Dad's job
The Protector
Make the risk smart, not smaller.
Every instinct says make the danger go away. The job is to make it survivable. Set the boundary, check the gear, plan the pickup, then let them take the risk they were going to take anyway, with you quietly underneath it.
Judgment beats "careful" from a lawn chair. Know when you're out of your depth, and never be the part of the call they're scared of.
How The Protector opens in the book
“Careful!”
I must have yelled that word a thousand times at Strohecker’s Park in Portland during long afternoons beneath its famous Oregon white oak while my kids climbed around above me, contributing virtually nothing except periodic reminders that falling would be unpleasant.
…
From the book
5 true stories in The Protector.
- The Twins
- The Snowfield
- The Basement
- The Flamethrower
- The Twice Watered Down Vodka
Find out what happened in the book.
Preorder on Amazon →Sh!t we wish we'd known
#14 Earshot Counts as Watching
Check the real hazards, then give them as much room as this kid, in this place, can handle. Check when things go suspiciously quiet.
- #15
- #16
- #17
- #18
4 more for The Protector. We're not giving away all 44 on a website. Feb 16, 2027.
Be The Protector this weekend.
Things to try with your kid, from strongerKIDS.org.
Bike Ramp Build
Plywood and a couple of bricks. Test it slow. Test it fast. Stick the landing.
Campfire Cooking
Foil packets over fire. No stovetop allowed. Kid cooks outside only.
Sleep Outside Alone
Backyard. Tent optional. One full night. No coming inside for any reason.
One dad. Eight jobs.
The trick is knowing which one your kid needs right now.
On sale February 16, 2027 ·
Dads Who Give a Sh!t
44 Things We Wish We'd Known While Raising Kids
Drew Klonsky and Brent Hieggelke · Skyhorse Publishing
© 2026–2027 Sporty Carrot LLC. All rights reserved.