Fatherhood, Community, and Growth: Inside The Kickback's One-Year Anniversary

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Hello, everyone, and welcome to another episode of The Kickback.

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I am the host, the dude, and as we do every Tuesday, we have a great conversation

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with an ordinary person doing extraordinary things in their lives,

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and today is no different.

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Listen, listen, listen, listen, listen. This is our one-year anniversary,

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and we like to say thank you to all the listeners and everybody that's been

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here with us. One year of the kickback.

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Listen, man, it's been an amazing run and we are going to continue on having

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a tremendous, tremendous time here at the kickback, having some great,

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great things going on. We're going to have some amazing guests.

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We're going to do some recaps. We're going to have a lot of things going on.

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And we hope that you are here with us through this journey for another year of The Kickback.

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Tonight, we have, like I said, another extraordinary person doing extraordinary things in their lives.

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So I want to thank you again, like I said, for being here and being with us.

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The Kickback of the Blackboard.

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Music.

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A place for the kickback. Good afternoon, sir.

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And welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome. Dave, how you doing tonight, my brother?

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Doing very well, my brother. How about yourself? I'm doing fine, man.

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Listen, we are on our one year of the kickback, man. How does it feel to be

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at the one year mark of doing this, man?

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Man, I'll tell you what. That year, it went fast, but it was in-depth.

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It was a lot going on in this past year, and it was a blessing to be a part of it.

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Man, yes. Like you said, it's been a rollercoaster ride. It's been amazing.

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It's been event-filled. There's a lot of things that have happened in this world

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within politics, social media, entertainment.

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And there's a lot of things that have happened within a one year span of us

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doing this show and trying to be impactful in what we do when it comes to the

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community and having these intentional conversations about life,

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love, marriage and what's going on with men and people in general.

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You know, I'd like to say, listen, we are a platform for men,

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but in general, we are a platform for people and we are a platform for the world.

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And we are here to encourage well-being and mindful in people and understand

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that whatever it is you're going through is not going to be your final destination.

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It's just simply a learning place

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in life and in this particular point in life where you're at is a lesson and

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you just have to push through whatever the circumstances that you have going

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on in your life and make the best of it because life be life.

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Amen. Amen. I like what you said. Sometimes you just got to push through.

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You know the acronym PUSH stands for, right? No, enlighten us, man.

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Pray until something happens. Pray until something happens.

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I like that, man. I like pray until something happens.

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Because a lot of times when we're going through adversities, we're not praying.

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We're not thanking God for whatever the particular thing is,

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the particular lesson that we're learning.

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We're not praying about it we're usually worrying about

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it and a few days ago I was I

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was watching a few things and the guy talks about the

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gentleman that I was watching he was talking about how we have to push through

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no matter what it is whether it's good or it's bad we have to push through because

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our lesson and our blessing is on the other side of whatever the particular

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situation is that you're going through,

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the blessing is on the other side of it.

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But a lot of people give up in the midst of it and miss their blessing.

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That's it. And they don't get the lesson. That's the bad thing because when

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you don't get the lesson, you're going to end up making that mistake again.

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So you're going to be right back at that place down the road.

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Right. But a lot of people don't understand that because we've become such a

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microwave society that we're expecting things to happen so fast.

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And that's not always in God's timing.

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What you said. But a lot of people don't understand that lesson, man.

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But I'm just thankful that we're here for another year of these impactful conversations with people.

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And I'm hoping that we can get this gentleman in the building here pretty soon

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so we can have a recap conversation of how things have went for him in his life,

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because we're doing a series of retouching some of our past guests and just checking on them,

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doing a sort of like a callback, you know.

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Did you send them the link? I did send them the link.

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It's sort of like a callback, you know, just we're checking on you, you know,

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checking back in, seeing how your progress is, seeing how things are going in

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your life a year after we interviewed you the first time,

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because there was a lot of people we've interviewed over the period of time

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that we've been doing this show and just checking,

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just doing a callback, just seeing how life has changed, because a lot of people's

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lives have changed in a year's time.

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Yes, sir. A lot of a lot of forward progression has happened in my life.

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And I know a lot of a lot of different things have happened in your life in

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a year span since we started this.

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You know, I can particularly remember the day I approached you and I said,

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listen, God told me to choose you to be my partner, to run with me,

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to navigate this space that I'm in.

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And ever since then, it's been a joy.

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And I just want people to know that, listen, Dave does a lot on the backside

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that you guys don't know about.

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So I just want to say thank you, man. And I may be the voice behind the microphone

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that is having these intentional conversations with these people.

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But Dave is the gentleman that he is really the one of the working cogs that

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keeps the kickback going.

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And if you haven't already, go check out our website, the kickback dot one.

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If you have not already, go check that out. And you see that is a unique URL.

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We are different from everyone else because we are the one and only kickback.

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There are a lot of other organizations out here by the same name,

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and a lot of them have some great causes that they are involved in.

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And there are a lot of other shows and things of that nature with the same moniker,

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but none of them have the same skill and set that we have.

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It looks like he has entered the room.

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Mr. Taylor, come on up to the microphone.

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We are going to get you in the room so we can talk to you today.

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And Mr. Taylor how are you today sir Mr. Taylor,

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Yeah, I don't know what's going on. It looks like he's trying to get in the

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room, but we are going to get him in and we're going to have a great conversation, a recap.

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If you're speaking, I can't hear you. You can probably hear me.

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You may have to go out of the room and come back into the room.

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Sometimes we have some technical difficulties.

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Technology, it's good. You can hear me, but I can't hear you.

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So like I said, just go out of the room, just end it, and then come back.

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As a matter of fact, there we go.

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And come back into the room. Man, listen, I'll tell you what.

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We've had our bouts with this technology over this year, learning the equipment,

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learning all of the onsets that comes along with technology.

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It's it can be fun. It can be great.

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But sometimes it can be a headache. But we're not going to let it ruin.

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Great show that we have. And we're not going to. Mr. Taylor.

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OK, can you hear me now? I can hear you now, man. What's going on?

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I'm all right. How are you all doing this evening? We're doing fine,

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man. It is our one year anniversary.

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Wow. Congratulations. Thank you, sir. And you're part of the series.

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We just wanted to do a check back in.

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We just wanted to find out what is going on in Robert Taylor's life a year after

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we interviewed you the first time. And how's life? How's the kids?

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How's your organization?

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How is the school board?

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Man, that's a lot. Everything is going great for the most part.

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I mean, I don't have any complaints. You know, life is going really well.

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So, yeah, there's a lot of areas to kind of cover there. Let's start with school board, though.

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School board gets real hot and heavy through budget seasons,

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which runs through March of the year.

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And this year we had a pretty successful year academically for our students.

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And as a part of one of our priorities, we wanted to make sure that we were

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compensating our employees appropriately.

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And so a few years ago, the school board was able to make the step increases

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something that happens every year, that our employees just automatically get their step increases.

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However, the cost of living increases are something that we have to approve as a board.

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And so this year, even with all of the issues going on at the federal level

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with the Trump administration cutting the Department of Education and other

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funding opportunities and so forth,

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we were still able to provide our employees a 3% cost of living increase.

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And when you look at inflation, inflation is still only at about two and a half percent.

