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25 Tips for Fathers of Daughters

|  Mark Edward  |

I raised 3 daughters.

I absolutely loved the journey.  I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

#thehouseofestrogen has been an often used hashtag over the years in my posts.  And for good reason.

At times I’ve felt like I was flooded with estrogen.  Drowning in it even, bahaha.

But with the help of my mentors and my God, I’ve learned to adapt to – and not fight – the power of estrogen. 

Flow with it even.

Or try to.

My previous post “25 Tips for Fathers of Sons” is one of my favorite writings for dads.

I’ve adapted some of those tips with some personal experiences and appropriate adjustments for daughters – and added some that apply more to daughters than to sons.

Dads of daughters, and future dads with daughters.  Grab a latte.  I know you’ll identify.

Enjoy!

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25 Tips for Fathers of Sons

|  Mark Edward  |

So I raised 3 daughters.

What could a dad like me possibly know about parenting boys?

Over the last 41 years, I’ve had the honor and joy of journeying with over 200 young men in a mentoring role.

Being directly involved in their growth – some for a season – and many over the long haul, I feel like I’ve helped raise a few boys too.  Plus… well — I was one.

A number of them have stayed at our home, sometimes for extended periods.

They tell me stuff.

I listen.

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🎙Podcast EP15: Leadership: Becoming the Leader You Would Follow

|  Mark Edward  |

Podcast Release

In 21st Century America, is it still possible to find a Leader who lives to Serve?

One who leads with hope instead of fear?

What about leading with humility?  

Good luck. 

Yet, today, I am stoked that I am Co-hosting with such a leader, one of my Mentors for the past 20 years, Dr. Warren Leslie Heckman. 

Dr. Warren has modeled authentic Leadership for 65 years. At 86, he remains energetic, fun, humorous, and chill!

In this episode, he vulnerably shares how he – as the patriarch of his growing family – continues to lead them through the tragic loss of one his daughters.

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🎙Podcast EP14: Life Balance: Husband, Father, Career, and the Man in the Mirror

|  Mark Edward  |

Podcast Release

Is masturbation in marriage OK?

What about porn?

Marine Major Cameron Allen Hubbard, a part of My Circle since 2008, goes there, as we talk about keeping your sanity while juggling marriage, parenting, career, and learning to care for yourself.

Cameron makes it real about:   Dating, getting married, then immediately getting deployed;

The most important act he does for his spouse;  His best advice for young husbands;  How being a new dad wasn’t really that much fun – “kinda lame…”

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The Mentoring Code: How Mentoring Works

|  Mark Edward  |

(📷 ⤴ First Fellow Mentors Summit, 2019)

As a mentor, one question I am routinely asked goes something like this:

So… Mentoring… I’ve heard of that.  Now, um, how does all that work?  

The need for healthy mentoring friendships is greater than ever.

Yet, so many young men have no regular mentors in their lives, let alone an understanding of how the mentoring relationship actually functions.

📷 Daniel Christopher Deal – 2015
Part of my Circle since January 2012.
He was 28.

I continue to welcome as many dudes into my Circle as I can handle, with the long term goal of modeling mentoring – so that you in turn will mentor others.

Presently, I have 30 young men in my Active Circles.

So.

How does mentoring work?

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🎙Podcast EP13: LGBTQ in an Evangelical World

|  Mark Edward  |

Podcast Release

Twenty One Percent of Gen Z’s now identify as part of the LGBTQ community.*

Meaning, that if you interact with 5 Gen Z’s today, it is possible that one of them is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Queer.

Even in the 21st century, much debate still exists in the evangelical Christian community about the involvement an LGBTQ person in the church – to the point that denominations split over the debate.

 

Is an LGBTQ individual welcome in the church?

What does “welcome” really mean?

Can an LGBTQ individual serve in the church?

If so, can they volunteer in the VBS class room with the kids, or will they be relegated to the VBS sign up table, where they can be monitored?

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Why I am Posting Less

|  Mark Edward  |

You may have noticed I’ve been posting (and emailing you) less frequently over the last few months. 

I wanted to share my thought process with you on this decision.

Young men are barraged and saturated with nonstop social media.  Never ending slickly crafted algorithms read our thumbs, draw us in, and keep us swiping.

Facebook – where the average American spends 58 minutes per day, or 325 hours a year, or 13.5 days of their life annually – is becoming passé for some younger men (including me, although I’m not “younger” haha) – and frankly, I don’t miss it.

It seems as this decade began, many social media friends became political pundits and infection disease experts.  It was overwhelming.

But it’s not FB that dominates most young men.

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🎙Podcast EP12: Emotionally Distant Dads – Father Wounds, Part 2

|  Mark Edward  |

Podcast Release

Was your father physically present but emotionally distant?

