In this episode, I reflect on a major milestone: my daughter turning 16. It feels like just yesterday I was buckling her into a car seat, making sure she had her favorite stuffed animal. Now, she’s grabbing her own car keys, with a Starbucks in hand, ready to take on the road ahead.

Through the years, I’ve learned some hard-hitting lessons about fatherhood, and today, I’m sharing the five biggest takeaways that have shaped me as a dad. Whether your child is 6 months or 16 years old, these lessons will challenge and encourage you to be more intentional with your time.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

You Think You’re Teaching, But You’re Actually Learning: How kids reshape us as much as we shape them.You Can’t Parent Yesterday’s Child: Why adapting to your child’s growth is the key to staying connected.Presence Beats Perfection: What your kids actually remember (hint: it’s not the “big moments”).Your Words Become Their Inner Voice: How what we say today shapes their confidence tomorrow.Let Them See You Try: The power of apologizing and showing your kids what real leadership looks like.

3 Key Quotes:

* "Your parenting has to evolve with them. You can’t hold onto the version of them you miss. You have to love the version of them that’s right in front of you."

* "Our kids don’t need perfect dads. They need present dads."

* "One day, she won’t have me whispering these words to her. She’ll have to say them to herself. And I want her to have the right ones."

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Keep stacking these wins. Keep driving forward.

Cheers,

Will

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willschmidt.substack.com