This week on The Dad Manual, I’ve invited my friend Adam Hibble, father to 16-year-old Maya, to share his unconventional approach to modern fatherhood that began before pregnancy: a vision statement that evolved through playful teasing, open-ended questions, and countless short conversations. Adam reveals how his parenting style emerged from his own father's listening-first approach and the community of men around him. He opens up about the mistakes he made—including inadvertently limiting his daughter's emotional expression—and how he's worked to heal his own childhood wounds to break generational cycles. This parenting podcast explores the balance between fun and boundaries, the importance of apologizing when jokes don't land, and why being a dad means constantly learning on the job. Maya's confidence and emotional intelligence stand as testament to the power of being present, patient, and willing to do the hard work of self-reflection.

Key Takeaways:

• Create a parenting vision statement with your partner before your child arrives
• Model the ability to apologize when your attempts at humor or discipline don't land well
• Ask yourself "What would I have wanted at this age?" to guide your parenting decisions
• Focus on 1,000 short conversations rather than a few long, heavy talks
• Heal your own childhood wounds before trying to instill values you don't embody yourself
• Use playful teasing strategically to build resilience and humor in your children
• Practice listening more than talking and asking open-ended questions
• Allow children to express emotions without needing to categorize or justify them
• Take care of yourself first so you can better care for your family
• Remember that parenting is learn-as-you-go; you don't need all the answers upfront

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Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonycooper/