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David Samson on Fatherhood: Navigating Challenges and Supporting LGBTQ Youth

As the societal landscape continues to evolve, it’s crucial for dads to have open conversations and seek understanding when it comes to supporting youth in the LGBTQIA+ community. In a recent episode of the Dads with Daughters podcast, David Samson, a father and advocate for LGBTQIA+ youth, shared his experiences and insights. From fatherhood to the work he does at Time Out Youth, Samson shed light on the challenges, triumphs, and the importance of creating a supportive environment for LGBTQIA+ youth. In this blog post, we explore key takeaways from the conversation to provide guidance for dads looking to support their children and other LGBTQIA+ youth.

Fatherhood: A Journey of Understanding and Acceptance

Fatherhood is often described as a journey, and for David Samson, it’s a journey filled with unique challenges and triumphs. Samson emphasized the importance of creating a supportive community for fathers raising daughters and navigating the complexities of fatherhood. He underlined the significance of not parenting alone and highlighted the need for fathers to engage with other dads for support and guidance. 

For fathers of LGBTQIA+ youth, Samson’s perspective offers a valuable reminder that parenthood is an ongoing learning process. Each child’s journey is unique, and it’s crucial to provide unwavering love and support no matter what. Samson beautifully articulated the joy and challenges of being a father, touching on profound moments such as the first day his son went to school, demonstrating the emotional layers of parenthood.

Supporting LGBTQIA+ Youth: Challenges and Opportunities

When discussing his work at Time Out Youth, Samson highlighted the vital support they offer to LGBTQIA+ youth. From mental health services to housing support and community engagement, the organization serves as a beacon of acceptance and advocacy. The issues faced by LGBTQIA+ youth are complex and varied, ranging from homelessness to societal unacceptance. Samson discussed the challenges faced by trans and nonbinary youth, emphasizing the crucial need for understanding and support in today’s society.

Through his insights, Samson underscored the impact of the recent years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, on LGBTQIA+ youth. The increased periods of isolation and trauma have highlighted the critical need for supportive environments and understanding from family and the broader community. Dads of LGBTQIA+ youth can leverage resources such as Time Out Youth and PFLAG to enrich their understanding and create safer, more supportive spaces for their children.

Embracing Change and Acceptance

An essential aspect of Samson’s narrative is the potential conflicts parents may encounter when their children come out. He emphasized the importance of choosing to support and believe in one’s child, even when it challenges long-held beliefs. Samson acknowledged the internal struggles but emphasized the necessity of prioritizing one’s child over preconceived beliefs. Dads in this situation can find solace in resources like PFLAG and Trevor Project, which offer guidance and support in navigating conversations and acceptance.

Educating and Advocating

A Call to Action for Dads Samson highlighted the importance of being actively involved in youth-serving organizations and advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community. By participating in local prides, engaging with neighbors, and opening conversations about acceptance, dads can foster inclusive communities. Being present and supportive serves as a powerful start to effecting positive change in society.

The conversation with David Samson offers valuable insights and guidance for dads looking to provide support and understanding for their LGBTQIA+ children and other youth. As fathers, embracing change, practicing patience, and committing to learning and understanding are essential in creating inclusive environments for all children. By engaging with resources and proactive conversations, dads can empower themselves to be unwavering beacons of love and acceptance for LGBTQIA+ you

Navigating fatherhood while supporting LGBTQIA+ youth presents its own set of challenges and responsibilities. However, by acknowledging the significance of acceptance, education, and advocacy, fathers can create an environment that nurtures and uplifts all children, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The conversation with David Samson provides a compelling and informative starting point for fathers to embark on this journey and become stalwart advocates for LGBTQIA+ youth.

Through empathy, openness, and a willingness to learn, dads can play a pivotal role in shaping an inclusive world for their LGBTQIA+ children and others in the community.

In conclusion, Samson’s insights and experiences highlight the transformative power of loving and supporting one’s children unconditionally, thereby forging a future that embraces and celebrates diversity and inclusion in all its forms.

TRANSCRIPT

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:05]:
Welcome to Dads With Daughters. In this show, we spotlight dads, resources, and more to help you be the best dad you can be.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:16]:
Welcome back to the Dads with Daughters podcast where we bring you guests to be active participants in your daughters’ lives, raising them to be strong independent women. Doc. Really excited to have you back again this week. Every week, I love being able to sit down with you, to work with you, to be able to talk to you Dog. About this journey that you and I are both on. I’ve tie told you before, I’ve got 2 daughters myself. I’ve been where you are at, And I know that every day is a little bit different, and every day is a journey. The biggest thing here that and I say this over and over again to you is that the You don’t have to do this alone.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:54]:
It is so important to know that there is a community of fathers out there that you can reach out to, that you can talk to. The You don’t have to go alone and think that you have to father alone because that’s really lonely, and that is really Docs. It’s something that that that a lot of times as society, we’ve kinda feel like we have to man up. We have to the Figure it out for ourselves and you don’t. So that’s why it’s so important that every week we sit down, we talk, we learn together from other their fathers from other people with many different resources that they’re sharing to be able to help you on this journey that you’re on. Every week, I also love being able to bring you different guests, the different people that have had different experiences that are fathers that have resources that are here to help you Doc. To be that dad that you wanna be in today, we got another great guest. David Sampson is with us today.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:01:49]:
And David is a father. He is the He lives down in North Carolina, works for a organization called Time Out Youth, and we’re gonna talk more about that today. The David has worked to raise over $30,000,000 in funds to support nonprofits, but he works with youth to help youth in many different ways. And the And the things that he’s doing, especially in the intersection of working with LGBTQ youth, I think is really important because the All of us are working with different kids. Our kids are maybe in that same community, and we have to be able to support our kids no matter what. The So it is important to understand and to know, you know, what David has learned along the way in working with youth, the But also learn about his own experience in being a father as well. So I’m really excited to have him here. David, thanks so much for being here today.

David Samson [00:02:41]:
Hey. Thanks so much. It’s so great to be here and to be able to share some perspective with you and the great folks who are listening and who you’re supporting. I really appreciate it.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:02:50]:
I appreciate you being on. And 1st and foremost, we gotta talk about you being a dad because you are a father of a son. I wanna turn the clock back in time. I wanna go back to that first moment that you found out you were going to be a the Father, what was going through your head?

David Samson [00:03:01]:
I have a 5 year old son. Gosh. When I found out I was gonna be a dad, it was At the end of a very long journey, Jasper was born via surrogacy. So the planning for him to come really was Decades worth of work, honestly. It was, you know, saving money and planning and trying to understand what it meant to be a gay dad in this world. We had just no marriage equality. So we were sort of in the midst of a transition as a country, but I always knew the From the day that, really, I became an adult that I wanted to be a parent. So to have that opportunity to have and and raise such an an amazing boy was a dream come true, no Quite honestly, I remember the 2nd we got the positive pregnancy test, I was just, like, in tears.

David Samson [00:03:48]:
And I don’t think I stopped crying from that point until Dom. The 2nd I held them in my arms for the 1st time, it was really magical.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:03:56]:
Now I have to ask this question because I think the You have that glow and that that magic. As you said, it’s magical when you’re holding your child for the 1st time, but it’s not always roses. It’s not always the Positives. The there’s ups and downs to parenting, and you have to learn along the way how to balance all of that. Talk to me about what’s been the hardest part the for you in being a father.

David Samson [00:04:19]:
So it’s I feel like it’s different for every parent. Right? Like, Jasper was the easiest infant. He really was. You know, we sleep trained him. And from the time he was 12 weeks old, he was sleeping 12 hours a night. Like, it was unbelievable. And then he turned 3. And when he turns 3, it was like, oh, This is what everybody is talking about because up until that point, I’m telling you, he was the easiest kid. Even when he learned to walk and, you know, was running around, he was still pretty the Cautious. He didn’t you know, wasn’t too reckless, didn’t injure himself or do anything, but, man, he really found his space when he turned 3. The And kinda since then until now, it’s I feel like we’ve gotten our our punch of tough parenting. So we’ve learned to set boundaries. We’ve learned, the Kinda what it means to push back, and we’ve learned a lot of his tricks along the way. But it’s a different experience for everyone, but infant, easy. Toddler, tough.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:05:22]:
So as a father, what would you say has been your biggest fear in raising a child in today’s society?

David Samson [00:05:28]:
Feel like I’m always gonna say the wrong And I think that that is a fear that every parent has. You know, I think back to to my childhood, and there are A lot of things that my parents said to me that stuck. So I always try and pause a little bit before I speak. I listen to him. I try and look at him and and try and figure out what he’s going through in that moment and what he actually needs As opposed to looking at him throwing a tantrum on the floor. So, yeah, I feel like just really thinking about the words that come out of my mouth, really Understanding the impact that everything that we say as parents have on our kids. But, yeah, it’s a it’s a fear I live with every day that I’m gonna traumatize them somehow say the wrong thing.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:06:14]:
I smile at that because I think that I think every father feels that way, that what we say, what we do is going to, as you said, scar them, the Make you know, do something that’s going to impact who they become. And I think that it’s the Possible that there are things that you can do definitely that could scar them or impact them, but they’re pretty resilient. The And they definitely forgive more than and they forget things a lot more so than we do. So just to give you some some perspective.