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And so we were able to beat inflation with our cost of living increase for our employees this year.

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So that's something that I was excited about being able to make happen.

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And then also there were some discussions that we had on the board floor about

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making sure that we're providing opportunities for all of our students,

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regardless of what their background is and so forth.

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And, you know, in Metro, I think that there's a belief that they can provide

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an education to every single student that comes into their door and provide it at a high level.

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And I think that parents have told us.

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That that isn't the case and that they've had experiences that say that,

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hey, you might provide a high quality education for the overwhelming majorities of students.

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But for my student, there's still some gaps and I'd like to figure out some of the options.

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And so those are some of the conversations that we've had during this year and

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that will continue through the year.

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So I'll pause there and see if he has other questions. Hey, man,

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listen, the Coke is what is it?

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The C-O-L-A, which is what you were talking about with the cost of living thing.

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Man, yeah. Thank you for that. People really needed that and deserve that.

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Because if you keep it with any industry, if you keep your employees happy,

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all the things will run well. All things will run well.

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And so, yes, we as taxpayers and parents of children that go to school,

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we appreciate all of the love and all of the things that you guys are doing

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to make sure that everyone is being properly compensated for their particular role in Metro.

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How's your organization going so

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for those that don't know i have a non-profit called the new

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life center and we provide parenting education workshops uh targeted primarily

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towards fathers now we also have uh workshops that we do for moms and grandmas

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aunts uncles pretty much anybody who's involved in the life of their children

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and so that particular um,

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nonprofit, most of our programs are going pretty well right now.

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We've had some additional opportunities to expand our newborn and infant care

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courses. We call that training camp for dads.

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And we actually have a partnership with Topgolf now where we can do the workshops

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at Topgolf that give us a bay to use for as long as we need.

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And we can have our workshops there with these new and expectant fathers and

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provide them with some food,

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some fun and then some some knowledge sharing amongst the guys on some of the

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best ways to to enter this new stage of life called fatherhood.

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And so that's one good thing we have going on.

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And then the other partnership that we've been able to develop,

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which has allowed us to expand our reach throughout the community,

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is with the NFL Alumni Association.

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And so this year we hosted our annual fatherhood festival in partnership with the NFL alums.

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And so for the past couple of years, we've probably had about,

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you know, 50 or 60 dads that will come out to our fatherhood festival.

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And this year we were able to have 300 dads and their families come out.

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They got to meet some of the old players.

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Michael Orr participated this year from the blind side.

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Destin McCluster played for the Titans, was there.

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And a couple of the older Titans came out to sign autographs and interact with the kids.

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And so we're going to be doing a series of workshops throughout the rest of

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this year where we invite those Titans to come out and provide their insight

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on what their fatherhood journey

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has been like as a part of a series of workshops that you provide today.

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Okay, so why? Here's my question and I didn't mean to just break into what you

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were saying. I love what you're saying but here's my question.

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Why the kickback did get an invite to this?

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Oh, man. And here's the thing. I have to ask David.

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Right, right, right. If I sent to him a text message.

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Here's the thing. Here's the thing. We on this show have interviewed an ex-football

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player and it is the number one show in our network.

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The number one show right now

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the number one download show for the kickback was a

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show with an ex-nfl nashville native

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born and raised been here all his life he's an ex-nfl player and it's our number

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one show we interviewed one yeah yeah that you charge it to your mind and not

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to heart for sure and know that this is our first year.

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And so we had a little bit of pressure to get it done a little more quickly than we've had to.

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We were able to receive some funding from the Tennessee Department of Health

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and the Tennessee Department of Human Resources.

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And that funding didn't come in until probably a month before we hosted the event.

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And so we had about 30 days to turn it around and

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get the word out to everybody so make sure

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that you all follow our pages too and

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so we're new life center 615 on instagram and

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facebook and and that'll be the best way to

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make sure that you get all the information 615 life

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center new life center 615 okay okay and i'm working on that as we speak new

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life center okay all right i got you.

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So here's the thing we are this is you are like i said before you are part of

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our one year and see what you you got something new going on within a year of

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us talking to you you have a new series going on with your organization.

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We are working tirelessly in the background to get us something going where

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we can do more support for situations like yours where it comes to fatherhood.

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Now, I ain't having no more children, and I don't think Dave is having any more

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children, but I would be willing to volunteer some of my wisdom being a father

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of five to a young man who is still you know

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new, it's a nuance and doing things of that nature.

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So we would love to collab with someone who's already in that space.

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And that was another reason why we reached out to you and wanted to find out

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what was going on with the New Life Center,

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because we are now in a space where we're trying to evolve and do a little more

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for the kickback in this wellness space.

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We've done a few interviews with women. Of course, we have been focused on men's

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mental health and having a safe haven for men to come and have true,

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transparent, and vulnerable conversations.

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And we think that our platform would help a lot of men have a place to where

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they could come and have some real conversations.

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If you didn't know, if you don't remember on Fridays, we do a two hour live

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show where men can come together and just bounce any questions,

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concerns or anything they have off of a bunch of men.

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So we just want to try to we're trying.

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We are a platform that is growing and I'm going to stop saying a small platform.

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We are a platform that's growing.

00:20:42.562 --> 00:20:50.342
We are at our one year mark. We have literally done 50 to 56 episodes because

00:20:50.342 --> 00:20:56.442
I've piled some in twice a week or I've done a couple of shows on the different days.

00:20:57.162 --> 00:21:02.522
But we've been consistent for 52 weeks at this thing.

00:21:02.622 --> 00:21:07.422
And we're just trying to evolve, if you can understand that.

00:21:08.422 --> 00:21:13.362
Oh, definitely. Definitely. And so since since didn't do a great job of getting

00:21:13.362 --> 00:21:14.882
that information out to you before,

00:21:15.242 --> 00:21:18.862
I want to let you know that one of the biggest things we have coming up before

00:21:18.862 --> 00:21:24.442
the end of this year is we have developed a documentary that it talks about

00:21:24.442 --> 00:21:27.322
black fatherhood, especially in Nashville.

00:21:28.022 --> 00:21:31.742
And that documentary will be released sometime in November.

00:21:32.122 --> 00:21:36.002
And so we're still working out the logistics of which theater we're going to be at.

00:21:36.202 --> 00:21:42.242
We're working with Belcourt and then the Regal Cinema at 100 Oaks to determine

00:21:42.242 --> 00:21:45.202
which one we'll be able to partner with. Okay.

00:21:45.602 --> 00:21:49.802
As soon as we get a date and time, you all will get that information and get

00:21:49.802 --> 00:21:51.802
the invite to come out and join us.

00:21:51.802 --> 00:21:54.902
We're going to have a viewing of the documentary and

00:21:54.902 --> 00:21:59.482
then a panel discussion with some of the key players that have participated

00:21:59.482 --> 00:22:04.002
and helped fund the documentary so that we can further this mission that we

00:22:04.002 --> 00:22:08.702
have to just help people understand how essential the role of fathers is in

00:22:08.702 --> 00:22:13.262
our society today and know about the ways that they can get engaged and involved

00:22:13.262 --> 00:22:14.502
in the programming that we do,

00:22:14.602 --> 00:22:17.522
as well as tips on how to be a better dad themselves.

