Every father should have honest conversations with his son. In this episode of The Dear Son, Show, we explore the lessons fathers must teach their sons before adulthood.

From Daycare Abuse to Autism Advocacy: Will Adams on Fatherhood, Purpose & The Village Network

In this episode of The Dear Son Show, host D Johns sits down with neighbor and nonprofit founder Will Adams, Sr. to discuss fatherhood, identity, and purpose through the lens of raising a son with autism. Will shares how his family discovered his youngest son’s needs after a daycare abuse case surfaced six months later through CPS, leading to a difficult diagnosis process and years of depression he largely masked while in corporate America. He explains the importance of early intervention, therapies, and ABA, and describes meaningful milestones like hearing his son say “Happy New Year” and progressing to full sentences. Will also talks about being laid off, ego and provision, building The Village Network to support fathers and families navigating autism, and challenging misconceptions while encouraging kindness and education about special needs.

00:00 Daycare Abuse Shock

01:21 Show Welcome Guest Intro

02:48 Life After Corporate Exit

04:00 Building The Village Network

06:42 Layoff Ego And Purpose

13:30 Kids Notice The Changes

16:20 How Autism Was Discovered

19:58 Diagnosis Depression And Masking

21:50 Early Intervention And ABA

25:08 Accepting A New Fatherhood

28:33 Learning Love And Communication

30:26 First Words Moment

32:19 Milestones Worth Celebrating

33:42 Family Shift and Legacy

35:52 Autism Misconceptions

38:28 Advocacy as a Black Dad

40:24 Dad Linkups Safe Space

42:28 Authenticity Over Clout

44:23 Called to the Work

51:33 Grace and Fear of Success

58:19 Fatherhood Without a Dad

01:01:03 Where to Find The Village

01:01:45 Final Message Be Kind

#fathersonrelationship #adviceformen #modernfatherhood #adultchildren #lifelessonsformen #raisingmen #raisingkids #mantalk

Channel Focus Areas:

“What Fathers Should Teach Their Sons”

“How to Be a Better Father”

“Father Son Relationship Advice”

“Mistakes Fathers Make”

“Lessons Every Man Should Learn”

Shop DSN Merch: https://thedearsonshop.store

Follow Will: https://instagram.com/thavillagepodcast

https://instagram.com/bigsir_84

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The Three Foundational Pillars of the DSP Community

1. Reveal trauma

2. Heal from trauma

3. Help through telling stories of it all

“Better Man. Better Father.”

The Dear Son, Network ®

Every father should have honest conversations with his son. In this episode of The Dear Son, Show, we explore the lessons fathers must teach their sons before adulthood.

Dear Son: Don’t Get Your Qualifications Disqualified

On The Dear Son Show, hosts Jey Blac and D Johns discuss how people can “disqualify” themselves despite being qualified—through pride, distractions, emotional reactions, or poor decisions. They reflect on fatherhood challenges like knowing when to let sons learn lessons the hard way, recognizing different expressions of focus, and helping children seek support such as tutors or therapy without making it about parental failure. The conversation covers owning outcomes and opportunity cost, finding mentors, staying consistent when consequences from the past surface, and not letting one negative comment outweigh broader impact. They also share workplace lessons about power, courtesy, and long-term cycles of authority, plus a personal story about wasting time over a $25 tire plug as a reminder to pause before acting on frustration.