David Samson [00:06:47]:
I appreciate that. Yeah. I’ve learned how to apologize more as a parent than ever than at any point in my life. Like, I’ve gotten really good at saying I’m sorry to my son because I think that’s really important. Right? Because you’re always wondering, is this the moment that he’s never gonna forgive me for Slightly raising my voice, and I’m like, oh, I just you know, I curl up like a kid in the corner. I really do. I’m like, I want you to be okay. I want you to feel love, and I don’t want you to to, you know, to feel this energy that I’m giving off right now in this sort of heated moment.

David Samson [00:07:19]:
So, yeah, thank you for that.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:07:21]:
The Now one of the things that I I just mentioned was the fact that as a parent, as a father, you do have to find that balance for yourself the To be that engaged dad that you wanna be, but then there’s also the pull to the work that you do and the things that you do to provide the family as well. So talk to me about balance in thus far how you have had to or what you have had to do To balance both work and raising your son.

David Samson [00:07:51]:
Yeah. Because he can’t do one without the other, Right. As it turns out. And I’ve had progressive responsibilities in my role here at Time Out Youth. I I started in the midst of the pandemic as the director of development and then the director of advancement. Now I’m the the chief operating officer. So it’s not like my my work has gotten less. It’s gotten much more.

David Samson [00:08:11]:
So I find myself really Struggling at times to have the time to to dedicate, but you have to. Luckily, I work for a wonderful nonprofit who understands that work, life balance is incredibly important. They know Jasper. They love Jasper. They see me as a person, first here at Time Out Youth and not a number in, you know, no Some big corporations. So I I’m lucky enough to have a supportive work family who respects my home life. I start my day by getting up with him or he’ll crawl into bed with us and curl up for 20 minutes, no If that ever ends, I’m just gonna lose my mind because those are the best moments, but it’s really nice to start my day with him. The You know what I mean? I just get to start my day with my son, and it centers me immediately.

David Samson [00:09:01]:
You know? And then I get up, and I read my work emails, and my brain gets going, and then I have to stop again, and I have to make breakfast for him. And then I have more moments with him in the morning. And then it’s no A struggle getting him ready for school and packing his backpack and rushing around and getting out the door, but then more moments in the car. So I think that truly finding those steady moments throughout the day when you’re together, even when you’re in the midst of, you know, your busiest time at work or whatever it might be. Truly just capturing and having those very few moments with him, even if they might be fleeting, are Incredible opportunities to bond as parents, and I really value them.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:09:44]:
It is really important to find those moments, Dom. As you said, the the opportunities to make those specific bonds with your child. Now you have 1 child. Now the What do you do individually as a dad to be able to make that connection, to develop that connection with your son? The Because we know that each child is unique, but that your children may have very different interests in very different ideas of what is fun than what you may think is fun. So what do you do to be able to build that unique relationship the that you want to have with your son.

David Samson [00:10:23]:
No. You’re exactly right. He’s into totally different stuff than I was when I was a kid or I am now. I was a music major in college, so I had this, like, grand vision that my son was gonna come out and be a the A pianist or a vocalist or something, and that is not happening, which is sort of heartbreaking for me. My husband bought us a the Piano for my birthday last year. And I was like, oh, I’m gonna teach Jasper how to play the piano. He’s gonna sit down with me. Like, You know, like, my mom sat down with me and taught to you know, taught me to play the piano.

David Samson [00:10:57]:
He doesn’t care at all. Nothing. Now he can he knows where middle c is. We’ve done a few lessons, but he would much rather go do, like, LEGO robotics, which is, like, So far outside of the realm of anything that I was interested in or am interested in. So I feel like for a while, I tried to push him into things that were in my comfort zone, but it has nothing to do with my comfort zone. It’s about supporting him and the things that he wants to do and Really fostering that that passion and that fire in whatever it is that he wants. So he’s only 5. Right? So we’re still in the midst of, like, the Trying to figure out exactly what it is that he likes or what he’s good at or what he thinks he’s good at.

