{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Dad Manual","title":"Ep 18: Breaking the Pattern - How One Dad Rewired His Approach to Raising Kids","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2888,"description":"Two decades in, Kevin Button is still learning — and that's exactly what makes him a great dad.Kevin Button is a father of three spanning 21 years in age, and one of Tony Cooper's closest friends in fatherhood. In this conversation, Kevin gets brutally honest about who he was as a young father — ego-driven, reactive, and repeating patterns he never consciously chose — and how a quiet moment with his 3-year-old son completely broke him open.Kevin and Tony dig into the long game of raising kids: what changes between your first and third child, why the ego is the enemy of good fathering, and how becoming the dad you want to be is a daily, conscious act. They also talk about the rare gift of a trusted fatherhood community, the role of sports in building character, and why presence is the single greatest thing you can give a child.This is the kind of real, unfiltered fatherhood podcast conversation that sticks with you — whether you're 10 minutes into the dad journey or 20 years deep.Key Takeaways:Your first child takes the brunt of who you were before you did the work — and that's a call to action, not a reason for guilt.Emotion is a compass. When something doesn't feel right in how you're parenting, that discomfort is pointing you somewhere important.The ego is one of the biggest obstacles to becoming a great father. Learning to put it down is a skill.Children love unconditionally — and watching that play out in real time can be the most powerful catalyst for change.Presence isn't passive. It's a disciplined, conscious effort — and it's worth more than any material thing you can give a child.Parenting evolves across your kids. Who you were raising your first child is rarely who you are by the third.Your kids are watching everything: how you carry yourself in public, how you treat your wife, how you handle conflict.A community of aligned fathers is a rare and powerful thing. Other dads can become genuine co-parents when the values match.Sports can build character or...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/RhesufeLfq-KH7W3Ni1tcYfxGDlnUQ1BXbcDk7-CgJk/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8zMWVh/NTk0NDViNmUyYWZl/Zjk4NDk3NWVjMWEy/NWYxYi5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}