00:22:18.325 --> 00:22:24.665
Hey, man, that is wonderful. And we would love to be a part of it because we

00:22:24.665 --> 00:22:28.965
we're like I said before, we're trying to evolve and get our names out so people

00:22:28.965 --> 00:22:30.305
can understand that, hey,

00:22:30.465 --> 00:22:34.965
you don't have to suffer in silence because a lot of men tend to suffer in silence

00:22:34.965 --> 00:22:41.365
and feel like they don't have a person that they can talk to or relate to.

00:22:41.365 --> 00:22:44.485
Because a lot of people feel like whatever they're going through,

00:22:44.845 --> 00:22:50.125
particularly men feel like whatever they're going through, they're going through

00:22:50.125 --> 00:22:51.705
and nobody else is going through it.

00:22:51.765 --> 00:22:56.185
But hey, there's a brother out here that's been through whatever it is that

00:22:56.185 --> 00:23:01.565
you've been through or you're going through and can help navigate and guide

00:23:01.565 --> 00:23:03.405
you to the other side of it.

00:23:03.485 --> 00:23:06.885
Because as long as you're breathing and God gives you the ability to get up

00:23:06.885 --> 00:23:09.505
every day, you will make it through it.

00:23:09.605 --> 00:23:12.305
Because right before you came on me and Dave

00:23:12.305 --> 00:23:16.405
was talking about pushing through adversity and knowing

00:23:16.405 --> 00:23:19.545
that your blessing and the lesson is on the other side

00:23:19.545 --> 00:23:24.765
of whatever your particular situation is but a lot of people tend to give up

00:23:24.765 --> 00:23:29.885
in the middle of adversities and and miss out on their blessings and their lessons

00:23:29.885 --> 00:23:36.905
yeah yeah no that's it so I think we can all work together on that and uh make

00:23:36.905 --> 00:23:39.225
this a stronger community as a team.

00:23:39.705 --> 00:23:42.645
And that's what we aim to do.

00:23:42.825 --> 00:23:47.245
We aim to make this community better because a little about me,

00:23:47.385 --> 00:23:48.805
I'm a fatherless father.

00:23:49.045 --> 00:23:54.505
And what that means is I grew up as a father, as a son without a father.

00:23:54.645 --> 00:23:56.425
My mother was the strongest man I knew.

00:23:56.605 --> 00:24:01.065
And then I became a father at 20 years old with no preparation,

00:24:01.065 --> 00:24:06.425
with no anything except what my motherhood taught me and the men that was before

00:24:06.425 --> 00:24:09.565
me, which they were, in my eyes, were great men.

00:24:09.565 --> 00:24:14.645
But as I got older and I started to understand manhood and fatherhood,

00:24:14.865 --> 00:24:20.985
they weren't great men. They were just great in my eyes because they were the closest things to me.

00:24:21.025 --> 00:24:26.705
But they were also God-fearing men who were just flawed, if you can understand

00:24:26.705 --> 00:24:29.125
what I mean. Yeah, like all of us.

00:24:30.065 --> 00:24:36.345
Exactly. They were just flawed and they were using the tools that they were

00:24:36.345 --> 00:24:40.185
equipped with to be men and to be fathers.

00:24:40.525 --> 00:24:43.925
And there is no guidebook. You know,

00:24:44.125 --> 00:24:50.245
every situation is unique, but none of them are so unique that there may be

00:24:50.245 --> 00:24:55.245
you may run into five men and two out of the three may have experienced the

00:24:55.245 --> 00:24:56.845
same thing that you've experienced.

00:24:57.365 --> 00:25:02.505
And it just may be a tad bit different. But there are so many similarities that

00:25:02.505 --> 00:25:03.945
they could help you through it.

00:25:04.025 --> 00:25:11.285
But you just got to be willing to be open for the the help. Yeah.

00:25:11.888 --> 00:25:16.788
So, yeah, that's it. It is. It is.

00:25:17.428 --> 00:25:21.508
Man, like I said, it's been a year. So you guys have started this new series

00:25:21.508 --> 00:25:24.668
with the NFL alumni program.

00:25:24.848 --> 00:25:27.888
What else do you guys have going on with the new Life Center?

00:25:28.448 --> 00:25:32.748
Yeah. So those are the main three things. We've expanded the newborn and infant

00:25:32.748 --> 00:25:37.168
classes, which is our training camp for dads and partnering with Topgolf.

00:25:37.168 --> 00:25:40.588
We have the series coming up with the NFL Alumni Association,

00:25:40.588 --> 00:25:46.168
and then we have the documentary that will be coming out by November at the end of the year.

00:25:46.588 --> 00:25:51.108
Now, another thing that just happened today is that there was a funding announcement,

00:25:51.328 --> 00:25:55.108
a federal funding announcement that was released today.

00:25:55.988 --> 00:26:01.148
And that funding has provided funding for fatherhood programs for the past over

00:26:01.148 --> 00:26:07.188
15 years now. It was the first large grant that I received in doing this work years ago.

00:26:07.508 --> 00:26:11.888
And so I'm going to be working on that. This Trump administration is making

00:26:11.888 --> 00:26:16.168
it very difficult for folks to receive grant funding.

00:26:16.508 --> 00:26:23.088
And so normally this announcement will come out in April and it will be due by the end of July.

00:26:23.368 --> 00:26:26.968
So it gives you time to put together a good, solid proposal,

00:26:27.248 --> 00:26:29.708
get all your partners to the table and all of that.

00:26:31.488 --> 00:26:38.648
We're working on it yeah this announcement came out today and is due on the

00:26:38.648 --> 00:26:41.768
29th of this month so we got 14 days,

00:26:42.708 --> 00:26:46.748
so put together pretty much like a 200 page document,

00:26:47.474 --> 00:26:52.154
that will explain how we plan to use, you know, potentially a million dollars

00:26:52.154 --> 00:26:54.894
worth of grant funding to support a father.

00:26:55.114 --> 00:27:00.194
So so you may not hear from me for the next two weeks just because I'll be buried.

00:27:03.694 --> 00:27:07.534
Listen, do you work? But here's the thing. Do you work?

00:27:07.694 --> 00:27:13.174
But if you get it, think about the kickback, because we we we are working on

00:27:13.174 --> 00:27:15.014
trying to get funding ourselves,

00:27:15.574 --> 00:27:19.294
you know to get our messaging I've already thought about it.

00:27:20.654 --> 00:27:23.394
I've already thought about it and one of

00:27:23.394 --> 00:27:26.874
the things that we've been able to do with this funding in the past is

00:27:26.874 --> 00:27:30.134
to support organizations like yours as

00:27:30.134 --> 00:27:34.074
far as getting the messaging out and almost kind

00:27:34.074 --> 00:27:39.794
of like paying for advertisement on your platform they have a funding formula

00:27:39.794 --> 00:27:44.394
that they use and so we just use that formula and once we get the funding And

00:27:44.394 --> 00:27:49.114
then I'll be reaching out to see how we can spend that money with you guys to

00:27:49.114 --> 00:27:53.574
be able to support you all as a partner and get the message out to the community.

00:27:53.954 --> 00:27:56.754
Yes, we would most definitely love that.