David Samson [00:11:39]:
So we still try and push him in as many different directions as we can. But when he latches onto something and when we can kinda see the wheels turning in his head, It’s really exciting. And we latch onto that with him, and we get excited for him. And we’re already finding ourselves, like, the Pushing him towards the things that he really loves and, you know, just going all in with him as much as we can.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:12:04]:
Well, that’s so fun. And and maybe there’s some intersection there. Because if he likes the LEGO robotics, you maybe you can do some stop motion type things where you bring music to the robotics that he builds And do something fun like that.

David Samson [00:12:18]:
Yeah. Look inside the piano lid and see the hammer. Right? Like, yeah, it’s super cool. It’s all connected. They’ll figure it out. We’ll help them.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:12:25]:
Now You mentioned the fact that you are or I mentioned the fact that you are a part of Time Out Youth. You talked about that as well and the organization itself. Tell me more about Time Out Youth. I know it’s been around since 1991. It’s serving LGBTQIA plus youth, but tell me more about the organization, What your mission is and how you’re working with youth in many different ways.

David Samson [00:12:49]:
Yeah. Absolutely. So you mentioned it has been around since 1991, and that’s right. The We are the oldest in the Carolinas, and we are also the biggest in the Carolinas. In between, Washington DC and Northern the Florida. Time out youth is the standard of LGBT youth centers on the East Coast. So our mission, is to support LGBTQ the youth by offering vital programs, fostering unconditional acceptance, and creating safe spaces for self expression through leadership, the community support and advocacy. So we do that in a number of ways.

David Samson [00:13:23]:
Our bread and butter are youth 13 to 24 the Here in the Charlotte Metro region, we have mental health services, free counseling services. We offer really vital housing support the Services here at Time Out Youth. And then we have social interaction space. So 5 days a week, we offer programming whether virtually or in person here in the center. The And then Fridays Saturdays, we have drop ins space. So Friday nights are for our big kids, so 18 to 24. And then Saturdays are for our younger youth who no We’re 13 to 18. So on any given day from the time we get here at 10 o’clock up until school’s out, We’re usually offering housing services, job search functions to our kids who are houseless or have been kicked out of their homes due to unacceptance.

David Samson [00:14:12]:
So in in that time period, we’re really seeing a very specific group of kids. And then in the evenings, it’s anyone’s guess. These are kids. So we might have 30 or 40 kids who are coming in and just wanna hang out and play video games, or we might be having a trans specific group That evening or talking to our our youth who identify as asexual, any number of things can happen at any given moment here. Along with all that, we also offer community engagement work. So we have a really fantastic community engagement manager who goes out into the community, the Works with educators, administrators, corporations, small businesses, you name it, and helps to educate folks on the best way To serve LGBTQ youth when they’re not within safe space of our 4 walls. So last year, she educated 2,000 community members here in the metro regions. It’s really a full slate of services that we offer our youth as well as our community.

David Samson [00:15:09]:
I’m really proud of and the work that we do.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:15:11]:
Now you work with a lot of different youth or your organization does as well, and I’m sure you do as well. And the Things have changed over the years. I know many people that were very silent when I was growing up and did not the Come out until college or beyond because of the unacceptance in society. I’m seeing much more now the In the generation that my children are in, that at least children are very accepting and are much more accepting the than they would have been when I was a youth. So as you’re working with these youth, what are some of the big issues the that they are bringing to you. You talked about homelessness, but what are some of the other issues that are really prevalent in today’s LGBTQ youth that other people may not be aware of.

David Samson [00:16:05]:
Yeah. You know, you’re right that things have changed, especially politically. Right? What has not changed is that there is still rampant unacceptance in the form of religion, in the form of the Family structure that is unsupportive traditionally of our youth and that sometimes these kids have no place to go. Those kids are always going to exist. Docs. Whether we turn the clocks forward 50 years, there’s always gonna be something. And especially for our trans and nonbinary youth, Especially here in the south. Things are very different in New England or California even than they are here in North Carolina.

