Blended Family Leadership

Being part of a blended family of eight is a blessing—and it comes with real responsibility.

From day one with my wife, I made it clear: I'm here to love and support her two boys like my own. But when it comes to discipline and leadership, she holds the reins. I stand beside her, not in front of her, and never against her.

Both of my bonus boys struggle with ADHD, and one also battles oppositional defiance disorder. On tough days, emotional regulation goes out the window. Today was one of those days. Full Tasmanian devil mode. Chaos. Big emotions. No brakes.

When Logic Doesn't Land

As a mother, she wants to talk him down when he's upset—and that comes from pure love. But when he reaches that level, logic doesn't land. He can't hear it. That's where I step in. He tends to respond to me better in those moments because he knows I don't play games when it comes to disrespect, meanness, or crossing lines with others.

That doesn't make me the "bad guy."
It makes me consistent.

Getting on the Same Page

We had a real conversation today and agreed it's time to get on the same page and tighten things up. More structure. More follow-through. More consistency—especially on the hard days. Right now, that looks like clear consequences: time-outs, losing access to games, iPads, and the freedom to do whatever he wants. Not out of anger—but out of love and leadership.

And yes, even after discipline, I made sure he hugged and kissed his mom. Because he loves her. And because I'm teaching him something bigger than rules.

I'm teaching him that men protect women and children.
That respect matters.
That his mother deserves honor—especially because of how much she pours into him every single day.

Real Fatherhood

This is real fatherhood.
It's messy. It's loud. It's uncomfortable at times.
And it's worth every bit of it.

Just another chapter in our BIG adventure… stay tuned. More to come.

Have a blessed day.
Let's Grow 💪