Fatherhood Field Notes

Ned Schaut
  • 4.9 (76)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Semiweekly

Fatherhood Field Notes is where we hear real stories from real men living real lives every week. Fatherhood is not only about being a dad, it incorporates providing and serving a home, loving and serving a spouse, engaging and serving in a community, as well as intentionally serving your children. Fatherhood is an adventure, one full of fun, wild, and messy stories. In this podcast, we will hear stories from real men who have found themselves living the Adventure of Fatherhood. The Craft of Fatherhood episodes are 5-10 minute episodes where your guide Ned Schaut shares stories on his own fatherhood journey.

  1. E579: The Path to Sunjoy w/Michael Leonardini

    2d ago

    E579: The Path to Sunjoy w/Michael Leonardini

    Before becoming a creator, author, and founder of Sunjoy, Michael Leonardini spent decades wrestling with the same questions many fathers quietly carry: Why do I do the things I do? Why do I react the way I react? How do I become the man, husband, father, and son God created me to be? In this deeply reflective conversation, Ned sits down with Michael to discuss identity, recovery, suffering, vulnerability, fatherhood, marriage, grief, and the lifelong journey of becoming aligned with God’s love. Michael shares lessons learned from raising two sons, navigating childhood wounds, overcoming shame, recovering from unhealthy coping patterns, caring for his aging father, and ultimately losing his wife after 32 years of marriage. Through it all, he discovered a powerful truth: You cannot give what you do not possess. The conversation explores why many men struggle to receive love, why suffering often becomes the doorway to growth, and how fathers can avoid competing with their children and instead help them stand on their shoulders. Michael also introduces Sunjoy, a beautiful collection of 52 reflective cards designed to help men examine identity, loss, suffering, addiction, coping, faith, and purpose through guided reflection and journaling. This episode isn’t about becoming perfect. It’s about becoming authentic. It’s about learning to trust God, receive love, finish strong, and lead your family with an open heart. Fathers Will Learn:Why protecting children from all pain may actually hurt them.How unresolved wounds can create competition between fathers and sons.Why shame quietly destroys a man’s ability to lead.How vulnerability and trust work together in marriage.Why finishing strong matters more than finishing perfect.How to move from coping to healing.Why every man is ultimately on a journey of discovering who he truly is. ResourcesKickstarter Campaign for SunjoySunjoy CardsRomans 8Sunjoy WebsiteMichael Leonardini on Instagram --------- Check Out the Program Talked About: Genesis by Rise Up Kings This episode is sponsored by Genesis - a Rite of Passage by Rise Up KingsOrder The Adventure of Fatherhood children's book hereCheck out the TEDx ---------- Want to learn more about The Adventure of Fatherhood?www.adventureoffatherhood.comwww.rebelandcreate.com Each week Ned sits down with a dad and asks him to open up his field notes and share with other men who find themselves on the Adventure of Fatherhood. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Follow us: Instagram: www.instagram.com/fatherhoodfieldnotesYouTube: www.youtube.com/@FatherhoodfieldnotesFacebook: www.facebook.com/rebelandcreate Mentioned in this episode: Rise Up Kings Genesis