David Samson [00:16:45]:
The In North Carolina, there is a a really large movement to really isolate our trans and nonbinary youth because as we’ve seen at no Any point throughout this movement, people don’t understand, and they’re just scared of what they don’t understand. So we really work hard the To help people understand what our youth are going through, how to support them, and who they can be as people just to make These kids not feel so alone. These feelings of isolation, especially after 2020 and 2021 when a lot of our youth were forced To stay in unsupportive homes around the clock 247, there’s a lot of trauma that happened in those years that were unraveling. And as our youth reemerge and, you know, come back into the building still, there was a lot that happened there that that we need to work through, and and we’re working hand in hand every day with those youth to try and figure it out with them.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:17:37]:
Now there are dads out there that may have young kids, the may have kids that are struggling right now and trying to figure out who they are and try or they know who they are, but they’re the Scared to come to their parents with that reality of who they are themselves? Are there specific things that you would recommend to dads, To parents that could help to create that atmosphere in the home that would allow for them the For that home to be that accepting place. And the 2nd piece of that is if personally, as a father, you have the Views that are contrary to typically accepting LGBTQ, but your child comes to you the And says, I am this way. I feel this way. I am this person. How do you reconcile that Doc. And are there resources that can help you to move and to a accepting of the person in that sense, Even though you may still have those fundamental beliefs that are at opposite ends.

David Samson [00:18:44]:
Yeah. It’s an internal struggle. I’m not that person, but I I understand that those people exist. You know what I mean? It makes total sense. My dad was the An air force colonel. He was in the air force for 30 years, and I grew up around this toxic masculinity that really invaded a lot of our family life. And so as a young person coming out, I was terrified.

David Samson [00:19:09]:
I was absolutely terrified. My mother’s a pastor. I get it. No. It turns out that they were incredibly accepting, and I had nothing to worry about. The But that’s just not the case. But I there’s a choice to be made. Is your kid gonna come first? And I know that sounds harsh, but, truly, Doc.

David Samson [00:19:29]:
Is your kid gonna come first? Do they come above these beliefs that you have developed for yourself your entire life? The Are you willing to change for your child? Because your child is not going to change for you. They might pretend. You know? They might pretend until they’re 18, but the You’re running such a risk, and how sad to run the risk of losing a child just because you, as an adult, who should have the skills the change. You’re just so unwilling. So, yeah, there’s a choice to be had, and there are great resources out there. PFLAG, which stands for the Parents and friends of lesbians and gays. There’s a chapter in every major city in the United States and no A lot of smaller cities in the United States. So go to pflag.org and find resources to help you as a parent Navigate that with your child.

David Samson [00:20:21]:
It’s incredibly important. You know, we started this conversation with me saying I was always scared I was gonna say the wrong thing. It’s the Really easy to say the wrong thing to someone who is so fragile in the coming out process, whether they’re coming out as gay or lesbian or Brands or nonbinary or whatever it is. There are very specific things that you can say that are not gonna help and that will just Make your child feel even, you know, more isolated and even more of an outcast than they already feel like they are. Dogs. So it’s important to be careful and to really consider every step along the way the impact that that that you’re gonna have on your child.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:21:00]:
I think it’s so important, and, the You know, I’ve talked to other fathers that have youth that are at many different aspects of the spectrum in regard to the Whether they are they’re they’re gay, they’re lesbian, they’re, you know, they’re asexual, they’re trans, and They go through their own journey just like their child goes through a journey of better understanding. And I think one of the things that I hear from I’ve heard from them many times is the The some of the times, the challenges of pronouns and changing your brain to think in different ways. And I think one of the things you said earlier is so important, especially when you have a child that is LGBTQIA QIA plus and they come to you and start talking is to be honest and open with them and say, I’m gonna make mistakes, And I may use the wrong pronoun. I may say something that’s going to upset you, and we need to be able to the Talk and communicate and be willing to have this type of conversation so that I can learn just as you’re learning about who you are.

David Samson [00:22:14]:
Yeah. It takes an extra layer of patience sometimes, and I totally get it. Like, you know, a teenager is still a teenager. Right. So if you tell a teenager, like, be patient with me, they’re not gonna be patient with you. They’re a teenager. But I get it. It’s this extra layer.

David Samson [00:22:29]:
And the the pronouns conversation, It’s the easiest one to have. You’re gonna make mistakes. Absolutely. It’s okay. You say sorry. You correct yourself. You move on. That’s it.

David Samson [00:22:38]:
You know what I mean? You don’t make a big deal. Those struggles that people have with with pronouns are not about the person that is asking you to use the correct pronouns as about themselves. I’m named after my dad. I understand that if I changed my name to him, Dom. That would have seems like some sort of slap in the face because he gave me his name. That happens all the time. But, again, That’s not about him. Like, it’s a choice that you as a parent have to make to respect your child and to believe your child and just listen to your DIL.

David Samson [00:23:11]:
And I hope that the majority of people out there do that and understand that truly.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:23:16]:
Now for dads that are out there that the May not have a child that is a part of the LGBTQIA plus community, but they want Docs. Support the community, and they want to support other youth, other friends of their children. What’s the best way for them to advocate or to support the The community from a external perspective.

