Raising Men – Details, episodes & analysis

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Raising Men

Shaun Dawson

Kids & Family

Frequency: 1 episode/5d. Total Eps: 68

Raising Men is a podcast about parenting, masculinity, and the lifelong journey of raising sons—and ourselves—to be men of courage, character, and purpose. Hosted by Shaun Dawson, each episode features real conversations with parents, leaders, and thinkers redefining what it means to raising men in today’s world.

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🇺🇸 USA - parenting
28/08/2026
#67

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https://www.fairplaylife.com
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https://beentheregotout.com/
4 shares
https://www.on-boys-podcast.com/
4 shares

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Score global : 73%

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Redefining Consent for Every Area of Life with Tiffany Braxton

Episode 66

Thursday, August 27, 2026 • Duration 21:04

In this follow-up conversation, host Shaun Dawson reunites with Tiffany Braxton, author of Consent Comics, to unpack why traditional cultural messaging around consent often turns men off—and how to reframe it productively. Moving past narrow sexual contexts, Tiffany presents consent as an accessible, everyday framework for living that centers on recognizing, enforcing, and respecting healthy boundaries across time, personal space, and relationships. Shaun and Tiffany discuss her book’s visual roadmaps, such as "Navigating Consent" and "What a Consensual Yes Feels Like," exploring how these tools empower both children and adults to honor their own boundaries and those of others. Together, they explore the nuance between coercion and encouraging curiosity, the danger of living in a boundaryless world of mistrust, and why enforcing boundaries is an essential mark of healthy masculinity. This episode offers a refreshing, empowering guide to practicing consent as a holistic lifestyle.

Key Takeaways

Consent Extends Far Beyond Sex: Consent applies to time, space, personal belongings, and emotional boundaries, offering a complete roadmap for everyday life.
Rules Are Too Rigid: Teaching consent through rigid rules fails across nuanced situations; instead, consent must be built on genuine curiosity, trust, and emotional safety.
A Consensual Yes Creates Safety and Mutual Joy: Enforcing boundaries ensures that saying "yes" brings feelings of freedom, security, excitement, and certainty rather than pressure.
Self-Respect Is Part of the Equation: Respecting a decision includes respecting your own internal "no," even when you feel societal or social pressure to comply.
Healthy Boundaries Define True Masculinity: Enforcing, protecting, and respecting boundaries—and creating a culture where others can do the same—is a foundational pillar of healthy masculinity.

"When you look at someone as a valuable human being capable of controlling the thing within their life, then you realize that you're also the same." — Tiffany Braxton

"Consent isn't rocket science. Consent is something that we can all understand... for me, consent is so much more than just a yes or a no. It's a way of living." — Tiffany Braxton

"You are invited and you are not the problem—you are 100% a part of the solution, and the solution is for all of us." — Tiffany Braxton

00:00 Welcome back and reframing consent beyond cultural messaging
00:40 Viewing consent as enforcing and respecting healthy boundaries
02:13 Introducing Consent Comics and navigating the decision tree roadmap
03:22 Why consent applies to time, belongings, and space rather than just sex
05:42 Explaining the "Navigating Consent" flow diagram for kids and adults
07:40 Respecting your own decision when you need to say no
08:14 Defining what a true consensual yes feels like
11:04 Encouraging friends versus pressuring them to cross boundaries
13:34 Why genuine curiosity beats rigid rules in relationships
17:17 Inviting men into the conversation on the Consent Comics website
19:39 Enforcing and protecting healthy boundaries as healthy masculinity
20:58 Wrap up

Books, Links and Frameworks Mentioned

Books & Publications:

Consent Comics by Tiffany Braxton https://consentcomics.com/

Frameworks & Concepts:

Navigating Consent Decision Tree: A simplified visual roadmap asking "Is it mine? Is it yours? Is it ours?" to determine boundary permissions.
What a Consensual Yes Feels Like: A resource mapping out the emotional benchmarks (safety, certainty, freedom, joy) required for genuine consent.
Curiosity vs. Pressure Framework: Distinguishing between pressuring someone into compliance versus asking curious questions out of care and trust.