    1h 25m
  2. Ep. 578: Be the Oak Tree, Not the Thundercloud w/Eric Collins

    May 26

    Ep. 578: Be the Oak Tree, Not the Thundercloud w/Eric Collins

    Eric Collins is a California entrepreneur, tax strategist, and business owner who has built and sold companies while navigating major physical adversity, including breaking his neck in five places and surviving multiple spinal fusions. In this episode, he and Ned go deep into discipline, certainty, emotional stability, fatherhood, business ownership, marriage, and the kind of intentional leadership most men want but rarely see modeled clearly. Eric shares practical systems he’s built into his home life — from making breakfast for his sons every morning for nearly a decade to helping lead an 80-man “Dad’s Club” at his sons’ school that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for families and students. This is one of those conversations that quietly sneaks up on you. It starts with stories about fishing trips, school fundraisers, and parenting struggles, but underneath it is a serious conversation about becoming the kind of man your family can trust. Eric talks openly about growing up around abuse, wrestling through ego and unhealthy habits, learning to control his reactions, and realizing that discipline without emotional connection was damaging his relationship with his son. Rather than doubling down in pride, he humbled himself, sought wisdom, and changed course. Fathers will walk away from this episode challenged to think differently about leadership in the home. Eric’s idea that a father should be “the oak tree, not the thundercloud” is one of the strongest themes in the conversation. He explains why certainty and consistency matter so deeply to children, how routines create emotional safety, and why many men unintentionally sabotage the very outcomes they want most. There’s also a powerful discussion around mentorship, growth-mindedness, replacing destructive habits with healthier pursuits, and learning to accept feedback from your wife without defensiveness. A few standout takeaways from the episode: Your children need certainty more than perfection.Discipline without relationship eventually creates distance.Men need community and purposeful involvement outside of work.Most growth comes through pain, humility, and repeated course correction.You become a better father by intentionally becoming a better man. --------- Check Out the Program Talked About: Genesis by Rise Up Kings This episode is sponsored by Genesis - a Rite of Passage by Rise Up KingsOrder The Adventure of Fatherhood children's book hereCheck out the TEDx ---------- Want to learn more about The Adventure of Fatherhood?www.adventureoffatherhood.comwww.rebelandcreate.com Each week Ned sits down with a dad and asks him to open up his field notes and share with other men who find themselves on the Adventure of Fatherhood. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Follow us: Instagram: www.instagram.com/fatherhoodfieldnotesYouTube: www.youtube.com/@FatherhoodfieldnotesFacebook: www.facebook.com/rebelandcreate Mentioned in this episode: Rise Up Kings Genesis

    1h 17m

  3. May 22

    Ep. 577: Are you transactional in the home like at work?

    In this Friday Craft of Fatherhood episode, Ned processes through the realization that he's been transactional at home with his family like he is at work. What does it take to be present instead? Best takeaway: Check yourself and see if you're showing up responsive to your family, rather than expecting them to just do what you say, like a boss. --------- Check Out the Program Talked About: Genesis by Rise Up Kings This episode is sponsored by Genesis - a Rite of Passage by Rise Up KingsOrder The Adventure of Fatherhood children's book hereCheck out the TEDx ---------- Want to learn more about The Adventure of Fatherhood?www.adventureoffatherhood.comwww.rebelandcreate.com Each week Ned sits down with a dad and asks him to open up his field notes and share with other men who find themselves on the Adventure of Fatherhood. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Follow us: Instagram: www.instagram.com/fatherhoodfieldnotesYouTube: www.youtube.com/@FatherhoodfieldnotesFacebook: www.facebook.com/rebelandcreate Mentioned in this episode: Rise Up Kings Genesis

    10 min
  4. Ep. 576: What Ever You Avoid Eventually Owns You w/Jason Vallotton of BraveCo

    May 19

    Ep. 576: What Ever You Avoid Eventually Owns You w/Jason Vallotton of BraveCo

    Jason Vallotton is a pastor on staff at Bethel Church in Redding, California as well as a founder of BraveCo, a ministry dedicated to the healing and development of men as a means to healing and developing the world. Jason joins Ned Schaut for a deeply honest conversation about masculinity, healing, discipleship, and the kind of fatherhood that changes generations. This episode goes far beyond surface-level parenting advice. Jason shares openly about growing up with a father who created a home where confession was safe, truth mattered, and failure did not equal rejection. He talks candidly about struggling with pornography as a teenager, walking through divorce and betrayal, seasons of depression, and learning how to process pain instead of avoiding it. At the center of the conversation is one powerful idea: Most men are failing at the things they care about most because nobody showed them how to become men. Jason and Ned unpack why men often pour themselves into work, business, hobbies, or achievement while quietly feeling lost in marriage and family life. Business has clear targets. Family often doesn’t. Most men were never discipled into emotional health, intentional fatherhood, or biblical masculinity. The conversation explores: why men need mentors and spiritual fathers, * how unresolved pain becomes bondage, why vulnerability and strength are not opposites, how fathers shape a child’s understanding of God, and why no young man should have to stumble blindly into manhood. One of the standout moments comes when Jason describes his father in a way that we all strive to have our kids say about us: “My dad’s not perfect. He’s just the best man that I know.” This episode is for fathers, husbands, leaders and men who are tired of isolation, tired of pretending, and ready to intentionally become the kind of man their family can depend on. Mentioned in this episode: Rise Up Kings Genesis

