Parenting doesn't follow a script, and sometimes life throws you every curveball imaginable.

Danny Cooper shares his raw, honest journey of raising his child Sari while navigating his wife Emily's decade-long battle with breast cancer that began when Sari was just three months old. From aggressive chemotherapy and stem cell transplants to ultimately losing Emily when Sari was 10, Danny had to step into both parental roles while dealing with his own grief. Years later, Sari came out as transgender, transitioning from female to male at age 26. Danny opens up about the emotional complexity of celebrating his child's happiness while grieving the daughter he thought he had, and what it means to reprogram yourself as a father when your child's identity shifts. This conversation explores resilience, unconditional love, and showing up for your kids no matter what life brings.

Key Takeaways:

• How to be present for your child during a partner's terminal illness
• Balancing work demands with being there for critical family moments
• Teaching kids self-reliance while providing unwavering support
• Processing grief as a parent while keeping your child stable
• Supporting a child through gender transition as an adult
• The psychological process of accepting your child's new identity
• Creating safety and unconditional love in single parenting
• Instilling values like empathy, work ethic, and kindness through adversity
• Why being hands-on from birth matters for long-term connection
• Choosing your child over work when it truly matters

If you enjoyed The Dad Manual, leave us a rating on your podcast app! If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to dadmanualpodcast@gmail.com.

Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonycooper/

• (00:00) - - Introduction
• (01:35) - - Meeting Sari and early parenthood
• (03:45) - - Emily's breast cancer diagnosis
• (07:20) - - Aggressive treatments and survival
• (11:45) - - Being a dad during medical crisis
• (15:30) - - Emily's passing when Sari was 10
• (19:15) - - Single fatherhood and stepping up
• (23:40) - - Sari's gender transition at 26
• (27:50) - - Grieving the daughter you thought you had
• (32:10) - - Becoming a boy dad unexpectedly
• (36:25) - - Values and principles for raising kids
• (40:15) - - Hopes and dreams for Sari's future
• (43:50) - - Advice for brand new fathers

When your teenager starts reflecting your own traits back at you, parenting gets real

Michael Guidotti shares his journey raising 13-year-old Donovan, a remarkable young man who chooses family time over friends and stands firm when his character gets attacked. From sports bonding and travel adventures to navigating split households and teenage development, Michael reveals how authentic parenting means paving your own path while staying open to feedback. This fatherhood podcast explores the beautiful complexity of watching your child develop their identity while seeing yourself reflected in their choices.

Key Takeaways:

• Start becoming a parent before the baby arrives
• Kids mirror our behaviors more than we realize
• Character matters more than popularity to some teens
• Family-oriented values can emerge naturally in children
• Teenage identity development requires support, not control
• Sports create powerful bonding opportunities between fathers and sons
• Split households can still raise well-adjusted, family-focused kids
• Confidence in your parenting path is essential
• Mistakes are inevitable and valuable in the parenting journey
• Character attacks hurt deeply when integrity matters to your child

If you enjoyed The Dad Manual, leave us a rating on your podcast app! If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to dadmanualpodcast@gmail.com.

Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonycooper/

When one positive pregnancy test changes everything, transformation becomes inevitable.

Diego Kuri's life shifted the moment he discovered he was becoming a father. From addressing his relationship with alcohol to breaking cycles of rage and anxiety, Diego shares how fatherhood pushed him toward becoming his best self. Now co-parenting two strong-willed boys in Miami, he's navigating the balance between nature and nurture, breaking generational patterns, and creating a legacy of presence and unconditional love. This conversation explores the inner work required to show up authentically for your children.

Key Takeaways:

• Discovering fatherhood can trigger immediate personal transformation
• Leading by example is the most powerful parenting tool
• Breaking generational trauma is the greatest legacy we can leave
• Co-parenting requires flexibility, communication, and shared values
• Strong personalities in children reflect opportunities for self-awareness
• Inner work before crisis prevents future disconnection with kids
• Nature shapes who children are, but values guide how they navigate life
• Presence and unconditional love matter more than perfection
• Small moments of joy often become the most treasured memories
• Starting therapy or self-work early creates healthier parent-child relationships

If you enjoyed The Dad Manual, leave us a rating on your podcast app! If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to dadmanualpodcast@gmail.com.

Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonycooper/

What happens when a master of human connection realizes he's barely talked about his most important role?

