Hey Stoked Dad,

Welcome to Sunday - here’s to good coffee, slow mornings, and another week of being Stoked.

1. "Don't open the fridge" - I love my oldest's blooming independence, but when she opened the fridge to get a snack, something struck a nerve. Even the most stoked of us will have these reactions. I had to pause and ask why I was bothered. It sure as heck wasn't about the yogurt she grabbed because she was hungry. It was about control. I felt like I wasn't "in charge" for some silly reason. In those moments, I remind myself to breathe and quickly assess why I'm feeling that way. It's rarely about the girls.

2. Being a dad is an exercise in releasing control. I want my daughters to be strong, empowered, independent people. They won't get that way if I'm weird about them exerting (appropriately) their independence. We're at the point where I need to say "no" less and give more guiding principles to make good decisions.

3. Just a friendly reminder, take more photos and videos. We won't regret having more captured memories of each phase.

"Life shrinks or expands according to one's courage."

— Anais Nin

Be stoked my friend,

Kris

P.S. - I’m focused on getting better and growing a stoked dad community with each dispatch. If you liked these, it would mean a ton if you shared it with someone else. The archive is down as I switched website providers. Should be back up next week.