    1 hr

  5. May 15

    Ep. 575: Who has the power to give identity? | Craft of Fatherhood

    This Friday Craft of Fatherhood short is finds Ned thinking through the epic role that Zechariah played in the identify and name of John the Baptist. Do we have the same responsibility as modern dads? What about getting our kids to do things with us... like go to the gym? Do we ask them to, or do we tell them they're going and bring them along? Chew on these things with us on this short episode. Best takeaway: As a father you have influence and the responsibility leave and give your kids a name, and even reveal to them their identity. --------- Check Out the Program Talked About: Genesis by Rise Up Kings This episode is sponsored by Genesis - a Rite of Passage by Rise Up KingsOrder The Adventure of Fatherhood children's book hereCheck out the TEDx ---------- Want to learn more about The Adventure of Fatherhood?www.adventureoffatherhood.comwww.rebelandcreate.com Each week Ned sits down with a dad and asks him to open up his field notes and share with other men who find themselves on the Adventure of Fatherhood. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Follow us: Instagram: www.instagram.com/fatherhoodfieldnotesYouTube: www.youtube.com/@FatherhoodfieldnotesFacebook: www.facebook.com/rebelandcreate

    9 min
  6. Ep. 574: How to Build a Legacy in a Huge Blended Family w/Mark Stiles

    May 12

    Ep. 574: How to Build a Legacy in a Huge Blended Family w/Mark Stiles

    Mark Stiles joins Ned Schaut for a grounded, honest conversation about raising a large blended family, building intentional family culture, and redefining what strong fatherhood really looks like. Mark and his wife are raising eight children ranging from ages 3 to 19—including biological, step, adopted, and special-needs children. What unfolds in this episode is not polished parenting theory. It’s real-life fatherhood: chaotic dinners, Sunday family traditions, hard conversations with teenagers, caring for a daughter with Down syndrome, and learning how to stay deeply present through it all. At the center of Mark’s philosophy is a simple but powerful goal: Raise kids who are happy, healthy, and productive. But as this conversation unfolds, those words become much deeper than surface-level comfort or success. Mark and Ned unpack: Why involvement matters more than perfectionHow dads can break unhealthy generational cyclesWhy boys need intentional preparation for adulthoodThe importance of one-on-one time with older kidsHow adoption and special-needs parenting can reshape an entire family cultureWhy the goal isn’t controlling your kids—but creating a home they’ll still want to come back to This episode is especially powerful for: Fathers in blended familiesDads raising teenagersMen navigating busy, high-demand family lifeFathers trying to be more present than the example they received One of the strongest moments in the episode: When Mark says his greatest hope is simple: “I want my kids to want to come to family dinner when they’re adults.” That’s legacy. --------- Check Out the Program Talked About: Genesis by Rise Up Kings This episode is sponsored by Genesis - a Rite of Passage by Rise Up KingsOrder The Adventure of Fatherhood children's book hereCheck out the TEDx ---------- Want to learn more about The Adventure of Fatherhood?www.adventureoffatherhood.comwww.rebelandcreate.com Each week Ned sits down with a dad and asks him to open up his field notes and share with other men who find themselves on the Adventure of Fatherhood. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Follow us: Instagram: www.instagram.com/fatherhoodfieldnotesYouTube: www.youtube.com/@FatherhoodfieldnotesFacebook: www.facebook.com/rebelandcreate Mentioned in this episode: Rise Up Kings Genesis

