. We couldn't afford to live in the house anymore. My relationship with my business, which was my foundation belief in fatherhood. My baby was broken. The foundation was broken. My wife also had a tough transition with her family, and her family dynamics had changed so heavily. Her. Her foundation was broken and we were trying to sell the house. And during the inspection, we found out that the foundation was broken on our home. And so we couldn't even sell the house. We had to get the foundation repaired. Once we did, when we were able to sell the house, we moved out to the farm and a beautiful home. A beautiful little farm in him. It's definitely rough around it edges, but it was. It was. It was interesting. We got to. It's just quiet. It takes 10 minutes to get to the main road. And, you know, all of our cars need alignment since that point because of all the bumps and stuff like that. But there was. There was this thing where it's kind of like, man, like everything is growing into what it needs to be. And sometimes as parents, we think that we have control over what our children become, right? And we don't. We don't have control. And I say in the book too, like, you know, God calls us his masterpieces workmanship. And we are collaborating with God on a masterpiece, right? But we want to control what it looks like. And at some point, the masterpiece starts to control itself. The sculpture starts to say, I don't need this part taking this off, right? And it. For me, I just. I understand that real growth and true connection is going to take time. Time in the amount of time. The amount of time I get away from home affects how I can show up in the relationship equity I have with the kid. Now, they can listen to me and they can abide by my rules, but how often are they going to want to be in my presence, right? And if we can be stuck in a, you know, I don't know what, 1200 square foot. I guess it was less than that. It was like probably like 900 square foot little cottage home or whatever. Sharing one bathroom with six people. The bathroom is in the hallway. You got to walk past somebody on a toilet in the hallway if you want to get through. Through. It's crazy, right? If we can get through that and still want to be around each other all the Time. I think that's. That's pretty solid. Yeah.

[A]

I love that you brought up the toilet, because you do talk about the toilet quite a bit in the book. Talk about, like, there's, like, a Beyblade stuck down there. And I love this part about you're like the fifth child did it. Like the ghost child. Because you're like, there's always some. This is so great. A ghost who does all the stuff that nobody confesses to.

[B]

Yeah. It's a culmination of the entire family.

[A]

Who plugged the toilet? Not me. Nobody did it. It was the ghost. It was child number five. The ghost child.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And like you said at the beginning, like, it's just. Parenting is just all these ups and downs and random. You're like, who? I smell poop.

[B]

Where is it? I know it's somewhere. I smell it. I'm close. I'm so close. Yes.

[A]

Yes. Oh, my goodness. All right, how about one last topic I thought was a really important one? Actually, I had never considered this, Glenn and I. I think it's a pretty big statement. Like, I don't. It was shocking to me, actually. So you're talking about friendships. You say, look, in social situations, it often seems like the women have better connection. You're wanting more camaraderie. So you talk about this sacred circle, and you said this, this. I never imagined another man holding my baby. I'm like, that's so true. Women are passing their babies around all the time. Like, you don't necessarily really see dads doing that.

[B]

Yeah. My friend Kariga went to his home, and this is. This is his third child. The first child was an angel baby he had born still. And then he had another baby, and then this is his first son. I'm Hope. I'm up there hanging out with him, and the baby's like, oh, it's just so sweet. Right? I mean, once you have a baby, like, you kind of. You have the heart of a father, and you're, like, embracing the baby and smelling the baby. It's like a whole thing. So they're like, hey, can I. Can you watch the baby real quick while I go upstairs? I'm like, yeah, give me the baby. So I'm holding baby, I'm patting the baby, and he walks in on me putting the baby to sleep. And he's like, bro, I've never imagined another man holding my baby. But, like, the bond that you and I have together, this is something that, like, I really appreciate, you know, I didn't know it got that deep in. In Relationship with men he comes from. My friend Kariga is amazing soul. I love this man so much. He comes from a home, a house. They do life differently. They're very close, connected. All the brothers are really tight. You know, mom is. Everybody's, like, really close together, tight knit. And because I have not redeemed that part of my life, it's so interesting when I get around his family, I'm like, it's more investigating for me. I'm more curious about what can I take back and what can I hope for in the future, because I'm trying to redeem what I missed. And so, so often we have relationships around us that if we put the work in. And this is another lesson of fatherhood. If you put the work in to the job as a father, you actually get more out of it. You become a better man. Right. Because you're letting the attributes of fatherhood spread out to other relationships. I'm not just a patient father. I'm a patient man. Father had taught me that. Right. If I can be patient with a baby that doesn't know anybody, I could be patient with my neighbor. I could be patient with this person driving on the road. I can be patient other places. Right. And so sometimes we have to let those attributes, like, spill outside of the home onto the people in our communities. Right. Because I believe that that interconnectedness can change communities, you know, and it can change cities and it can change the world. I truly do believe that. But it starts in the home.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, these are such deep topics, and like you said, they spread out in so many different areas. So talking about your friendships and you talk about Jefferson Bethke, which we. They've got pickleball at their house.