00:00 Let Them Learn Lessons

01:10 Welcome to Dear Son

01:33 Fall Check In and Community

02:26 Making Space for Priorities

03:57 Qualifications Disqualified

05:49 Don’t Let Doubt In

09:36 Distractions After Graduation

13:44 Pushing Without Controlling

17:00 Asking for Help Matters

20:27 Own Your Outcome

21:55 Mentors for Young Men

24:14 When You Need New Tools

26:41 Learning Through Deficiency

28:04 Understanding Depression Together

28:56 Ego and Asking for Help

29:41 Stop Justifying Relapse

34:05 Consequences Lag Lesson

34:45 Money Habits and Lifestyle Creep

38:48 Gatekeepers and Compassion

43:09 Seize Teachable Moments

46:04 Power Leapfrog and Humility

48:53 Yesterday Today Tomorrow Balance

50:41 Tire Shop Value Lesson

54:45 Final Fatherhood Takeaways

#fathersonrelationship #adviceformen #modernfatherhood #adultchildren #lifelessonsformen #raisingmen #raisingkids #mantalk #newtofatherhood

Channel Focus Areas:

“What Fathers Should Teach Their Sons”

“How to Be a Better Father”

“Father Son Relationship Advice”

“Mistakes Fathers Make”

“Lessons Every Man Should Learn”

Shop DSN Merch: https://thedearsonshop.store

Follow James: https://instagram.com/jeyblac

Also, if you've made it this far, don't forget to:

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Let’s connect socially:

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The Three Foundational Pillars of the DSP Community

1. Reveal trauma

2. Heal from trauma

3. Help through telling stories of it all

“Better Man. Better Father.”

The Dear Son, Network ®

Every father should have honest conversations with his son. In this episode of The Dear Son, Show, we explore the lessons fathers must teach their sons before adulthood.

A Father-Son Conversation on Legacy, Loss, and Breaking Cycles | Dear Son Network (Ep. 4 – 5-Year Anniversary)

D Johns re-releases and remasters his first unscripted podcast conversation with his father, Leonard Johns, for the show’s five-year anniversary. Leonard reflects on growing up in a stable two-parent home, his father’s early death at 46, and how a largely nonverbal, hardworking dad shaped his own parenting style. They discuss fond memories of his father’s carpentry, the pain of returning from Vietnam to face family loss, guilt and unprocessed grief, and how those experiences influenced Leonard’s distance, discipline, and later self-reflection—especially after a prostate cancer diagnosis that refocused him on legacy and family. The two address misunderstandings from D.’s childhood, generational differences, marriage and affection models, and the purpose of the platform: clarifying, healing, and ending negative cycles. Subscribe and share, and comment which part of their conversation resonated most with you.

00:00 Welcome Back Episode Four

00:58 Introducing Dad Leonard

02:31 His Fatherhood Snapshot

04:01 Growing Up Without Feeling Poor

05:20 Losing His Father Young

06:29 Quiet Dad Big Impact

09:02 Expectations And Validation

12:52 Vietnam Hospice Goodbye

15:06 Tools Shipped From Vietnam

17:58 Grandfather Anchor And Legacy

19:18 Grief Guilt And Mentors

22:44 Becoming A Father Without Dad

24:09 Distance Overcorrecting And Discipline

28:03 Fear of Disappointing Dad

28:53 Running Away Memory

30:36 Dad Reflects on Parenting

31:19 Family Sayings Explained

36:57 Puberty Talk Regrets

38:50 Watching You Parent

44:00 Grandparents Go Softer

46:19 Losing Dad and Cancer

50:14 Legacy After Diagnosis

51:46 Saying What We Feel

55:21 Breaking Negative Cycles

57:25 Father to Father Advice

59:19 Closing and Call to Action

#fathersonrelationship #adviceformen #modernfatherhood #adultchildren #lifelessonsformen #raisingmen #raisingkids #mantalk #oldschool

Channel Focus Areas:

“What Fathers Should Teach Their Sons”

“How to Be a Better Father”

“Father Son Relationship Advice”

“Mistakes Fathers Make”

“Lessons Every Man Should Learn”

Shop DSN Merch: https://thedearsonshop.store

Follow James: https://instagram.com/jeyblac

Also, if you've made it this far, don't forget to:

1. subscribe to the channel,

2. turn on the notifications,

3. like this video,

4. leave a comment, and

5. share this content with someone who needs it.

The DSP: https://thedearsonpodcast.com

Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors:

Love Kisha J Studios: https://houseoflkj.com

Let’s connect socially:

https://instagram.com/thedearsonpodcast

https://facebook.com/thedearsonpodcast

The Three Foundational Pillars of the DSP Community

1. Reveal trauma

2. Heal from trauma

3. Help through telling stories of it all

“Better Man. Better Father.”

The Dear Son, Network ®

Every father should have honest conversations with his son. In this episode of The Dear Son, Show, we explore the lessons fathers must teach their sons before adulthood.

From DUIs to Redemption: Steve Anderson on Addiction, Prison, Fatherhood & Faith | Dear Son Show

Steve Anderson joins D Johns on The Dear Son Show to share how alcohol-fueled choices led to multiple DUIs, fighting, a felony DUI with great bodily injury, and eventually a third DUI that sent him to prison for a year and a half. He describes a turning point through Christian rehab, his father’s unwavering support, and leading a growing Bible study in prison where dozens of men got saved. Steve discusses leaving corporate to become an entrepreneur, facing his 13-year-old daughter’s suicidal ideations, relapse risks, and the importance of community and accountability through The Good Dad Tribe. He reflects on divorce, co-parenting three kids, parenting with fun and structure, learning patience, and staying aligned with God while rebuilding his life.

00:00 Alcohol Fueled Downfall

01:46 Show Intro And Guest Welcome

03:38 What Im Good Really Means

05:40 Pastors Kid Pressure

08:33 Living A Double Life

10:39 Daughters Crisis And Relapse

15:39 Seeing Dad As Human

16:58 Felony DUI And Rehab

21:50 Marriage Stability Then Slip

23:56 Third DUI Prison Wake Up

26:29 Sin Is A Series

28:14 Counting the Cost

29:00 Dad’s Integrity Question

30:34 Time Served and Prison Ministry

32:55 Fresh Start in Texas

33:37 Scars and Accountability

34:49 Best Friends After Divorce

36:11 Forgiving Yourself

37:41 Parenting With Structure

39:05 Not Bleeding on Kids

40:19 Pride in the Children

41:42 Resilience and Staying Aligned

44:15 Love Later, Focus Now

45:06 Waiting Well and Patience

47:59 Entrepreneurship Storm Season

50:30 Dear Son Final Answer

52:19 Where to Find Steve

53:28 Changing the Narrative Together

54:56 Final Wrap and Blessing

#fathersonrelationship #adviceformen #modernfatherhood #adultchildren #lifelessonsformen #raisingmen #raisingkids #mantalk

Channel Focus Areas:

“What Fathers Should Teach Their Sons”

“How to Be a Better Father”

“Father Son Relationship Advice”

“Mistakes Fathers Make”

“Lessons Every Man Should Learn”

Shop DSN Merch: https://thedearsonshop.store

Follow James: https://instagram.com/jeyblac

Also, if you've made it this far, don't forget to:

1. subscribe to the channel,

2. turn on the notifications,

3. like this video,

4. leave a comment, and

5. share this content with someone who needs it.

The DSP: https://thedearsonpodcast.com

Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors:

Love Kisha J Studios: https://houseoflkj.com

Let’s connect socially:

https://instagram.com/thedearsonpodcast

https://facebook.com/thedearsonpodcast

The Three Foundational Pillars of the DSP Community

1. Reveal trauma

2. Heal from trauma

3. Help through telling stories of it all

“Better Man. Better Father.”

The Dear Son, Network ®

Every father should have honest conversations with his son. In this episode of The Dear Son, Show, we explore the lessons fathers must teach their sons before adulthood.

Is It Racist or Just Wrong? Teaching Our Sons How to Respond Without Losing Control | Dear Son Show

On the Dear Son Show, hosts D Johns and Jey Blac discuss the theme “it’s not right, but it’s okay,” sparked by an incident where D. Johns’ son, working in customer service, was loudly accused by an older white customer of miscounting change despite doing the right thing. They use the moment to talk about reacting appropriately, de-escalating to achieve the best outcome, and how being right differs from facilitating the right outcome. The conversation expands to parenting Black sons in a tense 2026 climate, when and how to discuss racism and discrimination without projecting paranoia, and how past experiences shape the “lens” parents pass to children. They also address misinformation, social media groupthink, election-cycle polarization, and the long-term consequences of public reactions and opinions.

00:00 Is It Racist Or Wrong

02:03 Show Intro And Hosts

02:31 Football Banter

03:31 Housekeeping And Merch

05:12 Topic Not Right But Okay

06:12 Son’s Customer Incident

07:53 Reactions And Outcomes

11:31 Talking Race With Kids

14:15 Generational Lens And Bias

19:17 History Control And Records

21:14 Growing Up In Shreveport

24:23 Projecting Fear Onto Kids

27:21 Neighborhoods Change Over Time

28:20 Property Decline Cycle

28:58 Gentrification Versus Progress

30:06 Teaching Street Awareness

33:40 Workplace Bias Lessons

36:37 Raising Kids With Context

39:47 Humanity Over Status

43:06 Internet Groupthink Dangers

48:44 Think Before You Post

53:29 Closing Advice and Wrap

#fathersonrelationship #adviceformen #modernfatherhood #adultchildren #lifelessonsformen #raisingmen #raisingkids #mantalk

Channel Focus Areas:

“What Fathers Should Teach Their Sons”

“How to Be a Better Father”

“Father Son Relationship Advice”

“Mistakes Fathers Make”

“Lessons Every Man Should Learn”

Shop DSN Merch: https://thedearsonshop.store

Follow James: https://instagram.com/jeyblac

Also, if you've made it this far, don't forget to:

1. subscribe to the channel,

2. turn on the notifications,

3. like this video,

4. leave a comment, and

5. share this content with someone who needs it.

The DSP: https://thedearsonpodcast.com

Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors:

Love Kisha J Studios: https://houseoflkj.com

Let’s connect socially:

https://instagram.com/thedearsonpodcast

https://facebook.com/thedearsonpodcast

The Three Foundational Pillars of the DSP Community

1. Reveal trauma

2. Heal from trauma

3. Help through telling stories of it all

“Better Man. Better Father.”

The Dear Son, Network ®

Every father should have honest conversations with his son. In this episode of The Dear Son, Show, we explore the lessons fathers must teach their sons before adulthood.

John Lewis on Childhood Trauma, Identity in Christ, and Becoming the Father His Son Needs | Dear Son Show

On the Dear Son Show, host D Johns talks with Jon Lewis about growing up in Pleasant Grove, his parents’ divorce around age 12, and being told he was “the man of the house,” which led to pressure to perform, resentment, and years of carrying responsibility for his mother and brother. John shares experiences of child abuse and being molested while protecting his brother from a neighbor, and how his father’s reaction left him feeling unprotected. He describes learning his worth beyond providing, seeking affirmation in relationships, pursuing therapy and coaching, and having difficult but healing conversations with his mother and later his father, who apologized and shared his own fatherlessness. John recounts years of nonstop crises, including a gun being pointed at him, a legal case, and a head injury causing cognitive deficits, and explains how faith and community helped him cope. He discusses how these lessons shape his relationship with his son and highlights his journal, “When God Calls You by Name,” about men’s identity in a biblical framework, available via @justjohnlewis.

00:00 Childhood Trauma Revealed

01:11 Welcome to Dear Son

01:44 Fighting for a Smile

02:04 Family Life Updates

03:40 Where You From Dallas

05:11 Parents Divorce Fallout

09:07 Man of the House Pressure

13:14 Resentment and Rejection

15:38 Healing Talk With Dad

17:43 Learning Self Worth

20:10 Therapy and Mom Talks

23:21 Molestation and No Protection

25:01 Protector Identity and Aggression

26:20 Living for Me After COVID

27:44 Love and Brain Cancer

28:59 Blended Family Commitment

30:33 Identity After Loss

32:22 Life Event After Event

33:15 Gunpoint Hotel Incident

36:11 Injury And Recovery

36:43 Community Over Isolation

41:00 Faith Becomes Real

45:03 Fatherhood With Honesty

48:58 What I Wish Dad Said

51:36 Book On Men's Identity

54:26 Where To Find The Book

54:48 Final Thanks And Outro

#fathersonrelationship #adviceformen #modernfatherhood #adultchildren #lifelessonsformen #raisingmen #raisingkids #mantalk #childhoodtrauma #fatherwounds #motherwounds

Channel Focus Areas:

“What Fathers Should Teach Their Sons”

“How to Be a Better Father”

“Father Son Relationship Advice”

“Mistakes Fathers Make”

“Lessons Every Man Should Learn”

Shop DSN Merch: https://thedearsonshop.store

Follow Jon: https://instagram.com/justjonlewis

Also, if you've made it this far, don't forget to:

1. subscribe to the channel,

2. turn on the notifications,

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5. share this content with someone who needs it.

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Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors:

Love Kisha J Studios: https://houseoflkj.com

Let’s connect socially:

https://instagram.com/thedearsonpodcast

https://facebook.com/thedearsonpodcast

The Three Foundational Pillars of the DSP Community

1. Reveal trauma

2. Heal from trauma

3. Help through telling stories of it all

“Better Man. Better Father.”

The Dear Son, Network ®

Every father should have honest conversations with his son. In this episode of The Dear Son, Show, we explore the lessons fathers must teach their sons before adulthood.

Dear Son: Just Because You Could Doesn’t Mean You Should (AI, Discipline, and Fatherhood Lessons)

Jey Blac and D Johns open The Dear Son, Show by introducing the theme “just because you could doesn’t mean you should,” reflecting on how freedom can lead to poor choices and how fathers decide when to intervene with kids versus letting consequences teach. They discuss students relying on AI to transcribe lectures and complete work, warning that it can reinforce laziness and produce graduates who can pass exams but can’t perform in real jobs, drawing on hiring-manager experience and entitlement seen in interviews. They also connect the idea to professionalism in business, where owners may abuse flexibility at the cost of customers’ trust. The hosts share parenting stories about checking on a college son’s grades and avoiding assumptions after misreading a situation at home. They promote the merch store, tease upcoming lives and a docuseries update, and encourage audience support via likes, subscriptions, memberships, and sponsorships.

00:00 Just Because You Can

01:40 Welcome to Dear Son

02:26 Catching Up and Wins

03:44 Merch and Hoodies

04:53 Topic Setup and Parenting Lens

06:32 AI in the Classroom

10:09 What Grades Measure

12:47 Real Skills vs Credentials

14:29 Workplace Reality Check

16:56 Professionalism and Entitlement

21:01 Convenience Without Earning

22:13 Leaving Life to Chance

23:23 Grave Secrets Debate

23:53 Baton Rouge Trip Canceled

24:51 Parenting With Prompts

26:56 Dad Assumptions Lesson

30:52 Default Parent Reality

32:01 Q4 Plans And Lives

33:58 Could Versus Should

35:49 Let People Support

39:03 Finish Year Strong

39:26 Final Sign Off

#fathersonrelationship #adviceformen #modernfatherhood #adultchildren #lifelessonsformen #raisingmen #raisingkids #mantalk #AIandparenting #parentinggenz

Channel Focus Areas:

“What Fathers Should Teach Their Sons”

“How to Be a Better Father”

“Father Son Relationship Advice”

“Mistakes Fathers Make”

“Lessons Every Man Should Learn”

Shop DSN Merch: https://thedearsonshop.store

Follow James: https://instagram.com/jeyblac

Also, if you've made it this far, don't forget to:

1. subscribe to the channel,

2. turn on the notifications,

3. like this video,

4. leave a comment, and

5. share this content with someone who needs it.

