Digital Dads

As men we often fear being vulnerable. But it turns out that opening ourselves up can become our biggest strength. Especially with our children. In this episode Jason MacKenzie shares with us how this can be a powerful way to connect deeply with our kids. In his book The Dadly Book of Open he shares how he was able embrace vulnerability and break down the walls standing in the way of being an amazing father. You don’t want to miss it! Patreon Support Check us out on Patreon and get exclusive content and swag unavailable anywhere else. Digital Dads Facebook Group Join us in the Digital Dads Facebook Group as we help each other become the best dads possible in this fast moving digital age. One Cool Thing * Andrew – DirecTV Now * Brent – Amazon Go

Our children are growing up fast. Pretty soon they’ll be headed into the world to make their mark and follow their dreams. And of course, this is what we want to happen. The problem is, it happens way too fast. It turns out there’s wisdom at the end of this road we’re on. This episode is based on the perspective of a parent looking back as the pitter-patter of little feet has become a distant memory. We discuss specific things we can do to make the most of our time together and preserve the memories for when they’re gone. [Huffington Post article] Patreon Support Check us out on Patreon and get exclusive content and swag unavailable anywhere else. Digital Dads Facebook Group Join us in the Digital Dads Facebook Group as we help each other become the best dads possible in this fast moving digital age. One Cool Thing * Andrew – Black Mirror (again) * Brent – Disney Cars 3 teaser trailer

Men don’t cry. From a young age boys are taught to “man up” and “be tough.” While this is good in many ways for developing grit and tenacity, it can potentially be harmful to suppress those emotions. Parents today are beginning to recognize that helping our boys understand and handle their emotions may be a much better alternative. And by taking an active part in their emotional upbringing it will undoubted have a lasting impact on both genders of the next generation. Patreon Support Check us out on Patreon and get exclusive content and swag unavailable anywhere else. Digital Dads Facebook Group Join us in the Digital Dads Facebook Group as we help each other become the best dads possible in this fast moving digital age. One Cool Thing * Andrew – Meta 2 * Brent – Interactive Periodic Table

Halloween is a time for creepy fun. We dress up and do our best to scare the daylights out of each other while collecting as much candy as possible. But short of the occasional animated witch, technology itself hasn’t really been something to be feared in and of itself. That is until now. In this episode we rundown the 10 technologies guaranteed to keep you awake at night. Inspired by an article on Gizmodo, some would argue these advances are so frightening they should never be invented at all. But there may be no stopping them from terrorizing us in the near future. Have a listen and judge for yourself if these are what nightmares are made of… Mwa Ha Ha… Happy Halloween! Patreon Support Check us out on Patreon and get exclusive content and swag unavailable anywhere else. Digital Dads Facebook Group Join us in the Digital Dads Facebook Group as we help each other become the best dads possible in this fast moving digital age. One Cool Thing * Andrew – Microsoft Surface Pro * Brent – NASA wins Halloween

We all try to look at our lives in a positive light, but that can be hard in this current climate. The number one thing we have to focus on is providing a positive example to our children. When people take sides on different issues, the most important thing we can do is try to bridge that divide and understand people on the other side of the argument. Today we talk about why it’s imperative to find empathy in our discourse and show our children how to find common ground with anyone. Join the Digital Dads Round Table Patreon Support Check us out on Patreon and get exclusive content and swag unavailable anywhere else.

Distractions. Between email, texts, apps, video games, TV shows, apps, fantasy sports, etc. it’s a wonder we ever speak to each other at all. The reality is that in our always-on technology filled world, there is no shortage of things competing for our attention. But our children shouldn’t be one of them. We love our kids and we have the best of intentions. The time we have to mold them is brief and if we don’t intentionally connect with them, we are making the single biggest mistake of our life. In this episode inspired by John Zugelder’s Good Dad Project article, 8 Ways to Be Powerfully Present with Your Family, we dive into some key ways to better connect with our children. Don’t miss it! Patreon Support Check us out on Patreon and get exclusive content and swag unavailable anywhere else. Digital Dads Facebook Group Join us in the Digital Dads Facebook Group as we help each other become the best dads possible in this fast moving digital age. One Cool Thing * Andrew – Westworld * Brent – Old Republic Netflix petition

The tween years. One of the more challenging times for parent and child alike. Both are adjusting the best they can to the many changes happening in this sometimes awkward phase of life. One of the biggest of these is the dreaded middle school. Michelle Icard is here to help. She has put together Middle School Makeover to help parents understand the physical, mental, and emotional changes of their tweens and practical advice to navigate successfully. We explore a ton of Michelle’s great ideas in this interview and this is a must listen for anyone who has (or will eventually have) a middle schooler of their own. Join the Digital Dads Round Table Patreon Support Check us out on Patreon and get exclusive content and swag unavailable anywhere else. One Cool Thing * Andrew – Google Daydream * Brent * Frywall * Google WiFi

Do you want a happier family? I know I sure do. We do our best but the digital world is full of distractions. Sometimes despite our best intentions we all come up a little short. That’s where Bruce Feiler‘s book The Secrets of Happy Families can help. Bruce has draws from the best resources available across multiple disciplines and arrived at a number of key insights that can make an enormous difference. From methods borrowed from Agile Programming practices to sitting in a comfortable chair to help with challenging conversations, he has put together a book chock full of useful techniques. Implementing any one of these could have an immediate and profound impact on your own family. Join the Digital Dads Round Table Patreon Support Check us out on Patreon and get exclusive content and swag unavailable anywhere else. One Cool Thing * Andrew – Interplanetary Transport System * Brent – Stan Lee Marvel Cameos

