Heavy Topics, Young Minds | Patrick Coleman of Fatherly on Tragedy, Honesty, Fatherhood

Our world is full of big, heavy topics: War, politics, racial injustice, poverty... The list goes on. What’s the best way for dads and moms to approach these topics with our kids? Do we let them come to us? Avoid them at all costs? Hope that through some combination of teachers, YouTubers, and headlines, our kids will draw their own conclusion? Adam and Marc sit down with Patrick Coleman, father of two and Parenting Editor at Fatherly, to discuss his work exploring big topics, and sometimes big feelings, with our children. Plus, Adam’s kids learn a new phrase and get introduced to a classic 90's cartoon.
[This is part one of a two-part interview.]

Modern Dadhood’s 37th episode opens with a brief reflection on the trying year of 2020 and a chat about broaching major current events with children. Marc and Adam discuss the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995. At 12 or 13 years old, both hosts share their experiences of learning about it via the news, and how as young teenagers they processed the tragedy.

The conversation shifts to the rage-fueled insurrection at the US Capitol building on January 6th, 2021, and the guys tee up part one of their recent conversation with journalist Patrick Coleman, a father of two boys and the Parenting Editor for Fatherly. Patrick’s recent article How to Watch a Coup Attempt With Your Kids provides some powerful and applicable strategies for contextualizing heavy current events for our children in a way that promotes discussion… and doesn’t scare the shit out of them. Other topics include:

•  Being a “buffer” for your partner, and leaning on them as your own buffer.
•  Processing your own feelings and emotions first
•  Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory
•  Explaining current events in real time
•  The value of Inviting your kids to ask questions
•  When the heavy news doesn’t have a happy ending


To round out the episode, Adam recalls a recent moment of craziness which involves Ren, Stimpy, and the phrase “skinny dipping,” which is a new addition to his children’s lexicon. Episode 38 will feature the second part of our conversation with journalist Patrick Coleman.
 

[Episode Transcript]
 

LINKS:
Fatherly
Patrick Coleman (Twitter)
How To Watch A Coup Attempt With Your Kids
Patrick Coleman’s articles
Ask The Goodfather
Social Learning Theory
Oklahoma City Bombing 1995
US Capitol Insurrection 2021
Resource: Explaining The News To Our Kids
Resource: How To Explain Scary News To  Kids
Resource: How To Talk To Your Child About The News
Red Vault Audio
Caspar Babypants
Spencer Albee

#moderndadhood #fatherhood #parenthood #parenting #parentingpodcast #dadding #dadpodcast