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How Parents Can Teach Respect and Boundaries at Home with Tiffany Braxton

Episode 65

Monday, August 24, 2026 • Duration 53:47

In this episode of Raising Men, Shaun Dawson sits down with author, activist, and educator Tiffany Braxton to explore consent, personal power, and respect. Overloaded with cultural baggage and zero-sum framing, the conversation around boundaries often alienates men and boys by painting them strictly as aggressors. Tiffany reframes this dynamic through her book, Consent Comics, which uses layered storytelling to present consent as a universal principle of mutual care, relationship safety, and human dignity rather than a set of rigid rules.

Together, they discuss moving away from shame-based narratives, the power of active parental modeling, and the importance of teaching young boys to respect boundaries without sacrificing their emotional openness or spontaneity. Tiffany shares personal insights on establishing safety within relationships, helping children express autonomy, and creating a culture where a clear "no" is met with respect and zero negative consequences.

Key Takeaways

Consent is built on mutual respect and safety, not rigid rules or us-versus-them antagonisms.
Framing boys purely as potential aggressors causes them to withdraw or embrace toxic narratives.
Respecting a boundary without consequences is the baseline of any healthy relationship.
Children learn boundary setting and enforcement best through daily parental modeling.
Effective consent preserves spontaneity by prioritizing an empowered, enthusiastic choice.

"I want each and every one of us to feel like we have the space that is safety around our bodies and ultimately our decisions, regardless of who we are."

"When you make it where someone feels respected when they are not in the mood and they don't want to do these things, then all the other moments are so much better."

00:00 Framing the consent conversation
02:24 Me Too culture
05:39 Practical problem-solving
07:51 Balancing spontaneous intimacy
09:23 Reaching male audiences 20:38 Why traditional consent discussions alienate young men23:07 Using comics and gender-neutral characters to show boundaries28:46 Healthy mutual consent versus over-complicated rules 32:32 Defining healthy masculinity through safety and respect 41:09 Recognizing nonverbal ways people express a no 54:09 Modeling boundaries and autonomy for younger children

How Manly Are You?

Episode 56

Thursday, July 23, 2026 • Duration 35:16

What does a healthy vision of masculinity actually look like, and how do we measure our progress toward it? In this episode of Raising Men, host Shaun Dawson is joined live by Don Ross, creator of Manhood Tribes, to take and dissect Don’s “How Manly Are You?” questionnaire.

Together, they walk through Shaun’s live self-assessment—covering everything from emergency eye-flushing home repair mishaps and physical capability to time margin, male friendships, and standing up against power abuse. Don breaks down the underlying framework of the quiz: the 5 Marks of Manhood (Strength, Courage, Skill, Honor, and Allegiance). They unpack why strength is built for service, how honor requires relational depth within a male tribe, and how true allegiance means aligning daily time and mind share with core values. This conversation provides an honest, practical mirror for any man looking to track his growth and show up better for his family.

Key Takeaways

Strength Is Built for Service: True masculine physical strength is not about vanity or aesthetic perfection; it is about developing a capable body that can handle daily demands and step up during emergencies to protect and serve others.
Courage Means Moving Toward Fear: Courage is not the absence of fear or bravado, but the active choice to lean into discomfort—whether facing physical danger or initiating a hard, necessary conversation.
Honor Is an Inherently Relational Trait: Honor cannot exist in isolation. It is earned horizontally within a trusted tribe of peers who share your values, challenge your shortcomings, and hold you accountable.
Allegiance Requires Mind Share and Margin: True allegiance is demonstrated through how you manage authority, habits, and time. Overcommitted schedules and lack of margin rob men of the ability to live intentionally according to their core principles.
Masculinity Is Dynamic, Not Static: Growth in manhood is an ongoing journey rather than a single destination. Periodic self-assessment helps men identify seasonal blind spots and continuously level up across different life chapters.

Why Every Father Needs a Tribe with Don Ross

Episode 55

Monday, July 20, 2026 • Duration 47:37

Together, Shaun and Don dive deep into the cultural confusion surrounding modern masculinity and the isolation epidemic trapping today's fathers. Don shares his raw, personal journey of overcoming an addiction to pornography by bringing his struggles out of the dark and into the light with a trusted brother. This conversation serves as a powerful tactical guide for any father wanting to build a life-changing brotherhood for himself while modeling authentic, honorable connection for his sons.

Key Takeaways

Willpower Alone Fails against Vices: Modern vices like internet pornography and sports gambling are psychologically designed to hijack the male brain, meaning raw discipline and willpower are rarely enough to break free.
The Isolation Epidemic Is Real: Men are currently facing a widespread isolation crisis. While many do not explicitly identify it as "loneliness," they lack even a single trusted friend they can turn to during a personal crisis.
Shame Drives Struggles Underground: Shaming behavior—whether used by a parent toward a son or by a man toward himself—festers toxic habits in the dark; true freedom requires bringing hidden struggles out into the light.
The Three Pillars of a Tribe: Building a transformative brotherhood requires three critical components: a clear vision of manhood, deep camaraderie that goes beyond surface hobbies, and an intentional pursuit of personal freedom.
Honor Is Taught through Peer Circles: True honor is about carrying your own weight and doing right by your peers. Boys naturally seek the approval of their friends, making it essential to guide them toward healthy, value-aligned friend groups.

"The missing piece to overcoming their toughest challenges isn't willpower, it's not discipline, it's not even prayer—it's community."

"We have a weird kind of paradox in our culture for men where we don't want to ask for the help that we would willingly offer if we were in our own shoes."

"Shame thrives in darkness and in hiddenness. The moment that you start to bring it out into the light with another human being... those lies don't make sense anymore."

Grief Legacy and the True Cost of Waiting to Have Kids

Episode 54

Thursday, July 16, 2026 • Duration 10:12

Thirty years ago, Shaun Dawson sat by his mother's bedside in Albuquerque, New Mexico, watching her take her final breath. In this deeply moving and intensely personal solo episode, Shaun looks back at the raw reality of that loss and the decades of grief that followed. He unpacks the complex emotions of a young college student wrestling with anger, resentment, and a profound sense of impending loss—emotions that still spark moments of shame and reflection today. Shaun shares the beautiful, funny, and deeply human moments of his mother’s final days, including the invaluable guidance of hospice care and the legacy left behind in a series of cassette tapes. Ultimately, this episode is a contemplation on legacy, the choices we make as parents, the biological cost of starting a family later in life, and how we can consciously choose to honor those who shaped us.

Key Takeaways

Grief is an active choice: While the pain of early loss is imposed upon us, over time we can consciously choose how we engage with and process our grief.
The mythologizing of parents: Over decades of absence, we tend to turn lost parents into mythological figures, but rediscovering their raw, messy humanity is where true connection lies.
The double-edged sword of older parenting: Waiting to have children offers the advantages of wealth, wisdom, and patience, but it comes with the painful risk of missing out on their adulthood.
Forgiveness over resentment: Confronting youthful anger and the shame of how we treated loved ones during stressful times is a necessary step toward healing.
Hospice care is an essential bridge: Hospice workers serve a dual client system, gently guiding both the terminal patient and the grieving family through the threshold of death.

"I realized that this was inevitable and I could fight it and make it worse or I could try and make it as wonderful as I could." — Shaun Dawson

00:00 - Shaun reflects on the thirty-year anniversary of his mother's passing 01:00 - The indispensable role of hospice care for patients and families 02:00 - A backlit nurse raises the question of angels at the bedside 03:20 - Shifting from fighting the inevitable to making the end wonderful 04:30 - Reflecting on a risky three-week road trip before her passing 06:20 - Facing the anger, resentment, and youthful shame of those final months 07:50 - A mother’s quiet act of absolute grace and unconditional forgiveness 08:30 - Rediscovering a mother's raw humanity through inherited audio cassette tapes 09:50 - Pondering paternal legacy and how technology prevents parental mythologizing 11:40 - The painful trade-offs and biological costs of starting a family later in life 14:30 - Watching children grow from seeking closeness to wanting independence 15:50 - Recognizing the unconscious triggers of annual grief and honoring her legacy

Healing The Past To Protect Your Son's Future with Steve Biddulph

Episode 53

Monday, July 13, 2026 • Duration 58:40

In this deeply moving episode of Raising Men, host Shaun Dawson reunites with world-renowned psychologist and bestselling author Steve Biddulph to pivot the conversation from raising sons to transforming fathers. Moving past cultural caricatures, they dive into the profound psychological realities shaping modern masculinity. Steve explores his seminal concept of the "river of manhood," explaining how masculinity is a learned virtue that must flow into a boy from a community of good men rather than an innate quality. The discussion tackles the pervasive "father wound" that impacts up to 90% of men through estrangement, criticism, or emotional absence. By balancing the raw gravity of life with the necessity of emotional flexibility, Steve provides a generational roadmap for fathers to dismantle their emotional armor, engage in healing, and embrace active, soft-eyed presence.

Key Takeaways

Masculinity is a River that Must Flow: True manhood is not an inborn trait; it is a flexible, learned software passed down through thousands of hours of deep, exposed connection with healthy male role models.
The Illusion of Ego Fantasies: Every boy carries a "dream dad" and every father carries a "dream son," but these mental projections never align in reality. Forcing a child to act as an ego badge is a parenting catastrophe; true fatherhood requires loving the real person in front of you.
The Pervasiveness of the Father Wound: Statistically, only 10% of men report having a close, nourishing relationship with their fathers, leaving the remaining 90% struggling with wounds of estrangement, hyper-criticism, or duty-bound distance.
Three Timeless Truths of Male Initiation: Grounded in ancient rites of passage, young men must internalize three inner realities to transition into true adulthood: accept that they will die, realize their life is not entirely about them, and let go of the illusion of absolute control.
The Generational Power of Presence: Children live entirely in the present moment. A rich childhood is built out of thousands of individual "todays" marked by a father's eye-to-eye connection, full-bellied laughter, and gentle, un-harsh boundaries.

“Getting your ego fantasy of a kid in a real shape is a disaster. No kid is supposed to be the ego badge to be worn by their parents.” “If you can feel your own wounds, then you will not wound your own children.” “A good childhood is made up of 9,000 todays. Presence—if you can do presence, then your parenting and your partnering will work really, really well.”

Q&A: Initiations & Navigating the Digital Landscape

Episode 52

Thursday, July 9, 2026 • Duration 17:20

Navigating the threshold of modern adolescence requires more than passive autopilot parenting; it demands intentionality, real-world action, and an unyielding commitment to relational connection. In this powerful Q&A episode of the Raising Men Podcast, host Shaun Dawson steps into the breach to address the deep cultural noise and heavy transitions facing young men today. Drawing from the collective wisdom of past guests—including former Navy SEAL Eric Davis and men’s leadership pioneer Dan Doty—this session tackles two of the most pressing anxieties keeping fathers awake at night: engineering a meaningful, challenge-based rite of passage for a 13-year-old boy, and effectively countering the cynical grip of "black pill" algorithmic masculinity without resorting to counterproductive authoritarian tactics. Discover how to lower your son's defensive drawbridge, model healthy vulnerability, and present a high-definition version of masculinity right inside your own home.

Navigating the threshold of modern adolescence requires more than passive autopilot parenting; it demands intentionality, real-world action, and an unyielding commitment to relational connection. In this powerful Q&A episode of the Raising Men Podcast, host Shaun Dawson steps into the breach to address the deep cultural noise and heavy transitions facing young men today. Drawing from the collective wisdom of past guests—including former Navy SEAL Eric Davis and men’s leadership pioneer Dan Doty—this session tackles two of the most pressing anxieties keeping fathers awake at night: engineering a meaningful, challenge-based rite of passage for a 13-year-old boy, and effectively countering the cynical grip of "black pill" algorithmic masculinity without resorting to counterproductive authoritarian tactics. Discover how to lower your son's defensive drawbridge, model healthy vulnerability, and present a high-definition version of masculinity right inside your own home.

Key Topics Covered
Modern Rites of Passage: Navigating the critical 13-year-old threshold intentionally rather than letting it pass on autopilot.
Resilience as a Trainable Skill: Shifting away from passive digital consumption and building a boy's "bias towards action" through real-world outdoor adventures, physical challenges, and safe framework failure.
Deconstructing "Black Pill" Masculinity: Understanding why boys turn to hyper-cynical online gurus (like Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson) to resolve identity crises amidst a cultural male vacuum.Connection over Authoritarianism: Why blocking sites or playing the authoritarian enforcer backfires, and how to use relational equity and high-definition masculinity to compete with screens.Model the Struggle, Don't Just Be the Expert: You do not need to have every clean answer figured out. True leadership is being willing to stay in the room, sit in the discomfort, and model how to handle fear, power, and connection directly in front of your son.

— — —

The Secret Superpower of Parenting with Jody Hill

Episode 51

Monday, July 6, 2026 • Duration 01:06:16

In this episode of Raising Men, host Shaun Dawson sits down with Jody Hill, a best-selling author, speaker, and parenting sidekick, to unpack the transformative power of a parent’s words. Jody, the author of The Parent's Secret Superpower, shares a simple yet life-altering message: the language parents use daily directly shapes how children view themselves and navigate their futures. Moving past the pressure to read every parenting book or attend endless courses, she reminds parents that their greatest asset is already within them. Through powerful real-world stories and practical strategies, Jody explains how to resist the urge to constantly rescue children from minor struggles and instead build their long-term confidence. This deep dive explores how to intentionally construct a safe environment for kids to fail, shift our defaults from criticism to affirmation, and raise self-aware, independent adults.

Key Takeaways

Your Words Establish Your Child's Identity: The beliefs children form about themselves dictate how they show up in the room, face challenges, and navigate adulthood.
Equipping Over Rescuing: Swooping in to solve a child’s problems or struggles robs them of building real resilience and silently communicates that they are incapable.
Praise the Effort, Not Just the Result: Shifting the focus from final outcomes to hard work and persistence helps manage performance pressure and prevents kids from equating perfection with self-worth.
Create a Safe Place to Fail: Utilizing techniques like the "compliment sandwich" to affirm before correcting teaches children that mistakes are learning opportunities rather than moments for shame.
Parent Beyond the Immediate Moment: Pausing to reflect on the long-term goal of raising self-reliant adults stops emotional escalation and overrides the natural default to react with control or irritation.

"Your words are the greatest tool and the greatest asset that you have to change the trajectory of your child's life."

"When you see something that you want to speak to that could be a little bit better, pause and be like, 'What can I affirm first?' before I offer that correction out of a kind heart." "Equipping and empowering them—it's slower and it's longer... You gotta think about the end result, the long-term goal, not the in-the-moment."

The High Stakes of Raising Men in a Noisy World

Episode 50

Thursday, July 2, 2026 • Duration 18:25

In this powerful and deeply personal solo address, Shaun Dawson marks the 250th anniversary of the nation by examining the "quiet crisis" surrounding modern masculinity. Moving past polarized cultural narratives, Shaun argues that the current friction and pressure surrounding what it means to be a man is not bad news—it is a rare, pressure-testing opportunity to strip away performative habits and forge a healthy vision of manhood for the next generation. True masculinity isn't learned from a screen or a public performance; it is caught through proximity, intentional presence, and an unwavering commitment to show up. Shaun challenges parents, educators, and mentors to realize that when they choose to stand as a steady anchor against the virtual firehose of social media, they aren't just raising their own sons—they are holding the line for an entire generation.

