Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) signed a resolution declaring June as "Nuclear Family Month" instead of Pride month.
Happy Nuclear Family Month, Tennessee!
@jasonhurst1@rxgrvs@CoachSwit My oldest plays 13U in Alabama. We played this month against a team with 5 kids that were 14+ swinging -5’s. It was comical seeing a young 13yo against this giant at 1st base. It was a 75lb difference and a foot in height. Great part.. we won the tournament!
@rjchoppy We had (2) 8th graders repeat this upcoming year when my son is coming into 8th grade athletics. He’s the youngest in the grade, but amongst the highest test scores. He’d be MISERABLE if we held him back. He’d spend more time in the principals office than gym!
Your brand isn’t your logo.
It’s not your bio.
It’s not even your content.
I heard this recently and it stuck:
“Your brand is who you are when you're not in the room.”
The way you follow through.
The way you treat people.
The way you show up when there’s nothing to gain.
That’s what people remember.
That’s what people repeat.
Build that.
Disagree? What do you think actually defines a person’s brand?
—
Follow me @donnyyoung if you’re building something that actually matters.
Your kids will complain about you when they're adults.
That's guaranteed.
"Dad was always on his phone." "Dad worked too much." "Dad had weird rules about snacks."
But there's a difference between minor complaints and actual damage.
The question isn't whether you'll mess up.
It's whether you'll mess them up in ways that actually matter.
HERE'S WHAT CREATES REAL DAMAGE:
Not missed soccer games. Not strict bedtimes. Not working long hours.
It's this:
• Growing up not knowing if they're loved
• Being punished for having emotions
• Feeling like nothing they do is good enough
• Learning their thoughts and feelings don't matter
• Walking on eggshells because Dad's moods are unpredictable
That's the stuff that sticks.
That's what ends up in therapy 20 years later.
And here's the hard part: You can't prevent it by being perfect.
You prevent it by being intentional.
TELL THEM YOU LOVE THEM
Not just when they earn it.
Even when they're being difficult. Even when you're frustrated with them.
They need to know your love isn't conditional on their performance.
DON'T PUNISH THEM FOR FEELING
Kids have big emotions and no idea how to regulate them yet.
That's not defiance. That's development.
Your job isn't to shut it down. It's to teach them how to handle it without losing your mind in the process.
PRAISE EFFORT, NOT JUST OUTCOMES
"You worked really hard on that" beats "You're so smart" every time.
One builds resilience. The other builds fear of failure.
ACTUALLY LISTEN
Put your phone down when they're talking.
Not because every story about Minecraft is riveting.
Because they're learning whether their voice matters to the person who matters most.
STAY REGULATED
Your kids aren't afraid of boundaries.
They're afraid of unpredictable reactions.
Calm and firm beats explosive and inconsistent every single time.
And when you do lose it? Apologize. Model repair.
THE STUFF THAT WON'T MATTER AS MUCH AS YOU THINK:
→ Missing some of their events because of work
→ Being stricter than other parents
→ Not buying them everything they want
→ Having rules they think are weird
They'll survive that.
What they won't survive unscathed is feeling unloved, unsafe, or unheard at home.
Your kids won't remember every moment you were there.
But they'll remember how you made them feel when you were.
They won't remember every rule you enforced.
But they'll remember whether you enforced it with respect or rage.
They won't remember every mistake you made.
But they'll remember whether you owned it or blamed them for your reaction.
You're not going to get this right every time.
I don't.
But if your kids grow up knowing:
• They're loved unconditionally
• Their emotions are valid
• They can trust you to stay calm
• Their voice matters in your home
You didn't just avoid damage.
You gave them a foundation most people don't get.
That's not perfection.
That's just being the dad they actually need.