Play ball

1 – Learn from the Experts – An Honest Take On Parenting Today – John Delony Show

A few months ago, I started listening to Dr. John Delony’s podcast. After a somewhat hectic start to the year, I found myself diving into anything I could find on mental health—reading, listening, learning. I like Dr. Delony’s show because:

1. My wife and I both enjoy it, so it’s an easy, agreed-upon listen during car rides.
2. Several of the people who call in are facing situations similar to what I’m going through.

Dr. Delony breaks down their questions with empathy, but he also gives real, practical advice—even when it’s not easy to hear.

He recently had Dr. Becky Kennedy on the show to talk about parenting. Dr. Kennedy is an expert in the field and runs Good Inside, a company built to support parents. I highly recommend her book Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be.

Here are three of my favorite takeaways from the episode:

“Being a sturdy parent doesn’t mean being perfect—it means being steady when things get hard.”
I feel like I do a pretty good job with this, but it’s a good check-in with myself to make sure I’m truly being a sturdy presence in my home. Sturdy doesn’t mean perfect—it means being emotionally grounded and able to handle big feelings without spiraling.

“Parenting is lonely because we’re all pretending it’s not hard.”
I get asked “How are the kids?” a lot. Like most parents, I give the typical answer: “They’re good.” But if you’ve raised kids, you know it’s a rollercoaster. It’s the best ride of your life—but that doesn’t make it easy, especially during the hard seasons.

“You can’t logic your way through a child’s meltdown.”
Having a four-year-old with big emotions, I’ve really needed help with this lately. Dr. Kennedy’s advice to first meet my child’s emotional needs, then guide behavior once the storm has passed, is a tool I’m definitely putting in my toolbox

https://www.goodinside.com/book/

2 – Beautiful Oregon Coast – Agate Beach

Over Father’s Day weekend, my family traveled out to Oregon for one of my best friend’s weddings and a little bit of relaxing on the coast. We arrived Thursday and made our way from Portland Airport to Newport, Oregon. We stayed just outside the town at the Best Western Plus Agate Beach.

Along the drive, my daughter got hungry, so we stopped a Farmer John’s Produce & Nursery to pick up some snacks and fruit. Bonus: they had a playground where my daughter could burn off some energy after being on a plane for five hours.

We finished the drive by heading to the coast and stopped at Pelican Brewery for a late lunch. The food was great, and the ocean view got us even more excited for our time at the beach. After lunch, we wrapped up our drive and arrived at the hotel. The location was perfect for our family—great view of Agate Beach and only about a two-minute walk to the shoreline. We dropped off our bags and headed down to the windy, chilly beach.

First impression of Agate Beach… it’s beautiful. The coastline and the Yaquina Head Lighthouse offer a stunning view. My daughter loved running and playing in the sand dunes. We dipped our toes in the water but quickly regretted it because it was so cold! We ended the night with some much-needed rest in our ocean-view room.

Friday morning, we explored downtown Newport, did a little shopping, and had an awesome meal at Clearwater Restaurant. We had a great view of the harbor and the fishing boats. Later, we relaxed on the beach and went to a BBQ at my friend’s house.

On Saturday, we drove over to Corvallis and had a great time at the wedding. The kids partied until they passed out. Congrats to Kyle and Sage!

This was our third trip to Oregon, and the natural beauty—between the coastline, redwoods, and mountain ranges—makes me want to go back again soon.

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3 – Parenting Quote of the week

“Never try to make a happy child happier. Just leave it alone. When you try to kick it up to another level with a scoop of ice cream or whatever, it ruins everything.” – Jack Black

I found this quote so perfect. Especially as a parent of little ones, I often feel the pressure to say, “Hey, let’s go look at this,” or “Are you sure you want that one? This would be way cooler.” But if you can resist that urge and simply enjoy the current state of happiness for what it is, you start to appreciate it even more. Life doesn’t need to be a constant game of one-upping itself. Be present, and avoid that temptation.

I thought about this actively while playing on the beach with my daughter. It was our second day out, and she naturally gravitated to the same spot she’d loved the day before. I felt the urge to steer her in a new direction, but then I paused. That sand dune in front of her brought her so much joy. So, I just took a seat in the sand and soaked it all in.

And you’re out. Have a great week

Josh