If your answer is yes, you are not alone.

Besides sexuality, the 2nd most talked about subject in my Mentoring Circle is the relationship with Dad.  Or lack there of. 

In 37 years of mentoring, the majority of the young men with whom I have journeyed, have expressed the desire for an improved relationship with dad.  About 70%.

Isaac Plentl on a Photo Shoot
with his Triumph Bonneville T120 Black
📸 Jonathan Lampel

We all crave guidance, training, non judgmental acceptance, one on one time, and of course healthy affection from our fathers. If not from him, then from healthy father figures.

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Do We Need Multiple Mentors?

|  Mark Edward  |

 ShorTTake™

ShorTTakes™ can be read in 3 minutes.  Or less.

Gentlemen,

Over the last year, a few dudes have asked about my mentors…

…when they came in to my life, how they came into my life, my age, their age;  were they long term or short term… in what areas did they mentor me…

(Created by my incredible Graphics Team)

 

Did I have only male mentors, or were there female mentors as well?
Were they mentors for a season or mentors for life?

…

🎙Podcast EP11: Growing Up Fatherless – Father Wounds, Part 1

|  Mark Edward  |

Podcast Release

Maybe you’ve struggled with the pain of having an absent dad – either physically absent, or emotionally absent.

Resist the urge to isolate because of your dad’s choices. You have not failed. This is not on you. You can find hope. Your man tank can be filled.

You can be fully restored.

You can become as strong as a young man whose dad actually was present and healthy.  

DI Coffee Bar
Davis Islands FL
2019

We all crave guidance, training, full acceptance, time, friendship, and of course healthy affection from our fathers. If not from him, then from a well balanced father figure.

…

🎙Podcast EP10: Grooming Tips for Dudes

|  Mark Edward  |

On Location at GENTS Classic Cuts
Lakeland, Florida

Springtime!

Time to get out of the pandemic rut and UP your daily grooming routine!

In our Season Two Podcast Opener, this Florida native – my cohost, barber, men’s style connoisseur, history buff, husband, and young father, Christopher Kyle Stewart – shares valuable insights and advice about ways to enhance your grooming regimen.

Professional, yet practical, Kyle has both passion and knowledge in the areas of grooming and style for men. 

Barber Kyle Stewart
GENTS Classic Cuts – Lakeland, FL

Many young men struggle with self-care and personal grooming.

Often, Dads of young men did not offer or imitate healthy grooming tips –

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Choosing the Right Scents

|  Guest Writer :: Christopher Kyle Stewart  |

 ShorTTake™

ShorTTakes™ can be read in 3 minutes.  Or less.

Scent is one of the senses most closely related to memory. 

Because of this, it is important for any young man starting his scent journey to find one (or a few) by which he wants to be remembered.

This comes with time and – admittedly – trial and error. Hopefully I can provide some basic info and a few suggestions to send you down the best path.

The Scientific Stuff

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My Favorite Grooming Products

|  Mark Edward  |
This Article is Related Reading for Podcast Episode 10

One area in which many young men struggle is Self Care.  

Self Care can include healthy diet, exercise, downtime, getting enough rest (two big ones there), and personal grooming.  Looking and smelling your best.

“I don’t have time.”  “I’m too busy!”  “I don’t really know how…”

Wait.  “I don’t really know how?”

Yeah.

Self care behaviors are learned behaviors.

Of course, there’s always YouTube and TikTok – but self care is most harmoniously learned from Dad in our pre-teens and teens, another healthy mature dude, or close friend.

Problem is, many dad’s didn’t show up for those classes.

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🎙Podcast EP9: Dating, Marriage, Engagement: How to Know She’s the One

|  Mark Edward  |

I probably say that every new Episode is my favorite, right?

In this last episode of Season 1, Creative Songwriter, Musician, Jordan Daniel Mueller, gets up close and personal about dating, his recent engagement to Ruth,

and their upcoming marriage.

A part of my Circle since 2008, he reminisces about how they met, we dive into embracing their differences, how other friendships 

…

How to Know She’s The One

|  Mark Edward  |
This Article is Related Reading for Podcast EP9

As I meet with young men every week, they often ask,

Mark, how did you know Jamie was – well – you know… ‘The One?’

Sometimes, we over think our decisions.  

Deciding who to marry.  That’s complicated right?

There are at least 25 apps out and dating sites out there to “help” you find a wife.

But finding a wife, doesn’t have to be complicated.

It can be peaceful.  Simple. 

This post seeks to answer the question, “How Do I Know She’s The One?” with some easy-to-understand simple thoughts.

Thanks to the married guys in my circle who contributed advice to this post as well and to Jordan Daniel Mueller who co-hosted EP9 with me on this topic.

Here’s some simple insights to help you determine if SHE is “The One”.

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