00:27:57.254 --> 00:28:01.154
Man, that is a blessing. Like I said, we're trying to elevate and we're trying

00:28:01.154 --> 00:28:07.674
to get this message out that as a man, you can still have a transparent conversation

00:28:07.674 --> 00:28:11.994
and be vulnerable at the same time and not be judged by your peers.

00:28:11.994 --> 00:28:16.614
Because over here at the Kickback, we are crying men. We're praying men.

00:28:16.834 --> 00:28:25.974
We are God-fearing men. So all of this masculinity and bravado,

00:28:26.054 --> 00:28:29.594
you can leave that at the door. We ain't got none of that over here.

00:28:30.054 --> 00:28:34.974
We praying, we fasting, we crying if that's what it takes because they were

00:28:34.974 --> 00:28:36.794
weeping saints. They were praying saints.

00:28:36.914 --> 00:28:40.854
And the disciples of God, they followed God and they did everything that it

00:28:40.854 --> 00:28:43.714
took to get to the other side.

00:28:44.074 --> 00:28:48.914
And that's what we're about. We're about the evolution of mankind.

00:28:49.414 --> 00:28:55.194
And all this negative masculinity is not called for here in this space.

00:28:55.374 --> 00:29:00.094
This is a space where you can be who you are to your core.

00:29:00.434 --> 00:29:06.134
Now, with that being said, I see that you have a couple of different followers.

00:29:06.314 --> 00:29:09.794
Now, last month, they had a show called Natural Men That Rock.

00:29:09.914 --> 00:29:11.134
Did you make it out to that show?

00:29:12.454 --> 00:29:15.414
No, I didn't Yeah,

00:29:15.574 --> 00:29:20.954
no, it's rough But I did not make it to that I didn't either,

00:29:20.974 --> 00:29:24.514
I had some prior family Again,

00:29:24.594 --> 00:29:33.334
I'm a father of five I had prior family arrangements that particular weekend Children,

00:29:34.114 --> 00:29:36.074
water park, resort.

00:29:37.902 --> 00:29:42.902
You understand what I'm saying? That was my plan that weekend.

00:29:43.202 --> 00:29:49.962
Although I wanted to be in that room with those men, some of the nominees and

00:29:49.962 --> 00:29:53.662
some of the people that got awards have also been on this show.

00:29:53.662 --> 00:30:01.062
So, yeah, that's why I said we've had a lot of very influential people on this

00:30:01.062 --> 00:30:03.882
show, but we just it's two of us.

00:30:04.022 --> 00:30:10.662
And before you came, I talked about Dave and how he is a very beautiful cog in this show.

00:30:10.902 --> 00:30:16.782
Me and him, we are the two people that do everything from advertising,

00:30:17.122 --> 00:30:23.142
from audio, from, you know, programming to guest relations. We do everything.

00:30:23.522 --> 00:30:29.182
So in that aspect, we we're paying for everything out of our pockets also.

00:30:29.602 --> 00:30:34.882
So that's why this year we're looking for some partnerships with some people

00:30:34.882 --> 00:30:38.862
to help us elevate to the next level.

00:30:39.142 --> 00:30:44.742
This is this platform was brought to you by God, not by the dude or Dave.

00:30:44.742 --> 00:30:48.262
It was brought to you by God because God put it up on my heart to say,

00:30:48.382 --> 00:30:54.342
first and foremost, I needed a platform to have transparent and vulnerable conversations

00:30:54.342 --> 00:30:58.122
because, like I said before, I'm a fatherless father.

00:30:58.342 --> 00:31:04.202
And there are a few struggles that I've went through in my marriage, in life.

00:31:04.542 --> 00:31:11.662
You know, I'm married to a beautiful woman. We are a blended family and I've

00:31:11.662 --> 00:31:13.082
been married a few times.

00:31:13.082 --> 00:31:18.202
And so, therefore, their struggles within that organization,

00:31:18.582 --> 00:31:23.702
let's just call it that, of marriage, being a blended family.

00:31:24.682 --> 00:31:27.202
There's a lot of moving parts.

00:31:27.522 --> 00:31:35.842
And us as men, we are kind of the catch-all for emotions and behaviors and all

00:31:35.842 --> 00:31:40.682
these things because we're looked at as the monarch of the family.

00:31:41.482 --> 00:31:44.662
So we're usually the person that's got to rear the

00:31:44.662 --> 00:31:47.462
children who's got to make the oh the floors need to

00:31:47.462 --> 00:31:50.142
be done okay you got to find somebody you got

00:31:50.142 --> 00:31:53.862
to figure out how to get that in the budget you got oh now the cars broke down

00:31:53.862 --> 00:31:58.102
so now you got to get that to a shop oh you can't your kid is acting up in school

00:31:58.102 --> 00:32:01.162
so now you got to go to this you got to take time from work you got to go to

00:32:01.162 --> 00:32:06.822
the school and you got to talk to the teacher so you you as a father and a man

00:32:06.822 --> 00:32:09.682
you understand the plights that happened with the father.

00:32:09.962 --> 00:32:16.322
And there are some men out here that don't have a sound board that

00:32:16.723 --> 00:32:20.103
to be able to voice, man, I really didn't like that,

00:32:20.203 --> 00:32:24.383
or this is how I feel, or I just need to take a breather off,

00:32:24.443 --> 00:32:29.723
or I just need to have a conversation with some men and just talk about sports,

00:32:29.743 --> 00:32:32.923
or let's talk about politics to a degree,

00:32:33.103 --> 00:32:37.883
or let's talk about jobs, or let's talk about men's health, because we've also

00:32:37.883 --> 00:32:39.983
had conversations about men's health.

00:32:40.903 --> 00:32:46.683
I just, well, last month, I had to go to the doctor and they had to look in

00:32:46.683 --> 00:32:54.023
me and I'm like getting older and these procedures have to do.

00:32:54.763 --> 00:32:56.303
You said look at me.

00:32:57.343 --> 00:33:00.703
Yeah, I'm going to leave it there. They had to.

00:33:01.303 --> 00:33:04.783
I think you're supposed to do it once you turn 45 now.

00:33:04.783 --> 00:33:08.383
So yes sir and that's where

00:33:08.383 --> 00:33:12.363
i'm at i'm at 45 so they had

00:33:12.363 --> 00:33:15.423
to look in me so yeah

00:33:15.423 --> 00:33:18.423
man i've i went through that

00:33:18.423 --> 00:33:22.563
and you know talking to some of the other fellas and they was like hey i'm i'm

00:33:22.563 --> 00:33:31.063
two times up i'm three times up i'm four times up and i'm like okay so yeah

00:33:31.063 --> 00:33:38.243
it is what it is but But you just you just grit your teeth and bear it.

00:33:38.443 --> 00:33:41.463
You grit your teeth and bear it and you move on. You push through the process.

00:33:41.683 --> 00:33:49.983
But in that process, I was thankful to have the ability to work at a job that

00:33:49.983 --> 00:33:56.923
provides reasonable insurance that covers those type of procedures.

00:33:56.923 --> 00:34:01.443
Because there are a lot of men out here working that don't have the proper insurance

00:34:01.443 --> 00:34:07.923
or was never taught that they need to take care of themselves in those manners.

