What happens when the father you are born with isn't the one you needed? In this deeply moving episode, Dr. Patton Dodd joins Jae to discuss his memoir and the complex journey of healing from a childhood shaped by addiction and emotional absence. It is a raw look at how our past shapes us and how we can choose a different path for our own children.

🌟Patton shares the honest reality of growing up with an alcoholic father and how he navigated the father figures he created in his imagination to fill the void. We explore the powerful influence of his mother and sister, the heavy weight of trauma, and why breaking generational cycles is the most important work a parent can do. This conversation dives deep into the identity shifts that happen when we become parents ourselves and the importance of attending to our own wounds so we don't pass them down.

🪴Whether you are a homeschool parent or someone looking to reconcile with your own history, this episode offers profound insights into identity, forgiveness, and the courage it takes to become the parent you never had. Learn why presence is the greatest gift you can give your kids and how to find joy even in the midst of a difficult story.

The Father You Get: And the Ones You Make, Believe In, and Become: Dodd, Patton: 9781506486987: Amazon.com: Books

✨Chapters 📺

0:00 Intro and meet Dr. Patton Dodd 3:15 Growing up with a troubled father7:40 The complexity of two parent households11:20 Papa Friend and making father figures15:30 Dealing with the trauma of an absent presence19:45 The role of siblings in dysfunctional families23:15 Pattons transition into fatherhood27:40 The emotional side of becoming a dad32:10 Finding compassion through family history36:50 Confronting the blame of addiction41:05 My mother was the light in the dark45:30 A story of redemption and late love49:15 The importance of therapy and self care52:40 Final advice for parents and choosing joyIf this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe for more stories on parenting and personal growth.

You can find Pattons book, The Father You Get, at your favorite bookstore or on Audible.

Be sure to visit our website for more resources on your homeschooling journey. 👋

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