David Samson [00:23:39]:
Yeah. Absolutely. So find your local, youth serving organization, LGBTQ youth serving organization. They’re smaller in a lot of places, but they’re incredibly vital resources. You can go to our website, which is no Time at youth dot org, and we have a resource section where you can go find local pflag chapters. You can go read Trevor Project studies. I mean, Trevor Project also has an the amount of resources, including crisis resources throughout the United States. So but, really, go support those organizations and show up where you can.

David Samson [00:24:12]:
Show up at your local prides. Show up in support of your youth at schools and out in the community, and just Be there as a supportive face and as a smiling face. Showing up is half the battle. Right? So really just being there is is Enough sometimes.

David Samson [00:24:28]:
Well and the other thing that I think that I’d throw out there is as you get involved and if you bring your families and have them be involved, the You can start having conversations and start to allow your children to better understand the The people that are around them and that there are differences, and that’s okay, And that it normalizes things as well.

David Samson [00:24:54]:
Yeah. No. Absolutely. It’s the know your neighbor campaign. You can put a the Face and a name to all of these different labels that society has put on us. So, yeah, having those conversations is an incredible first step. Doc.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:25:07]:
Now, David, we always finish our interviews with what I like to call our fatherhood 5, where I ask you 5 more questions to delve deeper into you as a dad. Are you ready?

David Samson [00:25:15]:
Oh, boy. Ready?

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:25:18]:
In one word, what is fatherhood? Floating. When was a time when you finally felt like you succeeded at being a father.

David Samson [00:25:26]:
The 1st day that Jasper went to big kids’ school, he gave me a hug, he turned around, And he walked in that front door confidently.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:25:37]:
Now if I was to talk to your son, how would he describe you as a dad?

David Samson [00:25:42]:
I hope that he would see Me as the caretaker. My husband is the fun dad. He plays with him not more, but better than I ever could. I think That. I think I’m the caregiver. I don’t know. That’s a tough one.

David Samson [00:25:58]:
I cook and I drive him to school and, you know, I clean. I I feel like that’s my zone. You know what I mean? So I don’t know. Ask me in 10 years.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:26:07]:
Now who inspires you to be a better dad?

David Samson [00:26:09]:
My dad. He was incredible.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:26:12]:
Now you have given a number of pieces of advice, resources that dads can take and can use for themselves. The As we finish up today, what’s 1 piece of advice that you’d wanna give to every dad?

David Samson [00:26:23]:
Be patient with yourself. We’ve talked a lot about mistakes in this conversation. Know that you’re gonna make mistakes And learn to forgive yourself and know the importance of apologizing to your kid.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:26:35]:
Well, David, I just wanna say thank you. Thank you for being here today, for sharing your story and for telling us more about Time Out Youth. I really appreciate the work that you and your organization is doing, and I wish you all the best.

David Samson [00:26:49]:
Thank you, Chris. I appreciate you so much. Thank you for having me on.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:26:52]:
If you’ve enjoyed today’s episode of the dads with daughters podcast, we invite you to check out the fatherhood insider. The The fatherhood insider is the essential resource for any dad that wants to be the best dad that he can be. We know that no child comes with an instruction manual, and most dads are the Figuring it out as they go along. And the fatherhood insider is full of resources and information that will up your game on fatherhood. The Through our extensive course library, interactive forum, step by step road maps, and more, you will engage and learn with experts, the But more importantly, dads like you. So check it out at fathering together.org. If you are the Father of a daughter and have not yet joined the Dads with Daughters Facebook community, there’s a link in the notes today. Dads with Daughters is a program of fathering together.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:27:41]:
We look forward to having you back for another great guest next week, all geared to helping you raise strong, empowered daughters and be the best dad that you can be.

We’re all in the same boat, and it’s Full of tiny screaming passengers. We spend the time. We give the lessons. We make the meals. We buy them presents. The the mind blast, calling astronauts and firemen, carpenters, and musclemen. Donuts. Get out and be the world, choose them. Be the best dad you can be!

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Christopher Lewis


Christopher is the co-founder of Fathering Together and the Chief Information Officer. He is the father of 2 daughters that are now in their tweens and teens. He started Dad of Divas, a blog to share his own personal experiences in being a father in 2007 and in 2018 started the Dads With Daughters Facebook Group to allow dads to connect, learn and grow together. He works in Digital Media on a daily basis, but also has over 20 years of experience in higher education administration.

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