Guy Sengstock, co-founder of Circling and dialogical practices expert, joins me to explore the implicit nature of fatherhood. With a 22-year-old son and a 4-year-old, Guy shares raw insights on the wonder of witnessing consciousness emerge, the profound regret of signing away proximity to his eldest, and why aggression needs socialization, not suppression. We discuss how fathers teach most powerfully when they're not trying, the cosmological significance of rough-and-tumble play, and what it means to midwife young beings into self-awareness.

Key Takeaways:

• Why parenting happens most powerfully in implicit, unplanned moments
• The respect and otherness experienced during childbirth
• How physical play socializes healthy masculine aggression
• The deep regret of allowing distance from your child
• What it means to be present with wonder as a father
• How perspective becomes a father's greatest gift
• Why ending generational trauma matters more than legacy
• The importance of being fully present at birth and beyond

If you enjoyed The Dad Manual, leave us a rating on your podcast app! If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to dadmanualpodcast@gmail.com.

Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonycooper/

Tony Elliott shares his journey raising two daughters through the lens of game styles, Love & Logic principles, and real-world trial and error. From tea parties to state championships, discover how understanding biological styles under pressure transforms parenting. Tony opens up about being harder on daughters versus sons, navigating different game styles between siblings, and why supporting the mother is the single most important job for any new dad. Whether you're a new dad podcast listener or raising teenagers, this conversation offers wisdom earned through decades of fatherhood.

Key Takeaways:

• How Love & Logic consequences with empathy shaped parenting decisions
• Understanding your child's biological game style reduces conflict
• Girl dads experience unexpected fulfillment in father-daughter relationships
• Supporting the mother is the primary job for new fathers
• You don't need all the answers right now—solve one problem at a time
• Being present at every event matters more than you realize
• Different game styles require different parenting approaches
• Sleep deprivation is the first problem to solve together
• Your job transitions from provider to supporter as kids grow
• The joy in their accomplishments surpasses any personal achievement

If you enjoyed The Dad Manual, leave us a rating on your podcast app! If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to dadmanualpodcast@gmail.com.

Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonycooper/

This week on The Dad Manual, I’ve invited my friend Adam Hibble, father to 16-year-old Maya, to share his unconventional approach to modern fatherhood that began before pregnancy: a vision statement that evolved through playful teasing, open-ended questions, and countless short conversations. Adam reveals how his parenting style emerged from his own father's listening-first approach and the community of men around him. He opens up about the mistakes he made—including inadvertently limiting his daughter's emotional expression—and how he's worked to heal his own childhood wounds to break generational cycles. This parenting podcast explores the balance between fun and boundaries, the importance of apologizing when jokes don't land, and why being a dad means constantly learning on the job. Maya's confidence and emotional intelligence stand as testament to the power of being present, patient, and willing to do the hard work of self-reflection.

Key Takeaways:

• Create a parenting vision statement with your partner before your child arrives
• Model the ability to apologize when your attempts at humor or discipline don't land well
• Ask yourself "What would I have wanted at this age?" to guide your parenting decisions
• Focus on 1,000 short conversations rather than a few long, heavy talks
• Heal your own childhood wounds before trying to instill values you don't embody yourself
• Use playful teasing strategically to build resilience and humor in your children
• Practice listening more than talking and asking open-ended questions
• Allow children to express emotions without needing to categorize or justify them
• Take care of yourself first so you can better care for your family
• Remember that parenting is learn-as-you-go; you don't need all the answers upfront

If you enjoyed The Dad Manual, leave us a rating on your podcast app! If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to thedadmanual@gmail.com.

Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonycooper/

Parenthood isn't about perfection—it's about showing up, opening up, and caring deeply.

Rodrigo Lagos shares his transformation into a sports dad and how driving his 16-year-old daughter Willow to volleyball created unexpected moments of connection. He discusses navigating the teenage years with authenticity, supporting his son Drake's passion for archery and robotics, and why vulnerability strengthens father-child relationships. This parenting podcast explores the power of family rituals, from their annual Lago Summer Kickoff Event to holiday cooking traditions, and offers wisdom on building resilience through consistent care.

Key Takeaways:

• Sports involvement creates natural conversation opportunities with teenagers
• Kids are more resilient than we think when we show up for them
• Family rituals evolve as children grow and contribute their own ideas
• Vulnerability and apologizing to your kids builds deeper trust
• Opening up to your children happens earlier than most fathers expect
• Screen-free time in the car offers valuable connection windows
• Physical exhaustion after sports helps kids be more present
• Letting kids participate fully in family life teaches ownership

If you enjoyed The Dad Manual, please like and subscribe. If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to dadmanualpodcast@gmail.com.

Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonycooper/