Fear and Parenting in the Suburbs

My kids and I SCUBA diving in Puerto Rico during the Pandemic summer of 2020

Hunter S. Thompson once said, “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” He wasn’t talking about parenting—but he could have been.

Because here’s the truth: I’ve been in combat zones, been head instructor at Navy SEAL sniper school, and some of the best to stay cool under pressure. None of that compares to trying to get three kids out the door for school on time. Not to mention eating healthy!

Parenting is its own brand of madness. The kind with Goldfish crackers ground into the car floor, unidentifiable stains on the couch, and questions like, “Why is there toothpaste on the dog?”

The weirdness is the point. The messes, the meltdowns, the ordinary chaos, this is where resilience is forged. Not by shielding our kids from every puddle, but by letting them jump in, make a splash, fall, and get back up again. That’s how joy and toughness grow side by side.

This is why I wrote Puddle Jumpers: How to Grow Bold, Joyful, Resilient Kids, One Mess at a Time.

It’s not a manual. It’s a field guide, stitched together from scars, mistakes, and a lot of laughter of my own parenting experience.

And here’s the kicker: the same mental toughness and positive psychology I once taught snipers are the tools that keep me (mostly) sane as a dad. Call it survival. Either way, I’m glad you’re here in the trenches with me.

Brandon