00:34:09.163 --> 00:34:12.343
So we just you have to have

00:34:12.343 --> 00:34:19.183
the conversations with different groups to understand that health is wealth

00:34:19.183 --> 00:34:25.303
and that if you don't take care of yourself then how are you supposed to take

00:34:25.303 --> 00:34:30.743
care of your children how are you supposed to take care of yourself how are you supposed to lead,

00:34:31.823 --> 00:34:33.323
if you can't get up.

00:34:34.123 --> 00:34:37.843
Yep, that's it. I mean, part of being a good father is making sure that you're

00:34:37.843 --> 00:34:41.043
healthy so that you can be there for your kids.

00:34:41.263 --> 00:34:46.683
And so we believe wholeheartedly in men's health as a part of it.

00:34:46.803 --> 00:34:51.043
We've actually partnered with the Men's Health Network over the years to provide

00:34:51.043 --> 00:34:56.543
additional resources to dads on issues just like that and knowing when you're

00:34:56.543 --> 00:34:58.583
supposed to get different types of screenings,

00:34:59.502 --> 00:35:02.802
coverage so that you can get the screenings on time.

00:35:03.422 --> 00:35:07.562
And so, yeah, that's definitely important is making sure that we're taking care

00:35:07.562 --> 00:35:11.862
of our health and encouraging each other to do so, even when it might seem a

00:35:11.862 --> 00:35:13.302
little uncomfortable, I guess.

00:35:15.382 --> 00:35:22.202
Most definitely. Most definitely, man. So what you were talking about at the

00:35:22.202 --> 00:35:27.662
beginning, how Metro is doing better academically.

00:35:28.762 --> 00:35:33.522
Is that because I know before we talked, you were talking about last year,

00:35:33.682 --> 00:35:40.982
you were talking about academics and fathers being more involved in PTA and things of that nature.

00:35:41.222 --> 00:35:46.382
Have you seen an improvement in those areas over this last past year,

00:35:46.602 --> 00:35:50.922
knowing that that was your campaign last year when I talked to you?

00:35:50.922 --> 00:35:57.642
It was more about trying to get fathers more involved in the educations of their

00:35:57.642 --> 00:35:59.962
children. Has there been an improvement?

00:36:00.582 --> 00:36:06.722
So I wouldn't say there's been an improvement, but there is a plan in place.

00:36:06.922 --> 00:36:13.862
And so there's a staff person that is assigned to work on that with me over this upcoming year.

00:36:13.862 --> 00:36:18.582
And so we've actually identified every school that I'm responsible for in my

00:36:18.582 --> 00:36:25.442
district and who the parent is that will take the lead on starting a PTO or PTA.

00:36:25.822 --> 00:36:31.542
And we have men that are stepping up to be the presidents of the PTOs and PTAs in the school.

00:36:31.542 --> 00:36:37.422
And so this upcoming fall, we're going to meet with all of the parents that

00:36:37.422 --> 00:36:42.762
have agreed to do this role and just provide them with kind of like a one on

00:36:42.762 --> 00:36:45.562
one on how to establish the organization,

00:36:45.942 --> 00:36:51.302
how to set up the bank account and how to do everything in a legal way so that

00:36:51.302 --> 00:36:56.602
the organization can run even after their child leaves the school and be able

00:36:56.602 --> 00:36:59.662
to bring in the next group of parents to continue the organization.

00:36:59.662 --> 00:37:05.642
When we realized through this process of planning, I have over 30 schools in my district.

00:37:06.425 --> 00:37:12.445
And out of those 30 schools, only four of them had some type of parent or school

00:37:12.445 --> 00:37:18.605
support organization in place that could raise funds to support the academic environment.

00:37:18.905 --> 00:37:23.725
And so my goal is to make sure that every single school in my district has an

00:37:23.725 --> 00:37:27.585
organization in place before my four-year term is up.

00:37:28.245 --> 00:37:33.185
Hey, that's wonderful. And from what I understand, you're like Weiss Creek,

00:37:33.425 --> 00:37:35.685
Hunter's Name, Nick Wood.

00:37:36.425 --> 00:37:40.265
Is Maplewood and Stafford also in your district? I have Maplewood and East,

00:37:40.305 --> 00:37:45.825
and then some of the families that attend Stafford live in my district. Okay, okay.

00:37:46.405 --> 00:37:48.585
So that's like my district.

00:37:49.485 --> 00:37:52.765
One of my kids graduated from Hunter's Lane.

00:37:53.085 --> 00:37:59.665
Another one of my children graduated from KIPP Academy.

00:38:00.485 --> 00:38:09.345
And one of my children graduated from Pearl Cone. that Metro is getting better.

00:38:09.725 --> 00:38:13.325
There are still a few things that probably could still be worked on,

00:38:13.485 --> 00:38:18.825
but I'm glad to hear because somebody I talked to were talking about what happened

00:38:18.825 --> 00:38:23.965
to the days of the PTA and why they no longer existed.

00:38:24.645 --> 00:38:29.265
It was one of my Friday night panel conversations, and they were talking about

00:38:29.265 --> 00:38:36.505
parents being accountable for their children's education, and how we don't have PTAs anymore.

00:38:36.745 --> 00:38:41.145
So it's a wonderful thing to hear that we're bringing them back.

00:38:41.645 --> 00:38:47.065
Yes, definitely. And because it's important to make sure that we have those

00:38:47.065 --> 00:38:51.845
organizations, not just for getting parents together, for getting together's sake.

00:38:52.553 --> 00:38:58.793
The mission is to provide financial support to the school and to make sure that

00:38:58.793 --> 00:39:03.853
they have all of the additional resources that we know improve the academic

00:39:03.853 --> 00:39:05.033
outcomes for our children.

00:39:05.273 --> 00:39:10.133
And so that's why we want to have the PTO and the PTAs at the schools so that

00:39:10.133 --> 00:39:15.253
you have a legal organization that can reach out to their networks and raise funds to support.

00:39:15.353 --> 00:39:17.773
My kids have gone to Aiken Elementary School.

00:39:17.953 --> 00:39:19.653
I've had a child there for the past

00:39:19.653 --> 00:39:28.613
17 years, and their PTO raises minimum $80,000 a year for their school.

00:39:28.853 --> 00:39:35.933
Now, I'm not expecting that to happen at every school in my district right away, but over time,

00:39:36.133 --> 00:39:42.173
as you develop these PTOs and get them running smoothly and set up the organization

00:39:42.173 --> 00:39:47.353
to continue on regardless of who's running it, you're going to be able to raise

00:39:47.353 --> 00:39:49.833
that type of money, which goes a long way.

00:39:50.173 --> 00:39:53.813
Aiken uses their money to provide supplemental educators in the building.

00:39:54.013 --> 00:40:02.013
So the district may not be able to afford to pay for an arts teacher as well as a language teacher.

00:40:02.253 --> 00:40:07.313
And Aiken will pay for both because they have the additional funding from the PTO.

00:40:08.473 --> 00:40:12.233
And that's what's needed for

00:40:12.233 --> 00:40:17.433
them to stand alone and be able to support their community in that form.

00:40:17.673 --> 00:40:22.553
And that also empowers the people when they have an organization like a PTA

00:40:22.553 --> 00:40:31.593
or PTO that can support their children at that level, because it came from you all.