    59 min

  7. May 8

    Ep. 573 | How to Impart Identity to Your Children

    This Friday Craft of Fatherhood short is a solid quick listen if you want something deeper than generic parenting hacks. Ned tackles a question almost every dad thinks about but rarely says out loud: How much influence do I really have over who my kids become? The episode is really about this idea: A father’s job isn’t just protecting and providing — it’s helping shape a child’s identity. He talks about: how to guide your kids without controlling them,why kids need direction instead of “just figure it out,”and how fathers shape confidence, purpose, and character through everyday words and example. It’s thoughtful, honest, practical, and unscripted. Best takeaway: Your kids become who they are in large part through the things you consistently call out, encourage, and model to them. --------- Check Out the Program Talked About: Genesis by Rise Up Kings This episode is sponsored by Genesis - a Rite of Passage by Rise Up KingsOrder The Adventure of Fatherhood children's book hereCheck out the TEDx ---------- Want to learn more about The Adventure of Fatherhood?www.adventureoffatherhood.comwww.rebelandcreate.com Each week Ned sits down with a dad and asks him to open up his field notes and share with other men who find themselves on the Adventure of Fatherhood. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Follow us: Instagram: www.instagram.com/fatherhoodfieldnotesYouTube: www.youtube.com/@FatherhoodfieldnotesFacebook: www.facebook.com/rebelandcreate Mentioned in this episode: Rise Up Kings Genesis

    15 min
  8. Ep. 572: Playing it Safe is the Riskiest Way to Live w/Nate Burkhalter

    May 5

    Ep. 572: Playing it Safe is the Riskiest Way to Live w/Nate Burkhalter

    "Failure is measured in ounces, regret is measured in tons." Nate Burkhalter—seven-time competitor on American Ninja Warrior—joins Ned Schaut for a raw, grounded conversation about identity, risk, and what it actually means to lead as a husband and father. Nate’s story isn’t polished—it’s forged. From a career in oil and gas engineering to chasing a his calling through failure, rejection, injury, and breakthrough, he unpacks a revelation he heard from God, a hard truth most men avoid: playing it safe is the riskiest way to live. But now, as a new father of twins, the game has changed. The arena isn’t just competition—it’s the home. This episode hits the tension every driven man feels: Build something meaningful… without sacrificing your familyTake risks… without being recklessLead spiritually… without hiding behind religion Nate brings clarity: your primary ministry isn’t your platform—it’s your family. And if you get that wrong, nothing else matters. Why fathers should listen: You’re ambitious but don’t want to wake up at 55 with regretYou feel the pull between grind and presenceYou want to raise kids who actually know God—not just perform religionYou’ve failed, and you’re wondering if you should keep going Key takeaways: Identity shift → risk tolerance → real impactFailure isn’t the enemy—regret isDiscipline creates freedom in both work and family lifeStewardship beats control in fatherhoodThe first 8–12 years with your kids are foundational—don’t outsource them --------- Check Out the Program Talked About: Genesis by Rise Up Kings This episode is sponsored by Genesis - a Rite of Passage by Rise Up KingsOrder The Adventure of Fatherhood children's book hereCheck out the TEDx ---------- Want to learn more about The Adventure of Fatherhood?www.adventureoffatherhood.comwww.rebelandcreate.com Each week Ned sits down with a dad and asks him to open up his field notes and share with other men who find themselves on the Adventure of Fatherhood. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Follow us: Instagram: www.instagram.com/fatherhoodfieldnotesYouTube: www.youtube.com/@FatherhoodfieldnotesFacebook: www.facebook.com/rebelandcreate Mentioned in this episode: Rise Up Kings Genesis

    1h 4m
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4.9
out of 5
76 Ratings

About

Fatherhood Field Notes is where we hear real stories from real men living real lives every week. Fatherhood is not only about being a dad, it incorporates providing and serving a home, loving and serving a spouse, engaging and serving in a community, as well as intentionally serving your children. Fatherhood is an adventure, one full of fun, wild, and messy stories. In this podcast, we will hear stories from real men who have found themselves living the Adventure of Fatherhood. The Craft of Fatherhood episodes are 5-10 minute episodes where your guide Ned Schaut shares stories on his own fatherhood journey.

Information

  • Creator
    Ned Schaut
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    580
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Fatherhood Field Notes
  • Show Website
    Fatherhood Field Notes

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