Would you ask for permission to kiss your date? That’s exactly what Michael Domitrz is proposing in his book Can I Kiss You? and though it may seem unusual, he has very good reason behind it. This episode takes us on a deep dive into a provocative topic as we discuss the challenges of dating for our children. We discuss physical intimacy and how to leave no room for error about whether their partner is comfortable. You won’t want to miss this one! [Date Safe Project] Join the Digital Dads Round Table Patreon Support Check us out on Patreon and get exclusive content and swag unavailable anywhere else. One Cool Thing * Andrew – PS4 Slim, Pro, VR * Brent – Terabit Internet

I… Have… the… Power…! That’s what Tom Tate has been saying a lot recently as he pores through issue after issue of Nintendo Power magazine. No, he isn’t on the hunt for long forgotten cheat codes. He has been preparing for the launch of his new project the Power Time Podcast. Through his new show Tom takes us back to our youth one issue at a time. With every article, every page, and every word he is bringing our favorite periodical back to life. Well, maybe not every word. But nearly all of them. And we are excited to hop aboard his audio time machine and reflect on days gone by. In this episode we catch up with Tom and discuss his show and Nintendo today and yesterday. It’s a really fun trip down memory lane. Enjoy! Join the Digital Dads Round Table Patreon Support Check us out on Patreon and get exclusive content and swag unavailable anywhere else. One Cool Thing * Andrew – Mass Effect Voice Contest * Brent – Ghost Rider Returns

The Internet is a scary place. Or at least it can be. The world has evolved into an always connected place that can be dangerous if not taken seriously. And our kids (digital natives) don’t always understand the risk. From the Facebook post of a photo to the Snapchat video they think disappears instantly, they tend to trivialize the potential for problems. But that doesn’t mean they’re right. While we have no intention of overreacting and preventing our kids from being online, we do want to be aware of the challenges we now face. We must be involved enough to help guide them while at the same time allowing them to grow to be independent adults. This is no easy task. Join us this week as we have the privilege of speaking with Stacy Martin the Senior Manager of Privacy and Engagement at Mozilla (think Firefox web browser). We discuss online privacy and many other issues facing parents today as we learn about raising kids in a digital world together. Resources * Mozilla encryption education * Mozilla Codemoji encryption game * Mozilla teaching activities * Mozilla Learning Network * http://rethinkwords.com * http://www.cyberwise.org * https://www.fosi.org * https://www.youtube.com/user/fosi What Thor was Doing During Civil War Join the Digital Dads Round Table Patreon Support Check us out on Patreon and get exclusive content and swag unavailable anywhere else. One Cool Thing * Andrew – Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell * Brent – Nail Capsule

We are told from an early age not to break the rules. Our parents tell us, our teachers remind us, and society expects us to follow the path well traveled. But is this always best? When it comes to raising our children, do the rules that we’ve been handed down by our parents still apply? In an ever evolving world of technology, perhaps not. That’s the position of author Heather Shumaker. In her latest book It’s OK to Go Up the Slide Heather advocates reinventing our paradigm of proper parenting. She believes if something isn’t working we should be bold enough to challenge it. Consider the following “radical” views: * It’s OK to Talk to Strangers * Ban Elementary Homework * Recess is a Right * Don’t Force Participation Don’t miss this episode where we discover how a different approach to parenting just may make all the difference to our children. Heather’s Podcast – Renegade Rules Join the Digital Dads Round Table Patreon Support Check us out on Patreon and get exclusive content and swag unavailable anywhere else. One Cool Thing * Andrew – Extra Credits * Brent – Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders

The recent Netflix exclusive Stranger Things has taken the world by storm. It has yet another self produced hit for the fast growing media company. If you haven’t seen it, go do that now and come back. It’s an amazing show and we don’t want to spoil it for you. Walter Eggers, Jeremy Muse, and Brooks Robinson join us as we go deep into the “upside down” to review this hip new series. We touch upon why we like it and the areas we feel it comes up a little short. In the end it was a great discussion about a really great show. Join the Digital Dads Round Table Patreon Support Check us out on Patreon and get exclusive content and swag unavailable anywhere else. One Cool Thing * Andrew – No Man’s Sky * Brent – Transformers: The Movie 4K Remaster

There is a huge gender gap in the world of technology. Girls have actually tested very well at young ages but interest drops off when they hit their teens. The initiative at Girls Who Code aims to change that. Using a combination of after school clubs and immersive summer programs the tide is beginning to change. Over 40,000 girls have participated and the growth has been fantastic. In this episode we talk with VP or Operations Solomon Steplight about this fantastic program for young women. Join the Digital Dads Round Table Patreon Support Check us out on Patreon and get exclusive content and swag unavailable anywhere else. One Cool Thing * Andrew – The Digital Dads Round Table Fantasy Football League * Brent – Sneaky Cards

What do video games have to do with learning? Actually, maybe everything. Minecraft, one of the biggest games of all time, has an arm of the company dedicated to using the game in the classroom. That’s not a typo. Kids are learning at school by playing a video game. Crazy right? In this episode we speak with Neal Manegold who started as a teacher before joining the Microsoft team to focus on this unique project called Minecraft: Education Edition. He had a lot of fun information to share about the initiative and where it’s headed. Don’t miss this one! Join the Digital Dads Round Table Patreon Support Check us out on Patreon and get exclusive content and swag unavailable anywhere else. One Cool Thing * Andrew – Monster Elementary * Brent – Bully Box