00:40:31.773 --> 00:40:34.653
It didn't come from the state. It didn't come from the government.

00:40:34.653 --> 00:40:41.073
It came from a controlled effort amongst the people. And so you're empowering

00:40:41.073 --> 00:40:45.273
people to take control of their children's education. That's wonderful.

00:40:46.013 --> 00:40:52.213
Exactly. That's it, man. And that is that we need, like I said, we need more of that.

00:40:52.353 --> 00:40:56.173
And let's hope this fall, when you all have your meeting, you have a wonderful

00:40:56.173 --> 00:41:04.033
outcome and turnout of people who are ready to control their environment just a little bit more,

00:41:04.153 --> 00:41:07.593
because like you said, more parents involvement,

00:41:08.133 --> 00:41:11.713
more community involvement, it, the better the education will be.

00:41:11.893 --> 00:41:17.113
And so now if you're taking parts in things of that nature, you can't just particularly

00:41:17.113 --> 00:41:24.093
blame it on the schooling because now you have an invested interest in what's

00:41:24.093 --> 00:41:25.913
actually going on with your child.

00:41:26.473 --> 00:41:29.553
Yeah, it's about creating a partnership for education. I mean,

00:41:30.193 --> 00:41:34.793
you know, I think oftentimes we've seen that there's sometimes been an adversarial

00:41:34.793 --> 00:41:39.293
relationship between the schools, the administrators, and the parents sometimes.

00:41:39.573 --> 00:41:43.393
And that's not the way it should be. I think that, you know,

00:41:43.693 --> 00:41:50.613
for me, I recognize that my child's education is 100 percent my responsibility as a parent.

00:41:51.266 --> 00:41:55.826
And the school system, the public school system, is one of the tools that I

00:41:55.826 --> 00:41:58.666
have at my disposal to educate my child.

00:41:58.986 --> 00:42:04.326
And so I want to make sure that I'm a partner with that school so that I can

00:42:04.326 --> 00:42:08.246
ensure that they're getting my child what they need to receive the education

00:42:08.246 --> 00:42:09.626
that I believe my child deserves.

00:42:10.086 --> 00:42:13.986
Now, if that doesn't happen, I want to work with the school to figure out,

00:42:14.246 --> 00:42:18.306
well, how can I support you guys to make sure that my kid gets what they need?

00:42:18.306 --> 00:42:23.286
And I think that that's the spirit of the PTO and the PTA that I want to make

00:42:23.286 --> 00:42:27.426
sure we have in our district so that we can create genuine partnerships so that

00:42:27.426 --> 00:42:29.126
our kids can get exactly what they need.

00:42:29.926 --> 00:42:33.946
Yeah, yeah. I mean, in a real world, that sounds wonderful, but you know,

00:42:34.046 --> 00:42:41.806
there's a large percent of parents out here that feels like because I sent my child to school,

00:42:42.006 --> 00:42:46.446
you're supposed to teach them how to potty, how to eat, how to speak, how to think,

00:42:46.826 --> 00:42:51.746
how to behave on the bus, how to be a productive citizen.

00:42:52.146 --> 00:42:53.746
Well, it's a partnership.

00:42:54.306 --> 00:42:58.026
Yep, that's it. It's a partnership, like you said.

00:42:58.026 --> 00:43:04.706
I mean, you've got to do your part as a parent to teach your children the core,

00:43:04.706 --> 00:43:08.126
the core things of being a productive citizen.

00:43:08.126 --> 00:43:15.586
We're just adding to that with a learning curriculum that helps them understand

00:43:15.586 --> 00:43:22.906
and how to read and add and do all those things. But we're supposed to teach them how to party.

00:43:25.126 --> 00:43:31.906
Yeah, I think oftentimes we we rely too heavily on the school system for everything.

00:43:32.066 --> 00:43:36.026
I mean, you know, I went to school last year and I mean, they're installing

00:43:36.026 --> 00:43:41.226
washers and dryers and washing the kids clothes for them and all this type of

00:43:41.226 --> 00:43:43.406
stuff. And I'm like, where does it end?

00:43:43.948 --> 00:43:46.888
I mean, at a certain point, we're going to turn into boarding schools and just

00:43:46.888 --> 00:43:50.588
take over the whole responsibility of raising the kids for them.

00:43:50.708 --> 00:43:53.208
And I just I don't know that that's sustainable.

00:43:53.488 --> 00:43:57.448
And I think that we have to shift the dialogue to help the community understand

00:43:57.448 --> 00:44:02.248
that, hey, parents, this is a partnership and we need you to be fully engaged

00:44:02.248 --> 00:44:03.528
in your child's education.

00:44:03.988 --> 00:44:07.468
And it's not that difficult. Here are some simple ways to make it happen.

00:44:08.048 --> 00:44:11.408
And we're open to you all coming to the schools, being a part of it.

00:44:11.568 --> 00:44:16.228
And because I think it is going to take some conversation with the administrators

00:44:16.228 --> 00:44:20.968
and the teachers in the schools to help them recognize that there's going to be a shift as well.

00:44:21.188 --> 00:44:26.068
So where we want the parents to be welcomed and be a part of the process.

00:44:26.348 --> 00:44:30.868
So I'm looking forward to being a champion for that while I'm on the school

00:44:30.868 --> 00:44:34.168
board and and even after my time ends.

00:44:34.168 --> 00:44:37.188
Man listen it is wonderful but

00:44:37.188 --> 00:44:40.028
it sounds like we're gonna have to take it back to the basics and just

00:44:40.028 --> 00:44:43.728
start have parenting classes all over again for everybody

00:44:43.728 --> 00:44:47.448
not just new fathers we're gonna have to start having parenting classes for

00:44:47.448 --> 00:44:50.028
everybody listen this is what you're supposed to do you're supposed to feed

00:44:50.028 --> 00:44:54.208
this child you're supposed to wash their clothes look on their hair you know

00:44:54.208 --> 00:45:01.468
just it's like we're getting away from the basics the basic life necessities And these parents,

00:45:01.728 --> 00:45:06.008
and it's not all parents, it's not all, and the percentage is probably smaller,

00:45:06.168 --> 00:45:09.968
smaller than we think, but in our minds, it's a little bit bigger.

00:45:10.208 --> 00:45:15.288
But understanding that in order for them to be productive citizens,

00:45:15.288 --> 00:45:21.688
you're going to have to involve yourself in some particular part of their growth

00:45:21.688 --> 00:45:28.748
and understand that we are just a tool to help you. Yep, that's it.

00:45:29.448 --> 00:45:36.248
So what about the, you were doing something with the Department of Health. How is that going?

00:45:36.508 --> 00:45:41.428
So the program that we were doing with the Department of Health was that newborn

00:45:41.428 --> 00:45:44.628
and infant care course that we provide.

00:45:44.628 --> 00:45:50.248
So they have a program called Nashville Strong Babies, which is the maternal

00:45:50.248 --> 00:45:54.308
child health program and that they provide through the Federal Healthy Start Grant.

00:45:54.308 --> 00:46:00.268
And so that program is a home visiting program where they send a nurse to an

00:46:00.268 --> 00:46:04.448
expectant mom's house to do all of her prenatal appointments for her.