[B]

Yes. Yeah.

[A]

It's so cool. My husband got to go there once and out, and he came back and told me about it, and I was like, wow, that's incredible. We were at a conference together last year and. And I love that you put him in there, but you talk about God. Yeah. They're incredible. And God sets the lonely in families. So if you are wanting camaraderie and you talk about this in the book, if you're wanting relationships, a sacred circle like you talk about, just start praying about it and see who God brings along. You say fatherhood is too crazy, too hard, and too unpredictable for us to go it alone. What a remarkable story, Glenn. What a remarkable, remarkable story. The book is fantastic. I have, like, seven pages of notes here. I was a lot to think about, a lot of really deep thoughts. I like I said. And then I listened. I listened to one of the songs. What was it called? It's called the Greeting. The Greeting? Yeah. That's one of your favorites that you've written.

[B]

Yeah, that's one of my favorites that I've written. It's. It's really is a really bone back, like, old school record. Like that is like hip hop at its purest for me. But there's. There's other records that are more. You know, there's love thy neighbor like this. There's records that are better for other people to consume. But that's just my favorite record because of the way it starts, and it feels very comforting. It's like I'm laying in the hammock listening to it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So, yeah.

[A]

Yeah, I liked it. It was like talking about your wife never sharing the covers. That was one of my favorite lines. It's great. But this path of not wanting to be a dad, to being this dad, that is influencing so many others. It's called Belief in fatherhood, with L, E A, F at the end. Belief in fatherhood, because it's an acronym for these ways to be a better father. And you talk about the importance of fatherhood. That was one of the things I had in my notes. The power of fatherhood. We often forget how powerful fatherhood is. The lack of fathers in the home is often cited as a reason why kids struggle or why generational cycles of poverty and addiction continue. If that's right, then the opposite must also be true. Our presence makes a real, tangible, powerful difference. What a book. What a book. It's called father yourself first. Everything you need to become the father your family deserves. This is coming out in November, so heading into holidays. I love when people get books for holidays. So, yeah, that's a good. That's a good one. It's a good idea. November 4th. So by the time this podcast guest goes out, this book will be available and you can check it out. Father yourself first, Glenn. We always end our show with the same question. The question is, what's a favorite memory from your childhood that was outside?

[B]

Oh, a favorite memory. Okay. So I live in an apartment complex, and in between two of the apartments, there's this creek. And me and my friend Sydney, who I've known my entire life, we would. They would put hot dogs on strings and sticks and fish for crayfish out of the creek. And it was like the nicest little hood situation because we weren't supposed to do that. You know what I'm saying? And sometimes we'd walk the creek to the end. It just was. It was fun, like being outside enjoying nature in a place where, you know, I don't even know if you know. It wasn't a man made creek, it just was a creek and we would just fish for little crayfish, you know. It was really fun.

[A]

Yeah. So much freedom just there with a friend. No one's telling you what to do. Our creeks are wonderful like that little shallow water and you can, you know, a lot of freedom there. That's incredible. Well, Glenn, I so appreciate it. A huge congrats on all your success, your incredible podcast. I know you said your wife has a devotional coming out next year. You have so much going on. The book is called Five Father Yourself First. Glenn, thank you for being here. And I hope your chicken is really amazing.

[B]

I appreciate it. Hopefully it didn't burn. I gotta go check on my people. Thank you.