Key Takeaways

Pressure Tests Reveal True Value: When foundational cultural values or standards of masculinity come under pressure or are contested, it creates a unique relief to see what is actually worth keeping.
The Signal-to-Noise Ratio is Degraded: Modern boys have access to more opinions in a single afternoon than past generations heard in a lifetime, optimized for their attention rather than their long-term growth.
Masculinity is Learned Through Proximity: True character cannot be absorbed from online or on-screen performances; young men require real, close-up access to fathers and mentors who model how to handle anger, exhaustion, and mistakes.
Difficulty is the Price of Significance: Raising boys in today's environment is undeniably harder than it was decades ago, but this lack of a clear, pre-set path means a father's presence and daily decisions matter more than ever.
The Blueprint Rest on Four Core Pillars: True, timeless masculinity across any era is anchored in four explicit practices: telling the truth, keeping your word, staying in the room when it gets difficult, and actively modeling repair.

“Difficulty is not the same as bad. Difficulty is the price of significance.” — Shaun Dawson

00:00 - Marking a historic milestone and reflecting on modern American values 01:30 - Why facing cultural friction and threat reveals what is truly worth fighting for 03:15 - A global perspective on social mobility and the standard set by the Constitution 05:05 - The background assumptions of masculinity over the last fifty years 06:30 - Navigating hijacked narratives, internet grifters, and angry reactions 08:00 - Pressure testing our ideals to strip away performative costumes and habits 10:15 - Three core reasons why raising a man is harder today than thirty years ago 11:30 - The degraded model of digital entertainment versus close-up presence 13:10 - Broken scripts and why modern fathers struggle with uncertainty 15:15 - Moving from a referee to a steady anchor holding the line for a generation 17:00 - How an imperfect group of everyday people shapes history by showing up 18:40 - Unpacking the four timeless structural pillars of modern masculinity

Raising Elite Athletes Without Losing Perspective with Jonathan V. Last

Episode 49

Monday, June 29, 2026 • Duration 38:56

In this compelling episode of Raising Men, host Shaun Dawson sits down with Jonathan V. Last (JVL), editor of The Bulwark and father of four, to navigate the complex and rapidly evolving landscape of youth sports. Drawing from twelve years of experience parenting a high-level collegiate baseball pitcher, JVL unpacks the delicate balance between fostering an elite athlete's drive and maintaining strict perspective.

He shares powerful, practical insights on why parents must actively deemphasize outcomes—such as winning weekend tournaments—and instead fiercely protect the process, where true character and resilience are forged. From discussing the modern pressures of early sports specialization to highlighting why the ride home from practice is a sacred space for meaningful conversation, this episode serves as an essential, grounded roadmap for fathers striving to raise well-adjusted, independent young men.

Key Takeaways

Deemphasize Outcomes, Value the Process: In youth sports, individual plays, innings, or weekend tournament wins ultimately do not matter; what matters is the athlete's approach, conduct, and how they manage both success and failure.
The Car Ride Home is Sacred Space: The drive home from practices or games is a precious window where parents have their children's full attention as they wind down, making it the premier opportunity for meaningful connection and life lessons.
Expose Kids to Sports, But Let Them Choose: It is highly valuable for children to experience team sports, but parents must explicitly communicate that their love is not tied to performance and that kids are free to pivot to other passions like music or drama.
Elite Talent is Obvious Early: Real elite athletic potential—enough to play at the collegiate level—is usually unmistakably apparent by age 10 to 12, meaning parents should avoid placing crushing performance pressure on kids who are not at that baseline.
Sports Concretize Abstract Life Lessons: Properly understood, sports act as a tangible classroom for the human condition, teaching kids how to handle physical limitations, adapt to things being taken away as they age, and manage internal expectations.

"There are only two reasons to do sports... for money or for joy and pleasure and growing. If you're not having fun and you're not growing, why bother?" "The most important part of any sports experience with your kid when they're young is the ride home... because the ride home is where you have each other's attention." "Even if you play in college and get drafted... you will have more time of your life to figure out what it is that you want to do to contribute to this world without baseball in it than you will have had with baseball."

Raising Men – Details, episodes & analysis

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Raising Men – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other99+

Amazon20

Facebook9

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other99+

Amazon20

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