00:46:04.928 --> 00:46:07.888
And for many years, they weren't engaged in the fathers.

00:46:07.888 --> 00:46:13.448
And so the role that I play is to engage fathers in the process to help dads

00:46:13.448 --> 00:46:17.668
understand their importance during pregnancy, during delivery,

00:46:17.748 --> 00:46:19.968
and then immediately postpartum as well.

00:46:20.168 --> 00:46:24.788
And I understand the role that they can play and how they can get involved in

00:46:24.788 --> 00:46:29.388
each one of those stages to support a healthy childbirth for mom and baby.

00:46:30.183 --> 00:46:33.723
Man, that is that is why that that's that's amazing.

00:46:33.923 --> 00:46:38.443
And it's great because you like you said, a lot of the times the fathers are being left out.

00:46:38.743 --> 00:46:42.883
Me being the person I am, sometimes people call me an alien.

00:46:43.103 --> 00:46:45.643
Sometimes people call me superhuman or whatever.

00:46:46.103 --> 00:46:50.263
But the best thing and I just had this conversation a few days ago,

00:46:50.363 --> 00:46:56.803
the best thing that ever my father ever done for me was not be in my life because

00:46:56.803 --> 00:46:59.843
I was I was a really good father.

00:47:00.183 --> 00:47:06.523
My two youngest children, which are 14 and 9, when they were born,

00:47:06.903 --> 00:47:08.883
their mom was so squamish.

00:47:08.883 --> 00:47:13.563
She went to the first doctor's appointment after they were born when the babies

00:47:13.563 --> 00:47:16.143
got their shots and she cried and she hooped and hollered.

00:47:16.943 --> 00:47:21.003
And after that, she never went to a doctor's appointment again.

00:47:21.003 --> 00:47:26.503
So like when their pediatric doctor changed and she had the second one,

00:47:26.683 --> 00:47:28.283
she didn't even go to the first appointment.

00:47:28.283 --> 00:47:36.303
I went to every doctor's appointments my small children went to so much that

00:47:36.303 --> 00:47:42.863
the people at the doctor's office thought I was a single father and they had never met their mom.

00:47:43.103 --> 00:47:49.203
And the first time she ever really started taking them to the doctor was when

00:47:49.203 --> 00:47:56.603
we divorced and she moved to a whole nother city and started taking them to the doctor then.

00:47:56.603 --> 00:48:02.823
But in Nashville, the doctors that we went to, the dentist, all those different

00:48:02.823 --> 00:48:04.623
things, they only knew me.

00:48:04.783 --> 00:48:06.983
They never knew that my children's mom.

00:48:07.523 --> 00:48:13.723
And that was just one of those things I always wanted to do as a father is be

00:48:13.723 --> 00:48:19.003
more intentional and be more in touch with those particular areas of my children's life.

00:48:19.243 --> 00:48:23.963
So, yes, it can be done, dads. You can do it. You can be the champion.

00:48:24.944 --> 00:48:28.424
Amen. Amen. Yeah, it is.

00:48:28.544 --> 00:48:35.264
It is. But a lot of men are subjected to, well, I got to work. I got to pay the bills.

00:48:35.384 --> 00:48:40.564
I got to do this. I got to do that. But those children are just imperative and

00:48:40.564 --> 00:48:45.164
important as you're going to work because their health is just as important

00:48:45.164 --> 00:48:48.724
as that job, if not even more important.

00:48:48.944 --> 00:48:53.024
At least to me, it was it was it was having healthy children.

00:48:53.264 --> 00:48:59.164
The blessings that God gave me was so important that I had to make sure they

00:48:59.164 --> 00:49:02.024
were they were healthy, you know, good teeth.

00:49:02.144 --> 00:49:05.604
I don't want my kids running around these raggedy teeth in their mouth.

00:49:05.604 --> 00:49:09.704
I didn't want my kids running around and they didn't nobody knew what was wrong

00:49:09.704 --> 00:49:11.384
with. They got it. Oh, their nose is running.

00:49:12.024 --> 00:49:14.664
Just wipe it off. Just give them some romantussin. Because, you know,

00:49:14.804 --> 00:49:19.244
that's what our parents did back in the day is they just filled us full of cough

00:49:19.244 --> 00:49:21.224
medicine and said it was OK.

00:49:21.564 --> 00:49:28.464
But there's so much going around. You just got to make sure that your babies are taken care of.

00:49:29.584 --> 00:49:35.624
No, I'm not full of green with you, brother. Yeah. So Department of Health,

00:49:36.204 --> 00:49:43.644
New Life Center, Education Board of the Board of Education.

00:49:43.764 --> 00:49:45.764
Man, you are a busy man.

00:49:46.064 --> 00:49:54.524
How do you balance all of this and still able to have a successful home life?

00:49:55.264 --> 00:49:59.744
Yeah. So I try to incorporate the things that I do with my kids into all of

00:49:59.744 --> 00:50:00.684
these other activities.

00:50:01.564 --> 00:50:07.784
And then I also set some boundaries. I set my calendar up and I had all of my

00:50:07.784 --> 00:50:09.224
kids' activities on there first.

00:50:09.844 --> 00:50:14.304
And if there's ever a conflict, you know, there's really no conflict for me.

00:50:14.504 --> 00:50:17.224
I'm going to be at my children's events and activities first.

00:50:17.224 --> 00:50:19.624
And so people have recognized that and they know.

00:50:20.264 --> 00:50:24.964
But, you know, I try to do everything I can to be involved in my kids' lives.

00:50:25.604 --> 00:50:30.044
I can give you examples for all seven of them. My oldest daughter just graduated

00:50:30.044 --> 00:50:34.004
from Fisk, which is my alma mater, my wife's alma mater also.

00:50:34.564 --> 00:50:38.724
Congratulations. your friends. Yeah, thank you. And so we were very excited

00:50:38.724 --> 00:50:40.124
about that to celebrate it.

00:50:40.284 --> 00:50:44.784
But then I also had another daughter graduating from high school that same weekend.

00:50:45.224 --> 00:50:52.424
And so we had to make time and plan it out to make sure that we had a graduation party for my oldest.

00:50:52.744 --> 00:50:57.884
And then my next daughter, she wanted to do a joint graduation party with her

00:50:57.884 --> 00:51:02.804
friends. And so we put that together and made that happen for her.

00:51:02.944 --> 00:51:06.284
And then my son, he's at TSU.

00:51:06.504 --> 00:51:10.584
He'll be a sophomore in the football field and a junior year.

00:51:11.252 --> 00:51:17.592
In the classroom, but he is enjoying himself, made the dean's list this year,

00:51:17.732 --> 00:51:26.052
and now just today actually it came out that he's on the OVC players to watch list for this season.

00:51:26.332 --> 00:51:32.652
So just making sure that we support him and show up for him at his games and things like that,

00:51:32.772 --> 00:51:38.272
and make sure that he's doing his own work so that he can get the grades that

00:51:38.272 --> 00:51:41.472
he needs to be successful in graduating that tissue.

00:51:42.372 --> 00:51:46.672
And so then my daughter who graduated from high school will also be going to Fisk.

