06/15/2025
Happy Father's Day to all those men out there that call themselves dad!
This Father’s Day, we are thinking about the difference between a functional father and a nurturing one.
Most of us were raised by men who tried their best. They worked hard, provided, kept us out of trouble. But many, even the faithful ones, struggled to connect emotionally. They were present in the room, but not always in our lives.
We call them functional fathers, they showed up, but didn’t always see us.
Now, many of us are dads ourselves. And it’s easy to repeat what we experienced, to lead with commands instead of connection.
I’ve done that. I wanted my son to be strong and responsible. But I missed moments to connect. I defaulted to “do your chores” and “be better” when what he needed was “I see you” and “I’m with you.”
That’s why Stephen and I partnered to launch Father Media Group and our nonprofit movement called Save the Boys.
We’re creating resources, conversations, and experiences to help fathers raise godly sons, not just behaviorally obedient ones, but emotionally and spiritually healthy young men.
In our latest podcast episode, Stephen and I talk about the impact of being a nurturing father, and how healing our own wounds can stop the cycle from continuing.
“Wounded boys become wounded men. And if we don’t deal with our wounds, we’ll pass them down.”
– Stephen Meeks
This isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence.
Want to go deeper?
• Talk to your son. Don’t wait for the “right time.”
• Read Save the Boys — it’s a guide, not a lecture.
• Help us build this movement: https://lnkd.in/gKH3rcvq
(Fun side note: my camera recorded on a low resolution setting, which is now fixed, but the message still lands 😅.)
You can watch our lastest podcast here about Nurturing vs Funcational Fathering:
https://lnkd.in/gm9dnBKe
This Father’s Day, remember: boys don’t need louder voices — they need stronger, more present ones.
