Dad Smart Podcast

In the mirror is where the work of becoming Dad Smart begins. This conversation began in the midst of painful events unfolding in Minneapolis in 2026. Moments that left us, like many parents, searching for words. From that place, we slow down to reflect on a single calling: the quiet work of guiding our kids through what we don’t fully understand ourselves. Together we explore how calm presence, honest conversation, and steady love help children make sense of a hurting world. This isn’t about having perfect answers. It’s about walking closely with our kids, and returning again and again to the quiet practice of looking inward; aligning our values, our parenting, and our hopes for our children with the kind of fathers we’re becoming. Because the hard work doesn’t start out there.It begins in the mirror.

In this episode we kick off the new year by reflecting on the past year, celebrating small victories, or "high fives," in our homeschool journeys. As we look ahead to the new year, we discuss practical routines and strategies we're thinking about, emphasizing the importance of flexibility and connection in our teaching methods.

In this episode of the Dad Smart Podcast, we explore how we arrived at the name “Dad Smart,” what it means to us, and how it relates to parenting and education. We share some personal stories and pivotal moments that shaped our understanding of fatherhood, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, mentorship, and the ability to infuse personal interests into learning. We also begin to unpack this idea of a “different kind of smart,” highlighting the roles of teacher, mentor, and guide in parenting, and we encourage parents to embrace their unique identities as they navigate the journey of raising their children.

This episode unpacks the all important why question. We get personal answering the why behind choosing to homeschool. We discuss the fears we had, and still have, along with the hopes that have led us to a vision of the future that is worth chasing.

In any great television series, the pilot episodes follows a familiar format. In Act I, We meet our main characters at a pivotal time in their life. Something big is changing. Everything they once knew is going away, their relationships and their comforts. It is the end of the old life. In Act II, we start the new life, their new reality. It is the beginning of a new journey, with new people, and new relationships. It is the beginning of the new life. Act III then, is simply a question, what’s next? What is going to happen to these characters?In the pilot episode of the Dad Smart Podcast, hosts Joshua and Jesse discuss the moments when they realized that the homeschool life was the right choice for their families. They reflect on that pivotal moment when they realized their old life was going to look different than the new life ahead of them. Reflecting on what they knew from their own personal schooling experiences as children, and imagining a future that looks a bit different.

Welcome to the Dad Smart Podcast. Join two dads learning to become a different kind of smart. A kind of smart that goes beyond trying to recreate school at home. A kind of smart that can build something real and relevant for their kids’ education at home.