The DSP: https://thedearsonpodcast.com

Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors:

Love Kisha J Studios: https://houseoflkj.com

Let’s connect socially:

https://instagram.com/thedearsonpodcast

https://facebook.com/thedearsonpodcast

The Three Foundational Pillars of the DSP Community

1. Reveal trauma

2. Heal from trauma

3. Help through telling stories of it all

“Better Man. Better Father.”

The Dear Son, Network ®

Every father should have honest conversations with his son. In this episode of The Dear Son, Show, we explore the lessons fathers must teach their sons before adulthood.

Beleaf on Fatherhood, Identity, and Healing: From Baltimore Trauma to Building a Family Legacy

In this episode of The Dear Son Show, the host talks with Glen “Beleaf” Henry, creator of Beleaf in Fatherhood, about growing up in Baltimore with a single mother, a distant but present father, and how trauma shaped his views on love, Black identity, sex, and family. Glen shares suicidal thoughts from childhood, the pivotal call to his father that led him to move to California, and how exposure to other families, mentors, hip-hop, Upward Bound, and an HBCU helped restore pride in Blackness and expand his vision of manhood. They discuss marriage, serving a spouse, pressures of leadership and entrepreneurship, boundaries around family and public life, and how Glen’s book "Father Yourself First" pushed him toward therapy conversations with his mother. Subscribe for more meaningful fatherhood conversations, and comment with the moment that hit you the hardest.

00:00 Searching For Love

01:55 Dear Son Show Intro

03:41 Roots And Home Base

04:55 Baltimore Survival Lessons

05:57 Learning Black Is Beautiful

08:40 Complicated Father Bond

12:18 Suicidal Crisis And Reset

16:39 Moms Trauma And Abuse

20:16 Sex And Seeking Validation

28:04 Mentors And Better Models

33:00 Reclaiming Black Identity

35:48 Upward Bound Awakening

39:17 College Culture And Hotep Era

41:21 Faith Shift In California

42:54 GPA Confessions And Distractions

44:23 Leaving College Hungry

44:53 Meeting His Future Wife

45:59 Myspace to Marriage

47:23 A Pastor Models Family

49:48 Learning Leadership at Home

53:23 Serving Through Pregnancy

55:59 Strength Misread as No Help

01:00:05 Entrepreneurship Pressure

01:01:02 Obedience Over Comfort

01:10:47 Losing Deals Going Offline

01:16:28 Writing the Book Therapy

01:21:41 Marriage Is a Future Bet

01:23:11 Talking to Kids Honestly

01:26:08 Gratitude for Three Generations

01:33:19 Wrap Up and Where to Buy

#fathersonrelationship #adviceformen #modernfatherhood #adultchildren #lifelessonsformen #raisingmen #raisingkids #mantalk

Channel Focus Areas:

“What Fathers Should Teach Their Sons”

“How to Be a Better Father”

“Father Son Relationship Advice”

“Mistakes Fathers Make”

“Lessons Every Man Should Learn”

Shop DSN Merch: https://thedearsonshop.store

Follow Beleaf: https://instagram.com/beleafmel

https://shop.beleafinfatherhood.com

"Father Yourself First": https://www.amazon.com/dp/1400254035?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

Also, if you've made it this far, don't forget to:

1. subscribe to the channel,

2. turn on the notifications,

3. like this video,

4. leave a comment, and

5. share this content with someone who needs it.

The DSP: https://thedearsonpodcast.com

Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors:

Love Kisha J Studios: https://houseoflkj.com

Let’s connect socially:

https://instagram.com/thedearsonpodcast

https://facebook.com/thedearsonpodcast

The Three Foundational Pillars of the DSP Community

1. Reveal trauma

2. Heal from trauma

3. Help through telling stories of it all

“Better Man. Better Father.”

The Dear Son, Network ®