00:51:46.872 --> 00:51:54.032
So tomorrow I will be at orientation with her at Fisk and figuring out everything

00:51:54.032 --> 00:51:58.372
we need to do to make sure that she gets into the dorm and is taking the right

00:51:58.372 --> 00:52:01.532
classes and has her advisor set and all of that good stuff.

00:52:02.212 --> 00:52:09.372
And then I have two other daughters after them or three other daughters after them.

00:52:10.032 --> 00:52:11.532
And one of those daughters is

00:52:11.532 --> 00:52:15.032
a camp counselor this year. So we're making sure she's getting the camp.

00:52:15.192 --> 00:52:19.912
She's getting a little paycheck from it. And then my next daughter is doing gymnastics.

00:52:20.192 --> 00:52:24.612
So we get her to gymnastics and she's having a good time with that.

00:52:24.772 --> 00:52:28.772
And then my last daughter, she just started a new camp this week.

00:52:28.912 --> 00:52:31.032
She's doing a Verizon camp at TSU.

00:52:31.512 --> 00:52:36.352
And so because we have so many kids, they have participated in different programs

00:52:36.352 --> 00:52:41.992
throughout the years that we kind of know which programs we want to get the kids into,

00:52:42.152 --> 00:52:45.612
which ones are free versus which ones that we'd have to, you know,

00:52:45.772 --> 00:52:47.092
kind of budget for and whatnot.

00:52:47.392 --> 00:52:52.872
But we kind of got a rhythm going, and we make sure that the kids get to all

00:52:52.872 --> 00:52:57.532
of the different programs and have extra opportunities to learn during the summer

00:52:57.532 --> 00:53:00.152
and then get ready for school year again.

00:53:02.492 --> 00:53:09.092
Man, that sounds like a chaotic orchestra, but you all know the tempo.

00:53:09.632 --> 00:53:14.672
You all know the tempo and you all know how to keep all the instruments playing

00:53:14.672 --> 00:53:17.432
and all of the performers happy.

00:53:17.712 --> 00:53:20.252
It sounds like, like you said, you set boundaries.

00:53:21.092 --> 00:53:26.292
You have made it known for your job and all the people around you that,

00:53:26.372 --> 00:53:28.872
hey, my children are a priority.

00:53:28.872 --> 00:53:31.712
I have seven of them I have to make sure

00:53:31.712 --> 00:53:34.912
I give all of them The adequate amount of time

00:53:34.912 --> 00:53:38.272
And understanding That they need Because

00:53:38.272 --> 00:53:45.612
listen This world wouldn't be what it is Without fathers So we have to put boundaries

00:53:45.612 --> 00:53:51.192
up We have to make sure That we give them the adequate space They need to grow

00:53:51.192 --> 00:53:57.152
And the understanding to know That hey if you step out of line I'll still whoop your behind,

00:53:57.938 --> 00:54:01.218
Yeah. Well, now you said that.

00:54:02.038 --> 00:54:06.278
I'm going to tell you, when we do our parenting classes, we teach our dads.

00:54:06.858 --> 00:54:10.578
And I know you're just using a figure of speech, but we teach our dads how to

00:54:10.578 --> 00:54:12.738
discipline without corporal punishment.

00:54:13.938 --> 00:54:22.578
Understandably. cry myself on is because i used to be i used to wolf my kids right i mean my oldest,

00:54:23.398 --> 00:54:26.938
younger siblings and y'all don't even know right

00:54:26.938 --> 00:54:29.698
but see

00:54:29.698 --> 00:54:34.938
the thing is corporate punishment you don't but see getting whooping your behind

00:54:34.938 --> 00:54:39.018
does not always mean you got to put a belt to them you can take away things

00:54:39.018 --> 00:54:42.818
you can do all these different because i've learned with my smaller children

00:54:42.818 --> 00:54:47.178
that I don't have to physically do anything to them.

00:54:47.298 --> 00:54:53.818
If I take away their privileges, they're more hurt by me taking away their privileges

00:54:53.818 --> 00:54:57.738
than me actually physically doing anything to them.

00:54:57.918 --> 00:55:03.178
My nine-year-old, if I take away her tablet, her phone, her remote control,

00:55:03.178 --> 00:55:08.838
and I make her sit still and have a conversation with me, she loses her mind

00:55:08.838 --> 00:55:11.478
because I can't get on my phone. I can't play my games.

00:55:11.578 --> 00:55:15.658
I can't do this. So now she's at a crossroad where she's like,

00:55:16.198 --> 00:55:18.418
Dad, can you just spank me?

00:55:18.518 --> 00:55:20.838
And I'm like, no, that doesn't work.

00:55:21.138 --> 00:55:25.418
That's not where we're going with this. I need you to have an understanding

00:55:25.418 --> 00:55:32.118
of what you've done, and this is the consequences behind your actions.

00:55:33.119 --> 00:55:36.879
Yep. That's it. That's it. And so that's what we teach our dads to,

00:55:37.099 --> 00:55:41.959
just to make sure that they understand that there are other ways to discipline your kids.

00:55:42.979 --> 00:55:48.899
And you'll have better outcomes long term. I think about the relationship I have with my son now.

00:55:49.179 --> 00:55:54.339
I wouldn't have had that relationship if I had continued to discipline him the

00:55:54.339 --> 00:55:58.039
way I was trying to, because it was the way that I was disciplined. Yes.

00:55:58.719 --> 00:56:03.299
And I think about, you know, how that affected the relationship that I had with my dad.

00:56:03.799 --> 00:56:07.779
And and, you know, we've reconciled and all of that.

00:56:08.039 --> 00:56:13.679
But it just it wasn't an environment that I wanted to to grow up in.

00:56:14.019 --> 00:56:18.899
And and so, you know, once I, you know, recognize that there were other ways

00:56:18.899 --> 00:56:25.599
to just play my son and apologize to him for not getting it right for for many years and shifted.

00:56:26.199 --> 00:56:30.619
Now, I mean, we have a great relationship. It's almost like we're brothers,

00:56:30.799 --> 00:56:35.159
even though at the end of the day, he still knows that I'm the top dog.

00:56:35.959 --> 00:56:41.339
That's it. Even though now, look, he's got all big playing football.

00:56:41.539 --> 00:56:47.359
He's about 6'3 now, 2'30", and want to try and test me a little bit every night.

00:56:47.479 --> 00:56:50.619
He walked through the house trying to bump into me a little bit every night,

00:56:50.619 --> 00:56:55.819
I mean, and I had to let them know I'm still I still got that grown man strength to put on this.

00:56:56.479 --> 00:56:58.619
I'm still the top dog.

00:57:00.439 --> 00:57:06.139
Man, listen, it was amazing. I love catching up with you. What is it? New Life Center.

00:57:07.039 --> 00:57:11.499
What else do you want to give the people before we go?

00:57:11.659 --> 00:57:16.799
Because we've reached the hour and I know, like you said, you got boundaries

00:57:16.799 --> 00:57:20.519
and you have you have an orchestra. you have to orchestrate and you have things

00:57:20.519 --> 00:57:22.859
you have to do. We appreciate you being here.

00:57:23.179 --> 00:57:28.979
Is there anything you want to say, talk about, or tell the people real quick before we leave?

00:57:29.499 --> 00:57:33.739
I just want to make sure people have the information to access the New Life Center.